Anterior Head Syndrome

Anterior Head Syndrome is an epidemic in our society.  I could literally  have a practice that just focuses on this serious primary condition.  Anterior Head Syndrome, or AHS for short, is a structural condition in the human body where the head has moved anterior or forward compared to the upper back and shoulders (see picture above).  Where should the head be, you ask?  When looking at person from the side, the head should be centered directly over the shoulder. Because the ear is fairly centered on the side of the head, a good visual landmark for normal head position is the ear being centered over the middle of the shoulder.

Why the Epidemic?

Did mom ever tell you to "Sit up straight and don’t slouch?"  Maybe you should have listened!  Think about all the things we do that cause us to look down: poor ergonomics at a desk, laptops, texting, hand  held video games, picking up children, reading, etc... Then there is the poor sitting issues such as the car (reclining the seat too far back) or the "slouch couch".  And let us not forget that lager bellies (whether due to pregnancy or being over weight) will jut the head anteriorly to balance the body.  So unless you are a svelte, ergonomically conscious ceiling painter, there is a good chance that you spend some time looking down with your head forward. 

So whats the big deal?

Several things happen to the body when the head is anterior compared to the shoulder. For starters, the average adult human head weighs between 10 and 14 pounds and it takes minimal muscle effort to hold the head upright when it is centered over the shoulders. BUT, for every inch the head shifts forward,  the weight of the head increases by at least 10 pounds, and the muscle effort needed to hold the head up significantly increases. Picture holding a bowling ball close to your body and then extending your arms forward with the bowling ball in your hands.  The bowling ball gets much heavier as you extend the arms!  Simple laws of physics and leverage.  So your 10lb head now weighs 20- 30lbs if it is 1 - 2 inches abnormally anterior.  This is why many people feel "tight" in their neck, shoulders, and upper back or tired at the end of the day.

Oh, but there is more..

When the head goes anterior, abnormal stress and strain occurs on the bones, discs, nerves, and spinal cord.  This is due to the abnormal structural alignment the spine takes in this anterior position. Many prestigious medical journals and health clinics have already proven that AHS causes:

•  spinal decay
•  disc herniation 
• pinched nerves 
• sympathetic nerve issues
• arm pain, carpal tunnel syndrome
• Dowager's Hump ("Granny Hump") 
• digestive conditions (including reflux) 
• dizziness (vertigo)
• fibromyalgia
• headaches of all types 
• low back pain 
• neck pain 
• numbness and tingling 
• TMJ disorders 
• sinus issues 
• vision and hearing problem
• And MANY, MANY more!

The good news is that AHS can be corrected if caught earlier enough. Correcting AHS is not an easy task and can take some time and effort.  Traditional chiropractic manipulative style treatments usually do very little to address the issue. Most physical therapy and massage style muscle treatments usually do very little to affect the, ligaments and neck curve aspect of AHS.  We use specific corrective techniques and rehabilitation that is designed to correct AHS.  Finding a provider that focuses on structural correction of the spine and one who works on AHS every day, is a crucial step in improving you health.

Questions or concerns about AHS?

In office consultations are no charge.  Its a conversation not a commitment.

Have a Great Day!

Sue's Testimonial on Detoxing

Here is my story short and sweet:

I am 44 yrs old woman and two years ago my body started to give me messages that something was wrong—off balance.(rheumatoid arthritis flare up—don’t have it, insomnia, migraines, dry and greasy hair, dry skin, strong food cravings, lethargic, foggy, somewhat depressed because it was hard to get through my day)  My doctor couldn’t help, blood work was ok, etc.  I went to a naturopathic doctor who showed me how to do a saliva test.  The results showed my adrenal gland was fatigued. 

The way back to health was to take care of myself gently.  I took some vitamin supplements to help but the biggest thing was to eat healthy (no gluten and sugar) and rest. It took about 9 months for me to turn the bend but I still wasn’t feeling up to par. During this time researching what my body was doing I read a lot about healthy eating.

It seemed so hard to give up so much of what I was used to eating. 

Dr. Deane told me about the detox program Dr. Terri was going to support and I knew it was for me.  I decided to do it. It was time.

After 21 days of doing the detox I feel great!! I love the way I am eating and I don’t’ miss anything.  Unbelievable.

About the program-  for me the first 5 days were the hardest . I was crabby –probably all the sugar leaving my body!  After that I felt great. I remember looking at the calendar and seeing when I would have 21 days straight to commit to.  I thought I picked the best time ( I did) but once I got into it I was challenged.  I attended 3 cookouts/parties, had company stay at my house for 4 days and a family that didn’t want to eat the way I was eating.  Well, I overcame everything! I cooked healthy meals for my company with lots of veggies.  I packed my own food when I was on the go—so much easier than you think.  What can be easier than grabbing an apple and packing a salad??  My husband now eats with me too.  A lot of good things happened in those 21 days.

After the program, I still eat the same way and drink one shake a day.  I have learned to love the shakes. 

Childhood Sport Injuries

Does your middle or high school aged child play organized sports?  Now that school has officially begun, school sports have begun as well.  If your child plays on a school team, you might have already been to coach's night and /or have signed waivers for your child to participate.  But, how does the school know that your child is fit enough to play a particular sport?  Yes, I know that all sports require a medical exam prior to a child starting, but...

Do you know what is actually being checked in the pre-season exam?

This exam is, in most cases, simply a basic body systems' exam (eyes, ears, nose, throat, etc..) with a minimal scoliosis evaluation called "Adam's Test", which  happens to be very vague and unreliable test.  If a scoliosis is suspected on the exam, it is reported as either positive or negative on the exam form.  From there, you are notified to follow up with your child's doctor and if its not "severe"  then your child is on a "wait and see" status to see if the scoliosis worsens.  There is so much I could write about scoliosis, but I will have to it for another blog.  Realize for today that scoliosis is not the only structural test worthy of being tested.  There are many other structural abnormalities that are left unchecked that can affect your child's injury status.

So basically, this pre-season exam provides almost no biomechanical information on your child's structure.  Most potential sports injuries are biomechanical or structural in nature, and much can be done before the season begins to reduce the likelihood of injury.  When a professional athlete is being considered by a franchise, that franchise puts the athlete through a battery of tests that also include speed, strength, flexibility, endurance, body composition, and structural integrity.   They are not going to invest money for a player if they can't pass their exhaustive physical exam. Now I realize your child is not a professional athlete, but the point is that most of the tests that are performed by a professional franchise are for preventative measures.  They are not going to sign an athlete that is going to be prone to injury.

A structural exam detects imbalances, weakness, and sites of potential injury.  A detailed, customized corrective program is then designed to balance and strengthen these defecits before injury occurs.  This is true preventative care!

I want to point out that I am not referring to serious traumas like broken bones, concussions, severe cuts and lacerations.  Those are obviously traumas that happen no matter what condition your child is in.  Again, most injuries that occur are biomechanical or structural in nature and are not addressed or corrected.    In these cases, when a child is injured he/she is seen by a doctor, trainer, therapist, etc...   A little rest and maybe some therapy is usually prescribed to address the injury, but the weak link in the child's structure was not addressed.

To you give you an example from our office, a high school sophomore came in with knee pain.  The parents had already seen the athletic trainer and their primary medical doctor.  Wraps, rubs, stretches, and medications were not solving this child's problem.  We did a structural exam and found abnormal shifts in the child's spine, hips, knees, and feet.  These are findings that are significant to allowing the child's joints to work normally without excessive wear and tear and undue stress.  Just like if a mechanic found that the front end of your car is out of alignment, then the tires are going to wear down unevenly (arthritis) and the steering performance will be affected (muscles). Your child's structure is just like an automobile (metaphorically speaking), except that replacing your child's "parts" is not an option. 

The patient was put on a structural correction program which addressed all of his issues.  This patient is now in college and playing competitive sports without any relapse of knee pain.

Short term fixes are just that, short term.  Long term fixes require a blue print and plan to correct structural problems to allow the body to be resilient to the stress put upon it whether it's from sports or just living life.

Have a great Day,
Dr. Deane

Osteoporosis part II

To continue from where I left off on my last blog entry ,there are several reasons we are seeing such an increase in the rates of osteoporosis in the United States, but the following appear to be the top ones.

            •            Overly processed and acid forming foods

            •            Decreased physical activity

            •            Decreased sun exposure.

Osteoporosis occurs more often in countries where the diet is high in refined carbohydrates (white flour & white sugar). These tend to cause an increase in the loss of vital minerals into the urine. Most people think that when someone is a vegetarian that they have one of the healthiest diets around when in all actuality many western vegetarians have a diet that is loaded with refined wheat, refined soy, refined sugars & many other non-food sources. So, just by virtue of being a vegetarian doesn’t make one’s diet healthy & full of bone building nutrients. 

Lack of physical activity is yet another reason we continue to see osteoporosis rates increasing. A good exercise regimen would include 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, in addition to some weight training exercises. Bone responds to the stress/demands placed on them. Building muscles= building bones.

Vitamin D is also crucial for calcium uptake. Despite synthetic vitamin D being added to milk & other non-foods, biochemically it is not a natural form of vitamin D & thus falls. Natural vitamin D is food in fatty fish & made in the skin. Unless you eat A LOT of fish & eggs, getting enough vitamin d from real food is difficult. Sunshine is a terrific way to boost your vitamin D levels to help ensure good bone health.

More calcium supplements are sold than any other, but most of them are not absorbed in the GI tract. This is because most calcium vitamins are sold as the insoluble form of calcium, calcium carbonate. Chalk is made primarily from calcium carbonate. Check your vitamins & see. If you think this is a good form of calcium, save some money & just buy chalk instead of those vitamins.

Another component that many vitamins are missing is the proper ratio of calcium to magnesium. This should be at a 5:1 ration: calcium to magnesium. Go ahead check that bottle again.

Getting calcium from food works the absolute best. Women who get most of their calcium from real foods have stronger bones when compared to those women whose calcium comes from mainly non-food sources (i.e. calcium carbonate & foods fortified with calcium). We don’t know for sure why calcium from real food is more beneficial, but it is more than likely due these foods containing many other compounds that work synergistically with the calcium that allows it to be the most beneficial & useful. Calcium does not work all on it’s own.

Now, when I mention real foods for the best possible calcium, I am in no way talking about milk (dairy).  Although the dairy association wants us all believing that “milk does a body good,” countries with the highest dairy intake (including the US) have the highest rate of hip fractures and osteoporosis. In fact, in the famous Nurses” Health Study, it was shown that the women who had the highest intake of calcium from milk also had a significant increase in fractures. I guess the milk industries new slogan should say “Got Fractures?” 

The best possible source for readily absorbable calcium is from leafy green & cruciferous vegetables. These include cabbage, kale, broccoli, collards, and spinach. Even beans, carrots & sardines are better sources of calcium than milk.

I love being able to empower you, my patients & friends, into making better health choices through chiropractic & nutrition. The adage we are what we eat is beyond a shadow of a doubt one of the most important things you can live by. I am currently available for nutritional consultations on Tuesday & Thursday mornings. If you would like to have a complete health assessment done, you can contact me at the office.

Be Health & Be Well.

Osteoporosis

Did you know that your bones are actual living tissue? Your body automatically knows how to build up brand new bone & get rid of the old bone all on its own.

Osteoporosis is a disease where not enough NEW bone is formed; this is more often than not due to nutritional deficiencies & lack of weight bearing exercise.

I don't watch much T.V. these days, so I was actually quite surprised when I turned it on one day & heard Sally Field, the flying nun, say that she had *cured* her osteoporosis by taking a pill once a month. HUH! I stood there with my mouth agape & thought," what a crock!" I don't care how great medical science can be at times, there is no way that taking a pill once a month is going to cure osteoporosis. This once a month pill is strictly for consumer convenience & compliance.

Osteoporosis drugs are BIG business & manufacturers will do just about anything to get most Americans to take these. As typically happens years after a drug hits the market, we have now learned that these osteoporosis drugs are not only ineffective at strengthening bone, but they can cause more unusual fractures. Yep! There are a number of studies revealing just that. 

A bone doesn’t get its strength from its density alone.   Picture your bones like a wall in your house.  Inside that wall there are supports (2x4s) that make the wall strong.  The drywall on the outside is a covering to the wall.  Bones have a matrix of supports (2x4s) that are inside that give support.  Now taking a medication to “thicken the bone” is kind of like throwing extra drywall up on the wall to make it stronger when it would have been better to put more supports in.  This is where the bone density test fails to give an accurate diagnosis.  It strictly measures the thickness of the bone, not the strength. That support system within the bone becomes more developed & adds new calcium when stress that is placed upon that bone (weight bearing exercise). A once a month pill can hardly achieve the same results.  

How is that we have lost so much insight into the intuitive & amazing abilities our bodies have to self heal? It is very dangerous to work against nature: the innate intelligence in your body that knows how to self heal & regulate.  If we are to improve our health, we must stop treating our bodies like garbage pits.

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of taking calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis, but think about it. If it were really that simple why would we continue to see the rates of osteoporosis increasing? It’s because it isn’t that simple. Just taking a calcium & vitamin D supplement is not the answer. Calcium & vitamin D work together, but they also work with many other nutrients and it’s the combination of all of these factors that protect our bones.

Stay tuned for my next blog entry in a few days.  I will reveal more answers to the osteoporosis riddle and what you can do to avoid osteoporosis.

~Dr. Terri

Herniated Disc and Sciatica? Now What?

Our office sees quite a few patients who suffer with disc problems and sciatica.  They come mainly from referrals from other patients who have had great success in our office.  I would be willing to bet that the reason our success rate is so high is due to the whole process and plan the patient goes through in order to correct their problem.  Typically if you have a disc injury,  it is most likely not the primary cause to your underlying problem.  Yes, the injured disc can be putting pressure on a nerve sending pain or numbness into a leg, but its still not the primary cause.  What is the primary cause you might ask?  Well there are multiple reasons a disc becomes injured and most of these reasons fall under the umbrella of a structural deficit in the spine or frame of the body. Huh?

Let me give you an example.  A patient comes into our office with lower back and leg pain.  They have an MRI demonstrating a herinated disc at L4-5.  Over the past five years, they have tried prescription pain killers and anti-inflammatories, cortisone shots, physical therapy, chiropractic, yoga, acupuncture, massage, and exercise.  Some of the above mentioned strategies may have given a little symptomatic relief, but the pain always returned.

During a consultation I explain what our office focuses on, (structural correction of the spine), why that is important, (its the foundation that dictates the function of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and DISCS), and what indicators we are going to look for in the exam to see if their structure is abnormal.  The patient begins to realize that they have not had an exam like this and nobody has really explained in very clear terms how this can be causing their pain.

The patient agrees to have the structural exam and can then see for themselves, the indicators of structural abnormalities.  The first indicator was a short leg due to structural collapse of one of their feet causing their pelvis to be tipped and rotated to one direction putting compression abnormally one side of the disc.  The second indicator was a significant loss of the normal lumbar lordosis (normal side curve) causing increased compression on the discs. Two of the indicators were so obvious for the patient to see in the exam, they were wondering why nobody else made mention of this.

There were more findings in this exam, but to get my point across  I only need to discus those two.  Since there was a structural component to the injury, anything but structural correction will give short term relief at best.  Everything else the patient had tried previously might be successful for simple inflammation and weak muscles, but they didn't address the primary cause.

Even if this patient had spinal surgery, it would not have fixed their structure leaving them with a weakened foundation (the spine) and most likely problems in the future.

You might be thinking at this point, "how do you fix this person's structure?"  Again, every case is different.  Its not a cookie cutter approach.  In this case, we needed to give the patient a treatment plan that corrected, as much as possible, all the abnormalities we found.  The treatment plan included structural corrective adjustments with about 5-6 other corrective procedures performed in the office.  The patient was also fitted for foot correctors and instructed to wear them in their shoes.  Lifestyle and nutritional modifications were reviewed and reinforced to minimize any unnecessary flare-ups.

End result was a very happy patient with a new lease on life!

If you or someone you know has a disc problem, sciatica, or you feel that may have a structural problem give our office a call at 781-825-5555.  Consultations are complementary.  Its a conversation, not a commitment.

Have a great day!

Dr. Deane

The New England Patriot's Secret

Football season is almost officially here and if you have been a Patriot's fan over the past decade then you know how well they have been doing, for multiple reasons.  A few years ago, I learned one of their secrets to improved speed, power, and injury prevention.  This secret was so guarded that when an athletic trainer let it out of the bag, he was fired.  Professional sports is about winning.  When you really have something that works in the NFL you keep it a secret.  Coincidentally, this same trainer was picked up by the New York Giants a year before they upset the Patriots in obtaining their "perfect season" in the Super Bowl.

So, how does someone like me learn this secret?  Well, the main person who developed this along side the athletic trainers was a chiropractor who focuses on structural correction of the spine.  It just so happens, that this is what our office focuses on as well. We are a smaller subset of the chiropractic community that really has really has an enormous amount of research behind us.  You see traditional chiropractors generally improve range of motion, decrease muscle spasms, and decrease pain.  While our initial interest is the elimination of your pain, our fundamental goal is to restore your spine to as close to normal alignment as possible.  While that is not always possible, it's important to understand that the closer the human body is to its normal alignment, the better it will perform.

What the athletic trainers noticed was that players with good lower back alignment and a normal lordosis (normal side view curvature), were the most flexible, the fastest, hit the hardest, and had the least hamstring injuries. When the Patriot trainers went to the NFL combine, they spent 3.5 million dollars on tests like x-rays & MRI's to assess the health status of 325 players.  The Patriots used these diagnostics to look for evidence  of a bulging disc, pinched nerve or spinal stenosis.  Clearly, they only wanted to draft and keep players that have no evidence of back problems.

When a player had these conditions they were more likely to experience pain and a disability to play.  To keep these conditions from becoming an arthritic (chronic wear and tear) condition, the athletic trainer's second goal was to find a treatment that would put the vertebra in the correct position and therefore correct what was causing the pinched nerve, bulged disc and the spinal stenosis.

This is where the Structural Chiropractor comes in.  This chiropractor had already been working on structural correction with his own patients in his office when the athletic trainer, who was the medical and rehab director for the New England Patriots, contacted him. He was asked to not only design a program of care for their players, but to also establish a routine the players could do to protect their spines once they were in normal alignment.


The simple goal was to produce physically dominating players that stayed healthy throughout the season. Keeping your starting players on the field from beginning to end makes for a winning combination.  This is not a new goal to any sports team; its just that the New England Patriots were the first to recognize the importance of a normally aligned spine.  I've just recently heard that the Denver Broncos are now on board and I can't say I'm very happy about that.

The good news for you is that this technology and treatment is available in our office.  For all individuals to function at peak performance & be the best they can be, it's vital that your spine is as closely aligned to normal as possible. To schedule a complimentary consultation, give our office a call. 781-826-5555.

Have a Great Day!
Dr. Deane

Backpacks- What You Should Know For Your Child's Health

If you are a parent, you probably enjoy the office supply store ad which uses a winter holiday song "Its the most wonderful time of the year."  If you're a teenager, well...maybe not so much.  Either way one of those supplies that you might need this year is a backpack.  This is actually a very important choice for the health of your child's spine.  Backpack usage has been correlated with the rise in adolescent back pain.  There is also evidence that adolescents with back pain are more likely to have back pain as an adult.

As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. 

It shouldn't be much of a surprise that if your child is carrying more weight on their back than they are capable of handling, then they might experience back pain.  What most people forget is that this stress takes place daily over the course of the school year as your child's spine is growing.

Now take into consideration that the backpack is worn incorrectly putting more stress on one side of the body.  This will cause the child's structure to shift out of NORMAL alignment putting abnormal stress on the muscles, ligaments, discs, bones and nerves.  When done long enough, this will lead to secondary symptoms such as back pain.  Quite often the childs spine will develop a scoliosis (abnormal shift in the spine).  Research has shown that just 26lbs carried at least one time per week is enough to affect your child's structure.

What can you do to prevent this?

There really is no perfect solution. Kids seem to need more books these days; some schools lack lockers and/or  are not giving kids sufficient time to get to their lockers. We also can't overlook the fact that even with out these factors, some kids will just not be compliant to change the way they carry their backpack. But here are some suggestions that can help.

1.  Make sure your child is not carrying more than 10-15% of their body weight in the backpack.

2.  Have you child wear the backpack with both straps over the shoulders and make sure the pack does
not hang more than 4 inches below their waist.  This way they are less likely to lean forward due to the increased weight on the shoulders.

3.  Make sure the shoulder straps are adjustable and are padded for comfort.

4.  Do not buy a backpack that is too big.  Remember if there is extra space they will fill it with something, increasing the overall weight of the back pack.

5.  Having individualized compartments is good. This allows the pack to be balanced and prevents bulky areas from pushing into the spine.

6.  Roller packs are not a solution due to the fact that they get over packed and eventually the child needs to lift the pack onto the bus and up stairs at school.  A lot of schools have already banned the use of these packs because of the space issue in the schools and fear of someone tripping over them.

7.  If it seems impossible to limit the amount of books your child needs to tote around, talk to their teacher and see if there is an alternative, such as second set of books left at home or just bringing lighter books back and forth.

If you have questions regarding your child's backpack and how it might be affecting their health, give our office a call.  Consultations are no charge and if you bring your child we can make sure their back pack is set up properly. 

Have a great day!
Dr. Deane

Do You Know Normal?

It as been said that in order to recognize “abnormal,” you must first be aware of what’s "normal".  How do you know if you have a fever?  How do you know if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor eyesight?  You know what’s abnormal only because you know what’s normal.

Many things in life have life have "normals".  Your car, for instance, has warning indicator lights that are meant to light up when things with your car are "abnormal".   Oil, engine, temperature, and now even tire pressure lights tell you when things with your car are not right ("abnormal").   These warning indicators are  secondary to a primary condition (low engine oil, low coolant in radiator, and low air in tire).

When it comes to the human body, our warning indicators are a number of secondary conditions (aka symptoms).  Many times the cause to these secondary conditions is a more serious primary condition such as abnormal structural alignment of the spine.  When the spine shifts into abnormal structural alignment, there is increased stress on the muscles, tendons, ligaments, spinal discs, and nerves. 

For example, the human head conservatively weighs on average 10lbs.  For every inch it shifts forward from the shoulders you can add 10 more pounds to the head.  I commonly see patients whose heads are abnormally 2-3 inches forward.  That means there head is at least 30-40lbs!  Do you think this would cause neck pain or headaches?  Yes and Yes!  There many more secondary conditions that an anterior head can present with, but that is for another blog. My point is that this increased physical stress can only be resolved by correcting the primary condition (abnormal structural alignment of the spine).   As a Structural Correction chiropractic office, that's what I focus on and the results are amazing.

Below are a small handful of secondary conditions that can common when there is a structural problem with the spine.

• Neck & Back Pain                       • Rotator Cuff & Shoulder Pain

• Sciatica & Hip pain                     • Degenerative Disc Disease

• Numbness & Tingling                 • Decreased Range of Motion

• Headaches (Including Migraine)   • Poor Posture

• Pinched Nerve ( N.I.S.)                 • Muscular Imbalance

• Herniated Disc                           • Dizziness/Vertigo

• Canal Stenosis                            • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome


Got Structure?

Improved balance, strength, and stamina! From a Mouthguard?

Yes it’s true!  In the latest Men’s Journal there is an article which reviews these amazing benefits obtained from a special $2000 mouthguard. As the article states:  “the gains weren’t huge while people were wearing the mouthguard, but they were statistically significant.”   So significant that many top level athletes are getting this mouthguard made for themselves to get that competitive edge.

Why am I even writing about it you might ask?  Well because of the mechanism in which the mouthguard helps improve your performance.  You see dentists have known for years that when a head has protruded forward from the shoulders (we call Anterior Head Syndrome) can cause TMJ disorders.  I even remember writing a report about this in chiropractic school and most of my references were dental books.  This particular mouthguard allows the jaw to move into its optimal position.  This creates better head and neck alignment as compared to the lower body.  In other words the head is not as far in front of the shoulders as it previously was. This decreases the strain on the neck and shoulder muscles, increases range of motion, and in turn opens up the rib cage making it easier to breathe and improves balance. 

My question is what happens when you take the mouthguard out?  The guard, as good as it is, can only change a postural distortion while it’s in your mouth.  What about the people who don’t notice much change with the mouthguard in? Many people have underlying abnormal structural problems that need extra help to correct. 

 In our office we correct abnormal structural of the spine and one of the most common is Anterior Head Syndrome (AHS).  An extremely short list of secondary conditions such as 

• Headaches,
• Neck pain and stiffness 
• Muscle tension/spasms 
• TMJ
• Dowanger’s Hump (Granny Hump) 
• Rotator Cuff issues
• Degenerative discs and vertebra
• Fatigue

By correcting the primary cause, the anterior head, the secondary conditions / symptoms resolve.So, the dentists and corrective chiropractors can agree that correcting Anterior Head Syndrome will:

• Improve your strength and balance
• Decrease TMJ problems
• Decrease neck pain and stiffness
• Improve  your energy!

Detoxing Your Body

When most people hear the word "detox" they naturally think of a drug addict who is now going through the process of detoxing his/her body from all the harmful drugs. What many people don not realize is that everyone, moms, dads, students, grandmothers, grandfathers, should go through a detox or purification program, whether or not you are a "drug addict" or not.

Why you might ask? Well, on a daily basis, each and every one of us, is exposed to countless numbers of toxins: the air we breathe, the soap we use to wash our bodies, the water we use to brush our teeth, the coffee or tea we drink, the processed cereal we have for breakfast, the pesticides in our food, the clothes we wear, the list goes on & on. Even if you are someone who has gone completely organic in your food choices, you are still exposed to toxins.

Although your body is designed to rid itself of these toxins, it can become overwhelmed & overburdened with the process. This is where detox or purification comes in. By detoxing your body you allow it to rest & rebuild it's inner environment.

Some of the symptoms of being toxic are:

• headaches
• feeling tired ( even in the morning)
• uncontrollable food cravings
• problems losing weight
• brain fog
• digestive issues

Come & spend an hour with me to learn more about how you can lose weight, feel better & build a better you.

• Thursday, July 29th, 2010

• 7:00 p..m.

Seats are limited, so call 781-826-5555 to reserve your seat.

Posture & Your Health

You probably can think back and remember times when your mom or another adult told you, "Stand up straight. You're slouching." Why we're they so concerned? Well first of all, it really isn't very attractive when someone is folded over onto themselves in this way but, secondly maybe, just maybe, these adults understood that adapting to this posture is detrimental to your health. Yes, you read that correctly.

Your posture affects and moderates every physiological function from breathing to hormonal production. Think about it, if you're slouched over a computer most of the day then your shoulders round forward, your chest caves inward & your lungs now have less room to expand; you have essentially diminished your breathing capacity. The same is true of other organs in your body. This is not to even mention what it does to your muscles & ligaments.
Abnormal posture can lead to spinal pain, headache, mood imbalances, and other stress related illnesses.

At Moore Family Chiropractic, we focus on the structural correction of your spine. As doctors who do this, we naturally take a close look at your posture. Many people are very surprised that years of poor posture, progressively causes shifts in the spine which can lead to debilitating conditions. They think, "Well I can stand up straight. I just have to remember." Herein lies the faulty thinking. Your body is unable to stand up straight for longs periods of time because it has now adapted to these postural shifts. It's a lot more than remebering to stand up straight. Physically your body now needs to be retrained.

Next week, I will get into how we tackle postural issues in our office to bring our patients to a better state of health.

How Moore Family Chiropractic Can Help You!

All chiropractic techniques have something of value to offer. The chiropractic profession actually serves as an umbrella to a large number of alternative approaches to health care. So it's not surprising that there are so many definitions to what chiropractic is and what it is not.

The Council of Chiropractic Education says that, chiropractic care has been proven to reduce pain, increase range of motion, and reduce muscular spasm. That having been said, there are many techniques that take the next step in care & offer additional benefits.

At Moore Family Chiropractic, we focus on structural correction of the spine. While our initial interest is the elimination of your pain, our fundamental goal is to restore your spine to as close to normal alignment as possible. While this is not always possible, it's important to understand that the closer the human body is to its normal alignment, the better it will perform.

Because of our commitment to your health, we focus our sights on the true cause of your conditions, nit simply the symptoms. Symptoms are important, but alleviating a symptom doesn't mean the problem has been corrected. Does a pain down the left arm indicate a problem with that arm or could is also be a heart related problem? Unfortunately, many people have become accustomed to temporary fixes & medication ( which simply masks your pain).

It has been well established by peer-reviewed scientific research that the loss of the normal alignment of the spine is the likely cause of many musculo-skeletal related conditions. The loss of the normal spinal curvatures create the perfect recipe for neck & low back conditions. Additionally, the function of the spinal nerves & their pathways to every call in the human body, is likely to be compromised. Unfortunately, the human body doesn't always give us a warning signal until the damage is already done.

As doctors that focus on structural chiropractic care, we naturally will take a look at your posture, which is like a window to your spine. In fact, it's an excellent indicator as to what we'll find when we exam your X-rays. Most people are very surprised to find out that years of poor posture (sitting at a computer, slouching, hours in a car,taking care of children) progressively cause shifts in the spine, which in turn can lead to debilitating conditions.

The following is a short list of common conditions (secondary) that can occur due to abnormal spinal curves (primary).

• Headaches
• Neck Pain & Stiffness
• Muscle Tension/Spasms
• Arm/Hand Pain, Numbness
• Low Back Pain
• Sciatica
• Hip Pain
• Plantar Fascitis
• Rotator Cuff issues
• Degenerative Discs & Vertebra

Vitamin D

If you've been anywhere online or watching any TV, you've probably heard some things about Vitamin D. Some of it may be confusing , so I'm going to give you a brief synopsis on what you need to know about this very important vitamin.

Vitamin D is responsible for maintaining normal blood levels of Calcium & Phosphorus. It aids in Calcium absorption for strong teeth & bones. Without it, your bones can become soft, change shape & begin to demineralize.

Exposure to natural sunlight is a major source of Vitamin D. Ultraviolet rays from the sun trigger vitamin D synthesis in your skin. Spending 20-30 minutes in the sun produces approximately 10,000 IU of vitamin D in your body. Of course, depending on the latitude of where you live (the further from the equator you are, the lower your Vitamin D levels) and the season will determine your sunlight exposure & hence your circulating levels of Vitamin D.

It's estimated that approximately 25 million adult Americans are at risk for developing osteoporosis, in part due to low levels of Vitamin D. Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency to a variety of different cancers, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, heart disease & many more.

So what should you do? Have your Vitamin D levels tested to get a baseline & then begin supplementing. Optimal Vitamin D levels are 50-65 ng/ml.

When sunny weather prevails, get outside & expose yourself to the sun; vreate vitamin D naturally. You'll be doing your body a world of good.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

The Truth About…

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Perhaps you’ve seen the recent television commercials that attempt to quiet some of the opposition to high Fructose Corn Syrup, a common sweetener used in thousands of food products.

One of the television ads features two women having a discussion about HFCS – planting the suggestion that many people are simply “mistaken” about the alleged negative side effects associated with the consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup.

The pro-HFCS crowd alleges that HFCS is nothing more than a harmless combination made from fruit sugar (fructose) and corn syrup. Is that it? Are many of us in panic mode over nothing more than just some fruit sugar and corn?

Let’s look at the FACTS. First it is true that on the surface and from a recipe standpoint, ounce for ounce, High Fructose Corn Syrup is recognized as “sugar” no differently than refined sugar or corn syrup. Unfortunately, there’s much more to the story.

According to many respected researchers, HFCS has a greater impact on a person’s metabolism than just plain old sugar. The reason has to do with the manufacturing processes, and in some cases, impurities found in trace amounts of HFCS during each of the steps followed by with respect to the creation of the product. In short, when it comes to our livers (and other organs) a teaspoon of HFCS is not EXACTLY the same as a tablespoon of sugar.

Evidence strongly suggests that HFCS takes the “expressway” to the liver where the metabolic conversion to fat is far more rapid than the typical conversion from regular sugar.

The enzymes released as a result of the presence of HFCS are said to dramatically increase levels of both triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. There is also strong evidence that our satiety response. Translated, that means that we need more “stuff” to make us feel full, and that folks, is bad news for the waistline.

Hi Everyone,

We are starting the 2010 new year with a blog. How exciting is that? Basically it gives us a way to stay in contact with you, our patients & friends, & update you on things happening in the office & our lives. Stay tuned for some very interesting additions I have in store.