Month: March 2020

 

(This is Part Two of how we can boost immunity because we have control over our daily routine. See Part One on a previous post.)

Midday

For most of us midday would bring us to lunch time. Ideally, lunch time would be 4 to 5 hours after we’ve had breakfast. Waiting 4-5 hours between meals is called intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body which, in turn, helps improve our immune system. (This is not recommended for those who are diabetic, have metabolic syndrome or other health conditions that require a different nutritional schedule. One should always check with their healthcare professional about what and when to eat.)

Lunch might include: Free range chicken and organic vegetable soup. Vegetables like carrots, which contain the vitamin A, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower to detoxify the body and a clove of garlic which is antimicrobial are a good choice. Another serving of healthy fat such as a tablespoon of flaxseed oil can also be consumed.

Dinner Time

Dinner time ideally would, again be 4-5 hours after lunch, so as to practice intermittent fasting. A meal consisting of plenty of healthy vegetables, protein and fat like beef, chicken, and fish are excellent choices.

Any dietary plans that follow the guidelines of the keto diet, the paleo diet, the South Beach diet or similar approaches work well in supporting our immune systems.

Since all of us like a snack or something sweet on occasion that is certainly permissible. Dark chocolate is a great choice that can satisfy our sweet tooth and can benefit us because it is anti-inflammatory.

An alcoholic drink on occasion does not have to weaken our immune system. Red wine and stout beer are anti-inflammatory.

Exercise will definitely improve the immune system. A good goal is to shoot for 30 minutes of exercise per day. Moderate exercise such as walking and weight and resistance training have been shown to lead to a higher number of white blood cells which helps to fight infection. One does not need a gym, health club or exercise facility. Some hand weights and stretch cables at home can provide resistance training. Walking provides aerobic exercise and may be the most beneficial activity humans can engage in.

Getting adequate sleep and rest is the most important thing we can do for our immune system. Our immune systems are working hardest while we’re sleeping. We supercharge our immune system when we get our rest!

One does not have to strictly follow this daily routine to have improved immunity. Enacting any of these measures will only enhance the immune system. However, gradually adding these ideas, over time will improve our control over the present and future health condition confronting us and make us less susceptible to aging and degenerative processes.

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Spring of 2020 finds many of us “locked down” due to a global viral pandemic. Schools are closed, businesses are shutterd and we are told to practice social distancing. Television and social media are a 24/7 source of information about the challenge. With all this going on it may appear as though all is lost and we are in a hopeless situation. However, all is not hopeless because we have control over our daily routine. This article will describe how we can go about our day in a positive manner that will help us during this trying time.

Anyone having played organized football and or having watched football on television has probably heard a coach say: “The best defense is a good offense.” Perhaps we can take this advice and formulate this strategy into improving our health so as to make us more resistant to the present disease we are facing and, even to other health conditions such as premature aging, dementia, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Consider the following healthy daily routine.

Morning

Upon awakening, drink a large glass of water. Water is necessary for all the chemical reactions that take place in our body. It is also an important way we eliminate toxins and waste products from the body. It is estimated that 75% of all Americans dehydrated or are underhydrated. One third of us mistake thirst for hunger- so instead of drinking water we eat, and we know what that leads to…. Most people should drink 2 liters or half a gallon of water/day.

Have a healthy breakfast of protein, vegetables and healthy fats. For example: two eggs, a serving cup of vegetables that might include carrots, broccoli and cabbage and a teaspoon of coconut oil.

Another vegetable option is to eat a handful of sprouts. You can grow your own sprouts from seed on your kitchen countertop by using a sprout jar. Amazon has a product called “Broccoli And Friends Mix” which contains a variety of different seeds.

Now that we’ve hydrated and fueled ourselves, we can gently get warmed up. Anyone with a dog or cat knows that their animal gently stretches upon arising. We should do the same. It is important to do some slow stretching exercises and nothing too vigorous. In fact, the first hour after arising shouldn’t consist of any heavy lifting or carrying. Nor should we engage in repetitive bending at the waist or finding ourselves in an awkward position. The body responds best to gently warming up for the first hour of our day.

(the finish of this post, Part Two, will be posted tomorrow)

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Your immune system is working it’s hardest when you’re sleeping.

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Over my 35 years of chiropractic practice I have always been interested in nutrition. Blueberries are high on my list to be included on everyone’s menu. This article will describe why blueberries can be important to our health. Included, in this report, will be a number of research studies showing the benefits of this amazing food.

There have been many types of recommended diets that have come and gone. I’ve done much research into what nutritional regimen works best. Based on scientific studies and experience, my personal approach is to eat a low carbohydrate, high-fat and protein plan. This should also include lots of vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, kale and cabbage should make up the bulk of the vegetable category.

I am not a big fan of eating a lot of fruits and berries because many of them contain fruit sugar which is a carbohydrate. Eating too many carbohydrates adversely affects the low carbohydrate aspect of this particular nutritional approach.

However, blueberries do not fall into the category of a deleterious high carb, fruit or berry. Unlike other berries which might cause a harmful spike in blood glucose and a corresponding high output of insulin to control the elevated blood sugar, blueberries have the opposite effect. Blueberries can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. This may reduce the risk for diabetes and possibly, even benefit diabetics.

Research also indicates that blueberries may reduce blood pressure and reduce the risk for heart attack. The mineral, manganese, is found in high concentrations in blueberries. Manganese is important in helping the body process cholesterol and can help us to have more of the “good cholesterol” versus “bad cholesterol.”

Now that I’m 65 years old and considered a “senior citizen” I’m concerned about brain health. Blueberries have been shown to be helpful in this regard. In 2018 a study was performed on 215 older adults with cognitive impairments. These folks consumed a daily blueberry and grape extract for six months and had a significant improvement of episodic memory.

Blueberries are also rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals. Free radicals can damage cells which contributes to aging and can cause diseases like cancer.

Blueberries, much like cranberries, contain anti-adhesive substances that can help keep bacteria from collecting in the bladder and cause urinary tract infections.

While many experts suggest eating a cup of blueberries per day this may be difficult or impractical for most people. Adding a portion of a dozen or so blueberries daily, to one’s diet will give benefits described above.

I highly recommend eating blueberries. They are delicious, nutritious, easily attainable at most grocery stores and incredibly good for you!

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When considering chiropractic treatment most people automatically think: pain relief. And while chiropractic therapy is excellent for back and neck pain relief, it can also help athletes with performance. Research is showing that athletes who utilize chiropractic care can help improve their reflexes. This article will discuss how chiropractic care helps improve athletic performance.

General thinking concerning chiropractic care is that it helps realign the bones of the spine to relieve pressure on pinched nerves and give pain relief. While this is true, chiropractic therapy has a much broader enhancement to the human body by improving the nervous system overall. When the spinal and pelvic bones are in good alignment receptors in the joints of the pelvis and spine send messages along the peripheral nerves to the central nervous system and ultimately to the brain. The brain, in turn, then sends messages along nerves to structures of the body like the muscles.

If this arc of nerve information coming from the body to the brain and from the brain back to the body is intact and functioning in top form the reflexes of everyone, and particularly athletes, respond to their ultimate potential.

Research has shown this on many occasions. A recent research study in the Journal Of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, December 2019 highlights this fact. In the study researchers applied spinal manipulative therapy to the cervical and upper thoracic spine of 11 healthy volunteers, and using electromyography, they detected improved muscle reflex responses in all the neck muscles, most back muscles and some extremity muscles.

This improvement of reflexes is particularly helpful in athletes requiring a high level of eye-hand coordination. Athletes in this category would include baseball players, tennis players, golfers, basketball players and such.

Athletes receiving chiropractic care, not just for pain relief, but to improve athletic performance by having an enhanced nervous system operating at peak performance, can gain a competitive edge over their opponents. This might be particularly important for a high-level high school athlete seeking to earn an athletic scholarship.

Many professional athletes of various sports already utilize chiropractic care for just such a reason. They have found that having a chiropractor on their healthcare team is one way to experience optimum performance their specific sport.

Athletes who consult with a chiropractor can expect the doctor to ask questions about aspects of their sport. A chiropractor will also perform an examination to determine proper alignment and motion of the spinal and pelvic joints. If improper alignment and abnormal motion are detected the doctor of chiropractic is the proper healthcare professional to perform chiropractic adjustments to correct spinal problems so as to allow that athlete to be to perform at their peak performance.

Athletes hoping to improve their performance would be wise to seek the services of a chiropractor to help perform at top effectiveness in their selected sport.

Visit this site for the Pittsburgh North Hills Chiropractor near me. See this website for a back and neck pain relief chiropractor near me.

 

“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you, wherever you go.” -Irish Blessing

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the North Hills Pittsburgh chiropractic neck and back pain relief office of Dr James Schofield.

 

We have had some inquiries, if we are open.

WE ARE DEFINITLEY OPEN our usual hours.
We consider your chiropractic care an essential service for neck and lower back pain relief and for pain relief of other conditions.
Non-surgical, medication free, chiropractic care is an important alternative solution for pain management.
Please know that we want to be part of the solution for your healthcare during this stressful time.

Brought to you from the North Hills Pittsburgh chiropractic neck and back pain relief office of Dr James Schofield.

When I was in chiropractic college, I had a course in micro-biology, which is the study of pathogens like viruses and bacteria. One thing the professor stressed about being healthy and resisting germs was public health. He noted that cultures that had good sewage systems, clean drinking water, refrigeration to keep food fresh, and warm, dry housing were a great firewall against pandemic disease. He also discussed individual micro-activities to perform to minimize the spread of infection.

Currently there is valid concern about the Coronavirus, specifically known as COVID-19. Federal, state and local governments, as well as NIH and the CDC are making concentrated efforts to keep us safe. We can do our parts, individually, to help. One micro-activity we can all participate in is the personal hygiene of washing our hands.

The National Institute of Health reports that handwashing with soap reduces the presence of harmful bacteria by 92%. It has been noted that if everyone routinely washed their hands, over 1 million deaths could be prevented worldwide per year.

Soap doesn’t actually kill bacteria or viruses; it removes them. Most microbial pathogens are found in the skin oils of our body. Soap and water will rinse off the oils containing the germs and removes them.

For this reason, it is not advised to use antibacterial soap. Because soap removes the bacteria, soap can be considered antibacterial. Also, viruses do not respond to antibiotics, so it makes even less sense to use bacterial soap.

It’s important to wash our hands correctly. The Cleveland Clinic advises these steps:

• grab a towel and set it aside
• wash your hands and wrists thoroughly
• apply and lather soap fully
• scrub your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds
• rinse your hands well
• dry your hands thoroughly with the reserved towel
• use the towel to turn off the faucet

If you find that frequent washing of the hands causes skin irritation or cracking of the skin surface it is perfectly fine to use a skin moisturizer after handwashing.

If soap and water are not available, it is all right to use hand sanitizers. However, the sanitizers must contain at least 60% alcohol to be considered effective. Hand sanitizers may not be effective for heavily soiled or greasy hands.

Other micro activities to avoid spreading viruses are to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Also cover any sneezing or coughing with a Kleenex or handkerchief.

Hand washing is a simple, effective way to keep healthy. It only takes 20 seconds of time and may be the best 20 seconds you can spend for taking care of your health and health of others around you.

Brought to you from the North Hills Pittsburgh chiropractic neck and back pain relief office of Dr James Schofield.

On March 7, 2020 Dr James Schofield attended a conference in Cleveland Ohio.

The main topic presented was a specific chiropractic treatment technique called “drop table adjusting.” Drop table adjusting is a very gentle type of chiropractic care which is particularly effective in treating spinal pain of lower back. It was noted, at the conference, that chiropractic care for back pain relief is a safe, and effective, nondrug and surgery free form of treatment.

When initially meeting a patient, chiropractors are trained to determine if they can help. Gentle chiropractic methods, such as drop table adjusting, can be used when traditional chiropractic care might not be utilized.

It was also noted, during the conference, that many people suffer from chronic, long-lasting, ongoing, lower back pain. Many times, harmful medications, such as opioids, are prescribed for these conditions. However, chiropractic care has been shown, through research, to be the most effective form of giving low back pain relief to those suffering from these chronic problems.

Dr James Schofield’s chiropractic office is in the North Hills of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He has been in practice for 35 years and holds licenses to practice chiropractic in Pennsylvania, Florida and New Jersey.

Visit to learn about best Pittsburgh North Hills chiropractor for back pain. Discover chiropractic UPMC back pain relief.

Neck and lower back pain can affect you from having a good night’s sleep. Chiropractic care gives neck and back pain relief so you can sleep normally!

Visit UPMC pain relief chiropractor. To learn more about chiropractic pain relief see our site.