Here Comes the Sun and Vitamin D

Here Comes the Sun

Regular Chiropractic Care Helps Build Healthy Bones

Your daily dose of Vitamin D participates in a complex biochemical sequence of events leading to the construction of strong bones and teeth. In order to help achieve these important goals, the vitamin D molecule must be processed by the kidney and liver to yield a metabolically active form. Such processing depends on timely and accurate instructions received from the nerve system and feedback signals transmitted to the nerve system by the target organs. Biomechanical integrity of the spine supports this series of events. As nerve interference will disrupt vitamin D metabolism and function, proper alignment of the spinal column is necessary to ensure appropriate functioning of the nerve system. Regular chiropractic care detects, analyzes, and corrects sources of nerve interference and thus is an essential part of effective utilization of vitamin D. Overall, regular chiropractic care is an important component of a complete program of health and wellness.

Summer is here and, although you may not be actually "dancin' in the streets" as famously proclaimed by the beloved Motown group Martha and the Vandellas, you will likely be spending much more time outside. One of the great benefits of our increased time outdoors is the biochemical activation of vitamin D synthesis triggered by exposure to ultraviolet rays in sunlight. Of course, in today's world, it's important to make sure we're not exposed to too much ultraviolet radiation. We need to balance the beneficial effects of vitamin D verses the harms of overexposure.

Vitamin D, also known as cholecalciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is primarily obtained when our skin comes in contact with sunlight. The molecule thus synthesized is inert metabolically and is processed in the liver and kidney to yield the active form, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, otherwise known as active vitamin D3. Problematically, we are exposed to substantially less sunlight than were our evolutionary ancestors. Also, we now understand that overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer, cataracts and other eye disorders, premature aging, and even suppression of the immune system. Therefore, we must obtain vitamin D supplementation from food sources such as eggs, tuna, salmon, cheese, and vitamin D-fortified foods including milk, yogurt, and orange juice.

As many school-age children are taught, we need vitamin D to build strong bones.1 Vitamin D helps absorb calcium from the gastrointestinal tract and helps osteoblasts (bone tissue) utilize the available calcium in the process of building robust Haversian systems (osteons), the fundamental building blocks of compact bone. Vitamin D may also have a role in immune system function and muscle activity. Vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, both conditions involving the presence of soft, brittle bones, bone pain, and weakness. Vitamin D deficiency may also lead to osteoporosis, that is, overall reduced bone mass, resulting in an increased risk of hip fractures and fractures of other weight-bearing structures.2,3

Thus, obtaining our daily recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D is necessary for ongoing good health. At present, evidence-based guidelines recommend 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D per day for children, teenagers, and adults up to age 70. Beyond age 70, guidelines recommend 800 IU per day.  In addition to obtaining our daily RDA of vitamin D, regular vigorous exercise is needed to ensure there is a reason for your body to build strong bones. Our bodies operate on the principle of limited resources. Resources not required in one area will be used elsewhere, stored, or excreted. Regular vigorous exercise creates a demand for ever-stronger bones, and will cause your body to put your daily dose of vitamin D to good use.

Finally, regular chiropractic care helps you obtain the greatest benefit from all your time and care involved in obtaining proper nutrition and sufficient exercise. By helping ensure healthy functioning of the nerve system, your body's master system, regular chiropractic care helps you maximize the benefits of all your lifestyle enhancements.

1. Weaver CM: Nutrition and Bone Health. Oral Dis 2016 Jun 2. doi: 10.1111/odi.12515. [Epub ahead of print]
2. Mousa A, et al: Vitamin D in Reproductive Health and Pregnancy. Semin Reprod Med 2016 May 26. [Epub ahead of print]
3. Ivanova S, et al: Osteoporosis: Therapeutic Options. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2016 Jul-Sep;57(3):181-90. doi: 10.1515/folmed-2015-0037.

Thanks for your time. Your health and long life is important to us.
Dr Greg Millar, DC CCEP
And the Doctors of Millar Chiropractic Clinics

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How Diabetes Affects Heart Disease Risk

This article a repost from Harvard Medical School publications this month. Good Read. Dr Greg Millar DC CCEP. 

How diabetes affects heart disease risk

Diabetes raises the risk of heart disease by four to five times compared with people without the disease. For this reason, in addition to controlling blood sugar, people with diabetes need to pay close attention to controlling their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

The treatment goals for people with diabetes are more stringent than those for people without diabetes. The good news is that lifestyle changes — and weight loss in particular—to improve your blood sugar usually will have a beneficial effect on the other values as well.

Blood pressure targets for people with diabetes

Your blood pressure reading has two parts, the systolic blood pressure (the first number) and the diastolic blood pressure (the second number). The systolic number represents the pressure while the heart is contracting and pushing blood into your vessels, and the diastolic number represents the pressure while the heart is refilling with blood between beats.

People with high blood pressure (known medically as hypertension) are more than twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke as those with normal blood pressure. For that reason, people with diabetes are advised to keep their blood pressure as close to the ideal as possible, and always less than 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Much of the dietary advice commonly recommended for people with diabetes—such as restricting salt intake, increasing physical activity, and losing weight—should help to lower your blood pressure. To make sure, your health care provider will test your blood pressure regularly. If diet and exercise alone do not bring your blood pressure into a healthy range, medications may be necessary to lower it.

The ABC's of diabetes control

Having diabetes increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. If you have diabetes, you should pay close attention to factors that can put you at greater risk for heart trouble. These are often referred to as the "ABC's:"

• hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) blood sugar test
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol.

"ABC" Goals

• HbA1cLess than 7%
• Blood pressureLess than 130/80 mm 
• HgLDL (bad) cholesterolLess than 100 mg/dL
• TriglyceridesLess than 150 mg/dLHDL (good) cholesterol
• More than 40 mg/dL in men and 50 mg/dL in women

Cholesterol levels

Your blood cholesterol level reflects the amount of one of the circulating lipids (fats) in your blood. This material travels in the bloodstream within spherical particles called lipoproteins. About two-thirds of blood cholesterol is in the form of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This is sometimes referred to as "bad" cholesterol, because the higher the level of LDL cholesterol, the greater the risk for heart disease and stroke. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), on the other hand, counteracts the harmful effects of LDL. For that reason, HDL is sometimes referred to as "good" cholesterol. Another aspect of your lipid profile is the triglyceride level. Triglycerides are the main form of stored fat in the body and are carried by another type of lipoprotein. High triglyceride levels also increase the risk for heart disease, although not as much as LDL cholesterol.

Blood tests for cholesterol, which are measured after a fast of eight hours or more, provide information on total cholesterol as well as LDL, HDL, and triglyceride levels. These measurements provide another indicator of whether the changes you have made in your diet and activity levels and any medications you take have reduced your risk for heart disease, and whether you need to make any further adjustments.

The goals for LDL cholesterol in people with diabetes are quite stringent, as diabetes, in and of itself, places people at high risk for heart disease. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends that everyone with diabetes keep LDL levels below 100 mg/dL. For people with diabetes whose cardiovascular risk is particularly high because they have a history of previous heart disease or other poorly managed risk factors (such as smoking cigarettes), the NHLBI suggests lowering LDL levels even further, to less than 70 mg/dL. Although dietary approaches are an important first step, medications are often required to reduce LDL cholesterol to ideal levels.

Getting In Shape for the Summer

Getting in Shape for Summer Again

Reposted from Millar Chiropractic Clinics Website www.millarchiro.com

Pay Attention to Your Body

Everybody likes to have fun. We work hard, and when we play, we like to go all out. When exercising or playing sports however, it's important to pay attention to the feedback our body is giving you.  If you ignore the friendly messages your body is sending you, your body will probably get your attention in a more unpleasant way. And when that happens, there may be significant recovery time involved. Paying attention to your body's signals can save a lot of downtime. Important warning signs include shortness of breath, feeling faint, and sometimes intense muscle soreness and other pain. Any of these symptoms mean you're working too hard, doing too much, or working beyond your current physical capabilities. Slow down and back off a bit. Tell yourself that's enough for the day and you'll be able to get back to it again tomorrow. Your chiropractic physician can help you design challenging and fun exercise routines that will work best for your particular body and current state of fitness. They will be able to recommend stretches, sports, and other activities that align with your fitness goals and interests - helping you to be active, healthy and well

Summer is finally here! It's time to have fun in the sun, making the most of these extra hours of daylight.  If you have let things go a bit, getting back into shape may seem like a very good idea right about now.  We all like to look good in our shorts, tank tops, swimsuits and other summer attire. Even more importantly, we want to be able to participate in all the fun activities we enjoy without huffing and puffing, and without having to constantly think about restrictions and limitations.

So how do we return to fitness? There are three main aspects on which to focus - losing excess weight, increasing strength and muscle tone with weight-training, and improving aerobic fitness.^1,2

Whether you want to lose ten or twenty pounds or more, the basic principles remain the same. First of all, watch the size of your portions, choosing to eat several small meals each day.  Eat slowly by putting your fork down between bites, chew your food well, and do not overeat.  You should never feel stuffed after eating.  In fact, you should really not even feel full.  Instead, pay attention to your body's cues that tell you you've had enough before you get too full.

In order to keep your energy up and keep your hunger at bay, make sure that each meal includes both protein and healthy fats such as pasture butter, organic coconut oil or organic olive oil. This will help to retrain your metabolism, helping you to become naturally leaner. This will also help to optimize your energy, balancing your insulin levels throughout the day. This is especially crucial for those who are pre-diabetic or hypoglycemic. Be sure to check with you doctor to make sure your new eating and fitness plans are appropriate for you.

Regaining aerobic fitness is very important for summer activities. The simplest way to begin is to start with a very basic walking program - just ten or fifteen minutes of easy walking each and every day. Chances are, you'll be surprised at how enjoyable it is.  After getting in the habit of enjoying this short walk each day for a week or two, slowly increase the length of your walks by a minute each day until you've built up to thirty-minutes. When it becomes very easy for you to walk for thirty minutes, increase your pace, but do it gradually over several weeks. 

At some point, depending upon various factors such as your age, weight, general condition, cardiovascular health and any musculoskeletal concerns, you may want to consider alternating walking with a few short sprints.  Intermittent sprinting is very effective for losing weight and improving your metabolism, but it can be particularly challenging to your cardiovascular system and hard on your joints. Because of this, it is especially important to get advice from your doctor before beginning this type of high intensity intermittent training.  (Particularly if you are overweight and/or have any health issues.) 

Please also make sure that you stay well hydrated.  This is especially important with the increased summer temperatures and humidity here in Alabama, and increased physical activity.  Avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day and don't be afraid to take a break if you feel yourself getting overheated.

Elliptical machines, treadmills, stair machines and stationary bikes can be a very good alternative for increasing your aerobic fitness - especially if you have joint problems that preclude sprinting as an option.  As with the walking program described above, it is very important to build up gradually. Building up to using high intensity interval training methods, with one or more of these activities, is a great way to get in shape and improve your cardiovascular fitness.  Most of these types of fitness equipment have options that you can choose that will alternate between easier and more difficult settings, providing an effective interval workout.

Weight-training is another important aspect of physical fitness.  It tones your muscles, prepares your body to do physical work, and best of all, it causes your metabolism to burn fat even while you're resting. There are many excellent books and workout videos available that can help you to begin your weight-training program. If you have a knowledgeable friend, ask them to check your form and offer advice.  Or take a few classes with an experienced instructor or trainer if you're feeling overwhelmed. That should give you the confidence to continue your workouts on your own.  Remember to start slow and use lighter weights with fewer repetitions than you think you can do, as your body gets used to the new movements. The benefits of strength training are well worth your efforts.

If at any time you experience DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) which will usually occur a day or two after overdoing it, try an abbreviated session doing the same types of movements with little or no weights, followed by plenty of stretching once your muscles are nice and warm.  This will usually help your body clear the lactic acid from your muscles, thereby reducing soreness.  And don't forget to visit your chiropractor to make sure you are in optimal condition for exercise.

You'll soon find that you're feeling better and stronger, and ready to enjoy all that summer has to offer.

 

¹Simkini-Silverman LR, et al. Lifestyle intervention can prevent weight gain during menopause. Ann Behav Med 26(3):212-220, 2003
²Knuttgen HG. Strength training and aerobic exercise: comparison and contrast. J Strength Cond Res 21(3):973-978, 2007
 

 

 

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Gluten Intolerance?

This is a repost from Millar Chiropractic Clinic website

Gluten Intolerance

Starting a Gluten-Free Diet

A strict gluten-free diet is the first one step in treatment of gluten intolerance and celiac disease.  It is critically necessary to treat the disease, as symptoms of these disorders will only resolve when gluten is removed from the diet. Even minuscule amounts of gluten can reactivate the disease-causing immune reaction mechanism. As little as 20 parts per million (ppm; a standard measure of concentration) can cause symptoms in a person who is gluten intolerant. The very good news is that gluten intolerance and celiac disease are receiving a much higher media profile. The Media are now focusing on these disorders, with featured content appearing frequently in the national press. The result is that gluten-free foods and household products are becoming much more widely available.  It has never been easier to avoid gluten.  Most health food stores and quality grocery stores have created a gluten-free section and continue to expand their offerings.  Many gluten-free foods can also be ordered online. Tinkyada is a brand that offers gluten-free pastas, made from rice, that are a great substitute for wheat pasta. You can even enjoy fresh made pizza at local restaurants, such as Pane e Vino and Mellow Mushroom, which provide the option of choosing gluten-free crusts.

About 40% of Americans are genetically predisposed to become intolerant to gluten. At least 1% of Americans (about 315,000 Americans) have the very severe form of gluten sensitivity, called celiac disease.  It is possible that the percentage of Americans suffering from celiac disease may actually be much higher reports the NCHS the National Conference on Health Statistics, because most physicians simply do not recognize the signs and symptoms of celiac disease when presented. Celiac disease has been nicknamed the "great masquerader" as the disease often presents with a variety of signs and symptoms.  A person who is gluten intolerant may develop celiac disease after repeated exposure to gluten.

So what exactly is gluten?  It's a complex of proteins that are found in wheat, rye, and barley. When eaten, the human digestive tract is unable break down the gluten proteins into its component amino acids, so the gluten proteins remain  undigested in the gastrointestinal tract until they are excreted. 

The body tags proteins as "self: or "Foreign." In those persons who develop celiac disease, the gluten proteins are identified as "foreign" and their immune systems launch a reaction against these proteins trying to kill them. Infants, children, teenagers, and adults, may have this reaction, and continued exposure to gluten may cause development of celiac disease.^1-2

The Western Diet is made up of significant amounts of Wheat, rye, and barley. Think about the last time you went to a restaurant. They served bread. Almost all breads are made from one or more of these three grains. Then think of our daily consumption of Cerials, cookies, cakes, pizza, bagels, muffins, and don't forget all pasta are just a few of the foods that contain gluten. Additionally, gluten is found in nearly everything we consume from vitamins,  to shampoo, to toothpaste, household cleansers, and even prescription drugs. Wheat-based binders are often used in the manufacturing process of many food and non food items. 

A susceptible person's initial immune reaction to gluten will often worsen with continued exposure. Eventually the immune reaction may damage the lining of the person's small intestine, leading to the classic symptoms of Irritable Bowel - abdominal pain, constipation and/or diarrhea, and abdominal bloating.  Intestinal damage causes these very unpleasant and debilitating symptoms to get worse and leads to Celiac Disease and other serious diseases. One of the major consequences of celiac disease can be malnutrition because the damaged intestinal lining is unable to properly absorb needed nutrients.

Gluten intolerance may be related to a variety of serious disorders. Perhaps surprisingly, research has pointed to neuropsychiatric conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and schizophrenia may be associated with underlying gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Evidence suggests that arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), and psoriatic arthritis may also be related to gluten intolerance. Endocrine conditions, which are so prevalent today, including diabetes, hyper- and hypothryroidism, and Addison's disease are often related to gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Infertility and frequent miscarriages may also be related to an underlying condition of gluten intolerance. What did the Greeks say, "So goes the gut so goes the body."

It is important to realize that gluten intolerance and celiac disease may be an underlying cause of many of these serious medical conditions that have not been treated successfully. It may be critical to consider gluten intolerance as an underlying cause of these various disorders and to take appropriate action. Patient knowledge and increased physician knowledge and awareness are crucial to correctly identifying a hidden problem.³

Your Millar Chiropractor is an expert in nutrition and is trained to identify underlying causes of health problems. Additionally, chiropractic treatment may help restore more normal and more effective immune system functioning. In cases requiring a holistic, multidisciplinary approach, chiropractic treatment is a crucial component.

¹Selimolu MA, Karabiber H: Celiac disease. Prevention and treatment. J Clin Gastroenterol 44(1):4-8, 2010
²Setty M, et al: Celiac disease: risk assessment, diagnosis, and monitoring. Mol Diagn Ther 12(5):289-298, 2008
³Schuppan D, et al: Celiac disease: from pathogenesis to novel therapies. Gastroenterology 137(6):1912-1933, 2009

                               

It's Your Life...Live it Well

This is a repost from Millar Chiropractic Clinic website

 

Envision Your Future

Chiropractic Care and Your Next Ten Years

Can you have a rewarding, fulfilling life when one's health is not good? Sure, but most people would agree that good health, or at least improving health, helps to make life much easier and enjoyable. With good health one has more energy, and with more energy one can do more things.  Chiropractic care addresses several  components of good health and encourages a person achieve good health from a more holistic perspective. Chiropractic care primarily focuses on the spinal column and nerve system. By improving a person's spinal biomechanics and optimizing their nerve system function, chiropractic improves energy levels throughout the body. Chiropractic care also helps reduce pain, so you can be more active in your everyday life, and get more out of whatever forms of activities and exercise you do. Chiropractic care also helps makes rest more efficient, maximizing your body's restorative powers, so you can get more benefit from your time spent resting and sleeping. The many benefits of chiropractic care assist you in achieving increased levels of health and well-being. Chiropractic care also helps support all your other activities and endeavors as you strive for optimal wellness.

What does your future hold in store for you? None of us can know for certain how long we are going to live, but some predictions are possible. Stock market indexes and hemlines will invariably fall. Then everyone will hope that they will rise again. Then in a couple of years they rise once again.  We've all heard that change, death and taxes are the only sure things you can count on in life.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  The French even have a saying for all this - "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose."  Many would agree that in the last ten years, we've collectively experienced more change than ever. It is difficult to even remember life before the computer, internet or cell phones. In the United States an African-American man was elected president. Longstanding dictatorships were toppled in the Middle East. The world map changing almost daily. 

We know that things don't remain the same for long. But the pace of change is growing ever faster. The next ten years have the possibility of being even more gloriously impactful.^1,2,3 The great news is that 70 is the new 55. That's right. Since we're living longer we can do more in life. Just think, actress Betty White has reinvigorated her career at age 89. Jeff Bridges won a Best Actor Academy Award at age 61, highlighting a 40-year career. The 2010 Best Original Screenplay Academy Award went to the 73-year-old first-time winner David Seidler.  Now, it's never too late to follow your dreams.

In the next 10 years, anything is possible. But in order to create a healthier, more satisfying life, we need to change our thinking and lifestyle and move beyond the "same old, same old". Simple changes such as giving up drinking sodas, walking and getting more exercise and limiting fast food can pay big dividends in your health over the years. So can getting regular chiropractic care. As a Chiropractor we have many older patients that get adjusted to maintain their health and wellness.

It is also important to pay attention to your thoughts and notice if you have any that are habitual and negative.  Ask yourself, what underlying beliefs support these negative thought patterns?  Our thoughts and beliefs create who we are and what we experience, and can have a profound effect on our physical bodies.  If you think your "old" and are expecting to "fall apart" at a particular age, your subconscious mind and your body will almost certainly fulfill that expectation. On the other hand the opposite is true.

As a Chiropractor we teach our patienrs to follow the acronym "DREAM." Diet is anything you eat. Rest is not only quality sleeping at night but getting enough rest to continue your activity. "E" stands for exercise. We all must have exercise. "A" is for activity and adjustments. We want our patients to be active. Do something, dance, golf, tennis it really doesn't matter just do it. Then get adjusted on a regular basis to keep you body aligned and ready for the future. And finally "M" is for that mental state that we talked earlier about. If you think your old you are. Get a check up from the neck up and quit that "stinkin thinkin."

There are many people in the public eye who set a great example for remaining youthful and active late in life.  They can be a great source of inspiration as we envision what we want in the rest of our own lives. The old saying, "if it's going to be, it's up to me", remains true today. It's important to make an effort on our own behalf, making choices that will further our growth and development and the growth and development of our loved ones. In doing so, we can create a wonderful next ten years.

¹Fosha D: Positive affects and the transformation of suffering into flourishing. Ann NY Acad Sci 1172:252-262, 20093

²Bunkers SS: A focus on human flourishing. Nurs Sci Q 23(4):290-295, 2010

³Culbertson SS, et al: Feeling good and doing great: the relationship between psychological capital and well-being. J Occup Health Psychol 15(4):412-433, 2010

Turning Back the Clock on Memory Loss

Turning Back the Clock on Memory Loss

Cognitive Function and Chiropractic

One of the theories for why  regular exercise improves mental functioning relates to changes in the amount of blood reaching the brain.  A proposed mechanism involves changes in the strength, structure and function of the brain's own blood vessels. The ability of regular exercise to encourage the growth of new blood vessels and strengthen and improve existing blood vessels depends, in part, on a properly functioning nervous system. Your system of nerves supports the activity of all other body systems. It needs to be operating at optimal levels in order for all other systems to operate at their optimal levels. Regular chiropractic care helps ensure the integrity and proper functioning of your nervous system, including your brain, spinal cord, and spinal nerves. By achieving this, chiropractic care helps you get the highest benefits from your exercise.

Many individuals notice occasional problems remembering things as they get older. Every so often, it may become frustratingly difficult or even seemingly impossible to recall a particular person's name or a specific word or number. One might commit a telephone number to memory and then immediately forget it. Of course, everyone is familiar with the sinking feeling associated with the critical question "where did I put my keys?", or perhaps after a day of shopping: "where did I park my car?".  For most people these are minor glitches, and nothing else. However, for approximately 10-20% of older persons, these lapses represent mild cognitive impairment.¹ And for a proportion of these people, mild cognitive impairment will progress to Alzheimer's disease.

As a Chiropractor we treat the entire body. We help our patients with longevity and aging issues. Normal aging may include occurrences of subtle forgetfulness such as having difficulty remembering certain words, not recalling where you put an important document, or perhaps leaving a full carton of milk on the kitchen counter overnight. But the memory loss associated with mild cognitive impairment represents an actual condition or disease entity. This type of memory loss is more significant and troublesome. People may forget important information such as meaningful telephone conversations, recent events that would normally be of interest, and dates and times of important appointments.

In the early stages it can be hard to tell the difference between mild cognitive impairment and the normal effects aging. Some suspected cases of impaired mental activity may be the result of treatable conditions such as depression or the symptom of an underactive thyroid.

It is common for people experiencing the significant memory problems associated with mild cognitive impairment to decline by about 10% each year. Risk factors associated with more rapid decline include a low metabolic rate in regions of the brain associated with memory and processing of information. More rapid decline is also associated with reduced size of the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped structure located in the center of the brain which is critical in memory, spatial memory, and navigation.

The good news is that people can take action  to improve and preserve their cognitive function. Many recent studies have shown that regular exercise provides a significant benefit in people with memory problems.^2,3 For example, walking just 50 minutes a day, three times a week resulted in long-term improvements in cognitive function. People exercising for 150 minutes each week had better delayed recall and they performed better on cognitive exams. Additionally, people doing moderate exercise had lower Clinical Dementia Rating Scores. In one study, a 6-month program of physical activity resulted in improvements which persisted over an 18-month period.

As a Chiropractor the message is obvious. In order to live long and live well during our advanced years, exercise is critical, and has a wide range of benefits for the mind and body. We now know that exercise can not only improve a person's physical health, but it can also help them maintain and improve their cognitive abilities. Getting regular exercise is a smart choice, and it also helps us stay smart through the years. We encourage you to start at your level whatever that level may be in balance, flexibility, range of motion, strength and endurance. 


For those with mild cognitive impairment we also recommend that you stay alert and active by doing crossword puzzles, math puzzles and even learn a foreign language. So our recommendation is to exercise the brain and the muscles.

¹Petersen RC: Clinical practice. Mild cognitive impairment. NEJM 364(23):2227-2234, 2011

²Lautenschlager NT, et al: Effect of physical activity on cognitive function in older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease. JAMA 300(9):1027-1037, 2008
³Prohaska TR, et al: Walking and the preservation of cognitive function in older populations. Gerontologist 49(Suppl 1):S86-S93, 2009

TSA Rolling PreCheck-Pilot Program in 28 Busiest Airports

We are pleased that the TSA is creating new pre-check in rules at 28 of the nation's busiest airport.

  We commented on their blog to show our support of the new program that will decrease x-ray exposure for frequent flyers.  As Huntsville, AL Chiropractors, we have great concern for the health and well-being of not only our patients, but the public in general.






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