Lessons from the stairs

So some of you may have noticed I wasn't in the office this morning.  I had a wonderfully embarrassing fall down some hardwood stairs yesterday.  Thank goodness I married a chiropractor :).  So during my recovery time I've had to take some of the advice that I give all of you.  I've been resting (yep, hard for me to do), having multiple epsom salt baths, getting checked and adjusted regularly by Dr. Jason, and watching what goes in my mouth.  After a fall like this I think most of our tendencies is to try and dust it off and fight through the pain; go on with our daily lives and just "hope it goes away".   Well, what I see everyday in practice is that "it" doesn't just go away.  Some times that pain will slowly shuffle to the background, but the damage to the spine and the nervous system doesn't.    So I thought I would share with you Dr. Danella's 5 steps to recovering from an embarrassing fall down the stairs (which can be applied to many embarrassing injuries I'm sure):

1.  If you aren't married to a chiropractor, make an appointment with one as soon as possible.  It is the nervous system which regulates how your body heals, so any misalignment to the spine will affect your recovery time.  Having a chiropractic adjustment will not only help with your immediate discomfort, but will likely influence how your body heals in the long run.

2.   Fill up your tub with warm water.   Add 2 cups of epsom salts (magnesium sulfate).   Add your sore body and soak for atleast 20 minutes (bring a good book).  By using Epsom Salts, your skin will readily absorb magnesium and sulfate.  As the sulfate is absorbed into the skin, toxins are drawn from the cells.  Muscles relax. The magnesium reduces the inflammation in the muscles and relieves pain. The magnesium also helps the body bind serotonin, which is a chemical that promotes a sense of well-being and relaxation. The relaxation you feel, in turn, helps alleviate stress, which drains magnesium from the body and can cause tight muscles.

3.  Clean up your diet.  You know what your grandma used to say... "you are what you eat" (or was that just my grandma)... she was right (as usual).  During a time of healing it's crucial that you not overwhelm your body with sugars, additives, food colorings, etc... that it doesn't need.  Eat as cleanly as possible, and if you have a juicer, juice as many green healthy veggies as you can.  Here are two of my favorite juice recipes for you to try.  Simply put all the ingredients in a juicer and enjoy!

"AAA" Juice (thanks to The juiceman Jay Kordich for this one)
3 carrots
1 stalk of celery
1 apple
1/2 beet with the greens
1/2 handful of wheat grass (I use Kale when I don't have wheat grass on hand)
1/2 handful of parsley

Dr. D's special juice:
3 carrots
3 asparagus
1 slice of sweet potato
1/2 cucumber
 

4.  Arnica Cream.   Ahhhh the wonders of bruises.  It's like a rainbow on my derriere right now.   It's fascinating really.  Have you ever thought about why we bruise?  Bruises appear when the soft tissue has been damaged causing the tiny capillaries and veins located under our skin to break.  These broken veins and capillaries release red blood cells and it is these red blood cells that collect under our skin which causes the bruise to heal.    Over time the tissues go through a metabolic process to heal the tissues and an assortment of colors appear.  At first it may be a dark blue or black, and as it heals it may look yellow or green until it eventually goes away.  Thank goodness for the immune system! 

If you would like to enhance what your immune system is already doing for you, consider using arnica cream.  Arnica dilates your blood vessels so that the healing power of your blood can come through easier.

 

5.  Rest.  This is a hard one in this fast world.  Giving your body the chance to heal is important.  Respect it and you will be on your way to recovery.  Ignore it, and you will soon hear it calling.  :)

 

On that note, I'm going to take a nap...  Here's to hoping for a quick recovery!  I, for one, am counting the minutes until my next adjustment. :) 

Hello from Dr. Jay and introducing Big Picture Philosophy

Hello blog world,

Isn't technology cool? Anyways, my first post is a video post. Please comment and tell me what you think. I will post regularly and I am sure I will be interesting at least once in awhile...;).

Dr Jay

Cold Sock Congestion Treatment

This is a treatment that I learned from the naturopath that I worked with in Ontario.  It is a simple hydrotherapy technique that is especially effective for relieving nasal congestion in bed at night (frequently better than medications and without the side effects). It also helps to stimulate the immune system in the upper respiratory tract and is relaxing for aches and chills, and helps bring on a more restful night’s sleep when sick. We find it helpful in such conditions as colds, "flu" (not the "stomach flu"), earaches, sore throats, and sinus infections. It is useful with people of any age from infants to the elderly. The Cold Sock Treatment is especially good to use with the nasal congestion of colds and influenza.

Preparations. In the evening before going to bed, prepare by having a pair of cotton socks and a pair of wool socks. They must be at least 90% cotton and 90% wool, respectively. Most sporting goods stores and some department stores carry wool socks. For small children you can use safety-pins to hold a wool sock on that is too large, or rap wool cloth around each foot.

Step 1. Soak the foot part of the cotton socks in cold tap water and wring them out thoroughly. Place the socks close to the basin or bathtub used in the next step. Note: If your feet are already warm (e.g., you have already been in bed) you can skip to Step 3.

Step 2. Put your feet into a basin or bathtub of hot water to warm up your feet. Soak them for a few minutes until they are hot and pink.

Step 3. Remove your feet from the hot water and quickly dry them off. Immediately put on the cold wet cotton socks, and then over them, put on the dry wool socks.

Step 4. Go directly to bed and keep the feet covered through the night. The therapy does not work if you or your feet are uncovered, such as when walking around or sitting in a chair uncovered.

When the Cold Sock Treatment procedure is followed correctly the feet will start warming up within a few minutes of getting covered in bed. The congestion will usually start to be relieved within 30 minutes. It will often work better than a decongestant or antihistamine to relieve congestion during sleep. In addition, it is not uncommon to see a small child or infant fall immediately to sleep after they are put to bed with the Cold Sock Treatment. After approximately four hours the socks should be totally dry, the feet warm, and the symptoms will be much improved (if not gone).

If necessary the Cold Sock Treatment can be repeated through the night or used on consecutive nights. In repeating the treatment in the same night or if an illness starts during the night, it is not necessary to warm the feet in hot water since they will already be warm. Simply apply the wrung out cold wet socks and the dry wool socks and go back to bed.

Ear infection? Can my chiropractor help?

Today I was reading a case study discussing the success of chiropractic in the care of an infant suffering from ear infections and respiratory tract infection.  It made me think... what a great topic for our blog.  Everyday in our office we see infants and children coming in complaining of ear pain or repeat infections.   For the average person, ear infections are likely the last thing that you think about when you think about going to a chiropractor.   However, once you understand that it is what is inside the spine that is important, you will understand the role a chiropractor can have in working with ear infections.  The spine protects the function of the spinal cord and its ability to transport messages from the brain to the rest of the body.  Since the nervous system controls every single function within the body, the function of the spine is vital to the over all health of the body.  The nerves that leave the upper area of the spine send signals to the structures with the ear and play a vital part in the function of the immune system.  If those nerves are being impacted by the position of the first two bones in the neck, the tissues within the ear become vulnerable and susceptible to infection.  The immune system also becomes slightly suppressed and voila... the perfect scenario for bacteria to thrive.   

So what is the thing that most doctors prescribe when there is infection within the ear?  Antibiotics; which may very well kill off the bacteria, but what does it do to prevent a future infection?  If there is still a misalignment in the spine which is affecting how the tissues within the ear function, the scenario which created the infection in the first place is still there.  And voila... a repeat infection.  And so the cycle continues until someone hopefully recommends that they see a chiropractor.   The child will likely need a concentrated course of gentle chiropractic adjustments designed to realign the vertebra and remove any stress from the nervous system.  This allows the tissues within the ear to heal and function properly.  Once the tissues are strong there is no longer an opportunity for the bacteria to thrive.   

But what about the pain?  Are there things I can do to help my child feel more comfortable during the healing process?  Yes.   

- Warmth against the outside of the ear may provide some comfort. Use a warm washcloth or a warm magic bag. 

- To ease some of the pressure, have your child sleep with the sore ear up. 

- Place several drops of warm olive oil in the ear (as long as there is no discharge and no tubes are present) every 2-3 hours.  The easiest way to warm olive oil is to put a small amount of the oil in a small glass (a shot glass works perfect).  Submerge that glass within a bowl (or a larger glass) of hot water.  Allow it to sit within the hot water until it the oil is warm (not hot).  It also helps to add a single drop of tea tree oil to the olive oil.  

- Swallowing opens the Eustachian tube and drains the fluid from the middle ear, so if your child is over the age of four, try having them chew gum.  Have babies drink plenty of liquids.

- Try cold sock treatment to stimulate the immune system and relieve congestion.  

Is there anything that I should watch for which could mean this is more than an ear infection?  In rare occasions, there may be other more serious causes of ear pain.  These are things to watch for which may require an immediate trip to the hospital: 

- the child has a stiff neck, cannot touch his/her chin to their chest, or cannot curl into the fetal position and kiss their knee

- there is redness, swelling and tenderness over the bone behind the ear (mastoiditis) 

- the child has ear pain and none of the above but is acting very sick and your intuition tells you something is wrong.  I can not say this enough about Mothers.  Our intuition is very strong.  Always listen to it.  

   

If you or your child has an ear infection.  Consider chiropractic as a key part of your recovery process.  

The wonderful fever

Today I had a wonderful Mom come in who gave me the opportunity to remind her about the importance of "the fever". Her little girl has had multiple fevers in the last few months which she had been treating with children's tylenol to reduce the fever and bring comfort. The fever would go down, but within a few days or a few weeks it would be back as strong as ever. My question to her was... "Have you ever considered not lowering the fever?". Her automatic response was "no, ofcourse not, why... should I?"

In my opinion there are some really good reasons to leave a fever alone and my hope is to explain them to you here. What's the purpose of a fever? To stimulate the immune response and to elevate the body temperature in order to kill off the imposing bacteria of virus. The body will elevate that temperature until there is no longer a threat and give itself the opportunity to heal.

I will tell you... as a Mom, I totally understand why parents give there child something to lower a fever. It's very hard to see a child sick (or as I say... having a health response to a pathogen) and miserable. But once you understand the "why" behind what the body is doing, it is easier to just cuddle your child and not interfere with perfection.

How high is too high? Over the years there has been a lot of changing opinions about this. When I was a child, my mother was concerned if my temperature was elevated above 99 degrees. When I was in university the advice was to be concerned at 102 degrees. And now many doctors agree that you can safely leave a fever at 104 degrees. In these situations, it is the child's demeanor that you watch. You know your child better than anyone. If your instincts are telling you to get help... get help.

In my opinion, when a child's nervous system is working at 100%, their body will not allow the fever to get to a dangerous level. That's why I am adamant to tell you that one of the first things a parent should do when they are concerned about a fever is to call their chiropractor. If the upper area of the spine is misaligned it will affect the overall function of the immune system and it will not properly regulate the fever response. So when a chiropractor adjusts that area it will remove any stress to the nervous system which regulates the immune response. Often this alone will bring the fever to an acceptable level and allow the body to use that fever to its advantage.

What to do if you or your child has a fever?

First and foremost… get adjusted by a chiropractor.

Our next main goal is to support a fever. A fever of 102 to 103 degrees F is considered the optimal defense against microbes. We therefore want to allow the body to stay in this range while it is fighting off the invading organism. So to support a fever we try and work with what the body is already trying to do. For example, one effect of fever is to slow down peristalsis (movement of food through the gut). You will likely notice that your child is not asking for food during this time. I recommend not forcing them to eat and either fasting or eating foods such as broths , freshly made vegetable juices, or water till the fever breaks. You want your child to remain hydrated but not swimming. :)

Always eliminate sugar, dairy, wheat, and caffeine from your diet when you have a fever. These types of foods are stressful to the immune system and the imposing organism will thrive in an environment which is rich in them.

Fever is also best supported with rest. The body is working very hard to carry out all the interrelated functions required to heal. Exercise and activity will defer energy from these vitally important immune system processes.

When Medical Attention may be Warranted
To be 100% honest with you, as a parent of a now 7 year old healthy girl, I have never needed to resort to medication. We have had a few times where her fever went high and we listened to her body, adjusted her frequently, made dietary changes, and let her rest. And I truly believe that it is because we have taken this route with her, that she is as healthy and strong as she is today.

However, if you would like some guidelines of when you should seek some help… here are so things to be aware of:

· Infants less than 1-month-old with a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F. Seek care right away for fever in this age group. While waiting for care, breastfeed as often as the baby desires. The mother's milk has antibodies made right at the breast as it encounters pathogens in the baby's mouth.

· Infants from 1-month to 3-months-old, with a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F, if they appear ill. (You know your child better than anyone. Listen to your instincts, and your child’s body), breastfeed on demand while waiting for care.

· Children between 3 months and 36 months, with a temperature above 102.2 degrees F, if they appear ill. (You know your child better than anyone. Listen to your instincts, and your child’s body).

· All other children with a temperature over 104.5 degrees F.

For children not in the above three categories, bed rest and fluids will support the fever and allow it to do the job that your child needs it to do.