Plasker Family Chiropractic Blog

                                    THE ROLE OF HOPE IN HEALING

Each of us is tested by adversity at some point in our lives. How we respond to that adversity greatly determines the outcome. Hope can make all the difference. While we cannot always control or predict external circumstances or results, we can control our reactions to them. In our chiropractic practice, it is exciting to see both hopeful and hopeless people get positive results. 

When Jerome Groopman, MD was interviewed by the New Yorker about his book, The Anatomy of Hope: How People Prevail in the Face of Illness, he discussed Christopher Reeve’s journey after his spinal cord injury.  He portrays Reeve and others living in “extreme circumstances” as having a hope that “assesses all of the obstacles, all of the problems, all the potential for failure” and still “sees a path to the future”.  He points out that there have been many research studies demonstrating the healing power of hope and how it can impact pain levels, asthma and respiratory problems, heart attack outcomes, and Parkinson’s disease by stimulating neurochemical changes in the brain.

Groopman recalled in the interview that Reeve once told him, “You know, it’s not like I’m just going to will my nerves to grow again.” Groopman stated that Reeve’s hope was the “opposite of any kind of new-age, magic-wand thinking.” He states that the uncertainty surrounding Reeve’s diagnosis enabled him to see his future as still holding the potential for him to improve (1).

In their 2008 article in the journal Science, Park et al state that central nervous system (CNS) “axons [neuron branches] do not regenerate after injury.” 

However, they also found that limited nerve regeneration in the CNS was made possible by blocking chemicals that inhibited this process, opening the door for greater hope for those with brain or spinal cord injuries. (2)  In other words, they blocked the chemicals that normally block nerve regrowth.

Chiropractic patients present with a wide variety of conditions and goals for care.  Some are children coming in for care because their parents want them to have the advantage of growing up with an optimally functioning spine and nervous system.  Others may be  athletes that desire to keep their body mechanics working at peak levels so that they can heal faster, avoid injuries while enjoying their sport for as long as possible.  There are those with developing or chronic conditions that want a drug-free, non-surgical approach that will address the root cause of their health problems.

What should you do if you or a loved one is hopeless about your health or potential to heal? Give our office a chance to examine you and work with you to help your body heal. As long as you are alive and breathing, your body has the potential. Our techniques combined with the frequency of your visits and your new burst of hope could make the difference.

Whether you are suffering from acute or chronic pain, or whether you have been diagnosed with a severe condition, make the health of your nervous system a priority. Your hope and personal commitment can make all the difference. Schedule your appointment today!

 

For Your Best 100 Year Lifestyle,

Dr. Jordan Plasker

 

 

Contributed by Dr. David Gustitus 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate, Franklin, WI

1.  Daniel Cappello. (November 10, 2003). The New Yorker. In The Reeve Factor. Retrieved March 8, 2015, from http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/11/10/the-reeve-factor.  2.   Park, Kevin K, Liu, K, Hu, Y, Smith, P, Wang, C, Cai, B, Xu, B, Connolly, L, Kramvis, I, Sahin, M, and He, Z. “Promoting Axon Regeneration in the Adult CNS by Modulation of the PTEN/mTOR Pathway”.  Science. 2008 Nov 7; 322(5903): 963–966.

On March 22, 2016, Dr. Plasker began a 4 part workshop for KPMG employees teaching them how to eat well, move well and think well.  Dr. Plasker is available to speak at your company's health event, corporate seminar or Lunch & Learn.  Call us.

 

Successful homework sessions don’t just happen. A little effort, planning and support make the difference between the headache, frustration and battleground around the completion of homework and the peaceful smooth sailing episode of your dreams.

The Real Headache

Afternoon headaches can be symptomatic of numerous causes. Getting to the cause is vital. A chiropractic examination or check-up will determine if there is misalignment of the neck, shoulders or other part of spine – a common cause of headaches. Many times, there is immediate relief.  Is the book bag or backpack too heavy?   Did an injury occur during practice or rehearsal?  Is dehydration possible? Is an essential vitamin or mineral missing from meals? Address the cause as soon as possible. Some chiropractic practices offer nutritional recommendations in addition to spine and nervous system services.

Stand Up for Yourself  

According to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the U.S. will spend $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years treating a wide range of debilitating ailments resulting from sedentary lifestyle such as diabetes, depression, osteoporosis, certain cancers, and even sexual dysfunction. They’ve even coined their own term, Sedentary Death Syndrome (SeDS), as a growing life-threatening risk for many unsuspecting Americans.

No need to worry though. You can stand strong with these Sitting Solutions:

- 50/10 Rule: Don’t sit for more than 50 minutes. Set a timer and take 10 when it rings.

- Be a swinger: Stand with hands on your hips and legs slightly more than shoulder width apart. Rotate your hips clockwise in a full range of motion ten times and then reverse it.

Stand sideways next to your desk. Put all your weight on your right leg and gently swing your left leg forwards and backwards 10 times. Repeat with other leg.

- Don’t Be a Crooked Sitter or slouchEr: Sit up straight. If you find this difficult, uncomfortable or painful, call our office and schedule an appointment. Your spine may have a misalignment with nerve pressure, a subluxation, which needs correcting.

 - Take your lunch break: Get up and go somewhere even if you bring something in.

 - Go mobile: Attach a portable unit to your stationary phone or use a cell.

 - Hold “meetings on the move”: Meet clients on a hiking trail or outdoors.

 -  Put a lumbar PILLOW in Your ChAir

 -  Invest in an ergonomic chair

 -  Stand up and surf: Raise your workstation or monitor so you can net surf and type while standing.

 - Go TO THE GYM - But Stay Off the Stationary BikE

Take Care of Your Spine

Sitting is to the spine like sugar is to the teeth except you can’t replace your spine after it rots away. Chiropractic Lifestyle Care provides gentle adjustments to the spine that can eliminate pain and improve your health.

These Sitting Solutions will improve your health and quality of life dramatically.

 

 

THE BOOKENDS OF FITNESS

 

At the start of a brand new year, “fitness” is the buzzword. Every year millions of people begin exercise programs with the goal of getting themselves back into shape. The 100 Year Lifestyle model incorporates an acronym into the buzzword: FitNESS. It stands for Neurology, Nutrition, Endurance, Strength and Structure.

 

To ensure that your fitness experience is a positive one and that you reach your short and long term goals, you must consider the bookends of fitNESS.

Neurology comes first for a reason. Your muscles are attached to bones and controlled by nerves. Your nervous system controls and coordinates all of your conscious and unconscious functions including your muscles, organs and systems. You must have a healthy nervous system for your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe and your balance to be stable. This is why many of the top athletes and sports teams in the world utilize chiropractic care as the central part of their fitness program.

Nutrition comes next. It is true, you are what you eat. Consuming a diet filled with organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and very low in sugar, white flour, white rice and pasta, should be your lifestyle and not just as a temporary weight-loss crash. This will sustain you, not just while getting into shape but as you stay in shape. It's making your new shape your lifestyle.

 

Endurance develops through cardiovascular exercise which includes walking, running, bike riding, and ellipticals that will increase your heart rate and strengthen your cardiovascular system. Start slow and steady, be consistent and as time goes on increase the frequency, intensity and duration of your endurance training.

 

Strength gives you confidence and is necessary if you want to be independent as you age. Whether you use weights or you do strength training through yoga, Pilates or other types of plyometric training, it is important to keep yourself strong as a part of a lifestyle.

 

Structure is the other bookend when it comes to your 100 Year Lifestyle fitNESS plan. Having a healthy, straight, strong spine is vital to your quality-of-life and fitness in the short and long-term. This is another reason why chiropractors have become the central figure in the healthcare team for millions of people including the U.S. Olympic Team.

 

Through research and statistics it’s true that you will probably live longer than you ever thought. If you want to get there in style, with health and vitality, you must make your lifestyle fitness a priority. Any time of year is the right time to shift to a lifestyle of fitNESS and enjoy the journey on your way to a sensational century.

FOR YOUR BEST 100 YEAR LIFESTYLE!

DR. JORDAN PLASKER