Chiropractors do not prescribe medications or drugs for their patients instead they use a variety of other treatments such as spinal manipulation and mobilizations to treat patients who have a variety of problems. Chiropractors go through three years of training after college to become chiropractors. Chiropractor training is not the same as medical school. Chiropractors are not trained to recognize the symptoms of medical conditions, but rather are trained to focus on manipulation of the spine believing that this is the way to help maintain health.

Although chiropractors are often called doctors of chiropractic medicine they are not medical doctors and are what is considered to be limited practitioner meaning they cannot dispense medication or perform surgery.

Once considered to be almost quacks by regular medical practitioners, Chiropractors have been more or less accepted by the medical community with some medical professionals also having chiropractic as well as medical training.

Chiropractics are not physical therapists and many states have laws forbidding those practicing chiropractic medicine from calling themselves physical therapists as physical therapists have their own special training programs and licensing.

Chiropractors are actually divided into two separate groups, those known as straights and those called mixers. Straights are chiropractors who believe that all health problems are caused by misalignment of spinal bones, and only by correcting this misalignment can a patient once again become healthy. Mixers are chiropractors who acknowledge that misalignment is not the only cause of ill health, but that germs, and hormones play a role in disease. Mixers are more likely to diagnosis medical conditions and urge their patients to seek medical advice in the advent of a disease.

Chiropractic treatment and spinal adjustments are most likely to help patients who suffer from low back pain due to a number of conditions. These treatments may help to relax muscles resulting in reduced pain for people suffering from these conditions.

While patient satisfaction with chiropractic treatment is quite high there is little evidence that these treatments are effective in situations where a patient may suffer from fibromyalgia and other conditions. In fact many times direct contact with the knots of muscles patients with fibromyalgia have can increase pain or cause pain to extended to other parts of the body.

While chiropractic care may be useful in some cases, chiropractors in your area, like a chiropractor Charlotte NC, should never be seen as a replacement for a medical professional for the treatment of any disease.

So the field of probiotics was born (although the term itself was introduced much later).

Now if you walk into any large grocery store you’ll find all sorts of foods labelled as “probiotic.”   Not just yogurt – you’ll also come across probiotic cereals, drinks, energy bars and so on.  Then on the food supplement shelf, you’ll find rows and rows of glass bottles packed full of live probiotic cultures to help with all kinds of ailments.

It’s enough to make your head spin.

Although the effects of probiotic bacteria are rooted in long standing science, the labelling and regulation around probiotic foods and supplemtns is not very well regulated.  You’ll find all sorts of health claims made, not all of which are independently verifiable.  Further, its improtant to realize that the health effects of probiotics vary according to the particualr bacterial strain being ingested.  So not all Lactobacillus acidophilus species of bacteria will have an identical positive health benefit.  Lactobacillus acidophlus CL1285 has been linked to digestive health whereas Lactobacillus acidophilus LAFTI L10 may assist in the clearance of Candida.   (Note the strain is typically identified by the series of numbers and letters after the infromation on the genera (Lactobacillus in this example) and species (acidophilus).  (Note the term acidophilus bactiera is also widely misunderstood, but that is the subject of another post).

The other point to bear in mind is the quantity of live bacteria available in the “probiotic” foods and supplements available for sale.  The information on the number of Colony Forming Units (the measurement generally used) is not always given.  In many cases you may simply not be ingesting sufficent quantities of viable CFU’s to confer a health benefit.

The bacteria also need to be viable (i.e live) when ingested.  So here packaging and storage is crucial.  Freeze drying is generally thought to not have a negative impact on viability, but this can vary from strain to strain.

There is more, but I’ll stop there.  The key point is to understand is that quality varies and you need to take your time when choosing a probiotic food or supplement.  In a later post we’ll cover the 5 things to look for.  Once it’s live we’ll link to it here.  In the meantime check out this site on the best probiotic supplements.  It provides a useful summary of what constitute quality.

In these cases, treating the insomnia is best handled by addressing the anxiety that is causing it.  A broken pattern of sleep isn’t an easy thing to fix, but it can be done if the person is committed to developing a better sleeping routine.  That development involves mental and physical changes which will help ease the body into sleep.  Taking care of the physical details can lead to better confidence and reduced anxiety levels.  Before resorting to anything chemical, you should always give natural remedies for insomnia a chance first.  These changes can include all of the following:

• Improved sleep environment — Remove distractions including flickering light, loud noise, or uncomfortable pillows.  The only thing you should have to focus on when going to bed is sleeping.  None of these distractions will help and can be removed by adding dark curtains, using headphones, and replacing pillows that are of poor quality.  Making an investment in your sleep is making an investment in your health.
• Planned evening diet — Don’t eat or drink anything heavy or caffeinated at night.  Going to bed on a full stomach can disrupt the body’s physiological changes.  Drinking caffeine can keep you wired for hours.  Some people find that drinking coffee or energy drinks as early as noon can affect their ability to get to sleep.  Watch your diet carefully.
• Make a sleep calendar — Mark down the approximate time that you get to sleep and wake up each day.  This will help you in monitoring two different things.  First, you can verify whether or not you are getting the required 6-9 hours of sleep.  Second, you will be able to see how consistent your sleeping pattern is.  Aim for a schedule that is consistent as possible.  You should especially avoid letting late weekend nights throw off your sleeping schedule.  The body will gradually become used to a specific time to go to sleep if you let it.

If you implement all these changes in your sleeping routine you will be on the way to getting rid of tiredness and other lack of sleep symptoms.  These steps will not only improve your sleep environment, but they will increase your confidence and help you defeat that nagging anxiety about sleeping.  Best of all you will have achieved quality sleep without relying on potentially addictive drugs or substances.

So, depending on whether your suffering from getting too less sleep or getting too much, you might want to adjust your diet to suit your lifestyle. Too much sleep and too little sleep are both bad ends of the scale.

Alarm clock food

Food rich in sugar and caffeine can keep you awake for a certain duration. Sugars that can readily be absorbed into the bloodstream are called simple sugars. They require less metabolism, hence their effects are almost instantaneous. Food that can perk you up are candy, chocolates, and any artificially sweetened treats. Caffeine, on the other hand, can be taken from a number of sources besides coffee, although coffee is the healthiest among all sources of caffeine- being rich in anti-oxidants and known to promote development of good short-term memory. Aside from coffee though, energy drinks and soft drinks contain caffeine and a small dose of sugar. So the next time you feel like you’re almost dozing off in a boring lecture, try chewing on a coffee-flavored piece of gum. It’s almost guaranteed to wake you up.

Foods that help you sleep at night

According to Easy Snooze, a website that deals with sleep, a certain amino acid is responsible for the metabolism and production of melatonin in the pineal gland. The amino acid is actually tryptophan. A number of food are actually rich in tryptophan including eggs, milk, turkey, poultry, nuts, and corn.  (For others just search for foods high in tryptophan). This amino acid alone will not be enough to induce drowsiness though. Better to combine it with food rich in carbohydrates as these trigger the production of insulin which hastens the conversion of tryptophan into melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that is responsible for the regulation of sleep. Melatonin taken orally is used to cure jet lag, delayed sleep disorder, as well as other sleep-related disorders. So, the next time you consider taking sleeping aids, you might want to consider the natural remedies to insomnia mentioned above.

Drink More water – drinking water in itself isn’t going to burn off any calories, but it’s one of the best things you can do to keep your body healthy. It will keep you hydrated so that you can sustain yourself better during your exercise routines. Most people are a lot more dehydrated than they realize and it affects their lives in profound ways. Not only does it make you have less energy, it can also make you hungry or as well. Drinking the right amounts of water will keep your body chemistry on track and help to curb hunger and reduce unnecessary snacking.

Get Enough Sleep – sleep plays a huge role in making sure that your body heals itself properly while recovering from the stress of daily life. Assuming that you are incorporating more exercise into your routine, you’re definitely going to need sleep so that you can recuperate. It helps muscles to grow in addition to allowing your body to adjust and build endurance. Getting enough sleep will also have a profound effect on your overall mood and energy levels, which can help with overall motivation when it comes to sticking with a weight loss plan.

Start a Journal – it’s important to be as organized as possible when aiming for the goal of fast weight loss. It can be all too easy to lose track of things while getting overwhelmed by thoughts and feelings. A journal can be used to document your progress so that you can look back and see how far you’ve come. You can also use it in creative ways such as keeping a photographic record of your weight loss journey. Whether you are looking for short-term results or you simply want to learn how to lose weight in a week, the information you start recording will be extremely useful.

Description of Neti Pots

Neti pots are described as tools used to irrigate the nasal passages. Usually, these have an attached spout close to the bottom. Other models also have a handle located at the opposite side. Neti pots are usually made of different metals, plastic, ceramic or glass. These function by flushing out nasal cavities via gravity to bring out the flow of saline. A number of new variants can be found in pharmacies. These are usually made of flexible plastic and can also be compressed to provide extra pressure.

Recently, new strategies were also made, such as the inclusion of bulb syringes where the flow is made by squeezing the bulb and through other pulsatile devices. These will mechanically pump the saline to clear the nasal passage. Bulb syringes are preferred by many people because these give them full control over the exerted pressure. Pulsatile devices will pump at a fixed pressure or ask the user to use and turn the control knob. Neti pots, require the user to turn the head for pressure control.

Using the Pot

To use the neti pot effectively, you need to combine a saline solution to pour and flow through the nasal passages. The usual saline solution is made up of a mixture of 5g salt and 500 ml water. At times, 2.5g sodium bicarbonate is added to buffer the solution and make it more tolerable and smoother on the sinuses. The full effect of adding sodium bicarbonate is still unknown. Neti pots used with saline solution have presented to be very useful in treating hay sinusitis, hay fever and other nasal conditions. Hypertonic and isotonic saline can be applied for neti.

Step by Step Method

For the general approach, fill the neti pot then stand in front of a mirror and sink. Bend over the sink. Breathe in a natural way using your mouth. Open your mouth wide, so the nose-to-mouth passage stays closed. Water cannot enter the mouth or throat if you’re doing this. Also refrain from laughing and talking. Air should not enter into the nose. Position the nose cone straight into the right nostril, then seal using a smooth and gentle approach to keep water from exiting.

The head should be bent forward and rolled to the left side. The left nostril should be positioned at the lowest point. Your chin and forehead should be found at the same level. Try new things with your head posture. As soon as the water exits the left nostril, hold your head. The neti pot should only be moved to prevent more water from pouring in. Start with half a pot for each side. Wait around 20 seconds and take out the nose cone from the right nostril. If you’ve been applying half a pot for a while, you can start using one pot per side.

Glad you asked. Let’s get to it!

One of the main reasons I always wanted a “mind machine” was to put my mind in a state of ultra focus while being relaxed and aware at the same time. This is the alpha brainwave state of mind and many, if not most, of the Sirius software programs are designed to take you there. It’s also associated with the state of mind you find yourself in when meditating. I like to think of it as dual state of consciousness, where you are focused but not attached to the results. It’s really amazing and I highly recommend you give it a try.

Secondly, I find it very helpful for dealing with insomnia and sleep deprivation. Using any of the sessions designed to entrain the brain to the delta brainwave – the brainwaves that come about from the deepest levels of sleep – will definitely help me fall to sleep quicker than normal. This is especially true if I’ve been lying awake unable to sleep. (All of this is without the use of sleeping pills of course).

The third reason – and the reason I share the most with others – is for the crazy light show you get when wearing the device. You might find it so intense you can barely handle it, honestly! It’s been described as flying through space and the stars. Imagine yourself jumping into a kaleidoscope and you’re pretty much there with what you’ll be seeing wearing a Sirius Light and Sound device, also known as a “Mind State Optimizer.”

The fourth and final reason I love mind machines so much is that I am determined to use them for lucid dream work. So far the results have been fairly mediocre but I’m dedicated to keeping at it. I believe it’s possible to fall asleep using a session and keep the state of mind – the alpha state of awareness – into the dream world, and thus move into a lucid dreaming from a waking state of consciousness to a sleeping state of consciousness.

What reasons might you add for owning a Sirius, Proteus, David Pal, or other mind machine? Please tell us about your experiences.

1. Botanicals to improve health and well-being

Also referred to as herbal medicines, herbal remedies or phytomedicines – these botanicals are most commonly available as dietary supplements (although a few are classified as pharmaceutical drugs by the FDA in the US).  The field of botanical medicine, considered a complementary form of therapy, is growing rapidly.  Here are some examples of botanicals used to maintain and improve health:

• Echinacea is used to strengthen immune functions
• Green tea is thought to help improve cardiovascular health, protect against certain forms of cancer and slow down aging.  Other forms of herbal teas or tisane are often defined as being “botanical”
• St John’s word is recommended by alternative health practitioners as a treatment for depression, anxiety and insomnia.  See other herbal supplements for anxiety.
• Ginger has been linked to improvements in gastrointestinal problems.

2. Botanicals used in cosmetics and personal care

Botanicals are incredibly used as ingredients in personal care products instead of artificial smells and colorings as the trend towards pure and natural ingredients gains momentum.  Barefoot botanicals for example focus on 100% natural products that are light, gentle and aromatic.  Minasota based Purple Prairie Botanicals take organic ingredients and combine they with herbal infusions and essential oils ensuring that they are petroleum free and environmentally safe.

3. Botanicals in the home

Again the marketing catchphrase used for botanical products is that they are “natural” and “gentle.”  Brands such as Archipelago botanicals bring botanicals to the home in the form of natural soy candles and scented diffusers.  Banyan botanicals focuses on the kitchen supplying a range of certified organic herbs. (They are also sustainably sourced and fairly traded).

The effects of Valeriana officialis (Valerian root) to reduce nervous tension has been backed up by clinical trials.  It is relatively quick acting and also appears to be effective for insomnia.

L-theanine is considered to have strong anti-anxiety properties and is not habit forming.  It is an amino acid derived from green tea.

There is growing evidence to support the claim that passion flower extract containing vitexin is effective for anxiety conditions.  It is often used in combination with valerian.

Kava, generally taken as a sedative beverage, has long been known for its calming properties but concerns have arisen over its potential for liver damage.

Although not backed up by clinical trials many anxiety sufferers have reported positive results after taking St John’s wort.

Although not strictly speaking a herbal supplement, vitamin C and vitamin B both help contribute to a healthy nervous system.

It is sensible to speak with your doctor before taking an anxiety supplements.  This is vital if you are taking medical anti-depression drugs. As mentioned at the outset, herbal supplements are not closely regulated by the FDA.  They should also only be taken as part of an holistic approach for stress management.  It’s no point taking an anxiety supplement if you also do not ensure that you are getting adequate rest, exercising regularly or eating well.  It also makes sense to consider emotional and spiritual factors that could be effecting your well-being.

If you watch people practicing QiGong you’ll observe slow graceful movements and relazed breathing.  It requires significant mental concentration as well as physical skill.  Unlike conventional exercises it is a holistic practice that focuses on the whole body (not just the muscles ) including the lymphatic, digestive and nervous systems.

From a health care point of view, it has emerged as a practical method to help with disease prevention and wellness.  But many experts and practitioners take it one step further using it as a technique that defines a way of being and a deep spiritual awareness.

Relationship with Tai Chi and Kung Fu

Both Tai Chi and Kung Fy can be considered as martial arts form of Qigong.  In a sense Qigong provides the foundation for both as both require a manipulation of the body’s energy (thorugh focus and discipline).

Here’s a quote that explains the interrelationship between the disciplines in more detail from Roger Jahnke:

When you cultivate balance and harmony within yourself, or in
the world — that is Tai Chi. When you work and play with the essence
and energy of life, nature and the universe for healing, clarity and
inner peace — that is Qigong.

Although there are thousands of different types of Qigong it is useful to categroise them into three training categories:  (Note the below is an oversimplification of what is involved and many qigong systems are composed of one or more types of training).

1. Dynamic – involves movement (tai chi is a representation of dynamic qigong)
2. Stability – involves maintaining a particular posture (has some similarities with traditional forms of yoga)
3. Meditative – involves mantra, meditation, visualization and breath awareness

As with all forms of exercise consistency is vital in order to experience the health benefits.  Qigong also requires mindfulness while practicing and an intense focus.  In alternative health circles, qigong has been linked to improvements in chronic conditions success as allergies, back pain, depression, arthritis, cancer and diabetes.  It is also widely used for physical rehabilitation and anxiety management.

Resources:

The Qigong Institute