by The Orange Chiropractor on July 22, 2010
Below are 11 easy steps, that if followed, will improve the overall integrity of your back while at the same time reducing the potential for the development of degenerative arthritis, low back injury and low back pain.
- Always warm-up and stretch before exercise or other strenuous physical activity. If you are beginning an exercise program for the first time or are starting back after a prolonged period of inactivity, begin your program with routine low-impact exercises. Yoga, swimming, speed walking, or stationary bike riding 30 minutes a day can increase muscle strength, posture and flexibility. Ask your chiropractor for a list of low-impact, ‘core stabilizing’ exercises appropriate for your age. Core stabilizing exercises focus on strengthening, in tandem, the lower back and abdominal musculature.
- Don’t slouch when standing or sitting. When standing, keep your weight balanced on your feet. Your back supports weight most easily when curvature is reduced.
- At home or work, make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you.
- Sit in a chair with good lumbar support and proper position and height for the task. Keep your shoulders back. Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around the office or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension. A pillow or rolled-up towel placed behind the small of your back can provide some lumbar support. If you must sit for a long period of time, rest your feet on a low stool or a stack of books.
- Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes with supportive arches.
- Sleep on your side or back to reduce any curve in your spine. Always sleep on a firm surface.
- Drink eight, eight ounces of purified water each day. 75% of the weight of the upper body is supported by water volume that is stored in the disc core; 25% is supported by fibrous material around the disc. (Batmanghelidj MD)
- Don’t try to lift objects too heavy for you. Lift with your knees, pull in your stomach muscles, and keep your head down and in line with your straight back. Keep the object close to your body. Do not twist when lifting or when setting the object down.
- Maintain proper nutrition and diet to reduce and prevent excessive weight, especially weight around the waistline that stresses lower back muscles. Sufficient daily intake of vitamin D, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus, along with weight-bearing exercise will help promote new bone growth.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking reduces blood flow and oxygen to the muscles and spine, causing the muscles and intervertebral ‘spinal’ discs to degenerate.
- Visit a chiropractor for routine check-ups. Keeping your spine and other joints of the body are in proper alignment and moving freely with unrestricted range of motion will reduce ware and tear by keeping the body bilateral and symmetrical; it will also promote unrestricted nerve and blood flow throughout the body
by The Orange Chiropractor on June 27, 2010
Integrative Medicine, Weight Loss, Chiropractic and Nutrition – Orange County, CA
by The Orange Chiropractor on June 27, 2010
It’s the morning of day (40) on the Ultra Lite program and I’m now down another half pound, 14.5 lbs total weight-loss – weighing in at 160 lbs. The great thing about being a biochemist/doctor is the fact that I can use modern chemistry, anatomy and physiology to my advantage. This advantage not only helps me but every client I put on this program.
I am six days into my maintenance phase, and for the last three I have added 2 glasses of red wine a day. The reason for this is that I have not had any wine this past month and I am going on a three day wine tasting trip, next weekend. I really don’t want to be passed-out after the first hour, so I need to build-back a little tolerance to alcohol.
Here is where chemistry comes in. Bringing the body into ketosis or maintaining ketosis is only possible if the level of carbohydrates, proteins and fats ingested, being converted into glucose (blood sugar), stays below a certain threshold. I have been in ketosis for a little over five weeks now. The fact that I have stayed in ketosis even though I have had two glasses of wine the past three nights, proves that my body, especially my brain, is requiring more glucose (blood sugar) than I am providing it, through my food and beverage intake. My increased exercise, cardio and weight training, level has kept by body liberating fat, supplying ketone bodies, to compensate for the low blood glucose, even though there is the addition of the increased daily carbohydrate intake from the wine.
My energy level and clarity of thought is still the same.
I have also converted back to my morning breakfast shake, which I have had as my daily breakfast for years. Ingredients:
Whey Protein Isolate (ISO 100) – 1 Scoop
Lecithin Granules (non-GMO) – 1 Tbsp (normally 2 Tbsp)
Flax Seed Oil (organic, cold pressed) – NOT RIGHT NOW, but normally 1 Tbsp
Molecularly Distilled Fish Oil – 1 Tsp
Spirulina – 1 Tbsp
Vitamin D3 Emulsion – 6,000IU’s
Psyllium Husk Fiber – 1 heaping Tbsp
Konjac Soluble Fiber – 1 Tsp
Acai Powder, Organic Freeze Dried – 2 Tsp
Probiotic Defense, Now Foods – ½ Tsp
Strawberries
Water
by The Orange Chiropractor on June 27, 2010
It’s the morning of day (34) on the Ultra Lite program and I’m now down another 1lb, a total of 14lbs lost – 160.5lbs. Now is the time I move into the Ultra Lite maintenance phase. My goal is to maintain my weight, a little may be lost, while dropping body fat. Heavy weight training at the gym and lots of cardio will be the key.
The wild part of this is that I am just a few pounds shy of what I weighed my senior year of high school. The difference though is that the weight is more muscle than fat.
by The Orange Chiropractor on June 27, 2010
It’s the morning of day (27) on the Ultra Lite program and I’m now down another .5lb, 13lbs total – 161.5lbs. My original goal weight was between 160-165lbs and a body fat of 10%. My estimate is that I will have to hit 155lbs to reach 10%. Diego Sanchez, watch out.
January 15, 2010 – Fuburary 13, 2010
Age: 45 years, 5 months
3 weeks to go until my Sonoma wine tasting trip, then 4 weeks until we leave for an all inclusive trip to Puerto Vallarta. My goal as of today will be at 10% body fat by the end of March and somewhere between 155lbs and 160lbs. I will have to add 45-90 minutes of cardio, per week into the equation, along with 3-4 hours of weights. This is very doable. I can’t wait for next months pictures.
by The Orange Chiropractor on February 11, 2010
It’s the morning of day (25) on the Ultra Lite program and I’m now down another .5lb, 12lbs total – 162.5lbs. I am totally amazed that I could drop 12lbs in just 25 days, and this is for a guy who really didn’t need to lose weight. I know people are looking for fads like “HCG injections 4 weight loss.” This is for life folks – NOT A FAD!
