Genes

Genes and You: Risk of Social Isolation

Most people hear the word ‘genetics’ and their eyes immediately glaze over. There’s a faint memory from school of DNA, Punnett squares and Pedigree charts. Anyone?

We know that certain traits are genetic, which we just assume means they are inevitable. Whether that ranges from hair colour (natural hair colour of course), to hereditary diseases or even personality traits, people blame it on the genes.

However, it’s been recently investigated that, when it comes down to it, genes don’t make you who you are. Gene expression does. And gene expression varies depending on the life you live.
Within reason, the genes that you were born with are the genes you are stuck with. However, that doesn’t mean that all the cards are dealt. The effect that your environment has, influences gene expression.

“If you actually measure stress, using our best available instruments, it can’t hold a candle to social isolation. Social isolation is the best-established, most robust social or psychological risk factor for disease out there. Nothing can compete.”

 That meant that about one percent of the genome—a considerable portion—was responding differently depending on whether a person felt alone or connected.

We usually think of stress as being a risk factor for disease, and it is. If you actually measure stress however, it is not even comparable to social isolation. Social isolation is the best-established, most robust risk factor for disease there is.

This partially explains why people who work in high-stress but rewarding jobs, tend not to suffer ill effects, while others living in isolation and poverty end up accumulating stress-related diseases (hypertension, heart failure, obesity, diabetes).
“We sometimes conceive “social support” as a sort of add-on, something extra that might somehow fortify us. Yet this view assumes that humanity’s default state is solitude. It’s not. Our default state is connection. We are social creatures, and have been for eons”

So surround yourself with people in your life who support you and who provide a social network. Because according to the studies, it’s not genes or stress that will predict the future, it’s the relationships you foster!

Dr. Marlee is located at Family First Chiropractic, 403-347-3261. 142 Erickson Dr. www.family1stchiro.ca

References

http://www.psmag.com/health/the-social-life-of-genes-64616/

ADHD

What Is ADHD, and What Causes It?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) involves a cluster of symptoms that include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviors. Often, children with the conditions may struggle in school and with relationships, and suffer from low self-esteem. The similar term attention deficit disorder (ADD) has largely been replaced with ADHD, as it describes two of the most common symptoms of the condition, inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior.

Most of the “symptoms” could describe virtually any child, or most children, at one time or another. As such, those who display these symptoms at school but not at home or with friends are not considered to have ADHD. Ditto for children who display symptoms at home but not at school. Only children who struggle with inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors around the clock are deemed to have ADHD—although a 2010 study published in the Journal of Health Economics⁸determined that about 20 percent of children are likely to have been misdiagnosed.

The cause of ADHD remains elusive, and according to psychiatrist Leon Eisenberg, who was hailed as the “scientific father of ADHD,” the disorder is “a prime example of a fictitious disease.” Eisenberg made this confession in a 2012 interview with the German paper Der Spiegel, just seven months prior to his death at the age of 87.
Still, behavioral problems, just like emotional problems, do exist. The question is, why does it seem to affect so many these days?
Unfortunately, few are focusing on basic nutrition, which I believe is a key factor. We know that the food choices of most children and adults today are incredibly poor, and how can you possibly expect a child to have normal behavior if he is fed refined grains, sugars, and processed foods loaded with chemicals and largely devoid of natural nutrients? Four dietary factors of particular concern are:

·         Too much sugar

·        Gluten sensitivity

·         Too few beneficial bacteria

·         Omega-3 deficiency

Too Much Sugar and Gluten Can Trigger ADHD Symptoms
The number of children being harmed, perhaps for life, by unnecessary drugging is truly heartbreaking. Especially, when there are so many simple and safe, not to mention healthier, alternatives. Many are reluctant to adopt unproven strategies, but the great news is that many of these non-drug alternatives are indeed supported by science. The two most oft-cited dietary villains that can trigger ADHD symptoms are sugar and gluten. This automatically makes grains of all kinds a primary food to avoid, as most grains not only contain gluten, but also turn into sugar in your body. There is evidence suggesting that gluten sensitivity may be at the root of a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, is quite compelling.

Behavioral Problems Are Closely Linked to Poor Gut Health
The gut-brain connection is well recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, and there’s a wealth of evidence showing gastrointestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases, not just ADHD. Your gut and your brain are actually created out of the same type of tissue. During fetal development, one part turns into your central nervous system while the other develops into your enteric nervous system. These two systems are connected via the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve that runs from your brain stem down to your abdomen. So in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment.
Toxicity in your gut can flow throughout your body and into your brain, where it can cause symptoms of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

Chiropractic care has been shown to help with ADHD and related disorders. Chiropractic can help calm and “over-excited” nervous system and help with the typical ADHD symptoms. If you have a loved one who is having any of these issues, please book an appointment with one of our doctors. We can help! We are located at 142 Erickson Dr, Red Deer, AB Family First Chiropractic. 403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca

Neck Pain and Welding

Welding and Neck Pain

Musculoskeletal injuries, such as strains and sprains, can occur when a welder is welding in a sustained or awkward position with a heavy face shield. This can be further perpetuated when both a hard hat and a welding helmet are used in combination. In addition, by working long hours in a repetitive position, cumulative effects may occur in the neck that increases the risk of injury.

Welding helmets, worn for protection and weighing as much as 3 lb in some cases, place an additional load on the neck. Wearing a helmet down and standing in a common position for welding generates a lot of stress on the neck and upper back. A welder in this position may be generating more than 50 lb of internal force on his or her neck and back.

Guidelines For A Good Working Posture While Welding

• Learn to recognize symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders or repetitive strain injuries. Make sure you take breaks and avoid staying in any sustained posture for too long.

•Avoid awkward body positions that cause fatigue, or reduce concentration. Position yourself in a stable, comfortable position.
• Always use your hand to lower your helmet. Do not use a "jerking" motion of your neck and head.
• Position the welding item as flat as possible, on a horizontal surface, between waist and elbow height. Try to position scaffolding at a comfortable height to allow working in a seated position.
• Always store materials and tools within normal reach.

To book an appointment with Dr Marlee, call us at 403-347-3261. Family First Chiropractic. 142 Erickson Dr. www.family1stchiro.ca

 Resources

1. Musculoskeletal injuries in Welders. Labour Department, Government of Canada.
2. American Welding Society. http://www.aws.org/wj/dec02/feature3.html
3. Malikraj, S., A.K. Ganguly, and T.S. Kumar. Productivity Improvement Potential Analysis Through Ergonomic Intervention in Arc Welding. 2010. Technology Today Quarterly Journal 2(4):34-44.

Massage to Help Soft-Tissue Injuries Heal

Injury Massage to Help Soft-
Tissue Injuries Heal

            Using targeted injury massage techniques on soft-tissue injuries (such as muscle pulls and strains, tendonitis, ligament sprains, and whiplash) can help them heal faster.

Massage reduces spasm, pain, and swelling. Massage can also prevent the formation of excess scar tissue or reduce excess scar tissue and adhesions (stuck together tissue) that weaken muscles and make you prone to another injury.

Dismelly Obando R.M.T is located at Family First Chiropractic. 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. To book an appointment with her call us at 403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

 

What is a Concussion?

Concussions

Concussion is a brain injury caused either by blunt head trauma or an acceleration- deceleration incident. Concussions are most commonly caused by motor vehicle accidents but can also result from contact sports, extreme sports, recreational activities, or activities of daily living.

In recent media, hockey and football have gained the most attention with concussions. However, other sports such as downhill skiing and snowboarding, horseback riding, ice skating, mountain biking and martial arts also have an increased risk of concussion.

The direct cause of concussion is rapid acceleration/deceleration of the brain within the skull causing stretching and compression of neurons which lead to damage.

Symptoms of concussion can be immediate or delayed and include the following:

-Headache

-Disorientation/Confusion

-Lapse in memory

-Altered consciousness (sleepiness, difficulty awaking, blacking out)

-Nausea, vomiting

-Ringing in the ears

-Difficulties with speech, balance, judgment, coordination, concentration, learning

Immediate assessment post-concussion is necessary. Concussion is a self-limiting condition that usually resolves within 2-6 weeks post-injury. Treatment involves total rest from all activity, both physically and mentally. Gradual return to normal activity needs to be graded dependent on severity of the concussion.

Return to play is directly related to severity of the concussion and needs to be assessed by a trained professional. This is incredibly important because a second concussion before complete resolution of the first concussion can lead to an increased risk of dangerous brain injury and swelling.

Therefore, it is incredibly important to seek medical attention following an accident involving a head injury. Concussion is serious and needs to be monitored carefully so that return to play is both timely and safe.

By: Dr. Marlee Lameris

To book an appointment with one of our chiropractors, call us at 403-347-3261. Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. www.family1stchiro.ca.

 

Resources

Pluta, R.M. and C. Lynm. Concussion. 2011. JAMA 306(1):114/9k=\

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis

Diverticulum are small pouches in the lining of the colon that bulge outward through weak spots. When you have multiple pouches, it’s called diverticulosis. Approximately half of all people over the age of 60 have diverticulosis

When the pouches get inflamed, it’s called diverticulitis. Approximately 10-25% of people with diverticulosis get diverticulitis.

People with diverticulosis usually have no discomfort or symptoms. Some people have crampy pain, discomfort in the lower abdomen, bloating, or constipation (similar symptoms as irritable bowel syndrome and stomach ulcers).

With diverticulitis, the most common symptom is abdominal pain. The pain is severe and comes on suddenly, although the pain intensity can fluctuate. Some people can experience cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and change in bowel habits.

The theory behind the cause of diverticulosis is that a low-fiber diet causes diverticular disease. Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables and grains that the body can’t digest. Both kinds of fiber help prevent constipation by making stools soft and easy to pass. Constipation may cause people to strain when passing stool during a bowel movement. Straining may cause an increase of pressure in the colon, which may cause the colon lining to bulge out through weak spots in the colon wall. These bulges are the diverticula.

A lack of exercise is also associated with a greater risk of forming diverticula.

The treatment of diverticulosis consists of a high fiber diet and pain medication in order to help relieve symptoms. It is recommended to take a fiber product 1-3 times per day and it should be taken with at least 8 ounces of water.

It is also recommended to avoid nuts, popcorn, sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds as it could enter, block or irritate the diverticula.

High Fiber foods

Breads, cereals, and beans          Fiber
1/2 cup of navy beans                     9.5 grams
1/2 cup of kidney beans                  8.2 grams
1/2 cup of black beans                     7.5 grams

Fruits
1 medium apple, with skin               3.3 grams
1 medium pear, with skin                 4.3 grams
1/2 cup of raspberries                     4.0 grams
1/2 cup of stewed prunes               3.8 grams

Vegetables
1/2 cup of winter squash                2.9 grams
1 medium sweet potato with skin   4.8 grams
1/2 cup of green peas                      4.4 grams
1 medium potato with skin              3.8 grams
1/2 cup of mixed vegetables           4.0 grams
1 cup of cauliflower                          2.5 grams
1/2 cup of spinach                            3.5 grams
1/2 cup of turnip greens                 2.5 grams

Blog By: Dr. Marlee Lameris. 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. 403.347.3261. www.family1stchiro.ca. Call today and book an appointment with Dr. Marlee Lameris.

Nerve Cells

 Nerve Cells

Irritated nerve cells can cause a wide range of ill health, such as: pain, chronic stress, migraine, dizziness, or difficulty breathing. Craniosacral Therapy can reduce nerve cell irritation, which helps the body heal.

Irritated nerve cells can be anywhere in the body’s vast neurological network. They can be in the brain, or spinal cord, or clumps of nerves called ganglia. Nerves receive, organize, modify, and transmit information required for all activity, like: sleeping, walking, talking, eating, or thinking, to name a few.

Nerves form communication networks with other nerves, or with body parts. When nerve cells become hyper-irritated they can no longer do their job in an organized way. This disorganization causes chaotic communication between nerves, or between nerves and body parts.

Body parts can lose normal function when neurological communication is chaotic. For instance, irritated nerve cells within the spinal cord communicating with a leg muscle may cause that muscle to be in chronic spasm, or irritated nerve cells within an area of the brain involved in memory processing may cause difficulty remembering recent experiences.

Often irritated nerve cells are undetected because they are hidden in the nervous system. If irritated nerve cells are not found then they remain the cause of dysfunction. When the cause of dysfunction is not addressed then the effects of that cause will usually persist.

Craniosacral therapy can locate irritated nerve cells and then help the body reduce nerve cell hyper-irritation. This can lessen harmful nerve stress, which stimulates normal nerve-to-nerve, nerve-to-body, or body-to-nerve, communication. Greater ease of function within the nervous system and within the body arises as nerve communication normalizes, thus helping the body heal in a multitude of ways.
To book a Craniosacral therapy appointment with Jeannette Raskin, call us at 403-347-3261 Family First Chiropractic. 142 Erickson Dr. Red Deer. www.family1stchiro.ca

Poor Posture

Posture Problems

People have been told to “fix their posture” since they were kids. However, it is rare to hear somebody tell you exactly how to do that. It’s easy enough to sit up straighter for 10 seconds, but how much of a fix is that?

Instead, we should be asking why does it need to be fixed? What exactly is creating that “poor posture” that everybody can identify immediately?

Dr. Janda coined a term in 1979 called Upper Crossed Syndrome, which helped explain the muscular imbalance that was present in people with what is commonly thought of as poor posture.

Upper crossed syndrome is defined as tightness of the trapezius, pectoralis major and levator scapula (see diagram), and a weakness of the rhomboids, serratus anterior, middle and lower trapezius and deep neck flexors. Essentially, there are one group of muscles that are very tight and a corresponding group of muscles that are weakened.

Since these muscles are supposed to be working in harmony, this imbalance creates an elevation of the shoulder blade, forward slumping of the shoulders and a jutting forward of the head.

These muscles are chronically in this state, so after a while your posture becomes “normal” for you. Despite the fact you are in a biomechanically disadvantaged position, it is the postural pattern that you have now created for yourself. As a clear deviation from the ideal, efficient alignment of the joints, this position can eventually lead to joint dysfunction, pain and malposition.

The postural muscles responsible for keeping the body maintained at neutral, needs to be balanced. This proposal for the pathophysiology of poor posture, creates an easily understandable method for correction. It logically makes sense that you would want to stretch the tight muscles and strengthen the weak muscles. Therefore, management of this syndrome is directed towards this goal.

Once the muscles have been appropriately dealt with, the joint dysfunction can also be addressed and full functioning can then be approached.

So the next time somebody tells you to ‘sit up straight’ or ‘fix your posture’, let them know it’s a little more complicated than straightening up!

Dr. Marlee Lameris. You can call to book an appointment at 403.347.3261. Located at 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. www.family1stchiro.ca.

Sleepy?

How well do you sleep?

“Sleep is essential for the body to recover and regenerate.” —Dr. Fabrizio Mancini

Just as activity is healing, so is sleep. During sleep, your body repairs damage caused by stress or environmental toxins, and sorts out memories from the day. When you get less than six or seven hours of sleep each night, your risk for developing diseases begins to increase, blood pressure increases, and excess stress hormones are pumped out. (Be sure that your bedroom is dark; darkness helps your body produce melatonin.) You get caught in a bad cycle. Some professionals even state that the clock light can interrupt sleep patterns and hinder sleep

On the other hand, adequate sleep energizes you. It helps your internal systems (such as your immune system) be more alert and alive. Helps you to remember and process things better. It may even help you to lose weight as people who get fewer than seven hours of sleep a night are more likely to put on weight. Studies show that a lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. Adequate sleep also lifts your mood by allowing your body to produce enough serotonin, a feel-good brain chemical.

Here’s how I suggest you improve your sleep habits:

1.   Eat at least three to four hours before going to bed, allowing your food time to digest.

2.   Cut back on caffeine or nicotine on a daily basis, especially after 3:00 p.m.

3.   Create a soothing sleeping environment—no messy bedroom or television blaring with violent shows-even remove the TV from the bedroom.

4.   Meditate or read for a few minutes at bedtime (although I don’t recommend reading murder mysteries or thrillers).

5.   Discuss sleep issues with your health-care provider, and ask for advice, there are many natural options to aid in sleep.

6.   Do deep breathing, and think relaxing thoughts while lying in bed.

7.   Exercise helps to balance our sleep patterns, 30-60 min daily will aid in a better more restful sleep.

This Blog was taken from Well Adjusted Babies and modified by Dr. Joelle Johnson of Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261 www.family1stchiro.ca