Pinch Hitters

I spent Christmas Day as a volunteer for the Pinch Hitter Program run by B'nai Brith of Atlanta.
B'nai Brith is an international Jewish organization that does charity work to help Jewish and gentiles throughout the world. The concept of being a Pinch Hitter is to relieve the gentile hospital workers, and go to bat for them, so they can have some time off on Christmas Day.
I was assigned to St. Joseph's Hospital in Sandy Springs. Due to my training in CPR, I was able to work in the Transportation Department, where I had direct patient contact. My fellow Pinch Hitters were assigned to the cafeteria. My first job was to deliver a Kangaroo Pump to a patient on the 4th floor. Poor fellow, image having to have a kangaroo pumped out of you. Sounds painful. Next I helped transport an older gentleman being discharged from the hospital, so he could spend Christmas with his family. As I wheeled him to the backseat of an awaiting car, I sent him off with a "Merry Christmas", with which his wife responded-"We celebrate Chanukah in our house". During a lull in activity my supervisor gave me the job of wheelchair disinfection.
I am sure that at least once a year these wheelchairs get a good rub down, and this year it was my turn. When I was done they sparkled with cleanliness. Well at least they were cleaner.
A few more pump deliveries (of the non-kangaroo style) proceeded my last assignment of the day. We had to transfer a gentleman from CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit) on the 2nd floor to the 7th floor. Although he wasn't being discharged, the optimistic patient exclaimed, "At least I'm moving up in the world!" So on that happy note, I bid my fellow Transportation workers adieu and made my way home.

Balance Test

Try this- Stand on a flat surface in comfortable shoes or your bare feet. Now bring your right knee up in the air, so that your foot is off the floor at least a few inches. Now slowly count, and see how long you can keep your balance without placing your foot back down on the floor. Take note of your time, and repeat this with your your left foot. If you cannot balance for at least twenty seconds on each leg, then your balance is sub-par. You could be compromising your ability to run, golf, play tennis or other sports, as well as dance, walk the dog or do household chores. If you cannot balance for at least five seconds on each foot, you have a more severe problem. You are running a three times greater risk of taking a fall in 2010. A fall that could result in a cracked rib, a fractured wrist or a broken hip, if you are over the age of 60. If you find that your balance is not what you want it to be, there is help. By improving the communication between your brain, where balance is sensed, and your joints, where nerve endings for balance are stored, your chiropractor can turn up your balance score. You don't need to resign yourself to be clumsy, being accident-prone or having poor balance. Talk to your chiropractor about what pro-active steps can be taken to improve your balance today.

Celebrities Who Go To A Chiropractor

From headaches to backaches celebrities, like most of us, hate to feel badly, and like to feel great.
That is why the celebrities listed below are just a handful of famous people that go to their chiropractor.
Andy Griffith(maybe Oppie too)
Arnold Schwazenegger(Being Governor of California ain't easy)
Mel Gibson(What does he have, like 8 kids?)
Joe Montanta(Superbowl winner!)
Tiger Woods(no jokes please)
Jose' Canseco(baseball wonderman)
Emmitt Smith(did pretty good on DWTS too)
Evander Holyfield(Our man from Atlanta packs a good punch)
Lance Armstrong(He keeps going and going and going)
Madonna(I hope I look that good when I am 50)
Robin Williams(How else does he keep his energy?)
Sylvester Stallone(So Cliffhanger wasn't his best movie)
Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul author)
Clint Eastwood(Posterboy for AARP)
Richard Gere(one word-Cindy Crawford)
Denzel Washington(anyone see Training Day?)

Passing of a chiropractic hero

Dr. Weldon Odum passed away last week after fending off cancer for several years. I first meet Dr. Odum in 1985. He came to SACA Day (Student American Chiropractic Association) at the National College of Chiropractic. I was President of SACA at National, and Dr. Odum was the President of the parent organization, the American Chiropractic Association (http://www.acatoday.org/).

Still one and a half years from completing my studies at National, Dr. Odum inspired me to try harder, reach further and strive to be my best. It wasn't until I moved to Georgia in 1987 that I realized that I was practicing in Dr. Odum's home state. We met up at a GCA (Georgia Chiropractic Association) conference and became reacquainted. It was always a great day when I would get to see him and his wife Helen at conferences, share a meal and get updates on their daughter, Joan, who pursued a degree in chiropractic and then medicine. Dr. Odum showed me that you could serve the profession, serve your community, have a great family life and be a snappy dresser too. Dr. Odum, you will be missed, yet your spirit will live on.

Holiday Stress- Busters

The holidays bring stress in all kinds of ways.
Some are physical, like wrestling boxes of decorations from out of the attic. Some are mental like trying remember all the people who need presents, what they got last year, and what you want to get them this year. Emotional stress comes from dealing with relatives, memories of past holidays and unfulfilled expectations. Metabolic stress comes from holiday cookies, eggnog and too much time on the couch.
What can we do to make sure that holiday stress doesn't turn into holiday illness, injury or disease?

1. Stretch- Even 5 minutes in the morning can help prevent knots, strain and spasms from ruining your holiday celebration. Remember to stretch slowly and don't bounce.
2. Breathe- If you are feeling tense and rushed, take a moment, stop what you are doing and just take 4-5 slow, deep breaths. The pause and intake of fresh oxygen to your system is good for you.
3. Drink- Water. Dehydration is just as easy in the wintertime as in the heat of summer. Keeping your body hydrated helps to ward off exhaustion and aids in weight control.
4. Take your vitamins-Stress can deplete your body of essential nutrients like B vitamins and Vitamin C. Exposure to germs can compromise your immune system, increasing your requirement for zinc.
5. Get adjusted.-Chiropractic adjustments help put your nerves and muscles at ease, which reduces stress in your body. The less stress that is pent-up in your body, the better you sleep and quicker you heal.

Why does it take more than one adjustment?

Patients often wonder, either to themselves, or out loud to me, why it takes more than one adjustment to move a subluxated bone back into the proper position. There are several factors that can influence how many adjustments it can take to properly align the spine.
Age-Young people generally take fewer adjustments that older people, because their spine is more flexible and they have less degenerative changes in their spine.
Gender- Woman tend to need more adjustments than men, because they tend to have less muscle mass to stabilize their spine.
Chronic vs. Acute Condition- The longer a subluxation has been present, the longer it takes to work out of the spine. Muscles, ligaments and nerve endings become accommodated to the misalignment, and must undergo changes to restore a healthy functioning spine.
Lifestyle-Patients that are deconditioned, sedentary and overweight tend to have a harder time staying in alignment, than patients who are active and fit.
Occupation-Jobs that make it difficult to maintain good posture, or tasks that demand repetitive or one-sided motion will usually have a negative effect on maintaining alignment.
Stress- Patients that are subject to high levels of mental or emotional stress will have a harder time holding their adjustments. Emotions can trigger neurochemicals that hamper tissue repair, and increase muscle spasm and tension.
Other Diseases-Spinal and non-spinal diseases can both effect alignment. Spinal arthritis, disk degeneration, facet arthrosis are examples of spinal diseases that can undermine the lasting effects of an adjustment. Diabetes, thyroid disease, connective tissue diseases are conditions that can slow down the healing process and make more adjustments necessary to achieve healthy alignment.

What can you do? Follow your chiropractor's recommendations on your schedule of care, so you get the right number of adjustments for your condition. Also make sure you do any exercises that have been prescribed for you. Get the right amount of rest, and make sure you are using proper body mechanics. These will help you maintain your alignment in between your visits.

Stretching your limits

I began rockclimbing as a teenager one summer, and it has become a part of my life ever since.

In my twenties I pursued it with a fierce passion. I spent countless hours dangling from the side of cliffs in just about every major mountain range in the USA. During my thirties and forties I cooled a bit, due to professional and family obligations, but I still would get out on occasion. Lately I have been renewing my passion for rockclimbing, and over Thanksgiving spent three days climbing at Obed/Clear Creek in Tennessee. I think part of the reason I have reignited my interest is that rockclimbing can help me stretch my limits. Rockclimbing is both physically and mentally demanding. You must be able to calm your mind, focus on the task at hand, and use your body to unlock the sequences necessary to ascend the rock. If you just try to use brute force, you flail about and waste energy. If you let your mind get the best of you, you freak out, lose your focus and fail. The same can be said of life. When we are faced with life's demands, and we want to succeed, we must relax our mind, focus our attention and work out the series of steps to solve our problem.

Stuffed and stoked for Thanksgiving

Want to come through the Thanksgiving Holiday unscathed? Watch out for the three dangers of Thanksgiving.

Number 1- Holiday Travel-Motoring to friends and relatives can put you at risk for wrecks and a wrenched back or neck. Avoid unneccessary distractions while you drive. Keep your cellphone, I-Pod and other electronic devices with a non-driving companion. If you are driving alone, wait until you are stopped to use them. Anticipate that other drivers will not be paying attention to the road. Give them plenty of space, and use your signals when changing lanes. If you do get in a wreck, move your vehicle to safety as soon as possible. If you suffer injury- get medical/chiropractic attention soon. Ice or heat to injuries? When in doubt-Chill it out! Ice decreases inflammation and swelling that commonly accompanies spine and joint injuries.

Driving long distances creates poor posture and too much pressure on the spine which can lead to back pain and stiffness in the spine, hips and knees. Break up your trip into segments. Take 5-10 minute stretch breaks. Use a lumbar support cushion or pillow behind the small of your low back to fill in the gap between your back and the carseat. Some vehicles have lumbar supports built in for the driver, but may not have sufficient support for all the other passengers.

Number 2-Food related Illness & Injury- You probably have heard that most accidents happen in the kitchen. Where else can you find scalding temperatures and sharp edges ready to burn and cut a hurried chef? Slow down and think as you go about the tasks of preparing your meal. Use your potholders to remove lids and take the turkey out of the oven to avoid burns. Sharpen your knife to avoid an unexpected slip. Wash your hands, your cutting board and your utensils frequently to avoid contamination and food bourne illness.

Number 3-Shopping- Protect yourself from wild and frenzied Black Friday shoppers. Spend some time in the morning performing a pre-shopping stretching routine. Start out on the floor and bring one knee toward your chest at a time stretching your hips and backside ,so you can sprint up the escalator. Next reach over your head with both arms, extend your fingertips and reach as far as you can, so you can grap that sweater off the rack. Finish up with a standing shoulder stretch- bring both hands behind your back, clasp your hands together and bring your interlaced fingers up toward your shoulderblades. You will have an easier time getting into your wallet or pocketbook- so the only strain will be on your bank account.

Have a safe Thanksgiving Holiday!

Why do chiropractic adjustments go snap, crackle, pop?

Patients frequently want to know what causes the "cracking" sound when their spine is adjusted.
Well, there isn't anything being cracked, snapped or broken. The sound is the result of changes in the pressure within the joint. We have all heard the sound of a soda pop can or bottle being opened. That sound is the release of pressure on gases within the liquid in the container.
Your joints are like little containers filled with pressurized liquid, known as synovial fluid.
Adjustments reduce pressure on the joints, thus creating a popping sound.