Being Prepared for Winter

In Minnesota we have extremely unpredictable weather, especially in the winter. Here are some tips for being prepared for whatever comes your way. Every Minnesotan should have a winter kit in their car. This kit should include; jumper cables, a bag of sand or cat litter to help with traction, a blanket, a first aid kit, a flash light, snacks, water, batteries and chargers, hand and feet warmers and a shovel, brush and scraper. In addition if you plan to venture out during extremely cold or snowy weather no matter the distance, wear a warm winter jacket, winter boots, hat, scarf and gloves. Also double check you have a fully charged cell phone, an up to date insurance card and a drivers license with you. This way if you have car troubles or get into an accident you are prepared. 

If you are in an accident no matter how minor, stay on the scene and call 9-1-1. Move to a safe area if you can. Double check you are okay and if anyone else involved is okay, stay calm. If another car is involved exchange information with them, document the following: name, address and phone numbers of all the drivers and passengers involved, the license plate number, make and model of each vehicle involved, the vehicle operators driver license number, insurance company and policy number. Some other information you might want to get is the names and phone numbers of any witnesses and the names and badge numbers of the police officers who responded. You should also document the damage. Take photos of the accident scene and vehicle damage. Even if no one is hurt you should still file a police report and report the claim to your insurance company. 

If you are injured after an accident and perceive your injuries to be a medical emergency, go to the emergency room. Otherwise, if you are sore or injured make an appointment to see your chiropractor. Sometimes injuries from a car accident aren't immediately present. The bottom line is, if the weather is extremely bad and you have the ability to stay home, stay home. If you do have to drive, be prepared, pack your car accordingly and dress for the weather. Drive safe! Go the speed you are comfortable with and make sure you are leaving enough room in front of you. If you are in an accident stay calm and follow the steps above. To find out more ways to keep you and your family healthy and safe, visit our website at oxborochiro.com. 

By Julia Jacobson, Office Manager

Oxboro Family Chiropractic, P.A.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 

Thanksgiving is a time to surround yourself with loved ones, indulge in delicious food and be thankful. To avoid overindulgence, feeling uncomfortable for hours after eating and remain stress free, use these tips to take control of Thanksgiving. 

Don't forget some exercise this Thanksgiving. Whether it's in the morning or in the afternoon your body will appreciate it. Try taking a walk in the morning before all the madness begins or do an after dinner walk with your family or a friends. Either way make time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Since Minnesota can be quite chilly this time of year, make sure to bundle up and dress appropriately. 

Eat breakfast. Fasting in order to save room for Thanksgiving dinner can lead to overeating. Hydrate to dominate. Check in with yourself throughout the day and make sure you are staying hydrated. Don't go crazy with appetizers! Make sure the appetizers you are eating are in moderation. This ensures that you have enough room for dinner! Also try using a smaller plate, this helps with portion control and avoiding over eating. Try chewing slowly and listening to your body when it is full. Wait a minute or so before going up for seconds to let your body tell you when enough is enough. Don't stress over food. It is Thanksgiving and it is okay to indulge yourself every once in a while but if you do indulge, don't punish yourself. 

Lastly, enjoy yourself! We all know the holidays can be stressful but they don't have to be that way. Anytime you are feeling a little too stressed take a step back, take some deep breaths and remind yourself what the holidays are really about. Make sure to give yourself enough time. No one likes to rush. Plan out what you want your morning to look like and try to stick to that schedule. Also get enough sleep the night before. Enough sleep will not only help control your appetite on Thanksgiving but also ensure you have enough energy to last the whole day! Finally, enjoy meaningful conversations and interactions with friends and family you don't see every day. Enjoy your time with your friends and family and be grateful. 

To learn more ways to keep your family healthy and happy visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com. 

By: Julia Jacobson, Office Manager

Oxboro Family Chiropractic, P.A.

Sources: 

https://greatist.com/health/fit-healthy-thanksgiving-tips

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/5-tips-for-a-healthy-thanksgiving_us_5a0f4753e4b0e30a958506bb

Taking a Tech Break

There are many wonderful benefits of technology. You can see loved ones that live thousands of miles away, monitor your health, catch up with friends you haven't seen in years, find activities and events in your area and catch up on the news with the touch of a button. With all the great things technology has to offer there is also a down side. Too much screen time can cause, memory failure, emotional instability, strained vision and muscle and joint pain. 

Here is why you should take a break from technology. With technology always around it is difficult to unwind and set boundaries on your work communications. Drawing a line between work and your personal life allows your mind to recharge so you are refreshed for the next day at the office. It also relieves tension on personal relationships and allows you to focus on the present. 

Multitasking has been proven ineffective and decreases the likelihood of retaining the information we are processing. When you are constantly giving the projects in front of you half of your attention your performance level drops. When multitasking it is increasingly difficult to filter out irrelevant information and tasks. Multitasking actually takes longer than when you are focused on one thing at a time. In a 2011 study, ivy league students retailed facts and information more effectively when they knew they couldn't get them from the internet. 

Constantly being surrounded by social media and technology can also cause mental instabilities like anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, dangerous codependence and leaves no time for solitude. Social media can be especially dangerous to young impressionable minds. Comparing yourself to the people you see on the internet can set unrealistic expectations of how you should look and what your life should look like. It is also difficult because we typically only see the best life scenarios on social media. 

Too much screen time can also cause physical health problems. According to a 2008 survey by the American Optometric Association (AOA); "About 40% of optometrists’ patients experienced eye strain due to computer vision syndrome (conditions related to “near work”), while 45% complained of neck and back pain associated with computer or handheld device use". Posture while using cell phones and computers can also cause back and neck problems as well as pain in your wrists and fingers. Experts recommend limiting the time spent in front of a computer as well as cell phone usage. They also suggest being conscious of your posture and how you're positioning yourself while using these devices. 

If the first thing you do when you wake up is check your phone, try taking a technology break. Even if it is a few hours give your body and mind a break. Become comfortable by yourself. Try meditating or giving a new hobby a try. Find meaning connections in person with the important people in your life. To find out more ways to keep yourself and your family happy and healthy visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com. 

By: Julia Jacobson, Office Manager

Source: 

https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/internet-addiction/real-effects-technology-on-your-health/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2013/02/06/feeling-disconnected-5-reasons-to-unplug-from-technology-after-work/#4a60b67076ce

National Chiropractic Health Month

October is national chiropractic health month and this year the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is promoting the benefits of movement to overall health and the prevention of low back pain. The ACA has termed this year's theme as "Move 4 Life" and are encouraging people to get out and move to improve health and prevent disease.

There are many benefits to maintaining an active lifestyle, however according to the department of health and human resources (HHS) less than 5 percent of adults report getting enough exercise in a day (about 30 minutes of exercise) and only one in three children are physically active every day. This is a worldwide pandemic that is leading to an array of health conditions. Inactivity can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer, osteoporosis, depression and a wide variety of other health concerns. 

It is recommended that adults exercise at least 30 minutes per day and kids get 60 minutes of activity per day. The type of exercise varies from individual to individual and can include aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, running, swimming or anaerobic like weight training. These activities help to increase energy and combat the diseases listed above. 

Physical movement and exercise are extremely important in maintaining a good, healthy lifestyle and regular chiropractic care should be a part of your lifestyle as well. Chiropractic care works by improving the movement of the spine and removing additional stresses on the body to help improve the function of the nervous system. 

Everybody understands that the purpose of the spine is to protect the spinal cord, but that is not it's only purpose. The spine was designed to move! When we talk about the anatomy of the spine we talk about segments of the spine. One segment includes a vertebral body on top, the intervertebral disc (disc) in the middle and then another vertebral body on the bottom. It is important for each segment to move properly because this is how the disc gets its proper nutrition and blood supply. This process occurs via imbibition, or a form of osmosis. When the spine is not properly moving the disc can become injured because it is not properly hydrated nor does it have the proper nutrients to withstand stresses applied to it. When we have a weakened disc this can lead to a "slipped disc" or disc bulge/herniated disc. In addition, when a disc is weakened it will be more susceptible to injury or inflammation that can lead to nerve irritation and subsequently pain and dysfunction. 

It is important for the entire spine to move properly to help ensure we have a good functioning nervous system. Every tissue, muscle, cell and organ has its own nerve supply that tells it how to function. When we have a nervous system that is under unnecessary stress it can lead to tissue dysfunction and a variety of health conditions. The most common conditions that present to a chiropractic office include low back pain, neck pain and headaches, however chiropractic care has been shown to help with an assortment of conditions including ear infections, vertigo, colicky babies and many more ailments. 

Maintenance care is also important to help maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of injury or re-injury. A recent study published in the journal PLOS One found that maintenance chiropractic care was more effective than symptom-guided treatment in reducing the total number of days over 52 weeks with bothersome non-specific low back pain. Maintenance care helps to improve function and health throughout the body and should be part of your everyday lives!

For more ways to keep your family happy and healthy, visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com and check out the links below!

By: Travis L. Klug, D.C.

Source:

https://www.acatoday.org/News-Publications/Newsroom/News-Releases/National-Chiropractic-Health-Month-2018-Starts-Oct-1-Get-Moving

https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/resource-center/facts-and-statistics/index.html

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203029

Staying Healthy during the Flu Season

It's that time of year again when we begin to prepare for the flu season. According to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), the 2017-2018 flu season was one of the worst seasons we have seen in years. This year take the proper precautions and steps to help reduce the risk of contracting the flu and spreading the virus.

Wash your hands often and thoroughly! Washing your hands is the best way to prevent against colds, the flu and other respiratory infections that we commonly see. Rinsing your hands under warm water will help to free germs from your skin. When you add soap to the mix, the soap will trap the germs that have been released from your skin and be rinsed down the drain. As a rule of thumb wash your hands for about 20 seconds each time. It is also recommended to wash your hands before eating, after using the restroom, after touching desks or railings, before bed and especially if you come in contact with someone that has the flu or cold.

Supplement with vitamin D3, this is especially important in the Midwest, or northern states where we see less sunlight in the winter months. The sun is a good source of Vitamin D and it is recommended to spend at least 15 minutes per day in the sun, however that is a difficult task in the cold and cloudy months. According to Webmd, the recommended daily amount (RDA) for Vitamin D is 600 IU per day for persons older than 1 year of age (age 71+ RDA is 800 IU per day), and the maximum safe level of intake is 2,500-4,000 IU depending on your age.

Vitamin D helps to improve the immune system by reducing levels of inflammatory proteins throughout the body and by increasing natural antibiotics within the body. According to The Vitamin Council, "There are two branches of the immune system: adaptive and innate. The adaptive immune system develops based on previous exposure to a virus. The innate immune system responds quickly to foreign invaders, and its effectiveness is determined by the levels of immune cells and proteins an individual has. Low vitamin D levels result in some aspects of the innate immune system not functioning as well as they should." Additional vitamins or minerals to help prevent or reduce the severity of the flu include vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and a vitamin B complex. It is also very important to drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated when fighting off the flu or a cold.

Getting regular chiropractic adjustments also helps to boost the immune system during the flu season. Like vitamin D, chiropractic adjustments help to reduce inflammation within the body and restore the body's innate to help fight off infections or disease. When the body does not have the proper nerve supply to every tissue, muscle, cell and organ throughout the body, there will be additional stress throughout the body. This additional stress can dampen the immune system and the body's ability to fight disease.

Another tool to use in the fight against the flu is a humidifier. A 2009 study by the National Academy of Science found that flu germs spread and thrive in dry air conditions. When you keep the humidity level between 45% and 50% this helps curb the spread of germs. A humidifier also helps you breathe easier by moisturizing you nose, throat and lungs making it easier for air to pass though. By easing your airways this can help you get the rest you need to fight off any nasty bugs.  

Epsom salt baths can also help when you feel a flu or cold begin. Soaking in Epsom salt aids in the bodies recovery, helps detoxify, ease aches and also increases your white blood cell count. Taking a hot bath also relaxes and calms the body against any body aches that come along with having the flu. A hot bath is also an effective way to loosen any mucus and assists in breathing easier. Epsom salt is very affordable and you can find it at pretty much any grocery store or super market. 

For more ways to keep your family happy and healthy, visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com and check out the links below!

By: Dr. Travis Klug, D.C.

Julia Jacobson, Office Manager 
Oxboro Family Chiropractic, P.A.

Sources:

https://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/expert-advice/doctors-treat-coldsflu-with-epsom-salt/

https://grassrootshealth.net/blog/vitamin-d-prevent-flu-epidemic/

https://www.sylvane.com/blog/4-reasons-to-use-a-humidifier-during-flu-season/

https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/eyes-ears-nose-throat/5-best-home-remedies-for-flu-treatment-backed-by-scientific-studies

https://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/the-truth-about-vitamin-d-how-much-vitamin-d-do-you-need