The first month of the year is behind us.  Most made New Year's Resolutions.  Some small.  Some life altering.  How are you doing on yours?  Satisfied with your progress?  If not, don't give up.  Whether your resolution is to resolve that nagging low back pain, those annoying headaches, or even to lose weight... we can probably help. 

Later this week, on Wednesday, we will be holding our third Power Workshop.  This is a unique program we started in October geared toward taking patient education to the next level.  Our workshops are open to patients and their guests, and capacity is an issue, so early registration is advised.  Of course we cover subjects like managing back pain and headaches, but most of our focus in the workshops is geared toward helping people achieve optimal wellness.  Thus we deal with subjects such as weight loss, stress management and nutrition. 

So we all know that drinking water every day is healthy for us right? But did you know that simply drinking enough water may actually help to fight disease?

1. Your body is over 2/3 water – but your brain is the real water lover! Your brain is only makes up about 3% of your body weight but uses over 15% of your water levels!
2. Digestion. Did you know that many times when a person is diagnosed with gastric reflux (heartburn), it is actually their body’s cry for more water? That’s right, it’s not that you have too much acid in your stomach. Many times, your body is simply unable to digest and pass food from the stomach to the intestine because there simply isn’t enough water. It’s this undigested food mixed with acid that then refluxes back into the esophagus causing the burn. Next time you think about taking “the purple pill” for heartburn, reach for a bottle of water instead!
3. Weight loss. Water is a natural appetite suppressant!! Studies show that many times what is thought to be a hunger pang is actually your body’s cry for water since your body can also retrieve water from the foods you eat. Next time you feel that familiar craving, drink a glass of water and the craving will likely pass.
4. Disease and pain control. Studies have shown that proper hydration can reduce signs of fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Water and proper hydration can also be a major factor in relieving headaches (remember… your brain is 70% water and needs to float in a liquid bath in order to remain healthy!!)
5. Energy. Feeling fatigued??   A recent study showed that for every 1% that our body’s become dehydrated; we lose 10% of our potential energy? That’s right – the same study went on to show that over 80% of the population is dehydrated between 2-4%. That’s a 20-40% energy loss just from dehydration!!  In order for our cells to create energy in our body, they must be properly hydrated. Imagine what your fingers look when you’ve been in the bath tub for a long time… that’s essentially what happens to your cells when they get dehydrated. Give them a good drink of water each day and watch your energy levels climb.

Today I was having a conversation with a patient when she mentioned that she had been in the emergency room with her husband this past weekend and found out he had a herniated disc in his low back.  A few days later he is still in pretty rough shape with low back pain and leg pain... literally the whole 9 yards!  Simply saying someone has a herniated disc tells only part of the story as there are varying degrees and the terminogy used such as hernited, ruptured, bulging, and extruding sometimes get used interchangeably among health care providers.

By asking further questions about what the doctor had said about the MRI, I was able to gather that the outer layers of the disc, or the annulous, were more than likely intact.  If indeed that is the case, then he quite possibly could be a good candidate for chiropractic.  I mentioned to her that we should schedule him an appointment, at which point she told me that the ER doc specifically said, "No chiropractic."  WHAT!  I was shocked!

The volume of research demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care for disc problems is immense, and chiropractors specialize in identifying those cases that we should treat and referring those that need other forms of intervention.

I encourage any of our medical counterparts who may be reading this to contact us directly for a professional discussion on how we can often help their patients with this often time debiliating condition.  If you are a patient or potential patient reading this, then you owe it to yourself to consult a chiropractor if you or a loved one are experiencing a disc problem.  In non-emergency cases, you should exhaust all of your conservitive options before resorting to invasive procedures.