Health Made Easy with Dr. Jason Jones: Recent Episodes

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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the commonly used drugs in reducing pain, inflammation, and fever. And the question that rises is whether it is possible to relieve back pain without relying on NSAIDs. And, yes, it is possible to find relief from back pain without relying on NSAIDs. Alternative methods for managing back pain include physical therapy, exercise, stretching, heat or cold treatment, and mindfulness practices like yoga or meditation. In some cases, lifestyle changes such as improving posture, reducing weight, or managing stress can also help alleviate pain. Working with a healthcare practitioner can be very beneficial if the pain is persistent.

• Home care

Home care remedies that can help relieve back pain, including heat and cold therapy, and gentle and low-impact exercises, like swimming and walking, can help strengthen the muscles supporting your spine to improve flexibility. Maintaining a straight posture while sitting and standing and a suitable sleeping position can prevent additional strain on your back. Also, gentle massage on the affected area can reduce muscle tension risks of future injury.

• Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care includes spinal adjustments by a professional to realign the spine, relieve nerve pressure, and reduce the pain. You can also embrace soft tissue therapy techniques such as massage to help alleviate tension and improve circulation, thus reducing back pain. In addition, chiropractors often provide activities that strengthen muscles to support the spine, enhancing flexibility and promoting better posture.

• Comprehensive care with movement

The simple activities we engage in daily, including walking and stretching, can help with back pain without the need for NSAIDs. The comprehensive therapy combines physical activities to strengthen the core, improve flexibility, and promote proper posture. Such activities include low-impact ones like swimming, walking, and stretching regularly. However, you must be mindful of tai chi and yoga practices to alleviate back strain.

· Decompression therapy

Using a specialized decompression table, a chiropractor will apply gentle traction to create intervertebral spaces for the compressed disks to retract and ease pressure on the surrounding nerves. Please do not lose this golden opportunity for your long-sought back pain and sciatica relief. Please book an appointment with our chiropractor for the best back pain and sciatica remedies.

Long-term use of NSAIDs is not good as such drugs may lead to complications such as gastrointestinal complications, kidney issues, cardiovascular risks such as a surge in the risk of stroke and heart attack, and reduced effectiveness in treating chronic pain.

Instead of using NSAIDs for back pain and sciatica relief, you can use physical therapy, proper home and work ergonomics, heat or cold therapies, and lifestyle modification. And if you need more guidance on how you can relieve back pain without NSAIDs and understanding why using NSAIDs long-term is not good, talk to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for assistance!

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Is back pain and sciatica interfering with the quality of your daily life? We have good news for you as we have back pain and sciatica relief near you! Prevention is always better than cure, so do not wait until surgery is the only remaining option for sciatica and back pain relief! Dr. Jason Jones Chiropractor Care is readily available to offer you the natural treatment needed to alleviate pain and restore your general productivity. Be sure to schedule an appointment with our Chiropractor, Jason Jones, today at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

The chiropractor will guide you in restoring your body's balance while relaxing the muscles, relieving you from aggravating back pain and sciatica. After chiropractic care with Dr. Jason Jones, you can rest assured of becoming more energetic and delighted as you carry on your daily activities.

The major areas that the chiropractic care for back by Dr. Jason Jones will address include:

· Mechanism of action

This entails using manual adjustments in manipulating the spine, such as sensations using needles and pins, to rectify misalignments that may be causing pain after compressing nerves.

· Treatment approach

Dr. Jason Jones will conduct a comprehensive body examination to determine the source of the pain. Such examinations include your posture assessment, nerve function, and ability to sustain a range of motion. He will then apply targeted adjustments to the affected segments. After the encounter with the doctor, you will have reduced pains, enhanced spine motion, become more flexible with better muscle tone, and improved overall productivity. Among the non-surgical back pain and sciatica relief treatments the doctor will tackle include:

· Decompression care

Using a specialized decompression table, our chiropractor will apply gentle traction to create intervertebral spaces for the disks that had been compressed to retract and ease pressure on the surrounding nerves. Please do not lose this golden opportunity for your long-sought back pain and sciatica relief.

· Practice home care

Did you know that the solution to your chronic back pain and mild sciatica could just be next to you, at your home? Home care activities, such as applying heat and cold packs, regular walking and stretching, relaxing your shoulders, and sitting or walking straight, go an extra mile in alleviating pain.

· Advise on comprehensive care with movement

Based on your condition, the chiropractor will advise you on comprehensive care with movement activities such as physical activity, exercises, low-impact activities, and core strengthening activities. These will help you become more flexible, improve your core, and correct your posture and alignment. Can't wait to feel good again? Please book an appointment with our chiropractor, Dr. Jason Jones, for better chiropractic care.

Whether you are living with back pain or sciatica, there is a solution for you after booking an appointment with our chiropractor.

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Are you experiencing mild to severe pains along the regions with nerves interconnecting with the sciatic nerve? You may be suffering from sciatica. Such pain, tingling, or irritation can extend to the lower back, hips, butts or legs, with some individuals experiencing it as far as on the feet and toes. Treating or managing sciatica entails alleviating the pain or irritation and enhancing mobility. If you are a victim of sciatica, you need not worry because some of the treatment options are easy therapies that you can do on yourself. Such tips include the following;

Chiropractic therapy

This therapy involves performing several spinal manipulations to align the spinal cord. Such manipulations help detect and reduce the misalignments of the spine that may interfere with the sciatic nerve, hence relieving pain. Chiropractic therapy techniques include soft tissue therapy and posture correction, among others.

Decompression therapy

If you are experiencing back pain associated with health conditions such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or herniated discs, there is hope for you. All you need is for the doctor to use a specialized traction table to slowly stretch your spine and create negative pressure within the discs. This allows the compressed discs to retract and relieve pressure on nearby nerves, thus resulting in pain relief and healing. An appointment with our chiropractor will get you the best back pain and sciatica remedies.

Home care

Home care therapy has become rampant in modern society. It is highly preferred because everyone can take good care of their loved ones and monitor their progress. Finding relief from sciatica at home can be effective with a combination of self-care strategies, including stretching exercises, heat and cold therapy, maintaining good posture, staying active, and mindful relaxation techniques such as meditation.

Comprehensive care with movement

You're already covered if you are seeking to relieve sciatica pain through comprehensive care with movement. An appointment with our chiropractor will help you get the proper guidance on the most effective strategies, such as:

• Stretching exercises

Stretching exercises significantly impact sciatica nerve relief because of the relaxation effect of stretching your muscles. Stretches such as the hamstring and knee-to-chest stretch will bring positive results and sciatica relief.

• Strengthening Exercises

These exercises help by targeting muscles that support the spine and pelvis, a good example being the bridges.

• Low-Impact Aerobic Activities

Engage in low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, or cycling. These can improve circulation and reduce inflammation without putting too much strain on your back.

• Yoga and Pilates

You can incorporate yoga and Pilates into your routine to improve flexibility, strength, and body awareness. These practices can be beneficial in relieving sciatica pain.

Other helpful activities include posture, body mechanics, and heat and ice therapy. If symptoms persist, kindly book an appointment with Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to receive the most personalized care based on your needs.

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If you have had to deal with back pain at some point in life, you understand how miserable it can make you feel. If left unattended, back pain can become a chronic issue that can lead to disability and hinder your productivity. Fortunately, dealing with back pain does not always have to be surgical. Below are some affordable and easy-to-do tips you can embrace for non-surgical relief of back pain.

• Comprehensive Care with Movement

Did you know that the simple activities we engage in daily, including walking and stretching, can help with back pain? This comprehensive therapy combines physical activities to strengthen the core, improve flexibility, and promote proper posture. Such activities include low-impact ones like swimming, walking, and stretching regularly. However, you must be mindful of tai chi and yoga practices to alleviate back strain.

The main components of comprehensive care with movement to relieve back pain include:

• Exercises that promote flexibility, such as hip flexors and gentle stretches, facilitate different types of motion.
• Core strengthening activities include bridges, stability ball exercises, and planks supporting the spine.

• Activities that correct or improve posture and alignment.

• Low-impact activities, including regular walking, swimming, and stationary or outdoor cycling.

• Mindful motion activities like yoga and tai chi enhance flexibility, balance, and relaxation, minimizing stress.
• Proper lifting techniques, work and home ergonomics, and being aware of standing and sitting posture.

While practising comprehensive care with movement, kindly consider starting with gentle activities and gradually progressing as you monitor pain and adjust accordingly. Additionally, do not forget to consult your doctor or therapist before undertaking any new activity.

• Home Care

Back pain relief doesn't have to be complicated because many home remedies can help. Home care activities for back pain relief include:

1. Heat and cold packs are applied to the affected area during the first 48 to 72 hours to minimize inflammation and relax muscles.
2. Exercises that move the muscles include walking, swimming, aerobics, strength training, stretching, and swimming.
3. Core strengthening and stabilization activities and back stretches to uphold the spine and promote flexibility.
4. Practising good posture by ensuring that the shoulders are relaxed and the back is straight.
5. Simple yoga alleviates pain, promotes mobility, and enhances physical and mental functioning.

You could also try other home remedies such as pilates, tai chi, aerobics, rest, and ergonomics. Always consult a chiropractor in case of severe and persistent back pain with accompanying symptoms like numbness, body weakness, and tingling.

• Chiropractic Therapy

Is back pain giving you sleepless nights and irritation? Worry no more, as this is good news for you. Chiropractic therapy is effective in using spinal manipulation or adjustments to alleviate pain and irritation and realign the spine. A good chiropractor would advise using this method alongside lifestyle modification and posture correction.

• Decompression Therapy

Are you experiencing back pain associated with health conditions such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or herniated discs? There is hope for you. All you need is for the doctor to use a specialized traction table to slowly stretch your spine and create negative pressure within the discs.

Need more support!

Remember, seeking professional guidance is okay; everyone needs a helping hand occasionally. If you would like a more detailed explanation of how to relieve back pain without surgery, we recommend talking to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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The work-from-home culture has become popular recently, especially during the holiday season. While it is an excellent way to maintain productivity and achieve work-life balance, it is important to prioritize a healthy posture. Poor posture can result in persistent neck, shoulder, and back pain, tension headaches, and other painful conditions. Maintaining good posture while working from home is essential, especially during the holiday season. • Importance of Posture Maintaining a good posture is essential to your overall health and has significant benefits, including reduced back, neck, and shoulder pain, increased energy, and greater confidence. It also helps avoid muscle tension, fatigue, and other painful conditions. A good posture can reduce wear and tear on your joints, especially your spine. • Ergonomic set up Are you planning to work from home and enjoy the work-life balance while remaining productive? Good idea! However, don’t think about working from your bed or sofa. Consider setting up a home office by investing in an ergonomic chair and a sizeable desk. A well-set-up home office will help promote good posture, preventing back, shoulder, and neck pain. Experts describe an ideal office chair with armrests and a seat height that allows the feet to rest flat on the floor. An individual’s hips and knees should be slightly above a 90-degree angle. You may also consider investing in a chair that supports the curvature of the lower back. The optimal place for a computer monitor is an arm’s length away, with the top of the monitor at or below eye level. While working, consider increasing the font size as necessary to reduce eyestrain. • How chiropractic care can prevent pain and discomfort from sitting long hours Practicing good posture and arranging your workspace correctly is essential for your health. However, regular chiropractic appointments are crucial too in helping to realign your spine, resulting in improved productivity at work. Chiropractic is a natural approach to pain relief without the need for medications. It is an effective and safe treatment that offers several benefits to work-from-home people. Chiropractic care helps reduce pain by identifying and fixing the source of your discomfort. Chiropractic can realign your spine to reduce or remove the underlying causes of neck and back pain. Chiropractors use natural remedies and non-invasive treatments tailored to your lifestyle to relieve chronic aches and pains. Treatments include hands-on manipulation, massage, electrical stimulation, or other techniques to adjust the spine and neck. Schedule an Appointment with a Chiropractor! Are you already experiencing back, shoulder, or neck pain from poor posture? Please don’t wait until it is too late! Dr. Jason Jones Chiropractor Care is here to provide the natural treatment you need to relieve pain and be productive as you work from home. Please book an appointment today with Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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As we approach the winter, it could be fun to have a cold setting for the holidays with a warm cup of hot coffee or apple cider in the chilly weather. But to be honest, the novelty quickly wears off as most people start complaining of increased back pain. During the winter, many people experience stiff muscles, reduced circulation, or a combination of factors that tend to exacerbate existing back issues or contribute to new pains. This occurs because cold weather can impact the musculoskeletal system in several ways. The drop in barometric pressure can cause muscles to contract and tighten, leading to stiffness and discomfort. Similarly, reduced blood flow in colder temperatures may increase pain perception after chronic back pain. But the good news is that, with some practical tips, you can comfortably enjoy your winter season. Here are some ways to protect yourself and your spine and reduce winter back pain. • Exercises and Stretches Gentle Warm-Up Exercise: A proper warm-up, especially in colder weather, helps kickstart blood circulation and prepares your body for the day ahead. Some activities include brisk walks, leg swings, or stationary cycling to help elevate your heart rate and warm up your muscles. These low-impact exercises help enhance blood flow and promote joint mobility, reducing the risk of injury during more strenuous daily activities. Flexibility Stretches: Engage in flexibility stretches to help prevent and manage back pain. Consider incorporating a set of dynamic and static stretches into your routine to promote suppleness in your back muscles. Stretches help alleviate tension and contribute to improved posture and overall back health. Core-strengthening exercises are the foundation for a healthy spine, supporting the entire musculoskeletal system. You can integrate a variety of exercises into your routine, including planks, bridges, and pelvic tilts. • Lifestyle Adjustments Nutrition and Hydration: During the cold winter season, incorporate a balanced diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients essential for bone and muscle health. Include dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified foods in your diet to provide your body with the building blocks for a solid and resilient musculoskeletal system. Most of us forget the need to stay hydrated during the cold weather. Staying well-hydrated is crucial for maintaining the elasticity of spinal discs. Therefore, ensure you take adequate water throughout the day, and consider incorporating warm herbal teas to stay hydrated during colder temperatures. Regular breaks: Whether working from home or the office, ensure you take regular breaks. Stand up, stretch, and walk around to prevent prolonged periods of sitting or standing in one position. This helps relieve stress on your back, promotes overall circulation and reduces the risk of muscle stiffness. • Chiropractic for Back Pain Chiropractors are specialists who detect and correct misalignments in the spine, known as subluxations, which can contribute to discomfort and pain. Regular chiropractic adjustments ensure that your spine remains in optimal alignment, promoting better nerve function and reducing the likelihood of musculoskeletal issues. Chiropractic for back pain involves using various techniques tailored to one’s specific needs, providing a non-invasive and drug-free approach to addressing the root causes of back and neck pain. Chiropractic care alleviates existing symptoms of discomfort but also serves as a preventative measure against future issues, offering long-term benefits for your overall spinal health. A proactive approach to your winter back pain can help improve your overall well-being, allowing you to enjoy the colder months without the pressure of persistent back pain. To get started, contact Dr. Jason Jones today at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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During the winter season, millions of cases of the common cold and flu are reported each year. As winter approaches, there is an increased risk of illnesses like colds, coughs, and flu. Although we may not avoid exposure to germs, there are protective strategies to boost our immune system and achieve cold and flu prevention during the colder months. Below, we explore some practical natural tips to boost your immune system and keep you healthy during the winter! • Eat more nutrient-rich foods. Ensure your diet consists of nutrients like vitamins C and D and Zinc, which are beneficial in boosting your immune system. Such foods include red meat, broccoli, salmon, oysters, tuna, orange juice, and tomatoes. It's also essential to maintain a balanced diet to help keep your body properly fueled and healthy. A diet incorporating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein helps boost your immune system. • Take a supplement Taking supplements helps boost your immune system during the winter season. For instance, zinc and vitamin D prevent bacteria and fungi from entering your body. Vitamin D deficiency results in an increased risk of flu and infection. Vitamin C is another essential antioxidant that helps protect the body from disease and keeps new immune cells growing. • Adopt healthy habits Healthy habits can help you boost your immune system naturally and prevent colds and flu during the winter months. Some of the healthy habits to consider include: 1. Enough sleep Sleep plays a significant role in your overall health. When you sleep, your immune system releases cytokines, an essential protein responsible for immune system cell growth and protection of your body from infection. When you are sick, you need more of the cytokines, so it is essential to have enough sleep. 2. Drink plenty of water. Water helps your blood to keep pumping, essential for your immune function. Water also assists in transporting nutrients throughout the body, including vital nutrients in fighting off infections. Proper hydration also helps keep all your organs functioning properly, including your immune system. As a result, you are less likely to get cold and flu during the winter season. 3. Exercise regularly Moderate exercise helps boost your immune system by increasing the circulation of your immune cells. When your immune cells move correctly through your body, they can better protect you from infection. 4. Wash your hands frequently The importance of washing our hands frequently has always been emphasized, and following the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become even more apparent. Washing your hands helps minimize the spread of germs. Ensure you frequently wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap to eliminate germs and avoid transferring them to your body through your eyes, mouth, or nose. 5. Reduce stress When stressed, your body produces fewer lymphocytes (white blood cells) that boost immunity. Stress can also increase your cortisol levels, leading to inflammation and a dip in immune levels. Reducing your stress levels can help keep your immune system functioning properly to fight off any infections. • Try chiropractic care Winter weather increases stress levels, and chronic stress can weaken your immune system. Chiropractic adjustment helps reduce stress by promoting relaxation and balancing the body's stress response. As stress decreases, your immune system can operate more effectively, providing a better defense against cold and flu, which is common in the winter season. Need more support! Remember, seeking professional guidance is okay; everyone needs a helping hand occasionally. If you would like a more detailed explanation of winter wellness and how to boost your immune system naturally, we recommend talking to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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The holiday season is fast approaching! It’s a season that involves holiday gatherings, events and activities. Although most of us look forward to enjoying the festivities, the anticipation and excitement of holiday activities can build up anxiety and stress. Holiday stress is triggered by the inevitable complexities and tensions of family relationships, the pressure of holiday shopping, gift and travel expenses, and the stress of hosting gatherings or managing a packed calendar of holiday events. Good news, it doesn’t have to be that way this year! Instead of running yourself ragged, take a deep breath, slow down and try these natural tips to reduce holiday stress! • Feel Free to Say No Although the holiday season is meant to bring joy, it can be stressful, especially when faced with conflicting obligations. Focus on achieving holiday stress relief by having a thoughtful plan and schedule. Don’t overbook yourself! Fitting in family obligations, holiday events and finding the perfect gifts can be overwhelming on top of a busy schedule, triggering stress. Normalize saying no to situations that stress you out, whether missing a party that falls in a week that’s been too intense at work or cancelling travel that is not very important to give yourself time to rest and recharge. • Eat Healthy The importance of eating healthy cannot be ignored at any time. Sticking to a healthy diet during holiday celebrations marked with lots of cooking and baking may seem challenging. It’s ok to enjoy some holiday cookies and an extra serving of mashed potatoes, but try to remain mindful while indulging. As you enjoy the tastes of the season, be keen to include a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains in your meal. Remember to drink lots of water, limit alcohol consumption, and pay attention to the food portions you eat. • Exercise Regularly Physical activity releases endorphins or brain chemicals that act as natural pain and stress relievers. So, with all the holiday stress your body is going through, it’s time to prioritize exercise. Not enough time to exercise? Get creative! Take advantage of any good weather to plan active holiday get-togethers, including walking, sports, or hiking. Regular exercise will help you reduce stress naturally. • Practice Meditation Holiday schedules can be hectic and overwhelming. Meditation can be a valuable mental wellness tool during this season. Embrace meditation practices that are focused on helping you develop awareness of stress and learn how to reframe negative emotions, manage anxiety, manage financial stress, and do mindful cooking activities. You can also incorporate gratitude meditation and reset and refresh meditation to help achieve a healthy mind and body over the holiday season. • Chiropractic Care Chiropractic care is comprehensive and goes beyond just bones and joints. As holiday stress builds up, you experience muscle tension, which causes you to feel tense constantly. This muscle tension can lead to aches and pains that take away your holiday joy, not to mention the back pain that may develop as you actively wrap gifts and make frequent movements as you attend parties and gatherings. An appointment with a chiropractor will help restore your body’s balance while allowing the muscles to relax and feel a sense of relief from aggravating back pain. You will be more energetic and feel jolly throughout the holiday season through New Year’s Day! Book an appointment today with Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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Most of us have the desire to stay active daily and in the long term. An active lifestyle is a daily pursuit for many of us, and an essential part of this journey is practicing flexibility and mobility. Flexibility refers to the ability of muscles to lengthen passively through motion, while mobility is the ability of joints to move actively through motion. Flexibility and mobility impact our daily activities like sitting, bending over, climbing stairs, and carrying groceries. Flexibility and mobility have been proven to impact overall physical fitness and health significantly.

As we celebrate the gains in flexibility and mobility, we should ensure regular practice to achieve a healthy, happy body in the long term. To help you, we have explored some steps to uphold while celebrating improved flexibility and mobility. Have a glance!

• Ensure that you practice flexibility and mobility consistently. This can be achieved by setting and sticking with a relevant SMART goal. A SMART goal should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. For instance, you can spend 30 minutes active four days a week. Our strongest belief is that "no program works if we don't do it." Therefore, we encourage consistency, which matters more in achieving and maintaining long-term flexibility and mobility.
• Engage in active stretching before exercise and static stretching after exercise. Active stretching, which is performed before exercise, involves gently moving through a range of motion to increase blood flow and warm up muscles. On the other hand, static stretching, which is normally performed after exercise, involves stretching a muscle to its furthest point and holding that position for a period of time.
• Always move when you get an opportunity. Whenever you get a chance to move, please do it! Whether it's walking outside, working out at home, or playing basketball, every chance of being active matters. Ensure you look out for a fun activity so it will be interesting to do it consistently.
• Consider engaging in diverse exercises. Incorporating a wide range of exercises in your routine will significantly help you achieve overall flexibility and mobility. For example, strength training can help increase the flexibility and balance required for functional movements, while activities like yoga, Pilates, and barre are best for improving both flexibility and strength.
• Focus on improving your posture. Ensure you check in about your body alignment throughout the day. Consider changing positions from sitting to standing as often as possible. You can also engage in stretches that support better posture.

Flexibility and mobility are foundational attributes of being healthy, and we recommend celebrating their gains with regular practice. It is also essential to seek professional support from a chiropractor to diagnose and treat injuries. This is because it is not advised to do exercise or activities that aggravate muscle or joint pain related to an injury.

If you need more guidance on celebrating improved flexibility and mobility, talk to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for assistance!

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When we talk about fitness, cardiovascular and strength exercises often come to mind. Keeping up with this level of exercise can sometimes be challenging, but we need to remember another vital fitness component- stretching. Including stretching in your daily regimen is a great strategy to develop and maintain optimal fitness and improve your athletic performance and overall health. Stretching involves elongating a muscle or muscle group to its entire length. Most times, we stretch without realizing it because stretching is a natural, instinctive behavior that our bodies naturally crave, especially after long periods of sitting or inactivity.

The Importance of Regular Stretching

Regular stretching offers numerous health and fitness benefits that include:

• Increases your flexibility

Flexibility helps us perform everyday activities with relative ease and helps delay the reduced mobility that can come with aging. Therefore, regular stretching increases your flexibility, which is crucial for overall health. Maintaining a regular stretching routine will keep you flexible and injury-free.

• Improves performance in physical activity

Do you ever wonder why athletes or gym instructors encourage you to perform dynamic stretches before physical activity? This is because stretches have been shown to help prepare your muscles for the activity.

• Helps to heal and prevent back pain

Tight muscles result in decreased range of motion, which increases the likelihood of straining the muscles in your back. Stretching can heal an existing back injury. Adopting a regular stretching routine can also help prevent future back pain by strengthening your back muscles and reducing your risk of muscle strain.

• Stress relief

Did you know that when you are experiencing stress, your muscles are likely tense? This happens because your muscles tend to tighten in response to physical and emotional stress. You can ease this by stretching and focusing on areas of your body where you tend to hold your stress, like the neck, shoulders, and upper back.

• Improves circulation

Regular stretching helps increase blood flow to the muscles, which helps nourish the muscles, eliminate waste byproducts from muscle tissue, shorten recovery time, and reduce muscle soreness.

• Promotes relaxation

Stretching feels good. It is an excellent way to cool down and relax after an engaging workout. Research further shows that stretching can lower blood pressure and improve artery function. This helps decrease tension, headaches and can also calm your mind. While you stretch, focus on mindfulness and meditation exercises, which give your mind a mental break.

Stretching techniques:

The two common types of stretching techniques include:

· Static stretches involve holding a stretch in a comfortable position for some time, usually 10 to 30 seconds. It is a form of stretching that is most beneficial after your exercise.

· Dynamic stretches include active movements that cause your muscles to stretch, but the stretch is not held in the end position. It is usually done before exercise to prepare the muscles for movement.

How to start a stretching routine

The good thing about adopting a stretching routine is that you can stretch at any time during the day.

On the days you exercise, you can add the following stretches:

• Aim for five to ten minutes of dynamic stretching before your activity
• Do another five to ten minutes of static stretching after your workout

On the days when you are not exercising, plan to schedule at least 5 to 10 minutes of time for stretching. When stretching, focus on the major areas of your body that help with mobility, like the quadriceps, calves, hip flexors, and hamstrings. For upper-body relief, try moves that stretch the neck, shoulders, and lower back.

Whether new to exercise or a seasoned athlete, you can benefit from a regular stretching routine. If you need further guidance on developing a stretching routine, consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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If we are sincere with ourselves, we would agree that we tend to sit hunched over, staring down at our computer or phone most of the time. This is truly harmful to our posture and impacts our physical and mental health. We should all make an effort to sit up straighter, especially when tackling a difficult task because our posture does not just affect our bodies but also touches our brains. Posture has a wide-ranging effect on our well-being, both physical and mental.

Have you heard of the famous saying, “Stand strong, look like a winner?” I am sure most of us have heard similar encouraging statements but could not understand what they mean. Research shows that posture plays a critical role in how we present ourselves to the world.

How Maintaining Good Posture Can Boost Your Confidence.

• Good posture helps boost your confidence: Any time you stand up straight, you automatically feel more confident and assertive. This happens because good posture engages your core muscles, which helps to stabilize your spine and improve your balance. This, in turn, makes you feel more secure and confident in your body.
• It helps command attention: If you are a leader or working in a professional setting, standing up straight helps project confidence through your posture, making people more likely to pay attention to and take you seriously.
• Good posture makes you look more attractive and approachable: People with good posture are more confident and approchable than those with poor posture. This is because good posture makes you look more open and approachable, which can appeal to other people. Studies show that sitting up straight can invite conversation and even compliments, while someone hunching over a screen sends the message that they don’t want to be approached.
• Improved clarity: Did you know that good posture can significantly improve your clarity? Good posture increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, generating clarity. With good clarity, we are able to focus better and apply ourselves. Therefore, whenever you feel low, it would help to sit or stand upright to improve your mind.

How to Create a More Confident Posture

From nailing your leadership to interview, check out some of the postures to help improve your confidence!

• Keep Your Chin Up: During conversations, always keep your head up, whether you are waiting or while you present. This helps create a positive, confident image. Also, ensure you straighten your whole body by standing up tall with a straight spine and rolled-back shoulders to show poise.
• Make Eye Contact: Making and maintaining direct eye contact with the people you speak to shows you are sure of yourself and ready to tackle any conversation.
• Avoid Fidgeting: Keep fidgeting to a minimum. If you are used to playing with your hands, fiddling with your glass or key, or pulling at your clothes, try to stop. Fidgeting can be distracting to those around you and show signs of anxiety.

Good posture is significant in projecting confidence and authority, improving physical health, and making a positive impression on others. For more guidance on how good posture impacts your confidence, contact Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for assistance!

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Would having a blessed word and a positive attitude greatly help your recovery? You are not the only one, meaning the majority are included in that list. It is important to note that many people have truly amazing transformations while physically and psychologically healing from positivity. To expand further, we have taken the time to explain the scientific aspects of positivity's healing power and strategies to harness this vital tool. Have a look!

Why Positivity Enhances Healing

Scientific research proves that having and maintaining a hopeful attitude assists in recovery. Reducing negativity in your life leads to your body producing endorphins and other hormone products that facilitate relief from pain and provide for general health. This biochemical response also works in reducing stress and anxiety since stress and anxiety slow down the pace of the healing process.

Also, a positive psychological outlook on life can enable a person to build a strong immune system. Research also proves that having a positive attitude helps produce more antibodies and improves the number of immune cells. That would assist the body in fighting against infections and injuries and allow quick recovery from such conditions.

The steps to set a positive outlook for the healing process

Since maintaining a positive attitude may seem impossible, especially in trying times, there are measures you can embrace to ensure that you always have a positive outlook in life. Have a glance!

· Practice Gratitude: Practicing thankfulness and maintaining a gratitude journal where you write down good things about your life are also important. Every day, one must list important, relatively insignificant, important things for which they are grateful. It assists in regaining control over your thought process by replacing negative stimuli with positive ones.

· Surround Yourself with Positive People: Engage in relations with other people, such as friends and family, who are positive. Joyful interpersonal transactions improve one’s moods and overall emotional well-being, vital for reintegration.

· Engage in Activities You Enjoy: Engage in activities and hobbies that may be enjoyable and offer satisfaction to others. Pleasure activities can help patients shift their focus away from sensations of pain and help lessen the intensity of pain and other related discomforts while attaining goals that will provide happiness.

· Stay Active: If you want to get active, try walking, yoga, or gentle stretching because it is good for you and helps you feel better. It is a well-known fact that regularly exercising makes one feel happier and releases tension caused by day-to-day activities, and the body is built to be strong and healthy.

· Mindfulness and Meditation: Always think about practicing mindfulness and meditation to stay as focused as you need. It highlights various practices that can be used to calm down, turn to a happier state, and have a better state of well-being.

That has been shown to positively increase one’s chances of recovery by implementing the above-discussed tips into practice. If this is a problem for you to have a positive mindset, it would be helpful if you consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to create a plan or recommendation on how to be positive and improve yourself for healing.

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Have you ever been stressed or tense? You are not alone. Daily stress increases in the lives of many individuals. But the good news is that in a moment of anxiety, one can exhale and immediately reconnect with a happier state. While it is indeed essential, breathing is much more than a basic human necessity – it can help slow down racing thoughts and even reduce stress. But first, let me explain what these methods are based on and how you can introduce them to your lifestyle without hassle.

Why Breathing Techniques Work

Breathing is one of the most effective techniques for easing stress levels. When you get stressed, the body copes by responding as if it is under attack, i.e., the fight or flight response, and therefore, your heart races and the muscles tense. Therefore, deep and controlled breathing decreases this by triggering the parasympathetic nervous system with messages of rest.

Breathing in and out helps lower cortisol levels – a hormone associated with stress – in the human body. This makes you more relaxed and positively impacts your health by reducing your blood pressure and the rate at which your heart is beating.

Breathing Techniques for Instant relaxation

While we are sometimes stressed, these relaxation methods will be beneficial. Have a glance!

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this technique incorporates deep breath that expands the lungs and leads to contraction and expansion of the abdominal muscles. Here’s how:

· Relax in a comfortable position, preferably sitting or lying down.

· Steady your feet, and bring two right-hand fingers to your upper left chest and the remaining fingers to your lower left abdomen.

· Take a deep breath with your nostrils, and try to feel your belly button come outwards.

· Now breathe out deeply, releasing the air through the mouth, and try to look at your falling abdomen.

1. 4-7-8 Breathing

Developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, this technique relaxes the nervous system:

· Put as much air into your lungs as possible using your nose only for four seconds.

· Please take a deep breath and hold it for 7 seconds.

· Slowly breathe from your mouth for 8 seconds.

Incorporate this cycle 4x, preferably before retiring to bed at night.

1. Box Breathing

Used by Navy SEALs to stay calm under pressure:

· Take a deep breath and breathe through your mouth for approximately four seconds.

· Retain a break for the next four seconds going up to the count.

· Exhale through the mouth for four second

Repeating this for 5–10 minutes brings the person to a calm state.

Ways that they can be Incorporated in Routine Activities

Try incorporating these techniques into your daily routine through these simple strategies:

Morning Routine: Take five minutes to practice diaphragmatic breathing to ensure a relaxing tone.

Breaks at Work: Breathe in a box during break times if you are stressed or want to enhance your concentration.

Evening Wind Down: Take a few minutes before bed to try the 4-7-8 breathing exercises to help a person fall asleep.

By doing this, different breathing techniques can help minimize the effects of stress and improve the quality of life. As we have mentioned many times before, breathing is a unique weapon that you have; now, begin to breathe yourself into calmness.

Seeking Support!

Remember, seeking professional help is okay if you feel the techniques are not working or need more guidance. If you would like a more detailed explanation of breathing your way to relaxation, we recommend talking to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth.

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Have you ever experienced a sense of mind tiredness and stressful nature? This is a regular occurrence for most people. Daily, we hear stories of people being overwhelmed with work and stress; therefore, the search for the mind has never been as crucial as it is today. The busy work environment and other responsibilities can be overwhelming to our brains. As for the actual suggestions aimed at boosting cognition, one such practice that has become popular in recent years is mindfulness.

Understanding Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the ability to focus our awareness on the present moment and to let go of other thoughts and concerns. It is a practice stemming from the traditions of meditation of prehistoric yogis. It is currently being used more frequently and popularized for its effectiveness in addressing the problem of mental disorders.

Embracing mindfulness

The start of mindfulness acceptance involves a process of attending to each moment. This can range from paying attention to how your breath feels as you inhale and exhale, the feet touching the carpet, or birds chirping outside the window or door. By focusing on such minor aspects of life, we can redirect our attention to something that is, however brief, from the monologues of our stream of consciousness.

The Benefits of Mindfulness

The impact of such practice on achieving mental clarity is quite significant. People must engage in the practice of mindfulness daily to overcome stress and also to improve their concentration ability and cognitive function. With specific skills to promote mindful thinking, we can get out of the habit, or cycle, of getting stuck in our heads and producing unpleasant images, ideas, or sensations in our minds. This, in turn, leads to having clearer thoughts and probably enhanced cognition, which enables one to come up with efficient solutions to problems and handle problems and issues with inner strength. Also, mindfulness promotes self-awareness by promoting our thoughts and emotions, enabling controlling our efficiency. This results in a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Possible practical steps viable in cultivating mindfulness

On this basis, mindfulness may be supported equally effectively in everyday functioning. Try some mini-breakdown sessions of mindful breathing or even meditation at the beginning of each day. Gradually, extend this practice to routine activities such as;

• Ingesting the food carefully, experiencing every bite
• While walking, having the feel of the ground beneath the feet
• Listening to what someone is saying instead of daydreaming.

It may involve small, subtle behaviors implying mindfulness of one's thoughts and emotions, with the idea that such small practices compound to get one closer to that attitude of mind at all times.

Framework for gaining understanding and finding peace

Learning mindfulness does not require you to dedicate much time and effort, yet the received return can be rather impressive. When you practice mindfulness, you will be more aware, alert, and competent enough to manage the current world's challenges, free of clutter and disturbances. What are you waiting for? Adopt a mindful lifestyle today! And if you need more guidance on embracing mindfulness for mental clarity, talk to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for assistance!

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A new trend shows that more Americans seem to carry bottled water everywhere they go these days. The trend results from the recent hype on the benefits of drinking water, which has seen more Americans dump soft drinks and embrace water drinking as a lifestyle. Though the common suggestion to drink eight glasses a day is not based on scientific evidence, the fact remains that drinking plenty of water has a significant impact on your health.

What is Hydration?

Hydration involves the body's ability to absorb water. Water is a vital liquid in the body utilized by every cell, tissue, and organ to perform different functions. In human health, hydration involves maintaining the correct balance of water and electrolytes. The human body comprises 60% water, which is vital in many essential bodily functions. Water absorption is primarily done through drinking liquids, preferably water, but around 20% of our intake comes from food.

You could wonder why you should keep drinking plenty of water every day. The reason is that your body continuously loses fluids from urine, stool, skin evaporation, and breathing. You can become dehydrated if your water intake does not match your output. Therefore, daily intake of plenty of water is essential for your overall good health.

The incredible benefits of staying hydrated

Staying hydrated has significant benefits that include:

· Promotes proper functioning of the brain

Approximately 75% of the brain is water, susceptible to hydration status. Mild dehydration affects various aspects of brain function, such as concentration, alertness, and short-term memory. It is also linked to other negative effects, such as mood swings, headaches, fatigue, and anxiety.

Maintaining regular and adequate hydration helps prevent headaches and migraines and promotes overall neurological health.

· Improved physical performance

Hydration plays an essential role in muscle function. Proper hydration helps maintain cells and blood volume, providing nutrients to the muscles and helping remove waste products like lactic acid. Good blood volume is essential for circulating oxygen and nutrients for energy production. It also plays an indispensable role in regulating body temperature during physical activity. Experts explain that mild dehydration can compromise aerobic capacity, strength, and endurance. After strenuous activity, rehydrate for faster recovery to help replenish fluids lost through sweating and prevent post-exercise muscle cramps and fatigue.

· Improves digestion and nutrient absorption

Hydration is essential for healthy digestion. Water helps break down food so that the body can easily absorb nutrients. Water also helps prevent constipation by softening stools and moving eaten food through the intestines.

· Promotes kidney function and urinary health

The kidney regulates bodily fluids and filters waste from the bloodstream, passed out in urine. Adequate water intake helps dilute the salts and minerals in urine that can form kidney stones. Hydration also helps support health by continuously cleaning the urinary system, thus preventing infection.

· Helps reduce stress and fatigue

Experts explain that dehydration increases the body's primary stress hormone, cortisol. Therefore, ensuring optimal hydration helps promote the smooth running of physiological processes in the body, reducing potential stress causes.

Dehydration causes feelings of fatigue because it affects the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and brain. Adequate hydration helps maintain energy levels and prevent dehydration-induced fatigue.

· Helps in weight management

Hydration helps manage hunger and satiety, which in turn promotes weight management. Water takes up space in the stomach and gives a feeling of fullness. Water also helps increase metabolism, enhancing the body's ability to burn calories efficiently.

· Maintains healthy skin

Hydration helps maintain the skin's elasticity and softness. Dehydration can lead to dry, tight, and flaky skin and cause fine lines and wrinkles.

Embark on a journey of hydration today and enjoy the incredible benefits of staying hydrated! If you need more information about hydration's health benefits or have any questions, consider contacting Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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We live in a world where most people are either working from home or sitting at their office desks all day. With a lot of work and family commitments, it even gets harder to get time to go to the gym. Lack of time for exercise is the most common excuse for our physical unfitness, which puts our physical fitness and health at risk.

But the truth is, we don’t need a lot of time to exercise. All we need is 10 minutes a day, and we will be healthier. And the perfect way to get started is walking.

Benefits of a 10-Minute Daily Walk

Have a look at some of the health benefits of walking and why walking should be our best partner for overall good health:

1. Promotes Heart Health

Walking helps improve heart health by lowering blood pressure, regulating blood sugar, and lowering cholesterol, all of which are major risk factors for heart disease.

1. Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight

A brisk walk a day can significantly help you burn calories by increasing your metabolism. Increasing your speed allows you to burn more calories than if you strolled at a moderate pace. You can start small before gradually working up to 10,000 steps a day.

1. Boosts Brain Function

Walking helps to improve concentration, attention span, and focus. Exercise increases the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps preserve the health of existing neurons and create new ones. Research shows that people who frequently walk in a week have more efficient decision-making abilities and better brain function. Experts explain that these benefits are a result of increased blood flow to the brain that occurs with exercise.

1. Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases

Studies show that walking can significantly help reduce one’s risk for a variety of chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, major depressive disorder (MDD), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

1. Reduces Stress

Are you feeling frazzled or overwhelmed? Get out and take a walk. Walking helps reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which allows one to feel less stressed and more relaxed.

1. Improves Sleep

Walking regularly can help you sleep better at night. Physical activity naturally boosts the effects of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Studies show that healthy adults who walk daily report positive impacts on sleep quality and length.

1. Reduces Joint Pain

Most physical aches and pains result from tightness. When muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia aren’t used, they get tight, resulting in pain, especially in the lower back and joints. Walking helps our bodies stay flexible, limber, and pain-free.

Walk for Your Health

Don’t hide on the excuse of not getting time to exercise anymore. There is always a way to find 10 minutes out of your busy schedule to get out in the fresh air for a walk. It could be leaving the car behind when you pop to the local shop, getting some fresh air at lunchtime, or taking your dog for a brisk walk.

If you need more guidance on how staying active can benefit your health, how to start walking, or how to stay motivated, talk to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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Have you experienced trouble sleeping at some point in your life? Well, it is common among many people, especially adults. This is mainly triggered by the many factors that interfere with a good night’s sleep, like work stress, illnesses, and family responsibilities. But when insomnia persists day after day, it can become a real problem. Consistent lack of quality sleep can make one tired and moody and have severe effects on one’s health, like increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Most people who have had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep tend to turn to sleep medications to help them have restful sleep. However, these drugs can have side effects like headaches, drowsiness, strange dreams, dizziness, appetite changes, and abdominal discomfort.

But the good news is that you can adopt habits that help you fall asleep quickly, stay asleep longer, and be more energetic and productive during the day. Have a look at some of the simple tips!

· Set and stick to a sleep schedule

The body’s circadian rhythm functions on a set loop that aligns itself with sunrise and sunset. Therefore, it is essential to have a consistent sleep and wake time to help achieve long-term sleep quality. Studies show that people who have irregular sleep patterns alter their circadian rhythm and levels of melatonin, which signal the brain to sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for healthy adults is at least seven hours. Set at least seven to eight hours of sleep and ensure you go to bed at the same time every day, including weekends. Consistency will help the body adapt to a sleep-wake cycle that gets you well-rested.

· Be smart about what you eat and drink

What you eat and drink during the day significantly impacts your sleep. Some of the essential things to pay attention to include;

v Focus on a healthy diet: Your eating pattern has a significant impact on your sleep pattern. For instance, a Mediterranean-type diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats, with a limited amount of carbs and red meat, may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

v Don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed: Going to bed hungry or immediately after eating a heavy meal within a couple of hours of bedtime may cause discomfort, making it difficult to fall asleep.

v Limit caffeine and nicotine: Caffeine and nicotine have a stimulating effect that takes hours to wear off and can interfere with sleep.

v Avoid alcohol before bed: Although alcohol may make you feel sleepy at first, it affects your long-term sleep cycle, especially when you have not taken any alcohol.

v Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening: Although fluids are healthy for your body, drinking lots of fluids at night may result in frequent bathroom trips, affecting your sleep pattern.

· Improve your sleep environment

A peaceful bedroom environment sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses. Keep your room calm, dark, and quiet. Some of the tips you can adopt include;

v Keep noise down: Avoid music in your bedroom. To eliminate noise from other people in your household, neighbors, and traffic, try masking it with a fan or sound machine. Earplugs can also help.

v Keep your room cool: You can sleep better in a slightly cool room that has adequate ventilation. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep.

v Ensure that your bed is comfortable: Your bed should allow you to stretch and turn comfortably without becoming tangled. If you wake up complaining of a sore back or an aching neck, consider different levels of mattress firmness, foam toppers, and pillows that provide more or less support. A comfortable bed will help improve your sleep position.

v Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex: Avoid working, watching TV, or using your computer, phone, or tablet in bed. This helps your brain to associate the bedroom with just sleep and sex, which makes it easier to wind down at night.

· Exercise

Exercise increases the effect of natural sleep hormones like melatonin. Consider a daily brisk walk and enjoy better sleep at night. However, it is important to watch the timing of your workout. Exercising too close to bedtime can be stimulating. Instead, consider morning workouts that expose you to bright daylight.

· De-stress

Piled bills and a long to-do list can easily stimulate your stress levels, activating the fight-or-flight hormones that work against sleep. Learn to resolve your worries or concerns before bedtime by jotting down what’s on your mind and then setting it aside for tomorrow. Basic stress management tips like getting organized, setting priorities, and delegating tasks might also help. To relax, try meditating and deep breathing exercises.

Know when to seek help from a professional!

If you often have trouble sleeping, talking to a professional can help identify and treat any underlying causes. Contact Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for assistance!

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Did you know that most people with Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders do not know whether they have them or what exactly causes such disorders? TMJ disorders refer to various conditions that result in dysfunction and pain in muscles and jaw joints that regulate jaw movement.

Researchers estimate that more than 10 million Americans are living with TMJ disorders. In most cases, the discomfort related to TMJ disorders is temporary and occasional and occurs in cycles. Although the pain may eventually disappear without or with minimal intervention, some individuals may develop long-lasting symptoms. The disorders result in tenderness and pain in the jaw joints and related ligaments and muscles. The common causes may include jaw injuries, teeth grinding, and arthritis.

Types of TMJ Disorders

Researchers have categorized TMJ disorders into three:

· Myofascial pain

· Internal joint derangement

· Arthritis-related disorders

It is possible to experience one or more of the disorder categories simultaneously with other comorbidities, such as sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue syndrome, which have similar symptoms. The majority of people experience relatively mild types of TMJ disorders, with symptoms significantly improving or disappearing spontaneously in months or weeks. However, the disorders may result in long-lasting, debilitating, and persistent pain in some individuals.

Symptoms of TMJ

TMJ symptoms vary widely and may include:

· Jaw pain

· Stiffness in the jaws.

· Difficulty opening or closing the mouth.

· Facial pain.

· Neck or shoulder pain.

· Jaw popping.

· Earaches.

· Headaches.

· Migranes.

Ways of Alleviating TMJ Disorder-related Discomfort

How can you manage TMJ disorders and attain a stage of comfort? To effectively combat TMJ discomfort, developing the correct diagnosis and establishing treatment goals is essential. The following are some of the tips you can use to manage TMJ disorders and alleviate discomfort.

• Physical therapy: Physical therapy improves joint functioning and manages the pain caused by the disorder. Although this therapy cannot completely fix complex joint issues, it is useful because it helps the affected person attain comfort. Dentists may advise using physical therapy in conjunction with splint therapy for the best results.
• Stabilization splint therapy: Your surgeon or dentist will fabricate a dental appliance that holds your jaws in position and fits over the teeth. This helps to guard your jaw joints and ensure the supporting structures of your teeth are free from damage.
• Self-care techniques: These include practices such as eating soft foods, applying ice packs, shunning extreme jaw movements, relaxation, and stress reduction techniques, and embracing gentle jaw relaxation and stretching techniques to manage the symptoms.
• Pain relievers: Short-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers should temporarily alleviate pain and relieve jaw discomfort. Your physician or dentist can only prescribe stronger pain medications, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs, or antidepressants when necessary.
• Irreversible treatments include surgeries and implants, which professionals should administer. Sometimes, they can worsen the condition and permanently alter the bite.

Do you think you have a TMJ disorder? Simple self-care techniques should help alleviate the symptoms and discomfort. If otherwise, you should ensure you receive further treatment that is conservative, reversible, customized to your specific needs, and based on a reasonable diagnosis. Call 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason B. Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.

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Chronic fatigue is a debilitating chronic condition characterized by extreme physical and mental tiredness, which does not subside even after sleeping or resting. The severe fatigue can last for over six months.

There is no known test for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and its diagnosis is based on a patient's symptoms after ruling out other conditions with similar symptoms, like depression, sleep disorder, or anemia. The unfortunate thing is that there is no proven cure for CFS, and most treatment only focuses on symptom relief. However, the good news is that natural remedies can help boost your energy from CFS symptoms.

How can I Combat Chronic Fatigue and Regain Energy?

Although it may be complicated and overwhelming to cope with CFS, the following are some of the tips and strategies that can help you navigate and combat the illness and regain energy.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene: Start by improving your sleep quality by establishing a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding stimulants before bedtime, and creating a comfortable sleep environment to help you get enough rest and reduce fatigue.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: Obesity is a significant risk factor for CFS. Losing weight through exercise and a healthy diet can help improve sleep quality.

Avoid Alcohol and Sedatives: These substances can affect the quality of sleep that you get, resulting in CFS.

Elevate your Mood: Mental health is essential in elevating CFS, refocusing, and paying attention to the things that bring you joy. Instead of looking for information about CFS that inflicts more fear, you can divert your attention to exciting things that can help elevate or improve your mood, like physical activities.

Engage in Exciting Activities: Allow yourself to be carried away or absorbed in any activity you choose. Finding flow is effective in helping people recover from CFS and depression after allowing themselves to be immersed in the activities that interest them. Doing the things that bring you joy and fun speeds up the healing and recovery.

Brain retraining: Retraining your brain can entail following a systematic plan, compass, and road map to alleviate the symptoms of CFS and regain energy. CFS makes you feel overwhelmed and overloaded; thus, the essence of brain retraining programs toward recovery is to relieve such burdens. Although the retraining may take time, the resulting change is incredible in managing CFS and regaining energy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps with energy management, where you receive advice on how to best utilize your energy without worsening your CFS symptoms. In one study, standard CBT was an effective intervention for improving physical functioning and alleviating the aviation symptoms of CFS.

Seeking CFS Support!

Remember, it’s okay to seek professional help; everyone needs a helping hand once in a while. If you would like a more detailed explanation of CFS, its symptoms and treatment, and support in managing CFS and regaining energy, we recommend talking to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth

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If you have ever experienced chronic pain you know firsthand how difficult it can be to get a good night’s sleep. Sleep and pain appear to have a bidirectional relationship. For instance, many people say that their painful symptoms tend to be alleviated after a better night’s sleep. Therefore, if you are living with chronic pain, prioritizing sleep may significantly help in recovery.

What is Pain?

Pain is an unpleasant sensation that we experience when nerve receptors send a signal to the brain telling us something is wrong. Pain can be acute or chronic.

Acute pain refers to pain that lasts for a short time, such as a broken bone that eventually heals. Chronic pain refers to recurring pain or pain that lasts for longer than a few months, such as lower back pain, arthritis, recurrent headaches, cancer pain, or fibromyalgia.

Effects of Poor Sleep on Body Pain

There is an unquestionable link between sleep and pain, with research evidence showing that the effect of sleep on pain may be even stronger than the effect of pain on sleep.

Researchers found that poor sleep causes low levels of a neurotransmitter called N-arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) within an area of the brain called the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), resulting in heightened pain sensitivity, medically known as hyperalgesia.

The researchers explained that short sleep times, poor sleep quality, and fragmented sleep often cause increased sensitivity to pain in chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

People with sleep problems also appear to be at a higher risk of eventually developing conditions like migraines and fibromyalgia.

Sleep and pain appear to share similar pathways and neurotransmitters. Therefore, sleep deprivation affects the release of essential neurotransmitters and hormones involved in pain regulation, such as serotonin and cortisol, contributing to increased pain sensitivity.

Lack of sleep can also cause inflammation in the body, which will often result in muscle aches and pains and can exacerbate inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

Discover how improving your sleep can reduce body pain

Sleep quality and pain sensitivity have a significant correlation. Good sleep quality can help decrease pain sensitivity. Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining healthy pain processing in the brain reducing the risk of chronic pain conditions.

Sleeping better also helps the brain with its painkilling capabilities. Sleep is considered a natural analgesic that can help manage and lower pain.

During sleep, the brain undergoes important restorative processes necessary for pain modulation, reducing the risk of chronic pain conditions.

Therefore, addressing sleep quality can lead to better patient outcomes with reduced pain levels, improved physical function, and better mental health outcomes.

Contact Us for a Chiropractic Appointment

If muscle and joint pains are making it difficult for you to enjoy adequate sleep, chiropractic may help.

Your chiropractor will use a range of techniques, including massage, heat application, joint mobilization, exercises, and advice to improve circulation and healing in the affected areas and relieve muscle and joint pains.

Contact 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason B. Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.

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Do your achy joints become more painful in cold weather? Well, you are not alone. Many people complain that during cold weather, especially during late fall and winter, they experience joint pain, especially in the hips, knees, and ankles. The question that arises then, is what is the cause of joint pain in the cold? To answer your questions, we have explored the scientific reasons for this kind of pain and given you applicable tips to help manage joint pain during colder months. Have a look!

Why Joint Pain Occurs Due To Cold Weather

Scientific evidence shows that joint pain feels worse in cold weather. When it is cold outside, nerves and blood vessels constrict in the arms and legs, decreasing blood flow and circulation to keep our inner core, heart, and organs, warmer. This causes our joints to become more stiff and painful.

A drop in atmospheric or barometric pressure may also increase joint pain for some people. Atmospheric or barometric pressure refers to the weightiness of air and decreases in cold weather. This drop in barometric pressure may cause your soft tissues to swell and put pressure on your joints, causing your nerves to transmit increased pain signals.

Also, when it is cold outside, people move around or exercise less, which can lead to a loss of muscle strength and flexibility and, therefore, more joint pain.

Another theory suggests that synovial fluid inside your joints thickens in cold temperatures, causing joint stiffness and pain in cold weather.

Tips to manage joint pain during colder months

Although the cold weather may make your joint pain feel worse, there are some things you can do that can help. Have a glance!

• Dress warmly: Layer clothing to stay warm and reduce exposure to the cold whether you are indoors or outdoors. Consider thermal underwear to protect your hips and knees, and insulated gloves to keep your hands and fingers warm. Also, don’t forget warm boots with good tread to prevent falls. While in the house, keep yourself warm and cozy.
• Regular exercise: It helps build up muscle and bone strength to help protect your joints. It also promotes better mobility by keeping your joints and muscles from becoming stiff. If you exercise outdoors, be sure to dress appropriately and stretch afterward.
• Maintain your weight: Cold and blustery outside can be tempting to coil up in a coach with a warm blanket enjoying your favorite snack and coffee. Pair these situations together, and you get weight gain. Unfortunately, weight gain puts added stress on already painful joints. It’s important to eat a balanced diet with a good check of fruits and veggies, and lean proteins to help maintain weight and promote joint health.

Besides keeping your weight in check, it also ensures your joints are getting the vitamins and minerals they need to stay strong. For achy joints, try incorporating foods that naturally contain anti-inflammatory properties like avocado, oily fish, nuts, garlic, and berries, to help reduce pain. Also, avoid unhealthy choices, such as processed foods, which can cause inflammation.

• Stay hydrated: The cold weather can easily tempt you to assume you do not need to take plenty of water. But remember, just because you are not hot and sweaty doesn’t mean that you are not losing fluids. Dehydration can increase sensitivity to aches and pain, reduce joint fluid lubrication, and cause muscle cramping.

Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, including water, naturally flavored water, or fruit juice. Warm soup and flavored tea also help with hydration.

If you find that cold weather significantly impacts your joint pain, speak to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC. You will get a proper diagnosis and a guide on developing a personalized treatment plan.

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Sciatica refers to the nerve pain resulting from an injury or irritation to your sciatic nerve. Sciatica is not a condition, but rather a symptom of another problem involving the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the human body. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks, and down the legs, ending just below the knee.

The sciatic nerve controls several muscles in the lower legs and supplies sensation to the skin of the foot and the majority of the lower leg. Causes of Sciatica

Sciatic nerve pain is often a result of a herniated disk in the spine. Other causes include bone spurs on the lower back bones, tumors, or nerves affected by another health issue.

Symptoms of Sciatica

Sciatica symptoms include:

• Pain: Sciatica pain is a result of pressure exalted on the affected nerve. Most people who have experienced sciatica pain describe it as burning or like an electric shock. The pain often shoots or radiates down the leg on the affected side.
• Numbness and tingling: It occurs when you can’t feel sensations on the skin in the affected areas of your back or leg. The numbness usually happens when you wake up or sit in one position for a long time.
• Muscle weakness: This is a more severe symptom. It means that muscle command signals are having trouble reaching their destinations in your back or legs.
• Urinary incontinence or fecal incontinence: This is a very severe symptom. It means that signals that control your bladder and bowels are not reaching their destinations.

Risk Factors for Sciatica

The common risk factors for sciatica include:

• History of back pain: A history of back pain or problems with the back may increase one’s risk of sciatica.
• Having excess weight or obesity: The more weight you have, the more your back muscles have to work to support the body weight. That can lead to back strains, pain, and other issues.
• Your job: Jobs that require heavy lifting, a lot of bending, or prolonged sitting without proper back support may increase your risk of lower back problems.
• Physical inactivity: Sitting for long periods and a lack of physical activity can increase the risk of sciatica.
• Normal wear-and-tear: As we get older, wear-and-tear is normal, especially on the spine which can lead to pinched nerves, herniated disks, and other conditions that increase the risk of sciatica.

How to Manage Sciatica Symptoms Effectively

Depending on the cause, milder cases of sciatica usually get better with self-treatment. Some of the applicable self-treatment include:

• Stretching and physical activity help strengthen the core muscles and reduce back pain.
• A home remedy that targets the use of ice during the first 1-2 days when pain first begins.
• Another practical home remedy is applying a heat pack to the area if the pain persists longer than 2 days.

Chronic sciatica pain can effectively be treated through chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors use a special method called spinal manipulations where they gently move the vertebrae and joints back where they should be, using quick and soft thrusts. The adjustments and movements aim to fix the spine’s alignment, reducing pressure on the sciatic nerve for pain relief and allowing the body to recover. When the joint or vertebra returns to its proper place, inflammation decreases, and the healing starts.

Are you experiencing chronic sciatica pain? Start your chiropractic care today! Call 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason B. Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.

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We all have experienced stress at one point in our lives. But, not everyone experiences it in the same way. Stress indeed takes a toll on our minds, but did you know that sometimes physical symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that your brain is under too much stress?

Stress and chronic pain have a complex relationship. At times, physical symptoms are not caused by any illness. Stress could be the underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Prolonged or unmanaged stress can wreak havoc on your body, resulting in body pains, aches, and other symptoms.

Understanding how stress can translate into physical pain.

When we experience stress, the body releases hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline initiates the “fight or flight” response that leads to increased blood supply and tightened muscles in preparation for reacting to the stressor. Cortisol shuts down systems that aren’t essential for fight or flight, such as the digestive and reproductive systems.

When the stress is gone, the body automatically resumes normal operation. But if you regularly feel stressed out, overexposure to adrenaline and cortisol can lead to muscle tension, aches and spasms. With time, stress also impacts the nervous system. Frequent pain signals sent to the brain causes it to start processing pain even when there are fewer stimuli. Ideally, the body becomes more sensitive to pain.

Common Physical Manifestations of Stress

At times you may not know that you are stressed but your body could be sending you signs that it’s time to address your stress. Some of the physical manifestations of stress to look out for include:

• Muscle aches and pains

When you experience stress, your muscles tend to tense up. As a result, you may experience pain, tightness, or soreness in your muscles, as well as spasms of pain. This may lead to flare-ups of symptoms of arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other conditions because stress lowers your threshold for pain. When that stress is managed, your muscles release the tension.

• Gut discomfort

Have you ever experienced a stomachache from being so stressed out? While stress can have a real impact on your digestive system. It can range from simple symptoms like pain, constipation, gas, and diarrhea to more complex conditions like acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. This is because, when you are stressed, you may tend to eat more or less, which can lead to unhealthy diets affecting your gut.

• Shoulders, head, and jaw pain

Stress can affect your body through the tension triangle, which includes your shoulders, head, and jaw. Stress can trigger tension headaches, tightness in the neck and jaw, and knots and spasms in your neck and shoulders.

• Reproductive health

Ever wonder why your period might sometimes skip a month or come a week later? Or why you are experiencing decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, and irregular menstrual cycles. There can be a range of reasons for this, but stress can be a contributing factor. Over time, stress disrupts the body’s hormonal balance resulting in irregularities.

• Skin and hair

Your skin and hair are also not immune to the effects of stress. If you have a skin condition like eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea, stress can make it worse. It can also lead to hives and itchiness, excessive sweating, and hair loss.

When to seek help

Practicing self-care is always a good strategy. But at times, you may need more support. If something doesn’t feel right or you have questions about how to manage stress in positive ways, talk to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that affects one of the primary nerves in the wrist area. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway surrounded by bones and ligaments on the palm side of the hand. The leading cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is extra pressure on the median nerve at the wrist inside the tunnel. The extra pressure can come from swelling or inflammation of the contents inside the tunnel. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms include wrist pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness.

To better understand carpal tunnel syndrome and how to ease it, it’s essential to start by understanding the risk factors that increase the chances of irritation or damage to the median nerve. They include:

• Anatomic factors: When you have a wrist fracture or dislocation or arthritis that deforms the small bones in the wrist, you may experience an alteration in the space within the carpal tunnel and put pressure on the median nerve. Similarly, people who have smaller carpal tunnels are more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Gender: Women are more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome as compared to men. This is because women have a relatively more minor carpal tunnel area than men.
• Inflammatory conditions: People with rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions that have inflammatory components are more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. This is because they affect the lining around the tendons in the wrist and put pressure on the median nerve.
• Nerve-damaging conditions: Certain chronic diseases like diabetes increase the risk of nerve damage, including damage to the median nerve.
• Obesity: Being obese increases the risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Body fluid changes: Fluid retention may increase pressure within the carpal tunnel, irritating the median nerve. It is prevalent during pregnancy and menopause.
• Workplace factors: Working with vibrating tools that require prolonged or repetitive wrist flexing may create harmful pressure on the median nerve, especially when working in cold environments.

Easing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Although there are no proven strategies to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, you can apply various measures to help ease and minimize pressure on the hands and wrists. These methods are approved by chiropractic care. Have a look!

• Reduce your force and relax your grip: If your work involves typing using a keyboard, hit the keys softly. Consider using a big pen with an oversized, soft grip adapter and free-flowing ink when engaged in prolonged handwriting.
• Keyboard and mouse position: Avoid bending your wrist up or down. Ensure you maintain a relaxed middle position by keeping your keyboard at elbow height or slightly lower.Also ensure that your mouse is in a comfortable position to avoid straining your wrist.
• Improve your posture: Poor posture affects the wrists, fingers and hands. Ensure you are comfortable and not straining.
• Keep your hands warm: Cold environments may trigger your hands to hurt more. Try to control the temperatures by wearing warm gloves.
• Physical therapy: It helps strengthen muscles around your wrist and increase flexibility.

It’s essential to ensure you get diagnoses and treatment to avoid permanent damage to your median nerve. Our chiropractic treatment will walk with you through the carpal tunnel syndrome recovery journey and offer therapy sessions and the best guide. Our professional chiropractors will focus on gentle manipulation of the wrist and elbow to help ease the pain.

To get more details on our chiropractic practices focused on carpal tunnel syndrome, contact Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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Most of us think of migraine as a bad headache. But the truth is it is more than just a bad headache. A migraine is a severe headache that can cause debilitating, throbbing, one-sided head pain that can leave you in bed for days. The headache phase of a migraine usually lasts at least four hours, but it can also last for days. Triggers like loud noises, bright lights, strong odors, and physical activities can worsen this headache, causing symptoms like vision changes, fatigue, irritability, and nausea. People who have suffered from migraine say that it is disruptive and can interfere with your daily routine and affect your ability to meet personal and social obligations.

Once diagnosed with migraine, most people turn to medication since it is a proven way to treat and prevent migraines. But the truth is, medicine is only part of the story. It is also important to consider lifestyle choices to promote your overall good health, as they also help reduce the number of migraines you have and lessen the migraine pain. You can combine medicine with behavioral measures and lifestyle to help handle migraines.

To help you start your journey of managing migraines, we have prepared the best recommendations on lifestyle choices. So relax, and read on!

• Healthy Eating Habits

The importance of healthy eating habits cannot be overlooked. Besides improving your overall well-being, healthy eating significantly impacts your migraines. Consider the following basics:

• Eat healthy foods: Most processed and sugar-added foods like chocolate, cheese, caffeine, and alcohol may trigger migraines. Focus on healthy and natural foods,
• Maintain an eating schedule: Avoid skipping meals, as this increases the risk of migraines.

• Be consistent: Eat at about the same time every day.

• Exercise regularly

Engaging in physical activity helps your body release chemicals that block brain pain signals. These chemicals also help reduce anxiety and depression, which worsen migraines.

Obesity also increases the risk of chronic headaches. You can maintain a healthy weight through exercise and a healthy diet, which provides additional benefits in managing migraines.

With the help of your healthcare provider, choose any exercise you enjoy, like walking, cycling, or swimming. But always ensure you ease into exercise gradually, as vigorous exercise may trigger migraines.

• Manage stress

I understand that it’s not possible to avoid daily stress altogether, but you need to keep it under control to help manage your migraines. Some of the tips you can apply include:

• Simplify your life: Busy work and home engagement are common trends in most of our lives. We are sometimes forced to find ways to squeeze more activities or chores into the day. But this only increases our pressure and stress. Instead of squeezing more work into yourself, try to delegate what you can and divide large projects into manageable chunks.
• Time management: Maintaining an updated to-do list at work and home helps reduce the pressure of undone activities or chores.
• Take a break: Don’t allow busy schedules to keep you glued to your seat at work or engaged with home chores all day. Always take a few slow stretches or a quick walk to renew your energy.
• Develop a positive attitude: Always stay positive.

• Enjoy yourself: Find a hobby and focus on doing it for at least 15 minutes daily. Doing something you enjoy is a natural way to combat stress.

• Sleep well

We cannot underestimate the power of good sleep. Migraines can keep you from falling asleep or wake you up at night. Likewise, poor night’s sleep also triggers migraines. Always ensure you establish regular sleep hours, lessen distractions in your bedroom, and don’t try so hard to sleep when you can’t. When you can’t sleep, read or do a quiet activity until you become drowsy.

• Calm environment

Always ensure your environment is calm to avoid migraine triggers. Ensure the lights are not too bright and the music is not too loud.

Navigating Through Migraines

We understand that living with migraines is a daily challenge. But making healthy lifestyle choices can help. Chiropractic care is a drug-free, holistic approach to healing where we help you develop a strategy to achieve true wellness. Our chiropractic treatment is packaged to offer you new to navigate through migraines and help you live better for longer.

If migraines have taken a toll on your body, consider contacting Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for support and counseling.

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Living a sedentary lifestyle has become a norm for most of us. The truth is we spend most of our days sitting. Whether in an office, working from home, commuting or just relaxing on the couch scrolling through social media, most of us are barely up and moving like we should be. But one thing we need to know is that the sedentary lifestyle we have adopted has dire health consequences. Prolonged sitting can lead to adverse outcomes. Have a look at some of the hidden dangers of sitting too long;

• Loss of strength and flexibility

When you sit for too long, your muscles and joints remain stationary, which can result in a loss of strength and flexibility due to inactivity. Prolonged periods of sitting in a chair can also lead to passive back muscle stiffness.

• Increased risk of chronic diseases

Remaining in a sedentary position for too long hinders your muscles’ ability to regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This results in chronic inflammation, which is linked with health issues and chronic diseases like diabetes, certain types of cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

• Weight gain

Sitting too long can also increase your risk of gaining weight. Research shows that sedentary behavior is linked to increased cases of obesity. Moving your muscles helps your body digest the fats and sugars you eat. When you spend too long sitting, digestion becomes inefficient, and you retain those fats and sugars as fat in your body.

Some would argue that they counter weight gain risk by exercising. The unfortunate thing is that you are, however, risking health problems like metabolic syndrome.

• Mental health effects

Too much sitting has been directly linked to mental health struggles. Research shows that a sedentary lifestyle of sitting for more than eight hours a day can increase the risk of developing depression and anxiety. When you are physically active, your brain releases serotonin, which helps boost your mood. Less movement means less serotonin is released, contributing to depression.

• Back strain

A seated position stresses your back muscles, neck, and spine. It even gets worse when you slouch. Getting an ergonomic chair is a good idea, but remember, no matter how comfortable you get, your back still does not need long sitting sessions.

• Deep vein thrombosis

Sitting for too long can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which refers to the blood clot that forms in the veins of your leg. DVT can be severe, especially when part of a blood clot in the leg vein breaks off and travels, cutting off the blood flow to other parts of the body like lungs, resulting in pulmonary embolism. This is a medical emergency that can result in significant complications or even death.

Combat the Perils of Prolonged Sitting

That was a whole lot of not-so-great news. But the good news is that you can counter some of these adverse effects. Some practical tips include;

· Walk or cycle, and leave the car at home

· Walk to a colleague’s desk instead of emailing or calling

· Take the stairs and walk up the escalators

· Take a walk break during your coffee or tea break

· Watch TV while standing

Are you already suffering the effects of sitting too long? All hope is not lost. Chiropractic treatment will help you in your recovery journey. The first step is to diagnose any effects like health issues and mental illness. We will then focus on spinal adjustment where our experienced chiropractors will offer gentle, hands-on adjustments to help release the tension caused by compressed nerves. We will then walk you through better schedules to reduce sitting for long and combat the perils of prolonged sitting.

For more guidance on the hidden dangers of sitting for too long and how to combat the perils of prolonged sitting, contact Dr Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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Is the phrase “Stand up straight” familiar to you? Whether we realize it or not, we sometimes feel guilty about poor posture. Many of us slouch more than we should following fatigue after a long day, poorly designed workspaces, a challenging workout at the gym, or just a bad night of sleep. Anytime you are not standing or sitting straight and engaging your muscles, when your shoulders are rounded, or you are not holding your neck high, you are portraying signs of bad posture.

But do you realize that there are several adverse effects that poor posture can have on your body? Here is an outline of some consequences of poor posture and how Chiropractic can help you make positive changes. Have a glance!

• Lower back pain

Lower back pain is a common side effect of poor posture. When you consistently slouch, you place excessive pressure on the muscles and structures of the lower back. This strain can increase pressure on the lumbar spine, causing muscle imbalances and spinal misalignment. With time, these factors contribute to chronic lower back pain.

• Shoulder pain

Shoulder pain is also a common consequence of bad posture. When you persistently maintain poor posture, you strain the muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround the shoulders. The strain later results in muscle imbalances, tension, and limited range of motion in the shoulder joint. These factors later contribute to chronic shoulder pain.

• Headache

Poor posture increases strain on your neck and upper back muscles, resulting in tension headaches. Also, poor posture restricts blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, further exacerbating headache symptoms.

• Spine curvature

An adequately aligned spine has three main curves, which form an ‘S’ shape and help absorb shock. Poor posture can cause these natural curves to change shape, putting excessive pressure on the wrong position. This slowly reduces the spine’s ability to absorb shock, placing the body at risk of more severe injuries in the future.

• Digestive problems

A bad posture can compress the abdominal organs, affecting their optimal function. Disrupting the digestive process leads to issues like indigestion, acid reflux, bloating and constipation.

• Increased stress and low mood

Poor posture harms our mental health. Slouching or adopting a hunched position increases feelings of stress and fatigue and contributes to low self-esteem and a negative emotional state.

The Transformative Power of Posture

Understanding the impact of poor posture helps us make positive changes in our daily lives. When you prioritize good posture, maintain proper alignment, and be mindful of your body positioning, you will quickly mitigate these effects and improve your overall well-being.

If you are already suffering the consequence of poor posture, you need not worry because, chiropractic treatment offered by our experienced professionals will provide a thorough assessment to diagnose your condition accurately. Our experienced chiropractors will show you how to decrease any form of pain and help strengthen weak muscles. Once the muscles are stronger, we will improve our range of motion. We also focus on educating our patients with self-management techniques that help reduce the chances of injury reoccurrence through proper sitting and standing techniques.

Start your chiropractic care today and enjoy the transformative power of posture we offer! Call 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.

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There have been a lot of controversial knowledge versions from different researchers on protein. The layman is often left at the crossroads on whether protein is harmful to our health, how much of it is adequate for a day, or whether to abandon animal protein and depend on plant proteins. While the body can manufacture some of the 21 amino acids, the essential category must come from the food we eat.

Some researchers have demonized protein citing the following reasons.

• High consumption of protein increases one’s risk for diabetes.

• High-protein diets hasten puberty and are associated with breast cancer among girls.

• Protein is associated with health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and obesity.

• Eating red and processed meat products regularly accelerates the risks for cancer, premature death, unhealthy weight gain, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

• Proteins contain high levels of specific amino acids such as methionine (BCAAs) that may harm metabolism, thus affecting an organism’s longevity and health metabolic reactions.

• Eating more proteins is harmful to kidney health.

• High consumption of proteins may lead to low bone density.

Does protein have detrimental health effects?

Despite the many misconceptions about protein, there is no adequate scientific evidence to support the claims that protein is indeed harmful to human health. The reasons some researchers may be wrong to have demonized protein include the following.

• Although it is helpful to restrict protein consumption among those with preexisting kidney issues, there is no empirical proof of the association between kidney damage and protein consumption among healthy individuals.

• Various studies indicate that consuming more protein lowers blood pressure and helps suppress diabetes, which is both kidney disease risk factors.

• There is scientific evidence that protein intake, along with other nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, helps prevent osteoporosis.

• While blaming protein for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, unhealthy weight gain, obesity, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, the researchers have not considered other underlying issues that may lead to similar conditions. The real culprits could be excessive added sugar consumption, saturated fat, genetic disorders, lifestyle, and other factors.

• Only particular protein sources such as processed meat products are linked with increased risk for cancer.

• In health promotion and disease prevention, what matters is nutrient density and overall quality rather than the exact macronutrient content.

• Studies linking higher intakes of protein to increased risks for certain health conditions are not clear whether the researchers considered other factors such as age, individual body weight, physical activity, body composition goals, body weight, and special conditions, such as pregnancy and illness.

Generally, there is no adequate scientific evidence that protein is harmful to human health. Moreover, studies suggest that the protein package rather than the absolute quantity matters in human metabolism and overall well-being. Certain proteins, such as red and processed meat products harm our health. However, we can choose healthy proteins from poultry, eggs, seafood, dairy products, and plant sources such as legumes, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more on why protein is demonized by some researchers and why they are wrong.

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Lety Algeri is a certified Holistic Health Coach and the founder of The Craving Crusher Method. She helps women break free from Emotional Eating, and empowers them to create healthy relationships with food using her unique Food Therapy Techniques.

What makes Lety unique are her simple yet effective strategies and her compassionate yet direct approach to coaching women for lifelong change. Her magnetic personality inspires her clients and followers to become better versions of themselves, making her message so powerful and effective.

Links:

FB: LetyAlgeri1

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Website: https://www.letyalgeri.com/

Complementary Wellness Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/letyalgeri/strategy

Freebie: List of 59 Snacks to Curb Emotional Eating https://letyalgericoaching.com/snacks

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We have heard that protein is an essential macronutrient in bodybuilding and repair. But how much of this macronutrient is enough for us in a day?

The absolute protein requirement per day depends on factors such as physical activity levels, muscle mass composition and goals, age, and the body’s overall health state. Getting inadequate protein quantity can adversely affect our overall health, physique, and general body constituents.

The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommends 0.36g of proteins per pound (0.8g) per kg of body weight. Although this protein quantity may be adequate to keep deficiency at bay, it may not be enough with other lifestyle factors at play.

How much protein do we need per day?

Basically, protein should give us between 10% to 35% calories in a day. At the age of 40-50 years, we may begin to lose muscle mass. To keep fit and live a quality life as we age, we can increase our protein intake from 0.8 to 1-1.3 grams per kg of body weight per day. Is this quantity enough for strenuous physical activities like weight lifting, cycling, or running?

Regular exercise gurus have higher energy requirements and should consume higher protein quantities, ranging from 1.1-1.5 grams per kg.

Regular weight lifters or those training for cycling or running events require 1.2 -1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of their body weights daily. Overweight individuals should consult a dietician before calculating their daily protein requirements to avoid overestimation.

When is the appropriate time of the day to take proteins?

Recent studies suggest that consuming more proteins for breakfast than supper can reduce hunger and cravings during the day for healthy weight management. However, more research is still required to substantiate these claims. Experts recommend even protein distribution throughout the day, maintaining 15-30 grams at every serving. Studies also show that consuming more than the recommended quantity of protein per meal is a waste because it does not gain any gains.

The myth that eating excess protein results in bigger muscles is false. Although athletes, trainers, and bodybuilders require sufficient proteins daily, eating this macronutrient in excess will not result in bigger muscles. Only additional strength training can result in muscle growth.

Is it dangerous to over consume protein?

Since the body has no means of storing protein after meeting its daily requirements, it uses the excess for energy production or stores it as fat. Most protein-dense foods contain saturated fat. Eating more proteins than the body requires elevates blood lipids and heart disease risk. It may also worsen pre-existing kidney conditions.

Bottom line

The optimal daily protein requirements vary with individuals based on various factors such as physical activity and age. It is fundamental for each of us to maintain diet patterns based on our overall well-being and wellness goals and objectives. Although high protein consumption is associated with various health benefits, over consuming some proteins, such as red meat and processed meat products, exposes us to certain health risks.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more on how much protein you should have in a day.

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Protein sources contain different quantities of this macronutrient. To plan our diets with healthy protein, we need to understand the best sources to ensure adequate supply to every cell or tissue in our bodies. There are nine amino acids that the body must obtain from food. Studies show that it is the protein package (source) rather than the quantity that matters that matter to our health.

Which foods can supply us with the best protein? We get protein from plants, poultry, and animals, as discussed below.

Plant Protein

Kingdom Plantae offers different types and quantities of healthy protein for daily consumption. These include legumes, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and other plant sources that are healthy and environmentally friendly.

Legumes include beans, lentils, peas, soybeans, beans, and peanuts. This plant-based protein contains the essential macronutrient, fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Eat the right quantity of legumes per meal to get the best health benefits.

High protein Seeds and nuts include cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds, almonds, chia seeds, macadamia, and hemp seeds, among others. You can set a meal target to guide you through the healthy consumption of nuts and seeds; based on your protein requirements and goals.

Whole grains such as rice, oats, quinoa, kamut, teff, millets, buckwheat, and wheat, supply us with B vitamins, carbohydrates, calories, and protein. Unrefined whole grains contain more protein than when refined.

Other plant products that consist of some protein quantities include fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, corn, and Brussels sprouts.

Animal and Poultry Protein

What animal protein is the best? When consuming animal-based protein, it is fundamental to consider the protein package rather than the quantity. Common animal/poultry-based proteins come from the following.

• Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey, and eggs.
• Seafood: fish, mollusks, crustaceans.
• Dairy foods: milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Red meat: unprocessed beef, veal, mutton, goat meat, lamb.
• Processed meats.

What Other Vitamins and Minerals Are We Getting When We Eat Animal Protein

In addition to protein supply, animal-derived foods provide us with the following vitamins and minerals.

• Vitamin B12; is an essential nutrient in the formation of blood, the brain, and the nervous system.
• Zinc for growth and body maintenance.
• Selenium; is an essential trace element that aid in various body functions, including the manufacture of active thyroid hormone.
• Iron, often in heme form; for making hemoglobin, myoglobin, and some hormones.
• Niacin (vitamin B3), whose deficiency has been linked to increased heart disease risk.
• Vitamin B6 is essential for energy metabolism and blood formation.
• Phosphorus is fundamental in the growth and maintenance of the body.
• Retinol (vitamin A), a fat-soluble vitamin, is fundamental in vision maintenance, reproduction, physical development, and immune function.
• Creatine; a molecule that supplies our body muscles and brain cells with fast energy, and boosts muscle growth, size, and strength.
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is an omega-3 fatty acid that shields the brain against oxidative stress and inflammation, especially in children.
• Riboflavin; a pro-metabolic B vitamin that aids in the production of energy from ingested food, good eye vision maintenance, and iron uptake.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more on the best sources of protein.

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Did you know that every single cell of our human body is composed of protein?

All thanks to protein, we have well-defined structures in our bodies, thus the reason we refer to them as life’s building blocks. The macronutrients are everywhere; in our bones, cells, tendons, muscles, enzymes, blood, hormones, neurotransmitters, and other structures.

Proteins consist of amino acid chains. There are three categories of amino acids, namely, essential, nonessential, and conditional amino acids. Our bodies receive essential amino acids from the food we eat because they do not have the capacity to manufacture them. The body can manufacture nonessential amino acids from the essential amino acids supplied via food or during protein breakdown. Conditional amino acids are needed during certain conditions, such as adversity, stress, and illness.

Reasons Protein is Important for Our Overall Well-being

In addition to being the building blocks of life, protein has several other health benefits. Our daily protein requirements depend on various factors, including physical activity and the state of our bodies. The following are some of the reasons protein is fundamental to our overall well-being.

· Protein is responsible for the body’s self-repair following injury

Have you ever healed from an injury, bruise, or cut? Did you wonder how that bleeding stopped and a scar formed? Proteins are the essential building blocks in organs and tissues. When we are injured, protein helps our bodies repair and recover from such injuries. Different studies support this and add that, after injury, increasing our daily protein consumption can accelerate the recovery process.

· Promotes muscle mass and strength

Are you a strength trainer or a bodybuilder? Do you desire to have protruding muscles for an excellent pose in front of cameras? Proteins are the muscle mass and strength building blocks. Adequate protein consumption helps in maintaining muscle mass and promoting muscle growth. Trainers, weight lifters, and those desiring to gain muscles need to include enough protein quotients in their daily diets for the best results.

· Promotes bone health

Bones comprise 50% protein. Studies show that adequate protein consumption, balanced with calcium and plant foods, is beneficial for bone health, especially post-menopause and old age. Consuming more protein will help maintain bone mass and reduce the fracture and osteoporosis risks as we age.

· Boosts metabolism and increases fat burning

Reliable sources indicate that proteins have higher thermic effects than fats and carbohydrates. Higher protein consumption significantly boosts the rate of metabolism as well as burned calories. In a study to compare caloric burning between high and low-protein groups, the high-protein group burned 260 more calories than the low-protein group per day.

· Eating proteins helps lower blood pressure

High blood pressure increases the risks of chronic kidney disease, heart attacks, and stroke. Scientists and nutritionists, through controlled trials, have found an association between higher protein intake with lower blood pressure.

Other reasons why protein is essential for our overall well-being include:

• Reducing hunger levels and suppressing appetite.
• Minimizing food cravings and the desire for snacks, especially at night.
• Weight loss maintenance.
• Keeping healthy kidneys unharmed.
• Helping us remain fit as we age.

Each of our body’s cells consists of protein with chains of amino acids making its basic structure. Everyone, including kids, teens, and expectant women, needs protein for growth, development, repairing cells, and manufacturing new ones.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more on why protein is important for our overall health.

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In this podcast, we interview Dr. Shivani Gupta, and she is an Ayurvedic practitioner who has studied Ayurveda in India, and in the US over the last 20 years finally culminating in a Ph.D. and turmeric.

We're going to talk today about the truth about inflammation, what causes it, and how to prevent it. As well as she's going to tell us about her background, her training, and what got her into doing what she does today with inflammation.

The topic of Discussion for this Podcast:

• What are the big causes of inflammation?
• What is the problem with modern medical interventions for inflammation?
• How Ayrveda is different from nutrition therapy, functional medicine, etc.?
• What is the top ayurvedic remedy for inflammation is.
• We also discuss her company, Fusionary formulas, where she creates her own formulas for inflammation

About Dr. Shivani Gupta:

She works with clients and teaches about ancient tools and strategies from Ayurveda for biohacking inflammation and gut health. Not only do her clients learn how to prevent autoimmune disorders and chronic health diseases, but also improve their longevity and vitality.

This is why she wants to change lives with Ayurveda:

When opioids, muscle relaxers, and injections only made a sports injury worse, I decided to rebuild my body naturally and created my own line of natural ayurvedic supplements when I failed to find an effective natural product on the market. I applied this approach to healing leaky gut and an autoimmune condition as well.

She is the founder of Fusionary Formulas, an Ayurvedic supplement company that is the perfect fusion of the right herbal formulations from ancient times fused with modern science to give us the maximum benefits.

Daily she works with physicians including top orthopedic and spine surgeons, rheumatologists, and functional medicine doctors across the country to help patients from top CrossFit athletes to Baby Boomers reduce chronic pain, and acute and low-grade inflammation, prevent surgery and optimize their health.

She has spent over 2 decades accessing gurus, leaders, and changemakers in Ayurveda before she earned my master's and PhD in Ayurvedic studies

We have the right to choose what we put into our bodies and what gets taken out and she believes we need to learn to be our own healers.

She believes in a balanced approach to our health that combines the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic herbs and diet with modern medical interventions.

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After a long day, our nervous system may feel strained and crave some rest. Occasional stress stands in the way of the calm you need for your nervous system. But the good news is you can easily calm down your nervous system by including calming nutrients in your diet. Some supplements, nutrients, and minerals play a significant role in helping support your relaxation efforts.

Have you struggled to fall asleep or decompress after a challenging day? That is probably a sign that your nervous system is strained and needs rest. You need not worry anymore because we have got a solution for you. To guide you, we have prepared research on anti-stress supplements, nutrients, and minerals that will significantly help relax your nervous system.

Supplements/Nutrients/Minerals That Calm Down the Nervous System

• Magnesium

You probably have heard of magnesium's significant role in supporting your body's muscles and energy production. But did you know it also plays an essential role in your nerve function? Magnesium is a "calming mineral" that helps your mind and muscles relax. It greatly helps support the regulation of the sleep hormone melatonin, which in return helps direct your body's sleep-wake cycles.

Magnesium optimizes melatonin secretion, making it easy for you to get sleepy at the end of the day and feel rested when you wake up. Magnesium further helps support feelings of calm and rest by binding with the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to facilitate sleeping mode in the body. GABA turns down your nervous system activity to help your body settle down and rest. Some of the great sources of magnesium you can consider adding to your diet include; spinach, avocado, whole wheat, almonds and cashews, dark chocolate, peanuts, quinoa, and black beans.

• B Vitamins

Eight different B vitamins work together to manage many processes in the body, including stress levels. Your brain is responsible for helping your body rest. It contains neurotransmitters that alert your body when it's time to wind down. B vitamins significantly help maintain the production of the neurotransmitters that put your mind at ease. Some dietary sources of B vitamins include; milk, salmon, legumes, eggs, spinach, and romaine lettuce. You can consider adding B vitamins into your diet to optimize your mental health and feel at peace.

• Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are a nutrient that directly benefits the nervous system and brain health. A good intake of omega-3 fats helps reduce the risk of anxiety and depression. Omega-3 fats are present in fish and flaxseed. You can also use an omega-3 supplement like fish oil to help ease stress.

• L-Theanine

L-Theanine is an amino acid reported to have a significant calming effect on the body. It helps reduce resting heart rate and lowers blood pressure when facing a stressful situation. It significantly helps reduce anxiety without making you tired. L-theanine is present in green and black tea. You can also take an L-theanine supplement capsule to help reduce stress.

• Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that is well-known for stress modulation. It promotes calmness and rest by helping your brain keep occasional stress under control. Ensure your nutritional diet is rich in zinc by incorporating grains, animal proteins, and legumes.

Different supplements, nutrients, and minerals can help calm your nervous system. Consider including them in your dietary plan.

If you need professional guidance on any natural supplement, nutrients and minerals that calm down the nervous system, you may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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Have you ever been in a crisis and wondered how to overcome or cope with the associated stress?

Building resilience is an effective technique for overcoming adversity, coping with stressful situations, and leading a better quality of life. Difficult moments are likely to impair your health, mood, and appearance. Building resilience enables us to regain control and cope with stress, trauma, and turbulence during uncertainty. So, how does doing hard things increase our resilience?

How Does Resilience Help in Adversity?

While situations differ with individuals, resilient people tend to tolerate emotional distress resulting from difficult times. Such individuals tend to find better ways of bouncing back to normalcy.

Building resilience is an ongoing process with no fixed strategy. Each person’s journey is unique, and so is the time individuals take to attain resilience. Through resilience, we learn to cope with hard things, times, and experiences without numbing emotions with drugs and substance abuse, among other unhealthy means.

Ways in “Which” Hard Things Enhance Our Resilience

Are you wondering whether there is anything to gain in doing hard things? Hardships help us build resilience in the following ways.

• Learning to Accept the Truth

Building resilience begins by first accepting that we are experiencing a crisis. Living in denial may prolong pain, grief, or sadness and delay healing. Concentrating on situations we cannot control can leave us drained, more anxious, and hopeless. Once we accept our circumstances and feelings and grieve our losses, we free ourselves to focus on what we can control.

• Reaching Out to Other People

When we connect with others, especially family and friends, during adversity, we can boost our moods, relieve stress, and find something good in the change or hard things we are doing. Having a shoulder to lean on can help in being strengthened and build resilience in adversity. Being resilient enables us to prioritize relationships, avoid withdrawing in tough times, avoid toxic people, and create social networks.

• Embracing Self-care Routines

Doing hard things can drain us physically and mentally or even lead to serious health, immunity, and digestive issues. Self-care is an essential part of building resilience and overcoming stressful situations. Some of the self-care activities to enhance our resilience include the following:

• Getting adequate sleep.
• Exercising regularly.
• Body-mind relaxation techniques.
• Healthy dieting.
• Developing stress level management skills.
• Discovering Our Purpose and Meaning in Life

Situations and hardships should not define us as individuals. We can uphold our identity, prevent hard things from overwhelming us, and handle problems prospectively by focusing on things that instill purpose and meaning in our lives. Building resilience enables us to focus on things geared toward our satisfaction without being defined by circumstances or other people’s opinions.

• Staying Motivated Throughout the Difficult Situation

Persistence and endurance through hard times help in coping with adversity. Some ways to stay motivated and persevere through tough times include learning to be grateful, celebrating the little achievements, addressing problems one step at a time, and having a hopeful and positive mindset.

While building resilience in hard times, it is fundamental to recognize our situations’ uniqueness. Thus, we should be kind to ourselves to avoid being critics of our coping skills or blaming ourselves for every slip along the way to recovery.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more on how doing “hard” things increases our resilience.

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Breathing is an automatic process that we all do without thinking about it. On average, we take 20,000 breaths per day. Breathing is such an essential process in life that people die within minutes if it stops. Your respiratory system and the body cells utilize the oxygen you breath in and, in return, create waste in the form of carbon dioxide that you breath out.

Although breathing takes a subconscious effort, did you know that you can pay more attention to how you breath and significantly impact your stress level? You indeed have the power to change your breathing to relax your brain deliberately. Breath control dramatically helps to manage stress by promoting brain relaxation.

Breathing and stress

You probably have realized that your breathing patterns change whenever you are stressed or anxious. The breathing tends to be irregular and shallow. Your chest activity can also expand and contract so much, making it hard to get adequate air in, disrupting the balance of gases in the body. Ideally, shallow over-breathing can prolong feelings of anxiety by making the physical symptoms of stress worse. It is, therefore, essential to control your breathing to help improve some of these symptoms.

How Breathing Can Quite the Mind

Have you heard people advise you to take a deep breath whenever you are stressed? It is not just a myth. Deep breathing is a practice that enables more air to flow into your body and significantly helps calm your nerves, reducing stress and anxiety. The process also helps improve your attention span and lower pain levels.

Ideally, breathing is a vital part of your body’s stress response. Purposeful deep breathing helps calm your body down when stressed or anxious. You could be wondering how exactly deep breathing works to relieve stress. Don’t worry! Here is a quick review;

You probably have heard of the autonomic nervous system from biology classes, which control involuntary actions like heart rate and digestion in your body. The autonomic nervous system is split into two parts;

1. The sympathetic nervous system controls your fight-or-flight response.
2. The parasympathetic nervous system controls your rest-relax response.

Though the two nervous systems are always active, deep breathing significantly helps calm your sympathetic nervous system, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Shifting your breathing to a modulated, slow, relaxed pattern helps to turn the volume down on the sympathetic nervous system.

Therefore, whenever you are under stress, consider taking a deep breath by involving slower, longer breaths from your stomach to help trigger a relaxation response in the brain. You need to always focus on your breath when stressed to help counter the short, rapid breaths that your body defaults to when stressed or anxious. Practice taking deep breaths by focusing on breathing from your stomach each time you inhale. Ensure each inhalation and exhalation involves longer breaths. After some time, you will start to notice your body feeling more relaxed.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more on how breathing can quite the mind.

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In the face of stress and anxiety, it is imperative to understand the “fight or flight” versus “rest and digest” sides of the nervous system for optimal health. Our nervous system has two modes of operation, namely, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), also known as the “fight or flight” mechanism, and the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), also referred to as the “rest and digest.” These modes play opposite roles depending on the state we are in. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS)

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for voluntary functions, such as controlling the heart rate, digestion, urination, blood pressure, and sweating. It is part of the autonomic nervous system. The SNS is the “fight or flight” mechanism that helps vertebrates to respond to stressful or dangerous situations.

What is the Purpose of SNS?

When facing danger or a stressful situation, SNS is activated to ensure control over the “fight or flight" response. This mode is responsible for the following body changes when facing danger or stress.

• Enlargement of the pupils to enhance vision by allowing more light into the eyes.
• Increasing the heart rate to ensure adequate oxygen supply to other body parts.
• Relaxation of the airway muscles in the lungs for optimal oxygen delivery.
• Reducing the pace of digestion to concentrate the digestive tract’s energy on other body parts.
• Activating the liver energy reserves for quick energy supply.

These changes help in circumstances where fast action or thought is required. The SNS helps in improving eyesight, strength, endurance, and reflexes. The system communicates through neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine.

The Parasympathetic Nervous System

The PSNS, or the “rest and digest”, helps relax the body after danger or a stressful situation. It is part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for controlling relaxation. PSNS regulates functions such as metabolism, resting heart rate, and breathing rate.

The Role of PSNS in Response to Stress

During relaxation, the PSNS is responsible for the following body changes.

• Constricting pupils to limit the amount of entering the eyes, enhance close-up vision, and trigger tear production.
• Triggering saliva and mucus production to aid breathing and digestion when the body is in rest mode.
• Reducing the workload for the lungs by constricting airway muscles during rest.
• Reducing heart rate.
• Enhancing digestion rate, diverting energy from other body parts to the digestive tract, and commanding the pancreas to increase the production and supply of insulin.
• Relaxing relevant muscles to facilitate waste removal.
• Controlling sexual functions and arousal feelings.

The "Fight or Flight" Versus the "Rest and Digest" Side of the Nervous System

The contrasts between these two sides of the nervous system include the following.

• While the SNN, or the “fight or flight” mode, increases alertness, the PSNS, or the “relax and digest" mechanism, relaxes the body.
• The PSNS regulates the body’s activities when calm and feeling safe, while the SNS triggers the body to react when its calmness or safety is threatened.
• The SNS contains signals that enhance alertness while the PSNS signals return the body to its standard activity level.
• The SNS acts first to fight or flee, while the PSNS comes later to help the body cool down, relax, rest, and digest.

The two modes of the autonomic nervous system play opposite but complementary roles to maintain body balance.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more on the battle between the "fight or flight" and the "rest and digest" side of the nervous system.

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Is a tight schedule making it difficult to add time for exercise? Feels crazy!

The intention to work out and stay healthy can be challenging when you have a crazy busy schedule. Many people give up on the goal and blame it for not having enough time to exercise.

The good news is you don't need to exercise every day or even a handful of days. Try these ways to move more and attain your intended health benefits.

Easy Ways to "Move" More without Adding Time for Exercise

• Multitask- When It Makes Sense

You don't have to be glued to your chair on a busy workday. You can schedule a walking phone call or virtual meeting to help you move while you chat. Look for a convenient walking path to avoid disrupting others as you talk. You can also consider answering emails on your phone and taking that time to pace around an empty conference room while you chip away at responses.

• Take the stairs

When you can, avoid the elevator and instead take the stairs, even if it is just for a floor or two. When using the escalator, climb it, don't ride it. Such active steps will help you burn some calories without taking time to go to the gym for exercise.

• Ditch the car

A car is convenient and helps you get to work on time. However, once in a while, consider leaving it at home and instead walking or biking to your destination. Alternatively, you can park farther away from your place of work to ensure you have time to stroll and burn a few calories.

• Stand Up

If you're primarily desk-bound most of the day, form a habit of standing up occasionally. Simply standing up is more beneficial for your body than sitting the whole day or squeezing in a short workout. You can stroll to refill your glass of water or visit the restroom before you plop back to your seat. You can set alarms at intervals to act as a reminder.

• Play Actively with Pets

Physical activity is vital in keeping your body and mind active and attaining desired health benefits. When you are working from home, take short breaks and actively play with your pets. For instance, you can throw a ball or stick for the dog to fetch. You can also lead the cat on a string chase around the house.

• Work Around the House

Instead of getting someone to assist with house chores, take time to do them actively. For instance, you can do house cleaning, home repairs, gardening, and washing the car by hand. Such active engagement helps in keeping the body active.

A busy schedule should not be an excuse for not engaging in physical activities that have health benefits. You can move more without adding time for exercise by taking small steps every day. Physical engagement will help you maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more tips that can help you "move" more without adding time for exercise.

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One of the most relaxing feelings for a person with diabetes is checking your blood sugar and seeing the numbers right in line. For a diabetic patient, controlling blood sugar isn't just a short-term goal. It helps prevent diabetes complications like heart disease, vision loss, and kidney and nerve diseases.

Diabetic people must try and manage their blood sugars through key lifestyle changes as much as possible.

What is blood sugar?

Blood sugar, also known as glucose, is the main sugar found in human blood. It comes from the food you eat and gives your body energy.

High blood sugar levels cause diabetes, a disease associated with severe problems. A low blood sugar level is also common, and therefore, it is important to manage your blood sugar levels within the target range.

Lifestyle Habits that Naturally Help Manage Blood Sugar Levels

1. Manage your Carb Intake

Carb intake greatly influences blood sugar levels. The body breaks carbs down into sugars, mainly glucose. Insulin then helps the body use and store it for energy.

Eating too many carbs makes this process fail, and blood glucose levels can rise.

A low-carb diet helps reduce blood sugar levels and prevent blood sugar spikes. Prioritizing whole grains over processed ones and refined carbs offers greater nutritional value while helping manage your blood sugar levels.

1. Eat More Fiber

A high-fiber diet helps improve the body's ability to regulate blood sugar and minimize blood sugar lows.

Foods that are high in fiber include; vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and legumes.

1. Observe Quantity Eating Control

One way to regulate calorie intake and maintain a moderate weight is by eating in moderation.

Healthy feeding with monitored serving sizes helps regulate blood sugar levels and prevents highs and lows.

Some helpful tips for managing portion sizes include;

• Serving on smaller plates
• Measuring and weighing food portions
• Keeping a food journal

• Reading food labels and adhering to recommended serving sizes

• Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise helps increase insulin sensitivity and the body's ability to use glucose as energy effectively.

The right amount of activity and timing should always be observed.

Some health-recommended exercises include light walking and simple resistance exercises like squats or leg raises. Other helpful exercises include running, biking, swimming, dancing, and brisk walking.

1. Drink Water and Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated helps control blood sugar levels. Water helps kidneys flush out any excess sugar through urine.

Drinking water regularly helps rehydrate the blood, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce diabetes risk.

Water and zero-calorie drinks are recommended. It would be best to avoid sugar-sweetened options since they can raise blood glucose, drive weight gain, and increase diabetes risk.

1. Manage your Stress Levels

When you are stressed, your blood sugar tends to rise. When stressed, the body secretes hormones called glucagon and cortisol, which cause blood sugar levels to rise.

Exercise and mindfulness-based relaxation methods like yoga help to significantly reduce stress and lower blood sugar levels.

1. Get Enough Quality Sleep

Adequate sleep and rest help with blood sugar control. Adequate sleep involves both quantity and quality.

Health experts recommend that adults get at least 7-8 hours of high-quality sleep per night.

Some useful tips to improve the quality of your sleep include;

• Follow a suitable sleep schedule by creating a bedtime routine
• Ensure your bedroom is cool
• Avoid taking caffeine and alcohol in the hours before bed

• Reduce screen time before bed, including TV, Computers, tablets, and cell phones.

• Maintain a Moderate Weight

Maintaining a moderate weight promotes healthy blood sugar levels and reduces your risk of developing diabetes.

Weight-loss goals don't have to be enormous. Research has proven that a 5% to 10% weight loss has helped improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. There are many health-recommended ways to naturally manage your blood sugar levels. The main improvements are associated with dietary choices. Lifestyle changes like weight management, exercising, handling stress, staying hydrated and quality sleep are also key in controlling blood sugar levels.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more natural measures to control your blood sugar.

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Welcome to the holiday season! It’s that moment filled with endless parties, gift-giving, shopping, cooking, and activities galore that start immediately after Halloween, hypes to thanksgiving, and continues through the end of the year.

Not feeling cheery this time of the year? Don’t worry. You are not alone. So many activities take place, and they tend to bring unwanted stress and depression at a time meant for happiness.

But with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. These tips may even help you enjoy the holidays more than expected.

Mindful Tips to Manage Holiday Stress

• Plan Ahead

Holiday commitments are inevitable. Planning with co-workers, friends, and family is essential to ensure you attend to your obligations and enjoy your holiday.

Creating a menu helps you stay organized by knowing specific days for work, shopping, traveling, connecting with friends, and other important activities.

• Plan Spending

The holiday involves a lot of spending. Spending money on your loved ones is important, but a lack of a plan will leave you paying off debts for the rest of the year.

Before your holiday, do your budget and ensure you stick to it. Decide how much money you can afford, and don’t try to buy happiness with gifts and a lifestyle you can’t sustain.

• Set your Priorities

As the holiday involvement gets hectic, everyday bills and responsibilities must still be paid. Don’t lose sight of what really counts. Before you get overwhelmed by celebration activities, deciding the key responsibilities and bills is essential and ensuring they are paid.

Don’t allow activities to leave you exhausted by January. For example, you can start by clearing school fees, house rent, electricity, and water bills before engaging in less demanding activities like sending gifts and partying with friends.

• Be Realistic

The holiday season is usually long and full of activities. It doesn’t have to be perfect or like that of other people. There are many expectations from yourself and others. Get comfortable with the idea that you don’t have to do everything, and not everything has to be perfect.

Even though your holiday plans may look different from others, you can find different ways to celebrate. For example, if you expect to go on vacation over the holiday, and the budget is no longer favorable, it is ok to adjust and spend quality time with your family at home.

• Learn to Say No

With overwhelming holiday commitments, saying no to some involvements is OK. If you cannot participate in certain activities, be clear and let your friends and colleagues know you can always join them next time.

Ensure you share your to-do list with your family to avoid conflict.

• Maintain healthy habits

Don’t allow the holidays to make you a free-for-all type of person. Maintaining healthy habits during the holiday season is one of the best defenses against stress. Try these suggestions:

• Stay physically active by routinely engaging in a short workout
• Eat healthy meals
• Get plenty of sleep
• Avoid excessive alcohol, tobacco, and drug use

Don’t let the holidays drain you mentally. Take steps to manage the stress and pressure that come with holiday commitments. Understand the holiday pressures like financial constraints or personal demands and combat them before they break you down. These tips can help you find peace and enjoy your holiday season.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about managing holiday stress. 

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Holidays are exciting and make you see optimism everywhere, including on your plate. It is a moment of celebration that encourages overeating, sedentary behavior, and excessive consumption of calorie-rich foods.

The holiday lax may find you eating a lot of processed foods that are high in calories, added sugar, fat and salt. Before you know it, you’ve excused away weeks of unhealthy eating.

Many people tend to gain pounds over the holidays, which is mainly influenced by what they eat. The trouble is that the extra weight you might have noticed may be challenging to lose.

The best advice, of course, is to try to avoid holiday weight gain in the first place. Here are some foods to avoid during the holidays to prevent weight gain.

Foods to Avoid When Trying to Maintain Healthy Weight during the Holidays

• French Fries and Potato Chips

French fries and potato chips are categorized as fast foods that are easy and fast to prepare. The holiday celebrations make it convenient to enjoy French fries and potato chips with family.

Although whole potatoes are healthy and filling, French fries and potato chips are very high in calories and are linked to weight gain. They are unhealthy and fattening.

It’s best to avoid them and alternatively enjoy a plate of plain boiled potatoes.

• Pastries, Cookies and Cakes

Holiday celebrations involve a lot of baking and eating of pastries, cookies and cakes. They contain unhealthy ingredients like added sugar, refined flour and trans fat.

These foods are not very satisfying, and you will likely become hungry very quickly after eating these high-calories, low-nutrients resulting in weight gain.

Whenever you are craving something sweet, you can always substitute cakes, pastries and cookies with a piece of dark chocolate.

• Sugary Beverages

During the holiday season, sugary beverages like sodas, sports drinks, and fruit juices tend to be too available for you to take as much as you please. Sugar-sweetened drinks are very unhealthy since they are associated with weight gain and have adverse health effects when consumed in excess.

If checking weight over the holiday season is your goal, minimizing your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages should be your priority.

• Processed Meat

Processed meat includes meat manufacturers have fermented, dried, canned, smoked, and preserved. Some commonly processed meats include bacon, hot dogs, ham, jerky and salami.

Processed meat tends to be very convenient during the holiday season, especially the ready-to-eat type. These types of meat tend to be calorie-dense and are often high in salt and low in nutrients. They are associated with weight gain.

It is best to avoid excessive processed meat intake and instead enjoy lean protein sources like poultry, fish, and beans.

• Some Types of Alcohol-Especially Beer

When the holidays arrive, it can be easy to find yourself in continuous alcoholic parties. Some alcoholic beverages like beer are calories dense and generally high in sugar.

Heavy drinking is associated with increased weight gain. It is, therefore, best to drink alcohol in moderation.

When trying to maintain a healthful weight over the holiday season, it is essential to choose the right foods and avoid those that are calorie-dense but low in protein, fibre and other essential nutrients.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more on top foods to avoid during the holidays to stop weight gain.

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As humans, we consume food, water, drinks, drugs, and other dietary supplements that supply energy and nutrients for our daily activities.

Some foods, drinks, and drugs contain toxic substances that must be eliminated from our bodies. The lymphatic system in our body plays a vital role in getting rid of these toxic substances that accumulate over time.

However, certain factors can affect the lymphatic system, causing poor lymphatic drainage. Here, we will explore how the lymphatic system is impaired and some remedies that can help.

What is the lymphatic system?

The lymphatic system consists of the spleen, lymph nodes, and lymphatic vessels that work together to form a part of the circulatory and immune system that removes toxic substances and waste products from the body.

The system drains interstitial fluids containing toxins and waste products from tissues in the body and carries them through the lymphatic vessels to the lymph nodes where the fluids are filtered before returning to the bloodstream.

The lymphatic system also helps in transporting white blood cells to the lymph nodes. These white blood cells are then transported from the lymph nodes to the bones.

How does the lymphatic system become sluggish?

Unlike the cardiovascular system which has the heart serving as a pump, the lymphatic system has no such pump.

The lymphatic system relies on body movements, intestinal activities, breathing, and actions of the muscles to create a flow of the lymph in the vessels.

However, the lymphatic system may be damaged, which causes a sluggish flow of lymph through the vessels. This condition is known as Lymphedema and can be caused by certain factors which include:

1. Parasite infestation

Parasites such as certain threadlike worms can infect the lymphatic system and clog the lymphatic vessels, making it difficult for lymph to flow through the vessels.

1. Cancer

Rapid multiplication of cancerous cells near a lymphatic vessel or lymph node may cause it to enlarge internally. This may cause the lymph to flow sluggishly or completely block the lymphatic vessel.

1. Exposure to radiation

Inflammation and scar caused by exposure to radiation, especially during surgery can damage the lymphatic system and cause it to become sluggish.

Signs and symptoms of poor lymphatic drainage

The main sign of poor lymphatic drainage is swelling of the limbs. The swollen arm or leg feels heavy and mildly painful, thus limiting the mobility of the affected person.

Other signs and symptoms include:

• Hardening of the skin
• Skin discoloration
• Blisters
• Breathing difficulty
• Blurry vision
• Nasal congestion

How to help poor lymphatic drainage

Here are a few ways to alleviate poor lymphatic drainage:

1. Compression

Regular compression of the swollen areas will help the lymphatic fluids to move out of the arm or leg to the normal lymphatic circulation.

1. Exercise

The contraction and relaxation of your muscles at regular intervals during an exercise enhances the flow of lymphatic fluids through the vessels.

1. Eating the right food

Consider eating more raw foods than processed food. Food rich in green vegetables, almonds, ground flaxseed, and chia seeds are healthy for your lymphatic system.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more about natural ways to support your lymphatic system and prevent drainage.

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Candida/Yeast Overgrowth in the Gut - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Candida Overgrowth is one of the hidden stressors you need to know about. So, Jones Family Chiropractic has put together some interesting details for you.

Candida is one fungus known to live naturally on the human body. It is commonly found living on the skin, inside the gut, mouth, and vagina.

In small amounts, Candida yeast is not harmful and cannot cause any diseases to humans. However, the overgrowth of Candida in the gut, caused by certain factors, can result in Candida infection, a condition known as “Candidiasis.”

Let’s get to learn about Candida overgrowth in the gut.

What causes Candida overgrowth in the gut?

Candida is a fungus that is harmless under normal conditions. You have certain healthy bacteria in your body that suppress the overgrowth of Candida and keep the amounts harmless.

However, if your immune system is disrupted and the healthy bacteria levels fall, Candida may begin to overgrow in your gut and other susceptible areas of your body.

Here are some factors that can cause Candida overgrowth in the gut:

• Diabetes
• Weak immune system
• High consumption of alcohol
• High levels of refined carbs and sugars in the diet
• Oral contraceptives
• Stress
• Taking too many antibiotics
• Being overweight
• Warm and humid weather
• Heavy smoking
• Pregnancy
• Chemotherapy

Symptoms of Candida overgrowth in the gut

Your gut, which is an internal extension of the outer environment, begins at the mouth and ends in the anus.

When any part of the gut is affected by Candida overgrowth, you may develop certain symptoms which include:

1. Oral thrush

The overgrowth of Candida may affect your mouth and throat, and it may cause soreness on your tongue and mouth. The soreness may spread to your esophagus, causing difficulty in swallowing.

White patches on your inner cheeks, tongue, gums, tonsils, and throat are also associated with oral thrush.

1. Digestive problems

The overgrowth of Candida in your intestines can affect the levels of "good" bacteria that live in your digestive tract.

Low levels of these healthy bacteria can lead to digestive problems which include:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Loss of appetite
• Cramps
• Nausea

• Bloating

• Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of Candida overgrowth in the gut. The overgrowth of Candida makes you less active. Your body feels weak even when you've not done any rigorous work.

1. Joint pain

Candida overgrowth in the gut may cause the fungi to travel to the joints through the bloodstream, causing severe pains, swelling, and stiffness of the joints.

In some cases, this may result in the inflammation of the joint, a condition known as Candida arthritis.

How to prevent Candida overgrowth in the gut

You may lower your risk of having Candidiasis by certain practices such as:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Abstaining from smoking and alcoholic drinks
• Maintaining your blood sugar levels
• Having a good personal hygiene
• Using antibiotics only when prescribed

In conclusion, always know that certain factors such as weakened immune system, obesity, and diabetes may induce Candida overgrowth in the gut and cause digestive problems.

The digestive problems are usually associated with constipation, diarrhea, and oral thrush which are symptoms of Candida overgrowth in the gut.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office to learn about the best natural ways to prevent candida overgrowth and to maintain a holistic approach to overall wellbeing.

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Adrenal Stress: How Lifestyle Hurts and Helps this Vital Gland- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Adrenal glands are vital organs for your everyday health. They form a part of your endocrine system and are responsible for the production of hormones that react to stressors.

The hormones produced by adrenal glands also help to distribute fat and protein as well as regulate inflammation and sugar levels in your body.

In certain cases, adrenal glands may be unable to carry out their roles efficiently, and this may be a result of adrenal stress. Here, you will be exposed to the lifestyles that are injurious and the ones that are beneficial to your adrenal glands.

What is adrenal stress?

Adrenal stress is a condition whereby your adrenal glands cannot produce adequate amounts of hormones. In this case, the adrenal glands are exhausted due to physical, mental, or emotional stress.

In addition, adrenal stress may also be caused by infections. Fatigue, weightlessness, loss of appetite, and low blood pressure are symptoms associated with adrenal stress.

Lifestyle Habits that hurts your adrenal glands

Some lifestyle habits may be injurious to your adrenal glands and cause adrenal stress. These lifestyles include:

1. Drinking less water

Drinking adequate amounts of water is essential and should not be taken for granted. If you are not drinking adequate amounts of water, you are causing harm to your adrenal glands.

Water is very important for the normal functioning of your endocrine system.

1. High consumption of caffeine

When you consume too much coffee, the caffeine present causes a rise in your levels of cortisol, giving more work to your adrenal glands which have to pump out the excessive cortisol.

1. Lack of sleep

If you are too busy to sleep, you are overworking your adrenal glands. Not getting enough sleep will cause your cortisol levels to rise and your adrenal glands will become stressed out overtime.

1. High-impact exercises

Your body, sometimes, responds to high-impact exercises as though you were stressed. Such exercises may put too much work on your adrenal glands. Low-impact exercises such as Light cardio, Pilates, or Yoga are better alternatives.

1. Consumption of processed food

Processed food high in fats, calories, and carbs is difficult to digest and absorb by your body. Most of your organs, including your adrenal glands, have a hard time processing that food.

Lifestyle that helps your adrenal glands

Here are some lifestyles that support the function of your adrenal glands:

1. Proper relaxation

The best thing to do after going through a stressful day is to get proper relaxation. When you relax, you are allowing your adrenal glands to calm themselves.

1. Eating a diet rich in protein

When you consume a diet rich in protein, it digests to give certain amino acids such as tryptophan that help in relaxing your body and lowers your cortisol level. This reduces your adrenal stress.

1. Getting fresh air

Ensure you stay in a well-ventilated room. Getting fresh air helps to relieve your adrenal glands.

1. Eating more veggies

Green vegetables contain fibers, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that contribute to the health of your adrenal glands.

1. Taking vacations

Working 24/7 without taking a break is injurious to your adrenal glands. Consider taking a vacation from work to relax your adrenal glands.

Adrenal glands play vital roles in producing steroid hormones in your body. These glands are essential for your everyday health but overworking them may result in adrenal stress.

Healthy lifestyles such as eating proper food, getting enough sleep, and low-impact exercises can help to manage your adrenal stress.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more natural measures to prevent adrenal stress.

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Parasites: Common Parasites and How They Affect Our Health - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Any organism that lives in or on another organism (host) to derive its needed nutrients is known as a parasite. The host suffers in this parasitic relationship and sadly, we humans are victims.

What do parasites actually do? They make use of the nutrients that are supposed to be beneficial to their hosts, depriving them and causing the development of health problems due to nutrient deficiency.

Certain parasites live in our bodies and sometimes on our skin. These parasites affect our health by causing certain diseases. In fact, intestinal parasites are often implicated in many ongoing health issues, ranging from digestive symptoms to insomnia and more.

Let’s look at some of these parasites and how they affect our health.

Link to full article: https://optimumwellnessandrehab.com/parasites-common-parasites-and-how-they-affect-our-health-dr-jason-jones-elizabeth-city-nc-chiropractor/

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There are eight B-vitamins that benefits overall health, including keeping your nerves healthy. But three of these vitamins – Thiamine (B1), Pyridoxine (B6), and Cobalamin (B12) are mainly known to support nervous system function.

Continue reading to find out how these three B-complex vitamins help support your nervous system and keep it in tip-top shape.

Thiamine (B1)

Vitamin B1 has a huge benefit to your central nervous system (CNS). This vitamin aids the synthesis of acetylcholine, which is one of the most abundant neurotransmitters in your CNS. This chemical helps to relay messages from your brain to your body muscles, thereby influencing movement and behavior.

Acetylcholine also helps memory and cognitive function. More so, it plays a role in regulation of hormones, learning, sleep cycles, and pain sensation.

Now, imagine if your body is not producing enough of acetylcholine because you’re having vitamin B1 deficiency. You’ll not only experience fatigue, but you’ll suffer poor short-term memory and confusion. Your feet and hands may become numb and your movement hampered.

So ensure you’re getting enough of vitamin B1 in your diet. Some thiamine-rich foods you can include in your diet include beans, nuts and seeds, beef, yeast, liver, oranges, eggs, pork, peas, legumes, and oranges.

Pyridoxine (B6)

While thiamine is essential for the synthesis of acetylcholine, pyridoxine is needed in the synthesis of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and serotonin.

Norepinephrine is the stress hormone helpful in triggering a fight-or-flight response. This neurotransmitter helps increase the amount of oxygen in your brain, helping you to think and make decisions faster.

Serotonin is an import neurotransmitter responsible for regulating your appetite, mood, and sexual desire. It also helps to enhance your memory and maintain your sleep cycle.

Vitamin B6 also plays an important role in myelin formation – the insulating sheath around your nerves. This helps in quick and efficient transmission of electrical impulses along your nerves.

When you’re deficient in vitamin B6, you tend to feel more tired, irritable, nervous, and depression. This vitamin deficiency is also linked with conditions such as neuritis, neuralgia, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

So it is important to add pyridoxine-rich foods to your diet. Some good options including meat, legumes, bananas, avocados, fish, tofu, soybean, and potatoes.

Cobalamin (B12)

Both vitamin B6 and B12 are needed for maintaining your myelin. Cobalamin helps in the synthesis of myelin that protects the nerves.

If myelin becomes damaged, it can lead to dysfunctional nerves, which leads to problems such as peripheral neuropathy.

Pregnant women who do not eat foods rich in cobalamin puts their babies at risk of nervous system disorders like seizures, brain atrophy, microencephaly, and even blindness.

Some good food options that are rich in vitamin B12 include read meat, fish, poultry, eggs, lamb, liver, fortified yeast products, and milk.

Looking at these benefits of the B-complex vitamins for your nervous health, it is important that you get enough of these vitamins from your diet or take supplements (as approved by your doctor).

If you’re going to load up on B vitamin supplements, ensure you choose options with optimum combination of the B vitamins to prevent running into deficiency in any form.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about how vitamins support your nervous system and other bodily functions.

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In the previous article, we’ve described what B vitamins are, the eight types, their functions and food sources. In this article, let’s proceed to talk about the common symptoms associated with a deficiency in each of the eight B-group vitamins.

B vitamins are essential for maintaining cell health and keeping you energized, and you must keep taking them in adequate amount since they are water-soluble and are not stored in the body. This means excess amount is given out through urine, and you have to load up on these vitamins daily to stay healthy.

Some foods are high in several B vitamins, while certain foods are particularly high in a specific B vitamin.

However, eating a balanced diet is key to getting all these vitamins, at least in amounts that your body needs.

How much of B vitamins should you be taking?

The recommended daily intakes are:

• Vitamin B1: 1-1 – 1.2 mg
• Vitamin B2: 1.1 -1.3 mg
• Vitamin B3: 14 -16 mg
• Vitamin B5: 5 mg
• Vitamin B6: 1.3 mg
• Vitamin B7: 30 mcg
• Vitamin B9: 400 mcg
• Vitamin B12: 2.4 mcg

A normal healthy and balanced diet should supply you with all these vitamins in adequate amounts, but some common symptoms are associated with a deficiency in any of these vitamins. However, if you have a deficiency, it is something that must be determined by your doctor.

But unfortunately, some of us suffer vitamin B deficiencies. The high-risk group includes pregnant women, people with certain conditions such as Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and HIV.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin B deficiency?

Symptoms of vitamin B deficiency vary based on the particular B vitamin you’re deficient in.

Here’s a quick rundown of the symptoms of deficiency of each B vitamin

Vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 deficiency is very rare because many foods including whole-grain cereals and milk are fortified with these vitamins.

Vitamin B3 deficiency is also very rare but severe deficiency of this vitamin can result in a condition known as “pellagra,” which is characterized by symptoms such as:

• a bright red tongue
• a rough skin that turns red or brown in the sun
• constipation and diarrhea
• vomiting
• aggressive, paranoid, or suicidal behavior
• fatigue
• hallucinations

Vitamin B5 deficiency is extremely rare because it is found in such a variety of foods, including kidneys, milk, egg, meats, legumes, and many more.

Vitamin B6 deficiency is also rare, but people women on contraceptive pills, people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol, people with thyroid disease and the elderly are more at risk.

Vitamin B7 is required in very small amounts and it is widely distributed in foods, so its deficiency is very rare. However, over-consumption of raw egg whites for several months can induce deficiency. This is because a protein in egg white inhibits the absorption of biotin. Bodybuilders should keep this in mind.

Vitamin B9 deficiency is also very rare, but low levels of this vitamin can result in the following:

• trouble concentrating
• fatigue
• megaloblastic anemia, which cause weakness
• heart palpitations
• shortness of breath
• headache
• irritability
• change in hair, skin, or fingernail color
• open sores in the mouth

Pregnant women who are deficient in vitamin B9 or folate could end up having babies born with neural tube defects.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to disruption in the circulatory and nervous system. Also, a deficiency in this vitamin can lead to megaloblastic anemia, a condition characterized by the production of large abnormally shaped red blood cells by the bone marrow. The red blood cells do not function properly.

Some common symptoms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency includes:

• weakness
• tiredness or fatigue
• confusion
• weight loss
• constipation
• poor memory
• soreness of the mouth
• balance problems
• loss of appetite

If you suspect you might be deficient in a B vitamin, you can contact your doctor for physical examination and blood testing.

To prevent a deficiency in the B vitamins, however, you should always eat a varied diet of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and grains. This way, you’ll be getting all the nutrients you need.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City NC, to learn more about symptoms of deficiency to watch out for and good food options to include in your diet to get adequate amount of B vitamins.

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What Causes B vitamin Deficiency? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

We’ve talked about the types of B vitamins, benefits, and common symptoms of B vitamin deficiency in our last posts. In this post, we’ll quickly discuss the most common causes of these deficiencies. You probably believe it’s only about poor diet, but that’s not all. We will show you more in this article.

But before we talk about the causes of B vitamin deficiencies, it is important to note that while each of the eight B vitamins plays important roles in the body, each of them also yield different deficiency levels, which can lead to number of different symptoms over time.

Thiamine and folate deficiencies, for example, are quite rate across the U.S.

But research has shown that about 6% of children and adults younger than age 60 suffer vitamin B12 deficiency, while around 20% of adults older than age 60 have a deficiency.

Without further do, let’s get the causes of B vitamin deficiency.

What causes B vitamin Deficiency?

Here are the top four causes of B vitamin deficiency:

A Non-balanced diet

B-vitamins cannot be produced or stored in the body. This means you can only get them from your diet. But eating a non-balanced diet, your body will not get the right level of nutrients and you tend to suffer B vitamin deficiency.

If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, for example, you may not be getting enough of vitamin B12 because it is more commonly found in animal-based foods and dairy products.

So it is important to always eat a balanced diet loaded with vitamin-rich foods.

Excessive alcohol consumption

When you drink too much of alcohol, one of the downsides is that it rips you of vitamin B. Here’s how it happens – Taking alcohol causes your kidneys to flush B vitamins out of your system more quickly.

This means your body does not get all the time it needs to utilize B vitamins as they quickly go to waste due to excess alcohol consumption.

Gut Malabsorption Conditions

B vitamins are normally absorbed by the gut into your bloodstream under normal conditions. The bloodstream transports these vitamin to all parts of your body where they are needed. So it is important for the B vitamins to get into your bloodstream.

But if you have gut malabsorption problems, such as Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease or ulcerative colitis, your gut may not be able to absorb B vitamins into the bloodstream. This causes a deficiency and potential harm to your wellbeing.

Medications

Some types of prescription medications can cause you to suffer B vitamin deficiency.

Medications such as anticonvulsants, hydralazine, isoniazid, and corticosteroids can increase your likelihood of suffering vitamin B6 deficiency.

Medications such as phenytoin, trimethoprim – sulfamethoxazole, sulfasalazine, and methotrexate can increase your chances of suffering vitamin B deficiency.

Medications like antacids, metformin, proton pump inhibitors (PPIS), antidepressants, and long-term antibiotics can increase your likelihood of suffering vitamin B12 deficiency.

There you have it, the four common causes of B vitamin deficiency. If you’re showing symptoms of B vitamin deficiency, it may be because you’re not foods loaded with these vitamins.

If you’re showing signs of lightheadedness, tiredness, shortness of breath, and other symptoms of deficiency, it is advisable that you check your B vitamin level.

Ensure that you talk with your healthcare provider to diagnose the problem and come up with the best treatment measure.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City NC, to learn more about the causes of B vitamin deficiency and how to ensure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet loaded with vitamins.

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What are the common B vitamins? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Vitamins are found naturally in food and needed in small amounts by the body for various functions, including the making of red blood cells, supporting the immune system and boosting energy production.

There are 13 essential vitamins that our body needs, and the B-group vitamins make up eight of them.

Here at our Chiropractic office, we’re concerned about what you take in your foods to maintain optimal health. We’ll show you all you need to know about the B-vitamins, so you’re sure of what you’re consuming, especially in form of supplements.

What are B- vitamins?

B-vitamins are water-soluble vitamins essentials that support several metabolic processes in the body. However, most B vitamins cannot be synthesized or stored by the body. This means you must consume them in your diet.

Types of B vitamins

The eight types of B vitamins include:

Thiamine (B1)

Thiamine, also called vitamin B1, has a strong role in nervous function and helps covert glucose into energy.

Some good food sources of thiamine include legumes, whole meal cereal grains, seeds, yeast, pork, nuts, and wheat germ.

Riboflavin (B2)

Riboflavin supports vision and skin health, but it is primarily involved in energy production

Some good food sources of vitamin B2 include yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, egg white, leafy green vegetables, kidney, yeast, liver, meat, and wholegrain breads and cereals.

Niacin (B3)

Niacin or vitamin B3 is needed for the body to convert fat, carbohydrates, and alcohol into energy. It also supports the digestive and nervous system, and maintains skin health.

Niacin is heat stable, only a little is lost in cooking.

Some good food sources of Niacin include poultry, meats, fish, eggs, wholegrain breads and cereals, milk, mushrooms, nuts, and all-protein-containing foods.

Pantothenic acid (B5)

Pantothenic acid is essential for proteins, fats, and carbohydrates metabolism. It is also needed to produce steroid hormones and red blood cells

Some good food sources of pantothenic acid include meats, liver, milk, eggs, kidneys, legumes, peanuts, and yeast.

Pyridoxine (B6)

Pyridoxine is also needed to metabolize carbohydrates and protein, and it is essential in the formation of red blood cells and certain brain chemicals. This vitamin influences immune function, brain processes and development, and steroid hormone activity.

Some good food sources of vitamin B6 include legumes, cereal grains, fish and shellfish, fruits, liver, meat and poultry, green and leafy vegetables, and nuts.

Biotin (B7)

Biotin is essential for fat synthesis, energy metabolism, glycogen synthesis, and amino acid metabolism. However, taking too much biotin can contribute to raise blood cholesterol levels.

Some good food sources of biotin include egg yolks, liver, chicken, mushrooms, cauliflower, peanuts, and yeast.

Folic acid or Folate (B9)

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, and it is needed for red blood cells formation. It is also helps in the development of the fetal nervous system, DNA synthesis and cell growth.

Every woman within childbearing age needs to take diets rich in Folate.

Some good food sources of this vitamin include legumes, green leafy vegetables, poultry, cereals, eggs, liver, and citrus fruits.

Cobalamin (B12)

Cobalamin helps in red blood cell formation, the production and maintenance of the myelin surrounding nerve cells, and breaking down of some amino acids and fatty acids to produce energy.

Some good food sources of this vitamin include meat, liver, cheese, eggs, cheese, milk, and almost anything of animal origin.

It is important to always eat a balanced diet containing an adequate amounts of these vitamins. All the B vitamins are water soluble, but not stored in the body. So any excess amount is excreted in the urine. This means you need to constantly replenish your body with this vitamin from your diet.

You may also get vitamin B in supplemental form to ensure you’re getting the amount your body needs on a daily basis, but it is advisable to always get approval from your doctor or dietician before starting.

We shall discuss the symptoms of B vitamin deficiency in our next article.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City to learn more about the benefits of adding the B-group vitamins to your diet.

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Solutions for TMJD – Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor We all want to smile, talk, eat and laugh every day without issues. But if you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD), those facial movements may cause you a lot of pain.

Your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are where your lower jawbone and skull meet. When you have TMJDs, including dislocation, arthritis, infection of injury in your TMJ, you may suffer painful clicking and locking in your jaws, neck pain, headaches, and ringing in your ears.

Although most symptoms of TMJD resolve in a few weeks, some persist and can be aggravated by certain actions like chewing, swallowing, and clenching, which causes a strain your jaw and neck muscles.

In this article, however, we shall be showing you solutions or remedies for TMJD and how you can manage this condition from the comfort of your home.

What are the best solutions for TMJD?

Here are some non-surgical approaches to help relieve pain in your TMJ:

Exercise your jaw

When you exercise your jaw daily, it helps increase mobility in your joints. You can try stretch exercises, relaxation exercises, and strengthening exercises to relieve TMJD

Correct your posture

Your posture can affect your TMJs. When you sit in an unideal position for a long time, it causes more pain in your jaw.

So a simple solution to help relieve TMJD is to correct your posture. When working, always choose a chair that has back support. Besides, take regular breaks to stretch out.

While driving, keep your sit upright, and while doing leisure activities, such as reading or watching TV, try to sit upright and use a pillow behind your back for support.

You can also try this simple exercise to correct your standing or sitting position – Push your chest out and pull your shoulders back. Now, gently squeeze your shoulder blades to help straighten your back muscles.

Reduce stress and get a good night’s sleep

Stress stiffens up your jaw and worsens TMJD. You can try meditation or yoga practices to put less stress on your on your muscles. You can also work on your garden to calm your mind and relax your facial muscles.

Generally, sleep is an important factor for good health. To minimize TMJD, it is advisable to sleep on your back with pillows to support your neck. Do not sleep on your stomach, and if you sleep on your side, ensure your hands are not on your jaw.

Avoid foods and activities

Some foods force you to open your mouth or move your jaw in an extreme way. Avoid these foods, including:

• Foods that requires chewing for a long time
• Crunchy or hard foods
• Chewing gum
• Taking large bites of food

Also, try to minimize activities like yelling or yawning. Also quit bad habits such as nail biting, clenching your teeth, chewing lips and cheeks, grinding your teeth and more.

You can take note of your daily pattern and jot them down. Keep in mind how often you do them and discuss with your doctor. This way, you’ll easily find solutions to your TMJD.

You can discuss with Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about more natural and non-surgical methods to enjoy relief from TMJD.

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1. Why are psych meds so widely prescribed?
2. Is there really a rise in psychological disorders or is it something else?
3. What are some hidden things that people wouldn’t normally think about that could be leading to this?
4. Where should people start if they think they have a psychological problem?
5. What’s Wrong Wellness and is also the author of What’s Wrong with My Child and America is Infected, which became an Amazon bestseller.

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If you have pain in your or experience clicking or popping sounds, then you may be suffering temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD). We all have a tendency to experience this pain, but you don’t have to live with it. There are natural non-invasive solutions that work like magic to relieve. If you want to get relief from your TMJD, the good news is that a Chiropractor can help you with alignments and soft tissue treatments to help loosen up your jaws and relieve pain. The interesting part is that these chiropractic procedures are quick and provide fast relief to pesky TMJD.

Let’s quickly review TMJD before talking more on chiropractic help on this condition.

What is TMJD?

TMJD also known as temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is term used to describe acute or chronic inflammation of the TMJ – temporomandibular joints, which connects your jaws to your skull.

TMJD is often used to describe a wide variety of conditions affecting the TMJ, facial nerves, and jaw muscles. This dysfunction is quite common among younger people and it can be caused by a number of factors, including teeth grinding, trauma/direct injury to the jaw, and degenerative joint diseases, such as arthritis and autoimmune diseases.

Most times, TMJD is accompanied by a wide range of symptoms including headaches, ear pain, neck pain, jaw pain when chewing or biting, tinnitus, jaw stiffness, difficulty opening and closing the mouth, etc.

If you experience any of these symptoms for a long period, you may be experiencing TMJD, and it is advisable that you take quick action to correct it. Luckily, you can get natural relief through alignment and soft tissue procedure.

How a chiropractor can help with alignment and soft tissue techniques for TMJD

Chiropractors are experts on conditions relating to the spine and nervous system. At our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City NC, we’ve worked on a number of TMJD cases and help our patients get relief from the chronic pains and symptoms associated with this condition.

When you visit our office with jaw pain, we focus on three key muscles – the masseter, the pterygoid, and the temporalis. We also work on the suboccipital muscles, top two vertebrae and the TMJ itself to make sure everything is properly aligned.

Your masseter is a thick muscle in the upper jaw area that controls chewing. Your temporalis is a thinner muscle on each side of your head that also controls chewing but covers a broader area than the masseter, including regions around your temples.

At our chiropractic office, we walk you through some soft tissue techniques that work on your masseter and the temporalis to relieve jaw pain. After soft tissue work, we move on to adjust and assess the jaw using chiropractic TMJD adjustment. After this process, we reassess to see if the joint is realigned. Most times, we help patients with TMJD and accompanying pain enjoy fast relief.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to schedule an appointment for alignment and soft tissue work you’re your chiropractic TMJD adjustment.

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What we cover with Dr. Livingston on this podcast:

What are the main causes of overeating?

What are some hidden things that people wouldn’t normally think about that could be causing overeating?

What are people focusing on when it comes to overeating, but shouldn’t be….and what SHOULD THEY BE FOCUSING ON?

and so much more...

Glenn Livingston, Ph.D. is a veteran psychologist and was
the long time CEO of a multi-million dollar consulting firm
which has serviced several Fortune 500 clients in the food
industry. Glenn has sold $30,000,000 of marketing consulting
services over the course of his career. You may have seen his
(or his company’s) previous work, theories, and research in
major periodicals like The New York Times, The Los Angeles
Times, The Chicago Sun Times, The Indiana Star Ledger, The
NY Daily News, American Demographics, or any of the other
major media outlets you see on this page. You may also have
heard him on ABC, WGN, and/or CBS radio, or UPN TV.

Disillusioned by what traditional psychology had to offer
overweight and/or food obsessed individuals, Dr. Livingston
spent several decades researching the nature of bingeing and
overeating via work with his own patients AND a self-funded
research program with more than 40,000 participants. Most
important, however, was his own personal journey out of
obesity and food prison to a normal, healthy weight and a
much more lighthearted relationship with food.

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What is the difference between TMJ and TMJD? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

A lot of times, patients with jaw pain ask me, “Doctor Jason, What is the difference between TMJ and TMJD?” Well, it can be confusing for people to understand some medical terms. But I will tell you about the difference between TMJ and TMJD in this piece, perhaps you also want to know.

Firstly, note that TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, while TMJD stands for temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Literally, TMJ refers to the joint itself and TMD refers to pain, inflammation or disorders of that joint.

Sometimes, people use TMJ and TMD interchangeably, but there is a clear-cut difference between the two. Let’s take a deeper dive to understand these two terms better.

What is TMJ – The Temporomandibular Joint?

The TMJ is a delicate joint that connect your jaw to your cheekbones. This joint is located just next to each of your ears and it allows you open your mouth, speak, chew, and even yawn.

The TMJs are special because they have a unique hinging and sliding mobility allowing your jaws to move to the right and left, move forward and backward, and open.

TMJs are two – one on each side of your head. You can check out their functions by placing a finger in front of each ear, and then open and close your jaw. If the joints are in good shape, you will notice the muscles moving over the lower jaw up and down and side to side.

A small cartilage disc encased by a dense fibrous capsule is also located in the joint in front of your ear. This prevents your jawbone from grinding against your skull bones.

The proper function of the TMJs depends on each other and on the teeth, since these joints are connected to the jaw.

However, due to the delicate nature of this joint, it is prone to becoming inflamed, irritated, or damaged. Usually when this happens, you may have issues with opening your mouth, speaking, or chewing. This is often accompanied with pain and discomfort.

What is TMJD – Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?

TMJD refers to the various disorders that affect the TMJ. Several factors could cause damage to the TMJ, including:

• Excessive gum chewing
• Nightly teeth grinding
• Injury
• Inflammation
• Infection
• Deterioration due to autoimmune diseases like arthritis

Some common symptoms of TMJD include pain in the jaw and face, tenderness of the jaw muscles, locking or clicking of the jaw when moving it, difficulty chewing, and muscle spasms. Sometimes, you may experience earaches, headaches, dizziness, and even back and neck pain.

However, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, TMD disorders are classified into three categories, namely:

• Internal derangement of the joint involving dislocated jaw, displaced disc, or injury to the condyle/joint
• Pain in the muscles that control jaw function
• Arthritis-related issue that are inflammatory/degenerative joint disorders

So there you have it, the clear-cut difference between TMJ and TMJD. Do not confuse both terms anymore. You can visit Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about natural solutions for TMJD and how alignment and soft tissue work helps to resolve the problem.

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Causes of TMJD - Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Around 12% of people in the US experience TMJD – temporomandibular joint dysfunction at any one time. Statistics show that women are more affected than men. And 9 women to every 1 man experience restricted jaw movement in their lifetime.

Understand the causes of TMJD, however, is important to help you manage the condition. You need to know factors that predispose you to TMJD and the common symptoms to watch out for.

In this article, we shall be showing you the common causes of TMJD and other relevant details you should know. But first let’s briefly revise the meaning of TMJ and TMJD.

What are TMJ and TMJD?

TMJ or temporomandibular joint is a hinge that connects your jawbone to your cheekbones. You have one TMJ on each side of your jaw and it allows for the movement required for talking and chewing.

Since these joints allow for movement of your jaw from side to side as well as up and down, they represent one of the most complex joints in the body.

TMJD or temporomandibular joint dysfunction are conditions that affect TMJ and cause pain in your jaw joint and muscles controlling jaw movement.

What are the causes of TMJD?

The exact cause of an individual’s TMJD may be hard to determine. Doctors believe symptoms arise from problems with the jaw muscles or parts of the joint itself. However, some factors could trigger pains, including arthritis or jaw injury, or genetics.

Some other causes of TMJD include:

• Heavy trauma to your jaw from an accident
• Improper bite
• Displacement of the disc between the ball and socket
• Tightening your facial and jaw muscles due to stress
• Pressure on the TMJ from grinding or clenching your teeth
• Sinus problems, gum disease, and tooth decay

What are the common symptoms of TMJD?

If you have TMJD, you tend to experience both temporary or chronic pain and discomfort. However, diagnosis is important, since there are many signs and symptoms that may point to “temporomandibular joint.”

Here are a few of the most common signs and symptoms of TMJD:

• Headaches
• Jaw dislocation
• Neck aches
• Earaches
• Stiff or locked jaw in the open and close mouth position
• Clicking, grating, or popping sound in the joint when you open your mouth or close it
• Dental occlusion (the way the upper and lower jaw or teeth fit together.
• Being unable to open your mouth very wide
• Tenderness or pain around the face, ear, neck, or shoulders when chewing, speaking, or opening your mouth.

Keep in mind that noises or clicking that occur when you move your jaw are not always associated with TMJD. It is only when the sounds are accompanied by pain or restricted movement of the jaw that it can be described as TMJD.

Most times, TMJD resolve on their own after a couple of months and symptoms are mild with minimal inconvenience. But in some severe cases, TMJD can be serious and long lasting.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about other potential causes of TMJD and natural solutions you can embrace to enjoy relief.

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Inflammation is a natural response of the body to infection and injuries to stay healthy. But when this inflammation becomes chronic is when it continues for a prolonged period and cause unwanted damage to the cells in your body.

Unfortunately, some foods can increase the inflammatory reactions in your body. Foods that are loaded with unhealthier fats like trans fat and saturated fat, and foods that are filled with sugars are promoters of inflammation.

The good news, however, is that some foods help to reduce inflammatory markers in the body. Whole foods like vegetables, fruits, seafood, nuts, whole grains, and seeds have a matrix of beneficial nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, and phytonutrients which helps to reduce inflammation.

Here are some inflammatory foods and good swap options to keep your body in a healthier state:

Swap sugars with natural sweeteners

Did you know that a can of coke contains 39 grams of sugar? Most times, food products add sugar in disguise using names like fructose, corn syrup, golden syrup, dextrose, maltose, and sucrose.

Unfortunately, excessive consumption of sugar has been linked to tooth decay, metabolic syndrome, increased risk of obesity, and chronic inflammation.

Hence, you should avoid beverages like punches and soft drinks. More so, avoid sweet snacks, deserts, and pastries. Instead, you can take foods containing natural sweeteners like honey, Stevia, or blackstrap molasses.

Swap common cooking oils with extra virgin olive oil

Common cooking oils used in many restaurants and homes have a high amount of omega-6 fatty acids and low omega-3 fats. A diet containing these kind of oils promotes inflammation and puts you at risk of inflammatory diseases like cancer and heart disease.

So, avoid polyunsaturated oils like such as grape seed oil, cottonseed oil, canola and sunflower oils. You can swap with healthy options like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and macadamia oil.

Swap dairy products with coconut or almond milk

Milk is naturally an allergen that triggers inflammatory responses like IBS, acne, hives, skin rashes, and breathing difficulties.

So instead of using dairy products like cheese and butter, you can use coconut or almond milk or unsweetened yogurt, especially if you’re not allergic to milk.

Swap red meat and processed meat with poultry, fish, and organic vegetables

Several studies have shown that red meat contains molecules that may trigger chronic inflammatory response. Several reports of cancer have already been linked with consumption of processed meat.

Hence, swap those common red meats like beef, pork, lamb, and sausage with organic vegetables, fish and poultry. However, you don’t have to avoid red meat totally, but no amount of processed meat is safe.

Other inflammatory foods you can swap for healthy options include:

• Swap sugary drinks for mineral water with a squeeze of orange juice or lemon
• Swap alcohol for Kombucha
• Swap artificial food additives with anti-inflammatory spices, herbs, or natural sweeteners
• Swap trans-fats with natural peanut butter

You can try avoiding the inflammatory foods listed above for one or two weeks and notice the difference in your health. You can swap with the healthy options given.

Note that you may not be able to control every aspects that support inflammation, but you can take full charge of your food choices to reduce your risk of diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about foods that triggers inflammation and healthy options to swap it to reduce your risk of inflammation.

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Inflammation is known to help fight illness or heal injury, but it goes beyond that sometimes. A chronic inflammation state may slowly be damaging your body it won’t even show. This form of inflammation goes into action without an infection or injury. This way, the immune system cells that are meant to protect you will start to destroy your healthy organs, arteries, joints, and other body parts.

Several kinds of research have shown that when you don’t eat healthy, rest adequately, or get enough exercise, your body responds by triggering inflammation.

The bad part is that chronic inflammation has a long-term damage on the body. If left unchecked, it can contribute to chronic disease conditions, such as blood vessel disease, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and more.

How is chronic inflammation measured?

Doctors measure inflammation using several measures including

• conducting a blood test for C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)
• Measuring homocysteine levels
• Testing for HbA1C – a measurement of blood sugar

However, it is important to learn simple and effective ways to reduce the risk of chronic inflammation.

Ways to reduce chronic inflammation

The interesting thing is that you can prevent chronic inflammation through a change in lifestyle and diet. The following are simple but effective ways to reduce inflammation in your body:

Manage stress

Stress contributes largely to inflammation. You may not be able to change routines that cause stress, but you can change your response to it by learning how to manage stress better.

Some good measures include meditation, yoga, guided imagery, biofeedback, Chiropractic care or other stress-relieving practices.

Exercise regularly

Making time to exercise is a good way to prevent inflammation. You can engage in 30 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise four to five times per week. You can also try 10 to 25 minutes of resistance training.

Eat more anti-inflammatory foods

Your choice of food matters a lot in preventing inflammation. When you add more anti-inflammatory foods - including fruits and vegetables - in your diet, it helps to reduce inflammatory markers and improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Also, you need to cut back or eliminate inflammatory foods, such as commercially grown red meat, bad oils, margarine, and most processed foods.

Lose weight

Being overweight increases your risk of inflammation. Hence, make moves to lose weight. You can speak with Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office for effective natural ways to lose weight.

Control blood sugar

Eating too many simple carbohydrates at a sitting such as white rice, white flour, or refined sugar put you at risk of developing chronic inflammation. So, one easy rule is to avoid white foods, and products made with white flour and sugar.

You should build your meals around whole foods high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains such as whole wheat bread and brown rice.

Get enough sleep

Lack of adequate sleep may trigger chronic inflammation. This is because inadequate rest makes you more sensitive to stress, which in turn encourages inflammation.

So aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep at night for optimal rejuvenation.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about other simple measures to reduce chronic inflammation.

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Inflammation is simply our immune system’s natural response to illnesses and injury. This involves the release of inflammatory chemicals in the bloodstream to protect the body from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. In the case of an injury, a localized inflammatory response helps in the healing process. There are two types of inflammation: The acute and chronic form. Acute inflammation helps us heal, so you can think of it as the “good” kind of inflammation. But the chronic inflammation is associated with chronic conditions or diseases, so you can describe it as the “bad” kind of inflammation. What makes chronic inflammation harmful to health? Unlike the acute form of inflammation that is typically caused by injuries or illnesses, chronic inflammation often happens without any injury or illness present.

And the bad part is that it lasts far longer than it should. In fact, this condition is a major contributing factor in many diseases associated with getting older.

Over time, chronic inflammation can cause major changes to the body’s cells, tissues, and organs. Over time, this progresses to DNA damage and tissue death.

Although scientists do not know why all chronic inflammation happens, this condition is one of the several contributing factors in diseases onset and progression.

So far, chronic inflammation has a strong link with heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Other conditions associated with this form of inflammation include

• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease
• High cholesterol
• Depression
• Various types of cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Autoimmune disorders
• Fatty liver disease
• Neurodegenerative disorders

Chronic inflammation is quite dangerous because it often progresses quietly with only a few independent symptoms. And despite the subtle nature of this condition, it represents a major threat to the health and longevity of a large population of people.

Now, you may be wondering, what are the sources of chronic inflammation? Let’s dive quickly into it.

What causes chronic inflammation?

Several kinds of scientific studied have identified different causes of chronic systemic inflammation, many of which are associated with our lifestyle and aging.

The causes of chronic inflammation include:

Diet

Foods that are high in refined sugar, trans fat, and saturated fat are largely linked with increased inflammation, especially in overweight people.

Physical inactivity

When your muscles are in constant motion, it supports an anti-inflammatory chemical process in your bloodstream. But unfortunately, many people do not meet the minimum activity recommendations for optimal health, and this cause an increased risk of age-related diseases.

Obesity

When you have too much visceral fat (a deep layer of fat) around your abdominal organs, it triggers the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals.

Low sex hormones

When you have lower levels of sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, especially in older age, it increases your risk of suffering inflammatory diseases.

Sleep disorders

Chronic inflammation can be triggered when you have irregular sleep schedules. On the other hand, a regular eight hours sleep helps to lower markers of inflammation.

Age

As you grow older, you stand more risk of suffering chronic inflammation.

Smoking

Smoking cigarettes have been studied to lower the level of anti-inflammatory markers and increase the risk of chronic inflammation.

There you have it, the 7 most common sources of chronic inflammation. You can visit Dr. Jason Jones to learn more about more sources of chronic inflammation, including toxins, environmental factors, and others. We’ll also show you simple lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of suffering diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

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When you hear the word inflammation, what comes to your mind? Most people probably think inflammation is all about redness and swelling that follows an infection, wound, or injury. But this is only “acute inflammation” – a beneficial response by the immune system that encourages healing, and usually goes off once the injury improves.

Chronic inflammation is another form of inflammation that is less obvious. While your immune system becomes activated, the inflammatory response stays on all the time at a low level. This is unlike the acute inflammatory response that is intermittent during an acute injury or infection.

In other words, chronic inflammation may begin even when you have no injury. Worst still, it does not end when it should.

Several factors could trigger chronic inflammation, from lifestyle factors such as poor sleep, obesity, or exposure to environmental toxins.

Common symptoms of chronic inflammation

Symptoms like pain, redness, or swelling are common with acute inflammation. But the symptoms of chronic inflammation are more subtle. Little wonder you tend to overlook them. These symptoms include:

• Body pain
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Gastrointestinal complications (constipation or diarrhea)
• Persistent infections
• Depression or anxiety

These symptoms can be mild or severe and they tend to last for many months or even years.

How does chronic inflammation damage the body?

Chronic inflammation can cause damage to the body over time. This condition can damage your DNA and trigger heart disease, cancer, and aging.

Unlike acute inflammation that that promotes healing and recovery for a better health, chronic inflammation causes a persistent increase in inflammatory proteins all throughout the body, and this can damage healthy cells, tissues, and organs, and trigger several major diseases

Unfortunately, most people don’t know they are suffering from chronic inflammation until it becomes late. Many individuals got to know they have chronic inflammation after they develop an autoimmune disease, such as Type 1 diabetes, lupus, and Crohn’s disease.

Chronic inflammation and aging

Chronic inflammation has been shown to cause oxidative stress in the body. This has to do with an imbalance in the production of:

• Dangerous free radicals, molecules that cause damage to healthy tissues in the body, and antioxidants
• Antioxidants, substances that neutralize and clean up waste products

This imbalance causes damage to your DNA as well as fatty tissues and proteins, which in turn speeds up biological aging.

Chronic inflammation contributes largely to cognitive decline and mental health disorders as it boosts age-related immune system deterioration, a condition called immunosenescence.

Chronic inflammation and other disease conditions

Chronic inflammation is involved in a wide variety of serious physical and mental health conditions. Experts believe chronic inflammation plays a role in developing kidney disease, heart disease, cancer, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cognitive decline, neurological disorders, and mental health illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.

However, you can reduce the risk of suffering chronic inflammation by making certain behavioral changes. And treatment option is based on the underlying cause.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about natural measures to prevent chronic inflammation.

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Covered in this podcast episode:

• How to properly acknowledge these relationships
• Techniques for beginning the conversation
• Practicing the Body Peace Method
• How Modeling in Community amplifies results
• And so much more...

Nina has been helping women feel truly
at home in their own bodies for 30 years.
She is known for her deeply feminist,
anti-diet, body-peace approach.
Her courses, coaching, and poetry
positively change the conversation
that women are having with their bodies.

According to Nina, too much time and energy is wasted feeling
bad about our bodies and food. Now’s the
time to create a body relationship based in
compassion, listening, respect, and deep
nourishment. This is the path to Body-Peace!

Our Guest:

Nina Manolson MA, NBC-HWC

Body-Peace™ Coach

Nationally Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach

Psychology of Eating CoachCertified Body-Trust® Guide

NinaManolson.com free ebook: How To Be A Woman At Ease in Your Body

https://ninamanolson.com/

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Today's Guest: Michael Hughes

Michael Hughes is the founder of Gymnazo, a 7-figure functional training facility on the Central Coast of California that focuses on integrating restoration with performance. With a churn rate of under 3%, Gymnazo’s business model and training style have created security in a volatile market. After becoming a Fellow of Applied Functional Science, Michael integrated physical therapy directly into his programming for group coaching - something that had never been done before in the fitness industry. He realized the power of using fitness as a vehicle for recovery, which led him to implement a blend of performance and restoration training that dramatically increased his lifetime client value. Michael is passionate about functional training and is building his facility to revolutionize how we train all ages to promote vitality and to heal movement dysfunctions that hold us back from living the lives we desire. Michael founded Gymnazo Edu to share his formula for success with the training community and offer his Multi-Dimensional Movement Coach (MDMC) certification.

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We all learned, in our basic education, about the benefits of soaking ourselves in the morning sunshine to enjoy the benefits of vitamin D for bone health. Well, let’s assume our teachers didn’t want to say too much. But the truth is that vitamin D offers more benefits, including improved immune function, resistance to certain diseases, and more. Don’t worry, we shall discuss more on these benefits in this article.

To start with, let’s define what vitamin D is…

What is Vitamin D?

We all know vitamin D to be a fat-soluble vitamin, which belongs to a family of compounds that include D1, D2, and D3. However, can I shock you by letting you know Vitamin D is actually a hormone and not a vitamin? Surprised, right? Well, basically, vitamins are obtained from the foods we eat, but in the case of vitamin D, they can be synthesized by the body.

When ultraviolet rays or sunlight hits your skin, the rays convert a protein called 7-DHC into vitamin D3, which is then processed by enzymes in the kidney and liver to become activated which does the magic in our body.

However, you can also get vitamin D from food sources such as egg yolk, oily fish, and whole milk. You can even find them in many kinds of breakfast cereals.

How does vitamin D help?

Vitamin D plays an important role throughout the body. Apart from supporting bone health, it works to support the health of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. More so, it helps to regulate insulin levels and support diabetes management.

However, vitamin D is mainly important for immune system health. It offers anti-inflammatory benefits and boosts the production of immune cells in the body.

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with a number of illnesses and disorders, including cancer, cognitive disorder, autoimmune disorders, and Parkinson’s disease.

So it is important to get vitamin D from sunlight or your diet. You can also take vitamin D supplements if your body is not synthesizing enough of this hormone. This can help to boost your overall wellness and immune defense.

However, you need to be careful when you expose yourself to sunlight. The same UVB radiation that helps you make vitamin D is also responsible for sunburns and even skin cancer. Little wonder, we are often advised to keep it moderate and stay under the morning sunlight instead of the scorching afternoon sunlight.

So you have to keep it moderate. If you have a light complexion, 10-15 minutes of outdoor exposure to sunlight is sensible to produce plenty of vitamin D daily. But if you’re dark in your complexion, you can get 20-30 minutes of exposure to sunlight to make vitamin D daily.

Here are a few suggestions: You can decide to eat your lunch outdoors, take a midday call outside, or take a short stroll while you have your zoom meetings. Doing all of these can offer great benefits to your immune system and overall health.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, to learn more about the benefits of vitamin D and good food sources of this fat-soluble nutrient that you can include in your diet.

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In this episode we discuss:

How alcohol opioids affect men's health

Screening tests all men should have

Erectile dysfunction, circulation issues, and what to do about it

Low Testosterone

Male Rejuvenation

Today's Podcast Guest:

Dr. Judson Brandeis is honored to have been voted Top Urologist in the SF Bay Area by SF Magazine from 2014 to 2020. In February 2019, he opened his comfortable office in San Ramon, where he focuses his practice entirely on Men’s Sexual Health and Rejuvenation.

BrandeisMD is a national leader in technology and innovations in sexual medicine. Dr. Brandeis is the National Director of Clinical Excellence for GAINSWave and created and runs the SWEET Study, the largest study of Shockwave Therapy for ED ever performed. BrandeisMD was one of the first offices in California for offer PT-141, Oxytocin, and Apomorhine for erectile dysfunction.

Dr. Brandeis created and directed 5 IRB-approved clinical research protocols in sexual medicine, two of which are still active. These include the SWEET Study, the largest study of shockwave therapy use in treating erectile dysfunction (active), SWAP study for Peyronie’s Disease (completed), P-LONG for penile elongation (active), LuBE for improving the intensity of orgasms (completed), and the SURGE study (completed), which tests a transdermal serum to improve penile blood flow in prostate cancer patients.

Dr. Brandeis is a national sexual medicine educator who has run weekend educational seminars all around the country and has created a male sexual medicine curriculum on Teachable.com. Dr. Brandeis is the director of sexual medicine for The Aesthetic Show annual meeting in Las Vegas, as well as author of the ‘Advances in Sexual Medicine’ chapter for the Large Urology Group Practice Association textbook.

A native New Yorker, Dr. Brandeis left the Empire State to attend Brown University to study History before attending Vanderbilt for Medical School. He spent a year at Harvard Medical School doing research sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Finally, Dr. Brandeis finished his formal medical training with 2 years of general surgery and 4 years of Urology training at the World Famous UCLA Department of Urology.

Dr. Judson Brandeis’ info:

Website:http://www.brandeismd.com

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbrandeismd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judsonbrandeismd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrandeisMD/

YouTube Channel:www.youtube.com/c/BrandeisMD

Book website: https://thetwentyfirstcenturyman.com/

EBook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LRG1G78/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_R043ERZPXJR7AEM5JBWC

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You certainly would have problems with wounds and cuts on your body if you do not get enough zinc. However, zinc has other essential benefits in the body, including the immune system and metabolism support, and other functions we shall show you in this article.

What is zinc?

Zinc is an essential micronutrient needed for overall growth and development in humans. This nutrient is important and you can only get it through foods, such as meat, beans, meat, and fish.

Low levels of zinc in your body can put you at risk of disease and illness. This shows that zinc is needed in an adequate amount to support your immune system and other functions. And it plays a key role in childhood growth and development. More so, zinc has antioxidant properties.

Let’s move on to discuss the benefits of zinc.

How does zinc help?

When you consume an adequate amount of zinc in your diet, you enjoy a plethora of benefits, including:

• Immune function

The body needs enough zinc from your foods to support immune function. You stand the risk of infections, such as pneumonia when you have low levels of zinc.

• Carbohydrate metabolism
• DNA synthesis
• Bone health
• Fertility and reproduction
• Healthy skin, hair, and nails
• Normal cognitive function
• Eye health

How zinc helps immune function

Zinc helps in all of the functions listed above. However, we are going to discuss more on the benefits of zinc to your immune system.

Zinc supports the immune system in several ways. But primarily, it activates enzymes that are responsible for breaking down proteins in bacteria and viruses to stop them from spreading.

Also, zinc boosts the activation of cells responsible for tackling infections.

Studies have shown that zinc helps cells destroy pathogens such as E.coli.

You may wonder, “How much of zinc is then enough?” Well, the daily RDA for zinc is 9.5 mg for men and 7 mg for women. You’d have to consume 25 mg or more per day for it to cause possible adverse effects, such as nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, a loss of appetite, and diarrhea.

Keep in mind also that excessive consumption of zinc may also inhibit the absorption of the minerals iron and copper. This often leads to weak bones and anemia.

The NHS recommends that you do not take more than 25 mg of zinc in a day.

Good food sources of Zinc

Although there are many zinc supplements out there that you can add to your diet, it is better to get zinc from natural foods.

Here are some good examples of foods high in zinc:

• Cheese
• Shellfish
• Legumes including chickpeas
• Meat
• Wholemeal bread
• Nuts and seeds
• Fortified vegan foods
• Milk
• Tofu
• Dairy products

You can add these foods to your diet throughout your day to get a good amount of zinc in your body to support your immune system and boost your overall health.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about the benefits of adding zinc to your diet.

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Vitamin C: what is it, how does it help? Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor One of the most effective nutrients you can get from food is Vitamin C (some kinds of foods though). This vitamin has been shown to offer a lot of health benefits, including boosting immune system functions, protecting against cardiovascular diseases, skin wrinkling, and a host of other functions.

Little wonder, Vitamin C has received a great deal of attention, and study researcher Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan, states that “higher levels of vitamin C in the blood may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health.” He added, “The more we study Vitamin C, the better we understand its benefits in protecting our health, from cardiovascular, stroke, cancer, immunity, eye health, to living longer.”

What is vitamin C?

Vitamin C, otherwise called ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that supports a healthy immune system and confers other health benefits. This vitamin is not produced by the body, hence, you need to get it from the foods you eat every day.

Vitamin C is present in many fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits, strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and Kiwifruits, among others.

You can enjoy any of these foods either raw or cooked. But studies have shown that cooking fruits and vegetables reduce the vitamin C content. Also, storing these foods for a long time can make them lose their vitamin C content.

So to get the best of vitamin C in foods, ensure you eat them as soon as possible after shopping, and consider microwaving or steaming vegetables for short periods to reduce the loss of nutrients.

Vitamin is also available as an oral supplement, in form of tablets or capsules. But you can get enough vitamin C from a healthy diet. The supplements might not offer antioxidant benefits like vitamin C obtained from natural foods.

However, the recommended daily amount of vitamin C is 75 mg for adult women and 90 mg for adult men. You can get enough of this amount from a balanced diet. But for those who might be susceptible to vitamin C deficiency, you may derive benefits from using vitamin C supplements.

Nevertheless, ensure you get consent from your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet.

Overdose of vitamin C might cause several effects, such as diarrhea, stomach upset, heartburn, headache, fatigue, and sleepiness.

How does vitamin C help?

As I’ve mentioned earlier, vitamin C offers a lot of health benefits, to keep it simple, here are some benefits:

• Vitamin C is essential for the growth and repair of tissues in the body
• Vitamin C helps heal wounds
• Vitamin C helps to maintain healthy skin, bones, teeth, and cartilage
• Vitamin C fights free radicals in the body, which is important to delay certain heart diseases and cancers and promote healthy aging
• Vitamin C reduces the risk of cartilage loss in people with osteoarthritis
• Higher doses of vitamin C may decrease the length of cold symptoms

Vitamin C has also been shown by research to offer benefits for stress, cold, stroke, inflammation, and macular degeneration.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City NC, to learn more about natural foods that offer you enough vitamin C to boost your immune system and overall health.

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What are slow carbs and what are the best ones

Carbs are an important part of your diet as your body sources energy from these nutrients. Nearly all meat sources, vegetables, or even dairy have carbs in them. However, some sources of carbs work “fast” while some work “slow” in supplying energy. Also, depending on the speed of carbs, they may be good or bad for weight loss goals.

That said, the glycemic index of carbs determines the rate at which they are digested. Slow carbs, as the name implies, release energy slowly into the body. The fast carbs, on the other hand, release energy at a higher pace as they are used more quickly.

So, the higher the GI level of carb, the quicker is its delivery of sugar and energy in the body, and vice versa.

More about slow carbs

The glucose contained in slow carbs or slow-released carbs is absorbed more slowly and this doesn’t cause a rapid spike in insulin. Eating slow carbs combined with protein and fat is a healthy way to reduce your risk of obesity.

Best Foods containing slow carbs

See below a list of foods that contain slow carbs:

Non-starchy vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables are one of the best sources of slow carbs. Some good examples include kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, cucumber, and asparagus.

You can include any of these in your diet to get a healthy amount of slow carbs that will provide you with a slow and steady supply of energy for many hours.

Some ideas of how to add these foods to your diet include:

• Adding spinach and tomatoes to your morning omelet
• Snacking on carrot and celery sticks
• Preparing a salad of leafy greens for lunch
• Taking stir-fried broccoli alongside your dinner

Nuts and Nut Nutter

You can get very few carbs from nuts and nut butter. These foods are high in protein, fiber, and healthy fat, and they are digested at a very slow pace.

You can add a few walnuts to your salad or snack on a handful of Brazil nuts. You can also spread almond butter on slices of fruits to enjoy slow carbs that keep you fuller and energized until your next meal.

However, you need to avoid sugar-coated nuts and stick to natural nut butter that is void of any added sweeteners.

Fresh fruits

Most fruits contain slow-release carbs. Fruits such as berries, cherries, melons, pear, apples, plums, however, are the best in terms of low to moderate glycemic index.

However, quick-release carbs are found in tropical fruits, such as mango, papaya, and pineapple. So you should avoid them if you want to eat only the most slowly release carbs to reduce variations in your blood sugar levels.

Steel-cut oats and quinoa

Although some breakfast cereals such as oat rings, puffed cereals, and cornflakes might be sugar-free, but they have a high glycemic index.

Some good examples of slow-carb breakfast cereals are steel-cut cereals or quinoa. You can cook these foods according to the instruction given on the package. Additionally, you can serve them some other low-glycemic foods, such as plain yogurt, milk, berries, and nuts.

Sweet potatoes

Unlike white potatoes, sweet potatoes contain slow-release carbs. You can serve mashed sweet potatoes, homemade sweet potato fries, or baked sweet potatoes alongside your meals instead of the white potatoes.

Other sources of slow carbs include:

• Brown rice
• Whole-wheat pasta

Eating these slow-acting carbs can keep you “satisfied” for longer. In other words, you get a feeling of fullness for long as your blood sugar levels are maintained. This supports weight management and helps to combat several eating issues.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about how to slow carbs and the best options to include in your diet to keep your blood sugar levels stable and reduce the risk of obesity.

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What are the negative health consequences of a high-carb diet?

Carbohydrates are no doubt good for the health. In fact, according to the guideline of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is recommended that carbohydrates should represent 45 to 65% of your total daily calories. But it becomes a problem when you consume too many carbohydrates in a short amount of time.

If you’re overdoing pasta, bread, rice, chips, and other high-carb foods, you are at risk of suffering some health consequences which we shall be discussing below.

Weight gain

One of the common negative effects of a high-carb diet is weight gain. When you consume foods that contain too many carbs, it gets to a point that your body stops using it and the carb surplus is converted into body fat.

That said, it is good to eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables – these foods can even promote weight loss. But when you start including a lot of refined carbs in your diet, then you stand the risk of weight gain.

Unhealthy fat

Another health consequence of a high-carb diet is unhealthy fats loaded into your bloodstream. Eating too many carbs boosts the number of triglycerides in your blood, and this can progress to complicated conditions such as heart disease.

More so, unhealthy fats in most refined carbs increase the risk of having swollen arteries and blot clots in your heart. When these unhealthy fats are high in your blood, they overthrow the amount of lipoprotein or “good cholesterol” and this could result in vascular disorders.

Type 2 diabetes

Consuming a high-carb diet can also put you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The high carb amount puts your blood sugar levels into overdrive and this gets to a point where insulin production is negatively effected. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body convert glucose into a “storage” system in your body.

When insulin production stops, you stand the risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Brain fog

Excess carb intake can dampen proper cognitive functioning. Most diabetic patients that have once or twice experienced fallen blood sugar levels will have a better understanding of how terrible “brain fog” can be.

You should watch out for the following symptoms:

• Sudden nervousness
• Agitation
• Unexplainable confusion

Getting gassy

A high-carb diet causes your body to store more water, and this makes you feel bloated. Carbs like carbonated beverages and sugary processed foods usually generate abdominal gas and this can cause you much discomfort.

Thickened arteries

Most processed foods high in carbs often contain a high amount of fats – whether healthy or unhealthy fat. So taking excess amounts of these foods can cause your arteries’ wall to thicken up – a condition called atherosclerosis. This hinders the free flow of blood and increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Now that you know the negative health consequences of a high carb diet, let’s quickly show you how to limit your carb intake:

• Avoid or reduce your soda or sugary drinks
• Reduce your consumption to white bread, cooked pasta, chocolate bars, potatoes, and beer.
• Eat more of these healthy and satisfying foods – Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, spinach, lemons, watermelon, avocadoes, tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumber.

Note that you don’t have to eliminate all carbs from your diet. In fact, some people who ate no-carb suffered more harm than good.

The point is to eat a smart serving of high-carb foods.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City to learn about more natural foods you can add to your diet to maintain a healthy living and avoid the consequences of a high-carb diet.

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You might have heard of the scientific terminologies – Glycemic index and glycemic load and wonder what it means. Well, we are going to keep it simple for you in this piece. What is a glycemic index? Glycemic index is simply a measure of how quickly glucose in your food is absorbed and causes blood sugar levels to rise. Foods that have a high GI are digested and absorbed rapidly and raise blood sugar levels too rapidly. Foods with a low GI, in contrast, are digested more slowly and they lead to a slower rise in blood sugar levels.

However, rapid glucose conversion is something that you don’t want to experience, as your body needs sugar levels to be consistent for it to function optimally. Although your brain needs glucose to operate, rapid conversion of glucose is not healthy.

As glucose is being processed in the body, the hormone – insulin- is being secreted to allow glucose to be delivered to your body’s cells, resulting in a balance of blood sugar levels. But when your body detects excess glucose, insulin is secreted more by the pancreas, and this causes the excess sugar to be converted and stored as fat.

Foods are generally ranked on a scale of 0-100 on the GI scale. Pure glucose has a value of 100. Carbohydrate-containing foods can be classified as low (≤55), moderate (56 – 69), or high GI (≥70).

Hence, if you want to avoid a spike in blood sugar, you need to eat diets with more low GI foods. Some good examples of low GI foods include whole oats, nuts, most vegetables, and certain fruits.

But if you eat foods with high GI frequently, it can cause your blood sugar level to rise quickly and this can make your body store the excess sugar as fat. The glycemic index is therefore useful, to avoid these foods.

What is glycemic load?

The glycemic load of a food is as important as the glycemic index. It measures the rise in blood sugar based on the number of carbohydrates contained in the food per serving.

You can calculate the glycemic load by multiplying the glycemic index of a food by the carbohydrate content (measured in grams) and dividing the result by 100.

However, the glycemic load value is more reliable than the glycemic index of a food.

Let’s consider watermelon, for instance. This fruit has a glycemic index of 72, a high value which means it can cause your body’s sugar level to rise rapidly. But watermelon is mostly water, and the glycemic load in a serving is 4, which means it has a very small carbohydrate content.

This means that when you eat watermelon, your blood sugar level may rise quickly, but it will not stay high for too long as this fruit contains very little carbohydrate.

In simple terms, the glycemic index tells you how high your blood sugar could ho when you consume a particular good. The glycemic load, on the other hand, gives you a more accurate picture of a food’s impact on your blood sugar.

It is always important, however, to pay attention to both glycemic index and glycemic load to avoid a sudden rise in your blood sugar.

The point is to choose foods with a low glycemic index and low glycemic load. This goes a long way to control your blood sugar and conditions such as diabetes.

Note also that maintaining a healthy weight is also very important for your blood sugar and general health.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about foods with a low glycemic index that you can add to your diet to control your blood sugar level and maintain a healthy weight.

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Magnesium and Mood: mood disorders and neurotransmitters - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Magnesium is an essential mineral needed by the body in small amounts. This mineral is involved diverse biochemical reactions in the body. However, studies have shown a direct impact of low magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia) on mood. Low levels of this mineral may contribute to symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Magnesium plays a critical role in the brain and that’s why it is dubbed as the “original chill pill.” Too little of this mineral can leave you feeling stressed, fatigued, and panicked.

More so, numerous studies have shown that low magnesium levels is linked with different psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders.

Why is magnesium important for mood?

Magnesium blocks stimulating neurotransmitters and binds to calm, restful receptors in the brain. This way, you enjoy good relaxation.

Apart from blocking stimulating neurotransmitters, magnesium has an effect on the HPA axis – the system responsible for responding to stress. It does this by regulating stress hormones like cortisol. In other words, magnesium acts like a brake, preventing your nervous system from being stuck in overdrive.

More so, magnesium increase your gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels. This mineral binds to and stimulate GABA receptors in the brain - This puts a brake on brain activity. Low GABA levels it becomes difficult to relax and you may suffer panic attacks and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Connection between your brain and gut

There is a direct link of communication between the brain and your gut. Besides, they share much of the same tissue. This implies that when your gut is working overtime, it may also influence your brain function. This can lead to a range of problems, including constipation, reflux, diarrhea, and IBS, in addition to anxiety, stress, and panic attacks.

When your gut is healthy, however, it influences your mood positive feelings. The beneficial bacteria in the gut support in the making of more GABA receptors in the brain, which helps to alleviate mood disorders.

A high magnesium level can help calm your mind, and this helps in healing disorders of the gut. The healthier your gut is, the healthier your brain will be, and vice versa.

However, lack of proper nutrition in your diet or poor gut health can result in insufficient production of neurotransmitters which are directly linked to your mood. This may cause anxiety and depression.

You can correct this deficiency by consuming a diet rich in magnesium or sometimes, your doctor may recommend that you take magnesium supplements.

However, you can get chiropractic care that focuses on a holistic approach to assess the cause of any symptoms you’re experiencing, including mood disorders, anxiety, and depression.

You can consult Doctor Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about how minerals like magnesium can have effect on your mood. We offer the best holistic care on tackling issues regarding your mood and health in general.

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Foods that are high in Magnesium - - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a huge role in making your body system function optimally. Without magnesium, your nerves won’t send and receive messages; your muscles won’t work the way they’re supposed to. In fact, magnesium is needed for more than 300 chemical reactions in the body.

Unfortunately, your body cannot produce or make magnesium on its own. What this means is that your body depends on the food you eat for magnesium.

Although you can get magnesium from multivitamins and supplements, it’s best to get this mineral from natural foods. Besides, taking magnesium supplements can be dangerous if you have certain conditions, such as kidney failure, heart block, bowel obstruction, heart block, and myasthenia gravis.

The best way to keep healthy levels of magnesium in your body is to eat foods that are high in this mineral.

Foods that are high in Magnesium

You can reach the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium by eating foods containing a high level of magnesium. Some good examples of magnesium-rich foods include:

Fish

Fish is a top source of magnesium. Some good examples include Atlantic mackerel, Chinook salmon, Atlantic Pollock, and halibut. These types of fish are found to be swimming in the mineral magnesium.

Vegetables and Fruits

You can get a lot of magnesium from the vegetables and fruits listed below. You even enjoy plenty other nutrients alongside:

• Swiss chard
• Spinach
• Potato with skin
• Tamarind
• Okra
• Avocados
• Kale
• Turnip greens
• Collard greens
• Mustard greens

Prickly pear also contains a lot of magnesium, but you may not find it easily.

Bananas are also rich in magnesium asides from their high potassium content.

Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds

You can get a lot of magnesium in foods such as soy nuts, black-eyed peas (cooked), flaxseeds, cashews, peanut butter, cooked beans (chickpeas, pinto, lima), almonds, and tempeh (cooked).

For example, you can get up to 12 mg of magnesium from a 1-cup serving of cooked beans. Also, a 1-ounce (28-gram serving of cashews offers up to 82mg of magnesium.

Tofu

Tofu is one of the staple foods in a vegetarian diet. It is made by pressing soybean milk into bean curds (soft white curds). This food contains a high amount of magnesium and it is also a good source of protein and other nutrients.

Whole-grain products

Whole grains are good sources of many nutrients, including magnesium. Some good examples include oats, wheat, barley, and pseudocereals like quinoa and buckwheat.

You can increase your magnesium absorption rate by trying the following:

• Avoiding high-dose zinc supplements
• Avoiding or reducing calcium-rich foods two hours before or after eating foods high in magnesium
• Treating vitamin D deficiency
• Quitting smoking
• Eating raw vegetables

Water

Water is a good source of magnesium. However, the amount of magnesium varies depending on the water source – mineral, tap, or bottled waters.

Drinking the recommended two liters of water per day may give you up to 240 milligrams of magnesium.

So there you have it, some good food options that are high in magnesium. You may want to ask, “Is it okay to take a magnesium supplement?” Well, unless your doctor recommends a supplement, it is better to get your magnesium needs from your diet. Taking too much magnesium supplement can produce some uncomfortable side effects, such as diarrhea, cramping, and nausea.

Lastly, you need to note that taking magnesium-rich foods not only gives you magnesium, but you also get so many fantastic nutrients, including vitamins and other minerals.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about natural foods to include in your diet to boost your magnesium levels.

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Different forms of magnesium: what is each one good for? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Magnesium is a vital nutrient needed for many processes in the body, including nerve function, blood sugar and pressure regulation, bone formation, and more.

Magnesium is a macromineral along with sodium, phosphorus, calcium, chloride, potassium, and sulfur. You can obtain this mineral mainly by eating a healthy diet made up of a wide range of foods.

However, studies have shown that a lot of people, especially those in the Western world, do not meet their magnesium needs with diet. Little wonder, health care providers might recommend a mineral supplement.

More so, some people have health conditions that require them to take a mineral supplement.

Different forms of magnesium

There are at least 11 different forms of magnesium that can be taken in supplement form or found in food. However, specific types of magnesium are recommended for certain conditions.

The different magnesium forms may be better for your needs than others. But, they have their pros and cons.

Without much ado, let’s take a look at the different forms of magnesium:

Magnesium Citrate

This is a very common form of magnesium used to treat and prevent magnesium deficiency. This magnesium form is bound with citric acid and has a natural laxative effect. It is sometimes used at higher doses to treat constipation and soften stool.

Magnesium citrate often comes in powdery form, and it is mixed with a liquid and taken orally. The good thing is that it is one of the most absorbable and bioavailable forms of magnesium.

Magnesium chloride

Magnesium chloride is a salt that combines magnesium and chlorine. It is well absorbed in your digestive tract, a characteristic that makes it a great multi-purpose supplement.

Magnesium chloride is often used to treat low magnesium levels, constipation, and heartburn.

You can take this form of magnesium in capsule or tablet form. Some topical products that include this mineral, including ointments and lotions.

Magnesium oxide

Magnesium oxide is a magnesium salt mixed with oxygen. It is the active ingredient in the milk of magnesia – a common OTC medication for constipation relief.

This magnesium form naturally forms a white, powdery substance and it is often sold in capsule or powder form.

However, magnesium oxide is not typically used to treat or prevent magnesium deficiencies, as many studies show that it is poorly absorbed by the gut.

Instead, this magnesium form is often used for short-term relief of uncomfortable digestive symptoms, such as indigestion, heartburn, and constipation. It is sometimes used to prevent and treat migraines.

Magnesium lactate

Magnesium lactate is a salt formed from a combination of magnesium and lactic acid. This magnesium form is naturally produced by your blood cells and muscles, and your digestive system absorbs it easily. This makes magnesium lactate an excellent option for people who need to take large doses since it is well tolerated than some other forms of magnesium.

In other words, supplementing with magnesium lactate is a good way to replete a magnesium deficiency. It is also helpful for pain relief during a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Magnesium Aspartate

This form of magnesium combines aspartic acid and magnesium to form a salt. It is one of the best in terms of absorbability. It is often combined with zinc to increase serum testosterone levels.

Magnesium taurate

This form of magnesium contains the amino acid taurine. Research shows that taking an adequate amount of magnesium and taurine plays an important role in regulating blood sugar.

Magnesium taurate also helps to prevent high blood pressure. Some studies also show that it helps to reduce hypertension.

Other forms of magnesium that may be better for your needs include:

• Magnesium malate
• Magnesium L-Threonate
• Magnesium Sulfate
• Magnesium Orotate
• Magnesium Glycinate

Choosing the right form of magnesium should be based on why you need them and how much you already get through your diet. However, it is important to speak with your doctor before trying any supplement.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones in our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about different forms of magnesium that works for different conditions, such as heartburn, indigestion, constipation, and many others.

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Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body; in fact, it is the fourth most abundant. This mineral is an essential cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems that are involved in diverse biochemical reactions. These reactions impact a number of body processes, including:

• Cellular energy production and storage
• Protein synthesis
• DNA synthesis
• Bone metabolism
• Cardiac function
• Nerve signal transmission
• Blood pressure
• The conduction of signals between muscles and nerves
• Stabilization of cells

However, less than 2% of Americans have been estimated to experience magnesium deficiency, also known as hypomagnesemia. The bad part is that it’s difficult to know you have a deficiency as symptoms don’t become obvious until your magnesium level becomes extremely low.

According to the National Institute of Health, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for people between age 19 and 30 years old is:

• 400mg for males
• 310mg for females

For people aged 31 and above, the RDA is:

• 420 for males
• 320 for females

In teenagers aged between 14 and 18 years old, the requirements are higher. However, younger children require less magnesium than adults and teenagers.

Certain factors can increase a person’s risk of developing hypomagnesemia, including:

• Losing an excessive amount of magnesium through sweat and urine
• Continually eating a low-magnesium diet
• Having gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or regional enteritis.
• Being hospitalized
• Being pregnant or lactating
• Being older
• Having type 2 diabetes

Signs and symptoms of magnesium deficiency

Some of the early signs of magnesium deficiency include:

• Fatigue
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Loss of appetite

With time, this deficiency may lead to:

• Lower potassium levels in the blood (a condition called hypokalemia
• Lower calcium levels in the blood (a condition called hypokalemia)
• Cramps and muscle contraction
• Numbness and tingling in the extremities
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Seizures
• Coronary spasms
• Personality changes

Prolonged magnesium deficiency can increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as osteoporosis and heart disease. In some cases, severe hypomagnesemia can lead to seizures and sudden death.

If you experience any of the symptoms above, you should see your doctor for tests to establish the cause.

Causes of low magnesium in the body

Low magnesium or magnesium deficiency results from increased excretion of magnesium in the urine or decreased absorption of magnesium in the gut.

Magnesium levels are largely controlled by the kidneys. This organ decreases or increases the excretion of magnesium based on your body’s needs.

The excessive loss of magnesium, continual low dietary intake of magnesium, or presence of other chronic conditions can give rise to hypomagnesemia.

However, if you develop magnesium deficiency due to an underlying condition, proper treatment and management will help improve your magnesium levels.

So if you notice any of the signs and symptoms listed above, you should see your doctor for proper examination.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about natural ways to boost your magnesium intake to avoid developing magnesium deficiency or hypomagnesemia.

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What are the most common alternatives to opioids and how do they work? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

There is a growing number of deaths and hospitalizations associated with the use of Opioids for managing pains. In fact, there are over 40,000 deaths a year across the US.

You must have heard of the term “Opioid epidemic” as it is commonly thrown around in the news. This is mainly due to opioid overdose, dependence, and addiction which is prevalent in the US.

Hence, a lot of people are now switching to alternative options that are less dangerous and also very much effective in managing pains from post-surgical operations, injuries, osteoarthritis, and many other conditions.

Here are some common alternatives to opioids:

Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a natural treatment measure that helps you get immediate and long-term relief from pain. It liberates you from the confinement of using prescription medications like opioids, which come with many side effects.

Chiropractic manipulation addresses the source of the pain, unlike opioids which only reduce the pain for a while. So it is advisable to opt for chiropractic instead of using addictive opioids.

Exercise

Exercising is a good measure to tackle chronic pains. It is one of the first treatment measures you should try under the guidance of your physician or physical therapist.

Some options include of exercise include core strengthening exercises, aerobic exercises, and stretching and flexibility exercises.

Meditation and mindfulness

Chronic pains can strain you both emotionally and physically. And most times, using opioids will only leave you with many side effects without dealing with the psychological effect of pains.

Using mediation and mindfulness practices like yoga, however, have been shown to be effective in keeping your mind away from the pain. These measures help you manage the depression, frustration, and irritability that come with chronic pain.

Yoga also increases your strength and flexibility. You learn how to relax your muscles, which helps when pains cause you to tense up.

And the good part is you don’t have to deal with any side effects or long-term effects associated with opioids.

Diet

Your diet can also help you manage chronic pain conditions. Some good examples of anti-inflammatory foods you can add to your diet include asparagus, omega-3 fatty acids, cranberries, cherries, and soy products.

You can speak with your doctor to get recommendations on the best foods to add to your diet to manage pains without any side effects.

However, you should avoid diets high in refined sugars, Trans fats, and processed foods, as they are highly inflammatory and have been implicated in worsening many pain conditions.

Also, you need to stay hydrated always as dehydration can worsen your pains. Drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day and avoid caffeinated drinks, like tea and coffee.

In summary, you can effectively manage and treat pains naturally without having to use opioids. It makes sense to try measures like chiropractic as it is a proven natural treatment measure for joint and spinal pain.

Spinal manipulation effectively treats both chronic and spinal pains. And even the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests chiropractic methods for pain management.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones in our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to get the best chiropractic care for your chronic or acute pains.

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The negative side effects of opioids have caused many people to seek out alternatives for pain and other conditions. One safe alternative that has been found to be effective for pain is natural supplements. These products do not come with the risk of side effects, addiction, or drug interaction.

Without much ado, here are some natural supplements that are an alternative to opioids:

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice that contains the compound curcumin – an antioxidant that protects the body from free radical molecules.

Turmeric supplements have been shown to relieve inflammation and pains without any form of side effects. You can add it to juices, smoothies, or curries to enjoy its benefits.

Cloves

Cloves have been used traditionally as a home remedy to relieve pains. This supplement contains an active ingredient called eugenol, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. And they may help relieve pains associated with arthritic inflammation, headaches, and toothaches. You can also use cloves as part of a topical pain reliever.

You can find clove supplements in powder or capsule forms. You can also get clove oil, which may be used as a temporary treatment option for easing toothache pains before getting to see a dentist.

Ginger

Studies have shown that ginger may help to modestly reduce muscle pains from running and resistance exercises. You can add raw ginger to your smoothies or teas. You can also take ginger supplements to get relief from pains.

Magnesium

Magnesium can be found in bones, yogurt, beef, spinach, pumpkin, and rice. This mineral plays a huge role in many chemical reactions in the body. Taking it in the supplement form has been shown by studies to help painful chronic conditions, such as lower back pain.

This supplement also reduces the need for pain medications, such as opioids, after a surgical procedure.

Willow Bark

This supplement has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. It originates from the willow tree and contain an active ingredient called salicin. Just like aspirin, willow bark helps to reduce inflammation, swelling, and fever. It can also be used for muscle pain, headaches, and menstrual cramps.

Devil’s Claw

Research has shown that taking a daily dose of devil’s claw extract produces effects similar to NSAIDs. This makes it an effective solution to pain, without the side effects associated with opioids.

You can either take devil’s claw alone or add it as an ingredient in products, such as herbal teas.

Aquamin

This supplement contains magnesium, calcium, and other vital minerals, and it is known to relieve inflammation and osteoarthritis pain. Aquamin contains the necessary nutrients for bone health and they are perfect supplements for vegans.

Boswellia

This supplement may help to reduce inflammation and pains associated with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It has anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it a potential painkiller.

These supplements highlighted above are good alternatives to opioids. You don’t have to suffer from the negative side effects of pain medications, including dependence and addiction. These supplements are natural products that can help manage and treat both chronic and acute pains. However, it is important that you speak with your doctor before adding any supplement to your routine.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones in our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about natural supplements and measures that are effective for pain management and treatment.

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Dr. David Shirazi: an innovative sleep expert, functional dentist, and experienced acupuncturist

What we will cover in this podcast:

• What does a quality night's sleep look like? How would we know if we had it?

• What are some basics that most people don’t think about that could be causing them to not sleep well?

• What are some more complex conditions that cause poor sleep quality that most people would be unaware of?

• What are some practical steps that our listeners can start doing right now to improve their sleep?

• and so much more......

Dr. David Shirazi:

As a TMJ and sleep expert, Dr. Shirazi speaks across the country on topics of health, TMJ, and the numerous sleep and breathing issues that affect both children and adults in large numbers!

You can see him speak on many topics in his “Talks at Google” and we invite you to enjoy the ways he talks through these incredible patient testimonials.
Click HERE to view all of the testimonials.

Dr. David Shirazi graduated from Howard University College of Dentistry, in Washington D.C. in 2000 and earned a Masters's degree in Oriental Medicine from SAMRA University in 2006. He is also a board-licensed Acupuncturist.

Dr. Shirazi has completed over 2,000 hours of continuing education in TMD and facial pain, craniomandibular orthopedics, and sleep-disordered breathing. He has also completed a hospital mini-residency in oriental medicine at the China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Centre which is the only organization the World Health Organization (WHO) has authorized to teach internationally on acupuncture and herbology, and another at Kyung Hee University and Medical Center, the top medical hospital and medical research school in Korea.In 2011 through 2016, he was a board-licensed RPSGT, the first and so far only, dual degreed dentist and RPSGT.

He is the founder of the Bite, Breathe and Balance Podcast and study group, dedicated to the multidisciplinary approach to treating craniofacial pain and sleep disorders.

Dr. Shirazi is the director of state-of-the-art private practices, The TMJ and Sleep Therapy Centre of Conejo Valley and Los Angeles, that are limited to the treatment of TMD, craniofacial pain, sleep breathing disorders, and craniomandibular orthopedics.

His practices are part of the TMJ and Sleep Therapy Centre international family, two of over 60 centers throughout the world, and is located in the beautiful hills of Thousand Oaks, CA, and Brentwood, CA.

Personally, Dr. Shirazi enjoys hiking and camping in the state parks, traveling, and speaking.

Website

Podcasts and Blogs

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Opioids have been around for years after pharmaceutical companies pushed them out to doctors as effective painkillers. This term “opioids” includes compounds extracted naturally from the poppy seed as well as synthetic compounds with similar properties that interact with the opioid receptors in the brain.

Some popular medications classified as opioids include:

• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
• Codeine
• Morphine (Kadian, Avinza)

Hydrocodone products are the most commonly prescribed opioids as they are often used to treat pains from injuries and dental work. Codeine is often used to treat milder pain. But generally, opioids are used to treat everything from post-surgical pain to osteoarthritis.

However, prolonged use, non-medical use, use without supervision, and misuse, can lead to several health problems and opioid dependence.

Research has shown that about 0.5 million deaths all over the world are attributed to drug use. Shockingly, over 70% of these deaths are related to opioids, with over 30% of those deaths caused by overdose.

The truth is that what makes opioid medications effective for pain management can also make them dangerous.

What are the side effects of taking opioids?

The use of opioids has been found to cause some side effects. These drugs can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and they can also cause slow breathing. Some opioids can also affect your ability to drive.

The common side effects of taking opioids include:

• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Thought and memory problems

Dependence and Tolerance

Apart from the side effects listed above, taking opioids can cause you to develop dependence problems. You tend to have withdrawal symptoms if you stop using them. These symptoms include insomnia, muscle and bone pain, vomiting, restlessness, and chills with goosebumps.

Dependence is often associated with tolerance, which is the need to take more of a drug in higher doses to get the same effect. Research has already estimated that about 36 million people worldwide abuse the use of opioids.

However, higher doses often cause more dangerous side effects. And as patients become more and more dependent on the use of opioids, the number of deaths from deaths increases.

Although States are putting up measures to regulate how doctors prescribe opiates, addicted patients still look for ways to obtain these drugs. Many find ways to get the drug illegally, and some others go to different doctors to get additional prescriptions.

Dependence on opioids is a heartbreaking problem; the good news, however, is that it is completely preventable.

You can are natural holistic measures such as chiropractic care that focuses on effective pain management in a safe and drug-free approach. Chiropractic adjustments in combination with diet and exercise have been shown to be a better alternative for getting relief from pain caused by surgery, injury, arthritis, and many other conditions.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to get the best chiropractic care to manage any form of pain. Remember, you don’t have to suffer from the side effects of opioids and get dependent on the drugs. Chiropractic is a safe method you can try today.

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Why do People Take Opioids? How Do They Work? – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You must have heard of the term “opioids” and wonder what it means, why people take them, and how they work. Well, we shall be discussing all of that in this short piece.

What are opioids?

Opioids are a class of pain-relieving drugs that are naturally found in the opium poppy plant. These drugs work in the brain to produce several effects, including pain relief. Some opioids, such as fentanyl, are synthesized in a laboratory

Opioids can either be prescription drugs (referred to as pain killers) or they can be so-called street drugs, such as heroin.

Types of opioids

There are different types of opioids that have several names, including:

• Fentanyl
• Codeine
• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone
• Morphine
• Oxymorphone

These opioids are often prescribed by doctors in different strengths and administered in different forms, depending on the situation, and the level of pain. Heroin is illegal and highly addictive with no sanctioned medical use.

These opioids are sold under different brand names such as Percocet, Oxycontin, Vicodin, and Palladone.

Why do people take opioids?

Many prescription opioids block the pain signals between the brain and the body. And these drugs are typically used to treat severe pain. Opioids, in addition to controlling pain, can make some people feel happy, relaxed, or “high.”

Doctors often prescribe opioids for chronic headaches and backaches, especially for patients experiencing severe pain from cancer and those recovering from surgery.

Also, opioids are recommended for adults who have been hurt playing sports or who have been seriously injured in auto accidents, falls, or other incidents.

How do opioids work?

Opioids attach to nerve receptors (proteins) on nerve cells in the brain, gut, spinal cord, and other body parts. The drugs block pain messages sent from the body through the spinal cord to the brain. When these opioids travel through your blood and to receptors in your brain cells, the cells release signals that muffle pain perceptions and boost feelings of pleasure.

Opioids can be addictive, especially when they’re used to manage pain over a long period of time.

How are opioids taken?

Many opioids are taken as pills, while some are taken through injection or through an IV.

Other ways you can get opioids include:

• Nasal spray
• Skin patch
• Shot into a muscle
• Implanted pump
• Shot into the space around the spinal cord
• Suppository

However, how you take them depends on the situation you’re trying to tackle.

Most times, opioids are used under close supervision by a physician. Medical Doctors (Physician anesthesiologists) who specialize in pain management have good training in prescribing opioid and non-opioid medications.

The effects of opioids can be either short-lasting or long-lasting. The short-lasting opioids often work alone or in combination with other types of pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You can start feeling relief from 15 to 30 minutes, and the effect should last for 3 to 4 hours.

You may get the much-needed relief from opioids, but the risks and side effects of these drugs are of major concern. At low doses, opioids may cause you to feel sleepy, and at higher doses, you may suffer reduced heart function and slow breathing, which can lead to death. Other negative effects include addition, loss of consciousness, and more.

However, you can achieve this pain relief using natural holistic measures. Chiropractic is a proven method to manage pain in a safe and effective way.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about how chiropractic care is a safer treatment option for pain and other health ailments.

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Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 4: 8 Ways to improve Vagal Tone - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

As a Chiropractor in Elizabeth City, NC, our main focus is helping people gain restoration of proper nervous system function. We understand of why our bodies react the way they do to certain stimuli and we have helped people achieve improved digestion, decreased pain, and positive mental health through adjustment and restoring of nervous system functions.

The vagus nerve is an important part of the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for the “rest & digest” function that counters the “fight or flight” response of the sympathetic nervous system.

The vagus nerve travels from the brain down through the cervical (neck spine) and out to different glands, organs, and tissues. This nerve helps regulate stress hormone, improve mental cognition, keep the heartbeat regular, digestion, decreases blood pressure and keep you in positive homeostasis.

A high vagal tone is associated with better and physical well-being. But a low vagal tone is usually associated with heart disease, inflammation, poor psychological wellbeing, stroke, and more.

This is more reason why you should learn how to improve your vagal tone naturally. Here are some helpful tips:

Cold exposure

When you expose yourself to acute cold-like taking cold showers, it stimulates the vagus nerve. You can try to swap from hot to cold water for 3 minutes increments.

But if you can’t deal with a cold shower or bath, you can simply lower your face into ice water for five reps of 30 seconds. This is an easy way to improve vagal tone.

Singing, laughing and chanting

The muscles linked to your vocal cords are connected to the vagus nerves. So, when you sing, laugh, and chant, it helps stimulate the vagus nerve and this is a great way to increase your heart rate variability, which signifies a healthy nervous system.

Deep, slow breathing

When you breathe from your diaphragm rather shallowly from the upper part of your lungs, it helps to stimulate and tone the vagus nerves.

Diaphragmatic breathing allows you to get a full expansion of your abdomen as you inhale. The key is to take a slow inhale and give a long exhale.

The slower you exhale the more you stimulate the vagus nerve. This creates the relaxation response you’re seeking, especially in times of anxiety and stress.

Probiotics

Two strains of probiotics- Bifidobacterium and lactobacillus- are directly related to the gut-brain connection, and they have a strong effect on anxiety, mood, and depression.

Taking probiotics has been shown to be a good way to improve your vagal tone and stimulation.

Omega-3s

Eating foods like fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is a great way to improve the vagal tone and overall mental health. Ensure you add these foods to your diet.

Meditation

When you practice loving-kindness meditation, it promotes the feeling of goodwill to yourself and your loved ones. These increasing positive emotions lead to an improvement in vagal tone and social closeness.

Massage and exercise

You can improve vagal tone and enhance vagal activity by getting a regular massage. Things like foot reflexology is a great way to improve vagal tone, but you can simply stick to your regular massage

Movements are also great to stimulate the vagal nerve. You can make activities and exercise that you enjoy a big part of your life. This helps to improve your vagal tone, and also your overall happiness.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones to learn more about natural and simple ways to improve vagal tone to enhance your physical and mental wellbeing and connect better to the world.

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Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 2: What is Vagal Tone? Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

The vagus nerve is simply described as the longest nerve in the body which originates as cranial nerve 10 in the brain. It travels down from the brain to the neck and then passes around important organs throughout the body, including the digestive system, pancreas, liver, spleen, lungs, and heart.

The vagus nerve is a key part of your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the “rest and digest” function, countering the “fight or flight” function of the sympathetic nervous system.

The vagus nerve influences many functions in the body, including digestion, breathing, and heart rate, all of which impact your overall health.

However, one thing you need to pay special attention to is the “tone” of your vagus nerve. The vagal tone is an internal biological process that determines the activities of the vagus nerve.

What is vagal tone?

The vagal tone is key to the activity of your parasympathetic nervous system. It is measured by tracking both your heart rate and your breathing rate. When you breathe in, your heart rate speeds up a little, and when you breathe out, your heart rate slows down a little.

The bigger the difference between your inhalation and exhalation heart rate, the high your vagal tone.

So when you have a higher vagal tone, it means that your body can quickly relax after a period of stress.

What is the implication of a high vagal tone?

High vagal tone helps to improve many body functions, causing:

• Lower blood pressure
• Better blood sugar regulation
• Improved digestion via increased production of digestive enzymes
• Reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease
• Reduced migraines
• Less anxiety
• Better mood
• Higher resilience

One of the interesting functions of the vagus nerve is that it reads your gut microbiome and activates a response to control inflammation based on whether it detects pathogens or non-pathogens. This way, your gut microbiome can have an influence on your stress levels, mood, and overall inflammation.

What is the implication of low vagal tone?

Low vagal tone is found to be associated with depression, cardiovascular conditions and stroke, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, cognitive impairment, and a higher rate of inflammation conditions, including all autoimmune diseases (autoimmune thyroid condition, endometriosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and more).

Much research has shown positive feedback between high vagal tone and good overall health. Hence, the more you increase your vagal tone, the more your mental and physical health will improve.

Dr. Mladen Golubic, Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic, states that “The vagal response reduces stress. It reduces your blood pressure and heart rate. Stimulates digestion, and changes the function of certain parts of the brain, and all those things that happen when we are relaxed.”

However, do you know that studies have shown that vagal tone can be passed on from mother to child? If you are depressed or anxious during pregnancy, you tend to have lower vagal activity, and once you give birth, your child has a higher chance of having low vagal activity, and low serotonin and dopamine levels.

That’s more reason why you should learn how to strengthen your vagal tone naturally.

You can consult Dr. Jason at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about natural ways to stimulate and strengthen your vagus nerves. This will help to improve your mental, physical, and overall well-being.

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Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 3: Sympathetic Vs. Parasympathetic Nervous Systems - What they are and what they control - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

The central nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and all nerves within our body. This system is split into different parts including the autonomic nervous system.

While the somatic nervous system controls the movement of our skeletal muscles, the autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary body functions.

The autonomic nervous system is split into the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). These two systems control the same general functions in the same parts of the body but produce opposing effects.

More so, both the SNS and PNS produce involuntary responses to various stimuli. However, you need to understand the function of each of these systems and what they need to function properly.

At our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, we always love to educate our patients on what to do to keep their autonomic nervous system working optimally.

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS)

This system controls the fight or flight response to external stimuli. When you’re faced with a perceived threat, whether emotional or physical, your sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear and bring about involuntary and automatic responses, such as:

• Elevated blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• elevated respiratory rate
• contraction of muscles
• heightened awareness
• Release of adrenaline from the adrenal gland
• Profuse sweating
• Conversion of glycogen to glucose
• Decrease in urinary output

Most times, the sympathetic nervous system shuts down many responses of the parasympathetic in order to gain more energy for the fight or flight response.

Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)

This system also affects the same body functions as the SNS, but in a different way. Basically, the PNS works to slow down certain responses to bring the body to a state of calm and rest.

The PNS basically controls homeostasis or maintains a healthy balance across all of the body’s systems. The Parasympathetic responses include:

• Decrease in heart rate
• Increase of digestive enzymes
• Constriction of bronchial tubes in lungs
• Relaxation of muscles
• Sphincter relaxation
• Increase in urinary output
• Saliva production

The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic side of the autonomic nervous system. It is heavily involved in digestion, blood pressure, heart, rate, and calmness. The vagus nerve also helps with urination, defecation, and sexual arousal.

How the SNS and PNS works

The SNS is a faster system as it moves along short pathways. Once it is activated, it stimulates the adrenal medulla to release hormones and chemical receptors into the bloodstream. This activates the target glands and muscles. And once the perceived danger is no more, the PNS takes over to counterbalance the effect of the SNS’s response.

Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are vital for our health and survival. However, there must always be a balance between these two for our bodies to stay healthy and perform optimally.

A healthy balance of these two parts of your autonomic nervous system comes when your nerves and spinal cord are functioning properly.

At our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC, Dr. Jason Jones help in giving the best chiropractic care to remove any nerve interference that could disrupt the balance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses. This allows your body to respond appropriately to any kind of stimuli and maintain proper balance to achieve optimal health.

You can visit our office or Consult Dr. Jason to learn more about your body’s nervous system and how to strengthen your vagus nerve for overall health and wellness.

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Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 1: What is the Vagus nerve, why should I care, and what it controls? Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Have you ever heard about the vagus nerve? You probably haven’t. Well, it’s no surprise to know because scientists have researched many functions of this nerve, and they are still yet to know all. Well, in this article, we shall keep it simple and tell you about this special cranial nerve. Continue reading!

The body has 12 cranial nerves, which come in pairs and help to link the brain to different parts of the body, such as your head, torso, and neck.

Some of these cranial nerves help to send sensory information, including details about sight, smells, sounds, and tastes to the brain- This is called the sensory function. Other cranial nerves control the function of certain nerves and various muscles, and this is called motor function.

However, some nerves perform both sensory and motor functions, and a good example is the vagus nerve, which is also called the 10th cranial nerve or cranial nerve X.

What is the Vagus nerve?

The word “vagus” is Latin, meaning “Wandering.” This name is given to the cranial nerve because it wanders from the brain into organs in the neck, abdomen, and chest. It is the longest and most complex of the 12 cranial nerves, having two bunches of sensory nerve cells. It basically allows the brain to monitor and receive information about different body functions.

The vagus starts in the medulla oblongata. It has two large nerves – long fibers having smaller cells that carry information around the body. One nerve emerges on the left side of the medulla and the other on the right.

From the medulla, the vagus moves down, up, and around the body. It goes down to control the muscles of the larynx and moves up to reach the inside of the ear. From the back of your throat to the end of the large intestine, different parts of the nerve wrap around these organs and tubes. And it sticks a delicate finger into the heart and even touches the bladder.

What does the vagus nerve do?

The vagus nerve has different functions in the body. However, these are the key functions of this nerve:

• It senses information from the heart, throat, abdomen, and lungs
• It provides the taste sensation behind the tongue
• It supports movement functions for the neck muscles responsible for speech and swallowing
• It is responsible for respiration, digestive tract, and heart rate functioning
• It delivers information from the gut to the brain, relating to anxiety, stress, and fear - hence, the common saying “gut feeling.”
• It communicates with the diaphragm during deep breaths
• It sends anti-inflammatory signals to other body parts

However, if the vague verve is overactive, your heart may not pump enough blood around the body. Sometimes, it can cause organ damage and loss of consciousness known as a Vasovagal Response.

Why should I care?

Like you’ve seen above, the vagus nerve plays a huge role in our overall health and wellness. However, research has shown that chronic conditions such as diabetes and alcoholism can cause damages to the vague nerve. And if the vagus nerve is damaged, it may result in diarrhea, bloating, nausea, and gastroparesis. That’s more reason why you should learn how to strengthen your vagus nerve naturally.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about natural ways to strengthen your vagal nerve for better health.

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Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 4: How your brain/nervous system CONTROLS your immune system - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Do you always suffer flu or cold? Is it getting on your nerves? Do you sometimes feel that’s normal? Well, the truth is that the fact that some people get sick doesn’t mean everybody has to. Your ability to fight infection or ward of disease is strongly dependent on an important system in the body called the “Immune System.”

The interesting part is that your brain/nervous system has a huge control over your immune system. Over the past 20 years, there has been much research conducted on the human immune system, and findings have clearly shown that there is a correlation between your nervous system and your state of immunity.

Little wonder, many of our patients at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, who come in with sore throats, colds, stomach viruses and sinus congestion often report an accelerated recovery after our chiropractic adjustment.

Many of them now notice that when their co-workers are all catching flu and cold, they are not. Others notice that they are get sick less frequently than before.

What does this mean? It means that chiropractic correction of the subluxation has a strong effect in improving immune responses of the body. This chiropractic adjustment actually reduces nerve interference.

So, let’s discuss better the correlation between your nervous system and immune system.

How your brain controls your immune system

The concept that the brain controls the activity in the immune system is derived from the theory of stress.

Research on the inter-relationships between the central nervous system and the brain has shown that there’s a vast network of communication pathways between the two systems.

The nervous system and immune system interact with each other more than you think. Both systems release messenger molecules that communicates with each other and other body organs.

The nervous system collects information from the entire body and sends it to the brain and this influences receptors in the immune system.

The brain uses the nerve cells to communicate with the immune system and trigger an immune response. The immune system can also send a trigger to the brain to notify if of any foreign, unwanted body. The brain then tells the nervous system to react appropriately.

Many studies have shown increase levels of antibodies in the immune system after Chiropractic adjustments. And that’s where a chiropractic care comes to play. Little wonder our patients who were sick with sore throat, colds, and sinus congestion always report accelerated recoveries after some chiropractic adjustments.

To keep it simple, the goal of a chiropractic care is to remove every interference in the nervous system- including stress- that may compromise your immune system. This helps to improve your natural day-to-day function. This is possible because the brain and nervous system controls the functions of your entire body, including your nervous system.

Chiropractic adjustments reduce stress on the nervous system, improving its communication with the rest of the body.

You can visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about the influence of the brain/nervous system on your immune system. You can also consult us for the best chiropractic adjustment to improve the state of your nervous system for overall wellbeing.

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Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 3: Immune Health - Gut/Digestive tract and immunity: what you can do to enhance it - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

In times past, it was erroneously believed that bacteria had little or nothing to do with our wellbeing, but recent research has made it clear that bacteria contribute greatly to our immunity and overall wellbeing, specifically the bacteria found in our gut.

There are over 10,000 species and trillions of microorganisms in our gut, and they all form what is called the gut microbiome. So, it’s not far-fetched when people say “we are more bacteria than we are human.”

The gut microbiome impacts many physiological processes in the body, including weight, digestion, and level of concentration, mood, and more. However, there are pathogenic bacteria and good friendly bacteria.

The same way the bad guys or bad bacteria can overpopulate your gut, good bacteria can too.

When you change the way you eat, it can change the expression of your genes by boosting the population of the microbiome with diverse microbial cells.

Cutting out processed foods and adding more prebiotic fiber is essential in increasing biodiversity.

Probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, etc. work well to introduce strong microbes to your gut, supporting a more efficient gut microbiome. This has a strong influence on your immunity, and we’ll show you how.

How do gut bacteria impact immunity?

Your immune system has a role to protect your body from pathogens and foreign bodies. It basically consists of a group of cells, organs, and proteins that work together to protect the body from germs, viruses, and pathogens generally.

When your immune system is working perfectly fine, it goes unnoticed, but when it is not in good condition, your defenses become too weak to fight. Many opportunistic bacteria and pathogens swoop in and outnumber the good bacteria.

So how does the gut or digestive tract come into play?

Many studies have clearly shown how human cells and microbial units coevolved together in symbiosis. The immune system has a strong link with gut bacteria.

Like we’ve mentioned earlier, most of the human microbiota is present in the gut, and so does 70-80% of the immune system. Both the gut bacteria and the immune system work in a symbiotic way to eliminate harmful pathogens and ensure that the body is protected.

The gut influences the strength of the immune system, which in turn forms the diversity of the microbiome. Throughout life, other factors like diet, lifestyle habits, and environment shape the composition of the gut flora.

The gut bacteria act as a gatekeeper and teach the immune cells called T-cells to identify and distinguish foreign agents from our own tissue.

When the antibodies produced in the body cannot access certain pathogens that attack your body cells, the T-cells come in to handle the situation and destroy the infected cells. This process is known as cell-mediated immunity.

That’s why it is important to maintain a powerful immune system that communicates well with the gut.

When everything is working normally, the gut sends signals for the development of a healthy immune function that regulates immune function. In return, the immune system supports an increase in the population of health-promoting microbes.

When the gut and immune system are in good working relations, your body responds to pathogens and tolerates harmless bacteria, preventing autoimmune responses and ensuring your overall wellbeing.

To enhance the function of your gut bacteria, eat organic foods, decreasing or eliminating fluoride, cut out processed foods, and include more prebiotic fiber (legumes and vegetables) and probiotics in your diet.

When your gut is filled with the good guys, your whole body enjoys it as your immune system stays strong to ward off pathogens.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office to learn more about your gut health and how it affects your immune system. We will also show you natural measures to boost the health-boosting bacteria in your digestive tract.

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I wanted to let you know about Michael Rubino, an innovative expert in mold contamination and remediation. While Rubino is only in his 30s, he is already turning the mold remediation world on its ear with his unique approach to this business.

This pandemic made us more conscious of good hygiene and learned to stay and cope with working more from home. You may know that many are struggling with molds in their homes and the effects of mold exposure on their health. Many seek out mold remediation companies but still suffer after the jobs are done. That’s because many conventional mold remediators are only doing part of this job.

When Rubino does mold remediation, his procedure removes all traces of mold including the spores they leave behind and the toxins produced by the mold.

To educate those who are struggling with molds in their homes, Rubino wrote the book Mold Medic. In detail, Rubino advises readers on how to choose a mold remediation company and the exact processes that the company should be using. He also explains how to recover from mold-related illnesses and do home maintenance. His message is perfect for those interested in achieving and maintaining robust health.

Rubino and his company All American Restoration have been featured in USA Today, NJBiz, Reader’s Digest, New Jersey Monthly and Digital Trends. He was also selected as a speaker for the Spring 2020 Indoor Air Quality Association Meeting and Expo.

Rubino received a Bachelor of Science degree in 2008 and is a council-certified microbial remediator from the American Council for Accredited Certification, and a New York State Department of Labor Remediation Contractor. He has spent the past seven years involved in construction and remediating mold contamination.

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Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 2: Immune Health - Bone Marrow: how to stimulate it to work better? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue present inside our bones. It is responsible for producing red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The lymphocytes produced in these tissues play an important role in the immune system.

The bone marrow is active in newborn babies and new cells are produced continuously, but as you grow into adulthood, the marrow inside your feet, legs, arms, and hands stop producing new marrow cells. At the adult stage, the active marrow is found inside the hip, spine, shoulder bones, breastbone, ribs, and skull. However, the hip and spine have the richest content of bone marrow cells.

What is the role of the bone marrow?

Like we said earlier, our bone marrow produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The blood cells start off as stem cells – young immature cells inside the marrow. Once they develop, they do not live for too long. That’s the reason why our bone marrow continuously produce all three types of blood cells to keep us healthy.

The red blood cells are mainly involved in the transport of oxygen and nutrients. These cells also get rid of carbon dioxide which is given out through the lungs as you breathe out.

The platelets are cells that support blood coagulation to stop bleeding at body sites that have been injured or cut.

The white blood cells are mainly involved in the immune response of the body. They help fight against infection to improve health and overall wellbeing.

There are many types of white blood cells in the body, including monocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. These cells fight against invading viruses, bacteria, or fungi to destroy the infection. However, each of them differs in appearance. Other type of white blood cells – basophils and eosinophils- respond to allergens that can invade your body.

Role of the bone marrow in the immune system

Your immune system generally works to protect your body from disease. The lymph nodes- which are small glands scattered throughout the body- are made inside the bone marrow, and once they are made, lymphocytes travel between each of these nodes through channels called lymphatics.

The lymphatic channels lead to a duct that is emptied into a blood vessel and the lymphocytes enter the blood through these ducts.

There are basically three types of lymphocytes:

• B-lymphocytes (B-cells): These cells make antibodies that attach to the surfaces of pathogens. These antibodies stick to molecules called antigens which binds to the surface of the microbe. The antibody-antigen bond triggers the growth of B-cells, which helps to fight infection.
• T-lymphocytes (T-cells): The T-cells mature in a small organ called the “thymus,” which is located just behind the breastbone. The T-cells support B-cells in making antibodies to fight viruses, bacteria, or other microbes. T-cells actually bind to the antigen on the surface of the microbe and engulf and destroy the pathogen directly.
• Natural killer (NK) cells: These are lymphocytes that attack cells that have been infected by a virus.

The bone marrow plays a huge role in your immune system as it is the site of the production of blood cells that produce antibodies against the action of pathogens, thereby improving your immunity.

You can visit Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City to learn about natural ways to boost your bone marrow function and get chiropractic adjustment to optimize the function of your body.

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The thymus gland is a small pinkish-gray organ located behind your breastbone. It plays critical role in the immune system, especially in stimulating the development of disease-fighting T cells.

The thymus actually starts working before you’re born and as you grow into puberty it becomes gradually replaced by fatty tissue. It becomes completely replaced as more move into your 70s.

When the thymus is active, it helps your body protect itself against autoimmunity, which happens when the immune system fights against itself. Hence, the thymus plays a crucial role in the lymphatic system (your body’s internal drainage system that helps remove toxins and waste from your body).

From the fetus stage to the childhood stage, the thymus is mainly involved in the production and maturation of T-cells or T-lymphocytes- a white blood cell type responsible for protecting the body against certain threats, including infections and viruses.

The thymus gland produces a hormone called thymosin, which is needed for the production and development of T cells.

However, don’t forget that the thymus is at its largest in children, and as you reach the puberty stage, it starts to slowly shrink. At the age of 75, your thymus is a little more than fatty tissue.

But the good part is that by the time you reach puberty, the thymus gland has reached its maximum weight (about 1 ounce) and it has produced all of your T cells.

Thymus gland: Production of Thymosin

The thymus gland secretes thymosin which stimulates the development of T cells. White blood cells called lymphocytes actually pass through the thymus throughout your childhood years, and as they pass through this organ, they are transformed into T cells.

After maturation in the thymus, the T cells migrate to the lymph nodes (collection of immune system cells located at different parts of the body), where they help the immune system in fighting pathogens and diseases.

The mature T cells play roles in:

Immunity

The mature T cells support immunity in that they isolate foreign bodies or cells, lock them onto the cell and kill it. This is also called cell-mediated immunity as it involves the action of immune cells in fighting infections.

Autoimmunity

T cells generally have barricades at their cortex to prevent them from being sensitized to the body’s own cells. However, cells that accidentally become sensitized to “self” are often cleared by the process of negative selection in the medulla. This helps to prevent the development of autoimmune disorders.

If your thymus gland is removed early in life, you are at a high risk of developing autoimmune disorders.

How to stimulate the thymus to work better

You can support your thymus to keep pumping out T-cells with the following measures:

• Ramp up your antioxidant intake: Studies have shown that antioxidants like vitamin C help to protect the thymus from free radicals and age-related shrinkage.
• Stay away from artificial sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners like sucralose have been studied to cause shrinkage of the thymus glands.
• Get enough zinc: Zinc is the most important mineral needed by your thymus gland to stay healthy.
• Thymex: a fantastic product from Standard Process

Some interesting research shows that thymus extract, like thymomodulin, helps to boost the immune system against respiratory infections such as asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and hay fever. These conditions are often triggered by an overactive immune system, so the process of calming the immune system reduces the severity of such attacks.

The functioning of the thymus gland both as a lymphatic organ and an endocrine organ plays a crucial role in your long-term health and wellbeing.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City to learn more about natural ways to stimulate your thymus to work better in boosting your immune system.

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Why your sugar consumption should not exceed 10% of your carbohydrate calories- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Sugars are commonly seen in many natural foods and drinks as simple carbohydrates. Healthful foods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products contain sugars, which gives them a sweeter taste.

It is important for you to include these foods in your diet as they also offer a range of nutrients that gives valuable health benefits.

However, a lot of food manufacturers tend to add sugar to foods such as cereals, cake, and some beverages and drinks. These added sugars or free sugars are implicated in many health problems, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Unlike the natural sugars found in foods and drinks, added sugars offer no nutritional value. Besides, the body digests them very quickly and they are a poor energy source.

Carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for the body, and roughly half of your daily calorie intake should come from these carbohydrate-rich foods.

How much sugar is too much?

The Dietary Guideline for Americans advises that added sugars should make no more than 10% of people’s daily calorie intake. So, if you have a daily intake of 2,000 calories, your added sugar should not be more than 200 calories.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) advises in 2015 that people take half this amount, with no more than 5% of daily calories coming from added sugar. So, diets of 2,000 calories per day should include no more than 100 calories from added sugar. This is equivalent to 6 tsp., at the most.

What are the effects of too much sugar?

When you consume excess added sugar (beyond the recommended amount stated above), you’re at risk of the following:

Weight gain and obesity

A diet high in added sugar has been shown by studies to cause leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone produced by the body to signal to the brain that you’ve had enough food.

So, when you eat too much sugar, it may interfere with your brain’s ability to know when you’ve had enough food. This puts you at risk of weight gain and obesity.

Tooth decay

The bacteria that live in the mouth digest sugar and creates an acidic waste product. This acid erodes your teeth’ enamel, leading to cavities or holes in your teeth.

When you eat sugary foods frequently, especially in between mealtimes, in sweetened drinks, or as snacks, you are likely to have tooth decay.

Aging skin

When you consume too much added sugar in your diet, it can lead to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are linked to faster visible aging. More so, excess sugar affects the formation of collagen in the skin.

Acne

Some studies have shown that people who consume lots of added sugars in foods and drinks are more likely to develop moderate to severe acne.

Some other study suggests that when you lower your sugar consumption, it may decrease insulin-like growth factors, sebum, and androgens, all of which contributes to acne formation.

Other effects of too much sugar include:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

Cancer

Looking at all these effects of consuming excess sugar, it is important that you limit your added sugar content in your diets below 10%. You should carefully check food labels and look out for sugar forms like brown, sucrose, maltose, corn syrup, molasses, corn sweetener, malt syrup, etc.

Although some of these sugars are not harmful in small amounts, you might consume too much of them without realizing it.

A simple piece of advice for you is to avoid processed foods containing excess added sugar. Cook whole foods and get your calories from healthful foods containing sugar such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, etc.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about carbohydrates to add to your diet to get your daily calorie needs.

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What are the Best Sources of Carbohydrates? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Right from your elementary education, you must have learned about carbohydrates to be an essential component of your diet. In fact, they are one of the main nutrients your body needs, along with fats and protein.

What are carbohydrates?

In simple terms, carbohydrates are biomolecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. They provide THE energy needed for our bodies to work optimally. When you eat a food that is rich in carbohydrates, your body breaks it down into glucose- which is the primary fuel that circulates in our blood and serves as fuel for the brain.

Functions of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important for the following functions:

• They supply the body with energy
• They form a key part of some connective tissues
• The fiber content in carbohydrates helps to lower blood cholesterol
• They help to retain protein so it can be used to repair and build
• They help to prevent the degradation of skeletal muscles

Best sources of carbohydrates

You can get carbohydrates from both processed and unprocessed foods, but processed or refined carbs offer little to no nutritional value. The best sources of carbohydrates are whole and unprocessed foods as they are usually nutritious and highly healthy.

The human body cannot produce carbohydrates, so you can only take them through your diet. Here are some best sources of carbohydrates:

Simple carbohydrates: Best sources include oranges, apples, bananas, pineapple, berries, sweet potatoes, and milk.

Starchy carbohydrates: Best sources include grain bread, whole grains, potatoes, beans, and some nuts.

Complex carbohydrates: Best sources include peas, barley, beans, wild rice, oats, brown rice, etc. This form of carbohydrate contains fiber and starch and they do not spike blood sugar levels. Instead, they help to support minimal sugar levels in the blood.

Fibrous carbohydrates: Best sources include fresh vegetables like carrot, pumpkin, broccoli, beans, squash, cucumber, etc.

These food sources above are loaded with good carbohydrates.

The bad or unhealthy carbohydrates are found in foods like white bread, candies, chocolates, sugary drinks, ice cream, pastries, and other processed foods. These food items contain easily digested carbohydrates that may interfere with weight loss, contribute to weight gain, and promote heart disease and diabetes.

Hence, ensure you reduce your intake of these carbs or avoid them completely if possible, to keep your health in good condition even in your old age.

Tips to add healthy carbohydrates to your diet:

• Start your day with whole grains – You can try a hot cereal like old-fashioned oats (not instant oatmeal). You can also try a cold cereal but ensure whole grain is mentioned first on the ingredient list and the food is low in sugar.
• Eat whole-grain bread for lunch. Choose bread that lists whole rye, whole wheat, or any other whole grain as the first ingredient. However, note that the products that are made with only whole grains are far better.
• Go for whole fruit instead of juice
• Add beans to your diet rather than fill up on potatoes. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbs. Eating too many potatoes may cause weight gain.

The rule of thumb is to eat whole foods, which are the best sources of carbohydrates, and avoid processed and refined carbohydrates. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones in our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about natural sources of carbohydrates that help to support healthy living.

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A lot of people tend to cut out foods containing carbohydrates just to reduce their weight. However, many do not consider the short-term and long-term consequences of such actions.

If you’re one of the people cutting carbs out completely to lose weight, this article will show you the many side effects of your actions.

What are carbohydrates and what do they do?

Carbohydrates are sugar molecules that can be broken down to release glucose needed by the body to make energy. This macromolecule includes starches, fiber, and sugars that can be found in various foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and legumes.

Your body uses carbohydrates as its major source of energy. Although the body can also use fat and protein to make fuel, the process is quite long and less efficient.

According to the Institute of Medicine, every individual should get 45 to 65 percent of their daily calorie intake from carbohydrates food sources. More so, the average minimum suggested amount of carbohydrates to take daily is 130 grams.

However, your carb and calories intake depend heavily on your lifestyle, activity level, and your health needs. Generally, if you live a sedentary life, you will need a lower percentage of carbohydrates compared to an individual who engages in regular vigorous activities.

Now, let’s discuss what happens when you cut carbohydrates out completely.

Side effects of cutting out carbs

Cutting out carbohydrates completely from your diet can lead to the development of many side effects and symptoms that can be deadly to your health. Some symptoms may be temporary and clear up as your body adjust, but certain effects are permanent and may cause great damage to your health and wellbeing.

Here are some reasons why cutting out carbs is a bad idea:

Severe headache

When you do not take carbohydrates in your diet, your blood glucose level drops drastically, and this can cause severe headaches. You may experience this ache daily and the severity can increase until you increase your carb intake.

Constipation and dehydration

When you cut carbs out completely, it may lead to constant constipation and dehydration. That’s because your body needs an adequate amount of carbohydrates to operate smoothly.

Most low-carb diets skip foods containing fibers and this promotes constipation. You may even experience intestinal blockage and stomach cramps in extreme cases.

Fatigue, sadness, and depression

Your body needs an adequate amount of carbs to work optimally. When you take out the energy-giving compounds, you are likely to suffer real fatigue and run into depression and sadness.

Also, carbs play a major role in the production of hormones. So when you cut carbs out of your diet, it causes hormonal imbalance that leads to emotional instability.

Bad breath

When your body is deprived of carbohydrates, it switches to using fats as a source of energy through a process called “ketosis.” This process causes the accumulation of ketone bodies that tends to give out a fruity and nail polish remover smell. So, you can expect to have bad breath.

There are other side effects of cutting carbs out completely, including:

• Brain fog
• Heart palpitations
• Leg cramps
• Bloating
• Elevated cholesterol level

When you’re thinking of a long-term way to lose some pounds and maintain your weight, you shouldn’t think of cutting carbs out completely. You’ll be doing more harm to your health if you do so. Instead, you can follow a good diet plan and exercise routine.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn about natural and healthy ways to lose weight and improve your overall health instead of cutting out carbs completely.

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Protein is an important part of every diet, and it is essential for cells formation and repair. It is a major component of the muscle, bone, skin, organs, nails, and hair.

What is protein?

Protein is a macronutrient that is made up of long chains of amino acids. It is one of the three macronutrients the body requires in larger amounts. The other two include carbohydrates and fat.

Basically, there are 20 amino acids that the body uses in making protein. These proteins include arginine, alanine, asparagine, cysteine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine, methionine, proline, phenylalanine, lysine, serine, tryptophan, valine, tyrosine, and threonine.

The specific order of these amino acids is a determinant of the structure and function of each protein.

An adequate amount of protein is needed for keeping the bones, muscles, and tissues healthy. This macronutrient plays a function in many bodily processes, including:

• Fluid balance
• Blood clotting
• Hormones
• Immune system responses
• Enzyme Activity
• Vision

What are the good sources of protein?

Both plant and animal foods can be great sources of protein. The following are some excellent examples:

• Lean meats and poultry
• Seafood
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Legumes, which include peas and beans
• Seeds

Some other sources of protein include dairy products, such as cheese, milk, and yogurt. Vegetables and whole grains also contain some protein content.

How much protein should we be eating?

You need to get an adequate amount of protein every day to maintain optimal health. Not getting enough would definitely affect your body composition, and overall health.

The dietary reference intake (DRI) is 0.8 grams of protein per kg (0.36 grams per pound). This means you an average sedentary man should have 56 grams of proteins per day and the average sedentary woman should have 46 grams.

So if you want to determine your daily protein intake, you can simply multiply your weight in kg or pounds by 0.36. These numbers are basically for sustaining life, but not to have a thriving functioning body. If you are active you will need much more. You should take into account these factors: your ideal weight and your activity level and make your calculations from there.

Protein deficiency can cause malnutrition and if you have a very low protein intake, you may suffer the following:

• Edema or swelling
• Weak muscle tone
• Skin lesions
• Thin, brittle hair
• Hormone imbalance
• Loss of muscle mass in adults
• Growth deficits in children

Looking at these effects of poor protein intake, here are some tips for getting enough protein in your diet

• Include one good protein source with each meal and snack
• Add peas and beans to soups, salads, or side dishes.
• Replace a carbohydrate source with a source of protein, such as swapping a toast for an egg in the morning
• Check labels before adding protein bars to your diet, as they can be high in sugar
• Choose nutrient-rich foods in place of processed foods

In summary, protein is an important part of your diet, and you should add good sources of this macronutrient to your diet to meet your daily protein needs. You can visit Dr. Jason at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about including healthful, high protein food in your diet.

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Supplements Every Man Should Be Taking – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Most men in our today’s fast-paced environment are constantly overworking themselves and sleeping less. More so, a large percentage of men keep poor nutrition habits on top of poor stress management. So why would supplements not be a necessity?

Supplements make a huge difference as they supply the body with the needed vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy living and prevent health issues.

Nutrient deficiencies are commonly implicated in low testosterone levels and prostate issues. But with the right supplements, these conditions are avoidable.

Here is a list of supplements every man should be taking:

Zinc

As a man, your testosterone level tends to drop with age, stress, and obesity. And low testosterone has been linked to osteoporosis, depression, heart disease, obesity, and even death.

That’s more reason why you should add enough zinc to your diet. This supplement helps to boost testosterone levels in the blood.

More so, studies show that men are more likely to have erectile dysfunction if they have a zinc deficiency.

Zinc is also essential for immune function, as well as DNA and protein production.

Vitamin B-complex

Your body needs a continuous supply of B-vitamins because it cannot store them. These vitamins are important for a man’s heart health.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is needed to boost your good HDL cholesterol and keep your bad LDL cholesterol at low levels.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) is essential for red blood cell formation. Besides, it supports the production of sex and stress hormones.

Basically, all the B vitamins bring a plethora of benefits and taking them covers all bases.

Omega-3

Fish oils are good supplements for heart and prostate health. This oil helps to protect the heart, eyes, brain, and blood vessels.

If you keep a stressful lifestyle, your brain and heart are at risk of breakdown. That’s why you need fish oil because it contains nutrients that help to keep your brain and heart in good form. Besides, fish oil is anti-inflammatory.

More so, studies have shown that men with cancer who eat low-fat foods combined with fish oil supplements record a reduced growth rate of cancer cells.

Omega-3 is known for its anti-inflammatory effect. It supports joint, cardiovascular, and brain health.

Taking omega-3 supplements is also important for healthy hormone production. It can also help to lower your blood sugar levels, hence, boosting the stability of hormones and the management of stress.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for every man’s health. This vitamin helps to boost the immune system and ward off infections. More so, it helps boost your testosterone levels.

When you add vitamin D supplements to your diet, you also get to enjoy better cardiovascular health and bone growth.

Magnesium

Magnesium is also called the “master mineral,” as it is essential for many body functions. It is needed for protein synthesis, blood glucose control, hormonal health, and nerve function.

If you are deficient in magnesium, you tend to experience constant tiredness, decreased libido, and poor sleep quality.

Magnesium helps to increase testosterone levels and boosts fertility.

Hence, add magnesium supplements to your diet, and choose options that contain Magnesium Malate, Citrate, and Glycinate. Taking up to two grams of this supplement daily will boost your testosterone levels, reduce muscle cramps, improve sleep quality, and speed up your exercise recovery

There are more supplements you can add to your diet. Consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about these supplements and how to improve your overall health.

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Erectile Dysfunction: Common Causes and natural solutions – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the common health conditions recorded among men. In fact, According to the Urology Care Foundation, it is estimated that 30 million Americans experience ED. Many patients in our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC have reported how erectile dysfunction has affected their sex drive, and how it resulted in depression and low self-esteem.

So it is important that we discuss this problem, which is common in men.

What is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is simply the inability to get or maintain a firm enough erection to have sexual intercourse. This condition is sometimes referred to as “impotence.”

Many men experience ED during times of stress, but when it becomes frequent, it is a clear sign of health problems that need medical attention.

An erection is normally achieved when there is an increased blood flow into your penis. And this happens when a man is sexually excited. The muscles in your penis relax and blood flows into your penile arteries, resulting in the filling of two chambers inside the penis. This makes the penis grow hard.

What are the causes of Erectile Dysfunction?

There are many possible causes of ED, including physical and emotional conditions. However, the common causes of ED include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Kidney disease
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Depression
• High cholesterol
• Low testosterone levels
• Increased age
• Sleep disorders
• Certain prescription medication

Prescription Medications that Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction

Numerous prescription medications have been implicated in erectile dysfunction. That’s why it is important to always consult your doctor before changing or stopping your medications.

Some medications that can cause erectile dysfunction include:

• Heart medications such as digoxin
• Drugs that work on the central nervous system, including amphetamines and sleeping pills
• Drugs to control high blood pressure
• Anxiety treatments
• Some diuretics
• Prostate treatment drugs
• Opioid painkillers
• Antidepressants, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Tricyclic antidepressants, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Anticholinergic drugs
• Some cancer drugs
• The peptic ulcer medication cimetidine
• Hormone drugs

Natural Solutions for Erectile dysfunction

There are many treatment options available for ED such as drugs, surgical treatments, and more. But the natural solutions are advisable to avoid unpleasant side effects.

Here are some natural solutions that have been used to treat erectile dysfunction:

Exercises

Certain exercises have been shown to help with erectile dysfunction. You can try the following:

• Kegel exercises: These exercises involve simple movements that help to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Start by stopping your pee midstream to identify your pelvic floor muscles. Contract these muscles for at least 3 seconds, and then release them. You can do this exercise three times a day, and 10 to 20 times in a row.
• Aerobic exercise: You can try moderate to vigorous exercises like swimming and running. These exercises increase your blood flow and improve your overall health
• Yoga: This helps to relax your mind and ease every form of stress and anxiety.

Eating a healthy diet

You can prevent or treat erectile dysfunction by eating a healthy diet. This helps to maintain your blood vessels and increase your blood flow.

• Eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
• Limit your consumption of processed sugars, full-fat dairy, and red meats
• Limit or quit alcohol consumption

Natural herbs

You can improve erectile dysfunction by using certain herbs, including:

• Asparagus racemosus
• Ginseng, such as Korean ginseng
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
• Yohimbe
• Horny goat weed

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a traditional treatment measure that involves inserting needed at specific parts of the skin. This method works for erectile dysfunction through nerve stimulation, and it has an effect on the release of neurotransmitters.

Prostatic massage

A prostatic massage is an effective form of massage used for ED. During this method, the practitioner massages the tissue in and around the groin to promote the flow of blood to your penis.

You may need to undergo this massage several times a week, but it all depends on your symptoms.

In conclusion, erectile dysfunction is one of the most common health conditions in men. It is sometimes called impotence and its risk increases with age. There are several factors that can cause ED, including prescription medications. This condition can lead to depression, lower, sex drive, low self-esteem, and stress.

Several treatment measures are available for ED, including medical interventions, lifestyle changes, and natural remedies.

We however recommend the natural solutions listed above. However, you should consult your doctor before using any of those methods.

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Loss of Strength with age and what to do about it – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Your muscles tend to grow larger and stronger from the baby stage to around the time you turn 30. But in your 30S, your muscles start to lose mass and function, and this condition is called sarcopenia with aging.

You tend to lose more muscle mass and strength if you’re physically inactive. Research says you can lose as much as 3-5% of your muscle mass if you lead a sedentary life after age 30. However, even if you’re active, you’ll still lose some muscle mass, but a bit slower than when you’re inactive.

There’s no specific level of muscle mass that you need to have to diagnose sarcopenia. You tend to have reduced strength and mobility, hence, any loss of muscle mass is significant.

You tend to experience sarcopenia faster around age 75. However, the fast rate may start as late as age 80. Muscle loss is a factor in frailty and a high tendency of falls in older adults.

What are the symptoms and causes of sarcopenia?

As you lose muscle mass and strength with age, you tend to start seeing some symptoms, such as loss of stamina and weakness. These symptoms often limit how much physical activity you can do, and this further shrinks your muscle mass.

Sarcopenia is normally seen in people who are inactive, but sometimes, people who are active experience loss of muscle mass. When active people have sarcopenia, it often suggests that other factors are contributing to it. Including:

• A decrease in the ability to convert protein into energy
• A drop in the activities of nerve cells, responsible for passing signals from the brain to the muscles to initiate movement
• Not getting enough protein or calories each day to sustain muscle mass
• Lower concentration of hormones, including testosterone, growth hormones, and insulin-like growth factors.

What can you do about sarcopenia?

Some natural ways you can treat sarcopenia include:

Exercise

The major way to handle sarcopenia is to exercise. You need to engage in more strength and resistance training. As you use different weights, and resistance bands, you’ll be able to build muscle strength and endurance.

More so, resistance training helps improve your body’s ability to convert protein to energy in less than two weeks.

However, keep in mind that the intensity, proper number, and frequencies of resistance exercise are important for getting maximum benefit with the lowest risk of injury.

That’s why you need to work with an experienced physical therapist or trainer to get the best exercise plan that would work for you.

Get enough protein and calories in your diet

Protein and calories are essential to sustain muscle mass and energy. As you grow older, you should eat more protein-rich foods and add enough calories to your diet. This way, your body gets enough nutrients to build new muscle mass and strength.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about natural measures to treat sarcopenia and improve your muscle mass and strength even as you age.

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Low Testosterone: what it means for men’s health and how to naturally bring it up – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Testosterone is the male sex hormone (though females have small amounts). This hormone is made in the testicles and is essential for normal male sexual developments.

From the puberty stage, testosterone helps the boy child to develop features like facial and pubic hair, muscle strength, and a deeper voice. This hormone also helps in the production of sperm cells.

However, some men suffer low testosterone levels and this is called Low Testosterone (Low-T) or Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome (TD). The American Urology Association (AUA) identifies Low Testosterone as less than 300 ng/dL.

What are the causes of low testosterone?

Some persons are born with conditions that cause Low-T such as Noonan syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome. However, some conditions can lead to Low-T in some men. These conditions include:

• Chemotherapy or radiation
• Damage to testicles by accident
• Infection
• Pituitary gland disease leading to hormone deficiency
• Autoimmune disease
• Removal of testicles because of cancer

Also, if your testicles keep producing less testosterone than normal, it leads to low blood levels of testosterone. That’s why many men who develop Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome have low testosterone levels linked to:

• Aging
• Metabolic syndrome (high blood sugar, high blood pressure, belly fat, and unhealthy cholesterol levels).
• Obesity
• Use of medications such as narcotic pain medications and antidepressants

How common is low testosterone in men

Studies show that about 2 in every 100 men may have Low-T. Also, as many as 50% of men over 80 years of age may have Low-T.

However, it is quite challenging to know how many men among us have low testosterone. Researchers often use different cut-off points, so you’re likely to hear different numbers being stated.

Symptoms of low testosterone

Low-T can lead to a group of symptoms or conditions, including:

• Low sex drive
• Erectile dysfunction
• Depression
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Reduced lean muscle mass

Natural ways to boost your testosterone level

There’s no magical remedy for Low-T, but some natural ways to boost your testosterone levels include:

Lose that excess weight

You’re likely to have Low-T if you’re overweight and diabetic. However, men who lose excess weight and maintain a normal weight have a lower risk of developing low testosterone.

In fact, studies have shown that losing some weight helps to boost your testosterone level. You don’t have to go on a crash diet to achieve this, instead, you only need to eat a sensible diet and exercise regularly.

Get adequate sleep

Lack of sleep has been shown by research to reduce testosterone levels in men. You are likely to have low testosterone levels after one week of reduced sleep.

Normally, during sleep-restricted days, testosterone levels drop between 2 pm and 10 pm. More so, you tend to have a decreased sense of wellbeing as your testosterone levels go down.

That said, getting adequate sleep has been shown to boost testosterone levels. Generally, most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep to maintain a healthy life.

Add enough zinc to your diet

Zinc plays an important role in regulating blood testosterone levels, but most men with low testosterone often have zinc deficiencies.

Hence, a natural way to boost your testosterone level is to eat foods rich in zinc. Some good examples of zinc-rich foods include red meat, lobster, crab, whole grains, beans, and nuts.

Every adult male should aim to take 11 mg of zinc every day.

Exercising

Engaging in exercises like resistance training has been shown to boost testosterone levels. More so, it improves your mood and stimulates your brain chemicals that boost happiness.

You also get to have more energy and endurance when you exercise. Besides, you also sleep better.

Reduce your sugar intake

The human body is complex and needs a variety of minerals and vitamins to maintain health. Apart from increasing your zinc intake, you also need to decrease your sugar consumption.

Studies have shown that high sugar level decreases testosterone levels to as much as 25 percent in the bloodstream.

In conclusion, low testosterone, otherwise called Low-T often contributes to erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive, fragile bones, and other health issues. Having Low-T may also indicate an underlying medical condition. So if you notice any of the symptoms above, try to see your doctor for a proper check.

However, you can boost your testosterone level naturally using the measures highlighted above. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about natural ways to deal with Low-T and maintain a healthy living.

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Amber Romaniuk is an Emotional Eating, Digestive and Hormone Expert who helps professional women achieve optimal health through mindful eating, self-care and overcoming self-sabotage with food.

Her podcast “The No Sugarcoating Podcast” has over a half a million downloads and she has appeared on local TV 50 times in the last three years alone.

Amber overcame her own emotional eating after gaining and losing more than 1,000 pounds, spending over $50,000 on binge foods and spending 5 years balancing her hormones and digestion.

Now she helps others achieve Body Freedom™ so they have the confidence and health to create amazing lives.

Amber Discusses in our Interview:

Emotional eating

Binge eating

How emotional and binge eating develop

The signs/symptoms of emotional and binge eating

What someone needs to do to begin to overcome it

This episode is packed with simple and easy tips

Contact Amber:

Private Coaching

Consultation

Take the Emotional Eating Quiz

Amber Approved Podcast

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Adrenal health: high and low cortisol - symptoms and problems associated – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Adrenal glands are one of the vital structures that contributes to overall health. This triangular-shaped gland is located on top of each kidney and it consists of two parts – the outer region (adrenal cortex) and inner region (adrenal medulla).

The adrenal cortex produces glucocorticoids (i.e., cortisol), which is a hormone that has important effects on the heart, metabolism, blood pressure, immunity, bone, and nervous system.

Cortisol levels vary in the blood throughout the day, but generally high when you wake up in the morning and fall throughout the day. However, if you work at night, the reverse is the case. So cortisol production is linked to your daily activity pattern.

Both cortisol deficiency and its overproduction have a significant effect on the body, which we are going to talk about in this article.

Low cortisol levels

Cortisol controls how much sugar and fat your body stores, and how much is released for fuel. Also, cortisol is regarded as your body’s main stress hormone.

Your adrenal glands release a burst of cortisol when you’re stressed, and this is intended to help you cope. Your blood sugar level is also increased for a boost of energy.

Low cortisol levels are a form of adrenal insufficiency- meaning the adrenal glands are not producing enough cortisol. This adrenal insufficiency can be broken down into three categories, including:

Primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease)

This is usually caused by immune system malfunctions that launch an attack on the adrenal glands, impairing their cortisol-producing ability. This leads to low cortisol levels.

This primary adrenal insufficiency can also be caused by cancerous cells, genetic disorders, surgical removal of adrenal glands, or certain antifungal medications.

Some common symptoms associated with primary adrenal insufficiency include:

• Weight loss
• Extreme fatigue
• Decreased appetite
• Depression
• Darkening of the skin
• Nausea

Secondary adrenal insufficiency

This happens when the pituitary gland produces a lower amount of ACTH (the hormone that triggers the adrenal gland to produce cortisol). This leads to low cortisol levels.

Some common symptoms include hyperpigmentation, blood pressure issues, dehydration, and low blood sugar.

Tertiary adrenal insufficiency

This adrenal insufficiency shows up when the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is inhibited. This suppresses ACTH levels and leads to low cortisol levels.

This condition can occur after you stop using corticosteroids to treat chronic conditions. That’s why you need to consult your doctor if you are taking corticosteroids and need to make changes to the treatment schedule.

High cortisol levels

Too much cortisol in the body can cause what is called “Cushing’s disease”. Many factors, including stress, pituitary tumors, and medication like steroids can contribute to the development of this disease.

Common symptoms associated with high cortisol levels include:

• High blood pressure
• A round, flushed face
• Changes in skin, including purple stretch marks and bruises
• Increased urination
• Weakened muscles
• Osteoporosis
• Mood swings, depression, anxiety, or irritability.

If you notice any of the symptoms associated with low cortisol levels and high cortisol levels, it is important to see your doctor (endocrinologist) for a blood test.

You can also consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office to learn about natural ways to support your adrenal health and the production of cortisol in your body.

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Menopause: what it is, what is happening physiologically? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

As a woman, you get to a stage when your menstruation ceases. Yes, that’s a new phase of life called MENOPAUSE. It doesn’t mean you have a health problem, it is just a natural biological process.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a stage that signifies the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. This transition stage typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. It is characterized by some changes that progress until the final menses and end of your reproductive years.

However, menopause can occur earlier in life due to your genes, some immune disorders, and medical treatments, such as the removal of ovaries. Also, early menopause is often seen among smokers and women with chronic diseases.

Women tend to experience many physical symptoms around the time of menopause, and these symptoms include:

• Night sweats and sleep disturbances
• Hot flashes
• Reduced sex drive
• Vaginal dryness
• Lower fertility
• Irregular menstruation
• Trouble focusing and learning
• Emotional changes

Menopause can also lead to anxiety and changes in mood. You may start experiencing these symptoms before your menstruation ends, and they can last for years.

However, note that each person experiences menopause differently. Some women have full, active lives throughout this period of transition. But some others may feel worse during this period.

A simple way to feel better and boost your overall health during this stage is to maintain a healthful diet and get regular exercise.

What is happening physiologically during menopause?

Menopause is characterized by a reduced production of circulating estrogen. This is as a result of reduced sensitivity of the ovaries to circulating gonadotropins (FHS and LH) caused by a decrease in the available binding sites.

The level of FSH and LH increases during menopause due to the low level of estrogen, and this removes negative feedback on the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

The endometrium lining breaks down when ovulation does not occur, and this is termed “estrogen breakthrough bleeding.” You experience this in the perimenopausal stage and it can happen as frequently as every 2 weeks.

However, bleeding gradually ceases as levels of estrogen decrease.

Generally, menopause has three stages:

Perimenopause: This stage begins many years before menopause when your ovaries produce less estrogen. This period includes the 12 months that follow your last period. It can last until your ovaries stop releasing eggs.

Menopause: This is the stage when your last period is over a year. Your ovaries have stopped producing estrogen and releasing eggs.

Postmenopause: This a period after menopause. The symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats, usually ease. But as you grow older, you become more prone to health risks related to the loss of estrogen

Menopause diagnosis and treatment

You might suspect you’re going into menopause when you keep track of your periods and chart them as they become irregular. This helps your doctor determine if you’re menopausal. There are other blood tests your doctor may also carry out to diagnose menopause.

Note that menopause is a natural process every woman must go through, and most symptoms often go away with time.

But when problems arise during menopause, there are some medical treatments available, including hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), topical hormone therapy, medication for osteoporosis, and others.

However, lifestyle changes are often recommended as an effective way to deal with menopause symptoms:

• If you have hot flashes, you can sleep near a fan, drink cold water, or dress in layers.
• If you experience vaginal dryness, you can use over-the-counter vaginal moisturizers
• If you have sleep problems, you can try exercising more often.
• Avoid smoking
• Limit your alcohol intake
• Stay mentally and socially active to prevent memory problems
• Eat a variety of healthy foods to maintain a healthy weight

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about other natural methods you can follow to deal with menopause symptoms

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Thyroid issues: testing (like TSH, T4, T3, free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3) – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

In this month of MAY, being Women’s Health Month, we are going to discuss one of the common conditions affecting women - thyroid issues. These health conditions can come in form of hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Grave’s disease.

We are also going to discuss blood tests for thyroid function – like TSH, total T4, free T4, Free T3, rT3, and others. These tests are parts of important for diagnosing and treating these thyroid issues.

Usually, a combination of tests is needed to establish the full nature of your thyroid health, but sometimes, a single test is enough to draw some conclusion. The values of the thyroid tests help doctors determine the kind of thyroid issue a person is having.

What is the thyroid gland?

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is located at the front of your neck. The job of this gland is to make thyroid hormones, which help the body use energy and keep the heart, brain, muscles, and other organs working optimally.

The thyroid hormone is secreted into the bloodstream and transported to every tissue in the body. The majority of this hormone is thyroxine, also called T4 (containing four iodine atoms).

This T4 is often converted to triiodothyronine (T3), through the removal of a single iodine atom. This effect takes place mostly in the liver and in some tissues where the T3 acts, including the brain.

Another gland called the pituitary gland secretes the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which controls the amount of T4 produced by the thyroid gland. The amount of TSH produced is dependent on the amount of T4 the pituitary sees.

More TSH is often produced if the pituitary sees very little T4. But once the T4 goes above a certain level, the production of TSH is automatically shut off.

You can liken the work of the thyroid and pituitary gland to the action of a heater and thermostat. When the heater is cold, the thermostat reads and turns on the heater, and when the heat rises to a particular level, the thermostat senses this and turns off the heater.

Having a sufficient amount of the T4 AND T3 hormones is important to maintain the work of the thyroid gland in the body.

An imbalance of the thyroid hormones can lead to various health issues, hence various testing methods are used to determine the level of these hormones in the body

Testing methods

Blood tests are usually taken to measure the amount of thyroid hormone in the body. Some of the tests commonly used to evaluate thyroid function include:

TSH tests

This is the first test to check thyroid function. It is conducted to measure the TSH level in a blood sample. A high TSH level indicates that the thyroid gland is not secreting enough hormone (primary hypothyroidism).

A low TSH level usually arises from an abnormality in the pituitary gland, which disrupts the ability to stimulate the thyroid (hyperthyroidism).

Usually, a normal TSH value indicates that the thyroid is working properly.

T4 tests

T4 is the main thyroid hormone circulating in the blood. A total T4 gives a measure of the free and bound hormone, and this value can change when the binding proteins differ.

A free T4 measures the T4 hormones that are not bound and can enter and affect the body tissues.

Tests that measure free T4 -either free T4 (FT4) or free T4 index (FT1) - are more accurate in reflecting the thyroid function when checked with a TSH.

A Low FT4 OR FTI and an elevated TSH indicate primary hypothyroidism due to disease in the thyroid gland. A low FT4 or FTI and a low TSH shows an individual has hypothyroidism due to an issue with the pituitary gland. An elevated FT4 or FTI and a low TSH are found in people suffering from hyperthyroidism.

T3 tests

T3 tests are usually conducted to diagnose and determine the severity of hyperthyroidism. An elevated amount of this hormone is seen in hyperthyroid patients.

Some individuals having a low TSH shows an elevated amount of the T3 alone with the FT4 or FTI remaining in the normal range.

A T3 test is rarely needed in people with hypothyroidism as it is the last test to become abnormal. People with a severe case of hypothyroidism can have a high TSH and low FT4 and FTI but maintain the normal T3 value.

A free T3 measurement is often not reliable, so it is not helpful.

Reverse T3

Reverse T3 is structurally similar to T3 but the iodine atoms are located differently, which makes it inactive.

In healthy people, measurement of reverse T3 is useful as it helps determine that if there is a high rT3 which can lead to blocking the ability of T3 to be utilized.

If you’re concerned about your energy level, you can exercise more, eat a healthy whole food diet, reduce stress, and sleep well it would be a good idea to get your thyroid tested.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about thyroid issues and natural ways to stay healthy.

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Estrogen Dominance: What it is and the problems created- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Hormones are responsible for a lot of changes in your body, from the puberty stage to pregnancy, and menopause. The chemical substances work like a seesaw- when they’re balanced, your body works as it should, but when there is hormonal imbalance, you can begin to experience a lot of problems as a woman.

One major imbalance, known as “estrogen dominance” is particularly blamed for a number of health and well-being issues women face today. We are going to talk about it and the problems created in this article. But before then, let’s talk a bit about estrogen

What is estrogen?

Estrogen is one of the most important female reproductive hormones that control a lot of bodily functions, including:

• Menstruation
• Regulation of cholesterol production
• Improvement of skin quality and thickness

Estrogen is known as the “female hormone,” but it is also found in men. However, women have a higher level of estrogen than men.

Without estrogen, you will start experiencing symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes, irregular periods, moodiness, and more.

What is estrogen dominance?

Estrogen dominance is a type of hormonal imbalance in which your body produces too much estrogen (or your body doesn’t eliminate excess estrogern) in comparison to progesterone.

This condition is common in women of all, and it is characterized by some common indicators, including:

• Acne along jawline or chin
• Menstrual cramps
• Hot flashes
• PCOS
• Endometriosis
• Weight gain in hips and thighs
• Infertility
• Mood changes during the menstrual cycle
• Uterine fibroids
• PMS

Estrogen dominance can develop from a variety of reasons, but it can also be a result of taking certain medications, like estrogen replacement therapy (a popular treatment for menopause symptoms).

Your body may also develop low progesterone levels, which can lead to hormonal imbalance. This naturally happens during perimenopause and can also be due to the use of a birth control pill.

Also, in some cases, estrogen dominance occurs when the body has too many unhealthy, artificial estrogens from xenoestrogens (chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body).

Xenoestrogens are found in many plastics, makeup, tampons, pesticides, and many other materials.

And then, there’s another important factor: Stress. When you’re stressed, your body produces more cortisol hormone, which slows down your ability to get rid of estrogen.

Health implications or problems created by estrogen dominance

Estrogen dominance is an inflammatory state, and it increases the risk of developing a number of health issues, including:

• Cardiometabolic diseases
• Obesity
• Autoimmune conditions
• Cancer (uterine, breast, and ovarian cancer)

How do you deal with estrogen imbalance?

If you’re having symptoms of estrogen imbalance, you can still gain rebalance through some measures, including diet, lifestyle, and supplementation.

At our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, we always recommend that women eat real food and avoid eating too much “processed foods” and detoxify 1-2 times per year. This helps your body eliminate toxic estrogens through a normal bowel movement.

More so, when you eat real foods, you get the necessary nutrients needed to support your liver and intestinal tract to eliminate toxins efficiently.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones in our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about some diet and lifestyle changes that you can make to help regain estrogen balance.

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Tips for Balancing brain chemicals with supplements and vitamins- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Do you often feel kind of “off” or struggle with your mood? If you answered “YES,” then your brain chemicals may just be out of balance and need a tune up.

Your brain is the powerhouse that runs your life. When the function of your brain is intact, you tend to be energetic, thoughtful, and creative, but when it is out of balance, you may suffer serious problems with your mood, memory, relationship, anger, and work performance.

There are billions of cells in your body connected one to another. These cells communicate through chemical signals or neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, dopamine, and GABA.

The balance of these brain chemicals is important for your mental, emotional, and overall wellbeing. Hence, there are some supplements and vitamins that contributes largely to the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain.

Here are some natural supplements and vitamins that increases the brain’s supply of neurotransmitters as well as support brain balance:

Vitamin B6

This is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential in the production and function of neurotransmitters. This vitamin is essential for early brain development, and it is needed by over 100 enzymes that are involved in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fatty acids, and amino acid.

It is the co-factor for enzymes responsible for converting L-tyrosine to norepinephrine and tryptophan to serotonin.

GABA (Gamma- Aminobutyric Acid)

This amino acid is often considered as the brain’s main “calming” chemical that helps to regulate the excitability of nerves in the brain. It has a muscle relaxer-like effect and it is mainly involved in the production of melatonin.

L-thyrosine

This supplement is essential for the production of the neurotransmitters epinephrine, dopamine, and norepinephrine. It is used up by the cells in the adrenal glands responsible for the production of these brain chemicals.

The adrenal gland work hand-in-hand with the brain to manage stress and improve mental and emotional health.

Your brain needs a good supply of this amino acid to promote mental clarity, especially in times when you’re highly stressed.

Vitamin C

This vitamin is a required co-factor for production of the brain chemical serotonin. It supports the conversion of 5—HTP to serotonin and prevent this conversion from happening in the GI tract.

L-Taurine

This is an important amino acid supplement that serves several regulatory roles in the brain. It stabilizes the electrical activity of nerve cells, and protect again calcium overload that is capable of killing brain cells.

Taurine mainly promotes the optimal performance of GABA and the glutamate transmitter systems.

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

This supplement has been widely shown to studies to increase serotonin production in the brain, thereby reducing the risk of depression and anxiety. More so, it can improve your sleep/wake cycle.

You can add this supplement to your diet to maintain mental and emotional wellbeing, support behavioral self-control, and promote calm and relaxation.

5-HTP is also a powerful brain antioxidant.

Maintaining a balanced level of brain transmitters helps you feel happier, think clearly, and experience overall wellbeing. You can include these supplements and vitamins highlighted above in your diet to balance your brain chemicals, reduce stress, improve your mood, and better your mental health.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about some natural supplements and vitamins that can help you maintain a balance in the amount of neurotransmitters in your brain.

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Stress, the body's response and the adrenal glands- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Stress is one of the big problems facing our society today. Oftentimes, most of us feel a level of stress or try to relieve it, or both.

What is Stress?

In simple words, stress is a physical and mental reaction to a potential threat. When you are faced with a potential danger, your body triggers the fight-or-flight response, and this helps to prepare you to deal with the danger.

For example, when attacked by a ferocious animal that’s trying to devour you, your body produces stress hormones that helps you deal with the danger.

This stress hormone is what triggers the fight or flight response. You breath faster, your heart races and your muscles are ready to take action. This stress response is designed to prepare your body to react quickly to an emergency. It is often beneficial for immediate, short-term situations.

But note that when your stress response keeps firing every day, it can take a toll on your health. Some symptoms of chronic stress include:

• anxiety
• depression
• headaches
• irritability
• insomnia

The adrenal glands and stress

You can’t talk about stress without mentioning the adrenal glands. Some people refer to these glands as “the party hats of the kidneys,” and that’s because these pointy shape glands sit atop each kidney.

Each adrenal gland has two parts: the internal medulla and the outer cortex. The medulla is made up of nervous tissues, while the cortex is composed of glandular epithelial tissue.

Different parts of the cortex produce different hormones, including cortisol, which is released during the late phase of stress response.

The medulla also produce hormones, including the epinephrine/adrenaline, which interacts with the nervous system in the initial phase of the fight-or-flight response.

So how does the adrenal gland support acute stress response? When you perceive a threat or danger, a part of the limbic system called amygdala sounds the first alarm which is perceived by the hypothalamus.

Then the sympathetic nervous system becomes activated, which signals the adrenal gland to secrete epinephrine into the bloodstream. This helps the body to respond to danger in different ways.

At this point, your lungs expand and the rate of respiration increases, allowing for more oxygen intake. Your heart beats faster, and this often leads to increase in blood pressure. All of these reactions is so your brain and muscles get all the needed blood to function optimally.

Some other physiological changes that takes place during the fight-or-flight response are increased tension in the muscles and dilation of the pupils. Your reproductive and digestive functions are suppressed at this stage.

If the threat or stressful situation persist after the first rush of epinephrine, a system known as the HPA Axis (hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands) kicks in to help prepare the body for action.

The hypothalamus acts by releasing a hormone called CHR (corticotropin-releasing hormone), which signals the pituitary gland to release another hormone called ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic hormone).

This ACTH travels through the blood stream and signal the adrenal glands to release cortisol, known as the “stress hormone.” When cortisol is released, it helps to give the body the needed energy to stay at alert and it signals several organs in the body to make changes.

So how do you recover after the flight-or-flight response? Usually after the threat has passed, your body starts to calm down. Recovery from an acute stress response usually takes about 20 – 30 minutes. At this point, the cortisol level drops and the nervous system dials down its activity.

But if the body is not able to recover, it will eventually lead to depression, fatigue, and anxiety, which are chronic forms of stress.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about stressful conditions and the role of the adrenal glands.

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4 Things You Need to know about Brain chemistry as it relates to mental & emotional stress- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Mental and emotional stress are often expressed in form of depression, anxiety, worries, guilt, frustration, and moodiness, and these conditions are linked to an abnormal brain chemistry.

It is normal for you to feel stressed or depressed when you encounter a traumatic event in your life, such as loss of a loved one. But sometimes, you may not even know why you’re having mental or emotional stress, and it can be a function of the brain chemistry.

The amount of certain substances in the brain called “neurotransmitters” have a large influence on your mental and emotional stress levels.

What are neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that carries messages in the brain. The nerve cells of the brain communicate with each other using neurotransmitters. The messages these chemicals carry play a role in mental and emotional stress regulation.

The key brain chemicals or neurotransmitters include:

• Dopamine
• Serotonin
• Epinephrine
• Nor-epinephrine

Restoring the balance of these neurotransmitters have been widely shown to help alleviate symptoms of mental and emotional stress.

Other neurotransmitters that can send messages in the brain include GABA, glutamate, and acetylcholine.

Dopamine

Dopamine is commonly known as the “feel good” neurotransmitter.” It helps create a positive feeling that motivates us to continue with an activity or task.

The level of dopamine in your brain can affect your mental and emotional state. Little wonder medications that affect dopamine system are often administered to people suffering from depression after other treatment options have failed.

Serotonin

Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood. It is also a “feel good” chemical that is responsible for your feeling of happiness.

So when you are suffering from mental and emotional stress, serotonin is one chemical that is released to help you feel calm and emotionally stable. It also influences your sleep cycle and regulate your appetite.

However, low levels of this brain chemical can cause you to experience the following symptoms:

• Feeling bad about yourself
• Problems sleeping
• Feeling low
• Craving for sweet foods
• Memory problems
• Decrease in sexual desire

You may also suffer depression when you have low levels of serotonin. Hence, to improve your mental and emotional health, it is important to boost your serotonin levels. You can achieve this through natural methods like:

• Engaging in plenty of exercise
• Getting more exposure to sunlight
• Meditation and counselling

Epinephrine

Epinephrine or adrenaline is released by the medulla of the adrenal glands when you’re faced with a threat. It provokes stress response and triggers emotions like anger, fear, or amusement.

Too little amount of epinephrine has been associated with symptoms of mental and emotional stress, including depression, anxiety, and worries. Excessive amount can also lead to mood disorders like schizophrenia. So it is important to have a regulated amount of this hormone.

Nor-epinephrine

Nor-epinephrine acts as both a brain chemical and a hormone. It is mainly involved in the arousal system of the brain, and controls the respiratory rate, breathing and increase in blood pressure.

However, this brain chemical is mainly targeted at your body’s stress response. It helps to create the “fight-or-flight” feeling by working with the hormone adrenaline.

The imbalance in these four basic neurotransmitters or brain chemicals contributes to mental and emotional stress and it can lead to many conditions, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and autism.

Hence, if you want to enjoy improvement in your mental and emotional state, it is important to maintain a balance in these brain chemicals. You can achieve this through some methods, including exercise, diet, good relationship, etc.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about the brain chemistry and how to boost your level of neurotransmitters naturally to improve your mental and emotional health, as well as your overall wellbeing

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Mental & emotional stress + 5 Things You Can Do About It – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC, Chiropractor

In today’s fast paced world, we are often overwhelmed with mental & emotional stress. You often get to think of how to manage your finances, watch over your kids, get busy at work, and cope with challenging relationships.

Stress is everywhere, and you’re not alone. It is actually okay if it is not too much, but when stress becomes chronic, it can wear you down and affect you both mentally and emotionally. You tend to experience the following symptoms:

• Agitation, frustration, and moodiness
• Difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind
• Feeling bad about yourself, worthless, lonely, and depressed
• Feeling like you’re losing control or need to take control
• Avoiding others
• Forgetfulness and disorganization
• Poor judgment
• Inability to focus
• Constant worrying
• Being pessimistic

When you get stressed always like many of us in today’s busy world, your body tend to get into a heightened state of stress all the time, and that can trigger serious health problems.

Apart from the mental and emotional consequence, stress can disrupt nearly every system in your body. It can upset your digestive and reproductive system, suppress your immune system, and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Besides, it speeds up your aging process.

Stress and Depression

When too much stress hormones are released in your body system, the byproducts can act as a sedative and contribute to a sustained feeling of low energy and depression.

Nurturing negative thoughts like you’re incapable of managing stress can increase your chance of becoming stressed.

While it is normal to face a range of moods in everyday life, it becomes a problem when depressing feelings linger for too long. It begins to interfere with your daily activities and ability to enjoy successful interpersonal relationships.

When depression persist for too long, it become major and you can begin to notice symptoms like self-hate, inability to concentrate, guilt, restlessness, and hopelessness.

You can also face depression as a result of suicidal thinking and actions, and this can make you vulnerable to developing mental disorders.

Stress and Anxiety

Being stressed may also lead to some outward signs of anxiety, such as tapping your feet, fidgeting, biting your finger nails, etc. When the stress hormones are activated for too long, it can contribute to severe feelings such as nausea, racing heartbeat, sweaty palms, etc.

Anxiety that persists for too long can also cause you to worry too much about upcoming events or situations, and that can lead to avoidance.

Stress and worry

When your mind is constantly dwelling on negative thoughts and uncertain issues, you tend to become stressed out.

For example, worries about being unable to pay your rent or performing poorly on an exam tends to stimulate your brain to think of a solution, but when you get stuck thinking about the problem, you become deeply stressed and worry stops being functional.

How to handle stressful conditions

For you to improve your ability to handle stress to protect your mental and emotional health, you need to:

• Get moving by improving on your activity level.
• Connect to others
• Eat a healthy diet
• Learn to relax
• Get your rest

Always remember that stress is a part of life and what matters is how you handle it. Know your stress symptoms and talk to your doctor about it.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about mental and emotional stress, how to evaluate your symptoms and the best way to better handle your stress.

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12 Herbs and supplements to reduce inflammation- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC, Chiropractor

Inflammation can be triggered by unhealthy habits and unhealthy foods, and it can in response to stress, trauma, and illness.

However, you can reduce inflammation by managing stress effectively, exercising, and add a lot of anti-inflammatory foods to your diet.

You can also get additional supports from herbs and supplements to reduce or prevent inflammation in your body.

Quickly, let’s take a look at the best-known anti-inflammatory herbs and supplements:

Curcumin

Curcumin is contained in turmeric and it provides several health benefits, including reducing inflammation and improving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Alpha-Lipoic acid

Alpha-lipoic acid plays a key role in metabolism and energy production. It also functions as an antioxidant protecting your cells from oxidative damage.

Many studies show that alpha-lipoic acid reduces inflammation linked to heart disease, insulin resistance, liver disease, cancer, and other diseases.

More so, this supplement helps to restore levels of other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E.

White Willow Bark

White willow tree bark has been used as an effective treatment for inflammation and pain since ancient Roman and Egyptian times. This herb has a comparable effect to aspirin but does not have side effects common with aspirin.

The recommended dose for white willow bark is 240 mg per day. And herbal blends containing this plant bark can be used to treat acute conditions, such as headaches.

Fish Oil

Fish oil supplements are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to decrease inflammation linked with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and many other chronic conditions.

The omega-3s- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have anti-inflammatory effects that reduce the level of cytokines in the body, thereby promoting gut health. These fatty acids also reduce the risk of muscle damage that may arise after exercise.

Ginger

Ginger is the grounded powder derived from the fresh or dried root of the ginger plant. It offers strong anti-inflammatory properties that are quite similar to some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

This supplement contains two major compounds- gingerol and zingerone, which reduces inflammation that is linked to kidney damage, colitis, breast cancer, and diabetes.

Some studies also show that ginger supplements help decrease inflammation and muscle soreness after much strenuous exercise.

The recommended dosage is 1 gram daily. However, you can break your dosage into three divisions to make 1 gram per day.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant found in blueberries, grapes, and other fruits having purple skin. This supplement has been studied to help reduce inflammation in individuals with insulin resistance, heart disease, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, and other conditions.

Resveratrol supplements have also been shown to lower inflammatory markers, blood sugar, and triglycerides in people with obesity.

The recommended amount of resveratrol is 150-500 mg per day.

Flax

The seeds of the flax plant contain both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the fats in these seeds converts to EPA and DHA, which offers anti-inflammatory properties.

You can get flaxseed in form of capsules, ground meals, oil, or flour. The capsules are available in dosages of 1000 to 1300 mg. However, you can incorporate about 2-3 tablespoons of the ground or milled flaxseed into your food daily.

Other herbs and supplements that help to reduce inflammation include:

• Quercetin
• Spirulina
• MSM
• Devil’s Claw
• Chondroitin

Make sure you buy supplements from trusted manufacturers and follow the dosage instructions. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about herbs and supplements that can help bring things back to balance, in case of excessive or chronic inflammation.

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Why seed oils/manufactured oils drive inflammation and what oils you can use instead – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC, Chiropractor

You might have seen some posts warning people about the dangers of seed oils. Well, Millions of people today consume seeds oils in their diets. But these seeds oils, such as canola, soybean, and corn oil have been studied to cause a lot of damages to our bodies.

In fact, they’ve been confirmed by research to drive inflammation, which triggers a lot of chronic health ailments.

Basically, industrial seed oils or manufactured oils are extracted from corn, soybeans, cottonseed, rapeseed, and safflower seeds and refined, bleached, and deodorized to get the final product.

Seeds Oils and Inflammation

The rise of seed oils have caused a dramatic change in the diet of most Americans, but the bad part is that these oils contain a high amount of a type of fat called Omega-6 PUFA.

Although we need a small out of these fats to live, we don’t need nearly as much of them as is contained in the manufactured oils.

We also know of the importance of omega-3 fats, as they are essential to our health, but the Standard American Diet contains more of the omega-6s than the omega-3s and this distorts the ideal ratio, which is 1:1.

More so, several kinds of research have shown that PUFAs cause inflammation which is responsible for many chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and obesity.

Not only that, but PUFAs contain GMOs and toxic chemicals that should never be consumed.

An imbalance in the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in seed oils has been linked with inflammation, which leads to the development of several health ailments, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, cognitive decline, and inflammatory bowel disease.

More so, the polyunsaturated fatty acids in seed oils or manufactured oils are highly unstable and they oxidize upon exposure to light, heat, and chemical inputs.

Two harmful substances, namely: lipid peroxides and trans fats, are produced when seed oils are exposed to these factors. Trans fats lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, while lipid peroxides damage DNA and membrane lipids throughout the body.

Essential oils that prevent inflammation

Essential oils can be used in several ways with inflammatory conditions. Some may be best to diffuse, while others may be used in a massage oil for inflamed joints or muscles.

Ginger

Ginger is known as an immune booster and it offers a lot of anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds present in ginger help to reduce both chronic and acute forms of inflammation.

This oil is mainly used in several formulations to reduce joint and muscle pain.

Chamomile

Chamomile is well known to help treat several digestive problems, or anxiety and stress. But it is also one of the best essential oils you can use for inflammation.

It is believed to be useful for most skin issues because it contains compounds that are naturally calming.

Thyme

Thyme has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb. It carries therapeutic properties, which are beneficial for dealing with pain and several types of illness.

This oil also contains potent compounds that help to deal with a variety of health conditions, including inflammation.

Other essential oils for inflammation include:

• Eucalyptus
• Turmeric
• Helichrysum
• Clove
• Lavender

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at Our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about healthy oils that you can use for inflammation, thereby preventing chronic diseases and improving your overall health.

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Best/Worst foods to eat that drive inflammation – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, Chiropractor

Inflammation is one of the ways your body protects itself from foreign invaders. More so, it helps defend the body from illness. But, sometimes, you may experience inflammation even without a foreign invader, and that’s when it is linked to an increased risk of diseases like heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity. So you can easily say, inflammation can be both good and bad, depending on the situation.

However, one interesting thing is that your diet influences inflammation in your body. Some foods have anti-inflammatory effects and you can add them to your diet to reduce your risk of illness. But some other types of food can trigger and worsen inflammation.

Hence, it is important to note these different types of food so you can combat inflammation effectively, especially when it persists day in and day out.

Best foods to fight inflammation

Here are some anti-inflammatory foods you can add to your diet:

Berries

Berries are loaded with minerals, vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants called anthocyanins. These antioxidants help fight inflammation and reduce your risk of developing diseases.

Some common types of berries you can add to your diet include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a highly nutritious vegetable that contains antioxidants like sulforaphane, which offer anti-inflammatory effects.

Several studies have shown that eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli have been associated with a reduced risk of cancer and heart diseases.

Fatty fish

Fatty fish contains the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which helps to reduce inflammation that can lead to heart disease, metabolic syndrome, kidney disease, and diabetes.

Basically, your body metabolizes the omega-3 fatty acids to yield protectins and resolvins, and these compounds have been studied to show anti-inflammatory effects.

Other good foods that fight inflammation include:

• Green tea
• Avocados
• Mushroom
• Peppers
• Turmeric
• Grape
• Dark chocolate and cocoa
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Cherries
• Tomatoes

Worst foods to eat that drive inflammation

In addition to eating nutritious anti-inflammatory foods, it is also important to avoid or limit the consumption of foods that promote inflammation, including:

Added sugar

Added sugar is one of the major contributors to inflammation. It increases your risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

You can find these sugars in sneaky places like salad dressings, soft drinks, cookies, cakes, chocolate, sweet pastries, candy, and savory snack foods.

Refined carbohydrates

Refined carbs have a low amount of fiber due to processing, and they have been studied to elicit a quicker and greater effect on blood sugar.

Basically, the fiber in carbs helps improve blood sugar control, promote fullness, and feed the beneficial gut bacteria.

But eating foods that are primarily composed of refined grains or flour, including pasta, bread, and white rice, can put trigger inflammation and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

Other worst foods that drive inflammation include:

• Red meat (steaks, burgers) and processed meat (sausage, hot dogs)
• Trans fats, such as margarine, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
• Fried foods, such as fried chicken, donuts, French fries, egg rolls, mozzarella sticks

Do your best to keep a check on your diet to prevent diseases associated with inflammation. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods to support your health. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about anti-inflammatory foods to add to your diet.

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Common blood tests for inflammation – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC, Chiropractor

At our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC, we see a lot of people come in every week with chronic inflammation. Most cases of internal inflammation are often associated with a high level of stress, lack of proper nutrition, and chronic diseases such as heart disease, digestive problems, and cancer.

Inflammation has also been implicated in many autoimmune diseases. In this case, the immune system triggers an inflammatory response that attacks the body like it’s an enemy.

So the question, how do you detect these silent forms of inflammations in specific targets as well as monitor progress? The best approach has been the use of blood tests.

Here are some blood tests or markers used to determine or detect chronic forms of inflammation:

Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C)

HbA1C is a blood test that measures the amount of glucose in the blood over the past three months. It is a major test to look at a person’s inflammation.

The result is often recorded in a percentage, and higher percentages signify higher blood glucose levels.

The Hemoglobin A1C is used often used on diabetic persons to detect diabetes and monitor blood sugar levels. A high HbA1C means there is a high blood glucose level and this can cause damage to body organs.

Fasting Insulin

Fasting insulin is another blood test for inflammation. The insulin hormone is produced in the pancreas, and it helps the cells get glucose from the blood. These hormones are often released when your body detects a rise in blood sugar.

The body needs constant circulation of insulin, but when it becomes too high or too low, it becomes a problem. An excess amount of insulin in the body can be a sign of insulin resistance, which means your body does not respond well to insulin, thereby making more, and that increases the risk of inflammation in the body.

Serum Ferritin

Serum ferritin is a blood test that measures the amount of ferritin (blood cell protein that stores iron) in the body.

When you have a low level of ferritin, it indicates that are deficient in iron, and that causes anemia.

A high level of ferritin, on the other hand, can indicate inflammation, liver disease, autoimmune disease, chronic infection, and some type of cancer.

Serum ferritin decreases or increases based on inflammation, making it a useful marker for detecting chronic diseases.

C-reactive Protein (CRP)

C-reactive protein is a protein in the liver that increases when inflammation increases and decreases when inflammation decreases.

This test is useful in diagnosing and monitoring chronic inflammatory diseases, including arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune diseases, and psychological issues.

Red blood cell width (RDW)

This test measures the differences in the size of the red blood cells. And it is an excellent way to detect inflammation and oxidative stress.

The red blood cells usually start out large, but they decrease in width as they mature. So how large the cells are will determine how much nutrient and oxygen they can deliver.

Basically, an elevated RDW is linked with many diseases including macrocytic anemia and cardiovascular events.

So there you have it, the best blood tests for inflammation. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City NC, to learn more about inflammation and the blood tests that help to detect what is happening in your body.

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How to use healthy blood sugar levels to help you burn fat for energy – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You’ve probably heard of blood sugar a couple of times, but do you know that a healthy level of it can help to burn fat for energy production? Yeah, apart from energy production, balancing your blood sugar also helps in maintaining a healthy weight.

Glucose is the body’s main source of energy, and it dictates how energetic or hungry we feel. When you eat carbs, blood sugar is released into the bloodstream. However, for you to burn fat healthily, you need a healthy balance of blood sugar: not too high and not too low.

That’s more reason you should eat the right amount of fat, protein, and fiber at each meal. This way, you can stabilize your blood sugar level to burn fat and get a consistent energy supply throughout the day.

More so, a healthy blood sugar level prevent any form of insulin spike.

The normal range for blood sugar is between 70 mg/ml and 110 mg/ml. Insulin works on these sugars and transfer it from the blood stream to the cells. This helps to keep the blood sugar level within the normal range.

High blood sugar

If you eat too many carbs that are quickly processed into blood sugar, the pancreas produces the needed insulin that tells the body that there is enough energy available, and that it should store fat instead of burning it for energy.

Low blood sugar

When too much insulin is released into the blood, it causes too much blood sugar to be moved out, causing a feeling of tiredness, weakness, hunger, and lightheadedness. At this point, you tend to crave sugar and carbohydrates, in an attempt to gain more energy.

But in reality, what you get is a repeated cycle and your body converts and stores more glucose as fat.

How do you burn fat for energy?

When you have a healthy blood sugar level and no excess insulin, you burn fat between meals and energy is produced.

You can achieve a healthy blood sugar level by avoiding hidden sugar and simple carbohydrates.

Hidden sugars are found in processed foods, fat-free foods, beverages, and juices. While simple carbohydrates include sucrose, lactose, fructose, and glucose.

Instead of taking these forms of sugars, eat meals rich in protein, fat, and fiber. And one more thing- don’t starve yourself. When you do, it results in low blood sugars, which causes your body to burn muscle, lowering your metabolism. More so, it causes the production of stress hormone like cortisol, which prevents fat burning.

Eating fat helps you to avoid glucose spikes. Eating a moderate amount of protein helps to keep your blood sugar levels steady. Eating fiber slows the absorption of nutrients, such as glucose.

You don’t have to starve yourself; eat healthily and maintain a healthy blood sugar level. This way, you can burn fat in a healthy manner to derive more energy.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about maintaining a healthy blood sugar level for energy production.

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What is insulin resistance and what are the signs and symptoms – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Insulin resistance is estimated to affect one in three Americans, including people above age 60. This silent blood sugar problem increases the risk for having prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, as well as other serious health ailments, such as cancer, stroke, and heart attack.

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance occurs when the muscle cells, liver, and body fat don’t respond well to insulin due to excess amount of glucose in the bloodstream. This reduces the ability of the cells to absorb and use glucose as a source of energy.

However, if the pancreas can produce a high amount of insulin that can overcome the low rate of absorption, your blood glucose will remain within a healthy range, and you’ll be less likely to develop diabetes.

Common signs and symptoms of insulin resistance

You may not notice any symptom of insulin resistance until diabetes develops. Research shows that 90% of people living with prediabetes do not know they have the condition.

That’s why you’ll need to take a blood test to determine your blood sugar levels. More so, you may not know you’re suffering from other conditions associated with insulin resistance, including low “good” cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides, without seeing your doctor.

However, some common signs of insulin resistance include:

• Blood pressure readings of 130/80 or higher
• A fasting triglyceride level over 100 mg/dl
• A waistline over 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men
• A HDL cholesterol level under 50 mg/dl in women and 40 mg/dl in men
• A fasting glucose level over 100 mg/dl
• Patches of dark, velvety skin known as acanthosis nigricans
• Skin tags

Insulin resistance can also worsen symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can include infertility, irregular menstrual cycle, and periods that comes with chronic pains.

Doctors also record that a high level of insulin in the blood is often associated with increased risk of vascular or heart diseases, even when you don’t have diabetes.

What are the risk factors for insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance, prediabetes, and diabetes are often associated with the following risk factors:

• High blood pressure
• Obesity or being overweight, especially when you have extra weight around your midriff
• Sleep issues
• Lack of exercise or a sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking

Some risk factors are common for diabetes, heart diseases, and some cerebrovascular health issues, such as stroke.

However, some lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of developing some of these conditions, such as obesity.

How to prevent insulin resistance

You may not be able to influence some risk factors for insulin resistance, such as genetic makeup and family history. However, you can take some measures to reduce your chances of becoming insulin resistant.

One good measure is following an active, healthy lifestyle. Your muscles become more sensitive to insulin when you exercise.

So try to increase your physical activities gradually, and eat a healthful, low-carbohydrate meal.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about insulin resistance, signs and symptoms to watch out for, and preventive measures you can take.

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How to take back control of Your blood sugar levels? – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

The digestion of carbohydrates and other foods yield sugar which is carried in form of glucose through the blood stream to body cells. This glucose serves as a source of energy for all cells in the body. The unused sugar/glucose is mainly stored as glycogen in the liver.

When you eat high sugar, starchy, or low fiber foods, especially in excess, it causes your blood sugar level to rise quickly, and this produces a strain on your blood sugar control.

The normal blood glucose level should be between 70 mg/dl and 110 mg/dl. When the blood glucose falls below this range, the condition is known as “hypoglycemia”- too little glucose. When it rises above this range, it can be normal if you just finished eating within 2 to 3 hours.

That’s the main reason why your doctors always measure blood glucose level while you’re fasting. However, your glucose level show be below 180 even after eating. Anything above this level is termed “hyperglycemia” – too much sugar

If after taking a sugar-water drink (glucose tolerance test), your blood sugar measurement reads above 200, then you’re diagnosed with diabetes.

How does the body respond to high blood glucose level?

As your blood sugar level rises after a meal, the beta cells of the pancreas secrete insulin- a hormone that moves glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells to be burned for energy. This helps to keep the blood glucose level to normal.

Decline in blood sugar/glucose, commonly seen during fasting or exercise, causes a reduction in the level of insulin in the bloodstream. At the same time, other cells in the pancreas produce glucagon- a hormone that stimulates the liver and muscles to release stored glucose in form of glycogen.

Other hormones like Corticosteroids (cortisol) or epinephrine (Adrenalin) are produced if blood sugar levels fall sharply. These hormones stimulate the fast breakdown of stored glucose to produce extra energy if a person is frightened or angry, or during a crisis.

All these hormonal mechanisms works together to control blood sugar levels within a narrow range. With insulin working to allow body cells get enough glucose, and the liver preventing the blood sugar level from going low, the blood sugar level can stay in a healthy range.

But it is quite unfortunate that a lot of us stress these control mechanisms through our stressful lifestyle and diet. Consequently, this imbalance leads to diabetes, obesity, and other disorders related to blood sugar regulation.

A delicate balance of the intestine, pancreas, brain and adrenals is important to keep the blood sugar level at the normal range.

In conclusion, knowing how your body works help you to maintain a healthy life. The two hormones- insulin and glucagon- are critical for controlling your blood sugar levels.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more about blood glucose, insulin, glucagon, as well as how these hormones work.

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Tony TC Hale - Bio-individuality & Kick Your Fat in the Nuts

On this podcast, we discuss Bio individuality and kicking your fat in the nuts with Author, podcaster, Coach... Tony "TC" Hale:

Professional comedian turned natural health practitioner, T.C. Hale (aka Tony), put together this series of books in order to bring health and wellness into a new light… a new non-boring light. He wanted to bring his experience as a touring comedian into a subject where comedy has not been welcomed in the past. The question is, why not? Why can’t we be entertained while we learn something new? Why can’t learning about physiology be as fun as watching your uncle Mitch wrestle with a live water sprinkler while he’s drunk?

Tony recognized the need to bring some funny to the health & wellness world when he was stricken with his own health concern. With twenty-three doctors and specialist only making him worse, he decided to begin his own research. After diving into literally hundreds of books on health, nutrition and how the body really works, he noticed every book had one common denominator… boring writing. The information within the books was incredibly fascinating but would it kill ya to keep me awake long enough to finish reading one chapter? Hence, the Kick it in the Nuts™ series was born.

Don’t be mistaken, the title is funny and who wouldn’t want to kick their major health concern in the nuts if they had the chance? But, in this series, we won’t be discussing how to fight any symptoms, conditions, or diseases in any way. If you want to cover up a symptom, you can see any doctor for that. Instead, we’ll be talking about why these symptoms actually come about, why your body chemistry is allowing these symptoms to show up, and how to adjust what you’re doing, eating and shoving down your gullet, so that your body has a chance to return to its natural state. You would be amazed at what the body can correct on its own if you just give it a chance to work it’s magic. Understanding how to give your body a little push in the right direction can make all the difference.

SHOW CONTENT:

Testing How people process Protein Carbs and Fats

Blood Pressure

Breath Rate

Fasting Blood Sugar

pH of Urine and Saliva

How Minerals affect weight loss

Stomach Acid and Bile production and flow

Importance of the Anabolic and Catabolic state in the body

Connect with Tony:

Kick it Naturally

Kick it in The Nuts Radio Show

Tony's Books

Tony's Courses

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Why are healthy blood sugar levels so important? – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You might have asked questions like “why do I need to have a healthy blood sugar level?” Well, that’s a smart question for your health’s sake.

Keeping your blood sugar levels balanced is important to manage your weight, prevent long-term health problems, and feel good altogether.

However, a lot of people suffer from health problems related to imbalances in blood sugar levels. And this is a growing concern that is now reaching epidemic proportion.

According to the American Diabetes Association, over 100 million people in the United States are suffering from health problems caused by blood sugar imbalances, and unfortunately, over 80% of these people are not aware of their condition.

The health costs of these conditions are estimated to be over $250 billion every year, both in medical costs and the reduction in productivity. In fact, blood sugar imbalances is one of the biggest issue facing the world today.

Why is it important to maintain a normal blood sugar level?

Blood sugar is your body’s primary source of energy, and it is often absorbed in form of glucose after digestion. Almost every cell in the body absorb glucose and they combine it with oxygen in the powerhouse of the cell called mitochondria to produce a molecule called ATP- Adenosine triphosphate.

When you eat carbohydrates, glucose is released into your bloodstream, and insulin is produced to enhance the absorption of glucose into your body cells as a source of fuel.

However, when your diet is high in carbs over a long enough period of time causes your insulin to become insensitive, and glucose is not properly absorbed, leaving a large proportion circulating in your bloodstream- a condition known as “hyperglycemia.”

Hyperglycemia can lead to a lot of health issues if not properly controlled. It can make you feel hungry at first because your cells aren’t getting enough glucose. This feeling of hunger makes you eat more, and since your insulin is not working as it should, a significant proportion of the glucose is stored as fat in the liver.

Apart from hunger, you become thirsty as your kidney attempts to flush excess sugar out of your bloodstream, absorbing more body fluids with it. This resulting dehydration can affect your blood pressure, concentration, and leave you feeling lethargic.

More so, when your mitochondria are not getting enough glucose, they cannot produce glucose needed to power the body cells. This makes the mitochondria unable to neutralize free radicals that they produce for ATP production. The end result is “oxidative stress,” where your mitochondria and other cellular components stand the risk of damage.

This oxidative stress caused by hyperglycemia can contribute to the risk of serious cardiovascular conditions, metabolic problems, and neurological disorders.

However, the good news is that you can normalize your blood sugar levels by increasing your activity levels and modifying your diet.

For people without diabetes, maintaining a healthy blood sugar level offers the following benefits:

• Reduces the risk of insulin resistance
• Helps achieve weight loss goals
• Reduces inflammation and stress hormones

For people living with diabetes, maintaining a healthy blood sugar level reduces the risk of complication of diabetes, including:

• Heart attack and stroke
• Nerve damage and neuropathy
• Eye damage
• Kidney disease sexual dysfunction

That said, for you to maintain an optimal glucose level, you need to carefully monitor it. You can use a blood glucose testing kit or use a wearable device that tests and displays your blood sugar level.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more reasons why it is important to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

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8 Foods, herbs, and supplements that strengthen the liver – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

The liver is a powerhouse organ, responsible for over 500 functions in the body, ranging from the production of bile, cholesterol, and protein to storing minerals, vitamins, and sugar.

All part of the body depends on the liver for detoxification and cleaning of impurities in the blood. The liver has to also deal with processed foods, pollution, and even drugs.

The more toxins we take into our body, the more burden we place on our liver. And when your liver is overworked, you may experience some signs, such as headache, fatigue, weakened immune system, and skin problems.

Hence, you need to strengthen your liver to be able to work efficiently.

The following is a list of foods, herbs, and supplements you can add to your diet to boost your liver health:

Turmeric Root

Turmeric root contains polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This supplement has been shown to reduce the risk of fatty liver disease.

The antioxidant properties of turmeric help to protect the liver against harmful free radicals. It also reduces the likelihood of cancer-causing cells to form in the body.

Milk Thistle

The seeds of milk thistle contain a flavonoid called silymarin, and this an important antioxidant that protects the liver and supports detoxification.

Milk thistle is now a popular herb known for its amazing ability to treat and repair the liver. It helps to repair damages caused by alcohol, disease, and drugs. More reason why it is used all over the world to treat liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and viral hepatitis.

The silymarin content binds to the outside of the liver cells and protects it from free radicals and toxins.

Burdock

Burdock is an herb that is commonly used as a natural detox remedy. It helps to protect the liver cells from damage induced by acetaminophen.

The antioxidants in burdock also help to lessen the effect of toxins formed from the metabolism of acetaminophen.

Artichoke Leaf

Artichoke leaf contains cynarin, which boosts the production of bile in the liver. So, by adding this supplement to your diet, you’re enhancing the detoxification process in the body, helping various organs to clear harmful toxins, including alcohols and other chemicals.

Also, artichoke leaf contains the flavonoid, silymarin, and this helps to protect the liver.

Dandelion Root

You can strengthen your liver by adding dandelion root to your diet. This supplement helps to improve detoxification and the production of bile in the liver.

The high concentration of antioxidants in the dandelion root has been shown by research to protect liver cells, as well as keep free radicals off.

Fatty fish

Fatty fish is beneficial to the liver. They contain omega-3 fatty acids which help to protect against the buildup of fats, fight inflammation, keep enzyme levels normal, and improve insulin resistance.

Adding more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet is a good way to strengthen your liver.

Coffee

Drinking coffee is one good way to protect the liver from cirrhosis and permanent liver damage. It also reduces your risk of having liver cancer.

The benefit stems from the ability of coffee to prevent the buildup of fat and collagen.

Berries and Grapefruit

Berries, including blueberries and cranberries, contain antioxidants and anthocyanins that give them their characteristic color. The extract of these berries works to keep the liver healthy.

You can add these fruits to your diet to help your liver get a good supply of the antioxidants it needs to stay healthy.

Grapefruits also contain two antioxidants- naringin and naringenin, which protects the liver from injury.

These antioxidants in grapefruits have also been shown to reduce the risk of developing hepatic fibrosis.

Other foods, herbs, and supplements that strengthen the liver include:

• Prickly Pear
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Beetroot juice
• Nuts
• Olive oil
• Ginger
• Choline
• Molybdenum
• Selenium

You can contact Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about natural foods, herbs, and supplements you can add to your diet to strengthen your liver.

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7 At home strategies to support liver function and make it work better- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC Chiropractor

You may not think much about the need to support your liver function, but for it to work optimally, you need to do some homework. Your liver is largely involved in your body’s digestive system and it works on everything you drink or eat

Not only that, but the liver helps to clean your blood, make bile to break down fat, get rid of toxins and harmful chemicals,

So, it’s not too much to treat it right to help you stay healthy.

Here are some at-home strategies you can adopt to support your liver function:

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Eat a healthy diet and exercise

When you eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, your liver will thank you. More so, you will prevent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is often associated with cirrhosis.

Regular exercising helps to burn triglycerides for fuel and reduce liver fat.

Also, you need to avoid high-calorie foods, refined carbohydrates, saturated fat, and sugars. Eat fiber-rich foods, including vegetables, fruits, rice, whole-grain bread, and cereals.

Avoid toxins

Most insecticides, cleaning and aerosol products, additives, and chemicals contain toxins, which can cause harm to your liver cells.

So, when dealing with these materials at home, ensure that you wear a mask, and your room is well-ventilated. Besides, do not smoke.

Avoid too much alcohol

Alcoholic beverages can damage your liver cells and scar your liver. That’s why it is important to talk to your doctor to learn how much alcohol is safe for you.

You may be asked to quit completely or drink alcohol in moderation.

Avoid contaminated needles

You need to be careful with the use of needles and ensure it is not dirty. Besides, you also need to follow up with your doctor to seek testing immediately after any form of skin penetration involving needles and sharp instruments.

Sometimes you need immediate follow-up after any unsafe injection practice, even in a hospital setting.

Practice safe sex

You stand the risk of having hepatitis B and hepatitis C if you have unprotected sex or sex with more than one person.

So, the best thing to do is to practice safe sex and use protection, especially when you’re not too sure of your partner.

Follow directions on all medications

When you abuse drugs, use them incorrectly, or mix the type of medicines, you stand the risk of damaging your liver.

More so, never mix your medication with alcohol, even if you don’t take them together.

Talk to your doctor before using any natural or herbal remedy, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements.

Maintain a healthy weight

You stand the risk of having a fatty liver if you are somewhat overweight or obese. This can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is now becoming the most common form of liver disease.

But when you maintain a healthy weight, it helps you reduce liver fat.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City NC to learn more about some tips and at-home strategies to help your liver work better for overall health and wellbeing.

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6 Things that damage your liver – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC Chiropractor

The liver is an important organ in our body, performing over 500 functions to keep us healthy. In fact, you can describe your liver has the seat of various biochemical reactions.

From metabolizing fat to protein synthesis and detoxification, the liver works to help you get the best from what you consume. It also helps to store blood, minerals, vitamins, sugars, and other essential body nutrients.

However, the ugly part is that our liver can get affected by many activities we indulge in, and this interferes with the normal functioning of this vital organ.

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Things that damage our liver:

Alcohol consumption

You need to know that everybody has different reactions and thresholds to alcohol. So, what may be overuse for one person may show no reaction in the other. It largely depends on how overworked your liver is and who much inflammation is already present.

Hence, you don’t necessarily have to drink too much alcohol to notice the negative effects on your body.

Too much of inflammation can cause cirrhosis and liver damage.

That’s why it is always advisable to keep it moderate- that’s two per day for men and one for women. However, reduce the frequency of your intake.

Drinking less water

You tend to become dehydrated when you drink less water, and this is bad for your health and overall wellbeing.

The liver needs a good amount of fluid to stay efficient, and drinking less water puts you at risk of liver problems.

Cigarette smoking

Smoking has been linked to many cases of lung and liver cancer. The smoke produced as you burn tobacco causes oxidative stress and it puts pressure on the liver to detoxify the blood.

This causes the release of harmful chemicals in the body, ultimately leading to liver cancer.

A high-sugar diet

Too much sugar in your diet can cause fat buildup on your liver. Most junks, processed foods, and colas contain fructose and only liver cells can handle this sugar, unlike glucose that can be used by all the cells in the body.

This means that frequent consumption of sugar or fructose can lead to irreversible liver damage.

The best thing is to avoid processed foods and turn to natural sources of sugar whenever you have sweet tooth cravings.

Medications

The liver is responsible for the breakdown of every drug you take, be it over-the-counter medicines or the prescribed ones.

However, taking high doses of drugs mixed can cause great harm to your liver.

Trans Fats

Most processed and packaged foods contain Trans fats. These man-made fats are also found in microwave popcorn, baked goods, pre-packaged and fried foods.

The bad thing is that Trans fats raise the level of bad cholesterol levels in your body, invariably reducing the level of good cholesterol. More so, diets high in trans fats increase your chance of gaining weight, and that’s harmful to your liver.

Other factors that can damage our liver include:

• Eating heavy dinners
• A stressful lifestyle
• A sedentary lifestyle

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office to learn about simple ways to protect your liver from being damaged.

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What does our liver do for us and why is it so important to our overall health- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC Chiropractor

The liver is the second largest organ in the human body after the skin. It weighs about 3 pounds on average in every adult and it’s roughly the size of a small football. It is located below the diaphragm and under the ribs in the upper right abdomen.

That’s amazing, right? It doesn’t stop there; the liver also holds up to 13% of the human’s blood supply. And it helps support the normal functioning of the digestive system. So you might be wondering what this big-sized organ does for us. Before we delve deeper, let me first inform you that the liver performs about 500-3000 tasks (depending on who you are listening to) just to keep the body healthy.

Functions of the Liver

The liver is split into two sections – the right lobe and the left lobe. The main function of this organ is to filter blood coming from the digestive system before circulating it to all parts of the body.

Your liver is responsible for over 500-3000 functions, and some of them include:

• Production of bile, which helps to break down fats in the small intestine and carry away waste
• Production of cholesterol and functional proteins that help transport fat through the body
• Processing of hemoglobin to extract its iron content
• Regulating blood clotting
• Production of specific proteins for blood plasma
• Production of immune factors to regulate infection and remove bacteria from the bloodstream
• Clearing of bilirubin (buildup of bilirubin can cause the eyes and skin to turn yellow).
• Converting glycogen to glucose, which your body uses for a quick burst of energy, and converting extra glucose back to glycogen
• Removing toxins from the blood

Another interesting thing about the liver is its ability to regenerate or regrow itself. This way, you can be sure the liver will regrow to a certain extent even after a surgery to remove some of the tissue.

The existing cells first begin to enlarge, and then the new liver cells can start multiplying. The liver can return back to the same weight before surgery, and it can do this within a week or so after removing two-third of the liver tissue.

Why is the liver important to our overall health?

Looking at the many functions of the liver, it is important to keep it healthy because it has a significant impact on your overall health and wellbeing.

When you keep a healthy liver, you stand to enjoy many benefits in the following area:

• Increased energy
• Weight loss
• Healthier hair and skins
• Slowed aging
• Hormonal balancing
• Decreased allergy and sinus issues
• Potential fewer pains and aches
• Stronger immune system
• A sharper mind and positive mood
• Less digestive complaints, i.e., bloating, gas, and more regularity
• Improved overall health

In conclusion, the liver supports many functions in the body and it has an amazing ability to regenerate itself fast. Without the liver, it will be impossible to break down fat and proteins, and you won’t get energy from food.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to learn about how to keep your liver healthy to maintain overall wellbeing.

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Exercise and Chiropractic for stress reduction- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Stress is the second most common health problem and when it becomes chronic, it can lead to high blood pressure, headache, increased cholesterol, depression, and musculoskeletal pain.

So, it is important to learn how to manage stress, otherwise your body will suffer both mentally and physically. Exercise and Chiropractic measures have been an effective way to reduce stress and boost overall health of your mind and body.

When you follow a healthy exercise plan, you can work on your muscles, and joints, reduce stress levels, and improve your body’s flexibility.

In addition to exercise, a consistent chiropractic visit will help protect your body from joint immobility, nervous system dysfunctioning, and spine misalignment.

Muscle tension and stress

Your stress level is closely linked to tension in your muscles. Whenever you’re stressed, your muscles become tensed and this leads to pains and more anxiety. A tensed muscle can affect your posture, and the way you stand, sit, and walk.

With time, you may begin to experience sleep problems or have difficulty concentrating at work.

Your spine is also affected when you’re stressed and tensed.

But in all, your Chiropractic doctor can help soothe this tension, supporting your body to regain its natural balance. Many patients report having more energy and feeling less stressed after regular Chiropractic adjustment.

Exercise and Chiropractic adjustments work hand-in-hand

Exercises have been studied to be effective in supporting Chiropractic adjustments to relief stress and chronic pain. It is also effective for subacute and acute pain.

Most times, the Chiropractor will focus on the evaluation of an exercise program after an initial Chiropractic evaluation. This helps to test the effectiveness of the recommended exercise in the treatment process.

By doing regular exercise and getting proper Chiropractic care, you can get relief stress and severe pain, thereby improving on your mood and building overall strength and stability for your body.

The Chiropractic care focuses more on supporting and normalizing nervous system function, while the exercise helps prevent the buildup of any sort of tension or pains in the muscles.

Exercises promotes fast healing

As you exercise, you’re stretching your body and releasing built-up tension. This way, stress is being reduced and it prepares your body for effective Chiropractic adjustment although it is not necessary to do before.

So, when you visit your Chiropractor, the body is well loosened-up for faster effect and healing.

The good part is that when you balance exercise and Chiropractic care, it helps keep your body well, aligned and ensure joint and ligament flexibility. This prevents future pains and injuries.

More so, Chiropractic focuses on the cause itself instead of the symptoms. It targets the source of the problem and works to eliminate it.

In conclusion, always remember that keep your body stress-free while working helps you stay more productive and encourage you to live a healthier life. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office to get the best exercise programs and Chiropractic care to relieve stress and pains and improve the quality of your life.

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Meditation: simple 5 minute technique to Reduce stress- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Meditation is an effective technique used by a lot of people to manage stress. One interesting thing about meditation is that it can help you build resilience over time. Besides that, you can feel less-stressed in minutes if you use meditation as a tool to relax your body and mind.

So when faced with life challenges, you can use meditation to respond from a more relaxed, mindful place instead of reacting with worries and fear.

However, you might feel intimidated to begin the practice of meditation, but it’s not difficult and doesn’t require lengthy sessions as many people wrongly believe.

In just five minutes, you can reap the biggest gains from meditation. It can help you get quick relief from stress and pains.

A simple 5-minute technique to reduce stress

You don’t have to spend hours practicing meditation before you can enjoy its benefits. If you have just 5 minutes, you can still make it work for you.

Here’s a simple 5 minute meditation technique you can implement in your life to reduce stress:

Set a Timer

You can set a timer for five minutes, so you can be sure you’re not staying there for too long. You can use the timer on your phone or the Healing Music application.

Relax your body

Close your eyes, relax and take a deep breath from your diaphragm to release the tension in your body. At a slow count of five, do this:

• Slowly take a deep breath from your belly
• Then into your ribs
• And into your chest
• Then up into the crown of your head
• Hold your breath for a count of five

Exhale following the same process for another slow count of five, starting from the crown, to the chest, ribs, and to your belly. However, take a pause on the last bit of breath out of your body, and then begin all over.

How does it work?

As you inhale and exhale, try to visualize the stress leaving your body from the crown of your head to your feet. You can imagine that the stress is draining out of your body through your toes or melting out of your body with every breath.

However, ensure you focus on your breath while imagining the stress and tension leaving your body. As you do this, focus on “being” and simply acknowledging where you are in the moment and kick out every thought that comes into your mind. Fix your mind on the present moment and how well you’re doing.

Continue this exercise for five minutes, and then return to your daily activities. You’ll feel more relaxed and refreshed. You can try this 5-minutes meditation regularly to clear out every form of stressful feelings.

At our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, we understand the benefits of meditation and we’ve helped many of our patients tackle stressful conditions. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones today at our office to get the best advice and tips on how to ensure you’re getting the best out of your mediation exercise.

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6 Herbs and supplements for stress reduction- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Most of us struggle with stress from work, family responsibilities, and other life demands. The recent lockdowns caused an added level of stress, particularly due to anxiety and fear of the unknown. One survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that stress about the economy and job security has increased over the past year.

Stressful conditions cause a spike in cortisol production in the body, and this stress hormone can reduce immunity, increase inflammation, and raise the risk of blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

However, the good news is that there are numerous measures to effectively relieve stress, including exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, engaging in mediation, and using herbs and supplements.

The use of herbs and supplements have been shown to help lower anxiety levels, ease depression symptoms, and tame sleep troubles.

Here are some herbs and supplements that are effective for stress reduction:

Ashwagandha

This herb is used in Ayurveda for its refreshing and energizing effects. Studies have shown that ashwaganda, from roots to seeds, offers numerous health benefits, including stress reduction.

One study shows that the root extract of this plant is effective for increased resistance to stress. Another 2017 study shows that patients taking ashwaghanda experienced a 44% reduction in stress levels compared to a 5.5% decrease in a placebo group.

Vitamin B complex

Fatgiue and low energy can contribute to stress, and that’s why the B vitamins, which are effective for boosting energy levels, usually have a positive effect.

Many clinical studies have shown that taking Vitamin B supplements can help lower stress levels while keeping your energy high.

So if you want to feel more relaxed and focused, you can try supplementing with a B complex.

Valerian Root

Valerian is a perennial root that has been used to help with anxiety, sleep disturbances, and nervousness since the second century.

Supplementing with valerian root can help you reduce stress levels and get quality sleep.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola, also known as Golden Root, is used for improved mood, energy enhancement, and most critically, to reduce stress.

Since exhaustion often adds to stress, taking something that reduces fatigue, will invariably help to reduce your stress level, and Rhodola is highly potent for this function.

Magnesium

Magnesium works for both nerves and muscle function. Supplementing with this mineral helps to improve stress and anxiety.

More so, a study by the National Institute of Health showed that magnesium supplements is effective for improving the quality of sleep.

So if you struggle with sleeplessness caused by stress, magnesium is worth consideration to help you relieve stress and tension, promoting a good night rest.

Bacopa

Bacopa has been a part of Indian Ayurvedic medicine due to its ability to lower stress, improve mood, and sharpen focus.

Bacopa was shown in modern research to help lower cortisol levels in blood, thereby relieving stress. You can take this herb whenever you’re stressed or find it hard to focus.

There are many other herbs and supplements that works for stress-reduction. However, it is important to talk to your doctor about taking any herbs and supplements before use.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about these natural remedies for reducing your stress levels.

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Breathwork (box breathing) for stress reduction - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

When you’re stressed, the level of the cortisol hormone associated with stress rise in your body, and one of the best measures to reverse these cortisol spikes is breathwork or deep breathing.

Box breathing is a technique that involves taking slow, deep breaths. It is simple and you can practice it anytime to relieve stress, boost concentration and heighten your performance.

Everyone benefits from breathwork, from athletes, to police officers, and even nurses. It can be particularly helpful to you if you have lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

How to do Box Breathing

Before starting out, you have to sit upright in a comfortable chair and keep your feet flat on the floor. More so, ensure you stay in a stress-free quiet environment that can support your concentration.

Keep your hands relaxed in your laps, and let your palms face up. Focus on your posture and maintain an upright posture. This helps you perform this breathwork properly.

Exhale slowly

The first step after sitting upright is to exhale slowly through your mouth (You can count 1 to 4 slowly). This helps to push out oxygen out of your lungs. However, you have to focus on your breath and be conscious of what you’re doing.

Hold your breath and Inhale slowly

After exhaling for a slow count of four, try to hold your breath for another slow count of four, and then inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Do this to a slow count of four and feel the air filling your lungs. Continue until your lungs are full and air starts to move into your abdomen.

Hold your breath and Exhale slowly again

Hold your breath for a slow count of four and exhale through your mouth for another slow count of four. This expels the air from your lungs and abdomen.

Repeat the process

After breathing out, repeat the process all over again. Repeat 4-10 times

Benefits of box breathing for stress reduction

Deep breathing has been shown by much research to regulate the autonomic nervous system (ANS). It helps to regulate body temperature, lowering blood pressure and giving a sense of calm.

Box breathing helps reduce stress and improve your mood. The slow holding of breath allows the build- up of CO2 in the bloodstream. And this boosts the cardio-inhibitory response of the vague nerves as you exhale. The end result is a calm and relaxed feeling in your mind and body.

You can use the box breathing for treating conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, and depression.

This breathwork is also effective for treating insomnia allowing you to calm your nervous system at night before going to bed. More so, you can use box breathing to manage pain conditions.

However, note that as a beginner who’s new to box breathing, you may find it hard to get the hang of it. Also, it is normal to feel dizzy after a few rounds. Don’t worry about that; as you practice it the more, you’ll be able to hang on longer without any feeling of dizziness. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC. To learn more about breathing techniques to help you manage stress.

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Best Most Absorbable Forms of Minerals– Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Minerals play key roles in various bodily functions, including muscle contraction, bone health, fluid balance, growth, and many other processes.

However, some can be difficult for your body to absorb, and that’s why minerals are often in the chelated forms for increased absorption.

Chelated minerals are bound to compounds like organic or amino acids, and they have gained much interest recently. The chelating agents or compounds helps to boost your body’s uptake of the mineral involved.

Types of Absorbable or Chelated Minerals

You can get most minerals in the chelated forms, and some of the most common minerals include:

• Zinc
• Calcium
• Copper
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Chromium
• Cobalt
• Potassium

Chelated Minerals Using Amino Acids

Some amino acids commonly used to make mineral chelates include:

• Methionine: used for making zinc methionine, copper methionine, and many more
• Aspartic acid: used for making magnesium aspartate, zinc aspartate, and more
• Monomethionine: used for making zinc monomethionine
• Glycine: used for making magnesium glycinate
• Lysine: used for making calcium lysinate

Chelated Minerals Using Organic Acids

Some organic acids commonly used for making mineral chelates include:

• Citric acid: used for making magnesium citrate, chromium citrate, and more
• Acetic acid: used for making calcium acetate, zinc acetate, and more
• Gluconic acid: used for making zinc gluconate, iron gluconate, and more
• Orotic acid: used for making lithium orotate, magnesium orotate, and more
• Picolinic acid: used for making magnesium picolinate, chromium picolinate, and more.
• Fumaric acid: used for making iron (ferrous) fumarate

Absorption of Chelated Minerals

Chelated minerals have been shown by several studies to have better absorption than non-chelated ones.

One study in 15 adults shows that chelated zinc (zinc gluconate and zinc citrate) was absorbed 11% more effectively than non-chelated options like zinc oxide.

Another study in 30 adults found that magnesium glycerophosphate (which is chelated) raised the level of magnesium in the blood far more significantly than magnesium oxide (which is non-chelated).

Some other studies suggest that taking chelated minerals help to reduce the total amount you need to consume to attain healthy blood levels. This supports people who are at risk of excess mineral intake.

Should You Use Chelated Minerals?

Sometimes, taking minerals in the chelated forms is more suitable.

For example, older people tend to produce less stomach acid, which affects mineral absorption. But chelated minerals don’t require much stomach acid to be efficiently absorbed. So chelated minerals may be more suitable as you grow older.

Also, if you’re the type that experience stomach pain after taking supplements, chelated minerals may benefit you as they’re less dependent on stomach acid for digestion.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones t our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to get the best advice before trying out any chelated minerals.

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Magnesium is one of the essential minerals needed for overall health and wellbeing. It represents the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, and it is present in many whole foods like legumes, green leafy vegetables, seeds, and nuts.

But studies have shown that about two-thirds of the western population doesn’t meet their magnesium needs with diet alone. And low levels have been linked to health ailments, such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes, migraines, and mood disorders.

That’s more reason why a lot of people turn to magnesium supplements. However, it can be difficult knowing which supplement is appropriate for you as there are multiple varieties of supplemental magnesium.

Reactions of magnesium in the body

Magnesium is needed for over 400 metabolic reactions that contribute to healthy living. Some of the reactions this mineral in the body include:

• It helps in the conversion of food into cellular energy needed to transmit nerve impulses
• It helps in nerve signal transmission
• It is needed alongside calcium in equal proportion to control muscle contraction and relaxation
• It supports the absorption of other minerals and vitamins, especially potassium, calcium, sodium, and vitamin D
• It is needed for bone growth and density
• It helps to balance blood sugar levels and dilate blood vessels

Best Absorbable forms of magnesium

Magnesium comes in many different forms, but they differ in bioavailability. Some are not efficiently absorbed by the body, even when they appear to have high amounts of magnesium. So it is important to always know if your body can make use of it.

Below are the various forms of magnesium and their uses:

Magnesium citrate

This is a form of magnesium that is bound with citric acid. It is one of the most common formulations and studies have shown that it is one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium. This means that magnesium citrate is better absorbed than other forms.

It is typically used to replenish low magnesium levels, and sometimes at higher doses, it can be used as a laxative to treat constipation.

Magnesium chloride

Magnesium chloride is one form of magnesium that gets absorbed easily in the oral cavity and it is used to treat constipation, heartburn, and low levels of magnesium. You can also apply it topically to relieve muscle soreness.

Magnesium oxide

This form combines magnesium and oxygen to form a salt. It may be sold in capsule or powder form, and it is used to relieve digestive issues like heartburn and constipation.

However, this salt is not typically used to treat magnesium deficiencies, as it has been reported to be poorly absorbed by the digestive tract. It is the cheapest and most commonly used in supplements.

Other forms of magnesium include:

• Magnesium lactate
• Magnesium chloride
• Magnesium malate
• Magnesium L-threonate
• Magnesium taurate
• Magnesium glycinate
• Magnesium sulfate

Dosage and possible side effects of magnesium

The average recommended daily amount of magnesium for men is 420 mg and 320 mg for women. This is one good reason for you to check labels of supplement formulations, to ensure you’re taking the appropriate dose.

However, if you have to take magnesium in absorbable forms, always look for products tested by a third party, such as NSF International, USP, and ConsumerLab.

Lastly, it is important to always speak with your healthcare provider before trying any dietary supplement.

So, you can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City NC, to get advice on the best diets to meet your daily magnesium needs. You’ll also get recommendations of the ideal magnesium supplement if you’re unable to meet your daily needs.

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Minerals are simply described as inorganic nutrients needed in adequate amounts for bodily functions. Important minerals include trace elements like iodine, zinc, iron, and micronutrients such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium.

However, deficiency diseases can occur if these minerals are lacking in one’s diet for an extended period. That’s more reason why you need to always eat a balanced diet that contains a sufficient amount of these minerals, alongside vitamins and other nutrients.

Below are some health ailments that are caused by mineral deficiency and some natural ways to treat them:

Anemia

Anemia is a health ailment in which the blood is unable to transport the required oxygen to the body tissues. This condition is caused by iron deficiency, and iron is required to produce hemoglobin in red blood cells which helps in transporting oxygen throughout the body.

Unfortunately, around 40-60 percent of the infants in developing countries are diagnosed to suffer mental impairment due to a lack of iron in their diet.

Some common symptoms you’re likely to notice as your body becomes more deficient in iron include:

• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Extreme fatigue
• Brittle nails
• Cold hands and feet
• Headache, lightheadedness, or dizziness

A good way to prevent this ailment is to eat foods like poultry, red meat, spinach, etc. which are rich in iron.

You can also help anemia with iron supplementation, but always consult your doctor and have your blood levels tested before supplementing with iron.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by weak and brittle bones. It’s a serious ailment that can lead to a fracture when you fall or subject yourself to even mild stresses such as coughing or bending over.

This health ailment is more likely to occur in people who are deficient in calcium. A low calcium intake causes diminished bone density, increased risk of fractures, and early bone loss.

Other risk factors for osteoporosis include dietary disorders, gastrointestinal surgery, thyroid problems, etc.

You can prevent this condition by eating calcium-rich foods like dairy, sardines, and dark green leafy vegetables.

Muscle paralysis

Muscle paralysis is a health ailment that can be caused by potassium deficiency. Some common symptoms of this deficiency include weakness and muscle cramping. You can also other symptoms like bloating, constipation, or abdominal pain.

Potassium is an essential mineral that is required for nerve signals and muscle contraction. But you can lose potassium through excessive fluid loss (vomiting, use of diuretics, or kidney disease).

You can prevent muscle paralysis by eating foods rich in potassium. Examples include fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, beets, plums, avocado, dark leafy greens, and bananas.

Goiter

This ailment is a progressive enlargement of the thyroid gland, and this can be caused by iodine deficiency. The body needs iodine for the production of thyroid hormone, but it does not produce this mineral, hence, it is an essential part of every diet.

Iodine deficiency can also cause hypothyroidism and intellectual disabilities in children, especially when the mothers didn’t take enough iodine during pregnancy.

You can help a goiter by eating iodine-rich foods such as seafood, dairy products, eggs, meat, and some bread.

Abnormal heart rhythms

You can get abnormal rhythms of the heart if you suffer from magnesium deficiency. This is mainly because magnesium is needed to control hundreds of chemical reactions, including control of blood glucose and blood pressure.

Magnesium also controls energy metabolism, brain function, and protein production. This mineral is uncommon in healthy people, but chronic health conditions like alcoholism and certain medications may cause magnesium deficiency.

You can also suffer muscle cramps, tingling, numbness, and seizures if you’re magnesium deficient.

Hence, you should include magnesium in your diet. Some good magnesium-rich foods include nuts, legumes, whole grains, seeds, and green leafy vegetables.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to get recommendations on the best natural foods to include in your diet to prevent health ailments caused by mineral deficiency.

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On this episode:

• We discuss different types of radiation that we are all exposed to daily
• Symptoms of Radiation exposure
• What systems of the body it affects
• Removing Smart Meters from your home
• How do detox from it. Sara’s Protocol
• How we can avoid it.
• Simple tips and strategies

Sara is a health coach, natural supplement expert, and busy mom of three. She completed my undergraduate studies at Stanford University with a degree in Economics and Psychology in 1998. In 2016, she also graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and The Invincible Wellness System.

As a mother of three teenagers, She has had the opportunity to solve a broad spectrum of health issues affecting every member of our family. As a result, for the past 15 years, she have been in search of alternative solutions. Sara has been the guest on numerous podcasts and this is her second time on our show.

Learn more about Sara here:

ACCELERATED HEALTH PRODUCTS

ACCELERATED HEALTH TV

ACCELERATED HEALTH RADIO

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Top 4 Most Common Mineral Deficiencies– Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Our bodies need many nutrients for overall good health, and most times we get these nutrients from certain foods. But it is quite unfortunate that many Western diets today do not contain a sufficient amount of certain minerals and vitamins that are essential for many body functions. Instead, these foods are filled with grains, saturated fats, sugar, and not enough vegetables and fruits.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly 10% of the U.S population is suffering from nutritional deficiencies. And the common mineral deficiencies vary by gender, age, and race/ethnicity.

More so, our bodies may not be getting enough nutrients due to several reasons, including:

• Health problems such as digestive disorders or kidney disease – This could hinder the absorption of certain minerals and vitamins.
• The side effect of certain medications
• Restrictive diets
• Unhealthy foods.

While your body may get enough nutrients to function optimally from a consistently healthy diet, others may need a higher amount of certain minerals or vitamins for body development.

That said, here is a list of some incredibly common mineral deficiencies:

Iron deficiency

Iron is an essential nutrient needed for the production of red blood cells. It particularly binds with hemoglobin to transport oxygen to the body cells.

There are two kinds of dietary iron, including heme iron (present only in animals and high in red meats), and non-heme iron (present in both plants and animals). The heme iron is absorbed more easily than the non-heme type.

Iron deficiencies can result in anemia, a condition in which your blood’s ability to carry oxygen drops.

Symptoms of this iron deficiency include weakness, tiredness, impaired brain function, and a weakened immune system.

You can get a good amount of heme iron from dietary sources like organ meat, red meat, canned sardines, and shellfish. You can get non-heme iron from dietary sources like seeds, beans, dark, and dark, leafy greens.

Calcium deficiency

Calcium is needed to mineralize teeth and bones, especially during a period of rapid growth. It is also essential for bone maintenance.

More so, calcium serves as a signaling molecule that supports the function of the muscles, heart, and nerves.

A survey conducted in the United States showed that fewer than 22% of teenagers, fewer than 10% of adult women above 50, and fewer than 22% of men above 50 met their daily recommended calcium intake.

Low calcium intake is common, especially among older adults and women of all ages. The symptoms are usually an increased risk of osteoporosis as you grow older.

However, some good dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, boned fish, and dark green vegetables.

Iodine deficiency

Iodine is an important mineral needed for normal thyroid function. It is also essential for the production of thyroid hormones, which are involved in bodily processes like brain development, growth, and bone maintenance.

Unfortunately, iodine deficiency affects nearly one-third of the world’s population, and it is followed by symptoms like enlarged thyroid gland, weight gain, shortness of breath, and increased heart rate. Iodine deficiency also results in developmental abnormalities and mental retardation in children.

However, some good dietary sources of iodine include fish, seaweed, eggs, and dairy.

Magnesium deficiency

Magnesium is one of the essential minerals needed by the body, particularly for bone and teeth structure. It is also involved over 400 enzymatic reactions in the body.

But studies have shown that almost half of the U.S population takes less than the recommended amount of magnesium daily.

Magnesium deficiency contributes to some conditions, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease.

The deficiency can also be caused by drug use, disease, and reduced digestive function.

The major symptoms of magnesium deficiency include muscle cramps, abnormal heart rhythm, restless leg syndrome, migraines, and fatigue.

Some dietary sources of magnesium include:

• Nuts
• Whole grains
• Dark green, leafy vegetable
• Dark chocolate

In conclusion, you need to always be aware that you can be deficient in essential minerals, and the ones listed above are the most common. Older adults, young women, and children, vegans, and vegetarians are at higher risk of these mineral deficiencies. However, the best way to prevent deficiency is to always eat a balanced diet. Supplements may be necessary if diet alone cannot supply all the needed minerals.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City NC to get the best advice on how to eat right to get enough minerals and vitamins needed to stay healthy.

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Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis, Strategies to regenerate the brain – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You might have believed that every brain stops developing after a certain age, but that’s not true. Studies have shown that the brain has the ability to form new neural pathways and create neurons even as you grow into old age. This is achieved through a process called Neuroplasticity and neurogenesis.

Neuroplasticity simply means the ability of the brain to regenerate both anatomically and functionally. When you suffer from brain disorders, injuries, or degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Dyslexia, etc., the brain plasticity helps to reduce the effect of altered structures.

More, the brain is constantly changing, and a unique region of the brain called the “hippocampus,” which controls learning, memory, and mood, can grow new brain cells throughout our lives. This process is called “neurogenesis,” and it continues into old age.

However, the rate of neuroplasticity or neurogenesis is affected by our lifestyle. In fact, there are many natural methods or strategies that helps to boost the regeneration of the brain, including:

Restorative sleep

You already know how refreshing it can be when you have a good night’s sleep. But it goes beyond that; sleep is also helpful in repairing and growing new brain cells or neurons.

When you don’t sleep well or you have disrupted sleep, it impairs neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. So aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night. If you find it hard to fall asleep, you can try measures like making your room as dark as possible or going to bed at the same time.

Exercise

Exercise has huge benefits on the brain and the body. When you engage in aerobic activities such as cycling, running, swimming, and even sex, it helps to boost brain regeneration.

You might wonder how? Well, as you get the heart pumping (for over 20 minutes at a stretch), and from a routine from it, several growth hormones are stimulated in the brain.

More so, the increased endorphin production helps to reduce your stress level- something that could slow down neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.

Try new environments

Studies have shown that activities like traveling, learning new skills or language, and making new social connections, help to stimulate the regeneration of the brain.

The idea is to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself mentally on a regular basis. This triggers new neuron growth and sustains those new brain cells to stay with you for long.

Meditation & Prayer

When you practice meditation and/or prayer, it helps both your mind and body. Not only that, but it also supports neuroplasticity and neurogenesis by increasing hippocampal volume, grey matter density, and melatonin levels.

Meditation also helps to clear factors that restrict the growth of new neurons, including anxiety, stress, and depression.

Intermittent fasting

Many studies have shown that fasting/calorie-restriction promotes neuron growth, improves cognitive function, and increases synaptic plasticity.

During fasting, the shift in metabolism lowers the levels of leptin- a hormone produced by fat. This way, the brain receives a signal for neurons to produce more energy.

You can try popular methods of intermittent fasting:

• A 16-hour fast- eating dinner at 8 pm and breaking your fast at noon the next day.
• Fasting for an entire 24-hour period, one day per week.
• “5-2” model – eating for five days and restricting calories (between 400-600 calories) for two days in a non-consecutive manner.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to get more natural strategies to support your brain regeneration.

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Dr. Nelli Gluzman, founder and head physician at Blossom Pediatrics, is passionately dedicated to helping you rescue your child’s health. She utilizes an integrative, functional, and holistic approach to medicine. This approach is one that focuses on the root cause of chronic illness in children, allowing for the complete reversal of symptoms and the elimination of long-term conditions.

https://youtu.be/vFKLscNCznA “Doctor Mom”, as her patients have fondly nicknamed her, is dedicated to helping each child find relief from their illness, allowing them to live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. This is achieved through individualized treatment plans based entirely on what will work best for each particular child.

Working with the sickest children inside the hospitals of NY as well as running her own practice; Dr. Gluzman is trained and experienced in both conventional and holistic medicine. She is passionate about helping each child regain and sustain optimal health through a customized blending of functional and integrative medicine. Throughout this highly specialized process, the child’s transformative healing is predicated on the strong partnership formed between Dr. Gluzman and each family she treats. All the factors that influence health, wellness, and disease are taken into consideration; including the body, mind, spirit, community.

More Info on Dr. Nelli

In this powerful interview we covered:

What the difference is between Root Cause Solutions vs. Band Aid Solutions

How Dr. Gluzman was drawn to working with children with chronic health conditions with functional medicine and natural approaches and how she got into this with her daughters on challenges.

Why she chooses a more integrative approach and what it looks like when a child first arrives into her office or through telemedicine?

What are some more subtle signs of these issues that we as parents might miss?

What are 6 questions to ask when searching for a Pediatrician that uses integrative medicine and other natural therapies.

RESCUE YOUR CHILD PROGRAM

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10 Natural Foods that Support Brain Regeneration – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Due to the nature of our industrial fast-paced society everyone stands at the risk of experiencing brain degeneration as we grow old. But luckily, there are lots of natural foods that support brain health and help to strengthen brainpower.

You should be excited about this because the food choices you make are one variable you can easily control. You can support your brain regeneration and functionality by eating a brain-boosting diet.

Here are a few natural foods that support brain regeneration boost memory powers:

Nuts

Nuts like almonds and walnuts are rich omega-3 fatty acids, and protein, which helps the brain build new neurons and support memory building capacity.

More so, nuts contain vitamin E- an antioxidant that helps protect brain cells from oxidative stress resulting from the actions of free radicals.

A 2014 study shows that a high intake of nuts was linked to better brain function among elderly people. This food has also been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Oily fish

Fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, and sardines are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, and this helps to build membranes around the brain cells. They, therefore, help to improve the structure of neurons thereby boosting brain regeneration.

Studies have shown that people that consume high levels of omega-3s have a higher flow of blood in their brains. Besides, there are many links between omega-3 levels and improved cognition, or better-thinking abilities.

Berries

Berries are high in flavonoid antioxidants, including anthocyanin, catechin which makes them contribute many positive effects on the brain, including:

• Increasing neuroplasticity, which helps the neurons form new connections in the brain, thereby boosting learning and memory
• Delaying age-related neurodegenerative diseases
• Reducing inflammation

Some good berries that contain a high amount of antioxidant that helps brain health include strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, and mulberries.

Dark chocolate

You can also support brain regeneration by eating dark chocolates as they contain cocoa, which is rich in flavonoids. These antioxidants help to clear oxidative stress which is linked to brain diseases and age-related cognitive decline.

Studies show that the flavonoids in cocoa encourage the growth of neurons and blood vessels in the part of the brain involved in learning and memory. They also stimulate more blood flow in the brain.

Other nutrient-rich foods that boost brain power and support brain regeneration include:

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Eggs
• Avocadoes
• Broccoli
• Kimchi

These foods above can help boost your memory and concentration, as well as reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC to get even more natural food options that can help support your brain health and boost regeneration.

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5 Vitamins and Supplements that Support Brain Function and Regeneration – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC, Chiropractor

The brain directs the whole activities of the body, and it is important to pay attention to what helps your brain work optimally. A good way to support your brain functioning and regeneration is to ensure you stay hydrated, get the right nutrition, limit unhealthy habits, like smoking and consuming too much alcohol.

However, your diet may not contain all the necessary nutrients that are needed by the brain. That’s why it is good to support your brain health by taking the right vitamins and supplements to help it get the nutrients it needs to function properly and regenerate.

Poor nutrition can cause reduced ability to focus, a failing memory, declining cognitive functioning, and uneven moods. You may even be setting yourself up for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

So to avoid poor brain health, you need to get enough nutrients including vitamins and supplements that support brain function and regeneration.

Check out these great brain health supplements and vitamins:

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a supplement that supports brain function. This antioxidant helps to reduce oxidative stress, and studies have linked this supplement with reduced risk of stroke, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

However, you need to take vitamin E in a moderate proportion. This way, it helps people living with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s dementia to continue with their normal life functions for a short period.

But note that a high amount of vitamin E has been shown to increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Keep intake to no more than 400IU’s per day unless direct doctor supervision.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C cannot be produced by the body, so you can obtain them from dietary sources or in form of supplements. This water-soluble vitamin plays a vital role in brain health. It supports neurodevelopment, antioxidant function, and neurotransmitter function.

Studies have found a link between vitamin C levels and cognitive performance. A comparison between healthy and cognitively impaired individuals showed that healthy individuals contain high blood concentrations of Vitamin C.

B Vitamins

B vitamins contribute largely to brain health. These eight water-soluble vitamins support reactions involved in the synthesis and repair of DNA and RNA, energy production, and production of chemicals and molecules used by the nervous system.

Studies found that taking B vitamins, including B6, b9, and B12 for at least three months helped to improve episodic memory in people living with dementia.

That’s more reason why research suggests supplementing with a B-complex supplement for individuals deficient in one or more of the B vitamins. This works better for brain health than using isolated vitamin supplements.

Beta-carotene

Beta carotene is found in a variety of vegetables and fruits, and it is a precursor to vitamin A in the body.

One study observed the effect of long-term supplementation with beta-carotene in males over 65 years of age. The result showed that long-term supplementation resulted in a significantly higher global score compared to the placebo group.

The global score in the study measured verbal memory, general cognition, and the ability to list categorized words.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin present in foods as phylloquinone (K1). It helps activate certain proteins associated with the survival of nerve cells.

If you have a low amount of this vitamin in your body, it can lead to low behavioral and cognitive performance. But higher levels have been associated with greater verbal episodic memory.

Some studies also show that vitamin K may help protect against oxidative stress and inflammation, which are mainly implicated in neurodegeneration.

Note that it is important to speak with your doctor before starting any supplement regimen. Taking excess of supplements may adversely affect your brain, so ensure you don’t overdo it.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get the best advice and recommendation of supplements to better your brain health and support regeneration.

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What causes the brain to degenerate? – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Imagine returning from work and being unable to remember your wife’s name. You wonder how many kids you have, and your dog looks so strange in your eyes. Sounds strange right? Yea, that’s what could happen when your brain begins to degenerate.

What is Neurodegeneration?

The word “neurodegenerative” is derived from two words “neuro”- brain, and “degenerative,”- breaking down. So, neurodegeneration is the progressive breakdown (both structure and function) of neurons present in the brain.

Basically, the brain is made up of about 86 million nerve cells, and these nerves connect with the brain in more than a trillion connections throughout the body. These connections make you who you are, and it determines functions like, remembering things you read, thinking about your family plans, moving around, and many more.

So, when there is a miscommunication between brain cells, it could cause the brain to degenerate which can lead to losing intellectual function as their brain gradually deteriorates, and the effect is evident in memory, speech, and spatial skills.

Like the example given above, when your home starts to feel like someone else’s place, it could be a sign of degenerative brain disease. The bad part is that this disease worsens over time as the neurons in the brain die.

Some common examples of neurodegenerative diseases that affect different parts of the brain include:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Huntington’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Frontotemporal dementia
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Spinal muscular atrophy
• Lewy body disease

Parkinson’s disease causes impairment in movement. Alzheimer’s disease gradually causes memory loss in victims. Huntington’s disease deprives a sufferer of the ability to talk, walk, reason, and think, and this starts as early as in their mid-30s. Frontotemporal dementia leads to bewildering changes in a person’s behavior and thoughts.

In all of these diseases, the symptoms may start and last for as long as ten or twenty years until death. And many sufferers live a life of dependence, especially in their final years.

What causes the brain to degenerate?

Most of the neurodegenerative diseases are genetic, but sometimes, they can be as a result of a medical condition like:

• Stroke
• Alcoholism
• A tumor

Other causes include:

• Chemicals
• Toxins
• viruses

The degenerative brain disease can be life-threatening, depending on the type.

Symptoms of brain degeneration

There are many symptoms of brain degeneration, depending on the type of disease and what part of the brain is affected. However, some common symptoms include:

• Memory loss
• Confusion
• Difficulty in moving and swallowing
• Hallucination
• Difficulty regulating emotions
• Forgetfulness
• A loss of inhibition
• Anxiety

These symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases tend to become worse as the disease progresses, and there is a chance of new symptoms arising with time.

Treatment of brain degeneration

Most of these diseases do not have a cure. The treatment measures available are targeted to help improve symptoms, increase mobility, and relieve pain.

However, you can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC to get advice on some natural measures to improve the symptoms of degenerative brain disease.

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Dr. Nirvana Tehranian is a Licensed and Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor. As a Naturopathic Medical Doctor, she specializes in Regenerative Holistic and Functional Medicine. Her focus is on helping each patient achieve optimal health in body, mind, and spirit by reviving and recalibrating health within every cell….achieving a reboot of the entire body.

She continually seeks out new healing methods through advanced training. She also works extensively with compounding labs to bring her patients the purest, most effective natural medicine made in the USA.

Dr. Nirvana received her medical degree from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe Arizona. Her education included four years of traditional, conventional medicine in addition to holistic based training. She specialized in Medical Nutrition, Bio-Chemistry, Pharmacology, Homeopathy, and Botanical Medicine. She also maintains a BA in Psychology from Arizona State University.

Dr. Nirvana is accredited and board-certified by the National Association of Naturopathic Physicians and is licensed by the State of California and the State of Arizona as a Naturopathic Medical Doctor.

On this Podcast Episode We discuss:

Basics of gut function from top to bottom

How Hormonal and Mental health are involved in gut function

Biggest Impacts on gut health:

• Dietary factors
• Stress
• Inflammation
• Nirvana diet
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Infections
• Probiotics: good or bad

Blood Markers you can test for

Learn more about Dr. Nirvana Here

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Improve Gut Health & Digesting with These 6 Supplements - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You need to take conscious efforts to keep your gut health in good condition because it affects almost every function in your body. When your gut microbiome is balanced, it helps you get more nutrients out of food, supports your immunity, and helps you stay healthy and happy. But when your gut health is poor, it can affect your mood, weight loss, heart health, and cause several digestive disorders.

So supporting your gut microbiome is a good way to strengthen your immune system and boost your overall health.

You can try the following health supplements to fill the gaps in your diet, strengthen your gut lining, and boost your microbiome for optimal performance:

Licorice Root

The gut bacteria lives on the gut lining, and you have to ensure that it is functioning well to improve gut health. Licorice root has been shown by many studies to have a beneficial effect on gut health. But it has to be treated first to remove glycyrrhizic acid, which is a natural substance in licorice thought to cause low potassium levels and high blood pressure. A placebo-controlled study found that the licorice root is effective for reducing nausea and pain, and it heals patients with ulcers.

Zinc Carnosine

This supplement combines zinc and carnosine and it is effective for enhancing gut integrity. Preliminary studies show that zinc carnosine helps gut health by improving the ability of the stomach to maintain a strong gut lining.

L-Glutamine

L-glutamine supports your immune system by triggering the release of cytokines which signals “mayday” when attacked by viruses, antigens, and microorganisms. This amino acid also helps to repair injuries in the intestinal wall, and studies show that it also enhances nutrient absorption.

Probiotics

The gut microbiome houses thousands of bacteria living in harmony, and probiotics are the supplement form of those bacteria. When you take probiotics, it helps to build the population of good bacteria needed to help your body get nutrition and maintain a line of defense against pathogens.

However, ensure your choice of probiotics contain these bacteria strains: Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium infantis, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The good thing about these strains is that they are less likely to increase the production of inflammatory histamines.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics provide the nourishment needed by probiotics or gut bacteria. These supplements contain enough fiber, and it is highly needed when you can’t eat enough fiber-rich food. So the digestive bacteria perform their work optimally when they get enough prebiotics, and they help you feel more full for a long period.

Collagen Protein

Collagen protein is naturally produced by the body, and it is an important part of structures throughout your body, including your gut.

However, your body won’t be making enough collagen protein if you’re not eating a lot of bone broth and organ meats. But you can take the collagen protein supplement to get enough amino acid building block.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get recommendations on the best supplement to support your gut health.

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7 Natural foods that promote gut health & better digestion - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You don’t have to rely on processed foods to nourish, sustain, and grow good gut bacteria to aid nutrition and boost your health. Some natural foods can help boost your gut microbiota. Most of these foods contain dietary fibers and other compounds like polyphenols, and the gut bacteria break them down into vitamins and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

Check out all these foods that are easy to find to promote your gut health:

Apples

You might have heard the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This means that apple contains many health properties that keep your health in good shape. One of such properties is boosting your gut microbiota.

This fruit comes in varieties of colors that can taste sweet, tart, and lip-puckeringly sour. Besides, they contain a prebiotic fiber called pectin, which is hard for the body to digest. But your gut bacteria digest and transform this fiber into SCFAs, like butyrate and propionate. These SCFAs serve as nutrients for the gut microbes to help boost your immunity and strengthen your gut health in general.

Asparagus

This green vegetable is rich in nutrients and it is enjoyed in many cuisines. It naturally contains a kind of prebiotic fiber called inulin, which is acted upon by Faecalibacterium and Eubacterium present in the gut. Some studies have also shown the inulin increases the number of Akkeermansia muciniphilia, another beneficial bacteria found in the gut of lean people.

Oats

Oats are a rich source of beta-glucan, which is a prebiotic dietary fiber fermented by the gut microbiome, thereby promoting their growth and activity. Their soluble fiber content dissolves in water to produce a thick gel that digests slowly, keeping you fuller for longer. The beta-glucan content of oats also helps to lower cholesterol.

Green plantain

Green plantains are not so sweet, but they are delicious when cooked. They are rich in prebiotic resistant starch that serves as food for the butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut. These organisms break down the starch into beneficial short-chain fatty acids that maintain your gut lining and combat inflammation.

Rye

Rye is richer in fiber than wheat, and it has less gluten, which makes it suitable for producing tighter bread, with rich flavors. The grain contains fructan and arabinoxylan, which increases the gut abundance of Bifidobacteria- a bacteria that produces substances like SCFAs and antimicrobial defenses to support your gut environment and other beneficial microbes.

Flaxseed

The flax seeds have a tough hull, and they are often soaked before consuming. However, you can buy the ground flaxseed to save yourself the stress of processing. These seeds support gut health by promoting the production of mucus.

More so, some studies have shown that these seeds protect against colon cancer and reduce gut inflammation. Besides, they contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. The insoluble fiber content supports bowel movements and prevents constipation.

Onions

Onions are a good source of prebiotics that support your gut health. It also contains inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) that boosts immunity and prevent diseases.

You may not like onions because they burn your eyeballs, but if you want to strengthen your gut microbiota, it is worth adding them to your meals.

These natural foods and a host of others like mangoes, wild salmon, garlic, etc, work well to help you improve your gut health.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get more recommendations on natural foods to improve the balance of your gut microbiota.

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Gut Health? What Improves it & What Destroys it – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC, Chiropractor

The health of your gut has a huge impact on your body and it goes a long way in determining your overall health. The trillions of bacteria present in the digestive tract make up the gut microbiome (made up of good and bad bacteria, yeast, fungus molds, etc). And they help in digestion and contribute to the health of our entire body, including our brains, immune system and more.

Below are some ways your gut health impacts your overall health:

The immune system

The bacteria in the gut microbiome play a fundamental role in protecting us against infections. The beauty is that our immune system which detects and destroys pathogens does not attack the bacteria in the gut microbiome. Instead, it works in a mutually beneficial partnership and helps to maintain the symbiotic relationship of the host with these microbes.

That’s more reason why the bacteria in our gut have a large influence on our susceptibility to immune-related diseases. So when we eat foods that can be disruptive to our health our gut works as our first line of defense.

Digestive health

Many good bacteria in our gut help with digestion, nutrient absorption, and even more functions. But when there is a disruption in the balance of gut bacteria, this can often lead to various gastrointestinal problems, including Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases.

Brain health

You might have noticed a sick feeling in your stomach whenever you hear bad news or you’re in a stressful situation. That’s because the gut has a strong connection with the brain. In fact, there is a constant flow of signals between the brain and the gut via the enteroendocrine cells located in the lining of the gut.

So any problem with your gut health can contribute to depression, anxiety, or stress. Research has shown that the gut also has an impact on mood and behavior.

Heart health

When you hear the saying, “the road to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” it means something more. There’s actually a link between the gut and the heart.

Part of the chemicals produced by the microbes ends up in our bloodstream and moves throughout the body. One good example is trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which has been shown by studies to potentially cause blockage in the arteries and increase the risk of heart disease.

However, another study showed that gut microbiome helps to increase the level of triglycerides and HDL cholesterol (the good kind).

Weight gain, Obesity, and Diabetes

The bacteria in the gut microbiome also play a role in the body’s metabolism. In fact, research has shown that an imbalance in gut bacteria levels could lead to an increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Studies are still ongoing into how the signals from the gut influence metabolism and contribute to conditions like Type 2 diabetes.

What destroys your gut health?

These gut busters are destroying reducing the number of good bacteria in your gut:

• Heating and eating hot fermented foods, such as sauerkraut or kimchi (eat them cold)
• Eating foods containing artificial sweeteners and refined sugars
• Eating high-sugar diets
• Eating processed foods containing additives
• Indiscriminate use of antibiotics

How to improve it

You can improve your gut health to maintain the right balance of the bacteria in your digestive tract. Here are some simple measures to follow:

• Load up on fresh fruits, veggies, and beans, and eat more whole grains and nuts.
• Brush and floss your teeth regularly
• Limit sugars and artificial sweeteners
• Keep fermented foods like kimchi refrigerated below 1150F
• Eat prebiotic fiber like bananas, garlic, asparagus, and chicory
• Avoid indiscriminate use of antibiotics
• Reduce stress
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about how to improve your gut health naturally to enhance your overall health and wellbeing.

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Improving Gut function TOP to BOTTOM - Organs Involved & Gut-brain connection- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

The food we eat moves through the gastrointestinal tract (a long, connected, hollow tube that starts from the mouth and ends in the anus), and there are lots of organs involved in this process. Along the way, the body absorbs the beneficial part of the food after digestion, giving your nutrients and energy. The remaining part is given out as a waste product.

A series of muscles work together to coordinate the moment of food and cells that produce enzymes and hormones involved in the process of digestion. Other “accessory” organs, including the liver, gallbladder, and the pancreas also involved in this process.

What organs are involved in the process of digestion?

The major organs that are part of the digestive system includes:

• Mouth
• Esophagus
• Stomach
• small intestine
• large intestine
• rectum

These organs work hand-in-hand to convert foods into nutrients and energy that is needed for survival. In the end, it packages the solid waste or stool and gets rid of them through the bowel movement.

Mouth

This is the starting part of the gastrointestinal tract. It starts working even before you ingest food. The moment you see and smell that warm bread or pasta dish, your salivary glands gets active. After ingesting your food and chewing into smaller pieces, your saliva mixes with the food, breaking it into an absorbable form that your body can use. The tongue helps to move the food to the next organ

Esophagus

The esophagus is a long tube close to your trachea (windpipe). It receives food from your mouth, and move it to your stomach through a series of muscular contractions called peristalsis. But for this food to move down, the ring-like muscle called lower esophageal sphincter has to relax to allow passage into the stomach. After that, the muscle contracts to prevent backward flow into the esophagus, which may cause acid reflux or heartburn.

Stomach

The stomach holds food and serves as the mixer and grinder of food. The cells in the lining of this sac-like organ secrete a strong acid and enzymes that are involved in the breakdown of food into a usable form. After proper processing of the food in the stomach, changing it to a consistency of paste or liquid, the content is then moved to the small intestine.

Small intestine

This organ is a muscular tube 22-foot long, having three segments- the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. This organ is the “workhouse” of digestion, and most nutrients are absorbed here. Foods are mixed with digestive enzymes released by the pancreas and bile produced from the liver. Peristalsis is also in action in this organ, moving food through as it is being mixed with digestive juices.

The duodenum is the first segment and it is largely responsible for continuing the breakdown process. The jejunum and ileum are responsible for the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. Once the nutrients have been absorbed, the leftover (the waste) passes into the large intestine or colon.

Large Intestine (Colon)

The large intestine is a muscular tube that is 6-foot long, and it links the small intestine directly to the rectum.

It has segments, including:

• Cecum
• Ascending (right) colon
• Transverse (across) colon,
• Descending (left) colon,
• Sigmoid colon

This organ is highly specialized and it is responsible for processing waste to ease emptying of the bowels. The stool or waste left over is sent to the colon through peristalsis, and any remaining water is absorbed. The stool is stored in the sigmoid colon until a mass movement pushes it down into the rectum to begin the process of elimination through the anus.

Accessory Digestive Organs and functions

Liver

The liver secretes bile and process the nutrient-rich blood coming from the small intestine. It purifies this blood of impurities before allowing it to travel to the rest of the body.

Pancreas

The pancreas is the main factory for digestive enzymes that helps to break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These enzymes are secreted into the duodenum segment of the small intestine.

Gallbladder

This is a sac for the storage of excess bile made in the liver. This bile is released via the bile duct into the small intestine, where it helps to break down fat and move waste out of the liver.

Gut-brain connection

The brain has a strong connection to the gastrointestinal tract, especially the stomach and small intestine. For example, the thoughts of food alone can trigger the release of the stomach’s juice even before eating.

The walls of the digestive system are lined with more than 100 million nerves, starting from the esophagus to the rectum. That’s called the brain in your gut, otherwise known as the enteric nervous system (ENS). So those moments when you’re nervous and feel “butterflies in your stomach,” the ENS is at work.

This brain in your gut mainly controls digestion, from swallowing to enzyme release and food breakdown and absorption. Although this ENS is not capable of thought as we know, it has a direct link with our big brain.

More so, the ENS can trigger big emotional shifts, especially in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and bowel problems like diarrhea, constipation, bloating, stomach upset, and pain. Little wonder people with these issues tend to develop depression and anxiety.

You can consult Doctor Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NY, to get mind-body therapies to help your gut function.

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4 Supplements that Support Sleep – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You need quality sleep to maintain good health. Apart from the feeling of being well-rested, sleep consolidates your memory, facilitates the detoxification of your brain, and improves your athletic performance. More so, adequate sleep puts you in a better mood and even helps you lose weight.

Unfortunately, many of us struggle to get a good amount of sleep due to a lot of physical and psychological factors, including:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Depression
• Poor lifestyle choices
• Underlying medical conditions
• Pain

That’s why at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City NC, we encourage adequate sleep. One of the reasons we do is because sleep deprivation can increase the risk of conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, stroke, heart disease, and depression. The good news is that if you’re sleeping poorly or you find it hard to fall asleep, you can enlist the help of a variety of natural sleep supplements including:

Melatonin- Melatonin is a hormone that is involved in key functions like sleep regulation. It is naturally produced in the body and it regulates your body rhythm based on the light around you. So, when it is getting dark, the hormone naturally lets your body express night-time behavior.

However, if you are not getting enough sleep at night or sunlight during the day, you may need an extra boost of melatonin. And the melatonin supplements are effective for helping catch some zzz’s. Studies even show that it not only helps you fall asleep but also enhances the quality of your sleep.

Chamomile tea- Chamomile is an herb and not actually a vitamin or mineral. A lot of people diffuse it as an essential oil and into the diet via chamomile tea. This acts as a relaxant that calms your nerves, relieves anxiety, and improves your overall wellbeing.

Valerian root- You might not have heard about the valerian root and its use to fight sleep disorders since ancient times. This root has been effective in treating anxiety for hundreds of years.

It is one of the natural solutions you can use when you struggling to fall asleep. Besides, it is added to some medicines for sleep disorders, and you can take a valerian root tablet to calm your body and put your mind at rest.

Kava plant- This plant is part of the pepper family, and it has been shown for long to be effective in relieving anxiety. Studies have shown that short-term use of Kava is okay to treat moderate anxiety. More so, much research has proven that both kava and valerian root works to improve sleep in people with stress-related insomnia. However, you need to avoid using kava if you take alcohol or drugs that are metabolized in the liver.

Other supplements that support sleep include vitamins and minerals such as:

• Iron, Magnesium, B vitamins, Vitamin D, Calcium and Potassium, Vitamin E

These minerals and nutrients are also great to support sound sleep. However, you need to ensure you keep a healthy diet and lifestyle to get a good night’s sleep. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City NC, to get recommendations of some natural supplements and measures to keep your sleep cycle in good shape.

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7 simple natural steps to get better sleep- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You may often wonder why your doctor always advise you to get enough sleep regularly. Well, just like nutrition and exercise, sleep is critical to our health, and when we don’t get quality sleep, it catches up with us in other areas, especially our productivity, focus, and concentration.

Although our modern-day living does not allow us to see the necessity for adequate sleep, we always encourage our patients at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City NC to get a good night’s sleep and keep a regular sleep pattern.

In this article, we’ll be showing you some importance of a good night’s sleep and steps you can take to get better sleep.

Importance of a Quality Sleep

You may think of sleep as a time when your brain and body temporarily shut off. But the truth is that while you are resting, your brain is busy overseeing a wide range of biological upkeep and preparing you for the next day.

Here are some benefits of adequate sleep:

• Replenish: Adequate sleep gives your body enough time to repair the damages caused by stress, muscle injuries, UV-rays, traumas, and other harmful exposures.
• Boosts energy levels: You enjoy increased energy levels when you take adequate sleep. This helps to improve your mental awareness. Besides, you need quality sleep for improved athletic performance, including agility, greater speed, and reflexes.
• Supports your immune system: Sleep helps to strengthen your immune system to ward off infection. When you don’t get enough sleep, it makes you more susceptible to illness.
• Stay Alert: Your mind regains focus when you take enough rest. This helps to tackle those tricky mental challenges and stimulate your creativity.
• Boosts memory: Your sleep time is the best period to shape memories and make the connections between feelings, events, and experiences. It is also needed to form new learning and memory pathways in the brain.

You become vulnerable to a lot of short- and long-term health risks like obesity, depression, automobile accidents, etc. when you don’t get enough sleep over time. Hence, ensure you get enough sleep every day.

Simple Natural steps to get better sleep

You might have tried many sleeping pills and prescription just to get better sleep, but it only left you feeling worse the following day. You may not need to take such sleep remedies. Here are some simple natural steps to help you get better sleep:

• Create a good sleep environment: Sometimes, all you need to get better sleep is to make your bedroom more restful. You can use an eye mask or blackout curtain to help you stay in the dark. Also ensure that the temperature stays below 67 degrees to help your body cool down, making you fall asleep.
• Cut back on caffeine: If you want to get better sleep, you need to reduce your caffeine intake to 250 mg per day. You can take more water or decaf later in the day.
• Exercise more: Studies have shown that physical activities like walking help people to sleep faster. You can increase your daily exercise to keep your body active, and during the night you’ll feel more rested.
• Stay away from your devices: You can begin by shutting down all electronics like two hours before bedtime. This includes your phones, tablets, laptops- and all devices that emit blue light. This way, you tend to fall asleep faster and sleep better. If you have to, wear blue light blocking glasses.

Other measures to get better sleep includes:

• Deep breathing or meditation to calm your mind
• Create a sleep schedule and stick to it
• Draw a hot bath before bed

If you truly want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to get enough sleep to keep your body and mind working properly. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get recommendations on the best natural measures you can take to get better sleep and improve your overall health naturally.

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How Circadian Rhythms are involved in Sleep – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, Chiropractor

Have you ever noticed that you naturally experience different levels of alertness and sleepiness throughout the day? This is mainly caused by two factors- your sleep/wake homeostasis and your circadian rhythm/ body clock.

When you stay awake for a long time, your sleep/wake homeostasis tells you that a need for sleep is accumulating and it is time to sleep. In addition, it helps you get enough sleep throughout the night to make up for the debt. This way, you get a balance between sleep and wakefulness.

Your circadian rhythm on the other hand regulates the timing of your period of sleepiness and wakefulness throughout the day. It dips and rises at different periods of the day.

As an adult, you tend to fall deeply asleep between 8:00pm - 12:00 am, and in the afternoon you have the strongest sleep drive between 1:00 – 3:00 pm. However, this largely depends on whether you are an “evening person” or a “morning person.”

Besides, the sleepiness you’ll be experiencing during this circadian dip will be more intense if you are sleep-deprived, and less intense if you had sufficient sleep.

Your circadian rhythm also makes you more alert at some points during the day, and this is irrespective of whether you stayed up for many hours. But your sleep/wake restorative process would make you feel sleepy instead.

How the Circadian Rhythms are involved in Sleep

The circadian rhythm is directed by a group of cells called Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) located in the hypothalamus of the brain. These cells are sensitive to signals of light and darkness. And this sends a message from the optic nerve to the SCN, and then to the internal clock that it’s time to wake up.

The SCN sends signals to different parts of your brain that controls body temperature, hormones, and other functions that control alertness or sleepiness.

So as you expose yourself to light in the morning, the SCN sends signals to produce hormones like cortisol and raise body temperature. It also slows down the release of melatonin, which is a hormone involved in sleep onset.

However, as the light dies down in the evening, the eyes signal to the SCN that is dark, and melatonin levels begin to rise, thereby promoting sleep.

But if you disrupt your circadian rhythm, maybe a “jet lag,” it causes conflict with your natural sleep pattern. And this shift in time and light cues your body to adjust. This phenomenon is the main reason why a lot of travelers feel, think, and perform poorly.

Not only in travelers, but these symptoms can also occur in everyday life if keep long and irregular hours. That is more reason why you need to always ensure you keep a regular sleep schedule.

Ideal Bedtime

Your body expresses your circadian rhythm every day, and this goes on whether you sleep or not. So, it is wise to try to adjust your bedtime consistently with your body’s internal clock.

You’ll know when you are aligned with your internal clock when the following happens:

• You easily fall asleep (less than 20 minutes)
• You get 7-9 hours of full night’s sleep
• You get 20-25% REM sleep
• You don’t feel restless during the night
• You feel well-rested when you wake up

You can keep your alarm off for a few days to identify your circadian rhythm more quickly. Observe your body’s natural wake time for a week or so and check how you feel.

When you allow plenty of time for quality sleep, it allows both your sleep/wake restorative process and your circadian rhythm to help you perform at your best.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City NC to get the best recommendation on your sleep pattern to help you maintain a regular circadian rhythm.

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Why some common sleep recommendations don't work (sleeping pills and prescriptions) - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Over the years many patients come to our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City NC and complain of insomnia even after taking sleeping pills and prescriptions. You might have experienced this and maybe forced yourself to sleep several times with pills but don’t seem to get a good result.

Well, you’re not alone. According to a survey, about one-third of US adults with sleep problems complain that they had used pills and prescriptions but still don’t get a restful night. Besides, nearly 6 out of 10 people taking sleeping pills report side effects such as feeling confused, drowsy, or forgetful the next day.

So, you might ask, “Why do some sleeping pills and prescriptions not work?” Well, firstly, you must understand that not all drugs sold over the counter or prescribed are safe and effective. Secondly, most sleeping pills and prescriptions are classified as “sedative hypnotics.”- meaning they only sedate you, but not helping you sleep adequately.

All OTCs, for example, rely on older antihistamines- doxylamine or diphenhydramine, which causes drowsiness as a side effect. The oldest types are anti-anxiety drugs such as triazolam and temazepam, which makes you feel sedated by slowing the activity of your brain and CNS.

The newest type of sleeping pills or prescriptions, including suvorexant and ramelteon, affects brain chemicals that are involved in the sleep-wake cycle.

Why They Don’t Work

Most of these drugs will only make you fall asleep faster or increase total sleep time by 20 to 30 minutes. But they actually don’t help you get adequate sleep.

Studies have shown that drugs like ramelteon only makes people fall asleep 9 minutes faster than those taking a placebo. Also, participants who took suvorexant got only closed their eyes for 10 minutes more than those who took a placebo.

Moreover, sleeping pills don’t seem to reduce your anxiety or clear your depression. They also don’t seem to even encourage the kind of inner and outer change needed for quality sleep. In a way, they only distract you from what you really need.

The “Morning After” Effect

Besides the short-term effect of sleeping pills and prescriptions, they also have side effects, causing people to feel dizzy, drowsy, confused, and unsteady the morning after.

Some people with sleep problems have recorded hallucinations, sleepwalking, sleep driving, sleep eating, memory lapse, and odd behavior in the morning after taking sleeping pills and prescriptions.

The bad part is that when long-term usage of these drugs can be habit-forming, and you are likely to suffer a rebound effect when you decide to stop them, and this worsens insomnia.

More so, the risk of sleeping drugs gets heightened when you misuse them. For example, taking these drugs with other sedatives, alcohol, or prescription pain drugs can lead to slow breathing as well as a physical and mental impairment that may persist up to the next day.

Besides, you take sleeping pills or prescriptions with 4 hours or less to sleep before starting an activity that requires your concentration, you can still have it circulating in your bloodstream, and this can make you less alert when you need to be active.

So if what you’re looking for quality sleep and a regular circadian rhythm, you can follow some natural measures and possibly other techniques including some cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. These measures are safer and long-lasting.

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Recovering from an Auto Accident- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You need proper care and enough time when recovering from an auto accident. You might have sustained different injuries from the accident, and it would take a little time to heal completely. However, each recovery time depends on the person, activity, level, pre-accident health, and the severity of the injury.

So you may have to visit your doctor regularly, miss some working days, and follow some useful tips. Besides, Chiropractic care has been the most effective way to enhance recovery from an auto accident. And that’s what we help you achieve at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC.

Recovery from an Auto Accident takes time

You may desire to get back to work and normal life routine very early, but you need to let your body be the guide. This will require you to follow your body’s cues as to when your healing process is complete and when you’re ready to resume your normal life.

So have it in mind that your recovery can take days, weeks, months, or years, and this depends on the extent of your injury. More so, apart from physical injuries, you may have to deal with the emotional injury caused by the accident (which takes even longer time to heal). You may find that you’re afraid to drive or even stay in a car at all, but this fear often passes with time and the right treatment.

Useful tips for recovering from an auto accident

There are many treatment measures available for treating auto accident injuries, and the best has been Chiropractic care. However, here are some tips for quicker recovery and complete healing:

• Follow your doctor’s instructions: Your doctor will usually give you some instructions and recommendations in the first few days of recovery. And it is important to follow those instructions to prevent further damage.
• Exercise: Exercise works a great deal to help the body heal itself. But you need to speak with an expert injury doctor before starting any routine. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get advice as to when your body is ready to begin. However, it is good to start with light stretches like some beginner yoga to see if your body will tolerate the movement. It if does, then you can progress into a more rigorous routine later.
• Stay hydrated and rest well: You need to stay hydrated and take enough rest to allow your body to produce more of the healing cells to repair those that are damaged. Instead of exerting energy in other activities, your body will be able to focus all of this energy on repairing the damaged tissue even as you rest. This helps to speed up your recovery time.
• Eat healthily: You need to ensure your diet is full of vitamins and proteins, which are essential nutrients for the recovery process. These two components will boost your body’s healing process and reduce the recovery time.

How Can a Chiropractor help?

You should seek early care and treatment after an auto accident. This helps to enhance quick recovery. So it is advisable to consult a Chiropractor to get evaluated as soon as possible and know the best treatment plan that will put you on the road to recovery.

Besides, you may have delayed pains after an auto accident that may show up days or weeks after. So make sure you consult a Chiropractor as soon as possible. You can reach Dr. Jason at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC.

Chiropractic care will make adjustments to your spine if needed and might employ foam roller techniques or massage to help you find relief and recover from an auto accident. You will also get nutritional counseling and exercise plans that will boost the healing process to help you regain your full range of motion.

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Why Whiplash is a Big Deal- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Have you ever experienced an increased tenderness in your neck and shoulder after a minor car accident? Maybe you even disregarded it, thinking its only whiplash and it would subside on its own after a couple of ibuprofen and a little ice. But that’s a big mistake many people are making. You don’t discount a whiplash injury. It can become more serious if you don’t take proper treatment measures. And the best way to take care of whiplash has been the use of corrective Chiropractic care.

You need to understand that your whiplash injury is more than just a sore neck. A lot happens in your body which you may not know. Well, read on to learn about whiplash injury, its symptoms, and the best treatment measure.

What does whiplash mean?

Whiplash was first known as the “railway spine” because it was commonly experienced in train accidents. But as cars became more popular as a means of mobility, car crashes became the most common culprits for whiplash injury. However, whiplash can occur from any number of accidents or collisions.

During a car accident, your head and neck tend to whip forward and backward after a change in acceleration. This stretches, sprains, and strains your tendons, disc, and muscles beyond what you’re used to, and it creates tears in the soft tissues. You may even get a concussion if your body is thrashed around with enough force.

More so, research by Harvard shows that if you’re rear-ended by a car moving 10 miles an hour, your neck can still experience up to 9 Gs of force. This means your neck can move nine times the force of gravity.

Common Symptoms of Whiplash

Your neck vertebra may suffer the injury, but the pains of a whiplash injury can be felt in all parts of your body. Some common symptoms accompanying this injury include:

• Pain when moving your neck
• Stiffness
• Decreased range of motion
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Arm tingling and numbness
• Jaw pain
• Dizziness
• Tenderness or pain in the upper back, shoulder, or arms

Take note that you may not feel any of these symptoms immediately after a car accident. The adrenaline rush at that moment may mask the symptoms for days or even weeks. Hence, it is advisable to seek medical attention after a car accident for proper checks and treatment.

What happens If your leave whiplash Untreated?

Whiplash is not always revealed in traditional imaging testing because it is a soft-tissue injury. And this has caused many people to think it is a fabricated condition.

But the long-term side effects of not treating whiplash injury can be severe. The pain can become more chronic as time goes by.

You may start to experience:

• Sleep disturbances
• Chronic headaches
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Poor concentration/memory
• 80% more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the spine

It is quite hard to predict your likelihood of developing these complications. Hence, you need to take quick action and go for proper treatment to prevent long-term consequences and get back to your normal life.

Treatment Options for Whiplash Injury

Most medical doctors do recommend pain medication, rest, ice, or physical therapy for more severe cases. However, Chiropractic care has been the most effective measure that keeps pain medications away and lessens your recovery time.

At our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, we offer corrective Chiropractic care for whiplash injury, and we also help if the car accident caused your vertebrae to shift out of alignment.

We have a team of experts led by Dr. Jason Jones who uses a combination of measures including therapeutic exericses, soft-tissue therapy, spinal adjustments, low level laser therapy and E-stim treatment to encourage the body to heal naturally without any drugs.

So you see Whiplash injury is truly a big deal and you shouldn’t take it lightly. You can reach today at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get great care.

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How Auto Accidents Can Cause Delayed Pain - especially low impact collisions- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

A lot of people feel an auto accident isn’t that bad, especially when they’re not feeling any pain at the moment. Yea, imagine you were driving calmly to work, switching between your favorite jam stations, when suddenly heard a crunch at the trunk of your car with your head whipping back and forth.

The low-impact collision smashed your taillights but you felt okay because you didn’t experience any pains at the moment. So you took notes, exchanged information with the other motorist, and zoom off without signing any release form of settlement (fortunate for you).

But after a few weeks, you begin to discover symptoms of whiplash injury and wonder why it is delayed. Well, it is quite common for injury-related pain after an auto accident to be delayed and they can appear in different ways.

Types of Delayed pains after an Auto/Car accident

You may not notice some pains at the time of an accident, but as times goes on (maybe one or more weeks), you may start experiencing symptoms of serious injury. Some common types of pain that can be delayed after an auto accident include the following:

• Pain in the Neck or shoulders: You may experience pain in your neck and shoulder right after an accident, but it can be delayed sometimes, emerging several days later. This is often a sign of whiplash and could also indicate a spinal injury.
• Headaches: You need to observe the severity and location of the pain. It could be a sign of whiplash, concussion, neck injury, brain injury, or even a blood clot. However, it could be stress-related or caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after an accident.
• Numbness, tingling, etc.: You can feel these types of sensations when you have a herniated disc that presses or pinches on nerves in the spine. This pinching can result in tingling, numbness, or other sensations.
• Back pain: This form of pain can also be delayed and it may be a sign of a whiplash-related injury. Besides, it could also be a sign of a herniated disc, sprain, or other injuries like muscle damage.
• Emotional pain: You may feel anxiety, depression, or sometimes PTSD after the whole accident chaos goes down. In this case, it may be associated with physical injury or the actual incident. But if you suffer brain injuries, it may also lead to emotional pain and suffering.
• Abdominal pain: If you experience internal soft-tissue injuries, it can be fatal if left untreated. So if you notice it days after an accident, ensure you seek immediate medical attention. When you have internal bleeding, it may cause dizziness, headaches, and deep bruising.

What to do before signing a release of liability for settlement

If you want to settle a car accident claim, it is customary for you to sign a release of liability form as the injured party. So this ends the lawsuit and all future claims around the accident.

But unfortunately, a lot of people do not get an opportunity to ascertain all of the injuries caused by the auto-accident, especially when it is a low-impact collision. This may cause you to lose out on compensation for injuries and pains that are delayed.

So, it is advisable to get a complete medical evaluation before signing any such release. You can consult our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get the best check-up to know where you have delayed pains. In addition to this, you can also get an accurate estimate of the medical cost that these injuries might incur in the future.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones if you notice any of the above-listed pains several days after an auto accident. We would help you diagnose the symptoms and treat potential lingering problems using the our corrective Chiropractic techniques.

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The 5 Most Common Injuries After a Car Crash- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You might sustain serious injuries after a car crash that can impact you for weeks and even years to come. In fact, studies have shown that 20-50 million people are injured every year in an automobile accident. Some injuries may resolve within days without any medical intervention, but the more serious types require the best treatment measures to avert the risk of some permanent damage or physical disability.

That being said, the injuries resulting from a car crash are varied based on the individual circumstances of each collision. However, some types of injuries are more common after an auto accident.

Check the most common injuries after a car crash below and learn what you need to do after getting involved in an accident.

1. Head Injuries

Head injuries are one of the most common forms of injuries after an auto accident. It can be severe or mild depending on you and your head placement. Some can be mild, but most times you should never take these injuries lightly because they can be life-threatening.

If you’re involved in a minor crash, you may have an impact with the steering wheel and this may cause a little more than a bruise or bump. But if it is a severe collision, you may suffer concussions or brain tissue damage.

Hence, you need to get a full medical evaluation anytime you suspect a head injury. Take note that head injuries may be hard to diagnose at first (may just feel like a mild headache), but it is advisable to visit an injury doctor to rule out any potential problems.

1. Whiplash

This is a common injury after a car crash and it occurs when your neck whips back and forth in an accident causing spraining and straining of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

This happens when the driver is rear-ended and the common symptoms include:

• Neck stiffness
• Headache
• Pain

You may not feel the pain from whiplash until the following day or two days after. But most times, you tend to feel better in a few weeks. Serious cases, however, can cause pains that last for several months or years.

1. Back Injuries

Back injuries are also part of the most common injuries after a car crash. They can appear as spinal cord injuries and may result in body paralysis in very extreme but rare cases. However, mild cases can cause issues like back pain, spinal pain or even a bulged disc or herniated disk.

Back injuries are not always obvious like head injuries. Hence, you need to go for a consult a Chiropractor to get a thorough screening after your accident.

1. Broken bones

When the physical force applied to the bone in a car crash carries more strength than the bone itself, it can cause a broken bone. A simple bone fracture involves bones breaking without open wounds, but in the compound fractures, it penetrates through the skin.

It is easy to know you have a broken bone- you won’t be able to move the body part (or you might feel severe pains while moving). You will definitely want to consult with your local emergency room or urgent care facility for proper evaluation and diagnosis.

1. Psychological injuries

Apart from the visible injuries, you may also suffer some psychological injuries after a car crash. Some people develop a phobia of driving. Others may feel depressed, especially if the accident caused serious injuries or death.

If you’re in this category, and you struggle with heightened feelings of depression or anxiety, you may seek psychotherapeutic intervention to help you heal completely and get back to your normal life without any fears.

Other common injuries after a car crash include:

• Chest injuries
• Arm and leg injuries
• Scrapes and cuts
• Burns

Getting a Chiropractic Care

You need to keep in mind that some injuries may be delayed and may not be visible until after many days, weeks, or even months. So if you are involved in a car crash, it is advisable to seek immediate medical intervention for even the slightest discomfort you feel. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC for a proper check-up and effective treatment measure to any automobile injuries.

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The best ways to maintain or boost your energy levels is to eat a well, balanced diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. But these are not always easy to achieve as you would need to balance with the demands of life. This is one of the reasons why you may not accomplish everything on your task list, and you may sometimes find it hard to even get out of bed. But luckily for you, there are some supplements and herbs that help to increase energy.

At our chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NC, we encourage some of these supplements and herbs to people who need support in their energy levels throughout the day.

So if you want to perk yourself up to achieve more daily, you can try out these supplements and herbs below:

Ashwagandha - Ashwagandha is one of the most useful medicinal herbs in Indian for over 3,000 years. This herb helps to enhance the body’s resilience to mental and physical stress, thereby boosting energy levels. More so, numerous studies have shown that the ashwagandha root is effective in reducing anxiety and stress. It also helps to reduce the fatigue associated with exercising.

Maca - Maca is rich in nutrients that provide the body with energy-boosting benefits. It also helps you adapt to various environmental stressors, as well as improve your mood and endurance. Also, the maca is safe with no adverse reactions or side effects. However, it is best to consume the gelatinized maca over the raw maca, due to the chemical substance called goitrogens, which is present in this herb and can affect your iodine levels.

CoQ10 - CoQ10 stands for coenzyme Q10 and it is found naturally in the body as ubiquinol and ubiquinone. The body cells use CoQ10 to produce energy and prevent oxidative damage. However, when the level of CoQ10 declines in your body due to age, heart failure, type-2 diabetes, or certain cancers, your cells may not produce the needed amount of energy anymore, and this may lead to fatigue. Hence, taking CoQ10 supplements is an effective solution to help increase your energy level and reduce fatigue.

Vitamin B12 - Vitamin B12 is essential for transforming food into energy that the cells can use. It also helps to keep your blood cells and nerves healthy to prevent a type of anemia that can make you weak. You can get vitamin B12 naturally from animal proteins like fish, meat, and dairy products. However, you may be at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency if your body is not getting enough or is unable to absorb the needed amount. This is common among vegans, older adults, and those with G1 disorders. But, you can boost your energy levels by taking vitamin B12 supplements. This helps to ward off fatigue and weakness.

Creatine - Creatine is a donor of phosphate to Adenosine diphosphate to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) - which is the energy currency of life. You can include creatine supplements in your diet to when your body needs a quick source of energy for high-intensity, short-duration exercises like jumping, football, short sprints, or weightlifting. When you supplement with creatine, you get enough energy to train harder and longer.

Other supplements and herbs that help to increase energy levels include:

• Beetroot powder
• Iron
• Rhodiola Rosea
• Citrulline
• Tyrosine
• Melatonin
• Holy Basil
• Ginseng

You can experience reduced energy levels as you go about your daily routines and eating good and exercising may not be enough to keep your energy fired-up. Hence, you can take the supplements and herbs listed above to enjoy increased energy levels and improve your overall wellbeing.

However, it is important to note that things like body pain, headache, and stiffness can zap you of the available energy needed by your body to function optimally. But you can take care of that by getting the best chiropractic care. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office, Elizabeth City, NC to get the best care to eliminate these troubles to keep your energy levels up as you enjoy your choice of supplement and herbs.

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What you consume when you feel tired or run-down matters a lot for your overall health. You don’t have to go for unhealthy treats like sugary drinks, coffee, or energy bars that offer only a brief boost in energy levels. Instead, you can enjoy some natural healthy foods that contain nutrients that provide more stable energy and improve your productivity throughout the day. The beauty is that you don’t have to deal with preservatives or other chemical substances that are harmful to your health. That’s more reason we always advise people at our Chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NC, to stick to natural food sources to get the best boost in energy levels.

Below is a list of the TOP 7 foods that are best for energy:

Banana: Banana is a good source of carbohydrate, vitamin B6, and potassium, all of which helps to boost energy levels. And when it comes to easy absorption, bananas are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream far more than any other food. This is a healthy option for you if you need an immediate energy boost.

Avocados: Avocadoes are rich in good fats, vitamin C, fiber, and other nutrients that help to sustain energy levels throughout the day. Besides, they are loaded with good fats that increase energy levels and supply the body with fat-soluble nutrients.

Fatty fish: Fatty fish like tuna and salmon are rich in fatty acids, protein, and B vitamins, making them a great option for an energy boost. A serving of tuna or salmon usually supplies the recommended daily amount of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin 12. This helps greatly to reduce inflammation, which is associated with fatigue.

Eggs: Eggs are not only satisfying, but they also provide the body with enough energy. This food is packed with protein that can give you a steady supply of energy, and this is major because eggs do not cause spikes in insulin or blood sugar when it is digested. The leucine and B vitamins contained in eggs also help to stimulate the release of energy.

Leafy green vegetables: Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are rich in nutrients and contain filling proteins and antioxidants, and they help supply the body with energy. These leafy greens are high in calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, C, E, K, and iron. The iron content helps to enhance the production of red blood cells for increased delivery of oxygen to your cells, and this helps to fight fatigue and boost energy.

Beets: Beets contain nitrates and antioxidants which help to improve blood flow. More so, beets contain fiber, carbs, and sugar for a sustained energy boost. You can consume beets as cooked beets, dried beetroot chips, or as a bottle of beetroot juice.

Sweet potato: Apart from the delicious taste, sweet potatoes are a rich source of energy for anyone looking for an extra boost. Your body digests the fiber content and complex carbs slowly, thereby releasing a steady supply of energy. The manganese content also helps to breakdown nutrients to produce energy.

#8: BONUS - Water: Water represents over 60% of a human’s body weight, and it is vital for many cellular functions, including the production of energy. When you don’t drink enough water, you become dehydrated, and this slows down bodily function and leaves you weak and exhausted. But when you drink enough water, you get a boost of energy that you need to fight off feelings of fatigue. Hence, try to drink water regularly throughout the day.

Other healthy and natural foods that are best for energy include:

Apples

Goji berries

Yogurt

Yerba mate

Strawberries

Beef liver

These natural foods above are great for increased energy levels. However, you need to have a functional digestive system to get a quick release of energy from these foods. One way to achieve this is to keep your nervous system in good shape, and Chiropractic care can help you achieve that. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office, Elizabeth City, NC today to get the best care without any hassle.

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Do you ever feel fatigued and less energetic? You can increase your energy level and fight off feelings of tiredness with a simple measure like exercising. Yea, recent studies have shown that scheduled physical activity is far more effective to boost energy levels than sleep.

You may ask, “Why scheduled?” well it is simple- when you include exercise program in your daily regimen, you are more likely to follow through with it. More so, if you have chronic health problems, you are likely to enjoy huge benefits and a boost in your energy levels from physical activities.

Research Findings on how exercise increases energy

Many studies reveal that when you utilize stored up energy, you are indirectly making more of it. A study conducted at the University of Georgia showed that adults with a sedentary lifestyle, who spent 20 minutes on low-to-moderate aerobic exercise three times weekly for six consecutive weeks, experienced a boost in energy levels and reduced fatigue. One leading researcher states that a lot of people are always looking for other forms of energy: energy bars, coffee, sports drinks, etc. But he says the best way to increase energy is to lace up your running shoes and get moving. “If a sedentary individual begins follows an exercise program, it will help increase the flow of blood carrying nutrients and oxygen to muscle tissue, thereby improving the ability to produce more energy in form of ATP,”- said Peter McCall, Exercise Physiotherapist at the American Council on Exercise.

What types of exercise increase energy?

It doesn’t matter the type of exercise you follow to get energy; what matters is how long you do it and the frequency. Yea, any type of exercise can help you ward off fatigue and boost your energy. So, for example, you can start with 10 minutes of physical activity three times per week and move up to 45 to 60 minutes of exercise three times per week.

This is a good way to start if you lead a sedentary life. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NC to get the best Chiropractic care to ensure you are fit to start an exercise routine.

Why do you need to follow a proper schedule when exercising to increase energy?

Just like we said earlier, scheduling keeps you focused on the plan and motivates you do try more exercise to gain more energy. However, this can be difficult if you don’t know how to go about it. But the best course of action is to choose the best time that is convenient for you to exercise daily. Look into your routine and check how much free time you have; then consider your physical ability and the exercise that you would find enjoyable.

That being said, always ensure you don’t go more than two days without exercising. When you exercise regularly, you will:

• Gain energy
• Keep your muscles well-toned
• Stay in the habit of exercising as part of your routine
• Improve your mood

So, no matter your current fitness level, studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between regular physical exercise and increased levels of energy. However, it is good to get yourself prepared for the routine. You can get the best chiropractic care at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to put your body in the best shape and you can commit to a time and day to start your new exercise routine to enjoy a boost in energy.

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You may wonder how the body produces all the energy used for daily activities and even metabolism. Well, no doubt the body produces energy in the form of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), and this energy is used to fuel all cells in the body and function in three major ways including:

• ATP is necessary for mineral substances between cell membranes, including potassium and calcium
• ATP is essential for the synthesis of chemical compounds like cholesterol and protein
• ATP is used as a major source of energy for mechanical work, like muscular functions

There are more but for the purposes of this article our bodies produce this needed energy in form of ATP using four major mechanisms, namely:

• Glycolysis
• Beta-oxidation
• Oxidative phosphorylation
• Aerobic Respiration

These four systems use different starting fuel, provide ATP at different rates, and vary based on whether they use oxygen or not.

Glycolysis – essentially carbohydrate metabolism Glycolysis is one of the major ways our bodies produce energy, and it occurs in almost all cells. This process involves the catabolic breakdown of one molecule of glucose into two molecules of ATP and two molecules of pyruvic acid. This process is anaerobic and uses glucose stored in the muscle and liver in a concentrated form called glycogen. The energy produced is then used by various systems in the body.

Beta-oxidation – essentially fat metabolism The body also breaks down lipids to produce energy in a process called beta-oxidation. Fat is a good source of energy and it consists of a glycerol backbone with 2-3 fatty acids connected to it. So when you eat fatty foods, the body absorbs the fat and break off the fatty acids from the glycerol. This is a slow system that takes place in the mitochondrion, and the fatty acids are broken down to produce ATP which is further used to synthesize acetyl-CoA. The body uses this process to produce energy when carbohydrate is not available.

Oxidative Phosphorylation - The body also produces energy through oxidative phosphorylation, and this is a major producer of ATP in our body. In fact, 26 out of 30 molecules of ATP formed from glucose are generated through oxidative phosphorylation. The starting fuels are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. So when the carbohydrates and fat are delivered to the mitochondria, they are broken down to yield ATP. Usually, electrons flow from chemicals known as FADH (flavin adenine dinucleotide) or NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to oxygen to form ATP.

Aerobic Respiration - This is a mechanism whereby our body uses oxygen to burn glucose and produce ATP. Without oxygen, this process converts to anaerobic respiration, which generates 2ATP compared to 34 ATP produced through aerobic respiration. This sugar burning process delivers the energy your body needs to live, do everyday activities and cardio exercises, such as jogging, running, etc.

However, if your body is not producing the right amount of energy you need and you’re looking for ways to improve your energy levels, consulting a Chiropractor can help you get the required boost. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office Elizabeth City, NC, and get the best Chiropractic care to help your body produce more energy.

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Tips to Prevent Back Pain with Good Posture- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

Have you ever experienced pains in your back when doing mundane things like pulling weeds or tying your shoelace? If yes, then you will know how debilitating it can be, and how much it can stop you from enjoying life. At some point we all get to know the importance of our mom’s reminder to always stand straight and stop slouching. When you slouch, your ligaments and muscles can get strained, which puts you off balance and lead to back pain and other problems. The truth is that the health of your spine and back is largely dependent on your posture. Good posture is a simple but effective way to reduce the risk of back pain and neck pain. More so, if you spend many hours in front of a computer or stand for long during the day, you need to learn how to keep a good posture to prevent back pain. And that is what we always recommend at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain with Good Posture

Here are some tips to help you maintain good posture to prevent back pain.

Sitting posture:

• Keep your back aligned against the back of the chair with lumbar support. Lean forward and avoid slouching.
• Get an ergonomically designed chair to properly support your back and spine if your work requires you to sit for long hours.
• Keep your knees even with your hips when sitting in your office chair
• Practice regular stretching even when sitting in an ergonomic chair to prevent back pain. Pause and take a walk from time to time to stretch out your muscles.
• Sit with your shoulders straight and your head straight when looking into your computer.

Walking posture:

• Avoid pushing your head forward
• Keep your shoulder aligned with other parts of your body
• Keep your eyes looking straight ahead and your head up

Sleeping posture:

• Use a relatively firm mattress for proper back support (although individual preference exists)
• Use a pillow to get the right alignment and support for your head, neck and shoulder
• Sleeping on your back or on one side is healthier for your spine than sleeping on your stomach.
• Some do better by placing a relatively flat pillow in between their legs when sleeping on their side.

Standing posture:

• Keep your feet slightly apart
• Allow your weight to rest mostly on the balls of your feet, not on your heels.
• Stand straight and tall
• Stand and walk with your feet pointing straight ahead.
• Tuck your chin in to keep your head level
• Ensure your head is not pushed out forward but resting squared on top of the spine
• Allow your arms to hang naturally down the sides of your body.

Always remember that the major cause of back pain is tension in the back muscles and in your spine. So you can follow the measures above and include regular exercises in your routine to prevent back pain. You can also consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NC. You will get the best Chiropractic care and support to maintain a good posture to prevent back pain.

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The Surprising Health Benefits of Proper Posture- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

You may think keeping a proper posture only helps you prevent back or neck pain. But our posture impacts our wellbeing far more than we think. So when our parents scolded us stand straight or sit up, they were really helping us in a lot of ways, but we didn’t care to know why.

What is proper or good posture anyway? Basically, posture refers to the body’s positioning and alignment with respect to gravity. Whenever you sit or stand, gravity is always exerting a force on your muscles, joints, and ligaments. Good posture is all about distributing the force through all parts of the body so no one structure is overstressed.

There are lots of health benefits you stand to gain when you put in the effort to keep a proper posture. This article will explain them briefly to you.

Surprising Health Benefits of Proper Posture

1. It lowers your stress level - Studies conducted at Harvard University found that people with more powerful postures have a 25% decrease in cortisol levels and a 20% increase in testosterone levels. On the other hand, people that slouched in their seats showed a 15% increase in cortisol levels and a 10% decrease in testosterone level.

The result of this study shows that bad posture can lead to high levels of stress. Not only that, but improper posture can also affect your breathing pattern and cause your heart to strain.

But when you keep proper posture, your heart pumps blood optimally and your stress level is reduced drastically.

1. It boosts your productivity at work - Just by fixing how you sit, you can get more motivation and power through your workday. Your body will always send signals to your brain that you are in the right stance for power.

More so, a proper sitting posture helps to improve your breathing, which in turn allows more oxygen to your brain, thereby improving concentration.

It helps to boost self-esteem: Studies have shown that when you sit in an upright posture, it helps to boost your confidence and increase your self-esteem.

Just take a look at a photo of you slouching and compare it with a photo of yourself standing straight, you will notice the difference in the way you feel about yourself.

1. It helps you feel more powerful - Have you ever noticed people who are sitting up straight? How do you feel about them? You tend to see them as being very powerful. It gives you a feeling of control and your decision-making potential is boosted.
2. It keeps your body system working optimally - One of the benefits of yoga is that it encourages good posture to prevent your intestine from being obstructed. This helps to keep your bowel movement in good form. However, when you slouch, what you may not know is that your intestine also gets squashed.

So, one of the secrets to preventing uncomfortable constipation is to keep good posture. Maybe you just need to adjust your sitting pattern to enjoy better digestive health.

You can get more support to keep a proper posture at our Chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NC. Consult Dr. Jason Jones today, and get corrective Chiropractic care for proper posture. Your health will thank you in return.

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How to Improve your Posture for a Healthy Spine- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Improving your posture is more than just standing upright; it is about having proper spinal alignment to make sure you hold your body the right way. This helps to prevent pain, injuries, and other health problems in the long run.

When you keep a good posture, it means you are mobile and loose, with your:

• Head up looking straight ahead
• Back straight
• Knee straight
• Tummy in
• Weight distributed evenly on your two feet

However, a poor posture on the other hand can:

• Cause your spine to wear away, making it more fragile
• Decrease your mobility
• Misalign your musculoskeletal system
• Make it harder to breath
• Cause shoulder, neck, and back pain
• Affect how well your joints move
• Increase your risk of falling
• Affect your balance and reaction time

So at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, we always help our patients improve on their posture to better the health of their spine and wellbeing generally.

How to improve your posture

Here are some general tips to help you keep the right posture for a healthy spine:

• Be very mindful of the body position you keep during everyday activities like washing dishes, watching television, walking, or chatting.
• Try to stay active or exercise more often. Some simple exercises to help you improve your posture include yoga, tai chi, etc. You can also include exercises that work on your core, pelvis, and back.
• Avoid wearing heels all the time. You stand the risk of being thrown off balance and learning to walk differently. More so, wearing heels put more stress on your muscles and distort your posture.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Getting extra weight can contribute to lower back pain and cause a problem for your pelvis and spine.
• Make sure you keep a comfortable height for you when making dinner, eating a meal or sitting in front of a computer.

How to improve your posture at home

• Don’t sit too long on a very soft chair or sofa.
• Avoid crossing your legs when seated as it can cause changes in the alignment of your spine over time.
• Make sure you distribute the weight of heavy items you’re carrying on either side of your body.
• Lie on a supportive mattress when sleeping and use a single firm support pillow to prevent neck pain.

How to improve your posture at work

• Keep your back straight when seated in front of a computer. And try to keep your feet flat on the ground with your knees below your hips.
• If your job involves lifting, ask the employer for the right training to carry heavy and bulky objects.
• Get a headset for your phone calls if you are going to spend long hours talking. This helps to reduce the risk of phone strain.

Your posture is a great determinant of the health of your spine. You can follow the measures highlighted above to keep a good posture. However, you can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office, Elizabeth City, NC for the corrective Chiropractic care for your spine.

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Is There a Perfect Posture? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

Your structure goes a long way in determining function, and it is always advisable to take your posture and the orientation of your spine seriously. If your spine is not aligned properly, it affects your posture, and when your posture is bad, your body suffers the risk of asymmetrical gravitational loading on the spine. This leads to accelerated damage and degeneration. So, it is important to watch your posture and orientation of your spine.

However, a lot of people often wonder and ask, “Is there any such thing as a perfect posture” Well, the simple answer is “YES”. That’s why we offer corrective Chiropractic care at our Chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NC.

It is common to see many people with poor posture today, and many people believe it is normal and expected along the path of the aging process. But that’s not true; yea, it is not normal.

There is something called a “Proper Posture,” and apart from the benefit of better health and function, studies have shown that it can help to improve looks and success in life.

Can you have proper posture?

The simple answer again is “YES” and for you to know more about the good posture, I will show you some lessons from the past.

Genetics shows that humans hardly change at all. In fact, we only have about 0.002% changes in the human genome for the past 40,000 years. Even though our genome and bodies have hardly changed, our social and cultural expectations have transformed us greatly.

So now it is common to see an increased level of:

• Social competition at work
• Stress
• Changes in food, relationship, values, etc.

More so, if you look at our ancestors, they were always on the move, fishing, farming, hunting, and exploring. They needed to stay active to survive. But that’s not the case with our modern way of life. Most people today are restricted (or consciously decide) to stay in front of a computer, TV or smartphone for a long period. All these factors results in bad posture.

The main promoters of degeneration are sedentary life and immobilization. And current findings show that the average American spends about 30 years of their life in a state of rest (sitting).

But as humans, we are designed for movement. Our sedentary lifestyle is causing an increase in spinal misalignment and postural distortion. This results in hyper kyphosis (hunching back and slouching) and forward head postures, which tends towards greater mortality.

So you can decide to shun a sedentary lifestyle today and learn how to train yourself to keep a perfect posture. You may say “my work requires me to be in front of a computer for hours,” But I will advise you to take short breaks in between your work schedule and try some exercises in your leisure time.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office, Elizabeth City, NC and get a proper check on your spine. You’ll also enjoy corrective Chiropractic care to help you realign and restructure your spine to maintain a perfect posture.

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Finding Relief without Drugs – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

Finding pain relief could be an ongoing hassle. From pills that have severe side effects to other ointments that smell very bad, it could be challenging to stay motivated and keep on searching for better pain relief options.

But, at our Chiropractic Office Elizabeth City, NC, we offer Chiropractic care that provides a non-invasive alternative that does not have adverse effects. Consider the following advantages associated with visiting Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office Elizabeth City, NC to reduce pain.

What Is Pain?

Pain can be regarded as the natural warning system in your body - which makes it an extremely vital and beneficial asset under the right situation or circumstances. These nerve signals inform you of a problem that requires your attention, from a traumatic injury or an infected area to joint or overutilization of a particular muscle category.

This is particularly true of acute pain. Stiffness and sensations of pain discourage you from utilizing your injured body part while it is healing; and as soon as the condition is resolved, the pain disappears.

However, most times, pain could outlive its importance, lasting for months or even for years after your body has done its best to tackle the underlying problem. Such pain can be considered chronic pain.

In a study carried in 2019 by the New York University last graduating students on American citizens, chronic pain was found to affect 116 million participants.

The pain might plague you consistently, or it might come and go in bouts that linger for weeks at a particular time.

Problems with Medications

Though pain medications offer certain relief, they could pose some side effects. These problems might include drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, and headaches. Addiction to pain medication is another severe issue.

The body also becomes used to the drug as time goes on, so more pills are vital for achieving the same results. Long-term utilization of pain medications isn’t recommended.

Problems with Creams and Ointments

From ointments that claim to decrease joint pain to creams that assure muscle pain relief, several products don't work. Furthermore, they could be sticky or have an unpleasant odor.

Certain ointments can end up staining your clothes and destroying upholstery. Also, it is challenging for them to remain in place. As you keep walking around, the creams could come off.

Finding Relief without Drugs- Chiropractic Care

There are no addiction problems or side effects linked to Chiropractic care. It has always been appreciated for years as the best way to find relief pains and improve health.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones located at our Chiropractor Office, Elizabeth City, NC to get Chiropractic treatment to reduce your pains. Our non-invasive and natural method provides relief and also reduces pain problems. Furthermore, our Chiropractic care helps to enhance mobility and flexibility, thus improving the quality of your life.

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Organic Non-opioid Care for Chronic Pain – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC Chiropractor

In case you just started taking opioids prescriptions for controlling chronic pain, then you might want to try out a non-opioid method for caring for chronic pain. This is because over-dependence on opioids can lead to addiction and overdoes which comes with several diverse side effects. But Chiropractic utilizes safe methods to tackle chronic pain.

The non-opioid treatment for chronic pain includes the following:

Cold and heat

Cold can be essential soon after sustaining an injury to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, trigger recovery, and reduce muscle spasms. Heat increases relaxed muscles and raises your pain threshold.

Exercise

Staying fit physically, irrespective of certain pain, can play an important role for individuals with some of the most typical pain conditions, including arthritis, low back pain, and fibromyalgia.

Weight loss

Several painful health-related conditions get more critical by excess weight. Thus, it makes more sense, that losing weight could assist in relieving certain kinds of pain.

Occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT)

OT and PT assist in improving your capability to carry out activities of daily living, like bathing, dressing, and eating.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

This method uses an extremely mild electrical current to prevent pain signals from going to your brain from your body.

Ultrasound

This type of therapy works by directing sound waves into bodily tissues. It is most times utilized for improving blood circulation, promoting healing, and decreasing inflammation.

Cold laser therapy

This is an FDA-approved therapy for treating pain conditions. The cold laser releases pure light of a wavelength that is absorbed into an affected or injured area and might minimize inflammation and accelerate tissue repair.

Mind-body techniques

Mind-body relaxation methods are typically used at healthcare centers and hospital-based pain clinics. They consist of:

• Meditation
• Mindfulness
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Breathing exercises

Tai chi and Yoga

These exercise and mind-body practices use meditation, breath control, and movements to strengthen and stretch muscles. They might assist with chronic pain conditions like low back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, or arthritis.

Biofeedback

This machine-assisted method of caring for chronic pain helps people take charge of their body reactions and responses, including acute and chronic pain.

Chiropractic is a non-opioid treatment for caring for chronic pain since it helps in improving your body’s function and also helps your body to heal itself.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has to do with putting tremendously fine needles into your skin at precise points on your body. This method might relieve pain by discharging endorphins, (the natural painkilling chemicals in the body). It might also help in influencing serotonin levels, the brain transmitter in charge of mood change.

If you want non-opioid treatment and care for a chronic pain you are experiencing, then visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC. We help to correct your body’s alignment to relieve and care for your pains.

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Understanding the Opioid Crisis – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City, NC Chiropractor

Opioids have become more widely known as several countries and cities across North America, Australia, etc. are starting to take legal actions against drug-makers and vendors for the severe damages caused by opioid addiction.

What are Opioids?

Opioids include the whole family of opiates (gotten from the natural ingredients in opium). This includes semi-synthetic and synthetic substances. Opioids consist of strong prescription acute and chronic pain relievers. It has been revealed that a noticeable number of patients who utilize opioids for longer than the prescribed period would develop a dependency.

The four major types of opioid:

• Endogenous opioids (made by the body)

• Endorphins

• Enkephalins
• Dynorphins

• Endorphins

• Opium alkaloids

• Morphine
• Codeine

• Thebaine

• Semi-synthetic opioids

• Diamorphine (heroin)

• Hydromorphone
• Oxycodone

• Buprenorphine

• Fully synthetic opioids

• Fentanyl
• Pethidine
• Methadone
• Tramadol
• Tapentadol

How do people make use of opioids?

Opioids may be prescribed to anyone suffering from chronic or acute pain when their present pain management – using non-opioids and non-drug treatment – is inadequate.

Opioid use disorder

The opioid-use disorder is the medical terminology for opioid addiction. Opioids are extremely addictive since they stimulate the discharge of endorphins within the brain.

An individual might feel compelled to enhance their dosage or look for illegal means for obtaining opioids, like heroin, in a situation where they feel like they can’t get relief without taking opioids.

The Opioid Crisis

The broad scale of prescription opioid distribution from 2007 to 2013 is believed to weigh at an estimated 76.5 billion opioid painkillers. Rural areas with low-income have been hit the most, including West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky.

Deadly overdoses happened in large numbers across Appalachia and some other ‘hotspots’. Typically considered to be a problem in the Midwest in the United States, the rate of opioid disorder and overdoses rose in every eastern US states.

The death toll caused by drug overdose in the United States was 70,200 in 2017, with about 47,600 of those being linked with opioid addiction. It is typically accepted that the rates of opioid abuse are underreported and underdiagnosed.

Synthetic deaths as a result of opioid overdose are now greater than the number of heroin deaths in the United States. This shows that the manufacture of drugs including cocaine and methamphetamines are now ruined with opioids like fentanyl.

It is estimated that a staggering 400,000 individuals have died in North America due to opioid addiction since 1998. However, the impact of opioid addiction spreads more than measurable deaths and overdoses. Also, it influences unemployment, exacerbations of different behavioral health conditions, and loss in productivity.

Preventing opioid addiction and overdose

To tackle the opioid problem, it is recommended that we implement the following techniques:

• Enhancing opioid education for both consumers and health providers
• Encouraging communication between health providers; and
• Using a Chiropractor to tackle and relieve pain without having to even try opioids in the first place.

For more information on how to take care of acute and chronic pain without opioids. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, today.

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What Are Opioids? – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

The word opioid covers several categories. Opioids could consist of medications prescribed for alleviating pain, and they can also be illegal drugs such as heroin, synthetic medications that could be downright deadly.

The epidemic related to opioid refers to the advancement of both non-prescription and prescription opioid drug utilization for non-medical objectives.

In 2015, about 2 million people out of the estimated 20.5 million citizens that had a significant substance abuse disorder experienced a disorder involving prescribed pain relievers. Another 591,000 experienced a disorder that had to do with heroin. And during 2016, 116 individuals died daily from opioid-related drug overdoses.

Below is what you need to know concerning opioids, identifying abuse and preventing addiction.

What are opioids?

Opioids are medications that are typically prescribed to assist in controlling pain, especially after major surgery. The whole group of medications is quite extensive, including synthetic and natural substances. Opioids break down and integrate with receptors within your brain, which minimizes the perception of pain and also creates feelings of relaxation and euphoria.

When are opioids prescribed?

Opioids are utilized for treating moderate to critical pain. Pain can be chronic or acute. Acute pain simply means it would only stay for a short time (like surgery-related pain). Chronic pain, on the other hand, is pain that lasts for a longer time. It happens with diseases such as arthritis or cancer. Opioids are often seen as a last resort, which means that they are often turned to when other pain therapy and medicines aren’t working.

When do opioids become a problem?

Whenever opioids are taken over a longer period of time, the dosage required for creating those euphoric feelings tends to increase. Yet, the different feelings of pleasure gotten from opioids could lead to addiction. Whenever the Opioid does start wearing off, you might crave those pleasurable feelings.

How do I prevent taking opioids?

In case you recently underwent surgery or have severe pain, work closely with your doctor to choose the treatment that is best for you.

Work with your doctor to know the best possible options. But if you desire a natural treatment to pains without experiencing any side effects, then you might want to consider Chiropractic or some other non-drug treatment.

What can I do to minimize the risks?

• Take all your medications according to your doctor’s directions. Never take more than what is prescribed.
• Take opioid drugs for acute pain only for a reasonable time frame, and then stop.
• Keep your appointments, so that your provider can ensure that you are not having any negative or adverse effects and that the medication is working.
• Make sure you tell your provider about all the medications you are taking, including supplements, vitamins, herbal remedies, and over-the-counter medicines.

Drug-free option for relieving pain

Opioids can completely be avoided if you are scared of the side effects and potential addiction it comes with. You can do this by engaging a Chiropractor such as Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractor Office in Elizabeth City, NC to ensure a drug or opioid-free method for relieving pain.

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10 Immune Boosting Tips [BONUS EPISODE]

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The best disc treatment options – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

The use of non-surgical and non- drug treatment methods in providing relief from symptoms of a disc issue has been proven to be effective. Surgery is a risky, irreversible and expensive procedure and has a much higher recovery time. It's been estimated that over 50% of the population walks around each day with disc issues...and thankfully very few require surgery! The size of the herniation DOESN'T matter. Always examine the patient, not the picture! Visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, for non-surgical treatment of slipped disc.

In some cases, surgical treatment of disc issues may be disappointing for patients who suffer from disc problems because the pain may not be reduced. In other cases, the pain may return or become worse, which may cause weakness in other areas of the spine.

Natural treatment options for disc problems is an effective treatment option for most patients who want a faster recovery time while avoiding the side effects of medication or surgery. It is, therefore, important to visit an experienced health care provider or Chiropractor for the best non-surgical and non-medication treatment of a disc problem.

The best natural treatment for disc issues includes the following:

• Movement Therapy: Several movement therapy techniques are used by Chiropractors to provide relief from the symptoms of disc issues. These methods include corrective movement re-education, massage therapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, spinal decompression, spinal rehab, posture correction and many more.
• Chiropractic Adjustments: Research shows that the use of Chiropractic manipulative therapy, such as spinal manipulation, can help reduce pain by proper alignment of the spine.
• Functional Disc Rehydration therapy: Flattened, desiccated and bulging spinal discs may return to some level of proper functionality by promoting and restoring hydration. Loss of spinal fluids has been known to cause problems associated with spinal disc degeneration or disc problems. Visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, for proper functional rehydration therapy in treating disc problems.

Functional Disc Rehydration therapy ensures that the spine is decompressed to allow the free flow of nutrients into the starved disc. Bulging discs are restored somewhat to their proper shape. When a spinal disc is restored and rehydrated, it can effectively provide shock absorption and cushioning between the spinal vertebrae. Disc rehydration ensures that movement becomes more fluid. Back pain associated with a disc is relieved and may be eliminated through proper disc rehydration therapy.

• Exercise programs: Patients with disc problems are advised to carry out stretching and other forms of strengthening exercises to build strength and provide adequate support for the spine. The idea behind this is to keep the body in shape and ensure muscle flexibility.

The primary focus of your workouts should be on low impact activities like swimming, body weight movements/exercises or the use of an elliptical machine.

• Acupuncture: Research has shown that acupuncture is an effective pain-relieving tool which helps the body to release endorphins (the body's natural pain killers).
• Herbal and vitamin supplements: Fish oil and vitamin D ]can be effective in reducing inflammation. The intake of proper diet and certain food supplements may help provide relief from back pain associated with the disc when combined with other natural treatment options. Patients should discuss with their Chiropractor or Nutritionist before taking food supplements as you want to make sure you are taking the right ones.

Changes in certain areas if your lifestyle can help you recover from symptoms associated with a disc. Practicing proper lifting techniques and good posture should be encouraged. You should also try to maintain a healthy weight and learn how to manage stress. Avoid being sedentary for long hours without taking out time to stretch occasionally. These lifestyle changes can be combined with the natural treatment options for lasting and faster recovery from a disc problem.

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The degenerative disc, as the name implies, is associated with wear and tear over time. Disc degeneration occurs when the shock-absorbing property of the spinal disc deteriorates. Spinal discs provide a cushion effect between two adjacent vertebrae and space for the spinal nerves to exit.

Degenerative disc disease can lead to arthritis and other health issues like spinal stenosis. It is technically possible to slow down the degeneration process. Most people, at some point in their life, may experience a few changes in their spine, which may be signs of degenerative disc disease.

How to slow down the disc degeneration process

You can slow down the process of disc degeneration through the following means:

Live an active lifestyle: One very significant thing to do, which can help you in slowing down the disc degeneration process is by living an active lifestyle. One way to live an active lifestyle is to carry out routine exercises. Most Chiropractors will always advise you to engage in stretching exercises. Stretching allows you to move your joints through several ranges of motion.

Stretching exercises also help in improving muscle strength, especially around the back and abdomen. It would be best if you avoided over-reliance on your spine when doing heavy work. There are appropriate techniques for lifting heavy objects without putting much pressure on your spine. Also look to maintain a good posture even while sitting at a computer.

Take little walks to flex your muscles after sitting for long hours. Dr. Jason Jones, at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, provides proper advice on the best lifestyle that can slow down degenerative disc problems.

Quit smoking: Research has shown that smoking is an underlying cause of disc degeneration. Tobacco smoking affects spinal discs in numerous ways. Smoking is said to inhibit rebuilding activities that occur around spinal disc edges.

Smoking is also said to aid the constriction of blood vessels that are supposed to provide nutrients to spinal discs. Smoking may also worsen the symptoms of back pain, though a lot of research is still ongoing on this aspect. However, It is a general belief that smoking increases the perception of pain.

Watch your weight: Studies show that excess weight is said to be one of the root causes of the degenerative disc. The body exerts more pressure on the spinal disc and joints. Excess weight or obesity contributes to an increase in the risk of disc degeneration in the lumbar vertebrae.

Be conscious of your nutrition: Be mindful of the type of food you eat. Take a lot of vitamin-rich foods and avoid eating foods processed food. Eat foods that contain healthy fats, vegetables and fruits. Ensure that you stay hydrated so that there will be improved blood circulation and flow of nutrients to different parts of your body, including your spine.

Disc degeneration disease is associated with wear and tear over time, but you can slow down the degeneration process of your spinal disc by living a healthy lifestyle, quit certain bad habits and avoid living a sedentary life. Yoga, spinal reconditioning and other stretching exercises help to strengthen your muscles. You also have to be mindful of the type of food you eat.

However, you can pay a visit to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, for effective ways, you can slow down spinal disc degeneration.

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Spinal discs act as a cushion between the spinal vertebrae and they create space for the spinal nerves to exit the spine. Spinal discs have a hard exterior that provides support and enables a wide range of motion. They can be likened as a shock absorber that protects your spine.

Pain is felt around the spinal disc as a result of the deterioration and break down of spinal discs, which can be very mild to severe.

Visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, to help you get relief from pain as a result of spinal disc problems.

There are two common problems associated with the spinal disc. They include the following:

1. Herniated disc

Studies have shown that herniated spinal disc problem occurs as a result of protrusion of the inner disc material through a small tear on the disc. The protrusion of the spinal discs causes more pain than a bulging disc. Herniated disc problem is common among the younger population typically due to trauma.

Symptoms of herniated spinal disc problems include the following:

Pain in the lower back or leg Cramping or muscle spams Tingling, weakness or a numbness sensation in the affected area. Pain tends to worsen when sitting or leaning forward. Feeling of pain when coughing, sneezing or lifting objects.

Diagnosis: Your Chiropractor needs to carry out a proper diagnosis to determine the main cause of your herniated disc problem before carrying out treatment. By paying a visit to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, you are sure to get a proper physical examination and, if necessary, refer out for an MRI assessment of the affected area.

1. Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease is a spinal disc problem that can be responsible for some cases of neck and lower back pain. It occurs as a result of a spinal disc breaking down. Degenerative disc disease is common among those who are elderly but can begin much earlier in life. According to research, Loss of spinal fluid and cracking of the spinal disc can lead to degenerative disc disease.

Symptoms of degenerative disc disease

The symptoms of degenerative disc disease occur gradually and increase with time. They include the following:

Pain in the lower back or neck. Feeling of pain which restricts certain movement like bending or reaching up. Less pain is felt when walking, lying down or running. Stiffness and restricted movement after being sedentary

Diagnosis: A detailed history, as well as neurological or physical examination, is carried out to ascertain the cause of the degenerative disc disease. X-ray, MRI or CT and Electromyography are diagnostic techniques that may be employed in finding out if you have degenerative disc disease.

The symptoms of spinal disc problems can be very painful. It is important to visit an experienced Chiropractor who will provide proper spinal alignment through several hands-on techniques.

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Is Your Back Pain Caused By a Spinal Disc Issue? –Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

There are several reasons why your back pain may be a result of a spinal disc issue. It is estimated that about 80 percent of people will, at one point in their life, experience back pain. Back pain can not only be very painful but it can restrict the movement of the lower back and eventually the rest of the spine.

You can visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, for effective diagnosis and treatment of back pain.

Individuals with back pain may find it difficult to bend or lift objects. Several factors can cause back pain of which spinal disc problem is just one of them.

Research has shown that spinal disc pain is prevalent among people with lower back issues in about 40% of reported cases. The spinal or intervertebral disc is often referred to as pain generators by medical experts.  Pain generators may be regarded as those places in the human body where there could be abnormal physiological activities that can trigger pain.

There are differences in the intervertebral disc that may cause back pain. They include the following:

• Disc injury

As a result of spinal disc injury due to an annular tear or a herniated disc problem, pain in the lower back may be experienced. A herniated disc is said to occur as a result of bulging or breaking of the soft jelly-like substance in the disc.

When this jelly-like substance, also known as the nucleus pulposus, breaks out and comes in contact with any of the spinal nerve roots, you tend to feel pain, especially around the lower back region.

You can visit our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, to get proper non-surgical treatment of herniated disc issues leading to back pain.

This may occur when you lift heavy objects while using a rounded spine.  What this means is that when you try to lift objects without bending your knees, it may result in disc herniation leading to back pain. Spinal disc injury leading to back pain can occur even in young adults around 18 to 35 years when the disc water content is still high.

• Disc Disruption

According to studies, Disc disruption is another type of abnormal physiological activity that may lead to back pain. It is often referred to as internal disc disruption. IDD is different from degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc disease occurs due to wear and tear, while internal disc disruption is a result of internal changes that causes regeneration of the jelly-like nucleus pulposus located in the center of the disc.

The forward and backward spinal movement also referred to as flexion and extension, are internal changes in the spinal disc that can cause you to have back pain according to studies.

Treatment of back pain associated with a spinal disc problem

To treat back pain associated with the spinal disc, Chiropractors make use of hands-on techniques such as spinal adjustments. Spinal reconditioning and Strengthening exercises are also recommended as part of the recovery process from back pain.

Back pain caused by spinal disc issues can be treated with the help of a competent Chiropractor. You can visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, for effective treatment of back pain as a result of spinal disc issues.

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6 Reasons Why Sports Chiropractic is The Secret of Top Performance– Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

Chiropractic sports medicine or Chiropractic sports is a subspecialty in the Chiropractic healing field. Sports Chiropractic treatment involves the care and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries for athletes. It also involves giving out professional advice on issues bothering on performance, treatment of injury as a result of participation in sports and most importantly treatment to ensure continued top performance.

Sports Chiropractic is an athlete's secret weapon to ensure top performance. Sports chiropractors have a vast knowledge of sports-related injuries and sports in general. They are qualified to carry out the diagnosis and treatment of an athlete's sporting injury without the use of drugs. Chiropractic care is a hands-on approach and you can get the best care by visiting Dr. Jason James at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC.

Sports Chiropractic has benefited athletes in so many ways. Professional athletes have gained tremendously from sports Chiropractic treatment. Sports Chiropractic helps athletes to recover from injuries without undergoing surgery or taking drugs. Outlined below are the benefits of sports Chiropractic to help athletes improve their overall performance.

Benefits of sports Chiropractic to improving athletic performance

Create relief from the impact of strenuous exercise: Athletes subject themselves to strenuous exercise and often have to undergo the torture of body or muscle pain. Sports Chiropractic care can help an athlete to overcome pain through proper hands-on therapy.

According to research, athletic performance is greatly hindered when they are overstressed or subjected to high-intensity exercise without having enough recovery time. A Chiropractor advises athletes on the appropriate training schedule to ensure top performance.

Chiropractors can treat various sport-related injuries: Sports Chiropractic reduces the risks of injury for athletes. An athlete can also recover faster from injuries and get back in top shape. Muscle relaxation is enhanced, and it also promotes proper blood circulation for athletes through sports Chiropractic treatment which you can get by contacting Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC.

Sports Chiropractic is drug-free and non-invasive: If given an option, most athletes may choose not to take medications because of the side effect of some drugs. Sports Chiropractic therapeutic procedure helps athletes to get back to action immediately after undergoing treatment. Invasive treatment methods, such as surgery or medications, may take a longer time for an athlete to recover.

Sports Chiropractic enhances sporting performance and prevents injuries: Research shows that Chiropractic treatment helps improves sporting performance and reduces the risk of injuries. Sports Chiropractic program also includes injury prevention routines which are another way to improve sporting performance.

It helps in pain reduction and increases strength: Sports Chiropractic care pays special attention to spinal manipulation. Spinal manipulation helps to reduce pain. It also increases athletic strength. By increasing the strength of athletes, sports Chiropractic treatment helps to increase sporting performance.

Sports Chiropractic treatment helps to ease relaxation: With proper Chiropractic care to remove nerve irritation, athletes can feel a sense of relaxation in their muscles and joints. Removing nerve irritation causes relaxation which helps to relieve tension, which in turn reduces stress/anxiety and improves athletic performance.

Conclusion

Athletes stand a lot to benefit from sports Chiropractic treatment. They may be able to perform optimally after undergoing treatment from a professional Chiropractor. Sports Chiropractic provides quick recovery from burnout or injuries. It helps athletes avoid taking certain medications, which may have adverse side effects and affect their general performance. You can get proper treatment for your sports related injury by contacting Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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7 Ways to Staying healthy by keeping fit– Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

The little things that you do every day determine your state of wellness or general health. Several factors influence how fit and healthy you can be. It often revolves around your lifestyle. You may use this article as a guide as you embark on a journey to good health and physical fitness. You can also visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC so we can help you in your quest to stay healthy and keep fit.

Tips for keeping fit and staying healthy

Stop your bad habits: By cutting back or completely stopping those habits that negatively affect your life, you may be able to improve your health state. Bad habits such as excessive drinking, drugs, smoking, and other forms of harmful activities should be stopped if you are seeking to have a healthy lifestyle.

Some habits may not be too bad, but they may pose a problem when you overindulge in them. These habits include eating junk food, taking caffeine, sugar, etc.

Go for regular check-ups: Keeping fit does not mean carrying out routine exercises alone; it also involves caring for your body. You may consider visiting your doctor for regular check-ups to make sure that you have no form of health challenges. You can even carry out various personal self-examinations.

A routine examination helps you detect any abnormality so that early action can be taken. For physical examination and treatment of musculoskeletal issues, visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC.

Get enough sleep: According to research, sleep has a significant effect on your mental and physical health. Lack of sleep affects your concentration, motor skills, stress hormones, mood, cardiovascular health, immune system, and metabolism. Sleep helps your body to heal and repair itself.

Exercise regularly: Whether you go out for a few minutes' walks weekly or you are involved in high-intensity exercise routines, the result is that you are keeping fit and staying healthy. According to research, engaging in cardiovascular exercises promotes lung and heart strength. Strength training enhances muscle strength while stretching reduces injury risk and increases flexibility.

Eat healthy: It is advisable to eat vegetables and fresh fruit as a good place to start. Ensure that these foods form most of your diet. You may also eat lean proteins such as fish, poultry, and clean red meat. Avoid overeating, but make sure you eat a balanced diet. Give yourself the room to digest your food and avoid eating until you are full. Avoid foods that are highly processed with hidden sugars or artificial sweeteners.

Drink enough water: Your body is composed mainly of water. Clean and fresh water remain the best beverage for ensuring a healthy and hydrated system. Water is regarded as a natural cleanser for your digestive system and other body organs. Staying hydrated helps your body to flush out some toxins through urination and perspiration.

Do not bottle up emotions: Bottling up your feelings may lead to emotional and mental stress. Such suppressed feelings may even cause sleep problems, depression, physical pain, and eating disorders. Find a way to talk to someone about how you are feeling and learn to be more expressive of your feelings. You can choose to do this either by writing down your thoughts or speaking to someone about it.

Conclusion: To stay healthy by keeping fit, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and ensure you are consistent at it. It is a choice that you can make. Make that choice today to stay healthy and do your best to avoid relapsing. Set attainable health goals for yourself. Get in contact with Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC for effective Chiropractic treatment that would ensure you stay fit and healthy.

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Getting Older Doesn’t Mean Slowing Down - 7 steps the elderly can do to keep moving– Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

As you grow older in life, there are a series of positive and negative changes that occur in the body. Aging can be enjoyed if you take the right steps to keep your body healthy and maintain good health. The time to start is NOW!

Many changes occur in the body as you grow older. Your brain, skin, and bones behave differently. You should not be surprised when you notice these changes. Instead, you can be prepared for aging without worrying about slowing down. Visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC, to help you age gracefully by giving you the best chance for success possible.

Steps the elderly can take to keep moving include the following:

Live an active life: According to research, Involving in regular exercise helps promote mental and physical health even while aging. Exercising regularly may also help prevent some chronic medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, depression, heart diseases, etc.

Eat healthy: It is advisable to avoid highly processed and sweet foods. You have to follow your doctor's advice regarding your dietary needs as you grow older. Avoiding packaged foods and opting for fresh foods as that may help you avoid negative health outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. Most pre-packaged foods are full of chemicals and other ingredients that take away from your health.

Maintain the functionality of your brain: Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive decline are not normal parts of the aging process. According to research, having a cognitive stimulation lifestyle by participating in active learning and physical activity helps in slowing the cognitive decline process. You always have to challenge your mind through learning and moving. It may be through learning a new language, taking dance lessons, or learning to play a new instrument.

Build relationships: Older adults often live alone. Living alone leads to loneliness. Changes in the life of older adults such as health issues, loss of a partner, retirement may cause social isolation. It is, therefore, essential to maintain constant communication with family and friends. It’s good to be around people, especially loved ones, to reduce loneliness.

Ensure you have enough sleep: It is easier to live longer without food than without sleep. As you grow older, you have to give yourself more rest through sound sleep. Inadequate sleep may cause memory problems, irritability, and depression. Try to develop a bedtime routine. Avoid taking caffeine late at night.

Try to reduce your stress: As you grow older, your ability to handle stress reduces due to changes in your stressors. You may experience brain cell damage when exposed to long-term stress. Stress may lead to fatigue, memory loss, and slow recovery from infection. Exercise regularly and ensure you get enough rest. Take care of yourself and use relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, prayer, journaling, circular breathing or visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC for stress reduction treatment.

Be in charge of your health: Your actions as an individual contribute significantly to your health more than the health care system. You have way more control over your health than you can imagine. Avoid lifestyles like smoking, excessive drinking of alcohol, inactivity, etc.

Conclusion: It is possible to age without rapidly slowing down. Take care of your physical and emotional health. You can enjoy the rewards of aging by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Changes to your body are part of the natural aging process. It is beautiful to age and is even more beautiful to age gracefully. We recommend that you visit Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC for hands-on treatment to keep you going strong even while aging.

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Moving Your Body Towards Better Health – 5 simple, practical ways to get more movement in your day– Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor

Modernization of society can be a blessing or a curse. There has been an upgrade virtually every facet of our lives. From high tech machines in factories to simple household appliances, which has made life easier and seemingly stress-free…or has it? But with these immense benefits of modernization comes the downside. Your opportunity to attain a physically active state throughout the day may be hampered. According to research, lack of physical activity may lead to weight gain and other chronic diseases. For proper advice on how to stay physically healthy, contact Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC

You may be able to maintain a part of good health and a healthy weight by regularly engaging in physical activities. The more calories you tend to burn is dependent on how much you use your muscles and body, which boils down to how much you move. Being in a sedentary state for a very long period can negatively affect your health. Sitting for long hours generates a series of harmful health outcomes.

No matter how small the level of physical activity, it can create positive health benefits. Carrying out regular exercises may be an effective way of promoting sound health and increase physical activity. However, it may be difficult to make out time for lengthy exercise routines daily or go for a workout at the gym. Still, it is possible to engage in physical activity for brief periods throughout your day. Here are simple but practical ways to get more movement in your day.

Engage in physical activity while commuting to work every day: Depending on your location or local government laws guiding the mode of transport in most communities. Some communities have bike lanes or walkways to promote walking or cycling. Cycling or walking to work may be time-consuming and requires planning, but they are useful in burning calories. Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC is ready to walk you through the basics of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Carry out your errands at work or home by walking or cycling when you have the chance: Most people will prefer to use the elevator at all times, even if they are going to the first floor. You can use the stairs sometimes instead of using the elevator. When you want to go to a nearby grocery store, you can choose to walk or ride on a bike instead of driving down to the store. These simple activities play a significant role in promoting good health conditions.

Make use of a standing desk in your workplace or create time for standing breaks: Some companies provide their employees with a stand-up desk because they gradually understand the negative effect of sitting for too long. Stand-up desks allow you to be more physically active because you use more muscles while standing. If it’s not possible to have standing desks, then you should endeavor to take regular standing breaks to burn calories.

Do not use your coffee break for sitting: You can choose to take a walk instead of just sitting in the coffee shop. You can even take a stroll with a colleague to a nearby coffee shop so you can engage in some physical movement.

Park your vehicle some distance away from where you are going: When you park your car a little bit farther from your destination, it gives you more opportunities to be physically active while walking across the parking area to your destination.

Conclusion: According to research, whatever you do, that helps to increase the oxygen demand in your body contributes to your physical activity. Using the stairs or parking your vehicle a little far from your destination may not seem quite a difference. Still, little forms of physical activity can help to burn calories and improve your overall wellbeing. For proper treatment of joint, muscle or body pain, contact Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC.

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For you to be able to think correctly, process emotions, make decisions, and properly carry out your daily activities; you must maintain a healthy lifestyle and treat any form of headaches that may cause discomfort to you.

Headaches may cause a lot of discomfort for you. It may be accompanied by throbbing and intense pain on the side, top, or front of the head. In some cases, people with severe headaches may show symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, stiffness, or numbness in the back of the neck or on the head.

There are different types of headaches, depending on their causes. Headaches may be categorized as primary or secondary. Primary headaches are often stand-alone headaches with no underlying medical condition. They may be caused by stress, dehydration, poor posture, inadequate sleep, etc. examples of primary headaches include tension, migraines, cluster headaches, etc.

Secondary headaches may be caused by several medical health conditions such as spinal misalignment, neck pressure, glaucoma, brain tumor, etc.

Chiropractic treatment for headaches

Chiropractors are well trained and experienced professionals who treat many forms of musculoskeletal issues affecting the nerves, muscles, spine, spinal discs, ligaments, or joints. With different types of spinal adjustments, Chiropractors can ensure that your muscles, spine, and other body tissues are relaxed.

According to World Health Organization guidelines, Chiropractors can diagnose, assess, and manage headaches. Chiropractic has been shown to be a very effective treatment for tension and cervicogenic headaches. Studies have shown that Chiropractic care can help to decrease the frequency and intensity of migraines.

Chiropractic strategies for treating headaches include:

Spinal manipulation therapy (adjustments)

According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), spinal manipulation is carried out to relieve pressure on muscles or joints. Spinal manipulation therapy is also aimed at reducing inflammation, which may be effective in treating headaches and other related health conditions.

Lifestyle changes

Chiropractors offer professional advice to their patients on how they can adjust their lifestyles to help reduce symptoms of headaches. Some Chiropractors also offer nutritional advice and educate their patients on the need to avoid certain foods that be detrimental to your health and trigger pain-sensitive nerves. They may also advise you to take adequate rest and stay hydrated.

Soft tissue therapy

Soft tissue therapy involves the treatment and management of injuries to soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Soft tissue therapy involves manual stretching, trigger point therapy, and myofascial release. Soft tissue therapy also involves massaging of soft tissues to help reduce symptoms of headaches and other health conditions.

Other recommended Chiropractic treatment methods for headaches include:

Spinal Rehabilitation & Posture Correction Soft tissue therapy *Electrical stimulation

*Co-management and Referral * Low-level laser therapy

The use of Chiropractic care for treating headaches has gained wide approval and it is recommended by top healthcare organizations like the World Health Organization and other prominent organizations. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones today at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City NC, and we will give you our best to help you alleviate your headache.

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Many people deal with headaches daily. Symptoms of headaches may range from being uncomfortable to downright unbearable. Headaches may disrupt your daily activities if symptoms persist for more extended periods.

There are different types of headaches, with tension headache being the most common. Other headaches such as migraine or cluster headaches may present symptoms which could be severe or mild.

Medications are often the go-to for relieving headaches, but we shall consider natural remedies that can help in relieving symptoms and the causes of headaches. These natural remedies are what we promote at our Chiropractic Office in Elizabeth City, NC.

The natural remedies include the following:

Stay Hydrated

Headaches may occur as a result of inadequate hydration. Migraines and tension headaches are often caused by chronic dehydration. It is essential that stay hydrated by drinking enough water. Research has shown that drinking water within 30 minutes to 3 hours may help relieve symptoms of headaches for those who are dehydrated. It is advisable to eat water-rich foods.

Reduce Alcohol Intake

Most people may not develop headaches after drinking alcohol. Still, studies have shown that the consumption of alcohol is responsible for head-aches in about one-third of persons with frequent migraines. Alcohol is a vasodilator which allows the free flow of blood by widening blood vessels. Vasodilators are also known to have a headache as a side effect.

Intake of Magnesium

Magnesium provides several functions in the body. It helps in controlling blood sugar and nerve transmission. It is also helpful in relieving headaches. According to research, people with magnesium deficiency are known to show symptoms of migraine headaches than those with sufficient magnesium. Diet rich in magnesium is advisable for people with frequent headaches.

Get Enough Sleep

Inadequate sleep may be harmful to your health and may also result in headaches for some persons. Getting too much sleep may also trigger headaches. It is, however, essential to get adequate sleep, which may be between 8 to 9 hours at night.

Make use of essential Oils

Essential oils have been known to have immense therapeutic benefits, including providing relief from headaches. They are concentrated liquids that can be gotten from different varieties of plants. Essential oils such as lavender and peppermint oil may help provide symptomatic relief from headaches.

Avoid foods with high Histamine content

Histamine promotes the function of the nervous, digestive, and immune systems. However, high histamine production may cause migraines in some persons with histamine sensitivity. Foods such as smoked fish, beer, fermented foods, cured meats, and aged cheese have high histamine content.

Cold Compression Therapy

By applying ice to the head or neck area, you may help to reduce the symptoms of migraine. You can fill a water bottle with ice and then wrap it using a soft towel. Apply it on your temples, back of your neck or head to relieve headache.

Relax with Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a perfect way to decrease pain, relieve stress, increase flexibility, and improve your overall health condition. Chiropractic has been shown time and time again to reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches.

Ginger Tea

Ginger root is known to contain several beneficial compounds such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances. Ginger helps to reduce symptoms of severe headaches such as vomiting and nausea.

You can consult our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City NC, to see if we can help you get relief from your headache without taking any medication.

Whenever you are ready for us to help you, here is the 3 best ways we can help:

1.Listen to our podcast HERE: http://healthyfamiliesmadeeasy.libsyn.com/

2.If you have a specific question you can reach us HERE: https://bit.ly/2CWwLIs

3.Make an appointment with our office by calling 252-335-2225

Cheers,

Dr. Jason B. Jones

706 W. Ehringhaus Street

Elizabeth City, NC 27909

252-335-2225