Madison AL Chiropractors Tell You How to Put a Spring Back in Your Step

By: Dr. Justin Walbom, DC and Dr. Greg Millar, DC CCEP
Millar Chiropractic - Madison Al

Regular Chiropractic Care and Freedom of Motion

Efficient and effective mobility is key to good spinal health and good health overall. Spinal mobility depends on interactions between adjacent vertebras, a complex array of small and large muscles, and ligaments that bind the vertebras together. Nerve irritation and soft tissue inflammation may disrupt the smooth biomechanics of normal spinal motion. Left uncorrected nerve irritation and soft tissue inflammation result in a vicious cycle of increasing biomechanical dysfunction, further loss of freedom of motion, and increasing pain. According to Dr. Greg Millar and Dr. Justin Walbom of Millar Chiropractic Clinics in Madison, Alabama, regular chiropractic care helps restore spinal mobility by focusing on the causes of biomechanical dysfunction. By analyzing sources of nerve interference and correcting spinal misalignments, regular chiropractic care optimizes spinal activities such as efficient mobility and weight-bearing. The resulting increased function reduces soft tissue inflammation and pain. Thus, regular chiropractic care helps reduce physiological stress. The overall benefits include improved freedom of motion, freedom of choice, and freedom of action.

We all know people who are light on their feet. Fred Astaire comes immediately to mind, as do tennis star Andy Roddick, the great Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, and WNBA star Candace Parker. Closer to home, we may recognize similar combinations of grace and athleticism in a family member or friend. We may believe that such qualities are inborn and represent natural abilities. But each of us can develop comparable qualities of fluidity and ease of motion. We may not achieve the skill levels possessed by professional athletes, but we can acquire improved posture, greater balance, and heightened skills in day-to-day tasks requiring dexterity and coordination. In other words, we can all develop a spring in our step.

Such a springiness and lightness are the direct result of efficient biomechanical functioning of the spinal column and weight-bearing bones and joints including the pelvis and hips, knees, and ankles. Such efficient biomechanical functioning is innate, but these abilities are gradually lost as we grow up, encounter the stresses of life, and become more and more sedentary. Over time, our musculoskeletal system loses flexibility, dynamism, quickness, and the ability to respond to sudden changes in the environment. The overall result is an impression of stiffness and heaviness. Gracefulness is lost as soon as physical motion becomes conscious and planned, rather than instinctive and spontaneous. But these losses are not necessarily the inevitable accompaniment to growing up and getting older. The good news is that such lightness can be recovered. We can restore that spring to our step and, in fact, learn to turn back the clock.

The great benefit is that the processes involved in reacquiring gracefulness, lightness, and springiness also lead directly to improved health and well-being. The primary action is to engage in regular, vigorous exercise. Any form of exercise, done consistently, will enhance biomechanical functioning. Your muscles learn how to dynamically support increasingly heavier loads against gravity. Proprioceptors, specialized nerve endings located in weight-bearing joints throughout the body, learn to rapidly respond to mechanical alterations in three-dimensional space. Your heart and lungs become more efficient as your body learns to adapt and respond to increasing physiological demands. You begin to lose weight as your daily desire for excess calories naturally decreases in response to a more physical lifestyle. In many ways, your body becomes much smarter and you soon find yourself noticing a certain ease, a certain economy of physical movement, as you go through your day.

The innate grace that begins to be recovered is the wellspring of the newfound spring in your step. As you continue to exercise and achieve your optimal weight, such physical ease perpetuates and becomes an integral component of your overall enhanced health and well-being.

Millar Chiropractic - Madison AL
1908 Slaughter Rd. 
Madison, Alabama 35758
(256) 430-2700
http://millarchiro.com/millarchiropractic-madisonal-chiropractor.html

1. Iorio JA, et al: Biomechanics of Degenerative Spinal Disorders. Asian Spine J 10(2):377-384, 2016
2. Du CF, et al: Biomechanical response of lumbar facet joints under follower preload: a finite element study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2016 Mar 15;17(1):126. doi: 10.1186/s12891-016-0980-4
3.  Huang ZY, et al: The location of Modic changes in the lumbar spine: a meta-analysis. Eur Spine J. 2016 Feb 25. [Epub ahead of print]

Madison AL Chiropractors Talk About Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

By: Dr. Justin Walbom, DC and Dr. Greg Millar, DC CCEP
Millar Chiropractic - Madison Al

Chiropractic Care Provides Multiple Benefits

Chiropractic care is a holistic method of healing which uses noninvasive methods to balance the function of both the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system.  Chiropractic care gives your body the best chance to recover from many complex problems. Chiropractic care is an important component of the management of multisystemic disorders such as fibromyalgia. By restoring more normal function to the patient's nervous system, chiropractic care unleashes powerful and natural healing forces. The result is a body whose parts are now working together instead of against each other. As the body heals, pain and symptoms often will naturally begin to reduce and resolve.

The condition of fibromyalgia creates many challenges for a person with this disorder. These challenges often go far beyond the characteristic chronic pain which alone can be potentially debilitating. Those with fibromyalgia have pain in many locations and the presence of multiple pain sites is often confusing to their doctor or doctors. Family physicians, internists, endocrinologists, and even pain management specialists and rheumatologists often have great difficulty in comprehending the full extent of fibromyalgia and the serious health and well-being issues that are caused by the disorder.

Persons with fibromyalgia have so many symptoms that an uninformed physician may find it easier to refer such patients to a psychologist or psychiatrist. But the physical symptoms of fibromyalgia are very real. The sufferers have widespread pain on a chronic basis. Many fibromyalgia patients complain of increased fatigue, sleep disturbances, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, joint stiffness, and cognitive dysfunction - commonly referred to as "brain fog". Depression is also very common in those with fibromyalgia.

Because there are usually so many chronic symptoms involved, fibromyalgia is notoriously difficult to treat. Such patients are typically taking multiple medications, often prescribed by multiple specialists attempting to combat the problems that fall within their particular branch of medicine - such as pain management, rheumatology, and psychology/psychiatry.

Despite taking several medications on a long-term basis, most fibromyalgia patients tend not to improve. Depression and chronic pain take a profound toll, and daily living becomes quite burdensome. Many fibromyalgia patients despair of ever finding even a partial solution.

Attempts to address the problems of fibromyalgia by just treating the symptoms often fail. According to Dr. Greg Millar and Dr. Justin Walbom of Millar Chiropractic Clinics in Madison, Alabama, as the physiologic causes of the disorder are unknown, holistic approaches, such as Chiropractic treatment, have a much greater likelihood of positive outcomes. To successfully address this systems-wide disorder, a multidisciplinary approach including Chiropractic care, nutritional recommendations, and  psychological counseling is recommended, along with a gradual increase in physical activity and exercise.

Millar Chiropractic - Madison AL
1908 Slaughter Rd. 
Madison, Alabama 35758
(256) 430-2700
http://millarchiro.com/millarchiropractic-madisonal-chiropractor.html

1Schneiderr M, et al: Chiropractic management of fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review of the literature. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 32(1):25-40, 2009

2Hauser W, et al: Guidelines on the management of fibromyalgia syndrome. A systematic review. Eur J Pain 14(1):5-10, 2010

3Busch AJ, et al: Exercise for fibromyalgia: a systematic review. J Rheumatol 35(6):1130-1144,

Madison AL Chiropractors Talk About How to Manage Your Stress

By: Dr. Justin Walbom, DC and Dr. Greg Millar, DC CCEP
Millar Chiropractic - Madison Al

Take a Mini-Break!  As you're reading this... how long have you been sitting in that chair? Has it been an hour? Two hours? Even longer?!!! How long do you tend to work at the same task without taking a break? If you're like most people these days, the answer is probably "way too long!" We all have the same predicament - so much to do and so little time to accomplish it. That may not be the true reality of the situation, but more likely than not that's the way it feels to us. And so we catapult ourselves forward, forcing ourselves to keep going, and forgetting to "stop and smell the roses". But stopping to "smell the roses" is of vital importance for our health and well-being. So take a relaxation break, for just five minutes every hour.  It can make all the difference in the world

Most people would agree that we live in unusually stressful times. Between the job (if you're lucky enough to have one), the home, the kids, the extended family, and the economy - all these stresses accumulate, and yet we wonder why we have so many aches and pains.

Many chronic ailments are either caused by or made worse with stress. A large percentage of Americans are overweight. Stress often causes a person to overeat, and additionally, the elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol can also increase the storage of body fat (especially in the belly area.)  Back pain and headaches are often the result of increased stress. There are also strong correlations between stress and hypertension, ulcers, and even cancer.

For most of us, the external stressors in our lives aren't going to disappear - our lives will continue to be busy and complex, and perhaps we wouldn't want it any other way. But if we can't remove all the stress from our lives, it is imperative that we endeavor to at least minimize its physical effects. Interestingly, chiropractic treatment can be very helpful in lessening the negative effects of stress on the body.

Generally speaking, stress creates muscle tension. This happens unconsciously without us even being aware of the cause and effect reaction. These tense muscles cause a cascade of further muscle tightening,  and the shortening of ligaments and muscles, resulting in decreased mobility in various joints - particularly the hip joints, shoulder joints, and the joints of the spine.

This mechanical effect of stress has a number of additional consequences. All of this ongoing muscle activity that you're not even consciously aware of wastes precious nutritional resources, using up much of the energy your body needs for more critical functions. This is one of the primary reasons tension and stress makes us feel so utterly exhausted. Stress and tension also causes lactic acid to accumulate in the tissues, irritating nerve endings and further increasing muscle tension. Also, the reduction in spinal joint mobility also causes increased levels of pain.  Unfortunately, all of this ends up creating even more stress.

Fortunately, this vicious cycle of stress, muscular tension, and pain can be reduced and relieved with the proper chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic treatment improves the joint mobility of the spine, pelvis and other joints. Chiropractic care is an effective yet gentle treatment that gradually restores normal spinal motion, alleviating muscle tension, normalizing metabolic processes, and allowing nutrients to become more available to help maintain healthy functioning. Chiropractic care helps to reduce pain, and also helps us to be better able to withstand the physical effects of stress.

Dr. Greg Millar or Dr. Justin Walbom of Millar Chiropractic Clinics in  Madison, Alabama will explain the many benefits of treatment, and can provide instruction in specific exercises and stretching techniques that can help you maintain the positive results of treatment.

We will always have some level of stress in our lives. The good news is that we can learn how to minimize the negative effects of stress on our bodies, and become healthier, more resilient, and happier in the process.

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Reduce Stress by Taking a Mini-Break!

• Get up from your chair or workbench and walk over to an open window. Breathe in some nice, fresh air for a few minutes while you change your viewpoint.
• Go for a five or ten minute walk outside if you're able.  If not, walk around your home or building, or climb a few flights of stairs if that's an option.
• Call a friend who tends to be positive and uplifting, and enjoy a short chat.
• Close your eyes, quiet your mind, and take an "imagination vacation".  Visualize yourself relaxing on a beautiful beach, fishing on an idyllic lake, or anything else that helps you feel most relaxed and at peace.  Really get into it, involving all of your senses as you imagine yourself in the middle of this restful and revitalizing scene.

These short, focused mini-breaks will help reduce muscle tension and physical stress, while at the same time helping your brain to recharge so you can be more creative and productive!

Millar Chiropractic - Madison AL
1908 Slaughter Rd. 
Madison, Alabama 35758
(256) 430-2700

http://millarchiro.com/millarchiropractic-madisonal-chiropractor.html

1Marchesini G, et al: Psychiatric distress and health-related quality of life in obesity. Diabetes Nutr Metab 16(3):145-154, 2003
2Weickgenant AL, et al: Coping activities in chronic low back pain: relationship with depression. Pain 53(1):95-103, 1993
3Burns JW: Arousal of negative emotions and symptom-specific reactivity in chronic low back pain patients. Emotion 6(2):309-319, 2006
4Hurwitz EL, et al. A randomized trial of chiropractic and medical care for patients with low back pain. Spine 31(6):611-621, 2006

Madison AL Chiropractors Talk About the Different Ways to Get Vitamin D

By: Dr. Justin Walbom, DC and Dr. Greg Millar, DC CCEP
Millar Chiropractic - Madison Al

Vitamin D has been in the news a lot recently.  This important vitamin has been strongly associated with preventing cardiovascular disease, preventing autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, lowering cancer risks, and helping to prevent diabetes. Vitamin D seems to be a miracle nutrient for helping to fight many serious diseases, and yet vitamin D deficiency is common in the United States. One reason may be because it is difficult to get vitamin D from your diet. Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D. The main source of vitamin D for humans is sunlight. Mid-day sun exposure causes cells in the skin to produce vitamin D. Unfortunately, most Americans don't spend enough time outside, sans sunscreen, to get sufficient sunlight on their skin to satisfy their normal daily requirement of vitamin D. It is usually necessary to supplement this crucial nutrient by taking vitamin D3 capsules or by consuming things that are fortified with Vitamin D, such as milk, yogurt, and other foods.  For strong, healthy bones Vitamin D can assist the absorption of the mineral calcium in the intestinal tract.  Vitamin D also assists bone cells in utilizing calcium to create new bone. In adults, new bone is only built when it is needed, such as when the body is exposed to mechanical stress. Exercise is the best kind of mechanical stress to stimulate this bone-building mechanism. It takes more than just taking a bunch of supplements each day to experience the greatest benefits. It is also important to make exercise a regular part of our lifestyle to truly get the most out of the nutrition we provide our bodies. When we perform weight-bearing exercise such as walking, bicycling, sprinting, and strength training - our bodies respond by creating new muscle tissue, but also new bone as well. This is a commonly known physiologic principle called Wolff's Law, which dictates that bone will remodel along the lines of physiologic stress. In other words, bone responds to mechanical challenges by building more bone. The result is bones with increased density and strength.  Bones that are stronger and more dense are significantly less likely to fracture.  Exercise is very important when striving to prevent the typical loss of bone mass that causes osteoporosis in so many postmenopausal women and seniors. Chiropractic care helps to assist these metabolic processes. All of our metabolic processes are controlled by signals from the nerve system. These nerve impulses help our cells to know when to begin and end these complex biochemical processes. Chiropractic care can help to make sure your nervous system is free of interference so that your cells receive the proper signals they need for optimal health and well-being. Dr. Greg Millar and Dr. Justin Walbom of Millar Chiropractic Clinics in Madison, Alabama are experienced in nutritional health and wellness, and he or she can help develop a nutrition plan that is suited to you. Millar Chiropractic - Madison AL 1908 Slaughter Rd.  Madison, Alabama 35758 (256) 430-2700 http://millarchiro.com/millarchiropractic-madisonal-chiropractor.html 1 Cavalier E, et al:Vitamin D: current status and perspectives.Clin Chem Lab Med 47:1, 2009 2 Holick Me, Chen TC: Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr 87(4):10805-10865, 2008

Minimize Your Risk of Osteoporosis It is a common fear in many seniors that they will develop osteoporosis. When someone with osteoporosis falls and breaks their hip, it usually takes longer for them to recover, and they may never be as fully-functional as they were previously. Hip fractures in the elderly may even be fatal at times, if the  person ends up with a blood clot making its way to a major blood vessel in the brain or to the lungs. So it is worthwhile to make an effort to prevent osteoporosis. The excellent news is that prevention is not difficult, though it does necessitate a certain amount of attention, work, and discipline. The most important things you can do to minimize your risk of osteoporosis is to make sure you get enough vitamin D and calcium, and to exercise regularly. Even if you're an older person who hasn't exercised in many years, now is the time to make the effort . Make sure to get your medical doctor's approval, especially if you've been sedentary or have any health issues.  Also see your chiropractic physician for guidance regarding the exercises that are best for you

Madison AL Chiropractors Talk About Making Better Lifestyle Choices

By: Dr. Greg Millar, DC CCEP; Dr. Ken Randolph, DC ASBCE; and Dr. Jessica Davis, DC
Millar Chiropractic - Huntsville AL (Downtown and Jones Valley)

Make an Appointment for Healthy Living

Have you, like many people, been thinking about making positive lifestyle changes for a long time?  Would you love to lose some weight and to be one of those admirable souls who seem to somehow be able to fit daily exercise into their busy lives?  It's certainly easier for people who have the luxury of making their own schedules with plenty of leisure time to exercise and prepare healthy food. What about the rest of us who work long hours, especially if we are also raising a family?  In this case, it is more challenging to live a healthy lifestyle, but also perhaps even more critical, because a healthy lifestyle will help us combat stress and be there for our loved ones.  Whatever your particular circumstances are, it's still up to you to determine how to find the time to do things that are in your long-term interest. To make sure you get regular exercise, try making it a priority and scheduling your workout first thing in the morning.  You may even have to get up a little bit earlier, but the pay-off will be a greater sense of well being and increased energy in the short-term, and knowing that you are doing something very positive for your long-term health and well-being. It gets much easier once it becomes an established habit, and you will eventually feel so much better that you won't want to miss a morning workout.

Does your overall lifestyle promote good health and wellness?  Are the choices you make helping to keep you and your family well and healthy over the long term?

Many people think that some of the most common causes of sickness and death, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, are all strongly determined by either genetics or just plain luck of the draw.  That's not really the case, however.  

For example, only about 10% of cancers are determined by a person's genetics. Most of the time, cancer is linked to the way we live our lives - from the food we eat, the exercise we get or fail to get, our environment including exposure to toxins, and whether or not we have positive, loving and supportive relationships. 

In recent years, research studies have shown a significant correlation between overweight/obesity and a person's likelihood of developing cancer.  The evidence seems to suggest that fat cells are not simply passive storehouses of excess energy in the form of fat. Instead, it appears that fat cells are more like tiny metabolic furnaces that spew out a wide range of chemicals, including various hormones and inflammatory agents that may cause normal cells and tissues to become cancerous. The majority of people and even many physicians are completely unaware of this.

The connection between lifestyle and both type 2 diabetes and heart disease, on the other hand, tends to be much more obvious to many people. But cancer, we now know, is also often the result of an unhealthy lifestyle. The great news is that by being willing to make health-enhancing lifestyle choices, we can stack the deck in our favor and create more positive long-term changes in our health and well-being.

The best news is that these choices are in your hands. Every day you get to decide for yourself whether or not to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Of course, it can be easier some days than others to consistently make those healthy choices.  If you travel a lot for work, it may be extra challenging to find good, healthy food and to fit exercise into your daily routine. If that's the case, just do the best you can and remember that living a healthy lifestyle is a lifetime endeavor. If you manage to eat a nutritious and healthy diet and get regular exercise most of the time, you can take a short break here and there without noticing too much of a negative effect, as long as you get back to your positive, healthy habits as soon as possible. Thinking long term and making sure you choose a healthy lifestyle most of the time, will usually allow you to get back on track quickly.

Chiropractic care is another very important aspect of healthy living. Chiropractic care helps to make sure that your body is functioning optimally. It also helps you to get the most benefit from the healthy food you're choosing and the regular, vigorous exercise you're getting. Dr. Greg Millar or Dr. Justin Walbom of Millar Chiropractic Clinics in Madison, Alabama will be happy to assist you in creating an exercise and nutritional program designed to address your particular needs and concerns.

Millar Chiropractic - Huntsville AL (Downtown)
2021 Clinton Ave W
Huntsville, Alabama 35805
(256) 539-2000
http://millarchiro.com/MillarChiropracticHuntsvilleAL(Downtown).html

Millar Chiropractic - Huntsville AL (Jones Valley)
2124 Cecil Ashburn Dr SE #150
Huntsville, Alabama 35802
(256) 713-1830
http://millarchiro.com/millarchiropracticjonesvalley.html

 1Chan AT, Giovannucci EL: Primary prevention of colorectal cancer. Gastroenterology 138(6):2029-2043, 2010

2Shi Y, et al: Cardiovascular determinants of life span. Pflugers Arch 459(2):315-324, 2010

3Ma J, et al: Evaluation of lifestyle interventions to treat elevated cardiometabolic risk in primary care (E-LITE): a randomized controlled trial. BMC Fam Pract 10:71, 2009

Madison AL Chiropractors Talk About Performing Complex Movements

By: Dr. Justin Walbom, DC and Dr. Greg Millar, DC CCEP
Millar Chiropractic - Madison Al

Wall Push-ups for Beginners

Performing a regular push-up correctly and effectively requires a large amount of coordination and strength. If you are significantly overweight and/or haven't exercise in a while, regular push-ups performed on the floor may be too challenging, even if you do the easier version with your knees bent. You can work up to those more advanced push-ups by performing standing push-ups against a wall, until you build your strength. Also, wall push-ups are often a better choice for people with back problems, because standard push-ups can stress the lower back. To perform wall push-ups, stand facing a wall and place your hands on it, slightly wider than your shoulders. You should be standing far enough from the wall so that your hands touch the wall with you arms comfortably outstretched but not completely straight. Your fingers should be pointing upward.  Keep your tummy pulled in, and inhale while you bend your elbows and lean your body toward the wall. Exhale while you slowly push yourself back to your starting position. Make your movements slow and controlled and make sure you're not arching your back. Repeat several times until you can do a set of 8-12 repetitions. As you get stronger, you can take a short rest and then repeat one or two additional sets. A wall push-up is a compound exercise because it helps to strengthen several major muscle groups, when performed correctly, including your arms, pectorals and core.

During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Mao Asada not only won a silver medal in Ladies Figure Skating, she also landed three triple axels during that competition which was a feat that no competitor had previously accomplished. While all figure skating spins, jumps and other technical elements have varying levels of difficulty, the triple axel is especially challenging. A triple axel consists of many moving parts, which must all be perfectly coordinated in order to complete the requisite rotations in the air before landing safely on the ice.

How does a figure skater assemble all the various parts of this daring and beautiful element? Certainly not by thinking about them. The timing of this entire feat happens in a matter of seconds, while the individual moving parts of a triple axel happen in a fraction of a second. Therefore, if the skater tries to think about what is coming next, they will most likely end up falling instead.

Well-executed triple- axels, salchows, and flips combine exquisite beauty, athleticism and grace. Double and single jumps are also very impressive, requiring a very high level of coordination and skill. A skater learns how to perform these elements by training, honing their ability to focus, and countless hours of practice. The months, and years of training result in these moves becoming second nature to a skater. At this point, generally speaking, thinking plays no part in performing these "tricks", because we can't think at skating speed.

So how can we bring a skater's level of excellence to our own training? Whether we're riding a bike, running, doing yoga, walking, swimming, dancing, or playing basketball or volleyball, a high level of commitment is necessary in order to excel. A half-hearted effort will not get you significant results. If we truly want to increase our health and well-being, it is necessary to commit to a regular exercise schedule. In order to do this, we need to plan and use our time efficiently, making sure that we set aside at least 30 minutes each day for our daily exercise activities.

We need to make sure that we optimize our exercise time to get the best results. The main objectives of exercise are to tone and strengthen our muscles, increase our aerobic capacity and increase our flexibility and the range of motion in our joints. In order to do this, it's important for various parts and systems of your body to communicate with each other efficiently, otherwise some of your effort will be wasted. The most effective way to ensure optimal functioning of all our physiologic systems is to make sure our nerve system is operating at full capacity. Chiropractic health care focuses on fulfilling this need.

Dr Greg Millar and Dr. Justin Walbom of Millar Chiropractic Clinics in Madison, Alabama say that regular chiropractic care helps to restore and maintain optimal functioning of the all-important nerve system. This helps all the various body systems function effectively so that you can derive maximal benefit from your exercise efforts. Your body becomes smarter and able to perform at higher levels. You are supported in developing new physical skills and abilities. You may also notice an improvement in your sleep resulting from a better functioning nerve system, and perhaps even an increase in creativity and joy in your life. 

Millar Chiropractic - Madison AL
1908 Slaughter Rd. 
Madison, Alabama 35758
(256) 430-2700
http://millarchiro.com/millarchiropractic-madisonal-chiropractor.html

1Tanguy SG, et al: Are otolithic inputs interpreted better in figure skaters? Neuroreport 19(5):565-568, 2008
2Lockwood KL, et al: Landing for success: a biomechanical and perceptual analysis of on-ice jumps in figure skating. Sports Biomech 5(2)231-241, 2006
3Rinne M, et al: Is Generic Physical Activity Or Specific Exercise Associated With Motor Abilities? Med Sci Sports Exerc February 13, 2010 (Epub ahead of print)

Madison AL Chiropractors Talk About How Work Can Be Relaxing

By: Dr. Justin Walbom, DC and Dr. Greg Millar, DC CCEP
Millar Chiropractic - Madison Al

Chiropractic Care and Stress Reduction

Stress is an unavoidable part of life.  Fortunately, the human body is well-designed to cope with stress, but sometimes these stress-coping mechanisms can go awry.  We have primitive built-in mechanisms to fight or flight in response to danger, but when the perceived dangers are chronic daily struggles, worries and other internal stressors, the fight or flight mechanism remains continually engaged. That is one reason why a brisk walk or short run can make a person feel so much better.  It's not just because endorphines are released, but also because exercise helps to reset the fight or flight mechanism and thereby lowers the person's stress level. Although it is impossible to avoid all forms of stress, it is wise to minimize internal stress as much as possible. Chiropractic can help by  reducing or eliminating extra sources of stress in our bodies. According to Dr. Greg Millar and Dr. Justin Walbom of Millar Chiropractic Clinics in Madison, Alabama, improving spinal joint mobility can significantly reduce the physiologic stress and metabolic toxins in the muscles, ligaments and tendons that support the joints. When physiologic stress is not properly addressed, it leads to mental stress which then leads to even more muscle tension and pain. It becomes a vicious cycle. By adjusting the spine and thereby reducing physiologic stress, chiropractic care helps the body work more efficiently and effectively.  Breaking the chronic stress cycle results in increased health, happiness and a greater sense of well-being.

If you ask the next person you see "Is your work relaxing?", you would probably receive a snicker or an incredulous stare. For most people, work involves a good deal of stress. If you're in retail or customer service, there is an endless stream of customers with problems that needed to be handled yesterday. For medical occupations is more and more patients and paperwork with less and less people to treat them. Workplace politics can add another layer of stress to the normal daily stress of the work you're supposed to be doing. If you work for yourself, there's the ongoing stress of lining up the next contract or client, even while we're dealing with the pressures involved in fulfilling the demands of the current project. It goes on and on.

If you work at a computer there are additional physiological stresses. Our bodies were not designed for prolonged sitting or for staring a computer screen for hours at a time. The highly complex and highly delicate structures of our forearms, wrists, and hands were not meant to be used for repetitive motions like typing on a keyboard or using a mouse all day. Anyone can type for 15 minutes - that's not a problem. But typing for most of the day, day after day, week after week - that's definitely a problem.

These are some common work scenarios, that no one would likely describe as relaxing. But this is the reality of life in the twenty-first century. How can we turn what might be thought of as "lemons" into lemonade? Are there tactics we can employ in an overall strategy of causing our lives to be healthy, meaningful, and satisfying, as well as relaxing and fun?

The answer is a resounding "yes". But there is effort involved. We need to be creative and willing to take action on our own behalf. First, it's important to acknowledge the conundrum each of us faces every day. We are required to work to obtain food, shelter, and clothing for ourselves and our families. But the work that we're doing may not be our first choice. Or the second choice. Or sometimes even the third. Still, there it is. We need to work. This is where the creativity comes in.

Our work environment and/or our work itself may never be relaxing. However, we can actively choose to be relaxed. This is an ongoing process which occurs in the moment. For example, you can affirm "I am relaxed. My work is fulfilling and satisfying." And then, pretty soon, something happens to which you respond with tension. As soon as you come back to yourself and remember that you want to be creating a relaxing environment, you reaffirm your intention to be relaxed. This is very much like Zen or other mindfulness practices which focus on centering. In Zen, the student is reminded to pay attention and to not take anything personally.

These powerful reminders can help us greatly in our intention to have our work be relaxing. The key is to take on the concept of practice. We are practicing centering. We are practicing self-awareness. We are practicing relaxing. And as we practice these things, our overall experience is one of being centered, relaxed, and self-aware, regardless of all the things that are going on around us.

Millar Chiropractic - Madison AL
1908 Slaughter Rd. 
Madison, Alabama 35758
(256) 430-2700
http://millarchiro.com/millarchiropractic-madisonal-chiropractor.html

1Chiesa A, Malinowski P: Mindfulness-based approaches: are they all the same? J Clin Psychol 67(4):404:424, 2011

2Zeidan F, et al: Brain mechanisms supporting the modulation of pain by mindfulness meditation. J Neurosci 31(14):5540-5548, 2011

3Ledesma D, Kumano H: Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cancer: a meta-analysis. Psychooncology 18(6):571-579, 2009