Keep Moving! | Remington Chiropractic Newsletter

From the Doctor's Desk...

Do you like to hike, camp, or spend time outdoors? My family and I have gone camping and hiking in the high Sierra in years past. Even in June, there was still plenty of snow at 9300 ft...enough to pack a beautiful trout back down the trail for dinner!

This curious little marmot hung around our camp one day. Apparently we were in it's home. Kinda cute for a large rodent!

As you can see, my favorite gym is the great outdoors. I hope you get to enjoy your natural surroundings by taking every opportunity to get outdoors and play!

Dr. Pamela Wells

Back to School

No, not the kids, but Marcia and Dr. Wells. Continuing education is so important for all medical professionals and Dr. Wells has nearly completed her 50 hour certification program in the 100 Year Lifestyle.

Marcia has taken classes in the past for Chiropractic Assistants, and to our delight, she discovered that our office policies and procedures are pretty much as recommended! Of course, we can always strive to be better, and we always have lively discussions on the drive home about changes we'd like to make.

Dr. Wells has taken classes on National Healthcare Reform, Fitness and Rehab and Upper Extremity Adjusting. Here's a sampling of what she learned in one of her early morning yoga classes...

If it Hurts, Move it!

We instinctively know this. When we bump an elbow or pull a muscle, we automatically rub it or "shake it off."  But did you know that science supports the idea that joint motion relieves pain?

When sensors in muscles, tendons and ligaments are stimulated by joint movement, they send nerve signals to the spinal cord with information telling your muscles how to react to changes in position, stretch or tension. Scientists call these responses "motor programs.". These "mechanical" nerve signals cross-over in the spinal cord with signals from pain sensors. It is here that the sensory information is integrated and it is here that the mechanical nerve signals "inhibit," or prevent some of the pain signals from reaching the part of the brain (sensory cortex) where conscious pain perception resides.

So you see, moving a joint really does relieve pain! Not only that, but stretching and exercising regularly improves joint function. And when a joint is "stuck" or restricted so that you cannot fully move it yourself, Chiropractic adjustments can restore normal joint motion and function. In fact, the "high velocity, low amplitude" force of the adjustment has been shown to normalize signals coming from injured joints and effectively "reset" incorrect motor programs. How's that for a "reset" button?

Price D., Psychological and neural mechanisms of pain. New York: Raven Press, 1988:76-99.

Pickar, JG, DC, PhD, Kang, YM, PhD, Paraspinal muscle spindle responses to the duration of a spinal manipulation under force control. JMPT 2006; 22-31

Food Rules

#1. Avoid foods that are pretending to be something they are not.

#2. Avoid foods that you see advertised on television.

#3. If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.

by Michael Pollan