How far to bend over to lift those grocery bags out of your car’s trunk? How much muscle force is necessary to pick up and carry your five-year-old child? What specific muscles are needed to maintain your “downward dog” position for 30 seconds in a yoga class? How far can your back muscles stretch when you do a back bend at the ballet barre? These are the problems your spinal IQ tries to solve.

Spinal IQ is an inborn ability. Our bodies were designed for the rigors of physical work – they are very smart and very adaptable. One of our built-in control systems is a specialized set of nerve endings known as proprioceptors.

Proprioception is our internal awareness of position in three-dimensional space.1,2 This three-dimensional positioning allows us to keep our balance when we walk or run. Proprioception tells our muscles and joints how to work together to throw a baseball from third to first, to drive to the basketball hoop and sink a lay-up, or to hit a tennis ball to the corner of our opponent’s service box and win the point.

Proprioception is very important in spinal IQ. The spine is a complex system of bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments – a smart proprioception system helps all the parts work together smoothly and seamlessly.

To keep all the parts functioning we need to take an active role. In modern society, if we’re not proactive, it is easy for our bodies to break down. Two key strategies for maintaining high levels of spinal IQ are regular strenuous exercise and regular chiropractic check-ups.

Exercise helps our bodies stay smart.3 When we exercise, our joints are mechanically stressed and challenged throughout their complete ranges of motion. This activity stimulates proprioceptors – training them to do their job well and building new and stronger connections between nerve cells. Exercise also builds muscle strength and flexibility. In the process the muscles are getting smarter, too.

Chiropractic care enhances the benefits of your exercise program by helping ensure optimal functioning of your spine and nerve system. With regular chiropractic care, your proprioceptive system is optimized and your body’s ability to adapt to physical challenges is restored.

Your chiropractor will be glad to assist you in designed an exercise program that will work for you, helping you to improve your spinal IQ and your health.

1Armstrong B, et al: Head and neck position sense. Sports Med 38(2):101-117, 2008 2Chow DH, et al: Changes in spinal curvature and proprioception of schoolboys carrying different weights of backpack. Ergonomics 50(12):2148-2156, 2007 3Akuthota V, et al: Core stability exercise principles. Curr Sports Med Rep 7(1):39-44, 2

For more information on health feel free to contact Dr. Jason Fowler www.lakestlouisdc.com

If you are flying, you know what to expect – long lines, delays, crowded flights. But knowing what’s to come doesn’t necessarily provide reassurance. Traveling – particularly traveling by plane – makes many people crazy. Sitting in the terminal, waiting for your boarding call, you can see the deep lines of care, worry, and anxiety etched into peoples’ faces.

However, whereas air travel may not be the most enjoyable thing in the world, there are many action steps individuals and families can take to de-stress the experience. Traveling doesn’t have to mean losing your mind and getting all wound up with tension and mental and physical strain.1,2

Here’s a Top Eight List of things to do in the days before your flight and then during your flight – Before the flight -

Start packing early Organize your healthy snacks Organize activities for the kids Light exercises and stretches See your chiropractor During the flight – Walk around Wake up your muscles by doing gentle torso stretches while in your seat Breathe! Starting your packing early will make a huge difference in how you feel on the day of the flight. Imagine what it would be like if you didn’t have to dash all over your house minutes before you’re supposed to leave for the airport, searching for that critical thing you must bring with you.

Make a list and make a plan. Promise yourself you’re going to have everything packed, including the kids’ backpacks, by the time you go to sleep on the night before you travel. You’ll be amazed at how relaxed everyone is on the actual travel day, in sharp contrast to the usual mayhem and fighting.

A good supply of healthy snacks will keep everyone’s energy level up, and minimize in-flight crankiness due to hunger and low blood sugar levels. 3 Most airlines don’t even serve food anymore, and even if they did, you don’t want it. Bring your own low-fat protein energy bars; little plastic cups filled with peanut butter; low-calorie muffins; trail mix with nuts, dried fruits, and chocolate; string cheese; low-fat crackers; and plenty of water.

Be sure to do light exercise and stretches the week of your flight. You are going to be lugging heavy baggage, and want to be ready for some awkward schlepping, dragging, and lifting.

Seeing your chiropractor before a trip will help ensure your body is in peak condition for any unexpected jars and jolts. And even when you are well-prepared, travel still has its stressful moments. Chiropractic treatment helps ensure that your nervous system will be flexible and adaptable, adjusting to whatever surprises are in store during your trip.

1Waterhouse J, et al: The stress of travel. J Sports Sci 22(10):946-965, 2004 2Reilly T, et al: Jet lag and air travel: implications for performance. Clin Sports Med 24(2):367-380, 2005 3Waterhouse J, et al: Factors associated with food intake in passengers on long-haul flights. Chronobiol Int 23(5):985-1007, 2006

For additional information on health feel free to contactDr. Jason FowlerDr. Jason Fowler

“Prolonged sitting can wreak havoc on your body,” says Dr. Scott Bautch, immediate past president of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Even if you travel in the most comfortable carrier and opt to fly first class, certain pressures and forces from awkward positions can result in restricted blood flow. One of the biggest insults to your system from prolonged sitting is the buildup of pressure in the blood vessels in your lower legs. Contracting and relaxing the muscles can help to get the blood flowing properly.”

Dr. Bautch and the ACA suggest the following tips and advice to fight the pains and strains of travel before they occur.

Warm Up, Cool Down and Treat travel as an athletic event. Warm up before settling into a car or plane, and cool down once you reach your destination. Take a brisk walk to stretch your hamstring and calf muscles.

In the Car Adjust the seat so you are as close to the steering wheel as comfortably possible. Your knees should be slightly higher than your hips. Place four fingers behind the back of your thigh closest to your knee. If you cannot easily slide your fingers in and out of that space, you will need to re-adjust your seat. Consider a back support. Using a support behind your back may reduce the risk of low-back strain, pain or injury. The widest part of the support should be between the bottom of your rib cage and your waistline. Exercise your legs while driving to reduce the risk of any swelling, fatigue or discomfort. Open your toes as wide as you can, and count to 10. Count to five while you tighten your calf muscles, then your thigh muscles, then your gluteal muscles. Roll your shoulders forward and back, making sure to keep your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes on the road. To minimize arm and hand tension while driving, hold the steering wheel at approximately 3 o’clock and 7 o’clock, periodically switching to 10 o’clock and 5 o’clock. Do not grip the steering wheel. Instead, tighten and loosen your grip to improve hand circulation and decrease muscle fatigue in the arms, wrists and hands. While always being careful to keep your eyes on the road, vary your focal point while driving to reduce the risk of eye fatigue and tension headaches. Take rest breaks. Never underestimate the potential consequences of fatigue to yourself, your passengers and other drivers. In an Airplane Standup straight and feel the normal “S” curve of your spine. Then use rolled-up pillows or blankets to maintain that curve when you sit in your seat. Tuck a pillow behind your back and just above the beltline and lay another pillow across the gap between your neck and the headrest. If the seat is hollowed from wear, use folded blankets to raise your buttocks a little. Check all bags heavier than 5-10 percent of your body weight. Overhead lifting of any significant amount of weight should be avoided to reduce the risk of pain in the lower back or neck. While lifting your bags, stand right in front of the overhead compartment so the spine is not rotated. Do not lift your bags over your head, or turn or twist your head and neck in the process. When stowing belongings under the seat, do not force the object with an awkward motion using your legs, feet or arms. This may cause muscle strain or spasms in the upper thighs and lower back muscles. Instead, sit in your seat first, and using your hands and feet, gently guide your bags under the seat directly in front of you. While seated, vary your position occasionally to improve circulation and avoid leg cramps. Massage legs and calves. Bring your legs in, and move your knees up and down. Prop your legs up on a book or a bag under your seat. Do not sit directly under the air controls. The draft can increase tension in your neck and shoulder muscles. Safe Travel For Children Always use a car seat in a car when traveling with children below the age of 4 and weighing less than 40 pounds. Ask the airline for their policy on child car seat safety. Car seats for infants and toddlers provide added resistance to turbulent skies, and are safer than the lap of a parent in the event of an unfortunate accident. Make sure the car seat is appropriate for the age and size of the child. A newborn infant requires a different seat than a 3-year-old toddler. Car seats for infants should always face the rear. In this position, the forces and impact of a crash will be spread more evenly along the back and shoulders, providing more protection for the neck. Car seats should always be placed in the back seat of the car-ideally inthe center. This is especially important in cars equipped with airbags. If an air bag becomes deployed, the force could seriously injure or kill a child or infant placed in the front seat. Make sure the car seat is properly secured to the seat of the vehicle and is placed at a 45-degree angle to support the head of the infant or child.

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We do not often consider that a healthy personal lifestyle – relating to fitness and nutrition – has an impact on the environment and the global biosphere. But our personal choices and actions do matter. Our life-affirming choices to get fit, be fit, and eat right affect everyone and everything around us. How you get to work is a perfect example.

Of course, most of us drive to work, as it’s a lifetime habit, and we don’t even think about it. But, driving always produces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – every gallon of gas burned pumps 17 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Biking to work and walking to work are fitness-promoting activities that have a double benefit.1,2 You’re exercising on your workdays and you are actively helping to reduce GHG emissions and stabilize the Earth’s climate.

If it’s too far to walk or bike to your place of employment, arrange to car pool with co-workers and walk or bike to their house on the days when you are not the designated driver. Planting a garden or participating in the activities of a community garden is a health-promoting action step that has a triple benefit.

First, you are producing or helping to produce foods that are grown locally. Foods consumed in the United States travel an average of 1500 miles to reach your local supermarket. Foods grown locally eliminate almost all of the fossil fuel resources required to transport non-local items.

Second, you’re adding really fresh vegetables to your family’s diet, providing vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals required for abundantly good health.

Third, gardening is exercise – the kind of exercise people used to get when they did not sit in chairs at desks all day long.

The benefits of health-promoting activities keep on coming.3 For the most part, healthy people don’t wind up in the local hospital emergency room. Resources saved include fossil fuels burned by high-speed ambulances, fossil fuels burned to produce electricity used to power life-saving medical devices, and energy utilized to produce the vast amounts of medical supplies consumed in an emergency procedure, including syringes, IV set-ups, and towels, wipes, and disinfectants.

Being a healthy individual as a member of a healthy family has a huge multiplying effect. Your chiropractor knows that all body systems are deeply interconnected and must work together to produce good health. So too are the many different living systems that make up Planet Earth. Your chiropractor can provide you with detailed information about good nutrition and good exercise that can help make a real difference in your health and the health of your community.

1Villegas R, et al: The cumulative effect of core lifestyle behaviours on the prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia. BMC Public Health 13(8):210, 2008 2Christie BR, et al: Exercising our brains: how physical activity impacts synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus. Neuromolecular Med 10(2):47-58, 2008 3Booher MA, Smith BW: Physiological effects of exercise on the cardiopulmonary system. Clin Sports Med 22(1):1-21, 2003

For additional information on health and nutrition feel free to contactDr. Jason Fowlerwww.lakestlouisdc.com

The statistics are alarming. Sixty-five percent of Americans – 130 million in 2001 – are overweight. Fifteen percent of American children are overweight (up from four percent only 20 years ago). Health care costs related to overweight Americans has ballooned to $117 billion (that’s billion) in 2003. And the numbers keep going up. The scales don’t lie.

And yet, diet and weight-loss books fill our nation’s bookstores. Low-carb diets. High-protein diets. The cabbage soup diet. The grapefruit diet. The raw foods diet. Most people we know have tried one or more of these. The new diet works for a while, then we can not take the deprivation any longer and break the diet. Then, horrifyingly, all the weight we lost comes right back, and we’re right back where we started. Or possibly even a few pounds heavier. The very good news is that a real, long-lasting solution exists. The basics of this healthy approach to long-term weight loss have been known for decades. This solution is not a diet. It doesn’t have a catchy name. There are, though, a few “magic” secrets to this food plan that works.

“Secret” Number 1 – eat six small meals throughout each day, separated by 2.5 to 3 hours “Secret” Number 2 – combine protein and carbohydrates in each meal “Secret” Number 3 – drink plenty of water (eight to ten glasses) throughout the day “Secret” Number 4 – eat two portions of vegetables each day “Secret” Number 5 – take one day off each week (a “free” day) and eat whatever you want, whenever you want Why combine protein and carbohydrate at each meal? This critical combination feeds our muscles by providing the amino acids (from protein) necessary to build and maintain muscle tissue, and the carbohydrate needed to shuttle the amino acids into the cells. If the carbs aren’t there the protein doesn’t get used. There’s also a human performance benefit – eating balanced meals enables better cognitive/mental function. So we’re not only getting healthier on this food plan, we’re getting smarter!1

Why eat six times a day? Studies have shown this approach results in a faster metabolic rate, a lower percentage of body fat, and reduced “bad” cholesterol levels, all while maintaining lean muscle mass.2,3 Each meal contains approximately 300 calories (proteins and carbohydrates in each meal are in “portion” sizes). That’s it! This sensible, easy approach to food allows you to eat everything, there are no restrictions. And, on your free day you can indulge, or not, letting your natural instincts guide you.

1Fischer K, et al: “Carbohydrate to protein ratio in food and cognitive performance in the morning.” Physiol Behav 75(3):411-423, 2002 2Jenkins JD, et al: “Nibbling vs. gorging: metabolic advantages of increased meal frequency.” NEJM 321(14):929-934, 1989 3Verboeket WP, et al: “Influence of feeding frequency on nutrient utilization in man: consequences for energy metabolism.” Eur J Clin Nutr 43(3):161-169, 1991

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We want to have fun and enjoy ourselves during the holidays. We want to participate in all the activities and share the abundance of good food with family and friends. The questions is: How to let go without letting go? The solutions are available by having built a solid foundation. Food plans that work are based on a few simple and solid principles -

Eat five or six small meals daily.

Make sure each meal combines protein and complex carbohydrates 1,2 Drink plenty of water Exercise regularly Have a “free food day” once a week Such a food plan is realistic and doable. There’s no crazy dieting involved, no highs or lows. You are eating healthy food with no restrictions, choosing from all basic food groups. You eat anything you want, being sure to follow guidelines on portion sizes. The results are weight loss that stays lost. Because you’re exercising regularly, your body sheds fat pounds and adds a few pounds of lean muscle mass. Your metabolism becomes optimized to burn fat, even when you’re resting. If you’ve been following such a food plan your metabolism is already doing what it is designed to do. During the holidays you’ll continue to burn fat for energy, provided you don’t overload your system with too many extra calories.

Try to schedule your free day – when you can eat anything you want, as much as you want, and whenever you want – to coincide with a big holiday get-together. When you’re at a party and it’s your free food day, you can indulge as much as you like. It’s a part of your regular food plan. That’s a pretty good bonus! Also, alcohol consumption often goes up during the holiday season. Punch, egg nog, all sorts of “holiday cheer”. These beverages are super-high in calories. 3 Again, your free day is a good day to indulge yourself. On other days, maybe not so much.

After the last guest has gone home and the last dish is put back in the cupboard, if we have gained a few pounds during the course of the holidays it’s not so bad. What we wanted to avoid was gaining a bunch of weight. Now, we can return to our regular food plan – six days on and one day off – and those extra few pounds will be gone in four to six weeks. We had fun, we spent quality time with a lot of family and friends, and at the same time we took care of our health and well-being. That helps make the holidays especially joyous!

1 Hageman R, et al: A specific blend of intact protein rich in aspartate has strong postprandial glucose attenuating properties. J Nutr-8(9):1634-1640, 2008 2 Claessens M, et al: Glucagon and insulin responses after ingestion of different amounts of intact and hydrolysed proteins. Br J Nutr 100(1):61-69, 2008 3 Suter PM: Is alcohol consumption a risk factor for weight gain and obesity? Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 42(3)197-227, 2005

For more information on health feel free to contact Dr. Jason Fowler www.lakestlouisdc.com

All these facts make it more important during winter to ensure you’re getting your daily dose of sunlight. Humans depend on sun exposure to satisfy daily requirements of vitamin D.1 Vitamin D deficiency is classically associated with loss of bone mass, and is also associated with rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 1 diabetes.2

Humans need sunshine. It’s not just a matter of aesthetics or a personality quirk like being a sun-worshipper. In Southern California and the rest of the Southwest there’s plenty of sunshine all year round. Everywhere else in the United States, though, direct sunlight is much harder to find.

Humans also need exercise. As time is a precious commodity for all of us, it makes sense during winter to exercise and get your daily dose of sunlight at the same time.

Doing aerobic exercise outdoors perfectly fulfills our requirements. Walking, running, and cycling get us out into the fresh air and sunshine. If you’re used to riding a stationary bike or walking or running on a treadmill at home or at the gym, winter is the time for you to take it outside.

Your bones will benefit greatly by increased contact with direct sunlight. Interestingly, your entire body will benefit from your new outdoors focus. Machines such as treadmills and stationary bikes are great – they make it easy to exercise. But there’s a big difference in terms of overall benefit when you’re actually riding a real bike up a real hill or running on a real surface that changes configuration on almost every step.

The difference relates to proprioception3 – your body’s response to physical changes in three-dimensional space. Bottom line, the more overall use you make of your body, the more you’ll benefit. Exercising outdoors provides whole-body training in ways machines never can.

The need to actively seek out sunshine during winter creates a wonderful opportunity to broaden our exercise horizons. Make sure to dress appropriately and to wear UV-protecting sunglasses.

Many affordable brands of high-performance sportswear are available that wick moisture away from your skin and provide good insulation. Layering is the way to go. You can remove layers as you get warmer. Wicking-and-insulating caps and gloves are also available. It’s better to be a little too warm than a little too cold.

Be sure to consult with your chiropractor about the most effective forms of exercise for you. He/she will be able to help you design a customized exercise program that works for you.

1Holick MF: Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr 80(6):1678S-1688S, 2004 2Mohr SB, et al:The association between ultraviolet B irradiance, vitamin D status and incidence rates of type 1 diabetes in 51 regions worldwide. Diabetologia 51(8):1391-1398, 2008 3Buccello-Stout RR, et al: Effects of sensorimotor adaptation training on functional mobility in older adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 63(5):P295-300, 2008

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More recently, and quite dramatically, vitamin D has been strongly associated with reduced cancer risks, preventing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, preventing cardiovascular disease, and even helping to prevent diabetes.2 Vitamin D seems to be a one-stop shop for helping combat many serious chronic diseases, and yet vitamin D deficiency is common in the United States.3 Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D. The primary source of vitamin D for humans is sunlight – sunlight causes cells in the skin to produce vitamin D.

But most of us don’t spend enough time outside to get sufficient sunlight to provide us with our normal daily requirement of vitamin D. Supplementation is needed, in the form of fortified foods such as milk and in vitamin/mineral tablets. Interestingly, meeting our vitamin D and calcium daily requirements is only one step on the road to healthy, strong bones. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from the intestinal tract. Also, vitamin D helps bone cells utilize calcium to build new bone. But in adults, new bone will only be built if there’s a need for it. Mechanical stress causes the body to produce new bone – and the best source for this kind of bone-building mechanical stress is exercise.

Yes, the E word. It’s not enough to passively swallow a bunch of supplements every day. We need to exercise regularly to get the most out of the nutrition we are providing our bodies. When we exercise – particularly when we do strength training and other gravity-resisting activities such as running, walking, and bicycling – our bodies react not only by building new muscle but by building new bone as well. This response follows a physiologic principle known as Wolff’s Law – bone remodels along lines of physiologic stress.

Put another way, bone responds to mechanical challenges by building more bone. The result is more dense, stronger bones. Such bones are significantly less likely to fracture. And. logically, exercise helps prevent loss of bone mass, a primary cause of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and older adults. Chiropractic health care helps provide assistance to these metabolic processes. All of our metabolic activities are directed by signals from the nerve system. Our nerve impulses tell our cells when to start and when to stop these complicated biochemical processes. Chiropractic care helps ensure proper flow of information throughout the nervous system, helping us maintain optimal physical health and well-being. Your chiropractor is an expert in nutritional health and will be able to recommend a program and plan that will be right for you.

1Lins P: Vitamin D physiology. Prog Biophys Mol Biol 92)1:4-8, 2006 2Cavalier E, et al:Vitamin D: current status and perspectives.Clin Chem Lab Med 47:1, 2009 3Holick Me, Chen TC: Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr 87(4):10805-10865, 2008

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For the health consumer, namely us, it seems as if this annual “war on the flu” is received wisdom. We are just defenseless human beings at the mercy of the all-powerful flu virus.

What is wrong with this picture?

What is never mentioned in the “flu warning” marketing is the versatility and adaptability of our remarkable immune system. We’re the lucky owners of a built-in state-of-the-art biowarfare system, on-the-job 24/7 to combat microscopic foreign invaders of our health and well-being. Once our immune system has detected a foreign protein it mounts an immediate defense, attacking and destroying the alien molecules. And, the memory of that particular invader is permanent, enabling a future immune response to be swift and effective.1

The big issue with influenza is that new strains appear each year. We’ve never encountered these germs before. But, the whole basis and strength of our immune system is flexibility. It is specially designed to respond quickly to new attackers. And, for the most part, it does this very, very well.

Of course, no one wants their dinner companion to sneeze in their plate of pasta, as Elaine did on an infamous episode of “Seinfeld”. Through a typical cascade of unfortunate events, Jerry’s and George’s comedy pilot was almost scuttled because the network executive was Elaine’s date, and he got violently ill by being on the receiving end of her blast of micro-bugs.

In the real world, our immune systems can be weakened due to life habits, circumstances, and stress. Stress is a notorious compromiser of immune defenses.2 And, of course, being human, there is plenty of stress from dawn to dusk. If worry and anxiety pile on top of not-enough-sleep or sub-optimal nutrition, getting sick is a pretty likely outcome. So, developing and maintaining healthy habits of living and successful strategies for managing stress is really the key.3

If you do the simple things that keep you healthy and well, in the winter months you can pretty much “let the flu go around you”. You can be confident, knowing you have done the work to fight off the latest flu threat. Someone else’s germs are their germs, not yours. If your immune system is on the job, you’re far less likely to “catch” something.

And, even if you do succumb, you have got a much better chance of getting well again quickly.

1Sompayrac L: How the Immune System Works, 2nd ed. Blackwell, 2002. 2Wein H:Stress and disease – new perspectives. NIH Word on Health, October 2000. 3The Truth About Your Immune System – What You Need To Know. Harvard Health Publications, 2007.

For additional information on health feel free to contactDr. Jason FowlerDr. Jason Fowler

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