Regular Chiropractic Care

Spinal Tune-ups                                

Many of you have experienced the benefits of chiropractic care for back pain, neck pain, headaches, rotator cuff shoulder problems, etc. Getting the spinal joints moving freely is important for spinal health. It helps to keep the foramen (spaces where the nerves travel) free from interference to the nerve flow.  Any pressure or tension on these spinal nerves cause symptoms, such as decreases in strength, decrease in sensation, pain, and even possibly affect the function of the organs which these nerves supply.

If you have come in recently for a few adjustments for an episode of back pain, etc., consider a monthly spinal tune-up after you are feeling better.  Regular chiropractic adjustments can reduce the likelihood of future episodes of back pain and other musculoskeletal problems.  My patients who come in monthly for spinal tune-ups note that they feel less stressed, looser, and that their overall health is improved.

Did you know that there is a preliminary research showing that chiropractic adjustments may have a positive benefit for the immune system?(1,2,3) Two additional studies demonstrate that manipulation may induce benefit the immune system by enhancing production of the immunoregulatory cytokine IL-2 and the production of immunoglobulins.(4,5)  Asymptomatic patients experience increased range of motion and flexibility with chiropractic care.(6)

Regular chiropractic care has also been shown to improve athletic performance. In particular, chiropractic has resulted in improved agility, balance, speed of reaction time, power, and kinesthetic perception.(7) After 12 weeks of chiropractic care, there was a 16.7% improvement in athletic performance.  Another study demonstrated that 21 college athletes after 14 weeks of chiropractic care showed significant improvements in muscle strength, long jump distance, and capillary counts.(8)

Researchers from Rand Corporation analyzed older patients (over 75 yrs of age) who utilize chiropractic care regularly.(9)  Regular chiropractic patients reported better overall health, spent fewer days in hospitals and nursing homes, used fewer prescription and over the counter drugs, and were more active than the non-chiropractic patients.

References:

6.  Nansel DD, Cremata E, Carlson J, et al. Effect of unilateral spinal adjustments on goniometrically-assessed cervical lateral-flexion end-range asymmetry in Otherwise Asymptomatic Subjects” J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1989; 12(6): 419-427.
7. Lauro A, Mouch B. Chiropractic effects on athletic ability.  Chiropractic: The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation. 1991; 6(4): 84-87.
8. Schwartzbauer J, Kolber J, Schwartzbauer M, Hart J, Zhang J. Athletic performance and physiological measures in baseball players following upper cervical chiropractic care: a pilot study. J Vertebral Subluxation Res. 1997; 1(4): 33-39.
9. Coulter ID, Hurwitz EL, Aronow HU, Cassata DM, Beck JC. Chiropractic patients in a comprehensive home-based geriatric assessment, followup and health promotion program. Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 1996; 3(2): 46-55.
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Vitamin C Helps To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Stomach Cancer

Do we still need Vitamin C?  It hardly ever gets a mention in health news these days.  Whenever discussions of antioxidants occur, more exotic antioxidants like green tea extract, coenzyme Q-10, grape seed extract, pycnogenol, and alpha lipoic acid are often mentioned.  But let’s not forget some of the basic antioxidants, like vitamin E and good old vitamin C, which are still very important contributors to optimal health.  Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that has an amazing number of health benefits, including prevention of heart disease and certain types of cancer.  A new paper published in Antioxid Redox Signal in 2013 explains the important role that vitamin C has in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.(1)  This paper also notes that 10-20 of Americans are deficient in vitamin C.  Vitamin C’s cardio protective role has to do with nitric oxide bioavailability, lipid metabolism, and vascular integrity.

During the process by which cholesterol forms plaques in the artery walls, white blood cells known as monocytes migrate and stick to the walls of the arteries.  These plaques can gradually thicken and block the blood flow in these arteries. Higher levels of vitamin C reduce monocyte adhesion to the artery walls.  Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure.  Vitamin C also enhances the health-promoting effects of exercise and reduces exercise-induced oxidative damage.  In addition, vitamin C has been shown to reduce blood pressure when elevated. I recommend at least 1000 mg/day of vitamin C in a non-acid form for cardiovascular health.

Another new paper on vitamin C reinforces earlier research that higher serum vitamin C levels are associated with a lower risk of gastric (stomach) cancer.(2)  This study was conducted in China where there is a very high incidence of stomach cancer.  The researchers found that the risk of gastric cancer was 31% lower among those with the highest plasma (blood) concentration of vitamin C than among those with the lowest level of plasma vitamin C.

H. pylori infection (the microbe responsible for ulcers) is the leading etiologic factor for gastric cancer and vitamin C appears to possess antimicrobial activity against H. pylori.(3)  Other possible reasons that vitamin C could protect against stomach cancer would be by protecting against oxidative DNA damage from nitroso compounds, such as found in processed meats like bacon, and by neutralizing reactive oxygen species caused by H. pylori infection.

 

References:

1. Tveden-Nyborg P, Lykkesfeldt J.. Does vitamin C deficiency increase lifestyle-associated vascular disease progression? Evidence based on experimental and clinical studies. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2013 Jun 20.

2. Lam TK, Fan JH, Qiao YL, et al. Prediagnostic plasma vitamin C and risk of gastric adenocarcinoma and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a Chinese population. ACJN. 2013 98:1289-97.

3. Zhang ZW, Abdullahi M, Farthin MJ. Effect of physiological concentrations of vitamin C on gastric cancer cells and Helicobactor pylori. Gut. 2002;50:165-9

 

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