For many pregnant women, back pain seems to be unavoidable, especially the “more pregnant” a woman becomes! Chiropractic adjustments are safe and highly beneficial in relieving back pain due to pregnancy, and they are also helpful in relieving other pregnancy “complaints” such as heartburn, nausea, and swelling. “As a woman and a chiropractor, I understand the many subtle, and not so subtle, changes that a woman’s body experiences during pregnancy,” said Melody Shubert, D.C., of Shubert Natural Health and Chiropractic in Wichita, Kansas. And, if needed, a well-trained chiropractor can also help with a breached baby. This is done by using the Webster Technique, a low force technique to manipulate the uterus and get the baby into the proper position for delivery. (A simple Google search on the Webster Technique can give you much more information.) Check with your local chiropractor for more information on how chiropractic adjustments can help during pregnancy.
Osteopathic manipulation is another alternative for back pain relief due to pregnancy. “Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a viable option for improving function related to the low back and reducing back pain in the third trimester of pregnancy because its does not appear to have any negative side effects,” said John C. Licciardone, D.O., M.S., M.B.A., the lead author of a study on OMT in the third trimester of pregnancy that was recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Results from this study showed that osteopathic manipulative treatment slows or halts the deterioration of back-specific function in the third trimester of pregnancy. To read more about this study, click here.80 Ways To Use Twitter As A SMB Owner
By · Comments
80 Ways To Use Twitter As A SMB Owner
It’s pretty common. A small business owner comes to us looking for help promoting his or her business. We suggest using Twitter as a way to find new leads, build relationships and as an overall way to cost effectively market their business. The small business owner then turns around, tilts their head and responds, “Twitter? What can Twitter do for me?”
Well, I’ll tell you. Below are 80 ways a small business owner can use Twitter to build and market their business.
Just like last time, hit print.
Build Credibility
- Answer common customer questions
- Share insight and opinion
- Pass on interesting links/posts
- Tweet links showing your company featured on other Web sites or mainstream media
- Tweet often to keep your brand in customer’s top of mind
- Share high quality content that is relevant to your customers needs
- Share information about your organization that customers, colleagues and others may be interested to know
- Promote competitors when they deserve it
- Tweet links to Slideshare presentations or videos of speaking engagements.
- Promote upcoming speaking engagements
- Mention awards you’ve won or accreditations you’ve earned
- Be the one to break the news in your industry
- Livetweet events
Market Your Business
- Talk about company culture and values
- Let people know the events your company will be attending this year
- Offer discounts, coupons or special offers to customers who find you via social media
- Offer discounts on conferences for folks who come to hear you speak
- Show your human face
- Talk about what you’re doing
- Talk about who you are
- Talk about why you do what you do
- To get blog subscribers
- Direct traffic to your site
- Find referrals
- Offer referrals
- Connect vendors to one another
- Hold contests
- Highlight employees
- Publish your Twitter handle on all direct mailings, email newsletters, on your Web site and all other marketing channels. Put it everywhere
- Promote your latest blog posts and newsletters
- Share reviews people have left about your site that made you laugh. Or smile
- Tweet when you do something cool
- Admit and apologize for flubs to help neutralize the impact
- Be excited about your week
- Ask for votes on social media sites (use sparingly)
Grow Ears
- Track conversations about your brand for online reputation management
- Track your most important keywords and subscribe to an RSS feed
- Listen in on conversations about your general industry
- Do free market research to see what people want/don’t want
- Conduct Twitter polls to quiz consumer opinion
- Learn about what’s working/not working for your competitors
- See how your competitors are interacting with customers
- Find out who your competitors are talking to and do some competitive intelligence
- Track conversation patterns for your industry to determine when people are most active online
- Identify Twitter trends or hot topics related to your industry
- Find ways to connect what you do with what’s already trending on Twitter
- Ask people for their opinions. Listen to them
- Notify customers of any holdups, mishaps or things that may affect business
(Read more…)
Say It’s Not “Too Early” Before It Becomes “Too Late”
By · CommentsIt’s time that we start paying attention to a real problem that has been around for a few years now and will only get worse. Let’s face it, kids who are overweight suffer physically and emotionally. And, statistics have consistently shown that unless there is affective intervention obese kids turn into unhealthy obese adults. Read on…
Experts urge screening for obesity in kids
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Doctors should screen children and teens between 6 and 18 years for extra pounds, a federal task force recommends. For children who are found to be obese based on their body mass index (BMI), a standard measure of the relationship between height and weight, the task force also calls for referrals to a comprehensive program that includes dietary advice, physical activity, and behavioral counseling to promote weight loss. The new recommendations update earlier ones from 2005. Skyrocketing rates of obesity have reached between 12 and 18 percent in 2- to 19-year-olds, increasing up to 6-fold since the 1970s, members of the United States Preventive Services Task Force report in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics. Obesity is linked to the early development of diabetes and high blood pressure. For their update, the task force reviewed 13 studies of behavioral intervention in 1258 obese children and adolescents. Moderate- to high-intensity programs, involving more than 25 hours of contact with the child and/or the family over a six-month period, resulted in a decrease in BMI 12 months after the beginning of the intervention. In addition to dietary and physical activity counseling, effective programs included behavioral-management techniques such as self-monitoring and eating management. However, the programs only worked in children who followed through on treatment. (Read more at Reuters.com)
Amidst a great deal of emotion and rhetoric coming out of Connecticut this week regarding the stroke issue The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation has just released a very clear position statement on the issue of chiropractic and strokes.
Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes. “While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney. According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists. “What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.” While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.” Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.” Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.” In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe.Losing Weight But Still Not Feeling Fit?
By · CommentsFit VS. Fat: New Research Sheds Light On Debate
Although proper nutrition alone can lead to weight loss, it doesn’t necessarily equal true health or fitness, says a new study in the January issue of the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Enette Larson-Meyer, Ph.D., R.D., FACSM, directed 36 overweight (not obese) adults to participate in one of three programs during a six-month intervention: diet alone, diet plus exercise, or a weight-maintenance program (control group). The diet-only and weight maintenance groups were instructed not to change their physical activity regimens during the six-month period. Although both the diet and diet-plus-exercise groups lost weight during the course of the study – around 10 percent of total body weight – only the exercising individuals improved their internal fitness in addition to their waistlines. Read more at medicalnewstoday.Brief Training In Meditation May Help In Pain Management
By · CommentsLiving with pain is stressful, but a surprisingly short investment of time in mental training can help you cope.
A new study examining the perception of pain and the effects of various mental training techniques has found that relatively short and simple mindfulness meditation training can have a significant positive effect on pain management. Though pain research during the past decade has shown that extensive meditation training can have a positive effect in reducing a person’s awareness and sensitivity to pain, the effort, time commitment, and financial obligations required has made the treatment not practical for many patients. Now, a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte shows that a single hour of training spread out over a three day period can produce the same kind of analgesic effect. Read more…Exercise and High Blood Pressure
By · CommentsA great number of US residents seem to be existing a life that allows for high blood pressure or hypertension. As men and women become old, the problem becomes worse. Almost half of all elderly US residents get high blood pressure. This kind of syndrome makes individuals five times more prone to cerebral vascular accidents, three times more more likely to be inflicted with myocardial infarction, and two to three times more likely to undergo a heart failure.
The problem with this disease is that nearly one third of the folks who have hypertension do not know it because they never feel any direct pain. But overtime the force of that pressure damages the inside surface of your blood vessels.
However, according to experts, hypertension is not predestined. Reducing salt intake, adopting a desirable dietary pattern losing weight and exercising can all help prevent hypertension.
Obviously, quitting bad habits and eating a low fat diet will help, but the most significant part that you can do is to exercise. And just as exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, it also enhances the health of the heart muscles.
The exercise stimulates the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so people who exercise had a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart.
The human heart basically, supply blood to an area of the heart damaged in a ìmyocardial infarction.î A heart attack is a condition, in which, the myocardium or the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen and other nutrients and so it begins to die.
For this reason and after a series of careful considerations, some researchers have observed that exercise can stimulate the development of these life saving detours in the heart. One study further showed that moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice as often.
Such information has led some people to think of exercise as a panacea for heart disorders, a fail-safe protection against hypertension or death. That is not so. Even marathon runners that have suffered hypertension, and exercise cannot overcome combination of other risk factor.
What Causes Hypertension? Sometimes abnormalities of the kidney are responsible. There is also a study wherein the researchers identified more common contributing factors such as heredity, obesity, and lack of physical activity. And so, what can be done to lower blood pressure and avoid the risk of developing hypertension? Again, exercise seems to be just what the chiropractor might order.
If you think that is what he will do, then, try to contemplate on this list and find some ways how you can incorporate these things into your lifestyle and start to live a life free from the possibilities of developing hypertension. But before you start following the systematic instructions, it would be better to review them first before getting into action.
See your chiropractor. Check with your chiropractor before beginning an exercise program. If you make any significant changes in your level of physical activity ó particularly if those changes could make large and sudden demands on your circulatory system ó check with your chiropractors again.
Take it slow. Start at a low, comfortable level of exertion and progress gradually. The program is designed in two stages to allow for a progressive increase in activity.
Know your limit. Determine your safety limit for exertion. Use some clues such as sleep problems or fatigue the day after a workout to check on whether you are overdoing it. Once identified, stay within it. Over-exercising is both dangerous and unnecessary.
Exercise regularly. You need to work out a minimum of three times a week and a maximum of five times a week to get the most benefit. Once you are in peak condition, a single workout a week can maintain the muscular benefits. However, cardiovascular fitness requires more frequent activity.
Exercise at a rate within your capacity. The optimum benefits for older exercisers are produced by exercise at 40% to 60% of capacity. Indeed, weight loss through exercise is an excellent starting point if you wan tot prevent hypertension. Experts say that being overweight is linked to an increased risk of developing hypertension, and losing weight decreases the risk.
Dr. Jamie Phillips is a Santa Barbara Chiropractor. She is also the CEO of the Chiropractic Internet Marketing Company Chiropractic Masters. For more information please visit her website at http://www.chiropracticmasters.com
Feeling old and blue? Green tea may help
By · Comments
(Reuters Health) Elderly men and women who sip on several cups of green tea a day may be less likely to have the blues, hint findings of a study from Japan.
Dr. Kaijun Niu, at Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in Sendai, and colleagues found men and women aged 70 and older who drank four or more, versus one or fewer, cups of green tea daily were 44 percent less likely to have symptoms of depression.
Several prior studies have linked green tea consumption to reduced levels of psychological distress. This led Niu and colleagues to look at associations between drinking green tea and symptoms of depression in 1,058 relatively healthy elderly individuals.
About 34 percent of the men and 39 percent of the women had symptoms of depression, according to a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. These symptoms were severe in about 20 percent of the men and in about 24 percent of the women.
Overall, 488 participants said they drank four or more cups of green tea a day, 284 said they downed two to three cups daily and the remaining 286 reported having one or fewer cups daily.
According to the investigators, the apparent protective effect of greater green tea consumption on symptoms of depression did not fade after they factored in social and economic status, gender, diet, history of medical problems, use of antidepressant medications, smoking, and physical activity. Read more…
The Europeans have been using horse chestnut for years for a variety of vascular roles, particularly the legs. This natural supplement is now gaining ground in the United States and other places around the world because it has shown in a number of clinical trials its effectiveness in treating a variety of conditions.
Horse chestnut trees are native to Greece, Albania, Bulgaria and other countries in the Balkan Peninsula. However, you can find these trees elsewhere in the world as well. Also called the Spanish chestnut and the buckeye, horse chestnut should not be confused with the buckeye trees in California and Ohio. It is important when you use horse chestnut that you choose a seed extract supplement form rather than preparing a treatment yourself as some parts of the tree are poisonous.
If you have varicose veins, leg swelling, nerve twitching and itching, restless legs, skin ulcers or general leg pain, you could benefit from horse chestnut. Most often found as a seed extract, this supplement is also effective with a condition called CVI or chronic venous insufficiency, which also presents some of the symptoms above.
Evidence of Effectiveness
In a number of tests, horse chestnut seed extract was used in patients with CVI. In a large percentage of cases, leg swelling decreased significantly as well as pain, nerve itchiness and even leg tiredness. Restless leg occurrences were reduced as well. While some professionals are still unsure of this natural supplement, many people who suffer from a variety of vascular leg conditions have found that horse chestnut is just as effective as the common treatment of wearing compression stockings.
Other Conditions Possibly Treated
Because of the anti-inflammatory properties of horse chestnut, there are a few other conditions that might benefit from its use. Rheumatoid arthritis, deep venous thrombosis, hemorrhoids, menstrual cramps and even a variety of skin conditions could find relief with this natural supplement. People with tinnitus and post-trauma swelling have found relief too.
Some Warnings to Note
If you are otherwise in good health, horse chestnut can definitely help with inflammatory conditions. However, some people may have adverse reactions if they take anticoagulants or have hepatic or renal problems. Children should not take this supplement. If you have a metabolic condition like diabetes, medical professionals advise against using horse chestnut. Always consult with your personal physician before adding any supplement to your daily medication regiment. Read more…
Likely Culprits of Back Pain and How You Can Handle Them
By · CommentsMany people have back pain at some point in their life and at least half of them experience recurring back pain. Sometimes, there is no one particular cause for the pain but rather a build-up of activities they might have done. Back pain is so commonplace that it is one of the top three leading reasons why people see the doctor and miss work. The good news is that most back pain clears itself up within a few weeks. If you are one of the many people that experience back pain, there are a number of causes to consider.
Referred Back Pain
Referred back pain means that you feel pain in your back but it is attached to some other underlying health condition in your body. For example, kidney infections can cause back pain as can appendicitis and bladder infections. Women with infections or disorders in the pelvic area can also experience pain in the back.
Pulled or Stressed Out Muscles
Have you ever slept in an awkward position and paid for it in pain the next day? Sleeping funny can stress out your muscles, ligaments and tendons in addition to lifting heavy objects or even turning or twisting the wrong way. When you experience sensitivity and pain in certain muscle groups, like in your back, doctors refer to it as myofascial pain. Many kids experience this type of back pain because they tote heavy backpacks and school bags. Poor posture and improper lifting techniques can also contribute.
Musculoskeletal Diseases and Conditions
There are a number of musculoskeletal diseases and conditions that can contribute to back pain. For example, fibromyalgia causes pain and tenderness in nerve trigger points and joints in the back and other areas of the body. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition that causes deterioration of the discs between the vertebrae.
Osteoporosis can also cause back pain. Calcium leaches out of your bones over time and puts them in danger of stress fractures and breaks. If you have osteoporosis and decide to partake in heavy lifting or other overly strenuous exercise, you can create tiny compression fractures in one or more vertebrae.
Disc Problems
A herniated disc is a common cause of back problems. Wear and tear over time can cause one or more of your discs along your spinal column to rupture (herniated). Sometimes called a slipped disc, this rupture can pinch one of the many nerves that emanate from the spinal column. The sciatic nerve is one of the most commonly affected nerves and it runs down to your leg, so not only would you feel pain in the back because of a herniated disc but also feel sharp, shooting pain down your leg as well.
Over the counter pain relievers can help as can topical herbal remedies for pain such as lavender oil, eucalyptus, chamomile, witch hazel and arnica. Some herbs consumed in tea form have anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate pain too such as chamomile, valerian, rosemary, elderberry and black cohosh. Ice packs can numb pain while heating pads can loosen tight muscles in the back.
If you can afford it, make it a point to visit a chiropractor because your spine may be out of alignment. Acupuncturists can also treat your back pain as well. What you should not do is lie around and be lazy when you have back pain because the joints and muscles may seize up. Rather, light exercise such as walking and stretching can be beneficial. With a little TLC and time, most back pain eventually resolves on its own.