Back Pain, Well-being, Fitness, Chiropractic and Prevention

The key to aging with grace and vitality is a flexible, healthy spine. Your nervous system operates your entire body. The spinal cord carries impulses from your brain to your heart, lungs, kidneys, muscles, etc to make them function. Wouldn't it make sense to take good care of the house (spine) that your nervous system lives in so your body functions at it's highest level? Many people take better preventative care of their teeth than they do of their spine. Teeth are cosmetic and serve primarily to chew food. Your spine has a much larger, critical role in your total health and well-being. The spine houses and protects your lifeline, the spinal cord. Your spine, like your teeth, are in a constant state of aging/degeneration, and like your teeth the spinal joints need regular maintenance care to stay freely mobile, flexible and healthy. Regular adjustments slow the degenerative/aging process of the spine and allow your nervous system and body to function at their highest levels. Like teeth that are not brushed and cleaned regularly, the spine, if not mechanically stimulated and regularly mobilized, will become inflamed and degenerate at an advanced rate.  Inflammation and advanced degeneration of the spine causes undo stress on your nervous system and inhibits the function of the organs and muscles that the nervous system operate. Perhaps if people's spines were on display as their teeth are, people would take better care of them. Do you have a beautiful, healthy back-smile, or a degenerative, rotten back-smile?

I hope this gives you some insight to the importance of chiropractic as preventative care for total body health and well-being in addition to being a go-to for reactive care and rehabilitation. You can treat and avoid issues in your back and neck and insure that your whole body is functioning at it's optimum level with regular monthly adjustments.

Weakness in Your Foundation: 3 Reasons for Custom Orthotics

Our feet are the foundation for our body, so it's fair to say with regard to body mechanics, as the feet go....so goes the body. Keep in mind, your body is a kinetic chain. If your feet are inflamed, weakened, imbalanced, and painful then there is high probability that you will also develop symptoms in your knees, hips and spine as a direct consequence of the "weakness in your foundation". This is the underlying reason why your feet need all the proper support they can get to function normally and prevent problems in other parts of your body.

Each foot is made up of 26 bones that work with ligaments, muscles, and tendons to support the weight of the body. Both feet act as shock absorbers during exercise and can cushion up to one million pounds of pressure during one hour of strenuous activity. Proper orthotics can reduce pain, provide support, relieve pressure, prevent foot deformity, and improve overall biomechanical function of the foot and body during exercise.

Here are three key reasons to consider custom made orthotics:

1. Reduce pain and inflammation- Whether you are standing in long lines, on your feet at work all day, or running on a treadmill at the gym, custom orthotics simply feel good. You'll have less foot pain, less leg exhaustion, and less back ache. A properly supported foot, makes you feel better. Custom made orthotics support the three anatomical arches of the foot. When these arches are supported properly, your foundation is solid, and your knees, hips and back can function optimally.

2. Enhance athletic performance- Custom orthotics can improve athletic performance! Research shows that wearing custom orthotics can increase vertical leap and strength, as well as improve balance and proprioception. In addition to improved performance, athletes who wear custom made orthotics lower their risk of injury.

3. Support for fallen arches and foot pronation- While orthotics don't correct a fallen arch, they can correctly position structures in the foot to improve biomechanics and reduce stress on the foot.



Given that 90% of the world's population have "weaknesses in their foundation" or rather imperfect feet, the demand for solutions has been on the rise. Custom made orthotics can resolve many of those issues and prevent further issues from developing. If you are interested in having a pair made especially for you, call the office at (323) 710-6269 to set up an appointment for an analysis and casting of your feet. It typically takes about 10 days to receive the orthotics once the cast is made. Solve your structural support needs, with a pair of custom made orthotics and feel the difference in your feet, knees, hips, and spine.

Man Boobs to Muscle Naturally in 3 Steps

Man boobs made sensational national headlines when Rep. Barney Frank addressed the House in a tight, baby blue crew neck shirt that accentuated his chest a few years ago. Rep. Frank isn't the only man confronting the embarrassment and negative self-esteem associated with a male having a female chest. Approximately one third of males in our population are growing man boobs! Fortunately for the vast majority of men that experience fatty growth in their pectoral region, man boobs or gynecomastia is not a serious medical condition, and can be reversed naturally through these three steps.

1. Reduce body fat: Clean up your diet by eliminating refined, sugary carbohydrates. Instead, focus on eating lean protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. A little focused discipline here, will decrease your overall body fat and will significantly aid in reducing the fat in your chest as well.


2. Correct your testosterone to estrogen levels: The majority of men with man boobs have ridiculously high levels of the female hormone estrogen. Estrogen binds to the androgen and estrogen receptors in the body creating feminizing characteristics. When the female hormone binds to the receptors in your chest, breast tissue grows, like it does in women. The simplest way to get this issue under control is by boosting your testosterone levels naturally and inhibiting your estrogen levels naturally. Avoid estrogen-promoting soy products, animal products (non-organic), and canned food. Eat broccoli. Broccoli assists in removing estrogen from your body. Include food that promotes liver function like carrots, apples, beets, blueberries, celery, cranberries, sour cherries, kale, horseradish, purple grape juice, red grapes, mushrooms, and tomatoes.


3. Exercise: Just as you cannot turn your belly fat into muscle, you cannot turn your chest fat into muscle. If you want a contoured, muscled male chest you have to lose weight and do upper-body exercises to build your pectorals. A proper upper-body workout should include the bench press, dumbbell press, dumbbell pullover, biceps curls, bar dips, seated rows, dumbbell rows, lateral pull downs, and triceps extension exercises.






Nobody wants to justify the need for a "manzier", the name given to the support undergarment designed for men that Kramer invented in the well-known Seinfeld episode featuring the man boobs of George Costanza's father. These three steps, followed carefully, will help shed those man boobs and build a powerful, solid chest.

Three Tips to Increase Metabolism and Lose Weight

"Diet starts Monday!"--Chris Farley delivered this line in the hilarious Saturday Night Live skit, "Gap Girls". However, there isn't anything funny about the consequences of holiday binge eating. Many of us are looking for ways to jump start our metabolism and lose that extra weight. Here are three simple suggestions to help burn calories and get the year off to a great start.

Exercise with protein supplementation- Add cardio to your daily routine by walking, running or riding a bike and build lean muscle through resistance or weight training and proper intake of protein. Supplement your workouts with a protein drink during the workout and within 45 minutes after the workout. Eat a high protein meal in the early evening and drink a protein shake before you go to bed.

Eat small meals throughout the day- Start your day off right with a small meal and eat small meals every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism from stalling and to prevent binge eating. Avoid refined sugar and flour. In addition to protein, include a variety of high energy foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Supplement your diet with metabolic enhancers and appetite suppressants-Several natural supplements are available to increase your bodies ability to metabolize fat. Those may include but are not limited to green tea extract, green coffee bean extract, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), glucomannan (appetite suppressant), and caffeine. Also, be sure to drink more water. Keeping your body hydrated will allow your liver to metabolize fat at a higher rate.

With proper exercise and diet, a boost in your metabolism is easily attainable. Shed that extra weight-gain from the holidays with these easy tips and enjoy a happier, healthier life!

Best Sex Positions for Back Pain

     For many Americans sudden, ferocious, often high pitched screams and bed-rattling, body-shaking movements are sadly more associated with agonizing back pain than with pleasurable orgasms during intercourse. The American Chiropractic Association reports that 31,000,000 Americans suffer from lower back pain, making it the number one disability effecting Americans. For years physicians have been recommending "spooning" as the most spine-friendly sexual position but recent scientific studies prove a sexual position that is good for one person may not be the best answer for another. Does that mean sex has to be "put to bed" while health takes precedence? Not according to recent research from the University of Waterloo in Canada. For the first time ever, scientists have successfully documented the way the spine moves during sex and discovered exactly why certain positions are better than others when it comes to avoiding back pain. The results show that missionary and doggy-style, not spooning, are the most spine-friendly sexual positions.

     The researchers tracked how 10 couples' spines moved in five common sex positions. Using both infrared and electromagnetic motion capture systems, they measured how the men's spine moved during sex, and created guidelines for best positions and techniques based on what movements cause pain.

Based on range of motion, researchers identified the best and worst sex positions for men.

Here's what they found:

Sexual Position mQUAD1, a variation of doggy-style-. In this variation the woman is supporting her upper body with her elbows. Flexion intolerant men- meaning men whose back pain becomes worse when they touch their toes or sit for a long period of time- will likely be much more comfortable in this position.

Sexual Position mQUAD2, a variation of doggy-style- In this variation, the woman is supporting her upper body with her hands. The study showed that this position, in addition to the mQUAD1 variation, is considered to be easier on the spine for flexion-intolerant men.

Sexual Position mMISS1, a variation of missionary style- In this variation, the man is supporting his upper body with his hands and the woman has her hips and knees slightly flexed. Along with mQUAD1 and mQUAD2, this position is considered a "spine-friendly" approach, meaning it won't exacerbate pain caused by motion and/or posture.

Sexual Position mMISS2, a variation of missionary style- In this variation, the male is supporting his elbows and the woman is more flexed at the hips and the knees. This may not be the best position for men experiencing flexion-intolerant pain. However, for extension-intolerant men--meaning me who feel pain when they arch their back-- this may be a comfortable position.

Sexual Position mSIDE, also known as spooning or sidelying- In this position, the woman and man are both lying on their left sides, and the man is behind her. Both people have their hips and knees flexed. Researchers found that this position isn't very easy on the spine, and is the least recommended position for men experiencing flexion-intolerant pain. However, it's a comfortable option for extension-intolerant men. Men who are extension-intolerant, or those who experience pain when arching their backs, will find sex in the spooning or missionary position more comfortable, especially when supporting their upper body with their elbows in missionary.

Future Research for Women with Pain- Although this study focuses on sex positions for men with back pain, the researchers said results for female pain patients should be published in the near future. The findings revealed that if women have back pain when they touch their toes or sit for long periods of time, they should use positions that use minimal spine flexion, like spooning and doggy-style while propping themselves up at the hands. If women have back pain when they arch their backs, they should use positions that use minimal spine extension, like missionary. 

     Prior to this study chiropractors and other physicians often recommended spooning as the "go-to" sexual position for everyone wanting to maintain a healthy sex-life while experiencing lower back pain. This study provides science based data to guide physicians on their recommendations. Research recommends the individual who is controlling the movement to use more of their hips and knees, rather than their spine. Missionary and doggy-style are found to be the ideal spine-friendly positions. Finally, there is scientific data to aid 31,000,000 Americans suffering from debilitating lower back pain with the information necessary to turn those shrieks of horror into cries of pleasure. 

Journal Reference: 

Natalie Sidorkewicz et al. Male Spine Motion During Coitus: Implications for the Low Back Pain Patient. Spine, September 2014 

1 Attached Images

Local Honey Helps Allergies/Sweetens Lovelife

“Now, don’t kiss your honey while your nose is ‘runny’.  You might think it’s funny, but it’s snot.”
    –author unknown

Spring fever, by definition, refers to an increase in energy, vitality and particularly sexual appetite.  Unfortunately many of us are ravaged by the symptoms of allergies during spring which can give you that “not-so-sexy” feeling.  To minimize the irony  of these two conflicting feelings one may want to consider eating a teaspoon of local honey each day to ward off the symptoms of early springtime allergens.  This natural sweetener may be the key to sweetening up your lovelife during allergy seasons.

Pollen counts have already reached abnormally high springtime levels this mild winter, activating allergic reactions in many people.  Research literature available on this topic is quite scarce.  One study done ten years ago found that there were no benefits to eating local honey.  However, a new study published last year came to a very positive conclusion.

This brand new study assessed the effects of the pre-seasonal use of birch pollen honey or regular honey on symptoms and medication during birch pollen season.

A total of 44 patients with diagnosed birch pollen allergy consumed either the birch pollen honey or regular honey daily from November to March.  The control group consisted 17 patients who were just using their usual allergy medication to control symptoms.

The study found that, during birch pollen season, compared to the control group, the patients using birch pollen honey experienced:

1. 60% reduction in symptoms

2.  Twice as many asymptomatic days

3.  70% fewer days with severe symptoms

4.  50% decrease in usage of antihistamines

The theory behind honey’s natural healing is very sound.  Local bees pick up pollen from the plants in your local area.  The honey the bees make then acts as a vaccine by introducing these allergens to your body an activating your immune system response to these irritants, eventually leading to immunity from the allergens.

There are a few things to consider before adding local honey to your diet, however.  Be certain you are not allergic to honey it self.  You risk going int anaphylactic shock if you are.  Also, be careful, to monitor your daily intake of fructose, especially if you are diabetic, obese, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  A teaspoon of honey has 4 grams of fructose in it.  Ideally you want to keep your fructose intake below 25 grams per day.

In addition to this latest encouraging study there is an extremely high amount of anecdotal evidence hailing the benefits of honey by people who have tried it and had great results.  I, myself, had severe allergic reactions in the spring and fall upon my return to the Midwest five years ago from Southern California.  Since I have been using a teaspoon of local honey in my coffee every morning the last two years, I have seen a significant reduction in my symptoms.

Spring fever is looming so consider using local honey to keep those nagging allergies at bay, and remove the humor from kissing and your lovelife!

ref.-Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology February 2002;88(2):198-203

ref.-International Archives of Allergy and Immunology 2011;155(2): 160-166

Why Vitamin D Supplementation Is Important

Approximately one-half of the healthy North American population and four-fifths of those with chronic disease are Vitamin D deficient.  The recognition of this startling statistic over the past few years is the reason why Vitamin D deficiency is now considered a pandemic.  Those with vitamin D deficiency experience a 39% increase in annual healthcare costs than those with normal vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to the following:

1. osteoporosis
2. cardiovascular disease
3. cancer
4. autoimmune diseases
5. multiple sclerosis
6. pain
7. loss of cognitive function
8. decreased strength
9. increased rate of all-cause mortality

Exposure to sunlight is the most common method of getting Vitamin D3 in our systems. Since too much sunlight can increase your risk of melanoma a safer and more practical approach to Vitamin D intake it through pill or liquid form. But which form of Vitamin D is best?

Supplemental vitamin D is available in 2 distinct forms: ergocalciferol (vitamin D₂) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃). Pharmacologists have officially regarded these 2 forms as equivalent and interchangeable, yet this presumption of equivalence is based on studies of rickets prevention in infants conducted 70 years ago. The emergence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D as a measure of vitamin D status provides an objective, quantitative measure of the biological response to vitamin D administration. As a result, vitamin D₃ has proven to be the more potent form of vitamin D in all primate species, including humans. Despite an emerging body of evidence suggesting several plausible explanations for the greater bioefficacy of vitamin D₃, the form of vitamin D used in major preparations of prescriptions in North America is vitamin D₂. The case that vitamin D₂ should no longer be considered equivalent to vitamin D₃ is based on differences in their efficacy at raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, diminished binding of vitamin D₂ metabolites to vitamin D binding protein in plasma, and a nonphysiologic metabolism and shorter shelf life of vitamin D₂. Vitamin D₂, or ergocalciferol, should not be regarded as a nutrient suitable for supplementation or fortification (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 84, No. 4, 694-697, October 2006).

To find out if you are deficient in Vitamin D3 contact your primary medical physician and request a blood test to determine the level of Vitamin D3 in your system.

Recommended dosing of Vitamin D3:  The loading dose of supplemental vitamin D3 should be about 20,000 IU/day for 3-6 months with a maintenance dose of 5,000 IU/day. Those taking this amount of supplemental vitamin D3 should periodically have their serum 25 (OH) D3 levels measured.