The Big 10 of Nutrition

For those paying attention (not even me most days) you'll remember that I was just at the NFL combine to pow-wow with Team doctors. One of the invited speakers was Amanda Philips; nutritional consultant to the Miami Dolphins, FSU and Tampa Rays.

Over the years, I have personally studied thousands of hours of advanced nutrition. It's one of those things that gets more and more complicated, nerdy and geeky. Ms. Philips was able to bring it down to a simplified message. She found that most players would just toss their meal plans and head to McD's. Think about it, that's buying an Aston Martin DB-9 and filling it up with 87 octane. So she breaks it down. Nutrition in 10 simple steps:

1.  Come back to Earth

Eat food that comes from dirt, not bags. Closer to the ground the better; green leafs better than tree fruit.

 2. Eat a rainbow often

No less than 3 colors of fruit and veg/meal

3. The less legs the better

Quality of protein: fish/egg>poultry>animal

  

4. Eat fats that give back

Eat the fats that are more than just calories. Omega 3's have wonderful benefits besides just being high-dense calories.

5. Breakfast everyday

It really is the most important meal

6. Eat every 3 hours

Eating often reduces your overall calorie consumption, boosts your metabolic rate, and prevents gorging.

7. Stay hydrated

1 oz. of water/lb. of body weight

8. Don't waste a workout

9. Supplement wisely

***Another story for another day

10.Get some sleep

No less than 7 hours per night

My brush with greatness

My brush with greatness

I am now close personal friends with team Chiropractors for all the NFL teams, and by close personal, I mean Facebook. Every year during the combine, they all get together to talk about what challenges they’re having and to learn about new treatment procedures; and it’s open to other doctors. So besides enjoying the shrimp cocktail in the country’s largest metro area devoid of a navigable waterway, I learned tons.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll go into each one more. But here’s the quick version:

1.       New shoulder treatment and rehab protocol

2.       More, muscle-specific treatments for muscle spasms, pulled muscles and sprains

3.       New knee rehab protocols

4.       The latest on diagnosing and treating concussions

5.       Hamstring injuries

6.       Simplified, athlete focused nutrition

And this weekend I’m off to yet another seminar this weekend. This one’s the more boring, behind the scenes stuff like how to manage Obama-care and new ICD-10 (if you don’t know, don’t ask. It’s the cure for insomnia) changes. But, since I’ll be out of town, instead of giving the staff a day off, you get discounted massages. 1 hour, only $49!

The Truth is out there....

And in other news, today pigs flew…

Perhaps a turning point has been reached. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has recommended that patients who seek back pain treatment should consider chiropractic care before taking invasive measures such as electing for surgery. The surgical option should only be considered if conservative therapies fail. According to the JAMA, conservative alternatives like Chiropractic care should be the first “line of defense” because they are safer and more efficient in relieving pain.

The JAMA’s recommendation comes on the heels of a recent study out of the medical journal Spine where sufferers of lower back pain all received standard medical care (SMC) and half of the participants additionally received chiropractic care. The researchers found that in SMC plus chiropractic care patients, 73% reported that their pain was completely gone or much better after treatment compared to just 17% of the SMC group.

This is bigger than most people know. This is Bisciotti saying the Steelers are his favorite team big; Cal Ripken saying he wished he was a Yankee big. 

The difference being, this is true. It is, will and always has been true. They were just keeping it on the dl. But know you know The Truth.

You live off 1/3 of what you eat; your Dr lives off the other 2/3. Daddy needs a new boat, so eat up.

Actually I was just reminded that part of my moral obligation as a doctor was to also prevent disease; so read up and just send in a non-tax deductible donation to the Dr Shawn Lee boat fund. It is not a 501-3c.

Like most Americans I usually mock everything out of Europe. England though has had some minor contributions, mostly Top Gear. But I think they did us a solid here:  (as reported by NY times)

·         Warning #1: This Product May Cause Adverse Effects On Activity And Attention In Children (This warning label is required because The US version of Kraft Mac & Cheese has artificial food dyes yellow #5 and yellow #6 which are proven to be linked to hyperactivity in children.)

And it does. I have firsthand knowledge of this. When my kids have food dye, they turn into a cross between a crack head and the undead.

Your body actually doesn’t require food, it requires nutrients. I see very little nutrients in not just that box, but any box really. Nutritious food comes from nature, not a package. You want what you eat to have gone through as little processing and change as possible (cleaning, cutting and cooking only permissible). For the most part if you can’t catch it, pick it or kill it-don’t eat it. 

Diet is not only a leading cause of heart disease and diabetes; but all death, disease and disability. Including visits to your chiropractor. Chemical stress on the body is a leading cause of inflammation, degeneration and disorder. 

Like they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, however artificially flavored and colored apple food stuff don’t.

Think of the Kids

Where cellulite comes from; please make it stop.

CO2+H2O <-> H2CO3 <->H+ +HCO-3 <-> 2H= +CO3(2)-

(Ok chemistry nerds, the website editing software doesn't understand balancing equations, so it's a little off, I know)

Take a look, and long, hard look. This picture is the most important chemical equation of all time. The carbonate buffer system aka acid-base buffering system aka why does my butt look like cottage cheese equation. Don’t think that’s important? When was the last time you went to Ocean City?

This is what keeps your body at the correct pH. Think of your blood as the county pool. The staff loads it up with enough bleach to kill a horse, but has to put enough acid to eat a Ford to keep it level. If not, your skin will melt off when you get in (not a bad alternative to whatever those kids are depositing). It’s so important, this is very first thing you learn in college physiology.

In a nut shell, your body wants to keep just the right amount of hydrogen. If you get too much it tries to get rid of the excess and vice versa. For the most part though-we have too much hydrogen. It comes from the breakdown of sugar, artificial sweeteners and proteins. It can also build up when we have breathing issues such as COPD, heart conditions, asthma etc.; but mostly diet.

What happens is when you drink a diet coke, you get a buildup of H, so the body makes water (H20) to get rid of the H. To make water you need an oxygen. Where does that oxygen come from? According to the chart carbonate yes, but ultimately the body tissue. So now the body is missing an oxygen (hypoxia). What does hypoxia do? Lot’s of bad stuff, like inflammation, but also tissue dimpling-Cellulite; (also leading cause of kidney stones).

So, drink more water? Yes. But if we introduce more carbon, we can force the equation the other way and force hydrogen out through the kidneys while saving the oxygen for our back side. Where do we find carbon? Kale, Brussels Sprouts and other leafy green vegetables. That or buy a bigger swimsuit.

Whip it, Whip it Real Good

If you've been in an auto accident, chances are you may be hurt worse than your car. Symptoms range from neck and back pain with headaches to ringing in the ears, tingling in the fingers or toes; to feeling like, well that you got hit by a car; and much, much more. It may be immediate or it could take years before you start to notice the symptoms, depending how much damage was done to your body, how big you and your car are and your age.

For you science geeks: Upon impact, the target vehicle begins to move forward into the occupant, making contact chiefly through the seat back. In accordance with Newton's 1st law of motion, the occupant's inertia resists this motion. As the seat back continues to move forward, the occupant must yield. Initially, the thoracic curve is flattened by the seat back. This results in a vertical compressive force which is transmitted through the spine. As the vertical compressive force continues up the spine, some rise of the torso also occurs. This is called ramping and is halted after 1-3 inches of vertical displacement, usually because of the restraining effect of the seat belt and the weight of the torso. Meanwhile, as the torso now is undergoing both a -z acceleration vertically and a forward x linear acceleration, the head-also acting in accordance with Newton's 1st law of motion-resists this motion. As the vertical force extends upwards into the neck it initiates flexion of the upper cervical motion segments and hyperextension of the lower segments. Compression then quickly gives way to tension as the upward moving head and now downward moving torso attempt to disengage. Also, as the torso moves forward with respect to the head, significant amounts of horizontal shear force occur in the neck roughly parallel to the facet joint line, and now for the rest of us: Your head snaps back and forth like a whip, jacking everything up.

 

The damage never goes away on its own and may actually get worse over time. If you're in pain after a car accident, or have been in a car accident and want to prevent the pain from coming. Give us a call: 443-512-0025

Dr. Shawn R Lee, chiropractor; Susquehanna Spine & Rehab. Chiropractic, Physical Therapy & Massage in Bel Air & Abingdon, Harford County Maryland

Physical Therapy and Back pain

Core stabilization, or core strengthening has been around for many years and has been ‘borrowed’ by sports performance training programs, exercise programs such as Yoga, Pilates and Boot Camps. In Physical Therapy and rehabilitation, core stabilization means that activation of the trunk muscles must occur first in order for us to create a stable base of support that allows us to move our arms and legs. Making the trunk muscles stronger keeps the spine stable and helps the body stay balanced with movement; preventing falls and injury. In other words: core=balance and stability and therefore less back pain.

While those banging six packs (see also, me J) look great down at the ocean, that in and of itself is not the core. The “core” muscles run the entire length of the torso from the hips to the shoulders. When these muscles contract, they stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle and create a solid base of support. This allows us to stand upright and move on two feet, shift our weight and move in any direction. This distribution of weight protects the back from injury. An effective core conditioning program needs to target all muscles of the core to be effective.

Exercises that Build Core Strength:

The most effective core strengthening exercises work the torso as a solid unit with both front and back muscles contracting at the same time. The most basic core strengthening exercise is Abdominal Bracing where you try to pull your navel in toward your spine without holding your breath. Most core strengthening exercises don’t require equipment and include:

• Planks: Position yourself face down on hands and balls of feet. Straighten arms. Tighten stomach muscles and lift hips to form a straight line from head to toe. Hold 15-30 seconds. Do not let hips sag to the floor.

• Basic Push Up: Position yourself face down with hands under shoulders and on balls of feet. Tighten stomach muscles and bend elbows to lower chest towards the ground. Keep neck in neutral by gazing towards floor. Straighten elbows to complete one repetition. Do not let hips sag to the floor.

• Bridging: Lay face up on flat surface, knees bent and arms by sides. Slowly raise buttocks and hips, keeping stomach tight. Slowly lower hips again. This completes one repetition.

• Supermans: Lay face down on flat surface with arms stretched overhead and straight legs. Tighten stomach muscles and simultaneously lift arms and legs into the air a few inches then slowly lower them.

Other exercises include the use of stability balls, medicine balls, kettlebells, wobble boards, yoga and pilates. These particular exercises should only be performed under the supervision of a trained professional and when beginning any type of exercise program, always see us first. If done wrong or in pain, rehab exercises can actually worsen your condition.

Hey honey, does this skirt make my hip joints look rotated?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recently released an article on the effect clothing and bags can have on the body. Generally, women (say it isn't so) more than men have clothing items that can lead to pain or discomfort- bags being one of the most common. Heavy bags, tight clothes, and many shoes that men and women wear can have negative effects on the body:

* Heavy bags (such as briefcases or handbags) can put strain on the side of your body that they are carried on. When traveling, swap the side that you use to hold your bag often. Try not to over-pack bags, and keep bulky and extra items out of your pocketbook or backpack.

* Shoes with proper support are ideal. High heels change how the body balances and can cause instability when walking, leading to problems with the feet and back. Try to bring a pair of flats with you to change into after wearing heels for a while.

* If you carry a bag with over 10% of your body weight, it can cause a significant shift in balance, as the body compensates for the additional weight and gets used to the sudden change. Take items out of your bag to reduce weight, and use a bag that has a long, wide strap.

* Even keeping your wallet or ATM cards in your back pants pocket can create misalignment while sitting. Sitting all day with your wallet on one side can lead to problems with your back, spine, and hips.

Remember to pick clothing, shoes, and luggage that are lightweight, symmetrical, and provide freedom of movement. Take breaks to stretch when standing or sitting for long periods of time, and try to wear clothes that are non-restrictive for the majority of your time. Changes in balance and your center of gravity can affect your entire body. And over time those imbalances ferment into big problems. Chiropractic can help alleviate these imbalances, and the problem. If you or anyone you know is suffering from pain brought on by an imbalance-or any other reason-give us a call.

-Dr Shawn R Lee, Chiropractor.
Susquehanna Spine & Rehab; Chiropractic, Physical Therapy and Massage in Bel Air & Abingdon Maryland. 

Hey honey, does this skirt make my hip joints look rotated?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recently released an article on the effect clothing and bags can have on the body. Generally, women (say it isn't so) more than men have clothing items that can lead to pain or discomfort- bags being one of the most common. Heavy bags, tight clothes, and many shoes that men and women wear can have negative effects on the body:

* Heavy bags (such as briefcases or handbags) can put strain on the side of your body that they are carried on. When traveling, swap the side that you use to hold your bag often. Try not to over-pack bags, and keep bulky and extra items out of your pocketbook or backpack.

* Shoes with proper support are ideal. High heels change how the body balances and can cause instability when walking, leading to problems with the feet and back. Try to bring a pair of flats with you to change into after wearing heels for a while.

* If you carry a bag with over 10% of your body weight, it can cause a significant shift in balance, as the body compensates for the additional weight and gets used to the sudden change. Take items out of your bag to reduce weight, and use a bag that has a long, wide strap.

* Even keeping your wallet or ATM cards in your back pants pocket can create misalignment while sitting. Sitting all day with your wallet on one side can lead to problems with your back, spine, and hips.

Remember to pick clothing, shoes, and luggage that are lightweight, symmetrical, and provide freedom of movement. Take breaks to stretch when standing or sitting for long periods of time, and try to wear clothes that are non-restrictive for the majority of your time. Changes in balance and your center of gravity can affect your entire body. And over time those imbalances ferment into big problems. Chiropractic can help alleviate these imbalances, and the problem. If you or anyone you know is suffering from pain brought on by an imbalance-or any other reason-give us a call.

-Dr Shawn R Lee, Chiropractor.
Susquehanna Spine & Rehab; Chiropractic, Physical Therapy and Massage in Bel Air & Abingdon Maryland. 

Killing yourself with kindness

 Nice guys finish last? You have heard that one, but what about nice people die first? It's true. According to Dr. Gabor Mate', a palliative care physician turned addiction specialist, noted that in his many years of practice, those people who died young of chronic diseases were people who could not say no; those who went out of their way to be helpful, accommodating etc.

I'm not saying be a jerk. It was not those who helped their fellow man, it was those who had a pathological need to be validated. They usually had a psychological or emotional trauma in their life that left a hole in their soul that needed to be filled. Sometimes they turned to addiction, other times to self-loathing.

Physiologically, what happened to them, and what happens to all of us is the same-just more grand. What we have come to think is normal, is actually stress. Getting 3 girls out of bed, dressed (and keeping them dressed and somewhat happy in their outfit and hairstyle), finding something for breakfast, getting them to eat it; getting them to school on time; driving down the colossal mess that is Wheel Rd; getting to work, finding a parking spot, hoping staff makes it on time, dealing with insurance companies; repeat. This facilitates my sympathetic nervous tone (think fight or flight), increases cortisol production, creates tissue anoxia (no oxygen in organs and tissues) and creates central nervous system sensory disturbances (jacks up the nerves). Well, all that lowers immunity; degenerates the joints, eats muscles and shuts down the liver; raises blood pressure, cholesterol formation, abnormal hormone function, and promotes inflammation. In other words-disease; name a disease, any disease and at its core is inflammation.

Other than regular chiropractic care to reset the nervous system, reverse catabolic hormone production, undue stress on the joints and make you better looking; what can you do? Massage. The physical, chemical and emotional effects of massage are proven to fight stress and prevent disease. 

Best Gift Ever

It’s that time of the year when the Grinch in me thinks about having to spend money I don’t have on people I don’t like for crappy gifts they don’t want. Then there’s the “mandatory fun”; office holiday parties, those dried out things called cookies and heaven help us, fruitcake. But it’s not ALL bad, right? I’m sure some of us have a few people we can stand and want to give gifts to, right? I mean, it is better to give than receive after all.  This year, you can both get and give. If you buy 3, 1 hour massages, you get 1 free ½ hour for yourself (I’ve been asked, and yes it’s okay to keep the 3 for you and give away the ½), or buy 5 and get a whole hour just for you. Why massage?

Here’s why, massage therapy will:

·         Alleviate pain

·         Make pregnancy and labor more comfortable

·         Enhance immunity by stimulating lymphatic flow

·         Reduce edema (Swelling)

·         Relieve muscle tension

·         Improve performance

·         Fight depression and anxiety

·         Reduce scar tissue

·         Hasten recovery from surgery

·         Fight migraines

·         Promote healing

·         End stress

And above all else, make you the best gift giver of all time!

I’ve just been told by the editorial review board (wife) that I have to say a few nice things about the holidays too. It doesn’t really matter which holiday you celebrate or if none or even all, it’s a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the ones you love, eat too much, play too much and laugh too much. It’s also a great time to serve and help others; make your, (our) community a better place to be.  As been sung-‘peace on Earth, good will towards men.’

(I wish I could take credit for the following, but one quote is from the Pope, the other Wyld Stallyns.  I forget which is which though): However, no peace will have solid foundations unless hearts nourish the sentiment of brotherhood which ought to exist among all who have common origin and destiny.  So be excellent to each other. 

Awareness

For all of ya'll who have really listened to me over the years (rules out wife & kids) know I emphasize prevention. An ounce of it is worth a pound of cure. When I encourage you to come in for your bi-weekly to monthly adjustment even though you're feeling great; or when your dentist wants you in every 6 months it's not just because we like you. Well, I guess it is because we like you because we want to keep from having to see you 3 times a week again (or maybe it's because we don't want to see you???).

So unless you live in a cave, you know that October is breast cancer awareness month. So I'm going to aware you. Cancer aka neoplasia, is the result of meta & anaplasia; which is Latin for stress causes cancer. With breast as in most other cancers, the main culprit is chemical stress-genetics being #1. However, just because you are genetically pre-disposed, doesn't mean it has to happen. Take the watermelon seed. If you plant it in the ground, you get a watermelon plant; if you swallow it (or as in the case of my brother c.1979 stick it up your nose) you don't get a watermelon plant. That's because of environment.

When it comes to genetics, there's nothing you can do. But you do have control over your co-factors. The key to fighting breast cancer and other diseases is modifying your internal environment. We do that by controlling stress-physical, chemical and emotional.

1.Physical-Be sure to wear proper fitting, supportive bras. And avoid other direct trauma to that area.

2. Chemical-chemical stress other than genetics causes inflammation in your body. This inflammation then in turns fuels the fires of disease. Cut back on chemical stress by not smoking; drinking less; avoiding simple carbs, phytoestrogens, processed and modified foods. 3, Emotional-chill ;).

You won't be able to, nor is it even possible to completely eliminate your risk for breast cancer (doesn't mean don't try); so early detection is key.

Smoking Eggs

I just recently read where some 'Government Expert' has likened eating eggs to smoking. I wish I was smoking what those guys were smoking to say eggs are as bad as smoking.

Point 1: Smoking is possibly the absolute worst thing you could do to your body, next to stepping in front of a moving bus. It cuts off air flow, hardens your arteries and burns out your airways. This, in turn, causes numerous fatal and disabling diseases, and complicates others - not just the ones you think about like heart disease and cancer, but ones you really think about like erectile dysfunction. It even causes problems wouldn't think about like complicating the recovery from herniated discs and medications.

Point 2. Yes, eggs are high in cholesterol, but they are also high in protein, relatively low calorie and are full of numerous essential vitamins and minerals. (These are good for you!) So even though they are high in cholesterol, eating eggs does not necessarily cause high cholesterol. In fact, less than 25% of the cholesterol in your body is absorbed as cholesterol, the rest is made within you. This brings me to a few sub points:

     2a. The cholesterol in eggs is easily removed from the digestive tract and sent out the back door, especially due to the high levels of lecithin in eggs-a solvent that dissolves out fats.

     2b. Cholesterol isn't inherently evil in and of itself. It actually has many beneficial uses like forming the backbone of hormones. However, in the presence of inflammation and high blood pressure, cholesterol can then attach to damaged areas of vessel walls forming plaques-that's why they want to keep it low. 2b subpart I. Let's say your cholesterol levels run about 250 (and let's assume your BP is running north of 140/90, which is high). You are now a candidate for imminent heart disease. If you became a vegan today (cholesterol is found exclusively in animal products), that would bring your cholesterol down to 187.5ish; drastically reducing your risk of heart disease. But let's say your cholesterol is like 400. To stop eating animal products would only lower you to 300-still no bueno. In fact, most of your cholesterol is made from unused carbohydrates. You want less cholesterol, quit eating carbohydrates. Plus a few other dietary tricks like eating spices such as garlic, fiber (fiber acts like a giant sponge sweeping down your gut) and un-saturated fats (olive, coconut, other real nut oil etc).

          So, in conclusion, if you have high cholesterol and other heart disease indicators, yes cutting back on eggs will reduce your cholesterol. But, cutting back on carbs and empty calories like sugar and alcohol will do so even more. Smoking is still bad, but eggs are not evil.

Vote for me 2012

Now with all this electioneering all underway and stuff, I’m hearing a lot of people doing a lot of talking about Medicare/Medicaid and what needs to be done with them. Let me start by saying this is NOT a political rant; it’s a HEALTH rant.

However, given current need vs. funding, Medicaid will be bankrupt in just a matter of years and Medicare isn’t too far behind. Not spreading fear, just business 101. If you spend more than you make-you end up red.  Maybe it’s taxes, maybe it isn’t; but it IS usage. We are a sick, and sicker people.

Just this morning on the radio I heard the CDC report that for the first time ever, at least 20% of every state & DC is now obese. Not overweight-OBESE. Obesity is the new smoking, by which I mean the new leader in disease, death and disability and health care expenditures.

It’s the new leading cause of hypertension. Long time fans may remember me talking about the silent killer a while back. Many of you may also know that we are a DOT medical card facility. The US Dept of Transportation requires everyone driving a commercial vehicle to have periodic physicals to ensure highway safety. One critical marker is blood pressure. Not only have I noticed a steady climb in average readings, for the first time in 5 years I have had to DQ (not Dairy Queen) 2 drivers in 1 week. I’ve also noticed a steady climb in diabetes-also directly related to weight AND disease.

I believe it was Ben Franklin or maybe even Ben & Jerry that said “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I can fix Medicare & Medicaid without raising taxes, physician pay cuts, death panels or shooting Mom-Mom to the moon. Instead of treating disease, let’s prevent it. How? Why weight (see what I did there?)?  Given that diet and diet-related disorders are the leading cause of disease in the US, we could all use to lose a few

But wait, you don’t have to be fat to have your diet kill you. Most diseases that plague modern man are caused by diet-induced chronic inflammation. Here is a partial list of conditions that are driven by diet-induced inflammation: aches and pain, fatigue, feeling old, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, acne, aging, syndrome X, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, Alzhemier’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, psoriasis, eczema, and multiple sclerosis. Even feeling tired and unwell is promoted by inflammation.

We now know that every meal will either promote or inhibit inflammation. Eventually, the combination of a pro-inflammatory diet, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, and stress will generate a magnified "pro-inflammatory state," which acts as the fertilizer needed to grow a chronic disease such as heart disease, or something less life-threatening like chronic fatigue and pain that leads to a life of misery. To prevent the expression of disease, we all have to address imbalances with our nutrition, breathing, exercise, sleep, and stress. For some the outcome can be life-altering. We offer successful & safe weight loss programs along with nutritional counseling and products.

Well, there you go, problem solved. VOTE DR. LEE 2012!!!

Susquehanna Spine & Rehab welcomes Dr. Matt LeMaster!!!

Any of you who have been in lately have noticed that Dr. Lee had a small accident and broke his arm. After a small surgery to install a plate in his wrist he should be good as new in a few weeks; as long as he is a good patient and keeps his physical therapy appointments, does his home exercises, and listens to the restrictions from the surgery and therapist. In an effort to provide excellent and continuous care for our patients Dr. LeMaster joined our practice today. We are very excited about him joining our staff as a tandem doctor. Wendy interviewed a number of Doctors and she was able to find a very qualified doctor, while taller but nowhere near as ruggedly handsome, but equally knowledgeable and talented; and even adjusts very similar to Dr. Lee. When you visit our office in the next few weeks each patient will visit with Dr. Lee and then Dr. LeMaster will provide the adjustment. They will work together in tandem to provide the care you have come to know and trust.


A little about Dr. LeMaster: He attended Marshall University and graduated with a degree in Biological Science. He then followed with his Doctorate of Chiropractic from National University of Health Sciences. Dr. LeMaster has worked as a chiropractor for the last 10 years in West Virginia and has recently relocated to the Baltimore area.


A note from Dr. Lee (really Wendy talking about Dr. Lee): Did you know you cannot "talk" yourself out of being hurt? I already knew this but temporarily forgot. I hear my patients tell me all the time, "I didn't think it was that bad." "It didn't really hurt until now." "I thought if I ignored it; it would just go away." So when I got hurt I tried the same thing I just ignored it, told myself over and over it's not broken. Well guess what? Your body does not always listen to what we tell it. You cannot and should not just ignore injuries no matter new or old.


Well I did break my wrist and did have to undergo surgery and a plate installed. The good news is in a few weeks that bone will mend and with physical therapy I will return to normal. The sooner you admit it's not going away the quicker you can get the therapy you need, the quicker you'll be back to normal.

Time

Time, she’s (ever noticed inanimate objects/concepts that cause grief are personified as females???) a tricky bugger. Whisky and wine improve over time. Your body on the other hand, is more like milk; old injuries-more like milk left out on the counter. If I only had a dime for every time I heard someone in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and on tell me that they’ve been fighting with a high school/rec league/drunken foolishness injury from decades previous, thinking it would just go away. Given that a clean fracture completely heals in 6 weeks- if the pain of an injury hasn’t gone away by then, it’s not going to.

First we need to separate pain from injury and disease. If you’ve heard this from me once, you’ve heard it a 1000times. Pain is not a disease, but a sign of disease. Just like the check engine light in your car-it’s not a broken light bulb, but a broken engine. Pain is your body’s way of telling your brain something is wrong and needs to be fixed. If something hurts-fix it! (no dear Liza needed).

Just like diabetes, infections or high blood pressure, leaving a joint or tissue injury un-checked just worsens the condition. When you are injured, many things go wrong. First, the part that’s injured stops working correctly, which means it starts to break down faster, which leads to degenerative joint disease, muscle contractures/trigger points and arthritis.

Second, injuries become epicenters that spread degenerative changes. Take a foot for example. You hurt your foot, you walk funny so your knee starts to wear out, which taxes your hip, which alters your low back, which affects your upper spine and before you know it, a twisted ankle in high school gymnastics becomes chronic headaches by 35 (true story-saw it with my own 2 eyes on a patient a few years back. Also-Google upper and lower cross syndromes).

Third, they change your internal biochemistry. When you’re injured, you start the inflammatory process. Only a small percentage of inflammation is pain, the rest is manifested by other chemical changes in your system. These mediators are the same as the ones in the fight or flight reaction. Higher blood pressure, altered metabolism, shunting blood away from and shrinking genitalia is a great idea when trying to escape the clutches of a saber-tooth tiger, but not so much when sitting on the couch watching the O’s blow the division.
In conclusion, that tricky knee from a football injury isn’t a badge to be worn proudly, it’s a sign you’re asking for trouble down the road.

Joint Pain

Joint pain can be caused by illnesses, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Bursitis. Joint pain can also result from injury. No matter what the cause, joint pain can prohibit you from doing the activities you love. Hundreds of people have found relief from joint inflammation and joint pain relief after receiving chiropractic adjustments.

There are somewhere between 200 and 300+ joints Combined moveable/non-moving) in the human body, depending on how you count them, on average. And by definition average is only average 50% of the time. On a weekly basis we run into someone who has extra or “missing” joints. And we employ many ways to help ease the pain in all of them, not just the spine: from Chiropractic, to rehab and physical therapy along with massage, dry needling and nutritional/wellness counseling.

Chiropractic care for joints can also speed up the recovery from injuries to ankles, knees, hips wrists, elbows and shoulders. By properly aligning these joints in the body, circulation within the joint increases and the surrounding muscles relax into their proper place. This not only reduces joint pain, it also provides more freedom of movement and minimizes stiffness in the joint.

Chiropractic techniques for joint pain relief are natural and effective. With targeted gentle pressure to properly align joints, we combine our knowledge in many disciplines to determine the source of the pain any other areas affected. Soon, you will be on your way to being pain free.

Chiropractic adjustments will restore all of your normal joint movement and the neurological activity in the joint. This not only alleviates pain, but promotes overall health as well. Restored function of the joint due to proper alignment results in relief from joint pain, a decrease in other symptoms and increased freedom of movement. Let us help you begin your healing journey to be free from joint pain.

Fascia

Today, we're going to talk about the wonderfully exciting world of fascia. Fascia is zzzzzzzzzzzzzz........Ok, it's not that bad, but definitely under rated. So under-rated, that Harvard (yes, the real one) Medical College decided a few years ago that they were going to start holding 3 day, annual symposiums on fascia and fascia related-disorders.

I'm sure by now you're asking yourself, what is this fascia stuff?  How should I describe fascia?. 1-after you've pulled the skin off a chicken breast there's that thin little layer of sheen left which is also what all die hard meat smokers know as silver skin on a rack of ribs; that is fascia. Wikipedia says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascia. In short it's kind of like a saran-wrap layer around your tissue that supports and even makes up parts of our structural system. And like plastic wrap-if done right-fits great the first time. Mess with it, and it's hosed; mess with it anywhere, and you've messed with it everywhere.

Fascia is also a key component to our mysterious 'core.' The core is what is responsible for keeping our eyes parallel to the ground, and keeps us from falling over when we're moving forward and it is a key component to performance. If our core isn't strong, the spine has to do it, and when the spine and other bones do it, they wear out, fast. And when they wear out, they hurt. So, the key to keeping your back from hurting, developing bulged and herniated discs, sciatica, TMJ problems, headaches, heel spurs, neck pain, pre-disposing yourself to nearly all soft-tissue injuries, improving performance, etc. etc. etc. is to keep your core happy and fascia intact.

Step #1, avoid creep (see also blog entry of same name). Step #2, avoid damage to the fascia-which includes but is not limited to: surgery on or around the back, neck, stomach, chest (including cosmetic), feet; pregnancy; injuries; standing too long; going barefoot;  etc., etc., etc.

Now that we know we've all crapped out our fascia-what do we do about it? -Simply, keep your hamstrings loose and abs tight. Also, Pilates and yoga based exercises. Beyond that-myofascial release. A fancy type of massage and other soft tissue related therapeutic technique that sometimes also includes dry needling (see website) to correct imbalances, rehab exercises and of course, chiropractic adjustments.

Do you know anyone who's in pain or injured that may have had fascia damage? Or even ot, we can help!

Good, ol' fashion back pain

Today we’re going to talk about good, ol’ fashion back pain. There’s no such thing. Many of you have heard me say this before, and it bears repeating-pain is not a disease, it’s a side effect of a disease or disorder. Just like the check engine light in your car is not a broken light bulb, but an indicator there’s something wrong with the engine. So when you have back pain, there’s something wrong with your back; and that something could be any number of things.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say that their back pain was “only muscular” so nothing could be done; horse feathers. Lots can be done. We employ a wide array of physical therapy modalities to alleviate muscle spasm such as electric stim, ultrasound, dry needling (really cool, look it up) and now massage from a licensed massage therapist. If you have-great big fancy word of the day-myogenic pain (muscle pain) then you have muscle spasms. And muscles don’t spasm just for giggles, it’s a protective mechanism. In other words, muscle spasms are a side effect.

Muscles spasm to protect an unstable joint; acting like an air cast of sorts. Joints become unstable from two main reasons: trauma and degenerative. Trauma is falling down the stairs, car accidents, sky diving incidents, too many Natty Boh’s and the phrase “hey watch this.” Degenerative is exactly as it sounds. It’s not always age, but time; I’ve seen many people in their 20’s and 30’s with signs of degeneration. Over time we are subjective to physical stresses (what we do to/with or not to/with our bodies), chemical stress (genetics, what we eat/drink/smoke; don’t eat/drink) and emotional stress (how we think and feel) all affects our joints and makes them stop working so well. This, over time, is what causes degeneration. If left un-fixed, this degeneration will become arthritis, herniated discs, stenosis, and worse. And like other diseases, there are just as many side effects you’re not feeling as you are feeling. That’s why you’ve heard me say we don’t treat pain, we fix the disorder causing your pain.

And fixing degeneration by restoring the proper motion and structure of joints is the mainstay of chiropractic care. To caveman up the ending: you have pain then you have problem, me fix problem.

My Favorite Metallica Song...Whiplash

Everyday thousands are injured in auto accidents that they seem to “walk away from” with little to no visible vehicle damage. They erroneously assume that since the car is barley damaged, then they aren’t either. But that’s just not true.  In a large German study of injury producing rear-impact collisions, nearly half were under 6 mph, the same goes for a recent study in New York. Sometimes the pain is immediate and sometimes it may take up to 6 months or longer to surface. While numerous theories have been advanced to explain this delay, no one knows for certain.

Whiplash actually describes the mechanism of injury, not the disease (true whiplash is a rear-end only phenomena); but has become to be known as the broad range of disorders, lesions, syndromes and conditions associated with auto accidents. Those include, but aren’t limited to the usual neck pain, but also: TMJ pain, dizziness, hearing and eyesight problems, ringing in the ears along with breathing problems, stomach pain, post-traumatic stress, back pain, thoracic outlet, carpal tunnel, weakness, herniated discs, sciatica and the list just keeps going and going. A rear-end accident is not the only way to get hurt, just the most common.

So what happens when you’re in an accident? You do your best imitation of a crash test dummy. A lot of it has to do with the laws of physics-energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one system to the next; and energy follows the path of least resistance. So a 4000 pound car going 5 miles per hour is generating 4000 X 5= a lot of energy. And it is following along the easiest path…you. It causes your spine to hyperextend vertically then horizontally and to then hyperflex; ripping, tearing, squishing and smashing tissues along the way; all in under a second or two.

In short-if you had an accident, no matter what the car looks like, you’re hurt; and need help. I’m the one to do that.