Tips to Avoid the Flu

Since mid-Fall TV commercials have been trumpeting the horrors of the "flu season". "It's never too soon to begin fighting this year's bug" they blare. Public health announcements urge us to get our "yearly flu shot", as if this is something we've got permanently scheduled in our Blackberries. All the leading over-the-counter pain medications offer special seasonal "flu" mixtures, and their ads deluge daytime and prime-time broadcasting. For the health consumer, it seems as if this annual "war on the flu" is received wisdom. We're just defenseless human beings at the mercy of the all-powerful flu virus. What’s wrong with this picture? What's never mentioned in the "flu warning" marketing is the versatility and adaptability of our remarkable immune system. We're the lucky owners of a built-in state-of-the-art biowarfare system, on-the-job 24/7 to combat microscopic foreign invaders of our health and well-being. Once our immune system has detected a foreign protein it mounts an immediate defense, attacking and destroying the alien molecules. And, the memory of that particular invader is permanent, enabling a future immune response to be swift and effective. The big issue with influenza is that new strains appear each year. We've never encountered these germs before. But, the whole basis and strength of our immune system is flexibility. It is specially designed to respond quickly to new attackers. And, for the most part, it does this very, very well. Of course, no one wants their dinner companion to sneeze in their plate of pasta, as Elaine did on an infamous episode of "Seinfeld". Through a typical cascade of unfortunate events, Jerry's and George's comedy pilot was almost scuttled because the network executive was Elaine's date, and he got violently ill by being on the receiving end of her blast of micro-bugs. In the real world, our immune systems can be weakened due to life habits, circumstances, and stress. Stress is a notorious compromiser of immune defenses. And, of course, being human, there's plenty of stress from dawn to dusk. If worry and anxiety pile on top of not-enough-sleep or sub-optimal nutrition, getting sick is a pretty likely outcome. So, developing and maintaining healthy habits of living and successful strategies for managing stress is really the key. If you do the simple things that keep you healthy and well, in the winter months you can pretty much "let the flu go around you". You can be confident, knowing you've done the work to fight off the latest flu threat. Someone else's germs are their germs, not yours. If your immune system is on the job, you're far less likely to "catch" something. And, even if you do succumb, you've got a much better chance of getting well again quickly with adjustments from Dr. Bryan this season!

TIPS: · Drink plenty of water - six to eight glasses each day · Eat several servings of fruits and vegetables each day · Take vitamin/mineral supplements to fill in the gaps in an urban diet · Get sufficient sleep - on average, seven to eight hours each night · Exercise regularly - five days per week, at least 30 minutes each day · Meditate and/or engage in quiet time regularly to center yourself and let go of the day's stresses · Your immune system functions at peak performance when you Get adjusted regularly to help boost your immune system. Ask Dr. Bryan about Supplements to keep you healthy this year!

Was I Out of Alignment Today?" - Part 2

According to an article in the peer-reviewed journal JMPT 1998 titled Structural Rehabilitation of the Spine and Posture: Rationale for Treatment Beyond the Resolution of Symptoms,".....manipulation alone cannot restore postures or improve an altered sagittal (sideview) spinal curve. Therefore, postural chiropractic adjustments, active exercises and stretches, resting spinal blocking procedures, extension traction and ergonomic education are deemed necessary (emphasis added) for maximal spinal rehabilitation." Notice how it does not say "it might be good for you" or "possibly good for you." It says "necessary." So if your problems are determined to be structural, and they are causing you to lose ability to do things you used to do or enjoy, a structural solution is necessary....not just adjustments alone. At our clinic we give you options to either rebuild your spine or temporary relieve the pain. We present the facts and data, make our suggestion (if its structural problem... a necessary structural solution is warranted), and let you decided because its your body and your health.

"Was I Out of Alignment Today?" Part 1

I still get asked at least once a day, "Was I out of alignment today?" This question is asked because many patients still have the out-of-date notion that the adjustment (manipulation) puts a bone back in place. This is not the patient's fault. They have been fed a simple answer to a more complex question for years, because it makes more sense that way....even if it is wrong.

Sort of like the answer "Chemical Imbalance" to the question of "Why did my doctor put me on an anti-depressant?" The answer is not that simple. (If it was, why isn't there one shred of an objective test to measure this chemical imbalance prior to administering a mind-altering drug?)

What an adjustment has been scientifically shown to do is:
1. Break up adhesions
2. Enhance local circulation to the joints that are under too much load (more on that later)
3. Increase joint mobility

A very valuable tool......but it has its limitations. It DOES NOT put bones back in alignment....BUT there are treatments that improve your posture and alignment back toward a stronger, more stable, healthier position. Who cares then? If the adjustment makes you feel better temporarily, why bother improving your structure?......more on that next time...
Yours in Health, Dr. Bryan.

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Fight the Cold and Flu Naturally!

Cold and Flu season is upon us! I wanted to give you some tips on how to fight (and hopefully prevent!) the cold and flu naturally!

Here's what you can do to help boost your immune system:

• Drink more water
• Load up on Vitamin C and Zinc
• Echinaciea and goldenseal are some natural supplements you can take to help boost your immune function
• Take time for YOU - sleep and relax when you're able to
• Chiropractic care - numerous studies and scientific research shows getting your spine regularly adjusted can help boost your immune system, and thus be able to fight being sick easier

To make sure your spine (and therefore your immune system) is functioning at its highest potential, call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bryan

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