Getting Ready for the Holidays

This is a repost from the Millar Chiropractic Clinic website.

Getting Ready for the Holidays

When Holiday Shopping Becomes a Marathon

Wear comfortable shoes that are suitable for a long day of walking. Make sure you drink enough water to remain properly hydrated. Have a balanced snack to keep your blood sugar level balanced. Stick to your regular exercise program and make sure you take the time to stretch and relax your muscles. If your mall has lockers available, take advantage of that feature to make your shopping day more comfortable.  Otherwise, take trips to your car to drop off packages.  Your arms and shoulders will thank you. Lighten up your purse or leave it at home in favor of a fanny pack.  If you must wear a purse, opt for a small, lightweight version with a long strap and wear it across your body.  Switch it to the other shoulder throughout the day.

The day after Thanksgiving kicks off the busiest shopping season of the year in the United States, and a time filled with parties and other celebrations that for most of us doesn't let up until January.

The holiday season can be a wonderful time of celebration and the joy of spending time with loved ones.  It can also be one of the most stressful times of the year for many of us.  It is important to do whatever we can to minimize the negative effects of these chaotic times. Making wise food choices, staying hydrated, getting adjusted, and taking time to exercise, stretch and reflect on the blessings in your life will help you enjoy the holidays and greet the new year with renewed vigor.

Taking the Time to Exercise:

Make it a habit to exercise first thing in the morning.  This will ensure that you receive the greatest benefits from your efforts, and will make it easier to remain consistent over time.  Your fitness routine will become an enjoyable part of your morning routine, and you will get it out of the way before daily life has a chance to distract you from it.  If you wait until later in the day, you will be more likely to find excuses to skip your workout - especially during the busy holiday season. 

Effective exercise doesn't require a lot of time either.  Even a short workout in the morning is beneficial and will help you to feel more positive and enthusiastic throughout your day.  If you are having trouble finding the motivation to get started, tell yourself you can stop after ten minutes if you don't feel like continuing.  Most of the time you will feel so great that you will choose to keep going a little while longer.  Even if you choose to stop after ten minutes some mornings, your body will still receive some benefits even from these abbreviated sessions.  The greatest benefit though comes from being consistent and making exercise a regular habit that you don't even have to think about.

Maintain a Healthy Diet:




Holidays are generally not the best time to begin a new diet, but you can still avoid the typical holiday weight gain by making wise food choices.  Make sure to include a lot of vegetables and salads in your diet, along with sufficient protein and healthy fats like pastured butter, olive oil and coconut oil.  Minimize grains, starches and sugary drinks. Take small bites, chew your food well and eat slowly to avoid overeating.

Decide whether there are any special holiday treats you would like to indulge in, and go for quality over quantity.   Avoid the temptation to just mindlessly munch on whatever is in front of you, especially at holiday get-togethers.  Save your calories for a treat you really love and then give it your full attention when you eat it, fully savoring each bite to satisfy your craving.  This will usually help prevent any feelings of deprivation while you're being mindful of your health.

Avoid the Holiday Blues:

It is not uncommon to feel somewhat depressed during the holiday season.  Regular exercise is very effective in preventing and alleviating depression.  But if you still find yourself feeling down, one of the best things you can do is write in a Gratitude Journal each day.  You don't even need a special journal.  Simply write down five or ten things you are thankful for before going to bed each night.  This will help you to recognize and focus on all the blessings in your life.

Another tried and true way to lift your spirits is to help others.  Find a cause that inspires you, or visit VolunteerMatch.org to see what help is needed in your community.   Or perhaps you have a neighbor, friend or family member who is lonely or could use some assistance.  "Helping others" regularly tops the list of what makes people happy, and is a good way to combat the holiday blues.

Millar Chiropractic Clinic is again participating in the Christmas Angel program, which has become a wonderful annual tradition.  Each clinic has a number of local children in need that are sponsored, and many of our generous staff and patients experience the joy of playing Santa for a child whose family is unable to afford Christmas gifts.  Ask our staff for more details if you're interested in becoming a Christmas Angel.

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Living in Stressful Times

This is a repost from the Millar Chiropractic Clinic website.

Living in Stressful Times

In the midst of a global recession and daily life that seems increasingly complicated, most people would agree that these are particularly stressful times. Good job opportunities have become scarce, retirement nest eggs have diminished, and energy prices have set record highs. In addition to these financial troubles, there always seems to be a disaster looming, such as Hurricane Sandy or the local tornado outbreak in 2011, or other environmental catastrophes like the Gulf oil spill and the Fukushima disaster.   It is not difficult to see how these and other stresses can create actual physical stress on the body. Some of the common physical effects of stress are chronic muscle tension, insomnia and other sleep difficulties, frequent headaches, digestive problems and abdominal pain, asthma, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, and chronic inflammation. Prolonged stress can lead to long-term consequences. Chronic hypertension, for example, may lead to heart disease, stroke or heart attack. Long-term inflammation can result in diabetes, weight gain, and even kidney disease. One thing we can do to reduce stress is to be proactive and take action steps that support our health and well-being. Topping the list of action steps are the usual suspects - good nutrition and regular exercise.  Of course, we all know we "should" be eating good food each day and participating in regular physical activity, but the struggle for most of us is that we really don't want to do what we "should" be doing.1 We can reduce our chronic stress levels by deciding to take action. It helps to choose healthy behaviors because we want to, not just because we think we "should". The concept of personal choice is very powerful and liberating, and it can often lead to more permanent shifts toward healthier behaviors. Good nutrition and regular exercise have been proven to have many positive effects on a person's health - neutralizing damaging free radicals, reducing inflammation, reducing a number of health risks such as high blood pressure,1,2 and helping us feel healthier, happier and more energetic. Making a conscious choice to improve our health also improves our lives in countless ways. By choosing, we become active participants in manifesting good health. Everyone in our lives benefits by our renewed energy, increased productivity, creativity, and zest for life. Choosing a program of chiropractic care is another positive choice we can make. Chiropractic treatment helps our bodies work more efficiently and effectively, directly reducing physiologic stress and indirectly improving our ability to  manage the stress in our daily lives. Your Millar chiropractic physician is an expert in health and wellness, and he or she will be happy to assist you as you design food plans and exercise choices that will work best for you. Don't forget that being healthy is a choice! 1Viera AJ, et al: Lifestyle modifications to lower or control high blood pressure: is advice associated with action? The behavioral risk factor surveillance survey. J Clin Hypertens 10(2):105-111, 2008 2Elmer PJ, et al: Effects of comprehensive lifestyle modification on diet, weight, physical fitness, and blood pressure control: 18-month results of a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 144(7):485-495, 2006

Neutralize Stress with Meditation Meditation can be a wonderful way to reduce the negative effects of stress.  And it doesn't require you to sit cross-legged on the floor, or chant or burn incense to receive the positive mental and physical benefits of meditation.  In fact, you can receive these benefits in as little as ten minutes a day, with a simple meditation practice that you can perform in any position that is most comfortable for you. The objective is not to stop all thought or to concentrate on one thing such as a mantra.  Instead, allow your thoughts go wherever they may.  Just notice your thoughts, and then return to a quiet place. One popular way to meditate encourages you to focus on your breathing. You don't have to change it - just breathe normally and pay attention to your breath.  As your thoughts naturally wonder, notice them and then gently bring your mind's focus back to your breathing. That's all it takes to mediate and receive all of the wonderful benefits. Try it now while sitting comfortably in your chair, or on a yoga mat if you prefer. Meditate for about ten minutes as you focus on your breathing.  It becomes more natural and enjoyable with practice.  As this becomes a daily habit, you may even decide to add an additional ten-minute session to your day. Soon, you'll notice your sense of well-being increasing as your stress levels diminish.

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Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? - Minimize Your Risk of Osteoporosis

This is a repost from the Millar Chiropractic Clinic website.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Vitamin D has been in the news a lot recently.  This important vitamin has been strongly associated with preventing cardiovascular disease, preventing autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, lowering cancer risks, and helping to prevent diabetes.1 Vitamin D seems to be a miracle nutrient for helping to fight many serious diseases, and yet vitamin D deficiency is common in the United States.2  One reason may be because it is difficult to get vitamin D from your diet. Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D. The main source of vitamin D for humans is sunlight. Mid-day sun exposure causes cells in the skin to produce vitamin D. Unfortunately, most Americans don't spend enough time outside, sans sunscreen, to get sufficient sunlight on their skin to satisfy their normal daily requirement of vitamin D. It is usually necessary to supplement this crucial nutrient by taking vitamin D3 capsules or by consuming things that are fortified with Vitamin D, such as milk, yogurt, and other foods.  For strong, healthy bones Vitamin D can assist the absorption of the mineral calcium in the intestinal tract.  Vitamin D also assists bone cells in utilizing calcium to create new bone. In adults, new bone is only built when it is needed, such as when the body is exposed to mechanical stress. Exercise is the best kind of mechanical stress to stimulate this bone-building mechanism. It takes more than just taking a bunch of supplements each day to experience the greatest benefits. It is also important to make exercise a regular part of our lifestyle to truly get the most out of the nutrition we provide our bodies. When we perform weight-bearing exercise such as walking, bicycling, sprinting, and strength training - our bodies respond by creating new muscle tissue, but also new bone as well. This is a commonly known physiologic principle called Wolff's Law, which dictates that bone will remodel along the lines of physiologic stress. In other words, bone responds to mechanical challenges by building more bone. The result is bones with increased density and strength.  Bones that are stronger and more dense are significantly less likely to fracture.  Exercise is very important when striving to prevent the typical loss of bone mass that causes osteoporosis in so many postmenopausal women and seniors. Chiropractic care helps to assist these metabolic processes. All of our metabolic processes are controlled by signals from the nerve system. These nerve impulses help our cells to know when to begin and end these complex biochemical processes. Chiropractic care can help to make sure your nervous system is free of interference so that your cells receive the proper signals they need for optimal health and well-being. Your Millar chiropractic physician is experienced in nutritional health and wellness, and he or she can help develop a nutrition plan that is suited to you. 1 Cavalier E, et al:Vitamin D: current status and perspectives.Clin Chem Lab Med 47:1, 2009 2 Holick Me, Chen TC: Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr 87(4):10805-10865, 2008

Minimize Your Risk of Osteoporosis It is a common fear in many seniors that they will develop osteoporosis. When someone with osteoporosis falls and breaks their hip, it usually takes longer for them to recover, and they may never be as fully-functional as they were previously. Hip fractures in the elderly may even be fatal at times, if the  person ends up with a blood clot making its way to a major blood vessel in the brain or to the lungs. So it is worthwhile to make an effort to prevent osteoporosis. The excellent news is that prevention is not difficult, though it does necessitate a certain amount of attention, work, and discipline. The most important things you can do to minimize your risk of osteoporosis is to make sure you get enough vitamin D and calcium, and to exercise regularly. Even if you're an older person who hasn't exercised in many years, now is the time to make the effort . Make sure to get your medical doctor's approval, especially if you've been sedentary or have any health issues.  Also see your chiropractic physician for guidance regarding the exercises that are best for you.

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Treating Whiplash Naturally

This is a repost from the Millar Chiropractic Clinic website.

Treating Whiplash Naturally

Strengthening Your Core

Having a strong core helps reduce the impact of any whiplash injury.  The muscles of your core are the deepest layer of muscles in your body.  These muscles include the tiny muscles connecting each pair of vertebras, the thin sheets of muscle connecting groups of vertebras, the four muscle groups that make up the abdominal muscle group, and the small muscles that help to stabilize the floor of the pelvis. Core muscles are usually worked in typical strength-training routines. That is because these muscles are normally engaged when you work any of the major large muscle groups, providing stabilization during these large movements. Pilates and yoga are two types of exercise which focus on strengthening the core muscles. Even aerobic exercise such as running, swimming, and biking include a side benefit of helping to train the body's core. When the core musculature is appropriately toned and strengthened, the ability to withstand unusual physical forces is significantly increased. A strong core will help a person better tolerate the forces involved in a whiplash injury, reducing the degree of injury.

You could be driving home from the grocery store, stopped at a red light when - bam! - your car suddenly and without warning jolts forward and then backward.  You've been hit from behind by another car.  Probably by someone who was texting or chatting away on their mobile phone. Or perhaps you're a passenger in a vehicle when the driver suddenly and violently slams on the brakes causing your head to rock forcefully forward and backward.

Or maybe you enjoy an adrenaline rush and decide you would like to try bungee jumping. You jump off the platform, enjoying the exhilaration as you dive into space, tethered by an elastic cord which eventually jerks your body, traumatizing your muscles and joints with significant physical forces while you helplessly bounce back and forth.


Within several days, most likely later the same day or following morning, you begin to experience neck pain. You might also have headache, back pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, nausea, and pain or numbness radiating down one or both arms. You have whiplash - a traumatic injury to the muscles, ligaments, and spinal joints of your neck and upper back.^1,2

If you're fortunate you'll feel better in a few days. If the trauma was moderate to severe, the various complaints will linger and may even worsen. As is the wise course of action with any illness or injury, if you're not getting significantly better right away it's important for you to see your doctor.  In the case of an injury to your head and neck, it is advisable to see your doctor as soon as possible, even if you think the injury is mild.

Your chiropractic physician is an excellent choice for the examination, evaluation and treatment of injuries due to whiplash. Millar Chiropractic Clinic has a branch that specializes in the evaluation and treatment of auto accident injuries and other less common types of personal injury.  Your experienced Millar chiropractic physician will be able to determine the nature and extent of the damage to your ligaments, muscles, and skeletal system. 

A series of x-ray is critical in the evaluation of whiplash, because even seemingly modest forces can cause the fracture of one or more vertebras in your neck. The proper evaluation of nerve function, including both the cranial and spinal nerves, is also extremely important. Pain and/or numbness radiating into one or both arms suggests injury to a cervical nerve root and requires a thorough assessment.

If no fractures have been identified, chiropractic treatment can begin immediately. Over time, chiropractic treatment will help to reduce the inflammation of injured ligaments and muscles, restoring the normal ranges of motion to your neck. With this powerful form of natural healing you'll begin to make incremental, steady progress, recovering the ability to participate in all your daily activities with reduced levels of pain and discomfort.

Chiropractic treatment provides optimal therapy for whiplash injuries, allowing your body to recover and return to normal by utilizing its own restorative powers.



¹Kasch H, et al: Clinical assessment of prognostic factors for long-term pain and handicap after whiplash injury: a 1-year prospective study. Eur J Neurol 15(11):1222-1230, 2008
² Chen HB, et al: Biomechanics of whiplash injury. Chin J Traumatol 12(5):305-314, 2009

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