LiveWell Chiropractic

How many of youknow that most of our immunity lies within our small intestine? Believe it ornot, the gut is a fascinating place that plays an important role at how well wefight disease. As the winter deepens, I want to share a few tips on waysto increase your immunity and keep you off the couch and away from the tissuebox for the rest of the season.

~Drink plenty of water. Ok, this one seems like ano-brainer, but for some of you this is a challenge. The rule of thumb is drinkhalf of your body weight in ounces/day (IE 160lb person will drink 10-8 oz.glasses/day). Don't like the taste of plain water? Warm it up, baby! Thensqueeze a little lemon in, which will help to balance the acid/alkaline state inyour body creating an environment less desirable for viscious bugs.

~Get off the sugar. Sugar is the main source of food formany bacteria and the less you have in your body, the less opportunity forinfection.

~Raw Raw Raw! Increase the amount of raw fruits andveggies in your diet. I recommend doing this in baby steps--add in one newfruit/veggie per day for a week. Then the following week add in 2/day. Thesecret to success? Preparation! As soon as you get home from the grocery store,slice and bag it up so it is ready to grab n' go. Raw fruits and veggies thatare high in antioxidants and great for snacking are: blueberries, strawberries,clementines, red pepper slices and broccoli (organic is best!).

~Take a probiotic. Probiotics "promote" the growth of goodbacteria in the gut. Having a good balance between good/bad bacteria will helpfend off vicious bacteria and viruses. Probiotics are widely available now--lookfor the kind that are refridgerated in a brown bottle and stray away from theshelf-stable variety as probiotics are sensitive organisms and you will get thebest bang for your buck purchasing a higher quality product.  

LiveWell Chiropractic believes in the Prevention Model of healthcare--thismeans being proactive about your health instead of reactive. Taking qualitymeasures to support a healthy body by eating right, exercise/strength training,and reducing stress all work to keep the body working to its optimum potentialand maintaining a strong immune system.

Recently I was asked "What can I do to better my work station---I sit for 6 hours at a computer and at the end of the day I am stiff and sore". There are a few things to pay attention to that can make or break your workday experience.

1. Proper seating. A good chair is worth its weight in gold, however that chair must suit the user and have the proper height, the lumbar support must be in the correct position, and the users feet must be level on the floor or placed on an angled foot pedestal. Check here for an Ergonomics Checklist Slideshow to see if your workstation needs redesigning: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ergonomics/WL00029

2. Proper Wrist Placement. Computer users will often get a diagnosis of 'carpal tunnel syndrome' or 'overuse injury' due to improper angles of their wrist when using a mouse. Wrist should be in a neutral position (not extended or reaching) and can be supported by a simple 'wrist rest', which is a foam pad to help keep the wrists from getting tired.

3. Proper Telephone Usage. I hear stories all the time of patients wedging phones between their shoulders and ears. This can lead to tension and tightness built up in the upper back and neck muscles and cause undo stress and strain. Refrain from wedging when possible by either using the speaker phone option or holding the receiver in your hand.

4. Daily Stretching. It is a great idea to get up and walk around every 1-2 hours to prevent excess stress and strain on muscles. Our bodies tire throughout the day, and our posture starts to wane. Before this occurs, check out this link on some easy stretches that reduce tightness in your neck and upper back. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shoulder-stretches/MM00710

These simple steps will help lead you to a more stress-free and pain-free workday.

LiveWell Chiropractic
Dr. Jacqueline Bouley
drjacquelinebouley@yahoo.com
www.doctorbouley.com