Tag: Seed of Life Chiropractic and Wellness

Out of Breath Wearing Your Mask? Breathwork Can Help!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health

Masks- The New Fashion Accessory

Cloth Masks to help reduce droplet transmission

Mask wearing has become more common and even required in some areas. I don’t know about you, but I have them in many colors, styles, and probably most importantly kinds of ties. Some of you are sewists who have made masks by the dozens for friends, family, donation, or sale. 

We are being encouraged to wear them to slow the spread of Covid19 and help to keep each other safe. Like most things, masks come with some trade-offs that it is important to know about.

Mask wearing can be linked to increased anxiety as well as a buildup of CO2 in our bodies.

Anxiety

Dr. Samelak wearing a mask in her office Seed of Life Chiropractic and Wellness

Wearing a mask changes breathing dynamics. Breathing through a mask- especially a thicker cloth mask or N95 mask can feel difficult. The additional effort to breathe can trigger anxiety in those prone to panic attacks. Being able to slow and take more efficient breaths can be helpful in managing this trigger. For decades, healthcare workers have managed to adapt to breathing through different kinds of masks- we can too! Skip to the breathing section of this blog if you would like some tips on breath work. 

Hypercapnia- Too Much CO2

What most of you have probably noticed is that you are fatigued after wearing a mask for more than a few minutes. You might find yourself gasping for air when you take it off. Or yawning while you wear it. Your cheeks may be rosy or flushed. Sometimes you might have a headache and aren’t sure if it is from the ties behind your neck or ears. 

In more extreme cases you may notice that your pulse is bounding, a sense of confusion, premature heartbeats, muscle twitches, dyspnea (shortness of breath), and increased blood pressure. All of these symptoms are known as hypercapnia. Wearing a mask means that we are re-breathing our own exhalation- increasing the amount of Carbon Dioxide that we are breathing.

During normal respiration, you breathe in oxygen rich air and expel carbon dioxide on your exhale. The lungs have an exchange system with your blood to keep this pattern going. When we wear a mask, the amount of CO2 that we breathe in is higher- known as hypoventilation. This leads to a condition called respiratory acidosis. 

The human  body is a brilliant machine and works diligently to correct the acidosis by calling on the kidneys to hang onto or retain alkali. This is a buffering system to aid the body in times of stress. It is not a long term solution. 

It is vital for us to support our oxygenation through breathwork at this time to help our bodies stay in balance. I have added daily breathing practice to my routine to help counteract many hours of mask-wearing in my office.

Breathing Balances our Oxygenation

Breathwork helps to improve our capacity to oxygenate. It helps us to tap into our rest and digest (parasympathetic) nervous system. AKA breathing helps with stress management!!! Breathing helps to keep our cells nourished and our ribs moving. It benefits so many vital parts of our bodies. 

Simple Steps to Start Breathing

Always begin by making sure that you are in a safe space for breath work and relaxation where you can take your mask off. I like to incorporate a quick breathing practice right in my car after leaving work or the grocery store.

There are many breathing teachers and techniques- even professionals like Naturopaths who provide biofeedback to help you find your best breathing potential. However, there are simple things you can try at home to start improving your breathing. 

Positions for Breathing

Seated breathing position with ribs and pelvis stacked and chin tucked.

Seated on the floor you may choose to put a cushion under your bottom to raise yourself up a few inches. This could be a folded blanket, a meditation cushion, or a yoga bolster. Sit criss-cross applesauce and, again, stack your rib cage over your pelvis and tuck in your chin. Place your hands palms up on your knees.

Seated in a chair with your sit bones in contact with the chair surface. Stack your rib cage over your pelvis and tuck in your chin. Ground your heels into the floor. Place your hands, palms up, in your lap.

Supine (on your spine) is my favorite. I like to find a 90/90 position where my heels are resting on the couch or a chair, knees and hips bent at 90 degrees. Hands may be at your sides, palms up or you can rest your hands, palms down, on your rib cage to tune in to your breathing patterns. You should feel your spine relax in this position.

Breathing Patterns

There are many strategies for breathing and even apps that help you to breathe rhythmically- which helps to stimulate rest and relaxation. Some of my favorites include box breathing and prolonged exhalation.

Box breathing is breathing on a 4 or 5 count. Inhale for 4, hold your breath for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4. Repeat this for a minimum of 4 cycles. 

Prolonged exhalation breathing works on training the exhalation- a great way to calm your nervous system. It is best to use a timer for this type of breathing and work to expand your range. A general rule of thumb is to plan your exhalation to be twice as long as your inhale. I started with breathing in for 5 seconds and out for 10- for a minimum of 5 minutes. 

Types of Breathing

Improving your style of breathing is valuable as well. Check out the breathing types below and see where you fall. 

Many people are chest breathers. This means that they breathe by using their neck and chest muscles and you can see their chest rise and fall with each breath. Chest breathing turns on the fight or flight response. This type of breathing is more like panting and is not efficient.

Belly breathers use their diaphragm, this is most common in trained singers. This type of breathing is more functional and helps to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system. Here, you will see the belly rise with each inhalation and drop with the exhale. 

Functional breathing engages not just the diaphragm, but the entire rib cage. In ideal breathing patterns, the ribs will expand in 360 degrees, raising like the handle on a bucket. The diaphragm is engaged, and even the pelvis opens on the inhale. This type of breathing is most easily seen in children. It can be trained using breathing drills and exercises. 

Some of my favorite exercises for breathing include:

Lewitt

Dead Bug

Supine 90/90

Straw Breathing

Tips for Mask Wearing:

  • Make sure that your mask is clean or has a new filter paper in it.
  • Wear your mask only when you must- this means you need not wear it in your car when driving.
  • Don’t hesitate to take a “breathing break” when you have to wear a mask for an extended period of time. Find a safe space or step outside then take at least 5 deep breaths.
  • Be sure that you are not touching your face or mask to avoid spreading any germs.
  • Follow CDC guidelines for cleaning your mask appropriately between uses.

As always, this blog is intended for educational purposes only. Please consult with your Chiropractor, PT, or Primary Care Physician to determine what steps may be right for you. 

Dr. Samelak is a Family Wellness Chiropractor in Seattle, WA. She loves serving families and helping them to reach their greatest potential. If you are looking for a Chiropractor near you, please reach out to us for help!

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The Safety Aspect of Newborn Photography

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health

Newborn photography is an adorable and growing field. Dr. Samelak is excited to host Uzma Hamid, certified infant photographer, as a guest blogger. In her post, Uzma shares a couple of the technical and (more important) safety considerations that must be taken into account when photographing newborns and infants. We hope that you gain some valuable knowledge in this blog and that you share it with your friends and families!

Please read on to learn more about Safety and Newborn Photography!

It is an honor to be chosen (read: trusted) to photograph a little new human who, almost always, is the center of many people’s universes. One very major aspect of that “trust” is ensuring the safety of the baby during the session. Like I frequently say, photos are treasures, but no photo is worth risking the safety of a human, let alone, the littlest one.

Unfortunately, newborn photographers are not required to complete any form of training or education before they are deemed qualified to photograph babies. This is especially relevant in case of styled newborn sessions, where babies are posed in those cute, squishy little poses.
This is not to say that such education, training and certifications are not available. Many photographers -who care enough – do enroll in, complete and maintain these certifications. This should be the norm; but unfortunately, such photographers are still a bleak minority.
For instance, the photo in this post is a composite (read: digitally created) image of three separate photographs: first, of just the hot-air balloon prop, without placing the baby in it; the second and the third, of just the baby in the basket with the ball (serving as the balloon) removed and the baby’s head carefully supported.

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A newborn baby cannot support his/her own head. Hence, poses such as “the froggy” or “the potato- sack” require specific skills, know-how and expertise. A different kind of skill and caution is required when props are used. If older siblings are participating in the session (and why shouldn’t they?), there is an extra layer of care that is desired.

Needless to say, other basic precautions are always required to make the space safe, which includes not only ensuring safe handling of the baby, and safe handling of
photography equipment around the baby, but also other environmental factors, such as, temperature, humidity, air quality, and hygiene.
There is a lot that goes into photographing a newborn, other than the act of photography itself.

Being mindful of a newborn’s physiology, reflexes, sensitivities (such as the umbilical cord if it is still attached, and the belly-button site if it has fallen off; the site of circumcision if one is performed; etc.), and watching out for signs of distress are just a few to name. Take a baby’s immature circulatory system for instance.
Cyanosis is defined as a bluish discoloration, especially of the skin and mucous membranes, due to excessive concentration of deoxyhemoglobin in the blood caused by deoxygenation. Acrocyanosis refers to blueness in the hands and feet. It is marked by a mottled blue or red discoloration of the skin on the fingers and wrists and the toes and ankles. Central cyanosis is referred to as bluish discoloration around the core, lips and tongue and can be quite a bit more dangerous. Certain poses, if not performed
correctly, can cause a risk of cyanosis. For example, chest compression due to tight wrapping, leaving a baby unsupported in a position for too long, closing off the airway as can sometimes result from leaning the chin, or the area under the jaw on the edge of a prop or by positioning babies upright without supporting the weight of the head, thus leaving the head to rest on and compress into the wrists/hands.

This piece is not meant to scare anyone; rather to educate and inform. It is coming from a place of love.

Parents, please choose a photographer for your precious little one not only on the basis of the pretty photographs that you see in their portfolios; but after interviewing them and asking them how they intend to create any specific shots you (or they) may want. Also, do your own research. Professional organizations like the American Association of Newborn Photography Safety (AANPS) and Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International (APNPI) not only train and certify newborn photographers, but also host public lists of certified photographers by location. Check their online directories to find trained and certified photographers near you.
And always trust your parental instinct.

If there are any questions that I can answer for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Profile-1

Uzma M. Hamid wears two professional hats: one, that of a maternity, newborn and family photographer; and two, a residential real-estate broker. She lives in Kirkland, WA, with her loving husband and adorable son, and serves families in the Puget Sound Area with their photography and real estate needs. As you might have guessed, she is an AANPS- and APNPI-certified newborn photographer, and can be reached at:

 

uzma.hamid@BubbleSnapPhotography.com or UzmaHamid@johnlscott.com
Websites:
www.BubbleSnapPhotography.com
www.UzmaHamid.johnlscott.com

Book Review: Every Woman’s Guide to Foot Pain Relief

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health, Movement

In case you hadn’t noticed from my previous blogs about foot care and going barefoot… I am kind of obsessed with healthy feet. As a Chiropractor, I see the spinal changes and postural changes that occur in my patients from poor footwear choices or injured feet on a daily basis.

wanna-see-my-foot

Katy Bowman’s book, Every Woman’s Guide to Foot Pain Relief, belongs on every household’s bookshelf! In her book, Bowman breaks down the details of how your feet move, how they are built, and the basics of both self foot maintenance and rehabilitation. The reality is that most women will experience severe foot pain at some point in their lives. With simple daily activities and stretches… and maybe some better footwear choices… these can be overcome, but most importantly prevented.

Here are some of my favorite take-home points from this book:

  1. Wearing shoes all the time is like living your life with mittens on.x-ray-223836_1920
  2. Your feet are unlike anyone else’s.
  3. Your toes should be able to move independently (This sounds crazy, I KNOW! But I am currently working on this feat).
  4. A shoe whose sole is taller at the back than the front is a heel… even if it’s a running shoe.
  5. Shoes should be foot-shaped.
  6. Ditch the Flip-Flop.
  7. Barefoot time is essential!!
  8. You have the power to change your own feet- and your HEALTH.

I also really appreciated the practical exercises in the back of the book and am implementing them into my own nightly routine. I highly recommend reading this book and starting to assess and correct your footwear and your feet. I am also excited to start reading more of Katy Bowman’s books 🙂

I’ll leave you with this quote from her book:

feet-619399_1920“Human tissue is phenomenal stuff. When you make small changes in your movement patterns, you nudge yourself down a new physiological path. The body works to tear down old or underused tissue every day, and builds up tissues that are in greatest demand. The body continuously adapts to whatever you are doing now. Changing your habits will change your life!”- Katy Bowman

 

Parents Supporting PLAY!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health, Movement

PS PLAY –Parents Supporting PLAY!

Watch a young child at PLAY and you’ll be struck by how totally and completely they are consumed by it. The yoga teacher in me would say they’ve entered a state of Samadhi—about realizing and becoming one, an I-am-ness, with what they’re doing; in terms of psychology they’re in a state of flow…being fully immersed and present, in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and total enjoyment in the process of the activity.

A succinct definition of PLAY is impossible because PLAY does so much! A general, but far from complete description: PLAY is an activity that is

  • Self- motivated
  • Freely chosen
  • Absorbing
  • Process-oriented, in other words it’s the doing, not the end-result that’s important
  • Imaginative
  • Mentally stress-free
  • Framework of rules governing how PLAY proceeds determined by player(s)

Why should you, as a parent, care about PLAY?

The answer to that is more than a few sentences! But I’ll highlight the extra important reasons!

  1. The need for PLAY is hard-wired into us; it is the way our brains like to learn best.
  2. The BRAIN develops sequentially from the least complex functioning to the most. However, PLAY in the early months and years of life is very important as it wires the brain, preparing it for higher level skills later.
  3. PLAY is integral to a child’s development emotionally, socially, physically and cognitively.
  4. Children fail to thrive when deprived of PLAY.

In fact, PLAY is so critical to a child’s overall health and wellness that the United Nations listed it as one a child’s rights.

So, what can parents do? water play

Luckily, that’s pretty easy!

  • Pay attention to your child—listen and talk to her/him. Relationship-building and language development takes face-to-face time.
    ◦ For example, immerse your child in language by reading together.  Reading to your child is a wonderful activity; building a closeness between parent and child that is never too soon start! You’ll also find out more about your kiddo’s interests and likes and can use that when creating PLAY spaces.
  • Provide time, space and materials for your kiddo to PLAY!
    ◦ Provide hands-on activities with a variety of materials. Young children need concrete experiences to build a foundation of knowledge; hands-on as opposed to virtual experiences offers the greatest learning potential.  This enhanced learning via hands-on persists even into adulthood.
    ◦ Do parents need to entertain their children 24/7? Of course not! And if you hear their cry “I’m bored!” then read this article for added reassurance.
  • Give your child the freedom to PLAY!
    Support their budding independence and decision-making with child-led activities. Another way is to resist the urge to over-schedule your kiddo with a lot of organized activities supervised by adults. One caveat to that: Downtime should not equate to screen time. The risks vs benefits of screen time for young children come down strongly in favor of waiting.

When children engage in PLAY they are gaining knowledge; developing the tools and skills they’ll need not only in the present time but also to be used as they continue to grow and learn throughout their lifetimes.

PLAY matters in childhood…and beyond!
Karen Whittier
Logo with me & toys
About the Author:
Karen Whittier, aka Teacher Karen, is Early Childhood Engineer and Play Specialist for Play & Grow. She has an extensive background in early childhood education, co-founding and teaching at her own preschool for many years. Combining her backgrounds in engineering and early childhood education she’s serving children and families with Play & Grow advocating for children by supporting parents in promoting and facilitating PLAY!
website: www.PlayAndGrow.com

Benefits of Being Barefoot!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic and Kids, Health, Movement

As the gray days of winter start to pass and the temperatures warm, I find myself itching to ditch my shoes and head outdoors. I love being barefoot and how my feet (and my legs) feel when I get to spend more time sans-shoes.

Walking barefoot is great for adults, but utterly essential for our little ones.

The human foot has 33 joints as well as tons of tiny muscles and nerves that provide information to the brain about where your body is in space- proprioception- and balance- dictated by the vestibular system. When we walk barefoot, our feet are alive with information. Think of walking on a pebbly beach. Our feet interact with the ground and there is a massive amount of data sent to the brain.

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When barefoot we are truly interfacing with our environment.

Let’s take a moment and think about what happens when we place our feet in shoes- particularly stiff and restrictive ones. You are basically placing a blindfold on your feet!

  • Your nervous system is not getting as much information from the ground.
  • The joints in your feet don’t get stimulated. (Joints get nutrition through motion, so they starve when they are restricted)
  • The muscles of the foot don’t get exercised.
  • Your balance and your proprioception suffer.

These same principles apply to the feet of our children. When they learn to walk, stand, and even when they play with their toes, children are building and programming their nervous system. They are patterning the way their muscles will fire for proper gait and spinal stabilization. Kids earn every milestone that they make. All of this happens from the ground up. Some neurologists even prescribe thinly soled shoes or barefoot time for children with developmental delays.

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According to an article in the Washington Post, “Going barefoot helps a child develop body awareness.” I love how succinctly they boil this all down.

Have you taken your shoes off yet?

Do you feel like your feet have been blindfolded your whole life?

Do your feet need to wake up?

Dr. Samelak is passionate about helping people wake up their feet and improve the way that they interact with the ground- improving balance, preventing injury, and starting to correct long standing structural imbalances.

Check out our Events Page to learn about when Dr. Samelak will be teaching her next Love Your Feet workshop with Jodi Boone!

 

Interval Training for Labor Prep- with Maura Shirey from Bodies for Birth

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health, Movement

This week we are honored to have a guest blogger, Maura Shirey, from Bodies for Birth.

Bodies for Birth

Bodies for Birth is first and foremost a fitness company, but it’s so much more than that. It’s your village and your source for connection and resources in the community.  It’s Maura’s firm belief that women deserve to be supported holistically throughout pregnancy and postpartum.

I have enjoyed working with Maura, professionally for the past year. She is passionate and knowledgeable in her work and takes amazing care of our shared clients. Maura is sharing with us this week about the benefits of interval training for labor.

Interval Training for Labor Preparation

While there is so much we can’t control in labor and delivery, we can control how we prepare our minds and bodies.

With that said, this specific preparation looks so different for each one of us. For some of us, that’s attending classes, for others, it’s reading books, having conversations or asking questions. Despite the variable means of preparation, there’s tremendous comfort from knowing deep down that you have done whatever you consider to be your necessary work.

At Bodies for Birth we use a combination of modalities, but rely heavily upon interval training: bursts of higher intensity work followed by efficient, intentional recovery before beginning to work again.

This is in an effort to mimic the work of contractions–a time of sustained effort followed by efficient recovery…repeat, repeat, repeat and in labor…repeat again and again.

The mental and physical preparation allows for the opportunity to recognize the body’s innate ability to work exactly as it was designed and to recover with ease, noticing heart rate and respirations slow with the use of diaphragmatic breathing.

These repeated experiences can provide comfort, peace and resolve as you welcome labor and the uncertainty of it all.

workout-1931107_1920While we don’t pretend that we have any control over a labor or delivery experience or outcome, our goal is to constantly be adding tools to your toolbox. Each squat, each interval and guided visualization, each time you practice your breathing you are adding these tools.

And you won’t know which tools you will call upon during labor until the time comes, but the more tools you have, the better your coping will be. The greater confidence you will have that you are and have all that you need to meet the challenge.

Interval training is a vital component of this training and an essential in the labor preparation toolbox.

While the effortful work is important to train the cardiorespiratory system, to gain stamina and confidence in your body’s ability to perform the work, the magic happens during the recovery between the effortful work.

This is the interlude where the true preparation occurs, an opportunity to practice becoming efficient at recovery so that you can approach the next round of effortful work; ie: a contraction with renewed focus, energy and calm.

In class, we can often be heard saying, “and then, you turn it off. Just like a light switch. The work ends and you recover. Not ruminating on what’s passed or anticipating what’s coming next. Use your diaphragmatic breath to simply settle into this present moment of recovery. Right here. Right now.”

And what do we hear from clients and providers?

That Bodies for Birth clients really know how to recover in labor, that they have mental and physical resilience, a certain confidence in their abilities that translates into enhanced coping in labor.

Ideally, this endures right on into postpartum and motherhood.

Group Class (Photo Credit_ Benjamin Benschneider_The Seattle Times)
(Photo Credit: Benjamin Benschneider/The Seattle Times)

So, what does interval training look like?

  • It can take the form of strength training or a low-impact aerobic style intervals.
  •  A strength training interval might include: body weight squats, stationary lunges or chest presses with a resistance band.
  • Aerobic-style intervals might include: marching in place with arms moving up and down overhead, repeated stepping up and down from a low step or moving side to side with swinging arms.
  •  If this all feels like too much coordination or aerobics just isn’t your thing, intervals can be incorporated into a walk, into lap swimming or work on the elliptical or other piece of cardio equipment. Swimming works particularly well as each lap can feel like an interval, followed by rest at the end. Hills also lends themselves easily to this sort of natural interval work.
  • Generally we advise beginning with an equal work to rest ratio; for example, begin with 30 seconds of effortful work followed by 30 seconds of recovery. Repeat up to three times.
  • The effortful work initially should be around a level “5” on a scale of 1-10 (10 being your max…which we never approach in pregnancy).
  • If this level of effort begins to feel easy, you may increase the ratio of work i.e.: 45 seconds of work to 30 seconds of recovery, perhaps approaching a level 6-7 on the exertion scale.
  • As you progress, notice the time it takes you to recover, notice your level of exertion throughout, not exceeding a level 6-7. In other words, you should be able to talk throughout the work.
  • Add short bouts of interval training into your routine and focus on the recovery between the work, always returning to your diaphragmatic breath.
  • With practice, notice how efficiently your body begins to recover and take great comfort in all of the preparation and your body’s ability to work exactly as designed.

Remember, intervals are completely versatile and modifiable, so listen to your body with the goal of exercise leaving you feeling energized and never exhausted in pregnancy! Your body is already working quite hard to support the work of pregnancy, so let exercise further fuel that effort, rather than deplete your reserves.

It’s a privilege to do the work we do at Bodies for Birth and such an absolute honor to know that it is making an impact.

No matter where you are in your journey, we will meet you exactly where you are, support you to the best of our abilities and help you to develop strength in mind and body while honoring your unique goals.

Bodies for Birth is much more than physical fitness; it is holistic wellness, and motherhood preparation at its finest, helping you to build strength, confidence and community.

Group classes are now open for all from preconception through postpartum! Visit MindBody to register and please reach out with questions!
Let’s build your village together!
About the Author:
Maura Shirey, RN, CPFE specializes in prenatal and postpartum fitness as the creator and owner of Bodies for Birth. Using current research and evidence-based practices, Maura helps individuals strengthen both mind and body as they prepare for and recover from one of life’s greatest feats! Maura’s wellness background includes work as a Registered Nurse, a Certified Personal Trainer & Chef, as well as a Health Coach & Screener for corporate wellness companies. Maura’s personal experiences, foundational nursing knowledge and passion for fitness and wellness provide the building blocks for Bodies for Birth.

As a woman and mother, Maura seeks to share her personal experiences with the Bodies for Birth community, to break down competitive barriers and to celebrate as clients surprise themselves with the inner strength they already possess. She is dedicated to ongoing education, pursuing best practices and individualizing fitness for each and every person. She is committed to providing a healthy and bold example to her son, Will (who had his own set of dumbbells and began practicing diaphragmatic breathing at 2 years old) and to creating a vibrant and sustainable future for her family doing work that brings her immense joy.

 

Can too much sugar effect bone density?

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health

With Halloween next week, what could be more appropriate than a discussion about Bones and Candy, right?!

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The Western diet, high in protein and sugar is associated with an increase in all kinds of metabolic conditions from cardiovascular disease and Type II Diabetes Mellitus to osteopenia and osteoporosis. As a Chiropractor, bone density is a very important topic and it deserves some discussion.

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Let’s take a closer look at how our bones function in the human body. Our bones provide a framework for our muscles to hang upon. They create a safe space for our organs to live. They act as levers to allow us to move. These are all things that we have been told about before. But, did you know that your bones are actually the largest mineral reservoir in the body? From Guyton and Hall’s Textbook of Medical Physiology[1] we know the following. Our bones are constantly in flux with minerals like calcium, phosphate, and magnesium being borrowed and stored to maintain our body’s pH. 99% of the body’s calcium and over half of it’s magnesium is stored in bone.

skull-778075_1920pH refers to how acidic or alkaline the body is. We live within a tight tolerance and have several systems that make sure that this is regulated. Body fluids can push the balance one way or another within a fraction of a second, the respiratory system can make changes in minutes by changing our breathing to either eliminate or preserve CO2, and the kidneys respond slowly but are the most powerful  buffers of pH in the body. This is where we will focus.

When the body has an acidic environment, our body fluids, breathing, and kidneys work to shift it back to the middle. Our body increases the free calcium in extracellular fluid to correct the imbalance which tells the kidneys to excrete magnesium in urine. These minerals are usually sourced from our bones.

Now that we have reviewed the physiology of the pH balance system, let’s apply it to everyday life.

When we have a diet that causes our body to trend toward acidity, this buffer system is continually pulling minerals from bone. Odds are, more quickly than we can effectively store it.

Think of your bones like a bank. There is a bank balance that is your bone density. When your body needs to borrow some, it makes a withdraw. When it takes in calcium and magnesium from food, it deposits. This system works well when it is balanced. However, osteopenia and osteoporosis happen when you overdraw the account.

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Therefore, it is important to balance the budget. Reduction in sugar consumption can help to reduce the withdraws being made from your bones. Improving absorption of dietary minerals helps you to build up your account.

Guyton and Hall [1] discuss the importance of Vitamin D in the absorption of calcium. They report the following mechanisms:

  • increases intestinal calcium absorption by helping the cells to form calcium binding proteins within 2 days.
  • helps to improve phosphate absorption (another important mineral in bone).
  • helps to decrease kidney excretion of calcium and phosphate.
  • promotes bone calcification by transporting ions through cell membranes

This lets us know that appropriate Vitamin D levels are important in healthy bones. Many people in the northern hemisphere do not make or consume enough vitamin D to have adequate levels when tested in the blood. This is an important conversation to have with your primary care physician.

x-ray-223836_1920Bone density is much more complex than just the biochemistry/physiology; however, there are some tried and true methods for helping to improve your bone density:

Improve your diet. Reduce acidic foods, especially grains and sugars. Consume more green leafy vegetables.

Get your vitamin D levels evaluated.

Start participating in weight bearing exercise! Bone responds to stress. If you do not ask your bones to do work, they do not store as many minerals.

As always, please remember: This blog is intended to provide you with tools and information about the human body. Please speak with your own health care provider before making major lifestyle changes.

Below is a citation for Guyton and Hall.

[1]Guyton, Arthur C., and John E. Hall. “Textbook of Medical Physiology.” Textbook of Medical Physiology, 11th ed., Elsevier Saunders, 2007, pp. 371–985.

For additional reading on the topic, check out these links:

Why is Sugar Bad For You?

Calcium and Osteoporosis

Effect of consuming different caloric sweeteners on bone health and possible mechanisms.

Fat, Sugar, and Bone Health

 

MRI Study Demonstrates Lumbar Disc Herniation Heals!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health, Movement

backpain-1944329_1920.pngMany times in practice, a patient presents with symptoms of lumbar (low back) disc injury. They have pain into the leg, often have difficulty standing upright, and have accompanying low back pain.

This generally occurs when a disc bulge or herniation places pressure on the spinal nerves or the spinal cord. As shown in the image below, where the purple shape is pressing on the green nerve.

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Chiropractic care is a great conservative way to manage the pain and, often, it will centralize and resolve in a matter of weeks. A home exercise program is then prescribed to help prevent re-occurrence and strengthen key muscles. When symptoms do not improve with a trial of care, a referral is made to an Orthopedist for further evaluation and MRI. Sometimes surgery is warranted.

Previous studies suggested that, while it was possible to remove symptoms, disc injuries do not fully resolve- think of them like a sleeping dragon. This article, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, is a case study that describes resolution of the patient’s disc injury, documented on MRI. This is incredibly promising and supports conservative management of  lumbar disc injuries with chiropractic care and physical therapy before a surgical option is considered.

***This blog post is intended solely for informational purposes. It is always essential to consult with your own health care provider when making decisions about low back pain or leg pain. ***

 

Breastfeeding Frequently Asked Questions- Guest Blogger Brandi Crockett

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health, Prenatal Chiropractic

In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, we would like to welcome Brandi Crockett, IBCLC to answer some common questions regarding breastfeeding, lactation, and the role of an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Read what she has to say below!

August Is National Breastfeeding Month!

You may be wondering why on earth there would be such a thing as National Breastfeeding Month. This month highlights the many benefits of breastfeeding. Sometimes people feel as if birth professionals, shove breastfeeding down their throats. (We really don’t mean for it be a forceful thing.) There are still many individuals that don’t know about the benefits of breastfeeding.

What’s an IBCLC?

That is where I, as well as National Breastfeeding Month, comes in. I am an IBCLC. That stands for Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant. I hold the highest position within the lactation world. No, I am not a nurse and I do not work in a hospital. I work in private practice, and I love being able to see moms in their homes and giving them 100% of my attention and giving them the care that they deserve.

There are quite a few individuals that don’t even know that my profession even exists! This saddens me because I wish that all new moms received a home visit from an IBCLC. I think that we would see more successful breastfeeding and empowered moms because they would be given the knowledge they need in order to make the best decisions regarding breastfeeding.

But I digress.

Frequently Asked Questions

The whole point of this is to help empower you by answering some of the questions that I get most often as an IBCLC.

Why would a new mom call an IBCLC? Or when is a good time to call? Can’t a nurse do that?

I get this question all the time. Any time a mom feels that breastfeeding is not going well is when she should call an IBCLC, and please call as soon as you get that feeling. Please do not wait till your supply has tanked and baby isn’t latching.

There are times when I have had a mom connect with me prenatally, either by phone or consult, and we have a plan of action once baby arrives. Not every mom needs to do that, but it never hurts to be prepared.

Why can’t a nurse or your pediatrician or OB/GYN help you with breastfeeding?

The basic answer is that because it’s not their specialty! Your nurse is there to help you with delivering your baby and your OB/GYN help with your pregnancy and also with the delivery of your baby. A postpartum nurse generally has a few tricks up her sleeve to help with breastfeeding, but again, she’s only there to help you recover from having your baby. So do me a favor, and call an IBCLC.

What About Bottles and Pacifiers?

Neither the bottle nor the pacifier in innately bad, it’s all about how you use them and which ones, and sometimes when you introduce them.

I always recommend a Dr. Brown’s bottle, usually with a premie nipple, but sometimes a size 1 (0-3m), but depends on the age of baby.A Dr. Brown’s bottle is a great shape that encourages babies to breastfeed well, and sometimes better. A baby has to curl their tongue around the nipple and hold it in their mouth in similar way that they would a nipple to breastfeed. I will often use this bottle to help strengthen a babies suck if they have had some oral struggles such as a tongue tie.

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As for a pacifier, I would recommend a Soothie by Avent. The shape is similar to a Dr. Brown’s and in turn can help with suck training and strengthening. So how do we use a pacifier the right way? A nickname for a pacifier is a plug, and that is because parents will often give the baby a pacifier in order to get them to stop, or “plug” them up. Now the better way to use a pacifier is basically as last resort. Go thru the checklist; is baby hungry? Do they need to be changed? Burped? Cold? Hot? Anything pinching? If you’ve done everything then offer the pacifier. Sometimes babies will have a high suck need that a pacifier can help with- especially if mom doesn’t want to be the pacifier.

If all is going well with breastfeeding then a good time to introduce a bottle and a pacifier is by about 3 weeks of age. You can, by all means, introduce them earlier, but we generally try to wait until breastfeeding is more established before introducing anything extra. Now, I have certainly advised parents to introduce them earlier due to certain circumstances, but it’s always a case by case basis.

There are tons of different types of bottles out there, as well as lots of different types of pacifiers. The only time that I would say use whatever you’d like, is if breastfeeding is going extremely well. A lot of the pacifiers and bottles out there teach the baby to smash the nipple between their tongue and the roof of their mouth, which can then translate into smashing mom’s nipple while breastfeeding. That hurts! And is not doable long term. But again, it’s definitely a case by case basis.

How Long Should a Mom Breastfeed?little-girl-107421_1920

Now this is a loaded question! It really depends on the family dynamic. Some dryads (or triads) practice extended nursing (nursing beyond 2 years of age). And this works for them because breastfeeding is a relationship. It’s ever changing- and breastmilk is ever changing. Mom’s body knows exactly what that baby needs at that moment for how old that baby or toddler is.

baby-17327_1920Breastfeeding beyond a year may not work for everyone and that’s okay! Any breastmilk is better than no breastmilk. Again, breastfeeding is a relationship and it needs to work for all parties involved. Maybe the baby is ready to wean or mom needs/wants to wean, there are plenty of ways to go about this gently that works for everyone in order to make sure that everyone’s needs are met. Cold turkey weaning is hard on everyone, so I would not recommend it if you don’t have to. An IBCLC can help you figure out a way to wean your baby or even discuss your options for continuing to breastfeed past a year. An IBCLC is there to help with all aspects of breastfeeding.

Overall, breastfeeding is awesome! And I am so proud to be an IBCLC. I am glad that there is a National Breastfeeding Month so that we can bring this fantastic topic to the forefront. Lastly, when in doubt, remain calm and call an IBCLC!

Mountain Mama Lactation LogoBrandi Crockett, IBCLC lives in Granite Falls, WA with her husband of 14 years and 6 crazy, fully breastfed kids (including a set of twins). She loves her job and also enjoys running ragged playing soccer mom and scout mom as well as running 10k’s with her hubby.

Air Quality and Exercise

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health, Movement

With this summer’s forest fires in full swing, Seattle has been covered in a haze of smoke for the past week. Air quality has been poor and traffic is congested. Athletes are attempting to continue to stay in shape while battling the smokey haze.

Below, I will discuss some ideas to help stay safe while continuing to exercise. However, IF YOU HAVE ANY LUNG OR CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS, please speak with your Primary Care Physician before exercising to ensure that you are not putting yourself in danger.

Assess Air Quality Prior to Exercise

Check out AirNow.Gov to learn about the current recommendations regarding air quality. For example, today’s rating in Seattle is “Unsafe for Sensitive Groups”. This means that those with any lung or cardiovascular issues should remain inside as should children and older adults who are more sensitive to particulate in the air.

Make sure that you understand what your own personal status is:

Do you have asthma or another respiratory condition?

Are you sensitive to smoke?

Have you been short of breath or have your sinuses been draining?

If you answered “yes ” to any of these, please consult your PCP prior to engaging in exercise.

By looking at the map, you may want to choose to drive to an area that has a better air rating before engaging in outdoor exercise.

Exercise Intelligently

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Once you have determined that you are “OK” to exercise and have found an adequate location, listen to your body.

  • Take frequent breaks
  • Exercise at a lower intensity to take a load off your respiratory system
  • Consider using a sinus rinse to help keep your nasal passages clear
  • If you feel prematurely out of breath or as though you are working harder than normal… Make it a Gym Day and exercise in a controlled environment. (You may also consider being evaluated by your PCP)

Hopefully the winds will pick up off the Pacific and the smoke will clear- but until then stay safe and keep your personal health in mind when spending time outside. Taking a day off training is better than compromising your health.

***The information contained in the blog above is not intended as healthcare advice and is provided for general information purposes***