Health Made Easy

Is the phrase “Stand up straight” familiar to you? Whether we realize it or not, we sometimes feel guilty about poor posture. Many of us slouch more than we should following fatigue after a long day, poorly designed workspaces, a challenging workout at the gym, or just a bad night of sleep. Anytime you are not standing or sitting straight and engaging your muscles, when your shoulders are rounded, or you are not holding your neck high, you are portraying signs of bad posture.

But do you realize that there are several adverse effects that poor posture can have on your body? Here is an outline of some consequences of poor posture and how Chiropractic can help you make positive changes. Have a glance!

• Lower back pain

Lower back pain is a common side effect of poor posture. When you consistently slouch, you place excessive pressure on the muscles and structures of the lower back. This strain can increase pressure on the lumbar spine, causing muscle imbalances and spinal misalignment. With time, these factors contribute to chronic lower back pain.

• Shoulder pain

Shoulder pain is also a common consequence of bad posture. When you persistently maintain poor posture, you strain the muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround the shoulders. The strain later results in muscle imbalances, tension, and limited range of motion in the shoulder joint. These factors later contribute to chronic shoulder pain.

• Headache

Poor posture increases strain on your neck and upper back muscles, resulting in tension headaches. Also, poor posture restricts blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, further exacerbating headache symptoms.

• Spine curvature

An adequately aligned spine has three main curves, which form an ‘S’ shape and help absorb shock. Poor posture can cause these natural curves to change shape, putting excessive pressure on the wrong position. This slowly reduces the spine’s ability to absorb shock, placing the body at risk of more severe injuries in the future.

• Digestive problems

A bad posture can compress the abdominal organs, affecting their optimal function. Disrupting the digestive process leads to issues like indigestion, acid reflux, bloating and constipation.

• Increased stress and low mood

Poor posture harms our mental health. Slouching or adopting a hunched position increases feelings of stress and fatigue and contributes to low self-esteem and a negative emotional state.

The Transformative Power of Posture

Understanding the impact of poor posture helps us make positive changes in our daily lives. When you prioritize good posture, maintain proper alignment, and be mindful of your body positioning, you will quickly mitigate these effects and improve your overall well-being.

If you are already suffering the consequence of poor posture, you need not worry because, chiropractic treatment offered by our experienced professionals will provide a thorough assessment to diagnose your condition accurately. Our experienced chiropractors will show you how to decrease any form of pain and help strengthen weak muscles. Once the muscles are stronger, we will improve our range of motion. We also focus on educating our patients with self-management techniques that help reduce the chances of injury reoccurrence through proper sitting and standing techniques.

Start your chiropractic care today and enjoy the transformative power of posture we offer! Call 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.

There have been a lot of controversial knowledge versions from different researchers on protein. The layman is often left at the crossroads on whether protein is harmful to our health, how much of it is adequate for a day, or whether to abandon animal protein and depend on plant proteins. While the body can manufacture some of the 21 amino acids, the essential category must come from the food we eat.

 Some researchers have demonized protein citing the following reasons.

•         High consumption of protein increases one’s risk for diabetes.

•         High-protein diets hasten puberty and are associated with breast cancer among girls.

•         Protein is associated with health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and obesity.

•         Eating red and processed meat products regularly accelerates the risks for cancer, premature death, unhealthy weight gain, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

•         Proteins contain high levels of specific amino acids such as methionine (BCAAs) that may harm metabolism, thus affecting an organism’s longevity and health metabolic reactions.

•         Eating more proteins is harmful to kidney health.

•         High consumption of proteins may lead to low bone density.

Does protein have detrimental health effects?

Despite the many misconceptions about protein, there is no adequate scientific evidence to support the claims that protein is indeed harmful to human health. The reasons some researchers may be wrong to have demonized protein include the following.

•         Although it is helpful to restrict protein consumption among those with preexisting kidney issues, there is no empirical proof of the association between kidney damage and protein consumption among healthy individuals.

•         Various studies indicate that consuming more protein lowers blood pressure and helps suppress diabetes, which is both kidney disease risk factors.

•         There is scientific evidence that protein intake, along with other nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, helps prevent osteoporosis.

•         While blaming protein for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, unhealthy weight gain, obesity, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, the researchers have not considered other underlying issues that may lead to similar conditions. The real culprits could be excessive added sugar consumption, saturated fat, genetic disorders, lifestyle, and other factors.

•         Only particular protein sources such as processed meat products are linked with increased risk for cancer.

•         In health promotion and disease prevention, what matters is nutrient density and overall quality rather than the exact macronutrient content.

•         Studies linking higher intakes of protein to increased risks for certain health conditions are not clear whether the researchers considered other factors such as age, individual body weight, physical activity, body composition goals, body weight, and special conditions, such as pregnancy and illness.

Generally, there is no adequate scientific evidence that protein is harmful to human health. Moreover, studies suggest that the protein package rather than the absolute quantity matters in human metabolism and overall well-being. Certain proteins, such as red and processed meat products harm our health. However, we can choose healthy proteins from poultry, eggs, seafood, dairy products, and plant sources such as legumes, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more on why protein is demonized by some researchers and why they are wrong.

Lety Algeri is a certified Holistic Health Coach and the founder of The Craving Crusher Method. She helps women break free from Emotional Eating, and empowers them to create healthy relationships with food using her unique Food Therapy Techniques. 

What makes Lety unique are her simple yet effective strategies and her compassionate yet direct approach to coaching women for lifelong change.  Her magnetic personality inspires her clients and followers to become better versions of themselves, making her message so powerful and effective.   

Links:

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We have heard that protein is an essential macronutrient in bodybuilding and repair. But how much of this macronutrient is enough for us in a day?

The absolute protein requirement per day depends on factors such as physical activity levels, muscle mass composition and goals, age, and the body’s overall health state. Getting inadequate protein quantity can adversely affect our overall health, physique, and general body constituents.

The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommends 0.36g of proteins per pound (0.8g) per kg of body weight. Although this protein quantity may be adequate to keep deficiency at bay, it may not be enough with other lifestyle factors at play.

How much protein do we need per day?

Basically, protein should give us between 10% to 35% calories in a day. At the age of 40-50 years, we may begin to lose muscle mass. To keep fit and live a quality life as we age, we can increase our protein intake from 0.8 to 1-1.3 grams per kg of body weight per day. Is this quantity enough for strenuous physical activities like weight lifting, cycling, or running?

Regular exercise gurus have higher energy requirements and should consume higher protein quantities, ranging from 1.1-1.5 grams per kg.

Regular weight lifters or those training for cycling or running events require 1.2 -1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of their body weights daily. Overweight individuals should consult a dietician before calculating their daily protein requirements to avoid overestimation.

When is the appropriate time of the day to take proteins?

Recent studies suggest that consuming more proteins for breakfast than supper can reduce hunger and cravings during the day for healthy weight management. However, more research is still required to substantiate these claims. Experts recommend even protein distribution throughout the day, maintaining 15-30 grams at every serving. Studies also show that consuming more than the recommended quantity of protein per meal is a waste because it does not gain any gains.

The myth that eating excess protein results in bigger muscles is false. Although athletes, trainers, and bodybuilders require sufficient proteins daily, eating this macronutrient in excess will not result in bigger muscles. Only additional strength training can result in muscle growth.

Is it dangerous to over consume protein?

Since the body has no means of storing protein after meeting its daily requirements, it uses the excess for energy production or stores it as fat. Most protein-dense foods contain saturated fat. Eating more proteins than the body requires elevates blood lipids and heart disease risk. It may also worsen pre-existing kidney conditions.

Bottom line

The optimal daily protein requirements vary with individuals based on various factors such as physical activity and age. It is fundamental for each of us to maintain diet patterns based on our overall well-being and wellness goals and objectives. Although high protein consumption is associated with various health benefits, over consuming some proteins, such as red meat and processed meat products, exposes us to certain health risks.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more on how much protein you should have in a day.

Protein sources contain different quantities of this macronutrient. To plan our diets with healthy protein, we need to understand the best sources to ensure adequate supply to every cell or tissue in our bodies. There are nine amino acids that the body must obtain from food. Studies show that it is the protein package (source) rather than the quantity that matters that matter to our health.

Which foods can supply us with the best protein? We get protein from plants, poultry, and animals, as discussed below.

Plant Protein

Kingdom Plantae offers different types and quantities of healthy protein for daily consumption. These include legumes, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and other plant sources that are healthy and environmentally friendly.

Legumes include beans, lentils, peas, soybeans, beans, and peanuts. This plant-based protein contains the essential macronutrient, fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Eat the right quantity of legumes per meal to get the best health benefits.

High protein Seeds and nuts include cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds, almonds, chia seeds, macadamia, and hemp seeds, among others. You can set a meal target to guide you through the healthy consumption of nuts and seeds; based on your protein requirements and goals.

Whole grains such as rice, oats, quinoa, kamut, teff, millets, buckwheat, and wheat, supply us with B vitamins, carbohydrates, calories, and protein. Unrefined whole grains contain more protein than when refined.

Other plant products that consist of some protein quantities include fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, corn, and Brussels sprouts.

Animal and Poultry Protein

What animal protein is the best? When consuming animal-based protein, it is fundamental to consider the protein package rather than the quantity. Common animal/poultry-based proteins come from the following.

• Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey, and eggs.
• Seafood: fish, mollusks, crustaceans.
• Dairy foods: milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Red meat: unprocessed beef, veal, mutton, goat meat, lamb.
• Processed meats.

What Other Vitamins and Minerals Are We Getting When We Eat Animal Protein

In addition to protein supply, animal-derived foods provide us with the following vitamins and minerals.

• Vitamin B12; is an essential nutrient in the formation of blood, the brain, and the nervous system.
• Zinc for growth and body maintenance.
• Selenium; is an essential trace element that aid in various body functions, including the manufacture of active thyroid hormone.

Did you know that every single cell of our human body is composed of protein?

All thanks to protein, we have well-defined structures in our bodies, thus the reason we refer to them as life’s building blocks. The macronutrients are everywhere; in our bones, cells, tendons, muscles, enzymes, blood, hormones, neurotransmitters, and other structures. 

Proteins consist of amino acid chains. There are three categories of amino acids, namely, essential, nonessential, and conditional amino acids. Our bodies receive essential amino acids from the food we eat because they do not have the capacity to manufacture them. The body can manufacture nonessential amino acids from the essential amino acids supplied via food or during protein breakdown. Conditional amino acids are needed during certain conditions, such as adversity, stress, and illness.

Reasons Protein is Important for Our Overall Well-being

In addition to being the building blocks of life, protein has several other health benefits. Our daily protein requirements depend on various factors, including physical activity and the state of our bodies. The following are some of the reasons protein is fundamental to our overall well-being.

·         Protein is responsible for the body’s self-repair following injury

Have you ever healed from an injury, bruise, or cut? Did you wonder how that bleeding stopped and a scar formed? Proteins are the essential building blocks in organs and tissues. When we are injured, protein helps our bodies repair and recover from such injuries. Different studies support this and add that, after injury, increasing our daily protein consumption can accelerate the recovery process.

·         Promotes muscle mass and strength

Are you a strength trainer or a bodybuilder? Do you desire to have protruding muscles for an excellent pose in front of cameras? Proteins are the muscle mass and strength building blocks. Adequate protein consumption helps in maintaining muscle mass and promoting muscle growth. Trainers, weight lifters, and those desiring to gain muscles need to include enough protein quotients in their daily diets for the best results.

·         Promotes bone health

Bones comprise 50% protein. Studies show that adequate protein consumption, balanced with calcium and plant foods, is beneficial for bone health, especially post-menopause and old age. Consuming more protein will help maintain bone mass and reduce the fracture and osteoporosis risks as we age.

In this podcast, we interview Dr. Shivani Gupta, and she is an Ayurvedic practitioner who has studied Ayurveda in India, and in the US over the last 20 years finally culminating in a Ph.D. and turmeric.

We're going to talk today about the truth about inflammation, what causes it, and how to prevent it. As well as she's going to tell us about her background, her training, and what got her into doing what she does today with inflammation.

The topic of Discussion for this Podcast:

• What are the big causes of inflammation?
• What is the problem with modern medical interventions for inflammation?
• How Ayrveda is different from nutrition therapy, functional medicine, etc.?
• What is the top ayurvedic remedy for inflammation is.
• We also discuss her company, Fusionary formulas, where she creates her own formulas for inflammation

About Dr. Shivani Gupta:

She works with clients and teaches about ancient tools and strategies from Ayurveda for biohacking inflammation and gut health.  Not only do her clients learn how to prevent autoimmune disorders and chronic health diseases, but also improve their longevity and vitality. 

This is why she wants to change lives with Ayurveda: 

When opioids, muscle relaxers, and injections only made a sports injury worse, I decided to rebuild my body naturally and created my own line of natural ayurvedic supplements when I failed to find an effective natural product on the market. I applied this approach to healing leaky gut and an autoimmune condition as well. 

She is the founder of Fusionary Formulas, an Ayurvedic supplement company that is the perfect fusion of the right herbal formulations from ancient times fused with modern science to give us the maximum benefits. 

Daily she works with physicians including top orthopedic and spine surgeons, rheumatologists, and functional medicine doctors across the country to help patients from top CrossFit athletes to Baby Boomers reduce chronic pain, and acute and low-grade inflammation, prevent surgery and optimize their health.

She has spent over 2 decades accessing gurus, leaders, and changemakers in Ayurveda before she earned my master's and PhD in Ayurvedic studies

We have the right to choose what we put into our bodies and what gets taken out and she believes we need to learn to be our own healers.

She believes in a balanced approach to our health that combines the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic herbs and diet with modern medical interventions. 

After a long day, our nervous system may feel strained and crave some rest. Occasional stress stands in the way of the calm you need for your nervous system. But the good news is you can easily calm down your nervous system by including calming nutrients in your diet. Some supplements, nutrients, and minerals play a significant role in helping support your relaxation efforts.

Have you struggled to fall asleep or decompress after a challenging day? That is probably a sign that your nervous system is strained and needs rest. You need not worry anymore because we have got a solution for you. To guide you, we have prepared research on anti-stress supplements, nutrients, and minerals that will significantly help relax your nervous system.

Supplements/Nutrients/Minerals That Calm Down the Nervous System

• Magnesium

You probably have heard of magnesium's significant role in supporting your body's muscles and energy production. But did you know it also plays an essential role in your nerve function? Magnesium is a "calming mineral" that helps your mind and muscles relax. It greatly helps support the regulation of the sleep hormone melatonin, which in return helps direct your body's sleep-wake cycles.

Magnesium optimizes melatonin secretion, making it easy for you to get sleepy at the end of the day and feel rested when you wake up. Magnesium further helps support feelings of calm and rest by binding with the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to facilitate sleeping mode in the body. GABA turns down your nervous system activity to help your body settle down and rest. Some of the great sources of magnesium you can consider adding to your diet include; spinach, avocado, whole wheat, almonds and cashews, dark chocolate, peanuts, quinoa, and black beans.

• B Vitamins

Eight different B vitamins work together to manage many processes in the body, including stress levels. Your brain is responsible for helping your body rest. It contains neurotransmitters that alert your body when it's time to wind down. B vitamins significantly help maintain the production of the neurotransmitters that put your mind at ease. Some dietary sources of B vitamins include; milk, salmon, legumes, eggs, spinach, and romaine lettuce. You can consider adding B vitamins into your diet to optimize your mental health and feel at peace.

• Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are a nutrient that directly benefits the nervous system and brain health. A good intake of omega-3 fats helps reduce the risk of anxiety and depression. Omega-3 fats are present in fish and flaxseed. You can also use an omega-3 supplement like fish oil to help ease stress.

• L-Theanine

L-Theanine is an amino acid reported to have a significant calming effect on the body. It helps reduce resting heart rate and lowers blood pressure when facing a stressful situation. It significantly helps reduce anxiety without making you tired. L-theanine is present in green and black tea. You can also take an L-theanine supplement capsule to help reduce stress.

• Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that is well-known for stress modulation. It promotes calmness and rest by helping your brain keep occasional stress under control. Ensure your nutritional diet is rich in zinc by incorporating grains, animal proteins, and legumes.

Different supplements, nutrients, and minerals can help calm your nervous system. Consider including them in your dietary plan.

If you need professional guidance on any natural supplement, nutrients and minerals that calm down the nervous system, you may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC. 

Have you ever been in a crisis and wondered how to overcome or cope with the associated stress?

Building resilience is an effective technique for overcoming adversity, coping with stressful situations, and leading a better quality of life. Difficult moments are likely to impair your health, mood, and appearance. Building resilience enables us to regain control and cope with stress, trauma, and turbulence during uncertainty. So, how does doing hard things increase our resilience? 

How Does Resilience Help in Adversity?

While situations differ with individuals, resilient people tend to tolerate emotional distress resulting from difficult times. Such individuals tend to find better ways of bouncing back to normalcy. 

Building resilience is an ongoing process with no fixed strategy. Each person’s journey is unique, and so is the time individuals take to attain resilience. Through resilience, we learn to cope with hard things, times, and experiences without numbing emotions with drugs and substance abuse, among other unhealthy means.

Ways in “Which” Hard Things Enhance Our Resilience

Are you wondering whether there is anything to gain in doing hard things? Hardships help us build resilience in the following ways.

• Learning to Accept the Truth

Building resilience begins by first accepting that we are experiencing a crisis. Living in denial may prolong pain, grief, or sadness and delay healing. Concentrating on situations we cannot control can leave us drained, more anxious, and hopeless. Once we accept our circumstances and feelings and grieve our losses, we free ourselves to focus on what we can control.

• Reaching Out to Other People

When we connect with others, especially family and friends, during adversity, we can boost our moods, relieve stress, and find something good in the change or hard things we are doing. Having a shoulder to lean on can help in being strengthened and build resilience in adversity. Being resilient enables us to prioritize relationships, avoid withdrawing in tough times, avoid toxic people, and create social networks.

• Embracing Self-care Routines

Doing hard things can drain us physically and mentally or even lead to serious health, immunity, and digestive issues. Self-care is an essential part of building resilience and overcoming stressful situations. Some of the self-care activities to enhance our resilience include the following:

• Getting adequate sleep.
• Exercising regularly.
• Body-mind relaxation techniques.
• Healthy dieting.
• Developing stress level management skills.
• Discovering Our Purpose and Meaning in Life

Situations and hardships should not define us as individuals. We can uphold our identity, prevent hard things from overwhelming us, and handle problems prospectively by focusing on things that instill purpose and meaning in our lives. Building resilience enables us to focus on things geared toward our satisfaction without being defined by circumstances or other people’s opinions.

• Staying Motivated Throughout the Difficult Situation

Persistence and endurance through hard times help in coping with adversity. Some ways to stay motivated and persevere through tough times include learning to be grateful, celebrating the little achievements, addressing problems one step at a time, and having a hopeful and positive mindset. 

While building resilience in hard times, it is fundamental to recognize our situations’ uniqueness. Thus, we should be kind to ourselves to avoid being critics of our coping skills or blaming ourselves for every slip along the way to recovery.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more on how doing “hard” things increases our resilience.

Breathing is an automatic process that we all do without thinking about it. On average, we take 20,000 breaths per day. Breathing is such an essential process in life that people die within minutes if it stops. Your respiratory system and the body cells utilize the oxygen you breath in and, in return, create waste in the form of carbon dioxide that you breath out.

Although breathing takes a subconscious effort, did you know that you can pay more attention to how you breath and significantly impact your stress level? You indeed have the power to change your breathing to relax your brain deliberately. Breath control dramatically helps to manage stress by promoting brain relaxation.

Breathing and stress

You probably have realized that your breathing patterns change whenever you are stressed or anxious. The breathing tends to be irregular and shallow. Your chest activity can also expand and contract so much, making it hard to get adequate air in, disrupting the balance of gases in the body. Ideally, shallow over-breathing can prolong feelings of anxiety by making the physical symptoms of stress worse. It is, therefore, essential to control your breathing to help improve some of these symptoms.

How Breathing Can Quite the Mind

Have you heard people advise you to take a deep breath whenever you are stressed? It is not just a myth. Deep breathing is a practice that enables more air to flow into your body and significantly helps calm your nerves, reducing stress and anxiety. The process also helps improve your attention span and lower pain levels.

Ideally, breathing is a vital part of your body’s stress response. Purposeful deep breathing helps calm your body down when stressed or anxious. You could be wondering how exactly deep breathing works to relieve stress. Don’t worry! Here is a quick review;

You probably have heard of the autonomic nervous system from biology classes, which control involuntary actions like heart rate and digestion in your body. The autonomic nervous system is split into two parts;

1. The sympathetic nervous system controls your fight-or-flight response.
2. The parasympathetic nervous system controls your rest-relax response.

Though the two nervous systems are always active, deep breathing significantly helps calm your sympathetic nervous system, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Shifting your breathing to a modulated, slow, relaxed pattern helps to turn the volume down on the sympathetic nervous system.

Therefore, whenever you are under stress, consider taking a deep breath by involving slower, longer breaths from your stomach to help trigger a relaxation response in the brain. You need to always focus on your breath when stressed to help counter the short, rapid breaths that your body defaults to when stressed or anxious. Practice taking deep breaths by focusing on breathing from your stomach each time you inhale. Ensure each inhalation and exhalation involves longer breaths. After some time, you will start to notice your body feeling more relaxed.

You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth city, NC to learn more on how breathing can quite the mind.