Have you ever done anything that you immediately regretted?  I’m not talking about anything that will get you into real trouble, but rather something like hurting yourself.  I tend to do things like that routinely, and I’m sure that some of you are on the same page.  I think it is something about forgetting that I’m not 18 anymore.

I did something like that earlier this week, and I think my experience is a good reminder to all of us that we must think things through thoroughly before doing anything.  Here’s my story and what I should have done to prevent it.

As many of you know, I like to run a little bit.  My favorite workouts are speed intervals.  Unfortunately speed intervals can be a little harder on your hamstrings, as common sense and a few past experiences have demonstrated.

Many of you also know that I am a big supporter of rolling on therapeutic balls or foam rolling as well (depending on the situation one, or both may be necessary).  Unfortunately I have been shirking my responsibilities on that portion of my own care.

I’m sure you can all imagine where this is heading.  After a couple of sprints, my hamstring started feeling a little off.  Not enough to stop me from running, but enough to remind me that hurting myself was a possibility.  Of course this only got worse after I got off of the treadmill and the hamstring cooled down.

I will give myself credit.  I am great at stretching every day, no matter what the circumstances.  This injury just reminds me that I have to do all parts of my therapy, not just the parts that I enjoy.  Continuing down the path that I know I should have been on would have allowed me to skip over this injury.  As a chiropractor I know that this is the case, but some things are still hard to do.

Like I said, I think this lesson can be applied to almost all of you.  I see a lot of people that come in and claim that they are doing their stretches.  Of those that are willing to tell the truth on the frequency they are doing their exercises (don’t lie about it, it only makes it worse), many are still not doing what has been instructed.

A number of the people that end up in my office with the same injury that they were seen for in the past, MOST of them have been neglecting their homework.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY.  YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE WORK TO REMAIN HEALTHY.

I have learned my lesson, and I hope that y’all can take advantage of my mistakes. 

…Now go stretch.

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

What would you say if I told you that I could save you over $7,000 every year?  What if I told you that that was $7,000 a year in today’s prices, and that inflation would likely make that significantly more?

Are you thinking that you should probably look a little deeper into what I am about to tell you, or are you thinking that I am not a financial advisor and I should probably just stick to what I’m good at?

What I am about to tell you doesn’t require an inflated I.Q. to understand.  It doesn’t involve a lot of risk that some investments (stocks, for example) carry.  And it is as close to a guarantee as any investment can promise.

Of course I am talking about investing in yourself.  I’m talking about two different kinds of investment in yourself though.  First of all, you need to spend some time educating yourself.  Obviously this is an important part of any investment.  Of course there is also the implementation stage as well.  This is where many people fail to follow through with the knowledge that they have accumulated.

Here’s my investment proposal; start taking better care of your body.  It is that simple.  An article published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, estimates have been run that put the cost of heart disease alone (not considering every other chronic disease, most of which are seen along with heart disease) at $818.1 BILLION by 2030.  At that same time period, they estimate that there will be approximately 116 million people suffering from at least one type of heart disease.  That breaks down to $7,052 and some change.

The scariest fact is that they did not consider inflation in this projection.  Scarier yet, they didn’t consider any new treatments that will be introduced (as they are often more expensive than our current treatments). 

Obviously there are genetic and environmental factors that make this investment unknown, but making the investment in yourself in the health realm is almost guaranteed to work.  If nothing else, you are likely to decrease the severity of the diseases you suffer from.

How do I propose you make this investment?

Judging by the things that a lot of people spend their money on, the American population is getting more and more health conscious.  In 2010, $28.7 BILLION (per the Nutrition Business Journal) went towards the supplement industries.  Health clubs pull in another $25 BILLION annually (according to IBIS World).  The problem with this lies in principle.  Any financial planner will tell you that there are expenses and there are investments.  Too many people are making expenditures, not investments.

Don’t read this as me telling you that your gym membership and supplements are all worthless.  I am not saying that at all.  What I am saying is you need to research ways to get the most out of your money in both areas. 

If you go to the gym and you socialize, do a couple of lifts, spend 15 minutes on a cardio machine and leave, you aren’t really getting much benefit out of your time and money.  You would be much better served by putting in a lot of different types of workouts, figuring out what works best for your body, then using that as your main workout system, with support from other varieties.  If you haven’t tried a workout that mixes anaerobic workouts in, I highly recommend them.  They will add a new element that is great for your health, as well as your appearance.  An added bonus is, a shorter anaerobic workout is likely to give you just as much, or more, benefit than the longer ones that you’re likely doing now.  Obviously mixing and matching is a great approach.

Unfortunately supplements are a little harder nut to crack.  There is so much variety in what is available. T here is so much propaganda (not necessarily research).  What research is available is likely to be biased, hard to understand or impossible to find.

Unfortunately the sources that you would think you could trust are often biased as well.  Talking to a doctor is usually a great place to start, but many of them sell supplements out of their offices now.  I can’t blame them with the large amounts of money that are on the table, but it always makes you wonder who’s best interest they have in mind.

The best way to approach this type of research is to read as much as you can on the subject.  When you implement a lot of different articles and resources into your research, you will ease the process of sorting out fact from propaganda.

A third type of investment you can make is taking advantage of better healthcare when you need it.  Chiropractic care, massage therapy, personal training, and of course routine visits to your medical doctor should not be forgotten.  They may cost you a little up front, but they will pay off big in the long-term.

Obviously this isn’t a whole lot of fun.  It takes time that nobody seems to have enough of.  It takes money that nobody wants to spend.  The facts speak for themselves though.  A lot of us are already making the financial commitment.  To make you feel bad, you probably have more time than you think (How much time do you spend watching television on a weekly basis?).

Use your resources wisely and it will likely pay HUGE dividends in the long-run.  By saving $7,052 for just 10 years (which is a drastic under-exaggeration of what you will likely see) at a market average of 8% return, you will save $110,331.98.  By sharing the information that you learned with your husband or wife, you would save $220,663.96.  I think we can all agree that that is worth a little extra time and effort.

Happy investing.

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

Are you a creature of habit?  Do you find yourself doing the same things day in and day out?  Do you despise having to change your plans to do something new?  If you have answered yes to these questions, you need to keep reading.  Variance is one of the most important things you can do for your health.  I will go as far as to say that it is NECESSARY for optimal health.

Let’s explore this theory a little deeper.  As I mentioned, variance can be applied to almost any area of your life, and bring better results.  Obviously there are some limitations to this, but let’s take a deeper look at some of the ways that it can be applied.

Diet

One of the most obvious ways that variance can be applied to your everyday habits, it to put a little in your diet.  If you are only taking in one or two different types of foods throughout the day, then you aren’t going to be getting the nutrition that you need to optimally fuel your body.  Adding different types of foods (not only from different food groups, but also different types of cooking methods) can really help you get past some of your health hang-ups.  Take in some new fruits and vegetables, maybe some that you didn’t like when you were a kid, and just see if it is something that you can benefit from.  The added nutrition alone may be worth it.

I’m not going to say that you should eat something you don’t like, just because it is good for you.  Some of the foods available to us, are worth that though.  After a couple of times, eating them isn’t a chore.  I have even come to like some of the foods that I have forced myself to eat.  I’m seeing a benefit from it too.

As I said, there are limits to this.  Varying only one factor (changing bacon with sausage, prime rib with other fatty cuts of meat, etc…) isn’t going to help you achieve your goals.  You have to make a full-on change to see the true benefits (think eating a nice home-cooked meal versus fast food, or substituting fresh vegetables for mashed potatoes).

Fitness

Making changes to your workout is something that we have talked extensively about in the past.  The same holds true here.  If you don’t make changes, your body is going to adapt to what you are currently doing, it will get more efficient at it, and you will see decreased results because of it.  By adding a little variety to the types of workouts you are doing (doing a Crossfit workout one day, a traditional weight workout the next, a kettlebell workout later in the week, and an anaerobic variety for cardio), you will see incredible changes in a short period of time.

Again, certain types of variance aren’t going to be sufficient.   If you just replace bench press with pushups, you aren’t going to see a big change.  If you run 3.5 miles instead of 3, you are making progress, but you are probably going to have to make some bigger changes to realize your full potential over the long-term. 

Start small and see what happens.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how your body responds.

Health Care

Making changes to your health care routine can provide you with some amazing improvements.  If you are used to only going to the doctor when you are sick, try checking out your chiropractor and getting a little maintenance work done.  If you usually fight through some of the ailments that you have, seek treatment right away.  This will eliminate some of the related problems that you would probably have experienced otherwise.  If you have never seen a chiropractor, a massage therapist or acupuncturist; give them a shot.  You really don’t have anything to lose, and there is a lot to gain.  I really think that you will see yourself on the injured reserve less, and performing the tasks that you want to be doing, easier and easier because of it.

This is one area where any type of variance will likely help you out, unless of course, you decide to skip some form of routine care.  Obviously that is not in your best interest and should be avoided at all costs.

Mental Health

I know y’all probably freaked out a little bit when you read this sub-topic.  Mental health is something that a lot of people relate with the word “crazy”.  This is not only an unfair comparison, but something that needs to be changed.  Mental health is as much of a concern as physical health; possibly even more so.  We have discussed the role that stress plays in health.

The reason that I wanted to talk a little bit about this is the fact that variance is great for your mental health.  Just like any other body part, your brain needs a break from the routine.  Studies have shown that learning a new skill, and stimulating your mind in new ways, will decrease your risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.  It does this by increasing some of the neural connections in your brain.  The more connections you have, the more likely you are to avoid future issues.  It’s incredible how easy it is to avoid some of these diseases.  Small changes go a long way.

Again, this is an area that you will need to be careful.  If the change you are making is putting you in a more stressful situation than you would normally be in, it is probably something that you will want to evaluate a little deeper.  Is it something that you want to do, or you feel you must do?  Is it going to cause the rest of your health to diminish?  How often do you plan to do this activity?

Obviously learning any new skill will present a little stress.  Don’t eliminate it because it is going to cause some stress.  Evaluate how much stress is going to be introduced to your life.  If it is something that you can manage, go for it.  If it is going to decrease your health over the long-term, look for something that fits your needs a little better.

Variance is something that has gotten a bad rap.  Everyone likes to have their own little routine.  Although it isn’t always fun, it is something that presents you with an opportunity to grow.  Don’t shy away from those opportunities.  As the saying goes, “If you aren’t growing, you’re dying”.

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

What do you think of when you hear the word orthotics?  Let me guess, your grandparents’ footwear right?  Let me tell you that your grandparents may have been onto something.  I highly recommend orthotics for a lot of my patients.  So much so, that we have decided to add these as an offering at Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC.  I don’t like to turn this blog into a sales pitch, so I have decided to give y’all a little information as to what orthotics can do and who they are best suited for.

Obviously orthotics, like anything else, aren’t for everyone.  The people that do see benefit from them, are never going to want to be without them, though.  Who are these people that will benefit most from orthotics?

I recommend orthotics for most of my patients that are into sports that traumatize the legs, like running, people who stand all day and people who experience a lot of foot and lower leg pain.  Let me explain how all of this works.

When you use custom fit orthotics (more on that in a moment), your arch is re-created, which helps the foot better absorb the shock that is put into it on an everyday basis.  When the arch is functioning how it is supposed to, a lot less stress will be put on the joints and the muscles throughout the body, but particularly the ankles, knees and hips.  By taking the pressure off of these, many activities are more easily tolerated.

The next question, is what type of orthotic is best for you?  There are a lot of different varieties on the market today.  Obviously some of these are good options, others I wouldn’t recommend for anyone.  Podiatrists seem to favor the hard plastic molds, there are some that are made of leather and other components, and I’m sure you have all seen the commercials for the Dr. Scholl’s “Pain Relief Orthotics”.

Of these varieties, I would highly recommend getting your foot scanned for custom-made orthotics.  The hard-plastic and the leather/component versions are both very good.  I would stay as far away from the Dr. Scholl’s version as I could.  In my opinion they are taking advantage of consumers and making their product seem like something that it isn’t (they bill it as a custom orthotic, but we all know that something that fits multiple people is not custom).  The Dr. Scholl’s version may help, or it may make your condition worse.  Don’t give up on orthotics if you have fallen for their marketing and it didn’t help you.

The reason that the hard-plastic and leather/component versions are so much better is they are molded specifically to your foot.  They take into consideration all of the little quirks that are present in your body and they design a product to eliminate the problems that can be caused by that.  The hard plastic version is usually molded to your foot, the leather and component varieties usually require a pressure scan of your foot to ascertain where the orthotic needs to support.

Of the two choices that I recommend, I usually push people to the leather variety.  The reasoning behind this, is a matter of opinion.  The hard-plastic versions does a very good job at changing the mechanics of the foot to the way that they are supposed to work.  What they don’t do is move with the foot.  If you are put in a position where your foot isn’t on a level surface, the orthotic isn’t going to adjust.

The leather/component varieties have corrected for this, and are easily adaptable to inconsistent surfaces.  I think this makes them the better product overall.  If you are going to use the orthotic for normal, everyday walking, either variety will probably work fine for you.  If you are going to use it for athletics, or more aggressive terrain, the leather/component varieties will probably be your best bet.

How much can you expect to pay for these different varieties of orthotics?  Unfortunately the prices of these are all over the board.  You can get the Dr. Scholl’s variety (again, I highly recommend you don’t) for around $30.  The leather and component versions will cost you between $100-300, but they will last for 3-5 years depending on what you are using them for.  The hard plastic varieties can cost anywhere from $200-750.  They are likely to last longer than the other varieties, as they are made of more stable resources.

If you would like to check into these products a little more deeply, or you have any questions about them, please let me know.  I would love to take you through this a little more in-depth.  I do highly recommend these for most athletes, people who are on their feet a lot, and people who have problems with their lower legs.  They really do an amazing job of easing some of those aches and pains.

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

 

How many times have you been told that you needed to put on a coat when you went outside, because if you didn’t, you would get sick?  I’ve heard this millions of times.  It seems like every time we do anything, that is the warning.  This idea has crossed generation after generation, but is it true?

To straighten this myth out once and for all…BEING COLD DOES NOT MAKE YOU SICK.  Germs are the cause of diseases.  Some are viruses (some ironically referred to as colds), some are bacteria, some are even yeasts, but none of them are directly correlated with the weather.

I do want to explore how this misconception may have come about, though.  First of all, more people get sick in the winter than in the summer, in this part of the world.  As you might have guessed, there are a few explanations for this.  First of all, when the weather is cold, more people are going to spend time indoors.  This crowding makes it easier for us to pass germs from person to person, facilitating the process of getting more people infected.

Secondly, during the winter months, drier air moves into our region.  This drier air dries out your skin and mucous membranes (think inside of your nose, your lips, etc…), as well.  These areas are all part of the immune system and when they dry out, it makes it easier for infections to infiltrate their defenses.

For those of you who disagree with all of this, I will give you a little bit of ammunition to fuel your argument.  While the weather doesn’t directly cause disease, it can have an effect on you contracting a disease, but it will take a longer-term exposure for this to occur.  Again, this is not going to be a direct correlation, as even if you are in these conditions it is still very possible that you won’t contract any infections.  I just want to clarify one thing.

Cold weather can put stress on your body. If you aren’t dressed appropriately for the elements, or you are in a cold room for long periods of time, your body is put under a lot of stress.  Obviously it has been tasked with the duties of keeping your core temperature regulated.  To do this it must adjust your metabolism to the elements.  If you are in a cold environment for long periods of time, it is going to turn your metabolism up, as heat is a side product of your body breaking down nutrients.  Shivering works in the same ways.  It requires energy to move your muscles, creating more heat.  Unfortunately doing this does require energy.  As you continue to use up energy, without the right fuel, your body will fatigue.  This fatigue can decrease your immune function, which also requires energy, and make you susceptible to attack from pathogens.  You will still have to be exposed to those pathogens for this to be a possibility, though.

Next time you hear someone tell you to bundle up for your quick trip outside to grab the paper, feel comfortable in explaining to them that you are much more likely to catch a cold from them than you are from going outside.

 

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

Has the beginning of the year given you a massive headache that you can’t seem to shake?  Catching up from the holidays, getting ready for tax season, nasty weather and a slew of other stresses can lead to a lot of headaches this time of the year.  I have seen the effects of these headaches in a lot of my patients.

Unfortunately stress headaches aren’t always just headaches.  Some of them have been associated with light-headedness, ear pain, jaw pain, pain down the arm and, of course, neck pain.  Of course we have had a lot of success treating these issues, but the question that is most important to everyone is “How can I AVOID these headaches?”

Unfortunately stress is a part of our lives.  It always has been and it always will be.  Stress affects everyone in different ways.  Some people just have the tight musculature that is commonly associated with it.  Others start losing their hair.  Yet others can’t function socially.  Stress tends to attack our body’s weakest systems, and cause them to dysfunction.

Managing our stress levels will set us up to avoid a lot of the negative things, like headaches, that it can cause.  The beginning of the year is always stressful, but there are ways that you can limit the stress that you feel.  First of all, stay active.  Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of terrible weather keeping you from working out.  You need to keep moving to eliminate some of that negative stress, as well as increase the blood flow to some of the areas that need it most.

Secondly, keep stretching.  I know that stretching isn’t much fun.  It is however very effective in keeping a lot of tension out of your muscles.  It is also very relaxing, which is very convenient when you are looking for a break from the high stress lifestyle you likely live.

Finally, get regular massage and/or chiropractic treatments.  If you keep everything in working order, stress will have a hard time overcoming those systems.  Like I mentioned above, stress tends to attack your body’s weaknesses.  If you keep those weaker points in good working order, you eliminate some of the effect that stress can have.

Of course managing stress levels isn’t the only solution to eliminating headaches.  You must also remember to use proper techniques when you do work.  Proper posture is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.  In the proper posture, a lot of stress is taken off of the muscles, as they are doing exactly what they were designed to do.  By keeping yourself in these positions, you eliminate some of the stresses that are placed on the areas that aren’t designed to pick up that extra work-load.  Two of the biggest offenders in this category are work stations (computer and desks) and recliners.

Taking breaks for yourself is also important.  I know a lot of people are working seven days a week right now, trying to catch up from the onslaught that takes place in many businesses at the end of the year.  Your body/mind can only take this for so long before something gives in.  Your break may be a walk at the lake (we have had excellent weather for this), some time with the kids, reading an entertaining book or spoiling yourself with a little bit of TV (just don’t watch too much, as this can cause other issues that lead to headaches).

Whatever you decide to do, please remember that a lot of these issues are preventable.  Take a few minutes every day to work on your health, and you can avoid some of the nasty things that it leads to.  Headaches are some of the worst, as they are often one of the first things that you notice is feeling “off”.  As Benjamin Franklin said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

 

Have you ever tried to lose weight?  How about gain strength?  With either of these goals, you likely came to a point where you just couldn’t continue moving forward with your goal, no matter what you seemed to do.  These plateaus (times when you don’t see any forward movement, but rather stall out on your goal) are common, even expected, from time to time.  There are ways to decrease how often you see them, and ways to get over them more quickly.

As the year began, I’m sure that many of you decided to get into better shape, more than likely with one of these two goals in mind.  One of the most common fitness questions I am asked is why these plateaus occur and how we can avoid them.  Unfortunately answering this question and putting it into practice are two totally different things.  The answers are easy to understand, the work takes a little more time and effort.

These plateaus are usually caused by your body adapting to what you are doing.  If you are trying to lose a lot of weight, your body gets to a point where it resists.  This is due to a protective mechanism that notices that things aren’t the same as they have been.  The body kind of goes into a stall to protect against further move in the direction you have been moving.  The weight loss scenario is a little easier to explain, so we will go a little deeper into that.

Take starvation as the example.  You have always weight 180 pounds.  Your body is used to this weight.  You don’t have much food for a period of a couple weeks and you drop down to 155 pounds.  Your body stops your weight loss through a few mechanisms to keep you from depleting all of your resources.  This is a survival technique to keep you alive until you can find some food.

Obviously if you are on a weight loss plan, this kind of works against you, but it is something that can be overcome.  The strength side is similar, but the protective mechanisms are for a different reason.  Your body doesn’t want you to get too strong too fast and damage the tissues and bones that they are attached to.  This is one of the reasons steroids are so dangerous (tendon injuries are very common).

So…how can we safely bypass these protective mechanisms to keep our bodies moving forward?  Like I said above, the description is a lot easier than putting it into practice. 

No matter what your goal is, you need to vary the type of exercises you are doing quite often (the more often the better).  In your workouts, if your body can’t get used to a set number of sets, repetitions or a series of exercises and weights, you will likely see your body continue to progress.  The same is true of the diet; if you continue to eat the same foods day in and day out, take in the same number of calories and eat at the exact same times, your body is going to recognize a pattern.  If it does get used to things, then it starts to reprogram things.  Variance is the key to progression.

Rest is also a key to progression.  This sounds counterintuitive, but let me explain.  If you don’t get enough rest, your body doesn’t repair.  If your body doesn’t repair it continually breaks down.  If you continually break yourself down, the body is forced to take action to stop this cycle and avoid injury.  It doesn’t matter if your goal is weight loss, strength gain or a combination of these.  It works on the same process.

By getting plenty of rest, you give your body ample time to build back up to full strength.  This allows you to continue moving forward, no matter what the situation is.  Rest is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.  I can’t decide what the right time is for you to take a break.  You have to “listen to your body”.  If it is telling you that you need a day off…take a day off.  Be sure to get back into the gym as soon as you are past that point though.  I have seen way too many people fail to reach their goals because one day off turns into a week, which turns into a month, which…

Finally, you must eat.  Even if you are trying to lose weight, you have to take in sustenance.  You may lose some weight in the short-term via starvation, but long term you are forcing your body into the same cycle that lack of rest puts you into.  You must supply your body with the nutrients it needs to re-build its systems.  If you don’t have them, it starts to break down.  Getting ample protein is an important part of this stage (please consult with your doctor before increasing your protein intake, as it can present problems with your kidneys, gout and a few other ailments).

You have made it through the first couple weeks of the new year.  You may still have a ways to go, but by remembering these key principles, you will see your progress continue rather than stall out.  The principles are easy.  You must WORK to make it happen.  I’m pulling for your success…

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

 

 

Did you wake up on New Year’s Day wondering why you fell into the same trap as many other people did on New Year’s Eve?  The throbbing headache, the churning stomach, the tired feeling and muscle weakness…   The drawbacks from a night of drinking go on and on, sometimes lasting for a couple of days.

Over the past couple of years there have been a lot of hangover remedies placed on the consumer market.  You may have heard of some of them (RU-21 for example), others may not be as commonly marketed.  All of them claim that they will help you wake up feeling just as good as you normally would.  I haven’t ever tried any of these remedies, but I would like to talk about why they are unlikely to work. 

Alcohol really is toxic to our bodies.  We can tolerate it, and its effects are relatively short-lived, but just the simple fact that enough alcohol can kill you will tell you that it is not something that is meant to be put into our bodies.  When it is consumed it starts a complex cascade of events on multiple systems throughout our bodies.

The most obvious effect that alcohol has on any system is its effect on the brain.  It doesn’t take too many drinks before you start doing things that you wouldn’t normally do.  A few more and you start to lose the fine motor controls.  A few more and you start to lose major muscle control.  All of this is due to how alcohol affects the brain.

Alcohol affects the brain by interfering with a few receptors.  One of the main neurotransmitters that is affected by alcohol is Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA).  GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.  Alcohol increases the effects that of this neurotransmitter, which leads to a sluggish response from the muscular system.  To add to this, alcohol also has an effect on some excitatory neurotransmitters (decreasing their effectiveness) which leads to a further decrease in muscular response.

Unfortunately this isn’t the only part of the brain that is affected by alcohol.  Alcohol also attacks the cerebellum, which is a part of the brain that coordinates muscle function.  When this part of the brain is affected, you really start to lose fine motor control (initially) and major muscle control, such as balance (as you continue to consume).  This is the basis for the tests that the police do to determine sobriety.

Alcohol does affect a third part of the brain, but this is going to have global effects on your body.  Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) is a hormone that is produced and released in the brain, but has its major function carried out in the kidneys.  ADH functions to re-absorb water into your body.  Unfortunately alcohol reduces the effectiveness of this hormone (effectively turning it off).  This is why you have to go to the bathroom so often when you are drinking.  It is also the source of a major portion of your hangover the next morning.

As you continue to drink more and more, you continue to dehydrate yourself more and more.  The water must come from somewhere, as your blood is pushed through the kidneys every loop through the system.  As your body excretes the water, your blood volume is decreased (as much of it is water).  This lowers the blood pressure, which sounds like a good plan, but it is not a healthy way of doing so, as it forces the heart to work harder.  Fluid is brought from other areas of the body to compensate for this drop, but it isn’t overly effective, as only certain reserve amounts are brought over so that every system can continue to function.

The drop in volume of the circulatory system is part of the reason for your hangover.  The decrease in effective pumping of blood to the muscles decreases their health and energy levels.  This can also lead to tension headaches the next morning. 

 It is the decrease in cerebro-spinal fluid, related to the dehydration, that will leave you with the pounding headaches.  Unfortunately the only way to remedy this situation is to take in more water.  This is why the hangovers can last so long in certain instances.

Finally, the stomach is affected by alcohol.  The alcohol that is taken in irritates the lining of the stomach.  This is called alcohol-induced gastritis.  It leads to the uncomfortable rolling stomach pains that some people describe.  It is also the reason that alcoholics sometimes have severe stomach issues.  This can also explain why some people crave the greasy junk food the day after a drinking binge (grease is theorized to help “coat” the stomach, relieving some of the pain).

So the question you have all been waiting for is; “How do I avoid a hangover?”  Unfortunately there is only one way to avoid a hangover…stay away from alcohol.  There are likely quite a few of you who will think I am crazy for offering that explanation, so I will give you a couple of alternatives.

First, drink less alcohol.  Alcohol is a dose-dependent drug, so the less you have of it, the less affect it will have on your system.

Second, drink water between drinks.  Although this won’t work in theory (due to the effects of ADH), it will slow down the speed of which you drink the alcohol.  This will slow the rate of absorption into the body, and help you to avoid some of the effects of too much, too fast.  In addition, some of the water that you consume, may be absorbed, and slow your rate of dehydration.

Finally, know what you can and cannot have.  Different types of alcohol effect different people in different ways.  Some people can handle beer, but if they have a drink of hard alcohol, they will feel it in the morning.  Others are the exact opposite.  By knowing your body, you will decrease the likelihood of having a hangover in the morning.

Once you get past the state that you may have been in yesterday, I hope that you will implement some of these ideas to avoid future episodes.  Unfortunately the memory can be short (another effect of alcohol) so you may want to keep this article close.

I hope y’all have a happy, safe new year.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss these, or other, issues in more detail, please contact:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

How does a nice little vacation to the beach sound to you right now?  Would it sound even better if I asked you in January or February?  What if I added to it that you could actually improve your health by taking one of these vacations? 

The American public has valued hard work for generations.  Every year it seems to get worse and worse.  Not only are we putting in more hours at work (8.6 hours a day in 2010 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), but we are around our work more.  Our ancestors went home from work and stayed away until the next morning.  With our cell phones and computers, it is hard, if not impossible, to follow their lead.

I have blogged on stress enough for you to understand the complex processes that it can lead to.  Vacations are a necessary part of any complete life.  Without the time away to recharge, you will never reach your full potential.

Dr. Henry Cloud actually wrote a great book (Boundaries) about setting your boundaries and keeping them, to eliminate some of the stress that today’s workers are exposed to.  You can only work so hard for so long, before problems start to present themselves. 

So, how do vacations lead to the desired effects?  First of all they break the continuous exposure to the cortisol that the body produces throughout any stressful situation.  By breaking this system, you allow your body to recover to its natural state.  This can help eliminate some severe risk factors as well as reset your body.

Secondly, your brain needs a vacation just like your  body does.  Working anything non-stop is going to lead to fatigue.  When you get back from vacations, you may find that you get more work done, in less time.  You may find yourself with a new perspective on things.  You may find that ideas on how to move yourself forward flow more freely.  Taking a vacation is great for the mental benefits that it provides.

Finally, stepping away from where you are, and going somewhere else really makes you appreciate what you have.  The thankful attitude can go a long way in improving your health.  Realizing you have an amazing support group, your job isn’t that bad and the sun has drawbacks in large doses can do wonders for your level of happiness.

While you are enjoying a little time off during the holidays, check out those vacation packages.  I highly recommend it.

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com

Every time someone goes to Mexico, they joke that they don’t want to end up in the Mexican jails.  I recently spent a little time in Mexico for a friend’s wedding, and fortunately I didn’t end up in jail.  I did however end up somewhere else that doesn’t necessarily have the best reputation…a doctor’s office.

How I got there is kind of a long story, so instead of recounting all of it, I’ll give you the abbreviated version.  After getting down there, my throat continued to get more and more sore.  On Sunday night around 9 PM I took a look at it and realized that there were white spots on the back of it (too much info, I know).  Obviously strep throat is not something that anybody wants, especially on vacation, so I talked to the front desk and they let me know that they could call a doctor (the treatment would be around $130 for everything).  I talked to a friend who is a nurse and she recommended just going to the pharmacy and asking for the antibiotics that I needed.

After talking to a few of the employees we were advised to go to a pharmacy that was a few miles away.  A couple of my friends loaded into a bus with me and we embarked on our adventure.  After passing 4 or 5 other pharmacies, we finally reached the one that was referred to us.  Unfortunately the pharmacist said that we needed a prescription for the drugs (which the resort employees said wouldn’t be necessary).  After trying to figure out what we were going to do for a few minutes, the pharmacist told us to walk around the corner, into an alley, and the doctor would write us a prescription for free (we may or may not have thought we were going to get robbed). 

Of course we took our chances and found the smallest doctor’s office I have ever seen.  The room didn’t even have a door on it.  Making the place a little less reputable was the doctor’s “Apple” computer (we could see through the Apple sticker to the original Dell logo).

The process was pretty painless overall.  I sat on a table, he looked in my throat and he wrote me a prescription for the appropriate antibiotic.  No blood pressure cuff, no thermometer, no scale, nothing.  He just looked in my throat.

Overall my experience wasn’t terrible.  I wonder what it would have been like had we not asked for the antibiotics by name, but it is hard to tell.  The best part of the experience was the cost.  For the doctor’s visit and the antibiotics, I paid a grand total of $10.77.

All of this gave me a new perspective.  Our healthcare system may not be perfect.  It may be overpriced.  We may have to jump through a lot of hoops.  In the end though, we mostly know what we can expect out of the experience.  Someone fully qualified will be put on your case.  They may not have the bedside manner that you want them to.  They may rush through the visit with minimal conversation.  They WILL make mistakes from time to time.  They will probably charge you more than you want to pay. But they are qualified, which may or may not have been the case where I went.

I’m glad I got the new perspective on the system.  I’ve been critical at times, and I still feel that there is good reason for that.  I don’t think that you can improve on something unless you are critical of it.  We all know that continual improvement is, not only the goal, but it is necessary.  No matter how critical I get, though, I wouldn’t want to count on anyone for my healthcare more that the doctors and chiropractors we have in the United States.

Would I still go to the doctor down there if I didn’t have a choice?  Of course I would.  I would just make sure that I talked to a doctor in the States that could tell me exactly what I needed.  I hope if you’re ever in my situation, you’ll do the same.

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
          10700 Sapp Bros Dr, Omaha, NE  68138
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com