Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’
Your San Diego Chiropractor Wants You to Know That Those Seemingly Harmless Extra Few Pounds Can Make a Big Difference As You Age
As a Chiropractor in San Diego, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you decide to add a little more “stretch” to the fabric in your wardrobe, there’s something you may want to know regarding those few extra pounds you may have gained. Over time, they can add up to a surprising number of health challenges from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back pain and joint degeneration. Surplus poundage puts harmful stress on organs, like the heart, as well as on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Over half (62%) of men and women in America are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is an extremely compelling figure and an enormous problem (no pun intended).
It is likely no surprise to you to learn that the human body was not intended to transport surplus poundage in the form of body fat. Just 20 or 30 extra pounds can, in point of fact, overload and even overwhelm the joints and muscles of the body. Excess weight in the abdominal region, for instance, requires that the body compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This angle puts pressure on the joints of the low back. Joint compression inhibits nerve activity and causes painful inflammation. Most people who have a heavy midsectionsuffer from low back pain caused by a compressed sciatic nerve or spinal misalignments that restrict nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. If ignored, misaligned vertebra not only continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have taken place already, but can produce new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
Are you wondering how chiropractic can help? To begin with the obvious, a “normal” body weight is necessary in order for the musculoskeletal system to act and respond in the way it is designed to. Chiropractic treatment can not only relieve pain created by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve impingements in the spine and assist in getting motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, such as in the low back, hips, and knees. And, naturally exercise and physical activity are a lot easier, and more beneficial for the body, when the spine is in alignment and the joints have good movement. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually reduce degenerative changes as we age.
It is always a good idea to review your diet and exercise options with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor. In addition to assisting men and women suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors can provide expert guidance regarding the particular lifestyle changes that can help you to stay healthier, more energetic, and more active through the years. Arthritis and immobility due to aging don’t have to be compulsory. The structure of the human body is designed for an entire lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been throwing your weight around and all you’ve been getting in return is back and joint pain,as your San Diego chiropractor and someone who cares about your health, I can help relieve your suffering. Make an appointment today!
You Don’t Have To Lose It Alone Advises Dallas Weight Loss Specialist
Let’s face it, losing weight is difficult! In my field as a Dallas weight loss specialist, I work with many men and women who find losing weight a daily struggle. Telling someone not to overeat, without advising them on how to eat nutritiously as well, can be harmful even if a modicum of weight loss takes place. Though it’s often the motivation for many people, losing weight should be far more than merely a cosmetic issue. “Looking” good is of little value if a person isn’t “feeling” good, or if his or her body isn’t getting what it needs to function properly. When our body is unhealthy at any weight, the quality of our life is affected, including our work performance, our family participation, and our social life. Living at a “healthy” weight means living a healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet, plentiful hydration, and getting regular exercise.
Losing weight is essential, then, for healthy interaction in all areas of your life. However, in this article I want to direct attention to one particular region of the body that is more often than not the most visible evidence of excess weight and obesity, and that the body’s midsection. Though Santa Claus may have been jolly once a year, with that extra weight in his belly he most likely suffered from painful musculoskeletal problems the rest of the year! It might be helpfu, at this point, to tell you that I’m also a chiropractor. In my years of experience I have met many people who, just like Santa, carry too much weight in their stomach region, more often than not experience back pain that is moderate to severe.
Why do so many overweight people experience back pain? Well, for one thing, the spine was not designed to bear excessive weight. That’s not to say that the spine in not elegantly designed. But, part of its function, as it is in every other internal system of the body, is to compensate when required to work in ways that are repetitive and/or “unnatural.” As the spine becomes stress by excess poundage, it starts to distort and compress. This “reconfiguration” creates a great deal of pain and discomfort. And, due to the spine’s extraordinary compensating features, over time the extra pounds will push the pelvis into a forward tilt as a counterbalance. This repositioning may pinch the sciatic nerve. In fact, sciatic nerve pain often accompanies the lower back pain from which overweight individuals suffer.
The spine is free to function normally once excess weight is lost. However, though excellent reasons to lose weight, relieving back pain and sciatica are just two of the many healthy reasons to shed those extra pounds. As a healthcare professional, I am convinced that it is high priority that weight loss and weight maintenance come about in a natural, nutritious, and healthy way. However, as I previous stated, I understand, as a weight loss Dallas specialist, that losing those extra pounds is both difficult and, if done in a healthy manner, takes time even with the best of intentions. The good news is, you don’t have to lose it alone. In many areas around the country, there are centers like mine, and doctors like me, who understand how to help you lose the weight you need to lose in a way that will help you to feel good as well as look good. Remember, every day your body is compensating for those extra pounds, so don’t wait to lose that weight! Your health is at risk. Don’t let excess weight keep you from living your life fully.