Children, ADHD, and Sensory Disorders


It is any parent’s greatest wish to see their children happy and healthy. There is nothing more joyful than seeing a carefree, innocent smile light up your child’s face. Read more

Leaky Gut and Autoimmune Disorders


Your gastrointestinal system is an incredible design. It contains endocrine (hormonal) and immune system cells. It cooperates with beneficial bacteria to break down food and protect against harmful pathogens. Read more

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Normal aging, or better aging?

July 11, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Aging, Athletes, Balanced living, Bone Health, Chiropractic, Posture, Spine, Stress, Wellness 2 Comments

I was researching arthritis and found a simple explanation on an orthopedic surgeon’s website. It’s caused by normal wear and tear, apparently. They were referring specifically to osteoarthritis, which is the abnormal bone growth and spurring that causes motion restriction and nerve damage. As a chiropractor, I’ve seen a lot of X-rays. When there’s evidence of spinal osteoarthritis, it’s almost always in one of two places: the base of the neck (spinal segments C5-7) and base of the low back (L4-S1). These two spots are predictably where people  have surgeries and fusions, which are rather pricey and time-consuming. Now why is it that there are dozens of healthy spinal segments and only a handful of degenerated segments? They are all the same age. Isn’t gravity pretty much a constant force on us, unless we spend a lot of time on roller coasters? But osteoarthritis predictably affects the same parts of the spine.

Both of these people (they are facing to the right) are 50 years old. All you need to know is that green is healthy, and red is very unhealthy.

If you knew how to prevent osteoarthritis, would that help you age better? Note that you don’t want to age “normally” anymore, you want to age as best as you can! Check this out: your low back and the base of your neck are vulnerable points in the spine. An accumulation of physical and emotional stresses causes these body parts to malfunction and wear out more quickly. For example, car accidents, hockey, and football make people susceptible to osteoarthritis and accelerated aging. But there is a solution to this problem. If you choose regular chiropractic care to keep your spine and nervous system healthy, you can decrease the likelihood that you will age with “normal wear and tear.” So avoid being diagnosed with a chronic, degenerative condition like:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Degenerative joint disease
  • Stenosis
  • Sciatica, radiculopathy, myelopathy, and all the other terms for “my body is literally getting on my own nerves”

 

If you ignore your body, it will predictably decline faster than necessary. If you take care of your body better than you do your car (yes, better!), your body will predictably age slower than everyone around you. Don’t be normal, be better than average!

 


Would You Rather Burn Fat 1 Hour, or 36 Hours?

February 1, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Aging, Athletes, Balanced living, Stress, Wellness 2 Comments

If you want to burn fat, you need to turn on your fat-burning switch. Intensity is the key! If you’ve heard of burst training, or interval training, you may think it’s just a fad. Maybe not. Here’s why. When you start an activity, you burn through stored sugars first, then switch over to burning fat. When you’re walking or jogging, you’re in the fat-burning zone. When you’re done, you go back to burning sugars, which means you will either crave carb-heavy foods, or you will break down your muscles for energy. The intensity of this activity changes your hormones so you continue to burn fat for 36 hours after you leave the gym. After a session of burst training, your growth hormone increases, you remain in fat-burning mode, and you maintain your muscle mass.

How to burst train: Do 3 or 4 sets of 30-60 second periods of high-intensity exercise, followed by a few minutes of rest. The intensity level is high enough if it is difficult for you to talk during activity. If you are well-conditioned, you may need to rest only 1 minute. If you are less conditioned, you may need to rest 5 minutes. Each session of burst training should take you 10-15 minutes. Do this 3 times per week. If you do it more often, you will interrupt your body’s recovery and decrease your growth hormone, which takes you out of fat-burning mode.

You can do any activity you want: running, climbing steps, using a treadmill or elliptical machine. At home, you can do squats and push-ups. If you need to take things slower, you may be setting your treadmill on a 7% incline at 3 mph. Or, you may just climb two flights of stairs. If you’re in good condition, try burpees. Jump up as high as you can with your arms overhead, then do a push-up. Bring your feet forward to meet your hands, and jump straight up again. For more intensity, jump both feet together to switch positions.

Exercising with intensity strengthens your heart and helps you burn fat. It also takes less time out of your schedule. Can you carve out 45 minutes a week to stay in your fat-burning zone?

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified family chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.


Super Bowl Champs Credit Chiropractic for Performance

November 9, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Athletes, Chiropractic, Spine, Wellness Leave a comment  

New Orleans Saints 2006 first round pick, Reggie Bush, has been receiving regular chiropractic care since playing football in high school and during his collegiate years. “I look at chiropractic care as important to keeping me healthy and at the top of my game,” said the former Heisman Trophy winner and two-time National Champion while playing for the University of Southern California (USC). Saints wide receiver Lance Moore, who converted a crucial 2-point conversion during Super Bowl XLIV in 2010, also relies on chiropractic treatment to be game-time ready. “Not only did my chiropractor get me back on the field, but he helped me to stay on the field. My body just feels much better overall because of the care I’ve gotten,” says Moore.

High level athletes in almost every sport have chosen to make chiropractic care a part of their training and a part of their lifestyle. Some of the top athletes in the world have praised chiropractic care in times of injury, and for helping them reach their full athletic potential. Chiropractic gives athletes the advantage that they need to compete at the highest level. This is especially important for college-bound athletes. Colleges want to invest scholarship funds in healthy students rather than risk their dollars on athletes with chronic injuries.

Chiropractors are trained to maintain proper function of the spine, joints, and nerve system so that the human body can perform at its maximum potential. This is a proactive approach that can counter the intense levels of physical and mental stress every student athlete experiences on a daily basis. To perform at their best, an athlete should include a chiropractor as part of their health care team.

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.


Stressed? Who, me? Ha!

July 27, 2010 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Athletes, Balanced living, Chiropractic, Healing, Stress Leave a comment  

Ask people if they’re stressed, and they will probably laugh. It may be a nervous giggle or a riotous guffaw, but talking about stress does hit a nerve with most people. This month, we held a seminar on stress and fatigue. We gave out plenty of tips for managing stress: eat right, exercise daily, get enough sleep, delegate, and the list goes on and on. There are dozens of healthy ways to manage stress yourself. But the fact is, most of us are under enough stress that we could benefit from delegating stress relief to others. Successful people don’t try to “do it all” themselves. They delegate their1040 forms to a tax accountant and delegate routine vehicle maintenance to a mechanic. Like successful athletes, we can use chiropractors to remove the damaging effects of stress from our bodies. What are the side effects of releasing stress from the nerve system? Leaving your chiropractor’s office with more energy, more mobility, and a better outlook on life!