Winter is when most children and adults are prone to catching colds, the flu, etc. The excitement of the holiday season can also take a toll on the body's neuromusculoskeletal system, leaving the individual more susceptible to illness. Digestive issues such as bloating, cramping, and constipation are also common. Certain supplements can help maintain body, gut, and brain holiday health . Here are a few recommended supplements to take during the holidays. Holiday Health To help fill in the gaps from the holiday foods and increase energy, holiday health supplements to consider adding include: Probiotics Probiotics are healthy bacteria and microbes that populate the gut or microbiome. They help digest nutrients, support proper digestion and elimination, and manage appetite and mood. A quality probiotic supplement supports healthy digestion and immune health. It can help reduce diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating while protecting the immune system against pathogens. For the mos
This time of year brings plenty of changes to normal day-to-day activities. We eat more and move less. But it is possible to stay on track while still enjoying the holiday festivities. The key is to balance healthy choices, stay aware of stressors, make a plan for staying healthy and get the whole family involved. The CDC recommends focusing on four areas to maintain family health: physical activity, nutritional habits, sleep, and screen time. Family Health Striking a balance between being active and having fun will help to create a more enjoyable and relaxing holiday experience. Get The Whole Family Moving Physical activity develops stronger muscles and bones, improves heart health, increases blood circulation, and lowers body fat. Children ages 3 to 5 years should be active throughout the day. Children ages 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Look for ways to blend fun and physical activity as a family. If you can get outside, play games like basketball or
Power walking is a fast-paced walking activity quicker than a typical walking pace . It is an exercise technique emphasizing speed and arm motion to increase health benefits. It's not as high impact as jogging but significantly increases heart rate. Adding power walking to an overall health regimen can improve cardiovascular, joint, muscle, and overall wellness. Power Walking Power walking is considered from 3 mph to 5 mph and focuses on speed and arm motion to increase heart rate. Power walking demands more from the cardiovascular system . Because it requires more steps per minute, the heart rate will increase more than from a regular walk. This makes for a more intense cardiovascular workout that burns more calories. Benefits Power walking is a great way to improve fitness, heart and joint health, and mental well-being . It has been shown to decrease diabetes risk and lower high blood pressure and some cancers. Other benefits include: Improves Life Span The National Institutes
Individuals dealing with aching knees is one of the most common health problems and affects people of all ages. The knee is the largest joint in the body, comprised of muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bones. The knees support walking, standing, running, and even sitting. Constant use makes them highly susceptible to injuries and conditions. The knees are also surrounded by a complex network of nerves that transmit messages to and from the brain. Damage to the nerves from an injury or disease can create various symptoms of discomfort in and around the knee joint. Knee Neuropathy Causes Knee discomfort symptoms can be brought on by injury, degenerative disorders , arthritis, infection, and other causes, including: Rheumatoid arthritis This is a chronic inflammatory disorder that causes the knees to swell and causes damage to the cartilage. Osteoarthritis This type of arthritis causes the cartilage to steadily wear away, causing damage to the joints and various symptoms. Ca
Idiopathic scoliosis means that no cause congenital or neuromuscular that created the spinal deformation has been identified. However, idiopathic scoliosis is the most common type, affecting 2% to 3% of individuals. Individuals diagnosed with an idiopathic disease or condition can be frustrated with more questions than answers, but it can still be treated in adults and kids. Idiopathic Scoliosis Congenital Scoliosis Congenital scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine related to which the patient was born. Usually, a failure of formation or segmentation during normal development leads to the spinal condition. Neuromuscular Scoliosis Individuals with neuromuscular scoliosis are usually born with neurological disorders that contribute to muscular unevenness, often resulting in the development of the condition. For example, individuals with cerebral palsy are born with muscular unevenness that can contribute to scoliosis development. Who Is Affected Anyone can develop scoliosis,
Pinched Nerves and Muscle Spasms: A pinched or compressed nerve can occur in various body regions, from the wrist to the foot. When a nerve is compressed, a pins and needles feeling can present until the pressure is relieved, or there can be no sensation symptoms, but other symptoms like muscle spasms, especially in the arm or leg, can appear. Individuals will feel a repetitive fluttering or twitching when the arm or leg is not in motion. A pinched nerve could be the cause of spasms in the back or extremities. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic can help if symptoms are not stopping or worsening. Pinched Nerves and Muscle Spasms When multiple symptoms appear, individuals may not realize they are connected. Individuals may think aches, pains, and spasms are normal aging processes. Pinched nerves occur when there is an impingement on any one of the numerous nerves of the spine. Impingements can be caused by: Repetitive motion injuries Disc degeneration Herniate
Healthy Posture Guidelines: Posture is how an individual holds their body. Healthy posture is when minimal stress is applied to the joints. Maintaining and holding your body correctly can prevent pain, injuries, and other health problems. Faulty postures and musculoskeletal imbalances often precipitate painful conditions in the spine and extremities. However, unhealthy postures do not always present with discomfort and pain symptoms that can go unnoticed for years. This leads to chronic stress and advanced wear of the joints. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic can realign the spine, relieve symptoms, and restore flexibility, mobility, and function. Healthy Posture Guidelines There are two types of posture: Dynamic Posture This posture is when the body moves, like walking, running, or bending to pick up something. Static Posture This posture is when the body is not moving, like sitting, standing, or sleeping. Both are important, and the key is the spine's
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint composed of the femur head and a socket, which is part of the pelvis. The labrum is a cartilage ring on the socket part of the hip joint that helps keep joint fluid inside to ensure frictionless hip motion and alignment during movement. A labral tear of the hip is an injury to the labrum. The extent of the damage can vary. Sometimes, the hip labrum can have mini tears or fray at the edges, usually caused by gradual wear and tear. In other cases, a section of the labrum can separate or get torn away from the socket bone. These types of injuries are usually due to trauma. There are conservative hip labral tear tests to determine the type of injury. The Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic team can help. Symptoms Symptoms are similar regardless of the type of tear, but where they are felt depends on whether the tear is in the front or the back. Common symptoms include: Hip stiffness Limited range of motion A clicking or
General Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to contact us.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*
