So our body's health depends on the health of the SOIL where our food was grown? Here's a doctor whose "thinking dirty" explains why:  http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/how-to-eat-like-our-lives-depend-on-it/how-dirt-heals-us

When your body is balanced, is in equilibrium, both feet should be bearing equal weight beneath you, and your gait will be easier and smoother.You will be more comfortable, and more effective at your activities. Part of being in equilibrium is also that your joints should be moving properly, and be in normal alignment. As an Activator Chiropractor, these are my specialties. Every patient visit is a full-body balancing, including cranio-sacral.

Attention Seniors:  Medicare covers Chiropractic. Although it will only pay for adjusting the spine, Medicare does reimburse for chiropractic care. I am happy to discuss how this works, always happy to help seniors, and to bill Medicare for my senior patients. Questions? Give me a call, 831-476-2168.

My office is open throughout the holidays, except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. I will be available to see patients during my regular office hours, Tuesdays through Fridays, and I am available by pager, 831-421-7353, for emergencies or urgent situations. Happy Holidays!

Four secrets to a strong immune system: (1) Avoid sugar---the amount of sugar in one soft drink suppresses immune function for up to 12 hours. (2) Support the health of your intestinal tract by taking a good probiotic---up 70% to 80% of our immune system is in our intestinal tract. (3) Get plenty of sleep. (4) Find effective ways to manage your stress.

Gift Certificates:  Available from my office, for low force, comfortable, full-body balancing with Activator Method of chiropractic care. Introducing people to my thorough, precise, Activator Method is one of my favorite things!

 Happy Holidays! Wishing everyone peace, safety, and good health throughout the Holiday Season and in the coming New Year.

Want to help sea otters and other wildlife at our local Elkhorn Slough? Now through Dec. 31, your donation will be doubled:  http://www.elkhornslough.org/  Check out the Otter Cam at Elkhorn Slough National Estaurine Research Reserve:  http://www.elkhornslough.org/ottercam/

Head-forward postures can cause, and constantly aggravate, neck tension and pain. Patient education and ergonomic counseling are vital parts of every patient's treatment plan in my practice.

Supporting Pollinators

Did you know that old hollow stems of sunflowers from your garden can make welcome homes for  bees? To help support our pollinator friends, save those old sunflower stalks. Here's what to do:  http://www.xerces.org/in-your-pollinator-garden-november-2013/

Bumping your head can be more than just an embarrassment or a temporary discomfort. It can disturb the cranial rhythms, perhaps setting you up for future headaches. Cranial balancing is included in every treatment in my office.

Healing of tendonitis, which is inflammation of a tendon, may be impeded by inflammatory foods, such as sugar, damaged fats (such as vegetable oils used for cooking) or gluten-containing foods. What we're eating may be promoting inflammation in our bodies.

With the coming of winter, and cold and flu season, it's a good time to include a little organic, unrefined coconut oil in our diet every day. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is anti-viral.

"Ball and Saucer"

Unlike the hip joint, which is the nice, tight fit of a ball-and-socket, the shoulder is more like a "ball-and-saucer"---the fit is more shallow. While this allows for a wider range of motion, it also makes the shoulder more vulnerable to misalignment or dislocation. As an ACTIVATOR Chiropractor, I am trained to evaluate the multiple articulations of the shoulder complex, and to make precise corrections if needed.

Muscle "Splinting"

Our bodies automatically tighten muscles if we're injured or in pain. It's a built-in response; the body is trying to "fix" itself. I call this muscle "splinting." Correcting the underlying framework---your bones and joints---allows the muscles to begin to relax, and return to equilibrium. If the muscles need a little extra help, I may include some myofascial release.

Elders

ACTIVATOR Chiropractic method is particularly appropriate for elders. The gentle, specific, precise adjustments are made without discomfort to the patient. I enjoy working with elders, and my full-body balancing helps relieve joint fixations and misalignments, and helps keep elders mobile and active.

Bump on the Head

Ever bump your head on a car or cabinet door? Think it's just a minor irritation or embarrassment? It can actually upset your cranial rhythms, the subtle rhythmic movements of the bones in your head. Checking and balancing the cranial rhythms is something I include in every patient visit. If you bump your head, you should have your cranial rhythms checked.

What's That Crunch?

If you feel a "crunch" in your knee when you crouch or squat, you may have the start of a degenerative condition called chondromalacia patella. It's often caused by abnormal tracking of the patella, or kneecap. If this is happening, I adjust the kneecap and give the patient exercises to do at home to help keep the kneecap tracking normally.

The "Sit Bone"

The "Sit Bone," technically called the ischial tuberosity, is part of the pelvic structure; it's literally where you feel the pressure of your body weight when you sit. It can get stressed out of alignment if the pelvis becomes distorted, and be very uncomfortable. As an Advanced Proficiency Rated ACTIVATOR Chiropractor, I correct this when I balance the pelvis.

Ankle Sprain

Turning the foot inward (inversion) is the most common kind of ankle sprain. One result is a misalignment of the talus, a bone in the foot. Correcting this misalignment helps the sprain to heal faster, helps the pain, and helps your gait return to normal.

Ribs in a Twist

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Did you know that your whole rib cage can get twisted? I often see this when the patient has been sick with a cough, has fallen, or has lifted something in an imbalanced way. Think of it as a kind of torquing: ribs on one side get pushed upward, while ribs on the opposite side may be pushed downward. You can imagine how uncomfortable this can be. I have ACTIVATOR chiropractic adjustments for this that work beautifully!

Kinematic Chain

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Yes, "the thigh bone's connected to the knee bone, the knee bone's connected to the-----" etc. It's true: everything's connected, in what's biomechanically known as a "kinematic chain." So if you come in with hip pain, I'm going to also check your pelvis, knee, ankle, and foot. If you have knee pain, I will likewise check your lower extremity above and below your knee, as well as your pelvis. Unless the whole kinematic chain is corrected, you're not likely to get lasting relief.

Giving and Receiving

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  My chiropractors helped me so much, years ago when I suffered five whiplash injuries in auto accidents (none my fault). Later, my life path led me to become a Doctor of Chiropractic, and now it's my turn to give back, to help other people in pain. My ACTIVATOR Method is gentle, low-force, precise, and comfortable for people of all ages.

Torticollis

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Torticollis , aka "wry neck," is a painful pulling of the head to one side, often associated with severe spasm of neck muscles. Its cause is not well understood, and relief can be challenging, even with medication. Sometimes Botox injections are tried. There are no guarantees, but I try to help any patient who is suffering. I have had good results with torticollis with a patient who had been in agony with it for months. The treatment plan must be comprehensive, flexible, and carefully designed and monitored.

Cranial Balancing

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  The bones in the head have normal, very subtle, rhythmical motions, and these are not synchronized with either the heartbeat or the respiration. They are related to the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid that bathes the brain and the spinal cord. Abnormalities in the rhythms can be associated with headaches, vertigo, or tinnitus. I balance patients' cranial rhythms as part of every overall, full-body balancing.

Crunching Joint Sounds

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Crunching sounds in the joints are called "crepitus." You may hear it when you turn your head, or in your knees when you squat. It may be a sign of degenerative changes in the joint tissues. I have an effective treatment plan for it, which includes carefully adjusting the affected joints to relieve abnormal stresses, plus nutritional and self-care advice. This is important, because left alone, it may lead to more degeneration in the affected joints.

5 Things to Know About Fender Benders

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com
1. The visual damage to your car is not necessarily an indicator of the impact on your body.
2. Feeling confused, "fuzzy," disoriented, and irritable often follow.
3. Symptoms may have delayed onset; you may "feel fine" for the first few days, or even longer.
4. The sooner you come in to see me and get your whole body checked & balanced, the better, and your chances for a speedy recovery are improved.
5. If you don't have Medpay on your auto policy, get it. If you have it, and you're in an accident, your own insurance will cover your care, so you or your doctor won't have to wait for the other party's insurance to pay. It's insurance that's really worthwhile.

Growth Spurts

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Teens and pre-teens, as parents know, undergo growth spurts. These "fast growth" periods put special kinds of stresses on the joints, posture, and overall functioning of the young person. Careful, complete full-body balancing is an essential part of preventive care during these times. As an Advanced Proficiency Rated ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I often treat teens & pre-teens.

A Secret to Managing Sciatica

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com   Sciatica, pain down the leg, is caused by nerve impingement. But it may not be what you think. Commonly, it may be assumed to be due to a herniated disc or other problem in the spine. However, it can be caused by irritation or tight muscles in the gluteal region---the part you sit on. Sitting too long on a hard surface can irritate the sciatic nerve, and chronically tight gluteal muscles can also be the problem. The solutions may be relatively simple. I can help.

"Pelvic Distortion"----Is That a Rock Band?

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Actually, no, although it may sound like it. Pelvic distortion is a very real, fairly common condition of the pelvis that causes, among other problems, a person to have one leg shorter than the other. It also creates a tilted pelvis, making an unstable foundation for the rest of the body above. Don't go through life with a pelvic condition that may sound like a rock band; come see me; I will adjust and balance your pelvis with low-force, comfortable ACTIVATOR chiropractic.

Bunions

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Bunions happen because the body is responding to abnormal stresses in the foot. A fallen arch, especially if combined with pronation of the foot (bending inward of the inside of the foot), can cause a bunion to develop at the joint at the base of the big toe. As an ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I check the status of the arch, assess for pronation, check & adjust all the joints of the foot, then advise the patient about orthotics, exercises, and how to relieve the stresses that caused the bunion. Prescription orthotics may be needed, but patients can start with a good over-the-counter orthotic, properly fitted.

Pregnancy

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Pregnancy brings hormonal changes which, among other things, makes the mother's joints more susceptible to misalignments. It's an important time to come in for periodic full-body balancing. In my practice, I evaluate not only the spine, but the extremities and the cranial rhythms. My gentle, precise adjustments are comfortable for expectant moms.

Could It Be Shingles?

 www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Back pain or headache that is severe, often "burning" or "searing," that doesn't get better with chiropractic treatment or good home care may, unfortunately, turn out to be shingles. If you've had chicken pox, you are vulnerable to getting shingles. The virus from chicken pox sequesters in the nerve ganglia alongside your spine, where it stays with you for life. Stress, getting overheated (hyperthermia), and ingestion of foods containing a high arginine / low lysine ratio (peanuts, chocolate, etc.) can stimulate an outbreak of the virus. This is shingles. The pain presents along a dermatome, the section of skin supplied with feeling by a spinal nerve. It may run in a line from your spine across & under your arm, or across part of the head or face. Soon, painful blisters appear along the pain line. See your M.D. or Doctor of Chiropractic if you think this is happening to you.

Twisted Rib Cage?

www.DrElizabethQuinn.com  Feeling "out of sorts" in your torso, discomfort with a deep breath? Torsion, or twisting, of your rib cage could be the cause. With ACTIVATOR chiropractic method, I can find it and fix it.

Knees Are Hinge Joints

Our knees are "hinge" type joints---they aren't meant to twist or rotate the way the hip or shoulder can. Their intended movements are more limited. This is one reason knees are vulnerable to injuries. As an ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I have over 21 different, very specific and precise adjustments for the knee. These adjustments are quick and painless, and are essential for healing a knee injury.

Chronic Joint Misalignments

Persistent soreness in a joint may be due to chronic malposition or misalignment, with accompanying inflammation. As an ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I make very specific, directional, low-force corrections that relieve the abnormal stresses in the joint and allow the inflammation to resolve.

Tennis Elbow

Pain and tenderness near the outside of the elbow may be inflammation of the tendon that attaches the wrist flexor muscles in the forearm (the muscles that bend your hand backward). Called "tennis elbow" because it's common in tennis players, it is due to overuse. The muscles should be massaged and rested, and the tendon has to be protected so it can heal. As an ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I find tennis elbow is associated with a particular misalignment of the bones at the elbow. Correcting this misalignment is an essential part of my treatment plan.

Inversion and Eversion Ankle Sprains

Turning your ankle inward is the most common kind of ankle sprain, called an "inversion" sprain. Less common is turning the ankle the other way, outward, called an "eversion" sprain. Both types cause characteristic misalignments of the joints in the foot and ankle, and may affect the knee and pelvis as well. As an ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I check and correct all this very precisely & comfortably.

Monarch Butterflies

Monarch Butterflies Need Our Help

The Monarch butterflies are in decline, partly due to loss of habitat and food sources. Did you know that their caterpillars must have milkweed plants for food? Many people across the U.S. are helping the Monarchs by planting native milkweed. The Xerces Society is a source of information and support.

http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/ProjectMilkweed_XercesSociety.pdf

Here's where to get milkweed seeds to plant (scroll down to "Seed Sources"):

http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xerces-nrcs-california-milkweed-guide.pdf

That Pesky Psoas.....

If your pelvis tends to chronically get twisted, or distorted, your psoas, a major postural muscle, could be involved. I always check for asymmetrical tension in the psoas, make an Activator adjustment to balance that tension, and show you stretches to help keep this from happening again.

Mysterious Pain

"But I didn't DO anything," the patient says, "I can't figure out why I'm hurting." Trying to pinpoint any one particular thing as a cause of discomfort may not always work. Think of it this way: your body may have been "teetering on the brink," even though you weren't feeling it, and then a simple thing like bending over to pick up something sets off pain. It's my job to help restore balance in your body, relieve the pain, and help you return to pain-free functioning. 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Hand pain or numbness may be due to impingement of the median nerve in the wrist, which is called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, often due to overuse or repetitive motions. As an ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I have an effective treatment plan for it, including specific adjustments.

When Ice is Your Friend

For inflammation in or around joints, unless there are contraindications for it, ice is your friend! Ice is one of the effective treatments of choice for inflammation. After gentle, low-force, precise Activator chiropractic adjustments to free up joint fixations and correct misalignments, I may recommend icing the affected area(s) at home. After any injury, use only ice, NOT heat, for the first 24 to 36 hours.

Chiropractic: How Long, How Often??

Patients commonly want to know:  "How often do I have to come in, and for how long?" In my chiropractic practice, each patient's Treatment Plan is tailored to the individual. Some patients come in for their initial treatment and one follow-up, and they're done. Some people need more. It depends on the person's problem, their general health, whether they've been injured, whether they follow Home Care Instructions, etc. As soon as each patient is sufficiently improved and able to continue healing on their own, I release them. I am always available to support them, should they need me again.

DJD - Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative Disc Disease (DJD) is weakening of one or more spinal discs. As the disc loses its normal integrity, it starts to lose height & may begin to bulge. The body responds by laying down extra bone around the adjacent vertebral margins, often called "bone spurring." My chiropractic treatment plan helps manage this to reduce abnormal joint stresses with gentle, precise adjustments; specific exercises to help strengthen muscles and protect the joints; and nutritional counseling to help slow the degenerative process.

Food Triggers for Migraines

Migraine sufferers may benefit from learning about food triggers that are related to headache onset. Most people know about the most common ones:  MSG, chocolate, red wine, etc. But there are more, some obscure and less known. In addition to adjusting the neck and balancing the cranial rhythms, I always counsel my migraine patients about food triggers.

Knee Strain

Do you sit with your let straight out and your foot propped on a cushion or stool? This can cause knee strain. Patients who have this kind of strain show a characteristic misalignment of the knee, which also affects the achilles tendon and the heel. I adjust all of this, and show you how to protect your knee.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Numbness, tingling, or alteration of sensitivity in the fingers or part of the hand isn't always due to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It may be caused by nerve impingement higher up, at one or more places closer to the neck:  between the collarbone and the first rib, or between certain neck muscles. This is called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. I have an effective treatment plan for it.

Is Part of Your Quadriceps "Lazy?"

I see many patients with knee problems whose kneecap is not tracking properly. This often happens because part of the quadriceps muscle is not working as hard as its neighbors---it has gotten "lazy."After adjusting the knee, I teach the patient how to do exercises to help this.

The Psoas: An Important Postural Muscle

People with chronic pelvic or low back problems often have imbalance in the psoas---one side may be tighter than the other. Do you know where your psoas is and how to stretch it? As your chiropractor, I'll find imbalances, correct them, and teach you how to stretch at home.

Helping Bees, Butterflies, and Other Invertebrates

Do you know about the Xerces Society? They "defend invertebrates"---but why does that matter? Here's why:  "Butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, worms, starfish, mussels, and crabs are but a few of the millions of invertebrates at the heart of a healthy environment. Invertebrates build the stunning coral reefs of our oceans; they are essential to the reproduction of most flowering plants, including many fruits, vegetables, and nuts; and they are food for birds, fish, and other animals. Yet invertebrate populations are often imperiled by human activities and rarely accounted for in mainstream conservation."
They also teach how to help the bees and butterflies:
http://www.xerces.org/announcing-the-publication-of-attracting-native-pollinators/