Bunions

Bunions are the troublesome result of the body’s response to abnormal stresses in the foot.

      When the arch of the toot begins to drop, or when one has “flat feet,” the inside of the foot is stressed downward toward the floor; this is called pronation. 

A fallen arch / pronated foot creates abnormal stress in the joint at the base of the big toe, and the body responds by forming a bunion at that site. 

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.

This treatment plan has been personally successful for me, as well as for many of my patients.

When the "Sit Bones" Are Skewed

  The bones on both sides of the pelvis where you feel your body weight when you sit, often referred to as the “sit bones,” are technically called the “ischial tuberosities.”

They are weight-bearing parts of the pelvic girdle in a sitting position. If the pelvis becomes distorted, or out of alignment, the distribution of your body weight on these bones when sitting will be skewed, or uneven.

Sitting will be uncomfortable, as may other activities as well---walking, sleeping, etc.

This is correctable with precise, directional, adjustments with the Activator adjusting instrument. As an Advanced Proficiency Rated ACTIVATOR Chiropractor, I correct this when I balance the pelvis, without pain or discomfort to the patient.

4 Reasons Some Oils Are Dangerous & Unhealthy

 1. They are toxic products of OXIDATION

            Vegetable and nut oils (canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, peanut, sesame, walnut, flax seed, etc.) are polyunsaturated, and as such, are subject to degradation into extremely toxic oxidation products when heated.

            "Polyunsaturated" means they have carbon-to-carbon double bonds that are vulnerable to oxidation---oxygen readily attaches across these bonds in the chemical process called "oxidation." Even at room temperatures, these chemically “unsaturated” oils will oxidize slowly over time into toxic byproducts.

        2. They are OUT OF OMEGA-6 / OMEGA 3 BALANCE

       Vegetable oils are concentrated sources of Omege-6 lineoleic acid. Too much Omega-6 causes an imbalance with healthy, anti-inflammatory Omega-3’s.

        3. They are CONTAMINATED WITH GLYPHOSATE  

            Corn and soy oils, in particular, as well as others, are produced with genetic engineering, which includes major exposures to glyphosate (aka "Roundup").

        4. They are HIGHLY PROCESSED WITH HEAT & / OR CHEMICALS

    Some vegetable oils, especially canola, grapeseed, and rice bran oil, are highly processed, which may include extracting with heat or solvents, and bleaching and degumming with chemicals.

The Secret Life of Beavers

 Yes, those chubby, “paddle-tailed, bucktoothed, dam-building” rodents who chew off young trees and drag them into streams to build dams, slowing water flow, and effectively engineering whole wilderness landscapes----those critters. 

Who knew that beavers are masters of ecological restoration? Their dams, in slowing stream flows, allow water to seep into the land, helping to recharge aquifers, reducing erosion and flooding, and restoring marshes and wetlands. 

Their ponds become habitat for myriad other critters---birds, fish, insects, etc.---a diversity of life in “a lush, soggy paradise.”

Read all about it here:   baynature.org/2018/12/07/for-beaver-believers-salvation-lies-in-a-once-reviled-rodent  

A Painful, Sore Spot on the Scalp

A persistent sore spot on the head, painful to pressure, may be a “trigger point" in the scalp muscle.  It may feel like a spot of irritation, and when pressed, pain may seem to spread out from it. This is called “referred” pain, and is a characteristic of trigger points, which can appear in any muscle.

The spot may feel taught, tight, like a nodule or a tiny muscle spasm. The patient will not describe having had an injury or blow to the head, or any kind of spider or insect bite, so the source of the pain may seem mysterious. In addition, the spot may have been sore for quite some time.

Dr. Janet Travell, M.D., an American physician who did extensive research on trigger points and produced two extensive textbooks on the subject, defined predictable patterns of referred pain from trigger points in muscles throughout the body.

Her detailed “maps” of referred pain caused by trigger points serve as guides for doctors in distinguishing the causes of muscular pain. 

Dr. Travell’s recommended treatment included injections of pain relieving medication, as well as application of hypercoolant sprays. 

I recommend application of ice to the sore spot, 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, repeating until the trigger point is relieved. 

Head-Forward Postures---a NO-NO!

 Any position of the body in which the head is forward of the body’s center of gravity is a potential troublemaker---causing neck, upper back, and shoulder tension and discomfort.

Watch out for any of these postures or positions:

----bending the head forward, whether sitting or standing,

----straining the chin / head forward ("leading with your 

              chin"), such as when using a computer, 

----pivoting forward from the hips when sitting.

In all of these positions, the head is forward of the body’s center of gravity, forcing posterior cervical muscles to work overtime to support the weight of the head.

This results in muscle fatigue, tension, chronic reduction of blood flow into contracted muscles, build-up of cellular toxic wastes / inability of cells to rid cellular metabolic wastes because of impeded blood circulation, and pain.

Temporal Arteritis

When a patient comes in with headache and / or jaw pain, especially if the pain is on just one side of the head, it is important to rule out inflammation in the blood vessels, also called “vasculitis.”

Vasculitis in the temporal arteries, which are in the areas of the temples on each side of the head, is known as temporal arteritis, and it should be recognized, because it is serious. A Chiropractor who suspects this should immediately refer the patient to an M.D.

This condition can have serious consequences, such as inflammation spreading to blood vessels of the eyes, possibly causing blindness.

The inflamed vessels are swollen, painful, and may be constricted, or narrowed. The temple area(s) may be tender to touch, the patient may say their jaw hurts after chewing, and there may be diffuse muscle aches and fatigue. These symptoms, as well as fever and a throbbing headache, are “red flags” for temporal arteritis.

Patient Feedback--Essential to Medicare

    As a doctor serving Medicare patients, it is incumbent upon me to make sure I have careful, complete documentation for every patient visit. This includes detailing the patient’s response to the treatment plan.

Medicare wants to know whether the treatment plan is working, or not, and they want the patient to report whether they feel better, whether their pain is less or worse or unchanged, and what daily activities of their life they can do better, or still can’t do, as treatment progresses.

At every office visit, my Medicare patients fill out a brief form reporting all this.

What is Regenerative Agriculture?

“Just transitioning 10 percent of agricultural production to best practice regenerative systems will sequester enough CO₂ to reverse climate change 

and restore the global climate.” 

 Reversing Climate Change through Regenerative Agriculture - Regeneration International

Regenerative Agriculture uses farming and grazing methods that rebuild the soil’s organic matter, restore soil biodiversity (organisms and microorganisms), sequester more carbon in soil, and increase the amount of water the soil can hold.

It’s done by:

---disturbing the soil as little as possible; aka “no-till” farming. No plowing, which disturbs healthy soil fungi & microorganisms & increases erosion,

---cover crops, composting, & crop rotations to feed nutrients into soil,

---managed grazing to stimulate plant growth & increase soil fertility. 

Learn more here:   www.regenerationinternational.org/why-regenerative-agriculture/

Nerve Impingement

Something that “impinges” a nerve is something that---usually negatively---affects the nerve. Common results of nerve impingement are numbness, tingling, pain, hyperesthesia (excessive, or pronounced, sensation), or hypesthesia (diminished sensation). 

Often nerve impingement is conceptualized as pressure on a nerve, but there are also other kinds of mechanical impingement. Abrasion, stretching, twisting are some examples. Temperature changes or chemical impingement are also possible.

In my practice, the goal of relieving pain usually involves relieving mechanical nerve impingement, accomplished by careful, gentle, precise adjustments with the Activator instrument.

Managing Scoliosis

  For scoliosis (a lateral spinal curvature), one of the best self-care techniques is a special yoga designed by Elise Miller, a Palo Alto, CA yoga teacher who herself has a severe scoliotic curve in her spine  https://yogaforscoliosis.com. Elise developed this yoga as a way to manage her own discomfort, and now teaches it, as well as training other yoga instructors how to do this work. 

Santa Cruz is fortunate to have a local teacher who is certified in Yoga for Scoliosis, Karyn Bristol at Yoga Within  www.yogawithkaryn.net 

On March 30, 2019, Elise will be at Karyn’s Aptos studio www.yogawithin.com/events  and there will be an afternoon session of Yoga for Scoliosis.

In my practice, with scoliosis patients, balancing their pelvis and spine is an important first step, and then regular, intermittent full-body balancing to encourage stabilization.  As an adjunct to my chiropractic care, I then refer these patients for Yoga for Scoliosis. 

A Twisted Tibia

The knee is a hinge joint, meant mainly to move back and forth in one geometric plane. It will accommodate only minimal medial or lateral torquing (circular, or twisting, back-and-forth movement).

Torquing, or twisting, is a common cause of injury to the knee. Twisting the lower extremity on a “planted” foot, while one’s body weight is bearing on the foot, can torque the knee past its tolerance. Pain and inability to bear weight on the knee after this kind of injury often bring patients into my office.

        Usually, the tibia is most severely affected, as well as the kneecap, but the fibula, as well as the femur may also need adjusting.

I have specific, precise, and comfortable adjustments to alleviate this problem, returning the involved knee to its normal articulation and relieving the pain.

Doorway or Corner? Which is Better?

 Patients are frequently advised by other caregivers to stretch the front of their upper body / arms / shoulders / chest by standing in a doorway, placing the hands out on the door frames on each side, and leaning forward.

This will effectively give a good stretch, but I have found that people can easily overstretch due to loosing their balance, lack of control, or over-enthusiasm, and end up hurting themselves.

Instead, I advise my patients to stand facing a corner, place their hands on the walls on both sides, and lean into the corner. I have them change the height of their hands, up and down, which effects the stretch in slightly different parts of the chest, shoulders, and arms. Changing the distance from the feet to the corner can lessen or increase the stretch.

This is a safer way to do this stretch; patients are much less likely to hurt themselves.

Bone Broths

  Nutrient-rich bone broths were traditionally prepared by our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers as an inexpensive way to support the health of their families. 

Bone broth, rich in absorbable calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, & other trace minerals, is made by slowly boiling bones (preferably organic), for up to 12 hours in water slightly acidified by addition of vinegar.   

Including attached cartilage helps add to collagen content in the broth. The fats in bone broth contribute to the health of our intestinal tract, thus helping the absorption of minerals in the broth. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, bone broth nourishes the kidneys, supports the vital essence (chi) and builds blood.  http://nourishedkitchen.com/bone-broths-adrenals-bones-teeth/ 

Here is how to make Rich Bone Broth:

Bones, with cartilage, from organic chicken, turkey, or beef 

2 - 3 quarts filtered water, enough to generously cover the bones

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

Bring to boil, then reduce heat & simmer, lid on, for at least 6, & up to 12 hours, adding water periodically as it cooks down

Prior to about the last hour of cooking, add, for flavor:

1 carrot

1 stalk of celery

1 onion, chopped

2 - 3 cloves of garlic, whole or chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Seasoning herbs (your preference; you can make a bouquet garni of thyme, oregano, sage, etc.)

Cool, then strain into portions for the freezer & / or refrigerator

Trigger Finger

         A common condition when a finger, or thumb, gets stuck in a bent position, and straightening it causes a painful “snap.”

This happens when inflammation develops around the tendon inside the tendon sheath (a tissue “tube” surrounding the tendon), and is called tenosynovitis. The inflammation narrows the space between the tendon and its sheath, and the thumb or finger gets “stuck” in the bent position.

This painful condition often results from repetitive gripping motions with the hand(s).

My treatment plan includes gently adjusting the involved finger, anti-inflammatory management, and splinting of the finger in a straightened position while the inflammation resolves.  

Ventana Wilderness Alliance

    

     As an avid hiker and backpacker for many years in the Central Coast and the Sierra, my support of wilderness preservation is very personal. Early on, John Muir’s words touched my soul: “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.” 

     Climbing trails into the rugged Santa Lucias with breathtaking views of the Pacific at my back, sleeping on the ground in coast live oak woodlands, waking to the raucous chatter of acorn woodpeckers—these are vivid and cherished memories. My grandchildren have been my camping and hiking companions throughout their childhoods, and I have taught them to be safe hikers and careful stewards of wilderness in our many adventures together.

     I care deeply that public lands be protected, be preserved, and remain available for all to enjoy, and I applaud and support the work of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance. 

Donations made to VWA via Monterey County Gives!--now through Dec. 31, 2018--will be matched up to $30,000 by a Challenge Gift  https://www.montereycountygives.com/nonprofit/ventana-wilderness-alliance/            

Founded in 1998, the Ventana Wilderness Alliance (VWA) is a CA nonprofit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, dedicated to protecting the wildlands of California's northern Santa Lucia mountain range www.ventanawild.org