Headache "Scrunch"

     Chronic extension of the neck---leaning the head backward---for example, to better see a computer screen when wearing bifocals or graduated corrective lenses---is a common cause of headaches. 

     It causes tension in the suboccipital muscles along the base of the skull, compression at the occiput, and can result in an upward tilt of the posterior part of the C2 vertebra.

     This combination is a reliable headache producer.

     Watch out for this posture, and if you do get in trouble because of it, my gentle, precise adjustments with Activator Chiropractic Method can correct the area and bring relief.

Memory Foam Pillows

     Some patients use them, and love them. In that case, I don’t try to talk them out of their pillow. But I’m not a fan of memory foam pillows, and here’s why:

     A good pillow, in order give adequate proper support to the cervical spine, should provide consistent resistive support.

     Is this what memory foam does? No, in fact the converse is true---it provides little to no such support. When you lie down on it, it squashes down as the weight of your head & neck contact the foam, creating an indentation which offers minimal, at best, support.

           

Calling All Birds

Attracting birds to your yard & garden is easy with native plants, which are adapted to your local climate, and require little special care in order to flourish.

The National Audubon Society offer a “native plant database,” where you can find your native plants, and how to grow them, by putting in your zip code  

https://www.audubon.org/native-plants?ms=digital-eng-email-ea-plants-20180505_native-plants_medium&utm_source=ea&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20180505_native-plants&utm_content=medium

Native plants will lure the birds you love to watch, help them to thrive, and support other beneficial pollinators in your area.

Numbness---Which Fingers?

   

     Numbness and tingling in the hand & fingers is often originating from impingement of nerves in the neck.

     The particular part of the hand or the finger(s) where the patient feels the numbness / tingling helps pinpoint the location of the impingement.

     Fortunately we have a "map" of the areas of skin (called "dermatomes") in different parts of the body that tells us which spinal nerve provides sensory innervation to each area. With minor individual variations, this dermatomal "map" is applicable to every patient.

     By comparing the patient's area of symptoms with the "map," the doctor can discern which nerve is being impinged. 

     As an Advanced Proficiency Rated Activator Chiropractor, I can make precise, gentle adjustments at the site of impingement, in this case in the neck, to relieve the symptoms.   

Glycemic Index

     The Glycemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. The lower the relative value, the slower the metabolism of the food, and thus the slower the food causes an increase in blood glucose.

     Any rise in blood glucose, of course, affects insulin levels, a critical consideration for people who are diabetic or pre-diabetic.

     However, attention to the GI is a good idea for everyone, because spikes in blood sugar due to what we eat can lead, over time, to ever-increasing proximity to a diabetic state.

     So---it's not just about sugar! 

     Ultimately it's about how rapidly any food raises our level of blood sugar. 

     Find out more at   https://www.gisymbol.com/about-glycemic-index/