Dr. Dettwiler's Corner

5 Tips for Saving Your Back During Housework

2009-10-28T12:21:00.001-07:00

1. When you wash dishes, open the cabinet beneath the sink, bend one knee and put your foot on the shelf under the sink. Lean against the counter so some of your weight is supported in front.

2. When ironing, raise one foot a bit. Place it on a small stool or a book to take some strain off your back.

3. To vacuum, use a "fencer's stance." Put all your weight on one foot, then step forward and back with the other foot as you push the vacuum forward and back. Use the back foot as a pivot when you turn.

4. While talking on the phone, don't cradle the phone between your ear and shoulder. That can lock up the spinal joints in the neck and upper back, and cause pain. Instead, hold the phone with your hand or use the speakerphone.

5. Use a cold pack if your back begins to hurt. Wrap an ice pack in a towel moistened with warm water. The warmth gives way to gradual cold, which likely will alleviate the discomfort.

The best way to avoid back pain is to keep your spine in the proper alignment, so make sure to schedule an appointment today so that you can take a proactive approach to your spinal health and avoid problems before they start.

11 Ways to Chase Away Stress

2009-10-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

1. Take deep breaths

2. Take a walk outside of the office

3. Say no to what you don't have time to do

4. Leave work on time

5. Lower demands you put on yourself

6. Ask questions and communicate with coworkers

7. Take care of taxing tasks in the morning to get them out of the way

8. Look at large projects as a series of steps to complete one by one

9. Laugh at least once a day

10. Live for today. Don't dwell in the past or worry about the future

11. Take care of yourself...visit your Chiropractor!

Backpacks & Your Kids

2009-10-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

1. Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of their body weight.

2. When packing the backpack, make sure that the pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on the child's back.

3. Tell your child to use both shoulder straps, not just one.

4. Have them use a backpack with shoulder straps.

5. The shoulder straps should also be adjustable, so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body.

6. If the backpack feels too heavy for your child, talk with their teacher.

7. Talk with your child about the proper use of a backpack and help them understand why these issues are important.

What part of your spine do you want to keep?

2009-10-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Every day you take measures to maintain your teeth and gums. You probably visit your dentist's office once or twice a year. Why is it that no one asks "once you go to a dentist, you have to go for the rest of your life?"

The fact is your spine requires maintenance, as do your skin, ears, eyes, and hair. Just think of what you put your spine through each day. A stress-filled job, poorly designed chair, repetitive motions, a lack of exercise, and a sagging mattress all contribute to your spine and the nervous system it protects is being constantly assaulted by the way we live our busy lives.

And while a way to "floss your spine" hasn't been invented, a visit to our office is even better. If it's been a while since your last visit, give us a call. Let's catch those problems before they become serious.

www.dettwilerchiropractic.com

Help spread the news about Chiropractic care

2009-07-29T07:30:00.002-07:00

Each new day about 10,000 Americans try chiropractic care for the first time. Some have only minor complaints. Some suffer from the pain and misery of serious health problems, injuries, and illnesses. Some turn to chiropractic as a last resort.

Still, despite this demand for modern chiropractic, many persons in need of chiropractic care more than anything else in the world, put off trying this safe, painless, drugless health care method because they aren't sure what chiropractic is and how it works.

Please share this newsletter and your knowledge of how chiropractic care has helped you with your family and friends. Thank you!

Tips for Healthy Aging

2009-07-29T07:30:00.001-07:00

1. Embrace a Positive Attitude- according to research, a positive attitude is key to the ability to live longer and can lead to a healthier, higher quality of life.

2. Challenge Your Mind- research shows that the more educated we are, the longer we live. Take advantage of opportunities and possibilities that have not been available to you earlier in life, such as travel, a second career, volunteer activities, or various classes in areas of interest.

3. Limit Stress and Stay Connected- Humor, exercise and optimism are good ways to naturally reduce stress and relieve tension. Stay in touch with family and friends.

4. Embrace Exercise- Find fun ways to stay in shape and feel good, such as dancing, gardening, cutting the grass, swimming, walking or jogging. Engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

5. Make Healthy Diet Choices- choose whole, natural foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Stay away from processed and refined foods.

6. Choose Quality Health Care- Doctors of Chiropractic are trained and licensed to examine and treat the entire body with specific emphasis on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, wellness and prevention.

Is it time to get back to your Chiropractor?

2009-07-01T10:33:00.003-07:00

I was recently asked by a patient that I haven't seen in a while, "If my original problem required a lot of treatment and I come back for the same problem, will I need as much treatment again?"

The answer is most likely no. In most cases where treatment substantially corrected misalignment, follow-up treatment for the same or similar condition within a few years is usually not nearly as extensive.

Please make sure you stick to the treatment plan I designed for you so your problems don't return.

Gardening Ergonomics

2009-07-01T10:33:00.001-07:00

Follow these tips to prevent injury while doing gardening or yard work:
1. Use tools, such as shears or clippers with a spring-action, self-opening feature, to prevent strain on the muscles and joints. Make sure the tools are well oiled to open and close easily.

2. When lifting potted plants or mulch and dirt, bend your knees and lift straight up, keeping you back as straight as possible. Use your knees, rather than the back muscles, to lift, and avoid twisting and turning while lifting.

3. Sit while working or take sitting breaks to conserve energy and decrease stress on your back, knees and hips.

4. Do not try to whip your entire garden or lawn into shape in one day. This mentality leads to overdoing it and sore Monday mornings.

Are chiropractic adjustments safe for children?

2009-05-28T09:04:00.001-07:00

Absolutely! Because a child's skeletal system is still developing, there is a great deal of elasticity within the joints. Light pressure is usually all that is needed to adjust a child's spine.

So the next time you come to our office, bring your children. The few minutes you invest in your child's spinal checkup may save them needless suffering now and in the future.

Top 10 Reasons Children See a Chiropractor...
1. Earaches
2. Neck Pain
3. Checkup
4. Headaches
5. Upper Respiratory Infection
6. Low Back Pain
7. Allergies
8. Asthma
9. Enuresis (bed wetting)
10. Thoracic Pain

Foot Levelers

2009-04-27T06:14:00.001-07:00

"The foot bone's connected to the...head bone?!"

At Dettwiler Chiropractic, we know how the feet are the foundation of the entire spinal pelvic structure. So any fallen arch or misalignment in the feet can cause pain (now or later) in the knees, hips, back or neck and even cause them to wear out prematurely. Many lower back issues are actually the result of feet that are poorly supported, and we can fix that!

We Now Have The Associate™ Platinum from Foot Levelers

Foot Levelers is a company that has been manufacturing custom-made orthotics called Spinal Pelvic Stabilizers for 55 years. Their new product -The Associate Platinum - is a scanner that lets us examine your feet and each foot's three arches, show you a color photo of your feet where your may have issues that could affect the rest of your body, and then recommend Stabilizers made just for you!

Improving your Pregnancy with Chiropractic Care

2009-04-26T07:17:00.001-07:00

In addition to the noticeable changes pregnancy causes in a woman's body, pregnancy can cause subtle changes in the musculoskeletal system; changes your chiropractor is able to detect and correct. Because the baby lies forward in the woman's body during pregnancy, her center of gravity shifts and the spine alters itself to accommodate this change. As a result, many expectant mothers may experience low back and pelvic pain. These stresses and strains can be relived with regular chiropractic care. Many chiropractic patients report that their deliveries were faster and more comfortable than deliveries prior to having chiropractic care.

Low Back Pain

2009-04-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

Low back pain is one of the most common complaints that patients report when they visit our office. In fact 4 out of 5 Americans will suffer with low back pain at some point in their life. Signs that their is a problem with their back can range from muscle tightness and spasms, restricted range of motion when bending or twisting, and sharp or stabbing pains from the back, radiating to the front.

More and more people are beginning chiropractic care because they want a natural approach to health, avoiding addictive drugs or irreversible surgery. The typical medical treatment for low back pain is pain killers, muscle relaxors and physical therapy. Those can all help with pain in the short term, but it does not fix the problem that is causing the pain.

I want to tell you about a patient at Dettwiler Chiropractic that was suffering from low back pain. She arrived at our office with a pain level of 9 out of 10. 2 days prior to her first visit, she went to the emergency room due to extreme pain. She was given pain killers and told to do physical therapy. The next day she went her medical doctor and he told her to see a Chiropractor. Within 3 visits at our office, her pain level went from 9 out of 10 to 2 out of 10. She has stopped taking pain killers and is very happy with the results of her treatments.

Please let someone you know that is suffering from low back pain, that Dr Dettwiler may be able to help alleviate the symptoms and correct the underlying problem.

Parabens. Are they taking a toll on your health?

2009-04-01T05:56:00.001-07:00

If you pick up your favorite body care product and look at the ingredient list, you are likely to see components such as butylparaben, isopropylparaben, sodium methylparaben or ethylparaben. All of these ingredients fall into the category of parabens, which, according to new research, could potentially take a toll on your health.

This group of chemicals is found in common personal care products such as lotion, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and cosmetics. They function primarily as preservatives, protecting the product from bacteria and making it safe to use for the months or years it sits on the shelf.

There are several natural alternatives to parabens that can be used as preservatives in personal care items. These include grapefruit seed extract, phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, sorbic acid, vitamin E, A, and C.

DettwilerChiropractic.com

Personal Injury

2009-04-01T05:55:00.001-07:00

Collisions that occur during sporting events, slips, falls or automobile crashes can all have a damaging effect on your neck and back.

The result of these accidents can contribute to headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, pain in the shoulders, arms and hands, reduced ability to turn and bend, and back/ neck problems. As the body attempts to adapt, symptoms may not appear until weeks or even months later.

Chiropractic adjustments help improve and restore motion to joints that are stuck or not moving correctly, thus alleviating many of these symptoms.

Please let someone you know that is suffering from a personal injury, that Dr Dettwiler can help alleviate the symptoms and correct the underlying problem.

DettwilerChiropractic.com

Saturated vs Unsaturated Fats

2009-04-01T05:49:00.001-07:00

Saturated fats are much more stable fats and do not become rancid when exposed to heat and oxygen unlike unsaturated oils that become rancid when exposed to heat, such as the temperature of our bodies.

So what type of saturated fats should we eat?
Coconut oil.

Coconut oil has a melting temperate of 76 degrees and does not become rancid when exposed to heat. It also helps to promote thyroid function and increase metabolism.

During your next visit make sure to ask Dr Dettwiler about coconut oil and other beneficial saturated oils.

DettwilerChiropractic.com

Headaches

2009-04-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

Did you know that your neck has to balance and support the equivalent of a 10-13 pound bowling ball?

Estimates suggest that 1 in 4 people have a headache right now, and a study reported that around 10 million Americans suffer from moderate to severe headaches each day! Because headaches are so common, some people think that getting a headache is just part of a normal life, when in actuality headaches are a sign that something's wrong! Chiropractic adjustments help improve and restore the normal curve in the neck thus removing irritation from the nerves and often alleviating the headaches.

Please let someone you know that is suffering from headaches, that Dr Dettwiler may be able to help alleviate the symptoms and correct the underlying problem.

DettwilerChiropractic.com