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Chiropractic Myth: Chiropractors Aren’t Real Doctors

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:27:11 GMT

A statement I have heard far too many times is “Chiropractors aren’t real doctors.” I always ask this question in response, “What’s a doctor?” Seems like a silly question, but you’d be surprised at the responses you can hear. It seems most people, when confronted with the question, give me a response along the lines of “Someone who diagnoses and/or gives medicine.”

But what are doctors really by definition? It’s derived from the Latin word doc?re, which means to teach. Essentially a doctor is meant to be a teacher. But what should a doctor be teaching? Judging by the definition I get from many people, they aren’t meant to teach, but more to point out what is wrong, name it, and give you something to “fix” it.

Which path leads to greater health: 1) Waiting until something happens and when it finally comes around deal with it then or 2) Take care of the body God has given you now and insure optimal functioning and health of your body now, so that these issues won’t manifest themselves? Which seems like a better strategy?

So if doctors are meant to teach, they should be teaching on health right? What does our society tend to study and focus on right now? Sickness and disease. How can a doctor teach about health, if all they study is sickness and disease? Shouldn’t they be studying health and be teaching about how to be healthy instead of just fixing what’s going on. What kind of dentist would tell you just to come in when something hurts? A horrible one! We understand taking care of our teeth and maintaining healthy teeth, but with the rest of our body we follow this mindset of “wait and see,” which cannot lead to health.

So lets ask the question again, what makes a real doctor? A real doctor is one who is committed to see you reach your complete and full health, not waiting until something happens. That first sign that something is malfunctioning in your body can be your last. We’ve all heard the story of a guy he seemed completely normal, then during a round of golf on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, he drops dead of a heart attack. Was he healthy before the heart attack? No, it has been going on for years.

As your doctor, I’m committed to helping you reach your full and complete health. My job is to activate the unlimited potential for health that starts right inside of you and help you achieve the life you’ve always dreamed. I desire that kids have a life without limits and are able to fulfill their God-given purpose that they were put on this Earth to do.

Start you journey to health. [PRACTICE PHONE]

Once You Go To A Chiropractor…

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:25:31 GMT

You’ve heard it before, “Once you go to a Chiropractor, you have to go for the rest of the your life.” I’ve always found this question funny, but really this question stems from a lack of understanding of the intention and purpose of Chiropractic. Many people when they think about the reason to see a Chiropractor, they usually are thinking about back problems or pain. Most of them think, just get “cracked” a couple times and feel better and get on your way. To be honest, there are Chiropractors that do focus solely on the pain and how you “feel.” However this is missing the boat on the true benefits and purpose of Chiropractic. Chiropractic’s intention is RESTORATION: to restore balance and function of the nervous system by removing subluxations located within the spine. The removes stress on the most important system of your body, which allows you to not only feel better, but actually function and live at a higher capacity.

Neurology has shown us that only 10% of our nervous system is dedicated to how we feel, the other 90% being dedicated to our Autonomic System, which is the part of our nervous system that governs our unconscious functioning, such as digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, absorption, energy distribution, liver functioning, filtration by the kidneys, etc. That list could go on forever, because our nervous system governs all the functions in our entire body. The other 90% of our nervous system is focused on how our body functioning and only 10% on how you’re feeling.

So does it make sense to focus so much on how you’re feeling, when that’s only 10% of what is important for your body? Of course not. Chiropractic is focused on this 90%, how you function!

So I will have to go the rest of my life?

It’s the same as brushing your teeth, you want to keep healthy teeth so you need to maintain them and take care of them. Or take going to the gym for example. Once you get a membership you always have to go right? Wrong, you chose how healthy and fit you want to be. Same with Chiropractic, you chose how healthy you want your nervous system to be.

Of course, I would love for you to become part of the Vitality Family and experience health and vitality for your entire family. I want the best for you and I know that through a healthy and fully functioning nervous system, you get TRUE health and get the most out of life!

“Once you go to the Chiropractor, you’ll experience LIFE and health like you never thought was possible!”

Proper Backpack Care

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:24:28 GMT

How much does your child’s backpack weight when they head off to school in the morning? Do you know? It’s okay if you don’t. The truth is that most parents don’t know but you need to. A backpack weighing more than 15% of your child’s bodyweight can damage their developing spine.

5. Every Sunday empty out your child’s backpack and review that they have stuffed inside. You would be surprised what items accumulate inside that add unnecessary weight. If this is a teenager, find out if they need to carry all their books all the time, or is their schedule Monday, Wednesday and Friday different from Tuesday and Thursday?

4. Check the backpack straps for proper shoulder placement, making sure that the bottom of the backpack is two inches above the waist and resting in the curve of the lower back.

3. Continue weekly reminders that wearing the backpack on both shoulders prevents postural problems.

2. Weigh your child’s backpack once a week to determine if it is within the safe range of 15% or less of your child’s body weight.

1. If your child is not under regular wellness chiropractic care, check our child’s shoulder and head level at least once a month to determine if they are showing early signs of repetitive stress on their growing spine. A Family Wellness Chiropractor who is trained to detect the early signs can perform this exam. Like dentistry, early detection and correction is key to better health.

Top 5 Recommendations For Parents

Proper Backpack Care

The Secret to Weight Loss and Ideal Weight!

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:22:21 GMT

There is none…

That’s right. Probably not what you were hoping to hear. I wish I had a secret potion, lotion, or pill that could do it for you but here’s the truth, even if there was you wouldn’t want it.

Why? Think about this.

There is a reason for everything in life. There’s a reason we don’t maintain our ideal weight and there’s a reason diets don’t work. It’s because it’s missing the most critical component. It’s not a lifestyle.

That’s why diets don’t work. In the mind of someone who’s on a diet, it’s temporary. You should be eating to live.

LIFESTYLE

When I left college I weighed 235 pounds. To put this is in perspective I weight 190 pounds now and I actually look bigger and feel stronger than I ever did in college. I tried cleansing, I tried paleo, I tried all sorts of tricks but nothing stuck. Now I have no problem keeping weight because my LIFESTYLE has changed. I get asked a lot how I lost all the weight. There’s no secret. I failed for awhile but eventually I learned to truth.

Now I eat to live. I eat foods that give me energy and fuel my body, not tax it. I work out regularly. Not to look good (although that would be a perk) but to feel good. Working out is just as much a mental treat for me as a physical gift.

If you want to truly lose weight and feel great. You must change your lifestyle. It’s time to start thinking differently about why you eat and what your goals for your health are!

Eat to live, don’t live to eat!

You ready? Here’s the big secret!

Chiropractic and Sciatica: Treating the Cause Not Symptoms

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:20:55 GMT

Sciatica is a painful condition affecting the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve originates from the lumbar spine in the low back and travels past the pelvis and down the leg. Common symptoms of sciatica are leg pain on either side beginning at the back and traveling down the leg to the knee or the foot. Although many patients experience back pain as well, often times it is not as severe as the leg pain. They may also experience burning and/or tingling down the leg as well.

Cause Behind the Sciatic Pain

Often the cause behind sciatica is trauma, which can be either a singular incident left untreated or repetitive stress that has built up over the course of time such as sitting, heavy lifting, etc. This trauma causes either the pelvis or one of the lumbar vertebrae (located in the lower back) to come out of their proper positioning and get stuck. This can cause inflammation and over time start to wear down the disc, causing it to bulge into the narrow pathway the sciatic nerve exits from. This bulging has been shown to be a major cause behind the sciatic pain.

Individuals suffering with sciatica often get massages or physical therapy and see benefits, but often they are short term. Some try medications, which rarely help, but even if they did they would only be masking the pain, not correcting the cause.

Some eventually end up in surgery to create more space for the nerve to pass through uninhibited. This surgery is expensive and not always best for the patient. Unfortunately large portions of these patients who undergo spinal surgery end up seeing the problem only return awhile later.

People who have tried Chiropractic as their choice of treatment have seen phenomenal results around the world and often forego surgery altogether. Many patients note that many other symptoms of their daily life improve, better quality of sleep, and more energy throughout the day.

How Can Chiropractic Help Sciatica?

Chiropractic addresses the real cause behind the issue, which is the misalignment of the vertebrae or pelvis that is affecting the nerve. Through the Chiropractic adjustment proper motion and alignment is restored and over time the issue can be resolved.

Like all processes, healing takes time. Patience, and commitment are the keys to proper healing and resolution. The alternative, drugs or surgery, may give the immediate gratification but only mask the problem.

Live the Life of Vitality You Deserve

At Vitality Family Chiropractic we assess your problem through multiple lenses. The first is through our physical exam where we assess for inflammation and motion in the joints of the spine. The second is through our nerve scans, which use Surface EMG and Thermography to determine the exact areas of stress on the central nervous system. The last is through X-rays, which will help assess the extent of the issue and the underlying cause behind the issue. From there a specific plan is set up for you, to get you back living the life of vitality you deserve.

We encourage you to take the first step towards your wellbeing. If you’ve been suffering, help is available now.

Call (805) 379-3653 today!

Numbness and Pain in the Arm or Hand

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:18:38 GMT

One of the more common symptoms that bring people to a Chiropractic office is numbness and pain down the arm. Neck pain is often associated with this as well. Many believe that it is a circulation problem; similar to when you fall asleep on your arm and after awhile you feel the “pins and needles” sensation down the arm. This however is not the case. Many probably wish they could just “shake it off” but it is not possible. The real cause behind the issue is irritation to the nerves that travel down the arm.

Getting to the Source of the Problem

The nerves that travel down the arm and into the hand originate from the neck. The nerves that exit the spine must exit between two vertebrae with a disc in between them. When one of these vertebrae come out of their normal alignment and get stuck in that position, they lose their ability to go through normal ranges of motion. This causes inflammation to build in the area and the muscles located near the nerve to tighten. If this misalignment is left untreated the condition may worsen causing degeneration to the disc and further irritation to the nerve.

Many people suffering with this condition have had incredible results through Chiropractic. Dr J.K. Paterson took 364 patients suffering from neck pain, 115 of which had numbness and tingling down one or both arms. 90% of these patients had 100% resolution of their complaints through Chiropractic adjustments. Why? Chiropractic addresses the cause of the issue, the irritation to the nerve from the spine.

How Can We Help?

At Vitality Family Chiropractic we take a multi-faceted approach to determining the true cause behind your problem.

First, our physical exam will determine help determine the areas of the spine that seem to have lost normal motion, as well as any areas that could be compensating for the problem.

Second, we will take scans of your nervous system using Surface EMG and Thermography. These scans highlight areas of the nervous system that under stress.

Lastly, we will take X-rays of your spine to determine the extent of the problem.

From there we will have a specific plan for you to get you back living the life of vitality you deserve.

If you are tired of suffering, give us a call at [PRACTICE PHONE].

Chiropractic and Posture: What’s the Big Deal?

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:16:45 GMT

Posture is the window to health?

What’s the big deal? Why is my Chiropractor so interested in how straight up I look? Truth be told, it’s way more than just how you look. Posture can tell a great deal as to how well you function.

Walk through an exercise with me. I want you to sit in “perfect” posture. Sitting as tall as you can, head above your shoulders. Now turn you head to the right and left and notice how it feels. Ok. Now try it again, but this time I want you to jut your chin out in front you. Notice a difference? Of course you did. Changing your posture changes the way your spine is able to move and position itself.

Structure Determines Function

It’s important to understand that the spine is much more than just a sack of bones, ligaments, and muscles. It’s the protective housing for your Central Nervous System, which consists of your brain, spinal cord, and the nerves that exit from the spine. Your central nervous system controls and coordinates function of your entire body.

Changes in the posture of your spine, can adversely affect the function of your central nervous system. This in turn can cause a wide variety of health concerns. When the spine doesn’t move correctly and gets “stuck” in an abnormal position, this creates tension and stress and the delicate nerves that exit from the spine, connecting brain to body.

Bad Posture Leads to More Stress

This can also leave your body more susceptible to stress. Stress comes in many different forms such as physical (car accidents, falls, posture), chemical (diet, toxins, environment), and emotional (work, relationships, loss). When your central nervous system is adversely affected, it doesn’t allow your body to deal well with stress very well. This can leave you feeling more stressed, worn down, tired, achy, etc.

When stress builds up in your body, it takes a toll. It can affect your muscles, mood, and even your vital organs, which are supplied by nerves that exit the spine. All organs need optimal connection to the brain to be able to function properly.

Have you had your spine and nervous system checked with a complete examination recently? If not, contact us or give us a call at [PRACTICE PHONE].

“Text Neck”: Is It A Real Problem?

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:14:53 GMT

Smartphones and Spinal Health

Smartphones are far more common today than ever before, and now are commonly in the hands of children and teenagers. Texting is overtaking calling and more time is spent on smartphones than anywhere else. For an average of 2-4 hours a day, millions of people around the world stare at their iPhones and Androids. Many people are starting to realize that with this advancement in technology there could also be some consequences that are going unseen. Many people are questioning whether looking down for such prolonged periods of time could be the cause of some common issues in adults as well as our teenagers.

The average human head typically weighs around 12 pounds, but as the head moves forward more stress and added weight get put on the cervical spine (the neck). Research shows that up to 60 pounds of stress can be placed on the spine as the head moves forward. Many surgeons are calling for a change, realizing that this added stress to the neck of teenagers and adults can cause early wear and tear, degeneration, and even surgery to the neck.

On average smartphone users spend 2 to 4 hours a day on their phone. This means 14 to 28 hours a week are spent with stress on the spine. This repetitive stress can actually change the shape and curvature of the neck leading to significant issues on health and the nervous system. The neck should have a 40-degree curve, forming a C shape. As stress is placed on the neck from the head going forward, it can start to straighten and over time, if allowed to progress, can start curving the opposite direction. This over time can place excessive stress on the discs, causing herniations and early degeneration.

Chiropractic Interventions

The latest technology is being used by Chiropractors today to determine if “text neck” is affecting in the nervous system as well. This technology uses Surface EMG and Thermography to determine the level of stress being placed on the nervous system.

This has become an increasingly common problem amongst teenagers, leading to increased incidences of migraines, headaches, inattention, trouble focusing, neck pain, poor posture, as well as other issues.

This change in curvature and increased stress on the spine can lead to serious health and neurological concerns as well, especially in children and teenagers. Experts believe it can lead to headaches, migraines, ADHD, neurological issues, depression, and even heart disease.

Technology has come a long way and we need to be ready to adapt to some of the consequences of this new technology. It’s important to make sure you and your child are staying current on regular spinal examinations/corrections from your Chiropractor to make sure you do not incur stress and damage to your spine and nervous system. It’s also important to make sure you are maintaining good posture throughout your day and doing the proper exercises to counteract the stress of poor posture. Make sure to sit tall, pull the shoulders back, and tighten your core.

Have you ever heard of spine transplant? Neither have I so make sure you take care of the one you have. If damage is done to the spine it can take months and in the worst cases over a year to correct the damage done. Even though this problem is correctable, waiting until you have a problem can do more harm than good. Your Chiropractor can analyze your X-rays and examine your spine to determine the health of your spine and nervous system.

Have you and your child checked by a Chiropractor to determine if you or your child are suffering from “text neck” — call our office for an appointment today!

Chiropractic Fights the Flu

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:13:03 GMT

Gaining Notoriety and Fame

Did you know that Chiropractic originally gained its notoriety and fame not from back pain and neck pain, but from the flu?

In 1918, America was hit by one of the worst flu epidemics ever recorded. Many people lost their lives. A review of medical records showed a group of 50 doctors had seen 4953 people for treatment of the flu. Of those 4953 people 274 died. It was a scary time to get the flu.

However out in Davenport, Iowa there was a lot of buzz going around about a group of Chiropractors who were treating patients for the flu. 150 Chiropractors saw 1635 people for the flu and only recorded 1 death. Word quickly spread about Chiropractors helping people to combat disease.

Chiropractic very rapidly rose to establish license in many states for it’s efficacy in help people combat disease.

So how in the world did Chiropractic help people with the flu?

Chiropractors understand you don’t treat the seed; you treat the soil. You don’t treat the flu; you treat the body. There is a very integral relationship between the immune system and the nervous system. Hence the budding new research called “Neuro-Immunology.”

Chiropractors understand the nervous system controls and coordinates everything. By removing the road blocks and stress on the nervous system, we restore and enhance optimal function of the nervous system, giving the individual an immune boost.

Are you in need of an “Immune Boost?”

Get started today. Call [PRACTICE PHONE] to get Help!

Waking Up With Energy

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:11:32 GMT

Tips on how he wakes up every morning with ENERGY!

Here are some of the tips:

1. Nutrition

2. Water

3. Hold of the coffee

4. Fitness

5. Chiropractic

March Press Release: Autism

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:10:23 GMT

Vitality Family Chiropractic: How Chiropractic Can Help Children With Autism Recover Naturally

( Westlake Village, CA ). January 6th 2015–Autism has been receiving tremendous amounts of attention in recent years. The CDC announced Autism rates had increased dramatically from 1 in 150 in 2002 to 1 in every 68 children being affected in 2010 – only 8 years later. Further, the CDC stated that rates are expected to continually increase. Healthcare professionals are still unsure as to the cause behind Autism, as well as the course of treatment. Knowing this, many parents are taking it upon themselves to determine the best treatment for their child.

Most parents wouldn’t think to bring their children to see a Chiropractor, but Vitality Family Chiropractic, located in Westlake Village, CA, is full of children. The goal is to remove barriers that are inhibiting their body from healing and functioning at its fullest potential. This often results in better sleep habits, decreased sensitivities, better gut health, and more controlled behaviors.”

Many leading professionals agree that Autism can cause permanent neurological damage, but we refuses to put a constraint on how children with Autism can recover. One mother writes in her testimonial, “We can’t say enough about the healing that he has brought, not only for our daughter, but us as well. When our now 4 year old daughter was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, we were desperate to find ways to help her overcome some of her obstacles…but I can honestly say that in the six months, he has made an incredible improvement in all our lives.”

How does it work? “By helping restore proper neurological function, we help children to perceive and adapt to their world better. What I look for are subluxations in the spine, particularly in the upper neck which houses the brainstem – an extremely important neurological center. A subluxation can create a series of physiological and neurological changes leading to a build up of inflammation and stress within the Central Nervous System. Every child is unique and different, therefore our care changes to best suit each particular child.”

We regularly provides a free workshop for the community called the Perfect Storm Workshop, which walks parents through many of the physiological and neurological changes in Autism. It also gives parents action steps on neurological healing that have helped many of his patients and families. The next workshop takes place in April for Autism Awareness Month. While it does take time, We helped many children get off medications, restore healthy digestive function, have stronger immune systems, and better behaviors.

To register for the next Perfect Storm Workshop or for information visit www.govitalityfamily.com.

Know Your Scans: Your Thermography Scan

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:09:22 GMT

The first assessment we perform is our Thermography Scan. This is the first in a series of three scans we may perform.

Our nervous system, our “master control system” is the main controller of all heat distribution in the body. By using this infrared thermography we can assess your spine and nervous system for areas where heat distribution has been altered, giving us a much clearer picture of where subluxations may be.

Typically the scan should be all white bars. This tells us that heat is being distributed equally on both sides. If you see bars of green, blue, or red that’s demonstrating areas of mild, moderate, to tremendous stress and inflammation on the spine and nervous system, which is not good.

You may have received a Nervous System Chart showing the areas of spine, what areas of the nervous system is protected in that area, as well as what common effects can be seen if subluxations are present in those areas. Note the correlation between the areas of the spine that show altered colors (green, blue, or red) and the nervous system chart you were given to see if areas correlate to the symptoms you may be having.

It’s important to note that areas with 2 or more consecutive colored bars together indicate significant levels of stress on the spine and nervous system. Areas that have reached levels of red indicate that the subluxation is much more mature and has been there quite awhile.

It’s also very important to note that symptoms do NOT need to be present for the scanning technology to pick up alterations in heat distribution. Most of the time symptoms are the last thing to show up and the first thing to leave. This test gets the root cause of the issue, which is your body’s inability to heal and correct the problem due to subluxations in your nervous system.

The thermal scan is great tool for understanding how subluxations have affected specific areas of stress on the spine and nervous system. Our other assessments can help us achieve a much broader and global understanding how subluxations have been affected your entire body as well as your health.

Know Your Scans: Your SEMG Scan

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:03:08 GMT

The second assessment we perform is our Surface ElectroMyoGraphy (SEMG) scans. These scans are completely harmless, pain-free, and radiation free. This scans uses highly sensitive sensors that are placed along the spine to analyze the efficiency of the nervous system.

This scan is an incredible tool for analyzing the nervous system. A spine out of balance puts abnormal tension on your nervous system and will show up on our EMG scan.

We will use the same grading scale as we did on the thermal scan with white bars being most desirable on both sides of the spine. We also want to see a pear shaped pattern to the scan. The reason for this being that as we move down the spine we reach the areas of the core and our vital organs, which need more nerve supply in those areas than others. So when looking at our scans these are important qualities to look for.

Anytime we see bars that are green, blue, or red these indicates areas of mild, moderate, or tremendous levels of stress on the nervous system. The other color we may see is areas of yellow bars. Typically we find this toward the middle of scan. This indicates areas of exhaustion in the nervous system, which tells us that those areas have been working so hard that they can no longer keep up with daily demands. This is very common with patients who suffer with chronic fatigue, who inevitable end up experiencing greater amounts of energy as we restore proper function in those areas.

These are the critical components that we look for when analyzing your SEMG scans. Again, look to your Nerve Chart to see where areas of stress or fatigue may correlate to chart.

It’s important to know that every scan is different and our care for each of our practice members is different.

During your restoration care phase your scans may appear “worse” or you might see more colors than before. This is normal and can be a very good thing. You see the goal of these scans is to truly understand how your body has been able to cope and adapt to the stresses of life, whether they be physical, chemical, or emotional. As we go through our restoration phase, we may “unpack” stress and the spine and nervous system start to change and adapt. This can lead to increased amounts of energy in the system.

You will also see 3 numbers on the right side of your scans. These are some quantitative values to help us monitor your progress as well. Pattern and Symmetry scores tell us how is the balance and symmetry of the nervous system. The more balance we have the better. We don’t want to drive our car on just one side and our body is no different. For both these values we want to see 70 and above.

The other value you will see is Total Energy. Total energy tells us how efficient your nervous system is. This value we want to see as close as we can get to 100. Imagine you are driving on the free at 65 mph but your RPMs are close to 9000. Your car is wasting tons of energy to get the job done and working much harder than normal to do the job. You want your car running at 1-2000 RPMs so your car can run more efficiently.

The higher your total energy is, the more energy your body is having to use to get the job done. The more energy your body is wasting the less energy your body has to do everyday activities. This can lead to increased fatigue and more overall stress.

When the body feels this increased stress it drives your nervous system toward increased sympathetic activity. Sympathetic activity is the “fight or flight” or stress side of your central nervous system. This side is only intended for short periods of time as needed. When the sympathetic nervous system is engaged it can lower immune system activity, decrease adaptability, decrease adequate sleep, increase blood pressure, and wreak havoc on your health.

The Top 6 Stretches For Sciatica and Low Back Pain

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:01:28 GMT

Sciatica is becoming a common issue for many adults, but just because it’s common does not mean that it’s normal. Before trying to deal with sciatica on our own, be sure to consult you Chiropractor, who can help get to the root cause of where the sciatica is stemming from.

Often times the root cause ends up coming from the nerve roots in the low back, typically from repetitive stress of sitting and other causes.

IMPORTANT NOTE : These stretches are not a method to cure sciatica, these stretches help support corrective adjustments, to facilitate the healing process and removing any unnecessary stress and tension from the lower back. Consult with your Chiropractic Doctor to determine the cause behind your sciatica.

This will hopefully become a tool for you as you go through your corrective care process to speed up your recovery and allow your adjustments to set better.

1. The Hamstring Stretch

You may choose to either lie on the ground or stay upright. I suggest using a towel or band to wrap around the ball of your foot to increase the stretch. Bring leg up or prop leg on a chair or couch and lean forward while pulling on the towel or band.

IMPORTANT TIPS : Keep a straight spine the entire time. The goal is to stretch the hamstring, not to see if you can touch your toes. There’s a difference! The key is to lean into the stretch and use the band to increase the stretch. Yes, you may feel this in the calf. There is a band of tissue called fascia connected your glutes, hamstrings, and calves together.

Time : Hold for 30 seconds each side, remembering to breath deeply throughout the stretch. As you breathe out, increase the stretch as you feel comfortable.

2. Knee to Chest

The goal of this stretch is to release the tension in the glute muscles. Lie flat on your back, bringing your knee to your chest using your hands. Keep the other leg straight and flat on the floor.

IMPORTANT TIPS : Remember to keep a straight spine. Really keep the opposite leg flat and stretched out along the floor, this will help to increase the effectiveness of the stretch. If you cannot complete the stretch with a straight leg, then bend the outstretched knee. Keep head flat on floor

Time : Hold for 30 seconds each side, remembering to breathe deeply throughout the stretch.

3. The Iron Cross

The goal of this stretch is to release as much tension as possible from the muscles of the low back. If you are under corrective care it’s important not to “force” this stretch. Lie on your back with outstretched arms out to the side. Bend one knee and raise it to your chest, then let your knee fall to the opposite side of your body towards the floor.

You may use the arm of the opposite side (as seen in the picture) to increase in the picture above.

IMPORTANT TIPS : It’s crucial to keep your upper back as flat onto the floor as possible. This helps focus the stretch into the low back.

Time : Hold for 30 seconds each side, remembering to breathe deeply throughout the stretch.

4. Hip Flexor Stretch

5. Piriformis Stretch

The hip flexors attach directly to the lumbar spine. As they get tight they can pull on the low back and add tension and stress to the spine and therefore nervous system. The first step is to bend down into a seated lung position with one knee bent on the floor, while the other knee is bent with your foot on the floor (as seen in the picture).

Keep the foot (on the down knee) flat and stretched out on the floor (as seen in the picture). Initiate the stretch by moving your body forward, feeling the stretch in the groin.

IMPORTANT TIPS : Keep spine straight throughout the stretch while engaging your core as you move your body forward. Keep your chest up. The key is to move your pelvis forward and deeper into the stretch. The most important part to make this stretch effective is to keep your core tight and engaged, not letting your low back round as you stretch.

Time : Hold for 30 seconds each side, remembering to breathe, while keeping the core engaged.

You can perform this stretch while seated. Bring one foot up to rest above your knee. Your leg does not have to be parallel to the floor for the stretch to be effective. To initiate the stretch, lean your body forward, remembering to keep your chest up and spine straight. Feel the stretch in your bottom by your gluten and hips. To increase the stretch lean back, use your hands to place downward pressure on your raised knee, then re-engage the stretch. You should feel an increase in the stretch and will not be able to lean as far.

IMPORTANT TIPS : Make sure to keep a straight spine by keeping the chest up. Only place downward pressure on the knee through the stretch if you are flexible and you are not feeling a stretch.

Time : Hold for 30 seconds each side, remembering to breathe deeply into the stretch.

6. Child’s Pose

The chi ld’s pose stretch may not seem like a stretch effective for sciatica, but it is incredibly effective at removing tension from muscles pulling on the spine. The stretch can help reduce some of the stress on the low back.To begin the stretch, start with both knees on the floor. Lean your body forward placing hands on the floor and push your hips back towards feet. Allow your head and chest to drop towards the floor. See the picture for positioning.

IMPORTANT TIPS : If you have knee trouble, the stretch can be performed while standing and using a table to place your hands up, slightly bending the knees, and pushing the hips back. It’s very important to breathe deeply into this stretch.

Time : Hold for 1 minute or more as you feel comfortable, remembering to breathe deeply into the stretch.

Ready to get to cause behind your low back pain or sciatica? Give us a call today!

Chiropractic and Ear Infections: A Closer Look at One of Our Cases

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:56:50 GMT

DISCLAIMER : Names have been changed to protect the privacy of our patients.

I want to share an ear infection case we had with one of our little ones here in the office. For the purpose of this case study his name will be “Billy.”

Billy’s mom brought him into our office with ear infections in both ears. He had previously had 4 ear infections with antibiotics used after each subsequent ear infection. This was his fifth ear infection and his primary care physician had recommended that tubes be put in to prevent any further ear infections. Since his first ear infection, he could not go one month without getting the next ear infection.

As I start to dive deeper into the history, we discuss some of the other symptoms Billy is dealing with, mainly sinus congestion, but also swollen tonsils and mild chest congestion.

The birth history revealed that little Billy had a prolonged labor and delivery with pitocin and had suffered a few falls here and there as he was little. No colic or latching challenges but was otherwise fairly healthy.

I preceded to go through our exam on Billy, who was very nervous and crying, but I made sure to let him know that NOTHING ever hurts in our office and that Dr Brady is a certified “Tickled Doctor.” That calmed him down enough to get a good look at him, where I found a subluxation in his upper neck. A subluxation is a misalignment of one of the vertebrae in the spine that gets “stuck” in that position and starts to place stress on the nervous system, the master control system of our body. I also found one additional subluxation in his upper thoracic spine.

We confirmed our findings with our infrared thermal scans, which revealed higher levels of inflammation in his upper neck and upper back. Indicating his a subluxation in the very first bone in his spine.

When we look at our nerve chart or our “fuse box” chart, we can see that the upper cervical spine plays a large role in ear infections. For the brevity of this post will save the mire detailed science for ear infection page. Take a look at our ear infection page for a more in depth look at ear infections.

The upper thoracic or upper back contains centers for the upper respiratory system, which plays heavily into chronic ear infections.

We began our adjustments on Billy and used very gentle and specific adjustments using a tool that helps get the adjustment without having to hear a click or pop. It’s a gentle way to introduce kids to Chiropractic.

We also teach parents an easy lymphatic massage technique as well. Typically when the inner ears become filled with fluid it backs up into the lymph nodes and tonsils. This massage helps keep that fluid moving and gives the fluid from the inner ear a place to drain.

After the first series of adjustments I always tell parents to expect some sort of drainage or mucus build up. Sure enough for the first two weeks there was a LOT of drainage and mucus and he ended up getting sick towards the end. This is a really great sign. Here’s why…

When children are exposed to multiple rounds of antibiotics, there immune system is likely depleted and slow to respond, hence multiple ear infections. So to get an immune response from the body so quick is a great response!

After about a month of care the drainage finally ceased and what do you know, ears were clear. No fluid at all. After a few more weeks he got another ear infection. I know, seems counterproductive, but here’s what happened.

This was the first time he had gone over a month with an ear infection. Also because he had been exposed to multiple rounds of antibiotics, his immune system needs to rebuild, so recurrence can happen. However this time the fluid stayed for a couple days and was gone with no antibiotics.

Needless to say, the tube surgery is cancelled and he now can return to being a healthy boy.

Chiropractic and ADHD: Is ADHD Like A Ferrari?

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:55:31 GMT

Mind of a Ferrari

Think of a child’s brain with ADHD as a Ferrari. Just the name alone gives you a vision of driving down PCH at 100 mph. A Ferrari is the top of line for the sports car capable of tremendous power able to reach incredible speeds.

Children and adults with ADHD have what we call “Ferrari brains,” meaning their brains are powerful, reach incredible speeds, and are basically stuck on the “gas pedal” all the time. This is what makes their brains so truly powerful and capable of so much.

Have you looked under the hood of a Ferrari lately? Me neither. If you were to look under the hood, you would find a big engine (brain) and along with that you would find large brakes. A car with that much power needs some large brakes to go with it in order to properly control it and slow down. A Ferrari without those brakes is car just waiting to go out of control, but with the proper brakes it becomes a top of the line sports car.

A child or adult with ADHD has the big engine but lacks the necessary braking abilities. They have the brakes of a bicycle essentially. This prevents them from being able to accomplish slower activities like slowing down, sitting still, transitioning and other slow moving activities. However when they get into fast moving activities like video games for instance, their ADHD magically disappears and they can focus intensely.

Is Medication My Only Option?

So how do we help our child apply the brakes? Are medications the only way to do that? Luckily no. Many parents and authorities are becoming much more aware of the potential dangerous side effects and addictive nature involved with the common ADHD medications.

Chiropractic has been garnering plenty of attention in the media lately for the results it’s been having on children with ADHD. Check out our testimonial page to see some of our favorites.

We’ve been lucky enough to be able to help so many children regain control of that powerful engine and thrive in life. We’ve children be able to get off some of those dangerous medications. Our care aims to slowly “pump the brakes” and help children balance. We’ve watched as emotional challenges, which are commonly linked with ADHD, slowly normalize and regain composure.

Like us on Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on our latest ADHD workshop coming in June.

We’ve always heard that ADHD is problem, a diagnosis to place on our kids to describe the symptoms are kids are portraying. The media portrays ADHD as problem with our brains, where a circuit has blown a fuse and now we have a brain running “out of control.” The worst part is they say there is nothing really to be done besides medication. They say ADHD needs to be managed and that our kids and adults who have ADHD are “broken.” Is that true? I don’t think so.

Can Chiropractic Help My Breech Baby?

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:53:15 GMT

A regular phone call we receive goes something like this “I’m ___ weeks pregnant and I found out my baby is breech? Can Chiropractic help?”

The short answer is yes, Chiropractic may be able to help.

Babies that are in the breech position are flipped upside down with the buttocks down toward the pelvis and the head up towards the chest. It is not an ideal position for delivery and can make it difficult.

The predominant theory for why a baby turns breech is because there is less room in the womb due a condition know as intra uterine constraint (in-utero constraint). This condition occurs when the mothers uterus doesn’t open completely and gives the baby less room then normal to grow and develop. When the baby feels the stress of this it will turn to try and gain more room in the womb, which leads to the breech positioning.

Remember the uterus is a muscle and all muscles don’t act alone. They only do as they are told by the nervous system. When someone is stressed you can see the muscles of their body tense up, especially in the upper back and shoulders. However when we have neurological stress due to a condition called subluxation, a misalignment in the spine creating stress and tension on the nervous system, it does something very similar to the muscles of the uterus. When stress due to subluxations affect the nerves going to the uterus this can create tension in the muscles of the uterus and create in-utero constraint.

So Can Chiropractic Help Turn A Breech Baby?

Let me be clear, our goal as Chiropractors isn’t to turn your baby face down. This can happen as a byproduct of our care but it is not our goal. Our goal is to remove the stress on the nervous system that is creating tension in the uterus. In doing so our goal is to allow the uterus to open up as much as possible to allow the baby to turn face down again.

The webster technique is highly specialized for pregnant women, with a specific emphasis on sacrum, where the nerves that supply the uterus reside, and the pelvis.

Throughout your pregnancy we will utilize the webster technique to ensure you have your best pregnancy possible!

Check out our video on pregnancy care.

Where It All Begins

Why Is My Child Constipated?

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:50:08 GMT

Constipation has been something we’ve been coming across more and more with infants and children in our community. Many times we’re told it’s behavioral and maybe sometimes it is. That’s why here in our office we don’t guess, we test! We want to be sure if we can help or not.

Why Are So Many Children Affected?

This really is a two prong issue. First part is their nervous system, which is always the base since the nervous system “runs the show” digestively through the vagus nerve and other parasympathetic nerves. The second part is diet – what’s getting into their system.

For most of our infants we find the birth process can play a large role in developing constipation. The birth process can be jarring for a newborn and can be amplified in the cases where birth interventions are used such as induction, forceps, vacuum, or c-section. Many of these processes can place tremendous pressure on a newborns delicate spine and nervous system. Most importantly in the cases of forceps, vacuum, and c-section pressure can be placed on the upper neck, which houses the Vagus Nerve.

The vagus nerve is an incredibly important nerve exiting from the skull near the top bone in the spine and traveling down into the gut. When this nerve gets choked or irritated it can disrupt communication between the brain and digestive system, altering proper digestive function and leading to constipation, gas, bloating, etc.

It’s All Connected

The colon is a muscle. It’s job is to absorb the last amounts of water and expel whatever is left over by contracting in waves to push it out. All muscles are able to act only because the nervous system is telling them to contract.

When the nerves supplying the colon get choked off or irritated due to a condition known as subluxation, which is a misalignment in the spine that creates inflammation and stress on the nervous system, therefore altering the function of the colon.

We find by removing the stress and tension of the spine and nervous system, children slowly start to regain normal bowl movements as the brain can now better communicate to the rest of the body.

What We Eat

The other part of this equation tends to be the diet. I’ve found that as a child transitions to more solid foods, one of the most common foods suggested in rice cereal. Rice cereal as well as grains can be inflammatory to the gut and create constipation. Diets that contain dairy, grains, or sugar lead to inflammation in the gut, which can cause inflammation.

Even mothers who are breastfeeding need to be aware as well. Mothers may notice that dairy or gluten in their own diet may be a precipitating factor as well.

Our advice is to first get your child checked to make sure subluxations are interfering with their bodies ability to be well. Also try eliminating dairy and gluten from you and your child’s diet for a week to see if you notice a difference.

Chiropractic Mybuster: Once You Go To A Chiropractor…

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:19:32 GMT

“I’ve heard once you go to a Chiropractor, you always have to go to a Chiropractor.” This is one of largest myths propelled through society regarding Chiropractic. This really stems from a lack of communication and education about what Chiropractic does.

Many people assume that because they see their friends or family going to a Chiropractor regularly they assume either 1) the adjustments aren’t doing the job 2) the Chiropractor says they need to be seen “or else.”

It’s Your Health

Here’s the truth. You are always in control of your own health. You are the one solely responsible for what activities you do to contribute to your health.

Here’s something to think about. Do you need to workout? Does the gym make you workout? No. You workout because it is a requirement for health. You don’t workout regularly because the gym says you have to.

How about your dentist? Do you get your checkups because your dentists says you have to? No. You get checkups and cleanings because it’s important to prevent tooth decay from happening and to keep teeth healthy.

It’s no different for your spine and nervous system. We are all constantly bombarded by physical, chemical, and emotional stress. It’s inevitable. This stress takes a toll on our body and our body needs to adapt to that stress. When we can no longer adapt to that stress, it creates subluxations on our spine and nervous system.

Your nervous system is a pillar for health. If a nerve gets cut to your bicep, it no longer works. If a nerve gets cut going to the heart, it no longer beats.

Your spine and nervous system is like the control panel to the rest of your body. It is the master control system. Having a healthy nervous system is a requirement for optimal health.

You will only have a healthy nervous system as long as you maintain it. You will only maintain your fitness as long as you go to the gym.

Reality Check

Once you go to a Chiropractor and restore the health of your nervous system, it’s your choice as to how you choose to maintain it. Your chiropractor can help you get a plan in place to maintain the health of your spine and nervous system.

Be Weary of Antibiotics

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:15:53 GMT

Be weary of antibiotics? Really? Many people are surprised when we talk about antibiotics and the dangers associated with them. Yes, they have saved many lives in the past and was a critical discovery in a time of desperate need.

Antibiotics literally mean “against (anti) bacteria.” The concept behind antibiotics is to destroy bacteria. It makes sense and seems simple. It should be a great idea for sickness and ear infections right? Wrong.

Simple Truth

70% of our immune lives in the gut, which is made of mostly bacteria. When an antibiotic enters the body it kills all the bacteria it can, which unfortunately means that it will kill off good, healthy gut bacteria along with it. This good and healthy gut bacteria lays the foundation for our immune system. Without this good healthy bacteria our immune system is left vulnerable to another attack. This is explains why many people who have overused antibiotics have poor immunity and get sick more often.

By using antibiotics more frequently it doesn’t allow your immune system to work and strengthen. It’s like going to the gym to get stronger, but overtime you want to lift a weight, someone else picks it up for you. You don’t get any stronger and neither does our immune system.

Ear Infections

Ear infections are far and away the most overly prescribed diagnosis for children. in 2007 the American Academy of Pediatrics convened to discuss the treatment of ear infections with antibiotics. The report showed that there was no significant difference between patients who used antibiotics versus the placebo. It was then decided by the American Academy of Pediatrics that the new approach should be “watch and wait.” Essentially saying let it run it’s course. More evidence has been shown to support that ear infections may be predominately viral in nature.

The Cold/Flu Season

We get asked by parents often if antibiotics are a good choice for the flu or cold. My answer is no. Of course there are rare, life threatening situations that call for antibiotics. Common colds and flus most often times do not qualify. Most often children and adults will recover without issue. Using antibiotics for the short term seem like a good idea to recover quicker, but the long term effects may leave you in a worse place than you were before. It could leave you more vulnerable to getting sick and keep you from recovering as quickly as you would like.

What If I’ve Already Taken Antibiotics

Probiotics are your best bet here. There are plenty of great products out there at Whole Foods or Sprouts that are soil based and great. In order to recover from antibiotics, we need a good probiotic to start adding some healthy gut bacteria back into our system. Make sure to rotate between brands to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of various strains of bacteria.

Help your body heal and adapt through Chiropractic care. Chiropractic helps reboot your gut and immune system so that you get sick less often and recover quicker.

The Cause Behind Torticollis

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:14:05 GMT

Here’s a question for you.

When you grab a cup, does your hand squeeze involuntarily or did you make it squeeze? It may sound like a funny question but I’m trying to make a point. The point is the muscles of your forearm didn’t just contract on their own. They contracted because your brain told them to do so.

All muscles in the body are controlled and coordinated by the nervous system. Without the nerves telling the muscles what to do, guess what happens? They atrophy.

On the other end of the spectrum when the nerves get irritated, the muscle contracts and spasms.

The same goes with torticollis. It’s not because they didn’t get their banana and muscles started to spasm. It’s because at the root source the problem is the nerve is being irritated cause the muscle to spasm.

Many times we hear of procedures being used for torticollis that simply address the symptom, which is the muscle in spasm, and completely overlook the cause in the nervous system.

Our job as Chiropractors is to get to the root cause of the problem in nervous system by removing the stress on the nervous system so that the muscle can relax. Why? It’s because when stress is off the nerve, the nerve can now properly tell the muscle to do so.

That’s why we use the latest, state of the art technology to accurately and effectively measure for stress on the nervous system. The scans are certified by the space foundation and are pain-free and radiation-free.

That’s why we say, “We Don’t Guess. We Test.”

Is your child suffering from torticollis. Give us a call today!

Chiropractic “Side Effects”: Better Sleep

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:05:36 GMT

One of the common “Side Effects” we hear from patients when they are going through their Restoration Care is “I feel like I’m sleeping better!”

Most of the time, it’s not because they are sleeping longer, it’s that they are sleeping deeper. Now we have patients who would wake up every couple of hours and to them they were truly sleeping longer, but for the vast majority time didn’t change but quality did!

This has to do with stress. When stress is allowed to settle in the body, it’s puts you nervous system into a state of fight or flight. When your brain is in fight or flight, the last thing it wants to do is get deep profound sleep. Imagine you are at work and you are in the middle of a stressful project or need to meet a deadline. What if someone came up to you and said you had to fall asleep right then and there? Essentially it’s the same concept, when you are stressed, your body brain can’t shut down.

Chiropractic is focused on removing stress from the body and nervous system as well as balance out the nervous system so you can sleep better.

This brings us back to the state of the art scans in our office. This is where our Heart Rate Variability Technology comes into play

On your heart rate variability evaluation we can see exactly how dominant your nervous system is on the Sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight mode). This gives us a quantitative look into the health and balance of your nervous system to see if that is truly disrupting your sleep. We then gain more insight and clarity into your health by diving into our other scans and finding where exactly the stress is holding and building up in your nervous system.

Asthma: The Two Sided Coin

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:04:17 GMT

Asthma is becoming a much more common issue for our world. When people ask how Chiropractic can help people struggling with asthma, I tell them it’s a two sided coin.

There’s two concerns when dealing with Asthma. One is there is a serious immune imbalance, which causes a hyperactive response to stimulus. There other part of this is when there is a severe immune imbalance, it allows inflammation to storm the body and in particular the lungs!

When inflammation hits the lungs it causes the bronchioles to swell, making it much more difficult to breathe and may cause wheezing.

As a Chiropractor, my job is simply this: To restore the function of the nervous system so the body can start to balance and heal. When the body starts to heal it starts to balance the immune system.

One of the most important nerves in the body is the Vagus Nerve. There were studies done where they stimulated the vagus nerve and found a significant reduction in inflammation. This nerve exits the spine from the skull and upper neck. Stress on this area of the spine and nervous system can cause inflammation to linger in the body.

So the first step in the process is we need to restore the health or the nervous system and immune system. They are interconnected, which is why neuro-immunology is becoming huge in research right now!

The second part is poor mechanics. This is where we address the issue of the structural problem. Often times asthma suffers have developed poor posture and major restrictions through their thoracic spine and ribs, leading to a difficulty opening their chest fully.

Our second step as Chiropractors is then to address the postural distortions that create dysfunction in breathing patterns.

We Don’t Guess. We Test

You’ll hear us say this over and over. Why? Because we care about addressing the cause not just treating your symptoms. That’s why we get the results that we do. We treat the body as a whole and help to restore normal function of the body so you can live your best life now!

Asthma and Chiropractic: A Two Sided Coin

Chiropractic “Side Effects”: Energy

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 09:59:41 GMT

This is a public service announcement to warn individuals in our community of the side effects of Chiropractic… They just so happen to be good!

One of the most common “side effects” we hear from our patients during their care in our office is an increase in their overall energy. There’s a couple reasons for this.

Chiropractic Makes You Efficient

The best part of taking our state of the art scans is we can see exactly where your spine and nervous system is wasting energy just to be upright. When the spine is not in optimal alignment, it puts stress on the muscles and nervous system to adapt and compensate. This robs your body of valuable energy you could be using to play with your kids, to focus better at work, to go to the gym, to go on a date night, or whatever else fatigue takes away from you.

Chiropractic care allows your spine to be in optimal alignment, removing stress on your nervous system allowing your body to use all of that energy for whatever it is you would love to do! Chiropractic helps you truly LIVE BETTER!

Chiropractic Helps You Sleep Deeper

Many patients report not waking up as tired in the morning. This isn’t because they are sleeping longer, but it’s because they truly sleep deeper! It’s not the length of time you sleep, it’s the quality of the sleep you get that makes the biggest difference.

In your scans you’ll see just how stress your nervous system is. When the nervous system is stressed, it makes it very difficult to get quality sleep, since your brain is perceiving it’s in a state of fight or flight.

Chiropractic Helps You Feel Better

Seems like an obvious one, but Chiropractic truly helps you feel better. That’s not our intended goal but it just so happens that as we restore normal health of the nervous system and the body begins to heal properly, you tend to feel better.

When you feel better, it allows you to have more confidence in your health and body. When you have more energy and confidence you are unstoppable.

Is it time for you to get checked? Call today so you can start experiencing the side effects of Chiropractic in your life!

Chiropractic and More Energy

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 09:56:40 GMT

I see it time and time again on the very first progress exam for many practice members. “What other things have you noticed since beginning care in our office?”

“Well, I’ve noticed I haven’t been as tired recently and I feel that I have more energy.”

It happens on a regular basis. One of the things that sets Vitality Family Chiropractic apart from any other Chiropractic office is our state of the art technology, which we can now use to measure energy balance and distribution in the body.

Our pain free surface electromyography scan will show the distribution of stress and energy in the body. It gathers a very important scores called our Total Energy score.

Total energy is essential at % score. We want it to be as close as we can towards 100%, which would be a perfect score meaning we have 100% energy function. The higher that number goes, the more the body has to work to get the job done.

Say someone scores a 200. Essentially that individual’s body has to work 2x’s harder than they should to get the job done.

Imagine you’re driving on the freeway going 65 mph, but your car is revving at 9000 RPM’s. Your car is working far harder than it needs to, wasting more gas (energy) than it has do, and decreases the longevity of your car.

Imagine having to use twice the amount of energy that you should have to use every single day of your life. Of course you would feel tired and get drained from stress easier.

By removing the stress on the nervous system, we allow the body to use energy more efficiently so that you can go through your day better and have more energy to be a better spouse, father, mother, leader, and so on.

Live Better with Vitality Family Chiropractic.

Call your Vitality Family Chiropractic in Westlake Village to get checked today.