Vitamin D is naturally made in the body (from cholesterol) when the sun’s rays hit the surface of the skin. It is also present in pasture raised eggs, deep sea fish and in cod liver oil.

If you are not able to get at least 20 minute of sun on your skin at least 3 times a week (like during the New England winter months), you may need to supplement with additional vitamin D.

Many doctors still consider a level of 30 ng/mL to be a sufficient level of Vitamin D.  However, according to the non-profit Vitamin D Council, “Studies indicate that for proper health, serum vitamin D levels should be a minimum of 50 ng/mL with optimal levels between 50-80 ng/mL.”  These levels apply to both children and adults.

What is you level of Vitamin D?  Don’t know?  Ask your medical provider about testing your vitamin D levels in the near future.  If it is more convenient, we can order a finger prick test for you to test your own levels.

The dosage of supplement that is right for you depends on your current levels.  This is why it is important to get your levels tested.  The Vitamin D Council recommends that healthy adolescents and adults supplement with 5,000 IU’s per day just to maintain optimal levels.  

Did you know the Nashua Soup Kitchen (NSK) provides approximately 300 individuals and families with non-perishable food items every week?  Many of these people are the working poor, elderly and disabled living on fixed income.  The NSK serves breakfast Monday through Friday and dinner seven days a week.  The organization serves an average of 1,700 meals each week!

During the month of November, Hollis Family Chiropractic Center will offering specials to benefit the Nashua Soup Kitchen and all they do.

New Patients:  Bring $30 or 10 food items in to HFCC for the Nashua Soup Kitchen and receive a FREE consultation, spinal exam and set of x-rays – a $200 value!

Existing Patients:  Schedule your appointment November 17th and donate $30 or 10 food items and receive a FREE spinal adjustment!

Pass this along and take advantage of it to help others while helping yourself.

Recently my husband and I took a trip to Washington DC that required long days of walking and standing while we explored the sights.  The long days on my feet did not bother me as I spend my working hours standing and moving around.  My husband, on the other hand, was feeling pain and discomfort from our sightseeing activities.  This made us realize how much time he spends sitting during the work week.  Between his commute and working in an office environment he sometimes spends up to 13 hours a day sitting!

Unfortunately my husband is not in the minority of people who spend prolonged hours sitting.  Thanks to technology advances, longer commutes and work weeks, Americans are sitting more now than ever.  We even force our young children to sit for long hours at schools.  Frequently, many children will follow their school day up with even more sitting while watching TV or playing video games.   And how exactly are we sitting?  Usually it is not with the best posture.  We spend our time slumped over desks on the computer or slouching on couches zoning out in front of the TV or other media devices.

For centuries of human existence, hunting and gathering were our primary activities.  Our bodies were and still are designed for frequent movement.  When we deny this innate purpose with long hours of sitting, our body starts shutting down causing many problems.  Prolonged sitting leads to chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, or heart disease, all of which increase your risk of death.  Excessive sitting, especially with poor posture, also affects the health of the spine, compressing the discs and leading to pain, stiffness and degeneration.

In addition to the physical problems, sitting and inactivity also affects our mental health.  Movement of the body directly stimulates and feeds our brains.  This is why sitting all day makes you feel tired and foggy compared to moving the body vitalizes and promotes clear thinking.  Physical activity promotes the brain’s ability to learn, improves mood and attention, lowers stress and anxiety and even reverses some effects of aging on the brain.

So what can you do to prevent the physical and mental effects of prolonged sitting?  If you can, avoid it.  Instead of watching your TV, get up and go for a walk.  If avoiding sitting is not an option, try some of the following tips:

• When you must be stationary, focus on having the proper posture. Keep your hips higher than your knees.  Tip your pelvis forward slightly to allow a curve in the low back. A lumbar support cushion may also be used for additional assistance.  Lift your rib cage and keep your shoulders down and back.  Try to keep your head looking straight ahead and positioned over your shoulders. 

• Try sitting on a stool, kneeling chair or balance ball to activate core muscles.  Since there is no back you are forced to use your own muscles to keep you upright.  Gradually increase the time you sit on these alternatives until your core muscles are strong enough to support an ideal posture. 

• Try setting up a standing workstation with a tall chair to occasionally sit on.  This allows you to be more active and utilize muscles throughout the day.

• Get up and move about every 30 minutes.  Do anything that gets your blood flowing: walk around the office, stand up and stretch, or do some jumping jacks. 

Inspired after our recent trip, my husband is now using a balance ball at his desk, focusing on his posture and taking frequent, short breaks from sitting.  He’s also motivated to be more active once he gets home from his long hours at a desk.  Small changes like this to your daily activities can pay huge dividends for your spinal and overall health.  May you live your best life…naturally!

How does it work?

The scope works by comparing the temperature on either side of the spine. The temperature of the skin should be similar on either side of the spine. However, nerve irritation from subluxations causes differences in the temperature from side to side. The difference in temperature causes a reading on the scope which is indicated by the pointer swinging to one side and back.

Why use it?

The scope provides objective measurements of the location and severity of subluxations in the spine. Combining the feedback it gives with palpation (feeling) of the spine and x-ray analysis, Dr. Morgan is able to determine which specific areas of the spine need to be adjusted each visit. This approach allows Dr. Morgan to find and correct the primary problem areas in the spine and allow the nervous system, and in turn the body, to heal itself.

To best support your child (or yourself) as they head back to school this year, here are a few tips to boost their overall health, wellbeing and performance to make this school year a great one.

Start the day of right with a hearty breakfast. To help your child focus at school, provide a breakfast with proteins and fats to keep their blood sugar stable throughout the day. Eggs are a great choice (the cholesterol in eggs not only boosts the immune system but is also required for the brain to learn new things and make new connections!) Other options for breakfast are be toast with peanut or almond butter, or plain yogurt with a touch of honey and granola and fruit.

Avoid sugary snacks and processed foods.  Did you know that sugar directly shuts down the immune system?  To boost their immune system and get them ready to face the many viruses that float around the school, avoid the sugary snacks and processed foods.  The best foods to boost the immune system are lots of vegetables, bone broths and healthy fats. Sugar also spikes and crashes blood sugar levels which causes decreased energy and ability to focus and may increase behavioral issues in some children.

Food additives such as MSG, aspartame, cysteine, hydrolyzed protein and aspartic acid slowly kill brain cells and should be also avoided, but only if you want the best for your child’s brain.

Consider adding supplements to your child’s daily routine to give them a boost.  Probiotics are great to boost the function of the immune system.  Fish Oil or Cod Liver Oil not only boost the immune function but are also required for brain health.  Ask us about brands we recommend.

Allow for plenty of sleep.  Sleeping is very important as this is when the body recovers and repairs.  Each child requires different amounts of sleep but a good guideline is between 9 and 11 hours a night for school aged children.  A child that is adequately rested will feel better, stay healthier, learn more, and have a better attitude.

Help your child manage the mental and emotional stresses they face during the day by providing encouragement and support rather than pressure.  Help provide an outlet for their stress by talking about their issues and finding activities they enjoy.

Maintain a healthy body and posture.  As children go back to school they go from [ideally] playing outdoors with lots of physical activity to sitting in classrooms and carrying heavy backpacks.  All this can cause a lot of stress to their body and their spine (which affects the function of the nervous system).  To minimize this stress and damage, discuss and encourage good posture when sitting at school.  When doing work at home, prop books up so they are not looking down.  You can also encourage proper backpack usage (see last year’s advice on this) and after the school day provide opportunities for physical activities that move and stretch the body instead allowing more sitting in front of the TV or computer.

And last but not least, don’t forget to get their spines checked by a qualified chiropractor.  The physical stresses they encounter from the long hours of sitting, heavy backpacks and sports can affect the health of their spine.  It is important to have children’s spines checked to ensure proper growth and development of their spine and body.  Regular chiropractic adjustments not only help their spinal health but will also improve the health of their nervous system and immune system.  Check out www.icpa4kids.org for a qualified pediatric chiropractor in your area.

Dr. Morgan MacBean

As a Family Wellness Chiropractor, Dr. Morgan MacBean is honored to connect people to their own health potential. Dr. Morgan cares for people of all ages, from newborns to great-grandparents, those that are well and those who strive to be healthy. She enjoys educating others on the importance of a wellness lifestyle, which includes a balanced nervous system, proper diet and exercise, and a healthy mental attitude. 

Dr. Morgan graduated with a Bachelor in Kinesiology from Kansas State University and went on to receive her Doctorate in Chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University.  She has also received advanced training in the Gonstead Technique of Chiropractic and in the field of nutrition.  Dr. Morgan’s training also lies with families, pregnant moms, and children as she is certified by the Academy of Family Practice and Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics. With her combined training and experience Dr. Morgan focuses on restoring the body to health by creating balance in the spine and nervous system in people of all ages.

Dr. Morgan has recently relocated with her husband, Chris and their dog, Baxter from Minnesota to the Hollis, NH area.  Outside of the office, Dr. Morgan enjoys spending time with family, hiking, camping, and reading books about health and wellness.    

HFCC will be having an Open House at the office on Friday, July 29th from 4-7pm.  Please stop by to get to know Dr. Morgan in a more casual setting.  There will be refreshments, prizes & free chair massage!

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*Thank you to the Hollis community and all of the amazing practice members that have made the last two years such a wonderful experience. We will miss you and your smiling faces that made every day so enjoyable! Remember…your health is your most important asset, take good care of it!  ~Brian, Dr. Lynn & Franklin*

As summer approaches, the weather is finally warming up and many people will spend more time outside planting, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds. Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your body may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety. Gardening can be enjoyable, but it is important to stretch your muscles before reaching for your gardening tools. The back, upper legs, shoulders, and wrists are all major muscle groups affected when using your green thumb.

“A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity,” said Dr. Scott Bautch of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, pain and stiffness.”

The following stretches are suggestions that may help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden.

• Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rhythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortably as you can. Do not follow the no pain, no gain rule. Stretching should not be painful.

• While sitting, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle.  Hold this position for 15 second. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg.

• Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 second. Do this again and repeat with the other leg.

• While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times.

• Do the “Hug your best friend.” Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times.

• Finally, be aware of your body technique, form and posture while gardening. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements frequently.

If you already feel muscle aches and pains and did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort.  Apply a cold pack on the area of pain for the first 48 hours or apply a heat pack after 48 hours. Also remember pain is a symptom, and symptoms are your body’s way of getting your attention. If you have symptoms while gardening or performing other activities your body is sending you warning signals that your spine and muscles may be out of balance.

Your doctor of chiropractic can assist you with better balance, proper posture, including recommending exercises to strengthen your core postural muscles.  They can also assist you with choosing proper postures during your activities, helping reduce your risk of injury and discomfort.

Dr. Lynn Sandom is a wellness-minded chiropractor and owner of Hollis Family Chiropractic Center, PLLC.  Our office is located in the Village Marketplace in Hollis. Come visit us and take a step towards a healthier you!

As we watch the newly graduated students go forth into the world, we wish to convey heartfelt congratulations to all who crammed for exams, toiled over assignments and otherwise succeeded in navigating the many challenges of a high school career. Always be proud of your achievements, and use them to fulfill your dreams.

We will continue to enjoy seeing you grow and of course keeping your spines healthy! To a happy and healthy future!  Congratulations on your graduation!

~Dr. Lynn & Brian

photo courtesy of http://www.commentbuddy.com/images/Graduation/graduation_commentbuddy_025.gif

Also regarding Friday hours: *Please note Friday hours by appointment only are from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  So starting Friday, 5/27/11 we will no longer have Friday morning hours.  Of course Friday hours will resume in September 2011.  Hopefully with this posting I am inviting a little sunshine into our neck of the woods!  Fingers crossed!