Luis Mullins Chiropractic Care Blog

Are you having a hard time convincing your children how nutritious and delicious vegetables are? Maybe you’re saying the wrong things. Here is how you can make your children appreciate vegetables!

The Importance of Eating Veggies

Eating vegetables has consistently been linked with numerous health benefits, notable of which are reducing the risks for heart disease and cancer later in life. It is, therefore, essential to inculcate a habit of eating vegetables as early as possible, and there’s no better way to start than when you are young.

Definitely, as parents, we want our children to appreciate eating vegetables and make every dining experience as fun as possible. Here are some tips that could help in making children eat their veggies, in a more fun and interesting way.

Smart Ways to Introduce Veggies to Kids

1. Spike their meals with vegetables. Meals are more delectable when served with vegetables. Veggies add a lot of texture, flavor, and color to ordinary meals, not to mention the health benefits. For example, try adding shredded carrots and minced green onions to hamburgers. Children would love it even without actually noticing that they have eaten vegetables.

2. Serve food that they like. Forcing to make children eat what they don’t like only makes the food all the more aversive to them. This would reinforce their dislike, making it hard for you to feed them the next time. So if you must, prepare their favorites, but add enough amounts of vegetables to make it more nutritious.

3. Offer small portions at a time. Nothing is as more frustrating for children as when they are forced to eat a seemingly never-ending portion of food. Try serving them veggies in small portions and commend them after finishing it. It is much easier to convince children to eat again, rather than force them to finish a big portion.

4. Eat veggies yourself. In order for your children to actually eat vegetables, you must be a model for good behavior. Show them you love eating vegetables, and your children will follow suit.

5. Create positive dining experiences. Ever wonder why we love to eat ice cream and chocolates? These foods are more often associated with happy experiences. Try to do the same with vegetables. Make your dining time a happy one by asking your children to tell their happy experiences during the day or telling them your own happy experiences.

6. Allow children to handle their food. Children are very curious and would like to know more about what they eat. Wash their hands with soap and water before eating, and let them handle their food on their own. Don’t make a big fuss about being messy as their lifelong appreciation for healthy food is much more valuable than getting your house clean.

As parents, we know better what is nutritious for our children. Do not allow them be the boss of what they eat and they will thank us when they get older.

Everything you eat or drink seems to zip through your system at breakneck speed when you have diarrhea. The first symptom is often an urgent need to get to a bathroom quickly. Then you end up making several return trips before the day ends. As if that were not enough, you may also have bloating, stomach pain, cramps, loose, or watery stools, nausea, and perhaps even fever.

Effects of Diarrhea in the Body

The average adult has about four bouts of diarrhea every year. It usually lasts a couple of days and then goes away on its own. If your diarrhea lasts longer or if you have frequent bouts, it could be a sign of another problem.

Diarrhea can cause dehydration because your body loses body fluids very quickly. And because food passes through your intestines so fast, your bloodstream does not have time to absorb vitamins and minerals.

Cure and Prevention of Diarrhea

1. If your diarrhea lasts more than 48 hours, see a doctor to avoid complications from dehydration. For ordinary diarrhea, good nutrition and wellness habits can help you recover quickly and easily.

2. To help keep your intestines running smoothly, work pectin-rich apples, bananas, and strawberries into your diet. While diarrhea is a common symptom of irritable bowel syndrome, if you experience persistent cramping, bloody stool accompanied by a low-grade fever, see your doctor to rule out a more serious condition.

3. Do not forget to keep drinking lots of cool, refreshing water to ease your recovery and avoid dehydration. And continue to add in the occasional clear caffeine-free soda, clear broth, herbal tea, or other gentle re-hydrating drinks with electrolytes. That will help for sure.

4. The BRAT diet is often recommended to ease your transition back onto solid food. This combination of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast is rich in fiber and nutrition but gentle and bland enough to pass through a weakened digestive tract without stirring it up.

5. After things have returned to normal, eat soft, bland foods, such as cooked cereal, rice, eggs, custard, bananas, yogurt, soda crackers, toast, skinless baked potatoes, or chicken for a while longer.

6. For several days after experiencing diarrhea, stay away from fruit; alcohol; caffeine; milk; gassy foods like beans, cabbage and onions; and spicy, greasy, or fatty foods.

Diarrhea can be truly disturbing. It is best to observe proper nutrition and intake of necessary vitamins and minerals in order to keep your digestive track right on track!

When you have irritable bowel syndrome, you may as well leave out the “bowel.” A stomach that’s always upset gives you plain “irritable syndrome.” However, you’ll be glad to hear that as irritating as IBS is, there are plenty of things you can do to make your life more comfortable. Try these eight tips to help control the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome:

1. Eat by the clock. Eat modest meals at set times since big servings can cause cramping and diarrhea. Experts say smaller portions, more frequently, will help regulate your digestive system and won’t overload your stomach.
2. Slow down. Everyone seems to be in a hurry these days, so mealtime may be a short affair. However, gulping your food increases the chances that you may gulp air, too, so slow down and enjoy your meal.
3. Another typical time for IBS symptoms to appear is early in the morning when you’ve rushed to an important meeting or appointment. Try waking up an extra 30 minutes early so you can have a relaxing morning. Build in time to listen to a stress reduction tape or go for a short walk.
4. Don’t get ill from pills. Watch out for drugs or herbs whose side effects include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, or other digestive problems. Read the labels on packages and bottles, and read any inserts or fact sheets that come with your prescription drugs.
5. Listen to your body. You can teach yourself control over your gut reactions using biofeedback. First, find a trained professional to teach you what to do. He will hook you up to a monitor that tracks your body’s response to various conditions. Then you’ll learn what mental and physical changes make you relax. Eventually you can reproduce this response anywhere on your own.
6. Schedule updates. If you’re keeping an IBS journal to track your symptoms, eating habits, and activities, you’ve taken a powerful step toward settling your symptoms. Of course, your best bet for figuring out which foods or activities are linked to your symptoms is to keep that diary updated. Schedule a time every day – or every other day – to update your journal. That way you’re more likely to keep the thorough record that can help you root out those trouble triggers.
7. Work it out. Exercise will help your intestines work better. It also relaxes you and gets rid of the stress and tension that affect your stomach.
8. Catch up on your Zzzzs. Do whatever you must to get a good night’s sleep. Unplug the phone, wear earplugs, or take a warm bath to help you settle down. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed ¬probably a good idea anyway if you have IBS – since these can interfere with your sleep. And shoot for eight hours of shut-eye every night.
9. Don’t irritate your insides. Skip tobacco and alcohol. Kick out the caffeine that can painfully stimulate your bowels, too.

By observing the abovementioned dietary adjustments and lifestyle changes, you can be sure to dodge the discomfort brought by IBS.

Now that you know your baby is on the way, what you should you be most concerned about? Of course, you are planning to give him the best care, and this must begin from the day you realize you are pregnant. In fact, you should start long before. The better your own health, even before you are married, the healthier your children are likely to be. It is most important that you keep well-nourished and well rested.

The first thing, then, is to choose a good doctor. Even though this may be your first child, you can never tell whether complications might arise. Your doctor would rather have you consult him as soon as possible, allowing him to guide you through this important period of your life. Serious complications can often be avoided by taking these simple precautions:

1. The amount of exercise you indulge in will depend somewhat on your natural habits of life. If you have been an active person, you may continue your activities in a rather modified form. There is no reason why you cannot play outdoor games or drive a car unless your doctor advises otherwise.

2. Taking a good walk is an excellent tonic for the whole body. Begin with shorter walks and gradually increase them.

3. Grab some fresh air, for you are breathing not only for yourself but also for your baby.

4. Your bedroom should be well ventilated at night.

5. Heavy smoking during pregnancy is not wise. The smoke from one cigarette may speed up the heart of an unborn baby as much as 25 percent above its previous rate.

6. It is wiser to avoid alcoholic drinks, even beer, not only for your own sake but also for your baby’s health.

7. It is important to have regular bowels during pregnancy. At least one movement should take place every day. Large quantities of fruits and vegetables will help to keep you regular.

8. Marital relations are permitted until the last four weeks of pregnancy. After that time there might be some danger of infection and perhaps premature labor. If at any time sexual intercourse is uncomfortable to the expectant mother, it is wise to refrain from further indulgence.

9. Drink at least six to eight glasses of water or other liquids each day.

10. Now is the time for the proper care of your nipples. If they are stiff and hard, it will be difficult for the baby to draw milk from them. The nipples should be washed each morning with mild soap and water.

11. There should not be any tight bands around the waist or legs. Do not wear garters at any form.

12. Wear comfortable low-heeled shoes. Wearing high heels can put you at risk for falls and other accidents.

13. Take your usual daily bath. It should not be too hot or too cold.

14. Take a plenty of rest. You should have at least eight to nine hours of sleep each night. Trust me, when the baby comes out, you will miss having complete rest.

Now that you are pregnant, you should be mindful not only about your body but your baby, too. As long as you observe proper safety measures, you can be sure that you will successfully deliver your baby.

Despite the numerous milk formulas for infants that try to resemble human breast milk as close as possible, experts all over the world, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), still advise mothers that breast milk is still best for babies for up to two years.

 

Countless Benefits of Breast Milk

First of all, the portion of each component – proteins, fat, water, lactose, vitamins, and minerals – in breast milk is specific to the needs of babies.

In addition to this, breast milk contains the numerous “ingredients” for the healthy development of babies. First is DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which is a key ingredient in breast milk. DHA is crucial for the growth, development, and maintenance of the brain tissue. It is also vital in the production of myelin, a fatty sheath surrounding the nerve fibers that is involved in the transmission of information inside the brain. Insufficient DHA could lead to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It could also lead to loss of coordination, weak muscles, and visual and speech problems.

Aside from DHA, breast milk is rich in taurine which also helps in brain development, aside from performing functions like absorbing fats and fat-soluble vitamins (as a component of bile), preventing brain cell over-activity, as an antioxidant, regulating heartbeat, and helping develop the nervous system.

Breast milk is also rich in nucleotides, the essential building blocks of nucleic acid not present in cow’s milk. Nucleotides play important functions in boosting the immune system. Studies also show that the presence of nucleotides enhances the digestive and intestinal functions due to higher mucosal protein in the intestine. That’s due to bifidobacteria which grows in the intestine because of nucleotides. The bifidobacteria are microorganisms that lower the acidity of the intestinal content and inhibit microbial growth. Nucleotides also facilitate the absorption of iron and enhances lipid metabolism.

Yet, these are not the only benefits of breast milk. It contains other healthy components like active enzymes, living cells, immunoglobulin, and hormones. Compared to milk formulas, breast milk is easily digestible, owing to the presence of the milk fat globule. Experts also believe that breast milk changes over time to suit the changing needs of an infant during development.

Moreover, psychologists suggest that breastfeeding establishes and reinforces the bond between a mother and her child, making the baby less colicky. Hence, breast milk still is the best for your baby.

Colic is the inconsolable crying of a baby without apparent reason. This unexplained crying behavior is more accurately defined and described in the “Rule of 3” – an infant crying for at least three hours in a day for at least three days a week and in a period of around three weeks. The other conditions that go with the loud piercing cry are tensed abdominal muscles, flexed legs and clenched fingers. Colicky babies are typically three weeks to three months of age but their behavior can persist until they are six months old. It is estimated that 10 to 20% of all babies become affected by colic. Doctors will normally examine babies based on the parameters of the “Rule of 3” after they have ruled out any diseases or assignable cause to the babies’ uncontrollable cry.

Colicky babies have negative impact to their parents. Parents of colicky babies normally become stressed and frustrated in unsuccessfully trying to soothe these babies. This feeling may also interfere with a healthy mother and child bonding and can increase the risk of the mother’s postpartum depression. Colicky babies are also more likely to be victims of child abuse and suffer from shaken baby syndrome.

Even with many researches and studies done on colic, no cause could be identified, which makes treating the abnormality difficult.

Treatment Options for Colic

Doctors employ different options in the attempt to treat colic in infants, including dietary changes, medications and infant positioning. In their search for solutions to their colicky babies, many parents are turning to chiropractic treatment for their babies. Often, these parents take their babies to the chiropractor when other forms of treatment do not seem to be helping much.

Chiropractic Care for Colic

As early as when the baby is in the mother’s womb, there are already physical risks that the baby may face. These risks increase during childbirth. In the course of the stretching and compression of the mother’s body during delivery, the baby’s back and neck vertebrae may potentially be misaligned. The use of forceps, vacuum extraction and other methods of assisted delivery may further increase the chances of misalignment.

If the misalignments or vertebral subluxations in the baby are substantial, the functioning of major systems and organs in the body can be adversely affected. The function of the digestive system, when compromised due to subluxations, can result in poor digestion of milk and may cause great discomfort to the baby, leading to incidents of colic.

Some of the best results in the treatment of colic have been achieved with chiropractic care. In published reports, it was shown that 94% of babies with colic demonstrated improvement with chiropractic treatment involving adjustments. In another study comparing two groups of colicky babies, one group was given dimethicone, an anti-gas medication for two weeks. The other group received chiropractic care for two weeks. The babies who received chiropractic care showed 67% decrease in crying  while the group that was administered medication showed only 38% decrease in crying.

Parents need not be wary of taking their babies to the chiropractor. Doctors of chiropractic are well trained and experienced in the care of babies and they know the difference in the treatment of subluxations between adults and infants. The chiropractic professional will apply gentle pressure to the back and neck that can relieve and bring relaxation to the baby as misalignments are corrected.

It will also be reassuring for you, the parents, knowing that the chiropractor has had actual experience with treating babies especially with colic. It will good to determine this when selecting a chiropractor for your baby.

Chiropractic care is a gentle and successful option for treating babies with colic. Chiropractic adjustments are safe and specifically suited to babies.

When there are misalignments of the spine or subluxations whether in adults or babies, the nerves that travel to all of the systems in the body are compromised due to the pressure in these nerves. What the chiropractor does is simply take the pressur or nerve stress off the spine so the proper functioning of all body organs may be restored and heal any injury.

Chiropractic Care for Babies

It is not a surprise for some uninformed people to fear taking their babies to the chiropractor for examination and treatment. Chiropractic care to some people invokes “snap, crackle and pop,” which is the stereotype description for the chiropractic adjustments. Adults who undergo chiropractic adjustments can indeed feel some pressure and cracks in their backs. However, chiropractors have completely different techniques when making adjustments for babies. The chiropractic professionals apply gentle pressure suited to the back and neck of the babies. You can see for yourself the relief this technique will bring to your baby as misalignments are corrected. Chiropractic adjustments for babies are so gentle, babies will hardly feel it. They will be relieved and relaxed upon the correction of misalignments in their bodies.

A veteran chiropractic doctor aptly describes the pressure applied to the back and neck of a baby for adjustments as equivalent to the pressure a consumer uses to check a tomato for ripeness. The reason why babies will cry during a chiropractic session is usually out of being startled at a stranger touching them and undergoing a new experience they are not familiar with.

Chiropractic care has been proven to be a more effective and safer option than using prescription drugs and antibiotics. Chiropractic care in babies can also bring about healthier babies as the treatment will support their nervous and digestive systems.

The most notable benefits to the babies who have received chiropractic care are:

• Better sleep and sleeping patterns – Chiropractic care has been tested to be able to help give babies better sleep and better sleeping patterns.
• Healthy brain development – Chiropractic care promotes nerve development and healthy brain. Spine adjustment is like resetting the baby’s nervous center.
• Stronger immune system – Chiropractic care is the natural way to boost your babies’ immune system and drive away flu and colds, among other viral and bacterial infections.
• Ease colic problems – Many cases of colic problems have been addressed with chiropractic care after every other means have been exhausted to little or no avail. The chiropractic adjustments in babies have also been proven in comparative studies to be significantly more effective than anti-gas medications.
• Improved digestive functions – Poor digestion is one of the results if the infant has spinal subluxations and the function of the digestive system is compromised. Chiropractic adjustments will restore all of the baby’s body functions, including proper digestion.
• Easier breathing – Symptoms of asthma, sinuses, allergies and stuffiness may all be lessened, if not cleared up, with chiropractic care.
• Healing of ear infections and ear aches
• Addressing feeding and breastfeeding issues

Countless cases of all these and many more issues with infants have been successfully and safely resolved with chiropractic care.

People of all age groups can benefit from the amazing results of chiropractic healthcare. Chiropractors are well trained and experienced in the treatment of babies, as they are with treating children, adults, and senior citizens.

Parenting and rearing children is difficult enough and stressful. The care for infants is a special challenge as babies are unable to communicate well, especially when they are in pain or have illnesses. Let the chiropractic doctors be your partners in alleviating the health conditions of your babies and make things easier for you in your important parenting roles.

Babies are most vulnerable to injuries because they are helpless by themselves and need all the attention and care from their parents and caregivers. Injuries to babies can be prevented when the adults who provide them care understand the most common sources of injuries in babies.

Statistics collected from the period 2001 to 2004 show that in the U.S. alone, about 1.3 million babies are sent to emergency department of hospitals for treatment of nonfatal accidental injuries yearly. These numbers from a national surveillance system from the initiatives of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), are expected to be much higher at present.

Types of Babies’ Injuries

Here are the most common types of injuries of babies:

• Head injuries – They usually come from falls from beds, cribs, stairs, infant seats, highchairs, furniture, slippery floors and play equipment.
• Burns – These include accidental burn injuries from hot liquids, hot water heater, and bathwater with temperatures above 49 degrees Celsius,
• Injuries from choking – Common things that can cause choking are food, toys, coins, or other small objects.
• Nose injuries – These may often result from falling on a hard surface.
• Cuts and scratches – Your baby’s own fingernails as well as sharp and pointed objects may cause these injuries.
• Fractures and sprains – Hard falls are again a common culprit here. Babies’ bones tend to break more easily compared to adults; they have growth plates, which are soft areas near the end of each bone.
• Contusions – These are bruises under the skin, usually caused by bumps and falls.
• Eye injuries – Dust, chemicals in the form of liquid, spray or powder or other types of foreign matter that get into the baby’s eyes may cause eye injuries.

Causes of Babies’ Injuries

Based on the results of the same study by CDC and CPSC, the most common causes of infant injuries are:

• Falls – This is the leading cause of baby injuries. About 13% of all infant accidental injuries annually are from falls.
• Being hit, struck or crushed by a hard object – More than 3% of the injuries every year are from this group of causes. Vehicular or machine related accidents are not included in these types of causes.
• Fire or burns – This is third highest cause of baby injuries in terms of cases, although only 5% of the victims from this cause were hospitalized.

Though the incidence of injuries in babies from the following causes is less, they are just as dangerous:

• Drowning – About half of all victims from drowning were hospitalized.
• Suffocation or inhalation of toxic gas – 11% of babies who sustained injuries from these causes underwent hospitalization.
• Motor vehicle – 9.5% of babies who sustained injuries from motor vehicle accidents were hospitalized.
• Foreign body – Injuries from this cause hospitalized 9% of the babies who were affected.

Based on the figures on babies’ injuries and what cause them, the following things in the babies’ environment are considered most dangerous for them, so the babies should be watched more carefully when around them:

• Beds – Babies fall from, roll or slide off them. They are the top things linked to baby injuries up to 12 months old.
• Car seats – In injuries linked to car seats, babies either lurch out of them or the car seat falls with the baby.
• Stairs – It is among the top things linked to injuries to babies at every age.
• Stroller – A thing to watch out for, especially for two to four month old babies.

Parents and caregivers should ensure that the baby’s environment is as safe as possible to keep the baby injury-free. More than this, they should be aware of and anticipate the baby’s first year motor milestones and the risk of injury associated with them. This way, injuries to the baby will be better prevented.

Repetitive stress injury is one of the modern day maladies that afflict many workers, both in the office and in the industries. Repetitive stress injury or RSI describes the condition resulting from too much stress placed on a joint in the body due to stress of repetitive motions at work, or even at play.

 

Some of these activities that induce stress of repetitive motions are sitting in front of a computer to work for almost eight hours everyday, performing a repetitive task in conjunction with an industrial machine day in and day out, playing a video game or playing or practicing for a game of tennis for hours.

 

The common health conditions resulting from RSI are injuries to the muscles, joints, tendons and nerves in the hands, back, neck, and eyes. They usually cause pain, numbness, weakness or motor control impairment in these parts of your body. Some of these are carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, ganglion cyst, cervical radiculopathy, epicondylitis and and reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

 

Motions of the body, no matter how seemingly simple they are, when repeated regularly hour after hour, and thousand of times, will eventually cause the muscles and tendons to strain and cause microscopic tears to your wrists, forearm, and fingers. The injury to the muscles causes them to contract, resulting in decreased range of motion. Tendons and the sheaths covering them are not given time to rest and run out of lubrication, resulting in chafing and pain. The abrasion in the tendons also results in inflammation, pinching the surrounding nerves, and ultimately to numbness, oversensitivity to touch or tingling sensation.        

 

Repetitive stress injury, sometimes called cumulative trauma disorder is caused by certain specific factors common to the disorder. They include overuse of particular muscles, poor posture, and use of vibrating equipment, working in cold temperatures, fatigue and carrying heavy loads. Psychological stress has been determined to worsen the condition.

 

There are several options in the treatment of RSI. Use of medications, physiotherapy, steroid injections and chiropractic care are a few of them.

 

Chiropractic Treatment of RSI

 

RSIs are conditions linked to the muscles, joints, tendons and nerves. They are clearly the domain of chiropractic care. Chiropractic care is concerned with promoting the person’s overall health and wellbeing through the treatment of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system.

 

When you visit your chiropractor for the diagnosis and treatment of RSI case, you will undergo interview by the chiropractic doctor to review your medical history and know the details of your complaints. An examination, which may include x-ray check and other methodologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will follow to find the underlying cause of your condition. If your diagnosis points to your having RSI, the chiropractor will develop a treatment plan considering all the inputs gathered earlier. This treatment plan will be specific to your condition, your needs and your life in general. In the treatment plan, certain options such as chiropractic adjustments in combination with stretching and strengthening exercise, ergonomics and nutrition advice may be included. The chiropractor is concerned not only with the treatment aspects of your RSI condition but with preventing its recurrence and with overall prevention healthcare. Your early detection of RSI in cooperation with your chiropractic doctor is best in preventing the more serious consequences of RSI.