The B group of vitamins is probably the most commonly misunderstood of the vitamins, simply because the B vitamins are several distinct vitamins lumped together. Additionally, the fact that the vitamins in this group are known by both letter, number and name is confusing to many people. Here is a quick list of the B vitamins found in the Vitamin B complex group.

• B1 is also thiamin

• B2 is also riboflavin

• B3 is also niacin

• B5 is also pantothenic acid

• B6 is also pyridoxine

• B7 is also biotin

• B9 is also folic acid

• B12 is also cobalamin

You should note that there are four additional substances in the B complex group, though they are not known as vitamins. They are choline, lipoic acid, PABA and inositol. When you purchase B complex vitamins, these four will not be included. Furthermore, one or two of the recognized B vitamins may also be omitted. B5 and B7 are so widely available in food that most people get plenty of these vitamins even if they aren’t eating a healthy diet.

There are gaps in the numbers of the B vitamins because our understanding of them has evolved over time. Initially there was only a single B vitamin. Later it was recognized that what had been referred to as a single vitamin, actually had many components. These component parts where numbered 1,2,3,4, etc… Even later it was determine that some of these components (such as B4) did not meet the criteria of being a vitamin and they were dropped. That’s how we ended up with 8 B-vitamins with non-sequential numbers.

One thing that all the B vitamins share is that they are water soluble. Any excess vitamin B is not stored, but rather is excreted in the urine. That means that all the B vitamins need to be constantly replenished from our diets.

B vitamins are found in whole unprocessed foods including grains, meats and vegetables. In general, the more processed that food is, the lower the content of all the B vitamins. A daily multi-vitamin is a great way to ensure that you are getting all the B complex Vitamins your body needs on a daily basis.

One of the most commonly recognized uses of the B vitamins is an energy booster. Many popular energy drinks that claim a natural boost of energy without sugar or caffeine are high in B vitamin complex.

There are too many components in the Vitamin B complex to discuss the health benefits, deficiencies and Recommended Daily Allowance for the whole group in a single article.

Nutrition is a very complex and our understanding of it is constantly evolving. If you have questions about your current nutrition or supplement plan, please ask. We are here to help!

It’s a great success story that most of us probably haven’t heard very much about. America’s roads have become far safer across the past 20 years. By just about any measure, travelers are much less likely to be injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident than they were in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Here are a few statistics demonstrating how much safer we are in our cars.

Vehicle Miles Driven - Americans traveled 2,172 billion miles in 1991 and 2,979 billion miles in 2009. That’s a 37% increase.

Motor Vehicle Accidents - During the same 1991-2009 period, the number of accidents on U.S. roads actually decreased by 10%, dropping from 6,117,000 to 5,505,000. So even though we’re traveling more miles, we’re having fewer accidents.

Occupant Fatalities - The number of motor vehicle occupants killed in accidents during 1991 was 31,934. That number declined by 23% to 24,474 in 2009. The fatality rate per 1,000 accidents dropped from 5.2 to 4.4 persons. That means that when we do have an accident, it’s become less likely that someone traveling in the vehicle will be killed.

Occupant Injuries - The statistics show an even more positive trend with respect to injuries. The number of occupants injured in accidents fell 29% from 2,850,000 in 1991 to 2,011,000 in 2009. The injury rate per 1,000 accidents declined from 465.9 persons to 365.3. Simply put, our motor vehicle accidents seem to be injuring fewer drivers and passengers when they do occur.

It’s likely that this general trend toward safer roads is being driven by a combination of factors. It could be the way we’re driving that’s producing fewer, less serious crashes. It could be the way our roads are designed, maintained or policed. It could also be the active and passive safety features now included in many of our vehicles. But whatever the reasons, we can all agree that this is good (if under-reported) news for our nation’s travelers.

But what if you are one of the two million unlucky ones this year?

As encouraging as this trend is, it obviously means little to you if you or someone you care about is actually injured in a car accident. Even in cases where drivers and passengers walk away from a wreck believing they’re “uninjured”, accidents can have profound, long-lasting health consequences for those involved. It’s not uncommon for some types of symptoms to appear only gradually days or weeks after the event itself, delaying effective diagnosis and treatment. Symptoms may also come and go intermittently, making it more difficult to associate them with the accident.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to safeguard your health and improve your chances of a more rapid, complete recovery following an auto accident. Clinical studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care can shorten recovery time and decrease the amount of permanent physical damage sustained in a collision.

1) Take care of first things first. Always address any life-threatening injuries first. If you experience (or have reason to suspect) significant bleeding or bruising, broken bones, internal pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, or shock, you should seek immediate help from healthcare professionals who specialize in treating trauma injuries.

2) Visit your chiropractor as soon as possible after an accident. Do this even if you don't think you've been hurt very badly. Research has shown that early intervention in the form of chiropractic adjustment, massage and supervised exercise and stretching programs can make a big difference in longer-term function.

3) Stay active. Activity encourages blood flow to the injured area and promotes healing. It also helps prevent or reduce scar tissue formation and maintain range of motion.

4) Strengthen the affected area(s) as directed. Exercise and stretching programs are designed to help prevent future injuries and are an important part of a balanced treatment plan.

5) Recognize that you may be at increased risk of developing chronic problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if any of the following warning signs apply:

• A prior history of back, neck or shoulder problems (including previous injury).
• Distinct numbness, tingling or pain immediately following an accident.
• Increased muscle tension or reduced range of motion after the crash.
• You were involved in a rear-end collision.
• Your head was turned at the moment of impact.
• You have symptoms that don’t resolve or that become generalized.

An auto accident can affect your health (and your lifestyle) for years if you don’t receive the proper treatment. So if you or someone you care about has been injured in a collision, please call our office and make an appointment today. Chiropractic care can help put your recovery in the fast lane!

Every body is different. If you have questions about this article or whether chiropractic is an appropriate choice for your specific situation, please ask. We are here to help!

As of the time this article is being written – Yes you can use your FSA account to pay for chiropractic services.

Bear in mind that exactly what is and is not eligible inside a Flexible Spending Account is ultimately determined by the IRS. The rules covering FSAs can and do change year-to-year and there is some gray area which is open for interpretation.

The relevant IRS publications to consult for all the details are Publication 969: Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans and Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses. You can find both of these online at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p969.pdf and http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf

This article isn’t intended to provide tax advice or address your specific situation, but it will give you a broad overview and direct you to resources where you can learn more. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, here is what consumers should know.

IRS Publication 502 clearly states - “You can include in medical expenses fees you pay to a chiropractor for medical care.” This rather short statement covers the core things we do such as exams, diagnostic tests and spinal adjustments. Good news for you!

It also states that “You can include in medical expenses amounts paid for transportation primarily for, and essential to, medical care.” This includes gas for your own car and also public transportation fees you pay in order to come to our office. Just keep track of your mileage, commuting routes or receipts in a log book.

The IRS draws a distinction between ‘medical care’ and general health. Most purchases intended to keep you healthy or enhance your health don’t qualify. This includes nutritional supplements, exercise equipment and health club memberships. Weight loss programs also don’t qualify unless you are under medical supervision for a disorder such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease where weight loss is part of the disease treatment program.

Note that there are two players for every FSA plan – the IRS and the benefits company providing the plan. In most cases the benefits company will allow everything the IRS allows, but some may have additional restrictions of their own. If in doubt about whether a specific service we provide is eligible, consult your corporate benefits administrator.

When it comes to making important choices about treatment options for back pain, it’s worth looking at the experiences of others who have found something that works. In recent years, the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center has surveyed the magazine’s subscribers to do just that. In April and May 2009, Consumer Reports released some of its findings publicly. A summary appears below.

About the Survey Participants

· More than 14,000 participants who had suffered from lower-back pain in the prior year but had never had back surgery.

· More than half reported that pain severely limited their daily routine for a week or longer.

· Many reported that pain interfered with sleep, sex and efforts to maintain a healthy weight.

· 88% reported that the pain recurred through the year.

· Most had tried five or six different treatments.

How Respondents Ranked the Healthcare Providers Who Had Treated Them

Healthcare Provider	Percent Who Were Highly Satisfied With Treatment and Advice*
Chiropractor	59%
Physical Therapist+	55%
Acupuncturist	53%
Physician, Specialist	44%
Physician, Primary Care	34%

*Defined as either Completely Satisfied or Very Satisfied.

⁺Difference in ranking for Physical Therapist and Acupuncturist were not statistically significant.

How Respondents Ranked Selected Back Pain Therapies

Therapy	Percentage Who Reported that the Therapy Helped a Lot
Chiropractic Manipulation	58%
Prescription Drugs	45%
Over-the-Counter Drugs	22%

In July 2011, Consumer Reports published an updated report describing how Americans use alternative approaches to healthcare as well as their experience with various therapies and their providers. Chiropractic care once again was reported to be the most popular approach to back pain relief and was ranked most highly in terms of patient satisfaction.

How Your Chiropractic Physician Can Help Relieve Back Pain

Your Doctor of Chiropractic can help relieve back pain and restore mobility by using a drug-free, hands-on technique called “spinal manipulation” or “chiropractic adjustment”. He or she may also use other manual therapies, such as massage, to complement this primary treatment. In addition, many chiropractors are skilled in designing exercise and nutrition programs for their patients that will help their bodies resist injury and function properly. By focusing on both immediate pain relief and the underlying causes of back pain, your chiropractor can help you achieve a healthier overall lifestyle.

If you or someone you care about is suffering from back pain, call your chiropractor today.

• Relief for your aching back: What Worked for Our Readers. Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. April-May 2009. Accessed August 2011.
• http://www.consumerreports.org/health/conditions-and-treatments/back-pain/overview/back-pain.htm

Headaches are a common source of pain for a large number of Americans. 95% of women and 90% of men have had at least one in the past 12 months. And for about 45 million of us, those headaches are chronic.

While a wide variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications have been developed to relieve this pain, they generally do little to address the underlying cause of the problem. In addition, many of these compounds can have unwanted side effects, particularly if they’re used often, over a prolonged period of time or in combination with other medicines. A growing awareness of both the limitations and risks of pharmaceuticals has led many headache sufferers to explore alternative approaches to managing them, including chiropractic.

Understanding Headaches

Headaches occur for many reasons and can vary greatly in their intensity and duration. They may arise on their own (these are termed “primary headaches” and account for about 90% of all headaches) or be triggered as a result of some other health condition (described as “secondary headaches”). Chiropractic physicians most commonly encounter three types of headaches in their work:

· Tension headaches are primary headaches that are brought on by unrelieved muscular contractions in the head, neck and shoulders, usually as a result of stress that cannot find an outlet. These muscular contractions can themselves become the source of broader tension and stress throughout the body, setting in motion a feedback loop that eventually produces a headache.

· Migraine headaches are also primary headaches. They are sometimes referred to as vascular headaches because they happen when blood vessels in the head suddenly expand, or “dilate”. However, we know that the nervous system and genetic factors are also leading contributors. Sufferers report a wide range of triggers and related symptoms. Research into the exact cause of migraines is ongoing, and the condition has stubbornly resisted efforts to find a pharmaceutical “silver bullet”.

· Cervicogenic headaches are secondary headaches produced when pain begins in the neck or back of the head and is referred to the forehead or the area behind, in and around the eyes. Trauma, chronic tension and disease are some of the more common initial sources of neck pain that is referred to the head. Trigger points in the neck, shoulder blade and spine may also be sources of these headaches, though they can be much more difficult to identify.

How Chiropractic Can Help

There is a large and growing body of medical research that suggests chiropractic care can be effective in preventing or reducing the frequency and severity of primary headaches. There is also some evidence that it may have benefits for cervicogenic headache sufferers.

Chiropractic manipulation of the spine and neck is used to improve the alignment of the spine and relieve muscle tension. It also reduces nerve irritation and improves vascular flow. Your chiropractic physician may also include massage and other therapies as part of a well-rounded treatment plan. He or she will likely suggest exercise, stretching and relaxation techniques as well as nutritional strategies designed to help prevent future headaches.

If you or someone you know is looking for lasting relief from chronic headaches, we encourage you to call your doctor of chiropractic today. The sooner you make the call, the sooner we can help you put an end to the suffering.

• Headaches and Chiropractic. American Chiropractic Association. Accessed August 2011. http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=2186
• Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. AltMD. Accessed August 2011. http://www.altmd.com/Articles/Headache--Encyclopedia-of-Alternative-Medicine
• Information for Patients. American Headache Society. Accessed August 2011 http://www.achenet.org/education/patients/index.asp
• Research Spotlight: Study of Spinal Manipulative Therapy for Neck-Related Headaches Reports Findings on Dose and Efficacy. National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Accessed August 2011. http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/041310.htm
• National Institutes of Health MedlinePlus. Accessed August 2011. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003024.htm

What You Can Learn From America’s Back Pain Experience

A June 2010 article by Associated Press Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard shines a bright light on the problem of back pain in America. In the article, entitled “Back Pain May Be Widely Over-Treated in the U.S.”, she raises some great questions about how we’re spending our healthcare dollars, what we’re getting for it and why.

“By one recent estimate, Americans are spending a staggering $86 billion a year in care for aching backs—from MRIs to pain pills to nerve blocks to acupuncture. That research found little evidence that the population got better as the bill soared over the past decade.”

Ms. Neergaard’s writing hits close to home, and the situation she describes is probably familiar to anyone who’s tried to find relief from serious back pain in the past few years. But what does it all mean to you if you or someone you care about is a patient looking for relief?

Here’s a quick summary of the more important takeaways from Ms. Neergard’s article as well as some practical points to keep in mind as you consider your options and work with your healthcare provider on a treatment plan:

1. While back pain in general is a widespread problem in the U.S., the specifics always come down to the individual. There is no silver bullet—the treatment that was effective for your neighbor may not be right for you. Your healthcare provider can evaluate your symptoms and advise you on the appropriateness of alternative therapies.

2. Time is usually on your side when it comes to back pain. Up to 90% of patients will heal on their own within a matter of weeks. Unless your healthcare provider sees “red flag” symptoms, patients should generally exhaust their noninvasive options first before considering surgery.

3. “Exercise is medicine, but it has to be the right exercise.” Formal exercise programs that are designed and supervised by experts can be effective provided that the patient is able to manage and function with pain.

4. Your own motivation and attitude can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your treatment. Patients who can work through pain, stay focused on the plan and get back to normal activity as quickly as possible will generally have the advantage when it comes to recovery.

5. Make sure you have access to a neutral third party (perhaps your chiropractor or family doctor) who can help you weigh the advice of various specialists and navigate through your choices. And always get a second opinion if surgery is being considered.

Back pain is a complex phenomenon and it’s often very difficult to treat successfully. At a time when health science regularly produces new miracles and we’ve come to expect instant results, it can be difficult for us to keep this basic truth in perspective. What comes through loud and clear in Ms. Neergaard’s article is that our most advanced diagnostic technologies and sophisticated surgical procedures are not solving the back pain problem for millions of Americans. And that it’s costing us a great deal of money to fail using our most expensive techniques.

This raises two big-picture questions, not just for U.S. health care policy makers and administrators, but for anyone who’s trying to make smart decisions about back pain treatment:

1. Given the pervasiveness of back pain in America, the number of people who are likely suffering without treatment and the kinds of issues Ms. Neergaard writes about, can it really be said that we’re “over-treating” back pain? Wouldn’t it be closer to the truth to say that we’re mistreating it by using too many of the wrong tools in too many of the wrong cases? If so, what does her reporting really suggest about the direction we should be headed?

2. There are many factors contributing to our national back pain epidemic, and many of them have to do with our lifestyle choices and the way we manage our health more broadly. What should we be willing to spend for an ounce of prevention when it comes to back pain?

How Your Chiropractic Physician Can Help

If you or someone you care about is suffering with back pain, call your Doctor of Chiropractic. Chiropractic Physicians are specially licensed and trained to diagnose and treat conditions related to the musculoskeletal system and the nerves that support it. They can help relieve back pain by using spinal adjustments. This spinal manipulation is the primary form of treatment performed by chiropractic physicians and is a widely recognized back pain therapy. Research has shown that manipulative therapy and spinal manipulation are not only safe and effective, but can also produce results more quickly and less expensively than other alternatives.

Many chiropractors are also skilled in designing and supervising exercise and nutrition programs. They’re committed to helping patients achieve a healthier lifestyle that prevents illness and promotes performance.

• Back Pain May be Widely Over-Treated in the U.S.. MSNBC Pain Center. Lauran Neergaard. June 8, 2010. Accessed August 2011.
• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37557062/ns/health-more_health_news/page/2/from/ET#.TlAMTqjEP0M

Healthcare researchers and providers alike are growing increasingly concerned that American kids are suffering from back pain earlier in their lives and in larger numbers than ever before. And experts closest to the problem believe that overweight, improperly designed, and misused backpacks may be a big part of the reason why.

Short-Term Injuries and Longer-Term Concerns

With an estimated 40 million school-age children carrying backpacks in America, it’s not surprising that there are some book bag-related injuries every year. Since 2000, the U.S. Product Safety Commission has reported that children and their backpacks make roughly 7,000 trips to the emergency room annually. However, many observers believe that the real toll is actually far higher since the vast majority of such injuries go unreported and many kids are treated by a family doctor or not treated at all.

While it is not clear how many acute injuries actually result from wearing backpacks as opposed to tripping over them or being hit by them, doctors who treat back problems regularly—especially chiropractic physicians—see worrying signs that heavier backpacks are setting the stage for more serious health issues in the future, including chronic back, neck and shoulder pain. Some chiropractors estimate that as many as 75% to 80% of the teenage patients they treat have postural problems directly related to overweight backpacks.

Why the Heavier Bags?

Across the past ten years, several factors have come together to increase the amount of weight young students are carrying in their book bags:

· Increases in the amount of homework being assigned to students at a younger age typically mean more heavy books carried between home and school.

· A trend toward removing lockers and individual desks from schools in many cases requires kids to carry all their belongings with them during the day.

· Reduced time between classes or fewer trips to the locker can mean heavier loads for students.

· Longer school days or increased participation in before-school and after-school activities often translates into more supplies and equipment as well as more time wearing the backpack.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recommends that a backpack should not be any heavier than 15% of a child’s body weight. But as early as 2001, researchers at Simmons College in Massachusetts found that 55% of the 345 children they studied were carrying backpacks that exceeded the recommended weight limit, often by a substantial amount. One third of those students said that they had already experienced back pain. Today, the American Chiropractic Association advises parents to limit the weight of a child’s backpack to no more than 5% to 10% of body weight.

Warning Signs

If you see any of the following signs, it may be time to lighten the load, help your child choose a different backpack or talk about how it’s being used.

· Pain in the back, neck, shoulders or knees

· Red marks left on shoulders by backpack straps

· Tingling or numbness in the arms

· Trouble getting the backpack on or off

· Bending forward or “hunching over” to shift weight from the shoulders to the back

Choosing the Right Backpack and Using it Correctly

A good quality backpack with proper ergonomic features doesn’t have to be expensive. They’re available at many sporting goods stores and discount outlets. Experts offer the following advice:

· Get the size and fit right first. The right backpack should fit between the top of your child’s shoulders and lower back. Bigger is not better, since having more space available creates the potential for a heavier backpack.

· Find one with shoulder straps that are wide, padded and adjustable. These distribute the weight more broadly across the shoulders and chest while allowing the backpack to be fitted snuggly to your child’s body.

· For older students, consider a backpack with chest straps and a hip belt. Chest straps and a hip belt redistribute weight even further and bring the pack closer to the wearer’s body.

· Look for a padded back that will add comfort and protection.

· Choose a backpack with multiple smaller compartments. These help distribute the weight inside the bag and keep it stable.

Once your child has the right bag, it’s just as important to encourage him or her to use it correctly. Chiropractors and physical therapists generally agree that means wearing it on both shoulders with the straps tightened so that it hangs no more than four inches below the waist.

How Your Chiropractor Can Help

Using a backpack should not cause any pain or discomfort under normal circumstances. If your child is showing signs of back, neck or should pain, we encourage you to call your chiropractic physician today. In addition to addressing any current problems that your child may be experiencing, your doctor of chiropractic can recommend an exercise program designed to strengthen muscles, and improve posture and coordination. He or she can also offer instruction about good nutrition and sleep habits that will support your child’s healthy development.

• Doctors Give Advice to Parents on Selecting a Good Backpack for Their Children. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. August 3, 2011. Accessed August 2011
• http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/about/news/release/2011/backpack-safety-tips-08-03-2011.htm
• ACA Offers Backpack Safety Checklist. American Chiropractic Association. August 28, 2007. Accessed August 2011
• http://www.acatoday.org/press_css.cfm?CID=2479
• Protect Young Backs From Too Much Weight: Heavy Backpacks Cause Variety of Health Problems. NBC Home/Education. Accessed August 2011.
• http://www.nbcmontana.com/education/2332881/detail.html
• Avoid School Strain: Unstuff that BackPack. CNN Health. September 10, 2007. Accessed August 2011.
• http://articles.cnn.com/2007-09-10/health/hm.backpack.pain_1_backpack-heaviest-items-book-bags?_s=PM:HEALTH

Understanding the cause of your back pain is the key to proper treatment. There are many different underlying conditions that cause back pain. The more common causes of back pain are described below. Don’t try to make your own diagnosis. A trained chiropractor that deals with back pain complaints on a daily basis will know what to look for and what questions to ask you to determine the underlying cause.

1. Muscle strains and muscle spasms are the most common cause of low back pain. Patients may or may not remember the initial event that triggered their muscle spasm. Back pain from muscle spasms can be incredibly painful and feel like nerve pain when the muscle tighten and twitch around a key nerve such as the sciatic nerve.
2. A ruptured intervertebral disc, also called a herniated disc, is another common cause of back pain. The terms ruptured, herniated, slipped and bulging disc don’t really have precise definitions to distinguish one from another and are often used somewhat interchangeably to describe protruding disc material. It is important to note that a large percent of the population is walking around with bulging discs that cause no symptoms, so not every herniated disc warrants treatment or intervention.
3. Discogenic back pain is the result of damage to the intervertabral disc, but without disc herniation. Diagnosis of discogenic back pain may require the use of a discogram.
4. Spinal stenosis causes a lot of back pain in the elderly. As we age, the spinal canal can become constricted from arthritis and other conditions. If the spinal canal becomes too tight, back pain can be the result.
5. Arthritis most commonly affects joints such as the knees and fingers. However, arthritis can affect any joint in the body, including the small joints of the spine. Arthritis of the spine can cause back pain with movement.
6. Spondylolisthesis causes back pain because adjacent vertebra become unstable and begin to "slip." The most common cause of spondylolisthesis are degenerative changes causing loss of the normal stabilizing structures of the spinal column.

As stated earlier, backaches are hard to self-diagnose. The causes listed above are just a few of more common possibilities. If you suffer from acute or chronic backaches, consult a qualified chiropractor for a complete exam.

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Today I wanted to share a great story that a local news station in Omaha Nebraska did on Chiropractic and Infertility. It features the story of one women who became pregnant after 3 months of chiropractic care when other infertility treatments had failed her. For any couple wishing to have a child, this story represents real hope .

During the winter months, the phone rings constantly with people who have “the flu”. Except…they don’t. Do you know the difference between having a cold and having the flu?

The common cold (and boy is it common) develops gradually over several days and can start with a scratchy throat, sneezing and sniffles leading to congestion. Any fever present is mild (in adults). Coughing is generally hacking and can be moist due to congestion.

On the other hand, influenza often starts rather suddenly with fever (usually greater than 101 degrees F and lasting 3-4 days), headache and all over body aches (myalgia). People with the flu are often exhausted or fatigued. Coughing is usually dry and hacking and can last days or weeks after all other flu symptoms have passed.

Influenza or “the flu” is more of a systemic illness, meaning it affects your entire body, whereas a cold generally just affects the upper body. You can sometimes get a stuffy nose, sneezing and sore throat with the flu, but it’s much more common with colds. The flu is more serious because it can lead to other problems, like pneumonia in susceptible adults and young children.

Influenza is caused by a virus. In general, viral illnesses will run their course without a trip to the doctor. Antibiotics don't work against viruses, so all your doctor can recommend to help you are pain medications, cough suppressants or an anti-pyretic (fever reducers). All of these are available without a prescription from your local drug store to help you deal with flu symptoms.

If you are suffering from cold or flu symptoms, you should also schedule a visit to your chiropractor. Chiropractic care doesn’t treat the virus directly, but rather boosts your body’s ability to fight the invaders. That’s why regular chiropractic care can reduce the frequency with which you get sick. When your body’s immune system is in peak condition, it can fight off minor intruders with ease.

Many people use the term sciatica incorrectly. Sciatica is pain along the path of the sciatic nerve which extends from the lower back down each leg. Sciatica is a symptom (like itching), it is not a diagnosis (like Parkinson’s disease). Sciatica can range from an occasional nuisance to excruciating pain that makes walking near impossible. There can be multiple underlying reasons for your sciatic nerve pain. A chiropractor can help find the root cause of the problem with an exam and may also order some diagnostic imaging such as an x-ray, MRI or CT scan to examine the underlying structures.

To answer the question, ‘what is sciatica’ it is helpful to explain some of the relevant anatomical structures. The sciatic nerve is both the longest and the widest nerve in your body. It begins in the lower back as five separate nerves that extend from five different vertebrae – L4, L5, S1, S2, and S3. These nerves meet up to form one large bundle which runs through the buttocks and down the entire length of the leg. The sciatica nerve is responsible (directly or indirectly) for nearly all the sensation in your leg including the skin of the thigh and gluts.

Sciatica occurs when there is compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve. The pain is felt in the low back and leg, but the site of the pain isn’t always the site of the underlying issue. Since the sciatica nerve is so long and travels around or through the large muscles of the buttocks, it takes an expert to determine if the pain is coming from disc compression, from muscle spasms or from something else. Again, sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis.

While sciatica is most often associated with pain, other symptoms may be present such as tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. The pain can be nearly constant or intermittent. If you think you are experiencing sciatic nerve pain, keep a record of the location, duration and intensity of the pain. Your specific history plays an important role in determining the cause of the pain.

Treatment for sciatica depend on the underlying cause, so there is no one recommended course of treatment for all sciatic pain sufferers. Chiropractors use a variety of non-invasive approaches that include spinal manipulation, physical therapy, targeted stretching and active muscle release. They’ll also discuss the role that nutrition and hydration play in reducing tissue inflammation and keeping discs healthy. The spine, discs, muscles and soft tissue all have a role to play in sciatica and should be evaluated and treated as a connected system.

The most important thing to take away from this article is that sciatica (sciatic nerve pain) is a symptom of an underlying condition. You’ll only start to get better once the underlying condition is identified and this is done through a combination of an exam, history and recommended diagnostic imaging.

You may have heard from your grandma that eating carrots can improve you vision. That may not be exactly true, but carrots do contain something called provitamin A carotenoids. These are pigments in some plants that can be converted by the body into vitamin A, and vitamin A is important to your vision.

Vitamin A is also helpful to bone growth and your immune system. As with other vitamins, there are different forms of vitamin A. One of the forms that is most usable to the body is called retinol, which is found in liver, eggs, and milk. One of the most common provitamin A carotenoids that the body converts easily to retinol is beta carotene. Beta carotene is found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and cantaloupe. Vitamin A is also one of the vitamins often used to fortify breakfast cereals.

Vitamin A is fat soluble, which means that the body stores it, mostly in the liver. That also means that it is possible to build up toxic levels of Vitamin A. This rarely happens from food sources because as the body builds up supplies of vitamin A it will slow down the conversion of beta carotene. When people do get vitamin A toxicity, it is usually from taking too much in supplemental or pill form. Toxic levels of vitamin A can cause liver problems, central nervous system problems, deterioration of bone density, and birth defects.

True deficiency of vitamin A is rare in the US, but common in countries where malnourishment is widespread. As mentioned earlier, vitamin A is important to the immune system and vision. This is because the body uses vitamin A to make various internal tissues, such as those lining the eye, lungs, and intestinal tract. When these linings are weakened by vitamin A deficiency, it is easier for harmful bacteria to penetrate them and thus, people with vitamin A deficiency are more prone to infections, illness, blindness, and respiratory problems.

Aside from the malnourished, other people who may be prone to vitamin A deficiency include those who consume large amounts of alcohol and those with certain metabolic disorders that affect how fat and other nutrients are absorbed by the body.

Everyone has heard about the importance of a balanced diet for maintaining good health. Similarly, everyone knows that they should be getting exercise - or at the very least adding more activity into their days. Getting a good night's sleep is essential - without it, you'll find that your immune system starts to slack off a bit and you put yourself at a greater risk for catching a cold or coming down with the flu.

We all know what we should be doing, but let's be honest: very few of us eat a balanced diet all of the time. Many of us make the choice to take the elevator rather than the stairs and we try to find a parking place that's as close as possible to our destination rather than taking the opportunity to walk a little further. We also tend to let stress, work, social gatherings and more interfere with the amount of sleep that we're able to get each night.

When we don't go the extra mile to take care of ourselves, and when our immune systems start to falter because of it, we may not feel it right away. Soon, sluggishness starts creeping in. This sluggishness not only slows us down, it also ages us prematurely.

Fortunately, there's something that we can do to counteract some of these effects. We can maintain our vigor and reduce the risk of disease simply by adding antioxidants to our diet.

What are antioxidants? The simplest answer is that antioxidants are plant-derived compounds that help prevent and repair cellular damage. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, lycopene and resveratrol are all examples of antioxidants that are found in fruits and vegetables. By making an effort to add antioxidants to our diet, we can slow the cellular damage that leads to disease.

Antioxidants are, in effect, sponges that soak up the free radicals in our systems. Excess free radicals are generated by the less healthy foods that we eat, alcohol that we drink, smoke that we're exposed, and stress that we endure.

Free radicals damage our DNA and other cellular structures at the molecular level. Antioxidants roam around the body inactivating the free radicals and also assisting in damage repair. Damage that isn’t repaired can cause a cell to die, malfunction or replicate uncontrollably (such as in a tumor).

You can fight back against free radicals by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Note that free radicals are a natural by-product of metabolism and cannot be eliminated completely. The key is to keep them in check with an adequate supply of dietary antioxidants. Look for brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Without getting too scientific about it, the different colors (blue, purple, red, orange) in fruits are vegetables often come from the different antioxidants they contain. To get a broad range of antioxidants, eat a rainbow of different plants.