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Why Kettlebells?

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Destin elementary trackKettlebells are my primary exercise tool of choice and I have many reasons why.  The primary reason is results.  I have tried many different workout routines and tools and I have never gotten quicker, more effective results than when using kettlebells.  Kettlebells have improved my flexibility, mobility, cardiovascular health and strength, all in one small neatly packed cast iron package.

I am currently in a phase of my life where time is a valuable commodity.  When I was a much younger man, I could spend up to two hours in the gym per day without making significant gains.  I would strut around the gym like a rooster checking out the hens in the Physique Sports section and chasing the all important bench press.  With the travel time to and from the gym, it was a significant time investment.  Today, I practice my kettlebell lifting at home, spending approximately 20-30 minutes 3 times a week and getting a higher quality workout than I have ever experienced before.  I spend less than two hours a week working out and am arguably in the best shape of my life at 53 years old.

My wife and I recently completed the Strongfirst Level 1 kettlebell certification with hopes to integrate kettlebell training and methods to our chiropractic practice.  Patients always ask what exercises they can do to help strengthen the weak areas of their body that is currently giving them problems.  Kettlebell training can lay a foundation of strength in order to have the ability to compete or participate in any activity regardless of a person’s past injuries or condition.

In the coming months we will be posting more articles on strength and conditioning to help rehabilitate old injuries and conditions in order to help enhance your quality of life.

Dr. Whidden is a retired U.S. Navy pilot turned chiropractor in Destin, Florida. Emerald Coast Chiropractic, finding solutions to today’s health care issues, Who’s YOUR Chiropractor?

Ken Whidden, DC
Emerald Coast Chiropractic

 

Excess Baggage

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Men, women, and children of all ages use bags, purses, and backpacks to carry around computers, tablets, paperwork, school books, supplies and other assorted items. Often the increased weight of a bag causes stress to different areas of the body. Add repetitive use to this equation and what you get is back, neck, shoulder and other bodily pains.

There are some simple rules that can be applied to help alleviate the stress that a heavy bag can put on the body. For starters, lighten the load! Do whatever you can to reduce the weight of your bag. I found that SOG brand bags are light and sit better on your shoulders. Children should be encouraged to only carry necessary textbooks home, and leave others in the classroom or locker. Business professionals should do the same by leaving unnecessary paperwork at the office and loading necessary documents into a digital format to be accessed by computer. Heavy purses may be lightened by frequent clean out. Remove all excess trash, receipts and papers. If you carry make up or toiletries reduce these products to travel size.  The basic rule of thumb is to carry only what is necessary. Consolidate and minimize whenever possible!

Proper bag type and carrying technique can also be utilized to reduce stress to the body. Backpacks should be proper size for age. Oversized backpacks, even when light, will not fit a smaller child properly, and will therefore disproportionately distribute whatever weight is being carried. Both shoulder straps should be used and tightened so that the backpack does not hang too low or too far away from the body. Holding backpacks, laptop bags with long straps, briefcases and purses on one shoulder should be avoided. One shoulder carriage causes leaning to one side which can lead to muscle spasm and imbalance.

If you are suffering from back or extremity pain examine the load you carry, literally! Chiropractic care can help balance musculature by aligning the spine. Corrective adjustments restore function and remove pain associated with the stress and strain of carrying around “excess baggage”. Applying small changes every day and maintaining a healthy spine will take you a long way down the path to wellness.

Any Questions?!

Kelly J. Donaldson DC, MS

Emerald Coast Chiropractic

Facebook: Dr. Kelly J. Donaldson- Destin Chiropractor

Getting back into an exercise routine?

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Getting back into an exercise routine? Trying a completely new type of conditioning? You should see a chiropractor! Here’s why:

The New Year is just around the corner! You might be thinking about jumping back on the “wagon” after a long time away from the gym or maybe you have never really attempted a regular routine. Either way you are beginning a new journey on the road to health, and your body is likely to find this increase in activity as a shock!

The spine houses the spinal cord. Nerves branch from the spinal cord and exit the spine between each vertebra. These nerves feed every cell, muscle, organ, and system in the entire body. As you can imagine, when performing any form of full body exercise, the spine, its position, and how much load it receives becomes a factor. Keeping the spine in proper alignment ensures that each nerve can function without interference. This gives your body the best chance to perform optimally! You will also reduce the risk of injury due to an imbalance in the spine or surrounding musculature.

When performing different exercises always make sure to perform them correctly so that your posture does not suffer. Check out elliptical workout tips for working out at home if that’s your thing. Wear proper footwear that is supportive and appropriate for your specific body type. Wearing the right shoe can make an absolute world of difference when running or conditioning. Don’t try and lift too much weight! If you can’t lift a weight without compromising your form, then it is too heavy!  Considering these tips and keeping a healthy spine will increase the likelihood of your success without pain

Any questions?!

Kelly J. Donaldson DC, MS

Emerald Coast Chiropractic

Facebook: Dr. Kelly J. Donaldson- Destin Chiropractor

Awaiting your seasonal illness? Avoid it with chiropractic!

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The winter months are upon us and with colder temperatures comes an increased chance of suffering from the flu, strep, or the common cold. There are several natural ways to boost your immune system and fight off these seasonal illnesses!

Nerves control every cell, muscle, organ, and system in the body. This, therefore, links the nervous system to the immune system. All nerves branch from the spinal cord which is housed inside the spinal column. If there is a misalignment in the spine, compression and resulting interference can reduce the function of the organs and systems being fed by these nerves. Chiropractic corrects misalignments in the spine to help increase proper nerve function. This will increase the function of the immune system overall.

To build a strong immune system, fill your diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Include foods that contain or supplement with Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Selenium. Also make sure you get ample sleep as fatigue and seasonal illness are linked. Incorporating these tips, as well as maintaining a healthy spine will give you a natural armor and fighting chance against any seasonal bug!

Any questions?!

 

Kelly J. Donaldson DC, MS

Emerald Coast Chiropractic

Facebook: Dr. Kelly J. Donaldson- Destin Chiropractor

Stress Relief During the Holidays

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I “borrowed” this article from the American Chiropractic Association’s website.  I thought I would share with you, maybe you know someone who could use this information.

Stress has become a fact of life, and for some, the daily norm. Although occasional stress can help improve our focus and performance, living with chronic stress can backfire by causing anxiety, depression, and serious health problems. Being vulnerable to drugs and addiction problems is something one should be aware of and in case one slips into it, there is are resurgence rehab programs that can help.
 
Understanding who we are, knowing our major struggles, putting them in perspective, and taking action can help us deal with stress. The following strategies can also improve stress tolerance and help lessen the effects of stress on our health.
 
Think Positively
“Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into positive,” said Hans Selye, author of the groundbreaking work around stress theory. When optimism is hard to muster, cognitive-behavioral therapy, which trains people to recognize negative thinking patterns and replace them with more constructive ones, can also help reduce the risk of chronic stress and depression.
 
Get Out and Enjoy Nature
While modern civilization has made our lives more convenient, it has deprived us of an essential source of stress relief—connection with nature. Studies show that interacting with nature can help lessen the effects of stress on the nervous system, reduce attention deficits, decrease aggression, and enhance spiritual well-being.
 
“Smell the Roses” for Better Mood
Aromatherapy, or smelling essential plant oils, recognized worldwide as a complementary therapy for managing chronic pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and stress-related disorders, can help you unwind. Orange and lavender scents, in particular, have been shown to enhance relaxation and reduce anxiety.
 
Relax with a Cup of Tea
During stressful times, coffee helps us keep going. To give yourself a break, however, consider drinking tea. Research shows that drinking tea for 6 weeks helps lower post-stress cortisol and increase relaxation. Habitual tea drinking may also reduce inflammation, potentially benefiting your heart health.
 
Laugh It Off
Humor relieves stress and anxiety and prevents depression, helping put our troubles in perspective. Laughter can help boost the immune system, increase pain tolerance, enhance mood and creativity, and lower blood pressure, potentially improving treatment outcomes for many health problems, including cancer and HIV. Humor may also be related to happiness, which has been linked to high self-esteem, extroversion, and feeling in control.
 
Build a Support System
Relationships are also key to health and happiness, especially for women. Women with low social support, for example, are more likely to increase blood pressure under stress. Loneliness may also contribute to stress in both men and women, also leading to poorer outcomes after a stroke or congestive heart failure. On the other hand, active and socially involved seniors are at lower risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Group CPR Certification Augusta courses for the elderly are a good example, these encourage grand children to come and learn how to assist their elders in an emergency. Social support also helps cancer patients to boost the immune system and maintain a higher quality of life.
 
Employ the Relaxing Power of Music
Music, especially classical, can also serve as a powerful stress-relief tool. Listening to Pachelbel’s famous Canon in D major while preparing a public speech helps avoid anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure, which usually accompany public speaking.
 
Singing and listening to music can also relieve pain and reduce anxiety and depression caused by lowback pain. Group drumming also showed positive effects on stress relief and the immune system. If you want to start learning how to play the violin, check out sites like fiddlersguide.com for buying advice on the equipment you’ll need to get started.

Music therapy can also elevate mood and positively affect the immune system in cancer patients and reduce fatigue and improve self-acceptance in people with multiple sclerosis. To help people deal with stressful medical procedures, music can help reduce anxiety before surgery. When played during surgery, it can decrease the patient’s post-operative pain. Aiding recovery, a dose of calming music may lower anxiety, pain, and the need for painkillers.

 
Calm Your Mind
In recent decades, many forms of meditation have gained popularity as relaxation and pain relief tools. Focusing on our breath, looking at a candle, or practicing a non-judgmental awareness of our thoughts and actions can help tune out distractions, reduce anxiety and depression, and accept our circumstances. In cancer patients, meditation-based stress reduction enhances quality of life, lowers stress symptoms, and potentially benefits the immune system.
 
Guided imagery, such as visualizing pictures prompted by an audiotape recording, also shows promise in stress relief and pain reduction. Based on the idea that the mind can affect the body, guided imagery can be a useful adjunct to cancer therapy, focusing patients on positive images to help heal their bodies.
 
Enjoy the Warmth of Human Touch
Just as the mind can affect the body, the body can influence the mind. Virginia Satir, a famous American psychotherapist, once said that people need 4 hugs a day to help prevent depression, 8 for psychological stability, and 12 for growth. While asking for hugs may not work for some, massage can help us relieve stress and reduce anxiety and depression. Massage has also been shown to reduce aggression and hostility in violent adolescents, to improve mood and behavior in students with ADHD, and to lead to better sleep and behavior in children with autism.
 
Massage has other therapeutic properties, as well. Regular massage may reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension and may lead to less pain, depression, and anxiety and better sleep in patients with chronic low-back pain. Compared to relaxation, massage therapy also causes greater reduction in depression and anger, and more significant effects on the immune system in breast cancer patients.
 
Give Exercise a Shot
To get the best of both worlds, affecting the mind through the body while getting into good physical shape, try exercise. In one study, a group of lung cancer patients increased their hope due to exercise. Exercise can also reduce depression and improve wound healing in the elderly. Tai chi, which works for people of all ages, may enhance heart and lung function, improve balance and posture, and prevent falls, while reducing stress.

No matter what stress-relief methods you choose, make it a habit to use them—especially if you feel too stressed out to do it. As someone once said, the time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.