The researchers ultimately ended with this conclusion:  ”Spinal manipulation therapy and (home exercise advice) led to similar short and long term outcomes” but “participants who received medication seemed to fare worse, with consistently higher use of pain medications for neck pain throughout the trial’s observational period.”

The take home message:  Science and research are proving that chiropractic care is highly effective and should be considered before other treatment options such as medication when it comes to neck pain.  Consider a trip to your chiropractor the next time you’re feeling that crimp in your neck or you slept on it wrong, or if it just hurts for no particular reason.

Best,

Dr. Hanft

If you’re worried about what’s going around “bug-wise” it’s been fairly mild but I suspect it will pick up now that the cold weather has arrived.  Better to be proactive about it anyways rather than reactive.  Here are a few suggestions I can make to stay healthy this Winter:

1) Vitamin C.  It’s a vitamin that acts as an anti-oxidant too.  Anti-oxidants are substances that can protect your body by destroying/limiting bacteria, viruses, and other harmful pathogens that get in your body.

2) Zinc.  Zinc is also a big player in immune function, enzyme production, and protein synthesis among other important processes.  Ultimately, it can help you stay well and protect you again the bad guys out there like bacteria, viruses, etc.

3)  Vitamin D.  Much has been said about Vitamin D recently, and ultimately the take home message is, YOU NEED TO BE ON VITAMIN D.   Vitamin D has been shown to help fight infections, prevent cancer (wow!), build strong bones,  and performs a myriad of tasks to help our bodies remain healthy.

4) ProBiotics.  These are “Good Bacteria” that reside mostly in our GI tract (stomach, etc).  These good bacteria help to keep our bodies “in tune” by promoting proper digestion and by out-competing “bad bacteria” thus keeping us healthy and well.  Recent studies,  some of which are in journals considered tops in the world, show that ProBiotic usage alone can decrease the incidence and intensity of infections in children.  These are powerful tools and should a part of everyone’s Winter regiment.

5) Chiropractic.  Chiropractic adjustments can help keep you healthy by improving your body’s natural ability to stay healthy.  Decreased pain, less stress, better movement, more exercise, more energy, and a host of other reasons who why chiropractic is important to maintaining a healthy body this winter.

Ultimately, Winter can be a lot of fun, and you should do your best to enjoy every minute!  With these helpful tips and substances, you too can have a great one and be healthy and ready for Spring when it arrives!

Take Care,

Dr. Hanft

This all started with my dad when I was a little boy.  It’s no secret that the state of Iowa takes wrestling very serious, but it was my dad who took me to my first meets and introduced me to Iowa Wrestling.  You see, it’s truly like nothing else in the country.  The fans are enthusiastic, the wrestlers are 100% dedicated, and magic that happens in Carver Hawkeye Arena can be Electric!  Needless to say, I was hooked early, and I’ve been going ever since.  Again, I love college wrestling, but words cannot describe my passion and excitement for Hawkeye wrestling.  I guess you could say it’s in my DNA!

I will be back in my office on Monday morning, adjusting people, helping people, and doing what a chiropractor in Columbia, MO does, but Saturday night, I’m going to be in wrestling heaven enjoying the intensity, energy, and excitement that this event brings.

Please forgive me if my voice is a little lost on Monday….I likely will do my fair share of yelling and cheering on Saturday night!

Best to you all,

Dr. Hanft

Vitamin D has gained notoriety and most people have now heard of vitamin D, but most still don’t know much about the substance and how it’s essential to our bodies.

Vitamin D is a lipid (fat) soluble vitamin.  Vitamin D plays a vital part in proper bone formation and maintenance processes.  In addition, Vitamin D plays a part in immune function, effects insulin levels, and recent studies suggest Vitamin D may be involved in cancer prevention.

By definition, a vitamin is something that is “vital” to our body which is to say it’s something our body much get from outside sources.  There are three primary ways that our bodies’ get/make vitamin D.  1) Sunlight  2) Food  3) Supplements.

First, most people have heard that sunlight and vitamin D go together.  That’s true, but what most don’t know is why this is the case.  Ultraviolet light converts a compound into vitamin D in the liver and kidneys.  Most experts suggest 10-15 minutes of direct sun exposure for proper formation of Vitamin D.

We also get vitamin D from certain foods.  Naturally, eggs, sardines, and salmon have lots of vitamin D.  Other foods we can purchase are fortified with vitamin D which means vitamin D is added during their manufacturing process.

Lastly, we can get vitamin D in supplement forms.  These usually are coupled with calcium, but they do not have to be.  The doses vary for products based on the manufacturer and recommended use of the product.

One fact that is surprising to most is that recent studies suggest that upwards of 90% of the overall population in the United States is not getting enough Vitamin D.  That’s a staggering amount!  The fact is that most people’s diets are not providing enough Vitamin D, and sunlight is something an increasing number of people are avoiding.  With all of this in mind, it becomes clear that supplementation is generally (but not always) essential to getting enough Vitamin D.

Fevers, by definition, are the body’s natural ability to raise it’s internal temperature.  Why would our body’s want  to do this?  The answer to this is simple:  To make the body less hospitable to foreign invaders such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites.   These organisms function, reproduce, and reek havoc at ideal body temperatures, and increasing this temperature even a few degrees can disrupt these processes and even kill the pathogens.  This lowers their ability to flourish and thrive, and increases our body’s immune response by making it so there are fewer invaders to kill.

So why would anyone want to stop a fever?  That’s a very good question, and it essentially comes down to two simple facts.  First, anti-fever medications like Tylenol and Ibuprofen, are multi-billion dollar a year medications that are pushed to nearly everyone on a routine basis through advertising.  They treat fevers as a negative and dangerous side effect to being ill when the opposite is true!  A fever indicates that our body is responding to and adequately fighting an infection.  Taking Tylenol or other meds will lower your body’s natural defenses, and can make you more susceptible to serious infections.

The second reason why fevers are so routinely eliminated is fear.  Our society is fearful that fevers can lead to serious complications or even death.   While this is true, the incidence of this is extremely rare and should not be a factor in your decision to medicate.  Fevers are safe, effective, and are generally a sign of a healthy immune response.

So what can you do if you or someone you know presents with a fever?  First, keep them comfortable.  Do not overdress them and make sure they are getting plenty of fluids. When the body turns up it’s natural furnace, it will burn more fluids, and replenishing these fluids is vital.

If you have any questions about fevers, please give Dr. Hanft a call!

How do I utilize chiropractic to help achieve wellness?  Well, first and foremost, wellness is dependant on a optimally functioning nervous system.  Remember, your nervous system controls everything in your entire body from your eyes to your toes and everything in between.  If you have a mis-alignment in your spine that causes nerve irritation, this most likely will present with pain, numbness, or improper function (frequent urination, weakness, blurred vision, etc).  The ideal situation is to have to have a chiropractor check your spine for mis-alignments prior to them becoming problems.  Think of it like dentistry and your teeth:  It’s far better for you to find a cavity early during a random screening than it is to have the cavity begin causing significant pain over the course of a few months.  Routine checks of your spine are even more vital than routine checks of your teeth because remember, your spine contains almost every nerve in your entire body!

Here is another way to think about it:  When you were young and you got sick, what happened next?  You went to your medical doctor and were prescribed a medication.  What if could have made choices in your life that would have promoted never getting sick in the first place?  That’s essentially what wellness attempts to achieve.  Through taking care of our bodies and maximizing our potential, we limit the opportunities for bacteria, viruses, aches and pains, and other problems to cause us problems.

So how often should I go to my chiropractor?  That question does not have a definitive answer because you are completely different than your neighbor.  Where you might require just a few visits a year to remain free of spinal mis-alignments and problems, your neighbor may require more or less.  Our health histories play an important role in determining how often we will need chiropractic care to reach wellness.  For example, having several car accidents in your past will likely mean more damage has been done and that will require more frequent check-ups to make sure your spine is correctly aligned.  An elderly person who has a history of falls will also likely require more frequent visit.  This is not unique to chiropractic either.  If you have a heart condition, you will likely see your medical doctor or cardiologist more frequently because catching a problem early is vital to successful treatment.  Chiropractic is no different.

Two quotes some this up nicely:  “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  Ben Franklin

“The best defense is a good offense.”  Anonymous

Wellness is something every person should be striving for, however, if it were that easy, everyone would be doing it and the fact is most are not.  The good news is that chiropractic can help take you in the right direction toward wellness.

The dictionary states that “wellness is an interactive process of becoming aware of and practicing healthy choices to create a more successful and balanced lifestyle.”  Let’s break that down a bit more.

First, lets discuss making healthy choices.  Diet is certainly a big part of making healthy choices for our body and overall wellness.  The saying “Feed the Machine” is 100% accurate in what you put in your body is what you’ll get out of if.  Marathon runners and professional athletes do not eat foods high in sugar, salt, fat, corn syrup, etc because they cannot perform at 100% on that diet.  Rather, whole grains and proteins comprise the majority of their diet.  Second, lets discuss exercise.  Science has proven that our bodies operate on a “use it or lose it” system.  If we live with hardly any exercise, our muscles begin to shrink because they are not used enough.  This can lead to other problems throughout the body like back pain, fatigue, and weight gain.  Obviously, these problems significantly effect our wellness state.

The previous two examples, diet and exercise, are what most people think of when it comes to wellness.  But what about the mental side of wellness?  Our muscles can be strong and our diet superior, but if we don’t take care of our mind, they matter little.  For example, millions of people with adequately strong muscles and bones suffer from depression that keeps them from maximizing their potential and reaching wellness.  How about the social aspect of wellness?  For most people, having social relationships on some level with friends, family, and loved ones is essential to reaching a wellness state.

So, pain might be a factor, but what’s the big deal?  Well, for starters, back pain equals big bucks.  A recent Duke University study concluded that the “total health expenditures by individuals with back pain was $90.7 billion in 1998.”  Obviously, this is a significant number, but what contributes to such high costs?

Spinal surgery with fusion-$30,000-50,000 per patient

Average medical and non-surgical back pain therapy-$7845 per patient

Epidural Steroid Injection-$1,000-1500 per injection

Prescription and non-prescription Medication expenses-as high as $3250 per year total

Average MRI cost-$1000-1500

Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a safe and effective spine pain treatment. It reduces pain, decreases medication, rapidly advances physical therapy, and requires very few passive forms of treatment, such as bed rest.  Recent studies have shown chiropractic to be as effective or more effective at treating lower back pain than pain pills and other traditionally medical approaches.   Conservative methods are what most people should seek first, and chiropractic is an extremely well researched and effective conservative treatment option for most individuals.  Ultimately, remember this:  If I can’t help you, I will tell you I cannot help you.   I believe strongly in doing what’s absolutely best for each patient who walks through the doors, and that means admitting when I cannot or should not intervene.

References:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus06.pdf

http://www.acatoday.com/level2_css.cfm?T1ID=13&T2ID=68

BMJ  2005;330:1233 (28 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.38441.620417.8F (published 23 May 2005)

http://www.phc4.org/reports/fyi/fyi24.htm

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/333/14/913

(New England Journal of Medicine found that patient satisfaction was highest among people who saw a chiropractor versus family medical doctor, HMO physician, orthopedic surgeon).

Although the exact explanation for what sleep actually does for body is still unknown and debated, researchers are fairly certain it entails resting the body and mind, processing short-term memories, and healing various parts of the body.  So why is a pillow so important?  The answer is that finding the perfect pillow for you will allow these events (healing, processing, resting) to happen with far greater efficiency.  Ultimately, the better you sleep, the better you feel and operate!

What are the options available?

As a chiropractor in Columbia, MO, I know that there are a huge variety of pillows on the market, ranging enormously in price ($5-$500) and features.  Perhaps you’ve seen funny shaped pillows with grooves and bumps, or perhaps you’ve seen materials such as “memory foam” or “air pillows.”  Although I cannot explain every pillow type or model (this would be 50 pages long!), I am going to attempt to explain two of the most important concepts (shape and fill) regarding finding the right pillow for you and your family.

1) Shape:  There are a wide variety of different shapes and contours on the market today.  Traditional flat pillows have been around for years, and these are what most people currently have in their homes.  These pillows are generically produced so that they will work the same for nearly anyone who uses them.  The flat nature does not afford any differences for side, back, or stomach sleeping.  These pillows are traditionally the most inexpensive ones on the market.  Cervical pillows, or contoured pillows, use a depression where the head goes to allow more support for the neck and various structures.  These pillows are typically more expensive, but offer far greater health benefits and customizability than typical flat pillows.

2) Fill: Again, like shape, there are numerous choices for what goes in your pillow.  Older pillows typically used down feathers are cotton stuffing.  These materials are cheap to produce and use, but the downside is they break down rather quickly and do not afford any customizability.  Air pillows have become more popular recently.  These use adjustable air chambers inside the pillow to customize the firmness to your liking.  These are an excellent choice, but come with a price (typically not less than $75).  “Memory Foam” is a new alternative that many people have heard about.  Memory foam uses billions of tiny particles to create a substance that molds to your head and neck, feeling somewhat in between regular foam and water.  These are excellent pillows, but most do carry a fairly hefty price tag, and some people are bothered by their smell (usually not permanent).  The last filling I will discuss is water. Yes, you read right!  Although this may seem impractical, water buoyancy is an excellent mechanism for supporting our neck.  Water pillows typically use a combination of water and foam filling to create a feeling of “floating on water.”  These pillows are not messy, and are not cold because they have thermal insulators that control the water temperature.  The best part about these are they are fully adjustable.  The amount of water added is completely up to you, and can be changed in a matter of minutes.  If you decide later you’d like some added firmness, you add a bit of water.  Too firm?  Take some water out.

Overall, think about these two simple ideas as you lie down for a good night’s sleep the next time.  First, how old is my pillow and is it providing me with the support I deserve?  Second, the average adult spends from 8 hours a night sleeping.  That means for the average adult, they spend 1/3 of our life sleeping.  Often times people cringe at spending money on a quality pillow, but just think about how much time that is!  Most people walk far less than 8 hours a day yet many will spend over $80 on a pair of shoes that will only last 8 months!  Good pillows last for years, and can make the difference between waking up sore, achy, and tired, or waking up rested, energized, and free from neck pain.

Well, a long story short, I got the “itch” last year, and I started doing some research, and found that not only is Heart of America right here in our backyard, but it’s also quite a challenge.  I was hooked.  I made some phone calls, and attempted to get both my brothers on board to do this with me, and although both agreed, it was likely only one would make it because of the other’s busy/crazy schedule.  Brian, my eldest sibling, was on-board and I was excited!

Training started in April and got more serious in May of this year.  I probably averaged about 20 miles per week or just under until June when my mileage went up.  By the end of July those mileage totals were probably in the lower 30′s and I was doing some long runs in the double digits.  August included two 20 milers and those were challenging but they went fine for the most part.  My wife took me fluids and helped out, and for that I am grateful.  There’s nothing worse than being on a long run and not having enough fluids to get you through.  Overall, I felt my training went very well and I felt ready to go!

The morning of the big event was exciting, and we got underway at promptly 6 am.  This course is considered difficult because of the hills and potential heat, but it was evident that the heat was not going to be a problem.  I was cruising along with my brother at a “much too fast” rate, but I went with it.  I stayed with him for 12 of the 26 miles.  At mile 12, he went on ahead and ran his own race finishing way ahead of me.  The remaining 14 miles was tough, I won’t lie, but I finished in just over 4 hour 5 minutes running along side my 3 year old son Ayden as I crossed the finish line.  My knees hurt, my legs hurt, I could barely move without pain, but I was done, and I was proud.   Seeing my son and the rest of my family only made me feel better as I cooled off and reflected along with my brother.

I think if I would have ran smarter I could have done better, but that’s life, and I have to life with it.  I’m proud of the training I put in, and as crazy as it may sound, I am already getting excited about what my next challenge will be!