Posts Tagged ‘high blood pressure’
Chiropractic and Chronic Hypertension
Do you suffer from the silent killer – hypertension?
Several years ago a few studies emerged that suggested that chiropractic manipulation had a blood pressure lowering affect on those folks who suffer with chronic hypertension. For chiropractors this was no new revelation. For the general public, however, who sees chiropractic care simply as a fix for neck pain, back pain and headaches, this report was news to them. Many of my patients greeted the reported affects of chiropractic care on lowering blood pressure with skepticism.
I believe that skepticism is healthy since there are so many scams in healthcare. That being said, you also have to keep an open mind regarding potential new cures for common human conditions. Had one of my colleagues told me a story of lowering blood pressure with chiropractic manipulations I would have believed him because I understand the interaction between chiropractic adjustments, the spine, the nervous system and the many functions of our bodies. However, when I recently read a study in the Journal of Human Hypertension that documented blood pressure reductions of -17/10 mm HG in a group of patients who were receiving chiropractic adjustments of the upper neck I gained additional validation for what I already knew.
The purpose of this blog post is not to promote that I can help patients with chronic hypertension – although I can. The purpose of this post was simply to advance the idea that chiropractic care is effective at treating a vast number of conditions, not just the typical cases of neck pain, back pain and headaches. The conservative nature of chiropractic care makes it a safe and effective therapy for many of the conditions that ail us.
Dr. Jones
(619) 280-0554
Stress, Cortisol, Belly Fat and Your Health
The other day I was talking to one of my patients about the negative effects of stress on our bodies and the impact of a hormone called cortisol. She had seen that commercial for that weight loss product that they plug on TV that links belly fat to excessive levels of cortisol.
I explained to her that cortisol is a hormone that is produce by the adrenal glands when we are stressed. Cortisol is a good hormone that is secreted for specific situations in order to help your body respond to stress. The problems that we run into with cortisol are due to prolonged exposure to this hormone. Long-term high levels of cortisol are found in many people today because of the pressures of work, family and other stresses.
Long term cortisol exposure can produce the following negative effects on your body:
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sluggish immune system
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high blood pressure
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insulin resistance which can lead to diabetes
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fatigue
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headaches
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increase in belly fat
Cortisol has been shown to increase belly fat. It is that connection that we are concerned with in this post. Belly fat has been linked to many serious diseases including:
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heart disease
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gall bladder disease
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certain cancers
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osteoarthritis
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diabetes
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asthma
Belly fat is loaded with cortisol receptors, in fact it has four times more cortisol receptors than other type of body fat. When we get stressed, we secret cortisol which causes our bodies to store fat. Since belly fat has a high percentage of cortisol receptors, it is mobilized for fat storage.
Putting an end to this cycle involves a lifestyle change. At my San Diego Chiropractic Clinic we encourage stress reduction through exercise and stretching (yoga), nutritional support and chiropractic care to relax muscles, restore full range of motion of your joints and restore your health. Reducing stress will reduce your cortisol levels leading to less belly fat and a healthier lifestyle.
Your’s In Good Health
Dr. Jones
(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Does Health Come From A Pill?
What does Lipitor have to do with health? I was listening to the radio the other day and there was a commercial for Lipitor playing. At the end of this commercial it said “see our ad in Health magazine”. I have a copy of health magazine at my office so I decided to take a look.
I was shocked by how many drug advertisements besides Lipitor that were in Health magazine. I flipped through some other magazines that I have that are health oriented and they too are filled with advertisements for one drug or another. Is controlling high blood pressure or lowering cholesterol or controlling depression with medication the key to health? Maybe in a few isolated cases it is. Most of the “conditions” that we suffer with as a society are brought on by poor diets, unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking and lack of consistent exercise.
Unfortunately, many of us eat fast food on a regular basis, we don’t exercise, don’t get enough rest and then wonder how we have lost our good health. I often ask the patients in my San Diego chiropractic practice how their blood pressure is and I am always surprised when they respond with something like “it is fine, I checked it this morning and it was 120 /80 – I take high blood pressure medication”. The drug companies have done a good job at making us think that if we control the signs of disease (such as blood pressure or cholesterol) or the symptoms that we feel with drugs that they manufacture then we are healthy.
I would never suggest that anyone discontinue their medications or ignore their doctors advice but I would suggest that if you are on medication that you explore remedies for your ailment that utilize diet, exercise and nutritional supplements.
Your’s In Good Health
Dr. Jones
(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com