Blog

  Your health news update from ChiroVoice

What’s New About Sleep?

An old Chinese proverb states, “Only when one cannot sleep does one know how long the night is.” Almost everyone can relate to those words at some point in life. In younger people, stress and worry commonly cause insomnia. Older people suffer from a natural decrease in melatonin-a sleep inducing hormone. Pressures from job and family, illness, side effects of some medications, and aches and pains caused by uncomfortable beds or pillows can also rob us of sleep. Find out how to combat insomnia, here.

Prepare for Garden-Variety Exercise

Now that spring is finally here, you’re no doubt going to spend time planting bulbs, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds. Yard work can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your body may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety. Try these stretches to help your body prepare for a day spent in the garden.

• While sitting, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
• Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel toward your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.
• While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times.
• Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Osteoarthritis Update

Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, affects the cartilage, which breaks down and eventually wears away. The end result is that instead of gliding naturally at the joints, bones rub against each other, causing pain, swelling and loss of motion. Learn the symptoms and diagnoses as well as treatment options, including chiropractic, here.

Alert Bulletin for Chiropractic Patients – Action Needed to Protect Access to the Health Provider of Your Choice

While the national health care reform law known as the “Affordable Care Act” is far from perfect – it does contain some important pro-consumer protections aimed to prevent various insurance industry abuses that are harmful to patients.

One such provision is Section 2706 “Non-discrimination in Health Care,” which is intended to ensure patients have access to the services of a broad range of licensed or certified health care professionals – including your doctor of chiropractic.

Unfortunately, the insurance industry and others are working behind the scenes with government bureaucrats in an attempt to “water down” this provision of the law and deny you the full protections it affords.

The ACA is conducting a grassroots campaign urging Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sign a letter being circulated by Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.). If you live in a Democratic congressional district only (Not sure? Find out here) then please go to theACA Legislative Action Center, and urge your Democratic Member of Congress to sign the Schrader letter.

Please ACT IMMEDIATELY TO PRESERVE YOUR CHOICE OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDER by clicking here to send your local Member of Congress an important message urging they act quickly to ensure the appropriate implementation of this important consumer protection contained in Section 2706.

Your IMMEDIATE RESPONSE to this URGENT BULLETIN is greatly appreciated and will go a long way toward ensuring your rights under this provision of law.