The sun is shining and its time to get out of the office and into the pool and on that beach! But wait! Don’t forget to protect yourself before rushing out in the summer sun, or else you’ll get that all too familiar red sting of sunburn! But, did you know that some sunscreen can HARM your skin more than help? For all you fair skinned vacationers, don’t let this get you down about going outside, try these helpful tips to healthily protect your skin from the suns rays, alleviate burns, and even reduce risk of cancer!
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Some brands of commercially made sunscreen products contain various chemicals and pharmaceuticals that have the potential to cause skin reactions and contain cancer-causing irritants! The most problematic of sunscreen chemicals in the U.S. is oxybenzone, found in nearly every chemical sunscreen! EWG recommends that consumers AVOID this chemical because it can “penetrate the skin, cause allergic skin reactions, and may disrupt hormones!”

According to WebMD, retinyl palmitate is another chemical you should look out for! Multiple lab tests have found a connection to skin cancer. On top of that, wearing sunscreen blocks the body’s absorption of ultraviolet radiation that produces vitamin D in your skin! Studies show that Vitamin D
prevents 77 percent of all cancers, so don’t isolate your skin from healthy sun exposure, rather limit the frequency and duration of time you wear sunblock! A great way to approach this is by soaking up some direct sunlight for 10-15 minutes before applying sunscreen. Also, try some natural brands or remedies to use! Studies show that coconut oil used as a sunscreen may not only be good for blocking the rays, but also promoting healthy skin!    
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• If you do manage to get sunburned, try these remedies:
• Take a refreshing shower or bath, soak in an oatmeal bath for itchy sunburns
• Use lotion that contains aloe vera; it will soothe and moisturize skin.
• Take ibuprofen to help relieve pain and inflammation
• Apply lukewarm-cool (NOT cold) milk to your skin using a clean cloth. Milk will create a protein film that eases sunburn discomfort.
• Take Vitamin E supplements to decrease inflammation caused by sunburn
• Brew a fresh batch of black tea, cool it and apply to the skin. The tannic acid in black tea reportedly helps draw heat from sunburned skin, and it also aids in restoring an internal alkaline environment/pH balance.
• Cucumbers have natural antioxidant and analgesic properties. Chill cucumbers and mash them in a blender into a past. Apply to affected areas, including the face.

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Remember, the BEST remedy is PREVENTION. Use a sunscreen without the harmful chemicals, wear protective clothing (breathable long sleeve shirts, hats, etc.), and limit your exposure to direct sunlight!

Are you out there working hard at your career, taking care of the family, your startup business, your music and art, your body and fitness, and your hobbies and passions? Whatever you put your time and heart into, if you want to be your BEST, you need to get your REST!
Sleep is critical to maintaining our physical and mental health. Studies show that getting enough sleep helps with everything from having a good mood, to preventing diabetes, yet today in the United States, we are more sleep deprived than ever before.

Here are the facts:

• 35% of Americans don’t get the recommended 7 hours each night
• About 20% of Americans have a sleep disorder preventing them from a good nights rest.
• Americans currently average 6.8 hours of sleep a night.
• 97% of teens do not sleep enough, averaging 6.5 hours on a weeknight

​It is easy to get caught up working late or binging Netflix late into the night, but there are numerous benefits to choosing to get enough rest! These are a few good reasons to develop better sleeping habits:

FITNESS/EXERCISE: Been lifting weights or working on that cardio? Not getting enough sleep will only undermine your workout! Your body needs that time to give your body time to recover, conserve energy, and repair the muscles used during exercise. Also, studies show that working out allows you to get a BETTER NIGHTS REST. It’s a win/win.

BETTER FOCUS/MEMORY: Many of us have been there in college, cramming in last minute for a test, pulling the all-nighter from time to time. However, sleeping and dreaming are essential for processing and storing memory! Without a good nights rest, it is tougher to recall information and more difficult to learn new concepts! Beyond that, getting good sleep keeps you more alert and sharp, so you can use your time more efficiently when you work!

GOOD MOOD: When we rest, our brains process our emotions! Give your mind a break, and allow your mind to collect itself. Dealing with a hard, emotionally taxing day?  Get to sleep and wake up feeling mentally fresh and collected morning.

MENTAL HEALTH: In 2019, we are statistically the most ANXIOUS and DEPRESSED we have ever been. Chronic lack of sleep is not helping, as it increases the chances of developing anxiety and stress. If you struggle with insomnia, you are FIVE TIMES more likely to develop depression. Keep your mind healthy and relaxed; sleep produces chemicals that counteract and negate stress hormones.

HEALTHY HEART: Sleeping keeps our blood pressure in check! When we go to bed, our relaxed parasympathetic nervous system is operating (turning off our active/alert sympathetic nervous system). Our heart rate slows down, and blood vessels are given a break as our blood pressure is reduced. Getting that rest is one way to help prevent heart disease and strokes!

SLEEP AND CHIROPRACTIC:  Since our bodies repair during times of rest, sleep allows you to hold your chiropractic adjustments and strengthen proper alignment! Less stress from more sleep also means a physically relaxed body, preventing the muscle tension that can cause headaches, neck pain, and misalignment! Finally, receiving chiropractic care straightens the spine and heals painful symptoms that wake people up in the night, such as headaches and back pain

We can’t solve everything in a day, and no one can keep on going forever without burning out! Balance your days and nights by intentionally getting the sleep you need so you can live a healthier, happier, restful life!

One of the most stressful seasons is almost over: Tax season. It’s a scramble to organize finances, dig up old work receipts, worry about how much is still owed and hoping for that refund! Every day, stress affects us all, whether financial struggles, working through relationships, or coping with a career!  While SOME stress is healthy and beneficial for our day to day lives, too much has serious mental, emotional AND physical side effects.

Physical health and mental health are intertwined.  As you receive care at the Alpha Spine Center, it is essential to be aware of how stress and emotional/mental struggles affect your body and alignment! It starts with the stress chemical Cortisol:

Cortisol, the Stress Hormone:

The Good: At normal levels of daily stress, cortisol helps us with rapid energy by regulating nutrients to be used immediately. It helps our body wake up in the morning, get in the zone for exercising, and react with fight or flight responses in times of danger.

The Bad: We live in a time where our lives are ever stressed, fast-paced, constantly stimulated and connected. We are the most stressed and anxious generation to have walked this earth. This constant state of stress leads keeps our bodies at a consistently high level of cortisol.
Chronically high levels of cortisol creates high blood pressure (increasing chances for type 2 diabetes), elevates weight gain, weakens the immune system with its effects on inflammation, digestion issues since our digestive system operates in a relaxed state, can lead to depression, and aggravates fertility problems from erectile dysfunction to an imbalance in women’s monthly cycles.

Affect on the Spine: From a chiropractic lens, stress keeps the body in a state of physical tension. Shoulders, neck and back muscles are tightly bound and causing inflexibility, leading to increased chance of injury, headaches, and general muscle pain. This tension increases your likelihood of losing your chiropractic alignment. As adjustments shift the spine into proper spinal positioning, muscles surrounding the neck and spine will have points of weakness as they adjust to the new alignment. Muscle tension caused by ongoing elevated stress pulls against these weaker muscles, stretching the neck and spine back into misalignment.

But don’t Stress about it! Here are some habits and treatments that can help you balance your daily stress and prevent stress-induced spinal misalignment.

SLEEP: Allow yourself to get adequate rest. The chemicals pumped during good sleep stop the production of stress hormones. Receiving chiropractic care helps align your body to be tension free, and reduces painful symptoms and headaches, allowing for BETTER sleep!

PRAYER & QUIET TIME:  It is impossible to keep on going going going. You need quiet space to rest your body, reflect on what you’ve neglected or would like to be doing, and connect with God as a source of peace and direction. Release all that mental clutter by taking 10-15 minutes each day to exercise quiet time and prayer time.

EXERCISE: Working out produces endorphins: also known as “happy” chemicals promoting better moods! Physical activity also promotes self-confidence and a better nights rest. At the Alpha Spine Center, we have spinal alignment-specific exercises that can help strengthen the neck and back to prevent injury and misalignment caused by daily stress!
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BE SOCIAL and SMILE: Balance your work life by engaging in fun social activities and doing hobbies you enjoy! We are social beings that need time to enjoy other people. Taking time for yourself provides a healthy work-life balance. Also, practice the art of smiling more. The physical act of smiling triggers endorphin production, making you feel happier and stress- free!

At the Alpha Spine Center, we want you to experience a healthy, balanced lifestyle that reaches beyond your physical health! Experience the full benefits of NUCCA care by following these tips on managing your emotional health and stress!

Having good posture is a habit that has been encouraged for centuries, from displaying military prowess in the 1600s, to emphasizing social dignity in the 1800s. Nowadays the importance of posture is stressed by physical therapists and chiropractic because of its importance to our health. Common benefits of good posture are the prevention of back and neck pain, better mobility of your joints, and even a stronger core and strengthened back (which can prevent injury in day to day activities).
Today, we live in a modern age of smartphones, smart cars, and the ability to make money from the comfort of your laptop. But as many of us spend hours looking down at our phone, sitting hunched in office chairs, or slumped on the couch watching Netflix, we have also formed bad habits of slouching and poor posture that over time causes our muscles to become imbalanced. It is a condition that has sprung up in our generation, and it is called Upper Cross Syndrome.

So what exactly is Upper Cross Syndrome, and what is causing it? In short, Upper Cross Syndrome is deformation and improper development of the muscles in the shoulders, neck, and chest. So what is different?

Over time, this muscle imbalance molds your body into the slouched posture shown above. The head pushes forward, the shoulders become rounded, and the strain causes many symptoms such as headaches, neck pain, chest tightness, jaw pain, fatigue, soreness during long drives, and restricted range of motion in athletics and exercise.

But all is not lost if you find yourself experiencing Upper Cross Syndrome. You can balance your life with these exercises and lifestyle tips, counteract the development of Upper Cross Syndrome, and experience pain relief.

• Intentionally sitting with good posture while driving and working.
• Limiting screen time.
• Using a headset or earphones to talk on the phone.
• Soft Tissue treatment and massage to loosen tightened muscle groups.
• Laser therapy to stimulate damaged muscle cells in overused muscles.

*Engaging in the following types of exercises that engage the muscles that are underused, and promote straight posture.

Similar to Upper Cross Syndrome, Lower Cross Syndrome is a condition in which there is an imbalance of tight and weak muscles. The difference is lower cross syndrome affects the lower part of your body, where abs and glutes (your butt) are weak and the hip flexors and mid back are tight. It is possible to experience both UPPER and LOWER cross syndromes at the same time, but being intentional about your posture habits can help prevent both! So what lifestyle habits cause LCS?

• Prolonged sitting with bad posture.
• Physical Inactivity
• Poor technique during exercise, especially lifts that can strain the back such as dead-lift, bench press, and squat.
• Imbalanced strength training, (aka. Skipping leg day)

As LCS develops, it only gets worse over time. Because the glutes and abs are weak, your hamstrings and lower back overcompensate and become tighter as you engage in daily activities such as walking, running, and squatting. The tighter these muscles get, the weaker your abs and glutes become! This eventually can cause low back pain, a bulging belly, and increased risk of knee pain, lower back pain, and other musculoskeletal disorders. To prevent and combat LCS, here are some excercises and stretches you can do at home:

What is Cortisol? Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by our adrenal glands and is known as the "stress hormone." Sounds like public enemy number one right? Well in large quantities it can be. Cortisol is a hormone that helps us adapt to "fight or flight" situations. For many of us, our average day is free of life-threatening situations, yet in the modern American culture of constant deadlines, multiple demands, increased workloads, taking care of family, and trying to make ends meet stack up as a bunch of hassles that trigger stress. As a result, we can get bogged down under pressure as our body produces Cortisol to react to these changing, constant demands!
 
Many of us struggle with constant stress and a steady flow of Cortisol each day, and according to the Mayo Clinic, this long-term exposure can adversely affect our health. Elevated Cortisol levels contribute to many of these symptoms:
 
Interference with learning and memory
Lower bone density
Weight Gain
Increased risk for depression and mental illness.
Increased risk for anxiety
Digestive problems
Sleep problems
Can cause headaches
 
According to Psychology Today, on top of traumatic experiences, a big part of why our modern society faces elevated levels of stress and anxiety (and heightened levels of Cortisol) is because of our environment. From the demands and the hustle and bustle of city life, the overload of information on social media, and constant access to "higher" standards of beauty, lifestyle, etc. shown on television and media.
 
But all is not lost. We don't have to let stress run our lives if we make a few changes in our daily lifestyle!
Eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise to allow your body to produce healthy chemicals. It also improves your overall well being, reducing stress.
Take "me time." Give yourself time to enjoy hobbies, read a book, and relax. It may feel counterproductive, but by taking care of yourself and giving yourself time to relax allows you to function more efficiently and effectively when you do work.
Laugh a little! The physical act of smiling and laughing, like exercising, actually releases endorphins and reduces stress!
Take time to be social and engages with friends and family, or serve others through volunteering! We are social beings and need time to participate in that social space!
Reduce caffeine consumption: studies show that caffeine increases cortisol at rest similar to being under acute-stress!
Take quiet time for prayer or reflection. Clearing the mind of cluttered thoughts and releasing them reduces stress as well!
 
 
Even though we struggle with increased levels of Cortisol these days, it is still an essential hormone that in healthy amounts helps us manage blood pressure, reduces inflammation, supports a stronger immune system, and triggers us to react to danger! Knowing how to balance our Cortisol levels aids our chemical health, and allows us to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle!
 
 
 
SOURCES
 
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201301/cortisol-why-the-stress-hormone-is-public-enemy-no-1
https://www.livestrong.com/article/510118-what-are-the-benefits-of-cortisol/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/clear-organized-and-motivated/201703/5-sources-stress-and-anxiety-in-the-modern-world
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-laughter-may-be-the-best-pain-medicine/
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/coffee-and-hormones

The body is a regulated and controlled via chemical messages from the Nervous System. Each message sent - within the brain, brain to organ or organ to brain; from one nerve to another - is composed of very specific chemical sequences. Every chemical arrangement is specific to a task for the body. There are vast numbers of chemical signals in our body that are constantly being produced to start and stop intricate functions. Some examples of these are hydrochloric acid (HCL) and cortisol (hormone). HCl is made and used by the stomach for digestion and cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands, controlled by the pituitary and hypothalamus in the brain. Chemical balance in our body is maintained innately and can be altered via environmental experiences. For example, when we eat lunch at 11:30am every day, our body learns that it needs to start prepping for digestion at 11:30am via our biological clocks. If we skipped our lunch and ate at 3:30pm instead, our body will produce all the chemicals for digestion at both times. The body adapts to the environment, so it meets our needs in different situations. The environment and genetic make-up play a crucial role in the production and utilization of chemicals to carry out prominent bodily functions. 
Stress is an excellent example of the environment influencing the production of chemicals. Cortisol is the primary hormone released in response to a fight and flight (stressful) situation, hence the word “stress hormone”. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that controls blood sugar levels, metabolism, anti-inflammatory processes, memory formation, salt-water balance, blood pressure and fetal development. It effectively changes our physiology in the event of stress, so the body can respond adequately without failing at the time of danger. One can experience prolonged (threatening or non-threatening) stress which, increases the amount of cortisol released over time. However, when the body is under large-amounts of stress it puts all bodily functions in over-drive, which drastically reduces the production of cortisol. In this case, the body fails to meet the expectations of the environment and one experiences a mental and physical crash. The diagram below depicts the relationship between increased stress and performance.  As seen, optimal stress is productive, where as too much stress induces exhaustion, anxiety and breakdown. 
In the US, a large population experiences prolonged stress also known as chronic stress. As mentioned above, chronic stress leads to reduced cortisol levels; which consequently causes bodily dysfunction and dis-ease such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, low back pain and lumbar disc herniations. Research has recently correlated lumbar disc herniations to long-term stress and established a predictive relationship between reduced cortisol (pro-longed stress) and new-onset of musculoskeletal pain. Moreover, the decrease or absence of cortisol levels will increase inflammation contributing to pain in the joints. It is clear that prolonged-stress compromises the musculoskeletal structure, especially the spine.
True story of patient with prolonged stress 
 A mother named Mary, has been a care-taker of her husband battling with cancer for 8 years. Over the years I noticed her energy declining, she looks more worn out each time and is shrinking vertically. A few months back she began experiencing sharp neck and low-back pain. After thorough testing and MRI’s, she was diagnosed with multiple disc herniations in the lumbar spine. As mentioned above, it is scientifically proven that when a person is under high stress, they can experience degeneration of the spine. With pain in her spine and the lack of energy; she spends less time gardening and doing what she loves. Now she spends more time laying in bed and resting on the couch. She once mentioned to me, with tears in her eyes, that she is not enjoying gardening and it has become a chore. Even though she is mentally and physically exhausted with pain and stress, she attempts to push through the pain. It is sad to see she is not able to do what she is passionate about. Gardening was her way to get away from her real-life problems, but now she is in prolonged stress and pain with inflamed extremities and spinal joints. 
When Mary came to the Alpha Spine Center, she had lost all hope in getting her life back. After a few treatments Mary’s pain level has decreased in half and she is gardening once again. For this reason, I am so thankful Mary found her way to our practice. It brings her immense joy when she picks fresh cut flowers and puts them in a vase at her husband’s bedside. 
The story above paints a picture of how a stressful situation can quickly take a toll on a perfectly healthy individual. Increased stress with decreased cortisol levels can have a negative effect on the body and reduce its ability to perform optimally. Chronic stress is a key contributor to disease and degenerative changes in spinal health despite exercise and healthy eating. If you know anyone like Mary in your life, please share this story with them so they can find hope and restoration as well. ​

​In today’s day and age of processed foods and chemical products, countless diet fads, and GMO and hormone filled farm products; we are exposed to many toxins, heavy metals, and chemicals every single day. Though our bodies have a natural system for removing toxins, prolonged exposure to too much of any harmful substance can alter the chemical balance of our body.
A common way we can balance our chemical health is by eating clean and being aware of what your food and water are exposed to. These are some things to avoid:
 
·    Ultra-Processed Foods: these are foods with many ingredients listed, many with big long names you probably can’t pronounce. These foods are linked to higher risk for cancer and include frozen dinners, sodas/diet sodas, and store bought pastries and boxed baking mixes.
 
·    Non-Organic and GMO Produce: fruits and veggies that are sprayed with toxic pesticides and chemicals to kill off insects and other pests. These chemicals on their own can alter developmental growth and are known endocrine disruptors (which means they interfere with hormones and hormonal balance).
 
·    Non- Free Range Chicken/Non-Grass Fed Beef/Non- Organic Dairy: These are massed produced chicken and cow products that are cooped up in small spaces and fed hormones for growth, as well as GMO corn products. This makes for chemically imbalanced animals. These chemicals are processed by our digestive system when we consume these animal products.
 
·    Plastic Water Bottles: widespread testing of “safe” Non-BPA water bottles has shown that 93% of bottled water samples were contaminated with plastic particles and fibers.
 
·    Unfiltered Tap Water: tap water can contain metals and other chemicals, which can vary in seriousness to our health depending on the local environment and treatment process.
 
 
Beyond our food and drinks, we are also exposed to chemicals through everyday items such as makeup, sunscreen, bug spray, and cleaning products. These are some other chemical concerns in our home products.
 
·Makeup: Under current law, the FDA doesn’t require safety assessments on cosmetic products. Some lipsticks and foundations have traces of lead in them. Quaternium-15 is a common ingredient in mascara that potentially causes cancer and is known to irritate the skin. Look for small batch brands or makeup that focuses on safe products. Annmarie is an excellent resource for safe makeup.
 
·      Most Chemical Sunscreens: these sun protectors use chemical compound barriers to block the suns harmful rays. New research reveals that chemicals commonly used in sunscreens are endocrine disruptors. Also, stay far away from sunscreen with the chemical Oxybenzone. This chemical is found in 96% of common sunscreens and is a known endocrine disruptor. Even worse 40% of tested chemical sunblock increases the risk of skin cancer. Instead, try mineral sunscreens which use Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide as their primary active ingredients to block harmful UV rays.
 
·      Cleaning Products: It is no surprise that cleaning solutions and bleach products are harmful to us since many of them are toxic to ingest. One way to reduce our exposure to cleaning chemicals is to choose more natural and eco-friendly products such as Method, Mrs. Meyer’s, or Green Works to name a few.
 
 
 
How to balance our Chemical Health!
 
It may seem like the world around us is teeming with dangerous toxins, but alongside our body’s ability to reduce toxins in our body, we can help our body’s chemical balance in by changing some lifestyle habits.
 
·      Detox: Go on a detoxing diet, this can range from juice detoxes to clean eating diets as mentioned above.
 
·      Fasting: Simply said, not eating. There are different ways to fast, and it doesn’t mean to starve your body.  It can stimulate weight loss, promote human growth hormone, and can regulate levels of insulin, ghrelin, and triglyceride.
 
·      Alkaline Diet: This is a diet that is meant to regulate the ph levels in your body. It limits dietary acid intake and promotes essential minerals our body needs. An alkaline diet can protect bone density and muscle mass, lower risk for stroke or hypertension, reduce inflammation, and improve immune function and cancer prevention.
 
 
 
 
 
Sources:
 
·      https://draxe.com/tap-water-toxicity/
 
·      https://www.annmariegianni.com/toxic-chemicals-in-makeup-industry/
 
·      https://wellnessmama.com/55366/sunscreen-is-harmful/
 
·      http://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/natural-eco-friendly-cleaning-products-for-the-conscious-home
 
·      https://draxe.com/detox-diet/
 
·      http://www.pan-uk.org/health-effects-of-pesticides/
 
·      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952409/

“I can take a deep breath, I feel my sinuses have finally opened up and feel more calm after an adjustment” states Pamela Peterson owner of I heart Pilates after her first NUCCA adjustment at Alpha Spine Center.  Most patients often feel this calmness and ability to breathe more deeply after their adjustment. Ever wondered why that is?

The Scientific Explanation.   

The central nervous system has a subsystem called the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for automatic or involuntary bodily functions that we do not need to perform consciously or actively, such as breathing. The ANS is responsible for controlling the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system response.  The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is responsible for the “Fight or Flight” response in which the body gets prepared for danger. It does so by dilating the lungs for rapid breathing causing the heart to beat faster and stronger, increases blood circulation to the muscles and increases the adrenaline rush in your body so it can either fight the danger or run away from the danger.  Where as, the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is responsible for conserving and restoring energy through bodily functions like digestion. 

Definition: Central Nervous system: Consists of the brain and spinal cord, which is the integrating and control center. 

How does a NUCCA adjustment affect the Parasympathetic Nervous System? 

The parasympathetic nervous system stems from the level of the brainstem (Upper cervical: C1 and C2) and sacral region of the spine and the sympathetic nervous system stems from the thoracic and lumbar region of the spine. Therefore, if the nerves in the brainstem and sacral region were activated then a parasympathetic response should illicit. This was proven by Welch and Boone published in 2008, in which they found a decrease in diastolic blood pressure in subjects that received an upper cervical adjustment. So the pressure in the heart decreased further as it filled up with blood. Indicating that activation of the parasympathetic nervous system upon an upper cervical adjustment. 

Definition: Diastolic pressure: minimum arterial pressure during relaxation and dilation of the ventricles during filling of blood in the heart. 

The scientific explanation helps understand the feeling of being relaxed, calm and the ability to take a deep breath after a NUCCA adjustment at the Alpha Spine Center. If you know a loved one in constant “fight or flight”, stress or sympathetic mode that can’t seem to dial down and be calm; refer them to Alpha Spine Center to determine if they qualify for NUCCA care. ​

Methods of evaluation of autonomic nervous system function. Zygmunt, A., Stanczyk, J. Arch Med Sci. 2010; 6(1): 11-18.
Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex. A Review of the Chiropractic and Medical Literature. Eriksen, K. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2004