Backpack safety and your kids.
We are very happy to offer the following tips to help prevent your children from the needless pain of an over stuffed backpack. You may not realize it, but backpacks could cause the student in your household health risks and back pain that can cause many health conditions. And now that backpacks have begun to replace briefcases in the work place, you too might want to follow this advice:
Let our Elkhorn Chiropractor know what your need or concern is today. We'd love to help you out.
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Wellness care trusts that the body would KNOW what to do if NOTHING were interfering with it. Standard medical care, on the other hand, seeks to treat a symptom by adding something from the outside - a medication, a surgery or procedure. Inside Out vs. Outside In If a patient has high blood pressure, a standard medical approach would be to choose a drug that lowers blood pressure, and ask the patient to take the drug. This may serve to lower the blood pressure, but ignores the underlying cause that is making the blood pressure high, and runs the risk of side effects complicating the person's recovery. Whether it's a nutritional issue, faulty control by the nerve system or a manifestation of stress, the medication could decrease the blood pressure, leaving the problem causing the symptom of high blood pressure unaddressed. The Wellness Approach Wellness is a state of optimal conditions for normal function… and then some. The wellness approach is to look for underlying causes of any disturbance or disruption (which may or may not be causing symptoms at the time) and make whatever interventions and lifestyle adjustments would optimize the conditions for normal function. That environment encourages natural healing, and minimizes the need for invasive treatment, which should be administered ONLY when absolutely necessary. When the body is working properly, it tends to heal effectively, no matter what the condition. When the body heals well and maintains itself well, then there is another level of health that goes beyond "asymptomatic" or "pain-free" which reveals an open-ended opportunity for vitality, vibrant health, and an enhanced experience of life.This is true for mental and emotional health as well as physical health. While some people may suffer psychological disorders, creating an atmosphere of mental and emotional wellness will address all but the most serious problems. Contact us today if you want to experience "wholism" - Move Well, Eat Well, Think Well, Stay Well Adjusted!
The nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal cord and all the nerves of the body, controls and regulates the entire body. Many childhood health problems are merely the result of nervous system interference, usually along the spine. Our gentle adjusting techniques help reduce these disturbances so your child’s body can resume working as it was designed. Better health is the natural result when the brain and body have clear communication pathways.
Ear infections. Biomechanical restrictions in the upper spine can compromise the nervous system and immune system, making your child’s ears a breeding ground for viral infection. Bedwetting. Nervous system compromise in the lower back can block nerve messages responsible for bladder control. Many children regain their confidence and self-esteem with chiropractic care.
Scoliosis. Instead of crude bracing or the all too common “wait and watch” approach, chiropractic care has helped countless children with this common disfigurement. Wellness. An obvious symptom isn’t required! Enjoy the peace of mind of having your infant or child checked to uncover structural or neurological problems before they become serious. Many of the hard-to-correct problems we see in adults are long-standing problems that began, and remained undetected in childhood. If you have questions, use the email link below. Or give us a call and arrange a telephone consultation. We’re happy to discuss any concern without cost or obligation. Yours in Health, Chad Schleiger, D.C.
Parents bring their children in for a host of reasons including earaches, ear infections, back and neck pain, digestive disorders, tension headaches, upper respiratory infections, infantile colic, asthma, enuresis (bed wetting), constipation, allergies, autism, ADHD and general overall wellness. Chiropractic care for children is becoming increasingly common as evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of pediatric care grows. In fact, chiropractors will see more than 68 million pediatric visits this year alone.
Why Chiropractic? Chiropractors aim to identify and eliminate stress on nerves caused by misalignments in the spine known as subluxations. Subluxations are the result of physical, chemical and emotional stresses on the body and though they are often painless, they can result in serious health disorders. Physical stress may begin in the womb if the baby is positioned poorly or may be caused by a traumatic birth experience. The twisting and torsion to a baby’s skull, spine and pelvis during birth, for example, can lead to a condition known as Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome, a common cause of upper respiratory infections, ear infections and tonsillitis. In addition, the inevitable tumbles and falls of early childhood while learning to walk, play sports, and ride a bike increase the risk of injury to the spine. While the initial pain of these accidents usually resolves in time, if dysfunction in the spine is left uncorrected it can continue to affect nervous system function and cause major problems as the child grows into adulthood. Additionally, emotional stressors, such as anxiety and depression, and chemical stressors, such as processed foods and other toxins, are indirect causes of subluxations. These stressors cause irritation to joints and other soft tissues, causing dysfunction in the spine and negatively affecting the function of the nervous system. Is Chiropractic Safe For Children? One of the most common concerns we hear from parents is regarding the safety of having their children getting adjusted. Chiropractic is not only one of the safest and most effective forms of pediatric health care, it’s also extremely gentle. As an Elkhorn Pediatric Chiropractor, the adjusting technique we use on an adult is not the same as the technique used on a child or infant. Children’s spines are extremely mobile compared to an adult’s, so only slight, non-thrusting pressure is needed to make an adjustment. The journal Explore recently published a revealing study investigating both the health benefits and risk of side effects in children who were treated by a pediatric chiropractor. Of the 812 pediatric cases reviewed, 717 reported improvement or resolution of their primary complaint following chiropractic care while only 9 reported aggravations related to treatment. These were described as “soreness” or “fussiness”. In addition, 74 of the cases reported improvement in areas unrelated to their primary complaints such as quality of sleep, mood, immune function, and range of motion. Will Chiropractic Care Work For My Children? It’s important to understand that the purpose of chiropractic care is not simply treating sickness or disease; the goal is to help the body function at its optimum level naturally by identifying and removing subluxations that interfere with the body’s nervous system. When the nervous system is allowed to operate without interference, the immune system functions more efficiently, the body has improved resistance to infection and disease, and your child’s body functions better overall. At The Wellness Pointe of Elkhorn, WI, we believe in taking a proactive approach to health by maintaining an optimal nervous system with chiropractic care instead of waiting for illness or disease to happen. Through regular gentle, non-thrusting chiropractic adjustments in combination with counseling on proper nutrition, exercise and postural habits, we can help your children reach their optimum health potential. To make an appointment today, call us at 262.215.2292 or email us at TWPChiro@gmail.com. Sources: Alcantara J, Ohm J, Kunz D. The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic. Explore (NY). 2009 Sep-Oct;5(5):290-5. Gutman G. Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome in Infants and Small Children. ICA Review, 1990; July:37-42. Read more about us at www.thewellnesspointechiro.com or LIKE US on FaceBook. God Bless, Chad Schleiger, D.C. While chiropractic care has been around for over a hundred years, there are still many misconceptions about what chiropractic is all about, what it feels like, sounds like and why. And, if you’re hesitant about giving it a try, we’re here to calm your nerves and tell you a little bit more about what we’re all about.
We don’t snap, crackle or pop — we adjust. An adjustment is a specific, highly accurate thrust that gently aligns your spine, as it should be, with absolutely no cracking of anything. Sometimes a popping sound is heard which is just the gas being released when your body moves into place. Chiropractors have many years of education. Today’s chiropractor receives a broad education very similar to medical doctors. In fact, it’s quite comparable to the education received by medical practitioners. Often, before acceptance to a five-year chiropractic college, prospective chiropractors must complete a minimum of four years of undergraduate work with a heavy emphasis on the basic sciences. A medical doctor (MD) and a chiropractor (DC) while different have both received a degree from a government accredited medical school or chiropractic college and are licensed to practice. Once you go, you don’t have to go forever… but you’ll probably want to! Your health is completely up to you. You can come for relief, or to keep your body in shape and functioning as it should. Preventative care keeps you feeling your best and helps your body prevent aches and pains in the future. It’s just like visiting your dentist regularly! Yes you can see a chiropractor after surgery. Have you had surgery in the past? We’d love to sit down with you and talk to you about how chiropractic care can help. Rest assured that we would avoid the surgically modified areas of your spine. Adjustments are gentle. Most people explain that they feel calm and refreshed after an adjustment. Since repeated adjustments may be necessary, an adjustment must feel good to get the patients to return to finish their care… and they do! We’re experts at making adjustments feel good and ensuring you’re comfortable. Chiropractors don’t just adjust your spine. Wrist. Jaw. Shoulder. Elbow. Hip. Ankle. Back. Knee. Feet. Hands. We adjust them all! Chiropractic care works so well and can be used virtually anywhere in the body and has effects on virtually every function of your body. We’re here to support you. Being a chiropractor is more than just helping your body realign itself, it’s about supporting you and helping you achieve your best potential, goals and a truly joyous life. We’re here to encourage you while you discover true wellness. If you have questions and would like to sit down and talk, we’d love to listen. Remember, the whole reason why we’re here… is you. Call your local, trusted Elkhorn Wellness Chiropractor today! Chiropractic for Children
Why would a child have a spine and nervous system problem? Traumatic births. Learning to walk. Slips. Falls. The list is endless. Yet, because children have such an adaptive capacity, these problems are often brushed off as “growing pains” or just a “phase they’re going through.” “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” When a child has some form of physical trauma or physical stress it puts their nervous system into a higher state of stress, or what we call "fight/flight". How does this happen? Most individuals and parents understand that the central nervous system is a very important system, if not, the MOST important system in maintaining and coordinating health. But most people don't understand the details of the central nervous system. The nervous system works in two modes of operation: 1.) sympathetic or "fight/flight" or "gas pedal" and 2.) parasympathetic or "growth/development" or "brake pedal". These two modes of operation, for the most part, are an autonomic (or automatic) response to our environment or our lifestyle. When your little one is running around the soccer field, his/her sympathetic nervous system automatically engages to enhance other systems like the cardio-respiratory centers to increase heart rate, increase breathing, pushing blood and oxygen to fuel their muscles, and at the same time it weakens the response for systems such as immune modulation, growth and digestion. This "fight or flight" mode is designed to be "turned on" for a short period of time and then "turned off". So when your little one shakes hands at mid field and goes back to the van with mom and dad, the parasympathetic nervous system should automatically turn on while the sympathetic or "gas pedal/fight/flight" should be turned off so they can absorb and digest their healthy post-soccer game snack that mom has prepared for them. Make sense? So what's the big problem? One thing we must understand is "we cannot be in GROWTH and PROTECTION mode at the same time". The biggest problem we see is the sympathetic or "gas pedal - protection mode" response gets "STUCK ON" for kids at an early age because of some sort of birth trauma (scheduled C-section, emergency C-section, vacuum, forcep delivery, increased in-utero constraint, breech position, etc), early childhood slips and falls, or mom experiences a very stressful pregnancy. Because this protective "gas pedal" response gets "stuck on" the nervous system never has a chance to "grow and develop" and coordinate the other immature or developing systems such as: immune system, digestive system, endocrine, etc... The BIGGER problem. We live in a time where more children are suffering from chronic illnesses than ever before (allergies, ADD/ADHD, autism, breathing difficulties, gut problems, immune system imbalances, eczema, auto-immune disorders, etc) and the reason is simply STRESS (stressful pregnancy for mom, birth trauma for baby, GMO food, environmental chemicals, etc...) that has caused our "gas pedal" response to get "stuck on" and our body, or our children's bodies, never get to "grow and develop" as they are designed to. How does Chiropractic and keeping your pregnancy less stressful help PREVENT this epidemic of sickness in our kids? Your nervous system's role is to "perceive your environment and coordinate the behavior of every cell." When mom conceives, a half cell from dad and half cell from herself meet to form one cell (This ONE cell has all the functions of growth, respiration, reproduction, digestion, perception, etc that the ENTIRE body will need after it is bore into the world in roughly 9 months). This cell then undergoes replication and division for the next 9 months to grow a perfectly healthy baby.... but only if mom is under minimal stress. When mom's nervous system perceives a stressful environment it activates her "gas pedal" response. When this happens, mom's nervous system, which is coordinating the behavior (development) of her soon-to-be baby's tissues, organs, nervous system, etc.., does so, stressfully. Under these stressful circumstances; fear, pressure, poor diet, lack of movement, environmental toxins, etc..., it is very difficult to "grow and develop" a baby with healthy, well-functioning tissues, organs and systems. The chiropractic adjustment, because it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, applies the "brakes" and slows mom's nervous system down and hence, allowing the "growth and development" of her baby to happen normally and naturally and a good doula or midwife will educate and empower soon-to-be mommas with the knowledge to make the best informed decisions for herself but more importantly, the baby - minimizing the emotional (mental) stress of mom during her pregnancy and help minimize the risk of birth trauma and other unnecessary interventions. Chiropractors, doulas and midwives work together to help keep mom and the baby in "growth and development" mode. Because let's face it..... the 9 months of pregnancy is the biggest growth and development phase anyone will ever go through! This is a great reason to consider a doula or midwife as well as a chiropractor for your pregnancy. - Chad Schleiger, D.C. Imagine balancing a 12 lb. (5.5 kg.) bowling ball on the tips of your fingers.... all day long. That’s just one of many things your neck must do. Your neck and shoulders work hard. Even the smallest deviation in the relationships of the seven bones of your cervical spine (neck) can cause pain and reduced head and neck mobility. Minor and Major Generally, we see two types of neck pain cases. Minor neck and shoulder pain involve sensations of discomfort, stiffness or soreness. If these symptoms last for more than 14 days or the joints have been stuck for 14 days or longer, they start to undergo arthritic changes -arthritis! These changes are irreversible so we consider them major. Just small minor stressors that build up over time such as, credit card bills, flat tire, family relationships, etc can cause ill-health in our bodies, especially our spine and nervous system. Response to Stress Physical, emotional or chemical stress can affect the frequency and severity of neck pain. For many of us, the neck and shoulders are the “weakest link in the chain” and so stress shows up here. Often, emotional stress is the overlooked culprit. Ever hear of something being a “pain in the neck”? Fear, anger or frustration can trigger the tightening of our neck muscles without our even being conscious. In time, chronic muscle spasms set in. Which can lead to headaches. Some over-the-counter pain reliever might dull the pain, but it ignores the underlying cause.
Sometimes this can be the tricky part of a chiropractor's job because most (90% or more) of spinal misalignments or what we call "subluxation" occur without any symptoms at all.
So we use a couple of outside measures to find internal mishaps in your body. During the examination on your first visit to our practice, we use a number of tools and techniques to determine the presence and extent of any misalignments in your spine. When your spine is not aligned properly, nerve interference is often the result. This can affect your entire body, even your immune system. Chiropractic care is designed to reduce this nerve interference, which then permits your body to assume its true, healthful vigor. How do we determine whether there are misalignments in your spine? Well, we generally use a number of different diagnostic tests, which may include one or more of the following: Leg length tests – A contracted leg, causing one leg to appear shorter than the other can be a common sign of spinal misalignment. Gait – We may have you walk as we notice any pelvic or spinal abnormalities that affect your stride or the way your heels strike the floor. Bending – Bending in different directions and at different angles can reveal spinal problems such as inflexibility or scoliosis. Rotation – Restricted movement when turning your head to the right or left can be a significant clue that misalignments are present. Posture – Checking your posture from the side can reveal a forward leaning head and other postural distortions. From behind, we’ll note a high shoulder or hip. Palpation - This is an easy check that chiropractor do with their hands while they feel your spine to look for any imbalances in your spinal column. In the early, easiest-to-correct stages, spinal misalignments often produce no noticeable symptoms. Yet. A spinal checkup in our practice can reveal problem areas that we can address before they become headaches, back pain or more serious health issues. Call our Elkhorn Wellness Chiropractic Office today!
You’re valued. Your loved ones adore you! No matter how many or few, near or far, they cherish you and need you around for a long time.
You deserve health. You deserve to feel your best, to have energy, be happy and move easier. You truly deserve to live the incredible life you’ve been blessed with. You can. Health is about being better than you used to be. Your fitness is all mental; your body won’t go where your mind doesn’t push it. So push yourself and you’ll be amazed at what you’ll achieve. You have time. One hour is roughly 4% of your day. So work smarter, not harder and get up early enough to take care of yourself each day for that jog, gym class or stroll around the park. It’s not about having time, it’s about making time. You’re in charge. There are many aspects of life that are far beyond our reach, out of our control. But the way you treat your body, the way you care for yourself, you can control that. “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll You’re an example. So much about parenting, leading and living is about setting the example. If you want to inspire others to do good, be healthy and enjoy life, then go out there and do the same! You’ll enjoy it. It’s amazing how much feeling goes into your health. Taking care of you is the gift that keeps on giving. By eating right you’ll feel great, by sleeping enough you’ll feel energetic and through exercise you’ll feel empowered and happy. In the end, we’re all blessed. Don’t take for granted the opportunity you have to live the most incredible life. We’re here to remind you of this because we value you, we know you deserve it, we know you can and we know your best life is just around the corner! Call our Elkhorn Chiropractic office today! The Skinny on Fat
One of the reasons Americans have become so deficient in vitamins is due to the fact that food manufacturers have stripped fats from our everyday foods and marketing has brain-washed us into believing fat is bad, increasing our cholesterol levels, waist size, and chronic diseases such as stroke and heart disease. The truth is, not all fat is created equal. There are 4 fat soluble vitamins (Vit A, D, E, and K). What it means to be a "fat soluble vitamin" is that the body needs dietary fat in order to absorb the vitamin (A, D, E, K). The problem with having less fat in our diet is that we cannot absorb the vitamins in our food and hence we become deficient while, at the same time, over consuming the wrong foods, promoting disease, aches and pain. Society has taught us to only eat the egg white, drink fat free pasteurized milk (avoid dairy all together) and use margarine instead of butter. It is no coincidence that foods that naturally have high amounts of Vitamin A, D, E, and K are found in foods that are rich in fat. These vitamins are imperative for proper hormone production, brain health, and reproduction. Do you ever wonder why this generation of "parents trying to get pregnant" have the hardest time "trying to get pregnant"? It's because the hormones used in reproduction are products of these fat soluble vitamins which they are deficient in. It is not because they lack medical screenings or fertility drugs. It is because they are D-ficient in something... Consequences of Vitamin D-ficiency:
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