Those Painful Monthly Cramps

It’s that time of the month again and you’re in agony. What causes you to suffer from these dreadful cramps every month? Believe it or not, more than 90% of all women have menstrual cramps at some point in their lives and a little more than 50% experience menstrual cramps every month for one or two days either right before or at the onset of their period.
Although menstrual cramps occur more often during the teenage years, some women experience them well into their twenties and beyond. One in ten women experience pain so bad, they’re unable to go about their daily routine for several days each month.
What causes painful menstrual cramps and what can be done to alleviate the pain?
Cramps are caused by contractions of the uterus. Like all other muscles in the body, the uterus contracts on a regular basis and then relaxes. Right around the time of your period, these contractions become stronger and this is what produces the pain and discomfort.

The following natural remedies may help relieve the pain and discomfort of menstrual cramps:

• Regular exercise, such as walking
  
  
• Adding additional calcium and zinc to your diet
  
  
• The use of certain herbal remedies that have anti-spasmodic properties, including Viburnum prunifolium, Scutellaria spp. and Cimicifuga racemosa
  
  
• Soaking in a warm bath that has been prepared with aromatherapy oils (have you tried lavender?)
  
  
• Warm compresses or a heating pad, which can be applied to the lower abdomen to ease the pain
  
  
• Relaxing and putting your feet up to alleviate stress
  
  
• Good, old fashioned chiropractic adjustments

We’re aware that many women who suffer from menstrual cramps also experience frequent back pain. Is there a connection? Both may be related to vertebral subluxation in the lower spine that affects the nerves that serve the female anatomy. It’s been our experience that many women report a decrease in the frequency and severity of their menstrual cramps when they receive regular chiropractic adjustments.
Have you given it a try?

It’s that time of the month again and you’re in agony. What causes you to suffer from these dreadful cramps every month? Believe it or not, more than 90% of all women have menstrual cramps at some point in their lives and a little more than 50% experience menstrual cramps every month for one or two days either right before or at the onset of their period.
Although menstrual cramps occur more often during the teenage years, some women experience them well into their twenties and beyond. One in ten women experience pain so bad, they’re unable to go about their daily routine for several days each month.
What causes painful menstrual cramps and what can be done to alleviate the pain?
Cramps are caused by contractions of the uterus. Like all other muscles in the body, the uterus contracts on a regular basis and then relaxes. Right around the time of your period, these contractions become stronger and this is what produces the pain and discomfort.

The following natural remedies may help relieve the pain and discomfort of menstrual cramps:

• Regular exercise, such as walking
  
  
• Adding additional calcium and zinc to your diet
  
  
• The use of certain herbal remedies that have anti-spasmodic properties, including Viburnum prunifolium, Scutellaria spp. and Cimicifuga racemosa
  
  
• Soaking in a warm bath that has been prepared with aromatherapy oils (have you tried lavender?)
  
  
• Warm compresses or a heating pad, which can be applied to the lower abdomen to ease the pain
  
  
• Relaxing and putting your feet up to alleviate stress
  
  
• Good, old fashioned chiropractic adjustments

We’re aware that many women who suffer from menstrual cramps also experience frequent back pain. Is there a connection? Both may be related to vertebral subluxation in the lower spine that affects the nerves that serve the female anatomy. It’s been our experience that many women report a decrease in the frequency and severity of their menstrual cramps when they receive regular chiropractic adjustments.
Have you given it a try?

Packed Lunches Pose A Health Risk

If you're a parent of a child or teen, you or your spouse are likely the ones responsible packing your kid's lunches and placing them in a lunchbox or paper bag. New research from Texas indicates in a testing of more than 700 preschoolers' lunch packs, less than 2 percent of those temperature critical foods (meats, dairy and vegetables) were within a safe temperature zone. This, despite the fact that 45 percent of the packed lunches included an ice pack. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends perishable foods be kept cool and that any perishable foods that have reached 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for 2 or more hours not be consumed. After all, the latest stats from the CDC indicate that one in six Americans get food poisoning each year. Experts recommend including several ice packs with packed lunches and having perishables placed into a fridge once kids arrive at school to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Author: ChiroPlanet.com Source: Pediatrics, online August 8, 2011. Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2011

Packed Lunches Pose A Health Risk

If you're a parent of a child or teen, you or your spouse are likely the ones responsible packing your kid's lunches and placing them in a lunchbox or paper bag. New research from Texas indicates in a testing of more than 700 preschoolers' lunch packs, less than 2 percent of those temperature critical foods (meats, dairy and vegetables) were within a safe temperature zone. This, despite the fact that 45 percent of the packed lunches included an ice pack. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends perishable foods be kept cool and that any perishable foods that have reached 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for 2 or more hours not be consumed. After all, the latest stats from the CDC indicate that one in six Americans get food poisoning each year. Experts recommend including several ice packs with packed lunches and having perishables placed into a fridge once kids arrive at school to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Author: ChiroPlanet.com Source: Pediatrics, online August 8, 2011. Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2011

Putting a Price Tag on Health

It’s hard to put a price tag on something as important as health, but we all do by the choices we make and priorities we set.

We who work in health care place a high value on health. So when we find out someone has discontinued their chiropractic care because they can’t afford it, we’re concerned. Are our fees out of line?

Turns out, it’s usually a matter of priorities and finances are a convenient excuse. Each of us has the free will to value our health in the way we see fit. True, most of us take our health for granted until we lose it, but that may be just human nature.

If other issues in your life require more attention than your health, we understand. No need to make excuses or feel self-conscious. You won’t get a scolding, a sermon or even a raised eyebrow. After all, it’s your health.

You’re the boss. We strive to offer the finest chiropractic care possible. You decide how much of it you want. No guilt. No shame. No problem.