Walking is essential for life

The health benefits of walking are well known, but for the purposes of this blog here’s a quick reminder:

• Boosts circulation
• Releases pain-killing endorphins
• Strengthens bones and muscles
• Maintains range of motion
• Manages weight

The basic health benefits of a good walk are too many to ignore. On days when you can’t spare a second to make it to the gym, a brisk walk may be the only physical boost your body receives. Yet, far too few of us are getting the daily steps we need to reap such benefits. Here is our guide to getting more steps throughout the day. 

Read More

Spinal health through nutrition is not a far-fetched idea

In fact, it is a very sound idea that too many of us ignore! Diet forms part one of the triad of factors that help you manage your own spinal health, along with exercise and sleep, (posture coming in a close fourth). You can choose ingredients that fortify your spine, as well as ones that directly address and reduce back pain.  Fortunately, dieting for your spine overlaps with healthy dieting in general, with a few specifications. If you are looking for some inspiration to improve your spinal health this new year, check out our guide below for some sound advice.

Read More

Decompression is therapy for your spine

Among the different kinds of decompression (simple stretching, nonsurgical and surgical), the underlying theory is the same: by changing the position of the spine, we can alleviate pressure on the spinal canal and nerves to effect improvements in back pain. Nonsurgical decompression, of the kind we offer at Espinosa Family Chiropractic, often utilizes a motorized table to gently stretch the spine, creating negative intradiscal pressure and allowing for the rehydration and healing of intervertebral discs. What if we told you that you can create a similar decompressive effect from your own living room? 

Read More

What daily action do you take in support of your spine?

If you are a chronic sitter, proactive spinal care is a must. There is no disagreement among health professionals that sitting is the worst possible position for your spine. It puts more pressure on the spine than any standing or lying down, and the pressure is increased even further by poor posture, which is epidemic among chronic sitters. Here are the worst things that happen to your body (from a chiropractic perspective) while you sit:

• Glutes and hamstring muscles weaken
• Hip flexors tighten and pull your body out of alignment
• You gain weight which increases the pressure on your spine 
• You develop stiffness throughout the back, but especially in the shoulders and the neck.

The cumulative effect is a weakening and destabilization at the base of the spine, which leaves you vulnerable to back pain and spinal degeneration. 

Read More

Take a moment to apologize to your neck

You may not mean to impose so much tension upon this sensitive structure but, nonetheless, you still find yourself leaving work each day with a sore, stiff neck. It used to be that too much reading posed a significant threat to the cervical spine; now it is too much screen time. So many of our lives are lived in front of computer and smartphone screens and few of us credit the toll that they take on our cervical vertebrae. The natural instinct when using a screen, much like reading a book, is to crane your neck forward. This magnifies the already palpable weight of the head and increases the amount of downward pressure that is compressing your cervical vertebrae. What’s more, because we are barely moving, certain muscles are tightening and others are weakening from lack of use. What we then have is a complex network of muscles that are pulling your spine out of alignment, causing impingement on nearby spinal nerves. 

Read More

Dehydration is one of the most debilitating factors for your spine

It affects every part of the structure:

• The discs become dried out and lose their ability to cushion the vertebrae and absorb shock.
• The joints become less lubricated and lose their ability to support full range of motion
• The muscles that support your spine become cramped and weaken as they lose nutrients and oxygen from the lack of circulation

In short, your spine cannot function properly without the proper input of water. When your body is dehydrated, it diverts remaining water supplies to the vital organs to keep them running and keep you alive. But that means that even less is available to the muscles and structures of your spine, and so the vicious cycle continues. This is why, at Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we choose water! Read on to find out more about how water supports spinal health.

Read More

A plea for you to adhere to your target weight

There are few things that help your spine more than maintaining a healthy weight. Each pound you hold on to over that target zone are adding an unbearable burden onto your spine, increasing the wear and tear on your joints and ratcheting up the compression on your intervertebral discs. As your muscles strain to account for this burden, the whole network of stability is threatened and back pain is a frequent result. We are lucky if it stops at pain- excess weight and obesity are some of the primary contributors to long term spinal conditions and spinal-related disability in our populations. if you are looking to lose weight, here is a great way to go about it:

Read More

The link between posture and brain function

So many people treat posture indifferently, which is really a shame when you consider that it is actually a make-or-break part of spinal health. One thing to consider is the link between posture and brain function, which is borne out by a growing wealth of clinical findings. Besides increasing pressure on your spine, reducing lung function, and impairing your organs, poor posture can also hamper brain function. Poor posture is linked to issues including: 

• Self-esteem
• Focus and attention
• Rate of speech
• Stress levels
• Mental performance
• Chronic pain
• Memory response

As chiropractors, we focus on limiting the damage on the physical side of things, which we know will have a knock-on effect on the mental side. Here’s how our approach to posture works:

Read More

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, it’s common to stress over things like preparing meals, shopping for gifts, and having the financial stability to provide all of those things for yourself and your loved ones. Although many of us might be practicing social distancing this holiday season, it’s likely we’ll still go through some of the holiday motions. This holiday season might seem especially stressful, lonesome, and depressing.

However, there is a lot you can do for yourself to stay physically and mentally well, and chiropractic is one drug-free option that addresses both departments simultaneously. Your spine and your body/brain are inextricably connected, and one simple chiropractic adjustment can provide drug-free pain relief, provide you with a better night of sleep, reduce anxiety, and brighten your mood — all in one simple visit with your local chiropractic care specialist.

At Espinosa Family Chiropractic we provide our wellness treatments to patients of all ages and from all walks of life. Contact this Sacramento Chiropractic Care Specialist today to schedule your holiday consultation. We hope you stay happy, healthy, and well.

Many people know by now the many benefits that chiropractic treatment offers patients who experience injuries, but what about for patients who are feeling what they perceive to be healthy and well?

At the end of the day, our immune system plays a vital role in warding off infectious organisms from entering our bodies. A good immune system will seem invisible — you won’t even know it’s there. But you will know if you get sick.

Chiropractic treatment is a great way to give your immune system a boost. One simple adjustment can help clear the sinuses, motivate quality sleep, and ensure that your internal systems are running at optimum capacity, including your GI system.

Combine chiropractic treatment with a healthy diet. Vitamin C helps boost your immune system as well and so does elderberry extract, red peppers, and a number of other healthy foods. Getting out in the sun is also good for your immune system as well, giving your body crucial Vitamin D.

Contact Espinosa Family Chiropractic to learn more about how our treatments help our patients mount serious defenses against cold and flu.