Category: Fitness

Is Cholesterol Bad for Your Health?

Written on . Posted in Chiropractic, Fitness, Nutrition, Workout.

The Newest Research

In 2019, many studies have proven that cholesterol is actually essential for your body. The precursor to every hormone your body produces such as testosterone or estrogen is cholesterol. Everything from strokes to depression can be caused with improper LDL levels. Rather than being worried about high cholesterol levels, now people should be concerned about low levels.

Drawing Conclusions

The Journal of American Medical Association did a recent study which found patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are mostly prescribed cholesterol medication to prevent heart issues. Lower cholesterol levels actually increase the risk of nerve damage. This study concluded that there was no correlation between your cardiovascular risk and cholesterol. Another medical analysis found (in a study of 265 patients) taking one aspirin a day increased GI bleeding, intracranial bleeding, and a need for blood transfusions.

Medications Cannot Bring You Health

The current paradigm is to take a medication to mask every symptom. The definition of medication is to block your body’s ability to adapt. One other study released in June 2019 found a significant association between lower LDL levels and higher risk of having a stroke. Most doctors prescribe medication to prevent something. The problem, however, is you cannot take medications or pills to prevent a future health issue. These medications actually cause health issues while taking them as prescribed daily. The only prevention is through nutrition, lifestyle, and awareness. With the amount of information, doctors, and medication we have it should be concerning to why we are the sickest country in the industrialized world. It’s time for a shift.

Three Ways to be Your Own Health Advocate

1. Awareness

The first step toward bettering your health is being aware of what the doctor is telling you. Unfortunately, we have become trusting of a corrupted system that sometimes does not have our best health interest at heart. Research the medications and research what others have done.

2. Science/Physiology

Don’t let science scare you from understanding your bodies essential needs. Understanding the way our bodies were made can teach us a lot more than naming symptoms. To every symptom there is an underlying cause. Learn more about the reasons why your body is responding the way it is.

3. Philosophy

We believe our bodies were wonderfully made by God. Our bodies are also smarter and more complex than and human beings creation of medication can try to top. Your body isn’t able to adapt properly while it is being fed a medication to live off of. Medication can be a blessing in emergency situations but it should never be your life support.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Treating the Cause of Back Pain

Written on . Posted in Chiropractic, Fitness, Nutrition, Workout.

Common Band Aids

Research has proven that chiropractic care has surpassed any other treatments with recovering from back pain. The most commonly prescribed treatments are muscle relaxers, pain medication, or steroid shots. None of these fix the problem and in return cause more health issues. Steroid shots weaken ligaments to their full function. Muscle relaxers disable muscles from spasming, which is a healthy response. And pain medication takes away your body’s ability to signal that something is wrong.

Straight to the Point

Unlike other professions, chiropractor’s main priority is the underlying cause. Although symptoms are a great indicator of what your body is dealing with, it is not the main concern. When dealing with back pain, most of the time there is a pinched nerve causing the pain or a loss of movement that should naturally occur in your spine. When these things happen, your body reaches out through symptoms to let you know over time it is not working properly.

Body Signals

90% of the brain stimulation is found in the spine. This includes the functioning of every organ. Issues in the back region can stem out into multiple organs causing more than simply back pain. These health effects include menstrual cycles, erectile dysfunction, digestion, diarrhea, constipation, restless leg, and more. Unless you had a trauma such as a car accident, pain comes on gradually. This gradual pain will typically be brought on by a cause that has been around in your body for multiple years. Luckily, chiropractic care recognizes these signals and takes action.

Three Action Steps Toward a Pain-Free Back

1. Proper Examination

The first step is to receive a proper examination by chiropractic professionals who are looking specifically for a cause. X-rays will show whether your vertebrae is locked or there is a subluxation. Chiropractors also assess your body in specific positions that allow them to determine this.

2. Adjustments

Light adjustments create proper movement in your spine. Sometimes adjustments take time to show results, but every adjustment relieves pressure off your spine in order to allow your body to heal adequately. When your organs are functioning to their fullest, health issues and also pain diminish.

3. Retraining the Body

Your body is built on muscle memory. For example, if your spine has lost its natural curvature, you have to retrain those muscles and ligaments to hold place of the curve it is suppose to have. Once you retrain your system through chiropractic care over time, your spine will stay the proper way due to the retraining of your system.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Death By Sitting

Written on . Posted in Chiropractic, Fitness, Nutrition, Workout.

The New Smoking

If someone asked you what the new smoking was today, would sitting come to mind? Prolonged sitting is the new smoking with the amount of negative effects it brings  to our bodies. The amount of time we sit and the posture of our spine, if not cautious, continues to worsen over time. Majority of jobs cause people to be hunched over looking at a computer which is not only effecting your spine, but is also effecting your overall health.

Sedentary Lifestyle

The typical daily routine starts and ends with sitting. From drinking a cup of coffee while scrolling through your phone in the morning to getting home from work and turning on the TV before bed. The Mayo Clinic found if you exercise every day yet spend over 2 hours of sitting in your day, it counteracts the benefits of your workout. In 2012, The Journal of Internal Medicine showed that prolonged sitting, regardless of your activity levels, increases all-cause mortality rates. With this sedentary lifestyle, it is proven our health is dropping. You shouldn’t go a day without spinal movement; movement is what feeds your brain.

Top 5 Ways to Conquer Prolonged Sitting

1. Wobble Cushion

This type of cushion is filled with air your can sit on at your desk. Every 15-30 minutes you can move to get a full range of motion while working from your desk.

2. Walking Meetings

This is beneficial for blood flow and spinal movement. When the brain is being stimulated, more ideas can flow with a clearer focus.

3. Alarm

Every 20-30 minutes, set an alarm or reminder to get up and walk around. This will keep your body in movement and activate your spine.

4. Standing Desk

This may not always be an option, but when it is possible these desks avoid all negative effects from sitting. You can find these online or you can easily create your own.

5. Chiropractic Care

Adjustments not only make sure your body is more resilient to stress, but also that every vertebrae is moving in your spine. With 90% of stimulation to the brain coming from spinal movement, this is a key to your health.

Stress in the Body

The World Health Organization came out and said the leading cause of death and disease boils down to stress. There are emotional, physical, and chemical types of stress and sitting alone causes a large amount of stress on the body. To specifically learn more about stress, visit our website’s blog called “Breaking Up With Stress.”

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Breaking Up With Stress

Written on . Posted in Chiropractic, Fitness, Nutrition, Workout.

What is Stress?

Typically, people hear stress and think of emotional stress that we all encounter in life. There are also two types of stress, chemical and physical, that play a part in our body’s stress response. Stress is a part of life, but the reality is we have the ability to lower the amount of stress our body endures on a daily basis.

Chemical stress can come from our environments outside and inside the home. Some examples are beauty products, food, cleaning products, and the biggest chemical stress being medications. Physical stress can be anywhere from car accidents to sitting at a desk all day. Sitting at a desk is the number one physical stress on our bodies and can easily be avoided with these practical steps to follow.

The Importance of Reducing Stress

Stress contributes to the top 50 diseases. Side effects to stress include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, thyroid issues, headaches, chronic fatigue, back pain, Alzheimers, and much more. Most of the time these are a result of emotional, physical, and chemical stress combined.

When your body is stuck in a high stress response, you can experience high cortisol levels, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and also low immune system, low sex drive, and low function in the reproductive system. Luckily, we have the research to lower our stress levels so our body can function from a homeostasis state. While in homeostasis, our body will be able to heal, function, and perform at its best. Our body doesn’t need help healing, it just needs no interference.

3 Ways to Become More Resilient to Stress

1. Thoughts

Altering our perception through prayer, meditation, or simply choosing to shift our perspective. One way you can do this is viewing life as a journey opposed to results and expectations. Instead of thinking you have health issues or disease, think of it as a physiological RESPONSE. Our body isn’t created to be stuck in a state of stress. Our body is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14) and the sooner you think this way the sooner your body will be able to reduce stress. No more stinking thinking.

2. Proprioception

In other words, proprioception is the knowledge of the movement of your spine. 90% of stimulation to our brains comes from spinal movement and when the largest cause of physical stress is sitting at a desk, that creates an issue for a large population in the work force. To decrease this stress, stretch frequently and stand up as often as you can. Another great way to improve this is chiropractic care. Chiropractic care aligns areas in the spine unable to move (subluxation) which helps block stress responses. Research has proven long term care also improves immune system, reduces sick days, lowers pharmaceutical costs, and even more health benefits.

3. Adaptogens

Adaptogens are natural ways to help your body be more resilient to stress. The most common ones used are rhodiola, cordyceps, ashwagandha, CBD oil, Stress RX, turmeric, and more. Taking these will lower stress levels so your body doesn’t remain stuck in an emergency state.

When you control what you can control, it allows you to take responsibility to live up to your God given potential. We were not created to be stuck in an emergency state. We are not slaves to our bodies, we are the stewards of it..

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Let’s Talk About Constipation

Written on . Posted in Chiropractic, Detox, Fitness, Nutrition.

Breaking the Ice

Constipation isn’t a typical dinner table conversation. However, the amount of people suffering with this issue would cause you to believe it should be talked about more. Not only do adults suffer with constipation, but also many kids today have bowel issues. Most people may think it is normal to go once every other day or even once a week, but the healthy amount is 1-2 times a day at least.

Shifting the Culture

Unfortunately, it has been engraved in us to consume a large sum of wheat and dairy. Most foods also contain sugar, which causes many people to stay sick. If you continue to eat how everyone else is eating, sickness will continue to rise. In order to shift your health, you have to be consuming healthy foods that the majority of the population may not be consuming. Shifting your nutrition will be the most important change for future generations in order to create a paradigm shift in American culture. Most doctors proscribe laxatives which are synthetically made to flush the body out. The negative impact these cause deplete the nutrients in your body. Rather than prescribing something for the symptoms, it is more important to deal with the cause.

5 Things to Eliminate

1. Gluten

Gluten is a natural protein in wheat, but it is hard for your body to fully digest.

2. Dairy

The majority of dairy is fed GMO food, given hormones and antibiotics which we then consume.

3. Sugar

Specifically eliminate refined sugar. This causes a lot of inflammation throughout the body.

4. Lectins

Foods with high amounts of lectin, such as tomatoes and peppers, can cause leaky gut issues.

5. Inactivity

Eliminate sedentary activities. Get active as possible and spend time with your kids outside.

5 Things to Add On

1. Water

Drinking clean filtered water is vital. Even adding sea salt can replenish minerals to your body.

2. Adjustments

Within a week to two weeks constipation can shift from consistent adjustments.

3. Exercise

Movement is what culture misses most. Be mindful of moving throughout your day. Increase the amount of times you walk, stress, and exercise daily.

4. Supplements

Magnesium, probiotics, and enzymes all assist with natural digestion within the body. These are also natural and safe for children to eliminate constipation.

5. Vegetables

Consuming vegetables as raw as possible will be the best way your body can break down food and receive the most nutrients. Try to only steam or saute them.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Crushing High Blood Pressure

Written on . Posted in Chiropractic, Fitness, Nutrition, Workout.

Cause Over Symptoms

The trouble with the medical system today is to prescribe an artificial answer to treat symptoms. The goal should be to remove the cause. Medication is artificially lowering your blood pressure which blocks your body’s ability to heal itself. These cause other health issues over time, such as migraines or erectile dysfunction, and medication is added or increased. Once you’re taking many medications, it eventually leads your body to a heart attack.

Medication Cycle

Medications also deplete nutrients from your body. Diuretics may flush your body out, but they also flush out vital minerals such as magnesium and potassium.When you have low levels of magnesium and potassium, your blood pressure goes up. Low levels also increase heart risks which can easily lead to a heart attack over time. This will keep you in a vicious cycle of increasing your medication due to your body being dependent on something artificial to keep levels down. The following supplements, joined with good exercise and healthy eating habits, will drastically change the health of your heart.

5 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

1. Turmeric Root

Turmeric decreases inflammation throughout the body. Taking this 1-2x a day whether in a drink or capsule will lower blood pressure naturally.

2. Beets

Beet powder is incredible for your arteries and blood pressure. You can buy a powder form or juice beets on a regular basis.

3. Omega-3

Every cell in your body is surrounded by fat and when your fat ratios are off they can’t function properly. This will help balance those ratios.

4. Berberine

This herb is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure naturally. In addition to high blood pressure, it is known to help digestive issues and diabetes.

5. L-Arginine

High blood pressure can be paired with clogged or weakened vessels. Taking L-arginine is great to strengthen your those vessels so your body can naturally lower your rate.

Bonus Tip: Chiropractic Care

You may be thinking, “how does blood pressure link to chiropractic care?” The answer is found in your parasympathetic system. This system is in your upper neck which controls your hormones, heart beat, and blood pressure. When this system is shut down or blocked, it can increase your blood pressure. PubMed released a study showing one adjustment was stronger than two medications combined. An adjustment can eliminate irritation, correct bone movement, and relieve pressure. Adjustments, paired with exercises and retraining muscles, will drastically change your heart health. Ask our office today for additional chiropractic ways to decrease blood pressure.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Summer Body Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Written on . Posted in Detox, Fitness, Health & Beauty, Nutrition, Workout.

The Modern American Diet

Western culture has evolved American’s health to plummet. More people are ingesting man made food, which contains high levels of toxins that disrupt our bodies ability to heal itself. Obesity, cancer, diabetes, and more health problems are on the rise due to the MAD diet. On top of depleting nutrients in our diet, many Americans try multiple diets throughout the year that can effect your gut and immune system as a whole.

Ending FADs Once and for All

When you try multiple different diets, your body is unable to keep up with the drastic changes. The truth is some diets work for specific people, but for others they are damaging. Instead of complicating your weight loss, eating the right foods with a few tips will allow you to sustain a healthy body. Doing these three things will get you in your summer shape in no time.

3 Fast Tips to Get in Shape for Summer

1. Exercise

Exercise means a lot of things to a lot of people. Keeping it short and simple will actually maximize your weight loss. The best workout is 10-20 minutes of high intensity. This decreases your appetite, does not increase cortisol levels, and increases your HGH which helps your body burn fat FAST. An example of a 15 minute workout is doing sprints, jumping jacks, or push ups for 1 minute and resting 30 seconds.

2. Water Intake

To be slim and more trim, you have to prioritize your water intake. It is vital to drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. For example, if you weighed 150 pounds, you would drink 75 ounces of water each day. This will decrease cravings, increase hydration, and eliminate hunger pains.

3. Adaptogens

Due to our stress-filled environment, our stress levels are typically high. Along with our environment, traumas and exercise can also increase stress levels. Higher stress levels make your body carry more weight. Adaptogens allow our body to be more resilient to stress. 

Bonus Tip: Chiropractic Care

Similar to adaptogens, chiropractic care relieves stress levels by aligning your spine in the correct posture. Adjustments put your bodies alignment in the best shape to allow your nervous system to function at its optimum ability. Doing these three simple steps and continuing with regular adjustments will have you in the best shape your body can be.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Boosting Testosterone Levels

Written on . Posted in Fitness, Nutrition, Workout.

Importance of Testosterone

Not only is testosterone important for sex drive, but also for sleep, energy, and even pain response. When testosterone is imbalanced, stress responses increase and your immune system’s response decreases. Products are synthetically made and sold to boost testosterone, but typically cause many other health issues. Health effects can range any where from skin issues to heart disease.

Why it Matters to You

Our every day environment has caused majority of people to have imbalanced hormones. Many factors play a role such as having a sedentary lifestyle, eating grains, glyphosates (herbicides), and other chemicals that act as estrogen effecting men’s health. Along with eliminating these type of factors, you should also be educated on the right eating plan and workout plan to have normal testosterone levels.

5 Natural Ways to Shift Testosterone Levels

1. Food

Reduce, if not completely remove, all sugars and grains as much as possible. Sugar causes inflammation and chemicals within these products can act as estrogen, such as soy. Also, eliminate bad fats such as canola oil and vegetable oil. Check all ingredients.

2. Staples

Three staple foods include almonds, brazil nuts, and free-range organic eggs. When adding almonds, there are many creative recipes to implement more in your diet (smoothies, butters, etc.)

3. Exercise

The key to working out is doing high intensity workouts for a shorter duration. Longer workouts create high cortisol levels which restrict the production of testosterone. The best time to workout when your levels are high is in the morning.

4. Sleep

Many men have a go-go-go mentality and do not prioritize their sleep. While being driven is a great quality, sleep is necessary for your body to recover and preform better. This includes boosting testosterone levels.

5. Chiropractic Care & Adaptogens

Chiropractic adjustments allows the nervous system get back to normal which allows your body to properly produce the hormones it needs. Adaptogens like Ashwagandha or CBD oil lower stress levels and improve hormone balance.

Bonus Tip: Hormone Test Analysis

After changing your lifestyle and habits around, if you still notice issues then consult with one of the doctors to receive a hormone test evaluation. These tests will accurately show what your hormones are doing. If you aren’t a patient, call our office to schedule a consultation to set up a time to take a hormone test.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Anxiety and Depression

Written on . Posted in Fitness, Health & Beauty, Mindset, Workout.

All Time High

Anxiety in the U.S. is so common that over 40 million adults have been diagnosed. Although anxiety and depression differentiate, they are commonly diagnosed together. The obvious causes of these disorders are linked to traumatic events, but there are many other factors that also play a role. Other causes can be hormone imbalances, diet, and stress . Your body can stay in a stress mode due to anything from a car accident to using a chemical household cleaner.

The Positive Side

The greatest part about recognizing or becoming diagnosed with either disorder is that you have the power to change it. After 30 years of practice, neurologist Dr. Caroline Leaf found our mind controls our brain. Up until this new research, majority of doctors believed our brains controlled our minds. This led to the belief in prescribing drugs if there is an imbalance, since the chemical make up was thought to be unchangeable. This belief has been proven false time and time again by many great doctors such as Dr. Caroline Leaf. Our body has the ability to heal itself, which positively includes healing anxiety and depression.

3 Ways to Improve Anxiety and Depression

1. Note Cards

As simple as it sounds, having a note card that says something uplifting to read anytime you’re anxious can really eliminate many symptoms. In order to renew your mind, you must speak life over yourself. Write a scripture down that holds onto truth. Clinging to these scriptures will allow yourself to think outside of the situation, ultimately leading to reduction of stress.

2. Exercise

Exercising has been proven to decrease both anxiety and depression. The common misconception is needing to workout 45-60 minutes a day. However, 10-15 minutes is just as effective. This will also allot time to be active throughout the day opposed to blocking off a time for exercise. Doing small things, such as air squats, will keep your blood flowing and mood increasing. Exercise is not based on a feeling; it is based off a choice.

3. Sleep

Sleep is vital to your health and recovery. If you are not getting enough sleep, make this a priority. Taking steps such as removing screen time an hour before bed will allow your body to naturally fall asleep quicker. The optimal window of sleep is 7-9 hours. One study showed athletes who increased their sleep by 2 hours, fitting into that optimal window, had an increase in performance. All they changed was their sleeping habits.

Additional Help

Chiropractic care helps immensely with issues involving stress to the body, specifically the spine. There are also tests you can take to specify which hormones are imbalanced. You can take natural adaptogens like Kava and Ashwagandha to lower your body from being in a stress state. To stay in a stable state, it is important to eliminate grains, bad fats, and sugar .

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Sciatica & Low Back Pain – 4 solutions to help treat sciatica and low back pain without surgery

Written on . Posted in Fitness, Health & Beauty, Nutrition.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is characterized by sharp, intense pain that runs the entire length of the backside of the leg. This can occur when certain nerves become pinched in the lower part of the spine running along the sciatica nerve, which is the longest single nerve in the human body.

Symptoms:

  • Strong, shooting pains in the limbs and lower back -Numbness and tingling in the lower extremities -Difficulty moving and exercising
  • Feeling stiff and unable to properly move feet -Pain when sleeping
  • Throbbing around the thighs, glutes, and low back when sitting or standing for long periods of times

Non-Surgery Solutions:

  1.  Since chiropractic care is the direct interaction with the nervous system, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that chiropractic adjustments can greatly improve sciatica! In fact, a 2010 study in the Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapies found that 60% of patients benefited from chiropractic adjustments AFTER having received failed medical interventions.
  2. Exercises to strengthen the low back AND the core are very important as well to treating sciatica. Try exercises such as forward fold, cat-cow, and plank. A standard yoga class will incorporate these moves – along with much more – so it is well worth giving yoga a try!
  3. Don’t sit for long periods of time. Movement equals life when it comes to your health! Unfortunately, most of us have sedentary jobs that require us to sit for extended periods of time. Try getting a standing desk or utilize a wobble cushion to keep your spine moving throughout the day. After all, 90% of the stimulation that goes to your brain is controlled by the spine directly.
  4. Lastly, eat a healing and non-inflammatory diet. This may not seem as obvious at first, but chronic and systemic inflammation lead to many underlying pains and diseases. A healing diet consists of things like healthy fats (think coconut oil, olive oil, and ghee!), high quality meats such as grass-fed beef and organic, free range poultry, and finally, reduce grains and sugars as much as possible from the diet. Turmeric is another fun spice to add into the mix due to its anti-inflammatory properties!
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Queen City Health Center is a Charlotte Chiropractic and total wellness center for individuals and families. With locations across Charlotte, NC and Matthews, NC, we specialize in helping individuals and families find true health and ways to maximize their lives through nutrition, lifestyle classes, detoxification and spinal correction.

SouthPark Office 4421 Sharon Rd #100 Charlotte, NC 28211 980-422-2000
Matthews Office 1730 Matthews Township Pkwy Matthews, NC 28105 704-844-6368