Why Opt for Chiropractor Full Body Adjustment? Explore the Benefits

Although chiropractic care concentrates on the spine, and it is associated with treatment for back, neck, and shoulder pain, its scope also extends to the extremities and joints. If you are afflicted by aches and pains across your body or want a general but comprehensive treatment, a chiropractor full body adjustment is your best choice.

What is Chiropractic Full Body Adjustment?

A chiropractic full body adjustment is a treatment method chiropractors employ to address musculoskeletal issues by applying controlled and precise manual or instrument-assisted manipulations to different joints and regions of your body.

Using their knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics, your chiropractor will target areas of concern. While full body adjustments can involve the manipulation of multiple joints, the healthcare professional will tailor the procedure to your needs, adjusting the intensity and techniques where necessary.

A head-to-toe chiropractic adjustment intends to correct misalignments or subluxations in the spine and joints, which are believed to interfere with your nervous system’s proper functioning and general health.

This procedure can:

• Improve joint mobility

• Alleviate pain

• Reduce tension

• Enhance your body’s natural healing ability

Chiropractic science and osteopathy are not two different titles for the same profession. Though the disciplines share similarities, chiropractic and osteopathy are two distinct healthcare professions. To get the most out of your healthcare provider, it would help to grasp the differences between the two professions in question. In Australia, what sets chiropractors and osteopaths apart is their educational paths, philosophies, and treatment approaches. Explore the contrasting principles of chiropractic and osteopathy in this blog to make informed decisions regarding your musculoskeletal healthcare options.

Education and Licensing

While the educational qualifications of chiropractors and osteopaths in Australia are similar, there are some key differences:

Qualifications

A chiropractor’s education begins with a bachelor's degree in chiropractic science, followed by a two-year master's degree in clinical chiropractic. Osteopaths commence with a bachelor’s degree in osteopathic studies and conclude with a two-year master’s degree in osteopathic medicine.

Curriculum

The chiropractic curriculum puts the musculoskeletal system front and centre, while the curriculum for osteopaths encompasses a broader range of topics, such as anatomy, physiology, and pathology.

Regulatory Bodies

The Chiropractic Board of Australia regulates chiropractors and the Australian Chiropractic Association represents them, while the Osteopathy Board of Australia is the regulatory institution for osteopaths, who are represented by the Australian Osteopathic Association.

Principles

Chiropractors

Chiropractors primarily concentrate on the alignment and manipulation of the spine to improve the function of the nervous system. The central belief underlying chiropractic care is that misalignments or subluxations in the spine can disrupt nerve flow, leading to various health problems.

Osteopaths

Osteopathy takes a holistic approach, considering the interconnectedness of all body systems and their influence on health. Osteopaths believe the body has self-healing mechanisms that can be supported through manual manipulation and adjustments.

Conditions Treated

Chiropractors

Chiropractors often address the following conditions:

Back pain. Chiropractic adjustments aim to alleviate back pain by realigning the spine and reducing pressure on nerves.

Neck pain. Manipulation techniques can help relieve tension and stiffness in the neck area.

Headaches. Certain headaches, like tension headaches and migraines, may be managed through chiropractic adjustments.

Joint pain. Chiropractic care can relieve joint stiffness and reduce pain in your shoulders, knees, and hips.

Sciatica. Chiropractors can target the sciatic nerve to ease pain and discomfort caused by compression.

Poor posture. Chiropractors can address postural issues that stem from poor carriage or conditions like scoliosis.

Frozen shoulder. Chiropractic care can relieve pain in your shoulder that renders you incapable of moving your arm due to strenuous physical activity or an injury.

Osteopaths

Osteopaths often treat the following conditions:

Musculoskeletal pain. Osteopathic manipulation can target various musculoskeletal issues, providing relief from pain.

Postural problems. Osteopaths may address postural imbalances that contribute to discomfort.

Circulatory issues. Certain osteopathic techniques can help improve blood flow and circulation.

Respiratory conditions. Osteopathic treatment may aid in managing conditions like asthma through manipulative therapy.

Chiropractic care is a complementary form of healthcare that focuses on the musculoskeletal system and nervous system. It is an alternative to traditional medicine, using non-invasive techniques to help alleviate pain, improve mobility, and promote overall wellness. One important aspect of chiropractic care is nutrition. A healthy diet plays a crucial role in supporting chiropractic treatments and promoting long-term wellness.

In this blog, we will explore the connection between diet and chiropractic care, including anti-inflammatory, alkaline, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets. These diets are designed to promote optimal health and address specific health conditions.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Inflammation is a natural response of the body to injury or infection, but chronic inflammation can lead to various health problems, including joint pain, arthritis, and heart disease. An anti-inflammatory diet is a dietary approach that aims to reduce inflammation in the body by limiting or avoiding foods that can trigger an inflammatory response.

A typical anti-inflammatory diet includes foods that are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. These foods include:

Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines

Leafy green vegetables, such as kale and spinach

Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries

Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts

Olive oil and avocado

Whole grains, such as quinoa and brown rice

On the other hand, an anti-inflammatory diet requires limiting or avoiding foods that are known to trigger an inflammatory response, such as:

Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pastries, and sugar

Processed and junk foods, such as potato chips and candy

Red meat and processed meats, such as hot dogs and deli meats

Trans fats, found in many fried and baked goods

Excessive amounts of alcohol

Studies have shown that an anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce inflammation in the body, improve joint pain and mobility, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.

Alkaline Diet

The alkaline diet is a dietary approach that aims to balance the pH levels in the body by consuming foods that are considered alkaline and limiting or avoiding foods that are considered acidic. The idea behind this diet is that an alkaline environment in the body can help reduce inflammation, improve bone health, and enhance overall health.

Foods that are considered alkaline include:

Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and broccoli

Fruits, such as melons, berries, and citrus fruits

Nuts and seeds, such as almonds and pumpkin seeds

Legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas

Plant-based oils, such as olive oil and avocado oil

On the other hand, foods that are considered acidic and should be limited or avoided include:

Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and sugar

Processed and junk foods, such as potato chips and candy

Red meat and processed meats, such as hot dogs and deli meats

Dairy products, such as milk and cheese

Coffee and alcohol

Although the concept of an alkaline diet is not supported by mainstream science, some studies have suggested that it may have some benefits for certain health conditions, including osteoporosis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Gluten-Free Diet

The gluten-free diet is a dietary approach that eliminates gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, to manage celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. People with celiac disease experience an immune response to gluten that can damage the lining of the small intestine.

Gluten-Free Diet: The gluten-free diet is designed for individuals who have celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2021). A gluten-free diet eliminates all foods that contain gluten and incorporates a variety of gluten-free foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and gluten-free grains such as rice, corn, and quinoa (University of Chicago Medicine, 2021).

Gluten-Free Diet

A gluten-free diet is a diet that eliminates foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Many individuals who suffer from celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine when gluten is consumed, must follow a gluten-free diet to manage their symptoms.

However, recent research has shown that a gluten-free diet can also benefit individuals without celiac disease who suffer from other digestive or autoimmune disorders. For example, a study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that a gluten-free diet can reduce inflammation and improve gut health in individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (1).

By reducing inflammation and improving gut health, a gluten-free diet can support chiropractic care and promote overall health and well-being.

Dairy-Free Diet: The dairy-free diet is intended for individuals who have a lactose intolerance or a sensitivity to dairy. Dairy products can cause discomfort and inflammation in those who are sensitive to them. A dairy-free diet eliminates all dairy products and incorporates alternative sources of calcium like leafy greens, almonds, and fortified plant-based milks (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2021).

Dairy-Free Diet

A dairy-free diet is a diet that eliminates dairy products, including milk, cheese, and butter. Many individuals choose to follow a dairy-free diet for various reasons, including lactose intolerance, allergies, or ethical considerations.

Research has shown that a dairy-free diet can also have several health benefits. For example, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that consuming dairy products can increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer (2). Additionally, dairy products can also increase inflammation in the body, which can negatively impact joint and muscle health.

By reducing inflammation and minimizing the risk of certain health conditions, a dairy-free diet can support chiropractic care and promote overall health and well-being.

Conclusion

In conclusion, diet plays a crucial role in supporting chiropractic care and promoting overall health and well-being. By consuming anti-inflammatory foods, reducing the consumption of gluten and dairy products, and following a balanced and nutritious diet, individuals can comple

In conclusion, selecting the right diet is a crucial part of supporting chiropractic care. Each of the diets discussed above has its own unique benefits, and it is important to choose the diet that best fits your individual needs and health goals. Consulting with your chiropractor and a registered dietitian can ensure that you are getting all of the essential nutrients your body needs and determining the best diet for your specific needs.

In summary, incorporating a healthy and balanced diet into your chiropractic care plan can enhance your overall health and well-being. By reducing inflammation, promoting optimal health, and improving the body's ability to heal and recover, a healthy diet can maximize the benefits of chiropractic care.

As kids head back to school, one of the most important things to consider is ensuring that their backpack fits properly. Carrying a heavy backpack that doesn't fit well can cause strain on a child's spine and lead to long-term health problems. In this blog, we'll explore how to correctly fit a backpack for kids using a chiropractic approach.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Backpack When choosing a backpack for your child, opt for a lightweight model that has two wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. The backpack should also have multiple compartments to distribute weight evenly.

Step 2: Adjusting the Shoulder Straps The first step in properly fitting a backpack is adjusting the shoulder straps. The straps should be adjusted so that the backpack sits snugly against your child's back, with the bottom of the backpack resting in the curve of their lower back. The straps should be tightened enough so that the backpack doesn't sway from side to side while your child is walking, but not so tight that they cause discomfort.

Step 3: Adjusting the Chest Strap Many backpacks come with a chest strap, which can help distribute weight more evenly and reduce pressure on the shoulders. The chest strap should be adjusted so that it sits across the middle of your child's chest and is snug but not too tight.

Step 4: Adjusting the Waist Strap The waist strap can also help distribute weight more evenly and reduce pressure on the shoulders. The waist strap should be adjusted so that it sits comfortably around your child's waist and is snug but not too tight.

Step 5: Checking the Fit After adjusting the shoulder, chest, and waist straps, it's important to check the fit of the backpack. Your child should be able to move their arms freely and should not feel any discomfort or strain in their shoulders, neck, or back.

Step 6: Distributing Weight Finally, when packing the backpack, it's important to distribute weight evenly. The heaviest items should be packed closest to your child's back, while lighter items can be placed in the outer compartments. This will help reduce strain on your child's spine and ensure that they can carry the backpack comfortably.

By following these steps and using a chiropractic approach to fitting a backpack, you can help ensure that your child stays healthy and comfortable throughout the school year. Remember to check the fit of the backpack regularly and make adjustments as needed, as your child grows and their needs change.

Spotlight on Probiotics

In todays modern world it is virtually impossible to achieve adequate nutrients from our diet and environment at all times. For this reason, Probiotics are recommended for supplementation.

Probiotics, or good bacteria, need special attention when being used as a supplement. Just like Omega-3 content in foods, it it becoming more difficult to obtain probiotics in the natural way.

Wild humans never took antibiotics - which can destroy the gut flora for up to to years - and they never sanitised their food or their weapons. They also ate dirt and the guts of fish and animals, they sucked their bones dry - all of which are jam-packed with healthy bacteria that work in a symbiotic relationship with our digestive system. Today, everything is sanitised, and antibiotics are everywhere, even in the commercial meat we eat.

Eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi (Japanese radish) on a regular basis will help, but it is unlikely that you will reach your required probiotic levels with just these things alone.

Probiotic supplements re-establish the gut acidity and environment that gives the other good strains of bacteria in your gut a chance to thrive and reproduce. This is why it is important to get probiotics with up to either or nine multiple strains of different bacteria (unlike most cheaper popular brands). If your diet includes naturally occurring probiotics such as sauerkraut, spirulina, chlorella and blue-green algae, you may find you require less supplementation. For everyone else, follow what is the recommended dosage on the bottle.

We recommend: Progurt Probiotics

Why is juicing important?

Juicing is important for two reasons. First of all, it can be difficult to ‘go local’ and eat enough micronutrients all the time. Research published in 2011 showed that congenitally grown fruit and vegetables have about half the vitamin content of their counterparts in 1963. So, unless you ALWAYS eat local, homegrown organic vegetables, you are only getting about half the nutrients your grandparents received.

Secondly, we tend to eat the same vegetables all year round. This violates the principle of seasonal food rotation and increases your chance of developing an allergy to certain foods. Wild humans were nomads; they moved around and ate seasonally in order to survive.

When you juice, you can use a wide variety of vegetables that you may not normally enjoy eating whole.

When choosing a juicer, make sure it is easy to clean, has a slow grind (masticate) setting and fits within your budget. Ultra Bullets or Baby Bullets are also a good way to juice.

The advantage of using a grinding, pressing, masticating juicer is that tough, leafy vegetables such as spinach, beets and greens can be juiced. These and other similar vegetables would not yield a large amount of juice by simply pulverising them in a centrifugal juicer.

By using a masticating juicer, the abundance of vitamins found in leafy or fibrous vegetables can be added to a variety of juice recipes. (Note: juice  should always be consumed within 12-24 hours, otherwise it will oxidise, making it less nutritious. Always store your juice in glass containers rather than plastic).

Juicing Step #1

If you are new to juicing, start out with these vegetables, as they are the easiest to digest and tolerate:

Celery

Carrot

Cucumbers

Apples or Oranges for taste

These vegetables aren’t as nutrient dense as the dark green vegetables. Once you get used to the vegetables listed above, you can start adding the more nutritionally valuable, but less palatable vegetables to your juice.

Juicing Step #2

When you’ve acclimated yourself to juicing, you can start adding these vegetables:

Red Leaf Lettuce

Beetroot

Green Leaf Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce

Spinach

Juicing Step #3

Experiment by adding other vegetables:

Cabbage

Chinese Cabbage

Bok Choy

(Cabbage juice is one of the most important for ulcer repair, as it is a huge source of Vitamin U)

Juicing Step #4

Begin adding herbs to your juicing. Herbs also make wonderful combinations, and here are two that work exceptionally well:

Parsley

Coriander

You need to be cautious with coriander, as many cannot tolerate it well. If you are new to juicing, hold off, but don’t give up. These herbs are more challenging to consume, but they are highly beneficial.

Juicing Step #5

The last step: Don’t overdo it at first, as these greens are bitter:

Kale or Silverbeet

Spinach

Mustard Greens (bitter)

If you would like to make your juice a bit more palatable, especially in the beginning, you can ass these elements:

Lemons and Limes. You can add half a lemon or lime, leaving much of the white rind on.

Cranberries (small amounts): Researchers have discovered that cranberries have five times the antioxidant content of Broccoli, which means they assist your innate intelligence in protecting you against cancer, stroke and heart disease. In addition, they are chock full of phytonutrients, and can help women avoid urinary tract infections.

Fresh Ginger: This is an excellent addition if you can tolerate it. It gives your juice a little ‘kick’! As an added bonus, researchers have found that ginger can have dramatic effects on cardiovascular health, including preventing atherosclerosis, lowering cholesterol levels and preventing the oxidation of LDL.

Spotlight on Vitamin D

In todays modern world it is virtually impossible to achieve adequate nutrients from our diet and environment at all times. For this reason, Vitamin D is recommended for supplementation.

You are probably thinking that Australian’s living in ‘the sunburnt country’ need not to be concerned with vitamin D supplementation.

Are you reading this outside in the sunshine, with arms, legs, fat and possibly top uncovered? Do you spend every lunch break outside, or do you eat indoors?

Do you always apply sunscreen, blocking vitamin D absorption?

Even if you are getting some sun, how well does your gut work? Did you know that if you eat gluten and grains regularly and have done so for a while, then the answer is probably ‘not very well’.

Incidentally, you cannot ‘feel’ symptoms of malabsorption in the intestines, so answering that question with ‘my guts feel fine’ doesn’t cut it.

Small bowel disorders like leaky gut syndrome, coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases (usually caused by high grain consumption and poor stress management) can cause poor conversion of vitamin D. So even if you are getting ‘enough’ sunlight, if you are still eating grains, you may not be absorbing it!

The stats say that one third of Australians are vitamin D deficient!

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with:

Osteoporosis (weak bones)

Impaired immunity

Diabetes

High Blood Pressure

Stroke

Heart Disease

Liver Disease

Depression + other disturbances of mood

Muscle mass asting

Gun Disease

Certain forms of cancer, including prostate, breast and even skin!

Parkinson’s Disease

Dementia

Asthma (exacerbation in children may be increased by 70% when a child is vitamin D deficient)

Autoimmune conditions such as:

        - Alopecia Areata (hair falling out)

        - Vitiligo (skin pigmentation loss)

        - Psoriasis (dry itchy skin)

        - Inflammatory Bowel Disease

        - Multiple Sclerosis

        Many more.

For most individuals not exposed to daily sunlight, a reasonable dose is 2000-10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily. This level is considered safe. Excessive amounts of supplementation can cause a toxic effect on your system. (It is best to take your supplement in the morning with a high fat meal.)

Make sure that the supplement products you purchase have Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) written on the bottle. One of the best sources is Lanolin (from sheep’s wool) contained in certified organic olive oil. The measurements should equate to 1000 IU per dose either in tablet form, gel caps or liquid. Avoid products with preservatives.

We recommend:

D-Sufficiency Vitamin D3 Drops by Innate Choice

This week is Heart Week 

 Heart Disease is the biggest killer in Australia. It kills 51 of us every day! 

 One-fifth of Australians from 45-74 will have some sort of cardiovascular event within 5 years. 

 Cardiovascular health is dependent on a number of factors like diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption, meaning that most deaths associated with heart disease are preventable. 

So, how do you know if your heart is healthy? Getting your heart checked regularly is the first step #showsometicker

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is one of the leading methods in determining your heart health. HRV measures how well your heart can increase and decrease it’s rate depending on the activity you’re doing; basically how well your body can speed up or slow down the beating of you heart. For instance, imaging you’re rushing to make your morning train; your heart rate will initially increase as you run to reach the platform in time, but then begin to slow as you take your seat.