TMJ Fremont

“TMJ,” Fremont Chiropractor Dr. Hans Freericks explains, “can absolutely be treated with chiropractic care.” If you are unfamiliar with TMJ or Temporal Mandibular Joint Dysfunction, here is a brief explanation. When the disk in your jaw gets displaced, it causes TMJ. This condition makes opening and closing your mouth difficult. If left untreated, this will lead to severe problems like headaches and pain in the ears.

You can tell if you have TMJ by a grinding or crunching sound when you open or close your mouth. Primarily, TMJ is caused by activities that strain the jaw. Regardless of the cause, though, people who suffer from the pain of this condition want a cure. So they ask how a chiropractor can fix TMJ and relieve me of this pain?

The short answer is yes … TMJ can be fixed as stated by Fremont Chiropractor, Dr. Freericks. In fact, in many cases, patients have observed that chiropractic treatment was more effective than allopathic treatment. A chiropractor will recommend certain pain relieving exercises which will relax the patient’s jaw muscles. The chiropractor will also focus the patient on exercise, nutrition and lifestyle improvements which will not only help you get rid of the pain, but will take care that the pain does not return.

Stress on the Job … Here Are Some Tips

There is never going to be a time in your life when you are not dealing with some sort of stress. Even when you go on vacation you are still dealing with a little of it. What you may not know is that there is good stress and bad stress. The problem with this is that most of us have way too much of the bad type and the good type seems to be just as bad. If you deal with stress on the job each day, there are some things you can do to help yourself get through it without damaging your health or your relationships.

Good stress is the type that keeps us alive and helps us make good decisions. If you have this type of stress on the job, it helps you do the best that you can and can even stop you from making mistakes. Stress makes us think, and that is something that everyone should do before they being their daily activities. There is also bad stress on the job, and that is the kind that you want to find ways to avoid for your own well being.

There are many sources of stress on the job that can bring you down and keep you down all of the time if you let it. You can carry that stress home and take things out on the ones that you love the most. They may think that you are moody and worked up all of the time, and are perhaps wound a little too tight. If that is the case, you are not going to have a happy home life. You have to learn to lessen your stress on the job, and then learn to leave what is left of it at the office when you go home at night. Everyone will be happier for it.

You can first identify what things bring about the most stress on the job for you. It could be something like getting little or no help from coworkers when they are supposed to be contributing to projects. This can get to you if it goes on indefinitely. You may not get many brownie points, but you should talk with a superior about it. Don’t complain, just explain that you are getting a little overwhelmed because you could use more help. You may also be hearing more about people’s personal lives than you want to hear, and that means you can get involved in idle gossip. Do what you can to avoid it and you can take away from your stress on the job.

Other stress on the job is not so easy to get away from. You may not have a good relationship with your boss for whatever reason. That means you have a bad feeling before you even get to your job. You may also find that you are not happy with your work because it is far below where you should be in your career. That makes stress on the job even harder to handle. In those cases, you should strongly consider looking for work elsewhere so you can bring some sanity back into your life.

Natural Vitamins and Herbs for Common Health Conditions?

Natural vitamins and herbs are good, inexpensive medicine for many common health conditions. It seems that every time we visit the doctor for treatment of a health condition, we’re handed a prescription that creates wallet shock when you go to pay for it. A few of these and you find yourself wondering how you’ll meet other necessary household expenses. In many cases, you can get the same or even better results with a vitamin supplement and herbs, without the side effects of the pharmaceutical product. Using vitamins and herbs appropriately, you can, in many cases, save hundreds of dollars which can be put to better use elsewhere!

It’s true that there are a number of pharmaceutical drugs which will do a better job, depending on the condition. However, there are so many cases in which vitamins and herbs can correct and treat common health conditions, it’s certainly worth taking a look.

Modern science has a pharmaceutical remedy for virtually every health condition. Allopathic physicians are not generally conversant in natural remedies or nutrition. As a result, we’re being steered away from inexpensive natural remedies, which have been used for thousands of years to relieve and correct conditions, from indigestion to menopause. Let’s take a look at just a few of the ways you can put vitamins and herbs to work for you, safely and effectively.

Naturopathic medicine treats health conditions from a holistic perspective. Let’s say you suffer from heartburn and indigestion. Perhaps you’re eating the wrong foods. Do you have a vitamin deficiency causing the problem? Might the solution to your indigestion be as simple as preparing foods with herbs that counter indigestion? Turmeric, scotch broom and ginger tea have been used for centuries to effectively ease indigestion and heartburn. These herbs go a step further, helping to correct the cause, rather than just temporarily allaying the symptoms.

How about cholesterol and cardiac problems? Garlic has been demonstrated to be equally effective in reducing the LDL (bad) levels, while boosting HDL (good) levels, when compared with expensive pharmaceuticals. The common culinary herb, rosemary, is a proven tonic for the heart, as is Motherwort. Hawthorne berry also has a tonic effect on the entire cardiovascular system. Cayenne pepper greatly improves circulation. Beta carotene and vitamin E, taken as supplements, or in foods, are of terrific benefit to heart patients. Omega-3 supplements, found in substantial quantities in cold water fish, are excellent in protecting the heart against disease. There are many other vitamins and herbs that help prevent and in some cases, can even reverse damage.

Nervous tension and anxiety are common health problems these days. Try some vitamins and herbs before you fill expensive prescriptions which typically are potentially addictive. Passion flower, St. John’s wort, valerian and skullcap are all effective natural remedies. Calcium and magnesium supplements, in a balanced ratio, are valuable in treating these conditions.

If you suffer from osteoarthritis, supplements of magnesium may bring considerable relief. Most Americans consume way too much calcium, creating a magnesium deficiency. As with heart conditions, Omega 3 supplements are good medicine for the osteoarthritis patient. Capsaicin cream, available in tubes at the health food shop, may be used topically for potent pain relief at affected sites. It works by reducing perception of pain, triggering endorphins, our brain’s natural response to pain.

There are literally dozens of common health problems that may be effectively treated with a vitamin and herb program. Consulting with qualified nutritionists and herbalists is a good first step. At little expense, you can find relief for your condition and your wallet.

A Natural Arthritis Therapy Includes This Type of Exercise

At last count, some 70 million people in the U.S., or almost 1 in 4 of us, are afflicted with arthritis. Whether you have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, it’s generally a painful deal. It’s no wonder many sufferers look for arthritis therapy. Most people with arthritis find that the cold months are most painful. Stiff, painful and swollen joints are the norm, which isn’t conducive to most forms of exercise. While exercise can actually improve the patient’s condition, it’s somewhat of a catch-22. Most exercise programs are simply too painful, resulting in – you guessed it – the patient dropping out of the program. There are medications available for people with rheumatoid arthritis which can slow down the progression of the disease. Osteoarthritis sufferers may be prescribed anti-inflammatory meds or pain killers, but that’s about the extent of what can be done in treating arthritis medically.

If you suffer from either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, consider taking a yoga class for your exercise regimen. As many arthritis patients can attest, you’ll realize effective, long term benefits. Using yoga as an arthritis therapy can help prevent and treat some of the accompanying conditions, such as fibromyalgia and loss of muscle tone and strength, while increasing your energy level.

Formal investigations of the benefits of using yoga exercises to treat arthritis are fairly recent, but the studies which have been conducted are most promising. Patients report significant improvement in joint structure and mobility, as well as feeling more vigorous with an improved sense of well being in general.

Unlike more traditional forms of exercise, such as walking, jogging or a simple workout, yoga does not place stress on the joints, doesn’t tax your strength, or result in more pain. In fact, yoga does just the opposite. In addition, yoga offers psychological benefits, as a stress management tool, which perhaps explains the reports of an improved sense of general well being. Stress management is an especially important bonus. When you use yoga therapy in treating arthritis, you reduce stress in a number of ways which serve to reduce pain. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, yoga alone can slow progression of your condition. So it’s no wonder that arthritis patients find this a fun and enjoyable activity they want to continue.

Yoga classes typically begin in a seated position, with slow breathing exercises designed to bring your body to a relaxed state. These exercises are followed up with slow, easy stretching movements, which improves circulation. Your yoga instructor will probably include some balancing exercises, as well as standing or lying poses, all of which improves mobility and muscle tone. Mantras, or short chants of certain sounds, are additional techniques of yoga, which are employed throughout the session, helping you to fully relax and focus. Short periods of meditation are also interspersed during each class period. By the time class ends, you’ll have tossed your worries aside and have a newly acquired calm, all without pain!

Weight management is important in treating arthritis, and yoga can help. Within three months of starting a yoga class, meeting just a few times each week, you’ll feel like a new person, shedding a few pounds along the way. You’ll have markedly better muscle tone and suppleness, in terms of joint mobility, while enjoying a significant reduction in pain.

Choosing yoga for the exercise portion of treating arthritis is perhaps the perfect solution. With the evidence mounting in its favor, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

If you would like more information on natural arthritis therapy and even how chiropractic can help, please contact our Fremont chiropractic health office.

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors

Knowing the type 2 diabetes risk factors may prevent you from ever developing this devastating disease!

Type 2 diabetes is now so common in this country, that you probably know several people with this condition. The type 2 diabetes risk factors come down to two basic categories: genetic disposition and diet. Knowing what these risk factors are can prevent you or other family members from ever developing this disease. Once diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it’s far more difficult to manage and avoid the many complications of this progressive and painful disease.

It’s irrefutable that there is a genetic factor involved. Native Americans, Eskimos and African Americans have the highest rate of type 2 diabetes. This is probably due to the fact that both these ethnic groups have adopted a Westernized diet in a relatively short period of time. Their native diets did not include the highly refined and sugar laden diets most Americans eat today. While other ethnic groups may have a genetic advantage of centuries of the Western diet, gradually adapting over hundreds of years, no one is exempt. It may just take longer to develop.

Obesity is no longer confined to older folks. Due to poor dietary habits, we now find children who are both obese and afflicted with diabetes. This makes the connection to the effects of poor food choices and diabetes clear. It’s the food you eat, as well as the amount, that made you overweight in the first place. No matter what your age, if you’re overweight, lose it!

Genetics and obesity are clearly two important type 2 diabetes risk factors.

With poor dietary habits, you’re a sitting duck! It’s time to change your diet to more healthful foods. Knowledge is power. Knowing the specific type 2 diabetes risk factors in food choices can literally save your life.

Insulin resistance develops when you overload your pancreas with large meals of refined, high carb foods and lots of sugar, leading to compromised pancreatic function, reducing your body’s ability to metabolize sugar. Pancreatic exhaustion is unequivocally, a type 2 diabetes risk factor. If, instead of eating the traditional three squares a day, you divide your food intake into several smaller meals a day, reduces the load on your pancreas, keeping it in good shape.

In addition to eating several small meals, make sure they are low in refined sugar, high in fiber and include complex carbohydrates, which slowly break down into sugars your pancreas can deal with at a moderate pace. A can of soda provides an instant rush of sugar into your bloodstream, whereas a plate of fruits or veggies is broken down over time.

Most fruits and veggies are also high in fiber, which flushes toxins from your body and keeps your digestive system healthy. People with type 2 diabetes are always told to include plenty of fiber in their diet, as one way to manage their condition and avoid complications. It stands to reason that a lack of fiber is another type 2 diabetes risk factor.

You’ve heard it said that drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day is essential to a healthy diet. Water flushes a variety of toxins from your kidneys, keeping them fit and healthy. Patients with type 2 diabetes usually suffer a deterioration of the kidneys, so help yours stay healthy with a daily intake of as much water as possible.

To top off your healthy eating program, stay active and get sufficient exercise. Your heart will thank you. A lack of exercise is also a type 2 diabetes risk factor, as cardiovascular problems go hand in hand with diabetes.

Understanding these risk factors and implementing a good anti-diabetic lifestyle puts you ahead of the curve!

Alternative Health Resources

Alternative Health and You.

Alternative medicine has long been used to treat a variety of conditions from psoriasis to dysentery. Today the amount of holistic therapies is staggering, and not all of it created equal, which is why it’s so important to keep up to date on the latest happenings in this rapidly growing field. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is a part of the US National Institutes of Health, located online at www.nccam.nih.gov, which is undertaking research, training, and dissemination of data to the public and professionals regarding the most popular health topics. This is a comprehensive site that discusses at length what consumers should know about the latest in alternative health claims, and other consumer concerns and issues. Check out current clinical trials, research funding opportunities, and the continuing education series for all alternative health professionals.

From Natural Solutions at www.alternativemedicine.com find complementary and alternative health medicine information about common health conditions, including natural remedies, holistic healthcare, healing foods, as well as healthy solutions and practical strategies for self-care and prevention. A popular topic for this time of year is seasonal affective disorder or SAD, which results from shorter winter days and less sunlight. Decreased energy levels are a common complaint that can be reversed simply by tanning or light therapy for twenty minutes every morning, eating more protein and omega-3, and by squeezing in any type of outdoor exercise whenever possible to boost serotonin levels from the natural sunlight. In extreme cases it may even be worth relocating to a sunnier locale to avoid the winter blues altogether.

Find true health, and empower yourself to make informed nutritional decisions, holistically. Health resources with remedies A-Z for your alternative health needs can be found online for information on alternative, ayruvedic, aromatherapy, homeopathic, essential oils, flower remedies, herbs, and more alternative treatments and therapies. Also discover sites devoted to medical systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine, including sections for spiritual self-healing. It’s important to be knowledgeable about combining alternative medicine, supplements, vitamins, herbs, and nutrition with conventional medicine too, so be sure to advise your health care professional of everything. If you’re not sure where to start, health counseling is available at our chiropractic health care center for your convenience for help to feel better in your body and achieve your ideal weight. This is also a great way to manage and reduce your stress, increase your energy levels, find healthier ways to eat, and take on a truly holistic approach to life.