Q: HO, HO, HO!!!! Your advice last year about my terrible cold got me through the season! I'm feeling great THIS season because you told me how to avoid the crud in the first place. Thank You! I'm already packing my sleigh and double checking my list. Thanks for taking care of Santa, this past year. You're at the front of my deliveries! My First Lieutenant “elf-helper” wondered if you could please tell the elves again how to avoid getting sick this holiday season?

A: Well, old friend, I think the health of your little elves is pretty important to you getting your job done and for the happiness of a lot of little ones, so of course I'll share my “not-so-secret” secrets for staying healthy over the holidays! o<:O) Written especially for “ wittle” Elves , but ANYONE can benefit!

WASH YOUR WITTLE HANDS and KEEP YOUR THEM AWAY FROM YOUR WITTLE FACE!!! Most viruses are actually given to ourselves by touching something and then touching our eyes or noses. Keep your hands away from your face if you don't know they are clean. Wash your hands several times each day if you are in contact with people you know are sick or with the general public. If the sick people around you do the same thing, it will help also. KEEP YOUR WITTLE SELF HYDRATED, even if you're NOT sick yet! Viruses live within the cells and must have extra fluids to get out. Drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages can let you catch something you might not have caught otherwise because they cause you to loose fluid and vital nutrients, such as vitamin C. Your nose runs for a reason, to get rid of the wittle viruses in there! Using antihistamines, which dry out those running fluids, may concentrate the viruses, making the illness last longer if it DOES catch you. So try to tough it out, if you can. KEEP YOUR WITTLE BODY WARM! Being cold doesn't cause you to be sick, but lowers your wittle defenses so that you'll be sick more easily. KEEP YOUR WITTLE BODY ADJUSTED! The adjustments that I make to your wittle spine and your wittle sinus pressure points I stimulate, can help the miserable symptoms if you get them and help you feel better faster. There is also reason to believe that clearing interference within your wittle spine can help boost your wittle immune system and help avoid the onset, as well. There are several things that are natural supplements that have been shown to aid in preventing virus sicknesses. I take AZACT, which is available in my office. I've taken it for years and though it doesn't always keep me from getting sick, I know that it keeps me from being AS sick and cuts down on the recovery time. It consists of Vitamins A,C,E, Zinc, Lysine and Quercitin/Hesperidin. Also remember that human touch is healing, therefore LOTS of WITTLE HUGS are part of my Healthy holiday !

And as for MY Christmas Wish, Santa? I'm glad I'm at the top of your list! I wish Delta County the healthiest year possible and that when I'm needed that I find all the right answers to ease the pain and to spread a little spirit all through the year. My wish is for a common spirit between us all and that grateful hearts are the daily norm. Counting blessings, in THIS great country of ours, comes easily after traveling abroad, being reminded of our freedoms and the abundance we enjoy. Happy Holidays!!

Q: It seems that when the storms come through the valley, I hurt worse. Is there really something that happens then to make me hurt

A: Yes, the pressure outside of your body changes when the storms roll in and out. This causes the pressure INSIDE your body to change as well. If you have a previous injury or a problem in a joint that is brewing, the pressure change will bring it to the surface, and you feel the pain. Getting a chiropractic adjustment can help get the joints moving again, which will make the pain less. Light mobilizing exercises and the proper use of alternating ice and heat can help, too. Call my office so I can take care of you.

Q: I have aching joints. Someone told me to take glucosamine supplements. What do you think of them?

A: I carry glucosamine sulfate in my office. I only carry things that have had enough research to show that there is a benefit. It's been shown that glucosamine, when taken regularly, every day, will help to slow and even reverse the progression of osteoarthritis. This is the “wear and tear” type of arthritis that nearly everyone who lives long enough will suffer from. Of course, a supplement cannot help without some healthy commitment on your part. Because it is a natural product, you can't see the results until you body begins to repair itself. That will take time and patience. Other things that you need to do include muscle-building exercise, non-weightbearing exercises (such as those in the pool), adjustments to the affected joints by your Chiropractor, and a good diet. Give me a call so I can teach and aid you in caring for yourself.

Q: Can children benefit from Chiropractic care?

A: Yes! I'd have to say that a good portion of the adult ailments that I address can be traced back to an injury they recall as a child. Treating a child is much easier than an adult in that the condition hasn't had the years of habit and growth through misalignment. Kids should be evaluated as soon after injury or onset of pain as possible. Usually it takes very little time to resolve a problem for a child. If you have a child that you are concerned about, them them in so I can check them out. Children under 12 who have no trauma can be seen at no charge in my office when with their parents while the parent is being treated.

Q: What does the ultrasound that you use in your office do?

A: Ultrasound is a specific physiotherapy that aids in healing several different ways. The ultrasound wave, itself, travels through the tissue, giving a massage at the cellular level. This encourages an exchange of fluid so that the nutrients in the blood stream will make it to the injured tissue faster. At the area where the muscle is connected to the bone, heat is produced. With the settings correct, you will get the benefits of heat without the swelling that you may get by using a heating pad. Oxidation of the injury also occurs which will get rid of lactic acid and make the soreness go away faster.

Q: I've never been to a Chiropractor before. I've heard all sorts of stories of what it's like. Does it hurt to be treated?

A: Of course there is no simple answer to this question. Whether you feel discomfort with your chiropractic adjustment depends upon many factors.

• How severe your problem is and how long you have waited for treatment are important. How toxic your system is makes a difference in how tender you may be following a treatment. Of course the healthier you are overall, the better. Following your doctor's home care recommendations, can also insure your comfort and recovery time.
• A compassionate doctor will work with your comfort in mind. Communicate how you feel and how you have felt between visits. Changes in your treatment may need to be made to insure that comfort.
• Work with your doctor to learn what treatment techniques are best suited to your body.
• Once the initial pain from your injury is gone and the body begins to adapt, there is usually very little discomfort involved with a treatment.

Q: Give me some tips for doing yard work. Every year I spend the first 2 months of beautiful weather suffering with my back .

A: First, use some common sense. You probably haven't been expecting the same performance out of your back during the winter months as you are now.

• Approach this change in activity just as if you were entering into any other new exercise program. Repetitious sprain/strain is the most common gardening back injury. This is caused by continuous bending and twisting. Give yourself a break before you break your back!
• Set a timer (I use my kitchen timer) for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Force yourself to tear away from that compulsive task. Walk around. Do your back stretches; then go for another 20 minutes. If you find yourself in pain, remember that ice is usually the right therapy choice. Use it for 20 minutes at a time, as often as every hour or two.
• If your back hurts from one day of gardening, give it a day to rebuild itself. Gardening every other day will keep you going longer into the season with fewer problems. If you do hurt your back, DO NOT put off calling for an appointment. If you know right away how best to care for it, you will lose less precious time. The longer you wait, the longer it can take to get you back on your feet again.
• Call me for more specifics on your stretches and a personal evaluation of your condition. Let me tailor a preventive course for you so that you can keep right on doing the things you love year after year.

Q: Is there anything you can do for my aching feet?

A: Yes, feet are one of those things that many people don't think to check with their Chiropractor about. Most are surprised at the number of joints there are in their feet. If these joints are not functioning properly, it can be the root of many other foot conditions. Plantar fascitis, heel spurs and bunions are just a few of the painful conditions that can be managed with conservative care. Even post-surgical pain can be helped with the therapies, foot adjustments and home exercises that I prescribe. Call for your exam now.

Q: I am six months pregnant and have a terrible back ache. Is there anything I can do now about this pain, or do I have to just tough it out until after the baby is born?

A: Now is definitely the time to address your pain. Waiting may lead to problems. Many people don't know that Chiropractic is completely safe when caring for the mother-to-be. Choose a doctor who has seen other pregnant ladies and who is familiar with your unusual needs. Changes to the ligaments of the pelvis and spine along with added weight that puts pressure on your back, are just a few of the things to consider. Of course, x-rays cannot be taken until after the baby comes, but there are many things that can be done to relieve your pain now. I often work with a mother right up to her trip to the hospital and will check your new baby out, Chiropractically, for no charge, once he or she has come into this world. Call me if you have any questions.

Q: I've been told that if a chiropractor is good, she won't need to take x-rays. If that's true, why do chiropractors x-ray?

A: The need for chiropractic x-rays will be determined by your doctor with age, history and present health in mind. For example, Medicare will not cover chiropractic care if yearly x-rays are not taken. This is to insure that your doctor doesn't miss one of the many problems an older patient might develop. A small child on the other hand may never need to be x-rayed.

Although, in my office, not all patients are x-rayed, there are cases I refuse to treat without the important information that an x-ray will give me. No matter how experienced or sensitive one's fingers, specific information about congenital malformations, tumors, severe arthritis or fractures cannot be felt through the many layers of tissue between bone and fingertips. Sometimes what isn't found is as important as what is.

Remember that the quality of care you receive from your doctor depends upon all the resources he or she has available to determine how to treat you. An x-ray is one of those resources.