Archive for the ‘weight loss’ Category
Your San Diego Chiropractor Wants You to Know That Those Seemingly Harmless Extra Few Pounds Can Make a Big Difference in the Long Run
April 8th, 2010 | 
Author: As a San Diego Chiropractor, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you let out all the seams in your current wardrobe, there’s something important that you should know relating to those few seemingly benign extra pounds you may have gained. As we age, extra weight can add up to a surprising number of health issues from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back pain and joint degeneration. Surplus poundage puts undue stress on organs, like the heart, and on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. A shocking 62% of men and women in the U.S. are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is an extremely compelling number and an enormous national health issue (no pun intended).
It is likely no surprise to you to learn that the human body was not intended to carry around surplus poundage in the form of body fat. A mere excess of 20 or 30 pounds can veritably overload and overburden the joints and muscles of the body. Extra weight in the belly, for example, makes it necessary for the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This shift creates compression in the joints of the low back. Painful inflammation results as this joint compression hinders nerve activity. Most people who are overweightsuffer from low back pain as the result of an impingement of the sciatic nerve or spinal misalignments that impinge nerves as a result of weight-bearing stresses. If ignored, misaligned vertebra not only persist in irritating the degenerative changes that have taken place already, but can develop into new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
How can chiropractic help? To begin with the obvious, a moderate body weight is necessary in order for the musculoskeletal system to function in the way it is built to. Chiropractic treatment can not only ease the pain created by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve restrictions in the spine and assist in getting motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, particularly in the low back, hips, and knees. And, naturally exercise and physical activity is a lot easier, and more beneficial for the body, when the spine is in alignment and the joints have good motion. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually reduce degenerative changes as we age.
Healthcare professionals, like your chiropractor, can talk to you about your diet and exercise alternatives. In addition to caring for people suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors can provide expert guidance regarding the kinds of lifestyle corrections that can help a person to stay healthier, more vigorous, and more active through the years. Arthritis and immobility due to aging don’t have to be inevitable. The human body was designed for a lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been thinking that a few extra pounds won’t hurt, think again! As your chiropractor in San Diego, and someone who cares deeply about your overall health, I’d like to help you to make healthier choices. Make an appointment today!
Posted in weight loss | 
Tags: arthritis, back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, excess weight, joint inflammation, weight loss | 
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