Free Weight Loss Seminar June 2nd

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 At 12:15 pm

Transitions-Weight Loss

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 At 11:59 am

A new lifestyle – A new you! Transitions is a comprehensive lifestyle system designed to help you achieve your weight loss goals and be healthy!
Transitions is an extensive plan that covers everything you’ll need to get fit and trim, not just a set of foods you can or cannot eat. In fact, a big part of the Transitions Lifestyle System is helping you make healthy choices while still eating a normal, diverse diet!

Our plan doesn’t focus just on food like many other systems. Transitions Lifestyle System provides a total-system approach that promotes healthy food choices, behavior modification and menu plans.

The Transitions Lifestyle System includes: low-glycemic index (GI) meal plans, a daily journal to guide you, weight-management supplements to accelerate weight loss, entrees, bars and shakes to keep you on track, behavior modification and support materials to ensure your success, an interactive  Web site to track your progress and more!

Jackie Sowers – Certified Transitions Lifestyle Coach
I am Jackie Sowers, I think “outside the box” and bring life to others. Each and every client I train has a unique experience. With the overwhelming, conflicting advertising and marketing campaigns in the heath and fitness industry, the average consumer becomes confused and disoriented in their eating habits and exercise programs. I find it a personal challenge and responsibility to weed out the fact from the fiction. Your health is your wealth and I am ready to transition your lifestyle!

Free Seminar Thursday June 2nd at  5:30 PM at Capitol Rehab of Winchester 230 Costello Drive, Winchester. 

Learn more about the Transitions Program presented by Jackie Sowers.  Call 540-665-4444 to reserve your spot and find out if Transitions can help you attain your personal weight loss goals.

Stressed? Top 5 Things You Can Do for Stress!

Saturday, October 16th, 2010 At 5:59 pm

The American Institute of Stress estimates that 75 to 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for illnesses caused or made worse by stress.   Stress can exasperate conditions such as hypertension, high blood pressure and  the number one killer, heart disease.  Even my patients who are dealing with neck, low back and extremity pain,  find symptoms are worse when they are under duress.  So here are a few tips to de-stress the mind and body.

1. Eat  more fruits. Fresh fruits are packed with anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin C.  Long periods of stress can deplete levels of vitamin C in the adrenal glands.  So include some blueberries, oranges, and cantaloupe in that daily routine.
2. Eat more vegetables and fish (the cold water variety such as Salmon and Tuna).  Crabs, clams, and lobster are not fish!  Vegetables such as Broccoli and leafy greens are high in B complexes. (except B-12)   Fish are chock full of B-complexes, especially B-12.  In fact, B12 is one of the most important vitamins involved in the synthesis of  a chemical called serotonin.  This chemical makes you feel good.  According to Psychology Today a vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with depression. 
3. Get a hobby. Get back to something you enjoy.  Whether it be stamp collecting or playing lead guitar in a garage band.  Everyone needs a outlet.   Remember, all work and no play…
4. Laugh!  “Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.” Dr. Paul McGhee Ph.D. “Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain. Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.” (Helpguide.org Laughter is the Best Medicine)
5. Exercise.  We all know this one, but according to the Center for Disease Control only 32.5% of Americans engage in regular leisure time physical activity.  So get out and walk, run, take a pilates or yoga class. 

Try This Simple Exercise When You Feel Stressed

Top 5 Runners Injuries AKA The Big 5

Monday, March 15th, 2010 At 2:17 pm

The days are warmer and the birds are back.  It is actually light when I get home from work.  What does this mean? For me it means running season.  The 5ks, 10ks, and marathons are all scheduled.

Don’t let the possibilities of running injuries stop you from all the fun! Here are the 5 most common runners injuries  AKA *The Big 5* to watch for:

1. Runners Knee/Chondromalacia Patella
   This is pain under and around the knee cap due to improper tracking  between the condyles of the knee.  It causes wearing of the underside of the knee cap and often leads to disorders of the knee such as tendonitis and other inflammatory disorders.
2. Plantar Fascitis
   This is an inflammatory disorder of the plantar fascia.  The plantar fascia is a band of tissue, much like a tendon, that runs from your heel to the ball of your foot.  A common complaint is pain upon waking in the morning.  Patients report the first few steps are very painful. It is also aggravated after running, walking, or standing for long times.
3. IT Band Syndrome
   This is also an inflammatory disorder of the a tendon that runs from your hip to your knee. It commonly cause hip and knee pain. If you’ve had this one you know how painful it can be.
4. Achilles Tendonitis
   This is inflammation of the achilles tendon.  The achilles tendon connects the calf to the heel. I commonly find this Inflammatory disorder with plantar fascitis.  Inflammation weakens connective tissue and can lead to achilles rupture.  Not good!
5. Shin Splints
   Generally it is inflammation of the posterior muscles behind the shin bone. It is caused by improper foot mechanics. Other muscles around the shin may also be affected such as the anterior tibialis muscles.

Do you notice a pattern here?

The common denominator is inflammation. Commonly Doctors are quite familiar with this pattern and treat the inflammation through rest, immobilization and NSAIDs ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatories).  If this does not work many times they do use cortisone through injections.

Why is this not enough?

That is because every condition that was described above is simply an explanation of the symptoms.  They are all describing the result of injury and the course of treatment only addressed the symptoms.  Little or no attention was put into the “cause” of the problem.

If the doctor or patient are pro-active they may seek out physical therapy.  A successful plan of therapy will address the actual cause of the symptoms not just the resultant symptoms.

Why Didn’t Physical Therapy Help?

Monday, March 15th, 2010 At 2:14 pm

I would like to answer this question with a case history. I was treating an ultra-marathoner who was preparing for his 10th 50 mile race. It was a big deal for him as 10 is a *big* milestone (understandably, not too many people have run 50 miles, no less have done it 10 times!).

A bad case of plantar fascitis!

The ultra-marathoner had a bad case of plantar fascitis. In an attempt to attain his goal, he ventured down a quest to find the cure for his condition. His quest started at numerous sports medicine doctors, months of physical therapy at 2 different locations and treatment by his chiropractor. Each one addressed a different aspect of his condition.

Here is how it went:

• The MD gave him NSAIDS and also use an injection of corticosteroids. This gave him temporary relief but when he went back to his routine it came back.
• Because of his determination he read how chiropractic may help. So his quest led him to so-called alternative medicine. This next stop was to his chiropractor who manipulated his pelvis and hip. The chiropractor explained this was causing an abnormal gait pattern (how you walk and run) which affected how he was landing on his foot. His chiropractor also gave him some custom orthotics to help with an over-pronation of his foot.
• The adjustments did not seem to help (although they gave him relief of some low back pain he was experiencing) and the orthotics seemed to aggravate his feet. Increasing foot pain was not the reason for this visit so the quest continued.
• His doctor then sent him to a popular physical therapy clinic. This was a busy operation and what we call a PT mill. He was brought in as a number and run through the conveyor line.
• After 8 weeks of ultrasound, stretches, band exercises and told to ice at home he was losing hope. The ultrasound and ice helped a bit, but the calf stretches seemed to hurt so he stopped.
• Next stop, a physical therapist (PT) that was recommended by another runner. The PT was also a runner so this gave him some comfort. The program there was better. The PT spent one on one time , did some “massage on the fascia” that seemed to help and reviewed some stretching and even focused on a balance routine. He was improving quite well, but each time he tried to run, it would come back.
• The PT advised no running! This advice is almost impossible for any runner to comply with but the ultra-marathoner was desperate.
• After a few months he was better. He was ready to start training again. The race was getting closer only a few months out. After a few weeks though, the pain returned. He decided he would just run through the pain. He would finish this race if it killed him.

Still determined…

Still determined, this patient decided to continue his search. He researched on the Internet and found a technique call Graston. That is what lead him to our clinic. Graston is a very effective soft tissue technique that utilizes stainless steel instruments to break up the scar tissue and adhesions that build up with injuries such as this. He was sure this would cure him so he came in looking for the miracle pill and he was sure this was it.

On evaluation day, we informed him there is no miracle pill. Graston is fantastic but it is not your solution. Actually, it is not the only solution. The truth is everything he did along the way was correct. He needed manipulation of his SI joint as the restrictions in his low back were creating an abnormal gait, just as his chiropractor said. He also needed the orthotics. He was ovepronating and it was causing extreme stress on his fascia (this is why every time he went back to running the pain returned).

“Well the orthotics made it worse,” the ultra-marathoner shared. That is because of the adhesions and scar tissue that has built up over time. This is where the Graston will come in. It also needs to be applied to the calf, quad and low back as there are many muscular imbalances either as a result of this journey or one of the original causes.

We made all the corrections and treated him up to the race. We are happy to report the ultra-marathoner finished the 50 miles virtually pain free!

Important Takeaways

The moral of this ultra-marathoner’s story is two-fold:

• First, pain is usually not where the problem is.
• Secondly, the whole lower kinetic chain must be addressed when dealing with any runners injury.

This is why we have a multi-discipline clinic that combines the benefits of chiropractic, physical therapy, strength and conditioning for any injury. For additional information on Plantar Fascitis or the lower Kinetic Chain, view our article entitled Plantar Fascitis & Other Lower Leg Injuries or email us with any questions or comments.