Diagnose This!

This weekend I had the opportunity to spend time with my family and friends for a wedding. As I caught up with people I haven’t seen in quite awhile, I began fielding health questions about all different types of aches, pains, and health conditions plaguing those around me. I began noticing a trend in all of my conversations: people are obsessed with having a diagnosis. I literally heard the statement, “I’m so relieved that my doctor finally gave me a diagnosis.” What?!? Why would anyone ever want to have a disease? Have we been that conditioned by our medical model of healthcare that we expect to only feel well once we have something wrong with us? Most folks I spoke with didn’t even know much about their treatment post-diagnosis, they were just relieved to know that other people were suffering from the same symptoms. As a doctor, my challenge to my patients is to always ask the question “why?” If someone tells you that you have something wrong, ask about the circumstances that occurred to cause your problems in the first place. If someone gives you a vague response, be responsible and find the answers from a reliable source. You may be surprised to find that although a disease may sound complicated, the cause for it may be less intimidating than you think. More importantly, you may find treatment options that, although unconventional, may not only make your symptoms disappear but may also prevent them from happening again.

In health & happiness,

Dr. Brian & Dr. Sarah

Make sure to “like” us on Facebook! LifeLogic Health Center

Nuts for Coconuts!

Some people love it, some people hate it. No matter your preference, coconut has many researched health benefits that make this delicious treat even more appealing. It has been used in countries around the world for every ailment from asthma to ulcers, and has been scientifically proven to yield some incredible healing potential. Published studies have proven that coconut can kill bacteria that causes throat infections, UTI’s and other infections as well as destroy viruses that cause diseases such as influenza, herpes, measles, and many more. Sounds pretty good, right? On top of all of this, the saturated fat in coconut oil has been proven to actually prevent heart disease! This is by no means even close to all the benefits provided by this little natural gem. It helps with everything from diabetes, to obesity, to reducing inflammation. You can read about all of the different impacts coconut can have on your body by visiting the following website: www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

Here are some great ideas to help incorporate coconut into your family’s diet. Just remember to use natural coconut, not the kind dusted in powdered sugar:

• Make a trail mix of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and coconut flakes
• Add shredded coconut to the top of your favorite cookies or cakes
• Blend coconut into a smoothie with banana and pineapple for a tropical treat
• Use coconut oil in bakery, stir fry’s, and anywhere vegetable oil is used
• Bread fish in coconut flour and fry in a bit of coconut oil for a tasty fish dinner

There are many ways to use coconut, and more recipes online than you can imagine. Try coconut this week and give your family the gift of health!

In health & happiness,

Dr. Brian & Dr. Sarah

Make sure to “like” us on Facebook! LifeLogic Health Center

What Does Your Sleep Says About You?

Whether or not you’re getting a good night’s sleep can say a lot more about your health than you may think. New research shows that the more erratic your sleeping patterns, the higher risk you have of developing Alzheimer’s. This debilitating neurological disease happens when there is a breakdown in the area of the brain responsible for converting short-term to long-term memory (the hippocampus.) One major hormone responsible for breakdown of the hippocampus is cortisol. Cortisol’s job is to regulate blood sugar levels and coordinate sleep/wake cycles, also known as your circadian rhythm. Changes in this cycle occurring in the presence of altered levels of cortisol can happen during times of high stress or poor blood sugar regulation.

Does this sound like you? High stress, erratic sleeping patterns, poor eating habits? It sounds like most of the American population! Fortunately, you can affect your blood sugar/cortisol levels/circadian rhythm by doing a few simple things:

1. Never expose yourself to blue light before sleep. Blue light can alter the production of the hormones responsible for helping you get and stay asleep. Common blue light sources include alarm clocks, cell phones, computers, and televisions.
2. Eat every few hours. Eating 3 meals per day with snacks in between can help regulate your blood sugars and keep cortisol levels low. Although this can help prevent future cortisol issues from arising, saliva testing must be done to determine current cortisol levels and to help your healthcare provider determine the proper course of care.
3. Relieve some stress. Although this is way easier said than done, taking small steps to reduce your stress load can include going on short walks, going to the gym, or just walking barefoot in the grass while your kids play outside.

Reducing stress, regulating blood sugars, and helping to control your sleep patterns will all take some commitment, but will give you a priceless payoff for your long-term health.

In health & happiness,

Dr. Brian & Dr. Sarah

Make sure to “like” us on Facebook! LifeLogic Health Center

Destination: Health

Health, like life, is a journey. No one wants to be sick, and because of this everyone at some point decides to work on becoming healthy. This journey towards health, like any other journey, involves detours, wrong turns, and possibly road blocks. The one constant in any successful journey is a known starting point. Think about it, how can you know where you are going when you have no idea where you are coming from?

If you think about Google maps, Mapquest, or even your GPS, every single one needs a starting address in order to give you directions to your destination. If you final destination is health or wellness, then you have to be aware of where you are starting. You may have the most amazing directions (health advice) on the planet, but if you aren’t sure of where you are beginning from, those directions won’t get you where  you want to go.

A perfect example of this is counting calories. If you look at health magazines, the internet, or even talk to many fitness trainers, losing weight is achieved through following a simple formula. The formula is: burn more calories per day then you take in. Sounds simple, and honestly it is the simple in some cases. Here is the hiccup: are those calories being spaced out over the course of the day (eating every few hours), are you getting enough calories so that your body has what it needs to function, or is there a underlying issue which may be slowing down your metabolism? Thyroid disorders, food intolerances, bad blood sugar control, stress, detoxification issues, and inflammation will all limit the body’s metabolism and it’s ability to burn stored fat for fuel. These factors will make a simple dieting equation incredibly complex very quickly.

The only way to ensure that all the hard work you’re putting into getting healthier is worth it is by getting yourself checked out by a doctor for any of the above issues. We use lab testing in our office exactly for this purpose; once we know how our patient’s body works, then we can give them the shortest, fastest, and most appropriate set of directions to get them to their destination of wellness.

In health & happiness,

Dr. Brian & Dr. Sarah

Make sure to “like” us on Facebook! LifeLogic Health

Chiropractic Myths Busted!

When someone hears about a chiropractor, they usually think of headaches or backaches. Some people don’t want to start seeing a chiropractor for fear that they’ll have to continue going for the rest of their life. Sit back, relax, and prepare to have your mind blown as I dispel a few of these common chiropractic myths!

I am a chiropractor. I am passionate about what I do, but did not start out with the burning desire to educated people about preventative health. Here’s what I’ve learned about chiropractic on my long journey to making it my life:

Chiropractic Is Only Good for Car Accidents, Backaches, and Headaches.

False! Chiropractors address health by looking at the nervous system and adjusting, or using a specific applied force, on misaligned bones in the spine. This works because every muscle, ligament, tendon, bone position, and function of your body gives your brain information about what’s going on in the world around you via your nerves and spinal cord. Your brain then responds to the situation based on the information it receives. When you have a misalignment (aka subluxation) in your spine, it decreases the amount of information that gets to your brain. This can manifest as backaches and headaches, but it can also manifest as any other health issues since your brain can’t communicate with your immune system or any other area of your body properly. When your nervous system works at its best, it can affect EVERY area of your health in amazing ways!

All Chiropractors Are the Same

Also false. All chiropractors receive the same basic training about the body, how it works, and how the spine/nervous system affects the function of every cell in the body. After that, chiropractors can learn different techniques for adjusting, analyzing, and treating patients. Different chiropractors use different amounts of force, instruments, therapies, and have different personalities. Choosing a chiropractor is like choosing a friend. You have to find one you “click” with and feel you can trust to guide you to health. If you find one you don’t like, keep searching until you find the right fit for you and your family.

The “Cracking” Sound Freaks Me Out Because It Sounds Painful.

I can’t say this is true or false, because it depends on each individual person. What I can tell you is that the sound you hear is gas being released from the joints as they’re moved during an adjustment. Think about pressure being released when you open a champagne bottle- it can be pretty loud but it doesn’t mean the bottle broke.

Once You Pop, You Can’t Stop!

We’re not talking about Pringles here. Many people have the fear of starting chiropractic care because they’ve heard that they’ll have to keep going for the rest of their lives. That’s true or false, depending on how you look at it. In the beginning of care, a chiropractor has to help you work through many years of abuse and subluxations. It can take a little while in the beginning to retrain your body and reset your “normal.” Once you get back to a good place with your health, you have two options. You can stop chiropractic care and just come in when you feel pain, are unhealthy, or start having other symptoms. It’s your body and your choice. The other option is to continue going to a chiropractor every now and again for a regular check-up. A properly functioning nervous system can help prevent disease and breakdown, yet people worry about having to go to a chiropractor for the rest of their life. However, if you have to pay for a prescribed pain reliever or other medication for the rest of your life to simply attempt to control symptoms, it’s considered normal. I know I’m biased, but it seems more logical  to prevent sickness and disease in the first place with maintenance chiropractic care. Again, it’s personal preference…

Our office specializes in chiropractic care for pregnant women, babies, children, and families. We focus on health from many different aspects and believe that once educated, every person can make their own empowered decisions about their health. If you have questions or to schedule your appointment, please call our office at 864-406-3300 or check out our website at www.LifeLogicOnline.com.

 

In health & happiness,

Dr. Sarah

Make sure to “like” us on Facebook! www.Facebook.com/LifeLogicHealth

Tired Of Being Tired

Some staggering new statistics have been released about the thyroid. It has now been shown that more people are diagnosed with a thyroid disorder than with diabetes (and that’s diagnosed and UNdiagnosed diabetes!) So, why is this important? Your thyroid sets your metabolic rate and can be compared to the gas/brake pedal in your car. If your thyroid is functioning at a lower level then it should, (which describes almost 90% of people who have a thyroid disorder) it is like slamming on the brakes in your body. This may slow down your body’s natural functions and result in some of these common signs:

• Hair thinning/ falling out
• Getting overly tired or sluggish
• Feeling cold (hands, feet, all over)
• Requiring excessive amounts of sleep to function properly
• Increase in weight gain even with a low-calorie diet
• Gaining weight easily
• Difficult, infrequent bowel movements
• Depression or lack of motivation
• Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses
• Thinning of the outer ⅓ of the eyebrow
• Dryness of the skin and/or scalp
• Mental sluggishness

Considering that every cell in your body has receptor sites for thyroid hormone, the thyroid must be an important part of healthy, normal functioning. Right? The answer is ABSOLUTELY! Most people with thyroid disorders have a low-functioning (or hypo) thyroid, and almost all of those people suffer from a disorder where the immune system attacks the thyroid, therefore decreasing its function. It is important to monitor the function of the thyroid and to address the cause of abnormal functioning, especially if it is the immune system. It is very common form women to develop thyroid disorders after their first pregnancy as certain parts of the immune system increase their function in the 3rd trimester with other parts increasing their function post-labor. This change in the immune system is often the trigger for women developing the disorder where the immune system attacks the thyroid, causing it to slow down.

Since thyroid hormone is needed by every cell in your body, it is important to have your thyroid checked and to work with someone who will address the cause of thyroid dysfunction if it is found. There are many ways to alternatively manage the symptoms of thyroid disorders and to increase its function naturally. If you suspect that you have thyroid issues, please contact a healthcare provider that will assess your thyroid AND immune system while educating you on possible long-term management options. Also, please come learn more about the thyroid at the Greenville Thyroid Support Group which can be found on Facebook by searching “Greenville Thyroid Support Group” under groups.

 

In health and happiness,

Dr. Brian & Dr. Sarah

 

Make sure to follow us on Facebook @ www.Facebook.com/LifeLogicHealth

Three Signs That Your Child May Have Diabetes

We all know how easy it is to grab sugary snacks. From fruit snacks, to fruit drinks, and candy to cereals, the sugar options are endless. But what affect is our nation’s sugar addiction having on our children? The combination of increased sugar intake, decreased physical activity, and exposure to diabetes in utero all have an impact on the rising number of children diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Type II used to be called “adult onset” diabetes and is caused by a resistance to the body’s own insulin. This happens when there are prolonged exposures to high amounts of sugar in the blood. Diabetes can lead to many complications including obesity, high cholesterol, nerve damage, eye damage, fatty liver disease, and brain problems. A doctor needs to do blood work to diagnose diabetes, but here are some of the tell-tale signs that your child may potentially be at risk:

1.  Your Child Gets Tired After Meals

A normal response to eating a meal should be nothing at all; you shouldn’t get energized, bloated, or tired. So if your child needs a nap after eating a meal, it’s a fairly strong indicator that they are not processing sugar correctly and may have a predisposition to diabetes.

2.  They Have Unusual Sugar Cravings

Although it is normal for children to like sugar, it is not normal for children to crave more of it after they’ve just eaten a sugary meal. If your child is not processing sugar properly, they may begin craving it in excessive amounts. Use your judgment and make sure to have your child’s blood sugars checked by a doctor if you suspect that they have an unusual addiction to sugar.

3.  Your Child is Overweight

No one wants to think their child is overweight. Baby fat can be cute on little ones, but the inability to process sugars correctly can lead to excessive body fat as your child gets older. This can lead to serious health concerns like fatty liver disease or heart problems. It is important to find the cause of your child’s excess weight gain before it begins causing long-term complications.

This information is meant to be informative and is in no way intended to diagnose any health condition. If you are concerned that your child may have symptoms of diabetes or any other health condition, please contact your doctor immediately.

In health and happiness,

Dr. Brian & Dr. Sarah

Make sure to follow us on Facebook @ www.Facebook.com/LifeLogicHealth