Staying Healthy – Chiropractic Can Help

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

Have you been under chiropractic care regularly? Have you found that you get sick less often than you used to? Have you found that you bounce back from injuries faster than your friends that don’t get chiropractic care? These are common findings in people that maintain their body alignment regularly over time.

With every day stressors including minor physical traumas like sitting at a computer for hours on end or knocking your head on the kitchen cupboard, to environmental toxins or a poor diet, to a demanding schedule without enough rest, your body gets pushed beyond its limits and spinal misalignments or subluxations develop. With regular care, these get fixed before becoming a big problem.

There is great technology that can be used to monitor your body’s adaptability to stress called Heart Rate Variability. Chiropractic adjustments can alter your body’s heart rate variability over time, making you more resilient to stress and disease.

Is it time to take better care of yourself? Monitoring your heart rate variability and using chiropractic care to balance your body can help. Schedule your non-invasive, quick and accurate test today, (513) 931-4300.

What Happens When Whiplash Injuries Go Untreated?

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

Often after a car accident people “feel fine”. They may have a little expected back or neck soreness that resolves in a few days. But often the real damage doesn’t show up for weeks, months or years.

Facts about Whiplash Injuries (Sprains/Strains of the Neck):

50% of whiplash injuries have an associated low back injury, which often doesn’t show up for about 2 months after the car accident
In a car accident, the victim’s head and neck average 2.5 times the g force than the car, up to 5 g, depending on the speed of the car at impact.
Typically, if you have been injured in a previous car accident and have a second, the level of injury increases, and healing time is longer.
Women typically have longer lasting injuries because of the shape of their head, neck and shoulders. With their typically thinner necks, they have less soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, etc.) to support them during the accident.
2/3 of people get out of the car after an accident and don’t have pain. This is due to the endorphins released by the body. Late onset injuries – weeks, months, or years later, are the most common.
40% of people involved in a car accident between 0 and 5 mph are injured.
The amount of damage to the car has little relationship to the injury of the people involved.

When these injuries go untreated, people often end up with longer-lasting injuries, some that become chronic. These may include headaches, low back pain, shoulder injuries, chronic tension in the shoulder and neck muscles, posture changes and a loss of movement in the neck.

The Value of Chiropractic: The First Wealth is Health

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

“The First Wealth is Health.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What is the true value of chiropractic care?

Perhaps a better question is what is the true value of the results you hope to achieve with chiropractic care.

For a migraine sufferer, who even with costly medications is missing work frequently, avoiding time with friends, and suffering with pain regularly, the benefit of not having migraines is improved relationships with friends, better performance at work, and more energy and vitality. What is the value of that?

For a low back pain sufferer, he may be able to continue working and avoid lost wages. What is the value of that?

For someone with chronic fatigue and/or pain, it may mean having the energy to cook dinner after work and spend time with family instead of feeling drained and ready for the couch. What is the value of that?

For a child with ADD, he or she is getting the opportunity to focus better, achieve better grades, have higher self-esteem, and do more over his or her lifetime. What is the value of that?

For an adult with trouble focusing, it means enhanced work performance, maybe staying in job they were otherwise losing their ability to perform in. What is the value of that?

Sometimes people get stuck on the cost of care and forget to consider the more important question, “What is the cost of not getting care?” When you look at the long-term impacts of your health, you will guard it with care and find that the cost of not getting care far outweighs the cost of care.

Neurosensory Integration and The Childhood Joy of Riding a Bike

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

“Guess what I did this weekend?” this 12 year old boy said with a broad grin on his face, excitement radiating from him. “I rode my bike!”

The greatest reward of working with kids is seeing how dramatically they report their improvements. The boy just mentioned, that we are working with, had some coordination and balance issues, along with his other ADHD symptoms. As we worked with him to improve his overall health through chiropractic, nutrition and neurosensory integration, his mom noticed improved coordination. Where he would have avoided playing catch with his brother in the past, he joined in with his brother and the neighborhood kids this spring. One day he mentioned to me that he hadn’t rode his bike in several years because it was tough for him so it wasn’t fun. Since he was doing other things better, he wondered if he might be able to ride his bike this year. I told him to give it a try, knowing from his progress he would do well. The next time he was in, he was bounding with excitement that he rode his bike!

Wondering if that clumsy, uncoordinated kid you know could be helped? Answer these questions:

Does he/she have problems with balance?
Does he/she get motion sickness?
Does he/she avoid closed eye activities?
Does he/she have a hard time listening for long periods without moving or rocking?
Does he/she have difficulty with math or reading or writing cursive?

Learn more at http://www.apexchirocenter.com/childrenlearning.html

Gardening Safely – Prevent Lower Back Pain

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

1. Bend at the knees and hips.

2. Support your lower back by tightening up your abs (not sucking them in but tightening them like you are doing a sit-up).

3. Lift with your legs and buttocks muscles.

4. Bring the object you are lifting close to your body, as soon as you can, to increase stability.

5. Work in one direction. Meaning, don’t bend at the waist and twist at the same time whenever possible. Bending and twisting together is one of the most common ways people injure their lower back.

Did you know that “only 9% of the people who had low-back pain for more than 30 days were pain free 5 years later?”¹

When you are wondering how you still hurt your back and days later, if it will ever get better. Email us for your free copy of the article, “Does Back Pain Go Away on Its Own?” at answers@apexchirocenter.com or call us at (513) 931-4300.

1 Hestbaek L, Leboeuf-Yde C, Engberg M, Lauritzen T, Bruun NH, Manniche C. The course of low-back pain in a general population. Results from a 5-year prospective study. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2003 May; 26(4):213-9.

Probiotics – The Good Guys

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

Probiotics: These are the good bacteria that are essential for wellness. The human body contains about 90% microorganisms and 10% human cells. Maintaining enough healthy microorganisms or probiotics is required for proper function of the digestive and immune systems. Seventy percent of immune function is in the gut and 99% of neurotransmitters (think brain chemicals), are made in the gut. Pesticides, herbicides, and industrial farming have made the western diet deficient in probiotic bacteria. We also kill many of our probiotic bacteria with poor nutrition, prescription drugs and stress. The only way to get enough is to supplement with a quality probiotic. Look for one that has at least three different strains of bacteria, ideally more, with one of them being S. Boulardii.

Side note, if you are sensitive to gluten or dairy, make sure the product you are getting is safe for you.

If you want more guidance about how to manage your health naturally, call Apex Chiropractic and Wellness Center to schedule a nutritional consultation: (513) 931-4300.

Sparkling Eyes – Health is Visible

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

Over the holidays we had the opportunity to see some family that we normally see once or twice per year. It was really great to see the four women in the family, ranging in age from 30-60, looking so healthy, fit and strong. The mom in the family started working with a trainer about three months before. She had completed a medically supervised diet program as well. She had done some physical therapy and was seeing a chiropractor, both to help improve her body mechanics and her overall health. It was really inspiring to see someone at her age change so dramatically. The thing I loved most was seeing that her eyes were sparkling brightly. Do you ever notice people’s eyes when they are healthy and happy? It’s awesome!

Go ahead. You know you want to. Go look in your the mirror. Are your eyes sparkling with energy and vitality?

When you are wondering how your health could be better, schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can help, (513) 931-4300 .

The Gray Zone of Health – Time for Natural Health Alternatives

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

gray zone of health I know many of you have felt this way or know someone that does. They are tired, maybe gained a few pounds (or more) in the past year or so, maybe a little blue or maybe really depressed, they have another complaint or two, some they have lived with for so long they don’t even remember. They have been to the doctor, maybe even several doctors. The kicker is “THEY ARE NOT SICK”.

This is what I call the Gray Zone of Health. This is how many people arrive in our office. Their body isn’t functioning well, but the dysfunction isn’t bad enough to be a disease. But, they need help. This is a great place for lifestyle changes, nutritional advice, and maybe the right supplements. I am not talking about the latest article in a magazine and how it can cure what ails you. I am talking about methodical, individual recommendations based on your health history, your eating habits, and your current health status. This approach is called functional medicine, getting the body functioning at its best, ideally, before it gets to the sick zone (but it works then too). Why wait? You could be in the gray zone of health for years before you are sick enough to have a disease. Why not start now?

If you are ready to move out of the gray zone into good health, call Apex Chiropractic & Wellness Center at (513) 931-4300 for an evaluation today.

Your Best Life – Through Chiropractic and Natural Alternatives

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Dr. Laurie Jahnke

Health greatly impacts our vitality and our ability to be our best selves in our lives, including in our families, relationships, recreational activities and work. Eighty percent of diseases in the United States are a result of lifestyle choices. Eighty percent!!! That means all those little things you know you should be doing but probably aren’t doing, really do matter.

Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting enough rest? Are you eating 5-9 servings of vegetables and fruits each day? If you said no to any of these three questions, you have an easy place to begin making better daily choices.
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About Dr. Laurie Jahnke and Apex Chiropractic & Wellness Center

Posted on January 5, 2012 by admin

The Apex is the highest point, the vertex, or the point where things come together.

The triad of health is basically the three major components that make up our beings, the physical, mental and chemical aspects of ourselves. I like to think of the Apex of health as the place where all three of these aspects are expressed optimally. When establishing my practice, I wanted it to encompass this triad, so it became, Apex Chiropractic and Wellness Center.

Living at the Apex (of health) is a blog about “living well for the love of life”, a place for knowledge, empowerment and motivation to make thoughtful, healthy choices that will help you live well, now and later.