Lessen the Stressin' -- Laughter Helps!

Have you had a good laugh lately?  We know that one way to manage life’s stresses and lower blood pressure is to have a good, hard belly laugh…but do you know why that is true?

Not only do we feel better and less stressed for the few moments while we chuckle or laugh, there are also long-term effects which help our bodies relieve themselves of tension and help reduce stress-related hormones.  At the same time, it increases anti-aging hormones!

Laughing increases blood circulation, helping the blood stream deliver oxygen and nutrients. It increases the number of disease-fighting cells called NK, or Natural Killer, cells and improves immunity. 

A good laugh also relaxes muscles; the muscles not involved in the action of laughter are relaxed, and those that are involved in laughing relax immediately after. Relaxed muscles impose less strain and, therefore, less pressure on the blood vessels. The lungs get a good workout, expelling more air than they’re taking in. So, after a bout of laughter, we breathe deeper and get more oxygen into the bloodstream.

In contrast, harboring feelings of resentment or bitterness will have opposite effects, increasing blood pressure, decreasing NK cells, decreasing anti-aging hormones. So, ‘tis better to laugh whenever you are able.

Laughter:  good for the heart – in more ways than one!

www.lansing-chiropractic.com

Small changes, done consistently!

One of Dr. Roost's favorite sayings is one that he, himself, lives by:   "Small changes, done consistently, will change your life for the better!"  It only takes 30 days to make something a habit.  If you want to make a small, good change in your life, do that small, good change for 30 days.  Do it at the same time and in the same way each day -- it will soon be a consistent part of your life and you will have a new, beneficial habit!

If we want to feel well and stay healthy, we need to consistently do the good habits of life:  flossing, taking vitamins, reading motivational materials, going to church regularly...and exercising.

Now, each of these disciplines is important. Each one will have impact on how close we come to living a productive, healthy, abundant life – a life lived at 100% of our potential. Take a look at your typical day, and see if there are any small changes you could make to make your life better.

With the good weather finally here in Michigan, let's focus on exercise today. Is exercise a consistent part of your schedule? Let's break it down a bit.

There are five components of exercise that you must incorporate into your life if you want to function at 100% of your potential:

    * Spinal health - do your maneuvers twice daily. An entire set of maneuvers takes about 7 minutes, and will pay dividends for years.

    * Core stability - get a stability ball and a video to teach you how to do it safely and effectively. We've got 'em here at the office.

    * Aerobic exercise - 150 minutes per week of higher heart rate and breathing hard - and, yes, a bit of sweat is a good thing, too. Walking, running, biking, swimming - get it going!

    * Resistance training - elastic bands, machines, or free weights. These help with muscle tone, and bone density. Get some instruction, and start pushing it a bit. 

    *Balance and stability - as we age, our balance wiring degrades. But take heart! It is possible to retrain those nerve connections and rebuild our balance. Next time you're in our office, ask for our DASSH program.

Start today - and don't give up. The benefits of regular, moderate exercise are well documented. What's not to like about:

    * feeling better?

    * looking better?

    * increased energy?

    * better blood pressure?

    * balanced blood sugar?

    * less chance of cancer?

    * higher quality sleep?

    * better moods and relationships?

Okay, the list goes on, but you get the idea. Life is BETTER with exercise. Drop one TV show each day, and get your heart pumping!

 www.lansing-chiropractic.com

media attention focused on chiropractic, new rules

Media coverage of chiropractic can be a blessing or a curse...and sometimes, it is both at once!  On Sunday's front page, the Lansing State Journal highlighted some changes to the rules involving chiropractic care in Michigan.  The reporter pointed to Governor Grahnolm's signing of Michigan's new 'scope of practice' law, which allows chiropractors to perform expanded services.  This brings Michigan into step with all other 49 states, a very good thing.

In addition, the new federal health care act -- known as the Affordable Care Act -- will allow people to buy into health care exchanges permitting them insurance coverage of "essential health benefits," including "preventive and wellness services."  The federal government is in the process of defining "essential" and "preventive," and we see this as an opportunity to promote chiropractic as a vital health care choice.
 
Our goal, as chiropractic care providers, is equitable treatment of chiropractors by the insurance industry.  It is time for insurance companies to recognize chiropractic science as a part of Michigan's health care system, as their members have known for years.

The wellness philosophy of chiropractic, as well as its substantive healing power, are conducive to reducing costs and increasing quality of health care.  It makes sense to include chiropractic care in a list of viable, insured treatment options for patients seeking natural, drug-free methodologies - and include it on an equal-coverage footing with other health care providers.

It was good to see this article in the LSJ.  While it contained a couple mischaracterizations of current insurance coverage, and it opened the door for some rather uneducated comments from readers, overall, the article shed a positive light on the long-awaited need for change in the health care insurance system.

www.lansing-chiropractic.com

SNOW STORM! YAHOO!

However - snow shoveling guidelines:

• Go slow. Your heart is stressed more with lifting, and in cold weather, faster and harder than you realize. GO SLOW.

• Push more than you lift.

• Lift small loads.

  www.Lansing-Chiropractic.com