Feelings of nervousness, irritability and being unable to relax are signs of needing magnesium.

Magnesium influences many bodily functions including digestion, energy production, muscle function, bone formation, creation of new cells, activation of B vitamins and relaxation of muscles, as well as assisting in the function of the heart, kidneys, adrenals, brain and nervous system. Magnesium is an essential mineral.  This means that the body doesn't make it and it must be obtained through the diet.

Hundreds of years ago we would have been able to get our magnesium through our food source as the soil was healthy and full of vitamins and minerals.  The quality of our soil has deteriorated due to the use of fertilizers that contain large amounts of potassium which don't allow vegetables to then absorb magnesium.  So diets are now seriously lacking in the required magnesium and here are some symptoms:

*stress
*low energy
*fatigue/weakness
*PMS and hormonal imbalances
*inability to sleep
*weakening bones
*muscle tension
*muscle spasms
*abnormal heart rhythms
*headaches
*anxiousness
*nervousness
*irritability
*constipation

The second part of this story is the huge impact the calcium has in balancing our magnesium.  Calcium excites nerves, while magnesium calms them down.  Calcium makes muscles contract.  Magnesium is necessary to make muscles relax.  Calcium is needed for blood clotting, but magnesium keeps the blood flowing freely.  It is easy to see that maintaining these minerals in balance is vital and that too little magnesium to balance calcium could be both uncomfortable and and unhealthy.

The solution for getting the correct amounts of calcium and magnesium is in a form that can be completely dissolves in water.  In this state it will absorb quickly into the body, producing fast relief.  Pills need to break down into liquid form before they can be absorbed and not all people, especially as the grow older,  have the capacity to digest these.  The result may be the absorption of little, if any, actual nutrition.

You may already have enough calcium in your diet so won't need to take calcium and magnesium.  In this case you would just need CALM, the magnesium drink.  Any questions?  Well give us a call and we can take a look at your diet and see what your needs are 415-775-2273.

Ouch, my head hurts.

I could never say in the morning, "I have a headache and cannot do thus and so". Headache or no headache, thus and so had to be done."   Eleanor Roosevelt

Who hasn't experienced this before, life must go on despite the pain throbbing in your temples.  The common reaction is usually just to reach for the bottle of pain killers. With pain reliever, think long-term.  They only mask the problem, so it is likely to return. This results in the consumption of more medication. Not only is this risky, but very costly.

  

Instead consider chiropractic care.  Chiropractic care is not only safer, but cheaper, less invasive, and long-lasting.  Doctors of chiropractic successfully help thousands of individuals everyday obtain safe, effective, long-term relief from their headaches. This is because most headaches have a spinal, muscular, or habitual component which the chiropractor has been trained to identify and treat. In fact, surveys show that 10-25% of patients initiate chiropractic care for the relief of headaches. 

So don't reach for the pain pills, it's not worth it in the long run.  Getting regular chiropractic care is similar to visiting your dentist.  Routine dental care helps your teeth remain healthy for a long time. The same is true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you  hunch over the computer, sit in traffic, rush to take the stairs to get to your appointment on time and slump on the couch watching t.v.

All sound familiar?  Do yourself and your body a favor, make an appointment with your chiropractor to resolve your headaches once and for all.

Video Games don't have to be a Pain in the Neck.

One hundred fifty years ago, most men, women and children performed tasks each day that taxed the muscles of their trunks in every direction. This led to a balanced upper body, roughly equal strength in the muscles of the front, back and sides of the torso. Good posture was a natural result.

Today kids have bad postures and so many more body ailments because they have lost their core stability.  As children's overall fitness has declined, the muscles in their abdomen, upper back, shoulder and lower back have become soft as well.  Why have they lost their core stability?  A huge part is because of the increased amount of sitting.  The average teenager spends around 14 hours a week playing video games.  This doesn't include T.V. time or the average 4 hours a day sitting at school.

Here are some tips that you can do to help get over the video game slump with your kids.  They are fun and the stability ball is a really great idea that will help with everyone's posture.

Video-game exercise: Games which require motion like the Wii and play station 3 games are better than other video games that require nothing more than sitting on a couch.  They have all kinds of games that will have the kids moving their bodies. 

Stretch breaks. Micro breaks for children and adults, during which you get up and exercise the muscles opposite to the ones you use while sitting. So stand up from that video game, reach your hands above your head and lean back for short stretches.

Stability balls. Replace comfy chairs with stability balls. Doing so allows children to engage those core muscles, even while they're playing video games.  When they are taking in turns with the games there are so many fun exercises that they can do.  It really is a great investment for your kid's health.

It's never too late to change bad habits and create new ones as habits are created by repetition. Your mind and body create bigger and stronger connections with each repetition.  So sitting tall when playing video games, stretching out the body are simple steps that can be very effective when playing video games.

About Universal Chiropractic

Universal Chiropractic  is located on , 1115 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94109  just up the road from the world famous AMC Theater.

We have plenty of street parking and you can also get to us by bus.  Our building has handicapped access is open on evenings and Saturdays and has easy access hours.

Our entire focus is to get you feeling better as quickly as possible, and then keep you that way.  We offer chiropractic care in a relaxed and comfortable setting.  If you have questions or concerns before making your first appointment, such as the type of treatment we offer, or questions relating to insurance coverage and costs, we will do our best to answer them for you.  Many of the questions you may have will be on our website; universalchiropractic.net under first visit.  
                                 

Many patients at our center have achieved excellent results from a wide variety of conditions such as neck and shoulder pain, headaches, lower back pain and sciatica.  I've also had great success treating soft tissue injuries arising from auto accidents.  If you are experiencing any kind of musculoskeletal problem and are currently searching for a chiropractor, I invite you to give us a call– you'll be in very experienced hands and then you can head to the famous AMC Theater just around the corner to catch a movie.

This blog was created for talking mostly about chiropractic, spinal health, nutrition, and other  health related topics.   If there are any topics that you would like to find out more about please feel free to contact me at drstackwood@universalchiropractic.net.  Or you can  visit our website at universalchiropractic.net which includes information about our office and services.


Thanks and enjoy.

Call today  (415) 775-2273