New Year's Resolutions

'Tis the season to start new year's resolutions. As a former personal trainer, I can't help but cheer on my patients as they begin a new diet or exercise regime. But as a Chiropractic Physician, I want people to start with this big distinction in their mind: being thinner does not always equate with being healthier.

A year ago, I had my bodyfat tested. At the time I had about 12% bodyfat. This is considered healthy by any standard, and certainly below average for the general population. I was also 210lbs, which by some standards is considered obese for a 5'9" male. So which am I? Healthy or obese?

My advice: focus on eating healthy and exercising, rather than acheiving a number that someone has deemed "ideal weight" for you. Change your habits first, and your health will improve. When your health improves, so will your self-image, wether or not your weight changes. As you begin to re-asses and plan new strategies for the new and improved version of you, please keep in mind that healthy people can come in many sizes.

Healthy New Year!

Holiday Stress

With the Holiday season in full swing, it is obvious to myself and any other chiropractor that stress is epidemic. The increase in number of patients and the severity of their pain is good for business, but bad for the general public. Stress will make any condition worse, and the reduction of stress can make any condition better. Physicians often forget that they are treating a person and not a disease.

Stress is something that can be difficult to trace, but it's affects are widespread. Increased levels of stress will result in an overstimulation of the "fight or flight" biological response. This increases levels of the hormone cortisol, resulting in increased blood pressure, and increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. It also decreases the body's ability to fight off infections.

Here are some steps to help reduce stress:
1. Identify the biggest cause of stress. Is it something you can change? Does it come from within? You can only change yourself, stressing about things out of your control gets you nowhere.
2. Lower your expectations for the Holidays. A few years from now, you will completely forget what you gave Aunt Betsy for Christmas, as I am sure she will. I think your family will forgive you if the turkey is a little overdone, or if the pie is not as tasty as last year.
3. Slow down. Do you find yourself racing through traffic for no particular reason? Is it really worth risking life and limb to be the first to the next stop light?

You can also try just taking a walk to clear your head. Not only will some calm reflection help solve the problem, the exercise will do you good.

Yoga and meditation are both elements of ayurveda, the ancient Indian equivalent of a medical system. As well as decreasing stress, yoga will improve your physical well-being. Meditation can do wonders to help you gain persective, and calm you down. A recent Study done at the University of Massachusetts shows that people who meditate regularly are generally happier and more calm (http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/the-benefits-meditation).

If you have any interest in meditation, Schafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa welcomes you to our new Meditation Classes. Sheri Beth, a Certified Transformation Meditation Teacher, has two classes. One on Tuesday at 6:30 pm and one on Friday at 1:30 pm. Please call (616) 301-3000 if you are interested.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and have a safe New Year's. (and relax.)

Headaches and Migraines "Story"

People are often surprised when I tell them a good percentage of my patients are being treated for headaches and migraines. The truth of the matter is that there is often correlation between headaches and neck pain. Misalignments of the vertebrae in the upper neck will often feel more like a headache at the base of the skull. Chiropractic adjustments are very effective at treating these types of conditions.

Another common condition is the forward head posture. When the head sits forward from it's ideal alignment above the shoulders, it stresses the neck muscles that hold your head up. At 1 inch forward, a 10 pound head takes 20 lbs of tension to hold up. At 2 inches forward it becomes 30 lbs. and so on. Often the pain is felt at the base of the skull where these muscles attach. This can also be felt as tension at the temples or around the entire forehead. Chiropractic adjustments can help re-align your spine and head and reduce this abnormal tension.

Migraines are a different story. They often start as a visual disturbance such as spots or tunnel vision, then the pain hits. A true migraine will often be so severe that the patient cannot function, cannot work or think, and usually ends up in a dark room for much of the day due to light sensitivity. Nausea and vomitting is not uncommon. If you ask a doctor what causes a migraine, you usually get something about dilation of the blood vessels in the head creating pressure and pain. This is a "what" and not a "why".

Why migraines occur is not yet fully understood, but figuring out and reducing the triggers is the quickest way to reduce their occurence and severity. The more common trigers are certain foods including chocolate and wine. In women, hormonal imbalances are often triggers during certain phases of their menstrual cycle. Physical stress and/or emotional stress can also trigger a migraine. Stress to the neck as described earlier is often a big factor. Once these triggers are found and delt with, reduction of symptoms by 50% or more is often seen.

As you can see, all of these factors can contribute to the patients' condition to various degrees. One can have a food trigger, as well as a hormonal, and seasonal allergy trigger. When a patient only gets an adjustment, without a consultation and evaluation, they are being treated like a machine that needs to be fixed. They are not being treated like a person with a multifaceted condition. Make sure your chiropractor is a doctor and not just a "mechanic".

So, what is your headache "story"?

Low Back Pain "Story"

A funny thing happened this week. We received 5 calls this past Monday all from people in severe low back pain. Our office always takes in low back patients, but it was unusual that they all called in on Monday. By Thursday, they were all doing significantly better. I know chiropractic care is effective, but sometimes it even amazes me how fast it can work.

I believe that the biggest reason we get great results is because I listen to your "story". Anyone can take a history on a patient to find out that they have low back pain. It takes patience and persistence for a doctor to find out that someone's low back pain first started 12 years ago after lifting a suitcase, and the pain was initially on the left side, but now is on the right side and it goes down the right leg to just past the knee, with left big toe numbness that has been there for 12 years, and that there has been six or seven episodes in that time frame, and that some relief was found initially through physical therapy, but now the pain came back. Other very important information includes what position the patient sleeps in, and on what type of mattress, what type of exercise do they like to do (if any), what sports did the patient play in high school or college, and how much of the patient's current job involves prolonged sitting or constant lifting?

I must say it is a little disconcerting when a new patient comes in my door and immediately lays down on the table for an adjustment. Invariably these patients have been to another chiropractor, who obviously did not talk to them much at all, much less find out their "story".

With all of the advice you can get from late-night infomercials, pharmaceutical companies, or shoe and mattress sales people, ask yourself this:
do they know your "story"?

Newfound respect for Will Ferrel, George Bush, and Oprah

Just finished the Grand Rapids Marathon. Unofficial time: 5 hrs 27 min. As much as I am happy with my time, it was far behing Will Ferrel, George Bush, P Diddy, and Oprah. I started my run with the Al Gore pace team (he did it in just under 5 hrs). I think I saw that Will Ferrel did it under 4!
New at the marathon was the addition of pickle juice as a refreshment. I understand there is some value to all the electrolytes in pickle juice, but I could not bring myself to drink some out of fear of an upset stomach.

I hope this inspires people to aim high with their health and fitness goals. I am not genetically made for running, but I did it. Start small and build upon it. You might surprise yourself. Just do it!

Marathon

Well, my first marathon is now only a few days away. The big question is: am I ready?
My answer: I don't know. I've never done a marathon before.
My gut says that I am ready, although my gut also told me that 19 miles was enough about a month ago. ( a marathon is 26.2 miles).
Wether or not I do well, I am sure that I will finish.

I would like to thank my wife Sheri Beth for her support during my training. She has offered me both encouragement and accountability throughout the past 8 months. She also happens to watch over our daughter while I take up to 5 hours to run on the weekend. Thanks honey.

One final pitch for the Anticancer Fund. You still have time to call the office and pledge money for this worthy cause. Like I've been saying all along, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but it's easier to profit from the pound of cure. We need more studies done on how diet and lifestyle changes can make a difference in cancer prevention. That's what the Anticancer Fund does. Our office number is (616) 301-3000.

I have never been much of a runner myself, and I hope that maybe I have inspired others to start running. If you are thinking about it, you can check out this video on stretches for runners. I shot it last week at John Collins Park in East Grand Rapids, on a beautiful but unseasonably warm October day. Hope this weather holds out for my big run!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMV6-KzV_WY

Running

I must admit I really don't like running long distances. Running around Reeds Lake here in East Grand Rapids is pleasant enough. Now that the weather is cooling off, it has truly been ideal (when it's not raining).

Being a Chiropractor, I can't help but analyze gait patterns in my fellow runners (occupational hazard). It comes as no surprise to me that more 50% of all runners are injured at any given time. Low arches, high arches, and internal or external rotation of the foot, ankle and hip can transfer their poor biomechanics up the lower body chain to the pelvis and spine and create low back pain, sacroliac pain, sciatica, and even upper back and neck pain. This is not new information for the seasoned runner. Many physical therapists and shoe stores offer gait analysis, often for free. What often is lacking however, is a postural analysis.

Yes, posture is even more important when you are running. Who knows about good posture? I can tell you from experience that the average person is so far off, that they could not attain good posture if you asked them to. Standing up straight is not enough. How do you know if you are straight enough? How far does your head protrude out from over your shoulder? Are your shoulders aligned in front of or in back of your pelvis? How much is your pelvis tilted? Do you have too much curve, or maybe not enough curve in your low back? Most Chiropractors can give you this information with a simple postural analysis.

If you have had physical therapy and still have low back pain, or the back pain has been on and off for years, or you even have had spinal surgery and the pain has come back, a Chiropractor usually can help.

That's my two cents for today. Now it's off to see patients. Have a great day!

Anticancer tip #4 Tumeric

Anticancer Tip #4: Tumeric is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory food known to man today. It helps stimulate apoptosis (self destruction) in cancer cells and inhibits angiogenesis (tumor growth). Recent studies suggest that it can also enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Assimilation into the human body is best when combines with black pepper. Mix ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder with a generous pinch of black pepper into a little olive oil for an anticancer dressing for salad or basmati rice.
Research such as this is far too uncommon today. You can’t patent turmeric, so there is little financial incentive to perform scientific studies on it. Please consider pledging money for my first marathon run to raise funds and awareness for Anticancer.

AntiCancer Tip #3

Eat more omega 3 fatty acids. A lack of this essential nutrient has been associated with increased inflammatory reactions in the body. Recent studies suggest that cancer thrives and tumor growth is promoted under these conditions. Good sources of omega 3 fatty acids are salmon, flaxseed oil, and free range chicken eggs.

Studies such as these are few and far between. You can't patent flaxseed oil or salmon, so there is little financial incentive to research them. To help ensure studies such as these continue, please consider donating to the Anticancer Fund. Dr. Schafer is running his first marathon taking pledges to keep the research going.

Anticancer Tip #2

Avoid high glycemic index foods. Mostly this means no sugar, white bread, white rice, and white potatoes. These can be replaced with agave nectar, white grain bread, basmati or brown rice, and sweet potatoes/yams respectively. Recent studies suggest that cancerous tumors feed on high blood sugar levels, such as those seen in people with diabetes. More on this topic can be found in, Anticancer: A New Way Of Life by Dr. David Servan-Schreider MD, PHD.

Studies such as these are few and far between. Research for cancer is predominantly driven by sales of pharmaceuticals and medical technology. Youcan’t patent sweet potatoes, so there is little financial incentive to

research them.

Please consider donating by pledging money to Dr. Schafer’s first marathon run, held on October 16th. All money will be forwarded to the Anticancer Fund, to ensure more studies like this will be done.

For more information on the Anticancer Fund, see
http://www.anticancerbook.com/fund.html

Anticancer Tip #1

“Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries contain ellagic acid and a large number of polyphenols. They stimulate the mechanisms of elimination of carcinogenic substances and inhibit angiogenesis. Anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins also promote apoptosis in cancer cells.”
-Dr. David Servan-Schrieber, MD, PhD, from the book “Anticancer, a New Way of Life”.
Studies such as these are few and far between because research for Cancer is predominantly driven by sales of pharmaceuticals and medical technology. Blueberries have little chance of getting notice because you can’t patent fruits and vegetables. Therefore there is little incentive for anyone to study them.
This is why the Anticancer Fund is so important. Please consider donating by pledging money to Dr. Schafer’s first marathon run. All money will be forwarded to the Anticancer Fund, to ensure more studies likes this will be done.
An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Organic Produce

Hello all,

After visiting the Fulton Street Market recently, I noticed there were no organice strawberries. In fact, there was very little certified organic produce there at all. Feeling deprived, I sent out to find what organic growers exist near Grand Rapids. This is by no means a comprehensive list. If you know of an organic farmer or distributer not on this list, please e-mail me at drs@grchirospa.com, and I will gladly to add it to the list. Now I'm ready for some blueberries!

Local organic produce

Kismet farms Fennville
1776 Blue Star Highway

Irvine blueberries Hudsonville
616-895-4538
8172 66th Ave
Hudsonville, MI 49426

Burnette Foods Inc, Hartford
87171 C.R. 687, Hartford, MI 49057 •
269.621.3181

CJ Veggies Zeeland
found at Holland Farmers market
http://www.hollandfarmersmarket.com/vendordetails/?id=119

Nourish organic market
634 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Nourishorganicmarket.com

West Michigan Cooperative
(616) 951-3287
1111 Godfrey SW, Ste. S250
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(not all produce is organic)

marathon training

Hello all, I'm in marathon training mode right now and running 12 miles on my Saturday long runs. 12 miles takes some time when your're a "clydesdale". For any non-runners out there, if you're over 200 lbs than you're put in the "clydesdale division" for races like this. I am starting to really enjoy the shorter runs during the week, however. Reed's Lake trail at 5:30 am usually has more rabbits than people and the sunrise on Reeds Lake starts your day with a colorful welcome.
The whole reason for doing this however, is to raise money for the Anticancer Fund. You might be thinking : "I've donated money for cancer research already". The truth is, if you have given to the Americian Cancer Society, the majority of that money goes to finding a cure for cancer, and for technology to detect it. I firmly beleive that these are good causes and I am happy that so many runners already raised money for this. But with 90% of cancers being environmental (smoking, diet, air and water quality, etc), it makes more sense to find what is causing the tremendous increase in cancer rates, than to find the magic pill to cure it.
Why are there so few studies to find the cause? Follow the money. Finding out the cause of cancer means that there is no pill or technology that the company can patent and make money on. What company will invest money in this? Like it or not, our health care system is commercially based, and that is not likely to change. There are already tremendous financial incentives for companies to find the next drug, chemotherapy, or radiological advancement to help outcomes of those who have cancer. I hope they continue to do so.
But let's not forget that knowledge is power. If we know what types of lifestyle and environment is more likely to cause cancer, it will empower us to take our health into our own hands.
Please consider a pledge of a dollar or more per mile. Call us at (616) 301-3000. I will be running 26 miles. Money will be collected after I run. This will ensure that I do my part and complete the marathon. Thank you for your time and have a great day.

How to Avoid Low Back Pain While Gardening

(This article will be published in the May 2011 edition of Grand Rapids Natural Awakenings Magazine)

Spring naturally stirs new beginnings, new growth, and new creations. It also stirs the zeal in newcomers to the world of gardening. Frequently overzealous newbie gardeners are tempted to lift something too heavy, complete a task too quickly, and attempt to accomplish something in one day what would rightfully take several. In their ambitious haste, they often develop musculoskeletal conditions that can straddle them with back pain through the entire gardening season.

Even though it generally takes years of patience to achieve what you envision, the great enjoyment provided by gardening makes it well worth the effort and mindfulness required to avoid the most common mistakes involved in lifting, weeding, raking, and shoveling, the common gardening activities that can result in back pain.

Lifting
Gardening generally requires the act of lifting at least one big bag of compost, mulch or potted shrub. Even though it is a well-known fact that lifting should be done through the legs, few gardeners remember to keep their bottom (gluteus maximus) as low as possible and their spine straight.

Weeding
It is impossible to bend over to pull just one weed without finding 10 more. An unpopular but necessary chore, pulling weeds for any amount of time depends on several things. Are you flexible in the hips? How strong are your knees? Can you touch your toes without bending your knees?

For individuals who are flexible in the hips, it is best to sit with the knees bent, one leg in front and one leg behind. When viewed from above, your legs form a “z” or a reverse “z” configuration. This puts you closer to ground and gives you better leverage to dig.

If you are not flexible in the hips, kneel on one knee, preferably with knee pads, and use your non-dominant arm to help push up while lifting up the weed. If your knees bother you, sit on a sturdy bucket and lean forward with your spine straight. Never lift anything heavy when seated because the leg muscles are not engaged


Shoveling
An improper shoveling technique is the most common gardening error. For maximum effectiveness when pushing down, the proper technique for shoveling requires that the head of the shovel is kept parallel to the pelvis. To lift the loose dirt, use the legs while tightening the abs.

The goal is to get close to the head of the shovel without bending at the waist. Bending the knees is critical for this motion. Always keep the head of the shovel close to your body. The further out you extend the head of the shovel, the greater the stress on you and your back.

To move the dirt in the shovel, move your entire body. Do no twist or turn your torso. If the dirt is heavy and dry, use a pick or a hoe to loosen it first. The claw also works well for this if you have a fair amount of upper body strength.

Raking
The twisting motion involved in raking is not good for the spine therefore it is preferable to use a blower to gather leaves. If you have low back pain, avoid twisting entirely. The rotational forces combined with a slight flexion (forward bending) are likely to exacerbate the condition.

Picking up the leaves is not nearly as strenuous as raking. If you do not have low back pain, be certain to alternate sides. Most right-handed individuals rake with the right hand behind the left one. Switch hand positions every 5 strokes. This approach should also be used for hoeing or tilling.

Composting
Positional problems with composting may arise if you have a pile kept together with a wire or wooden frame. Reaching over this frame to turn the pile with your shovel brings the head of the shovel too far away from your body. This multiplies the weight of the shovel, and creates back strain. The best solution is to jump into the compost pile. You’ll be smelly, but pain free.

Alternately, the best positional advantage for all of gardening is the raised garden bed. This is because one just won’t need to bend as far forward, so there is less strain on the spine.

Muscle Soreness
If you do have pain while performing any of these chores, it is helpful to differentiate what constitutes a “serious” injury. Most of us have sedentary jobs where our muscles will likely atrophy if we let them, therefore muscle soreness after gardening activities is to be expected. However, soreness should not be confused with muscle spasm. Spasm is also felt as cramping.

Vary your activities: dig for an hour, then weed, prune, etc. You’ll find gardening a much more enjoyable and rewarding pastime when you take care of your back.

Neck and Upper Back Pain

Hi again. I am basking in the glow of the recent sunshine which is all too uncommon here in Grand Rapids. The warm weather has certainly motivated people into more outdoor activities lately. While running around Reed's Lake recently, I could not help but notice the poor posture my fellow runners' often display.
Slouching is something your mother told you not to do. You should listen to your mother, and to your chiropractor. But how do you know if you have good posture if you don't know what good posture is? It's not quite as easy as "standing up straight", although that is certainly a big part of it.
Using a plumb line (a completely straight vertical line) to line up ceratin points on your body will tell you if you have good posture. When viewed from the side, the plumb line is aligned with the front of the ankle. Above that these points should also be "plumb": the mid-knee, the mid-waist, the mid-shoulder, and the mid-ear.
The most common display of abnormal posture occurs with the head coming too far forward. The further your head comes out in front of this line, the heavier it becomes. A 12 lb head at 1 inch forward from the plumb line requires 24 lbs of force to hold up. At 2 inches forward, it becomes 36 lbs. This means the upper back and neck muscles are overstretched and overworked. Most people will reflexively stretch the head forward in an effort to relieve the pain. This is a mistake, as it will only further promote the forward head posture.
How does one correct this? Imagine you have a rope attached to your uppper central chest, approximately where the knot would be if you were wearing a necktie. This rope is pulling you forward and up at all times. This reflexively brings the shoulder blades back and together. This also brings the shoulders back and down, rather than back and up. Military posture is not what we are looking for. We need a more relaxed and sustainable posture to get you through the day. Once the shoulders are in place, the head will naturally sit in proper algnment. Whereas the shoulders are the base of your neck, if the foundation is slanted, so goes the building. I realize some of this is easier to comprehend with pictures, and will try to get some posted here to help. Have a great day.

View of reception area

Computer Workstation Ergonomics

Hello all,
Welcome to my blog.  I am Dr. Andrew Schafer, co-owner and chiropractor of Schafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa.  I want all of you to have the information that you need to help you avoid neck pain, back pain, and headaches.  Perhaps this is a poor business decision, but it seems like the right thing to do anyway.

Do you work at a computer for more than 3 hours a day?  The longer you spend in front of one, the more important ergonomics becomes in avoiding neck and upper back pain.  OSHA has 33 items on it's evaluation checklist.   In my experience, you can boil it down to 3 things: 
1.  Use the back of your chair. 
2. Keep the keyboard and the mouse the same height as your elbows. 
3.  Keep your monitor eye level and directly in front of you. 
If you can do all of these things simultaneously, you will minimize any problems that might result in neck and back pain, and even numbness or tingling into the arms and hands. 

Problems will often arise if your desk does not have a pullout tray for your keyboard and mouse.  When the keyboard is on top of the desk, it is likely higher than your elbows.  You can correct this by purchasing a seperate screw-in keyboard tray from an office supply store or even IKEA.  Attaching this to your existing desk is easy and inexpensive. 

Problems will also arise if you use a laptop (on a desk) because when the keyboard is the right hieght, the monitor is too low.  You can correct this by purchasing a remote keyboard.  This is alot cheaper and more convenient than purchasing a seperate monitor. 

Using a laptop on your lap for anything more than a few minutes is not advisable.  Your head will be in a flexed position for an extended period of time, promoting a head forward or slouched posture.  This posture will be the topic of my next blog.

I hope this has been helpful so far.  Have a great day.