Living to 100

People born 100 years ago would typically live to the ripe old age of 50 years, while children born this year are expected to live longer than 80 years. A study of centurions reveals some general guidelines that you can use to help extend your own life, regardless of your current age:


1. Be born a female. Hard to do much about this, but females have been outliving males for centuries.
2. Stay married. Married people live longer than single people - 10 years longer for men, 4 years for women.
3. Eat less. Research shows that life expectancy can be extended by eating less.
4. Pass up refined sugar. Sugar can speed the aging process.
5. Use little salt. Getting used to salt-free tastes will take some time.
6. Reduce protein intake. Excess protein stresses the body and reduces your ability to fight disease.
7. Regular exercise. No need for a gym membership. Brisk walking improves circulation, metabolism and emotional well-being.

Don't take a single day for granted! Get regular chiropractic adjustments and have a Nutrition Response Testing Analysis done today!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan

(704) 523-2367

http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Shock Absorbers of the Spine

They bulge, herniate, degenerate and tear, but they don't "slip." Discs serve as the "shock absorbers" of your body. Separating each vertebra, they create the space for nerves to exit the spinal cord and so you can turn and bend. Rings of fibrous tissue called the annulus contain a soft jelly center.


We generally see two types of disc problems:

Bulging Disc: A weakened area of the annulus allows the soft center of the disc to bulge out, putting pressure on nearby nerves. Bulging discs usually respond well to chiropractic care, often eliminating the need for surgery.

Herniated Disc: A herniated or ruptured disc is more serious. It seems most common in the lower back. This is when part of the soft center pushes out through a weakened area due to trauma or degeneration, putting pressure on the spinal cord.

Chiropractic care, along with walking, increased water intake and improved nutrition offer a natural, non-surgical resolution for many disc problems.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan

(704) 523-2367

http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Does Chiropractic Cure Disease?

Many of our practice members are surprised to learn that chiropractic doesn't cure anything. So, how do you explain diseases that have obviously improved with chiropractic care?


The fundamental truth is: health is normal. If you're not healthy, something is interfering with this normal state. The only thing that doctors of any type can do is to remove interferences that may be preventing your body from expressing your normal health potential.

Our focus is on your nervous system, which controls and regulates every aspect of your body. Restoring better brain/body communications permit a more normal expression of health. The fact that your illness may improve in the process is an expression of better nervous system control of your body.

Thus, chiropractic doesn't cure anything. Only you can do that, if there isn't any interference! Call for an appointment today!  We will do our best to get you in the day you call.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan

(704) 523-2367

http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Getting Your ZZZZZs

Sleep isn't a luxury, it's a necessity for good physical and mental health.

After starting your automobile, your battery gets recharged as you drive so it’s ready to start your car again. Proper sleep each night is the way you “recharge” your body and stay healthy.

During periods of rest, your body is busy repairing itself, counteracting the effects of stress and strain from your busy life. Studies show that most of us get enough sleep. But it’s the quality of that sleep that most profoundly affects its healthful benefits, including reducing stress.

We sleep in cycles of approximately 90 minutes. This includes a period of light sleep that gradually leads to a very deep sleep and then back to a lighter sleep. We’ve all experienced the groggy feeling that results from being awakened during the deepest part of our sleep cycle. Worse, if circumstances regularly prevent us from entering the deepest part of our sleep cycle, we don’t feel fully rested and our feelings of stress intensify. Parents of newborn children can vouch for this!

Dreaming is an important part of restful sleep. Even if you don’t remember your dreams, sleep scientists confirm that we all dream. Dreams are accompanied by REMs—rapid eye movements. As if watching our own personal “movie” behind our closed eyelids, our brains project images and situations that we call dreams. Apparently dreaming is vital to our health. Experiments in which subjects are deprived of the dreaming state suffer from irritability, poor judgment and even hallucinations.

While much attention is given to the healthful benefits of proper exercise, proper rest is an equally important part of good health and stress reduction.  Ask about Whole Food supplements and Herbs that can assist in restoring your body's natural sleep patterns

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan

(704) 523-2367

http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic

Do you have to choose between aerobic and anaerobic exercise?

There appears to be a great deal of controversy over which is the preferred type of metabolic training - aerobic or anaerobic? Metabolic training involves performing specific exercises that are designed to increase the efficiency of the certain pathways in your body that store and deliver energy for certain activities. Three energy pathways store energy - one is aerobic and two are anaerobic. So… what's the difference?

Aerobic activity makes your heart and lungs work harder and increases the body's need for oxygen. Activities such as running, swimming, bicycling, working out on a treadmill, and other activities that generally take place for a longer period are types of aerobic activity.

Anaerobic activity involves lower-impact exercise that doesn't work the cardiovascular system as strenuously as aerobic. Anaerobic exercise involves activities such as lifting weights, running sprints, and other shorter-duration exercises (i.e., under two minutes of medium to high intensity activity).

Many people seem to be partial to aerobic activity because it burns fat and keeps their metabolisms pumping for some time after they actually stop exercising. But… aerobic activity also causes loss of muscle, strength, speed and power if that's the only exercise you do.

Anaerobic activity, on the other hand, increases muscle, strength, power, speed and aerobic function and it also decreases body fat.

So actually, there really shouldn't be any controversy. Ideally in terms of metabolic training, the best of both worlds would be a combination of high intensity/short duration activity, medium intensity/medium duration activity and low intensity/long duration activity – the best of all worlds for those energy pathways!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan

(704) 523-2367

http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

How To Catch a Cold

Want to catch a cold? Follow these easy steps!

Some people seem to expect a bout with a cold or the flu each year. If you haven't had your quota yet, here are some things you can do:

1. Eat a poor diet. If you want to catch a cold, make sure your body lacks the vitamins and minerals it needs to keep itself in good repair. Eat lots of processed foods, stripped of their nutritional value. Avoid fresh vegetables and ingest lots of high-fat snack foods.
2. Avoid adequate rest. After neglecting the quality of the raw materials your body needs to repair itself, deprive yourself of adequate rest. Stay up late and reduce the time you sleep as much as possible. Use tobacco, coffee and other stimulants to fool yourself into thinking you have plenty of energy.
3. Stop exercising. To catch a cold, make sure you reduce the effectiveness of your immune and lymphatic systems. Unlike the circulatory system with its pump (the heart), your lymphatic system depends upon exercise and physical movement to circulate these valuable fluids with their germ-fighting abilities.
4. Rarely wash your hands. Increase your chances of catching a cold by compromising your personal hygiene. Remember to use your dirty hands and fingers to rub your eyes, pick your nose or wipe your lips.
5. Think negative thoughts. Look for opportunities to imagine having a cold. Pay attention to news reports about outbreaks of the flu and pay close attention to TV commercials from drug companies that sell products designed for cold sufferers.
6. Invite stress. Stress yourself physically by experiencing extreme temperature and humidity changes. Stress yourself mentally with constant worry or fear. Stress yourself socially by encountering as many ill people as possible.
7. Become dehydrated. Avoid drinking enough water. Reduce the effectiveness of your immune system and other bodily functions by drinking water-removing diuretics such as caffienated beverages, coffee, tea and alcohol.
8. Forget your chiropractic appointments. Ignore the role of a properly operating nervous system, the master control of your immune system. Avoid all preventive strategies and shun our suggestions of periodic visits to help you stay well.

Of course we're joking! The only way to catch a cold or the flu is to make yourself a hospitable host to the millions of cold and flu germs around you every day.

Include regular chiropractic care to keep you working at your very best so cold and flu germs aren't made to feel welcome in your body!  Ask about specific Whole Food supplements and Herbs that support your body's natural immune response.  Call at the first sign of a sniffle or cough.  Do not wait for it to set in!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan

(704) 523-2367

http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Broccoli vs. Breast Cancer

Turns out, mother was right: eating broccoli is good for you!

Sulforaphane is a chemical found in many green vegetables such as broccoli and brussels sprouts. Research has shown that sulforaphane may be a factor in inhibiting the growth of cancerous tumors in animals, as well as shortening the life span of cancer cells. Now, a recent study appearing in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that sulforaphane could be a factor in slowing the spread of breast cancer cells.

When laboratory rats were fed sulforaphane-rich broccoli-sprout extracts and exposed to a carcinogen, there was a dramatic reduction in the frequency, size and number of tumors. The scientists found that within 48 hours, sulforaphane "inhibited cell proliferation" and "induced significant inhibition of DNA synthesis" in the tumor cells. Studies with human subjects with sulforaphane and other cruciferous-vegetable components have shown that these compounds stimulate the body's production of detoxification enzymes and have antioxidant effects.

The new study "is the first to report the effectiveness of sulforaphane as an inhibitor of human mammary carcinoma proliferation and to provide confirmatory evidence of a recently identified novel mechanism of sulforaphane action."

In other words, eat your broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. They're tasty and, like your mother always told you, they're good for you! 

Don't like broccoli, kale, etc?  Ask me about Cruciferous Complete.  This is a Whole Food Supplement concentrated to clinical potency.  It is an excellent way to get the nutrients your body is lacking and aid in the prevention of breast cancer.  I can ship it to you!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523-2367

http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

My Baby Won't Nurse!

Sometimes what comes naturally... doesn't.

After a baby's first breath, the next thing it looks for is a breast. It happens quite naturally thousands of times a day. Except when it doesn't. Several such cases have been documented in the Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics:

Colic

A three-week-old girl had colic, flatulence and outbursts of crying for almost three weeks. A chiropractic examination revealed left foot rotation, folded left ear, restricted neck motion and jaw imbalance. Chiropractic care and CranioSacral therapy was begun. "We suspected that her posture in the womb was the contributing factor to child's physical asymmetry and subluxation pattern," observed the chiropractor. "By the fourth week of adjustments the baby began to breast-feed from both breasts."

Vaccination Effects

A 15-day old emaciated male infant, suffering from colic, crying constantly and unable to breastfeed since birth was taken to the chiropractor. The mother observed that her baby would "shake, scream and vomit during and after feeding." The infant had been given a Hepatitis B vaccination within hours after birth. After the first adjustment, there was a significant reduction of crying, screaming and shaking. When the baby had been symptom-free for five days he was given another Hepatitis B shot and the original symptoms returned.

Cervical Subluxation

A 6-month-old boy with an aversion to suckling was evaluated in a chiropractic practice. An examination revealed asymmetry and fixation in the neck, signs of cervical subluxations. The suckling intolerance resolved immediately after the first visit and did not return.

Your baby can't tell you, "my neck hurts" or "my stomach isn’t working right." That's why newborns deserve a chiropractic checkup to make sure their nervous systems aren't compromised from the birth process and a Nutrition Response Testing Analysis to identify any specific nutrients their developing bodies are lacking.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523-2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Laugh At Low Back Pain!

 Laugh at back pain instead of letting it get you down!

Rather than numbing the problem with drugs, or surgically removing the problem, we have always been proud of the fact that we seek the underlying cause of a practice member’s low back pain or sciatic nerve involvement.

While vertebral subluxation is a common culprit, a closer look shows another issue: psychosocial issues. That’s a fancy way of saying that your psychological response to social situations may be a contributing factor to your low back pain.

Back pain is a worldwide problem and is the leading cause of disability in the USA. Lost productivity and treatment tax the health care system, with 20% of practice members seeking the advice of more than one doctor. In the UK, almost 10% of adults consult a doctor each year due to back pain.

Research is showing that depression and chronic low back pain may be related. In a sample of 31 veterans with chronic low back pain who completed a depression questionnaire inventory, those who suffered from depression scored significantly higher than those who weren’t.

A conclusion? Laugh! Get regular chiropractic adjustments and laugh. In fact, try laughing while you’re getting adjusted!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523-2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Barking Dog Syndrome

Many new practice members ask us why we examine their lower back, when their problem is in their neck and shoulders. Two words: compensation reactions.

It's not the bark that's the problem; what causes the bark is what we have to address!

While it's tempting to think of regional parts of the spine, it must be viewed in its entirety.

Your body is constantly adapting to the force of gravity. Just as a house foundation that settles produces ceiling cracks and doors and windows that don’t open and close properly, your spine does the same thing. Problems in the pelvis, knees, ankles and feet can often show up as problems in the neck. But the actual problem occurs with the foundation of the spine.

This is based on the principle of equilibrium. If you were to tilt your head to the right, you could only maintain your head this way for a while before your body would curve some other area of your spine to support your head.

We refer to this as the barking dog syndrome. If you accidentally step on a dog's tail, it will bark. The symptom (the bark) comes out of its mouth, but the problem is with your foot on its tail! To alleviate the symptom, you have to address the cause.

A Chiropractic consultation is free.  If I think I can help you, I will tell.  If I don't think I can help you, I'll tell you that too.  Call today!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523 -2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Make Your Workout Work!

Don't just copy the guy on the machine next to you!

Lots of attention has been paid to common workout mistakes such as overdoing it too quickly, not warming up/stretching, etc., but little has been done in terms of offering concrete solutions to help your workout work better for you.

Here are some of the more common workout mistakes along with the corrective action you can take to improve your workout:

1. Making all kinds of excuses – excuses for being overweight, excuses for not having time to workout, excuses for eating fast food. Seems as though any excuse will do!
   
   Solution: Take responsibility for who you are and what you are/are not doing and make an effort to change.

    2.   You mimic the workout routines of the Hollywood celebs, expecting the same results.

          Solution: You may not have their genetics, or access to their trainers, chefs, etc. Pick something you  

          like to do and stick with it!

    3.   You find a routine you like so you stick with it – every day, ad infinitum.

          Solution: It’s a good idea to mix it up a bit. You can’t just do cardio – mix in some weight training as
          well. The same routine tends to get boring fast, and you probably won’t stick with it.

    4.   You have no clear idea of what you want to accomplish and you wander from machine to machine in
          the local gym with no plan.

          Solution: Make a plan and work it. Decide what your fitness goals are and get a trainer at the gym to
          spend some time showing you what you need to do to achieve your goals. Document your progress in
          a fitness journal.

    5.   You fail to eat for several hours after your workout.

          Solution: Eat a combination of carbs and protein soon after you exercise to take advantage of your
          post-workout metabolism boost.

These are just a few of the most common mistakes we see people make when starting a workout routine. If you’re committed to beginning or maintaining a workout regime and have questions, bring them along with you on your next visit. We’re always delighted to supply direction and encouragement.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523-2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Time Management = Stress Management

If you feel buried by stress and commitments, perhaps some time management skills can help.

What causes you the most stress in your life? Is it your job? Family? Kids? Outside commitments? Do you often wish that there were more than 24 hours in each day or that you could clone yourself?

Most of the stress we experience could be relieved with some time management skills that are easy to learn. All you need to do is practice! Try some of the following time management tips to gain more mileage out of your limited energy resources each day:

• Make a "To Do" list and keep it reasonable. Determine what must be done vs. what would be nice to accomplish.
• If you need to schedule any type of appointment (hair, nails, chiropractor, dentist, etc.) make it far enough in advance to get the first appointment of the day. This way you are in and out and on your way. After you're done, you have the rest of the day to get other things accomplished.
• Learn how to say "NO!" This is a biggie. Too often, we think someone won't like us if we say no. But there are just as many people who might be angry with us if we say "YES" and infringe on time that needs to be put to better use elsewhere
• Consider your biological clock and your peak energy times. Do your more difficult tasks when your energy level is highest. You'll be much more efficient.
• Schedule your errands so you can do them all in one trip! This saves on energy costs too!
• Avoid perfectionism. Being a perfectionist often makes you procrastinate because, whatever the task, you think it will never be good enough. Be realistic in your abilities and do your best, that's all anyone expects anyway.

Practicing these and other time management skills helps you make the most of your time every day. Keep at it, until it becomes habit, and you'll relax and enjoy life so much more.

Ask me about specific Whole Food Supplements and Herbs that can assist with managing your stress levels.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523-2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

NFL Teams Embrace Chiropractic, Including Super Bowl Contenders

Chiropractic care has become a part of mainstream NFL culture. Every team, except one, has a chiropractor on staff including this year’s Super Bowl contenders, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. The same can be said about every other professional sports league including major league baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer.

Today’s athletes are learning from some of the greatest of all time who have paved the way for chiropractic and taught today’s modern day players about how to perform at their highest level for a lifetime and take care of their body along the way.

Emmitt Smith, for example, is the leading rusher in NFL history. A perennial Pro Bowler and three time Super Bowl Champion when he retired with over 18,000 yards, Smith said, “I thank God, my family and my chiropractor.” Chiropractic care not only helped him heal quickly from injuries but he also used and continues to use chiropractic care as a part of his lifestyle and training regime to keep him functioning at the top of his game. 

 

What is the Glycemic Index

Knowing the glycemic index of foods can help you manage your blood sugar.

If you have diabetes or you are watching your weight, it may be wise to pay some attention to the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index ranks how much a particular food raises your blood sugar level after you eat it. It is really all about carbohydrates and how they raise blood sugar, since foods high in protein and fat have little effect on blood glucose. The carbohydrates that break down quickly in the digestive process have a higher glycemic index than those that slowly release glucose into the blood stream.

The Glycemic Index is starting to get some attention in the health care arena based on the fact that more and more people suffer from diabetes, with millions more in the making. Several of the popular diet books are also based on the Glycemic Index approach to losing weight, including Sugar Busters, Eat Yourself Slim and the South Beach Diet.

According to the Glycemic Index, mashed potatoes, ice cream and cornflakes raise blood sugar levels higher than pure granulated sugar! While fruits, vegetables (other than potatoes) and grainy breads have a low glycemic index.

What are some of the benefits of eating foods with a low glycemic index?

• Weight loss
• Feeling of "fullness" for a longer period of time after eating
• Lower rise in blood glucose levels
• Lower risk of diabetes

For a listing of more than 750 international foods, along with their glycemic index and glycemic load (how much of a carbohydrate is in the particular food), go to www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523-2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

Dear Diary

Keeping a diary isn't just for teenaged girls!

Life coaches, mental health professionals and holistic practitioners often agree about the therapeutic benefits of keeping a journal. Whether you use the old-fashioned pen and paper or post weblogs to record your thoughts, journaling provides a means to discover who you are and can help with making decisions. Reviewing journal entries from the past often provides insights into behavior patterns and allows us to see our growth and maturity.

The biggest complaint about journaling is the time it takes, but once it becomes a habit, people very often notice tangible benefits associated with the practice. Some of the benefits of journaling include:

• Stress reduction - You can't always yell at your boss, but you can write down what you would like to say! This helps relieve the internal pressure from the anger you might be feeling.
• Organization - Journaling helps you organize your thoughts and your life with to-do lists, goals or dreams.
• Provides a life history - Journaling helps to preserve snippets of your life and provides a record of your thoughts and memories for those who come after you.
• Aids in decision-making - Often when you face a tough decision, it helps to write about the pros and cons of one option over another.
• Facilitates self-discovery - Writing in a journal allows you to be who you are, in a non-structured creative forum.

Some people like to try writing at different times of the day. Others like the routine of writing every night to review the day's events or every morning to plan the day. It's up to you. After all, it's all about your self-expression!


Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
(704) 523-2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/