Got Pain? Get Walking!

While studies show that back pain is very common, about 80% of us will experience it, there's also a very common activity that can help prevent it: walking!

People who walk regularly, an average of 30-40 minutes 4-5 times per week, have less incidence of mechanical lower back pain related to the disks and joints of the lower back than non-walkers. The benefits are thought to be due to the following reasons:

• Walking strengthens the muscles in the feet, legs, hips, and torso, which increases the stability of the spine.
• Walking nourishes the spinal structures through improved circulation, with increased blood flow ensuring adequate nutrients for healthy joints and disks, and also removing toxins.
• Walking encourages better flexibility and posture, reducing strain on the spinal structures.
• Walking is fun and relaxing! Stress and mental fatigue can contribute to back pain, and walking can help to alleviate this.

In addition to preventing back pain, a study in The Spine Journal showed that walking and other exercise can help you get through a current back injury. Back pain sufferers who partake in an exercise program report less pain and disability as well as a quicker recovery than those who were sedentary.

You probably already have all the equipment you need, so get out there!

Please visit our website or call our offices for more information - 312.269.5556 or 708.798.5556

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House Plants and Your Health

January is a time when many people make resolutions to improve their health. If you like having houseplants around, you may be helping your health without even thinking about it! In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, some plants effectively scrub the air of various indoor toxins.

The EPA estimates that our indoor air, especially with houses closed up for the winter, is two to five times more polluted than the air outside. Many hundreds of chemicals associated with items we use to furnish and clean our houses are in the air we breathe. House plants, through the same process they use for respiration (photosynthesis) can help clean these volatile organic compounds out of the air. NASA research showed that one houseplant per 100 square feet of living space can considerably improve the air quality. So 15-17 plants spaced around a typical American home can make a big difference in your health.

A list of the plants determined to be the most efficient “cleaners,” include: peace lily, Boston fern, areca palm, ficus alii, and Madagascar dragon tree. All of these are common house plants available at most nurseries and home improvement stores.

So with our homes closed up and the lack of green outside right now in the Midwest, adding some plants inside your home is a simple and beautiful way to help your family breathe easier! If you have seen our Homewood office, you know we have numerous plants including some of those mentioned above. Hopefully these contribute to the healthy environment of our office.

Please visit our website or call our offices for more information - 312.269.5556 or 708.798.5556

                 

 

Bears Repeating!

Expanded Hours in Chicago!

Chiropractic Care Millennium Park is now open before, during and after work!
 
Hours:
Monday 10:00 - 7:00
Tuesday 8:00 - 2:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 7:00
Thursday 8:00 - 7:00
Friday 10:00 - 7:00
Saturday 10:00 - 2:00 - Massage only
All hours are by appointment

Cox 8 Flexion Distraction Decompression

Chiropractic Care is pleased to have both offices equipped with the latest start-of-the-art Cox 8 Flexion Distraction Decompression table, the instrument of choice to address your spinal concerns from neck to lower back.

The Cox 8 Table is an instrument that:
- allows mobilization in all spinal ranges of motion
- allows full spinal application
- has published protocols for its application

We are extremely excited to have this new advanced table to help us in our hands-on care of your spine. It's the perfected instrument for the proven chiropractic technique!

Chiroflow Water-Based Pillow Sale...

SAVE $10 ON YOUR PURCHASE (only $50...until February 1st)

A good solution for finding just the right pillow for your body is the Chiroflow water-based pillow. It is adjustable to meet your exact needs.

The Chiroflow Pillow is available at both our Homewood and Chicago offices.

Please visit our website or call our offices for more information - 312.269.5556 or 708.798.5556