An apple a day does even more than you may think!

You’ve heard the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Well, now there’s research that backs that up, and shows that eating apples may extend your lifespan, significantly lower your cholesterol, and help you to lose weight!

Apples are high in antioxidants, specifically polyphenols, which help to protect the cells and tissues of your body from all kinds of environmental damage and the aging process. Studies show that fruit flies lived 10% longer when apples were in their diet, and not only that, they were able to walk, climb and move around better and longer.

In another study, human adults who ate an apple a day for just four weeks reduced their bad cholesterol (LDL) by 40%! Such a simple diet modification should be seriously considered, especially by those using cholesterol lowering medications. While the medications can be effective, they are not without serious side effects.

Finally, eating that one apple a day about 15 minutes before a meal causes people to eat 15% less at that meal. This is most likely due to the fiber and bulk of the apple causing a feeling of fullness sooner, and over the long term will lead to significant weight loss. In all these studies, eating the whole apple is suggested to provide the most benefit. The skin is packed with antioxidants and fiber and the whole apple is only about 120 calories on average. In other words, it’s much better if you eat it whole instead of as applesauce or an apple pie! But by all means chop one up and put it in a salad, or slice one and have it with some cheese.

To learn more, please click on the links.

Apples     Apples     and more Apples!

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

               

Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and their tendons that surround the shoulder, supporting it and helping it to move through certain ranges of motion. It is a common area of complaint in the population since rotator cuff tendinopathy can result from injury, chronic overuse, or even just age. Degeneration of the tendons and shoulder joint causes a dull, toothache-like pain that can be worse at night. Acute tendonitis usually causes a burning type of pain which can be severe with reaching, repetitive motions, or attempting to lift the arm upwards, especially to the side of the body and overhead. Rotator tendon tears can cause pain at night and when resting and may cause weakness and inability to lift the arm.

Shoulder pain and stiffness can also be caused from adhesive capsulitis, the medical term for frozen shoulder. This condition usually starts between 45 to 60 years of age and can become slowly and progressively worse.

If you suffer from shoulder pain, the rotator cuff may be responsible and chiropractic can help. Through physiotherapy modalities such as ultrasound, massage therapy, trigger point therapy and electric therapy, healing can be stimulated, and various manual treatments by your chiropractor can put you on the road to recovery.

Specific home rehabilitative exercises that stabilize and strengthen the rotator cuff may be prescribed to help prevent a recurrence of shoulder problems in the future. Our offices also offer Kinesio taping and muscle activation technique (M.A.T.) which are effective in supporting and strengthening the muscles of the shoulder.

If you’ve been dealing with shoulder pain, give us a call at either office to schedule an appointment.

 

                           

 

 

 

 

Pregnancy...and Lower Back Pain

Nearly 75% of women experience lower back or pelvic pain at some point during their pregnancies, and 80% of them report that it restricts their daily home and work activities. Despite how common it is, studies show that very few of them receive any care for the pain. Don’t suffer or let your friends or loved ones suffer!

There is an effective treatment available for relief of pregnancy-related lower back and pelvic pain and it is available at Chiropractic Care in Homewood and Chicago. Dr. Ralph Kruse is a certified practitioner and instructor of Cox manipulation, and member of the American Pregnancy Association. Dr. Kruse has authored the chapter on this topic in “Low Back Pain: Mechanism, Diagnosis, and Treatment,” which is the premier text for doctors treating back pain with manipulation written by James Cox, D.C..

This is a safe, gentle, and proven treatment, and since it’s done while lying on your side, it can be used at any time during the pregnancy, even in the last trimester when the abdomen is growing and back pain is the most common. If you or someone you know are pregnant with back pain and possibly sciatica, give one of our offices a call.

Please visit our website for more detailed information.