Simple Tips for Taking Care of You

Most of us don’t give ourselves the well-deserved break we need to keep our mental health stable. Whether it be putting our phones down, or planning a weekend trip, it’s important to “shut-down” every now and then. At Health 1^st of the Triad, our staff takes pride in putting patients first. This is why we suggest utilizing some or all of these tips to treat you to a little rest and relaxation.

• Indulge in a massage – set aside some time to experience the complete and total bliss of a massage. It soothes both the mind and muscles, improves sleep quality, and reduces stress.


• Unplug – these days it seems like we’re all glued to our phones, laptops, or even both at the same time. Taking a break from social media, email, blogging, and so on can help us recharge and gives our brain the downtime it needs to work at an optimal level.


• Get outside – Yes we are aware that it’s winter, but ditching the comfort of your home is a great way to improve mental and physical health.

To learn more about the services we provide at the office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1^st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

 

Spinal Decompression Basics

Nonsurgical spinal decompression therapy involves stretching the spine, using a traction table or similar motorized device, with the goal of relieving back pain and/or leg pain. Here at Health of the 1^st Triad, our spinal decompression devices use the same basic principle of spinal traction. Both traction and decompression therapy are applied with the goals of relieving pain and promoting an optimal healing environment for bulging, degenerating, or herniated disks.

When the spine is gently stretched, this takes pressure off the spinal disks, which are gel-like cushions between the bones in your spine, by creating a negative pressure in the disc. As a result, bulging or herniated disks may retract, taking pressure off nerves and other structures in your spine. This, in turn, helps promote movement of water, oxygen, and nutrient-rich fluids into the disk so they can heal.

If you have back pain that you can’t seem to find relief for, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about spinal decompression, as well as other services we provide at the practice, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Many people understand that their brain controls and coordinates the body.  They may not understand that the brain is part of a complex system better known as the nervous system.  The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to various parts of the body. You can divide the nervous system into different parts better known as the central and peripheral nervous system.  The Central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord and The Peripheral nervous system is made up of the Somatic and the Autonomic nervous systems. At the most basic level, the function of the nervous system is to send signals from one cell to other cells, or from one part of the body to other parts.  This in a nutshell is the premise behind one of the largest health care fields on the planet.  Chiropractic health care looks at the functioning of the nervous system and chiropractic is a complete system of healthcare focused on restoring, preserving, and optimizing health by natural hands-on care. A basic philosophy of chiropractic is that the body naturally seeks the proper balance among all the systems of the body, and that these systems are meant to work together.  When the systems are out of balance or there are errors in communication, then the body begins to break down and a variety of symptoms can ensue.  Although chiropractors don’t treat body symptoms, a vast majority of patients notice significant changes in their overall health as a result of chiropractic care.  Since chiropractors focus on the nervous system and the nervous system coordinates all other systems it only goes to reason that if the nervous systems is working properly – there is a better chance for the rest of the systems to be working better as well.
Throughout the Triad, Health 1st has been dedicated to helping restore the nervous system function of thousands of patients.  If you or your family are looking for a chiropractor in High Point, Greensboro, Burlington or Winston Salem, then Health 1st is for you.  Find out if your nervous system is performing at it’s optimal level – we can help!

Increase Performance

Health 1st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation - Greensboro, North Carolina

If you're looking for ways to "fine-tune" your body - then look no further! At Health 1st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation - we've taken increasing performance to an entirely new level!

From Athletes to Weekend Warriors - our patients have come to expect a level of experience that is unrivaled in the Triad! So what are you waiting for? Learn how to increase your performance today!

Therapeutic Exercise for Arthritis

It’s no secret that physically active individuals are healthier, happier and live longer than those who are inactive and unfit. This is especially true for people with arthritis. Arthritis is very common and it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions and here at Health of the 1^st Triad, we’d like to discuss why arthritis patients may benefit from therapeutic exercise.

Common arthritis joint symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion. Therapeutic exercise may be useful in improving aerobic capacity, strengthening muscles, improving endurance and increasing flexibility. At Health 1^st, we custom design exercise programs to help each person recover faster and stronger. In addition, exercise, as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, can improve joint mobility, overall physical activity and may even help you maintain a healthy weight.

If you suffer from arthritis and think you may benefit from therapeutic exercise, please give us a call. To learn more about therapeutic exercise, as well as other services we provide at the practice, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

The 4 Foods To Eat BEFORE Bed...

I was talking to one of the nutrition coaches about eating and timing and you may have heard that eating before bed is a horrible time to eat if you are looking to maintain or lose weight. In fact, even the doctors have told you that eating "late" or after 7 pm will cause you to GAIN weight...quicker than any other time!

Well, there's some good and bad news, in that YES - there are foods that can lead to increased weight if eaten after 7 pm - but for all those late night folks out there, there is good news as well.  The good news is that not every food that you eat past 7 pm will be automatically deposited to your butt, thighs, and love handles.

So if we know certain foods are not good for us and certain food are, then the goal is knowing which foods to eat, and which to avoid not only during the day but as the hours continue through the day.  Here is a simple guideline to follow:  Avoid carbohydrates before bed in favor of slow-digesting high-quality protein.

 You see, eating carbohydrate in general causes  the body to produce more insulin and we know that Insulin is a fat storage hormone.  If we increase Insulin at night we stop the production of fat burning hormone and this creates a downward spiral cause the body to lower it's metabolism rate along with decreasing production of fat-burning hormone.  This is a double trouble problem that can actually be avoided by eating slow-digesting proteins!  

If you consume slow digesting proteins, you  provide your body with a steady flow of amino acids throughout the night to help give you the building block you need to recover from the traumas and stresses of the day and it helps and maintain your calorie-burning lean muscle helping you burn fat.

Here are some of my top pre-bedtime choices:

1. White Meat Animal Protein (not red meat or fish) - White meat protein sources such as chicken and turkey are great pre-bed meal choices because they digest slowly and have a very low insulin release. These sources also promote the release of another hormone, glucagon, that assists the body with breaking down stored carbs and fat within your body to be burned for energy...a double win!   On the other hand - it's important to note that red meat and fish have a significantly higher insulin response than white meat, so it's best to avoid them all together.  

2. Cottage Cheese - Although dairy is a difficult choice for many people, cottage cheese is very slow digesting and coats the stomach to be assimilated by the body over many hours. Similar to the white meat protein it can stimulate glucagon release; which helps encourage fat burning.  One tip - make sure you're using plain cottage cheese, not the flavored varieties with added sugars or fruits.

3. Green Vegetables - While these aren't considered proteins, they contain essentially no calories, are high in fiber, and they're very filling. This is one quick way to feel full and eliminate cravings - helping you stick to your eating plans!  

4. A Slow-digesting, Low-carb Protein Shake - There are a number of slow-digesting protein shakes available to you.  For many people it is a great pre-bedtime routine to have a shake to end the day.  This is easy for many people and  offers a variety of choices to make a healthy but tastey night-time snake.  Although you have multiple choices - we need to give a "thumbs up" to our friends at BioTrust.  They have a protein shake that works very well for this tip.

If you have questions on what proteins may be right for you - then talk to your Health 1st Doctors - and they can find a program that is right for you.

Whiplash Causes and Treatment

Being in a car accident is a very difficult situation on a number of levels. You are worried about your car, worried about taking time off work, but the truth of the matter is, you are least likely to worry about yourself. Neck strain is often just called whiplash and although it’s usually associated with car accidents, any impact or blow that causes your head to jerk forward or backward can cause tendon and muscle tears in your neck. A car accident is a major event, so please contact our doctors at Health of the 1^st Triad before any trauma becomes significant.

Sometimes, the pain of whiplash is immediate. In other cases, it can take several hours or a day before your neck begins to hurt. The blow that causes neck strains can sometimes cause a concussion, too. This is why it’s important to seek medical care after a serious accident. Treatment of whiplash depends on the wide variety of symptoms present. Some symptoms include neck pain and stiffness, headache, shoulder pain, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and/or back pain.

If you’ve recently been injured in a car accident, give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about whiplash as well as other services we provide at the practice, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Do You Have Poor Posture?

There are studies showing the importance of posture and overall health.  At Health 1st we've found that if we can help people improve their posture - they have better overall health.

So lets address three things you need to do to check your posture.

1. Look in the mirror!

If you just stand and look in the mirror - many postures issues can be exposed.  You can look at your shoulders, your eyes and your hips - if their not level there may be an issue.  If you see posture issues in the mirror you need to make sure they aren't affecting your health.

2. Ask your friends/co-workers/family...

Yes - mom was right!  If you're having people tell you to "sit up straight" then you may have posture issues.  Don't let your posture dictate your health - make sure you have your posture issues taken care of.

3.  Lay down.

Yes - lay on the floor.  If you lay on the floor and you don't feel "balanced" you may have posture issues.  As soon as some people lay on the floor - they notice that their body is not level with the floor.  If one hip lays on the floor and the other hip is in the air - your posture is out of balance.

If you notice any of these posture tests are about you - then YOU NEED IT EVALUATED!

Don't let your posture dictate your life - make sure it's your health FRIEND - not your health destroyer.