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Change is Good!

So I decided to shave my head because I needed a change!

It is as simple as that and many of you out there need to change as well.  Change your social life, your health habits, eating habits, etc.  Change always accompanies or sits beside fear.

Its always intimidating when you are about to do something new and different but that is where a lot of growth and learning occurs. Yes it may cost you some money and time but you will be better for it.

So what I am saying if you need or want better health you need to change for the better.  BEcome the person you want to be and commit to yourself and your healthy life!  You wont regret it and as I said before, you’ll be better because of it!

Return to Activity After an Injury/Pain

Most people coming back from an injury and beginning to engage or re-engage in their activity/sport do so too quickly at too high of a level.

What I am really saying is that people jump back into it too quickly and therefore increase their risk of re-injury and reduced performance.

If you want to get back to health properly I use the 2 week rule of thumb/guideline.  That is after you get injured and you want to get back to 100%, you must be at 100% for two weeks without any reoccurrence, pain, dysfunction!!!!

Example, you like to run but you have an ankle or knee injury.  After some treatment, rest, rehab or whatever you are doing you decided to get back to running and if you are able to run for two weeks without any problems then you can return to full activity!

If on the other hand you make it into week 2 but there is a flare-up, exacerbation, and pain in the area then you must and should go back to day 1, week 1 and start all over.  This method is a great way to know if you are truly 100% to compete at the level you need to and will mentally take away the “what if” from your mind!

What to Do When Your Injury Is Not Healing?

Oh Do I get this question a lot. First, if you are injured or in pain you are already too late.  Pain and discomfort is a symptom of a problem that has been there and is often the very last sign.  Its like your body has been in dysfunction for a while but now your body is crying for help (aka Pain).

If your injury is not healing there are a few steps your need to do.

1.  Seek a professional to help you with the treatment.  There is a lot of research that shows the faster you seek care the better the outcomes.  You do not want this injury to go chronic as it will lead to a longer treatment time, possible further complications and compensation of the body.
2. If it is not healing fast enough you need to do something different.  For example if you are stretching a lot, you also need to strengthen and vice versa.  Have you given your injury the amount of a time and have you actually dedicated the time to exercise/rehab it?
3. Is what you are doing helping it?  If you are not doing the correct exercise and/or getting the results you want chances are it is not helping.  Switch it up!
4. Nutrition is the foundation for all our cells.  Promoting better health by actually eating foods and an anti-inflammatory diet can and will help your body heal faster.

Why Jiu-Jitsu Fighters Should See A Chiropractor? Neck Pain From BJJ!

As a Chiropractor in San Diego as well as a Jiu-Jitsu athlete ( at Atos HQ), I can tell you first hand that you will mostly benefit from seeking Chiropractic treatment.  Many sports athletes often sustain injuries to the spine and extremities, especially a sport such as jiu-jitsu since there tends to be a lot of inversion, torsion on the neck, neck cranks, stacking, etc.

All this stress and tension eventually leads to trauma to the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other joints.  Over time with the trauma, tension, and intensity of the sport there will come a point of breakdown of the tissues.  When you hurt a ligament it is called a sprain and when you hurt the muscle its called a strain.  Often times these to occur together and in this sport, you see a lot of this in the neck.

Over time with stress, it can lead to degenerative changes to the spine and can increase the risk for poor biomechanics, nerve pain and just pain in general.  As we break down the spine, it puts undo pressure on the discs and the nervous system.  This is important because the nervous system is the master system and controls everything from the muscles to organs and everywhere in between.  So if you want to perform better, feel better, or whatever it is, you must address the nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

In addition, as you develop poor biomechanics your other body parts will begin to compensate.  This can lead to more problems within the spine and/or lead to other areas along the kinetic chain being disturbed.  For example, if you hurt you knee you may end up using your back or hip more because you are limping.  As a result, you develop spasms, tightness, and pain into the lower back or hip.  Again, jiu-jitsu is a sport within a lot of complex movements, therefore going to see a Chiropractor to correct you deficient or poor movements will not only help with pain but help you function and feel better.  Spinal adjustments and clearing up or poor biomechanics has been shown to help neural stimulation AKA make the nerves and nervous system more awake and active.  When this is achieved your body is better adapted to the stresses you place up on it and will lead to better performance.

Should You Be Eating Bread?

Bread, is pretty much ubiquitous in the world and in the USA, the government recommends a fair amount of this in your diet but should you actually eat it?

My straight forward answer is NO!  Why?  Well, if you compare the calorie for calorie from bread to most other veggies and fruits you are going to have a significant difference in fiber, micro nutrients (minerals), and quantity of food .

One slice of bread is about 110-120 calories and remember, bread is a process to make.  Broccoli for example to have the equivalent amount of calories would be about 2 cups of broccoli and about 3 1/2 to 4X more Fiber!

Final thought, if you really want a healthier life and body, eat more fruits and veggies.  I am not totally anti-bread, especially if it is going to keep you on track but calorie for calorie, gram for gram, pound for pound, bread is inferior to raw or cooked fruits and veggies. Not to mention fruits and veggies have anti-oxidants and can play a major role in healing and reducing inflammation.