Your Guide to Pain-Free Holiday Travel

Bottom Line:

Holiday travel can be brutal on your body. Long hours spent jammed into a small seat on an airplane has the potential to cause a flare up of pain in your low back or neck. Even if you are traveling by car, be careful when lifting suitcases that are stuffed with an entire closet worth of clothes and gifts.  Proper spinal alignment can help your body function at it’s the highest level and keep the holiday back pain at bay! 

Why it Matters:

Your spine performs at its best when it has a balance of strength and flexibility. Chiropractic adjustments help your spine move comfortably through its entire range of motion. What’s more, when your spine is in alignment and balanced, your muscles perform better. Lifting too much weight at awkward angles can put a tremendous amount of stress on your spine and cause injuries, and after a few hours of sitting still in a plane or a car, your body isn't prepared to immediately start lifting 50 lb. suitcases. Be prepared and take a few moments during your travel to stretch, move your body, and warm up before doing any heavy lifting. 

- Stop in and get adjusted before you leave on vacation to improve how you feel and function.

- If your flight is more than an hour, be sure to get up and stretch your legs. 

- Be cautious and lift with your legs when moving suitcases and gifts.

Next Steps: 

A lot of patients have told us that getting that adjustment before leaving for their vacation helped them avoid having a relapse of pain. Give your back a gift and consider coming in to get an adjustment before leaving on your vacation, and from our family to yours, happy holidays!

Science Source: 

The effect of spinal manipulative therapy on spinal range of motion: a systematic literature review. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2012

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Everybody experiences stress - job stress, family stress, financial stress, physical stress, holiday stress - and we may not like to admit it, but stress can impact our health.

The Gut/Brain Connection

Bottom Line:

If you have ever had “butterflies” or have been stressed to the point of your stomach hurting, you’ve experienced the gut/brain connection firsthand. Even the thought of food can activate your digestive system because it’s intimately connected with your brain and central nervous system.

They are in constant communication, sending messages back and forth. So not only can stress make your stomach hurt, but your stomach hurting can actually stress you out!

Why it Matters:

Researchers have discovered that people with digestive issues may actually experience pain more acutely due to the sensitivity in their gut. Any added stress can cause this pain to seem even more intense.

Some of the most common gut and digestive system issues related to stress are heartburn, abdominal cramping, and bloating. The good news is, researchers also found that people who were able to reduce stress have seen significant improvement in their digestive complaints.

- Your brain and gut are continually communicating, with your mood affecting your gut and your gut affecting your mood.

- Digestive issues like heartburn, abdominal cramps, and bloating can all occur due to stress.

- Reducing daily stress has been shown to improve many of those digestive issues significantly.

Next Steps:

Gut and digestive issues can place a tremendous amount of stress on your daily life. By reducing your stress with a combination of exercise, diet, and Chiropractic care, you give your gut the best opportunity to stay balanced and happy.

If you have any questions about your gut health, let us know! We’re happy to help you find a natural solution!

Science Source:

Harvard Health Publishing. Healthbeat. 2018

Johns Hopkins Medicine. The Gut-Brain Connection. 2018

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Our modern diet and lifestyle have been linked to a variety of digestive issues. The overall health of your digestive system is closely tied to the food you eat, the exercise you get, and your overall stress levels. 

What is Leaky Gut?

Bottom Line:

Leaky gut has been getting a lot of publicity over the past year, but what is it? Researchers have theorized that leaky gut is when partially digested protein and fat seep out of your digestive system and cause inflammation in your body.

The inflammation, or allergic response, can lead to bloating, thyroid issues, fatigue, joint pain, digestive issues, food sensitivities, and a host of other unpleasant symptoms. As a matter of fact, one of the primary signs of leaky gut is experiencing multiple food sensitivities.

Why it Matters:

 No one wants to deal with bloating, fatigue or food sensitivities, but the real reason leaky gut has become such a problem is that if left untreated, it has the potential to develop into inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and even chronic fatigue syndrome.

Eating lectin, gluten, and sugar have been identified as the three primary factors in developing a leaky gut. All three of these substances can affect the bacteria in your gut, promote inflammation in your intestines, and even lead to micro-tears that cause leaky gut.

- Leaky gut is a condition affecting millions of people and can result in bloating, fatigue, joint pain, and food sensitivities.

- Lectin, gluten, and sugar all contribute to the inflammation process that can lead to leaky gut.

- Removing the foods that cause leaky and rebalancing your gut bacteria can make a massive impact on your overall health.

Next Steps:

If you want to learn more about leaky gut, and what you can do to prevent it, I invite you to join us for our upcoming complimentary “Eliminate Digestive Issues” workshop. This workshop is completely free to attend and packed with information to help you improve your gut health.

Science Source:

WebMD. Defining Leaky Gut Syndrome. 2018

Harvard Health. Leaky gut: What is it, and what does it mean for you? 2018

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Our modern diet and lifestyle have been linked to a variety of digestive issues. The overall health of your digestive system is closely tied to the food you eat, the exercise you get, and your overall stress levels. 

Your Gut and Your Health

Bottom Line:

Bacteria is something we are trained to from childhood, but the truth is that our bodies are filled with trillions of bacteria that help play an essential role in our digestive processes and much more. Researchers have recently discovered that the types and amounts of bacteria in your gut is actually linked to your likelihood of developing diabetes, obesity, depression, and even cancer.

So, it would appear that our digestive health isn’t just about what we put into our mouths, but is a critical factor in our overall health and well-being.

Why it Matters:

There are hundreds of different types of bacteria in your gut that line your entire digestive system and continuously interact with your nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Believe it or not, these small bacteria can impact everything from your mood to the strength of your immune system!

But they also are responsible for how efficiently your body is able to process the foods you eat. Imbalances in your gut bacteria can slow down your metabolism and even lead to metabolic syndrome, which is a precursor to diabetes.

- You have a unique combination of bacteria in your gut. It is specific to you, just like your fingerprint.

- A gut with too much or too little bacteria can cause a variety of health problems including constipation, irritable bowel, or metabolic syndrome.

- A healthy diet and active lifestyle can dramatically improve the overall health of your gut.

Next Steps:

Body signals such as constipation, irritable bowel, or even mood swings can be signs of an imbalanced gut. If you have been suffering from any of these symptoms, please let us know. We’re aware of the impact those body signals can have on your daily life.

Our team has helped guide hundreds of people to better gut health, and we would be happy to see if we could also help you!

Science Source:

Gut Bacteria in Health and Disease. Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013

Healthline. 10 Ways to Improve Your Gut Bacteria. 2016

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Our modern diet and lifestyle have been linked to a variety of digestive issues. The overall health of your digestive system is closely tied to the food you eat, the exercise you get, and your overall stress levels.