Dr. Krieger's Health Tip of the Month

If it is good for my business it is bad for your health. The word doctor means teacher and so I will give you 4 tips to help make your winter healthy and happy. The first tip I will give I wrote last December on snow shoveling. Winter begins December 22; with it brings cold weather and white lumpy rain better known as snow. Snow is relatively light, but when we have to shovel, the story changes because we have to move numerous shovels full of snow. The single shovel of snow does not cause the body many problems. It's the multiple shovels of snow that cause the problems. An athlete exercises his body developing endurance and strength in the gym. The athlete practices his particular sport developing coordination and skill. Then the athlete takes his body to the playing field where he competes. The athlete can become injured if he does not practice enough because his body has not built up the endurance for prolonged competition. The moving of multiple shovels of snow is the same thing, especially if we lift the snow with our back muscles instead of our leg muscles. The back muscles are small in comparison to the leg muscles. When we do shovel it is important to lift the snow with our legs (the big muscles) and then step (moving our feet like throwing a football) to throw the snow onto the snow bank. If our feet are planted, the twisting without stepping can damage your lumbar disks. Just a few short minutes of snow shoveling with bad technique can strain the muscles of the spine and damage the ligaments and disks of your lumbar and thoracic spine. If the tip of moving your feet sounds familiar, that's because it's the same as last month's tip on leaf raking and vacuuming.

The other muscle that can be seriously affected by snow shoveling is our heart. Wet snow compounds this problem dramatically because of the increased weight. Instead of carrying the snow, try pushing the snow and then lifting and throwing closer to the snow bank. Shoveling is heavy exercise and requires the same preparation as participating in any sporting activity. It is important to wear proper clothing, the body produces heat with exercise, so wear layers to absorb the sweat and keep the temperature constant (it may be below zero or near freezing). Most of the heat your body looses is through your head, so wear an appropriate hat. Hydrate by drinking water or other fluids; try to avoid caffeinated beverages, as the caffeine acts as a diuretic, which takes more fluids out of you. Most games have periods or quarters for the athletes to rest, so shovel for 15-20 minutes or for a certain distance, then rest. If you are not sure how much you have exerted yourself, check your heart rate. With exercise the proper heart rate should be 60-80% of your maximum heart rate, which is calculated by 220 - your age x 60% (or 80%). Stretch afterwards. If you experience chest pain or difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately! If you suffer a back injury, begin home therapy with ice then contact your chiropractor. Our office initiates care with an examination and case history. We will then determine your need for care. Remember the muscles and ligaments are attached to the vertabrae of the spine. When muscles or ligaments are damaged the vertabrae move abnormally (like walking with one shoe on and one off). With the abnormal motion, the nearby nerve roots that exit between the vertabrae become irritated and cause pain.

The second tip I will give I wrote in January of last year. The cold weather brings ice and snow on the roads. Several of our patients have been involved in accidents. Remember to slow down and allow a greater following distance during these slippery conditions. If you are involved in a car accident and you suffer spinal pain, begin with icing and then contact us for immediate care. Depending on the severity of your injuries you may need to go the emergency room first. The longer you wait the greater chance of scar tissue developing. Remember you only have 30 days to contact your no fault carrier. In most cases your care is covered 100% (sometimes there is a small deductible).

The third tip is to help your immune system work better. I recommend that the average person take 1000-2000 milligrams of vitamin C. The Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling PHD. recommends 15000 milligrams for an average person. His basis for this was based on the diet of primates and ancient man. He felt that the Vitamin C was contained in the fresh fruits and vegetables that they ate. Current research suggests that Vitamin C reduced the length of the illness for those already taking Vitamin C. The follow was excerpted from US News and World Report...

What they found: Most of the time, vitamin C didn't keep people from catching colds. However, when people, especially children, took vitamin C before they became sick, the illness didn't last as long. Most studies showed that the vitamin didn't help people who waited until after the onset of symptoms to take vitamin C, although one large study found that already-sick patients who took 8,000 mg on the first day of their illness got better faster. One group of people did seem to benefit more than others: Marathon runners, skiers, and soldiers exposed to extreme cold or physical exertion got sick 50 percent less often when they took vitamin C as a preventive measure. Read the article: Douglas, R.M. and Hemila, H. "Vitamin C for Preventing and Treating the Common Cold." Public Library of Science Medicine. June 2005, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 132-133.

My fourth tip is for everyone but especially those of you who suffer the mid winter blues better know as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), It will also help your immune system. The key to prevention of SAD is exercise. In a study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine researchers found that working out 3 times per week in a supervised exercise groups reduced the signs of depression in 45% of their group, the medication Zoloft reduced the depression in 47% of their group. Researchers believe exercise enhances the mood by releasing norepinephrine and serotonin. Efexor is a serotonin uptake inhibitor meaning it stops the uptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin just like exercise. My recommendations for exercise include aerobic exercise for 45 minutes 3 times per week. In addition 2 days per week should be dedicated to resistance training including weight lifting, tai chi, cross country skiing and swimming. Find a partner to go and make it a standing day and time. Try to make it fun. Exercise helps the immune system to circulate white blood cells, reduce cholesterol, acts as an antidepressant and helps your heat stay healthy.

When is the most common time to have a heart attack?

A. mid afternoon B. early morning just before waking C, lunchtime D, after opening your gas bill (answer below)

IN PAIN? Contact Dr. Krieger at 633-6044 or docbillchiro@juno.com

William L. Krieger DC

5225 Sheridan Dr.

Williamsville, NY14221

Website: Kriegerchiropracticofwny.topchiro.com

The correct answer is early morning just before waking.

Have a Happy Holiday and a Healthy New Year