If your feet and low back hurt by the end of the day, it's not normal. It could be effectively treated with a simple change of your shoes.

I had heard all about barefoot shoes for years before trying them myself. The Vibram Five Fingers were the popular choice and I had tried them early on at the store. However, I disliked the fabric between my toes and the need for special socks so I decided not to buy.

Fast forward 5 years and many hours a day on my feet later. I began to experience incredible soreness in the soles of my feet along with low back stiffness. The last thing I considered were my shoes. Especially since I had purchased expensive running shoes with plenty of squishy comfort. I was even given gifted a pair of custom made orthotics from my previous employer, which actually made my feet hurt more.

Nothing helped until I revisited the barefoot shoe. I was at a running store in Park Ridge, IL and came upon a sale on New Balance Minimus shoes. They were the last ones in stock, my size and only $40. I began wearing the shoes at work and quickly noticed a difference. By the end of the day, I had zero pain in my feet and my low back was still ready to go eight more hours. I began wearing those shoes everywhere.

Being able to feel the ground underneath you as you walk and even notice slight inconsistencies within the sidewalk was an interesting concept. I no longer stubbed my toes and over time began noticing better overall balance as I walked over uneven terrain. I was hooked and haven't gone back since.

If you look at all the seats available for bicycles, you notice there are more than just a handful. There are gel, foam, leather, skinny, fat, etc. The extremely comfy and thick ones can actually be bad for you. Your sit bones in your pelvis need to be properly supported and if not, your tailbone may begin taking on some of the weight. Your tailbone is not a good support structure for weight and if irritated can lead to pilidonal cysts. You'll notice long distance cyclists have some of the hardest seats even though they're riding for hundreds of miles. It can be either leather or fabric, but in either instance there's hardly any squishy comfort. 

Now going back to barefoot shoes. The feet should be properly supported by your heel, toes and the ball of your foot with the arches intact and not touching the insert of your shoe. If there's too much cushion, your arches no longer have an effect as your entire foot sinks down into the sole. If your arches are no longer needed, wouldn't it make sense that they would begin to lose strength and slowly flatten? Improper arch support then has a laundry list of health problems including plantar fasciitis, uneven gait, knee pain, hip pain, low back pain, etc, etc.

Here's the summary to this post. If you are working long hours on your feet, have fallen arches or would just like a more natural walking/running gait; look to barefoot shoes for relief.

Written by: Dr. Thomas R Pellatt, DC

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Livability.com has ranked the city of Eau Claire, Wisconsin number 59 in the top 100 best places to live in the United States. It's not the first time Eau Claire has been ranked at being a great place to live and it can only get better as downtown continues to enjoy revitalization.

Eau Claire's "Livability" Scores
Economics: 71
Health Care: 75
Housing: 82
Social/Civic capital: 67
Education: 61
Amenities: 56
Demographics: 43
Infrastructure: 49
Livability Score: 628

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Walking at work has been touted as a great way to normalize blood flow, decrease low back pain and increase morale in the workplace. This video sums everything up nicely from a walking study done by Indiana University. An increase in muscle activity thus creating better blood flow was shown to normalize arterial function in the body. If workers are allowed to sit for periods, blood tends to pool in the legs since muscles are not effectively helping circulation go back to the heart as talked about in this video from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Please take the time to read all of our health and wellness blog posts or visit ChiroElite Chiropractic's main page.

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"The best doctor gives the least medicines."
-Benjamin Franklin

Neti Pots can be an effective and natural way to combat seasonal allergies and other sinus related illnesses. No medication works as fast and fully in clearing nasal congestion than neti pots and other sinus rinses. 

Here's what Mayo Clinic has to say about them: A neti pot is a container designed to rinse your nasal cavity. You might use a neti pot to treat nasal allergies, sinus problems or colds. In fact, many people believe that regular use of a neti pot is more effective for nasal allergy and sinus symptoms than are over-the-counter medications.

If you are making your own saltwater solution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using bottled water that has been distilled or sterilized. Tap water is acceptable if it's been passed through a filter with a 1-micron pore size or if it's been boiled for several minutes and then left to cool.

To use the neti pot, tilt your head over the sink, place the spout of the pot in the upper nostril and gently pour in the water. As you pour, the water will flow through your nasal cavity and out the lower nostril. Repeat on the other side.

Be sure to rinse the irrigation device after each use with similarly distilled, sterile, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered water and leave open to air dry.

Neti pots are often available in pharmacies and health food stores, and you can find an even wider selection online.

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy for oral health and detoxification. It involves the use of pure oils as agents for pulling harmful bacteria, fungus, and other organisms out of the mouth, teeth, gums and even throat.

The most effective oil pulling is done by placing around a tablespoon of cold pressed organic sesame oil into the mouth and swishing the oil around the mouth for approximately 10-15 minutes and then spitting it out.

First, the oils mix with the saliva, turning it into a thin, white liquid. Lipids in the oils begin to pull out toxins from the saliva. As the oil is swished around the mouth, teeth, gums and tongue, the oil continues to absorb toxins, and usually ends up turning thick and viscous and white. Once the oil has reached this consistency, it is spit out before the toxins are reabsorbed.

Multiple scientific studies show the efficacy of oil pulling therapy. One study shows that oil pulling with sesame oil can boost overall oral health. Specifically, using sesame oil as an oral health agent helps to reduce the amount of S. mutans (germ) count in both teeth plaque and mouth saliva. Scientists believe that the lipids in the oil both pull out bacteria, as well as stop bacterial from sticking to the walls of the oral cavity.

• Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States

• Up to 80 percent of all strokes are preventable through lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, normalizing your blood sugar levels and blood pressure, and quitting smoking

• Recent research shows that those with vitamin C deficiency are at an increased risk for hemorrhagic stroke. In an earlier study, people with high blood levels of vitamin C reduced their stroke risk by 42 percent

• Research also suggests that iron deficiency can increase your risk of ischemic stroke if you have hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, a hereditary disease that causes enlarged blood vessels in your lungs

• Sun exposure can reduce your stroke risk both by elevating your vitamin D levels, and by inducing nitric oxide in your skin, which helps normalize your blood pressure

Reference: www.mercola.com

Many chiropractors agree that the carrier on the right is the best position for preventing hip dislocation – your baby’s thighs are supported to the knee, with the main weight of their body on their bum, not their crotch, unlike in the Baby Bjorn.



Reference: http://www.megganmamma.com/2013/11/01/why-id-never-put-my-baby-in-a-baby-bjorn-carrier/