Is your head weighing on you?

Forward head posture(FHP)is a common problem with many patients. FHP means that your head is no longer in proper alignment with the rest of your body and it places undue stresses on your muscles and joints. This can lead to pain, pinched nerves and the early onset of degenerative process of your vertebral joints.

For every inch your head moves forwards, the head gains 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned, because they have to work much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping forwards onto your chest. This forces the muscles that raise the chin to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on your suboccipital nerves. This nerve compression may cause headaches at the base of the skull, and may even mimic sinus headaches!

Persistent forward head posture (a.k.a “hyperkyphotic posture”) puts compressive loads upon the upper thoracic vertebra, and is also associated with the development of Upper Thoracic Hump, which can devolve into Dowager Hump when the vertebra develop compression fractures (anterior wedging).

Symptoms associated with Forward Head Posture:

-Headaches
-Neck and upper back pain
-Shoulder pain
-Fatigue

How can Chiropractic Help:

Chiropractic can help by manually re-introducing proper motion to the restricted segments, thereby reducing muscle tension and nerve pressure. Also, the chiropractor should address the postural problems that might have led to the development of FHP, and also teach upper back and postural exercises in order to help reverse the process or reduce the progression of the FHP.

If you have any questions regarding FHP or any other chiropractic concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Best,

Dr. Eric
310-993-8482
Or visit my website at www.drEricNepo.com
Providing Chiropractic Care to Santa Monica, West L.A., Venice, Pacific Palisades and the greater L.A. Area

In the News: Atenolol and hair loss

Good Morning,

Here is an interesting article on a side effects for a blood pressure medication called "Atenolol" and hair loss. If you or anyone you know is taking atenolol, please click here to read the following article from the L.A. Times Monday Health Section.

Have a great day,

Dr. Eric
My website

Blueberries effect on brain function

Hi Friends,

I just read an interesting article on the effects of blueberries on memory function.
I thought you might like this. Click on the link below to read full article.

Best,

Dr. Eric
310-993-8482
My Website

Blueberries effect on brain function - click here

Calories: "the myth, the legend, the truth"

Most of us have heard about calories, and that carbohydrates, proteins and fats have certain amount of calories assigned per gram. But what YOU DON'T KNOW IS: how they came up with this!

Here is the scoop people: calories are measured in a very archaic way. Carbohydrates, fats or proteins (or other complex foods) are put in a "BOMB CALORIMETER". Food is BURNED (like with fire!) and the heat given off by burning it is the "caloric content" of the food. This is how they came up the numbers : 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate and protein, and 9 calories per gram of fat.

Now, if anyone else hasn't noticed yet, our bodies DO NOT BURN FOOD!Our digestive system is composed of enzymes and acids that break down food into it's components so they can be abosorved by the body via various systems. This proceses begin in the mouth with enzymes in the saliva, acids in the stomach, and more enzymes, bile and other things in the small intestine and large intestine.

Instead of counting caloric content of foods, we must concentrate on the NUTRITIONAL VALUE of foods, such as vitamin and mineral content.
Research has shown that the "so called" manufatured vitamin C in the form of "ascorbic acid" is not nearly as effective as lime juice. Why? Because vitamin C is not just ascorbic acid, but also all the co-factors and vitomers that are naturally found in real food. The same goes for all other foods.

So, if you count calories, you are being fooled. If you eat "lite" products, you are being fooled. If you buy into the "diet" products, you are being fooled. If you think you can drink a two liter bottle of diet coke and have it have no impact on your body you are being fooled! (Sorry to break the news to you)

Please note that how much you eat has an impact on how much you weight, but what you eat is more important (Picture this: try to eat 1000 calories worth of oranges versus say two bic macs!) It's nearly impossible to go overboard with that you eat when you are making healthy food choices.

The best way to approach your diet is by focusing on eating fresh products such as fresh foods and vegetables and meats (if you so choose to). Organic is better. Anything from a can you should probably avoid. Seeds and nuts = good!

The topic of what to eat is very broad, but I hope this has shed some light on the topic. For more information or if you have any questions, feel free to call me and set up a time to discuss the basic components of nutrition.

Dr. Eric

Please visit my website at www.DrEricNepo.com