Got Acid Reflux? Try this natural remedy!

It has been reported that chewing 2 to 3 ALMONDS after a meal can eliminate acid reflux. Try is and let us know if it works!

Dr. Eric
Your Santa Monica Chiropractor
www.drericnepo.com

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A little info on Vitamin E

Vitamin E

Benefits: 1. IT IS AN ANTIOXIDANT.
2. HELPS PREVENT CANCER.
3. HELPS PREVENT HEART DISEASE.
4. AIDS IN MALE INFERTILITY.
5. RELIEVE THE SYMPTOMS OF BENIGN BREAST DISEASE.
6. HELPS WITH DIABETES.
7. HELPS IN EYE HEALTH.
8. HELPS PREVENT INTERMITTENT CLAUDICATION AND LEG CRAMPS.
9. SLOWS DOWN THE PROGRESSION OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

How it Works: Because Vitamin E is an antioxidant, it binds to free radicals in the body that cause problems to cells and can lead lead to things like cancer, cataracts, heart problems, male infertility, and Parkinson's initial stages. Vitamin E helps diabetics maintian their blood sugar, and may prevent diabetic neuropathy which is basically caused from too much blood sugar around the nerves. Vitamin E works best with adequate amounts of selenium.

Sources: Good food sources of vitamin E are: almonds, apples, asparagus, avodocados, corn oil, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sweet patatoes, and wheat germ.

Recommendations: The MINIMUM amount of Vitamin E needed for children 1-3 years old is 6 mg/day. The MINIMUM for children 4-8 years old is 7 mg/day. The MINIMUM for children 9-13 years old is 11mg/day. The MINIMUM for people 14 and older is 15 mg/day. The MINIMUM for pregnant women is 15 mg/day. Finally, the MINIMUM for nursing women is 19 mg/day.


Dr. Eric
Your local Santa Monica Chiropractor
www.drEricNepo.com
310-993-8482

How important is proper spinal posture? READ THIS!

More on Forward Head Posture (FHP)

According to Rene Cailliet MD, director of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Southern California, forward head posture can add up to 30 pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. FHP results in loss of vital capacity of the lungs by as much as 30 percent. This shortness of breath can lead to heart and blood vascular disease. The entire gastrointestinal system is affected; particularly the large intestine. Loss of good bowel peristaltic function and evacuation is a common effect of FHP. It causes an increase in discomfort and pain because proprioceptive signals from the first four cervical vertebrae are a major source of the stimuli which create the body's pain controlling chemicals (endorphins). With inadequate endorphin production, many otherwise non-painful sensations are experienced as pain. FHP dramatically reduces endorphin production. (from www.toyourhealth.com)

Have you had your neck and posture assessed lately?

Dr. Eric
310-993-8482
www.drericnepo.com
2116 Wilshire Blvd. #208
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Foot Pain? can it be Plantar Faciitis?

If you have ever stepped out of bed and felt like you had an ice pick stuck in your heel, then you know plantar faciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is characterized by pain in the heel of the foot or in the sole of the foot, usually exacerbated by walking without proper arch support. The pain tends to be increased in the morning hours (as the muscles of the foot and calf tighten up at night) and decreases a bit as the day goes on.

Common causes of plantar fasciitis are joint fixations within the tarsal bones (bones of the foot), tight calves muscles and tight foot muscles.

Although many people suffer from this condition for months and years on end, Chiropractic care is very effective treating this condition. A combination of chiropractic adjustments to the foot, myofascial release and some exercises alleviate and in many cases completely get rid of this condition.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from foot pain we may have the solution you are looking for.

Dr. Eric
Chiropractor
Santa Monica, CA
310-993-8482
www.drericnepo.com

Chronic Health Conditions Increase in Children

From an article published in the L.A. Times today,it appears that children today are more likely to suffer from chronic illneses than our ancestors.

The three main conditions noted in the article were childhood obesity, asthma and attention deficit disorder type of conditions (ADD).

Notably childhood obesity is a lifestyle disease which one can easily mangage by addressing the child's diet. A close friend of mine is an othopedic surgeon and she has told me horrible stories of children who need a double knee replacment because they are so fat that their skeleton can't support their body weight. She told me that post surgery, one of the mom's brought the child a huge fast food burrito! In her words, she called this child abuse.

We can do better to our children by feeding them naturally occuring foods like foods and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and non-process proteins like fish, chicken and beef.

Obesity leads to several disorders including diabetes, back pain, knee pain, and depression amongst other things.

Click on this link to read the full article.

From your Santa Monica Chiropractor,

Dr. Eric

Chiropractic and Professional sports

I just came across this video of one of my favorite 49ers and I thought it would be a good idea to share with you.
I hope you enjoy it.

Feel free to contact me with any quiropractic questions you may have.

Best,

Dr. Eric

Video link to Jerry Rice and Chiropractic Care

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

Automobile Accidents: What to Expect

Most of us have had the unfortunate luck to have been involved in a car accident. There are many common injuries that result from this type of accident such as:

1. Whiplash
2. Herniated disks
3. Headaches
4. Subluxated ribs
5. Fatigue
6. Mid and low back pain
7. Sciatica
8. And many more...

I'm writing about this now because I have recently been seeing quite a few patients come in with various degrees of injuries resulting from auto accident ranging from mild muscle strains to more severe disc injuries, severe headaches and serious knee injuries (from impact of the knee against the dashboard).

Sometimes symptoms begin 24-72 hours after the injuries occur.

Fast diagnosis and care after auto accidents are the best way to prevent lasting effects from your injuries. If you or a loved one get hurt after an auto accident make sure you contact me or your primary health care provider and begin treatment as soon as possible after the accident.

Dr. Eric
Website
310-993-8482

TENSION HEADACHES

TENSION HEADACHES

Tension Headaches are the most common type of headaches out there.
They can be debilitating and bring you to depend of prescription or over the counter medications. Recently I had the opportunity to help a young man who had been suffering from headaches for years and was getting them on the average of 5-7 days per week! This young man had a history of minor but chronic head trauma -As former professional defensive soccer player he was used to heading the ball over and over again-. Over the years, he'd tried prescription and over the counter medications only to get temporary help and no permanent solution to his problem. He has been treating with me for one month now, and I'm elated to say that since his second visit he has not had one headache!!!!

CHIROPRACTIC CARE:

* Remove subluxations (spinal joint restrictions)

* Remove nerve interference

* Release muscle tension

* Restore the body to health


If you know anyone who has chronic headaches, let them know we may be able to help.

Dr. Eric
310-993-8482
www.drericnepo.com

Spinal mis-alignments and Back Pain

Spinal mis-alignments, otherwise known as subluxations can cause back pain, neck pain and a variety of other problems. When the vertebrae are out-of-alignment they not only cause pain but also affect how the nerves that come out of the spine work. A pinched or irritated nerve can cause muscle pain and dysfunction and it may also affect how the organs and tissues that particular nerve supplies work.

In recent studies, pinched nerves in the neck were shown to increase blood pressure.

If you are suffering from back pain, neck pain, or you want to be pro-active in your health, call my office for a spinal check up.


Common signs that you might have a subluxation are:

* headaches
* neck/back pain
* shoulder pain
* numbness and/or tingling down the arms and fingers or your feet
* restricted range of motion
* tension in your muscles
* neck pain or discomfort coupled with increase blood pressure


Dr. Eric
www.drericnepo.com
310-993-8482
2116 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 208
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Headaches

Headaches can be debilitating. The most common type of headaches are called "tension" headaches.

According to the CDC, up to 80% of all headaches originate in the neck. Chiropractic can help relieve headaches by reliving pressure on the nerves that come out the suboccipital and cervico-thoracic junctions that are usually the culprit of the headaches.

If you know anyone who suffers from headaches and is tired of popping Tylenol, Advil or other meds that only address the symptom, please pass along my number. There may be a drug-free solution to their problem.

Dr. Eric
310-993-8482
www.drericnepo.com

Rotator Cuff Injuries - Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is commonly associated with rotator cuff injuries.

What is the Rotator Cuff?
The rotator cuff is composed of four muscles that wrap around the head of the humerus (arm) and provide both movement and stability to the joint. When injuries occur it's important to understand the patients muscle imbalances, posture and the cause of the injury in order find the best treatment protocol.

When the injury is due to repetitive stress, as most injuries tend to be, understanding the mechanical stress is key to finding the appropriate solution.

Common Treatments:
Myofascial release, muscle strengthening and stretching are the most effective ways to treat minor to moderate injuries. Passive modalities such as ultrasound therapy and electrical muscular stimulation are also used, but usually reserved for acute or very chronic conditions.
Chiropractic adjustments also help restore proper motion to the joints (gleno-humeral, scapular-thoracic articulation and sterno-clavicular joint) allowing the entire shoulder complex to function better.

If you know anyone who has shoulder pain, let them know we may be able to help.

Dr. Eric

New Office

So, I'm all settled in the new office and excited to continue to grow a practice based on good health.

Chiropractic is much more than pain relief. Chiropractic is based on how structural alignment (restrictions) affects the surrounding structures. By detecting and correcting spinal restrictions you can actually prevent problems, and improve how your body works.

I look forward to the opportunity to help you thrive,

Dr. Eric

below are pictures of the new office!

Immunity and Chiropractic

So summer is here, and apparently so is the flu. Often patients don't want to come into the office if they have the flu or are sick. That is the perfect time to come in. Chiropractic adjustments relieve subluxations that maybe be preventing your body from fighting disease. In fact, untreated subluxations may be the cause of a weaken immune systems that makes you susceptible to develop symptoms.

Remember, viruses and bacteria are all around us and on us. Only when our bodies are weak do this viruses and bacteria develop into symptoms and disease.

Have you had your spine checked lately?

Dr. Eric
Bay Chiropractic and Rehabilitation
310-993-8482
www.drEricNepo.com

My Cousin Sciatica

Sciatica is referred to an inflammation of your sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It begins in your lower back and travels down your pelvis, thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes. When inflamed, it can cause a multitude of symptoms from pain, to numbness, tingling, and/or weakness anywhere along the path of the nerve.
Patients will sometimes experience low back pain, while others only experience pain or tingling in one toe!

What causes SCIATICA?
Irritation or the sciatic nerve can be cause by variety of pathways, from a spinal misalignment, to ruptured disc, to a sports injury or car accident among other things.

Chiropractic can help!
In many cases chiropractic is the best choice of treatment for sciatica! Chiropractic adjustments have been show to relieve symptoms of sciatica by reliving pressure on the nerve and re-establishing the proper bio-mechanics on the lumbar spine.

Will chiropractic always help?
As much as I want to be able to help everyone, sometimes patients need more invasive care, such as surgical intervention.
In cases where the nerve is severely impinged upon by a ruptured disc, severe degeneration or other causes, a consultation with a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon will be required.

If you have any questions on Sciatica please do not hesitate to call me. If I can't help you, I will be more than happy to refer you to the appropriate health care professional than can take care of your needs.

Dr. Eric

Custom Orthotics

Dear Friends,
Have you ever wondered why your feet hurt?
Foot pain is a common problem problem for many of us. As I sit here in my office and open a box that contains my two new pairs of custom orthotics I recall the time when foot and leg pain was as common to me as the air I breathe.

Once upon a time I got inspired to start running. To my surprise two weeks into it I began experiencing foot pain and shin pain. Things got so bad that I had to give up training. Two years later, I told the story to my chiropractor and he told me that the problem was due to my collapsed arches (Flat feet) and that I could probably benefit from custom orthotics.

Seven years later and countless miles of running behind me which includes the completion of the L.A. Marathon in 2006 I can tell you that I am very grateful for my orthotics.

Over the last few years, I have helped many patients deal with foot, ankle and knee pain both with and without custom orthotic therapy.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing foot pain, knee pain, or low back pain that is recurring and is not getting better, orthotic or chiropractic therapy may be the right answer for you.

Feel free to contact me with any questions at drericnepo@gmail.com, 310-993-8482, or visit my website at www.drericnepo.com

Chiropractic and the World....

As many of you know, I just traveled to Costa Rica for a little R&R, and it was there were I found a great boost to my profession. Everywhere I went I met people from many different places, from the local Ticos to Americans, Canadians and Argentineans (among others). As we struck conversations the topic of what do you do always came up. When I told people I was a Chiropractor I got an overwhelming response from people. Aside from every one nearly falling on the floor and begging for an adjustment (really), people really appreciated what we do as chiropractors.
In California, we are lucky that there is a large number of Chiropractors, but in many places such as Costa Rica, there are few.


I'm happy to be back and to get back to helping you be as healthy as you can be.
If you have any questions about chiropractic and if it can help you, please don't hesitate to call me.

Best,

Dr. Eric
www.drEricNepo.com

New Years Resolutions

Dear Friends,
now it's the time when most people think about "new year's resolutions", which as you know, nobody keeps (and by nobody I mean the majority of people). The reason that most people don't make it is that they set unrealistic goals for themselves. For example, someone who never works out and is really busy, and loves chocolate covered doughnuts decides to become a fitness buff and work out 6 days a week. LIKELY? NOT! This person should probably commit to working out two to three times per week, and would probably benefit from a group work out environment in order to be accountable and also make it fun.

So here are some tips to make your new years resolutions stick:

1. Set realistic goals, and when at all possible make your goals fun! (if you are not having fun, why do it?)
2. Draw a diagram of how to achieve your goals, step by setp.
3. Don't skip steps (self sabotage)
4. Make yourself accountable.
5. Reward yourself for the completion of each goal.

Let me share one of my personal goals: I used to practice yoga two to three times per week for years. I loved it and enjoyed the benefits of yoga. I somehow branched away from yoga when my favorite teacher retired and started to practice other forms of exercise such as running, rock climbing and tennis. Now I would like to start yoga again. I know that 2-3 times per week will be very unrealistic of me at the moment, so my goal is to begin practicing yoga once per week in 2009. Thats once a week, four times a month, fifty two times a year. Doesn't sound hard right?

Well, wish me luck as I wish you luck and good health for 2009.

Dr. Eric