Are We Overly Caffeinated?
Copious amounts of caffeine are often consumed to help us wake up, stay alert and keep going through the day. Caffeine causes our feel-good dopamine level to increase, producing a positive state of mind. Depending on a person’s tolerance and sensitivity, caffeine can produce some unwanted side effects like virtually any other drug:
- Jitters – Too much caffeine can cause moderate to severe shaking.
- Insomnia – For some, consuming caffeine late in the day can make sleep difficult.
- Addiction – With caffeine being moderately addictive, withdrawal headaches are common.
- High blood pressure – Stress hormones released by caffeine can elevate blood pressure.
- Anxiety – Caffeine can increase nervousness and a heightened sense of tension.
Think you may be overly caffeinated? Swap out a caffeinated drink for another liquid your body craves for energy production—water!
3 Drug-Free Approaches to Pain
By now, you’ve heard that many countries across the world are dealing with an opiate problem. The use of these powerful drugs often results in addiction. Opiates are drugs derived from the opium poppy plant. When the active ingredients are extracted and modified in the lab, the human-made products are called opioids. They are highly addictive.
The search for painkillers is as old as the human race. No wonder: A 2012 survey of US adults found that 40 million people had severe pain every day for the previous 90 days. Here are some effective, drug-free approaches to pain:
Chiropractic – Conservative, non-pharmacologic pain management should be explored before riskier and potentially addictive solutions.
Hot or cold – A change in temperature can often reduce painful symptoms. Use ice for a new injury and heat for an older, chronic injury.
Move – Physical activity can help interrupt the pain cycles associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Try walking, swimming or cycling.
Unlock Your Nervous System Potential
It surprises many of our patients and practice members to learn that chiropractic adjustments don’t treat their symptoms.
Granted, it’s their symptoms that often prompt them to consult our practice. But our recommendations, which include a series of chiropractic adjustments, don’t treat their symptoms. In other words, neck adjustments don’t treat neck pain or headaches. And lumbar adjustments don’t treat sciatica or other low back conditions.
Confused? Consider your car key. It doesn’t make your car go. It merely unlocks the potential engineered into your vehicle by its manufacturer. It’s the same with adjustments.
We use adjustments to reduce interference to your nervous system. They restore your body’s ability to function as it was designed to. When spinal joints are able to move correctly, tension in the nervous system is reduced. As better function is restored, your body no longer needs to sound the alarm, and symptoms naturally subside.