Cranberry juice is a favorite go-to juice for many Americans. Packed with vitamins and minerals and nutrients, it has become a popular home remedy for many different conditions.
One of the most popular uses of cranberry juice is for the home remedy treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI). It has been verified clinically and in research that cranberry juice does have a positive effect in preventing UTIs. However, it appears less likely that cranberry juice can cure a UTI once it has started. From the National Institutes of Health: People used to think that cranberry worked for urinary tract infections by making the urine acidic and, therefore, unlikely to support the growth of bacteria. But researchers don’t believe this explanation any more. They now think that some of the chemicals in cranberries keep bacteria from sticking to the cells that line the urinary tract where they can multiply. Cranberry, however, does not seem to have the ability to release bacteria which are already stuck to these cells. This may explain why cranberry is possibly effective in preventing urinary tract infections, but possibly ineffective in treating them. Cranberry juice appears to have other positive effects as a preventative. Since it contains salicylic acid, which is an ingredient in aspirin, it can have positive effects on the heart. However, if you have an allergy to aspirin, you may need to avoid drinking cranberry juice. One misconception is that cranberry juice can help to break up or cure kidney stones. This does not appear to be the case. Cranberry juice and cranberry extracts contain a large amount of a chemical called oxalate. In fact, there is some evidence that some cranberry extract tablets can boost the level of oxalate in the urine by as much as 43%. Since kidney stones are made primarily from oxalate combined with calcium, healthcare providers worry that cranberry might increase the risk of kidney stones. If you have a history of kidney stones, avoid taking cranberry extract products or drinking a lot of cranberry juice. [emphasis added] Cranberry juice can also slow clotting of the blood. Since many popular blood-thinners do the same (such as Coumadin or warfarin), cranberry juice should not be consumed while you are currently taking a blood-thinner.
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Ever feel 'wound up' from the stresses of life? You feel tight and distorted, like a rubber band that's been twisted to the brink of snapping? That tension you're feeling isn't in your head… it's actually in your Nerve System. The constant, never ending stress of life builds tension in your nerves like an over twisted rubber band that robs you of experiencing the fullness of life. Chiropractors refer to this state as being 'Subluxated.' If you don't regularly purge this tension from your nerves, it builds silently until a physical or emotional crisis manifests. The solution… release the tension with preventative chiropractic care, and get control of your life again! Chiropractic care gently removes stress from your spine and spinal cord before a critical failure can occur. This is one 'rubber band' you need to keep clear! Unwind your stress with regular chiropractic adjustments and start experiencing the tension free life you were born to have. Content provided by Principle33. There are many possible treatments for a disc herniation, no matter where in the spine it is located. Our chiropractic thought process is very simple, however: what is the simplest, least invasive way to ease your symptoms and restore health to your nervous system and disc? Or, is a conservative course of treatment appropriate for a disc herniation?
A recent study in Spine Journal states, based on cost and the likelihood of recovery: "given that many patients will improve with nonoperative therapy, a trial of conservative management is appropriate." Conservative management for a disc herniation at Johnson Family Chiropractic consists of the chiropractic adjustment, spinal decompression therapy, ice, rehabilitative exercises, anti-inflammatory measures, and other therapies as needed. The chiropractic adjustment alone has been shown in studies to be as effective as back surgery for 60% of patients who had not responded to other medical interventions. Some published cases where disc herniation patients have been successfully treated with the Activator Methods chiropractic technique can be found here and here. The chiropractic adjustment is safe and effective in the presence of a disc herniation, and works by restoring proper motion to the disc-vertebra motion unit. Spinal decompression is a nonsurgical and noninvasive treatment that gently pulls the vertebrae apart, creating a vacuum inside the disc which, after several treatments, is designed to gradually bring the disc back into place. This therapy removes the pressure put on nerves, and can therefore help to relieve symptoms. Ask Dr. Johnson today if the gentle treatments available at Johnson Family Chiropractic can help your disc herniation. From Peoria County Government:
Annual Rankings serve as a call to action to improve community health. Peoria County continues to have moderately healthy residents when compared to the rest of Illinois, according to the annual County Health Rankings released today by the University of Wisconsin, Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This is the third year of the Rankings Report which ranks the overall health of nearly every county in all 50 states, using a standard way to measure how healthy people are and how long they live. This year's Rankings includes several new measures, such as how many fast food restaurants are in a county and levels of physical inactivity among residents. The Rankings also consider factors that affect people's health with four categories: health behavior, critical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment. Among the many health factors they look at: rates of adult smoking, adult obesity, excessive drinking among adults, and teenage births; the number of uninsured under age 65, availability of primary care physicians, and preventable hospital stays; rates of high school graduation, adults who have attended some college, children in poverty; community safety; limited access to healthy foods; rates of physical inactivity; and air pollution levels. The 2012 County Health Rankings reveals that Peoria County ranked in the middle for overall health (61 out of 102) when compared with other counties in the state. The Rankings provides details how Peoria County ranks on factors that influence its overall health rating. The Report shows that Peoria County has strength in the area of clinical care (5 out of 102 counties.) However, the community is at-risk for poor health when it comes to social and economic factors that affect health where it ranked 82 out of 102 counties. (read more) When you turn your neck or twist your back does your spine snap, grind and ratchet like a bicycle chain stuck in mid gear? That grating noise could mean something's out of alignment. Your spine is made up of movable bones called vertebrae, each joined perfectly together like the links of a bicycle chain. If one or more of these joints become stuck and misaligned it can slowly wreak havoc on the mechanical integrity of your entire spine. The result: pain, stiffness and premature arthritic changes. Don't neglect the noises. Abnormal grinding (crepitus) of spinal joints may indicate early degenerative joint disease. Remember, unlike a bicycle chain, you can't replace spinal 'links' when they get damaged. Get your spine tuned up by a chiropractor who is thoroughly trained in restoring the normal mechanics of your spine, and protect yourself from premature wear and tear. Content provided by Principle33. |
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DisclaimerUnless otherwise attributed, all content is written by Kyle Johnson, DC, of Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria.
All images used are under Creative Commons license. Although every effort has been made to provide an accurate description of our chiropractic care and its benefits, the information given on this website and blog is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, medical advice for any condition. If you have any questions regarding your condition, you should seek the help of Dr. Johnson in person, so that he may properly assess your condition. This blog is provided by Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria, S.C., proudly located in Peoria, IL. |