As we celebrate Memorial Day, remembering all those who have died in service of our country, it's important to also recognize our family and friends from Peoria and Peoria County who have also died in defense of liberty and the American flag. Here is a link, for example, to a website that recounts all the soldiers from Peoria County who had fought in the Civil War.
And to all veterans, especially those who have been served by Johnson Family Chiropractic, we say a very heartfelt "Thank you" and wish you a happy and peaceful Memorial Day.
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As we continue to embark upon a future into a world that is continually full of brand-new synthetic chemicals, it is important to continue to bear in mind that we simply don't know yet how all of these new chemicals affect our bodies. New drugs are manufactured and marketed each year. Is there any link between medications and the recent explosion in food allergies? What about the hormones present in contraceptives that are flushed into our drinking water supply every day? Does this sudden outburst of chemicals have any effect on public health? A fascinating story from PBS, entitled "The Complicated Question of Drugs in the Water", examines current and potential problems that occur from pharmaceuticals that cannot be completely filtered by our current water treatment plants. You really should read the whole thing, but here is an excerpt: Scientists think that the main way that the vast majority of pharmaceuticals get into the wastewater is through disposal. The vernacular for many years was to flush unwanted medications down the toilet, and many people still do that despite updated federal guidelines that now advise people to either take unused drugs to a collection site or mix them with kitty litter or coffee grounds and put them in the trash. (The only exception to this are narcotic pain relievers and other hazardous substances.) But even with these guidelines, plenty of medications still end up in sewers, wastewater treatment plants, and, to some degree, back our water supplies. The takeaway point is to be sure to be responsible with the pharmaceutical drugs in your possession and to dispose of them properly.
Often, patients know that they feel better after a chiropractic adjustment, but it's hard to put into words why they feel better. Sometimes patients will say "I feel taller" because they are able to stand with better posture. Sometimes patients will say "I feel looser" because their muscles feel more relaxed. Sometimes patients simply say "I feel better." The real gauge of how much better you feel after chiropractic care, though, is how much you can do. If there were activities that you could not perform before care, can you now perform them better after care? The improvement in these Activities of Daily Life (ADLs) is a wonderful benchmark for assessing how well patients respond to care. ADLs are especially important in older patients. These patients, who tend to have Medicare as their primary insurance, also tend to have more degenerative conditions and age-related restricted range of motion than younger patients. For older patients, simple tasks can be much more difficult because of arthritic joints or subluxated spines. The good news is that, according to a new study that examined Medicare data, chiropractic care may provide protection against further decline in ADLs when compared with medical care. This means that if an older person is receiving chiropractic care, the odds are greater that he will still be able to reach over his head without upper back or shoulder pain, or that she will be able to reach down into her garden without low back pain. From the study: ...we observed a protective effect of chiropractic against declines in ADLs, IADLs, and declines in self-rated health. [snip] |
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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. |