The #1 Cause of Disability in the World - Low Back Pain

When you were younger you probably felt invincible. It was like you were made of rubber and could withstand anything (bumps, bruises, or sitting like a pretzel for hours on end) and would snap back up again unscathed, ready for the next challenge. But how about now? Are you still invincible, or has your lower back been giving you painful reminders that you are not? According to statistics, the answer is probably YES! Sadly, you are not alone. You are actually part of an alarming global trend of people with low back pain issues. My hope with this BLOG is to teach you how to avoid becoming a statistic.

A recent Medical Journal Reported, “Low back pain (LBP) causes more disability globally than any other condition; according to two studies published online January 30 and March 24, 2014 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. As the world population continues to age, an urgent need exists for research to find out why and how LBP might be prevented or better managed…” (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/822492)

Let’s read that again,

“Low back pain causes more disability globally than any other condition… an urgent need exists for research to find out why and how LBP might be prevented or better managed...”

So the question is, "why does this happen and what can you do to prevent and/or recover from low back pain?" If I may be so bold... I am positive that I have the answers to both how LBP might be prevented and better managed!

Follow these steps:

#1. Take responsibility. If you are reading this you are obviously someone who takes responsibility, and who realizes that you cannot afford to keep doing what got you in this mess in the first place. You have to treat yourself differently. You have to treat yourself and your spine better. If you are overweight you have to drop the excess poundage...NOW! Proceed to step two.

#2 Movement is Medicine. We have all heard the quote, “use it or lose it.” Simply put, you absolutely MUST move around more. Get out of your chair for 10 minutes every hour. The US Army did a study and found that resting 10 minutes out of every hour made marching soldiers more effective. I believe that getting up 10 minutes out of every hour will help soldiers in the civilian world (you) be more energetic—and healthier. So get up and walk around! Better yet, shake the dust off your spine by performing the 6 spinal movements and the “10 Things To Do at Work” on the Power Kinetics® Exercise DVD.

#3 Get your spine aligned. How anyone in this day and age does not realize that all 26 bones of their spine need to be adjusted and realigned at least once a month is mind-boggling! I believe most LBP comes from the spinal bones getting stuck or misaligned. In other words, for optimal joint and spine health you absolutely MUST see a doctor of chiropractic on a REGULAR basis.

*Just like you regularly see a dentist to take care of the bones in your mouth... you must see a chiropractor to take care of the bones in your spine, and the rest of your body for matter.

#4 Receive applied kinesiology treatments. Applied kinesiology (AK) is a system that uses muscle testing to uncover which muscle(s) is not moving right when someone has pain or cannot do something. You are well aware of the fact that muscles move bones and I feel that chiropractors who utilize applied kinesiology techniques to augment their great adjustments can accomplish more in one visit than any other doctor who specializes in spinal health. I feel you need to have your muscles tested and then treated for optimal spinal health and I know of no better way of keeping your low back healthy than having specific kinesiological work done on your muscles followed by a precise chiropractic adjustment.

So we are clear, I am partial to AK because the founder of AK, Dr. George Goodheart, properly diagnosed and corrected the cause of my severe shoulder pain when no other doctor was able to... over 30 years ago. This motivated me to become the youngest teaching Diplomate of Applied Kinesiology in the world. (or so I was told)

*If you are interested, I have a list of doctors I've trained in applied kinesiology and also have seminar DVDs available to any doctor who wants to learn and use these powerful healing tools. 

#5 Eat foods and herbs that decrease inflammation. Foods such as olive oil, nuts & seeds, fish (especially wild salmon, sardines & anchovies), grass fed beef, vegetables; and herbs such as turmeric, boswellia, ginger root, quercetin and ubiquinol work naturally with your body to decrease pain and swelling.

#6 Strengthen your stomach muscles (the abdominals). Strong abdominal muscles stabilize and support your low back. However, MOST stomach exercises are wrong. That’s right, most stomach exercises involve the hip flexors, which are antagonistic to the abdominal muscle. So you are creating tension in your low back; the very same low back you are exercising to help.

Several years ago, I developed an abdominal exercise for a man with a herniated disc who had horrific pain shooting down his legs. He needed to strengthen his stomach muscles to help his condition, yet every stomach exercise he tried was incredibly painful. Instead of having him contract his hip flexor muscles (psoas, rectus femoris), I had him contract his hip extensor muscles (gluteus maximus, hamstrings).

I developed this exercise for him and he was able to do it with no pain. So if a guy with a herniated disc was able to do this and not hurt himself, I am confident that this exercise will not injure your low back and you will benefit greatly by it. I’m a little embarrassed that it took me 30 years—plus a patient in horrible pain—to come up with this abdominal exercise. One of my students named it “The Charles Crunch.” I simply call it, "The PK Sit-up."

*You can see this low back saving exercise in the Dec 17 2014 BLOG.

There you have it. Six things you can do to avoid the greatest cause of disability on the planet. When your low back hurts, everything hurts and everyday can be a living nightmare. Be very diligent with these 6 steps and you will have a greater probability of a healthy, pain-free low back and a greater opportunity of enjoying life to the fullest.

Don’t wait until you have low back pain to implement these six actions, do them as preventative measures NOW. As Benjamin Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

I will leave you with a different version of this adage that I teach all of my patients, “Be kind to your spine. Treat your back like it is hurting…and it never will.”

To your Great Health and Success,

Eugene Charles, D.C., DIBAK Diplomate, International Board of Applied Kinesiology www.charlesseminars.com

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For a list of doctors trained in Applied Kinesiology http://www.charlesseminars.com/AKdoctors.html

For doctors interested in adding Applied Kinesiology to their practice http://www.charlesseminars.com/producs.html

To order The Power Kinetics® Exercise DVD http://www.charlesseminars.com/PowerKineticsVitamins.html

Ward Off the Flu from You and Your Family

No one wants the flu. So, how do we prevent it during the winter months when everyone is in cooped up quarters and the people around us seem to be rapidly succumbing to this awful virus? Well, take a deep breath and read on to arm yourself with knowledge and tips.

The key to preventing and limiting the effects of the flu is to understand that IT IS NOT THE VIRUS ALONE THAT CAUSES THE FLU. If this were the case, everyone would be getting it all the time. It is the body that must be able to keep the effects of the virus at bay.

The following are tips to protect against the flu. The first three tips address the body itself and the last two deals with limiting exposure to the virus

TAKE SUPPLEMENTS TO IMMUNIZE YOURSELF.

Build your immune system now and your body will thank you later. Andrographis, astragalus as well as calcium lactate all help keep your immune system strong against viruses like the flu. Also, at least 50% of the immune system is in the gut. Therefore, 64 oz (2 Liters) of water per day, probiotics such as acidophilus found in natural yogurt (though supplement pills are recommended), and daily bowel movements help regulate the approximately 28-feet of intestines inside your body.

SLEEP.

A run-down body is more susceptible to getting sick. S-L-E-E-P. I can’t emphasis it enough. Get at least 8-hours of rest at night and take a 15-minute power nap in the afternoon if you are feeling a little tired. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If you’re feeling inescapably tired at work – use part of your lunch break to shut your eyes and recharge. When dogs get tired, they don’t drink coffee and keep going. They lie down and rest. Not only do you heal your body physically when you rest, but mentally as well. Lastly, check your mattress. If you are waking up sore or fatigued, it may be time to get a new one. I recommend Duxiana, Tempurepedic, Posturepedic and Beauty Rest.

CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS.

A quiet piece of American history is that the flu epidemic of 1918 is the single event most responsible for chiropractic growing to become the largest American-born health profession. People were dying from this terrible epidemic with a notable exception of people being treated with the new healing procedure known as chiropractic adjustments. Why? Because proper movement of the spine influences the nervous system, which in turn, controls the immune system. Chiropractic adjustments are another way to strengthen your immunity. So, get a precise chiropractic adjustment regularly and keep your neurology functioning optimally.

WASH, SWEAT, EXERCISE AND BATHE IN SALT.

Skin is the biggest organ of our bodies and it is greatly responsible for our interaction with the environment. Can anyone even count how many objects, people, surfaces, doorknobs, handles and light switches they have touched in a given day? You need to keep your hands clean and avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes at all costs unless your hands are thoroughly clean. It’s also important to remember to wash with natural soaps as much as you can – not the antibacterial type – and avoid touching high microbe areas such as door knobs and public toilets. Use your sleeve or a piece of paper-towel. Don’t be afraid of looking strange to others. You should never be ashamed of protecting your health. Also, the skin is a way of keeping viruses from accumulating in the body. Sweating and salt-water baths are excellent means of cleansing your internal environment. Exercise or visit the sauna 3-4 times per week and take weekly warm water salt-water baths for 20-minutes at a time. Masada Dead Sea salts are exceptional. While in the bath, treat yourself with a medicinal drink of green tea with a tablespoon of raw honey and apple cider vinegar – both are excellent immune builders. Remember to brush your teeth right afterwards, though, because apple cider vinegar is very acidic and can damage tooth enamel.

CLOSE YOUR MOUTH, BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE!

Breathe the way nature intended – through your nose. One of the first things I watch with new patients is how they breathe. Mouth breathers seem to get more infections, lung problems and sore throats. Your two nostrils have small hairs that filter, humidify and ionize the air that enters your lungs and then your blood stream. So be sure to breathe through your nose.

Stay healthy and stay positive,

Dr. Charles