Chiropractic and Heart Health

Chiropractic care can help the entire body, including the heart. Spinal adjustments have been shown to decrease blood pressure and lower your heart rate. Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center of San Rafael, CA wants our patients to know about the benefits chiropractic may have for the heart.

Adjustments to the spine to create in line vertebrae allow nerves and tissues in the surrounding area to function normally. When a vertebra is misaligned, this causes pressure onto the tissues and nerves which can interrupt messages to and from the brain. When the C1 vertebra is misaligned even slightly, it can disrupt messages that affect the heart.

It is thought that when the C1 vertebra is misaligned, it sends out signals that contract the arteries. Therefore, blood pressure is increased in both the systolic number and the diastolic number. When the C1 vertebra is moved back into place, it decreases the blood pressure again in both systolic and diastolic measurements. It is also thought that when the rest of your cervical spine is adjusted, the eight pairs of nerves in the cervical spine are able to function properly which may reduce the heartrate.

If you have high blood pressure or just want to be sure that your body is functioning optimally, consider trying chiropractic care. To schedule an appointment with Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center of San Rafael, CA, please contact us by calling (415) 721-7520 or by visiting our website, www.summitchiro.net. 

Boost Your Immune System this Fall!

The kids are back in school and their germs are being passed around like orange slices at a soccer game. It is time to sharpen your defenses. Here at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, we want to remind patients that chiropractic care along with a few other tips and tricks can boost your immune system.

When the spine is in line, the body is able to function at its peak level. Since the function of the brain and the spinal cord delivering uninterrupted messages to each other depends on the spine’s health, a misaligned spine may interfere with the messages. When there is pressure on nerves and surrounding tissues due to subluxated vertebrae, the organs that control the immune system do not get clear messages and the immune system reacts poorly. Spinal manipulations from your chiropractor can resolve subluxations so there is a clear nerve pathway for the body’s messages.

In addition to seeking chiropractic care, there are some simple ways to boost your immune system at home.

·        Make sure to get enough sleep. This means quality sleep. Just because you are in bed for eight hours, it doesn’t mean you are getting good sleep.

·        Do not smoke.

·        Do not drink excessive alcohol; this impairs the immune system.

·        Eat immune boosting foods like yogurt, oats, sweet potatoes, tea, garlic, and mushrooms!

Turbo-charge that immune system and stay cold-free this season! To schedule an appointment here at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA, call us at (415) 721-7520 or visit our website, www.summitchiro.net. 

Fall Activities to Lead an Active Life

With the cooler weather coming up and fall in the air, there are so many opportunities for activities! Part of living a healthy life is living an active one. It is for this reason why at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA, we want to inspire our patients to take advantage of the nice weather and get active!

Here are some awesome activities perfect for the season!

·        Go hiking! Find a local forest preserve or a state park and explore! With the leaves changing colors, this will make for a beautiful day. You can even bring a field guide and search for different types of leaves!

·        Go kayaking! Find the nearest river or lake and rent a kayak or canoe for the day!

·        Navigate a corn maze! It’s the season for corn mazes and pumpkin farms! Grab some apple cider and go!

·        Hunt for treasure! Geocaching is a world-wide treasure hunt that anyone with a GPS can participate in. Participants hide a treasure and post the coordinates for anyone to find! When found, you log your name and date it, then move on to find the next treasure!

·         Plant some bulbs for a spring bloom! There is no more pleasant of a surprise than seeing spring flowers pop up that you forgot you planted in the fall!

Enjoy the crisp air and the outdoor activities around in your area to get moving! To learn more about Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA, call our office at (415) 721-7520 or visit our website, www.summitchiro.net. 

Tips for Safe Yard Work

With fall around the corner, yard work is too! With the falling leaves and preparing the yard for winter, there will be a lot to do. It is important to know how to safely accomplish yard work and prevent injury. This is why Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center of San Rafael, CA is giving tips on how to safely perform yard work for a productive and injury-free experience.

While trying to accomplish yard work with a body that can be agitated, it is best to know your limits. Know how much you can lift, how much force you can put into something, and how much time you can dedicate to a task before you need to give yourself a break.

If you have a full day of yard work ahead, make sure to break the work into sections. Try to set time limitations and plan breaks. It is best to take a break before your body actually starts hurting, as prevention is the best medicine.

Try to make tasks easier on yourself. If you can, prepare work on top of a table or workbench. This way, you cut down on time you are crouched down hunching over. Another great tip is for when working with the ground. If you are using a tool to break ground, consider spraying the area with water first to soften the soil. There is also equipment out there to help, like knee pads for kneeling or straps for holding tools that help relieve stress on the body.

As mentioned above, prevention is the best medicine. Know your limits and prepare ahead of time. For more tips or to schedule an appointment with Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA, call us at (415) 721-7520 or visit our website, www.summitchiro.net. 

Allergies and How Chiropractic Care Can Help

One of the great benefits that chiropractic care can provide is allergy relief. The body’s systems are connected to the spine, so when the spine is healthy, the body’s systems can function properly. At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center here in San Rafael, CA, we want to help our patients understand how chiropractic care may provide allergy relief.

The spine is surrounded by tissues and nerves. When part of the spine is misaligned, pressure is put on the nerves and tissues in the surrounding area. This pressure blocks messages to and from the brain. How does this tie in with allergies? When the body detects a foreign pathogen, the immune system releases histamines as a response, which creates the allergic reaction. Cortisol, a hormone produced by our body, is an anti-inflammatory, which is necessary to combat the histamines released. When the spine is misaligned, there can be an imbalance in histamines and cortisol; causing more severe allergic reactions. When the spine is in line, this creates an open pathway for the brain to send and receive messages; allowing a balanced release of histamines and cortisol. Therefore, chiropractic adjustments can act as allergy relief. Regular adjustments make sure the spine is continually in line and serving as an open pathway for nerves.

If you are suffering from allergies, whether seasonal or year-round, come see us at our San Rafael, CA practice for a consultation. To schedule, call Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center at (415) 721-7520 or visit our website, www.summitchiro.net.