Chiropractic Care - What’s It All About …

Winter Sports

Enjoy winter fun? Then follow these tips to help you fight back the winter weather injuries:

Derek Parra (Olympic speedskater gold and silver medalist) and the American Chiropractic Association suggest that you start with some light aerobic activity (jogging, biking, fast walking) for about 7-10 minutes. And then:
Skiing - do 10 to 15 squats. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, knees aligned over your feet. Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet. Stand up straight again.
Skating - do lunges. Take a moderately advanced step with one foot. Let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips. Repeat the process with your other foot.
Sledding/tobogganing - do knee-to-chest stretches to fight compression injuries caused by repetitive bouncing over the snow. Either sitting or lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and hold for up to 30 seconds.

Don’t forget cool-down stretching for all of these sports - At the bottom of the sledding hill, for instance, before trudging back up, do some more
knees-to-chest stretches, or repetitive squatting movements to restore flexibility.

See you on the slopes,
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

Saving For Health

Happy 2010! As you create your health goals for this year, don’t forget about your health savings accounts:

Many people have Flexible Spending Accounts and don’t know the details of the program. This program allows employees and employers to contribute money, tax-free, into an account for health care expenses for the designated year. Chiropractic treatments and supplies purchased in the office may be paid with money from these accounts. At the end of the designated year, the unused portion of the money from these accounts is lost. Therefore, it should be carefully considered how much money should be allocated into these accounts…and even more importantly, to actually spend all the money that was allocated. Most companies allow a three-month extension beyond December 31st for their employees to spend money from their 2009 designated amounts. Come use it or lose it!

Wishing you a new year filled with bountiful health,
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

Gift Certificates

There is absolutely no better way to ensure that your friends and family get a wholesome holiday gift this year than to give the gift of better health (and who needs another coffee mug or fruit cake quite honestly???). Gift Certificates are available for multiple forms of health care at Kotzan Chiropractic, including any of the following services you choose: an initial exam for a first-time patient, chiropractic treatments, Active Release Technique treatments, and massage therapy sessions. Certificates are available in any denomination and are good for a year after purchase.

Serving Your Holiday Health Needs,
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

Kotzan Chiropractic is now on FACEBOOK. Become a fan of Kotzan Chiropractic and keep up with all of the fun postings and happenings pertaining to health care, chiropractic, and the office. The more fans, the merrier.

Join Here:
FACEBOOK

I look forward to blogging with you on Facebook,

Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

New Shelving

We recently installed new shelving in the office that now allows us to carry many of the products for which you have been wanting and asking. The shelving looks great and the products look even better. The following products we carry make fantastic Holiday Gift Ideas for family and friends in need of ways to restore better health:

–Foam Rollers (Helps Stretch Tight Muscles)
–Vitamins/Omega3 Fatty Acids/Joint Relief Formula
–TheraCane (For Stretching Muscle Knots)
–Foam Balance Pads (Strengthens the Ankle/Improves Balance)
–Cryoderm (Cold Spray for Pain/Inflammation)
–Therapy Balls (For Stretching or Strengthening)
–Antifungal Solution (For Nail Fungal Problems)
–Gift Certificates For Chiropractic Care
–Gift Certificates For Massages

Come See The Products,
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

Happy Thanksgiving

Thank you for an absolutely fantastic year. Just as I have touched your life in some way, I thank you for the role you play in mine. I’m an extremely lucky person to have gotten to work with you, to share many laughs with you, and to continuously learn from you. This Thanksgiving season, as always, I thank you for your patronage and friendship.

In Thanks To Providing Your Service,
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

Cramps

What is a Cramp?
A muscle spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle, part of a muscle, or several muscles that usually act together. If the spasm is forceful and sustained, it becomes a cramp. Most people describe a muscle cramp as a feeling of tightness in the muscle; it’s not unusual to feel a lump of hard muscle tissue underneath the skin in the vicinity of the cramp. During a spasm or cramp, it may be painful, or even difficult, to use the affected muscle or muscle group. Cramps and spasms can affect any muscle, even those affiliated with the body’s various organs; however, they are most common in the calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Cramps in the feet, hands, arms, and lower back occur frequently, as well.
Many Possible Cramp Causes
Common as they are and painful as they can be, a shroud of mystery surrounds the cause of muscle spasms and cramps. Some researchers believe that inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue lead to cramps. According to the University of Michigan, other possible factors include a low level of fitness, overexertion (especially in intense heat), stress, and depletion of electrolytes through excess sweating or dehydration. Certain diuretic medications can also cause cramping due to a loss of sodium, potassium and magnesium.
Prevention
As with any health condition, it is always best to prevent muscle cramps or spasms-especially if you tend to develop them. Consider altering your diet and lifestyle by incorporating the following suggestions:
1. Take steps to improve your diet. Eliminate sugar and caffeine from the diet, and increase consumption of fiber and protein. In addition, increase consumption of calcium- and magnesium-rich foods, such as green leafy vegetables, yogurt, legumes, whole grains, tofu, and Brazil nuts. High-potassium foods may also be helpful, including bananas, avocados, lima beans, and fish.
2. Before and after you exercise, stretch muscle groups that tend to cramp.
3. Incorporate strengthening exercises into your fitness routine.
4. Avoid dehydration. To prevent dehydration, consume plenty of fluids and foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables.
5. Avoid excess sodium and soda (high in phosphoric acid), as they can leach calcium.
6. Avoid chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol, which can interfere with magnesium absorption.
7. Improve your posture. For example, you may have mid-back spasms after sitting at a computer desk for too long in an awkward position.
Written by American Chiropractic Association writer Angela Kargus

In Prevention of Cramps,
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

Happy Halloween

One of people’s favorite fall-time activities happens right up to your door on Halloween. Every year I get asked for healthy snack ideas to distribute to eager youngsters instead of sugar-ridden candy. Here are a few ideas I thought about:

–Individually wrapped granola bars
–String cheese
–Sugar-free gum packets
–Colored pencils
–Individually wrapped packets of raisins
–Packets of hot chocolate
–Individually wrapped packets of peanuts
–100% fruit juice boxes
–Individual sugar-free fruit cups.

–Happy Hauntings!–
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

I will be out of the office from Thursday, October 29th through Monday, November 9th and will try my best to schedule your treatments around these dates. The office will still be open for anyone needing immediate attention. Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC

Occassional Walking

WALKING is a wonder exercise says Sarah Bowen Shea, CNN health journalist. Not only can it help control weight, it also reduces the risk of developing diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease. Walking bestows benefits to the brain too, by relieving stress and improving mood. Best of all, walking is free. You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership to reap the benefits. Below Sarah Bowen Shea shows how to make every step count, no matter how often you hit the pavement.

The Routine: Begin by walking 10 to 15 minutes on flat ground or on a treadmill at a purposeful pace, or complete 2,000 steps (use a pedometer to monitor your walking progress). “You want to cover a mile in about 20 minutes. That’s not a window-shopping pace,” says Mark Fenton, a former competitive racewalker and the host of the PBS series “America’s Walking.”
Walking tips:
1.) Maintain an upright but comfortable posture, with your neck, upper back, and shoulders relaxed. 2.) Minimize the sway in your lower back; don’t jut your rear out. Instead, maintain a slight, natural arch in your back. 3.) Gently pull in your abdominal muscles. This helps strengthen your abs while reducing lower-back pain.
Goal: Aim to walk at least five days a week. Every second or third week, add 5 minutes. After about two or three months of regular walking, you should be up to 30 minutes. Once you’ve hit half an hour, add variety to your terrain rather than increasing time or speed. This will boost your enjoyment, encouraging you to keep up the habit.

Keeping you walking,
Dr. Phil Kotzan, DC