No one sleeps.  No one, including the baby, enjoys the crying.  She’s not crying to get attention.  Mommy and daddy would give her attention regardless!  She’s crying because she’s in pain and can’t sleep.

Everyone is tired.  Mom and dad don’t bond with the child properly.  Without sleep, baby can’t grow and develop properly.  While crying, baby can’t observe the world and assimilate sights, sounds, smells and tastes efficiently.  Frustration abounds, and colic can be associated with breastfeeding failure, postpartum depression, shaken-baby syndrome, and even SIDS.

Colic is diagnosed when a baby (usually beginning around 3 weeks of age) begins crying for an unknown reason for at least 3 hours a day, at least 3 days a week for at least 3 weeks.  It’s believed that colic is related to acid reflux or gastro-intestinal (GI) problems, but that is not definitive.

As long as there are no “red-flag” symptoms which would indicate the baby needs immediate medical help, the following are often recommended: diet changes for the breastfeeding mother, probiotics for the baby, stomach massage, soothing measures the same as that which would work on a non-colicky baby, or medicine for acid reflux.

In addition to these, chiropractic has been shown to help the baby to sleep as well as to improve digestive (GI) function.  When baby sleeps better and can digest food properly, she will feel better and be happier.  When baby’s happy, the family is happy.  Adjusting the baby is very gentle and effective. I have adjusted my son as well as a number of other babies and it has been extremely helpful for various health issues.

As a mom, I would do anything to help my baby feel better and stop crying.  What will you do?

These are some of the reasons to protect our pelvic floors:

• Urinary incontinence and pain
• Labor and delivery
• Postpartum recovery, after both vaginal and Cesarean section births
• Postpartum fitness – most people don’t think to rehab properly
• Core tone and strength
• Low back pain
• Constipation
• Hemorrhoids
• Uterine prolapse
• Vaginal wall relaxation
• Hip stiffness
• Hip bursitis
• Pelvic pain
• Overloading of pelvic floor from chronic coughing or pulmonary disease

Problems with the pelvic floor can be caused by:

• Pelvic bones are misaligned which causes the muscles to be asymmetrical in length and tonicity
• Nerve information to the muscles never gets relayed or gets relayed improperly
• Blood and oxygen circulation to the muscles is not sufficient
• Overloading muscles due to chronic coughing or pulmonary disease
• Muscles are too tight, in spasm, shortened or weak
• Muscles are too loose, lengthened or weak
• Fluid retention or edema
• Changed breathing performance
• Flaccid or irritated intestines
• Intra-abdominal adhesions after pregnancy or surgery or any condition involving an inflammatory response

As you can see, the problems are merely the symptoms and the causes of the same problem can be opposite.  So, how can you know what the cause is?

You’ll have to consult an expert.

To determine alignment of bones, help with circulation and nerve information, call Dr. Pritchett at (925) 829-7900 for an evaluation and NUCCA alignment if needed.

To determine whether the soft tissue (muscle) is too tight or too loose or a combination of both, seek a physical therapist like Giorgia Hoyer-Fisher, who specializes in women’s health and pelvic floor issues.  Giorgia is unique in her specialty and in her training.  Giorgia evaluates the extent of the pelvic floor and core muscle system malfunctioning and the different body systems contributing to it.  She then applies manual therapy and exercise to improve the pelvic floor and core performance.  She also evaluates and treats pelvic pain.  Giorgia Hoyer-Fisher, Women’s Health Physical Therapist, can be reached at Physical Therapy Specialties in San Ramon and Pleasanton at (925) 417-8005.

If the pelvic floor is weak, Kegels will help, but the gluteus muscles tend to take over, so the effective exercise is very subtle.  There are even subtleties in the part of the pelvic floor which is isolated.  Other core exercises can also be done, including breathing through the abdomen.  Repeating activities is helpful because of muscle memory.  We need to learn the proper techniques and then re-program the motor pathways by repeating the activity many times over.  If your nerves aren’t communicating properly, the muscles will not respond accurately and thus the activity cannot be completed accurately.

As you can see, to effectively rehabilitate a pelvic floor, it requires both physical therapy and chiropractic care.

1. Say “I love you” to friends and family.
2. Take note that people feel love in different ways.  Find out how someone best feels love and show them in the language they understand.  Perhaps it’s a hug or a back rub.  Perhaps it’s a gift of some sort – even something as simple as a single flower or a handmade note card.  Maybe it is a promise to go for a picnic or a hike with them – even a picnic in the living room if the weather is bad!  Maybe it’s washing the car, doing the dishes or hanging a picture on the wall.  Perhaps it is telling someone how valuable they are to you or telling them that you’ll always be there for them.

By showing love to others, we are not only improving their lives, but also our own.  We are reminding ourselves that we live in community and that we need other people.  We are reminding ourselves that just as they are valuable to us, we are valuable to them.  Who knows: we may even encourage them to show more love to us!

One more note: once we realize that other people love us, one of the greatest ways to show them love is to take care of ourselves.  If we (especially us moms) put our own needs on hold, eventually our health will deteriorate and we’ll no longer be able to take care of others and love them the way we want to and they need us to.

Make a point to do something healthy today, this week, this month and this year!  Your loved ones will thank you!

Why would they do that?

Because I care about you and your health.  You receive my full attention.  I listen to you and give you individualized care.  You will feel better the longer you hold your alignment and you will hold your alignment longer than with many other chiropractors.  I will also refer you to other practitioners if you need it.

“She’s a warm person and very caring of her patients,” says one patient of Dr. Pritchett.  ”She is a delight to work with,” says another.

Call today for a consultation.

Good clutter has a home and is never ‘stuffed’ or hidden away indefinitely.  It has a place to belong.  It may have appeared during a particularly busy week or maybe you weren’t feeling well.  It’s temporary.

The not-so-good clutter has been accumulating over time.  It’s hidden in closets, covers flat surfaces, causes you stress and lost time.  It begins to creep into all aspects of your life, leaving you feeling tired and overwhelmed.

The definition of clutter is postponed decisions.  Procrastinating and not clearing it regularly is a vicious cycle.  We all must clear the clutter routinely.

Tips:

• Everything must have a home.
• Instead of putting it down, put it away.
• Start small; take baby steps.  One drawer, a table top, a closet, or the mail.  The trick is to start.  Make some decisions.
• Remember the clutter didn’t appear overnight and it will take some time to control.
• Keep a donation bag, box or drawer: a place so when you come across an unwanted possession, it can be removed immediately from your main living space.  Donate once it’s full.

By being organized you will save time and reduce your stress level.  Time is one of our most valuable assets, yet we tend to waste it everyday.  Start clearing the clutter and find time for those things that truly matter in your life.

Lori Brandes

Time 4 Order – Professional Organizing

www.time4order.com

(925) 846-8476

Some of the actions and issues that cause us to waste time are:

• moving slowly, possibly due to pain
• sleeping in – is it because we didn’t get efficient sleep?
• running back and forth inefficiently because we can’t find something or can’t remember what we were doing
• thinking slowly
• inability to focus

Stephen Covey said, “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”

We tend to react when there is an “emergency” and run from one emergency to the next without planning ahead to avoid the problem.

The NUCCA technique will help with these things.  It can help you think clearer and give you a better perspective on life once you’re out of pain.  It can help you move better, faster and without pain as well as making your daily activities more enjoyable and more possible!  It can also improve your quality of life.  You’ll be more efficient!

The time you spend seeing Dr. Pritchett is minimal compared to the time savings you’ll see.  Plus, you won’t need to keep coming back three or four or five times a week.  Once your spine stabilizes, you’ll need fewer adjustments.

Call Vital Life Wellness Center in Dublin, CA for a consultation.

What if we can’t sleep?

• Is it the presence of a child (perhaps young or perhaps just not able to sleep either)?
• Do we have too much to do preparing for a holiday or a job?
• Are we unable to sleep?
• Is sleep restless and disjointed?

I don’t think there’s much we can do about the presence of our children, although if there’s a reason he/she is not sleeping and it can be resolved, let’s deal with that.  If kids are insecure, sick or teething, they need more TLC, but if they never sleep well, perhaps they, too, need a NUCCA adjustment.  NUCCA will also help boost their immune system.

Are we inefficient with our jobs? Are we stressed out and need to consider a career or job change?  NUCCA can help us to be more focused and able to get our work done better, so we’ll have more time to sleep.

Are we unable to sleep because our bodies won’t cooperate? Insomnia or an over-active mind?  NUCCA can  help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which helps us to sleep.  It helps relieve stress and allow us to relax.

Do we have trouble staying asleep or being rested in the morning? NUCCA can help make the sleep more efficient so you’ll be rested and more able to function.

If you’re like me and your lack of sleep is not due to staying up late having fun, make sure you’re doing everything you can to make the time you have to sleep as effective as possible.

Call today for a complimentary consultation at Vital Life Wellness Center in Dublin, CA.

If this sounds like you:

• NUCCA works to align your spine and improve the way your body works.
• There is no twisting or “popping”

With the NUCCA technique, you will sleep better than you ever imagined, and wake up refreshed, revitalized and with plenty of energy to propel yourself throughout the day!

If this is the kind of morning you’d like to start with, there are people who can help.  Whether you think your pain is age-related, or you’ve tried some things that just didn’t work, or perhaps you are not aware of what chiropractors can do for you:

You may be ready to find out what great potential your body has within it.  Try this:  Looking in the mirror, check your posture and look at your shoes to see if they wear unevenly.  If your posture is imperfect or your shoes wear unevenly, we can “put your head back on straight.”  This takes the tension away from your brainstem, improves blood flow to your brain and reduces or eliminates pain.

I can help to get you back to “being mom,” adding vitality to your life and relieving your pain and discomfort.

Call us today at (925) 829-7900 to schedule your consultation in Dublin, CA.

I began to think about how this relates to our bodies.

If our alignment is off (we have a crooked spine / we are subluxated / we have scoliosis / one leg is short), we can end up ruining our belts, too (needing joint replacement or spinal fusion and one often leads to another unless we correct the alignment).  Eventually, we may need to add pieces (it could be as benign as a heel lift, but it doesn’t solve all of the issues, or it could be a surgery to open the spinal canal wider or even adding a pacemaker).  Adding pieces could also include using a cane or a brace.

All of this could be avoided if the car was aligned in the beginning, or if our bodies were aligned.  We can replace the car if it gets too old and beat up, but we can never replace our bodies.  It’s really unfortunate that many people take care of their cars better than they take care of their bodies. Find an upper cervical chiropractor, such as a NUCCA practitioner to accurately align your spine.  It could save you a lot of headaches and injuries in the short- and especially the long-run.

Start with your chair:

Sit up straight with feet flat on the floor.  If you can’t reach the floor easily, adjust the height of the chair.  You should have your knees bent to 90 degrees and the back of your knees not touching the chair, but with your thighs mostly supported by the chair.  Your hips should be bent to 90 degrees as well.  Also, check to see that your wallet is not in your back pocket while sitting; it unlevels your pelvis and therefore the rest of your spine, causing misalignment and pain.  Make sure your chair has lumbar support.

If you don’t fit well in your chair, replace it with one you do fit in. Not all people are the same size, so not all chairs will fit you.

You can also use an exercise ball to sit on, which strengthens your low back, reducing the incidence of back pain.

Another option besides the exercise ball and the office chair is a kneeling chair.  These have no back support but allow you to kneel on them and easily maintain an ergonomic position.

Pull the chair up to your desk.

With your shoulders relaxed and lowered, your elbows should be bent to 90 degrees when resting on the desk.  Wrists should be flat (not bent) when resting on the keyboard.   When looking at the computer monitor, your head should be over your shoulders rather than in front of them, and you shouldn’t bend down to look at the monitor, so raise it up if you need to.  Also make sure you’re not turning your head to look at anything you need to see on a regular basis.  It’s important to be in neutral position as much as possible.  If you need to write, look at the phone or a second monitor, or other activity in addition to using the computer, you’ll need a swiveling chair and you’ll need to evaluate your position for each of these activities.

Maintaining a good posture during the work day will help reduce your stress, your pain and will help maintain your chiropractic adjustments. Even with a good chiropractor, if you spend a lot of time in a poor position, the adjustments won’t hold as well.

If you have an ergonomic workstation and you still have pain, make sure to get a chiropractic evaluation to determine how your spine can be corrected.