Washington Park Chiropractic

By: Dr. Jake Simpson

We have all heard the phrase “you are what you eat”, although valid in many situations, a more appropriate phrase maybe “you are what you drink”.  As planet Earth is made up of 70% water, our bodies too are made up of about 60-75% water.  Our muscles that allow us to be mobile consist of 75% water, our lungs that provide our bodies with oxygen are 90% water, our blood which transports nutrients to our cells is 82% water, our brain that controls everything in our bodies is 76% water, and even our bones are 25% water.  Water is the basis for all life and function in our bodies, and next to oxygen in the most important substance for survival.

Dehydration is an often overlooked yet potentially deadly condition.  Dehydration is caused when the amount of water leaving the body is greater than the water being taken in, this is especially prevalent in drier climates (including ours in Colorado).  We lose water in several ways including:  When you breathe humidified air leaves the body; we sweat to cool the body on a hot day; and we bowel movements and urinate to rid the body of waste products among other ways.  If we do not replenish the water that we routinely lose, the body will compensate by drawing water from within our cells.  Although this helps, it’s a very short-term solution that can end in devastating consequences.

Symptoms and Signs of Dehydration:

-       Thirst and dry mouth (if you are thirsty you are already dehydrated)

-       Muscle cramps and weakness

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Many have attributed the term wellness to Dr. Halbert Dumn who wrote a booklet in 1961 entitled, “High Level Wellness”, in which he basically defined it as a lifestyle approach for pursuing elevated states of physical and psychological well-being. The reality is that the term wellness was actually coined in the year 1654 by a Scotts physician. Yet the true meaning has evolved beyond what they both intended.

While the term has been around for hundreds of years, it has only been in the past 50 or so that it has truly been defined.

Defining Wellness

Many are not aware that chiropractors are the originators of the wellness movement, being the only healthcare professionals who recognize the body’s natural ability to heal itself. This is why they have spent more than 50 years educating their patients on the benefits of a wellness lifestyle.

Proper nutrition, exercise and routine chiropractic care help the body to perform at maximum efficiency, resulting in improved function.

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By Dr. Jake Simpson

The Healing Power of Low Level Laser Therapy

Washington Park Chiropractic is excited to add yet another high quality treatment technique to complement our top notch care.  Theorized by Albert Einstein in 1917 and invented in 1960, lasers have proven their worth from compact disc players, to measuring the distance from the Earth to the Moon and now… healing the human body.  More and more doctors and researchers around the world have realized that therapeutic doses of laser light can have profound results in the treatment of a wide range conditions from slow healing skin ulcers to arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions.  Dr. Jake Simpson utilizes the impressive Microlight ML830 laser which was the first low-level laser to be FDA approved after researchers conducted a double blind study at General Motors and Baylor college of Medicine in the treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. 

What is Laser Therapy?

LLLT (Low level laser therapy) is a painless, sterile, non-invasive, drug-free treatment which is used for a variety of pain syndromes, injuries, wounds, fractures, neurological conditions and pathologies.  LLLT is the application of low levels of laser light to an area of the body that has been injured.  This is not the same as high powered lasers utilized in other medical procedures that cut tissue, remove hair. 

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By: Dr. Lisa Goodman, DC

Yesterday my husband and I spent about 6 hours cleaning out the garage!  Oh what fun.  Yes, we went from barely being able to fit the stroller in, to being able to fit a car in there!  What a great feeling.  But I was SORE when we were finished.  Yes, I followed the ergonomic advice I give out daily:

1. Lift with your legs

2. Sit or squat when sifting through boxes rather than bending over

3. Take regular breaks and walk around

4. Stay Hydrated

5. Make the husband do most of the heavy lfiting (I especially like that one!)

But alas, sometimes lower back pain is just going to happen.  In fact, that is a question I get often, “why did this happen?”  The best answer I have is that when we stress the body in a way it isn’t used to for a longer period of time, you will feel it.  The body also really doesn’t like awkard motion, this most often occurs with reaching, twisting or lifting in ways you aren’t used to.

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By: Emily Cooley

True to my commitment, I followed through on my attempt at yoga. Pearl Street Yoga was a blast. I arrived a little early to class so I could scope the place out. There is only one room and a small office area. I laid out my newly purchased mat, and waited patiently, hoping that the class wasn’t going to be filled with hardcore yogi’s. To my surprise, everyone was relatively normal!

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by: Jocelyn Leidenfrost 

As an avid soccer fan, I have been enjoying the games of the 2010 World Cup.  After playing soccer for eight years, I know all of the injuries and pains that these athletes can suffer from training, practice, and games.  It made me wonder which of my favorite players utilize chiropractic care and what they had to say about it.  After a bit of research, I found that not only do many soccer players have a team chiropractic physician, but adjustments are many times a part of their game-day routine!  In fact, one of my favorite US soccer players, Landon Donovan, said that he enjoys chiropractic treatment before games to maximize his performance and recommends chiropractic care to anyone wanting to get the most out of their workouts and feel their best.  Who could blame them for wanting for feel their best? I bet our doctors at Washington Park Chiropractic would love to treat Donavon whenever he is in Denver!

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by Dr. Jake Simpson

Chances are you are sitting down at your computer reading this blog entry.  And there is also a good chance you may have a little back ache, some numbness or tingling in your thigh, buttock, feet and toes.  Or maybe you are just feeling a little down with a lack of energy or motivation.  Am I right?  The average American sits about 8.9 hours a day, These 8.9 hours of sitting have been described by a number of scientific experts as a “public health risk”.  To find out why, read more:

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By Dr. Jake Simpson, DC

One of the most common ailments Dr. Goodman and I treat daily can be directly related to your common, everyday technological devices.  Sounds crazy, right?  Well let us be honest…You are not going to tear a rotator cuff, break an elbow or blow out a knee texting on your phone, typing at your computer or watching television.  The injuries you can sustain texting, typing or watching television can be very debilitating, and very harmful to your overall health and not to mention, quite painful.        

Due to the significant growth in the usage of technological devices, chiropractors are starting to see a significant growth in stressful and repetitive conditions directly related to poor posture.  The most commonly seen postural abnormality is known as anterior or forward head posture and rolled shoulders.  Let’s think about what is causing this common postural abnormality.  If you just look around you see people looking down texting on mobile devices, hours staring at computer screen at work, slouched on the couch watching the television…. The list is endless.

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