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Monthly Advice Column: Julie Russell Addresses Child Anger, Porn Addiction

This is the first of a monthly advice column with Julie Russell, a licensed family therapist.

Question 1) My eight-year-old son has had major behavior issues his whole life. He’s angry, mean, lashes out at other kids at school, hits his little sister, and speaks harsh words to me. Until just a couple years ago, he fixated on washing machines. We’ve had him tested for autism, and he’s not autistic. His father is a good man, but is frequently absent due to his work. We’ve lived in 15 places during our nine-year marriage, and I think that’s caused some insecurities. He even stopped wiping his backside after using the bathroom. He tells all the kids he’s better at everything when he’s really not. I’ve taken away all his privileges because of this behavior, and so now there’s nothing left to take away. What am I supposed to do?

“Leslie,” a frustrated mom in Washougal.

Response:

Hi Leslie, First it sounds like 15 moves in 9 years is a lot of transition for an adult, and can be even more difficult for children. So I hope the rest of the family is adjusting well to the move, and hopefully those moves will slow down in your future. Remember that change is hard for children and they like routine it gives them security. So try to create a routine that your son knows what to expect of each day. It might be helpful to create a poster with times and pictures of items happening during the day. I would also recommend a medical checkup with a pediatrician to rule out any medical issues.

Some of the issues sound like your son may have some Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms or some Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. I would recommend talking with the teacher and school counselor and creating a plan for school, if that has not already happened. I would also recommend finding a Licensed Professional who specializes in working with children. They will be able to identify the problem and help with your son’s behavior. It is also important to catch your child being good and praise more of the behavior you would like.

Russell

Close-up image of woman texting and drinking coffee outdoors

Question 2) I caught my 15-year-old daughter looking at porn images of men, and she thinks there’s nothing wrong with that. She says the human body is a beautiful thing. I’ve told her to stop looking at those things, and even took away her iPhone for a while, but I still think she’s looking at this stuff. I didn’t realize girls could have this problem. How do I change this behavior?

“Jennifer” in Camas

Response:

Hi Jennifer, Try to remain calm and realize it is a normal behavior to be interested in sex and porn. But do some research and have some discussions explaining that sex is normal and feels good, but should be kept within the boundaries of committed relationships and what your family morals define. A recent publication from the American College of Pediatricians outlines the risks of pornography for children and teens. These can include, but are not limited to: 1-Feelings of disgust, shock, embarrassment, fear & sadness, 2-Symptoms of trauma including anxiety and depression, 3-Distorted views of sexuality and personal relationships, 4-Increased perception that everyone is having casual sex. 5-The belief that abstinence is abnormal and unhealthy.

According to a 2009 Cyber Sentinel poll, many 13 to 16 year-olds spend almost two hours a week viewing pornography. Mothers have reported finding their children as young as eight watching porn. Today the question is not if your child will be exposed to porn, it is when. Talking with your children about porn is difficult and emotional. Wendy Maltz, a sex therapist and notable researcher believes porn is creating a national health problem that harms our emotional and sexual relationships. Several states have passed resolutions declaring pornography a public health concern.

Specifically, these declarations state:

“Pornography is a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms.” The state resolution further called for a united recognition for “the need for education, prevention, research, and policy change at the community and societal level in order to address the pornography epidemic that is harming the people of our state and nation.”

Here are a couple of websites that list tips for parents about talking with your child about porn, research and the impacts of porn on the brain. The websites also suggest resources for recovery if you feel your daughter is spending too much time viewing porn.

https://fightthenewdrug.org/
https://protectyoungminds.org/

You could also seek a professional counselor who has sexual addiction training, and works with teens. There are also support groups available for those trying to overcome sexual addictions. I would also recommend installing a filter at the router level, limit screen time and require every person in the house hold to charge your phones in separate a room (not the bedroom). Spend time with your daughter doing things you both enjoy.

About Julie Russell

Russell

Julie Russell

Julie has many years of experience working with families and children. She has volunteered in schools, the community and worked at homeless shelters. Julie is a graduate of George Fox University with a Masters Degree in Marriage, Couples and Family Therapy. She uses an integrated approach, she specializes in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Sandtray Therapy, Play Therapy and some Jungian techniques. She is currently serving as a private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients.

In addition to being a prominent relationship therapist, Julie has presented at conferences and to general audiences speaking on the topics of child/parent relationships, addiction, child development, depression, anxiety and adult relationship issues.

Julie is an interactive, solution-focused therapist. Her therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. She integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.

To contact Julie directly, go to: julierussellfamilycounseling.com

You may also email your questions to: [email protected] Your identity will remain confidential.

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Health and Fitness: Effort Must Match Expectations — What Are Yours?

I have a question for you: How are your 2018 health and fitness goals coming along?

At this moment, I would like you to ask yourself a few questions.

  1. Are you seeing RESULTS?
  2. Are you happy with how you look and feel?
  3. Have you seen changes in the last three to four weeks? If you said “NO” to any or even all of the above questions, it’s time to re-examine your 2018 health & fitness goals.

First of all, your EFFORT must match EXPECTATIONS. You can even reverse this and say that your EXPECTATIONS must match EFFORT. There are several reasons that could cause a problem. Maybe it’s family, work, friends, time, an injury or even a lack of focus and consistency.

I’m going to ask you to rate the following items from the most important to the least important in your life: Family, job, money, health, friends and faith. Now that you’ve done the ranking, please allow me to rank what I feel it should be:

  1. Health – If you don’t have your health, nothing else matters. Some people will say that family is the most important or that their job is the most important. The reality is if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. If someone wants to say that their faith is the most important, I can’t with argue that. But health better be #2.
  2. Family – If you don’t place health or faith here from the above example, then the next most important after health should be family. We know that family is very important, but if a person’s health isn’t where it should be, how could they be there for their family?
  3. Job & Money – We know that it’s important to provide for ourselves and for our family. But again, if your health isn’t where it should be, how can you work and provide for yourself or for your family? Take care of your health first and then you’ll be able to also then provide for yourself and for your family. Otherwise, they’ll be having to provide for themselves if a health issue arises.
  4. Friends – We all need friends, right? But in regards ranking the importance, this is where I would rank them. Now there may be a time where a friend needs to be the highest priority and that’s fine. But we’re talking an everyday mindset.
Results

Effort must match expectations.

To make sure that your EFFORT matches EXPECTATIONS, ask yourself how often you can include exercise into your daily/weekly schedule. Be sure to set yourself up for success. I’ve had clients and members ask me how many days a week they should they be exercising. Before I can answer that question, I ask them a question of how many days a week they can incorporate it into their current schedule. I believe that this initial question will help a person be set up for success. Then we’ll discuss what their goals are. After having these questions answered, I’m then able to an answer their question.

For example, let’s say you have time for two to three days a week when you start your program that you can dedicate an hour to your health and fitness goals. Without collecting information, I say that you should be exercising four to five days a week. Hearing this, you might think that you can’t do this on a consistent basis and then I’m not setting you up for success. But if after asking the questions and collecting the data, I can help you start your program and structure it in a way where you feel successful and you start seeing RESULTS, you’ll want to add more days to your current routine. This creates a win/win situation instead of someone not being able to keep up with their expectations, leading to frustration and quite often, quitting.

Make your health a priority. Set a plan. Be consistent. Be patient. Visualize it as a marathon and not a sprint. Take it one day at a time. Day after day over time leads to consistency and that will lead to lifestyle changes.

If you need help with setting realistic goals and a plan to achieve your goals, you can schedule a free consultation with me by making a quick phone call or by sending me an email. I’d be happy to give you a few minutes out of my day to make a difference in yours! Everyone’s first class is free!

Thanks for your time and in best health.

Scott Binder
Owner, Results Fitness Training
resultsfitnesstraining.com
360-910-2450

19206 SE 1st St. Suite 112
Camas, WA 98607
Located by Costco

Invite

Workout time!

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Health and Fitness Q & A Spotlight: Is This Just a Trend or a HIIT?

One of the biggest fitness trends that is going to make its mark in 2018, according to CNN.com, is high intensity interval training or HIIT. This type of training is different than just going to the gym to lift weights or doing cardio for an hour. This type of training combines aerobic (cardio), anaerobic (like sprinting), and resistance training (free weights) exercises that are programmed to deliver the maximum amount of caloric expenditure burn and fitness results — within a short period of time.

How is it different than traditional group classes?
HIIT classes can range from 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the group fitness studio you belong to. Some studios will only do body weight, but others will incorporate all three components mentioned above to deliver the maximum results within your class time.

If you are an avid cardio goer, love yoga, dance, just run, walk or hike, then HIIT is definitely going to take you out of your comfort zone. In the fitness world, we use the term planes of motion. With cardio movements, like biking or running, your body goes in one direction. When you take a HIIT class, you are moving in all the planes of motion. This means you are moving forward, sideways, backwards, at angles, up, down and sometimes all around. As humans, we are not meant to stay in one place, so if we can exercise to mimic real life movements, it helps tremendously. We call this, functional training movements. With HIIT, those movements are elevated to a higher level with out-of-the-box workout routines that are meant to get you leaner and stronger throughout your entire body, especially your core. In addition, the programmed rest cycles are meant to make your heart & lungs recover quicker, so that you can bounce back faster after every exercise sequence.

HIIT

A 45-minute session at Burntown Fitness.

Why is this important?
The magic with HIIT training is that your muscles are constantly guessing. No one wants to hit a plateau and have their bodies become stagnant. With these classes, we are constantly confusing the body with various movement patterns, different exercises and resistance levels. The end result is an increase in calories burned, better muscular endurance, a stronger and leaner body, and better recovery between exercises.

Why can’t we just do cardio?
Cardio is great, but it does little in maintaining our muscle mass. The problem with cardio addicts is their muscle mass will suffer in the long term. The goal is to maintain or increase that lean body mass through resistance training because we will lose muscle at a faster rate as we get older. In addition, you have the bone density benefit. Lifting weights and constantly challenging your muscles with various resistances and dynamic movements will help maintain bone density, especially in women who are predisposed to higher levels of osteoporosis as they age.

Final Words
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If you feel that you have reached a plateau, it just means you need to train at a higher level and be challenged. You don’t have to leave your current fitness place, but at the end of the day, if you aren’t getting results anymore, you need to crosstrain with other modes of exercise. The question to you is: Are you going to give HIIT a try? Don’t limit yourself with comfort, you only get one body, why not get the most out of it and Make Every Move Count.

by Kisar S. Dhillon, Partner, Burntown Fitness

Burntown.com

HIIT

Working out.

 

HIIT

A 45-minute session at Burntown.

 

HIIT

Sweating it out.

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Five More Tips for Raising Resilient Kids — With Julie Russell

We spent some time with Licensed Family Therapist, Julie Russell, about proven tips on how to raise resilient kids. This is the second part of three articles that discuss this issue.

Raising kids today is certainly challenging, but Russell said these are things parents can do immediately to have more peace in the home. Russell based her discussion on Margarita Tartakovsky’s proven methods to raise resilient children.

Tip #6: Don’t provide all the answers

When given a challenge, don’t solve your child’s problem. Ask them what they will do about it instead. This teaches them to think for themselves, and they can propose solutions.

Tip #7: Avoid talking in catastrophic terms

“Don’t tell your children ‘You’re going to make us go broke or you’re going to make me go to the crazy house,’” says Russell.

Doing this gives them anxiety because when parents speak that way they think scary things will happen to them, which can lead to other challenges.

Tip #8: Let your kids make mistakes

Often times, says Russell, we don’t allow our children to fail.

Some common mistakes are re-doing their homework for them. Don’t do that.

When your child tries to fix something, don’t jump in and help them fix it when they don’t ask for help. If they appear frustrated a good question to ask is: “What would you have me do?”

Tip #9:Help them manage their emotions

Russell says emotional intelligence is a big factor in being successful in life, which is why socializing is so important. She recommends being an emotional thermostat. If your child throws a temper tantrum, don’t raise your voice. Don’t escalate the noise level.

Tip #10: Model resiliency

Children constantly watch the adult role models around them. When something is hard in your life, be the example and show them how to handle it. Require children to do work around the house, and when they’re older to get jobs. Make them work. Teach them to work. Make service a big part of their lives.

“Serving others is essential to happiness,” says Russell.

To read part one, go here: First Five Tips

Russell also serves as a Washougal City Councilor. She was elected to their first term on the City Council last November.

Washougal

Julie Russell signs her oath of office at the conclusion of Monday’s Washougal City Council meeting.

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Biz Spotlight: Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning — With Health Benefits

CAMAS, WA — When you get your carpet cleaned, it always feels good to get those dirty spots and stains off, but did you know there are also some additional health benefits?

Ammon Child, owner of the Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning franchise for the past 19 years in Clark County (based in Camas), has a few things to say about his company’s process.

“We want everyone to know that besides getting a clean carpet, there are some great additional health benefits, as well,” said Child. “We use a natural cleaning solution, which is water and citrus-based extract that dries in an hour. It’s a process that’s easy on your carpet — and the environment.”

In other words, no chemicals or residue left in your home. Their carpet cleaning also helps control allergens.

He said the quick dry means your carpet isn’t getting flooded, so it’s not doing any damage to the pads underneath. There’s not much waiting time until you can walk on your comfortable floor. Their technicians can operate around your furniture so there’s no need to do any heavy lifting — unless requested.

Child recommends that you get your carpets cleaned annually if you just have regular traffic in your residence, however, if you have pets he recommends cleaning twice a year.

Heaven’s Best offers the following additional services:

  • Upholstery cleaning
  • Tile and grout cleaning
  • Inspection, spot dying and repair
  • Carpet and fabric protection
  • Commercial services
  • Window cleaning

Their company is highly involved in the local community — Child’s wife, Kari, works for Camas school, daughter Madison attends Camas High School and runs Cross Country (ran with the State XC team), and son Lucas is in middle school.

To learn more, visit www.myheavensbest.com or call 360.606.2707 for a free estimate.

 

 

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Five Tips for Raising Resilient Kids: An Interview with Julie Russell

Washougal, WA — Raising children is hard work, and with technology changing the landscape, we spent some time chatting with Licensed Family Therapist, Julie Russell, about how to raise resilient kids and help them thrive. This is the first of a three-part series. The first five tips will be addressed here, then we’ll discuss five other tips, and then discuss best ways to use technology and mobile devices.

Russell based her discussion on Margarita Tartakovsky’s proven methods to raise resilient children.

Tip #1: Don’t Accommodate Every Need

Russell: “It’s easy to spoil kids and give them too much, and we all know it’s uncomfortable to see a child suffer. What I recommend is ask them how they would like to handle the situation. This will help them realize and say to themselves ‘I can solve this myself.’”

Tip #2: Avoid Eliminating All Risk

Russell: “Allow kids to have some risk. Start telling them that some things in life will hurt. Don’t be the helicopter parent, and this can start when they’re infants. When they fall, they’re usually OK, but sometimes they mirror a parent’s overreaction. Explain the consequences to rule breaking, and follow through with those consequences, even when it’s really hard to do that. We all know sometimes it is harder on the parents. I also recommend age appropriate limitations to freedom as a consequence.

Tip #3: Teach Them To Problem Solve

Russell: “Follow through on commitments. If they want a particular dinner, allow them to make it. Teach them how to properly socialize, and to greet people by shaking hands. This helps them overcome any shyness.”

Tip #4: Teach Them Concrete Skills

Russell: “Greeting someone, shaking their hands, and looking them in the eye is important. Teach them how to set a table properly. Participate in etiquette dinners, and don’t be hurtful at the dinner table.”

Tip#5: Avoid “Why” Questions

Russell: “Asking a ‘why’ question is an accusation. ‘Why did you do that?’ It’s better to ask ‘How did this happen?’ Or ‘What was happening before you decided to do this?’ This gives you a wider space between the thought and the behavior. This helps children think about the thoughts and the actions.”

We will review five other tips in Part 2 of this series.

Russell practices in Vancouver. She won her race for Washougal City Council, and will be sworn in January 8 at Washougal City Hall.

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Health: Learn More About Anti-Inflammatory Foods by Dr. Cynthia Bye

Happy New Year 2018!

I would like to start this New Year by sharing some easy to use foods that reduce inflammation. If you are one of my patients, you know after your first visit, that inflammation is the cause of all disease. Your first visit was all about going through every system of the body to ferret out the causes of inflammation. So to start the New Year, I wanted to share some information on a few anti-inflammatory foods for you to incorporate into your diet.

Here are a few examples
1. Blueberries – these little packets of nutrition are one of mother nature’s amazing gifts to us. Dark berries, in general, contain lots of antioxidants. In particular, there is one class called flavonoids. One flavonoid, in particular, is the anthocyanins that contribute their anti-inflammatory effects by effectively turning off inflammatory processes. Berries also contain resveratrol which are great antioxidants as well. Back before we started growing food or domesticating animals, we ate berries from spring to fall.

2. Ginger is an amazing anti-inflammatory herb. I frequently put fresh ginger in my morning smoothie. It makes it taste refreshing. Ginger has an ingredient called gingerol. Gingerols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Grate some up and make some ginger tea. It is also great for nausea.

3. Green tea: I think we all know that organic green tea has some amazing health benefits. Not only is it a good anti-inflammatory but it also reduces growth factors which promote proliferation of cancer cells.

4. Dark Chocolate. Yep have to include something fun here. You must get the 70% cocoa or higher to get the benefits. It has antioxidant properties and it turns out your gut bacteria like it too. They actually ferment the chocolate into anti-inflammatory compounds.

Happy new year, and don’t forget our motto: Live every minute of every day.

Cynthia Bye, ND, FABNO
Board Certified in Naturopathic Oncology

To learn more, visit www.cynthiabye.com

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Health: Sharing Isn’t Always Caring When It Comes To Germs

The close quarters of workplaces and school classrooms can be a great breeding ground for germs that have the potential to spread illnesses. But you can fight back.

Stay Healthy

Thing simple first. The best way to overcome health challenges of working in shared spaces is to focus on your own personal hygiene.

Wash your hands regularly, and especially after touching potentially germy surfaces.

Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs make you sick when they get transferred from your hands into your body. Your eyes, nose and mouth are the doors those germs want to go through.

Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Stay home when you’re sick. Your colleagues and classmates will thank you for it.

Boost Your Immune System

You can strengthen your immune system by striking a healthy balance in your life. Help your body stay strong by getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Love the Lather

Many diseases spread because people do not wash their hands with soap and clean, running water. If water is not accessible, use and alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

Wash your hands:

  • Before preparing and eating food
  • Before and after caring for someone who is sick
  • Before and after treating a wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers or helping a child who has used the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
  • After touching an animal or handling animal waste
  • After handling pet food
  • After touching garbage
  • After riding public transit

The Dirtiest Places

Some surfaces attract more germs than others. Usually, those are shared spaces that many people touch, including:

  • Faucet handles
  • Microwave and refrigerator doors
  • Copiers
  • Elevator buttons
  • Break room tables

You have two options to deal with germy places: Avoid these things altogether, or dominate them by sanitizing them on a regular basis. And, wash your hands after touching these germ-friendly places.

Germs

A woman coughing.

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Chiropractic Evaluation After Auto Collision

If you’ve ever been in a fender bender, you were probably more concerned about damage to your car than damage to your body. After all, the airbags didn’t deploy and you felt okay. You might have been a little stiff the next day, but that’s no big deal, right?

Wrong, warns Dr. Marc Davis. Even if you received a medical examination, spinal injuries could still have ensued, which only a doctor of chiropractic may detect. Symptoms might not appear for weeks, months-or even years-later.

A common result of car accidents, whiplash is an umbrella term for injuries caused by sudden flexion followed by extension of the neck. Researchers have found that this chain of events triggers a complex set of distortions throughout the spine (Chin J Traumatol 2009; 12:305-14)

Whiplash also triggers sprains and strains. A sprain occurs when the sudden hyperextension of the neck tears ligaments that support spinal bones (vertebrae). Strains occur when muscles and tendons are hyperextended. Extreme cases of whiplash can herniate disks between vertebrae and damage nerves.

Always Get a Chiropractic Evaluation

If you are in a collision, depending on the severity, you may go to the emergency room or see a medical doctor. While you might receive painkillers to mask the pain, medication does nothing to remedy the underlying problem. This is why it is critical to have a chiropractic evaluation in addition to any medical exams you receive.

Whiplash often forces spinal bones (vertebrae) of the neck out of alignment. These misalignments, called verbal subluxations, interfere with the nerves that radiate from the spinal cord. Chiropractors detect and correct vertebral subluxations with precise and gentle chiropractic adjustments. These maneuvers relieve spinal stress and ease the myriad of disorders related to vertebral subluxations.

Chiropractic is a proven therapy for whiplash. In a variety of studies following whiplash patients, up to 93 percent of those receiving chiropractic adjustments showed improvement (J of Ortho Med 1999;21:22-5).

A review of 27 investigations reveals that chiropractic care is particularly effective in alleviating pain and improving range of motion in the neck following whiplash injuries (Work 2010;35:369-94)

Sooner is Better

It is important to get checked by a chiropractor as soon as possible after a motor vehicle accident. There are two reasons for this:

First, it is essential to identify all injuries before settling with insurance companies. Since the effects of whiplash are not always evident right away, a prompt chiropractic exam is crucial to avoid paying-out-of-pocket for debilitating symptoms that may emerge later.

Secondly, evidence shows that prompt care is more effective than delayed care for whiplash. In one study, 67 percent of patients experienced improvement in their symptoms if they received care for whiplash within three months of injury. In contrast, only 48 percent of those began therapy more than three months after injury improved (Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 2009;129:973).

Better Late Than Never

Although it is preferable to seek chiropractic care immediately following a motor vehicle accident, it is vital that anybody who has ever been in a motor vehicle collision receive chiropractic evaluation-regardless of how much time has passed.

“Minor” Accidents Can Cause Major Injuries

Just because a collision occurs at a low speed and causes minimal damage to the vehicle doesn’t mean it has not seriously impacted the spines of those involved. In fact, most cases of whiplash occur at vehicle speeds below 14 mph (23kph) (J Bone Joint Surg Br 2009;91:845-50).

What’s more, research shows that motor vehicle crashes at speeds as low as 2.5 mph (4kph) may cause injury, even if vehicular damage is nonexistent (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1998;21:629-39).

A study presented at the Stapp Car Crash Conference examined people in simulated rear-impact collisions at 9 mph (14kph). Participants instinctively tensed their muscles to absorb the impact. However, they did not react until their necks (cervical spines) were flexed due to the G-force of their heads.

The average adult head weighs 10 lbs (4.5kg) and can experience forces of 17G at the speed used in this experiment. That means the head exerts 170 lbs (77kg) of force on the neck. And this is when the crash occurs at speeds less than 10 mph!

Delayed Onset of Symptoms

Even if you feel only mild pain after a car accident-or no pain at all-severe effects of whiplash can develop much later.

Studies comparing drivers who were in rear-end collisions found that those who suffered whiplash from the accident more likely to experience headaches, back pain, shoulder and neck pain, fatigue and sleep problems seven years afterward (J Clin Epidemiol 2001;54:851-6).

More Than a Pain in the Neck

The obvious effects of whiplash injury are pain and stiffness in the neck, but a range of other symptoms are also possible. For instance, chronic headaches are common.

A survey of 3,358 patients who suffered whiplash identified symptoms including low-back pain, fatigue, dizziness, numbness and nausea (Ann Rheum Dis 2005;64:1337-42).

Mental and emotional disturbances associated with whiplash include poor concentration, sleep disturbances, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (Emerg Med J 2002;19:499-506).

What Else to Do

In addition to chiropractic care, the doctor may recommend additional interventions to help you recover from whiplash.

For instance, the doctor may suggest that you use an ice pack to ease pain and reduce muscle spasms.

In most case, immobilizing the neck with cervical collar is not necessary and can actually slow recovery. On the other hand, normal activity helps muscles heal with less stiffness.

Stretching or strengthening exercise are also proven effective. Ask the doctor to instruct you on the exercises that are best-suited for your individual situation (Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2005;3:CD004250).

Minimize Your Risk

There are ways to reduce your risk of whiplash injury. Car design is constantly evolving to improve safety. Ideal cars combine a strong seat frame with a soft seat to absorb the force of the torso in an accident.

If possible, choose a newer car. One review of nearly 2,000 car accidents showed that the newer the car, the less likely passengers were to suffer spinal injuries (Traffic Inj Prev 2009;10:560-6).

No matter how old your car is, simply adjusting the head restraints high enough to align with the back of the head protects the neck in case of an accident. The restraint should be close to your head to minimize head and neck motion during a crash (Spine 2002;27:34-42).

Know Your Rights: Talk to the Doctor

Many accident victims mistakenly assume that their insurance company can dictate what type of care they receive or even chose their doctor. This is not the case. If you have been in an accident, schedule an appointment to talk to the doctor about your rights and your care options.

 Optimal Health University™ is a professional service of PreventiCare Publishing®. The information and recommendations are appropriate in most instances. They are not, however, a substitute for consultation with a health-care provider such as Dr. Davis. Copyright, 2017.

Dr. Marc Davis and Dr. Christina Alvira and Dr. Andrew Wade adjust patients at Davis Family Chiropractic & Massage, a thriving wellness-oriented office located next to Fred Meyer in Fisher’s Landing. For FREE monthly tips and community events like us on Facebook or become a member of our website www.davisfamilychiro.com. To schedule a time to meet with Dr. Davis or Dr Christina or Dr Wade, or to get information about having them speak at your club, church group or workplace, call (360) 823-2225. Mention “LacamasMagazine” and “Free Scan” to get your Computerized Back and Neck Scan (regularly $95) for FREE (limited time offer).

 Dr. Marc Davis & Dr. Christina Alvira & Dr. Andrew Wade

DAVIS FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC AND MASSAGE, PLLC

www.davisfamilychiro.com

“For a Lifetime of Standing Tall!”

2415 SE 165TH Avenue, Suite 105

Vancouver, WA 98683

(360) 823-2225

 

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To Your Health: Take Stretch and Strength Breaks

Our bodies aren’t mean to be still for long periods of time, yet many of us sit for hours without getting up from a chair, so you may want to think about applying some daily stretch and strength exercises into your life.

Move Your Body

Sitting isn’t a problem in the short-term, but over long periods, prolonged stillness can lead to muscles tightening, fatigue, loss of focus and decreased productivity.

The idea is to pause for a stretch, a walk or anything else that clear the mind and moves the body.

Breaking for just two minutes a few times a day can bring physical and emotional results, including increased flexibility and stress reduction.

Think two of two

Aim for two separate, two-minute stretching or strengthening breaks throughout the day, ideally one in the morning, and one in the afternoon.

Stretch and Strength Technique

What you do is less important that doing something. The idea is to disengage mentally from your work while you fully engage in something physical. Try different activities throughout the day, and try to get away from your workstation, even it’s just a few yards.

When stretching:

  • Do it gently
  • Hold each position for 10-30 seconds
  • Breathe normally
  • Never continue a stretch that causes pain or discomfort

Ideas for a two-minute break

  • Participate in a daily stretch session at your location
  • For core and lower body strengthening, perform lunges and squats.
  • For an upper body stretch, grab your arms behind your back and stretch, holding for 20 seconds.
  • Get up and take a water break
  • Walk up and down stairs
  • Step outside
  • Try toe raises, rising to the balls of your feet 8-12 times, while you’re waiting in the break room
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