SLEEP!!! How much??

How much sleep do we really need? 5 hours? 8 hours? MORE?? It's interesting but in reality we really don't need a lot of sleep/rest PHYSICALLY. We do need sleep/rest MENTALLY. There was a study done years ago. They would put a person in an apartment type room. There would be no way to know the time of day. The person was instructed to sleep when he was sleepy, eat when she was hungry and otherwise go about in the normal routine of a work day. After 30 days the person would fall into a routine of sleeping at a certain time. This time was not dictated be the 11:00 News or an 8:00 to 5:00 job. It was found that the person may sleep best between 4:00 am and 11:00 am and be more productive during specific times. This would be great information to have if all of us could do the test and schedule our days around the new found information. We would sleep better in probably shorter hours and would be more productive in our waking hours.
There was another study done several years ago concerning sleep and function. They used college students. The test required that the person stay awake for 72 hours. At the beginning of the test the individual had to take physical agility and strength tests as well as mental, thinking, cognitive tests. Re-tests were performed every few hours. After 24 hours the physical capabilities had not diminished much at all but the mental process had slowed. By the end of the 72 hours it was shown that the physical capabilities were very close to the original. The mental and cognitive tests were near zero. As the person would try to do the written tests he would just fall asleep and not even complete one question of 10. So, we really don't the sleep physically as much as we need it mentally. Our brains need the sleep/rest. I can't tell you if you need 8 or 9 hours or if you can get by with only 4 to 6 hours. What I can say is get what you NEED and don't be lazy. "Awake sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Ephes. 5 Get the sleep you need but know that if you sleep 8 hours per day you will be sleeping 1/3 of your life away. Be active and productive during your waking hours and have fun doing it.
5/25 is Memorial Day. Take time to thank a service man/woman for serving our country and let some one's family know how much you appreciate them if they have lost a loved one fighting for our country and dying for our freedom. God Bless you all. Sleep well.

SCIATICA!!! OUCH!!!

Sciatica is a fancy term for leg pain. It is a pain radiating down the back of the leg, calf and sometimes foot. It is commonly caused by a "pinched nerve" from a "slipped disc". Interestingly enough, discs don't "slip" and nerves don't really get "pinched". What does happen is nerves can have pressure or irritation put on them by a protruding disc or a bulging disc. Muscles can spasm or become lax and put pressure on the nerve to cause pain. The pain is actually being caused inflammation of the nerve. Picture taking a piece of sandpaper and rubbing it on your skin for only 5 minutes. That portion of your skin would be raw and irritated for days and be very painful. That is basically what is happening to the nerve, only sometimes the irritation is 24/7. You may not be able to find a comfortable way to sit, lie down or even stand. As a matter of fact, lying down puts about 25 pounds of pressure on the disc, standing about 90 pounds of pressure and 150 pounds of pressure with sitting. This pressure causes more swelling of the disc, therefore more pressure or irritation to the nerve, in turn more swelling of the nerve and more PAIN. So what causes the disc to "slip"? Discs can be injured by lifting, a twisting fall or any type of injury that can tear the ligament fibers of the disc. There is a "jelly ball" inside the disc that can shift into the region of the tear. This is where the protrusion or bulge will be. By itself this can be very painful. This pain can be varied. It can be spread out or very localized. It can be dull or sharp or just achy. Standard medical treatment is normally an anti-inflammatory. Sometimes a muscle relaxer and a pain killer will accompany these. The pills can give temporary relief. On some occasions the damage to the disc is so great surgical intervention may be necessary. Before any treatment is given there should be a thorough neurological and orthopedic exam. X-Rays should be taken and possibly a CT scan or MRI should be done. Sometimes even blood test need to done. These exams can rule out if there are other reasons to have the same leg pain. Other potential problems involving leg pain could be constipation, diabetes, tumors, prostate problems, active trigger points from spasm and structural misalignment of the lumbar vertebra or pelvic joints. Of course the misalignment of the vertebra or pelvis is the concern of chiropractors. Vertebral misalignment and disc problems are a specialty of chiropractic. Treatment, rehab and the healing process can be slow. The patients help in the process is appreciated. Ice therapy, nutritional supplements and rest help. "Doc it hurts when I lift my arm this way"............."THEN DON'T LIFT IT THAT WAY" says the doctor. That sounds funny but it's the truth. Don't do things that hurt or aggravate the condition. Chiropractors aren't the only one that can help sciatica but we're one of the best at it and our method is conservative. Call us first with any back or leg pain. If what we have to offer is not what you need, we'll make the proper referral.

BACK PAIN and Smoking!!!???

STOP SMOKING!!!!!!!!PERIOD!!!!!
Not just because it's going to kill you but you'll go through tremendous pain getting there. It basically says on the side of a cigarette package that you'll get cancer and die. But, did you know that there is a connection to smoking and back pain? Nicotine and carbon monoxide, just two chemicals of around 4000 found in tobacco smoke, constrict arteries and interfere with blood supply to organs and joints. Of course, blood carries the nutrients and oxygen needed to keep these body parts healthy. A study of 1300 physicians at Johns Hopkins University found that those that were smokers and had high cholesterol were more likely to suffer with low back and neck degeneration. This is a painful deterioration of the spine. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which plaque builds up on the artery walls. Smoking is a major component to this condition. This build up in the abdominal arteries causes a decrease in blood supply to low back discs. The discs will become brittle and painful.
Smokers have a tendency to cough a lot. Coughing increases the stress on the discs and will increase pain. Sneezing and hard coughing have been known to rupture discs.
Smokers normally aren't very active in exercise. This will cause muscular weakness. If a person has a problem that is actually being treated, not exercising will prolong the condition and make it more difficult to recover.
The above information is from citruspie.com. Paul Elms of Ezine Articles shares 10 ways to stop smoking.
1) Get support-Give up at the same time time as a friend or a family member and you will be able to give each other mutual support and encouragement. If you don't know anybody close that is a smoker, you could join an online forum where there are other smokers trying to give up.
2) Take up a new hobby-finding something new to do will help occupy your mind and take your thoughts off cigarettes. Maybe you've wanted to learn an instrument, or speak a foreign language. Now could be a good time to start. You'll be able to afford it with all the money you'll be saving from not buying cigarettes.
3) Try hypnotherapy-many people have found this to be a great help to them. You could see a therapist or purchase a CD.
4) Talk to your medical physician about the possibility of using bupropion(Zyban). This is a prescription medication that works by decreasing your desire to smoke. There can be side effects including nausea and dizziness.
5) Treat yourself-Add up the money you will save by not smoking and then treat yourself. You could have a pampering session at a health spa, take a weekend break to an exotic location or indulge a favorite hobby.
6) Try nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)-If you want to double your chances of quitting compared to going "cold turkey", then you should take a look at NRT. It is available in patches, gum, tablets and nasal spray and can overcome the physical cravings for nicotine. Aim to cut down the use of NRT after 3 months with a view to completely stopping after about 6 months.
7) Write a list of all the reasons you want to give and the benefits you'll get. Pin it to a wall or somewhere you'll see it frequently so that you are constantly reminded of it.
8) Try acupuncture-This traditional Chinese medicine involve putting special needles into the skin. Although the medical evidence to support its use is limited, many smokers have reported that they have been helped by it.
9) Stop habitual smoking-do you have a habit of smoking at certain times of the day or while doing certain things? Break your routine so that you are less likely to feel the urge to smoke.
10) Don't give up giving up-many people don't succeed in finally quitting until the third or fourth try. In the end it is worth it.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HEALTH