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By Dr. Amanda Jennings, DC 28 Mar, 2022
Get Outdoors! "As the weather is warming up again, it's time to get back outdoors! Being outside can bring many benefits to your health, such as Vitamin D from the sun, lessened anxiety, and improved sleep. " Go out and enjoy the day! Your body will thank you!
By Dr. Amanda Jennings, DC 02 Mar, 2022
Fun Facts Fact# 1 Grapefruits are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, plus fiber. Like all citrus fruits, grapefruit is high in Vitamin C, which helps bolster immune systems. Regular daily intake of Vitamin C may help ward off sickness! Fact # 2 Grapefruit trees can grow to be nearly 50 feet tall. Fact # 3 Things don't always have to be SOUR! Cooking grapefruit can remove the sourness from the fruit. Fact# 4 The grapefruit is a hybrid fruit that was bred back in the 18th century. Grapefruits are a crossbreeding of oranges and pomelos, originating in Barbados. When the fruit was discovered, it was given the name “forbidden fruit”.
By Dr. Amanda Jennings, DC 15 Nov, 2021
Scoop of the Month My Back Hurts....Now what? 80% of all people will have back pain at one point in their lives. Back Pain is the most common pain condition and over 59 million Americans have suffered from back pain and disability. There is a “supermarket” full of treatment options and it can be very confusing. How do you decide which option is right for you? To clear up the confusion, I’d like to share with you the current clinical guidelines that are based on research and a multi-disciplinary approach. Meaning, all types of treatments from surgery to chiropractic and self-care were considered. The first thing to remember is that although back pain can be scary, especially if you can’t move normally to complete your daily activities, most back pain is self-limiting and will improve on its own. If back pain is recurrent, or does not go away within 72 hours, it is important to see your healthcare provider. Other reasons to seek care immediately include the following: -pain that is extreme -pain accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation -urinary or bowel incontinence OR inability to urinate or have a bowel movement -pain that radiates into the extremities -paranesthesia in the area of the groin in legs that would touch a saddle -weakness in the extremities -trauma/accident/fall *If you are over 70 or have a history of cancer, it is also advised to seek care sooner than later. 
By Dr. Amanda Jennings, DC 12 Oct, 2021
The month of OCTOBER has arrived! This month has been deemed Breast Cancer Awareness month, but it is much more then that! THINK PINK “About 1 in 8 U.S. women, and 1 in 1000 U.S. men will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime, and being proactive in this fight is crucial.” # 1 Self Breast exams are to be done monthly and done about 10 days after the onset of a menstrual cycle or if you do not menstruate then choose a day of the month and continue to do it on the same day every month. # 2 Have your doctor examine your breast annually # 3 get a mammogram, this applies FOOD for Thought Women's health is more than just about being aware. It's about getting up and moving, taking responsibility and taking care of yourself . Many women fall into the habit of taking care of others’ health and wellness needs before they take care of their own. In 2017 according to the CDC, Heart Disease and cancer make up for almost 43% of the leading causes of death in women. FACTS: Women are 3x more likely than men to have migraines Respiratory disease affects 47% of women 1 in 3 women have gum disease 1 in 4 female deaths result from Heart Disease 1 in 3 women are obese Every hear 10 million women see a Dr. for Knee pain 71% of women won't seek help for their depression 59% of women ages 65 (+) have arthritis of one form or another The WHY: Women need health care more than men. This is due to their reproductive and sexual health needs. Women also have more chronic non-reproductive health issues such as mental illness, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Which are leading causes of death for women. Women's health issues should be an important focus due to the unique health care challenges and are more likely to be diagnosed with certain disease more than men. Statistics from CDC (2021) state that 2 out of every 3 caregivers in the United states are women. These women have a greater risk for poor physical and mental health. Including depression and anxiety. Maintaining health, managing stress and seeking support are very important for women's survival. Roughly 36 Million women in the USA are living with a condition whether it be a body or mind disability that makes certain activities harder for them to interact with the world around them. The most common disability that 44% of women 65 and older live with is arthritis. (i.e., Osteoarthritis, rheumatism, fibromyalgia and lupus) Tips and Tricks for healthy living: If you smoke: Stop Getting into a habit or a routine with annual wellness checks can increase the chances of early detection. “Even if you are feeling fine, regular wellness checks and health screenings can increase your chances of early detection of problems.” Don’t skimp on sleep: regular sleep promotes mental alertness, helps hormone balance and keeps stress levels in check. Sun Exposure: Between 10 am and 2 pm avoid the sun, wear SPF sunscreen 30 or higher when you do have to be outside Keep Moving: physical activity is a very important part of your life. Even 20 minutes of exercise a day is beneficial. Creating lifelong habits of regular activity will benefit your heart, weight management and stress levels. ACSM and CDC Recommendations of 150 minute of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week and 2 times per week-Muscle-Strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups Eat Right: Make nutrition a priority Women also need many other screens frequently or your physician may recommend a more frequent schedule if you have a family history of problems in these areas or other risk factors. Cholesterol and Blood Pressure, Pelvic Exams and Pap Smears, Osteoporosis Screenings, Colorectal Screenings, Skin Cancer and Diabetes. Being healthy has many components and modifying these components to what works for you should be a building block to build your health foundation. Final Thought “The worst or best thing that can happen is that you get checked and it turns out to be nothing. “ References BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH - October - National Day Calendar 7 Health Tips for Women | Guadalupe Regional Medical Center (grmedcenter.com) 2021(CDC Website)MORE REASONS Women's health is so Important--all needs to be reworded-----CDC Website/NCSL.org My recommendations: https://www.acsm.org/read-research/trending-topics-resource-pages/physical-activity-guidelines https://www.acatoday.org/Education-Events/National-Chiropractic-Health-Month Click To Paste
By Amanda Jennings, DC 02 Sep, 2021
Oxygen, water, food, sleep. These are the four requirements for life. Without them (in varying lengths of time) people die. Sleep is an important factor as it heavily influences our performance at work, our risk for chronic disease, and our overall quality of life. Sleep researchers, however, aren’t clear on the exact reason why humans even need to sleep. From an evolutionary perspective sleep would certainly have left primitive humans vulnerable to attack so it must offer some great advantage. Generally speaking, sleep is thought to allow our brains and our bodies to heal and repair from the damage of the day; synaptic plasticity is managed, brain pathways that are not being used are pruned, muscles are repaired, and energy stores are replenished.
By Canduss S. Larson 05 Aug, 2021
What sports medicine really is! Most often it is assumed that this field of medicine is specialized to keeping high performance athletes in optimal shape. Another misconception is that sports medicine is taking care of sprains, bruises and bumps on the sidelines of sporting events. However, it is much more that that! Also known as sports science, this branch of medicine is all about injuries, treatment and the prevention that happen through physical activity. This includes walking, running and many noncompetitive activities. “Any person who lives an active lifestyle and participates in an active activity such as running, swimming, or a recreational sport can use sports medicine.” (Movement Orthopedics, 2021) Brief History What started sports medicine (HISTORY)- In the 5th Century Ancient Greek physicians were developing strategies to treat athletes after the Olympics. In the 10th and 11th centuries Avicenna a well-respected Islamic polymath created the Canon of medicine medical encyclopedia. Also finding treatment advances in wound recovery and healing of sore muscles with massage therapy. Centuries later, Santorio Santoris studied human pulse rates and human metabolism, recording data for over 30 years helping medical professionals understand the effects of physical movements on our bodies. From the 1800’s to 2021 milestones and achievements have been recorded to establish the development of sports medicine. (Study more at the history of sports medicine) ( https://www.northeastspineandsports.com/the-history-of-sports-medicine/) Sports Medicine as a Career “Awareness about athletic injuries continues to evolve, and today there are nearly 140 U.S.-based ACGME-accredited fellowship-training programs in primary care sports medicine.” “In the last 15-20 years more and more female sports doctors are taking on sports medicine as a career” (Thompson, D., 2016) Are you wondering............what types of jobs are there in sports medicine? 1.) Athletic Trainer 2.) Physical Therapist 3.) Nutritionist 4.) Biomechanist 5.) Medical Doctor 6.) Exercise Physiologist 7.) Strength and Conditioning Specialist 8.) Orthopedic Nurse 9.) Sports Psychologist 10.) Massage Therapist 11.) Orthopedic Surgeon 12.) Recreational Therapist 13.) Physical Therapy Assistant 14.) Sports Psychiatrist 15.) Kinesiotherapist 16.) Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner 17.) Biomedical Engineer 18.) Physician Assistant 19.) Sports Medicine Professor 20 .) Chiropractor “Chiropractors have one of the alternative sports medicine jobs that use non-invasive means to relieve athletic injuries. Chiropractors have a hands-on approach to manipulate and adjust misaligned musculoskeletal parts. Chiropractors offer all-natural, homeopathic remedies to heal pain in muscles, joints, and ligaments. Chiropractors choose rehabilitative therapies and lifestyle changes over drugs. Chiropractors must complete a four-year Doctor of Chiropractic degree and pass the NBCE exam for licensing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the hiring of chiropractors will increase 7 percent for 3,700 jobs by 2028.” Scoop of the Month! Did you know Dr. Jennings is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP®) ? CCSP® is a post graduate certificate chiropractors can obtain to work with athletes and teams. She works with many athletes of all ages when they are injured and is a great first point of contact for sports injuries. She has an established network to refer to if the injury is more serious and needs a different intervention than what we offer at Ogle County Chiropractic Center, INC. We offer manual therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy and rehab of sports injuries. Dr. Jennings will be traveling to Chicago Labor Day weekend to work with the AVP sports medicine team during the annual beach volleyball tournament. If you have any further questions or interest about Sports Medicine. Please feel free to contact Dr. Jennings! OCCC2014@comcast.net or Phone: 815-234-2222 Resources Movement Orthopedics (2021) https://www.movementortho.com/2018/09/07/fun-facts-about-sports-medicine/ North East Spine and Sports Medicine (2021) https://www.northeastspineandsports.com/the-history-of-sports-medicine/ Sports Management Degree Guide (2021) https://www.sports-management-degrees.com/faq/what-types-of-jobs-are-there-in-sports-medicine/ https://www.hss.edu/womens-sports.htm https://cjsmblog.com/2016/06/16/sports-medicine-a-career-for-all-genders/
By Dr. Amanda Jennings, DC 08 Jun, 2021
Building a Healthier You has 4 basic components that are easy to start incorporating into everyday life.
By Amanda Jennings, DC 30 Dec, 2020
The year 2020 and the pandemic have brought many things to light. One important takeaway for me was how important it is to take care of our own health. Covid 19 affected many people, but the severity of symptoms, lingering effects, and death have been much much greater for those who had pre-existing health problems such as diabetes and obesity. It’s easy to say “Well, I’m only a few pounds overweight” or “I’m not as bad as that guy”, but we do know that unhealthy habits can lead to disease and a variety of life altering health problems down the road. A new year is a great time to reset and reboot and decide what will be important to you and set some goals. This month we will be discussing many tips on simple changes that can improve your musculoskeletal and overall health. No matter where you are right now, it’s never too late to make changes and turn your health around. If you’re already making your health a priority, it’s a good time to set yourself up for continued success or reflect to see if there are any areas on which you can improve. Here are some of the things I consider important and helpful to improve health. I will be discussing some of these in more detail throughout the month. 1. Drink water. A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight (lbs.) in ounces of water. So if you weigh 100 pounds you should aim for 50 ounces of water daily. This can vary based on sweating, water content of food, and caffeine/alcohol intake. Water should be your primary fluid intake. 2. Reduce/eliminate processed and prepackaged foods. Strive for 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. That is a full cup of leafy greens and a half cup of everything else. 3. Move! We are not meant to sit at a desk or lie in front of a TV all day. The department of Health and Human Services recommends 30-60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 days a week. You can cut this in half if you do high intensity workouts or HIIT training. You should also include weight training 2 days weekly. Activity provides so many benefits for overall health. It can add years to your life and life to your years! 4. Get outdoors. Time spent in nature has been shown to improve memory, reduce stress, anxiety and depression, reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure, protect your vision and improve your ability to focus. 5. Think well. Changing the way you think can improve your mental and physical health. Prayer, meditation, gratitude, affirmations, exercise and yoga are all beneficial for your mental health and can change the way you think. 6. Get a yearly physical. Even if you are healthy, annual screens can detect disease early on and make it easier to treat. Even healthy individuals can have health impacting risk factors such as low vitamin D levels that have an easy fix of supplementation or small doses of daily sunlight. I’d like to say thank you to my patients who trust me to be a part of your healthcare team. I hope I can be part of making 2021 your best year yet!
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