Soda: A Burbank Chiropractic Patient’s Perspective

Can soda slow metabolism?

Ok, this is going to be another blog about another one of my bad habits. Seems I have a lot of them, and though I learn new things every day that tell me I should quit, I still find them hard to give up. No matter what Burbank chiropractor Alfred Sadanaga and the latest medical studies say.

This time it’s soda.

Now I’m not really a soda drinker…this is not my go-to beverage of choice with each meal, or even on a daily basis. I’m just a casual soda consumer, mostly susceptible on summer days when the thermometer reaches 95 degrees or more. Also susceptible when I order a pizza. Or when my friend sends me a bag of sourdough pretzels from Pennsylvania. Sometimes I crave soda when on a long road trip and need a caffeine fix.

So I probably drink about 15 sodas per year. But even this number is starting to sound a bit high. Here’s why I’m worried:

First, there’s the high fructose corn syrup factor, which scares the heck out of me. Read about a recent Princeton study to see how HFCS piles on weight: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322121115.htm

Then there’s the possible correlation of kidney disease and colas: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/health/nutrition/22real.html

Third, it turns out that even the diet sodas aren’t good for you, increasing your metabolism problems to put you at risk for lowered “good” cholesterol, increased high blood pressure and heart disease: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19918336/

So what’s my solution? I can quit buying soda altogether, it wouldn’t be a huge step for me. But I’ve also found some work-around options. A particular brand of birch beer without HFCS for example. Or I can start buying the half-size cans, decreasing the health risks, by cutting my intake.

I don’t know exactly what I’ll do, but awareness of the dangers help me make better decisions. And thankfully, we haven’t had too many summer days that were over 95 degrees. Yet.

Chris Podbielski is a patient at Magnolia Natural Health Center located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health at (818) 954-0884 for your personalized consultation today.

Shoulder Pain: A Burbank Chiropractor’s Advice

This is Where the Blow May Hit by Megyarsh

When a patient comes to me with shoulder pain, I explain that there could be many reasons for the symptoms. The shoulders comprise the most mobile joints in the body – and so there are numerous opportunities for a component to break down. Some reasons for the breakdown might include:

• Overexertion Strains & Tendonitis
• Joint Instability, Injury or Dislocation
• Fractures (in the collar or upper arm bones)
• Frozen Shoulder (usually after surgery or wearing a sling)
• Pinched Nerves
• Arthritis
• Bursitis

Because there are so many triggers, it’s important to diagnose the primary cause of the shoulder pain, rather than to just treat the pain itself. Does your shoulder pain come from a sports injury that causes bursitis (an irritation of the fluid filled pads around your joints) or tendonitis? Or do you suffer from a pain-inducing disease like arthritis? Another cause might simply be bad posture, like anterior head syndrome, which puts strain on your neck and shoulder muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Chronic shoulder pain is rarely as simple as “I slept wrong last night,” which should only cause temporary pain. Chronic shoulder pain is deep-rooted and comes from repetitive behaviors and other medical or structural conditions.

One way to determine the cause of pain is to move and stretch your arms, shoulders and neck. If these movements exacerbate the pain, we’ll know that your primary condition is within your shoulder or neck or upper back. If the pain does not worsen with movement, we’ll know that your shoulder symptoms are a referred pain and usually symptomatic of diseases and conditions affecting your chest or abdomen.

In fact, if you have trouble breathing or feel tightness in your chest along with shoulder pain, you should get medical attention immediately, as you may be having a heart attack.

But most of the other causes of shoulder pain can be treated with simple chiropractic care. We’ll start with awareness of repetitive stress habits in sports and at work, structural correction to straighten out your posture, or treatments to ease your arthritis.

Dr. Alfred Sadanaga is a Burbank chiropractor whose offices are located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health Center at (818) 954-0884 for a personal consultation and help with your shoulder pain.

Whiplash: Burbank Chiropractic Advice

Crash Test Dummy by Ricky Gamble

Most of us associate whiplash injuries with automobile accidents, though the damage also comes from anything that causes severe jarring to the neck or head. This includes very hard traffic stops (not necessarily an accident) slip and falls, sports injuries, and even acts of violence.

The problem though, is that you might suffer a whiplash causing event, and not know it for a while. Adrenaline released in your body after trauma dulls pain. The subconscious protects you from further trauma by sending your body into shock. And smaller, initially unnoticeable injuries become progressively worse over time when left untreated.

So even though you might initially feel that you’ve walked away from a car accident “without a scratch,” you should give your body a little time to reassess itself.

Another problem with whiplash injuries is the fact that they can cause a host of secondary conditions in the future. Most whiplash victims will feel discomfort immediately or within a day or two, and most of the symptoms manifest as muscle pain in the neck and shoulders.

But some will suffer a misalignment of the spine or neck causing forward head position, which sometimes lead to stresses on the vertebrae and disks, or even a herniated disk. And still others will experience seemingly unexplainable symptoms like fatigue, muscle weakness, blurry vision or memory loss –– never realizing that whiplash injury was in fact, the primary cause.

Whiplash leads to long-term, secondary injuries.

If you are getting frequent headaches, suffering insomnia, blurry vision or other symptoms, chances are your chiropractor won’t be able to trace it to that fender bender you had in 1995. We can however, figure out if these secondary conditions come from forward head positioning, disk injury, spine straightening or some other problem. It’s always important to find the primary cause of your symptoms to gain long-term relief.

Dr. Alfred Sadanaga is a Burbank chiropractor whose offices are located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health Center at (818) 954-0884 for a personal consultation and help with your whiplash injury.

Gardening: A Burbank Chiropractic Patient’s Perspective

Gardening can Pull Weeds and Muscles

Aaaah…summer is beginning to wind down. The tomatoes are finally in (who knew they would take such a long time to bear fruit?) and so are the weeds. Unfortunately the weeds have been around for a while, but after months of neglect they’re really starting to take over.

I hesitate to tackle them. The last time I engaged in a massive weeding project, I really messed up my lower back. Of course, Burbank chiropractor Alfred Sadanaga made everything better again, but it took a few months of treatment to get me back to normal.

So this time, though I hesitate, I’m going in a little better prepared with some advice from Dr. Sadanaga:

1. Stretches: I’m treating this whole gardening thing like a marathon. That means stretching out before I subject myself to hours of squatting, kneeling and bending.
2. Load Awareness: No more dragging around 5 gallon buckets of water. Instead, I will chain together the necessary lengths of garden hose, even though I really hate rolling up garden hose. But I hate back pain more, so no contest there.
3. Tools: Even though I have kneeling pads and a small, rolling seat for weeding, I really didn’t use them much. This year I will, by making a conscious effort to do so.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (more commonly known as the CDC) offers some additional tips for gardeners:

1. Arthritis sufferers should use tools easy to grip. (Moderate exercise from gardening and other activities three times per week can help reduce stiffness).
2. Gardeners taking medication that may make them dizzy or drowsy should avoid using powered gardening tools or ladders.
3. Pay attention to what your body tells you. Are you fatigued? How’s your heart rate? Do you feel pockets of tension in certain muscle groups? If so, stretch out, take a break, or leave some work for tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the weeds will keep returning, no matter how many you pull out or poison. But there’s little reason to endure back pain along with the weeds! Remember, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”….

Chris Podbielski is a patient at Magnolia Natural Health Center located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health at (818) 954-0884 for your personalized consultation today.

HFCS: A Burbank Chiropractic Patient’s Perspective

High Fructose Corn Syrup in Many Foods

I’m on a campaign of physical self improvement, which started with regular chiropractic care with Dr. Alfred Sadanaga and continues with his advice on better dieting. I’m not exactly counting calories and fat grams yet, I’m targeting something different: High-Fructose Corn Syrup, or HFCS.

An avowed sofa spud and junk food addict, I thought eliminating HFCS would be the easiest way for me to start my plan of attack. I thought wrong. After a few weeks of reading labels, I find HFCS in some everyday items:

• Bottled Beverages
• Baked Goods
• Condiments

So why are HFCSs so prevalent in our foods? Because they’re sweeteners made from corn, and corn is a relatively profitable crop to grow for struggling farmers. It also happens to extend the shelf life of our processed foods.

Why should we care?

Princeton University recently completed a study in which they found that rats consuming HFCS gained a lot more weight than the group of rats that ate regular table sugar. (Yes, both groups consumed the same amount of calories.)

And researchers at the University of California, Davis reported last year that fructose-sweetened beverages contributed to higher levels of LDLs (the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides, both of which can lead to increased risks of heart disease.

But here’s one way to avoid HFCS: The next time you go grocery shopping, try picking up items labeled “organic”, a highly regulated term by the Food and Drug Administration. “Natural” won’t cut it, these products can still use HFCS in their products.

The next time you want to spice up your sandwich with some condiments, try using mustard, (mayo if you can forgive the fat calories), salsa or hot sauces. These condiments tend to be HFCS free.

And if you’re still having trouble controlling weight, diabetes, cholesterol or have other nutrition issues, talk to Dr. Sadanaga. He can help.

Chris Podbielski is a patient at Magnolia Natural Health Center located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health at (818) 954-0884 for your personalized consultation today!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Burbank Chiropractor’s Advice

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery by Dave Parker

Most people classify carpal tunnel syndrome as a condition caused by repetitive stresses––usually too much time spent typing while holding your wrists at the wrong angle. That’s only one cause.

The fact is, carpal tunnel syndrome might actually be a secondary condition. You can get it from diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hormonal or thyroid disorders, menopause and even pregnancy.

Why? Because carpal tunnel syndrome is really a structural problem. The carpal tunnel is a tube in your wrist that houses the median nerve along with several tendons that bend your fingers. When the tunnel is squeezed, it pressures this nerve and the tendons, causing numbness and weakness in the hand.

But remember that anything from using power tools to typing to hormonal changes can constrict this tunnel too. So what should you do about it?

There are many things we can try before you’ll need to resort to surgery. If you feel that repetitive stress is the cause you might want to try a wrist splint. Wearing  a brace at work should keep your hands in the proper positions. Wearing one at night will keep your carpal tunnel straight while you sleep, which should reduce symptoms in the morning.

If carpal tunnel syndrome is a secondary condition caused by something like diabetes, altering your diet might help. I can help you control diabetes, hormonal changes, arthritis and more with nutrition advice and supplements.

The key though, is to recognize the symptoms early so you can begin treatment early. If you’re feeling numbness or radiating pain in your hands or arms, or feel like you’re weakening in these areas, you should see someone before your condition gets worse.

Dr. Alfred Sadanaga is a Burbank chiropractor whose offices are located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health Center at (818) 954-0884 for a personal consultation and help with your carpal tunnel syndrome.

Laptop Ergonomics: A Burbank Chiropractic Patient’s Perspective

AHS causes secondary conditions like back pain.

If you remember my first blog, you’ll know I suffer Anterior Head Syndrome (AHS) which has been causing shoulder pain and arm numbness. The shoulder pain has gone away with Burbank chiropractor Dr. Sadanaga’s treatments, but I still have occasional tingling sensations in my lower arm. It happens less often, but it still happens.

Now, if you read my blog two weeks ago, you might remember that Dr. Sadanaga gave me a lesson on sitting properly. Last week, I got another lecture, this time about laptops.

Did you know that your nose should be on a level with the middle of your computer monitor? And that doesn’t mean you should be hunched down over your laptop––it means that the monitor needs to be raised so that you can hold your head up straight.

For laptop users, that means getting a riser. Your local office supply store

Keep your head up with a laptop riser.

probably sells a decent one for about 50 bucks. (The cheaper versions won’t allow you to raise your monitor high enough.) You’ll also need to get a USB keyboard and mouse so that you can still type. Overall, the whole ergonomically correct package will cost about $100.

Yeah, that’s a bit steep for most people; it’s much more fun to spend that kind of money on other things. But really, when it comes to my posture and living my life pain free, I’m going to count this particular expense as necessary.

Chris Podbielski is a patient at Magnolia Natural Health Center located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health at (818) 954-0884 for your personalized consultation today!

Back Pain: A Burbank Chiropractor’s Advice

Back pain a symptom of another problem. Illustration by J. Heuser

Think of your back as a car composed of numerous parts: Your spine is like a drivetrain, your vessels and nerves act like fuel lines and electrical wiring. Just like a car, any one of these items can break down and cause other problems. If you don’t keep the oil clean, you get engine damage.

Just like a car, the disks that cushion the bones in your spine act as the shock absorbers for your vertebrae. Imbalanced tires cause tread-wear and make for a rough ride the way sore muscles in your back make walking or bending uncomfortable.

Ok, maybe it’s time to take your car into the shop for a fix. You pay good money for new tires but your mechanic doesn’t check to see if your car is aligned properly, or that the tires are balanced. So what happens next?

You get more tread-wear, making for endless rough riding and back pain!

Like your car, if you don’t take care of the primary condition, and only fix the secondary problems, you keep having pain. Worse, you let your body overcompensate for the pain, which causes bigger problems.

Back pain is a symptom of bigger issues like a bulging or ruptured disk, a misalignment in the spine, compression fractures — it’s a red flag raised by your body. You can ease back pain with temporary repairs: heat, cold, pain-relievers and traditional chiropractic adjustments.

But the better option is to address the source problem by identifying the primary condition and seeking structural correction. A good chiropractor will find and treat the structural problem––not issue temporary fixes.

Dr. Alfred Sadanaga is a Burbank chiropractor whose offices are located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health Center at (818) 954-0884 for a personal consultation and help with your back pain.

Migraines: A Burbank Chiropractic Patient’s Perspective

Really Really Ow by Sarah G.

Before I began weekly appointments with Doctor Sadanaga, I had headaches almost every day. Being a student, these headaches would interfere with school. I never knew the reason for such pain so all I could do was drink water, take an Advil and go to sleep.

It even got to a point where going outside was too painful because the sun was too bright.

When I decided to go see what the problem was, Doctor Sadanaga took an Xray and found out that it was an effect of the way my spine was shaped, which caused minor migraine headaches. Only after two short visits with Doctor Sadanaga, the headaches went away. Now, having been going weekly to the office for about 3 months I have only had 4 headaches since.

Gabby R. is a 16 year old Burbank Chiropractic patient at Magnolia Natural Health Center located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health Center at (818) 954-0884 for your personalized consultation today!

Sciatica: A Burbank Chiropractor’s Advice

Sciatica Nerve

We all have one, and some of us are sorry to realize that we do. The sciatica is a nerve that runs from your lower back down into each leg. In fact, it’s the longest nerve in the body. No wonder it causes so much pain when it flares up!

The thing is, when we experience flare ups, we must understand that sciatica pain is a secondary condition, or merely a symptom of another problem. Usually that problem is a herniated disc due to a structural misalignment.

You’ll feel a radiating pain from your lower back in the lumbar region, that flares down through your buttocks to the back of your legs, possibly down to your calves. Pain usually occurs on one side, or down through one leg. Sitting for long periods of time becomes really uncomfortable, and sneezing or coughing will aggravate the flare up.  It can feel like a mild ache, a sharp burning sensation or be extremely (some describe it as excruciating) painful.

But what other secondary symptoms accompany sciatica pain?

Muscle Weakness: You might experience this along the sciatica pathway, along with the pain. Some patients have muscle weakness in one leg and pain in the other.

Tingling Sensations: You might experience a pins-and-needles feeling in your toes or parts of your feet.

Bladder/Bowel Control Loss: This happens very rarely. If you suffer loss of control in these areas along with other sciatica symptoms, seek immediate medical treatment.

So assuming you don’t have extremely serious symptoms, what do you do about it? For one thing, you can continue with regular activities and exercise, so long as you don’t do whatever it is that prompted the sciatica flare up in the first place. Prolonged rest or inactivity for more than a couple of days will probably make your sciatica pain worse.

Chiropractic adjustments and/or massage also help. Spinal manipulation restores spinal movement to improve function, decreasing the pressure on your sciatica.

Dr. Alfred Sadanaga is a Burbank chiropractor whose offices are located at 2200 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA. Call Magnolia Natural Health Center at (818) 954-0884 for your personalized consultation.