May all the good things in life be yours, not only at

Thanksgiving, but throughout the upcoming year.

From the staff at Alpharetta Back & Neck Center.

Winter is coming but that doesn't mean you're destined to get sick. While you are more likely to get sick in the winter, this correlation isn't directly tied to the rain and cold. The temperature drop does have an impact, but it's because cooler weather keeps us indoors.

Respiratory (URI) infections are transfered more readily in the winter time for two reasons. "Dr William Schaffner, an infection disease expert at Vanderbilt University recetly stated, "The first is we spend more time in enclosed spaces, close to each other, so that we have more prolonged face-to-face contact"

The second reason has to do with humidity. During the winter months, there's a lot less humidity so when a virus enters the air it's able to stay there longer, allowing anyone close to it to breathe it in. The theroy goes that if you get caught in the rain and stay in wet clothes you're more likely to get sick, but experts say this is a myth.

Get adjusted vs. Flu shots. Your body has the ability to fight off infection if you stay adjusted and allow the body to heal itself. "Healing comes from Above Down and Inside Out"

We are partnering with Scentsy to support Kids Battling Cancer. You can help in 2 ways.

1. Refer a friend or family member to the practice and I will donate a Scentsy Buddy to a child in your name to CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATANTA.

2. Send a Scentsy Buddy to the kids on your own.

Visit ScentMinded.net/dr for more information. Ends November 30th 2019.

ARE YOUR MEDICAL BILLS COVERED? Did you know there is a portion of your automobile policy that not only allows you to go to any doctor you want regardless of your health insurance but pays your bills? Your car insurance protects your car, not the people inside of it. Medical Payments (often called Med Pay) or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers the medical cost of all passengers in your vehicle including you if they are injured in an accident. Med Pay will cover the medical cost resulting from an accident regardless of who was at fault. Only injuries caused directly by the accident will be covered by Med Pay. Keep in mind Med Pay is purchased on a by vehicle basis. This means if you have two cars you must purchase Med Pay for both if you wish to be covered in either car. It's also very important to point out that Med Pay is not a replacement for health insurance. Med Pay coverage is strictly limited to injuries that occur during auto accidents and almost always has a limit (We suggest a minimum of $10,000 in coverage). Your health insurance can also cover your injuries if you are in a car accident: the difference is that Med Pay will cover the other people in the car. Additionally, Med Pay or PIP covers your medical cost from an accident at 100%, usually without deductibles and co-payments. If you use your health insurance to cover your accident-related medical expenses you may be subject to plan restrictions, high deductible, co-payments and re-payment. What does all that mean for you? It means that at the end of your accident related treatment you may not have any outstanding doctor bills to pay and so have decreased your liability. This low cost insurance can be an effective way to pay for your treatment bills. Check your automobile declaration page or call your insurance agent to find out your specific coverage's. Most insurance agents do not recommended it. It is an optional coverage and you must request it.  Contact your insurance agent to find the right coverage to fit your individual needs. If you or anyone you know has been involved in an automobile accident the key to recover is early evaluation and treatment. Don't wait to see if it goes away, call our office immediately.

An often overlooked treatment that is highly successful for slipped or herniated disc is NOW available in our office. This is a non-surgical alternative procedure for relieving low back, neck, arm and leg (sciatica) pain.

Treatment is directed towards relieving pressure on structures such as nerves and disc that are often a major source of pain. It can relieve the pain associated with bulging, herniated and degenerative disc. If you have had a positive MRI you are very much an excellent candidate. If you or someone you know have any one of these conditions have them call and schedule an appointment to see if they are a candidate for spinal decompression. Chiropractic first, Drugs second and Surgery last!

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and chiropractors nationwide are encouraging the public to take simple steps toward better musculoskeletal (MSK) health during National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) this October. The MSK system is comprised of the spine as well as all the muscles, bones and joints of the body. Keeping this vital system strong is the focus of 2019’s "Strength. Stability. Success." campaign.

When the MSK system functions well, we feel stronger and healthier; however, when there's a problem we might experience pain and even disability. More than one in two adults report experiencing an MSK condition such as back pain, neck pain, joint pain, arthritis or osteoporosis. They are the most commonly reported medical conditions among those under age 65 and the second most common condition for people age 65 and older. Low back pain alone is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

"Chiropractors provide care that helps people improve musculoskeletal health and relieve conditions such as low back pain naturally, sometimes enabling them to avoid or reduce the need for riskier treatments such as prescription opioid pain medications and surgery," notes ACA President Robert C. Jones, DC.

This October, set yourself up for future stability and success by taking steps to improve the strength of your musculoskeletal system:

1. Move more. Bones, muscles and joints need movement to stay healthy. The U.S. surgeon general recommends adults get at least 150 minutes weekly of moderate physical activity (such as walking, yardwork, recreational swimming) or at least 75 minutes of intense weekly activity (jogging, hiking uphill, basketball).
   
2. Eat a balanced diet. Proper nutrition is just as important to musculoskeletal health as it is to overall health. Eat a balanced diet that includes whole fresh foods and try to avoid processed foods. Be sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D for your bones and lean protein to build and maintain strong muscles.
   
3. Go outside. The sun helps our bodies produce Vitamin D, which in turn helps us to absorb calcium and strengthen bones.
   
4. Do weight-bearing exercises. Walking, jogging and resistance exercises such as weightlifting can improve bone density. Planks and squats can also strengthen core muscles. (Non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming and biking can benefit the MSK system as well, especially for people unable to walk or jog while recovering from back, hip or knee pain.)
   
5. Stay hydrated. Drinking water makes muscles stronger by carrying oxygen to the cells of the body. It also helps lubricate and cushion joints.
   
6. Quit smoking. Smoking contributes not only to cardiovascular disease but also osteoporosis and bone fracture as we age.
   
7. Get adequate rest. A good night's sleep enables your body to repair muscles and joints that are strained or injured during the day.
   
8. Don’t drink too much alcohol. Drinking alcohol excessively can lead to osteoporosis and bone fracture.
   

We can also reduce the risk of pain and injury to our MSK system by improving our posture and movement techniques as well the ergonomics of our work and home environments. Learn more at www.acatoday.org/NCHM.

A five year study of people's eating habits suggests that people who limit or eliminate meat from their diets are less likely to die over time. Researchers at Loma Linda University in California studied data from over 70,000 participants and found that people who eat mostly fruits and vegetables enjoyed a reduced risk of heart disease and other diet-related causes of death. In the test group, 8 percent of subjects described themselves as vegans who didn't eat any animal products, 29 percent were lacto-ovo-vegetarians who didn't eat fish or meat but did eat dairy and egg products, and 15 percent occasionally ate meat and fish. The researchers found that while seven out of 1000 individuals died in any given period of time, the death rate among vegetarians and occasional meat-eaters dropped to five or six individuals in the same time period. However, the researchers were reluctant to attribute the effect solely to the test subject's diet choices. They pointed out that the vegetarians also generally worked out more, were better educated, less likely to smoke and weighed less, all of which contributed to their decreased mortality rate. Still, they concluded that the data suggests that reducing or eliminating animal products from your diet could lead to healthier overall outcomes.

If you’ve purchased plastic related drinking containers you’ve surely noticed many products touting their "BPA-free" status. BPA or bisphenol-A is a chemical used to harden plastic and has received much bad press over the recent years due to studies linking it to brain and behavior issues in children and infants, altered hormone levels, obesity and cancer, to name a few. Unfortunately, new research from Canada shows the replacement being used for BPA, BPS or bisphenol-S, has now also become a cause for concern. Researchers from the University of Calgary have now found BPS to cause changes in the brain development of zebra fish embryos at extremely low doses. Authors of the study state their findings are directly relevant to humans, especially for women in their second trimester of pregnancy.