Many Americans are plagued with back problems.  In fact at some point in their lives about 80% of adults will suffer from lower back pain.  That is a pretty frightening statistic.  There are many practical things that can be done to prevent back pain like practicing good ergonomic principles and skills – knowing how to lift and to move your body correctly to avoid strain and injury, and nutrition fits into the mix as well, but one cannot overlook the value of good quality sleep.

For quite some time chiropractors have been recommending to their clients excellent supportive mattresses to help their spinal adjustments to stay in longer and have a fuller effect. Chiropractors, like many natural physicians, do much in the way of educating their clientele to avoid further stress and injury and get them on the road to recovery, empowering them to take charge of their health and not rely solely upon him or her to be the end-all solution to every malady.

One of the best mattresses out there today is the Tempflow mattress.

The Tempflow Mattress  allows the cooler air to flow in two directions even when you are sleeping in the same position throughout the night.  Cooler air will enter through the many small holes that go down through the surface of the memory foam and out through the convoluted channels on the firmer base foam.  It also works in reverse, as air can enter through the sides and up through the surface holes.

This unique system also allows a heat transfer as the warmer air radiates off the body and ventilates down through the holes and out the sides of the mattress.  That is why we always keep a breathable fabric where the channels exit on the sides of the mattress.  In addition, a greater volume of airflow transfer will occur with even the slightest movements that occur throughout the sleeping process.

While some mattress companies offer airflow through the middle layer of the mattress, they fall short of allowing the mattress user to receive any airflow benefit, since it is well known that good quality memory foam does not breathe well due to its heavier weight and compact cell structure (the very reason that memory foam feels so dense when you lay on it).  That is why this patented airflow circulation technology will really keep your body temperature constant throughout the night.

The Tempflow mattresses use special Biogreen® proprietary, pressure sensitive, viscoelastic memory foam material that is free of dangerous chemicals like PBDE, TDI, Boric Acid and Bromine.  Our 3rd generation Biogreen is an environmentally friendly memory foam that is

approximately 13 times below Oeko-Tex®*, Certipur-US®* and GreenGuard’s* allowable total V.O.C.s required to achieve certification! For much more details on our Biogreen memory foam test results, as well more information about the rest of our environmentally friendly lower foam layers and other materials use to produce each Tempflow mattress.  With so much concern about the release of chemicals in our atmosphere, allergens and toxins absorbed by our bodies, you can feel good knowing that our Biogreen® memory foam offers a truly hypoallergenic, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic experience.

Visco-elastic foam is the only substance which can make a total imprint of your body, but then slowly come back to shape after your body weight is lifted.  This slow return rate is what allows a comfortable, yet supportive contouring of all the bumps and curves of the body that eliminates the rebound pressure that hard springs and rubberized foam has when you compress it with your body.

Visco-elastic memory foam can commonly be seen in 3lb, 4lb., 5lb densities.  While 3lb. memory foam or below is often softer, the lower viscosity will make it less durable.  5lb. memory foam is usually more firm until it has warmed up to the body. This is because the extra viscosity will make the memory foam more dense in feel and more subjective to environmental temperatures.

Call or stop in the Lavanga Chiropractic Centre to find out more on the Tempflow mattress, you can even stop by to test the mattress out!! 215-364-1112

The next time you sneeze, it may be a good time to visit a chiropractor. Yes, a chiropractor. Most people never think about it, but chiropractic care can help provide allergy relief.

That’s because chiropractic care, often thought necessary for only back and neck problems, can help with keeping the body operating at peak performance. The body’s immune system helps with preventing disease and infection, dealing with stress and overall well being.

The immune system also tackles the invasion in a body of foreign substances such as pollution, dust, dead cells, etc. Current research is showing that there is a direct link between the nervous system and the immune system. Chiropractors remove nerve interference and allow the immune system to work optimally.

The immune system is affected by nerves and hormones. An immune system not operating effectively can:

• Fail to recognize and remove abnormal cells such as those that are cancerous.
• Be unable to fight infections.
• Overreact to things such as bee stings, penicillin, certain foods, pollen etc.
• Become depressed making you more vulnerable to disease.

Allergic reactions are the most frequent immune disorders and happen when the body’s immune system overreacts to allergens such as dust, pollen, pet dander, etc. The response is that the body overproduces neutralizing chemicals such as histamines to correct the problem.
What causes allergies? No one knows for sure.

Some theories say it’s our increasing sterile environment. Others suspect the overuse of antibiotics and vaccinations. The idea here is our immune system is at its best when fighting off disease, parasites, and bacteria all by itself. The more we try and help it, the weaker it becomes. It is proven that children who live on farms and are exposed to different animals and the outdoors have fewer allergies than those who are not exposed.
Traditional allergy treatments only deal with the symptom without addressing the cause. This is because western medicine has no cure for allergies. Worse yet, antihistamines used over time or combined with other medication can be deadly. More recently, Canadian researcher Lorne Brandes, in an article published in the May 1994 Journal of the National Cancer Institute, has produced research showing that certain antihistamines (Claritin, Hismanal and Atarax) make cancerous tumors grow faster in lab rodents.

But just how can chiropractors help with such problems?
The answer is simple, chiropractic care releases stress on a patient’s nervous system. This allows the immune system to operate more effectively, which is beneficial to anyone and especially those suffering from allergies.

The chiropractic approach is to remove subluxations, a term for a misaligned spinal vertebra pinching a nerve. Subluxations place stress on the nervous system. Free from nervous system stress, your body will work more effectively to neutralize the allergy-causing chemicals in your environment.
No matter what disease or condition you have, you can benefit from a healthy spine. Spinal health can be as important for your overall healing as proper nutrition. Are you and your family carrying the vertebral subluxation complex in your spines? Only a chiropractic spinal checkup will tell. A healthy spine can improve your life – see your chiropractor for periodic spinal checkups.

Call the Lavanga Chiropractic Centre to schedule an appoiment at 215-364-1112

Detoxification programs provide you with the ability to rid your body of toxins, waste and undigested foods. There are many detoxing regimens you may choose to try. Most all offer the same benefits but have slightly different mechanisms that trigger your body to remove the wastes. Detoxing your body promotes physical health and mental well being. Detoxing your body may be viewed as a necessity due to the increasing number of preservatives and artificial ingredients most of us consume.

Detoxing can also aid in the body by removing residuals of nicotine, drugs and alcohol. The detoxification program can help the body acclimate to a drug-free state faster by forcing nicotine, drug and alcohol toxins from the system. This reduces the time the body takes to go through withdrawal symptoms.

Detoxing allows the body’s colon to be cleansed during the process. The colon is the part of the large intestine which carries waste from your body. The colon can retain some of this waste in its lining. When the colon is cleansed, this allows the body to reduce the symptoms of fatigue, headaches, weight gain and lower energy.

PH levels found in your large intestines should be a normal acidic state. To achieve the acidic state, you first have to eliminate or kill off the microbes that cause an alkaline state to form. Detoxing can allow your body to achieve a healthy acidic state.

When toxins build up in the body, fatigue can occur. Detoxing your system will help reduce the toxins that cause your fatigue and increase your general mental state and promote a feeling of well-being. Call the Lavanga Chiropractic Centre to find out more on detoxification, and our detoxification programs at 215-364-1112

Heart disease includes conditions affecting the heart, such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. Keys to prevention include quitting smoking, lowering cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising.

Research indicates that regular chiropractic adjustments may prevent heart attacks, lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, relieve chest pain and support the cardiovascular system
effects of chiropractic treatment on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in reference to an analysis of heart rate variability.

Findings indicated that chiropractic adjustments do reduce pain and lower participant’s mean heart rate. Additionally, anecdotal evidence indicates that adjustments of the atlas, or first cervical vertebra, may stop some heart attacks while they are occurring.

Chiropractic treatment also has a significant effect on blood pressure and anxiety levels, according to a study reported in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. The study examined systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and patients’ anxiety levels before and after an adjustment.

In all cases, those subjects who received active treatment experienced a distinct drop in blood pressure and a decrease of their anxiety levels. Results of this study provide evidence that chiropractic treatment offers support to the cardiovascular system.

Chiropractic treatment can increase vitality, boost immunity, relieve a variety of musculoskeletal ailments and strengthen the heart and cardiovascular system for both men and women. Patients should always check credentials for any chiropractic doctor before undergoing treatment, especially if they have a history of heart disease or other related disorders.

To learn more about chiropractic care and your health, call Lavanga Chiropractic Centre at 215-364-1112 now to make an appointment.

Deep Tissue Massage targets the deep tissue structure of the fascia and muscles, referred to as connective tissue. Of the many types of massage, deep tissue focuses on the release of muscle tension and chronic knots (aka adhesions).

Deep tissue massage can break up and eliminate scar tissue from previous injuries. A common problem is that stressed muscles can block nutrients and oxygen from getting to where they need to go, and this will cause inflammation that allows toxins to build up in your muscle tissue.

The inflammation and toxins contribute to pain and stress. Deep Tissue Massage breaks up and releases the built-up toxins by loosening the muscles. With the toxins released, blood and oxygen can circulate as they should through one’s body.

Being properly hydrated before you go to your massage appointment and drinking plenty of water after one of these massages is highly recommended.

The strokes used in Deep Tissue Massage are similar to those used in a Swedish Massage except more pressure is used and it uses cross grain strokes (strokes that go across the gain of the muscles instead of with the grain).

During Swedish massage, usually the therapist will only use their hand and forearm, however with a Deep Tissue Massage, elbows, fingers, and ceramic, wooden, or glass tools may be used for optimal penetration of the muscle.

The speed of the strokes will be slower than a classic massage as well, which means they are longer in duration (about an hour and a half, depending on the therapist and how much you pay). If you tell the therapist where your trouble spots are (everyone has one or two) before the massage starts, during the massage the therapist will apply pressure and hold it for a few minutes before moving on, for extra relief.

Many massage therapists have some basic deep tissue training, so they can do some of the techniques during a classic massage. However, for a good Deep Tissue Massage you should find a massage therapist that specializes in deep tissue massaging.

There may be some soreness after a deep tissue massage; however, the soreness should go away within a day or two. The massage should not hurt but will be a little more uncomfortable than a classic massage. If you feel the pressure is too hard, tell the masseur. Do not act tough if the massage causes severe pain or the pressure is too hard, as it may do more damage than restoration.

A good way to recover from a Deep Tissue Massage is by soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salt. This soaking is recommended because it will help get more of the toxins out of your body (Epsom salt draws the toxins out into the water). Your muscles need some rest after one of these massages, even if you feel no soreness. So do not plan any activities within a day of a Deep Tissue Massage.

Some people think that if you just push hard enough, a knot could be worked out in one session, but this is not the case. For built-up tension and chronic knots (adhesions) deep tissue massage is just one part of the treatment. If you do not exercise, correct your posture, and/or employ relaxation techniques along with Deep Tissue Massage you may not get the full benefits from your massage.

One of the most important things to remember to do when getting a Deep Tissue Massage is to breathe deeply during the session and while relaxing afterwards. Oxygenating the muscles will help the massage do its work and ease discomfort.

Call Lavanga Chiropractic Center now at 215-364-1112 to schedule your massage.

Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. You can protect yourself by recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress.

Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response.

It is important to learn how to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feel familiar, even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy toll. The signs and symptoms of stress overload can be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently.

Common external causes of stress

Common internal causes of stress

Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated:

Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

At Lavanga Chiropractic Centre, we have a transformation program that will help you to attain personal freedom, develop meaningful relationships, achieve professional success, and turn stress into personal power.

Come join us the 16^th of March for the transformation and stress management experience. For more information on the Transformation and stress management programs call Lavanga Chiropractic Centre at 215-364-1112 and get scheduled for the Transformation program.

The adrenal glands are located just on top of the kidneys.(Also known as the stress gland) The adrenals are an integral part of the endocrine system. They are responsible for producing several important hormones and are critical to the stress response.

Most people have had the experience where they have felt extremely tired and exhausted and then all of a sudden a new surge of energy comes to their aid. Likewise, when we experience fear and our heart starts racing the adrenal gland is secreting adrenaline and other stress related hormones to come to the rescue and give us the extra boost of energy that we need to get through the emotional stress. When the brain interprets an event as threatening (stressful) the adrenals begin to work.

They signal the nervous system to prepare to fight or flee. This signal mobilizes the respiratory and circulatory systems of the body for emergency action. Reserve energy in the body is called upon, and functions are diverted away from normal, homeostatic body function including those of the immune system.

Even though the fight or flight response may be over, the resistance reaction allows the body to continue fighting the stressor long after the effects of our alarm system have gone off. When this state of emergency is maintained for unrelieved periods of time, the body’s reserves become depleted and the immune system is weakened. Long term over-activation of these hormones can deplete the kidneys and adrenals, severely impairing the ability of the immune system to function.

How the Adrenal Gland Can Impact Energy

The adrenal glands produce their array of hormones in a complex symphony that is orchestrated by two structures in the brain called the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. When stress and poor nutrition lead to altered hormone levels, imbalance in endocrine function can lead to substantial fatigue. The kinds of stressors that tax the adrenal glands include:

When adrenal function is impaired or weak, a person may suffer from low blood sugar, low blood pressure, low body temperature, and a total feeling of exhaustion. When stress is prolonged the organs begin to weaken and other health related problems can set in such as hypoglycemia.

Some of the common causes that contribute to adrenal exhaustion are continued stress, poor diet, over-consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates, overuse of caffeine, alcohol, drugs, nicotine, and vitamin B and C deficiencies. Unfortunately, the body reacts the same way to both real and imagined threats. For instance, unrelieved worrying about losing your job can cause the same over-taxing of the adrenals and the resultant suppression of the immune system as actually losing your job.

If a person succumbs easily to allergies and infections, feels constantly drained and exhausted, suffers from low blood sugar and blood pressure, then the culprit may well be weak adrenals. For instance, most of the asthma sprays contain adrenal-like hormones that mimic cortisol in the body. One of the most prominent signs of adrenal gland insufficiency is chronic fatigue. In some fatigued patients, thyroid problems overlap adrenal problems. In these cases, the status of the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland must be assessed. The appropriate treatment should be undertaken only after this determination is made.

If you have any of these symptoms below, call the Lavanga Chiropractic Centre. We have vitamins called Adrenals, and you can take 3 pills a day for thirty days to kick start your adrenal glands. Start feeling better call us now!

Signs and symptoms

For more information about the adrenal’s please call Lavanga Chiropractic Centre at 215-364-1112

Many of us are deficient in magnesium, and by simply soaking in a relaxing bath with magnesium-rich Epsom salt we can boost our levels of this important element. “Magnesium,” you might wonder, “what’s the big deal?” Find out the importance of magnesium and discover the many surprising health benefits of using Epsom salt in your bath.

We all know about the importance of iron and calcium, but what about magnesium? It is the second-most abundant element in human cells and the fourth-most important positively charged ion in the body. Surprisingly, it helps the body regulate over 325 enzymes and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions, like muscle control, electrical impulses, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, most Americans are magnesium deficient, which the academy says helps to account for high rates of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain, digestive maladies, stress-related illnesses, chronic fatigue and a number of other ailments. Who knew?

Americans’ magnesium levels have dropped by half in the last century due to changes in agriculture and diet. Industrial farming has depleted magnesium from soil and the typical American diet contains much less magnesium than that of our forefathers. And in fact, the modern American diet with its fat, sugar, salt and protein actually works to speed up the depletion of magnesium from our bodies.

Interestingly, our focus on getting enough calcium is another factor in decreased magnesium levels. In a delicate dance of balance, calcium depletes magnesium yet calcium functions best when enough magnesium is present. Studies indicate that taking a calcium supplement without enough magnesium can increase the shortage of both nutrients.

With such widespread magnesium deficiency one might think that magnesium supplements would be called upon, but studies show that magnesium is not easily absorbed through the digestive tract. The presence of specific foods or drugs, certain medical conditions, and the chemistry of a person’s stomach acid can render magnesium supplements ineffective.

This brings us to Epsom salt. Known scientifically as hydrated magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt is rich in both magnesium and sulfate.

While both magnesium and sulfate can be poorly absorbed through the stomach, studies show increased magnesium levels from soaking in a bath enriched with Epsom salt! Magnesium and sulfate are both easily absorbed through the skin.

Sulfates play an important role in the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract.

They stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and are thought to help detoxify the body of medicines and environmental contaminants.

It is recommend to take a Hot Epsom salt Bath after a massage because of several factors. One there has been alot of metabolic waste that has been moved after the muscles tissues have been manipulated. Drinking water will help flush these toxins out, but you still may feel achey and sore for 24-48 hours after your massage.

Epsom salts taken as a bath promotes perspiration and draws acidic wastes – mainly uric acid – through the pores of the skin.

This all helps to relieve pain. This bath also sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more.

To learn more about epsom salt call Lavanga Chiropractic Centre at 215- 364-1112

Massage is the systematic manual application of pressure & movement to the soft tissue of the body-the skin, tendons, ligaments, fascia (the membrane surrounding muscles & muscle groups). It encourages healing by promoting the flow of blood & lymph, relieving tension, stimulating nerves, & stretching & loosening muscles and connective tissue to keep them elastic.

Massage reduces waste products such as lactic acid & carbonic acid that build up in muscles after activity and cause cramping, discomfort, and irritability. It also enhances the immune system and aids recovery from soft tissue injuries by inceasing blood circulation to injured areas.

Massage dilates or opens up blood vessels, improving the circulation and relieving congestion. Massage also increases the number of red blood cells, especially in cases of anemia.

Massage acts as a “mechanical cleanser” pushing along the lymph and hastening the elimination of wastes & toxic debris. Massage helps to eliminate edema (or dropsy) of the extremities through lymphatic massage.

Massage increases the blood supply and nutrition to the muscles without adding to their load of toxic acid, produced through voluntary muscle contraction (such as exercise). Massage thus helps to overcome harmful “fatigue” products resulting from strenuous exercise or injury.

Massage improves muscle tone and helps prevent or delay muscular atrophy resulting from forced inactivity. Massage relaxes muscle spasms and relieves muscle tension.

Massage improves the general circulation and nutrition of tissues. It is accompanied or followed by an increase interchange of substances between the blood and tissue cells. Heightening tissue metabolism.

When you’re scrambling to meet the demands of modern life, cutting back on sleep can seem like the only answer. Who can afford to spend so much time sleeping? The truth is you can’t afford not to. Even minimal sleep loss takes a toll on your mood, energy, and ability to handle stress. Learn how to determine your nightly sleep needs and what you can do to bounce back from chronic sleep loss and get on a healthy sleep schedule.

you running in top condition and prepare you for the day ahead. Without enoughSleep isn’t merely a time when your body and brain shut off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing a wide variety of biological maintenance tasks that keep  hours of restorative sleep, you’re like a car in need of an oil change. You won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.

Research has shown that people with an uncomfortable mattress sleep on average one hour less per night. We spend so much of our lives in bed that finding the right mattress is vital.

As many as 80 percent of people have back pain at some point in their lives. Most of the time, back pain symptoms aren’t due to a serious health issue such as arthritis or a fracture. In fact, the culprit could be as innocent as your mattress or your favorite pair of shoes. If you experience back pain after an injury or if your back pain is severe or lasts more than a few days, see your doctor. In the meantime, be aware that some of your everyday habits could be contributing to your pain.

A mattress should give you uniform support, so there shouldn’t be air between your body and the mattress when you lie down. Experts recommend going with a mattress that has medium firmness to avoid back pain symptoms. But probably the most important factor is the age of your mattress, If you’re sinking in when you lie down, it’s probably time to get a new one to help keep back pain away.

Call Lavanga Chiropractic Centre at 215-364-1112 to find out information on our Tempflow Mattress .Start the year right with a good night’s sleep, and a better back!