Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Chiropractic, Low Back Pain and Weight Loss

We have been providing chiropractic in San Francisco for over 20 years now. One of the most common conditions patients present with to our clinic is low back pain. Many have chronic low back pain which means the symptoms have persisted for over 90 days.

Unfortunately, many patients with chronic low back pain are also overweight. Many say when we first meet that they have been unable to exercise because of the low back pain...it's a vicous circle...one that is often hard to break.

This is where chiropractic can really help. Chiropractic adjustments can help break this cycle. Chiropractic will help reduce inflammation in the joints, restore motion, and re-align the joints so that they function better and are able to handle the stresses of exercise.

A chiropractor can also help a patient make better food choices and lifestyle choices.

The combination of reducing stress (and calories) with better lifestyle choices and increasing resistance with chioropractic treatment will more often than not lead to a reduction in low back pain and also permanent weight loss. In fact, this is business as usual for most chiropractors.  

Sure, what I describe might take some time. It's a process for sure. But the magic usually starts right away if the patient is 100% commited to the program.

If the patient has both low back pain and sciatica or is obese or has any other associated conditions or complications then the process could take longer.  

What I recommend is finding a chiropractor that practices what they preach and takes really good care of themselves. Usually these doctors will have classes that they give on an ongoing basis that you can attend. Or, just make an appointment for a new patient exam and meet with them right off the bat one on one. Express your concerns. Take charge of the situation and team up with the doctor.

As long as you are ready to do what whatever it takes the rest is easy. Well, maybe not easy, but nothing will happen until you decide to make it happen. You need to set the ball in motion.

If you need help finding a chiropractor in your area you can email me: ebendavis@yahoo.com and I will help you.

Otherwise, if you live or work in the SF Bay Area you can call our San Francisco Chiropractic Clinic at 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.

Is Sitting Long Periods Bad For You? How and what can you do about it?

Recently, there has been a cascade of study results demonstrating the negative effects of sitting for long periods on our health. It does not seem to matter whether it is sitting in front of a TV screen, computer monitor, or ice cream stand...it's the lack of motion that seems to be the problem.

Here is an excerpt from the article entitled "Sitting can be more dangerous than smoking, study shows":

Going to work could be more harmful than smoking, a new study shows.

That is if your job involves sitting around for long periods of time.

Research carried out by the American College of Cardiology shows that prolonged sitting is linked to increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and even early death and could be just as dangerous, if not more so, than smoking.

Cardiologist Dr David Coven said: Smoking certainly is a major cardiovascular risk factor and sitting can be equivalent in many cases.

The fact of being sedentary causes factors to happen in the body that are very detrimental.'

He told CBS that when you sit for long periods of time your body goes into storage mode and stops working as effectively as it should.

And just like smoking, the more you do it, the greater the likelihood of developing one or more of the diseases.

Paul Golin told CBS he was sitting up to eight hours a day until he had a health scare which he believes was largely brought on by sitting down all day (full story here).

My Take: I know I am guilty...as are most of our San Francisco Chiropractic patients...and most of the people reading this. Everyone sits too much it seems. So what is the solution? Well...you can rig up a treadmill to your desk like the guy in the article above or gal in the feature photo. Or...you can just do a lot of walking and moving around while you work and make sure you get a lot of exercise...at least 30 minutes per day. Take breaks and take a walk...walk at lunch...take the stairs, etc.

Unfortunately, sitting all day and then just going and working out a few days a week is not good enough according to some (see Exercise Won't Help Serious Couch Potatoes).

It seems we need to keep moving throughout the day, which means taking the stairs, taking breaks and walking around...moving around a lot. Because like the old saying goes...Life Is Motion.

Dr. Eben Davis is a chiropractor in San Francisco, as well as an ergonomic expert and consultant.

 

Who is a Good Candidate for Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression?

We have been providing spinal decompression in San Francisco for over 6 six years now. The machine we use is the DRX9000. We treat mostly cervical and lumbar disc bulges and disc herniations, as well as degenerative disc disease, facet syndrome, and spinal stenosis.

We do not accept every case…because not everyone that presents with the conditions listed above is a candidate for spinal decompression.  First of all…if you have had cervical or lumbar spinal fusion you are automatically disqualified from treatment with the DRX9000. If you have any hardware such as screws, plates, metal mesh, or cement work, you are also disqualified.

Some of the other contraindications to spinal decompression are moderate to severe scoliosis, aortic aneurysm, unstable spondylolithesis, advanced osteoporosis,  and cancer of the spine. There are more…but the point is not everyone qualifies for decompression.

When a patient does qualify for treatment, we consider the age of the patient, level of spinal degeneration, whether or not there is a single disc herniation or multiple levels of involvement, overall health, and likelihood of treatment compliance. We only want to initiate treatment with those we feel will benefit and are willing to do their part. Because of this, we are able to help the overwhelming majority of the cases we accept.

There are many variables involved that are adjustable that can improve the odds of a favorable outcome.  Things such as water intake, diet, exercise, stress, ergonomics, sleeping postures,  and attitude. We try to address all of them.

There is also an art to the actual set-up and harnessing process on the spinal decompression machine itself. Mess this up and you can delay healing or even set it back. We like to think we have it mastered…though we continue to learn more every single day.  For sure you want a spinal decompression doctor with lots of experience…not just a machine.

Anyway…most disc herniation patients we meet in San Francisco to discuss spinal decompression as a treatment option, have no idea about the things I described here. Many are of the opinion that a machine is a machine and think…where can I get the best price?

Well…all I can say is…you get what you pay for. If you are reading this chances are you are doing homework and are in the discovery phase and researching spinal decompression doctors. If you live in the SF Bay Area you can see us. If you live out of the area call and ask how many patients the doctor has treated and for how long.  Experienence matters. Ask for a complimentary consultation and go in and meet the doctor yourself and see if it seems like a good match and if decompression makes sense for you. And ask to speak to patients that have went throught their decompression program...preferrably with a condition similar to yours.

You can always send me an email at ebendavis@yahoo.com and ask for a referral near you. I will let you know if I can help.

Anyway, if you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our spinal decompression doctors in San Francisco…simply call 415-392-2225 and mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.

5 Simple Ways to Prevent Back Pain

I have been a practicing Chiropractor in San Francisco for 20 years now. During this time I have helped tens of thousands of back and neck pain patients. I have also taught thousands of back pain prevention seminars and corporate health talks. So I guess I am an expert on back pain prevention.

Anyway, I have come up with 5 simple ways to prevent back pain that I teach my patients and seminar attendees that seem to work great for most people. Here they are:

1. Maintain a normal body-weight. Your body is not designed to carry excess weight. It wears down the joints and spinal discs and results in the spinal muscles having to work harder than they should day in and day out. When you consider that 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese, it's no wonder back pain is so prevalent. I prefer a plant based diet...but this is not necessary to maintain a normal body-weight...discipline is. 

2. Use correct sleeping posture. When you are on your back you should be using a cervical pillow designed to support the arch in your neck, and you should have another pillow under your knees so that
you have a slight bend in your knees. This relaxes the ow back muscles. The cervical pillow actually works to correct an maintain your neck curve. When you are on your side the cervical pillow is designed to keep your neck straight. Put a pillow between your legs to keep the rest of the spine straight. If you are a side sleeper only they make a special pillow for you. We prefer and sell Tempur-Pedic Pillows.

3. Exercise on a regular basis. Our body's are designed to get lots of exercise. We are built to be running around the jungle all day hunting for food. All the muscles, cells, tissues, glands, and organs function best with regular exercise. Note: There is recent research that suggest that people who sit at a desk all day...even those that exercise are 2x more likely to die of a heart attack. So even if you go to the gym...figure out ways to move around more. Take lots of breaks and stretch and move, use the stairs whenever you can, walk to and from places more frequently, play with your kids, etc.

4. Use proper Ergonomics at home and at work. In this computer and electronics age, kids start very young putting themselves in akward postions slumped over with their heads hanging down. They do this for hours. Then these poor habits carry over into school and college and into the work force. Most of the people we treat at our San Francisco Chiropractic clinic spend the majority of their day at a desk in front of a computer. There is a way to optimize the position you are in to minimize wear and tear on the spine with proper ergonomics. For sure you want to take frequent breaks and stretch and move around.

5. Visit a chiropractor for regular check-ups. Chiropractors locate, identify, and correct spinal misalignment's and disturbances that result as a natural of living in a modern day world. Sure, you can take action using the tips above to reduce your odds of back pain. But the smart ones use chiropractic as a tool to keep the spine balanced and in alignment. After-all...the spine houses and protects your lifeline, the spinal cord, which carries all the signals from the brain to the body. Regular chiropractic visits should start young and continue throughout your life. Chiropractic adjustments will help keep your back healthy and strong. It's a wise investment. Consumer Reports ranks chiropractic #1 for back pain.

So there you go. Sure there is yoga, and Pilate's, and weight lifting...but those can be lumped into the exercise category. A lot of this is common sense, but you would be surprised how many back pain patients are not doing any of the 5 back pain prevention measures. My goal is to teach my patients about these 5 steps and to help them implement them.

Dr. Eben Davis is founder and clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors call 415-392-2225

Is Chiropractic Safe?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I just received a question from a blog reader asking "If Chiropractic Was Safe?"...so I decided to write a post about it. I have read that the chances of getting struck by lightning are greater than suffering a stroke from a chiropractic adjustment (a rare event)...which is what most are concerned about.

Heck...more people have strokes while driving or getting their hair shampooed at a hair salon than in a chiropractic office. Having a stroke is more about risk factors and lifestyle choices than chiropractic adjustments.

My malpractice insurance which is for the highest of limits is only $2000 per year. And we all know that insurance rates are based on incidence statistics.

Sure...it's possible to get sore from chiropractic adjustments...after-all it is physical. Our San Francisco Chiropractors try to reduce the odds of soreness by always starting out light and building up the intensity slowly per patient tolerance. We use ice at at the clinic and at home to reduce the likelihood of soreness.

We are also careful to consider the age, over-all physical condition, and pain levels of the individual patient. Patient comfort is a primary concern of ours. In fact...our chiropractic patients tell us they really look forward to their adjustments...especially the warm-up stretches and massage.

Yes, there is always the chance someone can get really sore...but it is the exception and not the rule.

Heck...if you start a new exercise program you can get sore. But if you are smart, you start off easy and build up the intensity slowly over time giving your body a chance to adapt. We apply these same rules to chiropractic adjustments. We never try to force anything...even if the patient wants us to...it's just not worth it.

So YES...chiropractic is safe. It's also very gentle and effective...and affordable too.

Chiropractic is also very efficient. A typical chiropractic patient will usually have multiple areas of concern...such as neck pain, low back pain, and shoulder pain. A chiropractor can work on all three areas at the same time. This is why chiropractic patients are often amazed when they first discover chiropractic. Amazed that so many seemingly unconnected chronic ailments can start to feel so much better so quick.

Update April 13, 2012: Safety of Adjusting. No one pays closer attention to injury statistics than Malpractice Insurance carriers. Scott Haldeman, M.D., D.C. reviewed malpractice claims records for a 10-year period between 1988 and 1997. In reviewing 134.5 million chiropractic adjustments, there were 23 cases of stroke or vertebral artery dissection. 10 of these had complicating factors such as high blood pressure, use of oral contraceptives, or a history of smoking, all associated with vascular disease. The incidence of stroke or vertebral artery dissection following neck adjustments was one per 5.85 million. On average, a chiropractor would have to work for 1430 years (48 full chiropractic careers) for this to happen once! Driving to the office is probably more dangerous. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2001

Consumer Reports ranks chiropractic #1 for Back Pain.

Bottom Line: It's normal to wonder if chiropractic is safe...and it's smart to do your homework. Hopefully this information can help you make an informed decision. Do yourself and your family a favor...consider chiropractic...it's the smart thing to do!

 Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors call 415-392-2225.

The Nervous System and Your Health

The nervous system controls and regulates every function in your body. The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. The spinal cord is actually an extension of the brain.

The nerves branch off the spinal cord and exit from in between the bones of your spine and further subdivide until they connect with every cell in your body. Now when you consider you have some 6000 billion cells in the body...that's a lot of nerves.

Interesting Fact: It is said that there are enough nerves in the human body that if all the other cells were somehow removed the network of fine nerves would be numerous enough to enable you to easily recognize the individual concerned and to recognize every tissue layer in his or her body.

The brian and spinal cord are so vital to life that they are completely encased by bone...your spine. The spine is made up of 24 movable segments called vertebrae. There are 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, and 5 lumbar vertebrae. In between each vertebrae are cartilage pads called inter-vertebral discs. Discs hold the bones together and give the spine flexibility.

When your spine is in it's proper alignment it forms 3 nice curves (see below).

These curves form as part of normal growth and development when we are very young. When we are infants and begin to crawl and lift our little heads up against gravity we form our neck curve (lordosis). Then, when we start to stand up and eventually walk, we form the lumbar curve (lordosis). We are born in a kyphosis.

For the spine to be in this position, the vertebrae must be in their natural alignment. When the vertebrae are in alignment they create nice openings for the spinal nerves to exit so they can carry the information from the brain to the body.

When the bones lose their normal position...which can happen early in life from spills and falls, the same bones that protect the nerves can offend and irritate them causing malfunction, sickness, and dis-ease. Chiropractors call this Vertebral Subluxation, and it's what we treat.

The nerves are very delicate, and they are unable to transmit normal signals from the brain when they are under pressure from subluxation. Chiropractors remove the pressure by correcting the subluxation allowing the brain to once again communicate with the target cells.

How often should you get checked for subluxations?

Well...first of all it should start young...very young...and should continue throughout life.

It just depends how active you are, your over-all health, level of spinal degeneration, fitness level, stress levels, etc. Everyone is different.

At our San Francisco Chiropractic Clinic we see some patients every week. We see some only a few times a year. And sometimes we never see someone unless they can't move (not recommended).

Hey...nothing is more important than a healthy spine and nervous system...because without it, you are unable to express life to it's fullest.

Chiropractic is affordable, it's quick, it's safe, and it's effective. Consumer Reports ranks chiropractic #1 for back pain. Make chiropractic a part of your life. It's a wise invesment and will pay dividends for a lifetime.

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors call 415-392-2225.

 

Is Your Chiropractor a Health Resource?

Health is a spontaneous occurrence when the conditions are right. As chiropractors it is our job to teach our patients what these conditions are...not just treat their back pain. Sure, chiropractors do a great job of treating back pain...In fact, Consumer Reports ranks chiropractic #1 for back pain treatment.

Personally, if all I did was treat back pain or just musculoskeletal problems, life as a chiropractor would be boring. I learned early in my career that the chiropractors that seemed to have the largest most successful practices were the ones that did more than treat back pain...they were trusted health resources.

After-all, according to original chiropractic doctrine, chiropractic, which means "done by hand", is first and foremost a philosophy. The Philosophy of Things Natural. Chiropractic is based on the premise that what's natural is perfect. You cannot improve upon nature. You can either work with it...or against it. Working with it steers us in the direction of health. Working against it steers us in the direction of illness.

The body does not need outside intervention to be healthy...it is it's natural state. What we don't need are things that interfere with with our natural state. Things like processed foods, high fat diets, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, pollution, sedentary lifestyles, stress, lack of rest, and Vertebral Subluxation.

Vertebral Subluxation is a condition that results from physical, chemical, or mental stresses that the body is unable to adapt to, resulting in sickness and dis-ease...and yes back and neck pain. It's what chiropractors treat...we coined the term.

The nervous system is the first organ to develop in utero. Then the nervous system controls the development of the rest of the body...and continues to control all bodily functions from birth to death.

The nervous system is so important that it is the only organ in the body to be completely encased by bone to protect it. The vertebrae is cut-up into 24 move-able segments called vertebrae. When the bones are in alignment (their natural state) they protect the nerves as they branch off the spinal cord and travel to the rest of the body. Every cell, tissue, gland and organ in the body has a nerve connected to it directly or indirectly (hormones and blood cells) controlling their function.

When you suffer a vertebral subluxation, which can actually occur during the birth process (how many of us were born?) it can interfere with your natural state of health and result in symptoms such as back pain, neck pain, digestive problems, irregular heart beat...it just depends where the nerves are  going that are being interfered with. Sometime there are no symptoms at all. Which is why it makes sense to get checked about once a month...with or without symptoms.

Chiropractors locate, identify, and correct subluxations...it's what we do.

We also teach our patients about how to prevent what we treat. What I call "creating the conditions of health". Here are the components of a healthy chiropractic lifestyle:

1. Proper nutrition with an emphasis on natural foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables.

2. Plenty of rest, preferably with a cervical pillow.

3. Aerobic and strength training (lots of core exercises).

4. Stress Management such as visualization/meditation.

5. Regular chiropractic adjustments and check-ups.

6. Lots of pure H20 (1/2 your body-weight in ounces per day).

7. No smoking, drugs, or excessive alcohol.

A chiropractor should be more than just a back pain doctor...they should be a health resource. They should have a rolodex of information they can share with their patients to help steer them in the direction of health. This blog is part of my rolodex. Honestly, I can't imagine what it must be like to be only a pain doctor. Pain is a symptom not the actual problem. And so are just about all health problems.

Adjust your lifestyle choices and create the conditions of health...and watch your symptoms dissapear...because heath is your natural state.

NOTE: I know there is a limit to how much we can recover from certain ailments, no matter how perfect an environment we create for healing. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to reach our health potential. Your chiropractor can help.

Dr. Eben Davis is founder and clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors call 415-392-2225. 

 

Is Lifting Weights With a Herniated Disc OK?

San Francisco Herniated Disc Doctor Comments:

I have been lifting weights since I was 14 years old...so for over 35 years. I have also suffered from a herniated disc in my low back and my neck. And, I have helped tens of thousands of back pain patients and thousands of herniated disc patients return to more normal lives...including getting back into the gym and lifting weights. So I guess I'm kind of an expert on the subject.

Anyway, a herniated disc in the neck or low back is not the end of the world. In fact, many people live and die with disc herniations and never even knew they had them. However, a subset of disc herniations, say 20% or so from my work, become symptomatic...some severe.

Chiropractic adjustments in my opinion can help prevent disc herniations by helping keep the spine in a more normal alignment, which directly influences the health and integrity of the inter-vertebral discs.

And chiropractic care should start young. Many back problems such as premature spinal degeneration, disc bulges, disc herniations, spinal stenosis, that adults present with started in their youth.

Chiropractic can act as a counterbalancing mechanism for all the wear and tear we put on our bodies trying to enjoy life.

In any case...when it comes to weight lifting with a herniated disc in the neck or in the low back, you need to be careful. For sure you don't want to workout when you are in severe pain and the disc and nerve roots are inflamed. You want to wait until things settle down, then ease back into it.

Now at some point in order for you to even know you have a herniated disc you would have had an MRI. And if you had an MRI you were most likely in severe pain or had sciatica, or arm pain, numbness or weakness.

Hopefully, you had the right kind of treatment such as chiropractic care or spinal decompression, which is what we do at Executive Express Chiropractic in San Francisco. Personally, I have responded favorably to chiropractic adjustments and spinal decompression with the DRX9000 and DRX9000c. I workout more with weights now than I ever have. But I am smart about it. I use lighter weights and really work on keeping a strong core. 

So YES...working out with weights is fine with a herniated disc as long as the conditions are right.

Again (it's SO important)...you want to make sure that after your herniated disc is confirmed by MRI that you have the right kind of treatment and you a working with a herniated disc expert that knows about your weight lifting.  

Note: You should also be concerned about trying to maintain a more normal body weight as extra pounds put stress on the spinal discs. A diet that is anti-inflammatory such as a plant-based diet makes sense also as herniated discs tend to cause lots of inflammation. I recommend you drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day. So if you are 200 lbs., that's 100 oz of H2o.

So, there you go. That's my two cents for what it's worth. If you live in or near San Francisco you can meet with one of our San Francisco Herniated Disc Doctors at Executive Express Chiropractic. Mention this blog post and receive a complimentary consultation. To schedule call 415-392-2225.

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Can wrist pain be connected to back pain?

We have been helping patients with back and wrist pain in downtown San Francisco for around 20 years now. When we first started, office workers and professionals would perform various tasks throughout the day and there would be a lot of moving around. Today, it's pretty much sitting in front of the computer all day with a few breaks here and there. Then, more at home.

Well...not only is there an entire body of recent research that suggests that sitting all day is bad for your heart, your internal organs, your immune system, and your skeletal system...sitting for prolonged periods doing repetitive motions is terrible for your back and hard on your wrists.

Think about it. Life is Motion. We are designed to be running around the woods hunting for food and getting plenty of exercise and sunlight. When we deprive ourselves of this movement we steer ourselves in the direction of illness. 

The nerves that control the upper extremities (arms and hands). exit from the upper back and neck. When you sit for long periods...especially if you do not have a properly set-up workstation, it causes tremendous stress on the spinal bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons of the spine. This can lead to muscle spasms that can pull the bones out of alignment (vertebral subluxation) pinching the nerves that control the arm and hand.

For the most part, this happens silently. Then at a certain point you begin to feel things like weakness of grip, numbness, tingling, and wrist pain. There may or may not be any back or neck pain.

This type of injury is referred to as a Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI).

A good chiropractor or therapist will quickly determine during the exam and consultation if you have RSI, or if the cause is something else. RSI takes longer to treat than a new muscle strain from say sleeping funny or putting together a piece of furniture..or a fresh sports injury. A good doctor knows the difference. 

Fortunately, with the advancement of medical technology, treating back and wrist pain has become a whole lot easier. In addition to the manual therapies that have served us well for so long (and are still the cornerstone of our treatment) we have Deep Tissue Laser, Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, and Kinesio Taping...as well as Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression. All of which can be mixed and matched per individual needs. It's rare when we can't get the job done. 

So, YES...wrist pain and back pain can be connected. And your wrist pain may still be connected to your back even if there is no back pain (or neck pain). A doctor that treats back and wrist pain day in and day out will be able to check your back and neck and determine if it is the source of your hand pain.

Our San Francisco Chiropracors treat the full spine and upper extremities on both sides (shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers) when a patient presents with RSI. After-all...the spine functions as a unit. And when RSI builds up slowly over time...it throws everything out.

Same with the upper extremities. When you have pain in say the wrist...you favor it and use the other side more...now you are at risk to develop overuse  syndrome on that side. Same with the shoulders and elbows...they are connected to the wrists. When the wrists are injured, they have to work more than they should and can lose alignment (this may or may not be symptomatic).

Anyway...as you can see, there is a lot involved in the treatment on back, neck, and wrist pain. And who treats you matters. Do they use this comprehensive approach and have the skills to deliver the goods...or is it just wrist splints and Motrin? And not all chiropractors are equal either. Some have no clue what to do. So do your homework. And if you need help finding a chiropractor in your area send me an email at ebendavis@yahoo.com.

That's about it on this topic...I hope you found it useful.

Dr. Eben Davis is an expert on the nonsurgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), repetitive stress injuries, and beck, neck, and wrist pain. Dr. Davis has helped train thousands of chiropractors on how to treat CTS and it's related disorders.

If you live or work near the San Francisco Financial District and would like to find out if you are a candidate for neck, back, or wrist pain treatment...call Executive Express Chiropractic at 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.  

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Back Pain, Weight Loss, and Nutrition

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I think most people realize that when you are overweight or obese it puts extra stress on the spine and can cause back pain. However, some back pain patients do not want to address it, and their doctors don't either.

I admit, it's much easier to discuss a weight loss issue if the patient brings it up. But if they don't...it's my professional duty to discuss it. As a back pain doctor, I better have some permanent solutions for long term weight loss because almost 2/3 of our population carry too much body-weight...and I do.

First of all, you never want to count calories or fight the hunger drive. You will never win that battle. You want to be able to satisfy the hunger drive at all times with foods that your body is designed to eat...plant foods.

The Typical American Diet is loaded with sugar, fats, preservatives, and poisons. We eat too many processed foods and animal products. Because of this our obesity epidemic is getting worse, as are all the killer diseases that go along with it (heart disease, diabetes, cancer).

Back pain does not kill you, but it sure can make your life miserable.

Sure, eating right is a little bit more work, but anything in life that's worthwhile is more work.

The program that I have recommended to patients over the years is the McDougall Program by Dr. John McDougall, MD (and his wife Mary) in Northern California.

Maintaining a normal body-weight and a healthy internal environment is a lifestyle choice...not a quick fix. But the weight loss you want can happen fast...as can the restoration of health. 

The best resource I know of to help put this program into action as far as easy to prepare recipes using a pressure cooker is Jill Nussinow, the Veggie Queen. Jill was once one of the head chefs at the McDougall Program health retreat, and holds frequent cooking classes there.  

I do not recommend fad diets...they do not last. Nor do I recommend diet pills or starvation diets, or any program that results in rapid weight loss. Too much too quick can be very harmful...even deadly. 

FACT: You need to work with a doctor when you are trying to lose a lot of weight.

A great benefit (in addition to weight loss) of changing your eating habits and adopting a plant based diet is you really look and feel a lot better. And, don't be surprised if your doctor starts to wean you off all the medications you may be taking to manage your over-weight related symptoms.

Anyway, I practice what I preach. The two dishes featured on this blog post were created by yours truly in the pressure cooker using recipes from the new Veggie Queen ebook.

The top dish is Spiced Red Rice and French Green Lentils. The dish to the left is Three Minute Steel Cut Oats with Cinnamon, Walnuts, and Cranberries. Each dish takes about 15-45 minutes to make (depending on prep time. There are ways to knock this down). With some dishes you can make way more than you need and save it for later.

Anyway, molecule for molecule, nothing is more important than what you eat. As you degrade the quality of your food, you degrade the quality of what your food becomes...YOU!

If you want to express your health potential, feel better, look better, have more energy, and get rid of nagging aches and pains...including back pain...fire up that pressure cooker.

The Veggie Queen also sells pressure cookers on her website...as well as a great Pressure Cooking DVD and recipe book (highly recommended).

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Expess Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment call 415-392-2225.

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