Total Health Chiropractic Cleveland Blog

Adrenal Fatigue has 4 stages on the path to adrenal exhaustion. During the four stages our hormones and neurotransmitters can have levels that drastically fluctuate. In each stage with Adrenal fatigue there are a combination of stress hormones and symptoms. Let’s dive deeper into the four stages of adrenal fatigue. 

Stage 1 (Alarm/Alert)

This is the stage in which our body has an immediate reaction to the oncoming aggressive stressor. The stressor could be a threat or something very simple like a hospital visit/job interview. During the first stage of adrenal fatigue our body can create significant numbers of hormones needed for the response. If a lab test were given during this first stage it could show elevated levels of adrenaline, cortisol, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), norepinephrine and insulin. At this point fatigue is mild, some will turn to caffeinated drinks, energy shots, sugary or high carb-oriented foods. 

Stage 2 (Dismay Response) 

Our bodies have now been under severe stress and our cortisol levels will continue to elevate while our DHEA levels will decrease. Normal activities can still be carried out, but fatigue hangs wearily on each day more and more. It will take longer to feel recovered or well rested. Our stress response systems will begin to feel overloaded and the effects of overexerting the adrenals. Symptoms will begin in our body such as digestive issues, jitteriness, body aches/pains, irritability, nervousness, sense of sickness, depression, irregular sleep patterns, blood pressure elevated, etc. The term wired but tired comes into play during stage 2 of adrenal fatigue. Many will begin to develop a relationship with caffeinated drinks or coffee. The thyroid gland will become affected during stage 2. 

Stage 3 (Meet the Resistance)

Our endocrine system during this phase will focus more on producing stress hormones. A substantial drop in DHEA will occur. Lack of enthusiasm will follow, regular infections can be common, restlessness, quality of life will dip. Almost simultaneously once in this stage exhaustion and anxiety will appear. Our bodies will try to conserve energy while we are not receiving adequate levels of cortisol. Adrenal exhaustion begins a catabolic phase in which our muscle tissue will break down to produce energy for our body. You will begin to feel the side effects of adrenal crash.  

Stage 4 (Burnout/Crash)

Most never reach this phase of total adrenal gland failure in response to stress. Our adrenal glands have ceased to function, and little can be done to restore our bodies homeostasis. During the final stage of burnout and individual can suffer from lack of sex drive, depression, restlessness, anxiety and little to no interest in surroundings.

Do you reflect on spending hours coloring as a past-time aimed more towards childhood, think again! There are many health benefits of coloring for adults. We’ve all strolled past one of those trendy adult coloring books, since spreading nationwide. Many are even popping up on the bestsellers list. So let’s pull out our colored pencils and dive into this health topic!

Improved Slumber Hours/ Limit Stress & Anxiety

We see it everywhere now, Amazon, your local grocery store, even Instagram is getting a piece of this stress reducing pie.  Coloring is more than just an activity centered on relaxing and more of an exercise that activates the two hemispheres of our brain to communicate. We are channeling our logic to stay in those lines and not falter and selecting which colors we want to explore the picture with more. This generates creative thought processes. 

As we mentioned above coloring is an excellent way to relax. It is a considerable replacement amid the winter months for taking a break from tech devices (cell phone, tablet, etc). When we color, instead of zoning in on our tech savvy devices, we then are enhancing the amygdala, which is the center of our brain. It essentially has a nature of putting us in a meditating aftermath by limiting our restless mind. This in turn allows our minds to populate more quietness, circumspection and mindfulness, after a lengthy day at the office. 

Enhance Focus Levels

Coloring is a great way to focus on an activity without the outward stressors. It allows our frontal lobe to open up which controls our problem solving circuit and organizational skills. There is clear evidence in studies that show even 10 mins per day can spur creativity and improve our levels of focus. High-profile businesses are even jumping on the coloring trend for high stress relief. 

Coloring the New Meditation?

When meditating your brain enters a relaxed state by intensifying the present and blocking out the restless mind. As a result of this, you reach a level of calmness and this allows your brain to take a step away from daily stressors. An article shared by Medical Daily recently plunged into the idea that adult coloring evokes a more relaxed mindset, similar to that of meditation. Three key elements that make this work for meditation is pattern, repetition and attention to detail. These three elements cause our brains to relax, making it easy to predict what will happen next. This is called a calming effect.

Benefits of Chia Seed

Fiber: Keeping everything regular.

Protein: 5 grs per 2 tbsp.

Omega Fatty Acids: Promotes cell regeneratio, brain function and decreased inflammation in body.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chia seeds

2 1/3 cup coconut milk

2 1/3 cup mango chopped or frozen

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a container and cover. Let sit in fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight. Serve & Enjoy! 

Favorable nutrition is essential for everyone, but it’s crucially important for teenagers. The specific nutritional needs of teens differ from adults due to the developmental and metabolic diversity. Teens should focus on eating a nutrient dense diet that has variety, balance and moderation of food choices combined with physical activity to support a healthy weight. Foods that are nutrient dense are naturally lower in fat and calories but loaded with vitamins and essential minerals. 

Calories

Teenage boys: recommended to consume 2800 calories per day

Teenage girls: recommended to consume 2200 calories per day

If your child is an athlete or in certain developments stage (puberty) the caloric and nutrient need is greater. 

Protein

Teens need an average of 45-60 grams of protein each day. They can get this from meats, fish and dairy. Teens who are vegetarians may need to intake more soy or nut-based foods to boost their intake

Carbohydrates

Teens should aim to consume a minimum of 130 grams of carbs per day, which equates to 60 percent of daily calories. Finding your carbohydrates in peas, beans or vegetables are a much better choice than simple carbs (sugars, syrups and sweetened drinks) Whole grains such as brown rice is an excellent source of complex carbs. 

Fats

Healthy fats guide the body to stay energized and absorb essential vitamins such as A, D, and K. There are 3 types of fat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Saturated fats are found in red meat and full fat dairy. Monounsaturated fat is found in many foods and oils. It’s been mentioned to improve cholesterol levels and lowers blood sugar. Polyunsaturated fats found in plant-based oils and foods. Avocados are a great example of healthy fats and are considered a superfood because they are linked to improving blood flow to the brain. Other excellent sources of healthy fats include nuts, whole eggs, salmon, coconut oil and olive oil. 

Calcium & Iron

Take a step away from soda and other sweetened beverages. These types of beverages can disrupt the bodies way of absorbing calcium. Bone calcium will start to decrease in young adulthood and teens not getting enough calcium have a risk of developing fractures down the road. Teens are recommended to get around 1300 mg of calcium per day.  Calcium rich foods include leafy greens, sesame seeds and forms of dairy. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies seen across a life span. Teen boys should aim for 8-11 mg of iron per day while females need 15-18 mg per day. 

(Perfect Back to School Kid Snack)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp honey

1 drop of raspberry stevia drops

3 drops of lemon extract

¼ cup gelatin (grass-fed)

1 tbsp lemon juice plus ¼ cup

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, raspberry drops, honey and lemon extract in a small saucepan on low to medium heat. Add gelatin and whisk until lumps are not presents. Transfer liquid to bowl and pour into your designated gummy molds. Once all contents are in molds, place in freezer for gelatin to set about 10-15 minutes before removing. Perfect healthy snack for on the go kids!

Linked to many health benefits, green tea has soaring hype and is arguably one of the most popular beverages consumed worldwide. Whether you enjoy your tea cold, hot or even in a capsule powdered form, it’s known to have vast health benefits. Green tea is packed full of antioxidants and plant compounds. One of the more known antioxidants that green tea possesses is called catechin, which can aid in protecting us against cancers such as prostate and breast cancer. Drinking green tea also lowers your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and assists in helping with weight loss. Catechins and caffeine in green tea boosts your metabolism. By consuming 1-5 cup per day it can burn you an additional 70-100 calories daily. 

What is green tea? Originated from China, green tea has been commonly used as a form of medicine for thousands of years. Brewed from dried camellia sinensis leaves and buds, it can be broken down into four types depending on oxidation (White, Green, Oolong and Black). All types of tea contain forms of antioxidants. Black and green tea contain the highest amounts. 

Green tea benefits: Regulates glucose levels, increases metabolism, reduction of bad cholesterol in the blood, enhances the ratio of bad/good cholesterol, blood pressure reduction, antibacterial and antiviral with catechin, antiaging and anti-inflammatory. 

Green tea is loaded with health promoting compounds and is great for our health system. The optimal number of cups we should aim to consume ranges from three to five cups per day to receive the optimal health benefits.

Vacationing near a beach has many perks such as extra sunshine, playing in the water and even exercising on the beach! Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you have to you’re your daily workout. Whether you’re doing a quick HITT workout, jogging beachside, or doing burpees along the coast there are quite a few reasons you should consider hitting the beach on your next staycation.

Less impact on body

-Exercising or running in the sand has less of an impact on your body which makes it long-term easier on your joints. The sand makes for more resistance. Sand creates an increase in muscle tone and higher calorie burn.

Spice up you exercises

-You can virtually do any workout on the beach: yoga, running, Zumba, Pilates, HITT workouts.

Vitamin D boost

-Exercising on the beach will defiantly guarantee a nice dose of vitamin D. Just make sure you are wearing sunscreen even on over casted days.

Tighten & Tone Beach Workouts

Sand squat jumps, Beach Jogging, Bear Crawls, Pushups, Burpees, Planking knee-to-elbow, beach volleyball, surfing, biking,

Don’t worry, your core will thank you later

No matter how you choose to exercise beach side you are working your core as well as all the smaller stabilizing muscles that normally aren’t engaged when you are hitting the gym.

Ingredients

• 1 large Roma tomato sliced & diced
• 1 Tbsp diced onion
• 1 fresh lime, about 1 tbsp of lime juice
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 pinch of pink salt
• 1/4 tsp peppercorns grounded
• 1/3 cup avocados
• 2 Tbsp Jalapenos sliced & diced

Directions

Start by mixing all ingredients together in a medium to large mixing bowl. It’s best to start with the tomatoes, juice, diced onion and your cilantro. For extra seasoning add salt, pepper, and the minced jalapeno. To complete this festive avocado salsa, don’t forget to toss in your diced avocados. Combine and serve! Perfect side dish to enjoy this Cinco de mayo.

Suggestions for a healthier chip to combine with this avocado salsa are plantain chips, sweet potato chips, pork rinds, paleo tortilla chips.

Welcome to the launch of the new Cleveland Total Health Chiropractic website and first blog post! I am so excited to share with you MORE of what our Cleveland office has to offer! This blog forum will be a platform to illustrate trendy and crucial chiropractic information, how-to’s/recipes and health & fitness inspiration. I wanted to start by introducing our Director and chiropractor of the Cleveland location, Dr. McKeel.

After completing his pre-chiropractic studies in the basic sciences such as inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, along with basic physiology and anatomy courses, Dr. McKeel was accepted at Life College of Chiropractic in Atlanta Georgia. During his time at Life, courses included biochemistry, a major emphasis on anatomy and human physiology, X-ray, diagnosis, chiropractic adjusting techniques and patient care in the Life College Public Clinic. After graduating in 1995 Dr. McKeel returned to the Cleveland area to establish his practice. We love skeptics,” smiles Dr. McKeel “I still remember the concerns and apprehension I had when I went to the chiropractor for the first time. So, we make it a point to explain everything in advance, answer questions and attempt to over communicate. Patients appreciate that. Dr. McKeel has two children, Jaida and Emory. Both children were born naturally. (If that sounds interesting, be sure to ask Dr. McKeel to explain!)

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