Gardening is hard work! It can put quite a strain on your muscles, especially those in your back. If you don’t garden regularly, be sure to start slowly and work your way up to longer gardening sessions. Here are some suggestions for making the most of your garden while treating your back with care.

First, be sure to warm up your back muscles with some stretching before you go out, particularly in colder weather. Gardening may involve significant reaching and twisting, so perform some of those moves gently indoors before heading out. Be sure to keep water nearby and to take breaks often. If you start to feel any pain, stop and rest. Otherwise, you risk injuring your back and making it impossible for you to do anything at all in your garden.

Garden Layout

• Use mulch on the surface of your garden and avoid leaving bare spots. This will reduce weeds and help the soil retain moisture, so you don’t have to water as often.
• Use raised flowerbeds, which are both attractive and help reduce the need to bend down. You can grow vines and other trailing plants around the edges.
• Make sure your flowerbeds are narrow enough that you don’t have to reach too far over them.

Plants

• Remember that slow-growing shrubs are less trouble to maintain than perennials or annuals.
• Use fruit trees grown on dwarf rootstocks. This will allow you to pick fruit at a reasonable height.
• Consider ground-covering plants to keep weeds under control. Weeding is hard on the back due to all the bending over.

Tools

• Use forks and trowels with long handles, and other tools with extenders to reduce your need to reach.
• Make sure your pruners and loppers are sharp and have ratchet systems. Cutting will be easier and there will be less strain on your back and shoulders.
• Get a holster for secateurs and attach it to your belt, so you don’t have to keep reaching down to pick them up.
• Avoid heavy watering cans for irrigation. If you use a can, only fill it half way.

How to reduce digging
If you spread compost and fertilizer or manure over a flowerbed surface in the late autumn, the soil has time to settle before spring planting. Worms will take organic matter into the soil and you won’t have to dig so much. This approach requires initial digging to level the soil and remove weeds, but over time you will be able to dig less and less. Many gardeners feel that this method is better than traditional “double digging” because it leaves the soil structure intact. Contact a specialist at your local gardening center for more details on this back-saving approach to gardening.

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Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

Loose 20-30-40+ Pounds w/Hcg at Good Health Naturally – Free Workshops

Lose significant weight quickly, safely, without eating diet foods, without surgery, without exercise, and without extreme hunger. 

It is our goal to help Vancouver/Portland area residents loose 1500 lbs of unwanted and unhealthy fat in 2012.  For this goal, will use a well-tested program of prescription strength Hcg (500 IU oral tabs, not injected or homeopathic) combined with CVR (Creative Visualization & Relaxation), regular body composition analysis,  and support during the whole program and beyond. 

Hcg helps burn the abnormal, unhealthy fat stored in our problem areas – hips, thighs, neck/chin, etc and also helps control hunger during the diet.  There will be ongoing support via email and we will be performing regular body composition analysis to make sure you are burning fat and not losing muscle (which is a significant problem in other diet plans).   Twice a week CVR will help you decrease stress and form the good habits needed to keep the weight off permanently. 

On January 5^th (6:00pm),  January 7^th (10:00am), and January 10^th (7:00pm) Good Health Naturally (3606 Main St. Suite 205, Vancouver WA) will have FREE 45-minute presentations – “Introduction to Weight Loss with Hcg” to give you the details of the Hcg Program.  You are welcome to attend and please tell anyone you think might benefit from weight loss to come to this Free presentation.   

In addition, we will introduce two other weight loss programs available at the clinic for those who would like other options. 

Call for more information (360) 693-7781

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

Happy Holidays to All! 

Please join us at the clinic (3606 Main St, Suite 25, Vancouver WA) for food and beverages, music and fun on December 12th between 4pm and 7pm.  Good Health Naturally will be having guest musicians, treats, tea and punch to thank and support our wonderful practice members and staff.  Drop in and have a snack, no appointment necessary   If we don’t see you before the Holidays – be healthy, be safe, and enjoy friends, family and the wonder of the season!  Dr. Blessley, Dr. Barnick, Ann, Theresa, Corrie & Shannon. 

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

Vitamin B12 (also known as cobalamin) is vital to the body’s proper functioning. It helps build and maintain healthy red blood cells, is involved in the production of DNA and RNA and is instrumental in maintaining a healthy nervous system and cell metabolism.

Because vitamin B12 can be stored in the liver for a number of years and we need just a small amount of it to remain healthy, symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency may not show up for a long time. Vegans sometimes find themselves with this deficiency, as animal products are the only food source of vitamin B12 in a form that can be easily utilized by humans. The elderly can also be at risk of deficiency, as our digestive systems have an increasingly difficult time with absorption of the vitamin as we age.

A lack of vitamin B12 can cause a number of problems, including depression, fatigue and memory problems. A severe deficiency can lead to nerve damage or pernicious anemia, a disease that occurs when the stomach becomes unable to produce intrinsic factor, a substance secreted by cells in the stomach, that allows the body to absorb B12.

Without B12 your bones can’t produce enough healthy red blood cells, instead producing large red blood cells in low numbers. Their large size makes it difficult for them to make their way our of the bones and into the bloodstream where they carry on the important work of getting oxygen to the rest of the body’s cells, causing fatigue and other problems.

Some symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• Fatigue

• Depression

• Shortness of breath

• Tingling in fingers or toes

• Diarrhea or constipation

• Nervousness

• Numbness

Supplementation with vitamin B12 can help reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration, heart disease (due to its ability to lower homocysteine levels), breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and male infertility.

Interestingly, neither plants nor animals make vitamin B12. Rather, it is made by various microorganisms, such as bacteria, molds, yeast and algae, that are then consumed by animals and produce the vitamin in their digestive tract.

There are a number of good dietary sources of vitamin B12, among them eggs, dairy products, beef, pork, chicken, fish and shellfish. Organ meats, clams and oysters are particularly high in the vitamin. Vegetarians and vegans should look for vitamin B12 supplements in the form of fortified cereals, nutritional yeast or spirulina.

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

During your initial visit, you will be provided with a few registration and medical history forms by the office staff. Then the chiropractor will typically ask further questions about your health history and about your current problem or condition, such as:

• If you are experiencing pain, where is it located and when did you first notice it?
• Does the pain or discomfort seem to be the result of a recent injury or activity, or has it existed for some time?
• Are there activities or circumstances that make it better?
• Are there activities or circumstances that make it worse?

You may also be asked about any pre-existing medical conditions or prior injuries, your family’s medical history, and other treatments you have received from health care providers. Once completed, your chiropractor then will carry out a thorough chiropractic examination, with a special emphasis on the spine. In addition to general tests such as blood pressure, respiration, reflexes, and pulse, the examination may include certain tests to assess the range of motion of the injured or painful body part, muscle tone and strength, and neurological integrity. Additional diagnostic studies such as X-rays or laboratory tests may be performed or recommended.

The medical history, physical examination and diagnostic tests all help to determine a specific diagnosis. The chiropractor will explain the diagnosed condition to you and determine if it is likely respond well to chiropractic care. If so, the chiropractor will explain the proposed chiropractic treatment plan or other treatments to you and the anticipated length that the treatment should take. Both short- and long-term goals for your treatment will be discussed, and additional therapies may be recommended for future visits, such as:

• Application of heat or cold to affected areas.
• Massage and stretching.
• Modalities to speed healing of soft tissues and improve pain control, such as electrical stimulation and traction.
• Rehabilitative and general exercise to improve muscle balance, strength, and coordination.
• Lifestyle counseling about healthy eating and weight loss.

Many chiropractors begin treatment during your first visit, although some may wait until the next appointment to perform the first adjustment. During a typical adjustment, you will be placed in various specific positions while your chiropractor treats the affected areas. For example, you may be asked to lie face down on a padded table specifically designed for chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors then use their hands to apply a controlled, quick force to a joint, which extends it beyond its usual range of motion. The goal of this maneuver is to increase the range and quality of motion in the area being treated and to aid in restoring health. You may hear cracking or popping sounds as your chiropractor manipulates your joints during the treatment session. This is similar to cracking one’s knuckles, and there are rarely any feelings of pain or discomfort.

As your course of treatment continues, your chiropractor will evaluate your progress, to see how much your treatments are helping, and may adjust the recommended treatment regimen accordingly.

Resources

• http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/what-expect-first-chiropractic-consultation
• http://www.ctchiro.com/FAQ.php
• http://nccam.nih.gov/health/chiropractic/introduction.htm
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chiropractic-adjustment/MY01107/DSECTION=what%2Dyou%2Dcan%2Dexpect
• http://www.mychiro.com/chiropractic.htm
• http://www.pazdelchiropractic.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

A new year has begun.  It is a perfect time to reflect with gratitude on all that we have.  Also, it is the perfect time to welcome new healthy changes.

2012 will be here in a year one way or another.  Will you be stronger, less subluxated and enjoying greater vitality?  or will you just be another year older?…

Did you know that our Wellness Center is prepared to help you if your 2011 resolutions including:

-Weight Loss

-Athletic Performance

-Stopping Smoking

-Reducing and Eliminating Stress

If you are feeling sluggish from the holiday treats, you will want to join the Nutritional Cleanse that is starting January 17th.  We can do it as a team.  Find a friend/neighbor/spouse and join us.

Please, ask at your next appointment.  Your goals are our goals.

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

Bring in your old backpack and get a 15% discount on an AirPack. Well-made, stylish, ergonomic and reasonably priced.

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally

We are excited to announce that we now are available for early morning and lunch time appointments!

On Mondays and Fridays, Dr. Barnick will be seeing patients from 12 to 1pm (in addition to the regular hours)

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Dr. Blessley will be up with the sun and able to see patients from 7am to 10am (in addition to his regualr hours on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday).

Give us a call 693-7781 to schedule.

Good Health Naturally 3606 Main St., Suite 205 Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 693-7781 Good Health Naturally