As a Chiropractor in San Diego, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you let out all the seams in your current wardrobe, there’s something you should know regarding those few extra pounds you may have gained. Over the years, those pounds can add up to a large number of health problems from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back challenges and joint degeneration. Extra pounds put harmful stress on organs, like the heart, as well as on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Over half (62%) of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant number and a truly gigantic national health issue (no pun intended).
It is likely no surprise to you to learn that the human body was not designed to transport additional poundage in the form of body fat. A mere excess of 20 or 30 pounds can veritably overload and even overwhelm the joints and muscles of the body. Extra weight in the belly, for example, requires that the body compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This angle creates compression in the joints of the low back. Joint compression impedes nerve activity and causes painful inflammation. The majority of men and women that are overweightexperience low back pain caused by a compressed sciatic nerve or misalignments of the spinal column that constrict nerves as a result of weight-bearing stresses. If not addresses, misaligned vertebra in most cases develop into new arthritic changes in the spine over time, as well as continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place.
Are you wondering how chiropractic can help? Perhaps, it should go without saying that a healthy body weight is required in order for the musculoskeletal system to function in the way it is designed to. Chiropractic treatment can not only relieve pain caused by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve compression in the spinal column and help to get movement back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, particularly in the low back, hips, and knees. And, naturally exercise and physical activity will be a lot easier, and healthier for the body, when the spine is in alignment and the joints have good movement. Not only will exercise help with weight reduction, but it can actually slow the pace of degenerative changes as over the years.
healthcare professionals, like your chiropractor, can advise you regarding your diet and exercise options. In addition to caring for individuals suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors offer qualified guidance regarding the particular lifestyle changes that can help an individual to stay healthier, more vital, and more active through the years. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that arthritis and immobility are an unavoidable part of the aging process. The structure of the human body is designed for an entire lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if those extra pounds have been sneaking up on you, and they’ve turned into a surprising load of pain, as your San Diego chiropractor and someone who understands, I can help. Make an appointment today!