Battle Ground Back and Neck Pain

ARTHRITIS is, sadly, a very common and very painful condition.  It can make working and even basic living extremely difficult.  In order for treatment to prove effective in combating the symptoms and to allow the sufferer to live as normal a life as possible, you have to know more.  The two most common types of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, are very ’different in character’ and require completely different methods of diagnosis, as well as very different methods of treatment.

Rheumatiod arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects as many as one in every hundred people.  It is caused by a malfunction in the body’s defense systems, possibly form pinched nerves.  The disease is not hereditary, no increased risk has been found if you have a sufferer in you immediate family.  In rheumatoid arthritis extra blood flow causes joints to become swollen and painful and in extreme cases can even permanently damage the joint.  It is essential to seek help to reduce inflammation, as the damage to joints is permanent and irreversible.

Osteoarthritis is a completely different condition, which affects the bones.  Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, there appears to be no genetic factor involved with osteoarthritis, although there are several factors that increase the risk of the condition developing.  Osteoarthritis is rare in young people, suggesting that in certain cases it is wear on the bones that causes the disease to develop.

Misalignment over time can cause this conditon.  Overweight people are also far more susceptible to the condition, especially with the knee joints, which suggests that excess strain put on a moving joint area will be a major factor in bringing on the condition.  ‘Stiff joints’ are the main symptom of osteoarthritis.

Although these two forms of arthritis account for the vast majority of sufferers, there are in fact over two hundred distinct types.  These types affect all sections of the population, young and old alike.

Some forms of the condition, such as ankylosing spondylitis, affect more men then women - which is in direct contrast to the two major types, where far more women are affected.  Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, another very uncommon form of arthritis, is found in nine times the number of women than it is in men.

One of the most common forms of arthritis, which is usually thought of as a completely different condition, is gout.  This extremely painful problem is caused by ‘uric acid’ and is at least controllable with the correct treatment, which we believe is ionized pH correct water and regular chiropractic care.

Sometimes arthritis can be a purley reactive condition brought on by another kind of condition.  In this case, the symptoms will usually disappear of their own accord, always provided that no permanent damage has occurred.

As arthritis comes in so many diverse forms, it is essential to get a correct diagnosis before attempting to treat the condition.  The first port of call is usually blood testing and X-rays. 

“21 Days Toward Vibrant Health.”

OK… so for the next 21 days, I’m going to give you the blueprint for vibrant health.

My goal is to change the way that you look at your health and hopefully your life.

Why 21 days? Because it takes 21 days to form a habit… and hopefully after you’ve gotten into the habit of vibrant health, you’ll graduate to the lifestyle and never ending journey towards it as well.

I’m going to call this “The 21 Day Journey Towards Vibrant Health”

Let’s first talk about the most important consideration… WHY.

WHY do you want to be healthier?

Whether you feel DRIVEN to a mission in life, or called to one, you won’t experience ultimate happiness and fulfillment if your body can’t get you across the finish line.

Let me ask you this question. Would you trade your health for money? If you had one million dollars but couldn’t get out of bed to enjoy it…would it be worth anything?

Think about that for a minute.

When I say the word “healthy”, what comes to mind? Is health merely the absence of sickness or disease? Unfortunately, for many it is. They say… “If I we’re 20 pounds lighter, I’d be healthy.” Or “If I didn’t have to suffer from chronic pain, I’d be healthy.” Or “If I didn’t have to feel like my stomach was on fire all of the time, I’d be healthy.”

But for some, the word “healthy” means something else…something more.

How about this notion… that if you’re actually healthy…really healthy, you simply FEEL better. And isn’t that really what we’re all after? We want to feel good. We want to feel good about how we look, we want to feel good knowing that we have the kind of energy it takes to enjoy time with our families and excel in our careers?

If you don’t have a good enough reason to GET healthy, you won’t stay the course.

Here’s a challenge. Obviously, since you’re reading this, you’re at least somewhat serious about achieving a better quality of health and of life.

Now… take this extra step and crystallize the WHY… Because if you have a compelling enough reason to not only GET healthy, but to STAY healthy, you’ll make healthy, vibrant living a HABIT and a lifestyle… and your journey towards it will never end.

What are You Rich in?

“I don’t know who or what to believe! I heard that fat is bad for me, but then somebody tells me how good flax oil is for you…and yet it’s fat.  Then I heard carbohydrates were bad for me and I should eat more protein…like the Atkins diet.  And then the Atkins guy dies of a heart attack, and I find out that the high protein diet makes you toxic.  One doctor tells you this and another one tells you that.  It seems that when it comes to health nobody can seem to agree.”

And the statistics support this truth.  We are rich in “money, stuff and things,” bit we’re very poor in our health. OUCH.

It’s sad but true… it seems people know more about how their cars operate then how their bodies do.  And equally as unfortunate is this… we treat our cars better.  Would you ever put anything in your car’s gas tank other than gas?  Heck NO! Then why do so many of us put something other than food in our bodies?  And no…Twinkies aren’t food.

This part is for certain…it’s silly to expect different results… positive results and progress where your health is concerned if your approach is the same as it’s over the last month or year.

Well… that’s really what this journey is all about. DISCOVERING health…not trying to INVENT it.  It’s about breaking things down to where they make sense.  And I believe if we can break out the truth, bit by bit, we’ll all be empowered to live much healthier and happier lives.

Just the fact that you’re reading this tells me that you desire more for yourself… and that’s great!  My promise to you is this…you’ll learn a lot more about your health over the next few weeks-and hopefully enjoy the process- and all it will cost you is a little bit of your time.

Living a vibrant and healthy life is a PROCESS…not an event.  You don’t just wake up one day and everything’s great.  There’s no magic pill…no Hollywood diet, no amazing miracle.  Vibrant health is a JOURNEY, not a destination.

And by the way…I’m just a guy…like anybody else talking about the subject of health.  I happen to have a lot of knowledge on the subject because I’ve tried to dig up truth to apply to MY body and MY life.  But there are a TON of great resources out there…and people to lean on.

So, Keep learning on your journey, and keep searching for truths that will empower you to succeed in the arena of your health.  So…here’s how to take control of your health…get informed, stay informed, and this is the most important thing…apply what you know… even if it’s just a little bit…EVERY day.  Make UNDERSTANDING your body a priority, and make health and vibrant living a journey.