Benefits of Adding Algae to Your Diet

 

Blue-green algae (BGA) are among the most primitive life forms on earth and have been consumed as food or medicine by humans for centuries. BGA contain various bioactive components, such as phycocyanin, carotenoids, γ-linolenic acid, fibers, and plant sterols, which can promote optimal health in humans. They prevent against oxidative stress in the body, as well as the prevention of metabolic and inflammatory diseases. The two most common forms of blue-green algae readily found are chlorella (pictured above) and spirulina.  Chlorella is a nutrient-rich freshwater algae loaded with protein, fiber, and anti-oxidants.  Some benefits are detoxification of your gut, can help clear skin issues, remove dioxins from breast milk, aids in digestion, boosts your immune system, and improves cardiovascular health.  Chlorella is packed with B12, carotenoids, magnesium, zinc, potassium, omega-3's, and folic acid among many others.  A good quality chlorella should be made to not lose any of the nutrients and minerals in tact when the cell wall is broken.  We prefer Wuji Chlorella in our office as they have the highest standards for growing and producing their algae.  Chlorella can be found in tablet or powder form and is an easy addition to your daily diet.  Similarly, spirulina is a cyanobacteria superfood with many of the same properties of chlorella.  It contains B-vitamins, beta-carotene, protein, vitamin E, anti-oxidants, among many other nutrients.  It has been shown to boost energy, lower cholesterol, stimulates your immune system and its responses, decrease blood sugar spikes, and aids in weight loss.  Another big benefit of spirulina is reduction of allergy symptoms when you take it regularly.  What's even better is that there are limited to no negative side effects to taking algae, it is simply a food.  Visit Wuji Life to learn more about the amazing benefits of these two blue-green algae.  

Yours in health,

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson, DC

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

 

Chiropractic Care Shown to Help During Addiction Recovery

 

Overcoming addiction is a multi-step process that requires help and multi-faceted plan.  While it seems impossible, taking an approach to include non-traditional therapies have shown to aid in the recovery of addicts.  Therapies such as chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki, meditation, and yoga are just a few that healthcare professionals are starting to incorporate to help those suffering from addiction. When overcoming addiction, patients often find that anxiety and depression are factors for what led them down their path of addictive behavior.  While caring for your mental health during recovery, we also need to seek care for our physical health to move towards the healthiest self you can be.  A 2020 study showed how neurologically based chiropractic care can help those in addiction treatment.  It compared the difference in a group of male patients who underwent chiropractic treatment and those in a placebo group.  All patients were undergoing addiction treatment.  Depression and anxiety were assessed at the beginning and end of the 30-day study.  Results showed that there was a 97% improvement in depression and a 36% reduction in anxiety with a 100% retention rate in the patients undergoing chiropractic care during addiction treatment. In contrast, the placebo group had a 0% retention rate.  Showing that chiropractic can help improve the body's function at the core so that it is better able to deal with and process issues that present themselves.  Better function at the source is the result of removing interference to our neurological system!

Yours in health,

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson, DC

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

 

Vaden, C.D., DC, Holder, J.M., DC, DACACD, McCoy, M., MPH, DC, Sanders, J., DC & Holder, A.M., DC DACAD. (2020). P300 Wave Outcomes in Subluxation Based Chiropractic in Residential Addiction Treatment:A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. A. Vertebral Subluxation Res., 178-192.

 

Understanding the Emotional Side of a Physical Injury

 

While we understand how a physical injury impacts our body's way to move, function, and regulate itself, we often are focused on the short-term physical destruction and how to heal those issues.  We often overlook the long-term and emotional toll that an injury can leave behind.  Especially traumatic injuries can take a heavy toll on our emotional health without even realizing it.  Our body adapts to this stress acutely, and it often goes unnoticed that there are emotional issues that go unaddressed.  An interesting study conducted last year looked at traumatic injury patients at a level 1 trauma center that were assessed for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Of the 200 patients assessed, 1 month after their injury 26 were diagnosed with PTSD.  The most common injury of these patients were road traffic injuries, and their mood and cognitions were negatively effected.  Bad memories and constant guarding along with tense posture were some of the symptoms reported.  However all 200 of the patients studied were found to have the same symptoms as those diagnosed with PTSD, just not as severe.  This highlights the body's way to adapt to acute stress, whether it be physical or emotional.  While the remaining 174 patients were not diagnosed with an emotional disorder, they still had significant issues that needed to be addressed.  While they may not be considered severe, over time a small amount of emotional stress will build and eventually have physical breakdown in the body.  We have three types of stress that we deal with:physical stress, emotional stress, and chemical stress.  In my office, I regularly have patients report feeling calmer, less anxious, and more energetic after chiropractic adjustments.  This is due to removing interference to the nervous system and allowing the body to better adapt to emotional stress.  While they may be seen initially for pain, it is common for them to feel better emotionally as well.  Sleep disturbances decrease, moods stabilize or increases, anxiety decreases, or even better is that for some they are actually able to relax after chiropractic adjustments.  Children especially see quick emotional responses to chiropractic care.  More often than not, we overlook or just don't realize that a physical injury has effected us on an emotional level.  We don't know why we feel a certain way.  This is because your body has "gotten used to" the physical injury and so we aren't connecting the physical with the emotional issues.  When we understand the relationship between physical trauma and emotional response to that physical injury we can better heal ourselves.  

 

Yours in health,

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson, DC

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

 

Agarwal, T. M., Muneer, M., Asim, M., Awad, M., Afzal, Y., Al-Thani, H., ...El-Menyar, A. (2020). Psychological trauma in different mechanisms of traumatic injury: A hospital-based cross-sectional study. Plos One, 15(11). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0242849