Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Stress Control


Everyone has stress of some kind. There are only two basic types of stress that can affect your health. Stress that is out of your control and stress that you have some sense of control over. Stress that is under control is healthy and allows us to grow. However, stress that is out of control can have very negative effect on our health.

Stress that is beyond your control can cause you to become anxious, afraid, angry, frustrated, sad, and/or worried.

It can alter your biochemistry and cause your organs and glands to lose function. It is extremely important to get a handle on this type of stress.

One thing you can do is to categorize the stress in terms of how it makes you feel. then you can rate it on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst.

Ask yourself, "Does that stress make me feel, angry, sad, scared, worried, or frustrated?" Then rate how much on a scale of 1-10.

Make a list of the top 5 things that are currently causing you stress. Identify how they make you feel. Rate each emotion for that stress on a scale of 1-10.

For example: Let's say driving in traffic makes you feel stressed. You can rate the total stress driving causes is a 7 out of 10.

Then ask yourself, "Does that stress make me feel, angry, sad, scared, worried, or frustrated?"

So maybe traffic makes you feel frustrated and worried. You can rate the frustration as a 7 and the worry as a 5.

This is just an example, but you can use this process for any type of stress in your life.

You have recognized that stress can be broken down into emotional terms, rated and categorized it.

You have exercised some sense of control over it. This will shift the stress into a type of stress that you have some sense of control over. This will limit the negative effects that stress can have on your health.

At our clinic, we utilize many different methods to release stress from the mind and body. This speeds up the healing process and improves the results of ou treatments.

Dr. Shouka
www.chiroactivetherapy.com

13011 Newport Ave. Suite 116, Tustin, CA 92780

drshouka@gmail.com

Monday, November 1, 2010

Headaches , Relaxation Response and the Neck

Many people are suffering from headaches that are caused by problems in the spine. Tight muscles in the neck can cause referred pain into
the head. Tight neck muscles can put pressure on the blood supply to the head as well. The body has to increase the blood pressure to allow enough blood supply to pass through the tight neck and into the delicate structures inside the head.

That chronic increase in blood pressure will damage the small blood vessels throughout the body. Patients are prescribed anti-hypertensive medications to force the blood pressure back down. These medicines have side effects such as Lightheaded and or dizziness, Headaches, Vomiting and or nauseated feeling, Anxiety, Fluctuation in weight-either up or down, Rash on the skin,
Lethargic - fatigue, weak, sleepy and or drowsyness, Constipation, Diarrhea,
Racing heart, Pain and or discomfort in the chest, and Flu symptoms.

Besides putting pressure on the blood vessels, tight muscle in the neck can irritate the major parasympathetic nerve of the body. This nerve is called the Vagus nerve and is responsible for the relaxation response. Extensive research has been done on the Relaxation Response and it is known to offer following benefits - Lowers stress hormones, Increases arousal from the drowsy state,
Lowers blood pressure, Helps in relieving pain, Increases motivation and productivity, Improves decision making, and Helps in curing sleep disorders.

When the nerve for the relaxation response is compromised the person can become Sympathetic Dominant. Symptoms include inability to relax, mind racing - fretting, inability so sleep well, poor digestion, chronic fatigue, lowered immune system, and increeased pain. The heart will beat faster and the blood pressure will increase.

In modern society, the more we can contain the sympathetic reaction and induce the relaxation response the better our health will be. With my treatments, I help people manage their health by bringing balance to their nervous system.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Treatment of Injuries

Over the past 20 years I have been developing a safe, gentle and effective approach to healthcare that utilizes the body’s natural healing response system. The human body is designed to repair itself and keep you alive. There is intelligence within the body that sends out the proper cells to mold and rebuild any injured area. The key to this is that your body will repair in the most efficient way to allow you to do the things you want to do.

The repairs made at the cellular level are dependent on the movements you do during the healing and rebuilding phase. You must maintain the range of motion of the area until the repairs are made at the cellular level. If you do that, you will heal completely with full range of motion and you can rebuild your strength and coordination.

When people are hurt, they need to know what movements are safe to do until they recover from their injury. Sometimes you have to move in the direction of pain. Pain is a protective indicator for the body. It is much like any indicator like the warning lights on your car’s dashboard or the smoke alarm in your home. It usually means that there is something urgent that needs to be tended to.

After an injury, there is an emergency situation occurring at the cellular level. The body is trying to minimize damage and overreacts by sending out all the troops. It floods the area with fluids that allows more cells to come in.. The swelling along with the muscles stiffening up immobilizes the area. With too much swelling, other structures that were not initially injured are now compressed and more damage can occur.

To hedge off the possible damage that can be caused by the excessive pressure, we use ice therapy. The ice slows down the excessive flow of fluids and decreases the swelling. That is why it is a natural local anti-inflammatory with minimal side effects on the rest of the body. That side effect is that it can make you feel cold.

When bones are injured the body repairs them by laying down excessive bone that makes the area stronger than before the injury. With soft tissue, this is not so. What makes bones stronger is their stiffness. However, what makes soft tissue stronger is their suppleness.

The ability to contract and relax gives the soft tissue unique properties that allow it to be more resilient. To do that, it is important to maintain full range of motion during the healing and repairing of the soft tissue. It can be uncomfortable and a little painful to maintain range of motion during this time. It will be much more difficult to recover lost motion later after the scar tissue has settled in.

After an injury, your body will repair in the fastest most efficient way to maintain your function. The cells will repair based on the movements that you are required to do. The rest of the area becomes infiltrated with scar tissue. Scar tissue is inert which means it is inactive and can be permanent if not corrected. The areas of the body where scar tissue has settled will not function properly. They will always be weaker, less flexible, less coordinated and more vulnerable to future injuries.

During the acute and subacute phase of an injury, we are trying to maintain range of motion, control the amount of inflammation and minimize scar tissue formation. This gives the body the best chance to a complete recovery. Once the problem becomes chronic than releasing scar tissue and resetting the proprioceptors becomes the priority.

In maintaining the range of motion, we must address the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. Different types of exercises are utilized.
Passive range of motion exercises is when the doctor or therapist moves the area for you. Active exercise is when you are doing the movement on your own. Active assisted exercise is when the patient initiates the movement and is helped through it by the therapist.



Dr. Shouka
www.tustinbackpain.com

13031 Newport Ave. Suite 116, Tustin, CA 92780

drshouka@gmail.com

Food Allergies

FYI...Most food allergies occur due to leaky gut syndrome. This is when food particles that are only partially digested reach the blood stream. Undigested food particles are toxic to our body because they are not in the form that your body can use. The immune system is sensitized to protect you from the insult. You have to eliminate the offender from your diet for 1 to 3 months and take action steps to restore the health of your digestive tract.

1.  Replenish good bacteria - probiotics
2.  Remove excessive sympathetic nerve irritation to digestive system - usually due to tightness in mid and low back.
3.  Stimulate parasympathetic nerve flow by removing irritations in the neck.  This releases the Vagus nerve that is responsible for proper digestion, relaxation, and sleep.
4.  Manage stressful events in your life - Identify stressors and categorize them in terms of how they make you feel emotionally.  Then start a plan to get those stressors under control. 



Dr. Shouka
www.chiroactivetherapy.com

13011 Newport Ave. Suite 116, Tustin, CA 92780

drshouka@gmail.com

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Laws of FATtraction

What the human mind can conceive and believe the human mind can achieve. --Napolean Hill

Many people find themselves in situations and predicaments that seem to pop up right out of the blue. Sometimes things are getting worse gradually but we do not see any way of improving them. We find ourselves destined or doomed... Fortunately there is hope on the horizon. We inherently know that there has to be a better way. That is why we continue to search for our solutions.

Yet, what brings hope to some does not work for others. We need to find our own solution for our individual situations. As with any system, there are always limitations and individual unique situations that will need further customization. This method can help you find your own solutions.

The obsession with fat and weight management has been growing with each generation. The more attention we give to this area the more attached we become to it. Often times we focus on our problems to find the solutions. One would think that this is a sane and logical approach to problem solving that can be applied to improve our lives.

The question is how much effort or time should we dedicate to solving our life problems? If we don't give enough time or effort, we will not be able to think it through. However, we always run the risk of becoming obsessive or compulsive in our efforts. This will have the opposite effect on our search for solutions.

Our brain is truly amazing! It has the ability to compute faster than any of the most powerful computers in the world. But, as with the any computer, it is only as good as the programming that goes into it. The program that is in our brain is embedded in our subconscious mind. That is the part of our brain that we do not have direct access to. The subconscious mind holds our world together. It communicates with everyone else's subconscious and affects all our interactions.

Any premise that is held in our subconscious will be reinforced through selective observation. Select observation gives us the ability to prove to ourselves that our theories are true. There are so many possibilities and variations in the world that we can confirm our opinions simply by waiting. Eventually, we will come across an event that supports our premise. With this pseudoscientific model, we can prove just about anything to ourselves.

This is why we must be very careful in our beliefs about our situations. If you are happy and satisfied in your world, chances are you will not be motivated to change. If things are not working quite as well as you expected, then it might be time to question your theories.

The one thing that your subconscious and your body is trying to do is to keep you alive, They are always maintaining homeostasis. Homeostasis is the balance that all the organs and systems in your body have to keep within the construct of the premise developed in your subconscious to stay alive. This is so important that I will repeat it again. Homeostasis is the balance that all the organs and systems in your body have to keep within the construct of the premise developed in your subconscious to stay alive.

That is why your mind and body are resistant to any changes! Any time you try to change anything in your life, you are going against some of the most powerful forces in your life. You see, any change will be perceived as a threat by your subconscious and your body. You are always battling against yourself whenever you try to improve in any way.

Once the mind/body knows that it is safe then the changes can be accepted and improvement can occur. Through self awareness, we can better understand what will be accepted and how we can obtain any of our goals.

In our body and nervous system there is a hierarchy of biological events that censor and shape what we can become aware of. All our autonomic functions are occurring automatically without us even knowing or trying. We breathe, drink, eat, digest, and assimilate nutrients to build cells, tissues, and enzymes to run our bodies. Deficiencies in any of these areas will have to be corrected in our choices of what we eat, drink, breathe or absorb through our skin.

Messages from the body reach our awareness through our behaviors. Our behaviors and perceptions are set in motion based on our bodies needs to stay in homeostasis. The body can only respond the situation in the way that it knows. So by analyzing our behaviors we can have some insights to what our body needs.

To identify the problem is half-way to finding the solution. We need to identify the problem in a way that we can actually influence. We could be aware that there is a problem but we cannot access the solution. This creates frustration and that in itself can cause sickness.

Our subconscious is much like the train and our awareness is like the conductor on that train. One day as the conductor we find ourselves on that train speeding along on some tracks. Wondering where we are, where are we going and where have we been? The train has momentum and so does our life.

If the conductor knows how to switch tracks and knows where those tracks go, the train can reach so many different and exciting destinations. As long as the train is well maintained and has enough fuel, it can reach all destinations. The same is true for you and your body. You may have noticed that I have occasionally interchanged body and subconscious. Your awareness is the conductor and your subconscious or body is the train.

If you accept that the body and subconscious are one and the same, it will be much easier to understand some of the most dominant forces of your life. With understanding, you can harness and direct those forces! The physical body represents the subconscious that has formed it. That is the main reason people are unable to make permanent changes in their weight distribution or body composition. That is also the same reason people are unable to make any changes in their socio-economic status.

Yes your subconscious pretext dictates your physical appearance, your income potential and personal value. Being aware of the problem only brings on frustration if you do not have a practical solution. So, what is the solution and how do we go about applying it?

The link between the body/subconscious and conscious awareness is our emotional awareness. Emotions hold the key to accessing the subconscious and achieving permanent and positive changes in our lives. All the decisions in our lives are shaped by our emotional needs. Any emotion that is not addressed or resolved will skew our perceptions of the events in the world around us.

This brings us to the seven deadly emotional sins. The negative emotions in our lives can retard our growth, limit our abilities, and create problems in our lives. The seven deadly emotional sins are grief, frustration, fear, anger, resentment, sadness, and worry.

The following is written in a manner that will produce healing as you read it. It is meant to be read repeatedly on a daily basis to induce the positive and healing effects of your inner mind.

Healing Passage



The ancient study of Oriental Medicine has correlated certain emotional states with decreased function of the internal organs.
The lungs are associated with grief or sorrow. Afflictions of the lungs such as asthma, bronchitis, etc... have an emotional component
that needs to be resolved. The kidneys are associated with fear. Anxiety and terror could also affect the kidneys. Anger can damage the liver
such as in the angry alcoholic. Unexpressed anger becomes harbored as resentment which collects in the gallbladder. Holding on to
bad feelings can cause thickened bile and gallstones. The heart energy is affected by sadness. Worry is associated with the stomach.
This can cause indigestion. heartburn and ulcers. Frustration and the large intestines are correlated in this system.

The seven deadly emotional sins are anger, resentment, fear, worry, frustration, sadness, and grief. The four positive energizers and negativity
neutralizers are joy, safety, expression, and forgiveness.

Worry is just the fear of something that is going to happen or not happen. So you can reposition worry as fear. Anxiety is the nervousness
that is similar to worry and therefore fear. The dissolution of fear is realized by focusing on safety. Through repetition, the mantra of " I am safe"
will eventually reach the subconscious.

The subconscious mind dictates the emotional state and biological tension within our mind and bodies. The subconscious has a guardian or sentinel
that protects it from outside influence. Once the subconscious has accepted a premise, it will always try to create situations and observations that support
the idea. Through repetition, the mantra of " I am safe" will eventually reach the subconscious.

Repeating the mantra " I am safe" will cause it to be accepted by the subconscious mind. Safety neutralizes any of the effects of fear, anxiety, or worry.
as we repeat the mantra " I am safe", our fears, anxieties, and worries disappear.

Anger and resentment hurt the liver and gallbladder respectively. Resentment is bottled up anger that is never expressed. Usually due to the fact
that expressing the anger might make things worse. The only solution is to employ the super neutralizer known as forgiveness. Forgiveness frees the body
to function as designed. " I am forgiving" is the mantra to neutralize anger and resentment.

Reaching for revenge or even justice is what prevents us from getting better. Forgiveness frees the body to function as designed. " I am forgiving" is the
mantra to neutralize anger and resentment.

"I am a safe and forgiving person" is the mantra that neutralizes fear, worry, anger and resentment.

Frustration occurs when we are unable to see all of our options. The choices that we see are not suitable and frustration is the consequence. The large
intestines correspond to frustration. Digestive distress and frustration can be neutralized with expression. " I am an expressive person" is a mantra that can
neutralize frustration.

Options and choices appear limited during times of stress. Frustration can be neutralized with expression. " I am an expressive person" releases frustration.

"I am a safe, forgiving, and expressive person" releases fear, worry, anger, resentment, and frustration. "I am a safe, forgiving, and expressive person."

Sadness affects the heart and grief affects the lungs and they are both neutralized with joy and enjoyment of life. "I have joy in my life" when said repeatedly
will recharge the heart and lungs. Repeating the mantra will eventually pass the subconscious sentry and seep into the reality of your life.

"I am a safe, forgiving, and expressive person that enjoys life" releases fear, worry, anger, resentment, frustration, sadness, and grief.

"I am a safe, forgiving, and expressive person that enjoys life" releases fear, worry, anger, resentment, frustration, sadness, and grief.

"I am a safe, forgiving, and expressive person that enjoys life" releases fear, worry, anger, resentment, frustration, sadness, and grief.





Dr. Shouka
www.chiroactivetherapy.com

13011 Newport Ave. Suite 116, Tustin, CA 92780

drshouka@gmail.com

Friday, July 30, 2010

Benefits of Omega 3 Oils

This morning was very interesting at the office. One of my patients was reading a book about the benefits of fish oil and omega 3 oils. She was inspired to get some omega 3 oil that was endorsed by a celebrity. The good thing was now my patient was on board with supplementing her diet with omega 3 oils. I mentioned to her some of the benefits of fish oils: 1. Regulates blood pressure 2. Regulates heart rhythm 3. Thins the blood 4. Lowers inflammation 5. Improves memory 6. Lengthens telomeres Telomeres are part of our genes and will shorten as we age. So it was found that people who take omega 3 oils have longer telomeres. This is a significent anti-aging marker. The only thing was that the product she bought had very little actual omega 3 oil in it! So I explained to her about how the nutrition industry is not regulated very well if at all. It is much like the wild west with so many companies touting claims about their "tonics". My advice to everyone out there is "caveat emptor" - that is buyer beware. Actually, Caveat emptor reminds me of a Brady Bunch episode, anyone with me on that? Anyway the lesson is clear, research the company that makes the supplements you are buying and proceed with caution. I have helped my patients steer clear of the nutritional industry mine fields and directed them to the right supplements for over 20 years.
Dr. Shouka
www.chiroactivetherapy.com

13011 Newport Ave. Suite 116, Tustin, CA 92780

drshouka@gmail.com

Thursday, July 29, 2010

The "code" for health

Self-preservation seems to be one of the strongest codes passed down through our genes. When it comes to life and death situations, people are astonished at what they are willing and able to do. Everyone can understand the concept of self-preservation. The idea of "preservation of the species" is a stronger code that we have to understand better. When will someone sacrifice themselves for the sake of others? One example is when a mother will give up her life for the sake of her children. Another example is when a soldier allows himself to be put in harm's way for the protection of his country. My point is that somewhere in our genetic code we have this program and it can be triggered without our conscious awareness. Another example is in the case of religious zealots that are willing to sacrifice themselves for a philosophy. Somehow while imbibed in their worship their minds are impregnated with the idealogy of sacrificing themselves. These are all too familiar concepts, however what I want to discuss is how and why "survival of the species" can have a detrimental affect on our health. The code can be triggered from within our bodies and can set the wheels of doom in motion. This can lead to a gradual breakdown of our biological systems. Quite often we hear of stories or know of people that have gone through extremely stressful life situations. Soon after they are plagued with some delibitating illness. Chronic pains or illness can be the consequence of a bad divorce or bankruptcy. Traumatic life events that occur too near to each other will produce a multiplied effect on the well-being of the individual. The bigger the emotional stress from these events the more risk we are at developing illness. Basically, what happens when we are bombarded with stress repeatedy is that our bodies become frustrated. Every system in our body has some kind of backup mechanism. The body will try to survive by adapting. However, if the options that it tries do not work, it is at risk of giving up and triggering the "code". If you think of stress you can realize that there are two categories of stress. One type of stress is good for us and pushes us to grow and improve. With this type of stress we feel that we have some sense of control over it. The bad type of stress is the one that is overwhelming and feels like it is out of control. Impending doom seems to be looming in the shadows. Recognizing the difference and categorizing our stress is the first step. We have to identify the stressors that feel like they are out of control. You can ask yourself how do you feel about that stressful thing. You should be able to put it into one of these emotional categories. It can make you feel angry, sad, scared, worried, or frustrated. By identifying stress and putting it into a category we are exercising our will over stress. By doing this we are gradually moving it from the "bad" category to the "good" one. We are demonsttrating some sense of control over the situation. There are many approaches or techniques one can use to mitigate the negative effects of stress on our lives. The most important point is that we do not let our body trigger the negative "code" that can lead to illness or early demise. We have to remind ourselves that we have options. As long as we believe we have options our bodies will still have hope and continue to fight on. Because we are emotional beings we have to harness the power of our positive emotions and curtail the effects of the negative emotions Our bodies and physiology will support our gut feelings and will bend for us to give us more health and vitality. As long as we feel that we are thriving our bodies will find ways to keep us living. You have to thrive to be alive.
Dr. Shouka
www.chiroactivetherapy.com

13031 Newport Ave. Suite 116, Tustin, CA 92780

drshouka@gmail.com