Post COVID and new onset IBS

https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v27/i43/7433.htm

I saw yet another case this week and decided that it would be appropriate to write a little bit about it, although, as we transition from COVID pandemic to COVID endemic, everyone is really sick about the bug and wants to silence any mention of it. But the lingering effects are still very real for some folks.

Prolonged COVID symptoms can take on many forms, and certain symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, joint inflammation and breathing difficulties have taken up the most attention. Prolonged GI symptoms have been below people’s radar but I find them to be quite prevalent once you ask patients about it.

The review article in the World Journal of Gastroenterology is far from complete, and will have its share of successor articles over time as data solidifies. However the problem is real and the authors are putting forth some interesting hypothesis for the mechanism: shift in the normal gut ecology, persistent immune irritation, post viral inflammation, and damage to the intestinal lining, and autonomic nerves. To that list I would add the harmful effect of several medications used for acute COVID treatment, such as steroids and Ivermectin, both of which are known to take down beneficial bacteria.

From the experience I have had with patients in the last three months especially, there is no one size fits all approach to recovery. You need to sit down and more specifically evaluate individual symptoms to see if a pattern of GI disruption clearly emerges, and if not, run some testing. Treatment will often involve a combination of GI rest diet, identifying and eliminating irritating foods, treat continued viral and other secondary infections, restore normal microbiome and GI lining and calm down a hyperactive mucosal immune system.

Kinesiology Taping- Knee

Below I have a video of a simple knee tape technique I use often to assist in supporting the inside of the knee after a treatment. There are several different types of taping techniques that can be used for a wide variety of conditions. As I have discussed in previous blogs, tape types and tape applications are different per person per condition, so please don’t assume that this is the right one for you. If you give it a try and it doesn’t work, it likely isn’t positioned how you need it.

This particular condition was 7 years post meniscus surgery with dull discomforts at the medial knee with a recent increase in activity. In this case she was able to wear the applied tape for a few days post dull discomforts beginning and continuing activity in which when combined with her chiropractic treatment of an adjustment, soft tissue care, etc she was able to function with minimal to no discomfort in the matter of a few days.

For a more robust understanding of tape and different kinds, please refer to an earlier blog.

If you have any questions on we can help treat knee pain or extremity care, give the office a call and schedule your appointment today.

How safe are NSAIDS for seniors in regards to Alzheimers ?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2690966/

I had tagged this article a few years ago already, but never got to post it for a variety of reasons. I am getting back to it now, as the topic of Alzheimer’s dementia has become more vivid in my extended family, as in many of yours.

There is still so much we do not know about this ugly disease, and meaningful drug therapies are not in the near future (if you look at the “new Alzheimer’s drugs that were approved, you can understand the controversy of the public health agency decision when you review the abysmal true beneficial effects at a price tag of 60 K per year). However we are starting to chip away at modifiable risk factors. Some are known (diet, cardio exercise), some are coming out slowly. Among risk factors that do not get the nod they need are the medications that increase the risk, especially the common daily medications that people think of as safe. We need to revisit our risk tolerance to those in light of the research, and this piece of research makes a stunning case for the fact that NSAID use in the senior population may raise the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Take note for yourself and your loved ones and consider doing something more restorative than masking the pain with another over the counter pill.

What Happens When You Fall Backwards On Ice-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMbnG0lsT8

I have seen quite a few of those recently and probably a few more to come with the thaw and refreeze cycle of the month of March.

A few important items of what can go wrong-

• You hit your head: you get a mild concussion sometimes, and you always get a cervical acceleration deceleration sprain. The forces transmitted to your neck when it hits the ice is like getting rear ended at 50 MPH.

• You don’t hit your head, but you forcefully tuck in your chin into your head to avoid hitting it. In the process, you get a really good cervical flexion sprain. Sometimes just as bad as just hitting your head.

• Your instinct kicks in fast and you manage to brake your fall partially with your arm. You get a milder neck sprain, but sometimes you completely throw off the alignment from your arm to your shoulder, and I will be treating that along with your neck.

• You manage to stay upright as you hit the ground and your butt takes the brunt. You could really throw off your low back, but you will have some mysterious neck pain and headaches as well, because there is this thing called “contre-coup”, where the force gets transmitted upwards to the head and neck, the last link in the kinetic chain. I will be adjusting you, as one patient told me, from your a** to your ears.

Standing Lumbar Decompression stretchhttps://studio.youtube.com/video/LiNAIcHjdDU/edit

https://studio.youtube.com/video/LiNAIcHjdDU/edit

This standing, wall supported modified ragdoll pose stretch is a practical alternative to a full ragdoll pose that is more versatile in use during daytime activities when getting on the floor is not an option.

MAKING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER OPTIONS: BODY CARE

You may wonder why body wash is on this list for cleaner options. What we put on our bodies actually gets absorbed into our systems. Our skin is our largest organ, we need to be mindful of what it is absorbing. If you look at some of the ingredients in typical body care items such as lotions, body wash, sunscreen, make-up, etc it’s no wonder people are having a harder time with hormone regulation. If you still prefer to purchase products, try using the “Healthy Living” app and use the feature where they rank the cleanliness of products, you can actually scan the barcode and most products will pop up. 

1. Body wash with Coconut milk 

   1. ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk

   2. ⅔ cup unscented liquid castile soap (surprise surprise) 

   3. 3 teaspoons jojoba oil

   4. 2 teaspoons glycerin

   5. 1 teaspoon raw honey

   6. 5 drops tea tree essential oil (optional)

   7. 5 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

2. Shampoo

   1. ½ cup of water

   2. ½ cup castile soap (surprise surprise- again)

   3. 1 teaspoons very light vegetable oil or glycerin (omit if you have oily hair)

   4. Few drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)

3. Conditioner

   1. 1 cup distilled water

   2. ¼ cup marshmallow root

   3. 2 tablespoons coconut oil, sweet almond oil or jojoba oil

   4. 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel

   5. 15-25 drops essential oils of choice.

4. Make-up remover

   1. 2 cups of distilled water

   2. 1-3 tbsp of your choice of oil

   3. 1 tbsp witch hazel

   4. 15 paper towel sheets, cut in half

   5. mason jar

   6. 25 drops of your choice of essential oil

5. Toner (photo: spray bottle 1)

   1. Mix about half witch hazel and rosewater

6. Moisturizer (photo: spray bottle 2 & small brown bottle)

   1. spray bottle: rose water

   2. oil bottle: Half rosehip oil and half jojoba 

   3. essential oil: 

      1. lavender 

      2. carrot seed 

      3. chamomile 

   4. Mix about 3 sprays of spray bottle and small pump of brown oil bottle, mix amount dependent on consistency you prefer.

As you have likely noticed, castile soap, water, and essentials make up a huge amount of cleaner options.

Indoor Walking Exercises for the Winter

With an unshakable layer of ice on the front steps for three days, now is the perfect time to talk about indoor exercise options, especially for those folks who have been depending upon outdoor walking for their cardio workout. In addition to the Cannon Falls school fieldhouse, open on certain days for indoor walking using the track, I came across this wonderful free resource on YouTube last month. The walking at home videos are fun, set to music, involve a little additional arm, leg coordination and balance moves to make the workout more fun and productive, The videos are anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. New content is uploaded regularly. You do not need a large area to do the routine, but please remember to use some good shoes as if you were exercising outdoors.

https://www.youtube.com/c/LeslieSansonesWalkatHome

MAKING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER OPTIONS

In the past I have written about different options for at home care in terms of strategies or exercises as well as checking what kind of products you use as there are tons of products that you likely use daily that can negatively affect your hormones. For this blog I want to give different options that are really easy that you can just replace at home, especially if you find the transition from what you already use to a more clean option a bit overwhelming. Making the switch can seem like a lot, whether it’s out of routine or habit of buying certain products or simply that making the switch may be too expensive. Most of the products when combined differently can be used for different tasks. This week we will discover some options with castile soap.

Do you already use some of these switches? What kind of switch are you looking for? Beauty routine, such as face or body care? Comment what you’re looking for and we will try to get a blog out about it!

1. Castile Soap-

   1. Foaming Hand Soap

      1. 1-2 tablespoons castile soap

      2. 2 cups water

      3. Mix together in soap dispenser, shake and pump to use

   2. Floor Scrub

      1. 1-2 tablespoons castile soap

      2. 1 gallon warm water

      3. 10-12 drops of essential oils if desired

      4. Mix in large bucket, mop & dry

   3. All Purpose Cleaner

      1. 1 teaspoon castile soap

      2. 2 cups water

      3. 3 drops of essential oils if desired, tea tree works best if you want disinfectant qualities. 

      4. Mix in spray bottle, shake, spray and wipe clean

   4. Countertop Cleaner

      1. 1 teaspoon castile soap

      2. 1 ½ cups water

      3. ½ cup rubbing alcohol

      4. Mix in spray bottle, shake, spray and wipe clean

   5. Window Cleaner

      1. 2 drops castile soap

      2. 2 cups water

      3. Mix in spray bottle, spray on windows and mirrors and wipe clean.

   6. Toilet Scrub

      1. 3 cups warm water

      2. ¼ cup castile soap

      3. 3 tablespoons baking soda

      4. 3 cups warm water

      5. Pour in container, shake to combine. Squirt in toilet, let sit for 15 minutes, scrub & flush