The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Appetite Regulation and Weight

 

Ironically, while writing this blog post, I have endured one of the most sleep deprived decades of my life! I can say from my firsthand experience as a working mom of three young ones, that a few nights of missed sleep don’t do anything positive for our bodies. Lack of sleep will cause the obvious symptoms of fatigue, moodiness, memory issues (loss) and often times, mindless eating.

When it comes to missing out on adequate zzz’s, it is not shocking to learn that there are more harmful effects on our health than the obvious ones mentioned above! Over the past three decades, the rates of both obesity and sleep deprivation (defined as less than 6 hours per night) have both increased in an alarmingly similar pattern. Obesity prevalence now greater than 35% and according to recent studies, close to 30% of adults in the US sleep less than 6 hours per night. Much of this sleep deprivation can be attributed to the increase in technology- excessive time spent in front of brightly lit screens, access to emails, cell phones and online capabilities at all hours, it seems harder to shut our brains “off” and get the necessary rest our bodies need to stay healthy.

Sleep affects so many different regulatory systems. There are several potential mechanisms by which sleep deprivation affects weight regulation and energy balance.

Hunger and satiety are regulated by metabolic and hormonal signals. Leptin is a facilitator of long-term regulation of energy balance, suppressing food intake and thereby inducing weight loss through the promotion of satiety. In various sleep studies, leptin has been shown to decrease when periods of sleep deprivation exist. Ghrelin on the other hand is a fast-acting hormone, secreted in the stomach whose actions induce hunger. Ghrelin is seen to increase in times of sleep deprivation. Disruption of these appetite regulating hormones due to increased time awake, can lead to increased intake of food and often times, when tired, our bodies crave energy dense foods and quick “pick me ups” that can lead us to crave less than healthful foods. To a lesser extent but nonetheless involved, is Peptide YY, a factor released in the gut following the ingestion of food. When this Peptide YY is decreased due to sleep deprivation, it can also contribute to an increase in appetite.

In addition, this sleep deprivation most often is accompanied by lethargy, which naturally leads to decreased energy output or expenditure. If this becomes a chronic issue, this fatigue can essentially cause a decrease in our resting metabolic rate. In other words, our good intentions to exercise after work may be lost if we’ve suffered a few too many hours of restful sleep.

Glucose production has shown to increase in almost every study conducted on sleep deprivation. In addition to the glucose increase, there is a corresponding decrease in insulin sensitivity. Our fat cells play an important role in insulin processing, including regulating energy use and storage. Fat cells become less receptive to insulin signals after just a few days of sleep deprivation. Insulin has a powerful ability to prevent fat breakdown by its anabolic (rebuilding) properties. Insulin sensitivity describes how recpetive the body is to the effects of insulin, and an insulin sensitive individual will require smaller amounts of insulin to lower their blood glucose levels than someone who has low sensitivity. Low insulin sensitivity can lead to a variety of health problems as the body tries to compensate for having low sensitivity to insulin by producing more insulin.

This extra insulin release results in a high level of circulating insulin in the blood (called hyperinsulinemia) and is associated with damage to the blood vessels, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis and obesity.

Another major factor to be aware of with lack of adequate sleep is that studies show stress hormone cortisol is also affected. Specifically, there are marked increases in evening concentrations of cortisol. This makes sense because cortisol is a highly contributing factor to our wakefulness. More cortisol, more energy to stay awake. Normally, cortisol is high in the morning and gets lower through the day. It should be lowest at night so you can sleep. Sometimes cortisol levels get flipped upside down so that they’re low in the morning and high at night, meaning you’re tired through the day and then you can’t sleep at night. It’s a vicious cycle because not getting enough sleep increases your cortisol levels the next evening. . High cortisol levels alone can cause weight gain  especially in your belly region.

Ideal amounts of sleep are variable based on a variety of factors, age being a big one. Some general guidelines for number of hours per day to aim for are: Infants 12-15; Teenagers 8.5-9.5 and Adults 7-9.

Bottom line…if you want to maintain a healthy weight, keep your stress and appetite regulating hormones at normal functioning capabilities. Don’t slack on your zzz’s!! 

How do you know if you have a whiplash injury?

 

The term whiplash is actually a generic term that we use for injuries to the neck caused when the neck is suddenly and/or violently jolted in one direction and then another, creating a whip-like movement.

Most commonly, after well over a 11 years in practice and diagnosing hundreds (if not thousands) of whiplash cases, I can tell you whiplash is most commonly seen in people involved in motor vehicle accidents, but that’s not all.  It can also occur from falls, sports injuries, work injuries, and other incidents.

I remember seeing an 8 year old little girl who was pushed from behind by her older brother and gave her whiplash – not exactly the “gift” you’d like to receive! By the way, he felt horrible and learned an early lesson about being more responsible during play.

What’s actually injured in a whiplash?

Whiplash injuries mostly result in sprain-strain of the neck. The ligaments that help support, protect, and restrict excessive movement of the vertebrae (your spinal bones) are torn, which is called a sprain. The joints in the back of the spine, called the facet joints, are covered by ligaments called facet capsules, which seem to be particularly susceptible to whiplash injury.

Additionally, the muscles and tendons are strained or more easily understood as stretched beyond their normal limits. The discs between the vertebrae (which are essentially ligaments) can be torn, potentially causing a disc herniation. The nerve roots between the vertebrae may also be stretched and become inflamed. Even though it is very rare, vertebrae can be fractured and/or dislocated in a whiplash injury.  I’ve unfortunately seen a patient this happened to twice!

What are the common signs and symptoms of a whiplash injury?

Typically, the most common symptoms of whiplash injuries are pain and stiffness in the neck. These symptoms are generally found in the areas that are “whiplashed.” During a whiplash, first the head is lifted up from the upper-cervical spine. This creates a sprain/strain in the region just below the skull, where symptoms usually occur. Symptoms may also commonly be seen in the front and back of the neck. It’s not uncommon to experience pain in the front sides of your neck and perhaps even feel a “knot in your throat.”  Swallowing can even be painful.  Turning the head often makes the pain and discomfort worse.

Headaches, usually at the base of the skull, is also a common symptom, seen in more than two thirds of patients. These headaches may be one-sided or experienced on both.  Oh and as if that’s not bad enough, the pain and stiffness may extend down into the shoulders and arms, upper back, and even the upper chest.

In addition to the musculoskeletal symptoms, some patients also experience dizziness, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and even blurred vision after a whiplash injury. While these symptoms are disconcerting, in most cases, they disappear within a relatively short time. If they persist, it is very important to inform your chiropractor that they are not resolving – that’s definitely something I’d want to know. Vertigo (the sensation of the room spinning) and ringing in the ears is also a possible symptom.  What about pain in the jaw?  Yup!  That’s another possible symptom I’ve seen. Additionally, patients will even complain of irritability, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms also resolve quickly in most cases. In rare cases, symptoms can persist for weeks, months, or even years.

Another important and interesting aspect of whiplash is that the signs and symptoms often do not develop until 2 to 48 hours after the injury!  I should also mention that it’s not uncommon to feel OK after your accident only to discover 3-months later that you now get regular (or periodic) headaches, that you’ve never had before.

How do you recover from a whiplash injury?

One of the most important aspects of whiplash management is for the patient to stay active, unless there is some serious injury that requires immobilization. Patients should not be afraid to move and be active, within reason. In addition, I will often prescribe an exercise or stretching program. It’s in your best interest to follow your exercise/stretching program that I may give you, to ensure the best outcomes long-term.  Trust me, you don’t want to deal with lingering symptoms for years – although, I probably don’t have to remind you!
Ice and/or heat are often used to help control pain and reduce the muscle spasm that results from whiplash injuries.

Chiropractic adjustments are absolutely essential in order to reorganize your lost structural integrity and ideal spinal motion.

Without this, your spine will likely “settle” into a less-than-ideal alignment that can be permanent, so don’t delay!

Can whiplash be prevented?

Generally speaking, whiplash cannot be “prevented,” but there are some things that you can do while in a motor vehicle that may reduce the chances of a more severe injury.

• Always wear your shoulder and lap seat-belt
• Sit far enough but not too far from your steering wheel so the airbag works properly
• Ensure that the headrest in your vehicle is adjusted to the appropriate height – a common overlooked easy prevention measure!
• You could drive with a neck brace on all the time, that would help, but you’d look a little silly
• Be aware and avoid accidents – that’s still your best defense.

If you believe you may have suffered a whiplash injury, give the office a call and schedule a consultation with Dr. Cooper.  360-693-3030

Oh, and here’s a couple additional resources for more information, for your convenience:

http://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/whiplash/chiropractic-care-symptoms-whiplash

http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=3131

http://www.treatmentforwhiplash.com/

What is Craniosacral Therapy and How Can it Benefit You?

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands on, non-invasive technique used to release tension throughout the body. CST evaluates the craniosacral system that is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, sacrum, cerebrospinal fluid and their incorporated membranes. Soft touch of no more than 5 grams, or the weight of a nickel, is used to release restrictions within the craniosacral system and relieve the resulting tension that is placed on the central nervous system.

By alleviating stress placed on the nervous system, CST assists in the body’s innate healing qualities of the immune system, which allows CST to act, not only as acute care, but also as a preventative measure.

Reasons to Treat Your Infant

Natural Birth

During the natural birthing process the baby’s head is molded to fit through the mother’s pelvis. This process compresses the bones of the skull and causes them to overlap. This overlap should not persist past the first few weeks of life. If this does persist, it can lead to interference of cranial nerve function that can cause colic, breathing and swallowing difficulties, digestive or sensory-motor impairments, and more.

The baby can sometimes be injured during the birthing process. This can cause both physical and emotional trauma. Craniosacral can help address these injuries along with the effects of vacuum extraction, prolonged or fast labor, forceps and cesarean birth.

Cesarean Birth

Cesarean births are more traumatic to the baby than we may think. There is a very abrupt change in pressure within the mother’s abdomen that causes an abrupt pressure change within the baby’s head. This can disrupt the craniosacral rhythm and cause interference in cranial nerve function.

CST can also help boost the baby’s immune system by relieving stress on the nervous system and allowing her immune system to function properly. Since cesarean babies don’t travel through the mother’s birth canal, they don’t receive the beneficial bacteria that provides them with immunity to many common illnesses. Cesarean born babies tend to have increased rates of ear infections, respiratory distress, more abnormal neurological exams and lower APGAR scores.

Who Else Can Benefit?

Everybody can benefit from craniosacral therapy. CST helps to relieve the stresses of everyday life and release residual body memories of past emotional and physical traumas.

The skull, including facial bones, is made up of twenty two bones. Craniosacral therapy focuses on ten of those bones in the skull and three more in the pelvis when based on standard protocol. These are not the only areas that CST can be utilized but are the most influential to the central nervous system and its function.

The stresses and traumas of everyday life can lead to restrictions within the craniosacral system that may have alternate effects throughout the body depending on its nerve supply. CST can assess and treat these restrictions to relieve the effects of autism, ADD/ADHD, depression, Cerebral Palsy, headaches/migraines, anxiety and much more.

Here is a list of symptoms and conditions that Craniosacral Therapy can help:

• Fussy, hard to soothe babies
• Digestive or elimination difficulties
• Reflux
• Colic
• Spitting up
• Difficult Breastfeeding/Latching
• Babies who favor one side
• Babies who favor one position
• Teething
• Ear Infections
• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficult/fast/slow birth
• Cramping
• Back pain in pregnancy
• Headaches/Migraines
• Assess and treat birth trauma
• Relieve pelvic, vaginal or groin pain
• Anxiety
• Autism
• Developmental delays
• Mobility concerns
• Cerebral Palsy
• Neurological conditions
• ADD/ADHD
• Depression

 

Come see Dr. Karis or Dr. Cassi to see what CranioSacral Therapy can do for you and your family! Call now for an appointment 360-693-3030.

Probiotics- Helpful or just Hype?

 

It’s become very apparent that a healthful diet of nourishing, well-balanced foods is simply not enough! If we truly want to live a vibrant life, feel energetic (and I mean all day long) and prevent illness through a well-functioning immune system, we must first address our gastrointestinal (GI) function. In the US, a large majority of us are consuming an “Americanized” diet and therefore are lacking essential micronutrients and, are also getting billions fewer healthful bacteria every day than required to maintain healthy immune system and GI functions.

The GI tract is one of the largest organs in the body and is a system that hosts over 800 species of microorganisms. These microflora are crucial to the immune system function, and have many other important responsibilities including: supplying our body nutrients and vitamins, enabling nutrient absorption, acting as a barrier against both internal and external toxins such as bacterial waste, drugs, chemicals and food antigens (foreign proteins). Microflora also aid in the metabolism of cholesterol, bile acids, and hormones. Dietary deficiencies of these healthful bacteria are associated with a myriad of health problems (see my previous post about Food Sensitivities & Your Immune System to get a small example of potential issues).

The good news is that these healthful microflora that are lacking in our modern diets can be supported by prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are nondigestible food products that stimulate the growth of interdependent bacterial species (that are already in the colon) and that improve the health of the host. Probiotics are microbial foods or supplements that can be used to change or reestablish the intestinal flora and improve the health of the host. Healthful probiotic bacteria must survive the passage through the highly acidic stomach before they arrive in the more distal small intestine and colon. Because this process can often destroy the healthful bacteria during their journey through the GI tract, a high potency probiotic preparation helps ensure that adequate numbers of microorganisms survive to reach the distal small bowel and colon where they can exert their beneficial effects.

Not all probiotics are created equal, however. Fermented food products contain forms of beneficial bacteria. Fermentation has had a long history in human food production and consumption. Fermented foods and beverages can comprise anywhere between 5-40% of the human diet in some populations. Fermented foods, including live culture yogurts, kefirs, sauerkraut, miso, kombucha and tempeh are just a few examples that contain beneficial probiotics. The concentration of beneficial bacteria contained in these foods can vary significantly, and often only a single strain or a few are included in the food products labeled “contains live active cultures.” This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother with these foods, but often times with these foods comes added sugars, which does nothing to benefit our health!

One of the easiest and most effective ways to include probiotics in greater concentrations is through a high quality supplement. Numerous studies support the superiority of a “multispecies” probiotic formulation compared to single strains in their ability to synergistically transform the GI colonization, which in turn, increases nutrient absorption from our foods and makes our bodies more capable of fighting pathogens.

Probiotic are measured by colony forming units (CFU’s), and with this measurement, more is better!! (For example “BILLIONS” of CFU’s are better than “MILLIONS”). Bottom line is, probiotics are extremely helpful in maintaining good overall health and allowing our nutritious foods eaten to have maximum absorption and utilization benefits.

At Cooper Chiropractic, we source our supplements directly from Klaire Labs because of their commitment to provide the highest potency and quality products available.

Ther-Biotic® Complete capsules contain 25+ BILLION colony forming units (CFUs)!! Therefore, this Ther-Biotic® probiotic with 12 probiotic species can be expected to provide more beneficial results than a probiotic containing only one or two individual species.

 

 

 

Race more, recover quicker with Kinesio Taping

Race season is rapidly approaching.  Whether it’s your first 5K or 5th marathon, right now is the time to think about what races to register for this year.  How far apart will you space those races?  How quickly will it take for you to recover from one race to the next? A lot of factors play in to the recovery process, with Kinesio Tape (also known as K-Tape) being one of them. This is not your traditional athletic tape that restricts movement and blood flow. Kinesio Tape is very pliable and allows much more range of motion.

You may see athletes wearing this highly visible, colored tape during races for specific musculoskeletal support and for post race recovery. This tape facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin, increasing interstitial space allowing better blood flow, a reduction of inflammation and better muscle mobility.  Kinesio Taping can also aide in reducing muscle tightness. It helps relax soft tissues while stimulating nerve fibers to control pain.

K-tape is most commonly used during the acute stage of injury and can be used along with other modes of therapy. To bring about change in affected tissues and facilitate the body’s natural healing process, k-tape is used in different ways to achieve desired results. Applied in a partially stretched state, the direction of pull acts as a communication system on muscle receptors. The tape is applied from the muscle origin towards its insertion point to work in the direction of the muscle fibers. Contact with the skin provides stimulus for neuromuscular re-education by creating awareness of the muscle group. The athlete feels the tape on his/her skin during activity, causing the underlying muscles to respond and reminding the body what it’s supposed to do. If the muscle begins to overstretch, the tape provides a cue for the muscle to back off and avoid further injury.  Most of my patients notice relief almost immediately!

Kinesio Tape is designed to stay on for approximately 3-4 days. The adhesive is heat- sensitive, so the tape is rubbed to make sure it is properly adhered to your skin. After a couple hours of normal activity, the Kinesio Tape should be properly bonded to the treated area. As a result of this strong bond, you can exercise and shower with the tape on without any issues. However, it is not recommended to swim with the Kinesio Tape on due to the chemicals in pool water that can potentially deteriorate the adhesive and loosen the tape.

Patellar tracking problems? Iliotibial band syndrome? These are just a few of the common issues I see in runners.  While Kinesio Tape is not a quick fix, it can certainly help support and rehabilitate the area.  Other common conditions that Kinesio-Tape can help include: carpal tunnel syndrome, neck and back pain, achilles tendonitis, strain/sprains, whiplash, lymphedema, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and postural abnormalities.

Again, this is just one component of accelerating recovery. Having raced 5Ks up to 50ks, I’ve had my fair share of nagging injuries. Using a variety of different therapies, including Kinesio Taping, has allowed me to recover from my injuries faster and helped me get back on the trails more quickly.

Get on my schedule at Cooper Chiropractic for an assessment to see if Kinesio Taping can help you reach your race goals this year.

I look forward to meeting you!

-Dr. Kremer

Benefits of the Webster Technique during Pregnancy

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is not only safe but highly recommended to alleviate and support all the demands put on the mother’s body. Our bodies are not only under physical stress from our expanding bellies, but also hormonal stress in preparation for the birthing process. Chiropractors evaluate and correct spinal, pelvic, and cranial misalignments that can create imbalances throughout the body. These imbalances stress the body and produce aches, pain, and dysfunction. The nervous system is stressed as well when the body is out of balance and disrupts the body’s ability to function properly. What better time to have our bodies in balance and functioning at their best when growing another human being? All with a gentle, non-invasive, and drug-free approach!

The Webster Technique evaluates the sacrum and the pelvis for proper alignment and function. With a gentle chiropractic adjustment these misalignments can be corrected to restore balance to the pelvis, sacrum, and essentially the whole spine. If the pelvis is unbalanced, the rest of the spine has to compensate and essentially becomes unbalanced as well. When the sacrum/pelvis are misaligned it can cause dystocia (difficult labor) by having the structure compromised. This change in structure of the whole pelvic bowl (sacrum, pelvis, and incorporated muscles/ligaments) and associated muscles and ligaments of the uterus does not allow the baby to assume the proper head down position for an easier birth.

There have been documented cases in chiropractic and obstetric literature of pregnant mothers with a baby in the breech position who sought chiropractic care and received the Webster Technique that had a positive outcome in the position of their baby to head down. There is still research underway by the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association) to further substantiate this. 

Even if the baby is not in a breech position, the mother can still benefit from the Webster Technique to ease discomfort during pregnancy and labor. The growing baby will also benefit by relieving some of the stress and pressure placed upon them by a restricted uterus. This can affect their growing spine and developing nervous system at a time when they are most vulnerable. Why not give our developing babies every advantage during this time?

 

Dr. Karis and Dr. Cassi both enjoy treating pregnant mothers and their families. Please call our office for an appointment or any questions at 360-693-3030.

 

 

A New Way To Approach Your New Year’s Resolution(s)

Making lifestyle changes can be hard; really hard. Every year, January 1^st marks a clean slate, an opportunity for us to improve upon the year behind us. According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, about 40% of these resolutions are focused on weight loss, which is crazy given the weight loss and cosmetic fitness industries that promote products depend on our failures to stay in business. After all, if we didn’t fail on last year’s diet, then we wouldn’t be seeking another one to try this year!

For some, New Year’s resolutions include goals to eat less sugar, calories, fat or processed foods or possibly to exercise more consistently, for longer duration or at greater intensity. I’ve always admired the gusto that can accompany these resolutions but I’ve also witnessed a pattern in my lifetime (which research supports) with these often overzealous goals….Too often, we fall short of the desired change(s) we resolve to make and end up frustrated, feeling like a failure and blaming ourselves and/or our body for not being able to achieve our “resolution.”

Often times, the improvements we desire to make are based on strict rules or rigid guidelines, that don’t involve self-love. And commonly, these goals don’t involve developing a greater love and respect for our body and all it does for us. Instead the lack of self-love creates stress that seeps into other parts of our lives and begins to degrade our sense of self-worth and competence. Hating on our bodies and only conditionally loving ourselves (when we lose those last 10 pounds, can fit into those size 6 jeans or can follow our calorie-restrictive diet 100% of the time), unintentionally supports an unfortunate set of acceptable standards that have been established by the industries that want to sell you their “latest and greatest” products.

There is an optimistic reason we make resolutions every January 1. We desire to grow and improve and live life to the fullest. What if this year, we approached the New Year with a different mindset? What if the goal was to love ourselves a little better? Too be less critical of our shortcomings? To look in the mirror and see the beauty instead of the flaws? To treat ourselves with the same respect that we give our friends and loved ones?

The decision and implementation to make this shift in mindset is really not that difficult. In fact, almost everyone I’ve ever met is capable of sticking to this goal. Yes it will take work, and yes it will be difficult (there will always be attacks on our desire to be the happiest version of ourselves), but we are all capable of LOVING ourselves MORE.

Imagine an outlook on the year that gives you permission to celebrate small victories (drinking more water, eating less processed food, increasing your vegetable intake, eliminating food additives or other toxic substances in your diet) and at the same time allows you grace to not be so focused on your weight but instead, more focused on respecting your body and all it is capable of. After all, we are in this body for our lifetime, so it makes sense that we begin to treat it with respect and care from the inside out. By focusing on not detaching from your body and considering it “a problem, disgusting, or fat” (all descriptive terms I hear far too often) but instead moving towards being in-tune, kind, compassionate towards this amazing vessel is a journey that will help you love yourself more.

Here are a few strategies to get you going…

Envision being happy with yourself for getting to the gym three times this week (that’s two more times than your last week’s average!), instead of being upset that you didn’t reach your goal of five days. Or imagine complimenting yourself on the healthy meal you were able to make for your family, instead of criticizing yourself for the lack of ability to execute such a meal every night of the week.

Make a list of your top 10 qualities. Sounds easy enough right?! If this isn’t something that comes naturally for you and you find yourself getting stuck, then ask your best friend, mom or dad, closest sibling and/or boss to offer up a quality or two that they consider to be representative of you. This act alone of asking others will put you in better awareness of your own self. Refer to this list of positives anytime your thoughts try to take you to
wards self-contempt.

Choose a word (or words) to focus on for the New Year, something that resonates with you and creates a feeling of happiness inside. (My words for the year are inspire and engage, as I want to encourage and motivate those who I have the honor of spending my time with while being engaged and present in all that I do). Try to focus on that word as often as you can. Put up post it notes with your word in places you frequent as a constant reminder of what is most important to you in the New Year.

Try to focus on being in the moment and laughing about the little stuff (I struggle with this, so it is on my radar for 2015). Make a conscience effort to spend more time appreciating the little things in life that can often get overtaken by stress and a busy schedule. Remember that change always involves baby steps as well as setbacks. There will always be many things in our life that we can’t control, so accepting this well-known fact and focusing on our attitudes towards ourselves and others, is really one of the most beneficial things we CAN do.

My challenge to you is to start the New Year with a NEW attitude that focuses on LOVING YOURSELF MORE (which will naturally help you become more positive and better able to love those around you)!

If you need support, encouragement or tools to get yourself in this mindset, email me! haley@cooper-chiro.com