Chiropractor News - Demoss Chiropractic Newport Beach

Navigating New Years Resolutions

It’s never too early to plan for success, especially when it comes to planning for New Years Resolutions.
Resolutions are oftentimes goals that we should be working toward year-round; whether it be a better diet, more exercise, or less sugar intake. So how can we successfully make positive resolutions a part of our daily lives? Here are three suggestions.

Make a dedicated resolution calendar

A good way to implement and track your New Years resolutions is by dedicating a calendar or planner to your goals. You can find affordable calendars at your local dollar store or Target. If you opt for a calendar, hang it in a high traffic area of your house and keep track of your daily progress.

Break it down

Be sure to break down your goals into achievable segments. It’s safe to say that the more vague a goal is, the less likely it’ll be reached. Rather than proclaiming that you will read more in the year 2016, read one book every two weeks. Instead of saying you want to exercise more, make Tuesday and Thursday your jogging days. If you want to pay off more debt, set aside a specified amount every month that will allow you to reach your goal by the end of the year. Remember, success takes planning.

Find an accountability partner

It’s always easier to tackle a challenge with someone by your side. Get a friend or family member involved in your resolution and celebrate successful implementation with them as the months pass. For example, you could read a book every month with a partner, then treat yourselves to a literary conversation over scones and coffee. Sign up for a half marathon with a co-worker and hold each other accountable until the day of the race.
It’s never too late to implement goals and make yourself the best you can be. Be sure attend some of our monthly workshops at DeMoss Chiropractic, your ally in healthful and happy living.

Steven Shears: A Testimonial

“My name is Steven Shears and I met Billy DeMoss at South Coast Plaza while working at a clothing store. He quickly invited me to come into his office for an evaluation. I spoke to him about my health when we met later that week. I was impressed by his genuine concern about my wellbeing and health. I didn’t know much about chiropractic before I went in for my evaluation, I figured it was mostly for sports injuries, car accident victims, or those with chronic back pain. However, after my evaluation I quickly realized that chiropractic is for everyone.
Many of the things Dr. DeMoss taught me when we initially met intrigued me. I wanted some of my chronic health problems to go away and I wanted to be healthier overall. I was regularly experiencing terrible headaches, awful allergies, and would commonly succumb to the seasonal flu or cold. I had poor posture and would get back pain very often.
I am happy to report that all of those symptoms are gone. Whether you believe you’re healthy or unhealthy, we all have a lot to learn about our health. Billy can show you how to live a healthier lifestyle.
Getting routine adjustments instead of waiting for an injury to occur is the best solution.
Be proactive, not reactive. Utilize the energy and knowledge within DeMoss Chiropractic to become a stronger and healthier person. Even if I don’t see Billy as often as I’d like to, I can always hear him in the back of my head saying, “Don’t eat that!” “Go get some fresh air and take a walk!” “Do your neck exercises!”
DeMoss Chiropractic has motivated me to be healthier and spread the message of what chiropractic care can do. Spread the great energy!”

Sun Safety!

2015 was the hottest year on record and experts says 2016 will bring even more heat.
Now more than ever, we need to actively work on protecting ourselves and our families from the damaging effects of the seemingly unending heatwave here in California.
Before discussing solutions, let’s talk about skin cancer. Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. It occurs when un-repaired DNA damage to skin cells (most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds) triggers mutations or genetic defects.
Only a few blistering sunburns in childhood can double a person’s lifetime chances of developing serious forms of skin cancer.
Sunlight is our best source of Vitamin D, which is vital for metabolism regulation, boost our immune system, and growing strong bones. Over 1 billion people are deficient in this imperative vitamin, so avoiding the sun altogether is not an option.
So what changes can you and your family implement to be safe from the sun this summer?
Clothing: Sun shirts and sun hats are a great option as a first line of defense. In seconds half of the body is covered and safe from burns. They also cover the most commonly burned areas: shoulders, backs, and faces.
Planning: Have you heard of Safe Sun Hours? Safe Sun Hours (in California) are before 10am and after 3pm. During these hours you’ll find the sun isn’t beaming down on you the same way it would be at noon. During these time periods our skin is also much less susceptible to sun damage.
Choose the Right Sunscreen: Nearly every conventional sunscreen is bad for you and many “green” sunscreen brands can be worse. It’s important to keep an eye on your sunscreen’s active ingredients and familiarize yourself with dangerous chemicals with apps like Think Dirty, which allows you to scan barcodes and give any and every product a grade based on levels of toxicity.
At DeMoss Chiropractic, we host health and lifestyle workshops monthly that are meant to keep you informed and healthy. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and check out our website for updates regarding upcoming health and wellness workshops held within our practice.

Chiropractic and The Brain

Thousands of people of all ages across the world were asked whether they would rather suffer from a back problem or a brain problem. Every single individual responded that they would choose to suffer from a back related issue. People tend to assume that even severe back problems present less of a health challenge than brain problems because the brain regulates so many aspects of life and health. People too often misunderstand that the truth of the circumstance unites the organs. The brain and spine combine to form the nervous system and the nervous system regulates the health of the body. Research shows that a back problem is a brain problem. Chiropractic care improves the brain and the health of the entire body through specific adjustments to the spine.
Millions of Chiropractic patients all over the world experience life and health-transforming benefits from Chiropractic care. Over 120 years have witnessed patience experience improved sleep, energy, digestion, breathing, reproduction, immunity, and heart function through the optimization of the nervous system. Frequent and regular chiropractic adjustments improve health for adults, babies and children from the day of their birth.
The scientific research and medical communities originally stood in general opposition to crediting Chiropractic with non-spine related health improvements. These groups often cited a lack of scientific validation over the course of the decades that followed the development of Chiropractic care. Some medical doctors went so far as to slander Chiropractic in hopes of discrediting a profession determined to help people without the use of drugs and harmful surgeries. A wealth of science and research now exists explaining exactly how a Chiropractic adjustment can authentically achieve
significant benefits for people experiencing non-spine related health conditions. The spine directly impacts brain function.
Four specific research articles done over the last decade prove that the largest benefit of a Chiropractic adjustment happens in the brain. An intimate relationship exists between the
spine, brain, and autonomic nervous system. The first Chiropractic adjustment took place in Iowa in 1895 and restored a man’s hearing. Mahatma Gandhi began receiving multiple adjustments every week for three months after experiencing problems related to high blood pressure. Gandhi’s blood pressure issues subsided as did the Spanish influenza threat to thousands of people who pursued adjustments during the epidemic of 1918 that claimed the lives of nearly five percent of the world’s population. These brief examples represent a small sampling of people who achieved health benefits through brain and autonomic changes credited to Chiropractic adjustments.
The research continues to build. Chiropractic adjustments improve brain function and benefit almost every aspect of human performance. All humans deserve access to Chiropractic care. Proper education and continually updated research will overcome the notion that Chiropractic only addresses back and neck pain. Chiropractors locate and correct small and subtle misalignments in the spine called subluxations. Subluxations always alter brain and autonomic nervous system function. Subluxations do not always cause pain despite a massive detriment to health similar to arteries that gradually clog without warning. All adults, children, and babies benefit from regular spinal examinations. Chiropractors improve brain and body health by improving spinal health through the Chiropractic adjustment. A healthy spine walks hand in hand with a healthy brain, and in the end, optimal health is all about the brain.
This post was researched and written by Dan Sullivan, DC.

Teething 101

Teething Symptoms and Home Remedies
Many pediatricians, scientists, researchers and parents have disagreed about the concept of teething, but any parent of a little one will tell you that whether or not it’s just a coincidence their babies are miserable when their teeth start coming in.
Teething 101
When newborns are born they have “teeth buds” just under the gums, and while there is no set time that those teeth will begin to appear, typically their first tooth will begin to break through between five and seven months. Some infants can begin teething as early as 3 months and some as late as 9 months to even a year. 
Typically the incisors (top and bottom middle teeth) appear between the ages of six to seven months. Between the ages of 7 to 9 months the incisors will come in on each side of those first teeth that appeared. Around the age of 8 months, a baby may have 8 teeth. The first molars begin to break through at 10 to 14 months and the canines at 15 to 18 months. Finally, the second molars will come in typically between the ages of 2 to 3 years.
Teething Symptoms
Many experts actually disagree about whether or not teething even has symptoms, but most parents report unique
changes prior to the appearance of their infant’s teeth. For instance, when a baby is teething their saliva production increases. This has caused many symptoms including drooling, which can sometimes cause a rash on their chin, coughing or gagging on the excess saliva and loose bowels due to swallowing that excess saliva.
Additional teething symptoms can be irritability or a desire to gnaw on anything within grasp. The pressure of the tooth trying to break through the gums can cause discomfort leading to irritability. Many babies instinctively reach for something to gnaw on as pressure on the gums will sometimes counteract the pressure caused by the teeth.
Over-the-Counter?
 Recognizing that there really isn’t anything that can be done medically is little comfort to a parent who is dealing with a fussy, cranky, miserable little baby. The first thing to understand is that there are natural, holistic choices, and it is never going to be necessary to resort to pain relievers or gum-numbing agents. These items can actually do more harm than good, and aspirin should never be given to a baby even to rub on their gums, as it has been linked with the potentially deadly disease, Reye’s Syndrome.
  Acetaminophen should also never be used, as the long-term effects of the chemicals in pain relievers on infants have not been recorded. With regards to gum-numbing agents, while they have been found to be effective, it may be potentially dangerous. Popular pediatrician, Dr. Sears says on his website, “We do not recommend commercial gum-numbing substances because it is difficult to learn their exact contents and find research that validates their safety.”   
Alternative Relief
 The only over-the-counter teething treatment approved by homeopathic and holistic professionals are teething tablets. Designed specifically to help babies with their teething symptoms, these tables dissolve immediately in the mouth and naturally relieve swelling and pain. Additionally, there are many home remedies that can help to relieve pressure, pain and discomfort. The first thing to understand is that the baby’s gums are sore and aching. A sharp tooth is trying to push through the gums and this is what is causing the discomfort and resultant fussiness. Anything that will counter-balance that pressure is going to bring relief. Many parents have reported that a clean wet washcloth put in the freezer for a short time, then given to the baby to gnaw on brings welcome relief. The cloth can be dipped in water or strong chamomile tea. The choice of tea adds a calming agent and is soothing to an infant’s tummy. Similarly, a frozen banana given to the baby will give them something natural to gnaw on. Any item that might be used by the parent should be monitored to not be so small that the child could choke on. Ice in a sandwich bag, then wrapped in a cloth works well, and for the older child already eating solid foods, cold soft foods such as applesauce or diced papaya can bring relief.  
Other Home Remedies
 Although in Europe the use of an Amber necklace has been used, it has recently become more popular in North America. This fossilization of resin of ancient trees is touted to have natural calming, relaxing and analgesic properties. Dr. Feder, a holistic medical doctor, recommends several homeopathic remedies; belladonna for teething accompanied by sudden fever, calcarea carbonica for chubby and sweaty babies especially while nursing or during sleep, calcarea phosphorica for delayed teething and chamomilla for swollen, inflamed and tender gums.   
The Chiropractic Factor
It’s important to not interfere with the natural routine of teething. Every child is different, but teething has been proven to be hereditary. If an infant’s parents’ first tooth appeared when they were three months, then it’s safe to assume this will be generational. It’s not even unusual for a baby to be born with a tooth already in place. Recognizing the body’s innate ability to work as it was designed, DeMoss Chiropractic.