With stores preparing for back to school sales it is time to consider a key part of any child’s school ensemble: the backpack. And this year, make sure to consider backpack safety, ahead of style. When shopping, look for a backpack that fits your child and has features that will help protect your child from injury. Improperly fitting backpacks are a leading cause of back and shoulder pain – and injury – in children and adolescents, according to the American Chiropractic Association. The Back Smart Wellness Center, an Edison whole body wellness and chiropractic center, offers parents some helpful tips on selecting the best backpack for their child – one that not only carries their books and supplies but also offers the wellness advantage of backpack safety. Backpack Safety Guidelines Choose the right size: This is a key to backpack safety. The backpack should not hang more than four inches below your child’s waist and should not be wider than your child’s torso. A low-hanging backpack forces a child to lean forward. Look for a backpack with two wide, padded and adjustable shoulder straps: These will relieve your child’s neck and shoulders. Adjustable shoulder straps allow you to fit the backpack to your child and help to center the backpack on your child's back. Make sure your child uses both straps: Using both straps evenly distributes the weight. Using only one leads to poor posture and low-back pain. Do not over pack a backpack: A backpack should never weigh more than five to 10 percent of your child’s body weight. Heavy backpacks force children to lean forward to carry the weight on their back rather than shoulders. If you cannot get under the five to 10 percent limit, ask your child’s teacher if some books may be left at school. Choose a backpack with individualized compartments: These help distribute the weight. For more information on backpack safety, contact Back Smart Wellness Center, which offers comprehensive services to enhance all aspects of your family’s well-being. What other safety concerns do you have for your children? ...read more
By Backsmart Wellness Center September 05, 2014
Why Choose Acupuncture? acupuncture Edison If acupuncture seems like an esoteric or outmoded form of treatment, then you might be surprised to learn this this ancient healing technique is still popular the world over for its effectiveness. Even the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art health centers recognize acupuncture's value for treating a wide range of conditions. That is why we use it as an essential element in the integrated health programs offered at Back Smart Wellness Center. How, and why, does acupuncture aid the body? The fine needles we insert into specific points known as meridians have a direct effect on your nervous system -- the communications network that provides your body with sensory, motor, and functional signals. Injury or disease can interfere with these internal communications in a variety of ways, causing the body to malfunction and creating pain or other symptoms. Our goal with acupuncture is to restore the normal flow of communications throughout the body. The ancients thought of this flow as a transfer of energy, and they mapped out a complex pattern of points where this energy could be manipulated to enable healing. Modern medical research indicates that the needles also stimulate the production of pain-relieving substances called endorphins. Acupuncture's ability to help your body operate more normally, and to relieve pain without drugs, has made it an ideal complement to other natural techniques such as chiropractic adjustment. We can use these other disciplines in concert to treat such diverse ailments as fibromyalgia, mesntrual issues, headaches, sciatica, neck pain, back pain, and arthritis. A Healthy Addition to Your Holistic Treatment Plan If you would like to experience the remarkable healing and pain management benefits of acupuncture for yourself, pay a visit of Back Smart Wellness Center. We will take the time to learn all about your past and present health, ask you about your wellness objectives, and then create a customized program of integrated medicine that works for you -- including acupuncture as needed. Talk to us today! Have you been thinking about acupuncture for a while? What first spurred your interest in it? ...read more
By Backsmart Wellness Center September 05, 2014
You’ve probably heard someone say that they have an addictive personality. If you were confused by what they meant, never fear because a new study had nailed down what exactly that means. The study was conducted in order to examine how best to prevent adolescents from experimenting with alcohol. Basically, the researchers were able to isolate four personality traits which play a major role in a person becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. It’s not to say that only people with the following personality traits will become drug addicts, far from it in fact. However, those who identify with the traits were more likely to develop substance abuse issues. It’s important for people who have a problem with drugs or alcohol to get help from an addiction treatment facility as soon as possible.The first personality trait which was linked to substance abuse was people who feel helpless. This is a broad category because people can feel helpless for a variety of different reasons. It could be an issue with a family member or friend. It could stem from work or a relationship. Regardless of what causes these feelings of helplessness, people all seem to gravitate towards having a few drinks to calm down a little bit. Eventually those couple of drinks turn into a lot more and before you know it, you have a serious problem with alcohol. Helplessness and depression are ugly cousins and can both factor into a person’s drinking.Being impulsive is another personality trait which can lead to substance abuse issues. Impulsivity means that you act before you think. This is very common when it comes to food. Drinking is another aspect where being impulsive is detrimental. Someone may decide to start drinking on an impulse before thinking about the consequences. They may have work or school early the next morning but they act first rather than thinking. Being impulsive can also be a sign of attention disorders such as ADHD.Anxiety is another trait which can drive someone to drink. It’s completely natural to worry, everyone does it. However, when worrying grows to consume your every waking moment, people often turn to drinking in order to control their emotions. Or rather, achieve the allusion of control. Someone’s anxiety may grow less when they drink, but it often comes back even stronger when they sober up. This can lead to someone drinking more and more as a form of escape.Thrill-seeking is the fourth and final personality trait associated with substance abuse. It’s certainly fun to drink, ask any college student. However, those who drink are seeking to have new experiences and the use the alcohol as the fuel to do so. Drinking is initially enticing because it is illegal to do so until you are 21 years old. Young adults who drink before coming of age do so in part because it’s against the rules. They associate drinking as a thrilling activity even after turning 21. If you or someone you know struggles with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, contact the Alcoholism Treatment Helpline in Edison, NJ right away. ...read more
By Alcoholism Treatment Helpline June 25, 2013
Growing interest in natural health, holistic health or alternative medicine, has resulted in healthcare education expanding to include training in natural health and nutrition. There are hundreds of accredited natural healing programs offered by colleges and universities around the world. Although pro... ...read more
Holistic health practitioners take a different approach to healing the body and mind than traditional western medical professionals do. In many cases you can benefit from seeing a holistic practitioner in addition to your regular doctor. Finding alternative therapists and practitioners isn't difficult. ...read more