Many chiropractic patients and patients of upper cervical care are excited about their new found health.  Many try to refer family and friends for care, and some are surprised how their great results don’t necessarily motivate their loved ones.

In fact, they are surprised by some of the resistance they get from the people they love the most.

Why don’t some people consider chiropractic care? Even when they are no longer ignorant of the great results that are possible?

• No time?
• No money?
• No insurance?

Not really.

Those are the first reasons that come to mind.  But my experience says otherwise. Despite someone saying they don’t have the time and resources, it’s really about something deeper.

After having hundreds of conversations with friends, relatives, acquaintances, and people in consultation over the last four years, these are the five big reasons people just don’t do what you have done if you have healed through upper cervical care.

Five reasons people say no to trying chiropractic

Reason #1 They don’t want to be wrong.

Some people have spent years and years and thousands of dollars investing in health care choices that haven’t worked. Sometimes you being right about getting help means that they’ll feel wrong about their past choices.

Some people will go to great lengths to stay right, including not trying something new. Protecting their ego may be more important than protecting their health.

Reason #2 My doctor would have told me if this would have helped.

“My doctor would have told me about that.” Another version of that is “If that was possible I would have found out about it by now.”

Many people don’t understand that their doctor’s perspective on health and healing is really a very small, personal piece of the information that is out there. Others believe that because of all the research they have done about their problem (consulting Dr. Google!), that they’ve got a good handle on all their options.

The reality is that health care is a big mess of information. Some of it good. And some of it not so good. Some of it is going to be considered wrong in the next generation. Most physicians just don’t have the time to learn about the mechanics of the spine and the intricacies of the nervous system….so they don’t.

Reason #3 I tried that once already.

Hands-on care gets really confusing. There are many different kinds of massages. There are many different kinds of body work. There are many different kinds of chiropractors. And there are many different practitioners who do manipulations, including DO’s, physical medicine doctors, and physical therapists.

It’s easy for some people to believe that a chiropractor is a chiropractor is a chiropractor. Or because a physical therapist once pushed on their spine, and nothing happened, that they’ve already gotten an atlas correction. If you are a long-time upper cervical patient, you know better, but they don’t.

Reason #4 They don’t believe they deserve it.

It’s kind of hard to understand, but some people just don’t believe they deserve the kind of care and healing you’ve received. They say things internally like “Well, it probably won’t work for me” or the make excuses about putting others needs before theirs.

Some people have deeply bonded with others through their pain and illness. And if they actually heal through it, they might lose the security of that bond. Do you see how that works?

Reason #5 I heard it could…

I heard it could kill you. I heard you have to go every week for the rest of your life. I heard it could turn your skin green.

There are some things that people have heard. Even if it’s not true, they have heard it, and for right now, they would rather believe what they’ve heard than to investigate what might be a possible source of healing for them.

Why are people like this? Largely because of fear. People are afraid of the unknown. Thy are afraid to put their hope in something that might not work. They are afraid of what others might think about them.

(It’s also very possible that someone’s bad experience with some chiropractor somewhere contains the kernel of truth for some of these automatic dismissals. Every profession has its not-so-great characters.)

What to do when your family and friends say no to help from a chiropractor?

So, what do we do with these reasons? If you’re frustrated by a lack of interest in your healing story, don’t worry. Just keep telling your story, and when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

Often times the people we don’t think are listening actually are hearing us. People do things for their own reasons in their own time.

If you are an upper cervical chiropractic advocate, keep planting seeds. The believers will believe you. The skeptics will probably stay that way. And someone who needs the care will end up calling. They will remember what you say. And it just might change someone’s life for the better.

In medicine, placebos are just sugar pills given to patients who believe they are given medicine. Even though it’s just sugar–the belief the medicine working is just as powerful if not more powerful than the drug itself.

Some people think this shows how people can fool themselves into thinking healing is happening when it’s not. Let’s call them pessimists.

Others believe that this reveals the power of the human mind to direct the self-healing of the body. Let’s call them optimists.

Some say that the bigger and more expensive the pill is—the more powerful the placebo effect is. Placebos can be pills, they can be therapeutic procedures, and they can even be surgeries!

Here’s the weird and potentially dangerous thing about placebos. They have an opposite in something called the nocebo. When medical patients are told that a sugar pill may give them bad symptoms–they experience those symptoms!

In other words if you believe something is good for you–it probably is. And if you believe something is bad for you–it probably is. In the famous words of Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are probably right.”

Which brings us to an interesting idea: Doing something you know will harm your body may be worse than doing something harmful thinking it’s the right thing to do.

In other words, if you’ve got a bad habit and you know it’s bad, it’s either time to start believing that it’s good, or it’s time to find a habit that really is more healthy.

Growing up, Zachary Ward saw how the use of proper chiropractic care changed his brother’s life completely. In fact, he was so impressed with what he saw, he talked about it frequently with friends and family. That urged his wife to suggest that his passion for the chiropractic field should be put to good use. Living in Texas for work, Ward, a graduate of Kalamazoo College enrolled at the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport and earned his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree in 2009.

After spending about 18 months working in Iowa with a mentor in the field of upper cervical chiropractic care, Ward decided to return to Michigan and open up his own practice called Life In Alignment Chiropractic. Since then, his practice has steadily grown…

Auburn hills chiropractor celebrates one year anniversary

In October, Dr. Ward, D.C. will celebrate his first full year of practice at his 900 square foot office located at 2757 University Drive in Auburn Hills with a three-day event with something for everyone. Ward will donate three days of services to charity, Oct. 15-17. One day is for check-ups for current clientele including check ups and adjustments for free if they make a donation of personal hygiene items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, etc., to Love INC of North Oakland County. The other two days are for new patient consultations, which he will also do in return for a donation. (Due to Federal law, Medicare recipients cannot receive services for a donation.)

Patients will be given opportunities to win raffle prizes, some offered by local businesses like Changez Salon in Royal Oak and Home Funding Group in Birmingham which is offering $500 off closing costs for a refinance/or new mortgage….

Keep reading at the Oakland Press.

It might sound a little silly to suggest that you could be breathing a little bit better than you are. After all, without breath comes death–so you’d think if you were breathing improperly, you’d be in the hospital on life support, not reading this article now.

But, like all things automatic that involve a lot of muscle contractions, from walking, to running, to hand-writing, there are small ways that we can modify the usual way we do things, including breathing, and experience dramatic changes.

So, in terms of breathing exercises, let’s talk about diaphragmatic breathing.

What is diaphragmatic breathing?

Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, is consciously drawing breath into your lungs by expanding your belly first. After the belly expands, then the chest is allowed to expand. On the breath out, the movement is reversed.

Belly breathing creates a pressure change that allows air to flow into the lungs by moving the diaphragm, a muscle that splits your upper body in half, and stretches across the abdomen, just below the lungs themselves.

It’s different from chest breathing, which allows air into the lungs by using the muscles of the chest wall.

Probably the best way to understand how this kind of breathing works, is to watch it done on video. One of the best videos I’ve found on YouTube is featured below. I suggest trying what the trainer in the video is doing so you can feel the difference between moving the belly first, versus moving the chest.

The benefits of belly breathing exercises for chiropractic patients

Chiropractic patients, especially upper cervical chiropractic patients, can expect to experience some positive changes by practicing belly breathing, even if just for a few minutes per day.

1. Belly breathing helps the muscles of the shoulders, the lower neck, and the upper chest relax.

We don’t realize it, but when we chest-breathe all day long, we breathe shallowly, often only barely moving the chest in order to draw air into the lungs. Over time the accessory breathing muscles, those muscles that everyone grabs around their lower neck and rubs when they’re stressed, tend to get active when we breath shallowly.

By belly breathing you’re going to cause your whole upper body, including your neck, to relax. This can be a great form of at-home care if you experience tension headaches, neck pain, or you’re interested in holding your upper cervical alignment more consistently.

2. Belly breathing forces you to think about your posture.

Because a lot of us sit most or are forced to stare at screens all day, our posture tends to be down and forward, rather than up and back. Or down and closed instead of up and open. By belly breathing a few minutes per day, or maybe just one minute per hour, you’re going to far more conscious of your posture. You’ll be forced to think about the position of your shoulders versus the position of your belly and pelvis. And to do belly breathing properly, you’ll need to open the chest, relax your upper back muscles, and take the forward tilt out of your pelvis.

Belly breathing can help you adopt, at least for a few minutes per day, a more healthy posture. And for many it will help their bodies feel more at ease.

3. Breathing from the diaphragm has health benefits.

Belly breathing for just a few minutes can actually cause real physiological changes in your body. You bring more oxygen into your lungs, which in turn, gets delivered to your cells. Your heart rate drops, and so does your blood pressure. Chronic pain levels may fall. Many people who practice belly breathing on a regular basis experience a feeling of peace and calm in their body, even if their thoughts are traveling at 90 miles per hour.

Intentional belly breathing can be a mini-vacation from the stresses of your day. And the more mini-vacations you have throughout the day, the better off you’ll probably be.

Take the belly breathing challenge…Of course, the only real way to discover if belly breathing can help you, is to simply try it. Set an alarm on your cell phone, and see if you can belly breathe for one minute every hour for a single afternoon–and see if you notice a difference in your energy levels.

Over the past several years, multiple lawsuits have been filed against the National Football League on behalf of over 2,000 players who report experiencing symptoms of concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). The players say that repeat head trauma from playing professional football has lead to them to experience a body of symptoms similar to severe brain injury.

What are some of these symptoms? Headache, brain fog, confusion, ringing in the ears, fatigue, poor sleep quality, and depression.

What’s interesting about these symptoms is how similar they are to the symptoms patients often present with in upper cervical chiropractic offices. Upper cervical chiropractors often see the same pattern of symptoms, right down to the poor sleep quality, brain fog, and depression.

And not because their patients have played professional football.

The symptom connection between the NFL and upper cervical chiropractic patients

Rather, upper cervical chiropractic patients often have a history of playing high school sports. Of falling out of trees. Of being in motor vehicle accidents. Of falling down the stairs. Of being launched from a snow-mobile. Of having their head struck or their neck whip-lashed on one or more occasions.

These are also the same histories and symptoms of people who experience vertigo, migraines, multiple sclerosis (MS), and even other degenerative brain diseases, like Parkinsons.

These are also the same histories and symptoms of people that are being investigated by upright MRI. People who, with this new and different diagnostic tool, are being found to have significant changes in the function and position of their brain and neck. These same kind of symptoms are presenting in people with reduced flow of their cerebral spinal fluid. Or of partially closed vertebral arteries. Or even a partially descended lower brain being pulled into the spinal canal, called tonsillar ectopia.

(You can watch actual videos of CSF studies on MS patients using upright MRI here.)

So—what’s going here? What exactly does this mean? Well, it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen, but this is what I think will happen—broken down into three points.

Three predictions coming from the NFL concussion lawsuit

1. Medicine will starting looking at the brain, spinal cord, and spine together. The emphasis is on the together part. You see, except in extreme cases, medicine sees a brain injury as something that only exists in the brain. And a neck injury as only something that exists in the neck. But the blood, tissue, and cerebral spinal fluid are all continuous between these two parts of the body. Symptoms of brain trauma can actually be symptoms of neck trauma, and vice versa.
2. The extremely large prevalence of persons suffering with mild TBI and neck trauma will begin to be recognized as standard imaging for these studies (hospital x-rays, and normal MRI) are going to be found less and less helpful. There is an epidemic of brain fog, depression, concentration problems, and other similar symptoms in the general population that require more than just medication or watching and waiting. Case series in upright MRI and even microangiography (looking at small blood vessels in the neck and lower brain) will lead to complete recognition that physical trauma, especially upper neck injury, leads to a change in blood flow and CSF in the brain.
3. Because private enterprise, professional athletes, and billions of dollars in damages are involved, the NFL is going to be forced to lead the way in uncovering some of these connections in order to protect itself from further liability and protect its largest assets: its players. (To put things in perspective, these lawsuits may lead to settlement larger than the one wrangled from Big Tobacco.) The concussion that a quarterback took ten years ago may play a role in helping a future MS patient get the help they need. (I touched on this possibility  over at Health Central: Professional Football and Brain Injury Changing the Way We Think of MS)

Which brings us to the final point, captured in the title of this article. This developing information, coming from several independent studies and sources is going to legitimize what upper cervical chiropractors have known for years:

Neck trauma changes brain function. Reversing that trauma through specific adjustments can help restore that brain function.

You heard it here first—the NFL is going to legitimize upper cervical chiropractic care. And you’ll know its happening when upper cervical doctors using x-rays and and precise adjusting techniques join the the other chiropractors, physical therapists, and team trainers, who are already on the sidelines.

Oh, and if your name is William Clay Ford, and you’re reading this, please know I’m available as soon as the Lions will have me.

Like this post?  Ready for more? Get your copy of: The Downside of Upright Posture – The Anatomical Causes of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis

“Can’t you just fix me, Doc, so I can feel better?”

Behind this phrase are three mistaken ideas that patients have about healing. At first they seem reasonable, but they aren’t a real reflection of how healing actually takes place. Until these mistaken ideas are addressed, the patient is probably always going to be a little disappointed with any doctor they see. And in fact, they may never understand what they have to do to really heal.

Mistaken chiropractic patient idea #1.

“Feeling better is the same thing as healing better.”

There are lots of ways to feel better–like Motrin, a glass of wine, or a heating pad. But as good as it may feel (temporarily) to run away from pain and illness, sometimes all that running actually gets in the way of healing.

Here’s a case in point: tossing back a few over-the-counter painkillers so that you can jog that extra mile at the gym instead of suffer from knee pain. Or dropping a couple of aspirin so that you can work through a massive headache at the end of the day.

In each case your body is giving you a message loud and clear: something isn’t right in my knee, or something isn’t right in my head or neck.

And if you’re always shutting down the pain signals, then you aren’t listening. In fact, you many just be wrecking your knee faster. Or making your headaches worse over time. (Did you know, one of the side-effects of taking headache medicine is actually more headaches?)

Know that if you’re interested in feeling better, that’s not the same thing as healing better. At least not at first. For true healing to take place, it often has to feel worse before it feels better.

Mistaken chiropractic patient idea #2:

“My doctor is going to fix me up.”

There are procedures that involve fixing patients, and usually those patients are animals, and their doctors are veterinarians. If you truly understand what chiropractic care is for, then “fix” will be a four-letter word around your chiropractor. That’s because no doctor can truly fix what’s wrong inside your body. He or she can only do two things. Either:

1. remove the interference to a self-healing process, or
2. treat the symptoms that are bothering you, and hope that the interference goes away on its own.

Tumors can be removed but they will return if their seeds cells are still being fed. Broken bones can be cast, but they will not mend unless the bone reweaves itself. Artificial limbs and even hearts can be installed, but they will not run without a local power supply.

So, if your chiropractor can’t fix you, what can he or she do?

Remove one of the prime sources of interference to the body’s inborn ability to self-regulate and heal—the vertebral subluxation. You can’t demand that your chiropractor fix your problem and make it go away. But you should demand that your chiropractor actually deal with the health and alignment of your spine, so that your problem is more likely to go away on its own.

Mistaken chiropractic patient idea #3:

“This should be gone by now.”

There is nothing wrong with expecting miracles. As Thomas Edison has said, “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.” Miracles do happen, but often in a different way than we expect.

For example, our concept of a miracle is often one that happens in an instant—in the blink of an eye. But what about the miracle of birth? Truly it’s a miracle for one human cell to become living, breathing human being, simply through the inborn intelligence found within that one cell. However, over the 240 days that the child develops, there’s also a lot of work being done. Just ask a mom.

Walking into your chiropractor’s office with a lot of hope that someone will finally listen to you—that someone will finally help you is a good thing. Just so long as you understand that, like building a baby, chiropractic and self-healing are a process. It’s a miracle that takes work, and pretending that your health is going to shift overnight, without some major changes from you, will definitely drive you and your chiropractor crazy.

In most cases, “This should be gone by now” is a mistaken idea of someone who wants to get fixed, not someone who understands that being healthier actually requires work. And the first work of the patient is to have patience with the healing process.

Muscles can take six weeks to heal. Ligaments can take six months or more. And truly damaged nerves can take even longer.

There’s some good research out there that shows a twisted ankle is still not 100% a year after the injury. So walking into a chiropractor’s office with fifty plus years of spinal damage, including lots of arthritis and disc generation, doesn’t make that structural damage go away in a few weeks. You may feel better in some areas quite quickly. But the remodeling of that structure, what your body will do if it truly is healing, will not always be quick or comfortable.

So, what’s the phrase that patients can say that makes me happy?

“I’m ready to increase my potential to heal. Just tell me what needs to be done.” The patient who says that, can truly  expect a miracle.

While there are many reasons why the upper cervical chiropractic care is hidden out in the open, perhaps the biggest reason is that there are too few upper cervical chiropractors to really influence public awareness. Patients have to try ten things before trying upper cervical care because, until very recently, the information about this unique form of chiropractic  has been very limited.

Let’s see why.

The three reasons you can’t find an upper cervical chiropractor in your neighborhood.

Reason #1: Not enough chiropractors in general.

Chiropractic care may the the #1 form of “alternative health care,” but on the whole, chiropractic care is often misunderstood and under-utilized by those who would most likely benefit from it. This means that we have fewer chiropractors than our society needs. According to most estimates there are 60,000 or less practicing chiropractors in the United States, compared to over 950,000 medical doctors, about 350,000 of which are primary care physicians.

Of those 60,000 or fewer chiropractors, less than 2,000 use a specific protocol for adjusting the upper cervical spine on a regular basis.

The fewer chiropractors we have, the fewer upper cervical chiropractors we will have. So as long as Americans only care about their spine when they hurt, then we will only have so many chiropractors.

Until our world understands that spinal motion and alignment are intimately linked with nervous system integrity and therefore the full expression of life, then chiropractors will only remain back pain doctors.

Think about it this way: if the only time you went to the dentist was when you needed to have a cavity filled or a tooth pulled, there would be fewer dentists.

Reason #2: Chiropractic education has a take-it-or-leave-it attitude about the upper cervical spine.

Not every chiropractic school teaches the importance of addressing the upper cervical spine with a specific protocol. Not every chiropractic student is exposed to the unique upper cervical perspective on caring for the spine. And of those schools that teach upper cervical care, it is taught as an extra elective in the curriculum—not as the foundation for spinal care.

With this take-it-or-leave it approach to upper cervical care, a lot of students just leave it.

Once a student becomes a successful practicing doctor, the likelihood that he or she will abandon her clinical protocols and adopt a new style of practice is rare. This is a business decisions as much as it is a clinical one. Upper cervical chiropractors often invest a lot of time, energy, and money in buying special tables and other equipment, and learning special x-ray protocols. Adopting an upper cervical adjusting protocol can potentially hurt a successful chiropractor’s practice if not done correctly.

Reason #3: Upper cervical care is difficult. And sometimes divisive.

The honest truth is that upper cervical work requires discipline and education, and travel for more education. This can be a hurdle that stops some doctors (especially young doctors) from participating. In our culture where almost half of all adults are on a prescription drugs, chiropractors are already swimming against the health care current with their drug-free, surgery-free profession. By practicing upper cervical chiropractic care exclusively, chiropractors often have to swim against that current even harder.

There is another aspect about upper cervical care being difficult that is hard to discuss with non-chiropractors: upper cervical doctors have disagreed with each other on the best way to care for the upper cervical spine. In the early phases of upper cervical care, these disagreements had both positive and negative consequences. On the positive side, pioneering doctors were able to question, test, and revise the procedures of their teachers and come up with very unique and effective ways for improving their patients’ lives through their care. All simply by adjusting the Atlas vertebrae. On the down side, these disagreements split the financial and political power of chiropractors who wanted to promote upper cervical protocols within the profession.

It is only recently that practitioners of different upper cervical techniques have begun to come together to promote upper cervical care as a unique discipline. They have also begun to study the effects of exclusively adjusting the upper cervical spine in cooperation with each other.

Thanks to a study linking NUCCA upper cervical chiropractic care and a decrease in high blood pressure, the upper cervical spine is very ripe for research. (Look for studies connecting the upper cervical spine to Migraine, IBS, Multiple Sclerosis and chronic cerebrospinal insufficiency in the near future.)

With this new cooperation of upper cervical chiropractors, and a new medical interest in the effects of upper cervical adjustments, perhaps a future with more upper cervical chiropractors is well on its way.

Want to see more upper cervical chiropractors in practice?

If you’d like to see more practicing upper cervical doctors, consider giving to our research at the Upper Cervical Research Foundation, or tell your primary care physician about this wonderful and gentle form of spinal care.

In spite of the inroads that probiotics have made into American culture, many people still do not realize that these good bacteria have other homes outside of name-brand yogurts or in those cloudy capsules of lactobacillus found in refrigerated section of the local vitamin store.

They don’t know, for example, about the tradition of fermenting special grains called kefir–and the probiotics that result. And that’s something that Jose and Flory Castillo want to change.

The Castillos are owners of  Great Lakes Probiotics. With the launch of their new kefir-containing  super-foods, they are hoping to spread the knowledge of what kefir can offer to those who are struggling with chronic illness, or those who want to maintain their health.

Here is what they have to tell us about the power of kefir.

First off, what is kefir?

Castillo: Kefir is a grain, but it is more than that. Kefir is an ancient, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly microorganisms that help balance your inner ecosystem to regain health and rebuild immunity. Kefir is similar to a drinking style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast as well as an array of probiotic bacteria.

What makes it desirable to support human health?

Castillo: When used regularly, the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to replenish our intestinal flora and boost our immunity. More than just beneficial bacteria, kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help the body with healing and health maintenance functions. The complete proteins in kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily used by the body.

Kefir is also rich in Tryptophan (which is known for a relaxing effect on the nervous system), calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B-12, B-1 and K. The many advantages of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping relieve skin disorders, boosting energy and promoting longevity. Kefir has also been found to contain an ample supply of phosphorus which helps utilize carbohydrates, fats and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy

What are the three most important things to know about Kefir?

Castillo: The authentic kefir is the one made from the original kefir grains which originated in the Caucasus Mountains. Kefir that is produced commercially has been altered to increase shelf life, flavor and production. It does not contain the beneficial microflora found in kefir grains. In other words the commercial kefir microflora has been isolated or separated from the kefiran symbiotic life and in some cases genetically modified. Most commercial kefir is made from powder starters and not from kefir grains.

Kefir can be consumed by people who are lactose intolerant.By virtue of the large number of probiotic bacteria and yeasts present in Kefir, lactose is usually broken down and presented to the body in a way that does not cause the usual symptoms of lactose intolerance.

Kefir is not the same as yogurt. While yogurt can readily be made from the lactic acid bacteria present in fresh yogurt, kefir can only be made from kefir grains and mother cultures prepared from grains. The grains contain a relatively stable and specific balance of microorganisms which exist in a complex symbiotic relationship. The distinctive organoleptic properties differ from yogurt in that small amounts of CO2, alcohol, and aromatic molecules are produced as a result of a dual fermentation of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.

Kefir presents superior nutrition compared to yogurt in that during the process of fermentation the large number of microorganisms generates vitamins, minerals, aminoacids and proteins not present in yogurt.

How are products cultured with kefir different from other probiotics?

Castillo: The products that we culture with kefir grains such as butter, sour cream, buttermilk, raw milk cheese and of course kefir are different in that:

• They undergo a slow process of fermentation, which helps to preserve the original symbiotic relationship between probiotic bacteria and beneficial yeasts.
• They are never heated to alter their molecular structure. The kefir grains contain the original microflora in its entirety, nothing has been changed or genetically modified other than perhaps what has evolved in the kefiran matrix over the years.
• They are made with the best organically produced ingredients and milk from pastured cows. They are not synthetically made and therefore they are metabolized by our cells in ways that are beneficial to our overall health. In other words, our probiotics qualify as functional foods in that they have physiologically active food components that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition.

If someone wants to contact you about kefir what is the best way to do that?

Castillo: They can contact me at fcastillo {at} greatlakesprobiotics.com or by calling 248-906-5508.

I have to admit I’m a fan of Pilates. Pilates aims to improve human movement, body balance, and neurological coordination through fitness challenges with specific movements, often with resistance. It has its similarities to upper cervical chiropractic care, and works well within a chiropractic lifestyle. Practiced with good form, Pilates usually keeps the spine in a neutral position, reducing the likelihood of spinal injury.

I got together with Trent McEntire of McEntire Pilates in Rochester, Michigan in order to find out why Pilates is still relevant to everyday people who are looking to improve their lives with a sound body.

Why do Pilates? Why should the general public care about Pilates? Why should exercise and health enthusiasts

McEntire: Three reasons:

• Pilates is a true antidote to the demands of life.
• Pilates is a way to overcome the negative side effects that life’s stressors have on the body.
• Pilates creates a better quality of life.

I see my staff and I as a key member of our client’s health team. We regularly work with Physicians, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, Naturopaths and more. Our communication with these professionals within our client’s care circle results in a more thoughtful and in-depth experience.

Joseph Pilates developed his system for mind and body coordination well over 100 years ago. Why do you think Pilates remains relevant when other exercises systems have fallen by the wayside?

McEntire: Pilates remains relevant is because it works!

It works by improving how the body looks, feels and moves everyday. We design sessions around a client’s specific needs and goals. Gathering information and assessment are key to the relevancy of Pilates. Pilates provides you with the opportunity to move your body in ways that creates strength, balance, range of motion and reduced stress. If an exercise system has fallen by the wayside, I would speculate it was not created to accommodate specific goals and works with a limited population of people.

Pilates is for everyone and for me and my staff, we work to address the needs of the widest population possible.

How did you discover the work of Joseph Pilates?

McEntire: As someone that became a professional dancer after rehabilitating my own severe movement restrictions established at birth due to Cerebral Palsy, I understand how the quality of life is affected by how well you can (or can’t) move your body.

At the height of my pain and movement limitations, I made discoveries that would forever improve my situation and eventually help other people reach their individual goals and overcome their own movement limitations.

For the last 13 years, I have been applying my discoveries about the natural physics of the body, key movement principles and physical alignment correction techniques to the program that Joseph Pilates pioneered over 80 years ago.

McEntire Pilates is a modern Pilates program that supports the millions of people that fall into a gap between physical therapy and fitness.

What makes your application of Pilates’ principles unique? What makes McEntire Pilates work?

McEntire: Our mission is to change lives everyday. I have specialized in prevention, performance and recovery since 1998. My additions to the work of Joseph Pilates are designed to make movement and health applicable to a broader population of people.

My staff and I have over a decade of experience with injuries, movement limitations and neurological disease for adults and youth. We apply the latest science and movement techniques and state of the art equipment to our client’s customized programs. Our entire team has experienced injury and limitations which means we can sincerely empathize with your situation while knowing how to provide tangible solutions. We have the education necessary to provide an unexpected level of care and support.

There are 4 key ways that we help our client reach success

1. Safe and effective exercises specific to your individual needs
2. Exercises modified to accommodate special needs and goals
3. Proper breathing techniques, body mechanics and movement principles
4. Appropriate challenge without pain or unnecessary fatigue

Further reason’s to why McEntire Pilates works is because our training and experience is based on the fact that every movement and function of your body is a result of your brain having a map of how to function when called upon. This is true for the simplest to the most complicated movements. By knowing how your brain naturally works we are able to assess what is needed to improve your brain map. By strengthening the neurological pathways in the brain, you will experience higher function, more balance, less pain, better sleep, increased endurance and athletic performance, more flexibility and less stress.

What is your vision for the future of Pilates?

McEntire: My vision for the future of Pilates is that is will grow in popularity while gaining sophistication though higher national education requirements. Additionally, I see Pilates professionals continuing to earn the respect among the healthcare community because Pilates supports all abilities, conditions and ages. Our youth program is growing in popularity and it is exciting to see where that will be in the coming years.

How can someone explore Pilates in your studio?

I would invite everyone to give us a call at 248-651-5567 to let us know you would like to come in and look around. We love to tell people what we do and how we can help them.

Recently some great posts have been placed on a few of our favorite blogs helping to explain the how and why upper cervical care works, and why so many make it a part of their lives.

Satisfaction associated with upper cervical chiropractic care

What information can prospective patients garner from this data? First, that the true Upper Cervical approach doesn’t require dozens of visits before patients see improvement. This is valuable in a number of ways…

Ten reasons to try upper cervical chiropractic care (in Auburn Hills, Michigan)

Although there are other reasons that may be unique to your situation, here are ten good reasons why you might want to make your next consultation with a health care provider in an upper cervical chiropractic office.

Six things upper cervical doctors do differently than other chiropractors

Upper cervical doctors are different than other chiropractors. To help you understand the differences, here are the top six ways your upper cervical doctor will be different than any other doctor of chiropractic that you will see.

How many adjustments do I need (part 1)

Those who choose the third way have gotten the big idea that a healthy life lived to the fullest extent depends on a healthy nervous system, which depends on a healthy spine, and that in this day and age, a healthy spine depends on quality chiropractic adjustments.

How many adjustments do I need (part 2)

Some people think that if you’ve visited one chiropractor, then you’ve visited them all. In reality, chiropractic care and the delivery of the chiropractic adjustment is its own art form. There are multiple ways to adjust the spine, and multiple ways to figure out if that adjustment was successful or not.

Great upper cervical safety study by Eriksen at al.

What’s really remarkable, but not surprising, is that all 83 Chiropractors have delivered over 5 million adjustments with no reported incidence of serious adverse events.

Why I am an upper cervical care advocate

So, when my upper cervical doctor released my wife and me from our pain, I couldn’t just run to freedom without taking my fellow “inmates” with me. Of course, not everyone will be able to go. Fear, and the comfort of “an evil that they know” will make it difficult for some to follow when the door swings open.