Now that Tom Brady and his New England Patriots teammates have eliminated the Denver Broncos from the playoffs, one might think the end of (Tim) Tebowmania has finally arrived. Not so quick. I found a story this week worth sharing. Whether or not you like Tebow, I think you’ll agree it’s a miraculous story.

In a recent e-mail, I read about a woman named Pam, who knows the pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink.

She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant.

Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn’t think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.

While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we’ll name him Timothy, and we’ll make him a preacher.

Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy Aug. 14, 1987. Pam’s youngest son is indeed a preacher.

He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father’s ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam’s son is Tim Tebow.

It might be several months from now before we see Tebow back on the field and see his name plastered in the headlines. When that does happen again, perhaps now you’ll have a little better insight into why he drops to a knee and honors his faith.

I don’t think he’s deserving of the criticism he’s endured for such a personal and obviously meaningful gesture. Something tells me it doesn’t faze him one bit.

From the Jan. 18-24, 2012, issue of The Rock River Times

http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/01/18/pro-football-the-miraculous-story-behind-tim-tebow/

“Chiropractic care has been instrumental in my life, both on and off the field, and I am excited to share this with the American public,” says Rice. “I have been blessed with a long and healthy career as a professional athlete, and as I move forward into the next stage of my life, chiropractic care will continue to be an important part of my game plan.”

A Doctor-Professor answers the old question “What is the single best thing we can do for our health” in a completely new way. Dr. Mike Evans is founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael’s Hospital.

The study, funded by the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and co-authored by ACA’s 2011 Researcher of the Year Dr. Roni Evans, is making headlines across the country. The results of the study have appeared in AARP Blog, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, WebMD and “World News with Diane Sawyer” among other media outlets.

Simply walking outside in the freezing weather without layers of warm clothing can intensify older joint problems and cause a great deal of pain. As muscles and blood vessels contract to conserve the body’s heat, the blood supply to the extremities is reduced. This lowers the functional capacity of many muscles, particularly among the physically unfit. Preparation for an outdoor winter activity, including conditioning the areas of the body that are most vulnerable, can help avoid injury and costly health care bills.

Simply put, warming up is essential. In fact, when pressed for time, it’s better to shorten the length of your workout and keep a good warm-up than to skip the warm-up and dive right into the workout. Skipping your warm-up is the best way to get hurt. You can complete a good warm-up in 15-20 minutes. And believe me, it will make your workout more pleasant and safe.

The American Chiropractic Association suggests that you start with some light aerobic activity (jogging, biking, fast walking) for about 7-10 minutes. Then follow these tips to help you fight back the winter weather:

Skiing – do 10 to 15 squats. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, knees aligned over your feet. Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet. Stand up straight again.

Skating – do lunges. Take a moderately advanced step with one foot. Let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips. Repeat the process with your other foot.

Shoveling snow can also wreak havoc on the musculoskeletal system. The ACA suggests the following tips for exercise of the snow shoveling variety:

* If you must shovel snow, be careful. Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work.

* Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.

* Shoveling can strain “de-conditioned” muscles between your shoulders, in your upper back, lower back, buttocks and legs, so do some warm-up stretching before you grab that shovel.

* When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don’t try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.

* Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.

* Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.

* Stop if you feel chest pain, or get really tired or have shortness of breath. You may need immediate professional help.

After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two. If you continue to feel soreness, pain or strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a doctor of chiropractic.

Dr. Filson, who began providing care to the players in 1990 through its then manager, Joe Torre, Major League Baseball (MLB) legend, says, “Chiropractic care is always available to players of the Cardinals and the visiting team, it is utilized by many.  With chiropractic care, players report that they feel better and have better endurance.  Body mechanics are significantly improved, enabling better pitching, hitting and throwing.”

In 2006, Dr. Filson was awarded a World Series ring for his role with the Cardinals, and was proud to play a similar role in the 2011 championship.  He also treated David Eckstein, Most Valuable Player on the Cardinals 2006 World Series Team, citing the importance of chiropractic care in helping players to achieve optimal performance:  “I am proud to have provided chiropractic care to the Cardinals for so many years, and gratified that chiropractic has contributed to the players’ optimal performance during every game.  We are all excited about bringing home the 2011 World Series title.”

According to Dr. Gazdar, who began working with the San Francisco Giants in 2008, and was seen by millions celebrating at the pitcher’s mound with the players following the game-ending play that resulted in the Giants World Series title, “Chiropractic care was a significant factor in the San Francisco Giants 2010 victory.  One of the Giants’ pitchers relied upon chiropractic adjustments for all of his pitching starts, and virtually every player benefited from chiropractic services.”

Both doctors express their enthusiasm for the inclusion of chiropractic care for virtually every team participating in professional sports, including golf, football, hockey, basketball and baseball.

About the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress

A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress aims to inform and educate the general public about the many benefits associated with chiropractic care.  To learn more about the Foundation, please visit them on the web at www.yes2chiropractic.com or call (866) 901-F4CP(3427).

 The exercise ball introduces an element of instability that isn’t available in a floor exercise. The body naturally and automatically responds to this instability by engaging the core muscles, both those in the abdominals and back and in the pelvic floor and hips. Over time, the core muscles strengthen, resulting in better posture, improved balance and enhanced athletic ability.

 Choosing a stability ball

 It’s important to buy the right size ball and maintain the proper air pressure. The firmer the ball, the more difficult the exercise will be. However, if you are overweight, an older adult, generally deconditioned, or just beginning a fitness routine, you may want to consider using a larger, softer ball. When sitting on the ball, make sure your hips are level—or just slightly higher than the knees.

 Basic Exercises

 Basic Abdominal Crunch: Lie on your back with your calves resting on the top of the ball. Curl your upper body, squeezing your abdominals and lifting your shoulders and upper back.

 Body Ball Crunch: Lie on the ball with your back supported at the arch. Cross your arms behind your head or across your chest. Keep both feet on the floor. Curl your upper body, squeezing your abdominals and lifting your shoulders and upper back. Return to starting position. Do not pull on your head and neck.

Ball Pushups: Place the front of your knees and shins on the ball and your hands flat on the floor. Look down at the floor and lower your face to within a few inches of it, then push back up to the starting position. Increase the challenge by walking further out so that only your ankles are supported by the ball.

The study “Health Maintenance Care in Work-Related Low Back Pain and Its Association with Disability Recurrence,” appears in Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011, volume 53.

Researchers had compared incidents across health care providers who treat claimants with new incidents of work related lower back pain. After examining 894 workman’s compensation cases, the conclusion had been reached that preventive healthcare, mainly and specifically recommend by doctors of chiropractic, is linked with lower disability recurrences. As defined in this study recurrent disability is the renewal of at least 15 consecutive days of temporary total disability payments after the health maintenance stage which is the period after a patient’s recovery and patient restored to optimal health.

According to Dr. Gerard Clum, D.C., and spokesperson for the Foundation of Chiropractic Progress, chiropractic provides an efficient method to maintaining health, a vital element in preventing incidents of recurrence. The clear trend shown in this study demonstrates chiropractic care results in the best outcomes, and the method being used deserves the attention of both healthcare professional and consumer.

Among patients, ten percent endured recurrent disability due to lower back pain and the anticipated return to work or healthcare phase. Researchers after controlling demographic and severity factors compared the recipients care for mostly by physicians and/or physical therapists. Those who had been treated mainly by chiropractors had shown frequently better outcomes, less use of opioids (narcotic pain relievers), had less surgeries along with lower medical expenses.

In closing Dr. Clum adds that a “significant hypothesis derived from this study states that chiropractors may be instrumental in avoiding procedures or surgeries of unproven cost utility value or uncertain efficacy,”

Chiropractic care ranks in choices for alternative treatments due to their hands on approach and drug free therapies.

Chiropractors treat a host of numerous diseases and conditions besides back pain. Among them are arthritis, crohn’s disease, carpal tunnel, spinal curvatures, RA, headaches, migraines, premenstrual syndrome, scoliosis and fibromylagia.  Just last November, Center for Disease Control and Prevention had noted that a minimum of three percent of all children in the United States now have regular chiropractic care. Many parents are adding chiropractic care to their regular children’s wellness checkups. Chiropractic care does not replace pediatricians but in all reality work well together to provide children overall good health. They aide children’s health in many areas including asthma, bed wetting, sports injuries and more. Chiropractic care has also benefited children with learning disorders and dyslexia.

Chiropractic care not only relieves back pain during pregnancy but has been demonstrated to decrease the average time spent in labor. One of the greatest benefits a chiropractor can give a woman during pregnancy is that regular chiropractic care provides a properly balanced and open pelvis. This allows for greater room in which the fetus can turn into the correct position that eases labor.

Chiropractic care is over a hundred year old profession, is safe, effective and boosts the immune system. There is ongoing mounting evidence in science to prove the abilities of chiropractic care.

If you are unfamiliar with chiropractic care stop by a chiropractic office and talk to the doctor to find out more about their care and how they may help you and your overall health.

http://www.examiner.com/alternative-medicine-in-detroit/chiropractic-care-most-valuable-for-work-related-back-pain