According to the World Health Organization, ergonomics are important for safety management which falls under the category of health promotion and wellness. As health care providers, ergonomics goes hand in hand with the work we do at Vallejo Chiropractic to help patients achieve wellness.

A study done by the national safety council looked at the causes of workplace injuries and found:

•  88% of injuries were due to unsafe acts or behaviors (poor posture, repetitive motion, etc.)
• 10% of injuries were due to unsafe conditions (poor workstation design, slippery floors, etc.)
• 2% were due to unknown causes

Wellness is an interactive process of becoming aware of and practicing healthy choices to create a more successful and balanced lifestyle. Since wellness is an interactive process it is something we should continually work at to maintain the lifestyles we strive for. For this month's newsletter we wanted to give our patients information they can use to improve wellness at home and in the workplace. Enjoy! 

Posture
Poor posture is a factor in all cumulative trauma injuries (including but not limited to carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, and sciatica) and is the major accelerator of almost any injury. 

From Dr. Harrington:

We have many, many stories from our trip to Africa where we visited our oldest daughter, our son-in-law and two beautiful grandchildren. Most of them are anecdotal and are more interesting to someone who has also taken a trip there. However, some experiences do translate into helpful hints to the average American. Keep in mind; I am actually more of a homebody than a natural traveler. 

Mosquito Bites

I grew up in Montana, where the 6 months of below freezing temperatures is nature’s perfect mosquito abatement. Mosquito abatement in California is big business and largely effective. Suffice to say that we Americans don’t really have a mosquito problem, unless you live in the Louisiana Bayou or Florida Everglades. In Africa, you must sleep under a mosquito net. I spent a few sleepless nights battling a solitary mosquito that got into our mosquito net. Of course, mosquito’s love me and seemed largely uninterested in Julie. One night I fell asleep with my elbow/forearm against the netting. I can’t confirm how many mosquitoes were called to the banquet, but I was clearly the buffet offering, receiving over 50 bites in a 6” by 6” area. 

Here’s the advice of the locals: never scratch a bite. 

Not only will it not itch...ever...but it will heal faster. They are absolutely right. On a 1-10 scale of itch, when you first notice a mosquito bite it is a 1. If you can resist the urge for a couple hours to scratch the bite, it will disappear fairly quickly and never go above a 1 on the itch scale. However, if you scratch it, even a little, the itch factor goes up exponentially; as does the healing cycle. Scientifically, by scratching a mosquito bite you are activating a histamine response. It’s a lot like purposefully exposing yourself to something that makes you sneeze.

If you’ve been thinking about changing up your diet, but are wondering how beneficial the current hot diets may be we will be discussing pros and cons from five of the more popular diet plans currently out there.  The key is to find a plan that includes a healthy balance of nutrients, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fluids.  With any diet the right foods can mean the difference between having the energy needed to make it through your day and crashing early.

All five of the following popular eating approaches can provide the health and performance benefits you need – as long as you’re willing to follow (and possibly bend) some rules and make a few tough sacrifices.  Here’s what you need to know.

Vegan
This plant-based diet nixes all animal products, including meat and dairy – even honey, whey, and gelatin.  Research shows that filling up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds can fend off chronic disease, lower blood pressure, and increase longevity.  And there’s evidence that diets based on these foods, which are typically high in antioxidants, can reduce injury and speed recovery.  But you miss out on key nutrients like protein, iron, and vitamin B12, which are critical for athletes.