GOT PAIN?  TRY ACUPUNCTURE  

Now well into my seventh year in practice, experience and education begins to be clearer and clearer every day.  When I first started into practice, the education was there, but the clinical experience was not yet fully formed.  Through this experience I have developed my niche in practice and found what works for me.  Acupuncture can be used to treat a whole host of different problems and conditions and I have had much success with acupuncture treating those conditions that haven’t quite responded too well to Western medical care.  As I grow with my education, experience and practice, I find that acupuncture does one simple thing better than any other.  That is BLOCK THE PAIN SIGNAL GOING TO THE BRAIN.  Acupuncture can be the best modality to help relieve chronic pain that has been unaffected by conventional medical care, medications or even surgery. 

Pain impacts quality of life for millions of Americans, getting in the way of living life to the fullest.  Recent studies have proven what has been known in China for centuries:  acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for pain without the side effects of medications and the trauma of surgery.  Acupuncture can not only reduce inflammation and pain, but also improve mobility, circulation and overall quality of life for many pain sufferers.  My typical patient does come from a wide range of ages, but common to almost all is the desire to keep doing what they love without pain symptoms or reduced function.  Whether you are a world class athlete or simply want to walk to the mailbox and get the mail pain-free, acupuncture can be a solution to your symptoms.  Whether your pain is acute or chronic, I will discuss the results you can expect through a treatment plan suited to your individual needs.  The Hart Wellness Center helps our patients make health and wellness a priority in their lives.  We can take a patient from pain to well and the journey is the most fun for us in practice.  Call today for your orthopedic acupuncture consultation.  

MEDITATION BETTER THAN MEDICATION? 

A recent study performed by the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center states that meditation can be more effective than morphine and other narcotic medications.  Meditation proved to be up to 40% effective in treating the pain experience compared to drugs which was only about 25% effective.  Pain is a subjective experience by an individual.  Results were measured using a specific MRI imaging of the brain that looks at the blood vessels.  This subtle practice of meditation teaches us how to stop labeling our pain and how to respond to it differently and to be more present and consciously aware of our mind/body experience.

THWC:  WHEN WILL YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS DESTINATION?

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH  

"Everybody is like a magnet. You attract to yourself reflections of that which you are. If you're friendly then everybody else seems to be friendly too."

A lot can be said about your feet. The feet are tough.  Each step we take can place up to 1.5 times the body weight just for one foot.  On average, we will take roughly 10,000 steps per day.  The feet can also say a great amount about the body’s overall health.  With Foot Health Awareness Month coming up in April, now is a great time to take the time and recognize a few signals that your feet are sending.  Discoloration, swelling, signs of ill-fitting shoe wear (bunions, corns, hammertoes calluses and ulcers) and odors are just a few to name to consider.  Feet often get neglected because they usually stay hidden within our shoes and socks.  But proper hygiene can go a long way to maintain their health; cleanse them, trim toenails often, and alternate socks and shoes frequently.  Your feet are vital aspects of the body.  What steps are you taking to maintain their ability to go 10,000 steps each day?  The Hart Wellness Center uses cutting edge digital technology when it comes to prescription of custom foot orthotics and spinal pelvic stabilizers.  Call today to receive your FREE foot evaluation and digital foot scan during the month of April. 

“MAKE HEALTH AND WELLNESS A PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE.”

You were born with everything you need to heal yourself.  After millions of years of evolution, your body is equipped for any challenge that comes its way:  germs, cancer cells, you name it.  But in our society, a huge, aggressive medical establishment has been built around healing from the outside in, instead of inside out.  A profit-driven juggernaut of drug companies, doctors, medical device manufacturers and others is determined to put things in your body to make you well:  pills, needles, scalpels, radiation, even replacement parts.  It’s time to take back your health!

With America groaning under the weight of unsustainable medical spending, we need to get back to leveraging our bodies’ self-healing abilities, instead of continuing to look outside ourselves for expensive, unnatural treatments!  Please allow The Hart Wellness Center to get you to your own health and wellness destination and help you provide health and wellness in your life.

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH

Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge, others just gargle.

WHAT CAN CUSTOM FOOT ORTHOTICS DO FOR YOU?

Millions of patients and 34 peer-reviewed articles later we have compiled a simple and easy to understand list of what orthotics can do for YOU, the patient.  The intelligent design of FootLevelers stabilizes the three arches of the foot, providing a natural balance of flexibility and stability for the whole body, not just the foot.  Stabilizing orthotics improved sporting performance such as driving the golf ball up to 15 yards farther, improved balance (eyes open) and proprioception (eyes closed), increased hip and pelvic joint ranges of motion, significantly decreased blood pressure and improved heart rate variability, reduced knee injuries by 31% and a clinical trial showed back pain relief by 44% and improved function by 38% in 6 weeks. 

Inflammation usually occurs as a reaction to injury or infection and is characterized by pain, redness, swelling, and sometimes loss of function.  Inflammation is actually part of our natural defense against invading organisms.  However, inflammation can also produce harmful effects.  Chronic low-level inflammation plays a central role in many diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, osteoporosis, and many more.  When you scrape your knee, it’s easy to see and feel the inflammatory response.  But chronic, low-level inflammation is known as “silent inflammation.”  To determine the extent of the problem, physicians can measure blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP).  Diet plays a definite role in triggering the inflammatory response.  Studies have shown that CRP levels tend to be higher in people with high-glycemic (sugary) diets.   Conversely, a diet that’s rich in fiber and low in refined carbohydrates is associated with lower CRP levels.  In general, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has the greatest benefit.  It’s also important to avoid refined or simple sugars, which increase the glycemic load linked to inflammatory response.  Supplementation with fish or flaxseed oil products provides omega-3 fatty acids that have proved to be effective in reducing inflammation and producing positive changes in numerous trials.  Reducing whole-body inflammation, especially in severe cases requires a truly comprehensive approach.  At THWC, we have access to many types of anti-inflammatory products and will always be available for discussion in how to make your body a “FIRE EXTINGUISHER.” 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

Our bodies have formulas that help it function at its very best.  When you follow these formulas, you will get a huge benefit in mood, energy, output and focus.  Proper diet improves the firing of your brain synapses and improves blood flow.  Exercise encourages neurogenesis - the growth of new brain and nerve cells.  Physical exertion prevents depression by raising the level of serotonin and motivates you by raising the level of dopamine in your brain.  Spiritual pursuits promote a positive attitude, which boosts your immune system, which helps you to live longer.  Everything is connected.  The body, mind, and spirit affect one another. 

The standard American weight-loss menu consists of diet soda and frozen low calorie meals.  This is an inflammatory nightmare.  And don’t expect to lose weight this way because inflammation is blocking you from shedding those extra pounds.  Did you know that drinking one can of soda per day; DIET OR REGULAR can add up to 15 pounds to your waistline in just one year! 

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH 

“Make Health and Wellness a Priority in YOUR Life.” 

                                                                                                -Derek J. Hartmann, D.C., C.S.C.S.

Tis' the season for giving and spending precious time with loved ones during this magical time of year. Unfortunately, tis' also the season for back, neck and extremity problems.  The risk and possibility of injury does not take a holiday break because Santa is coming to town.  As a matter of fact, your body is more susceptible to injury during the holiday season from the increased mental and physical stressors.  We often get so caught up in simply trying to keep up that we let our guard down - and that's when injuries strike.  Getting into the holiday spirit can sometimes be difficult.  However, once you get there it seems that everything feels better.  Make sure that you get into a healthy spirit this season.  Give the gift of health to yourself and others.  Have a happy, healthy and injury-free holiday. 

ADVANCED EDUCATION LEADS TO IMPROVED OUTCOMES

The McKenzie Method^® — Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy^® a philosophy of active patient involvement and education that is trusted and used by practitioners and patients all over the world for back, neck and extremity problems.

Dr. Derek Hartmann has recently completed the advanced lumbar spine and lower extremities course through The McKenzie Institute.  Learn how to reduce, maintain, restore, and prevent.  Both old and new conditions can be addressed and treated successfully sometimes in only 4-6 visits. 

  TIS’ THE SEASON FOR HOLIDAY STRESS

Quick Tips for Stress Reduction

--Have a positive attitude

--Try not to worry about things out of your control

--Problem solve with people around you. Ask them to help you alleviate stress

--A few extra minutes of exercise daily can benefit your overall health

--Eat Nutritional food.  Decrease the amount of fat and sugar you eat

--Meditate or take a class in relaxation and stretching techniques…like Tai Chi or Yoga

--Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages

--Rest.  Try to get eight hours of sleep each day

--Get a massage.  A massage can be beneficial for the mind and body  

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH

“Happiness is not so much in having as sharing.  We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

                                                                                                                                    -Alice Jean

Yes I know that summer has come and gone and you are not throwing those ribs on the grill under the 90 degree sun anymore.  With the birth of our child came a whole new appreciation for this self-appointed syndrome by Dr. Hartmann.  There are specific mechanics of holding and feeding and caring for a child that cause real and unpleasant musculo-skeletal pain patterns.  There are only a few different ways that tissues can go bad and cause pain.  These ways include…prolonged bad postures and positions, repetitive bad postures and movements and obviously trauma.  The first two would be the most significant in baby back syndrome.  Prolonged positions of rounding your shoulders, protruding your head and neck and looking down for long periods of time while the child is in your arms will all cause tissues to deform and cause pain.  These prolonged bad postures, positions and movements cause posterior disc migration in the neck, decreased circulation and oxygen to postural muscles and pain soon comes thereafter.  This will cause burning type pain in the back of the head, neck, upper shoulders and upper back.  By simply returning your posture to correct anatomical alignment will push the reset button on the pain pattern and decrease the pain almost immediately.  However, if these positions, postures and movements are not interrupted by postural correction techniques, it can actually lead to tissue injury including disc problems.  The first line of defense is always patient education in these postural correction techniques.  The muscular tissues are then addressed with massage therapy and manual therapy techniques and the joint restriction issues are addressed with specific chiropractic care techniques.  If you or someone you know has just had a baby and is complaining about this type of pain pattern, please have them call our office for a consultation.  We can very easily and effectively treat baby back syndrome. 

PATCH.COM

Take a look at the Homewood-Flossmoor edition of THE PATCH to view the updated The Hart Wellness Center listing.  Look to see more from THWC and even a featured article about Dr. Derek Hartmann on http://homewood-flossmoor.patch.com very soon.   

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH

“Just before the death of flowers and before they are buried in snow, there comes a festival season when nature is all aglow.”

--author unknown

LETTERS FROM LINZIE

We welcomed the birth of our beautiful baby daughter, Mia, on September 7, 2011.  Mom and baby are very well and healthy!

ACUPUNCTURE:  WHAT IS IT REALLY GOOD FOR?
EVERYTHING...Chronic disease or chronic pain presentations are commonly caused by fluctuations in our central and autonomic nervous systems.  The autonomic nervous system is made up of two parts, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.  This is your “fight or flight” or “rest and digest” nervous systems.  When there is an imbalance in these automatic and beyond our conscious control nervous systems, disease occurs.  It is like a breeding ground for chronic disease and some chronic pain presentations.  Acupuncture is effective by creating balance in these two nervous systems and when you put your body back into balance you have a tremendous ability to create healing from within.  Acupuncture simply blocks the pain signal from reaching the brain.  The needles interrupt the large transmission of nerve fibers and you no longer feel pain.  It also creates healing by decreasing inflammation, increasing circulation and increasing the energy in the system attracted to certain points throughout the body to create balance.  Many people ask what acupuncture is good for or what it can help.  My answer is simple…EVERYTHING!  If you or someone you know have tried just about everything without success at treating your current condition, give us a call and give acupuncture a try.
 
ZEN SHIATSU
R. Yanna Loam is a licensed massage therapist currently enrolled as a student at Zen Shiatsu Chicago located in Evanston and scheduled to graduate in October of 2012.  Zen Shiatsu is a form of body work that combines massage therapy that is deeply rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine principles and is treats system and energy imbalances similar to acupuncture.  Yanna will be available on Friday mornings between 8am and 12pm for FREE 50-minute Zen Shiatsu sessions to aid her in her studies. 
 
FIGHT YOUR ALLERGIES WITH Antronex®
This fall allergy season is upon us and is having a stronger presence than ever.  THWC has available a nutritional supplement that is derived from a bovine liver fat extract found to aid the liver’s ability to clean the blood and aid the body in its natural anti-histamine response.  This is an all-natural and affordable way to ease your allergy symptoms without any of the adverse side effects. 

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH
Speak tenderly to them.  Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of our greeting.  Always have a cheerful smile.  Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.
-Mother Teresa

LETTERS FROM LINZIE
We wait patiently for the birth of our baby girl due September 18th!!!