Month: August 2024

With the new year upon us, gyms everywhere are now flooded with people eager to shed winter weight gain and embark on their healthy New Year resolutions. Many of these people go through their weight loss journey solo, without any medical or fitness professional to steer them in the right direction. That’s part of the reason why so many quickly give up on losing weight. 

The Medical Weight Loss Program at Advanced Spinal Care and Rehabilitation is a physician-supported, highly effective program designed to help you not only lose weight, but keep it off for good. By joining our weight loss program and following these useful tips for keeping yourself on track, you are highly likely to succeed in reaching your New Year weight loss goals. 

1. Get Acquainted With Our Accelerated Weight Loss Program

Our special program has a multi-pronged approach to promote accelerated weight loss. Our physicians will create a plan that’s comprised of:

• Physical activities (including a local gym referral)
• FDA-approved appetite suppressants to curb cravings
• Customized diet plan 
• Nutrition and fitness counseling
• Hormone therapy to reduce caloric intake, protect muscles, and reset metabolism 
• Fat burning injections with B-complex, vitamins, and amino acids to boost metabolism
• Testosterone therapy to increase low testosterone levels (if needed)

2. Gather Accountability Buddies

When friends and loved ones know about your plan to reach a goal, they can help in two ways: offering support and holding you accountable. Tell as many of your friends, family members, and coworkers about your fitness goals to put a bit more pressure on yourself to succeed. Ask a few of them to periodically check in with you to ask how you’re doing. A little bit of moral support goes a long way!

3. Reward Yourself When You Reach A Goal

Every time you reach a short-term goal, whether it’s completing that daunting cardio workout or meeting your calorie limit for the day, reward yourself! Not with food, of course. There are plenty of fun ways to treat yourself, such as setting aside time to watch your favorite TV show, or taking a long, hot bath. Rewarding yourself with non-food items encourages you to keep going, and also reinforces the idea that rewards don’t always have to come in the form of food. 

4. Make A List of What You’re Giving Up

Sometimes it’s easier to make a list of things you don’t want to do. Once you figure out what bad habits or foods are standing between you and your weight loss goal, it’s time to commit to giving them up. Whether it’s too many sugary beverages or too much time spent in front of the TV, compile a list of all the things you want to cut out or cut back on. Put the list in a place that you will see every day so you have a daily reminder of your goals. 

Losing weight doesn’t have to be a daunting task. When you join our Medical Weight Loss program, our physicians will help bring you towards your weight loss goals in a safe, medically-assisted environment. Want to know if you are a good candidate for our weight loss program? Request an appointment with us today for a consultation at one of our offices. We serve patients out of Cambridge and Coshocton, Ohio.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many of us are preparing ourselves for indulgent eating, social drinking, and long naps. What we don’t always prepare for, however, are preventable yet common mishaps like back injuries, burns, and cuts. Follow our tips for avoiding common holiday-related aches and pains for a healthier, more fulfilling Thanksgiving.

It’s the time of year when people work hard and play hard, but overexertion in either work or play can lead to pain and long-lasting injuries. Thanksgiving has proven to be an especially accident-prone time of year, because most of us are milling around kitchens stacked with knives and hot foods, drinking alcohol, and participating in athletics or sports. To keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy this holiday, follow our six tips to avoid these common Thanksgiving aches and pains.

1. Handle Sharp Objects With Care. 

It may seem like common sense to be careful with knives, yet knife injuries remain among the top reasons for emergency room visits on Thanksgiving Day. Whether you’re set to carve a 20 pound turkey by yourself or simply helping to dice onions, remember to:

• Eliminate any distractions so you can focus solely on knife-work
• Don’t rush. Cut, carve and slice slowly
• Use the appropriate knife for the job (ask someone else if you’re unsure.)
• Make sure the cutting board cannot slip underneath you

2. Exercise Caution With The Deep-Fryer. 

Cooking fires are more common on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. Many of these fires occur due to carelessness when deep-frying a turkey. Follow these safety tips if you’ve elected to deep-fry your turkey this year:

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully
• Always use the deep-fryer outdoors on an even, non-combustible surface (wooden decks and garages are out.)
• Never leave a deep-fryer unattended
• Keep the deep-fryer out of reach of kids/pets
• Keep an ABC rated fire extinguisher closeby

3. Drink In Moderation. 

Holiday stress can lead many people to imbibe more alcohol than they normally would, which is part of the reason why traffic fatalities are an all-too-common occurrence on Thanksgiving Day. The importance of drinking responsibly extends not only to your personal safety, but also to the safety of others. 

By moderating how much you (and your loved ones) imbibe and making sure no one drives, you can reduce the likelihood of traffic accidents, as well as falls and trips around the home. 

When drinking, it’s important to: 

• Be mindful of mixing alcohol with prescription medication
• Make sure no one attempts to drive after drinking
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated

4. Lift the Right Way. 

Turkeys, casserole dishes, and stacks of dishes necessitate lifting. Lots of it. Too many people continue to make the mistake of lifting with their backs instead of their knees, resulting in upper back and neck pain. When doing heavy lifting, it’s crucial to follow these steps to avoid back pain and injury:

• Spread your feet apart for a wide base
• Get as close as you can to the object you’re lifting
• Bend with the knees, not the waist or back
• Lift slowly
• Do not twist your back
• Once standing, do not bend forward

5. Ease Into Exercise. 

Whether it’s a friendly game of football or a 5k race, lots of people decide to jump into some type of physical activity around Thanksgiving, regardless of their fitness level. However, this can lead to injuries for those who haven’t exercised in a long time, don’t warm up, or who have been drinking and are not as coordinated as they’d normally be. To minimize your risk of sports-related injuries, make sure you:

• Do stretches or light cardio to warm the muscles  
• Wear appropriate workout/athletic clothes
• Avoid drinking before doing any physical activity
• Wrap up your routine with some more stretches

6. Minimize the Risk of Food Poisoning. 

Holiday meal prep often involves cooking poultry, which carries salmonella, the bacteria most often responsible for food poisoning. Make sure you follow these cooking safety tips to avoid getting sick:

• Wash hands immediately after handling raw meat
• Do not use the same utensils/cutting boards for meat and vegetables
• Use a meat thermometer to check that turkey is cooked to at least 160 degrees
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours

If you find yourself injured or in pain this holiday season, the team at Advanced Spinal Care is here to assist you in your recovery journey. Our practitioners are committed to improving the quality of life for all our clients through non-surgical restoration and rejuvenation. We provide a variety of chiropractic, spinal, and physical therapies, including spinal decompression and medical massage. Contact us today for a consultation at one of our offices. We serve patients in two Ohio locations, Cambridge and Coshocton.