Staying healthy when you’re over 50 is often easier said than done. Whether you spend your days running your business, inspiring the next generation of leaders, or trying to keep your teenagers in line, healthcare best practices often take a back seat when you have a million other things to do.

Being mindful of healthcare best practices, however, is a great way to prevent long-term health problems down the line. If you’re interested in learning more about health over 50, consider adding some of the following healthcare best practices to your routine!

Mind Your Spine

Whether you’ve been a lifelong athlete or get aches and pains from sitting at a desk all day, taking care of your spine throughout your life can keep your whole body happy and healthy. Visiting your local chiropractor to address any pain in your spine and ensure everything is aligned correctly is a great way to do this.

If you are seeking chiropractic services in Federal Way, contact us today!

Love Your Joints

If you are starting to feel aches in your body and creaks in your joints, you are not alone. According to the Arthritis Foundation, about 54 million adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis by conservative estimates. This can also be a common issue for women during menopause.

The first place to start when combatting joint pain is to consult a healthcare professional about the best plan of action. They may prescribe you medication, help you create a workout routine, or teach you stretches for a healthy back and body!

Give Your Teeth a Little Love

Even if you’ve been a dedicated brusher and flosser for your whole life, taking extra care of your teeth after 50 will serve you for years to come. Common dental problems for patients over 50 include dry mouth, ill-fitting dentures, tooth loss, and more.

Being mindful of your oral health regime and good and bad foods for your teeth is always a good idea! Getting regular dental checkups over 50 (and throughout your life) is also key to maintaining oral hygiene. If you need dental implants or a better pair of dentures, an expert restorative dentist can help!

Hit the Gym

A regular workout routine is key to maintaining good health throughout your life. This doesn’t mean you need to be running marathons and pumping iron every day, but staying active can keep you happy and healthy for years to come. A few rules of thumb to keep in mind for your workout routine include:

• Be sure to stretch before and after your workout.
• Always warm up.
• Incorporate cardio and strength training into your workout routine.
• Take rest days.

Rethink Your Menu

If you tend to be heavy-handed with the salt or eat more takeout than you care to admit, taking a step back and assessing your diet is another great health practice over 50. Even taking a few small steps — such as adding more veggies to your dinner menus, swapping sugary drinks for their low-sugar counterparts, and being wise about processed foods — makes for a healthier diet!

Schedule Your Checkups

Preventative checkups are another key factor in staying healthy over 50. Some routine examinations that will allow you to embrace prevention as the best medicine include:

• Blood pressure assessments
• Cholesterol profiles
• Mammograms, colon cancer screenings, and other cancer screenings
• Eye exams
• Ensuring your immunizations are up-to-date

Stick to Your Sleep Schedule

Do you wake up most mornings reaching for the coffee pot or snooze your alarm more than you care to admit? While your days of being out until 3 a.m. may be long over, making a point to stick to a regular sleep routine should be a priority. A few pro tips for maintaining a good sleep schedule include:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, especially eight hours before going to bed.
• Be active during the day.
• If you take naps, limit them to about 20 minutes
• If you have trouble sleeping at night, contact your doctor.

Soothe Your Skin

Skincare is not only important for looking great, but also for protecting your body’s largest organ. Having a healthy skincare regimen in place can help you protect your skin from various types of damage and keep it smooth and moisturized as well. Using moisturizing cleansers, antioxidant-rich lotions, and sunscreen are all great practices for maintaining healthy skin.

Listen to Your Body

If you are one to ignore aches and push through the pain, this year may be the time to change your ways. Listening to your body is a simple health practice that many of us fail to do. If you are feeling pain or discomfort, this could well be a symptom of a larger illness. Next time you are feeling a bit off-color, be sure to listen to your body and practice the self-care you need to heal.

Expand Your Health Horizons

A final health practice to consider is expanding your health horizons. Even if you make a habit of scheduling regular checkups and getting screenings, you may be missing out on some other ways to help your body feel great. To add some variety to your health regime, consider some of the following options:

• Learn about mindfulness.
• Try meditation.
• Consider acupuncture as a treatment for a variety of health issues.
• Spend more time outside.
• Set aside some time for your emotional health.

At Spencer Chiropractic, we believe in helping patients of all ages live happy and healthy lives. To learn more about our practice or to schedule an appointment with one of our team members, contact us today!  

Neck pain can take a toll on your everyday life. Whether you wake up with sharp pains in your neck or start to feel achy and tired throughout the day, focusing on anything else can seem impossible when you’re in pain.

If you struggle with neck pain and can’t find a solution, our team is here to help. Here are a few strategies for combatting neck pain! 

Replace Your Pillow

Do you tend to wake up in the morning with a sore neck? If so, your pillow may be the culprit. Generally, using a pillow that allows your spine to be in a neutral and natural alignment is a good rule of thumb. Selecting a pillow to combat neck pain can be a great way to align your spine and keep your neck happy.

Practice Good Posture

If you tend to slouch and slump throughout the day, this may be the cause of your neck pain. Keeping your shoulders back and chest out throughout the day creates a strong base of support for your neck and may prevent the pain from straining your neck as a result of poor posture.

Evaluate Your Office Setup

Craning your head and neck to see your screen for eight hours per day is another common reason for neck pain. Making sure your computer is at a natural eye level can do wonders for your neck. This means your eyes should be in about the middle of your screen when you are sitting in a natural position.

[Related: Yoga Poses to Combat Neck Pain]

Carry With Care

Do you always carry your purse or briefcase on one side of your body? If so, this could be the reason for your neck pain. Instead of grabbing your belongings with the same hand out of habit, change which side you carry your bags on. Using a backpack that distributes weight evenly across both sides of your body may also be an effective solution!

Visit a Chiropractor

If your neck pain is persisting and quick fixes won’t do the trick, consulting an expert may be your best plan of action. At Spencer Chiropractic Center, we take a holistic approach to helping our patients feel great! To learn more about the benefits of visiting a chiropractor or to speak with one of our experts, contact us today.

When it comes to an aching back, you don’t have to choose between massage or chiropractic care, as it’s not an “either/or” option. Many people find the relief they are seeking from back pain by combining both elements into their ongoing treatment plans.

Faster Healing and Effective Results

Whether you were involved in a car accident, had a sports injury, or simply are plagued by sore back muscles, you could experience many benefits from an alignment that’s either preceded or followed by a massage. The musculoskeletal system of the back consists of bones, tendons, muscles, and soft tissue. Sometimes one or more of these components malfunction and cause limited mobility and flexibility, as well as a host of other problems, for the body’s structure.

The complementary relationship between chiropractic and massage provides patients and clients with a unique opportunity to get the most out of their treatment programs. While chiropractors focus on the alignment and motion of joints and bones, massage therapists work on getting the kinks out of their clients’ muscles. Working together, they can target problem areas and promote quicker healing.

Reasons to Combine Massage with Chiropractic

Increased Flexibility

Regardless of the order in which you get the dual treatments, there are benefits. Patients who got massages after chiropractic adjustments report greater flexibility and less muscle tension for longer periods than those who only received an adjustment or a massage.

Reduced Stress Levels

Research done in clinical studies at the Touch Research Center at the University of Miami showed that massage can reduce the levels of stress hormones in the body. This can be especially helpful when getting chiropractic alignments, as some patients who are in a lot of pain tense up before their adjustments.

Improved Circulatory Systems

Our bodies’ circulatory systems also benefit from a good massage. Getting the blood and sluggish interstitial and lymph fluids flowing normally supplies vital nutrients to injured tissue. This hastens the healing process while also removing harmful waste by-products. Doubling up on chiropractic care and therapeutic massage can help patients and clients achieve natural homeostasis.

This doubled-pronged, holistic approach to wellness is not just for those who have been injured. Incorporating massage into chiropractic care has multiple benefits for each system in the human body. Still not convinced? Here’s another argument in support of taking both treatments — it just feels good to have a relaxing massage. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with stress, that’s as good a reason as any to just relax and enjoy.

As always, if you feel like you need help managing your chronic pain, we recommend that you see a specialist. Schedule a consultation at Spencer Chiropractic Center and let us ease your discomfort and help keep you pain-free in 2019!