Contemporary humans are living very different lives from those of their ancestors, and some of the changes have had serious consequences for health. Multiple chronic “diseases of civilization,” such as cardiovascular problems, cancers, ADHD, and dementias are prevalent, increasing morbidity rates. Stress, including the disruption of traditional sleep patterns by modern lifestyles, plays a prominent role in the etiology of these diseases, including obstructive sleep apnea. Surprisingly, jaw shrinkage since the agricultural revolution, leading to an epidemic of crooked teeth, a lack of adequate space for the last molars (wisdom teeth), and constricted airways, is a major cause of sleep-related stress.

Despite claims that the cause of this jaw epidemic is somehow genetic, the speed with which human jaws have changed, especially in the last few centuries, is much too fast to be evolutionary. Correlation in time and space strongly suggests the symptoms are phenotypic responses to a vast natural experiment—rapid and dramatic modifications of human physical and cultural environments. The agricultural and industrial revolutions have produced smaller jaws and less-toned muscles of the face and oropharynx, which contribute to the serious health problems mentioned above.

The mechanism of change, research and clinical trials suggest, lies in orofacial posture, the way people now hold their jaws when not voluntarily moving them in speaking or eating and especially when sleeping. The critical resting oral posture has been disrupted in societies no longer hunting and gathering. Virtually all aspects of how modern people function and rest are radically different from those of our ancestors. We also briefly discuss treatment of jaw symptoms and possible clinical cures for individuals, as well as changes in society that might lead to better care and, ultimately, prevention.

Read full article: The Jaw Epidemic: Recognition, Origins, Cures, and Prevention

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Creating Serenity

Most of us race from task to task, landing home in the evenings having forgotten, many times, to take time to enjoy our day. This way of being can become a habit that numbs us to the joy of life. Living for the weekends isn’t really living, and even if we schedule a massage once a month or veg out after work, we’re likely missing out on what could be daily moments of peace and serenity that positively impact our health and wellness.

As most of us know, chronic stress can negatively impact hormonal balance, fertility, blood pressure, digestion and immune strength (to name a few) and contribute to issues such as headaches, insomnia and depression.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

With a little preparation, we can easily sprinkle our days with moments of awareness, relaxation and enjoyment. Creating peaceful routines can make a big difference in your day and be inexpensive and time-efficient to boot.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Set your phone alarm on the hour every hour (or every two hours) when you’re at work. When it beeps, that’s your reminder to stretch and to listen to your body and give it what it needs—a snack? A brief rest? Bathroom break? Connect back in.
• Create a home sanctuary. Donate items you don’t use or don’t love and replace them with calming accents such as natural candles, peaceful photos or aroma sticks.
• Organize and simplify your home, car and work areas. External order and calm tend to positively affect internal state as well and just feel good.
  Start a library of books on soothing topics such as relaxation, stress management or favorite hobbies and interests. Spend some time each day (perhaps in a favorite chair) reading at least a selection from a tome that catches your fancy.
• Honor your bedtime and create a calming ritual. An oldie but a goodie! How about a warm shower or bath before bed? Journaling and other bedtime rituals such as aromatic (natural!) lotion application, candles or reading can get you in a relaxed state and off to sleep in no time!
• Integrate items or photos that remind you of things, places, people or pets you love into your workspace and take a few moments to notice them each day before starting work, after lunch and again when you leave for home. Breathe in three deep, slow breaths as you survey your reminder objects.

Taking the time to prepare little islands of peace and calm in your day are often all it takes to de-stress and reinvigorate and bring us back into connection with ourselves. Your body, mind and soul will thank you!

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

Ways to Reduce Stress – Burbank & Thousand Oaks CA

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A Commentary

Richard C. Gerardo, D.C.
Charles L. Blum, D.C.

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Dr. Richard Gerardo – D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

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Brightly colored packages, convincing advertisements, celebrity endorsements and product placement can make it seem like we all should be using Brand A, B, or C shampoo, aftershave or lipstick. Apart from the question, “do I really need this product at all?”, it’s prudent to consider the number of chemicals and unnatural compounds we’re regularly applying to our skin, where they are readily absorbed.

The skin absorbs from 60-100% of skin products. Typically, women use an average of 500 personal care products daily such as hair dye, makeup, lotions and nail polishes. Most of these products contain toxic substances that can negatively impact health and wellness. The more of these products we can substitute or eliminate, the better!

Locating alternatives to conventional personal care products can initially appear challenging, although the variety of quality brands offered is increasing, and depending on how “granola” you want to go, many home-made substitutes obtain better results (with no side-effects!) than their store-bought counterparts.

Here are a few easy switches to get you started with natural skin care products:

• Baking soda can be used as a gentle but effective facial exfoliator/scrub
• Coconut oil makes a terrific body lotion
• Sunflower oil is non-comedogenic (will not clog pores) and works well as a facial moisturizer
• Apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball serves as an effective pH balancing facial toner
• Aloe vera gel (straight from the plant is great!) soothes and heals blemishes

Whether creating your own toothpaste or massage oil, finding recipes online is as simple as typing “do it yourself ________” into the search bar. Many recipes can be customized with a variety of ingredients, including essential oils to add pleasing aromas. Imagine creating a soothing rosemary body lotion, or a simple peppermint tooth scrub—personal care products can become a fun and creative mode of self-expression!

For those looking for ready-made solutions, however, many brands offer organic, more natural choices. Keep in mind that while there is no legal definition of the term “natural”, products that are only minimally processed with few ingredients will be a big improvement over typical brands. In short, look for simple ingredients and skip products containing a long list of unpronounceable substances. Health food stores often carry a variety of toxin-free personal care products.

Making sure we’re taking a close look at personal care products is important for overall wellness. Toss out those old chemical products; let’s get healthy!

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

Natural Skin Care Products – Burbank & Thousand Oaks CA

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Many mothers experience difficulties breastfeeding their infants. Why? The act of breastfeeding is a complex one involving the coordination of multiple muscle movements and structural factors, in addition to positioning and nutritional considerations.

Is your baby experiencing difficulties latching on, disinterest in breastfeeding or feeding constantly but unable to get enough milk?

Frustrated and fearful their babies are not getting the nutrition they require, parents may resort to bottle feeding early on. Formula feeding isn’t always the best option, however.

While breast milk is individualized for your child’s specific needs, formulas are general derived from soy or cow’s milk—neither of which are optimal for human infants. Scientists are recently finding that breast milk for girls even differs from that for boys! Infant formulas are mass produced and contain substances such as BPA, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and genetically modified ingredients, all of which carry potentially harmful side effects. Formula feeding compromises nutrition and introduces unnatural proteins and carbohydrates, which can be extremely detrimental to developing infants. Studies show that formula-fed babies are at greater risk for ear infections, severe respiratory infections, dermatitis, asthma, obesity, immune system dysfunction and gastrointestinal damage, among other issues.

In addition to the nutritional advantages breastfeeding offers, the physical act of breastfeeding encourages normal infant bone growth and muscle development. Without this natural sucking pattern, issues may develop around proper function and development, airway restriction and facial abnormalities.

Although some parents must resort to formula feeding due to factors outside of their control, many of the common problems that discourage parents from breastfeeding can be successfully addressed and treated.

Causative factors impacting breastfeeding may include:

• Lip mobility
• Lingual (tongue) functioning
• Latching issues
• Lip tie
• Tongue tie
• Stiff neck/wry neck/torticollis
• Mother’s consumption of foods that baby is allergic to

Here at Wholistic Chiropractic, we care for and treat adults as well as children (and pets!), and we love to assist in healthy babies’ development!

If you have any questions about breastfeeding, bring your infant in for an evaluation. Solutions may be simpler than you think!

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

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Do you, like many Americans, engage in chronic tooth clenching and/or grinding? If so, the stress levels in your life are too high and causing deleterious health effects.

Period.

Why does everyone now seem to use night guards? Two decades ago that wasn’t true. The presence and intensity of ‘busyness’ and stress in our daily lives has increased astronomically over the past twenty years. Between over-working, poor diet, lack of sleep, little exercise and/or trying to be all things to all people as quickly as possible, it’s all too common to experience exhaustion and significant stress on a daily basis.

Enter: Clenching and Grinding.

Both clenching and grinding are reactions to instability in the body’s systems. While both are significant issues, grinding indicates a more severe form of distress. Systemic instabilities typically originate with chemical, physical or psychological/emotional imbalances and very commonly, from a combination of all three.

Here’s the bottom line:

When the body is literally destroying itself (it’s quite common, when clenching and grinding, to not only grind teeth down, but to actually chip and crack them as well), it is a pathological state and a sign that the system is seriously out of whack.

What to do?

The simple answer is not always an easy fix. But here it is: Decrease stress.

Growing older occurs naturally, but aging happens when the body fails to adapt to the forces we face daily. Our bodies work tirelessly for us and don’t WANT to fail, but we routinely overwhelm our systems with insurmountable amounts of stress. Given half a chance, the body will heal itself and allow us to pursue happy, healthy lives.

Decreasing stress (and subsequent clenching and grinding behaviors) requires taking an honest look at our lives. Examining daily habits, sleep patterns, workload, diet and exercise, as well as injuries, inflammation, exposure to chemicals and repetitive stress patterns is critical to getting a handle on stress. Overhaul anything that’s inflicting significant stress and if you can’t change it yourself, get help.

While expensive life-coaches and personal trainers can be life savers, so can books, articles and plain old common sense. The important thing is just to dive in, be truthful about when you’re crossing the line of “too much” and start to prioritize ​ health and well-being.

At Wholistic Chiropractic, we are happy to serve as an integral part of your de-stressing, anti-aging team.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

Clenching and Grinding – Burbank & Thousand Oaks CA

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Stress Management Tips

The other day I saw a coffee cup that read: “Stress is Caused by Giving a F@%&”. That’s one take, but I’ve got a different one:

Stress is the result of holding expectations that are out of alignment with reality.

What happens when you expect your relatives to finally get along at the next holiday party, but they don’t? Stress. Or when you try to get more work done than can be accomplished in a workday? Stress. What happens when we expect things to go well on a blind date and instead the night is awkward and strained? Stress.

What would happen if, instead of paying attention to expectations, we were simply open to experiencing what is actually occurring? A lot less stress.

Aim for the stars, absolutely! Those who follow their hearts and live their dreams but also live with the awareness that in reality, things don’t always go as planned experience much less stress in their lives.

The key? Realize expectations are only fantasies. An expectation is merely an expression of how you want things to go—just knowing that takes a lot of the kick out of dinner cancellations, rained-out games and catching a cold on vacation.

In a traffic jam? Re-frame and replace the stressful, reality-fighting thought of “I have to get to work on time!” with “There’s nothing I can do about this. Next time I’ll leave earlier. Today I can enjoy this ride by talking with a friend/listening to some music/noticing the beautiful scenery.”

Motivational comedian Kyle Cease sells shirts that say, “I hope I screw this up!” Why? To remind him that what’s important is the experience, enjoying the moment and responding to what’s really happening rather than trying to stick with a pre-made plan that may no longer work for him or for the situation—or worse—trying to be perfect. How many times do we forget to enjoy what’s going on around us because we’re trying to say the right thing, not appear this way or that, or to get others’ approval? Living life from a point of authenticity can be an incredibly freeing paradigm shift.

Remember the old saying “live and let live”? There’s a lot of wisdom there. We can often dial down the stress in our lives simply by taking responsibility for our own thoughts and actions, letting others do their thing and realizing that getting what we want (our expectations), is not always on the agenda.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

Stress Management Tips – Burbank & Thousand Oaks CA

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In the thick of the holiday season, with office parties, neighborhood get-togethers and family celebrations, food is often the star of the show. With tempting deserts on every tabletop and the hustle and bustle of the season, how is one to navigate all of this goodness without putting on “the holiday 10”? Keep reading for 6 simple tips on how to joyfully dance through the season and stay light on your feet.

• Say “no” to seconds: Merely sticking to one cookie or one slice of pie rather than two is one of the easiest ways to literally cut calories in half.
• Replace processed dishes with whole food choices: Selecting whole, unprocessed foods such as yams rather than pastas, for example, will decrease your sugar and calorie intake significantly. You’ll notice energy levels stabilizing as a bonus.
• Bring a healthy dish: Showing up to a holiday gathering, food in hand, not only makes you a popular guest, but ensures you’ll have access to a tasty and healthy meal option as well.
• Keep it moving: Park further away from your destination. Briskly walking those extra steps several times a day really adds up and will help burn off the richer foods we tend to indulge in during the holidays and keep you feeling energized.
• Stick to your routine: If you have a healthy routine that involves physical exercise, it may be tempting to let that slide during the holiday season, but sticking to your yoga class or morning walk will help you stay balanced, feeling great and will put you in a better frame of mind to make healthier food choices as well. If you don’t have a fitness routine, this is a great time to start one!
• Get enough sleep: With all of the activities and busyness that often come with the holidays, it may seem time-efficient to burn the candle at both ends. Without proper sleep, however, the body has a hard time regulating hunger hormones which, in addition to slowed metabolism that comes with sleep deprivation, can lead to packing on some extra pounds.

Enjoy the season and Happy Holidays from Wholistic Chiropractic!

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

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Do you clench or grind your teeth at night? Many do. Left untreated, teeth grinding may lead to jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and other issues.

Otherwise known as bruxism, teeth grinding is often related to pain or instability in the musculoskeletal system. System imbalance can lead to a constant state of musculoskeletal tension as the body attempts to adapt and compensate for misalignments and/or pain. The longer the system has been adapting to a condition of imbalance, the more complex the resulting distortions.

The following imbalances create a cascade of symptoms that may include teeth grinding, clenching and bruxism:

• Increased muscle tension in the jaw
• Loss of cervical curve; increased forward head posture and increased tension in cervical musculature
• Sub occipital tension
• TMJ/CMD symptoms
• Decreased lumbar curve and/or increased lumbosacral disc angle
• Chronically unstable SI joint
• Forward or anterior hand position in standing posture
• Pain in feet and metatarsals, poor foot mechanics and/or collapse of arches
• Muscle tension and/or spasms

The art and science of holistic chiropractic treatment is learning how to read, understand and treat the reactions and compensations of the body. All cranial therapies work off of this premise.

In our clinics, we employ Sacro-Occipital Technique (S.O.T.), a therapy that targets adjusting patterns in the body rather than individual body parts alone. S.O.T. uses a system of categories and indicators to systematically reduce the stresses, reactions and compensations and can significantly reduce or eliminate clenching and bruxism.

Holistic treatment always aims at resolving imbalance, tension and pain and returning the patient to a state of true integrative health.

Call our office today to schedule an appointment to address the root causes of your tooth-grinding or clenching.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

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Introduction to Orthotropic Remediation and the Importance of Nasal Breathing

Tenets of an orthotropic paradigm:

• The orthotropic objective aims to keep the growth of the maxilla (upper jaw) up and forward vs. down and back.
• Treatment of crooked teeth addresses the symptom rather than the cause, which explains the high rate of relapse in traditional orthodontia.
• Removing teeth actually hinders growth and development.
• Malocclusion is related to vertical growth instead of horizontal development.
• Cases should be initiated by eight years old as the maxilla fixes to the cranium between the ages of eight and nine.

Dr. Mew’s most important goal targets adjustment of the shape of the dental arch to restore a normal pattern of nasal breathing (eliminating mouth breathing).

Nasal breathing reestablishes a more protrusive mandibular (lower jaw) position, optimizing TMJ (temporomandibular joint) position and function. This readjustment works similarly to a cranial manipulation.

What happens during mouth breathing? The mechanics of the obligatory mouth breather are based on the compromise of the airway and associated musculature positioning in and around the mouth. When the mouth is open a significant part of the day and night for breathing, the tongue drops from its natural position inside the maxillary arch. This lingual drop results in a reduction in intraoral pressure, causing the dental arch to collapse inward, down, and back. The arch narrows, the palate elongates vertically, and the maxilla is restricted from expanding anteriorly and laterally. This maxillary restriction tightens sutures in the facial bones and causes tension to transmit through the cranium, resulting in postural changes and additional unwanted compensations throughout the musculoskeletal system.

Balanced breathing is achieved when inhalation and exhalation is performed through the nose with the lips sealed. In this position, the pressure coming from outside the teeth (lips & cheeks) matches the pressure from inside the teeth (tongue) and maintains an appropriate maxillary dental arch.

Coming full circle, it becomes clear that creating an oral environment in which normal nasal breathing is achieved and the ideal dental arch is maintained impacts development of appropriate dental structures, normalizes maxillary and mandibular growth patterns and creates a beautiful functional and aesthetic result—sans headgear!

Read our previous article with information on the causes of the Headgear Effect»

At Wholistic Chiropractic, we are happy to answer your questions. Call and find out what we can do for you.

In Health and Happiness,

Dr. Richard Gerardo

D.C., C.S.C.P., D.A.C.B.N.

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