“Will You Save a LIFE?”

What does it take to save a Life? Do you need to pull a helpless swimmer from the ocean or perform CPR on a drowning victim to qualify? Or can something as simple as sharing your Chiropractic story with others count too?


If your story helps someone find a solution for their debilitating migraines… you just saved a Life. If your story empowers a family member to reduce their prescriptions, and lowers their risk of becoming another 'drug error' statistic… you just saved a Life. If your story encourages a friend to stop blindly placing their health in the hands of doctors, and start placing the Doctor inside them in charge of their health… then you just saved a Life.

Do you have the power and capability to save a Life? If you know the Chiropractic story, you bet you do! The question is will you? You can't be a Chiropractic Life saver if you don't spread the word. So please, don't keep your story a secret. Tell others how your Life has benefited from Chiropractic care. You'll be saving someone's Life when you do.

'Watching Your Back'

Dr. Heather Giesen

“Spine Low on Adjustments?”



What would you do if your car's low oil light came on today? Would you top off your engine with some 10W-30 weight or put some black tape over that little annoying light so you wouldn't have to deal with it any more?


Ignoring the warning sign will cause your engine to seize down the road. And if you were checking the dipstick regularly and adding oil when needed, the light might not have come on in the first place. The same goes for your spine and regular Chiropractic check ups.

When your spine gets too low on adjustments, pain is the warning light. Unfortunately by the time the pain shows up you've been out of adjustment too long. If that's the case, don't 'black tape' the pain with Tylenol or any other pain killer for that matter. Bring your spine in for a proper Chiropractic Adjustment today and avoid a catastrophic seize event tomorrow.

'Watching Your Back'

Dr. Heather Giesen

Back-To-School: Backpack Safety

It is that time of year again when the kids are getting ready to head back to school.  This means making sure we have the perfect Backpack for the occassion.  This year when shopping consider the Function of your backpack, not just how Fashionable it may or may not be.

What To Look For:

• Find a bag that will fit properly, making sure it isn't too long or too short.  The bag should rest on the back and should not hang below the pant line.
• The bag should have wide, adjustable, padded straps to ensure they are properly positioned and hold the bag tight to the body.
• There should be a hip strap that connects in the front.  This will distribute a portion of the weight to the hips, easing the load on the spine and shoulders.

How Much Should It Weigh:

• The consensus is a child should not be burdened with more than 10-15% of his or her body weight. 
• The bag of a 60 pound child should not be more than 9 pounds and 100 pound child should not carry more than 15 pounds!

Common Mistakes That Are Made:

• We often carry bags that are far too heavy.
• Keep the straps too loose.
• Carry bags improperly

When looking at a backpack we may not think it could have a damaging effect to our spine.  But the consistent weight over time will take its toll and can lead to greater potential for injury.  In fact carrying excessive weight could lead to long term back pain and other serious health conditions including numbness of the shoulder, arm or hand, muscle spasms, headaches and postural deterioration.  Children's spines are still developing and any excess weight will be even more detrimental to the spine.

Proper Loading and Carrying:

• Be sure to pack the heaviest items first and allow them to rest closest to the back.
• Parents should do weekly checks to make sure the backpack isn't exceeding the 10-15% rule and if it is, take a look and see what can be changed to lighten the load.
• Carry the bag with both straps over the shoulders.  When a bag is carried over just one shoulder, that shoulder is required to carry the burden that both shoulders and back should be sharng equally.
• Make sure the straps are secure and the bag is resting against the back.

By using the tips that we have outlined here along with your regular chiropractic adjustments, you are protecting your spine so it will be taken care of to serve you in the future.

Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy 2011-2012 School Year!!

'Watching Your Back'

Dr. Heather Giesen

“When Your Lights are Out…”



Ever have one of those days where you just don't feel as bright as you should? Your diet's good, you're getting enough exercise but for some reason you still feel drained and unproductive. Maybe it's time for a trip to the Chiropractor…


Think of your Nerve System as electrical wires and your body a 100 watt light bulb connected to it. When the wires are clear and electricity flows freely, your bulb glows to 100 watts. But if power is restricted in the wires, your bulb dims. Chiropractors call it being Subluxated or in a 'state of less light/less energy.' And the only thing that can 'light you up' again is a specific, loving Chiropractic Adjustment.

Eating properly and getting enough exercise is important, but you'll never shine to your full potential if you're Subluxated… and you can't afford that. The world needs you beaming at 100 watts. So don't wait until your light's completely out… get adjusted and shine bright with regular Chiropractic care!

It really is that simple!!!

'Watching Your Back'

Dr. Heather Giesen

What Does My Posture Have To Do With It?

How often do you pay attention to your posture when you go about your day?  If you are like the average American, it probably isn't something that is commonly on the forefront of your mind.  Poor posture is an epidemic among the American population and the effects of it are quite detrimental to our health. 

Ideal Posture

As illustrated above, from front to back, our spine should be straight leaving our head, shoulders and hips level.  From the side, our spine should contain three curves which aid in keeping the spine healthy.  A correct position would have the middle of our ear lining up with the middle of the shoulder, much like a golf ball sitting on top of a tee.

The most common postural problem I see is something we call Foward Head Posture (FHP).  We live in a forward facing world from working on computers to watching T.V and playing video games.  Other activities that can lead to FHP are reading, sitting in school and carrying backpacks, just to name a few.

The repetitive activities and motions  we do strengthen the nerve and muscle pathways making it more easy to move into the forward direction.  The repetitive movements coupled with poor ergonomics and trauma more readily cause our body to adapt to FHP.

The effects of poor posture, or more specifically, FHP are becoming more evident.  The abnormal position for long periods of time not only leads to muscle weakness but the tissue and muscles will start to deform and these changes can become permanent and lead to a flattened neck curve.  If the curve becomes straight or flat the nerves get compressed causing premature arthritis to develop.  Other thing we tend to see as a result of poor posture are things like muscle fatigue, aching back, sore neck, headaches, jaw or bite problems (TMJ), arm pain, hand pain, carpal tunnel, mood disorders, chronic fatigue, blood pressure problems and lung capacity problems, just to name a few.

Now that we have our parents or grandparents voices in the back of our mind telling us to "sit up straight", it is time to listen and pay attention to your posture.  Your chiropractor will conduct a thorough examination to determine if there are any spinal subluxations or misalignments contributing to your posture problem.

'Watching Your Back'

Dr. Heather Giesen

"We're All In The Same Boat..."

We have lots of patients who thank us everyday for giving them their health back. They say things like 'doc, you really did a great job…' and 'doc, you helped me when no one else could.' But the truth is… we can't take all the credit for it.

While medicine gives most of the credit for healing to the physician or the drug, Chiropractors see it as a team effort with three key players – the Chiropractor who clears interference from the nerve system, the innate wisdom within the patient which orchestrates the healing and the patient who practices good lifestyle habits to support the process.

We're ecstatic when you see results from our service. But never forget, we're not the only one rowing the boat. There are two other oarsmen pulling in unison… and together we make the perfect, healing team!

'Watching Your Back'

Dr. Heather Giesen