Please explain why you came to our office.
“I had years of low back and neck pain.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“After a few sessions my pain level was much lower and I was able to move without pain.”
50 year-old male
Castor Oil and Baking Soda Skin Treatment
Castor oil is likely the most effective and inexpensive ingredient for cleaning, healing, and moisturizing the skin. Be sure to buy organic castor oil in glass and not a plastic bottle. This recipe with directions for a deep cleanse of the face (which makes use of another inexpensive and common ingredient–baking soda) has been made popular on a youtube video. They make claims that it is effective for reducing wrinkles and dark spots. Here is the summary for how to do the cleanse.
Cleanse your face with the following procedure. For a deep, exfoliating cleanse, use castor oil and baking soda together –this mixture will also rejuvenate the skin. Mix 1 tsp. castor oil with ¼ tsp. baking soda (be exact). If you have acne-prone skin, add 1 drop (no more!) tea tree oil. Massage the paste into your face gently, covering the entire surface of your face but avoiding the delicate area around and under the eyes. Leave on for 15 minutes and then wash your face with warm water and pat dry with a towel. If any irritation of the skin occurs, wash off the baking soda mixture sooner and reduce the baking soda next time.
This combination will help remove excess oil, dirt and other pore-clogging material and rejuvenate the skin. The castor oil will absorb in 30 minutes or so and leave the skin feeling clean and moisturized. However, there are different skin types, so if your face feels too oily afterwards, use a warm wet washcloth to help remove the excess oil. If your face does not feel oily after the treatment, follow with a few drops of plain castor oil massaged gently into the skin and leave it on.
This mixture can be used on the hands also. DO NOT DO THIS DEEP CLEANSE MORE THAN 2 TIMES A WEEK. The recommendation made on the video is to do the cleanse Monday and Thursday evenings on a set schedule. It should be done before bed for best results. The castor oil alone can be used every night to remove make-up and clean the skin– use 1/2 tsp. castor oil applied with a warm wet washcloth and gently massaged into the face (add a drop of tea tree oil as an anti-bacterial if desired). Leave on the skin.
EXERCISE FOR OPTIMAL LYMPH FLOW!
A very good article, “Unlocking Your Body’s Detox Potential–The Crucial Role of Lymphatics” from Dr. Mercola’s September 8, 2024 newsletter does an excellent job describing why and how to target the six major areas of lymph drainage in the body (collarbone area, behind angle of jaw, shoulder/arm pit area, abdomen, groin area, behind the knees) in order to improve detoxification and decrease infection/pain/inflammation/and arthritis.
While the many benefits of exercise are generally well known and documented, anyone designing an exercise program really needs to insure including movement of all primary joints plus diaphragmatic breathing. Of course, chiropractic adjustments are an integral part of maintaining joint mobility.
In addition to chiropractic adjustments, at our clinic we have been recommending breathing exercises, strength and flexibility exercises, walking outside in nature for daily sun exposure, infrared saunas, and rebounding for several years so this article was a welcome affirmation for us that we have been emphasizing the best home practices for not only addressing pain and inflammation but improving overall health and detoxification.
Be sure your exercise routine for the week includes as many of these practices as possible and remember that the older you get the more time you will need to dedicate to maintaining your health. Talk to us for more ideas on how to customize your exercise plan!
Listen to Your Wife
Please explain why you came to our office.
“I was experiencing numbness and tingling in my hand that was not changing after about 3 weeks. My wife recommended I consult with Dr. Burgoon and Dr Sanders to see if they could help.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“The numbness and tingling started subsiding after 2-3 treatments with Dr. Sanders and was almost completely gone within 3-4 weeks.”
~47 year-old male
First Time In My Life
Please explain why you came to our office.
“Experienced neck and shoulder pain for the first time in my life. Dr. B worked me in immediately and gave me a thorough explanation of my condition.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“With the first visit I felt much better and after 6 visits I am now experiencing only minor pain which gets better with each visit.”
~62 year-old female
Four-Season Gardening
Did you know that you can garden all year long? Yes, you do need a yard that gets a lot of sun but if you have that and a desire to grow some of your own food you can do it! I highly recommend Eliot Coleman’s book, “Four Season Harvest”, as an introduction. If you do three season gardening you won’t need cold protection, but if you want to do four season a cold frame or greenhouse is necessary in Virginia.
Here are some Fall carrots we planted late summer and harvested in November. Because most people grow garden plants in the summer, they may not be as familiar with the plants that tolerate colder temperatures and which will survive winter in a cold frame or greenhouse.
The cold tolerant vegetables we grow are carrots, lettuce, kale, collards, broccoli, onions, parsley, cabbage, and radish. We have grown all of them in both the greenhouse and cold frame. Below is a picture of the cold frame taken in late winter on a nice day when the cover was off. Give it a try–you’ll get better with experience every year!
Cry For Help
Please explain why you came to our office.
“My daughter was having trouble with latching while breast-feeding, seemed positionally uncomfortable and having difficulty with adequate intake. My daughter also was acting very uncomfortable throughout the day crying often, and having trouble holding her head in a midline position.
(Dr. Burgoon’s comment: This baby had a rough delivery that likely resulted in a separated shoulder that I diagnosed upon her initial visit. Mom had sought help from several providers before her lactation consultant recommended bringing the baby to our clinic.)
Please describe your response to treatment.
After only 6 visits:
“I think my daughter is having an easier, more comfortable time latching while breast-feeding. She is also acting more comfortable throughout the day.”
~Mom of 8 week-old baby
Why We Recommend Rebounding
Rebounding is one of the best exercises to decrease inflammation, improve energy level, and improve immune system function because it improves toxin and waste removal from the body. It also decreases risk of osteoporosis. There is a very good video exploring the benefits of rebounding that is available online here. All you need is a good-quality rebounder and a workout routine that targets the major areas where stagnation can occur. Chiropractic adjustments help to decrease stagnation in joint areas but rebounding helps keep the lymph flow going! And if you have balance concerns, know that you can follow a routine that never requires your feet to leave the mat. The hand bar is also very helpful for jumping safely.
We recommend David Hall’s rebounder which comes with a variety of workout routines. Watch his intro video before you purchase a rebounder. He explains why you don’t want to buy a cheap rebounder–it’s too easy to get injured. This is an investment but so worth it; you will appreciate the convenience of exercising at home even when the weather is not good for outdoor exercise. This voice of experience–from someone committed to rebounding every day–concludes it is not only fun, rebounding is a very real way to lift your mood.
Fast Shoulder/Arm Fix
Please explain why you came to our office.
“Pain in right arm and shoulder that kept me from free use of my dominant arm for daily tasks and chronic pain that made it uncomfortable to sleep.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
(After only 3 visits) “So far I’m feeling significant improvement, mobility in my arm and less frequent sharp pain.”
~70 year-old female
Relief After First Visit
Please explain why you came to our office.
“I suddenly developed back pain like I never had before. I knew Towers Family Chiropractic was a trusted office, so they were the first resource I thought of to help. Three days prior to my first visit my back went out without an obvious cause, and I could not straighten up without pain. With use of a heating pad and anti-inflammatory medication I was able to limp around but knew I needed treatment to fully recover and preserve my long-term health.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“I experienced relief after the first visit and the acute area of pain and stiffness has not returned. Over the next 3 visits I regained my confidence to return to my normal activities and range of motion as the discomfort fully resolved. I appreciated the simple exercise I was shown to do at home to strengthen my back. Everyone in the office is kind and helpful and made my experience low stress and less intimidating.”
~36 year-old female
