Healthy Families Made Easy With Dr. Jason Jones

What are the most common alternatives to opioids and how do they work? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor There is a growing number of deaths and hospitalizations associated with the use of Opioids for managing pains. In fact, there are over 40,000 deaths a year across the US.  You must have heard of the term “Opioid epidemic” as it is commonly thrown around in the news. This is mainly due to opioid overdose, dependence, and addiction which is prevalent in the US. Hence, a lot of people are now switching to alternative options that are less dangerous and also very much effective in managing pains from post-surgical operations, injuries, osteoarthritis, and many other conditions. Here are some common alternatives to opioids: Chiropractic Chiropractic is a natural treatment measure that helps you get immediate and long-term relief from pain. It liberates you from the confinement of using prescription medications like opioids, which come with many side effects. Chiropractic manipulation addresses

The negative side effects of opioids have caused many people to seek out alternatives for pain and other conditions. One safe alternative that has been found to be effective for pain is natural supplements. These products do not come with the risk of side effects, addiction, or drug interaction. Without much ado, here are some natural supplements that are an alternative to opioids: Turmeric Turmeric is a spice that contains the compound curcumin – an antioxidant that protects the body from free radical molecules. Turmeric supplements have been shown to relieve inflammation and pains without any form of side effects. You can add it to juices, smoothies, or curries to enjoy its benefits. Cloves Cloves have been used traditionally as a home remedy to relieve pains.  This supplement contains an active ingredient called eugenol, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. And they may help relieve pains associated with arthritic inflammation, headaches, and toothaches. You can also use cloves as part o

Dr. David Shirazi: an innovative sleep expert, functional dentist, and experienced acupuncturist What we will cover in this podcast: What does a quality night's sleep look like?  How would we know if we had it? What are some basics that most people don’t think about that could be causing them to not sleep well? What are some more complex conditions that cause poor sleep quality that most people would be unaware of?  What are some practical steps that our listeners can start doing right now to improve their sleep? and so much more...... Dr. David Shirazi: As a TMJ and sleep expert, Dr. Shirazi speaks across the country on topics of health, TMJ, and the numerous sleep and breathing issues that affect both children and adults in large numbers! You can see him speak on many topics in his “Talks at Google” and we invite you to enjoy the ways he talks through these incredible patient testimonials. Click HERE to view all of the testimonials. Dr. David Shirazi graduated from Howard Univers

Opioids have been around for years after pharmaceutical companies pushed them out to doctors as effective painkillers. This term “opioids” includes compounds extracted naturally from the poppy seed as well as synthetic compounds with similar properties that interact with the opioid receptors in the brain. Some popular medications classified as opioids include: Oxycodone Hydrocodone (Vicodin) Codeine Morphine (Kadian, Avinza) Hydrocodone products are the most commonly prescribed opioids as they are often used to treat pains from injuries and dental work. Codeine is often used to treat milder pain. But generally, opioids are used to treat everything from post-surgical pain to osteoarthritis. However, prolonged use, non-medical use, use without supervision, and misuse, can lead to several health problems and opioid dependence. Research has shown that about 0.5 million deaths all over the world are attributed to drug use. Shockingly, over 70% of these deaths are related to opioids, with over 30% of those deaths

Why do People Take Opioids? How Do They Work? – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor You must have heard of the term “opioids” and wonder what it means, why people take them, and how they work. Well, we shall be discussing all of that in this short piece. What are opioids? Opioids are a class of pain-relieving drugs that are naturally found in the opium poppy plant. These drugs work in the brain to produce several effects, including pain relief. Some opioids, such as fentanyl, are synthesized in a laboratory Opioids can either be prescription drugs (referred to as pain killers) or they can be so-called street drugs, such as heroin. Types of opioids There are different types of opioids that have several names, including: Fentanyl Codeine Oxycodone Hydrocodone Morphine Oxymorphone These opioids are often prescribed by doctors in different strengths and administered in different forms, depending on the situation, and the level of pain. Heroin is illegal and highly addictive with no sanctioned medica

Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 4: 8 Ways to improve Vagal Tone - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor As a Chiropractor in Elizabeth City, NC, our main focus is helping people gain restoration of proper nervous system function. We understand of why our bodies react the way they do to certain stimuli and we have helped people achieve improved digestion, decreased pain, and positive mental health through adjustment and restoring of nervous system functions. The vagus nerve is an important part of the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for the “rest & digest” function that counters the “fight or flight” response of the sympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerve travels from the brain down through the cervical (neck spine) and out to different glands, organs, and tissues. This nerve helps regulate stress hormone, improve mental cognition, keep the heartbeat regular, digestion, decreases blood pressure and keep you in positive homeostasis. A high vagal tone is associated with bette

Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 3: Sympathetic Vs. Parasympathetic Nervous Systems - What they are and what they control - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor The central nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and all nerves within our body. This system is split into different parts including the autonomic nervous system. While the somatic nervous system controls the movement of our skeletal muscles, the autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary body functions. The autonomic nervous system is split into the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). These two systems control the same general functions in the same parts of the body but produce opposing effects. More so, both the SNS and PNS produce involuntary responses to various stimuli. However, you need to understand the function of each of these systems and what they need to function properly. At our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, we always love to educate our patients on what to do to ke

Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 2: What is Vagal Tone? Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor The vagus nerve is simply described as the longest nerve in the body which originates as cranial nerve 10 in the brain. It travels down from the brain to the neck and then passes around important organs throughout the body, including the digestive system, pancreas, liver, spleen, lungs, and heart. The vagus nerve is a key part of your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the “rest and digest” function, countering the “fight or flight” function of the sympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerve influences many functions in the body, including digestion, breathing, and heart rate, all of which impact your overall health. However, one thing you need to pay special attention to is the “tone” of your vagus nerve. The vagal tone is an internal biological process that determines the activities of the vagus nerve. What is vagal tone? The vagal tone is key to the activity of your parasympathetic ner

Lowering Stress for Optimum Health Part 1: What is the Vagus nerve, why should I care, and what it controls? Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor Have you ever heard about the vagus nerve? You probably haven’t. Well, it’s no surprise to know because scientists have researched many functions of this nerve, and they are still yet to know all. Well, in this article, we shall keep it simple and tell you about this special cranial nerve. Continue reading! The body has 12 cranial nerves, which come in pairs and help to link the brain to different parts of the body, such as your head, torso, and neck. Some of these cranial nerves help to send sensory information, including details about sight, smells, sounds, and tastes to the brain- This is called the sensory function. Other cranial nerves control the function of certain nerves and various muscles, and this is called motor function. However, some nerves perform both sensory and motor functions, and a good example is the vagus nerve, which is also called

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 4:  How your brain/nervous system CONTROLS your immune system - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor Do you always suffer flu or cold? Is it getting on your nerves? Do you sometimes feel that’s normal? Well, the truth is that the fact that some people get sick doesn’t mean everybody has to. Your ability to fight infection or ward of disease is strongly dependent on an important system in the body called the “Immune System.” The interesting part is that your brain/nervous system has a huge control over your immune system. Over the past 20 years, there has been much research conducted on the human immune system, and findings have clearly shown that there is a correlation between your nervous system and your state of immunity. Little wonder, many of our patients at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, who come in with sore throats, colds, stomach viruses and sinus congestion often report an accelerated recovery after our chiropractic adjustment. Many

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 3:  Immune Health - Gut/Digestive tract and immunity: what you can do to enhance it - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor In times past, it was erroneously believed that bacteria had little or nothing to do with our wellbeing, but recent research has made it clear that bacteria contribute greatly to our immunity and overall wellbeing, specifically the bacteria found in our gut. There are over 10,000 species and trillions of microorganisms in our gut, and they all form what is called the gut microbiome. So, it’s not far-fetched when people say “we are more bacteria than we are human.” The gut microbiome impacts many physiological processes in the body, including weight, digestion, and level of concentration, mood, and more. However, there are pathogenic bacteria and good friendly bacteria. The same way the bad guys or bad bacteria can overpopulate your gut, good bacteria can too. When you change the way you eat, it can change the expression of your genes by

I wanted to let you know about Michael Rubino, an innovative expert in mold contamination and remediation. While Rubino is only in his 30s, he is already turning the mold remediation world on its ear with his unique approach to this business.    This pandemic made us more conscious of good hygiene and learned to stay and cope with working more from home. You may know that many are struggling with molds in their homes and the effects of mold exposure on their health. Many seek out mold remediation companies but still suffer after the jobs are done. That’s because many conventional mold remediators are only doing part of this job.    When Rubino does mold remediation, his procedure removes all traces of mold including the spores they leave behind and the toxins produced by the mold.   To educate those who are struggling with molds in their homes, Rubino wrote the book Mold Medic. In detail, Rubino advises readers on how to choose a mold remediation company and the exact processes that the company should be us

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 2:  Immune Health - Bone Marrow: how to stimulate it to work better? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor Bone marrow is the spongy tissue present inside our bones. It is responsible for producing red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The lymphocytes produced in these tissues play an important role in the immune system. The bone marrow is active in newborn babies and new cells are produced continuously, but as you grow into adulthood, the marrow inside your feet, legs, arms, and hands stop producing new marrow cells. At the adult stage, the active marrow is found inside the hip, spine, shoulder bones, breastbone, ribs, and skull.  However, the hip and spine have the richest content of bone marrow cells. What is the role of the bone marrow? Like we said earlier, our bone marrow produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The blood cells start off as stem cells – young immature cells inside the marrow. Once they develop, they do

The thymus gland is a small pinkish-gray organ located behind your breastbone. It plays critical role in the immune system, especially in stimulating the development of disease-fighting T cells. The thymus actually starts working before you’re born and as you grow into puberty it becomes gradually replaced by fatty tissue. It becomes completely replaced as more move into your 70s. When the thymus is active, it helps your body protect itself against autoimmunity, which happens when the immune system fights against itself. Hence, the thymus plays a crucial role in the lymphatic system (your body’s internal drainage system that helps remove toxins and waste from your body). From the fetus stage to the childhood stage, the thymus is mainly involved in the production and maturation of T-cells or T-lymphocytes- a white blood cell type responsible for protecting the body against certain threats, including infections and viruses. The thymus gland produces a hormone called thymosin, which is needed for the production

Why your sugar consumption should not exceed 10% of your carbohydrate calories- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor Sugars are commonly seen in many natural foods and drinks as simple carbohydrates. Healthful foods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products contain sugars, which gives them a sweeter taste. It is important for you to include these foods in your diet as they also offer a range of nutrients that gives valuable health benefits. However, a lot of food manufacturers tend to add sugar to foods such as cereals, cake, and some beverages and drinks. These added sugars or free sugars are implicated in many health problems, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Unlike the natural sugars found in foods and drinks, added sugars offer no nutritional value. Besides, the body digests them very quickly and they are a poor energy source. Carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for the body, and roughly half of your daily calorie intake should come from these carbohydrate-rich foods.

What are the Best Sources of Carbohydrates?  - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor Right from your elementary education, you must have learned about carbohydrates to be an essential component of your diet. In fact, they are one of the main nutrients your body needs, along with fats and protein. What are carbohydrates? In simple terms, carbohydrates are biomolecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. They provide THE energy needed for our bodies to work optimally. When you eat a food that is rich in carbohydrates, your body breaks it down into glucose- which is the primary fuel that circulates in our blood and serves as fuel for the brain. Functions of Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are important for the following functions: They supply the body with energy They form a key part of some connective tissues The fiber content in carbohydrates helps to lower blood cholesterol They help to retain protein so it can be used to repair and build They help to prevent the degradation of skeletal m

A lot of people tend to cut out foods containing carbohydrates just to reduce their weight. However, many do not consider the short-term and long-term consequences of such actions. If you’re one of the people cutting carbs out completely to lose weight, this article will show you the many side effects of your actions. What are carbohydrates and what do they do? Carbohydrates are sugar molecules that can be broken down to release glucose needed by the body to make energy. This macromolecule includes starches, fiber, and sugars that can be found in various foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and legumes. Your body uses carbohydrates as its major source of energy. Although the body can also use fat and protein to make fuel, the process is quite long and less efficient. According to the Institute of Medicine, every individual should get 45 to 65 percent of their daily calorie intake from carbohydrates food sources. More so, the average minimum suggested amount of carbohydrates to take daily

Protein is an important part of every diet, and it is essential for cells formation and repair. It is a major component of the muscle, bone, skin, organs, nails, and hair. What is protein? Protein is a macronutrient that is made up of long chains of amino acids. It is one of the three macronutrients the body requires in larger amounts. The other two include carbohydrates and fat. Basically, there are 20 amino acids that the body uses in making protein. These proteins include arginine, alanine, asparagine, cysteine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine, methionine, proline, phenylalanine, lysine, serine, tryptophan, valine, tyrosine, and threonine. The specific order of these amino acids is a determinant of the structure and function of each protein. An adequate amount of protein is needed for keeping the bones, muscles, and tissues healthy. This macronutrient plays a function in many bodily processes, including: Fluid balance Blood clotting Hormones Immune system r

Supplements Every Man Should Be Taking – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor Most men in our today’s fast-paced environment are constantly overworking themselves and sleeping less. More so, a large percentage of men keep poor nutrition habits on top of poor stress management. So why would supplements not be a necessity? Supplements make a huge difference as they supply the body with the needed vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy living and prevent health issues. Nutrient deficiencies are commonly implicated in low testosterone levels and prostate issues. But with the right supplements, these conditions are avoidable. Here is a list of supplements every man should be taking: Zinc As a man, your testosterone level tends to drop with age, stress, and obesity. And low testosterone has been linked to osteoporosis, depression, heart disease, obesity, and even death. That’s more reason why you should add enough zinc to your diet. This supplement helps to boost testosterone levels in the blood. More

Erectile Dysfunction: Common Causes and natural solutions – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the common health conditions recorded among men. In fact, According to the Urology Care Foundation, it is estimated that 30 million Americans experience ED. Many patients in our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC have reported how erectile dysfunction has affected their sex drive, and how it resulted in depression and low self-esteem. So it is important that we discuss this problem, which is common in men. What is Erectile Dysfunction? Erectile dysfunction (ED) is simply the inability to get or maintain a firm enough erection to have sexual intercourse. This condition is sometimes referred to as “impotence.”   Many men experience ED during times of stress, but when it becomes frequent, it is a clear sign of health problems that need medical attention. An erection is normally achieved when there is an increased blood flow into your penis. And this happens when a