The US has been classed by the World Population Review as the unhealthiest country in the world. A love of fast food, and sedentary lifestyles, has led the nation to heart disease and obesity.
According to NIDDK, 1/3rd of adults are overweight, and more than 2 in 5 adults have obesity. That is 30.7% and 42.4% respectively. Nearly 10% of American adults have severe obesity. This is a chronic condition categorized by anyone who has a body mass index of over 40.
It isn’t just adults that are storing up future health problems. The children of America are heading for adult lives full of health problems. Nearly 20% of children are classed as obese today.
Health problems associated with carrying too much weight range from diabetes to high blood pressure to heart attack to chronic back pain.
The latter might incentivize you to visit a chiropractor, but as well as helping with pain relief, they may be able to assist you with losing weight too.
Why is your weight of concern to a chiropractor?
Chiropractors can help their patients achieve better function by manipulating misaligned joints including the spine back into place. They treat various joints and muscles to help manage pain, improve motion, and relieve pressure on nerves.
They undergo years of study before qualifying as chiropractors. Chiropractors are adept at fixing back pain and providing greater wellness in patients through a variety of methods. They aren’t just concerned with manipulating spines, they also provide advice on exercises and lifestyle changes to improve overall health.
Being overweight can put pressure on different parts of the body including the spine and knees plus the pelvis. These are some areas that concern a chiropractor.
How can a chiropractor help you to lose weight?
Many chiropractors are offering extra services and combining other treatments with their regular practice. Some offer spinal decompression and K-laser for advanced pain management. And some have laser lipo services to help those who wish to lose some excess fat.
However, chiropractors have other services that many patients don’t realize including creating weight loss programs. One of the common causes of back pain is being overweight, so weight loss is essential to help this issue.
The problem with weight loss, in general, is that most diets don’t work. There is an astonishing 95% failure rate on diets so something else is needed. In this case, it is a chiropractic weight loss program.
What are chiropractic weight loss programs?
These are customized programs developed by your chiropractor through consultation with you to provide a multi-step solution to weight loss.
Chiropractic adjustments will still be used to align your spine, and help your body function at its best. But, there will be additional steps to the program that you will have to commit to including making healthy changes to your diet.
These include:
- A customized diet
- Nutritional supplements
- Customized exercise plan
- Additional therapies as necessary
You will be consulted and guided through your diet and how it works. You will receive a balanced diet sheet that provides all the nutrition needed but with lower calories. You may receive a specific type of diet that encourages more fat to be burned. The length of the diet and program will depend on your circumstances.
A customized exercise plan will be put into place to help prevent further back or joint problems, as well as to improve muscle strength and encourage weight loss. The exercises will be tailored to the patient’s health and condition accordingly.
There may be other exercises added, or different treatments such as massages if the chiropractor deems them to be beneficial.
Some chiropractic weight loss programs may not include any exercises at all, but they will include monitoring of general health such as blood pressure and BMI recordings.
Can you prevent further problems by using a chiropractor?
If you are going to undertake a chiropractor weight loss program, then it is crucial you see it through. Regular visits to your chiropractor will normally be needed to monitor progress as you meet goals. These visits are important to ensure there have been no recurrences of spine or joint problems.
Chiropractors can help with ongoing care and prevent injuries from reappearing. Some conditions will need managing throughout the patient’s life, and regular chiropractic treatments may be needed. Lifestyle changes can help to mitigate these problems in many cases though.
As well as being overweight, what you eat can also exacerbate back pain. If you make changes to your diet by cutting out caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, you could experience less back pain as these foods can cause inflammation.
Summary
Many associate chiropractors with simply making adjustments and manipulating spines. Yet, there is much more to the way that chiropractors treat patients than simply cracking backs.
Migraines, pinched nerves, and whiplash can all be treated by chiropractors. And, programs can also be created to encourage weight loss and a healthy future.
