Functional Spine Center

12/18/2020

To schedule an appointment or consultation please visit:
http://functionalspine.com/request-an-appointment/

New and existing patients may also reach out via text message using the office phone number: 207-777-7711

Please note we have been unable to retrieve any Facebook messages despite continued efforts to obtain technical support.

05/21/2020

Visual input is one of the more complicated processes in all of human physiology. The incredible capability of the eyes includes being able to focus on 50 different objects every second, accurately trace movement, and differentiate upwards of 10 million colors. It is estimated that we perceive up to 80% of all impressions by means of our sight. In fact it is the eyes that best protect us from danger if other senses such as taste or smell stop working.

Sleeping requires a reduced visual input to allow the brain to rest, recover, and process the most recent day. Many people like to “fall” asleep to a TV or after a little time on their favorite social media platform or catching up on communication with family and friends. The only other more intricate organ in the body than the eyes is the brain – and they work together. Only 1/6 of the eyeball is actually visible and the we are able to see the flame from a candle 1.7 miles away!

The best sleep reduces or eliminates all visual and light input. Falling asleep to a TV that is flashing lights can keep the brain on (sleep timers FTW!). Darkening the room as much as possible/tolerable is a start. Consider a sleep mask to further reduce any light which allows the brain to focus on internal recovery and not external stimuli.

Lastly, for shift workers this can be increasingly difficult. Melatonin is produced by the brain according to normal light rhythms. The pineal gland can produce melatonin, but external light exposure during the darkest hours of the day will reduce the absorption and use of this critical hormone. For this reason, overnight work is a known carcinogen which must be countered with lifestyle interventions and awareness. A regular and consistent sleep routine - with rise and fall times the same – will provide the best foundation to counter these negative effects.

05/20/2020

An effective sleep strategy can be designed using the five senses as a guide – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. We will start with touch or feel which referred to as tactility.

What is the optimal temperature for sleep? Some say 63°F or 67°F. The temperature that will work best is the one that works specifically for you! There are so many components at play from the material and quality of bed sheets, to the type and amount of clothing worn, how much body fat you have, and the humidity in the room. Let’s keep this simple - you should not be shivering or sweating.

Keeping your head cool is a good start. Consider a shower to shunt blood away from the head which promotes a restful sleep. Keeping your hands and feet warm (socks to bed?!) will preserve your core temperature and allow a peaceful transition to a sleep state.

Think about a time when you become warm in the middle of the night during sleep. Most people will not tear all the bed covers off, but would rather just sneak a foot out and allow for the cooling effect. This cools the blood flow returning to the core of the body.

04/16/2020

So what can you do as an individual to help with the current pandemic? Simply start with yourself.

"How does making yourself 1% better not improve the lives of the people connected to you?" Dr Jordan B Peterson

There is always something - or things - that you can work to improve your quality of life. Doing so enhances the lives of those family, friends, and associates connected to you.Now is the time to repair the foundation of health for mind and body.

1.Diet
2.Body
3.Mindset
4.Morals
5.Relationships
6.Goals

Pick one each day and spend some time reshaping perspectives and finding where that 1% gain can be made. In time, those revisions will compound and establish significant sustainable change.

Focus on the 1% you can do today.

04/06/2020

FSC is still open and seeing patients in accordance with the CDC guidelines. Availability is limited out of respect for physical distancing.

Our goal is to provide care for active injuries, as well as acute (new onset) and emergent issues to alleviate the associated strain on primary care and/or emergency services.

If you have any questions or concerns, you may call 207.777.7711 or text 207.200.1780.

03/15/2020

We remain dedicated to providing care to the community and
contributing to reclaiming, reinforcing, and maintaining your health. In accordance with CDC Guidelines we ask all patients with the following symptoms contact our office so we may reschedule.

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Significant fatigue
• Sore throat
• Chills
• Nausea/vomiting

If you have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or live in or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19. PLEASE CALL ahead before your appointment and discuss recent travel and your potential symptoms.

Please stay safe, stay informed, and if you have any questions or concerns – please let us know.

03/15/2020

For your convenience Functional Spine Center has a new text line to schedule, verify, and modify appointments.

Care instructions will not be provided.

(207) 200-1780

01/22/2020

When it comes to nutrition and eating - simple is always easier to people to apply. Check out this 90 second video that explains precisely what is happening with a diagnosis of diabetes. Dr. Ted Naiman,Burn Fat Not Sugart is a former engineer - and vegetarian - that has rigorously studied and counseled hundreds of patients to defeat diabetes (and obesity) by leveraging protein.

Type 2 diabetes is 100% preventable — I explain WHY and HOW in 1 minute.

01/08/2020

Our genetic code loads the proverbial gun, but the environment we are in pulls the trigger. We cannot avoid the constant of change but we can shape the changes that are inevitable.

An estimated 50,000 to 60,000 Americans live with FTD or frontotemporal dementia. With FTD 30% of all cases are inherited, compared to the 1% of Alzheimer’s patients that receive a familial gene.

Life span after diagnosis of FTD is only six to 10 years and these neurodegenerative diseases are impacted by malnutrition (specifically insulin resistance) and remaining sedentary.

Lifestyle factors such as adequate sleep, a healthy diet, and physical and mental exercises have been shown to directly improve brain health. In the study linked below, personalized lifestyle interventions stopped cognitive decline and even increased their memory and thinking skills within 18 months.

Imagine how much better we could treat this disease if we could actually see these changes…5…10…20 years or more BEFORE they occur….stay tuned to find out if we can, and what to do with a change in awareness. (spoiler alert: we can recognize early onset and do many thing about it!).

12/24/2019

There are two elements of gift exchange....after all it is an exchange. One gives - and one receives and while it may feel better to give than to receive....we must always receive.

Thanks to Robert Cywes M.D. PhD for this very timely post!