Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Vital Energy Center General Information
Applied Kinesiology and Functional Neurological Assessment
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Unique Massage at The Vital Energy Center
We offer 3 unique styles of massage.
Traditional Relaxation & Deep Tissue Massages, practiced by Tara Hoch LMT, are fantastic for easing tense muscles and relaxing the mind and body. Tara is an expert at treating muscle and joint injuries, reducing pain and stiffness and facilitating recovery after auto accidents and work injuries.
AMMA Bodywork Therapy, practiced by Leslie Bower LMT is an ancient and extremely specialized form of skilled bodywork that integrates deep tissue manipulation, pressure application, friction, and touch to specific acupoints, energy channels, muscles, ligaments, and joints. AMMA Bodywork Therapists are trained in the principles of Holistic Nutrition, eastern dietary principles, and the use of Chinese herbs.
SOMA Structural Integration and Massage, practiced by Jeff Greiner LMT, is a system of bodywork that pays particular attention to the fascia (or connective tissue network). SOMA releases tension in the fascia and thus provides relief from chronic pain and tension and improves overall structural alignment.
Choose any style for only $47 (1 per client)
Or
Choose the Massage Sampler Package and receive 1-Hr of each style (3 total hrs!) for only
135! (1 per client)
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!
Call Heather at 206-860-9090 to schedule your appointment!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Chiropractic Care Focuses on Optimal Health and Function
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Everyday activities that cause Neck Pain, Back Pain and Spinal Stress
Everyday activities that cause postural stress and spinal misalignments:
1. Prolonged sitting
2. Sitting after vigorous activity
3. Lying and resting with poor posture
4. Improper lifting
5. Prolonged standing
6. Working in stooped positions
Postural stress slowly weakens and distorts the structure and function of your spine and nerve system. Postural stress progressively weakens the ligaments and discs that support the spine and can stretch and irritate the spinal cord and spinal nerves that run between the spinal bones. If you make the effort to maintain good posture throughout each day, you can significantly reduce postural stress and improve the health of your entire body!
Prolonged sitting:
Many people sit more than 8-10 hrs per day. We sit at our desks, in the car, on the bus,
at the dinner table, on the couch, etc. And we do this everyday… for years! Let’s do the math:
8 hrs/ day x 365 days year= 2920 hrs of sitting every year! Improper sitting is one of the most common causes of spinal dysfunction. On average, 1/3 of your life is spend sitting, so let’s learn how to do it right.
Rule #1: Do not slouch. Maintain the proper curves (lordosis) in your neck and back.
Keep your chin up and your head back over your shoulders. If the seat
has a backrest, use a rolled towel to support the low back.
Rule #2: Interrupt periods of prolonged sitting with motion. Move the hips forward and
back, right and left 10 times, and/or stand up and walk around.
Do this at least once every hour.
Sitting after vigorous activity:
Rule #1: After vigorous activity, you should gradually cool down. Do not stop activity
Lying down and resting:
Like sitting, many of us lie down to rest or sleep for 6-8 hours per day. On average,
Rule #1: Use your pillow to support your neck and head. When lying on your
back make a deep hollow in the center of your pillow to rest the back of your head. When on your side, use the pillow to keep your head and neck straight. Do not rest with head and neck in a kinked position.
Rule #2: Do not sleep on your stomach with your head turned. This places
extreme stress on the upper neck and is the cause of many problems.
Lifting:
Lifting objects with your back greatly increases the stress to your spine and discs. Every
Rules for lifting:
1. stand as close to the object to be lifted as possible. Bend your knees
or use a stool if necessary. Do not reach out for objects.
2. maintain proper spinal curves
3. get a secure grip and keep the object as close to you as possible.
4. lift objects slowly off the floor with your legs.
5. once you are upright and holding the object, shift your feet to turn
and avoid twisting the lower body.
Rule summary: Keep the object close to you, do not twist the lower body, and
Maintain proper spinal curves.
Prolonged standing:
Prolonged standing causes fatigue of the postural muscles of the back. When this
happens, the curve in your low back becomes excessive and your stomach hangs out.
This is the opposite position to the slouched position.
stomach and slightly tightening your buttocks
When you work in a stooped position (ie. vacuuming, gardening, bedmaking, etc) the
Rule #1: Interrupt the stooped position at regular intervals. Stand up straight and bend backwards 10x every :30 minutes
2 ways to maintain a youthful spine and nerve system
applied kinesiology to maintain a strong brain/body connection and
Will Improve Your Life!!
The importance of a chiropractic evaluation following an auto accident
Many of my current clients have told me that when they went to their doctor following their accident, they received a brief examination, given pain medication and released. Few of them were x-rayed, and even fewer were referred to chiropractors to detect subtle spine and muscle injuries. A February 2001 study in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology revealed that accident victims, classified as having “minor” injuries experienced a threefold increase of neck and shoulder pain 7 years after their accidents. Another study published in 1997 in the American Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatology found that 21.6% of adults with neck injuries developed Fibromyalgia with 1 year of their injury! Don’t just walk away from the accident and think that you will be fine. Everyone who is involved in an automobile accident has the right to a complete chiropractic evaluation to detect subtle injuries to the spine and muscles that can result in an increased risk of headache, back pain, fatigue, stomach pain, sleep disturbance and general ill health years later. If you or someone you know has been in an auto accident, call our office today at 206-860-9090 to schedule a chiropractic evaluation
Our Primary Intention at The Vital Energy Center
Our Primary Intention is to help as many people as we can lead happier and healthier lives.
Thats what motivates us and drives us to continually improve the quality of our services.
We know that every person we help creates a positive shift for us, for them, for their family, community, and all humanity.
The goals for The Vital Energy Center are to:
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Substantially improve our patients health and well-being far beyond "back-pain problems".
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Provide our patients with self-care education to promote a lifetime of health & wellness
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Help our patients understand the primary that chiropractic, nutrition, and massage have in the restoration and maintenance of good health.
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Give you access to the best natural healers in one convenient location.
- To set a new standard for quality care and impeccable service.
The Vital Energy Center's Certified Nutritionist Eliza Carlson MS,CN at the KCTS health fair!
On Sept. 10, 2008 Eliza and I were invited to attend an employee health fair at KCTS. Eliza, our nutritionist, was performing anti-oxidant screenings with the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner. People were lining up to get their Body Defense Scores and see if their current diets and supplementation program were working. To the surprise of many, their "good diets and daily supplementation" weren't working! They had low scores (<20,000 : optimum is 50,000+) The scanner doesnt lie! its a very accurate measurement of the anti-oxidant benefit that you're getting from your diet. If the diet is deficient in fruit and veggies, it shows. If your supplements are not being absorbed or if the quality of the nutrients are poor, it show. Eliza is a Certified Nutritionist, and was able to offer solid advise and a guaranteed way to improve anti-oxidant levels and Body Defense Scores. If you're interested in knowing your score, give us a call. On your first visit, Eliza will run the scan, and help you determine how to maximize your anti-oxidant protection. The Vital Energy Center was a huge hit at KCTS and we look forward to the next event!
Research on Applied Kinesiology
Here are several of the many studies across multiple disciplines on manual muscle testing and applied kinesiology.
The first study is a fantastic synopsis of 19 peer reviewed -clinically researched cases and their response to applied kinesiology manual muscle testing and chiropractic treatment.
http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/pdf/1746-1340-15-4.pdf
10 years worth of Structured Abstracts from the International College of Applied Kinesiology, ICAK Collected Papers: ICAK Applied Kinesiology Collected Papers Structured Abstracts 2006-1996.doc (601 kb)
What is Applied Kinesiology Muscle Testing...
Monday, October 13, 2008
How do i know whether to use ice or heat after an injury?
ICE: decreases the flow of circulation, decreases swelling after an acute injury, decreases pain impulses, and INCREASES muscle and ligament tension. Best applied after an acute injury in which a sprain/strain has occurred and where there is swelling. Also, when unusual or strenuous physical activity is followed by muscle or joint pain, its best to apply ice. Never apply ice directly to the skin, wrap the ice pack in a cloth before placing over the injured area. Ice is typically applied for :10 minutes every hour for the first 1-3 days, but its best to consult your doctor for the exact treatment frequency.
HEAT: increases circulation of blood and decreases muscle and ligament tension. Best used to relieve chronic muscle and ligament tension. Moist heat penetrates deeper into the body than dry heat and be sure to dry the area after use to prevent rapid cooling.
Hope that helps!! If you have questions let me know, I'd be happy to help.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Vital Energy Center is proud to announce the arrival of the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Anti-oxidant scanner`
Whats your anti-oxidant score?
What does the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner measure?
The S2 Anti-oxidant scanner measures the level of carotenoid antioxidants in the skin. The level of skin carotenoids is a very good indicator of overall serum anti-oxidant levels. Anti-oxidants are substances that help protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced stress, the breaking down of food, and by environmental exposures like air pollution, water pollution, tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Your Anti-oxidant score is an important indicator of the strength of your body’s overall antioxidant defense system.
Is the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner backed by science?
The use of Raman Spectroscopy for biological measurements is an established scientific discipline backed by years of research. The Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner are patented applications of Raman Spectroscopy for the measurement of
carotenoid antioxidant nutrients in living tissue for the improvement of nutrition. The use of Raman Spectroscopy for the assessment of human tissue carotenoids has been validated by at least eight peer-reviewed studies conducted by third party entities unrelated to Pharmanex or the supplementation industry (Bernstein,1998, 2002; Ermakov, 2004a, 2004b; Gellermann, 2004,2002; Hata, 2000; Zhao, 2003).
How can I increase my score?
You can increase your Skin Carotenoid Score by eating a 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and adding supplements like Lifepak nano, a very high-quality, comprehensive nutritional supplement that is guaranteed to raise your score. In addition, our nutritionist Eliza Carlson can help you create a personalized program to boost your score and improve your overall nutritional status. Just ask Heather (heather@thevitalenergycenter.com) to schedule your nutritional consultation with Eliza .
To learn more about the scanner click here: http://www.nuskin.com/global/library/pdf/products/pip_s2scanner.pdf
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Spinal Decompression at The Vital Energy Center
At The Vital Energy Center we have 2 easy to use and very popular inversion tables. In this picture, I'm on the DEX decompression table. I like the DEX because it allows me to adjust the spine to remove specific areas of spinal stress and tension while the spine is in full traction. I have found this to be of tremendous benefit for those people whose spines have become compressed from prolonged sitting and poor posture over the years. To learn more about the benefits of traction check out the link on our website www.thevitalenergycenter.com/inversion-table and there you can see our other inversion table the teeter hang-up F9000, also a clinic favorite with its own unique benefits.
Unique Massage at our Capitol Hill Office
The Vital Energy Center offers 4 unique styles of massage. Traditional relaxation and deep tissue massage is directed at easing tense muscles and relaxing the mind and body. Our Massage therapists are also experts in Injury Treatment massage to help you recover from auto,work, or sports injuries. The Vital Energy Center is also proud to have both AMMA and SOMA bodyworkers at our clinic. Leslie Bower LMT is AMMA bodywork therapy. AMMA is the oldest Chinese word to describe massage, a classical Asian Bodywork style that dates back over 5000 years. Amma Bodywork Therapy is an extremely specialized form of skilled bodywork that integrates deep tissue manipulation, pressure application, friction, and touch to specific acupoints, energy channels, muscles, ligaments, and joints. Amma Bodywork Therapists are trained in the principles of Holistic Nutrition, eastern dietary principles, and the use of Chinese herbs.SOMA Structural Integration and Massage, practiced by Jeff Greiner LMT, is a system of bodywork that pays particular attention to the fascia (or connective tissue network). SOMA releases tension in the fascia and thus provids relief from chronic pain and tension and improves overall structural alignment. Are you ready to give those sore, aching muscles a break? Want to feel good in your body again? I bet you do! Call our office today at 206-860-9090 and schedule a massage with one of our fantastic massage therapists, and begin to feel better now. realign the entire body.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Chiropractic Exam Special Offer!
For a limited time, We're offering our introductory exam for only $77!* (reg. $225). Here's
what we'll do: an in-depth chiropractic consultation and evaluation including a computerized spinal exam, postural evaluation, and 70-pt muscle evaluation. When we’re finished, if we can help you we'll tell you right away, and if we can’t, we'll try to help you find someone who can.
Great Care & a Great Value:
You'll be glad to know that further care is very affordable - We bill most major health insurance, auto insurance, and labor & industries. We also offer easy payment options if you have little or no insurance coverage. And you can be sure that we'll treat you with the utmost care and respect in our office.
We're here to help!
Heather, our office manager, is fantastic & she's available to answer your questions and schedule your appointment.
This is your chance to find out what chiropractic is, how it works,
and how we can help you.
But remember, it's a limited time offer and i don’t want you to miss
out, so call Heather now at 206.860.9090 to schedule your appointment.
*By the way, i want you to know there is no pressure, obligation, or hidden fees associated with this offer.
Sincerely, Dr. Jared Kohler
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Chiropractic Definition
Chiropractic is concerned with the preservation and restoration of health, and focuses particular attention on the subluxation. A subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health. A subluxation is evaluated, diagnosed, and managed through the use of Chiropractic procedures based on the best available rational empirical evidence.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Core strengthing exercises at work.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
2 simple postures to relieve lower back pain
2 yoga postures to avoid

we see alot of yoga practitioners in our clinic and many of them complain of neck pain and stiffness that just does not seem to go away. upon examination, i often find that these people have lost their normal cervical lordosis (or natural curve), there are many causes for this from poor reading posture, to head injuries and rear end auto accidents. once the curve is lost it must be restored to prevent deterioration of the discs, joints, muscles, and nerves. most yoga ananas (postures) will not exacerbate this condition, but there are 2 that put the neck under extreme strain and can even cause a disc herniation. what are the 2 posture to avoid.... shoulder stand and plow. i strongly suggest that you dont do them.
Chiropractic helps speed recovery after whiplashi injuries
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
A Simple Postural Change that can eliminate headaches, neck pain, and tension
"Spinal Pain, headache, bloodpressure, pulse, and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture. The corollary of these observations is thatmany symptoms, including pain mayb e moderated or eliminated by improved posture." Am. Journal of Pain Management Vol 4. #1 Jan 1994.
One of the most destructive postural problems is FHP (or forward head posture). FHP is when your head is positioned out in front of your shoulders. It develops as a result of holding the chin toward the chest while reading, after rear-end car accidents, sleeping on your back with thick pillows under the head, and due to poor head positioning during computer use.
Why is FHP such a problem? Because it takes the natural curve out of the neck and significantly increases the stress on the spine, muscles, and discs. For every inch that your head is held forward the compressive forces placed on the spine increase 100%. When the spinal discs, and joints are subject to increased stress for a sustained period of time they begin to deform and permanent changes can take place. If left uncorrected, forward head posture can have serious health consequences.
"FHP leads to long term muscle strain, disc herniations, arthritis, and pinched nerves" Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Vol.18, #3, March 2000.
Heres how you can lessen the damaging effects of FHP:
First: Seek chiropractic care! Chiropractic corrective care can significantly reduce the effects of forward head posture on the spine. Gentle adjustments to the spine can help reduce spinal misalignments and stress and help restore the natural curve of your neck and bring your head back over your shoulders. Thereby significantly improve the integrity of the spine and nerve system.
Second: Avoid the "chin-to-chest" posture while reading. Instead, keep your head up, use a bookstand or simply bring reading material up to your eyes instead of your eyes down to the reading material.
Third: When using your computer, set the monitor at eye level so that when looking straight ahead, you gaze at the upper 1/3 or the monitor. Also, use a stand up clipboard or monitor clip for papers that you are working from so as to avoid bending and turning the neck to view papers that are flat on the desk. Many office supply stores have versions of paper stands or copy stands that attach to the computer monitor.
Forth: Use a headset when talking on the phone to avoid a sideways kink of the neck which occurs when you sandwich the phone between your ear and shoulder
Fifth: When sitting for long periods of time, take a moment ever :30 minutes and notice your posture. Then sit up straight, elevate your chest, and bring your head back over your shoulders. Every hour get up from the chair and stand with your back against the wall. Turn your palms forward and lightly squeeze your shoulder blades together. Press the back of your head gently into the wall, hold for 5 seconds and relax. walk away from the wall, but keep that chest elevated and head back over the shoulders. It's gonna feel strange at first, but your body will get used to it.
Maintaining good posture is a lifelong commitment. And its worth it! By making a few small changes in your posture and having great chiropractic care you're more likely to avoid the damage and degeneration that comes with spinal and postural neglect and instead have a healthy spine for a lifetime!
