Prairie Village Chiropractic, PA - Chiropractor In Prairie Village, KS USA

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Exercising Alfresco

Chiropractic Care and Green Exercise

Chiropractic care is the perfect complement to any regular exercise program. Vigorous exercise makes numerous demands on the body, and many people will quickly come up against various physical limitations they didn't know they had.

We want our exercise time to not only be productive, but also fun. We want to have the experience of time well spent. Exercise is definitely not fun if it is regularly followed by aches and pains. "No pain, no gain" is an outmoded, inaccurate, false notion that unfortunately has made its way into the collective unconscious of many people, athletes and non-athletes alike.

Chiropractic care helps ensure that you get the most out of your investment in exercise. Chiropractic care helps ensure that your musculoskeletal system is working properly. When your body is working effectively, exercise helps you get healthier and fitter. You're able to train with maximum effort and get the most out of your exercise time.

In "The Producers", the riotous Mel Brooks movie classic from 1968, the wily and almost washed-up Broadway producer Max Bialystock (played famously by Zero Mostel) takes timid accountant Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder) to lunch. Bialystock steers Bloom to a hotdog vendor's run-down sidewalk stand just outside an entrance to New York City's Central Park. "We're dining alfresco" Bialystock pompously intones, sardonically tracing a big, broad semicircle with his hotdog to symbolically include all the glories of being outdoors.

Of course, "alfresco" means out-of-doors or in the open air. In Italian, "fresco" means cool or fresh. Dining in the open air is often much more fun than having a meal indoors. The same may be said for exercise - whenever you have a choice, exercising "alfresco" is often much more enjoyable. Exercising outdoors is more rewarding for many people and also provides a wide range of unexpected benefits.

According to Federal agencies, the average American spends about 90% of her time indoors. Coupled with this assessment is the fact that three-quarters of Americans and one billion people worldwide have deficiencies in Vitamin D, a prime life-supporting and health-enhancing nutrient. Exercising outdoors for 30 minutes several times per week will assist your body in manufacturing more sufficient quantities of this important vitamin.

Additionally, spending time outside helps improve both physical and mental health. Regular exercise is associated with helping to prevent numerous health disorders, including obesity, diabetes, colon cancer, hip fracture, high blood pressure,¹ cardiovascular conditions, and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.²

Sunlight tends to improve a person's mood, so being outdoors is a natural boost to one's frame of mind. Adding exercise to the mix naturally enhances this psychologically elevated state. Since 2005 researchers at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom have focused on the benefits of "green exercise". In one study, participants engaging in a green outdoor walk described improvements in self-esteem, overall mood, and vigor. Confusion, fatigue, anger, and tension were all substantially reduced.³

Even viewing green and rural environments reduced blood pressure measurements by almost 9% in 100 treadmillers compared to those viewing blank screens or viewing urban images. If viewing green spaces is beneficial, actually being out-of-doors is likely to provide even greater benefit.

The bottom line? Being outdoors will enhance the value of most exercise activities. Green exercise will often impact a person's life in ways unlooked-for and by means unexpected.

¹Martins RA, et al: Effects of aerobic and strength-based training on metabolic health indicators in older adults. Lipids Health Dis 9(1):76, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

²Donges CE, et al: Effects of resistance or aerobic exercise training on interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and body composition. Med Sci Sports Exerc 42(2):304-313, 2010

³Barton J, Pretty J. Urban ecology and human health and well-being. In Gaston K, et al. (eds): Urban Ecology. British Ecological Society and Cambridge University Press, 2010

Featured Services

Services: We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.

Make An Appointment: We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!

Online Forms: Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.

Office Hours

Day	Morning	Afternoon
Monday	10:00-1:00	2:00-6:30
Tuesday	Closed	Closed
Wednesday	7:30 - 1:00	Closed
Thursday	Closed	12:30-7:00
Friday	7:00-11:00	Closed
Saturday	Closed	Closed
Sunday	Closed	Closed

Day	Morning	Afternoon
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
10:00-1:00	Closed	7:30 - 1:00	Closed	7:00-11:00	Closed	Closed
2:00-6:30	Closed	Closed	12:30-7:00	Closed	Closed	Closed

Testimonial

I started seeing Dr. Ang when she was associated with the Wellness Connection in Shawnee Mission, Ks. I had a couple of unpleasant experiences with other chiropractors, but a coworker gave Dr. Ang a glowing review so I decided to give her a try. I have been seeing her for about six years and she has helped me through many health related problems. She has helped me to understand so many things about how the body works and heals itself and how we can actually spare ourselves from many health problems. How refreshing--a doctor who keeps you from being sick! I truly believe my good health is a result of listening to her advice (though it may take awhile to get it through my head) and regular chiropractic visits. She is a very caring and concerned individual, not only with physical care, but also her patients emotional and mental well being. I now have my entire family receiving chiropractic care from Dr. Ang. We couldn't get along without her!

Kyle H