My patients are continually amazed at the amount of pregnant women that get adjusting in my practice. At any given time, I am not just helping these women have ideal births, Chiropractic is helping the babies start off on the healthiest foot possible.  In this post, I wanted to address the topic of pregnancy and Chiropractic.

Anyone who is pregnant is wise to ask if a treatment is safe during pregnancy. The health and wellbeing of mother and child are, understandably, of the greatest importance. All chiropractors are trained to treat patients through pregnancy, though some have received additional training specific to prenatal treatment.

Chiropractic care can help keep the body in healthy alignment during pregnancy.  Ideal alignment insures the regular flow of the nerves to all areas of the mother as well as the babies body.  Nerve flow is essential in healthy development.  Reducing the interference in the nerves with Chiropractic adjustments can also decrease pain and discomfort, while also helping to keep the body in the best possible condition for natural childbirth. Other benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include promoting overall health, controlling nausea, and reducing labor and delivery pain—and possibly preventing the need for a cesarean delivery.

A number of routine aspects of pregnancy can increase the need for chiropractic care. Carrying a child affects the distribution of weight on the body, balance and posture. There are also changes in the pelvic area to facilitate childbirth. Sleeping position may be affected, as may sitting posture. Regular exercise may cease or be modified. Routine actions like picking things up may require a different position or cause struggle. All of these may result in strain and misalignment.

A primary focus for many chiropractors treating pregnant clients is to maintain balance of the pelvis. This is often done using the Webster Technique. A balanced pelvis allows the unborn child the maximum room for movement and growth. A chiropractor can tell if the triangular base of the spine (the sacrum) is tilted, causing a ligament to be pulled in one direction and limiting that side of the uterus. When this goes uncorrected, the baby may stay in a breech position or facing the wrong way, could cause excruciating “back labor.” Reducing the likelihood of these problems also reduces the risk of a Cesarean or the need for painkillers.

A skilled chiropractor can be an indispensable aid during pregnancy. Prenatal chiropractic care can improve the comfort and well-being of both mother and child—during pregnancy and through childbirth.  To find a chiropractor in you area, go to icpa4kids.org.

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

An M&M sold in the United States (left) contains food dye that makes it brighter compared to its European counterpart.

CHICAGO (CBS) — Is it possible that artificial colors added to our food could be causing behavioral problems in children?

Concerns about synthetic food dyes led many manufacturers in Europe to stop using then. But as CBS 2’s Mary Kay Kleist reports, the dyes are used here in everything from cereal to crackers to toothpaste.

Doctors diagnosed Kendall King with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, last year and put her on powerful drugs.

But her mother, Kelly King, says, “It just didn’t feel right to me.”

The Kings heard about a possible connection between food dyes and hyperactivity. Within weeks of taking dyes out of her diet, Kendall no longer needed medication.

“We’ve had amazing results,” Kelly King says. “She’s like a whole new child and she’s herself again.”

Food manufacturers in the U.S. can use nine dyes in all. Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 make up 90 percent of the market. You see them everywhere, listed on a bright cereal box or a pickle jar. The colors are used in everything from cough syrup and toothpaste to waffles and crackers.

“They’re really ubiquitous in this food supply that we’ve created,” says Dr. David Wallinga of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

He says more than two dozen studies point to problems with the dyes. But, do we know if changing a child’s diet dramatically improves ADHD?

“The effect is generally very small,” Dr. Mark Stein of the University of Illinois says. “It’s about a fourth as large as the effect of an ADHD medicine.”

The FDA voted against putting warning labels on foods, but it believes more research is still needed. Still, some grocery chains, like Whole Foods, won’t sell synthetic dyes.

Warning labels are required in much of Europe. American companies like Kellogg’s, General Mills and Kraft did away with the artificial dyes overseas. So, some foods in Europe, like M&M’s, just aren’t as bright.

Kelly King would like to see the synthetic dyes eliminated in the U.S.  “Our house is just a much calmer place to be,” she says.

A statement from the FDA says it does not believe that artificial food dyes cause hyperactivity in children in the general population. However, the FDA says food dyes may exacerbate problems in susceptible children diagnosed with ADHD because they may have a unique intolerance to them.

The FDA is now reassessing safety studies relating to food dyes. Here is the agency’s full, unedited statement:

“Based on the data reviewed in the body of scientific literature, FDA last year concluded that a causal relationship between exposure to color additives and hyperactivity in children in the general population has not been established.

However, for certain susceptible children with ADHD and other problem behaviors, the data suggest that their condition may be exacerbated by exposure to a number of substances in food, including, but not limited to, artificial food colors. Findings from relevant clinical trials indicate that the effects on their behavior appear to be due to a unique intolerance to these substances and not to any inherent neurotoxic properties.

FDA’s Food Advisory Committee (FAC) (a group of advisors from outside the FDA) met on March 30-31, 2011 to consider available relevant data on the possible association between the consumption of certified color additives in food and adverse behavioral effects in children. The committee was asked to advise FDA as to what action, if any, is warranted to ensure consumer safety from the use of these color additives in food. After receiving information from FDA, experts, and stakeholders, the FAC (1) found that existing data supported FDA’s conclusion that there is not an established link between consumption of food dyes and adverse behavioral effects in children, (2) voted against the need for additional information on the product label of foods with color additives, and (3) recommended that additional safety studies be conducted. The FAC also recommended that a rigorous, comprehensive dietary exposure assessment of certified color additives be performed.

FDA currently is collecting data on the levels of color additives used in food. These data will be used to estimate dietary exposure for various populations, including children. Regarding the need for additional safety studies, FDA has begun a reassessment of the numerous safety studies conducted on certified color additives that are available in its files. Based on this evaluation, FDA will determine whether additional safety studies are needed.”

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Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net