QUESTION: Are there any ideas or resources that I can use during the holiday season to support my patients and to tastefully promote chiropractic and my practice?

ANSWER: Holidays can either be a very busy practice time, or things can slow down because of competing obligations. Either way, the holidays offer a special opportunity for you to reinforce your patients' commitment to their own health and their understanding of your commitment to them. It is also a great time to show your commitment to the community through a charity program or some other community service effort. The recent natural disasters have heightened most people's sense of community service and awareness of the needs of others, and of the importance of sharing our abundance with those in crisis. Here are some steps you might want to consider:

Decorate your clinic appropriately, and ask patients to help. When confirming patients' appointments, remind patients with children that the doctor would love any pictures or artwork the kids might have done.
Many practices have contests for the best letter to Santa, best Christmas tree, etc.
Always be culturally sensitive about who may celebrate what holiday.
The holidays are always a good time to conduct some appropriate local charity effort, such as a food drive, collecting contributions for a local homeless shelter, or during these uncertain times, sending letters to men and women serving in the Armed Forces overseas through the USO or other military service organization. Make arrangements with the directors of the charity of your choice and ask their advice on how to be most effective in raising money or other donations on their behalf.
Holiday cards, especially for Thanksgiving and New Year are always a plus. Everyone likes to be remembered and in this age of e-mail and cell phones, an old fashioned card from the family chiropractor will mean more than it did before.
The holidays are an important time to look to the needs of those sometimes forgotten. One idea is to get your patients to help decorate a tree in a local nursing home. Find a local elder care facility that is open to the idea. Ask your patients to bring in ornaments and also invite them to a decorating party at the nursing home when you are ready to put the tree up.
Try and get the news release provided below into your local newspaper and/or use it as a patient handout on your clinic letterhead. The following release is being provided for your use under your own by-line in your local media as a service to your community. Please feel free to submit this release to your local newspaper, radio station(s), etc. to maximize publicity for chiropractic and your personal practice. Fill in the blanks with your name and put information on how they can contact you. Feel free to add your own comments or observations. Also, call ICA at 1-800-423-4690 if you have any questions on how to use this member benefit resource.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER __ , 2005

HOLIDAY STRESS RAISES HEALTH RISKS, CHIROPRACTORS WARN

With Thanksgiving upon us and the holiday season in full swing, it is important to your good health to take a few simple steps to reduce the stress and strain of this busy time. This is especially important in light of the recent hurricane disasters and the tremendous upheaval hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens have experienced. With these recent disasters in mind, issues and concerns related to our own safety and security are very real to people of all ages. Take a little time to slow down, recognize the need to have a little more patience, plan ahead with the thought of reducing the stress of last minute efforts. Make a special point during this holiday season to express your thoughts and feelings to your friends and loved ones.

You can start by taking a little extra care of yourself and your family at the dinner table. Have you ever filled yourself with great holiday food and pushed away from the table in agony? This may be the beginning of an unhealthy scenario that you can avoid this holiday season, according to the International Chiropractors Association.

"A bulging stomach can put pressure on your body's support systems, including your spine and spinal nerves," advises Dr. __________, a local chiropractor who deals with the health needs of people of all ages in the community. "Every extra pound in the abdominal region could put 10 pounds more stress on the lower back. This stress can last a short time, such as just after eating a heavy meal or lifting a package improperly. It may also become chronic, as heavy eating during the holidays may lead to weight gain, and carrying extra pounds can put added strain on the supporting structures of the spine and nervous system."

Additional weight can force the pelvis and torso to shift and cause changes in spinal balance, leading to spinal misalignments (known as subluxations) and malfunction in the entire body. Dr. ________ suggests eating in moderation and taking a 15-20 minute walk after a big meal to ease discomfort and burn a few calories. Fitness research findings indicate you can burn up to 100 calories in a 30-minute walk.

The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) has prepared a list of health tips to help protect your back and general health over the holidays:

Lift packages, firewood, your frozen holiday turkey and other heavy items with your legs, not your back. When lifting, hold objects close to your body; rather than flexing forward, maintain a slight arch in your lower back and bend at the knees before standing up with the object. That way, the lifting is done primarily with the strong muscles of the legs supporting the load. Don't wait until you are hurting to see your doctor of chiropractic. Chiropractic adjustments can keep you going at your peak and help you get extra enjoyment during the holiday season.
When cooking or standing for an extended period, elevate one foot with a foot rest or stacked books, about six inches from the floor. Alternately elevating each foot relieves tired back and leg muscles—similar to the function the footrest serves for customers standing at a counter—and helps prevent bad posture habits that can lead to abnormal spinal curvatures.
When traveling by car or plane, place a pillow or folded towel behind the small of the back to help maintain the arch in your lower back and support the rest of the body properly. This relieves the discs and joint structures of the spine from unnecessary pressure.
In addition to fastening your seat belt for car trips, adjust the headrest to align with your head, at least up to ear level. This is important to support and protect the head and neck in the unfortunate event of a sudden stop.
Get enough rest. Many health problems that occur with the holidays are simply due to fatigue. By simply getting adequate rest, you can help prevent structural strain, emotional and cognitive imbalance, and general health problems.

For further information on health and chiropractic, contact the International Chiropractors Association on the Internet at www.chiropractic.org , or visit your doctor of chiropractic. (YOU CAN PUT YOUR NAME AND CLINIC ADDRESS IN PLACE OF THE ICA CONTACT INFORMATION)

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