In this episode of Hands On Health, Drs. Frain discuss common toxic ingredients in everyday items. 

Although sunscreen can be an important factor in helping prevent skin cancer, some sunscreens contain cancer-causing ingredients that can actually contribute to the development of cancer. Ingredients, like oxybenzone are known carcinogens that should be avoided at all costs. Mineral based sunscreens are usually less toxic than their counterparts.

During the summer months, bug repellent is another area where toxins are prevalent. In addition to using less toxic repellents on your body, planting bug repelling plants, such as lemongrass, can be helpful.

The cosmetic industry is one of the least regulated industries in the United States when it comes to toxic chemicals. Not only can they contain known cancer-causing chemicals, but many also contain ingredients known as "hormone disruptors". These chemicals can cause infertility and endometriosis, to name a few.

Many toxic chemicals can also be found in everyday items we use to clean our home and clothing. PFAS, or forever chemicals, are known carcinogens and hormone disruptors that never break down in the environment. In addition, they are know to build up in our blood and organs, without a way for our bodies to properly dispose of the chemicals.

So how do we know if the products we use on a daily basis contain these toxic chemicals? One of the best websites to learn more about these chemicals, is EWG.org. The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to researching the various chemicals found in products we use every day, educating the public on these chemicals, and advocating for the removal of dangerous chemicals in these products. To learn more, we encourage you to visit them at EWG.org.

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.

Over 45 million Americans suffer with headaches on a regular basis. In this episode of Hands On Health, Dr. Susan Frain shares her personal struggle with headaches and how a chance encounter helped find and eliminate the cause. 

Drs. Frain review the three most common types of headaches, including migraines, stress headaches and cluster headaches. They also dive into some of the most common causes of headaches, such as stress, medication and arthritis.  

Drs. Frain then review their top 5 most successful headache treatments, which include increasing your water intake, using ice or heat, improving your posture, eliminating food sensitivities, and getting adjusted. 

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.

Choosing the right supplement can mean the difference between improving your health or not making any difference whatsoever. Did you ever wonder why you can walk into a store and pay one price for a bottle of vitamins, but the same vitamin at a health food store is twice the cost? It has nothing to do with big box stores selling a larger quantity giving them the ability to charge a lower fee, and everything to do with the quality of the supplement itself. 

And what about physician-grade supplements that are only available through a chiropractor, or other healthcare provider, for example? What makes those so special? In this episode of Hands On Health, Drs. Frain explore the ins-and-outs of what makes one brand of supplements so different from another and how to make sure you get what you pay for.

There are seven main types of supplements: vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, enzymes and probiotics. Each one has a different purpose to fulfill in keeping us healthy.

While the RDA (recommended daily allowance) tells us how much of a certain vitamin we should consume each day, the standards that were set back in 1940, falls short in three key areas:

• Preventing chronic degenerative disease
• Promoting optimum health
• Extending lifespan

The proper supplement will do one or more of the following for your health:

• Strengthen cells
• Protect cells
• Repair cells
• Regenerate cells

With over 100 million Americans taking supplements, it is important to make sure that you are getting all you can out of your supplement. So what is the difference between a supplement and a neutraceutical?

OTC, or over-the-counter, supplements only contain "some" nutrients. They are labeled as a "dietary supplement",  which is why they can be sold in stores. They may come in tablet, liquid, capsule, or powder form, and are considered "food grade".  Anyone can buy or sell a supplement online. There is no education or training required.

There are several concerns with OTC supplements. To begin, most come from third parties, making it hard to verify the ingredients. These supplements are lightly regulated, which means that inferior ingredients can be used and you may not know the amount of "active" ingredient in the product. Perhaps the biggest concern is the fact that the quality of these supplements are often so poor, that our body does not have the ability to digest them.

Neutraceuticals are "biologically active formulation" that make it easy for our bodies to absorb. Frequently paired with "helper molecules", these supplements ensure that our bodies are able to digest and absorb the nutrients into our system. Capsules are vegan as opposed to plastic.

The best way to ensure you are taking the right supplement for your body, is to consult a chiropractor or other healthcare provider. Chiropractors in the state of Wisconsin, who choose to provide nutritional support to their patients, are required to attend a 48 hour certification course and pass a rigorous state test.

To learn more about what supplements are best for you, schedule a complimentary consultation at www.frainfamilychiropractic.com.

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.

This episode of Hands on Health, is all about sleep. With over 70 million Americans suffering from some form of sleep disorder, Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain dive into some of the most common reasons we have trouble falling or staying asleep, and what to do about it. 

Some of the most common sleep disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, and circadian rhythm disorder. In this episode, we will focus on insomnia. 

People with insomnia tend to have trouble falling, and staying, asleep. One of the reasons people have so much trouble with insomnia is because there are so many different causes. While there may be medical causes, such as Alzheimer's, there are also lifestyle causes. Having a poor sleep environment, not getting enough sunlight and exercise, or being deficient in various nutrients like vitamin D and Magnesium, can all wreck havoc on our sleep. 

The fastest way to a better night's sleep, is by identifying the cause of the problem. If we can figure out the cause, the solution isn't far behind. However, finding the cause isn't always as easy as it sounds, and we have to do a little trial-and-error. 

Here are our top 10 steps to a better night's sleep. 

1. Create an optimal sleep environment. This means a good pillow, good mattress, elimination of light and noise, and NO electronics! 

2. Exercise - Avoid within two hours of bedtime. 

3. Check your medication - Some medication can cause problems with sleep. 

4. Eat earlier. Eating too close to bedtime gets your digestive juices flowing, which can cause difficulty sleeping. 

5. Have your wellness doctor check various nutrient levels, such as vitamin D and magnesium. Deficiencies in these can cause poor sleep. 

6. Have a regular sleep schedule. 

7. Get at least 20 minutes of sunlight every day. 

8. Try relaxation/meditation exercises. 

9. Be careful of sleep aids like melatonin. 

10. Get a chiropractic checkup. Nerves that exit from the upper neck, go back up into the brain. Irritation to these nerves can cause them to be "restless", leaving you with a bad night's sleep.

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.

 With 26 bones in each foot, approximately 25% of the bones in our entire body, are located in our socks and shoes. In this episode of Hands on Health, Drs. Frain explore the top 10 most common injuries in runners, many of which can happen in non-runners as well. 

The 26 bones of each foot, form three arches; the medial (inner) arch, lateral (outer) arch, and transverse arch. These arches distribute the weight of our body evenly over our feet, help with propulsion, and absorb shock. If one or more of these arches fall, a variety of problems can develop, which can lead to injury or chronic health problems. Let's explore the top 10 most common injuries we see in runners. 

1. Runner's Knee, or patello-femoral syndrome

2. Stress Fracture

3. Shin splints

4. Achilles tendonitis

5. Muscle strains and pulls

6. Ankle sprains

7. Plantar fasciitis

8. Iliotibial band syndrome

9. Blisters

10. Temperature related injuries

Overall, the biggest mistake we make when running, is ignoring the signs or symptoms our body is giving to us. Listening to our body and receiving pro-active care, such as orthotics or chiropractic adjustments, can help make sure you aren't running on borrowed time! 

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.

In this episode of Hands On Health, Drs. Frain discuss the most common types of chronic pain, as well as solutions from a medical perspective and alternative healthcare perspective. 

According to the CDC, over 50 million adults suffer with chronic pain. Roughly 80% of those adults also suffer with depression. Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States, with the nation spending over $635 billion per year in treatments, disability payments, and lost productivity. 

Chronic pain will usually result from one of two events; an illness or injury that you have recovered from, but still experience pain, or something that is ongoing, like arthritis. Pain is our body's way of letting us know that something is wrong. Sometimes a past illness or injury can cause a cycle of inflammation that becomes chronic. 

Currently, traditional medicine treats chronic pain through the use of pain meds or injections. The consequences of using medication for chronic pain can include addiction, kidney problems, fluid retention, high blood pressure, stomach bleeding, ulcers, disruption of normal gut flora, etc... 

Alternative healthcare focuses on finding the cause of chronic pain. Treatment may include things like supplements, nutrition, chiropractic care, and laser therapy. 

Advances in laser therapy are now allowing chronic pain patients to significantly decrease, or even eliminate, their chronic pain. However, not all lasers are treated equal. 

Drs. Frain discuss the difference between cold and hot laser, therapeutic vs. surgical laser, and classes of lasers from Class I through Class IV. They review the uses for each type of laser and how it can help alleviate the pain for chronic pain patients. 

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.

In this episode of Hands on Health, Drs. Frain discuss the Eat, Play, Adapt approach to keeping your family healthy. 

EAT - One of the best ways to help your kids develop healthy habits, is have them begin helping with family meal preparation as soon as possible. Young kids can begin by putting fruit in a colander and washing it off. As they get older, helping prepare their own lunch for school, and even putting them in charge of the family dinner. Teaching kids how to read labels and understand that if they are unable to pronounce the words in the ingredient list, it is probably not healthy for them to eat. 

PLAY - Regular exercise, for the body and the mind, is vital. Sixty minutes of play per day, with at least 20 minutes of that time being outside, helps our bones, muscles, and cardiovascular system. Brain games, such as board games, puzzles, or even reading a book together, help the brain grow and expand. 

ADAPT - We are all familiar with the saying, "survival of the fittest". Our ability to not only survive, but thrive, depends on our ability to adapt to our environment. Our level of adaptability is directly connected to the health of our nervous system. As our nervous system receives input from the outside world, it must process that input and respond appropriately. The best way to ensure a properly functioning nervous system, is through regular chiropractic check-ups.

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.

In this episode of Hands on Health, Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain explore the ins-and-outs of a healthy gut. In this inaugural podcast, they dive into the importance of gut health and how things we eat, drink, or take every day, can cause our gut to become imbalanced.
 
 They discuss the 4 R's of rebuilding your gut health, including removing inflammatory triggers that are associated with an increase in gut permeability, replacing the triggers with nutrients that decrease inflammation, reinoculating with good bacteria, and repairing the intestinal lining with specific nutrients known to decrease inflammation and intestinal permeability.
 
 Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.
 
 Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.
 
 For more information on the food sensitivity testing discussed in this episode, visit https://www.frainfamilychiropractic.com/remedy-testing/.

Drs. Susan and Patrick Frain have a family wellness practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their practice, which opened in 2003, focuses on helping families achieve better health through nutrition, exercise, and a balanced nerve system.

Drs. Frain are both graduates of Benedictine University in the Chicago area, and received their Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

This podcast is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice.

For more information on any of the topics discussed in this episode, please email drsusan@frainfamilychiropractic.com.