Happy October!

We LOVE Halloween in our office, so we celebrate all month long. Dr. Mazgaloff's birthday is the 31st, which makes it extra special! We've got bats on the bulletin board, ghosts on the white boards and pumpkins on the windows, and, to top it all off, it actually is cool enough to feel like fall today!

In honor of this kid-friendly holiday, I'd like to remind you all that your kids need chirorpactic, too. Not to say that most kids need to be adjusted all the time, but people of ALL ages benefit when their body is properly aligned.

In our office, we recommend kids get checked if they have had a big fall, or if they are complaining of nagging pain.

A great way to keep your kids out of the doctor's office in the first place is to make sure they exercise. Specifically, exercise in a smart way: train for balance! Training for better balance is something anyone can do, no matter how "out of shape" they may be. It can be as simple as standing on one leg, sitting on an exercise ball, or using a rocker board. And the whole family can benefit from balance training!

When we have good balance, we have improved feedback from our feet and legs to our brain. When this happens, the muscles in the legs and feet function better, allowing them to help support you in any situation. People who train in balance are much less likely to injury themselves when they stumble, because their muscles are strong enough to catch them before they fall.

So try it with your family today! The average healthy adult should be able to stand on one leg with their eyes open for 10 seconds without wobbling. If that's too easy for you, try closing your eyes - careful! Make sure you have something you can grab onto in case you need to steady yourself.

Have fun with this, and remember that balance is something that lasts a lifetime. From childhood falls to elderly mis-steps, improved balance can mean the difference between a band-aid and a trip to the doctor's office.