Dr. Merrill’s Top 5 Fast Facts and Health Hacks

Dr. Merrill’s Top 5 Fast Facts and Health Hacks

1. Pain in the bottom of your heel? If you Google it, you’ll probably come up with plantar fasciitis, but chances are good that you actually have plantar fasciosis and can fix it yourself in about two weeks. All you need is a toe spacer. If you wear it 24/7 (except when in the shower) for two weeks, it will create better blood flow to your heel and may even save you a costly trip to the podiatrist.

2. Ankle pain when running? Have you heard of “lace-locking” your shoes? This will keep your heels snug and secure without crushing your toes. Don’t cinch down too tight though as your ankle needs some room to move while you run.

3. Looking for the perfect breakfast? For more than 100 years, the answer has been eggs. Two hard-boiled eggs have roughly 13 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat and only 150 calories. The push back from the medical community in the 1980s didn’t last long when research showed you can eat up to a dozen eggs a day without raising your cholesterol. Another old myth, that you must eat breakfast to be healthy, was also debunked. Intermittent fasting, as described by Tim Ferriss, outlines why skipping breakfast might be an option for you.

4. Can I get the curve back in my neck? Even if your X-ray shows straightening of the neck, the answer may still be ‘yes’. There is a growing body of research being put out by Chiropractic BiophysicsTM that shows you can get the curve back in your neck and correct your spine, and maybe your pain too, by doing simple neck traction exercises. Lie on your back on a carpeted surface with a 16.9 oz water bottle underneath your neck for 5 to 10 minutes per night. Within 60 days, you’ll stretch out your ligaments and gain some of your curvature back.

5. Is it important for you to be as tall as possible on your driver’s license? If so, go early in the morning. Research shows that you are ½ to 1 inch taller in the morning versus other times of day. This happens because the discs in your spine imbibe or drink water while you sleep at night, causing them to be plumper when you wake up. This will put you at your tallest before standing and gravity squishes them back down.


About Dr. Merrill

headshot of Dr merrill
Dr. Andrew Merrill is a passionate active clinician and owner of Nightlight Chiropractic Orlando where him and his team treat hundreds of patients each month. With a strong background in exercise science from Stetson University, clinical skills from Palmer College of Chiropractic, and continued postdoctoral training in spinal disc injuries and clinical nutrition, Dr. Merrill is very well versed in the healthcare landscape. With topics ranging from "what to do for common ailments" to "why the medical system is failing you" Dr. Merrill and this blog in particular aim to keep readers up to date on what the research shows and how you can put it into practice NOW to keep yourself healthy for a lifetime.