As a chiropractor I laud that benefits of exercise to all my patients. In fact, I offer community lectures on the subject because I believe that a regular routine of both aerobic and weight-bearing exercises is important for overall health and longevity. Many of my patients use lightweight dumbbells in their workouts and that’s great. But, it’s important to use them correctly in order to avoid injury. So, I’m happy to pass along an exercise that outlines the proper use of dumbbells, offered by Karen Voight, the creator of a line of fitness DVDs, including “Sleek Essentials.”

• Grasp a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward. Bend your knees and sit back on your heels to avoid putting stress on your lower back. Begin with your elbows bent and tucked in to the sides of your body, palms facing forward.

• Use your abdominal muscles to support and brace your spine as you simultaneously bring your left arm in front of you and your right arm behind you.

• Pause when your dumbbells are at shoulder level and make sure your elbows do not “lock out.”

• Bend your arms and return to the start position. Repeat the exercise, this time extending your right arm to the front and your left arm to the back.

• Continue to alternate arms for a total of 16 repetitions. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat for a second set.

For more information, write Karen Voight

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Aah, summertime. Time to head for the beach or a nice sunny park. So, bring out the picnic basket and blanket, the toys and swimsuits, and the sunscreen and tomatoes. Tomatoes!? Yep, that’s what I said. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant, which not only increases collagen in the skin and adds up to fewer lines and furrows, but actually helps to protect the skin again sunburn. According to Prevention Magazine, a recent study found that volunteers that consumed five tablespoons of tomato paste daily for three months had 25 percent more protection against sunburn.

It’s always nice to come across “natural” alternatives to chemical products, isn’t it? And, in this case, it’s a tasty choice. But, that said, it is always a good idea to cover up and protect your skin if you are going to be out in the sun for extended periods. Because, let’s face it, a juicy tomato or pasta marinara can go just so far!

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As a chiropractor, it is my professional point of view that surgery should be the last resort for conditions of the back, hips, and knees. chiropractic treatment is a conservative, non-invasive and drug-free approach to problems relating to the musculoskeletal system. That said, I am also of the persuasion that surgery for most health problems should be a last resort as well. As I’ve said before, there is no such thing as a “minor” surgery. All surgeries, no matter how small, carry big risks. But, not only is surgery risky, there is no “undoing” this permanent attempt at correcting a problem. However, until just a few years ago, I would not have imagined that weigh loss would fall under the “only have surgery as a last resort” category. But, more and more adults are having bariatric surgery or other weight-loss surgery as an attempt to remedy their obesity. Again, surgery is surgery, and this type of surgery has high risks for already “at risk” obese adults. What has been even more disturbing to me is the fact that some parents are opting for surgery for their obese children, even though the risks of bariatric surgery are not only substantial in general, but the long-term safety and effectiveness in children remain largely unknown.

Now, what I am about to pass along will probably fall into the “duh, you think” category for most of us, but in reviewing studies on the “obesity epidemic,” scientists from Britain and the United States  lifestyle changes such as better diet and more exercise should always be the first option, and treatment with drugs should be used rarely. In other words, bariatric surgery, or weight-loss surgery, such as operations to apply gastric bands to limit the stomach size of severely overweight people, should be a last resort.

 

Yes, it is true that childhood obesity can adversely affect almost every organ in the body and often has serious consequences, including high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, insulin resistance or diabetes, fatty liver disease, and psychosocial complications, it is also true that parents need education (and perhaps intervention) and schools need to provide better food options and more daily exercise for children, and communities need to support parental efforts as well. No “toys” as a prize for buying high caloric kids meals is just the beginning. In my opinion as a healthcare provider, without education and support, even children who undergo bariatric surgery will continue to crave high caloric foods and still not get the healthy exercise they need.

 

 

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There is just no getting around it, if you want to get healthy and stay healthy, you must commit to a healthy lifestyle. Though it may not seem like it, every little thing you do each day from eating a banana to walking around the block makes a big difference in helping you to maintain your overall health and longevity potential. And, in just the same way, every little thing you don’t do makes a big difference as well.  In fact, according to a new study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the cumulative impact of smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and excess alcohol consumption can add up to increased risk of death. Or to put it another way, these four bad habits can shorten your life by as much as 12 years. Not to mention, of course, the low quality of life enjoyment you’ll experience right up until “the end” prematurely comes along! In fact, the study authors say that, when compared to a healthy lifestyle that includes none of the above (or excludes all of the above), the combined effect of all four behaviors tripled or even quadrupled the risk of death.

So, yet another wake up for you procrastinators out there. The bad habits you eliminate and the good habits you develop will tip the scales significantly in your favor. Don’t put healthy changes off one more day. A healthy lifestyle can profoundly affect your chances of living to a happy old age.

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As a chiropractor I have treated a good many patients who've been injured by tripping and/or falling over their pets. Although dogs and cats make wonderful companions and are known to have therapeutic health benefits for their caretakers, they come with "risk hazards" that are important for you to be aware of. A resent study found that an estimated 80,000 "pet trips" a year occur while people are chasing their pets or stepping over them, and when it comes to dogs, injuries have occurred while humans were attempting to break up a doggy scuffle.

The study found that dogs caused more injuries than cats. So, even though Fluffy may follow at your heels, or even right beneath your feet, it is Fido who is 7.5 times more likely to inadvertently cause an injury to you, especially if you are a woman or a child. Why? Some dogs are big and strong, and women and children are more likely to get pushed or pulled. In fact, women were more than twice as likely as men to have pet-related fall injuries, but children and middle-aged individuals of both sexes were more likely to end up in an ER.

So, pet owners, listen up. Even though pet-related falls and injuries are bound to happen from time-to-time, and you can always count on your chiropractor to help "straighten you out" if they do, it is important for you to be aware that your pet is a "certified fall hazard." Knowledge is a wonderful thing, and often just our being aware of certain facts can help us avoid accidents and injuries.

The findings are detailed in the current issue of the Journal of Safety Research

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As a chiropractor who believes in the human body's ability to heal itself with the aid of natural, non-invasive, drug-free encouragement, I am always dismayed, but never surprised, at some of the pernicious claims and tenacious effrontery of drug companies when it comes to pain relief and treatment of a number of conditions that don't require drugs or are made worse by them. And, as a chiropractor  who has helped hundreds of headache sufferers not only get temporary, but permanent relief, when I read about drug studies for yet another pain med that will keep headache sufferers numbed to their pain, and numb to the rest of their life as well, I feel like shouting from the rooftops: "Try chiropractic first!" But, today, I read about a study, sponsored by Merck (who also makes the product), I really feel that I must say that this particular study is playing to the fears of migraine sufferers when, in fact, the drug itself only offers "less severity" when it comes to a migraine headache.

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No matter where you stand politically, “blue” or “red,” surely we all feel “purple” (a unity of red and blue) when it comes to the health of our children. And, it is wonderful to know that our children have a strong advocate in such a powerful position of influence. First Lady Michelle Obama is fighting hard to implement ways to help our children lose the unhealthy and unnecessary weight that impacts their lives now and will add up to disease and disability in their future. She’s making it very clear that her fight against childhood obesity isn’t about appearance, i.e., slender is beautiful, but rather it’s about whether kids have enough energy to be productive at school.

Mrs. Obama spoke recently at a Forum sponsored by Newsweek magazine. She voiced from her own parental experience that every parent is familiar with the difference in a child’s behavior when a child has had a healthy meal and when he or she has eaten a lot of sugar. She suggests that it is more important to give parents information on the ingredients in sugary snacks and how many of them can safely be included in a child’s diet, rather than requiring warning labels on unhealthy foods, an idea she calls “extreme.”

Let’s all join in the good fight, “for” our children and “against” obesity, and help the next generation to grow up to be healthy and strong adults and ready for the world we’ve left them.

 

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chiropractic News:  Chiropractic Marketing internet radio show, Chiropractic Masters on Blog Talk Radio, interviews expert chiropractors around the country. The first episode featured Ventura Chiropractor, Dr. Steven Alff. Dr. Alff talked about spinal decompression and how it benefits his patients.

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Aah, sunshine. It has gotten such a bad rap in the past few years that that beautiful warm yellow orb has seemed more like an enemy than the smiling friend children often draw. Well, today I read some good news about sunshine, or at least about Vitamin D, that I’m eager to pass along to you. As it turns out, Vitamin D is vital in activating our human defenses.

Danish researchers found that the immune systems’ killer cells, known as T cells, rely on Vitamin D to become active. If Vitamin D is lacking in the blood, they remain dormant and unaware of the possibility of threat from an infection or pathogen. “When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or ‘antenna’ known as a Vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D,” said Carsten Geisler of Copenhagen University’s department of international health, immunology and microbiology, who led the study. “This means the T cell must have Vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough Vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.”

Scientists have known for a long time that Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption, and that there is a link between levels of the vitamin and diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. But, what they hadn’t realized is how crucial Vitamin D is for actually activating the immune system.

And, of course, most Vitamin D is made by the body as a natural by-product of the skin’s exposure to sunlight. Though it can also be found in fish liver oil, eggs and fatty fish like salmon, herring and mackerel (or taken as a supplement), I would suggest that whenever possible, add a walk outdoors as part of your health regime.

For more on this study, go to: reuters.com

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As a chiropractor, I always advise weight loss for my overweight patients, not only as a way to keep organs such as the heart healthy, but every system of the body, including the musculoskeletal system (my specialty). Excess weight puts a burden on every part of the human body, including the vertebrae of the spine and joints such as those in the knees and hips. My patients tend to take my advice, so many of them ask my opinion on how they can lose weight in a healthy way. I’m always looking for information to share with them that will help to turn their “temporary” diet plan into a permanent lifestyle. The good news is that not everything that tastes good is bad for you, including fats. Recently I read an article that discusses “good” versus “bad” fats that I think you’ll find helpful when choosing a healthy diet.

 

• Monounsaturated Fat and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

  Monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acids are the so-called “good” or healthy fats. They are referred to as healthy fats because they do not adversely affect your health and may actually contribute to good heart health. These types of fat come mainly from plant sources (e.g., vegetable oil), nuts, and fish (certain varieties).

  Whenever possible, you should try and get your “good” fats from food sources rather than supplements. Eating more fish, walnuts and flax seeds will help. You can also take a supplement, but be sure to talk to your doctor first.

  Add some sources for healthy fats to your next grocery list. These include: Extra virgin olive oil, avocado, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, ground flax seeds, walnuts (and most other nuts).

   

• Polyunsaturated Fat

  Polyunsaturated fats provide omega-6 fatty acids and should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet. Sources of polyunsaturated fat include corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil.

 

• Saturated Fat

  Saturated fat should be limited as often as possible. Diets high in saturated fat raise cholesterol levels and can lead to cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat is found mainly in foods from animal sources. Foods that contain saturated fat include: whole milk, butter, cheese, red meat and coconut oil.

• Trans Fat

  Trans fat should be avoided as often as possible. Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fat that actually elevates blood cholesterol levels more than saturated fat.

  Trans fat is typically found in “junk” food, such as prepackaged baked goods and snacks. To locate trans fat on food packages, look for the words “partially hyrogenated oil” or check the nutrition label. Foods that commonly contain trans fat include most margarine, fried foods and commercially-baked goods.

  Trans fat has been widely used in fast food for frying, but is now being limited or eliminated by many fast food restaurants. Ask about trans fat at your favorite restaurant and request nutrition data for their menu items.

You can view the nutrition data, including fat content, for many popular foods, fast food eateries, and restaurants online at About.com’s Calorie Count.

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