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Are We Sitting Ourselves to Death?

Are We Sitting Ourselves to Death?

College students listening to a university lectureWhether we like to admit it or not, the technology in our lives—and the fact that we use much of it while sitting down—is contributing to a growing list of health problems in our society. Those who sit at a desk all day or sit behind the wheel of a car or truck with little or no exercise are at increased risk for a number of chronic health problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, those who have such a sedentary lifestyle are in danger of things like “obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.”

One study showed that those who spend a large amount of time in front of a television or other forms of screen entertainment had a roughly 50% greater risk of death from any source. It’s not really difficult to imagine why this might be the case. Greater body weight combined with lower strength and stamina and reduced balance and flexibility means less agility and durability. This in turn raises the likelihood of more accidents or injuries. The same study showed a 125% greater risk of problems from cardiovascular disease. Care was taken to separate the risk of sitting from that of high blood pressure. Those who had the same high blood pressure, but who sat less, had fewer incidents of health problems.

WebMD has added cancer to the list of ailments for which excessive sitting may be a risk factor. One Australian study of 63,000 older adult men showed that men who sat for more than 4 hours a day were more likely to have a serious, chronic illness than those who sat for less than 4 hours per day. Above 6 hours per day, men were at significantly greater risk of diabetes. Those who regularly sat more than 8 hours a day had the highest level of health risk.

Yet another study showed that back pain strikes 80% of all adults at some time in their life. A significant number of these people suffer because they sit too much. Their core muscles lose conditioning and their waistline becomes a burden that causes the back muscles to do more work to make up for soft abdominals. Weak muscles put the body at risk even during simple tasks. With a more sedentary lifestyle, it becomes easier and easier to overdo the reaching, the lifting or other simple physical work that occurs during any typical day.

There’s another reason that movement is particularly important when it comes to maintaining good spinal health. If the spine is kept motionless, circulation is reduced and it cannot get the nutrients it needs to stay healthy or to heal itself.

If you already have back pain, seeing a chiropractor is a big step in the right direction. A chiropractor can help to realign your vertebrae and, in many cases, an adjustment can provide immediate relief. However, even world-class chiropractic care is no substitute for a healthy lifestyle that includes a good diet and lots of exercise. The doctor can’t do all the work for you.

So what can you do? The Mayo Clinic recommends finding more excuses to move around throughout the day, instead of saving it up for a trip to the gym. Waiting until the end of the day to push your body at the gym for 30 minutes is a bit like saving your meals to the end of the month and eating 90 platefuls all at once. You need to spread your movement throughout the day so your body can stay in top condition.

Why Sugar is So Hard to Resist

Why Sugar is So Hard to Resist

????????????????Sugar is in almost everything we eat. In the typical western diet, enough sugar has been added to food products to bring our consumption of the sweet stuff up to 22.7 teaspoons per day. It is added to processed foods to extend shelf life and enhance flavor and texture. While we know that sugar contributes to weight gain, diabetes and heart disease, it’s still hard to resist. Why? Much of the answer to that question has to do with the way humans have evolved to survive in times of scarcity.

Our ancestors who had developed a taste for sugar were able to add to their body fat, which helped to keep them alive during periods of famine. This in turn allowed them to pass their sweet-loving genes on to their progeny. A study conducted by researchers at Washington University found that we are programmed from birth to crave sweet things. Human breast milk is very sweet due to the concentration of the sugar lactose, so from day one we learn to develop a sweet tooth.

One study showed how even the mere expectation of sugar can affect our cognitive ability. Scientists found that when study subjects swished sugar water around in their mouths and then spit it out, they performed better on cognitive tests than the subjects who had swished water that had been artificially sweetened. And there is a good reason why sugar is addictive. Eating sugar prompts the release of the hormone serotonin from the same area of the brain that responds to heroin and cocaine, inducing a feeling of happiness and euphoria.

It’s not always obvious where sugar is hiding in the foods we eat. While our consumption of table sugar is down, the amount added to processed foods is increasing. Many people are surprised to find how much sugar is added to such things as bologna (1.18 tsp. per 4 slices), ketchup (1.77 tsp. per 3 tbsp.) and low-fat fruit yogurt (6.16 tsp.). A couple of spoons of barbecue sauce have about as much sugar as a glazed donut! Add in the sugars typically contained in soups, sauces and breads, and it’s easy to see why obesity is becoming such an epidemic. The more we get, the more we want. A sudden rush of sugar spurs the release of insulin, which causes the infamous “sugar crash” and makes us crave even more to combat it.

However, it is possible to overcome an addiction to sugar, just as it’s possible to overcome an addiction to any other substance. Gradually use less where you can, such as in coffee or tea and in your breakfast cereal. You can also reduce or eliminate your consumption of soda (including artificially sweetened soda, which still makes you crave the sweet taste) and water down any fruit juices you may drink. After a while, your body does adjust to the taste. After a few months, if you suddenly are given coffee with sugar in it, you may find it tastes odd. Try to avoid buying store-bought desserts, and if you make your own, reduce the amount of sugar called for in the recipe. Many baked goods can use unsweetened applesauce as a substitute for 2/3 of the sugar required.

Our society has made it difficult to resist sugar, but it’s not impossible, and the less sugar you eat, the better it will be for your overall health.

 

Keys to Strengthening Your Immune System

Keys to Strengthening Your Immune System

Three girlfriends in white T-shorts jump having waved handsWe are bombarded daily with all sorts of microbes that can cause illness. Interestingly, if we are exposed to a wide range of these microbes as children, studies have shown that we will have a lower risk of asthma and allergies as well as a stronger immune system. There are a number of factors that influence the health of our immune system, including diet, stress, exercise and aging. Following are some strategies you can use to help strengthen your immune system.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables – These are high in the vitamins, minerals and trace elements you need to help keep you healthy, particularly those high in vitamin C (red bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, citrus fruits) and zinc (nuts, seeds, wheat germ).

Reduce stress – Chronic stress has been shown to inhibit the production of interleukins and cytokines, which are responsible for stimulating the action of white blood cells. Chronic stress also causes the stress hormone cortisol to be continually released into the bloodstream, which in the long term suppresses the production of pathogen-fighting T cells and antibodies.

Get out in the sun/Make sure you get enough Vitamin D – Insufficient vitamin D has been linked to greater susceptibility to infection. Approximately one out of three Americans is deficient in vitamin D. Try to get out in the sun in the summer months wearing minimal clothing and no sunscreen for 5 to 10 minutes two or three times a week between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm. This will provide you with sufficient vitamin D without increasing your risk of skin cancer. You can also take a supplement in the winter months or if you live in a place without much sun.

Get sufficient sleep – Sleep deprivation increases inflammation and inhibits the immune response. One study found that people who habitually slept less than seven hours each night were nearly three times more likely to catch a cold than people who slept eight hours or more.

Exercise – Moderate exercise has been shown to decrease stress and boost the immune system. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise each day, such as a brisk walk, raises the body’s  levels of leukocytes, which are cells that help guard against infection.

Eat probiotics – Perhaps even more important than antibiotics in the fight against infection are probiotics, beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and upper respiratory tract. They boost the immune system by encouraging the production of certain T cells. You can find probiotics in yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi, or you can take a probiotic supplement.

 
Avoid sugar – Even 100 grams of sugar, the equivalent of a 24-oz soda, depresses your immune system by reducing the ability of white blood cells to combat bacteria. This effect can last for a few hours after sugar ingestion, so if you are trying to stay healthy, keep away from the sweets!

How Chiropractic Care Has Helped Me: Introducing Allison Jones

How Chiropractic Care Has Helped Me: Introducing Allison Jones

allison-jones-collage-200-300Competitive cycling is a sport that taxes the body in a major way. Competitions often last for days, with little time in between courses to recover. Skiing is another competitive sport that requires large amounts of endurance. Now imagine competing in these sports using only one leg! Allison Jones was born with a deformed femur and wears a prosthetic leg, but it has not stopped her from becoming one of the top female athletes in these two fields. Jones has competed in six Paralympic Games and won over a dozen medals in both in cycling and skiing, and she continues to leave her competitors in the dust.

“My parents started me skiing when I was five years old … by age six I was cycling around the neighborhood with all my friends,” Jones said. Her parents made sure that her lack of a limb did not get in the way of her being a kid. “This could have set me up for a life of lower expectations and lower activity levels but not with my parents. My mother and father were very active and I was to take part in everything. I learned to ride a bike, skate board, rock climb, white water raft, hike, ski, and to just be a kid. I only knew to be a kid and not someone with a disability.”

Jones is a strong believer in the benefits of chiropractic care. She said, “I was born without my right leg, and have met life’s challenges with the attitude that quitting is not an option. Chiropractic care has been essential to my good health and success – including earning multiple gold medals in international competitions over the past 10 years.”

Jones credits her chiropractor, Dr. Mindy Mar, with helping her to achieve the most her body can accomplish. Mar says, “Professional athletes have the same issues as everyone else when it comes to stress, aches, pains, lack of mobility – it’s just much more pronounced. Chiropractic care allows everyone to live their lives to the fullest.”

According to Jones, “I always push my body to the limit. The precise muscle releasing techniques and joint alignment that chiropractic care provides allows me to race day after day at peak performance.”
In 2011, Jones was nominated by ESPN for an Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly award (ESPY) for the best female athlete with a physical disability. During the Olympic Games in Beijing, she was the only American to have competed in both the summer and winter Olympics. She is currently training for the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia. As Jones says, “Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

The Benefits of Phosphorus

The Benefits of Phosphorus

periodic-table-phosphorus-200-300Our need for phosphorus is almost as great as our need for calcium. In fact, phosphorus is the second-most abundant mineral in the human body after calcium, so it’s no wonder that it has a major part to play in achieving good health. It works with calcium to ensure strong bones and teeth, helps the kidneys to filter waste products, and plays a key role in how the body uses and stores its energy. On top of all that, phosphorus is also necessary for the production of DNA and RNA, and is needed to produce, maintain and repair our body’s cells.

Even though phosphorus is as important to maintaining healthy bones and teeth as calcium, we do not hear as much about its importance in our diet as we do about calcium. This is likely because most people get enough phosphorus from their diet. In fact, some get more than is necessary (particularly if they’re not getting enough calcium), which can cause a number of health problems. Too much phosphorus in relation to calcium can lead to an increase in your risk of cardiovascular disease. The greater your phosphorus intake, the more calcium you need.

The daily recommended intake for phosphorus is as follows:

Babies 0 to 6 months: 100 mg/day
Babies 7 to 12 months: 275 mg/day
Children 1 to 3 years: 460 mg/day
Children 4 to 8 years: 500 mg/day
Adolescents 9 to 18 years: 1,250 mg/day
Adults: 700 mg/day

Conditions such as diabetes, malnutrition and alcoholism can increase a person’s risk of phosphorus deficiency. This can also be a problem for those who have conditions that create problems with absorption, such as celiac disease and Crohn’s disease. Symptoms of phosphorus deficiency may include weak bones, stiff joints, fatigue, anxiety, loss of appetite, bone pain, irritability and irregular breathing.

 
Foods high in protein have the greatest amount of phosphorus. Meat and dairy products, as well as nuts, eggs and legumes are good sources of phosphorus in the diet. It can also be found in whole grains and dried fruits. You generally do not have to worry about not getting enough phosphorus in your diet, as it is so prevalent in most of the things we eat. For example, one three-ounce serving of meat contains between 150 mg and 250 mg of phosphorus. What is more important is that you get a sufficient amount of calcium so that it will balance out any excess phosphorus in you get from your diet so that it does not lead to adverse health issues.

Pros and Cons of Drinking Juice

Pros and Cons of Drinking Juice

????????????Look on any supermarket’s shelves these days and you’ll see a huge variety of fruit juices, far more than were ever seen in our parents’ day. Orange juice (or occasionally grapefruit, apple or tomato juice) was the juice that typically appeared on most American breakfast tables. Now, it is possible to get juices in all manner of combinations, including such exotic fruits as mango, guava, pomegranate, goji berry and more. And although many of these juices have a healthy serving of vitamins and minerals, they also may have their fair share of calories and sugar. So is fruit juice good for us or not? Following are some of the pros and cons of drinking fruit juice.

Pros:

Easy way to get fruit – One 4-ounce glass of fruit juice counts for one full serving of fruit, so if you are too rushed to eat an apple you can down some juice. While fruit juice does not contain the fiber that makes eating the whole fruit so healthy, it is still better than getting no fruit at all.

Good source of vitamins and antioxidants – One glass of orange or grapefruit juice can supply more than your daily requirement of vitamin C, boosting your immune system and providing you with free-radical-fighting antioxidants. It is also an excellent source of folic acid (which prevents birth defects and is good for heart health) and potassium (which helps to regulate blood pressure).

Cons:

High in calories – Pam Birkenfeld, as pediatric nutritionist at New York’s Nassau University Medical Center says, “Parents tend to think that because fruit juice is fat-free and comes from nature, it’s OK. But what they often don’t realize is that it is a very concentrated source of calories that generally does not fill you up, just out.” There is an average of 140 calories in an 8-ounce glass of fruit juice. If you consume a few glasses each day, those calories can add up. In contrast, an orange has only about 60 calories.

High in sugar – Our increased consumption of sugar has been implicated as being a major contributor to the skyrocketing rates of obesity observed in the Western world. Studies have shown that children who are overweight drink 65 percent more sugary juices than children of normal weight. Some juices contain more sugar that sweetened soft drinks. Grape juice, for example, has 50 percent more sugar than Coca Cola.

Bad for your teeth – One study found an 84% reduction in the hardness of tooth enamel after drinking orange juice for just five days. Researchers believe other juices may have a similar effect, as their acidity is similar. Tooth decay and cavities in children as young as two or three years old have become commonplace, and dentists point to the increased intake of fruit juice as the cause. The combination of acid and sugar is the perfect storm for tooth decay. Experts advise that children drink fruit juice no more than once a day, and instead drink milk or water. If fruit juice is taken, it can be watered down to dilute the acid concentration.
By weighing these pros and cons you can decide for yourself how much juice you and your family should drink to get the benefits of drinking fruit juice while minimizing the drawbacks.

Improving Your Energy Levels

Improving Your Energy Levels

fuel guageSometimes it seems that even the simplest everyday tasks are hard to accomplish, even after we get a decent night’s sleep. Our busy lives leave little time to stop and recharge our batteries, so sometimes it can feel as though we’re operating on a chronic energy deficit. However, there are ways of gaining that energy back. It all starts with recognizing the little places where it is likely to leak away. Here we provide some tips on how to improve energy levels.

– Studies published in the journal Nutritional Health found that those who skipped any meal during the day had greater feelings of fatigue overall than those who ate regular meals. Breakfast is particularly important, as it jump-starts your system to prepare you for the day. Just avoid eating sugary breakfast foods, as it will only lead to an energy crash mid-morning. Eggs, oatmeal and smoothies are all good choices to provide you with energy that will last throughout the morning.

Drink more water – A lack of sufficient water can leave you feeling sluggish, even if you are only slightly dehydrated. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that women who were only 1% dehydrated reported feeling fatigued and depressed, in comparison with the participants who were optimally hydrated. You don’t need to drink 8 glasses a day, but if you find yourself feeling tired, drink a glass of water and it may boost your energy.

Get more magnesium – This mineral is responsible for over 300 of the body’s biochemical functions, including creating energy from the breakdown of glucose. According to the USDA, almost 60% of the American population is deficient in magnesium. When levels are even just a little low, your energy can drop. Increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains and dark chocolate.

Get some exercise – Contrary to what you may think, exercise actually increases energy levels. Walking is particularly good for giving you more get-up-and-go. The results of a California State experiment found that subjects taking a brisk, 10-minute walk reported increased energy levels for the following two hours.

 
Reduce stress – Of course this is easier said than done, but there are stress reduction techniques you can learn to lower levels of energy-zapping stress in your life. Yoga, deep breathing and meditation are good ways to handle stress. Slow, deep breathing through the abdomen has been practiced by eastern cultures for centuries as a way of increasing energy. Even things as simple as listening to music or reading a book can help you to relax.

Meditation and Your Health – What Science Says

Meditation and Your Health – What Science Says

Young woman doing yoga outdoorsResearchers have found in study after study that meditation can offer both mental and physical health benefits. Doctors and integrative health programs increasingly prescribe meditation techniques alongside traditional treatments to achieve a wide range of health goals, from increasing immunity to lowering high blood pressure and reducing the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. On the surface of things, meditation would seem to offer a variety of benefits-if it actually works.  After all, it’s non-invasive, drug-free, and costs nothing. So how effective is it?

Approximately 500 clinical trials have been performed on the health effects of meditation, of which about 40 have been long-term studies. Short-term studies have found that meditation may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, and that it improves memory and general cognitive functioning.

Of the long-term studies, a nine-year study of African-Americans with heart disease found that those who regularly practiced Transcendental Meditation (TM) twice a day had a 48% lower risk of stroke, heart attack or death than those who had only receive health education. They reported significantly less stress and had 5mmHg lower systolic blood pressure.

Two studies from Ohio State University found that meditation was effective against cancer. The first showed that breast cancer survivors had a lower recurrence of the disease with the daily practice of relaxation meditation. The second found that meditation increased the elderly subjects’ “killer cells,” providing more resistance to viruses and tumors.

Meditation has also been found to cause epigenetic changes by helping to maintain telomere length. Telomeres are the protective sheaths at the ends of our chromosomes, which become shorter as we age, increasing the risk of dementia, heart disease and cancer. A study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry showed a 43% greater increase in activity of the enzyme that regulates telomere length in those who meditated as opposed to those who just listened to relaxing music.

Those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome will be glad to learn that meditating twice daily can significantly reduce symptoms of constipation, bloating and diarrhea. It has also been shown to reduce depression and impart a general sense of calm.

Scientists believe that one of the major benefits of meditation is that it lowers stress. Stress causes the release of hormones such as cortisol, which stimulates the “fight or flight” response, increasing blood pressure and stress on the arterial walls. Although one of the roles of cortisol is to control inflammation in the body, with prolonged exposure to it (which is what happens with chronic stress), the body eventually becomes unresponsive to the hormone. Despite the adrenals pumping out more cortisol to try to keep up, inflammation continues to increase. By lowering stress, inflammation is reduced throughout the body, resulting in a reduction in the symptoms of chronic disease.

The practice of meditation is a simple one that anyone can perform once or twice a day for 10-15 minutes sessions. Sit comfortably cross-legged on the floor or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your spine straight. With eyes open or closed, simply bring your attention to your breath and notice it as it comes in and goes out. When your mind begins to wander (which it always will), just bring your attention back to the breath. Some find it useful to focus on each part of the body, mentally relaxing each muscle as you focus on it.
While there’s growing awareness among the general public that meditation can significantly improve people’s quality of life, there’s also plenty of evidence that meditation can offer specific physical and mental health benefits. If you’re interested in learning more, we encourage you to call or visit our office!

Tips for Raising More Active Kids

Tips for Raising More Active Kids

gaming boyWith rates of childhood obesity at epidemic levels, there has been a greater push to get children to eat healthier and be more active. Diet is an important part of raising healthy children, but so is exercise. Unfortunately, many areas of the country have had their educational budgets cut to the point where physical education programs are being sharply reduced or even eliminated. Many schools are also shortening recess periods in an effort to increase instruction time.  Combine these developments with the fact that many kids get little or no physical activity at home, and it’s easy to see why exercise has become a focus in the effort to curb childhood obesity rates.

Frances Berg, an expert in childhood obesity, says “Because young children naturally move around a lot, many people assume they are getting all the physical activity they need. But today TV and videos often keep them still for longer periods than parents realize.” And any parent knows how difficult it can be to tear kids away from the TV or computer. The trick is to make the alternatives interesting for them. Berg says, “Physical activity should be a fun part of daily life and never forced. If children begin to associate being active with having fun, they’re more likely to stay active as they grow up.” Following are a few tips for raising more active kids

* Limit electronics- Time sitting in front of the TV or computer should be limited. Children should spend no more than an hour or two of each day with these devices. One way of keeping them active while playing a video game is to invest in a Wii, which at least gets them up and moving.

* Start a garden – Gardening is very active work, and kids love to watch the seeds they planted grow.

* Walk or bike to school – It’s a great way of getting exercise at least twice a day, and you don’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic! It’s also a good time to hear about your child’s concerns or talk about how their day went.

* Wash the car together – Kids love playing around with water and suds, and in the end you’ll have a clean car too.

* Take a hike – Pack a healthy picnic lunch and go for a hike with your kids. You can make it more interesting for them by having them be on the lookout for certain birds or animals as you hike.

* Dance around the house – Put some music on while preparing dinner and dance around the kitchen with your kids.

* Throw a ball or Frisbee – Not only will it provide fun exercise, it will build eye-hand coordination as well.

* Set a good example – Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park far from the entrance to a store, etc. This will get your kids in the habit of being more active.
Encouraging your children to be more active will help to burn off the excess energy they have, making them happier and more able to focus during quiet times. It will also help them build healthier lifestyle habits for the future!