Dr Beecher’s October 31 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday,  October 31st, 2011

 

Mental Attitude: Friendships & Anxiety. Anxious, solitary kids are more emotionally sensitive and more likely to be excluded and victimized by their peers. They’re also less likely to have friends, and when they do, to have fewer than their peers and to lose friendships over time. Child Development, Sept 2011

 

Health Alert: Obesity Costs! States spend up to $15 billion a year in medical expenses related to obesity. Estimates in dollars range from $203 million in Wyoming to $15.2 billion in California. National costs of obesity are $147 billion. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Sept 2011

 

Diet: Wine & Dementia Risk. Moderate wine drinkers are 23% less likely to develop dementia and/or Alzheimer’s disease. Resveratrol, found in fairly high levels in wine, is a naturally occurring antioxidant that decreases the stickiness of blood platelets and helps blood vessels remain open and flexible. It also inhibits enzymes that can stimulate cancer cell growth and suppress immune response. Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise decreases the rate of joint degeneration in people with osteoarthritis, lowers your resting heart rate, helps to boost creativity and reduces circulating levels of triglycerides.

Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: What Does Double Crush Mean? If there is irritation of a nerve root at the vertebra of the neck, or at the triangle formed between the scalene muscles and the first rib, the nerve itself becomes “sick.” As that nerve passes into the arm, it passes through several muscles before it enters the hand, beneath the transverse carpal ligament. If the nerve is already “sick,” the “secondary stress” of compression within the arm muscles, or at the wrist, may cause regional symptoms at that location. We call that second insult to the nerve a “double crush” phenomenon.

 

Wellness/Prevention: Four Ways To Live Longer. Those who practice all 4 are 66% less likely to die early from cancer, 65% less likely to die early from a major cardiovascular disease, and 57% less likely to die early from other causes. 1) Avoid Tobacco. 2) Limit Alcohol: Men should have no more than two drinks a day, women no more than one. 3) Improve Your Diet: Eat more fruits, eat more vegetables, eat more whole grains, switch to fat-free and low- fat dairy and eat more seafood. Cut down on salt and foods high in sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugar, and refined grains. 4) Exercise at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise spread over at least 5 days a week – or – do a total of 75 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days a week or more.

American Journal of Public Health, August 2011

 

Quote: “Security is mostly a superstition. It doesn’t exist in nature.” ~ Helen Keller

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

Dr Beecher’s October 24 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday,  October 24th, 2011

 

 

Mental Attitude: Don’t Look At Me! Depressed people tend to avoid eye contact in social situations and in experimental settings, whereas happy people actively seek eye contact. Sad people avoiding eye contact may lead to them shunning certain social situations. Although this may reduce anxiety caused by the situation itself, it may actually increase social isolation and deepen their already depressed mood. British Journal of Psychology, Sept 2011

 

Health Alert: Hospital Staff Carry MRSA Superbug. 60% of doctors’ and 65% of nurses’ uniforms carry dangerous bacteria. In a 2009 report, rates of postoperative sepsis, or bloodstream infections, increased by 8%; postoperative catheter-associated urinary tract infections increased by 3.6%; and rates of selected infections due to medical care increased by 1.6%. 1 in 5 security cards carried by hospital doctors were contaminated with a variety of pathogenic bacteria, including the superbug MRSA, which kills thousands every year.

Health and Human Services Department, 2009

 

Diet: Ginger Extract. Whole ginger extract has promising cancer-preventing activity in prostate cancer. Ginger extract had significant effects in stopping the growth of cancer cells, and inducing cell death in a spectrum of prostate cancer cells. Animal studies revealed the extract did not show significant toxicity to normal tissues, such as bone marrow. Research showed tumor regression up to 60%. Humans would have to consume about 3 1/2 ounces of whole ginger extract a day to get the benefits. British Journal of Nutrition, Aug 2011

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise reduces vulnerability to various cardiac dysrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), improves the likelihood of survival from a myocardial infarction (heart attack), and helps overcome jet lag.

Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: What A Headache. “Cervical migraine is the type of headache most frequently seen in general practice and also the most frequently misinterpreted. It is usually erroneously diagnosed as classical migraine, tension headache, [or] vascular headache. Such patients have usually received an inadequate treatment and have often become neurotic and drug-dependent.” (Note: Manipulation is effective in patients with cervicogenic headaches.) Ragnar Frykholm, Neurosurgeon, 1972

 

Wellness/Prevention: Fish Oil For A Healthy Mind. Researchers found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive function, as well as differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements. The findings suggest possible benefits of fish oil supplements on brain health and aging.

International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease

 

Quote: “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.” ~ Harry S. Truman

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

 

 

Dr Beecher’s October 17 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday,  October 17th, 2011

Mental Attitude: Don’t Worry Be Happy. The more you stay positive and happy in life, the better chance you

have of avoiding a stroke. Optimistic people have a healthier immune system, faster wound healing, and a lower risk of heart disease. So don’t worry, be happy.

Journal of The American Stroke Association and The Mayo Clinic, Aug 2011

 

Health Alert:  Strokes On The Rise? From 1995-2008, ischemic stroke incidence rose 50% for males age 35-44;

46% for males age 15-34; and 51% for boys age 5-14. For females age 35-44, ischemic stroke incidence rose 29%;

23% for females age 15-34; and 3% for girls age 5-14. One in three ischemic stroke patients aged 15-34 had three stroke factors, while half of 35-44 year olds with ischemic stroke had hypertension. Risk factors said to be linked to

stroke risk include family history; having had a previous stroke; having had a transient ischemic attack; African Americans and those of Hispanic or Asian/Pacific Island descent have a higher risk of stroke; birth control pills; cardiovascular disease; cocaine usage; diabetes; heavy alcohol consumption; hypertension; high cholesterol; high

amino acid levels in the blood; obesity/ overweight; smoking; being over 55 years of age.

Annals of Neurology, Aug 2011

 

Diet: Prune Power? In the US, 8 million women have osteoporosis because of the sudden cessation of ovarian hormone production at the onset of menopause. In the first 5-7 postmenopausal years, women are at risk of losing bone at a rate of 3-5% per year. In a study, the group of women who consumed dried plums had significantly higher bone mineral density in comparison with the group of women who ate dried apples. This was due, in part, to the ability of dried plums to suppress the rate of bone resorption, or the breakdown of bone, which tends to exceed the rate of new bone growth as people age. British Journal of Nutrition, Aug 2011

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise reduces your anxiety level, helps control blood pressure in people with hypertension, and protects against “creeping obesity” (the slow, but steady weight gain that occurs as you age). Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: Happy Patients! In this study, the average intake pain rating of patients cared for by Doctors of Chiropractic was 6.2 of 10, and the average discharge score was 1.9 of 10. 95% of the patients rated their care as “excellent.” Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics, Feb 2011

 

Wellness/Prevention: Ancient Bugs. When they were developed less than a century ago, scientists were surprised at how fast bacteria developed resistance to antibiotic drugs. Recently, researchers discovered antibiotic resistant genes in bacteria recovered from 30,000-year-old permafrost. This shows antibiotic resistance is a natural phenomenon predating the modern clinical antibiotic use. Nature, Sept 2011

 

Quote: “Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.”

~ Thomas A. Edison

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

Headaches: Is it all in my head?

Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: Probably not is what most research indicates. Most head pains are caused by problems outside the head: too little sleep, too much alcohol, or too much stress. Rarely is there a trauma in the head or a stroke causing the pain. More common, neck injuries from whiplash or sporting accidents, can cause headaches. This is because the spinal joints have been sprained and the nerves are irritated. There may also be some stretch to the tough linings around the spinal cord.

Many headache sufferers understand that neck pain and tension often come with the head pain. For them the idea of neck problems linked to headaches is understandable. When you can understand that the location of the pain (in your head) is not necessarily where the problem is located, you’ve taken a big step in understanding how the body works. Because mechanical neck and back problems can cause areas distant to show pain, it is easy to get lead astray down the endless path of pills and potions.

A scoliosis in the lower spine will need to be compensated for above and this often has to occur in the neck. Taken a step further, when a problem affects the pelvis or hip, such as a short leg, the eyes will try to level to correct for the tilt below. This is why sometimes adjustments to the neck region alone will not fix a difficult headache case.

If there are biomechanical problems below the neck this can affect the overall effectiveness of the care. For these reasons the chiropractor needs to address the full spine when seeking a cause for a patient’s headache.

It is important to look at the scientific evidence behind a treatment if you’re making important health care decisions. You need to weigh both the pros and cons of anything, and you also want to get at the root cause of any problem.

In migraine and tension headaches, the evidence shows that chiropractic care will decrease the pain as quickly as powerful medications, but without the side effects associated with drugs that only cover up the symptoms. Although more research is definitely needed, for those who want a holistic and natural approach, chiropractic care is the clear choice.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

Dr Beecher’s October 10 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday,  October 10th, 2011

Mental Attitude: Money Can Be Depressing? Rates of depression are higher in countries with higher per capita incomes. 121 million people worldwide have depression. Severe depression can lead to suicide and causes 850,000 deaths every year. The United States and France had the highest depression rates. Higher incomes can be related to more work hours and a lowered quality of life. 15% of people in high-income countries were likely to become depressed during their lifetime, compared with 11% of those in low or middle-income countries.

British Medical Journal, Aug 2011

 

Health Alert: You Are Getting Very Sleepy. Insomnia affects 23% of US workforce, costing $63.2 billion annually. Insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep. It includes a wide spectrum of sleep disorders, from not enough sleep to lack of quality sleep. Sleep, Aug 2011

 

Diet: Bad Habits? People entering the movies were given a bucket of either just-popped, fresh popcorn or stale, week-old popcorn. Moviegoers who didn’t usually eat popcorn at the movies ate much less stale popcorn than fresh popcorn. Moviegoers who typically had popcorn at the movies ate about the same amount — regardless it was fresh or stale. When we’ve repeatedly eaten a food in an environment, our brain comes to associate the food with that environment and we keep eating as long as those environmental cues are present.

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2011

 

Exercise: Runners Drinking Too Much? 50% of recreational runners may be drinking too much fluid during races.

37% of runners drink according to a preset schedule or to maintain a certain body weight and 9% drink as much as

possible. Expert guidelines recommend runners drink only when thirsty. 30% incorrectly believe they need extra salt while running, and 57% drink sports drinks because the drinks have electrolytes that prevent low blood sodium.

However, main cause of low sodium is drinking too much water or sports drinks during exercise, which can dilute the sodium content of blood to abnormally low levels. This can cause a potentially fatal condition called exercise- associated hyponatremia. Symptoms of hyponatremia include: nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion, loss of

energy, muscle weakness, spasms or cramps. In extreme cases, the condition can lead to seizures, unconsciousness and coma. British Journal of Sports Medicine, June 2011

 

Chiropractic: Careful. In work-related nonspecific low back pain, the use of health maintenance care (treatment after initial disability was resolved) provided by Physical Therapist (PT) or Medical Physician (MD) services was associated with a higher disability (injury) recurrence than in the use of Chiropractic (DC) services.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011

 

Wellness/Prevention: Shorter Colds. Zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold episodes by 40%.

Open Respiratory Medicine Journal, Aug 2011

 

Quote: “A question that sometimes drives me crazy: am I or are the others crazy?” ~ Albert Einstein

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

Dr Beecher’s October 3 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!

WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

Week of Monday,  October 3rd, 2011

Mental Attitude: Attention & Self-Control. You’re trying to decide what to eat for dinner. Should it be the chicken and broccoli or the super-sized fast-food burger? Making that choice is a complex neurological exercise that can be influenced by a simple shifting of attention toward the healthy side of life. When you decide what to eat, not only does your brain need to figure out how it feels about a food’s taste versus its health benefits versus its size or even its packaging, but it needs to decide the importance of each of those attributes relative to the others… and it needs to do all of this more-or-less instantaneously. When thinking about healthiness, people were less likely to eat unhealthy foods, whether or not they deemed them to be tasty, and more likely to eat healthy-untasty foods. Being asked to think about healthiness led subjects to say “no” to foods more often than they did when asked to make decisions naturally. Journal of Neuroscience, July 2011

 

Health Alert: Pharmaceutical Ads Do Not Follow FDA Guidelines. A survey of 192 pharmaceutical ads in biomedical journals found that only 18% were compliant with FDA guidelines; 57.8 % failed to quantify serious risks, including death; 48.2% lacked verifiable references; and 28.9% failed to present adequate efficacy quantification. Public Library of Science, Aug 2011

 

Diet: Increase In Food Allergies. 8% of children have food allergies, with almost 40% reporting severe reactions, an increase of 18% from 10 years ago. Peanut allergies among children have tripled, going from 1 in 250 in 1997 to

1 in 70 in 2008. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011

 

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise assists in efforts to stop smoking, helps you to relax, can help improve short- term memory in older individuals, and helps relieve many of the common discomforts of pregnancy (backache, heartburn, constipation, etc.). Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

 

Chiropractic: Backpack Pains? Backpacks that are too heavy or used improperly can pull on ligaments and muscles, causing aches and pains in the neck and back, resulting in acute or chronic back pain. Things to look for in a backpack: Wide, padded, and adjustable shoulder straps; two straps; padded back; lightweight with a lot of compartments. University of Medicine New Jersey, Sept 2011

 

Wellness/Prevention: Wash Your Hands! Healthcare workers wash their hands about a third to a half of the time they come into contact with patients and germs. This study used 2 signs: 1. “hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases.” 2. “hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases.” The patient sign increased soap use by 33%, and workers were 10% more likely to wash their hands. The sign about personal risks did no good. Psychological Science, Sept 2011

 

Quote: “A leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.

 

 

 

 

Dr Beecher’s October 2011 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!

“When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.”

~ Francois de la Rochefoucauld

 

Looking for a safe and effective back pain treatment?

Breaking Back Pain News:

Survey Says Chiropractic Outperforms Other

Back Pain Treatments – Even Medication

 

Other topics covered in this newsletter:

  • Neck pain and headaches: What you should know to start ending your pain and achieve lasting relief
  • Why hand sanitizers put you at risk for viruses
  • What 66% of mothers can do to strengthen their babies’ immune systems
  • Tips to make going back to school healthier

The story we ALL need to learn right now:  How 17 days buried alive can change your life and maybe even change the world…

Houston – SURVEY SAYS!!!!  If you have back pain… you are probably old enough to remember Richard Dawson first yelling that phrase on the popular 70s and 80s game show, The Family Feud.

If not – it doesn’t matter – you just learned something interesting about American pop culture and game show history.  J

So, What Does The

Survey Really Say?

According to an August 9, 2011 article on chiroeco.com, “In a new survey, chiropractic outperformed all other back pain treatments including prescription and over-the-counter medications, deep-tissue massage, yoga, and Pilates. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), this news reinforces the use of conservative care options as a first line of defense against pain.

The survey, released by a leading consumer product rating and survey publisher in late July, found that 65 percent of those surveyed using chiropractic care for back pain said it helped a lot. Only 53 percent of respondents using prescription medications found them as helpful.

            “Additionally, about half of those surveyed who are using deep-tissue massage, yoga or Pilates said those treatments helped a lot and only 28 percent of respondents using over-the-counter medications reported that they helped a lot.

“Current evidence-based guidelines support the use of conservative care such as chiropractic for conditions such as chronic lower back pain.”

One serious eye-opener was that only 28% of respondents said over-the-counter medications helped a lot.

It has been known for quite some time that common over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID) have serious side effects.  One of these side effects is that an estimated 16,500 people die every year.

Natural, conservative options like Chiropractic, deep tissue massage, yoga, and Pilates are most likely better and safer choices when it comes to relieving back pain.

What About Neck Pain

And Headaches?

Neck pain is very common and it can make your life miserable. If you suffer from headaches… there is a very good chance you suffer from a common type of headache called “cervicogenic headache.”  This type of headache is caused by a problem in your neck.

One way to tell you might suffer from cervicogenic headaches is to identify if any neck motions cause the headaches or increase their severity.

Also, take a good look at yourself in the mirror.  Does your head tilt to one side?  Is your head posture bad?  In other words, does your head stick out in front of you instead of sitting back over your torso?  You’ll probably need a trained eye (like your Chiropractor’s) to see that one.

What Helps This

Type Of Headache?

According to an “evidence report” published by Duke University researchers, “Cervical spinal manipulation was associated with improvement in headaches in two trials involving patients with neck pain and/or neck dysfunction and headache.  Manipulation appeared to result in immediate improvement in headache severity when used to treat episodes of cervicogenic headaches when compared with an attention-placebo control.  Furthermore, when compared to soft-tissue therapies (massage), a course of manipulation treatments resulted in sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity.  However, among patients without a neck pain/dysfunction component to their headache syndrome – that is, patients with episodic or chronic tension-type headaches – the effectiveness of cervical spinal manipulation was less clear.”

What 66% Of Mothers Can Do

To Strengthen Their Baby’s Immune System

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 38 percent of Rhode Island mothers nurse their babies six months after birth.  The national average is 44 percent.

State Health Director, Michael Fine, says the state hopes to raise the percentage of Rhode Island mothers nursing at six months to 60 percent by 2020.

Studies show breast-feeding improves child’s health and is a low-cost alternative to formula.

Many experts believe breast feeding is one of the most important things a mother can do to help her baby develop a strong, natural immune system.

Hand Sanitizers May

Put You At Risk For Viruses

According to Medical News Today, “New research has found that hand sanitizers are not as effective as soap and water in health care settings at preventing viral outbreaks. In fact, they may even be responsible for outbreaks of seriously contagious viruses. As a common alternative to using soap and water, hand sanitizers are often regarded as being the most efficient way to cleanse hands.” 

In February, a survey was presented at an American College of Preventative Medicine meeting. “The survey focused on 161 long-term care facilities and found that the preferential use of hand sanitizers over hand soap was linked to a higher risk of outbreaks of the highly infectious norovirus, a virus responsible for the majority of acute gastroenteritis cases. 

“The study found that norovirus outbreaks were far more rampant in facilities where staff favored hand sanitizer use. In facilities where norovirus outbreaks occurred, members of staff were six times more likely to use hand sanitizers than soap and water for cleansing their hands.”

The misuse and improper use of antibiotics is known to create super bugs that are immune to antibiotics.

It is unclear if hand sanitizers are doing the same damage.

Best bet:  Wash your hands with soap and warm water.

 

And don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

Inspirational Story Of The Month –

(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

 

How 17 Days Buried Alive Can Change Your Life –

And Maybe Even Change The World…

This record-setting story has 33 heroes and a supporting cast of millions…

 

It’s been just over a year since the Chilean Mine tragedy.

Most have forgotten all about it and have gone on with their lives.

For the 33 people who were trapped in that mine for 33 brutal days… their lives will never be the same.

One of the most amazing things about this story is how the miners handled themselves throughout the ordeal.

Evidence points to the fact that instead of breaking down and fighting, the miners stuck together.

They formed a “community” and helped one another.

One account states the only thing the miners argued about was who was going to be taken out LAST when they were rescued.

Each volunteered to let everyone else go first.

One writer in the Digital Journey recently commented on this and contrasted the Chilean miners to the riots in Great Britain…

“Inspirational though their story is, it is a sad indictment of British society that at this time, people, especially the young, have been rioting on the streets and even killing people because they have – we are told – given up hope. These men never gave up hope; would any denizen of Tottenham, Hackney or Birmingham’s inner city willingly have changed places with one of them?”

Clearly “hope” is something no one should ever lose.  No matter how bleak the situation or how dark the circumstances – things can always get better.

The darkest hours are just before the dawn; and, when things change, they often change quickly.  Terrible times give way to joy… just about overnight.

Everyone has hard times.  They are all different, but they are also relative.  Your hard times can be as painful as someone trapped in a mine… if you allow it.

For example, let’s look at the miners and how their lives turned out a year later.

Some of the miners used their brief fame to launch businesses and speaking careers…  and they are doing well.

Others are broke and are having serious mental problems.

An article in the Guardian.co.uk states, “They are taking uppers, downers, stabilizers, I think they are over prescribed … They don’t understand why they are taking them but they are fed up with pills… It is not pills they need, but the tools to deal with fame and the tools to renovate themselves.”

This is an extreme example.  Things are not always as easy as, “making the decision to succeed.”

But, if those miners could ban together and help each other survive in the toughest of times, then so can everyone else. If some of those miners could come through that tragedy and use the experience as a positive way to give them a great new life – I’m sure most of the people reading this can take steps to have a better and healthier life too.

Most of the time, it is not the problems we face – or the solutions we come up with – it is the decisions we make about how we react to the outcomes.

Take immediate steps to improve your life and make the decision to enjoy the positive instead of searching for the negative.

We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better!  We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!  Don’t be a stranger.  You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!


Did You Know?…

Nuts and seeds just might boost your brainpower and balance your moods. Everything from the most common nuts — such as walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and almonds — to the more exotic seeds and nuts can clear up that “brain fog” and enable you to think clearer and be happier than you ever imagined.

Walnuts are “brain food.”  Walnuts are made up of 15 to 20 percent protein and contain linoleic (omega-6 fatty acids) and alpha-linoleic acids (omega-3 fatty acids), vitamin E and vitamin B6, making them an excellent source of nourishment for your nervous system.  A healthy nervous system means both clearer and happier thinking.  Under-consumption of omega-3-rich foods may actually lead to depression. The same walnuts that you can find in the baking aisle of just about any grocery store may also boost your mood.

Walnuts aren’t the only nut with mood-boosting omega-3s, either. Flax seeds are an excellent source for omega-3s, making them a viable source for those who don’t like to eat fish, the most common source of omega-3s.

Cashews are high in magnesium, which can “open up” the blood vessels in your body, including those in your brain. When more oxygen-rich blood nourishes your brain, like any organ, it operates better. By providing your body with phenylalanine, adding almonds to your diet can do wonders for your mental and neurological health. Additionally, almonds are high in riboflavin, which may boost your memory. Peanuts and pecans provide another important nutrient for optimal brain function, choline.  Choline aids in both memory and brain development.  Seeds and nuts are essential to a healthy, well-functioning brain.

Tip Of The Month – Tips To Make Going Back To School Healthier…

By the time you read this, if you have children, they are already back in school. If they are, then you know what it’s like to try to pack a healthy and safe lunch every day. Not too long ago officials from the Oklahoma State Department of Health offered some great tips to help parents out:

  • Keep everything clean when packing the lunch. Use hot, soapy water to clean hands, clean preparation surfaces, and clean utensils. Wash your hands before you prepare or eat food. Wash insulated lunch bags with warm soapy water after each use.
  • Use an insulated lunch box to help keep foods cold. Insulated, soft-sided lunch totes are best for keeping perishable foods chilled. You can also use a thermos to keep milk or juice cold until lunchtime. Perishable foods should not be out of refrigeration for more than two hours.
  • Use freezer gel packs that are widely available in stores. If you cannot get freezer gel packs, freeze a juice box or plastic water bottle overnight and put that into the lunch box next to the sandwich.
  • Keep your lunch in the coolest place possible! If there is a refrigerator at school, put your lunch in there. If not, keep it out of the sun and away from the heat.
  • Pack shelf-stable foods, especially if you have a brown paper bag lunch. These food items include fresh fruits and vegetables, crackers, peanut butter sandwiches, canned meats, shelf-stable cheeses, packaged pudding, and canned fruits and juices.
  • Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Blot dry with a paper towel before packing them in your child’s lunch.
  • Use a thermos to keep soup, chili and stew hot. Use an insulated bottle stored in an insulated lunch box. Fill the bottle with boiling water, let stand for a few minutes, empty, and then put in the piping hot food. Keep the insulated bottle closed until lunch to keep the food hot.
  • Make sure kids wash their hands before eating lunch. Encourage at least 20 seconds – about the time it takes to sing two choruses of the “Happy Birthday” song – of hand washing in warm soapy water.
  • Discard perishable leftovers after lunch.  Discard all used food packaging since bacteria can grow on plastic bags, aluminum foil, and paper. If you’re packing your child’s lunch with reusable bags, be sure to wash them daily with soap and hot water.

Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal

and maintain the health you deserve.

 

This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice.  Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without a thorough exam or appropriate referral. If you have any further concerns or questions, please let us know by calling 281-286-1300.