Month: June 2013

Dr Beecher’s June 2013 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter

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“Never let the demands of tomorrow interfere with the pleasures and excitement of today.”

~ Meredith Wilson

 

Have you fallen prey to this “newlywed trap”

that can SHORTEN YOUR LIFESPAN?

Study Finds Marriage

A Health Risk?

The Two Things You Can Do To

Be Happily Married Without The Risk

Also this month:

• Harvard School of Public Health: What may be able to lower overall mortality risk by 27% and mortality risk from heart disease by 35% in older adults?
• Study: Walking just as good as running for lowering risk of heart-related conditions.
• Does weight lifting lower blood sugar? New study shocker!
• Did Birth Paralysis Help Make Him One Of The Biggest Movie Stars EVER? Discover how this star turned a “handicap” into his calling card, and went from bum to World Champion!

 Houston – Most people dream about meeting someone, falling in love, getting married, and living happily ever after, but what if getting married was actually a health risk?

According to a new study published in the scientific journal Health Psychology, the common belief that being happily married is always beneficial to health may not be true.

Why?  The answer appears to be…

WEIGHT GAIN!

In a nutshell, young people who are satisfied with their marriage tend to gain weight soon after saying, “I do.”  Being overweight is a huge risk factor for many health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

According to Dr. Andrea Meltzer, lead author of the study, “On average, spouses who were more satisfied with their marriage were less likely to consider leaving their marriage, and they gained more weight over time… In contrast, couples who were less satisfied in their relationship tended to gain less weight over time.”

In other words, people who are satisfied with their mate are more likely to gain weight because they are not looking to attract someone else.

Here Is The Real Kicker!

If this study is accurate, it tells us that people view weight loss and maintaining a lower weight as a cosmetic issue and not a health issue.

In other words, many people find it important to lose weight to look good, but do not find it as important to lose weight to be healthy.

Their motivation to be attractive is more important than their desire to be healthy.

It has often been said that if “working out” did not change people’s physical appearance (and help make them more attractive), then almost no one would go to the gym, and gyms would go out of business.  This research appears to reinforce that belief.

So, what are the two things you can do to be happily married WITHOUT the health risks of weight gain?

Eat Right & Exercise!

There is no magic bullet for weight loss and maintaining a healthy AND ATTRACTIVE weight.  It takes effort and commitment.  It is a lifestyle, not a periodic fad.

Make the decision to do whatever it takes to eat healthy and exercise, and then start RIGHT NOW… at this very moment.  If you are eating or drinking something bad while you read this, then do not take another bite or sip.

“Right now” is the answer.  In most cases, procrastination leads to failure.  There is no better time than right now.  In fact, right now is the best time.  Period.

If you don’t know what to eat or how to exercise, there are plenty of experts available to help you.  Chiropractors are extensively trained in exercise, physiology, and nutrition.  You are literally one phone call away from having all the answers you need to start a brand new healthy life!

While we are on the subject of exercise…

New Research Shows That You May

Not Have To Do As Much As You

Thought To Be Healthy…

Here is why, as published by the American Heart Association: “Walking briskly can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as much as running can, according to surprising findings reported in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.”

The study found that both more running and more walking equated to more health benefits.  According to the American Heart Association:

• Running significantly reduced risk for first-time hypertension by 4.2 percent and walking reduced risk by 7.2 percent.
• Running reduced first-time high cholesterol by 4.3 percent and walking by 7 percent.
• Running reduced first-time diabetes by 12.1 percent compared to 12.3 percent for walking.
• Running reduced coronary heart disease by 4.5 percent compared to 9.3 percent for walking.

According to Paul T. Williams, Ph.D., the study’s lead author,  “People are always looking for an excuse not to exercise, but now they have a straightforward choice to run or to walk and invest in their future health.”

So, when in doubt, GO FOR A WALK.  You don’t have to do an extravagant exercise program.  The key is to do something, do it consistently, and (here it comes again) DO IT NOW!

What About Weight Lifting?

Whether you are into weight lifting or not, here is some very interesting information.

Humans, have both red and white meat, or in other words, both red and white muscle tissue.

People who do endurance training (marathons and triathlons) tend to have more red muscle tissue, and people who do resistance training (like weight lifting) tend to have more white.

This makes sense because when you lift a heavy weight, the chemicals in the white muscle tissue are used for quick bursts of energy and strength.

When you are doing long, steady exercise, chemicals in the red muscle tissue are used for slower, sustained energy.

There is a lot more to the bio-chemistry than that, but you get the picture.

Observations of diabetic patients report a whitening of their muscle tissue.  For a long time, the accepted belief was that this whitening of skeletal muscle from diabetes was harmful.

However, new research has shown just the opposite.  According to Life Science Institute, “In fact, the white muscle that increases with resistance training, age and diabetes helps keep blood sugar in check, the researchers showed.”

Of course, more research needs to be done. This is why it is so important to keep an open mind and go to doctors who stay on the cutting-edge of information and new research.

 

And don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions at 281-286-1300. 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 May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

 

Did Birth Paralysis Help Make Him

One Of The Biggest Movie Stars EVER?

Discover how this star turned a “handicap” into his

calling card and went from bum to World Champion!

 

This is one of the most inspiring rags-to-riches stories EVER. It is someone you know of, but you probably do not know his story about how he went from down-and-out to one of the most popular (and richest) celebrities in history.  We are not going to reveal who he is just yet.  See if you can guess…

Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth.  Most are simply born healthy and “normal.”  Others start life behind the eight ball.

This celebrity had a difficult labor, and due to complications at birth, was left with paralysis of the left side of his face, including his lip, chin, and part of his tongue.  This caused part of his face to droop just a little, and it slurred his speech.  This is a big clue. Can you guess who he is yet?

His parents had a rocky relationship, and for the first several years of his life, he was forced to live in several foster homes.  He later lived with his parents again, but had many “issues.”

For example, his slightly drooping face and slurred speech made him an easy target for cruel children.  He was involved in a lot of fights that led to suspensions from school.  He also had very poor grades.  By all appearances, he was the kind of person who would never amount to anything in life.

Anyway, fast-forward to his grown-up years…

Our future star’s adult life started out just as bad as his childhood.  At one point, he was so broke he got evicted from his apartment and lived on the streets for three weeks.

Desperate times called for desperate measures.  Thinking he had no other options, he went on a casting call for a soft-core pornography movie and was chosen for the film.  He made $200 for his first “acting” role.  This was probably 40 years ago, so $200 had more spending power than it has now, but obviously it was not the career or life he wanted.  He said he was at the end of his rope and it was either do this “movie” or rob someone.

He struggled, but always worked hard and pushed forward.  He actually started attending college, but did not graduate. Instead, he moved to New York to become an actor.  He went to casting call after casting call.  No takers.  After all, who would want an actor with slight paralysis of his face and slurred speech?

So he decided to try writing a movie.  Once again, he failed.  Over and over, he failed.  Once again, he was so broke he could not eat.  Out of desperation, he sold his dog for $50 to a man outside a liquor store.  This devastated him.  But within one week, everything changed…

He watched a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and a guy named Chuck Wepner.  After watching that fight, he wrote an entire movie script in just three days.  He pitched the script to a movie studio and they wanted it, but they didn’t want him as the lead role.  He stuck to his guns and took much less money and they made him the lead.

He immediately went back to the liquor store to get his dog back.  The person he bought it from charged him $3,000!  But he didn’t care.

The movie went on to be a blockbuster and won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing.  It was turned into a series that has grossed over $1.25 billion.

If you haven’t guessed already, the actor is Sylvester Stallone and the movie is Rocky.  The moral of the story is to believe in yourself and never give up.  They say necessity is the mother of invention.  Well, Sly wrote a darn good movie when he couldn’t eat and wanted his dog back. J

 

Did You Know?…

Go Bananas!

 

Bananas are the world’s 2nd most popular fruit.  In western countries, they account for almost 3% of a grocer’s total sales and they are also the #1 thing grocery shoppers complain about — usually when they are overripe or even freckled.  Actually, spotted bananas are sweeter, with a sugar content of more than 20% (compared with 3% in a green banana).

The banana plant is not a tree. It is actually the world’s largest herb.  Because of their impressive potassium content, bananas are highly recommended by doctors for patients whose potassium levels are low.  One large banana, about 9 inches in length, packs 602 mg of potassium with only 140 calories.  That same large banana even has 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber.  It’s no wonder the banana is considered an important food to boost the health of malnourished children!

Those reducing sodium in their diets can’t go wrong with a banana with its mere 2 mgs of sodium.  For the carbohydrate counters, there are 36 grams of carbs in a large banana.  So, why isn’t the banana the world’s most popular fruit? That title belongs to what the French used to call “the apple of love” and the Germans “the apple of paradise” – the mighty tomato.

 

Tip Of The Month

Harvard School of Public Health:

What may be able to lower overall mortality risk by 27%,

and mortality risk from heart disease by 35% in older adults?

 

Want to live longer?  I bet you do.  We all do.  Well, at least most people do!  Some people are continually searching for ONE BIG THING they can do to add years to their life and feel better.  But the truth of the matter is, health and longevity come down to two factors:  genes and environment.  You are born with your genes, and as of right now, there is very little you can do about that.  Scientists are constantly studying ways to manipulate our genes.  Some think this will eventually cure all disease and make life wonderful, while others believe this is a mistake and humans should not meddle with Mother Nature but that’s a whole other subject.

But the other factor, environment, is somewhat under our control.  We can largely control what foods we eat, exercise we do, rest we get, and how we handle stress.  Of course, there is always the debate over where our food comes from and if the source is contaminated.  In general, eating a diet that stays away from processed food is better than one that doesn’t.  Chances are, a spinach salad is healthier for you than a burger, and there are certain types of food you want to make sure you eat.

For example, here’s what was published on the Harvard School Of Public Health website: “Older adults who have higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids – found almost exclusively in fatty fish and seafood – may be able to lower their overall mortality risk by as much as 27% and their mortality risk from heart disease by about 35%, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Washington. Researchers found that older adults who had the highest blood levels of the fatty acids found in fish lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with lower levels.”

This study was published online April 1, 2013 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.  The Harvard publication also stated, “Previous studies have found that fish, which is rich in protein and heart-healthy fatty acids, reduces the risk of dying from heart disease.”  In this study, participants with the highest levels of all three types of fatty acids (DHA, EPA and DPA) had a 27% lower risk of total mortality due to all causes.

How much fish should you eat to possibly get the benefits seen in this study?  According to Harvard:  “When the researchers looked at how dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids related to blood levels, the steepest rise in blood levels occurred when going from very low intake to about 400 mg per day; blood levels rose much more gradually thereafter… The findings suggest that the biggest bang-for-your-buck is going from no intake to modest intake, or about two servings of fatty fish per week.”  This study did not talk about fish oil supplements and their possible use.  It is possible that fish oil supplements can help, especially if it is difficult for you to get the recommended servings of actual fish every week.

 

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

and maintain the pain free body 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.