Do you know Vitamin D?

Vitamin D and You

 

Did you know….

“Besides cancer, vitamin D deficiency is associated with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, periodontal disease, macular degeneration, mental illness, propensity to fall and chronic pain.”

Cannell, Hollis, Zasloff & Heaney.  “Diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency.”  Expert Opinion in Pharmocotherapy, 2008: 9(1).

 

But what is the right amount of Vitamin D?

The lower limit (according to experts) is 30-40 ng/ml.  Please keep in mind that this is the lower limit.  It has been documented that levels of 52ng/ml showed a 50% reduction in the incidence of breast cancer.

How is your Vitamin D level tested?

A simple blood test shows the results.  This is something that your PCP should be testing regularly.  If you’ve never heard it mentioned, ask!  The test itself is: 25(OH)D levels.

How do you get Vitamin D in the diet? 

First, go get some sun!!  Although skin cancer has been a big scare in recent decades, 15 minutes of UVB rays (natural or artificial) on bare skin can provide up to 10,000IUs of Vit D.  However, there can be two drawbacks: 1) a sunburn and 2) some bodies have a difficult time converting the form of Vit D our skin produces into the form our bodies utilize (Vit D3 or cholecalciferol).

Taking a daily supplement of Vit D3 is more effective than any fortified foods or even the 50,000IU weekly injection that is prescribed (neither uses the active D3 form).  Up to 5,000IU of D3 can be safe for individuals in supplement form.  For information, as Dr. Meyers about Cataplex D, a whole food supplement by Standard Process, that is carried in the office. 

5 tips to fight colds and the flu

Avoiding the Cold and Flu

Everyone is scrambling to avoid getting sick this cold/flu season.  The scare of the swine flu and any bug and bacteria around is causing a chaotic scene.  Here are some tips for keeping yourself and your loved ones healthy naturally.

1)     Rest and relaxation.  Stress reduces our immune system’s strength to fight off germs.  (So stop stressing about the flu!!)  Sleep helps your body heal and rebuild its protective abilities.  Getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night will help keep you a germ-fighting machine!

 

2)  Staying active.  As much as you want to avoid stressing your body out, activity is a key to keeping it strong.  Motion allows the good stuff to get into our joints and blood streams and gets the bad stuff out so the immune system can attack it.  Maintaining a healthy exercise regimen keeps your body healthy!

 

3)  Fruits and Vegetables.  Eat ‘em up!  Fruits and vegetables provide our bodies with the vitamins and minerals we need to fight off infection.  They also provide us with fiber to keep our digestive systems clean.  This is very important as up to 75% of your immune system lives in your gut!!! 

 

4)  A little extra supplementation.  There is an abundance of herbs to help improve our immune systems.  Fighting off infections with natural herbs allows the body to rebuild its natural immunity more effectively and efficiently than taking “Sudafed” or antibiotics.  Unfortunately, when we take antibiotics, they kill the good germs along with the bad.  Without the good germs we have a harder time fighting infection when it comes around a second time or a third time… etc.  Ask Dr. Amanda for more information on herbs as many factors should be considered before starting herbal supplementation.

 

5)  Wash your hands. Sounds silly, but it is vital!  Wash your hands after greeting people, after you’ve been in public (shopping, working, etc), after covering your face when you cough or sneeze and after using the restroom.  Also, keep your hands away from your mouth and face.  We are often the cause of our own sickness!

 

 

You have the ability to fight off the germs!!

Pull Your Weeds, Not Your Back, When Gardening

As autumn approaches, many people will spend more time outside enjoying cooler weather and preparing for the fall. Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your body may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety. “A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity,” said Dr. Scott Bautch of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, pain and stiffness.” The following stretches will help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden. Garden Fitness Stretches Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rhythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortably as you can. Do not follow the no pain, no gain rule. Stretching should not be painful.  While sitting, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg. Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Do this again and repeat with the other leg. While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times. Do the “Hug your best friend.” Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times. Finally, be aware of your body technique, body form and correct posture while gardening. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements as often as possible to keep the muscles and body balanced. When the Work is Done… If you already feel muscle aches and pains and did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort.  Apply a cold pack on the area of pain and consider chiropractic care!

Stretch vs. Strengthen

Muscles can get “tight” for a many different reasons:

—> 1. Lack of movement.

Do you ever notice that you’ve been sitting at the computer for hours (or days) and

suddenly your shoulder muscles and neck muscles feel tight? First, consider how long you’ve been sitting there! One healthy tip is every 15-20 minutes get up and move. Re-examine your own posture and bring your chin back to normal position and do some shoulder circles to keep the blood flowing and muscles happy.

Muscles can get “tight” for a many different reasons:1. Lack of movement.Do you ever notice that you’ve been sitting at the computer for hours (or days) andsuddenly your shoulder muscles and neck muscles feel tight? First,consider how long you’ve been sitting there! One healthy tip isevery 15-20 minutes get up and move. Re-examine your ownposture and bring your chin back to normal position and do someshoulder circles to keep the blood flowing and muscles happy.

—>2. The joints aren’t moving.

Muscles and joints are intimately involved with each other. If the joint

moving to their fullest potential either. Exercise and chiropractic care can help keep proper motion in your joints so the muscles keep proper motion too.

—>3> Chronic shortening.

Do you sometimes feel as though you really need to stretch your hamstrings? Consider this… maybe they’re already

stretched out enough and now it’s time to strengthen them! Most of us have what is called an “anterior pelvic tilt,”

meaning we arch our low backs more than necessary. This causes shortened hip flexors and lengthened hamstrings. Try stretching the fronts of your legs and strengthening the back of the legs instead.

Feeling fatigued? The B’s can help!!!

Have you heard of products such as “Five hour energy” and “Red Bull?” Besides a little

shot of caffeine, have you wondered why drinks like that can bring up your energy?

The credit goes to the B-vitamins… and there are a lot of them out there!

Have you heard of products such as “Five hour energy” and “Red Bull?” Besides a little shot of caffeine, have you wondered why drinks like that can increase your energy? The credit goes to the B-vitamins… and there are a lot of them out there!

The most common B-vitamins are:

B1 (Thiamine)

B2 (Riboflavin)

B3 (Niacin)

B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

B6 (Pyridoxine)

B7 (Biotin)

B9 (Folic Acid)

B12 (Cyanocobalamin)

How do they help? As a group they are essential for your body to produce energy. The energy cycle uses the B-vitamins as enzymes to form new substances as energy is produced and also sends the vitamins to other cycles to create even more energy.

What if I don’t have enough? When your body doesn’t have enough of the B’s it becomes run down, generally fatigued and cannot function at a high level. If your body becomes severely deficient in a particular vitamin, disease processes can occur. For example: If your body is deficient in Vitamin B9 you may develop what is known as “macrocytic anemia” which presents as severe fatigue and can be determined by doing a blood

test. Also, deficiency is B9 may result in elevated homocysteine levels(indicating risk for heart attack). Lastly, if a pregnant female is deficient in B9, birth defects may result. Although the extreme deficiency is not always common, it is important to get your B’s!

Where can you find them? The best place to find your B-vitamins are in fruit and vegetables along with potatoes, meat (Ex: tuna and liver) and lentils (beans). There are good quality B complex supplements on the market to make sure you are getting enough.

Don’t let fatigue drag you down… the B’s can help!

What a pain in the neck… and the arm??

Have you ever wondered why a chiropractor checks the sensation, reflexes and strength

of your arms? If the pain is in your neck, why does the doctor look further down

the arm? And if there’s pain in your arm, why does the doctor look at your neck?

One very simple yet complicated looking, answer:  The Brachial Plexus!

Have you ever wondered why a chiropractor checks the sensation, reflexes and strengthof your arms? If the pain is in your neck, why does the doctor look further downthe arm? And if there’s pain in your arm, why does the doctor look at your neck?The Brachial Plexus!One very simple yet complicated looking, answer:

Nerve roots come from your neck through small openings in the vertebrae. The twist and turn and join together to form more nerves that supply all of the muscles, sensation and reflexes in your arms. The nerves coming from the right side of your neck supply the right arm and the nerves on the left supply the left arm. Sounds cool… but why is it important for the doctor to examine both?

• Determine where the problem is coming from even if the neck doesn’t hurt

o Pain in the arm can come from the beginning of those nerve roots –

or-

o Pain can come from the formed nerves already in the arm

• If appropriate, determine which side of the neck is the primary problem

• Monitor improvement in your condition

o As pain moves and changes it can indicate if treatment is working

or not

Relief if you’re an office worker

Relief from the comfort of your chair…

The Brugger Relief Position

1. Sit at the edge of your chair.
2. Put your knees and feet apart wider than your pelvis and rotated slightly outward
3. Maintain a chin tuck, raise chest up allowing the spine to relax into a gentle arch
4. Rotate arms and hands so that thumbs point backward
5. Hold, breathe, release and repeat throughout the day

What is Sciatica?

Ask anyone, who is complaining about back pain and leg pain together, “What is the matter? What is bothering you?” Young or old the response is often “My Sciatica is acting up!” Everyone says it, doctors drop the term like it’s the next new craze… but what is it really?

Just like the neck and arms, there are nerves that come out the sides of your lumbar spine and sacrum (or low back). These nerves group together and become very complex. The result is multiple branches of nerves that control the feeling, motion and reflexes of the legs. One of these nerves, the sciatic nerve, is very large and is a combination of nerves from the 4th lumbar nerve to the 3rd sacral nerve.
Since the nerve is so big and has many origins, it is very easy to anger! Sciatica is simply irritation of the sciatic nerve. Since the sciatic nerve starts in the low back and runs down the leg, there are many opportunities for the nerve to be bothered.

What are possible causes of sciatica? Low back joint dysfunction, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, tight muscles (butt muscles, hamstrings, lower-leg muscles), knee dysfunction, degenerative disc or joint disease and even foot problems!
How do you know if you have sciatic symptoms? Symptoms include pain, numbness and tingling in the low back, upper back or down the leg(s) , muscle weakness in the leg(s), feeling like the legs or buttocks are “falling asleep” and more. Sometimes, there is leg pain without low back pain being present.
Finding the origin of nerve irritation is the key to treatment. It can be from only one location or it can be from multiple areas, which is then called “double crush syndrome.” My job is to find out where the problem is (whether it’s one or more areas) and fix it.

Got Headaches?

78% of Americans suffer from tension-type headaches

13% of Americans suffer from migraines.

There are 4 primary types of headaches as seen in the picture.  Tension headaches and migraines top the charts with prevalence. There are other smaller categories; however, we will discuss the following:

Sinus headaches are a result of irritation and inflammation of the sinuses.  Nasal sprays, humidifiers, relaxation and quality nutrition are common treatments.

Cluster headaches are rare and are not well understood.  The pain is excruciating, unpredictable and can last from 5 seconds to days.  Chiropractic and massage have been shown to help alleviate symptoms and frequency.  However, it is best to consult a specialist to determine ideal treatment.

Tension-type headaches are associated with muscle tension and stiffness of the joints in the neck (cervicogenic is the proper term when the pain stems from the joints in the neck).  These headaches are effectively treated by chiropractic care and massage therapy.  The muscles of the head and neck have a distinctive referral pattern.  When the joints and soft tissue are manipulated, the tension eases and the headaches are alleviated.  This can happen instantly or take a few sessions; each individual response is different.

Migraine headaches are often stress and sleep related.  The actual mechanism of migraines is continually researched and may be related to abnormal brain activity.  They are triggered by high stress levels, hormonal changes, environmental factors and more.  Chiropractic care and massage are often effective treatment plans for people suffering from migraines as treatments significantly reduce stress levels initiated by the body.

Be Colorful…Reap the Rewards!

Be COLORFUL!

Is it true that it’s important to eat different colored fruits and vegetables??

ABSOLUTELY!

The different colors in our food represent the different nutrients that they contain.

Foods rich in the color red often have the nutrient

lycopene. They help fight heart disease and some cancers.

Foods rich in green have many, many nutrients… they contain iron, B-vitamins, fiber and lots of small chemicals called phytonutrients that help the body protect itself against disease and cancers.

Foods that are bright colors like orange and yellow contain carotenoids and Vit C which are powerful anti-oxidants to help fight oxidizing damage in the body.  They also contain natural enzymes like bromelain that helps reduce inflammation.

Blue and purple foods make the body strong to fight carcinogens and are also very good for the eyes.

Let’s not forget white!  White vegetables, such as garlic, contain the phytochemical, allicin, which helps to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and supports the body’s immune system.

Eat your colorful fruits and veggies!!!