Archive for health
Getting Slim By Eating Fats? That All Depends…
Posted by: | CommentsAs a chiropractor, I always advise weight loss for my overweight patients, not only as a way to keep organs such as the heart healthy, but every system of the body, including the musculoskeletal system (my specialty). Excess weight puts a burden on every part of the human body, including the vertebrae of the spine and joints such as those in the knees and hips. My patients tend to take my advice, so many of them ask my opinion on how they can lose weight in a healthy way. I’m always looking for information to share with them that will help to turn their “temporary” diet plan into a permanent lifestyle. The good news is that not everything that tastes good is bad for you, including fats. Recently I read an article that discusses “good” versus “bad” fats that I think you’ll find helpful when choosing a healthy diet.
-
Monounsaturated Fat and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acids are the so-called “good” or healthy fats. They are referred to as healthy fats because they do not adversely affect your health and may actually contribute to good heart health. These types of fat come mainly from plant sources (e.g., vegetable oil), nuts, and fish (certain varieties).
Whenever possible, you should try and get your “good” fats from food sources rather than supplements. Eating more fish, walnuts and flax seeds will help. You can also take a supplement, but be sure to talk to your doctor first.
Add some sources for healthy fats to your next grocery list. These include: Extra virgin olive oil, avocado, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, ground flax seeds, walnuts (and most other nuts).
-
Polyunsaturated Fat
Polyunsaturated fats provide omega-6 fatty acids and should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet. Sources of polyunsaturated fat include corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil.
-
Saturated Fat
Saturated fat should be limited as often as possible. Diets high in saturated fat raise cholesterol levels and can lead to cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat is found mainly in foods from animal sources. Foods that contain saturated fat include: whole milk, butter, cheese, red meat and coconut oil.
-
Trans Fat
Trans fat should be avoided as often as possible. Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fat that actually elevates blood cholesterol levels more than saturated fat.
Trans fat is typically found in “junk” food, such as prepackaged baked goods and snacks. To locate trans fat on food packages, look for the words “partially hyrogenated oil” or check the nutrition label. Foods that commonly contain trans fat include most margarine, fried foods and commercially-baked goods.
Trans fat has been widely used in fast food for frying, but is now being limited or eliminated by many fast food restaurants. Ask about trans fat at your favorite restaurant and request nutrition data for their menu items.
You can view the nutrition data, including fat content, for many popular foods, fast food eateries, and restaurants online at About.com’s Calorie Count.
Santa Clara Chiropractor: You Truly Can Slow Down Age-Related Health Risks
Posted by: | CommentsYour Santa Clara Chiropractor agrees that “motion is life,” and highly encourages exercise for all age groups. We, humans, were designed to walk, to run, to dance, and to move all the muscles of our body for our entire lifespan. So, naturally, it follows that we either “move it or lose it!” Our aging “Baby Boomer” population is discovering just how true this cautionary advice is when it comes to energy, vitality, mobility, and good health in later years. With every year of our life, we have much to gain from being physically active…and plenty to lose by living an immobile or sedentary lifestyle.
As our age-related risks of chronic disease increase, regular physical activity can actually slow down the trend. In addition, research has shown that people who have already developed coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Type 2 diabetes, and other age-related chronic diseases can benefit substantially by increasing their physical activity and, therefore, often can manage their chronic illness with fewer medicines.
Furthermore, some studies suggest that the cardiovascular benefits an individual gets from physical activity may also help the brain stay healthy. “Physical activity influences the frontal region of the brain,” says Dr. Bradley Hatfield, professor of Sports Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. So, if you’ve been wondering what the best thing is that you can do to keep your brain young, the answer may be for you to take a long walk. A key factor is that exercise thickens the brain tissue and builds more synapses in the brain. The brain has 10 billion nerve cells, called neurons, and on average, neurons are connected to each other through 10,000 synapses. Every time we exercise, more synapses form and the active brain gets stronger.
On a regular basis, being physically active increases the quality of life (period). Some of the benefits include improved energy levels, mental sharpness, balance, strength, flexibility, and weight control. Moreover, regular aerobic exericise has been shown to help in the management of depression, anxiety, and stress.
So, even though the facts point conclusively to the validity of the “move it or lose it!” warning, they also confirm that it is never to late for you to “move it” and regain your health!
Your Santa Clara Chiropractor believes that exercise is essential, but wants you to take a few precautions: You may have read on this website, or elsewhere, about recent studies that have shown that physical activity is requisite to getting and staying healthy, especially as we age. But, if you’ve been inactive for awhile, even the idea of exercise might seem “exhausting.” The best way, then, to approach this much-needed addition to your lifestyle is, literally and figuratively, to do it one step at a time. A smart “first step” is to see a health care professional, like your chiropractor, for a full physical examination. Once it is confirmed that you won’t make matters worse through movement, then the next step is simply to start moving a bit each day.
Any movement is a step towards better health and physical fitness. Walk a lap (or two) around your house or apartment. Put that TV remote away and get up to change the channels. As your body becomes accustomed to moving again, you will probably discover that you actually want to move more. Then you can slowly add additional movement to your daily routine. Increase the walk around your house to a walk around the block, a walk in the park, or even a walk through the shopping mall. Walking with a friend can often help to keep you on track(especially on those days when you’d rather sit and veg, then get your body moving). If you are physically able, take the stairs instead of using the elevator as often as you can. Park farther away from the entrance to the supermarket and make it a goal to put more and more parking spots between you and the entrance.
After a few weeks of regular physical activity, you will begin to feel the healthful benefits of movement. Then you’ll be ready for new ways to build flexibility, fitness, and muscle strength. Your chiropractor can advise you on how to become more physically active and help you to development an individualized program.
Dr. David Hoewisch Asks: Do You Know What's Worse for Your Health Than Eating Fast Food?
Posted by: | CommentsDr. Hoewisch is concerned about your overall health and wellness, which includes all that goes into your body. Are you ready for this? For years (and years) chiropractors like me, plus nutritionists and other health-conscious professionals have been advising men, women, and children to lay off the fast foods. Everyone is aware already of the artery-clogging, fat-producing effects of a fast food diet. So, tell you something you don’t know, right? Well, here it is: It’s not just the fast food, itself, that can shorten your life span, but the wrapper it comes in that is a risk to your health and longevity, as well!
Add to the growing list of chemicals showing up in human blood, chemicals called diPAPs. They’re found in the compounds that make food wrappers grease-proof. These chemicals are fairly new and scientists don’t know yet if they are harmful to human health. But diPAPs break down into another worrisome chemical, called PFOA (perfuorooctanoic acid), which is in a class of compounds called perflurochemicals, and may be carcinogenic.
PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate, another perflurochemical) are resistant to oil and water, which makes them perfect for use as fast food wrappers, and as liners on nonstick pans, microwave popcorn bags, and pizza boxes, not to mention carpets clothes, and electronics among many other applications. The problem is that these compounds end up in the environment, our food and our bodies.
“The take-home message is that some chemicals that make our lives easier, better and more satisfying end up in our bloodstream with unknown toxicological consequences,” said Scott Mabury, a chemist at the University of Toronto. “We should be smart enough to design chemicals that do what we want them to do without causing a chemical pollution problem.” Imagine that — designing chemicals that wouldn’t harm our bodies or pollute the environment. I wonder why no one has thought about that until now?
For the complete article, go tohttp://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/15/food-wrapper-chemical.html?campaign=w01-101-ae-0001
