Improved digestion.
Enhances quality of sleep.
Adds radiance to complexion.
Improves body shape.
Tones and firms muscles.
Provides more muscular definition.
Spurs weight loss.
Makes you limber.
Improves endurance.
Burns extra calories.
Improves circulation and helps reduce blood pressure.
Increases lean muscle tissue in the body.
Improves appetite for healthy foods.
Alleviates menstrual cramps.
Alters and improves muscle chemistry.
Increases metabolic rate.
Enhances coordination and balance.
Improves posture.
Eases back problems and pain.
Makes the body use calories more efficiently.
Lowers resting heart rate.
Increases maximum cardiac output.
Increases contractility of the heart's ventricles.
Increases the weight and size of the heart.
Improves contractile function of the whole heart.
Increases muscle size.
Improves body composition.
Increases body density.
Decreases fat tissue more easily.
Makes body more agile.
Reduces joint discomfort.
Improves athletic performance.
Enriches sexuality.
May add years to life.
Definitely adds life to years.
Increases your range of motion.
Enhances immune system.
Improves glycogen storage.
Enables the body to utilize energy more efficiently.
Increases enzymes in the body which burn fat.
Increases the number and size of mitochondria in muscle cells.
Increases concentration of myoglobin (carries oxygen in muscles) in skeletal muscles.
Enhances oxygen transport throughout the body.
Improves liver functioning.
Improves memory
Increases speed of muscle contraction and reaction time.
Enhances feedback through the nervous system.
Strengthens the heart.
Improves blood flow.
Helps to alleviate varicose veins.
Makes calcium transport in the heart and body more efficient.
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Thursday, March 4, 2010
MOOOOVE!
How many diseases could be prevented by simply moving more? How many people are wasting away due to lack of movement? How much sickness and suffering could be prevented by simply adding motion to our daily activity?
Too many and too much, unfortunately. We are a culture of convenience and seek comfort above all else. Our lives have gotten too convenient.
Technology has made our lives easier but often at the expense of our health. Life has gotten too easy. Our society has switched from physical activity to virtual activity. We get our entertainment from television, the internet and the x-box.
Yesterday, I saw a man sidle up to a door and rather than exert the effort to pull the door handle, he instead slapped the handicapped button to automatically open the door. And no, he was not handicapped.
Elevators are the preferred method of traveling "up". How many people ride an elevator one floor rather than take the stairs? It's not about saving time...You know which one would be faster!
Why do we drive circles in the parking lot to find that closest spot when we could have been inside already had we just parked in an available, but further spot? (This only makes sense when it's 20 below zero.)
You see, "comfort" is becoming engrained in our culture and I contend that it is killing us, slowly.
Motion is life. The only things not moving are dead. Science has shown that our muscles and joints deteriorate, break down, and scar when immobilized. Ever had an arm or leg casted? You use it or lose it.
We all know we need to exercise and yet can't seem to find the time to do it. But we are willing to spend precious minutes waiting. For what? For the automatic door to open, or our elevator to arrive, or for someone to leave that choice spot in the parking lot. We are lulled into being sedentary by our own inactivity.
Instead, let's challenge ourselves to do one thing. Simply. Move.
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Too many and too much, unfortunately. We are a culture of convenience and seek comfort above all else. Our lives have gotten too convenient.
Technology has made our lives easier but often at the expense of our health. Life has gotten too easy. Our society has switched from physical activity to virtual activity. We get our entertainment from television, the internet and the x-box.
Yesterday, I saw a man sidle up to a door and rather than exert the effort to pull the door handle, he instead slapped the handicapped button to automatically open the door. And no, he was not handicapped.
Elevators are the preferred method of traveling "up". How many people ride an elevator one floor rather than take the stairs? It's not about saving time...You know which one would be faster!
Why do we drive circles in the parking lot to find that closest spot when we could have been inside already had we just parked in an available, but further spot? (This only makes sense when it's 20 below zero.)
You see, "comfort" is becoming engrained in our culture and I contend that it is killing us, slowly.
Motion is life. The only things not moving are dead. Science has shown that our muscles and joints deteriorate, break down, and scar when immobilized. Ever had an arm or leg casted? You use it or lose it.
We all know we need to exercise and yet can't seem to find the time to do it. But we are willing to spend precious minutes waiting. For what? For the automatic door to open, or our elevator to arrive, or for someone to leave that choice spot in the parking lot. We are lulled into being sedentary by our own inactivity.
Instead, let's challenge ourselves to do one thing. Simply. Move.
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Low-down on Low-Calorie
If you've shopped in the grocery store lately you've no doubt noticed the trend towards "low-calorie" or "No-sugar" foods. Sugar adds a lot of calories to common foods and so the food industry has turned to artificial sweeteners that have fewer, if any calories.
This way you can have all of the flavor, with none of the fat. Or so they say - You see, artificial sweeteners are marketed as a healthy alternative to sugar in foods. However, evidence actually suggests a risk of obesity from these low-calorie foods due to the effect on your brain chemistry!
Yes, it's true that excess sugar is detrimental to our health - especially in those who are insulin resistant or diabetic. But there is also a lot of evidence to suggest that artificial sweeteners are damaging to your health as well.
The most common artificial sweetener, Aspartame, has been marketed under several names: Nutrisweet, Equal, Spoonful. A few decades ago after much lobbying (notice I did not say "much health research"), the FDA allowed aspartame as an additive in some foods. Now amidst mounting evidence of harm, it is being re-branded as AminoSweet. Suspiciously, this makes it appear natural rather than articial...afterall amino acids are the building blocks of protein, something we all need. Don't fall for it!
Aspartame, no matter what alias it is given, has been implicated as causing toxicity leading to a number of neurological, behavioral, and gastrointestinal symptoms in the body. In many cases it resembles other common diagnoses. Headaches, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, ADD, and hypothyroidism to name a few.
A number of people have been labeled with an illness and are receiving medication to treat the symptoms. But what or who is addressing the cause? Why is the "pill for every ill" approach the first route people take rather than looking for a cause of their issue? Eating foods that are natural and avoiding toxicity is fundamental to good health.
How many people are being medicated unnecesarilly when all they need to do is cut out the sweeteners from their diet? This is a major pitfall of modern medicine!
For more information on living naturally, go here...
For more reading on the dangers of artificial sweeteners, go here for an article by Dr. Mercola.
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
This way you can have all of the flavor, with none of the fat. Or so they say - You see, artificial sweeteners are marketed as a healthy alternative to sugar in foods. However, evidence actually suggests a risk of obesity from these low-calorie foods due to the effect on your brain chemistry!
Yes, it's true that excess sugar is detrimental to our health - especially in those who are insulin resistant or diabetic. But there is also a lot of evidence to suggest that artificial sweeteners are damaging to your health as well.
The most common artificial sweetener, Aspartame, has been marketed under several names: Nutrisweet, Equal, Spoonful. A few decades ago after much lobbying (notice I did not say "much health research"), the FDA allowed aspartame as an additive in some foods. Now amidst mounting evidence of harm, it is being re-branded as AminoSweet. Suspiciously, this makes it appear natural rather than articial...afterall amino acids are the building blocks of protein, something we all need. Don't fall for it!
Aspartame, no matter what alias it is given, has been implicated as causing toxicity leading to a number of neurological, behavioral, and gastrointestinal symptoms in the body. In many cases it resembles other common diagnoses. Headaches, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, ADD, and hypothyroidism to name a few.
A number of people have been labeled with an illness and are receiving medication to treat the symptoms. But what or who is addressing the cause? Why is the "pill for every ill" approach the first route people take rather than looking for a cause of their issue? Eating foods that are natural and avoiding toxicity is fundamental to good health.
How many people are being medicated unnecesarilly when all they need to do is cut out the sweeteners from their diet? This is a major pitfall of modern medicine!
For more information on living naturally, go here...
For more reading on the dangers of artificial sweeteners, go here for an article by Dr. Mercola.
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Friday, February 26, 2010
Gold Medal Health Care
What do the world's top athletes know? They know the benefits of chiropractic care and utilize it regularly to perform at their best.
This year in Vancouver more athletes than ever before are being adjusted to perform at their best in the winter games. It's not a matter of merely feeling good, it's about optimizing performance.
Getting adjusted not only assists recovery from training and injury, it tunes up the body allowing it to perform up to its potential.
Chiropractic is about removing interference in the body's communication pathway - the spine. Taking pressure off the nerves allows 100% function to flow from the brain to every part of the body resulting in top performance.
What's the best part about this? This care is not limited only to the world's elite athletes. It is available to everyone - see your chiropractor today for a boost in your performance.
For more on Chiropractic in the Olympics, go here...
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/412128
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
This year in Vancouver more athletes than ever before are being adjusted to perform at their best in the winter games. It's not a matter of merely feeling good, it's about optimizing performance.
Getting adjusted not only assists recovery from training and injury, it tunes up the body allowing it to perform up to its potential.
Chiropractic is about removing interference in the body's communication pathway - the spine. Taking pressure off the nerves allows 100% function to flow from the brain to every part of the body resulting in top performance.
What's the best part about this? This care is not limited only to the world's elite athletes. It is available to everyone - see your chiropractor today for a boost in your performance.
For more on Chiropractic in the Olympics, go here...
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/412128
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
I Slipped a Disc!
A "slipped disc" is referred to by a variety of terms: ruptured disc, torn disc (or disc tear), slipped disc, collapsed disc, disc protrusion, disc disease, and black disc. This can be frustrating as patients hear their healthcare providers refer to their condition using different terms. Hopefully this will help clear some of that confusion!
A common area is the lower back which can give rise to a condition called "sciatica." This is pain that shoots down the back of the leg when the disc bulges and presses on a nerve. However, disc herniations can happen in any area of the spine.
Disc bulges typically cause pain along the path of the nerve that it is affecting. The pain is often shooting, stabbing, or burning in nature but can also feel like an aching or throbbing pain
Often times the disc bulge is due to accumulated damage to the disc rather than one solitary event. Years of added stress to a structure combined with poor hydration or improper nutrition is often a recipe for injury.
Think of the disc as a spacer between the spinal bones. It's an important structure because it provides a space between the bones for the nerve to exit the spinal canal and carry function to the rest of the body. The disc is somewhat like a "jelly-doughnut." Soft on the inside, firm on the outside. What happens in a disc bulge is that when too much stress is placed on the disc it can force the "jelly" center out through the edge of the disc and push on the nerve giving rise to pain.
Other variables involved include how hydrated the discs are, the nutritional status of the individual, whether the bones above or below are properly aligned.
How Do I Know If My Disc Is Slipped?
The best way to tell is to have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). However, several tests can be performed that are quite good at predicting whether or not their is a disc bulge without the high fee of an MRI. Your chiropractor is trained to test both orthopedicaly and neurologically to determine what may be causing your symptoms. If need be they can also refer you for an MRI. If you're having shooting, burning or stabbing pain down an extremity and the pain is worse when you "bear down" such as when coughing or sneezing, you likely could have a disc herniation. If there has been any change to your bowel or bladder function - seek help immediately as this can be a sign of a medical emergency!
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
A common area is the lower back which can give rise to a condition called "sciatica." This is pain that shoots down the back of the leg when the disc bulges and presses on a nerve. However, disc herniations can happen in any area of the spine.
Disc bulges typically cause pain along the path of the nerve that it is affecting. The pain is often shooting, stabbing, or burning in nature but can also feel like an aching or throbbing pain
Often times the disc bulge is due to accumulated damage to the disc rather than one solitary event. Years of added stress to a structure combined with poor hydration or improper nutrition is often a recipe for injury.
Think of the disc as a spacer between the spinal bones. It's an important structure because it provides a space between the bones for the nerve to exit the spinal canal and carry function to the rest of the body. The disc is somewhat like a "jelly-doughnut." Soft on the inside, firm on the outside. What happens in a disc bulge is that when too much stress is placed on the disc it can force the "jelly" center out through the edge of the disc and push on the nerve giving rise to pain.
Other variables involved include how hydrated the discs are, the nutritional status of the individual, whether the bones above or below are properly aligned.
How Do I Know If My Disc Is Slipped?
The best way to tell is to have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). However, several tests can be performed that are quite good at predicting whether or not their is a disc bulge without the high fee of an MRI. Your chiropractor is trained to test both orthopedicaly and neurologically to determine what may be causing your symptoms. If need be they can also refer you for an MRI. If you're having shooting, burning or stabbing pain down an extremity and the pain is worse when you "bear down" such as when coughing or sneezing, you likely could have a disc herniation. If there has been any change to your bowel or bladder function - seek help immediately as this can be a sign of a medical emergency!
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Friday, February 12, 2010
Valentine Special: Healthy Brownies!
Okay, Healthy-er Brownies...here's a recipe that you can try to have a healthier treat this Valentines. No it's not perfect, but it's better than the refined carbs that you'll typically find in brownies! Oh, and believe it or not...they taste good!
Black Bean Brownies
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained well
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup instant coffee or (granulated) natural coffee substitute
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1½ cups honey or light agave nectar
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan (with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray)
Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, instant coffee, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the honey/agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.
Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.
Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)
Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.
By the way...did you know that Agave nectar has the lowest glycemic index of any natural sweetener? That means it has less of an effect on your blood-sugar!!
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Black Bean Brownies
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained well
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup instant coffee or (granulated) natural coffee substitute
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1½ cups honey or light agave nectar
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan (with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray)
Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, instant coffee, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the honey/agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.
Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.
Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)
Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.
By the way...did you know that Agave nectar has the lowest glycemic index of any natural sweetener? That means it has less of an effect on your blood-sugar!!
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Healing the Body
You are in control of and have responsibility for your own health. The things you do, the things you eat, the drugs you take, the amount of exercise you get and the way you manage (or don't manage) your stress all affect your health. You may not have control over everything, but it is your choice whether you enhance your body's ability to be healthy or hinder it. The human body is a magnificent self-healing and regulating organism! This concept is unquestionably true but has been pushed aside by the thousands of messages you receive each day via the television, newspaper and magazines professing that your body needs drugs to help it heal. DON'T LISTEN TO THIS PROPAGANDA.
There may be times when medications are helpful to alleviate symptoms while your body heals but medicating should not be the first step. Please understand that your body heals from the inside out, not the outside in. This means that your body has an Innate (inborn) Intelligence that tells it how many breaths you need to take each minute, how many times your heart should pump, how your body should process nutrients, how to fight off bacteria and viruses and how to heal damaged cells, just to name a few.
This innate intelligence or 'wisdom of the body' is what directs the healing. Think of it as the 'breath of life' breathed into us at birth. The healthy choices you make, including getting regular chiropractic care, eating right & exercising all contribute to providing the proper resources for your body to heal itself. On the other hand, being under high levels of stress, ingesting toxins (drugs/toxic chemicals/environmental pollutants), having poor sleep, nutrition and exercise habits inhibit your body's ability to heal.
Your health is a gift that is to be cherished and maintained. It is not something to be taken for granted. There are no 'magic pills' and 'quick fixes'. Don't focus on 'Outside In' healing. It is short term and the side effects are terrible. Concentrate on 'Inside Out' healing. Enhance your body's natural healing abilities. Support your body's healing efforts and the results will be long-lasting. Health is defined as 'Optimal physical, mental and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.' Good health is a lifestyle. It requires effort but the rewards derived are priceless and include: living longer, living more comfortably with the ability to do all the things you love and want to do; having enhanced energy; having enhanced mental focus and having a greater self-image. Chiropractic personifies the healthy lifestyle.
How Can You Support Your Health?
1. Regular Chiropractic Care - The Master Control System of your body is your Nervous System. Chiropractic care eliminates interference in the nervous system. Similar to regular dental check-ups to avoid tooth decay, regular nervous system check-ups will help you avoid spinal decay and nervous system damage, as well as providing for enhanced function of your nervous system. Enhanced nervous system function provides enhanced immune system function, improved digestion and flexibility (greatly improves your golf game), and will enhance the quality of your life. Get your nervous system check today.
2. Eat Right & Drink Water - make sure to eat fresh vegetables and fruit every day and reduce the simple carbohydrates, white sugars and junk food. Drink water! Drink approximately 50% of your body weight in ounces per day.
3. Exercise - get off your couch, away from your TV and computer and get moving. Movement is what keeps your body working. Remember if you don't use it, you loose it.
4. Manage your Stress - stress is as damaging to your body as an automobile accident. Chiropractic care, good food, water, exercise and meditation are just a few of the ways in which you can manage your stress. Make this a priority.
www.lifestylechirocenter.com
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