Archive for July, 2008
The caffeine and coffee debate.
28 July 2008I’m in forced exile at Starbucks of late. My kids are at a camp 20 miles from our house and in light of gas prices and ridiculous traffic foul ups I opted to spend 3 + hours a day at Starbucks. The upsides are numerous 1. I can work without distractions such as laundry or phone calls 2. I get to observe folks in various negotiations, conversations and yes, even a couple of heated discussions. 3. I am getting 2 hours of free internet because I registered my Starbucks card. The last one is just a little added bonus and makes the drive home to work less necessary. Anyway I digress. Going back to my second point about secret people watching, I overheard a very irate lady at the counter this week telling the barista what for, apparently there is no longer enough fridge space to house her favorite decaffeinated iced-beverage and she was not happy. Indignant and puffing she declared an intolerance to caffeine and an annoyance that her drink had been sidelined for the new smoothie product recently launched. That got me wondering, no not about her mental stability, but the question of how many people know that decaffeinated coffee actually contains caffeine! I recently found this out myself after being strictly forbidden to consume coffee ~ in my quest to try new offerings I decided to avoid caffeine and the kola bean too, not known for my flexibility I actually enjoy the opportunity to deprive myself of all things delightful apparently! Anyway, the reality is, I am not sure if I am supposed to avoid just the coffee or the caffeine, I need to clarify that once I return to the doctor who implored I purge myself of such drugs and stimulants **sigh**. In the meantime I am enjoying a wide range of beverages sans caffeine (thank you Tazo Teas!). Anyway, once again I digress, back to the caffeine / decaffeinated issue. All the research I found says that no beverage that is decaffeinated is truly caffeine free. Medical News Today quotes an article from the Journal of Analytical Toxicology “If someone drinks five to 10 cups of decaffeinated coffee, the dose of caffeine could easily reach the level present in a cup or two of caffeinated coffee,” said co-author Bruce Goldberger, Ph.D., a professor and director of UF’s William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine. First they purchased 10 16-ounce decaffeinated drip-brewed coffee beverages from nine national chains or local coffee houses and tested them for caffeine content. Caffeine was isolated from the coffee samples and measured by gas chromatography. Every serving but one – instant decaffeinated Folgers Coffee Crystals – contained caffeine, ranging from 8.6 milligrams to 13.9 milligrams.
In comparison, an 8-ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee typically contains 85 milligrams of caffeine.
In the study’s second phase, scientists analyzed 12 samples of Starbucks decaffeinated espresso and brewed decaffeinated coffee taken from a single store. The espresso drinks contained 3 milligrams to 15.8 milligrams of caffeine per shot, while the brewed coffees had caffeine concentrations ranging from 12 milligrams to 13.4 milligrams per 16-ounce serving.”
Just a side note here: One has to question why – if avoiding caffeine and therefore the caffeine high, one would order an espresso (DECAF) coffee, isn’t espresso billed for its pick-up qualities? Or is that just me?
Anyway, from that study alone I think we can conclude that the possibility of over-consumption of caffeine, unexpectedly, is quite high. If you are wondering where other possibilities for caffeine are the following information is from Bowes and Church’s Food values of portions commonly used, by Anna De Planter Bowes. Lippincott, Phila. 1989. Pages 261-2: Caffeine. Chocolate unsweet, Bakers 28g has 25 mg of caffeine, a Cadbury chocolate (milk) bar 28 g has 8 mg, Jello pudding pops have just 2 mg, but Jello choc fudge mousse (86g) packs a lively 12 mg, even an 8oz glass of ensure has 10 mg of caffeine. So avoidance is not as easy as requesting or drinking decaf-coffee.
To add to this debate I also started wondering how they actually remove the caffeine from the coffee in the first place. A quick look to How It Works gleaned this information: Several methods are used to remove caffeine from its natural sources:
• Methylene chloride processing
I am thinking the last two are tolerable but the first two ~ not so much. How it Works explains these methods in depth, but basically Methylene chloride is a chemical used as a solvent to extract caffeine from many raw materials. Ethyl acetate processed products are referred to as “naturally decaffeinated” because ethyl acetate is a chemical found naturally in many fruits [other "natural" chemicals include arsenic and MSG]. Caffeine is extracted in the same way as with methylene chloride processing, but ethyl acetate is the solvent. To decaffeinate using carbon dioxide (CO2), water-softened materials are “pressure cooked” with the gas. Caffeine extraction with water is used primarily for coffee decaffeination. The process is similar to the “indirect” method used in methylene chloride processing, but no chemicals are used. Click on each process in the list to learn more.
Ok, so it seems that drinking the decaffeinated varieties using the water process or maybe even the Co2 method would be fine, but the question still remains, is decaffeinated coffee really better than the regular variety, especially given that no coffee is truly caffeine free.
Science Daily published an article in November 2005, which suggested drinking decaffeinated coffee was far more detrimental to some people’s health than caffeinated coffee, this research was presented at the American Heart Associations Scientific Session in 2005. Coined the “CALM study” for: The coffee and Lipoprotein Metabolism study, randomized 187 people into 3 groups. One group drank 3-6 cups of caffeinated coffee a day, the 2nd group drank the same only had decaffeinated coffee, and the 3rd group drank no coffee, this was the control group. The study concluded after a 3 month period and found “… the decaffeinated group experienced a rise in fatty acids, which is the fuel in the blood that can drive the production of low-density lipoprotein LDL. ApoB went up 8 percent in the decaffeinated group but did not significantly change in the other two groups. ApoB is the only protein attached to LDL, and studies show that ApoB might be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease risk than one’s LDL level.
NEFA rose an average 18 percent in the decaffeinated group, while it did not change in the other two groups. “NEFA is the fuel that can drive the increase in ApoB and LDL,” Superko said. “These results are very surprising and have never been reported before for coffee consumption. This is the first non-industry-sponsored study of its kind.
Superko said people concerned about increasing fatty acids and LDL cholesterol should think twice about drinking a lot of decaffeinated coffee. “But those who are overweight and have low levels of HDL2 but normal levels of ApoB, might consider the potential benefit of drinking decaffeinated over caffeinated coffee,” he said.
According to the American Heart Association, whether high caffeine intake increases the risk of coronary heart disease is still under study, however moderate coffee drinking – 1-2 cups per day – doesn’t seem to be harmful. Co-author is Peter D. Wood, Ph.D. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded the study.”
Me, I am sticking to tea for the time being, it turns out I don’t mind the no coffee thing really, after 20 + years of drinking my fair share it seems I am ok with going cold-turkey. I am getting over the headache and tiredness withdrawal stage and I am finding the purple Tazo iced tea delicious, and a far more refreshing beverage on a hot summer day than my steamed latte. Sadly the Starbucks I found across the street from the camp is on the list of locations to be closed, I really am sad, after just a week I feel comfortable in my new corner, the one that always seems to be available no matter what time I stop by, a telling indication as to why Starbucks chose to close this location. Ultimately, coffee is going nowhere, decaffeinated or otherwise, drink up and enjoy but maybe rethink the decaf thing and accept that a little bit of caffeine is sometimes what’s needed to get you through the day, as with everything moderation is always the key.
If you want to see the next stage in manipulated decaffeinated coffee production check out this Emory University Study from 2004.
Make an adjustment: Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy.
Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan for your next chiropractic appointment in Evergreen Colorado. 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
McDonalds Wants to hear from YOU!
23 July 2008=================================
McDONALD’S WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
=================================
A distribution to Feingold families but applicable to all. If you would like to enjoy a trip to a fast food restaurant every once in a while but avoid them due to dyes, preservatives and additives, McDonalds would like to hear from you. If enough people respond they will actually consider making changes. This may not affect you as you don’t frequent these places, but be the one to force change for those who don’t understand the effects of these products on our children’s brains and bodies. Make a case for the reason you choose not to eat at these types of establishments; especially – as in our case – if the food is just not up to par for your growing kids. Seriously adding salads does not make a fast food restaurant healthy – right? There are millions of families every day eating at these restaurants often multiple times a week. Please consider taking time to write to McDonalds and help to make a positive change. Even if people choose to frequent a fast food restaurant 3 or more times a week, maybe there will be a time that their body is not being overwhelmed with artificial toxins. As for the saturated fat and sodium – well that’s worth a mention too. Take a stand – write a letter (or in this case an email.) The world leaders of the future will thank you.
The following is from Shula Edelkind at the Feingold Organization.
Please consider making a case for healthier fast food. See below:
If you have not yet written to your Senators and Congressmen, please don’t let it slide – every email that they get makes a difference, as it is generally believed that everyone who contacts somebody speaks for 100 others who don’t. Be the one that DOES, not one of those that don’t.
If you are missing the email giving you the appropriate information, see it at Feingold News. Meanwhile, McDonald’s has been in touch with the CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) and has told them that they really aren’t sure that Americans are concerned about the fact that their food contains synthetic dyes. McDonald’s has asked their nutrition & labeling manager, Julia Braun, to gather information on whether or not consumers have any interest in this area.
Julia says that McDonald’s rarely does anything unless they can document a consumer demand, so she has invited parents to write to her and share their feelings about food dyes, and she has provided information below on how to reach her.
I have not included a prepared letter because I know each of you has a unique story about how the additives have affected your family, and how you deal with that problem – and each of you has a child who would really like to eat the fries at McDonald’s if they would just get the TBHQ out of the cooking oil (okay, that is not part of “this issue,” but don’t hesitate to mention it if it is important to you).
Just in case you are short on words to describe the food colorings, don’t hesitate to use terms like “land mines” and “booby traps” – because that is what they often are to our children, as well as the less lucky kids who don’t know about the Feingold Program and don’t even know what is bothering them.
Her contact info: Email: julia.braun@us.mcd.com
Julia Braun, MPH, RD
Nutrition & Labeling Manager
2111 McDonald’s Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Remember to sign your email with your name and address at the bottom, and I hope you will send me a note letting me know you have sent something, or perhaps even a bcc: of your email. Let’s change history, everybody!
Shula Edelkind Feingold Association of the United States
School Lunch.org
554 E. Main Street, Suite #301
Riverhead, NY 11901
1-631-369-9340
Neotame – A hidden additive.
21 July 2008The sugar versus sweetener debate gets a little more complicated of late. Not only should we be on the lookout for aspartame, saccharin and splenda added to our food and beverages, the latest additive to be hidden under the title “artificial flavor” is Neotame. A Nutrasweet (Monsanto Chemical Corp.) concoction that is between 8-13000 times sweeter than sugar – in 2005 this sweetener had sales that had increased four fold over the previous 12 months. The cost seems to be the key “Neotame is more cost effective than all other sweeteners except saccarin,” Craig Petray, NutraSweet’s CEO told FoodNavigatorUSA.com.” At Holistic Med they surmise about Neotame being as toxic as its cousin aspartame, “Neotame has similar structure to aspartame — except that, from it’s structure, appears to be even more toxic than aspartame. This potential increase in toxicity will make up for the fact that less will be used in diet drinks. Like aspartame, some of the concerns include gradual neurotoxic and immunotoxic damage from the combination of the formaldehyde metabolite (which is toxic at extremely low doses) and the excitotoxic amino acid. Given all of the suffering being caused by Monsanto’s aspartame, the prudent course would be to start out with the assumption that it may cause toxic damage or cancer from long-term exposure and conduct many thorough, long-term, and independent human studies to see the effects.”
Many people who have used aspartame complain of its long list of negative consequences due to ingesting this additive, including chronic fatigue symptoms, weakness, dizziness, and other general and often serious side-effect. You can read a complete list at Sweet Poison.
Aspartame is a sweetener that is so provocative there have been numerous books written about the detrimental side effects.
One has to question whether, with the controversy over aspartame, launching another additive with a similar type of property is really a good idea. Although we have to remember that this controversy is by no means limited to these two artificial ingredients, there seems to be negative connotations with most of the artificial sugar/sweeteners, a summary of which can be read here.
According to the producer of Neotame: Neotame, is an exciting new sweetener and flavor enhancer, provides manufacturers flexibility in formulating great tasting products throughout their existing food and beverage portfolios. In addition, neotame’s versatility provides for the development of entire new ranges of products that meet the ever-increasing demands of consumers.
However, The Feingold Association has this to say on the subject: More stealth additives are hidden in foods. Neotame, which is N-[N-(3,3-dimethylburyl)-L—aspartyl]-L-phenyalanine 1-methyl ester, is another additive to be hidden under the disguise of “artificial flavor.” Neotame is a newer, much more potent version of aspartame, a synthetic sweetener eliminated on the Feingold diet. It is 30 times sweeter than aspartame, and about 8,000 times sweeter than table sugar. This means that the amount needed to sweeten foods is extremely small, which allows neotame to go “under the radar” and be added to foods without having to be declared on the ingredient label. Like a growing number of additives, neotame can be an “artificial flavoring.”
There are many companies making synthetic sweeteners, and like other synthetic additives, much of it is manufactured in China. One of the companies selling neotame is NutraSweet Co., the world’s largest producer of aspartame. Last year they introduced a version of aspartame in a blue packet, to compete with Equal. Now they are bringing out a blend of neotame and another synthetic sweetener, acesulfame potassium. This product will be packaged in pink, in competition with Sweet’N Low. And plans are in the works to introduce a third product (that will contain a small amount of real sugar) to compete with Splenda. Not surprisingly, it will have a yellow package.
Reprinted from Pure Facts, the newsletter of the Feingold Association of the United States, feingold.org.
Once again, be hesitant about products listing natural flavorings, artificial coloring or additives. Chances are you are eating something that you wouldn’t if it was listed exactly as it should be. Try to be aware of what you are really eating as it may just be the cause of your migraines, your headaches, muscle aches or a host of other problems that you just can’t seem to shake.
Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan to discuss your ongoing healthcare concerns, especially if you are suffering from unexplained headaches, migranes, muscle aches or extreme fatigue; Often a schedule of adjustments can put your body back on a healing path.
Make an adjustment – Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy.
Call Fontana Chiropractic at 303.674.1500 or email the office in Evergreen Colorado at office@fontanachiro.com
Do I need an antibiotic for that?
18 July 2008Antibiotics are overused and over-prescribed and as such certain bacteria are starting to become resistant to the more common antibiotics that we have. We rely on antibiotics for our health and forget that sometimes overuse can be as detrimental as doing nothing – we know that MRSA has become prevalent in both our hospitals and schools and this bacteria is known to be Methicillin resistant. More often than not going into a doctor’s office with a child pulling at their ears will result in a prescription for an antibiotic before you leave, even though it is commonly known that most cases of otitis media (the medical term for ear infection) will resolve by themselves.
If you are a parent who drags their child to urgent care or your pediatrician’s office looking for a prescription every time your child sniffs, sneezes or runs a high temperature, it’s time to do your research on how antibiotics really work. The term antibiotic was coined in 1942 by Selman Waksman to refer to any substance produced by a micro-organism that is antagonistic to the growth of others in high dilution. There are many classifications of antibiotics and while some are bacteria specific others are known as “broad spectrum” as they can attack many different bacteria. Penicillin (possibly the best known antibiotic) was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming and 10 years later Ernst Chain and Howard Florey expanded on his discovery by bringing the purified form of penicillin to market. All three won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Medicine. However, none of the antibiotics on the market today will cure a common cold or the flu. Antibiotics are used for a whole myriad of bacterial infections including Tetracyclene for acne, Trimethoprim for UTI’s, Bacitracin for ear, eye or bladder infections, and Amoxicillin for a wide range of infections including lyme disease. There is a place in modern medicine for antibiotics and life would certainly have been more painful and dire had Alexander Fleming not discovered penicillin. However, we have come to rely on these bacteria fighters to be our all-round cure and that just isn’t possible. Bacteria can be smart, and as we overuse the current antibiotics on the market the bacteria becomes resistant. Unfortunately people also fail to complete the dose suggested by their doctor and end up aiding in the super-bug phenomenon, in some parts of China, India and Russia, TB (tuberculosis) has become so rife and rampant due to antibiotic misuse, they are struggling to keep fighting this once almost extinct medical condition, it won’t be long before we could start seeing similar resistance happening here.
To be clear antibiotics work on BACTERIA, the common cold, the flu, a cough or any similar ailment is usually caused by a VIRUS, Kids Health has this to say about the difference between bacteria and viruses:
Bacteria are living organisms existing as single cells. Bacteria are everywhere and most don’t cause any harm, and in some cases may be beneficial. Lactobacillus, for example, live in the intestine and help digest food. But some bacteria are harmful and can cause illness by invading the human body, multiplying, and interfering with normal bodily processes. Antibiotics are effective against bacteria because they work to kill these living organisms by stopping their growth and reproduction.
Viruses, on the other hand, are not alive and cannot exist on their own — they are particles containing genetic material wrapped in a protein coat.
Viruses “live,” grow, and reproduce only after they’ve invaded other living cells. Some viruses may be fought off by the body’s immune system before they cause illness, but others (colds, flu, and chickenpox, for example) must simply run their course. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics at all.
Not only is overuse of antibiotics dangerous some side effects of common or mainstream antibiotics can be really toxic. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just issued a mandate to put a black box warning on certain antibiotic boxes. The regulation deals with flouroquinolone drugs which are a potent class of antibacterials and an unusual but frightening side effect is coming to light. From antibiotics.org “…Tendon ruptures are normally thought of as sports injuries, generally occurring usually among men in their mid-thirties. The link to treatment with the antibiotics is highly unusual, and scientists still don’t fully understand why it happens. However, FDA officials stressed that many of the serious injuries appear to be preventable if patients stop taking the drug at the first sign of pain or swelling in a tendon, call their doctor, and switch to another antibiotic.
The two leading drugs covered by the warning are Cipro, made by Bayer, and Levaquin, which is made by Ortho-McNeil. Cipro became a household name during the anthrax attacks of 2001. It is effective against that deadly bacteria, and is among the medications stockpiled by the government in case of a bio-terror attack. In everyday medicine, Cipro is often used to treat urinary tract infections. Levaquin is generally used to treat respiratory infections.”
So if you decide to see your doctor for the flu or other viral infections, do not ask for antibiotics. Take their advice and go home, get plenty of rest and fluids and wait it out. If you are prescribed antibiotics ask your doctor if they are essential, specifically in the case of an ear infection. If your doctor still recommends taking the prescribed course, remember to finish the entire dose your doctor prescribed to you. Avoid taking with dairy products as this may impede the absorption.
Ask your Fontana Family Chiropractor about ways to reduce or eliminate ear infections or other common ailments such as flu (and the prevention of) or sinus problems; often regular adjustments might be all you need to ensure you will be on the road to recovery in no time.
Make an adjustment. Stay healthy ~ Be happy. Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com (Evergreen CO)
Natural vs. Organic
14 July 2008
Are my eggs from happy chickens?
I spend an average of $3.69 on a dozen eggs and it suddenly occurred to me that the product actually says – cage free hens not free-range hens. All this time I have been purchasing these eggs, imagining happy chickens scratching and pecking their way around a large expanse of un-fenced farm yard. It turns out that this may not be necessarily so.
Although the package may say “free range” or “cage free” there is no hard and fast legislation or regulations on what an egg distributor can put on their packaging. The term “free range” is supposed to mean that the animal has been allowed to roam freely rather than being caged or contained in some manner. The goal is to let the chickens (or other animal) wander where they want to, allowing them the opportunity to live a happy and stress free life regardless of whether the ultimate intention is to sell it for food. The US Government doesn’t really have stringent rules or regulations on whom or what can be called by that term. In reality that label does not guarantee the animal has been treated as nicely as you (or I) hope.
The term is usually applied to meat, eggs, and dairy farm produce. Specifically in the case of eggs, the term free-range has no legal definition in the United States; therefore it means that free-range egg producers do not have to have a common standard on what that term means to you and I. Many egg farmers sell their eggs as free range merely because their cages are two or three inches above average size, or because there is a window in the shed. Not what I am hoping for when I pay the extra $1 or more for the free-range option, my hope is that for the extra $’s the chicken is afforded a more humane lifestyle than the cheaper egg producing chicken.
It doesn’t just stop with our chickens or the eggs. “Natural” can be another misleading term on a label. A producer may label their fresh meat product as “Natural” provided it is minimally processed and contains no artificial ingredients or added colors. There should be an explanation on the label as to why the product is “natural” i.e.: no dyes, or preservatives for example. Buying a product labeled with this tag line does not necessarily guarantee the product you are buying is as pure as the organic alternative but it is certainly going to be a better purchase than the bright pink dyed sausage on the shelf next to it. ‘No hormones or antibiotics’ gets applied to many meat products on the market nowadays, and rightly so, certainly look for this tag line on any meat you purchase. Note: Pigs and poultry are hormone free by federal law hence the reasons those products do not list this as a selling point.
For the best quality look for products bearing a “certified organic” sticker. Although critics are starting to complain that the organic label is overused and not as regulated as it could or used to be. Interestingly enough many of the organic, earthy looking, products now on our supermarket shelves are produced by the giant corporations putting out the lesser and cheaper food right next to it, Kellogg’s own Morningstar farms, Kashi and Sunrise Organic, and Coca Cola owns Odwalla. At Colette Cope’s Blog we find more large company ties to our favorite organic products.
Also, Good Magazine recently produced a list of the large companies in relation to the organic products we now see on our supermarket shelves.
In the end its not necessarily who makes it, as much as what it will do to your overall health. To make sure the products you are purchasing are the best for you that they can be look carefully at the label. Be aware that natural products or flavoring can actually be anything from MSG to sugar. Free range may not mean your chicken is wandering the farm acreage in northern Wisconsin as you imagine and the way the package looks might not reflect the actual ingredients on the reverse side. When in doubt avoid pre-packaged processed food products, and remember that often the healthiest and easiest way to shop is by staying on the outer edges of the supermarket. For more information on buying organic and natural products check out this article at MSN health.
Make an adjustment: Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan to schedule your next wellness appointment at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
Take a Stress Test!
11 July 2008I remember in college my class had to take a stress test. At the time I was attending school in Georgia and as part of the curriculum every student had to complete a wellness/health class. It was a very basic class and only awarded a grand 1 credit to your transcript, and I am not sure it ever transferred to any of my other schools. Anyway back to the stress test. You accumulated points that were awarded by participating in various stress induced activities, and it turned out my stress level was very high. I learnt that moving house and states, getting married, having a death in the family and working while attending school full-time gives a very high score. I was 27 at the time and felt invincible; I held down my full-time job in addition to a part-time coffee-cart job and attended school for 12 credits each quarter. Although I remember it now as being a breeze to carry all that extra weight, I actually got by on very little sleep and by drinking mau hung (ephedrine), a Chinese herb that can stimulate both your heart and metabolism but has some very unpleasant and negative side effects. I shake my head now when I think about it and I have to question why I personally felt the need to do so much that I had to resort to stimulants (natural of course) to keep going. It was from that experience I learned
A: All supplements are not created equal – natural or otherwise.
B: Stress is as dangerous to your health as a high-fat, sodium-soaked diet.
A daily regime high in stress can lead to heart attacks, asthma, and depression and it can also diminish you immune system opening you up to all kinds of nasty bugs and viruses. Even at its mildest stress can sap your energy and make you just plain tired and worn-out.
Are you stressed out? Take this MSN stress test and see if you are in the danger zone.
What can you do if you find yourself stressed out and frazzled?
- Relax: Yes easier to think than do, but force yourself. Try eating your evening meal slowly at a table – without distractions! Focus on the food and the enjoyment of eating. Give yourself 20 minutes of relaxing focused time to chill out after a hard day. Go to ITUNES and download a relaxation podcast; many of these are free. Spend time with your animals, a little time stroking and petting a dog or cat can do wonders for your stress level.
- Exercise: It doesn’t have to be a major effort, take a twenty minute walk after dinner or before work. Walk the dog or the cat if you feel so inclined. Is there an indoor pool nearby? Take advantage of their adult swim times. Swimming is an excellent low-impact exercise that will increase your lung capacity and stretch out your muscles while giving you gentle exercise. Try Yoga, or just dance daily to your favorite tunes on your IPOD.
- Eat healthy: Stress can get those hormones working overtime, adding to that middle-age spread so many of us work hard to get rid of. Make sure your diet includes lots of great proteins and fiber to keep your body strong, healthy, and working to its optimum levels.
- Laugh more: Yes, it seems according to the University of Maryland Medical Center laughter really can be the best medicine. This article in the Science Daily also has multiple studies on laughter being good for mind, body, soul AND … our pocket book.
- Breathe: Take a breath and decide when to say no. Sometimes we feel obligated to do things or in an effort to be pleasant will often agree to things we don’t want to do. Not only does that make us agitated it also causes our body to react negatively, save the grief and if you really do not want to participate in an event, or share someone’s work load, speak up. Your heart and health will thank you for it.
- Go to bed: Try to regenerate with 7 or 8 good hours of sleep a night, this can be tough but turn off the TV (or the computer) and go to bed at a reasonable time. Sleep is so important to your health.
- Get a regular adjustment, don’t wait until you are in pain or down with a virus; all that adds to your stress levels. Chiropractic care will work out those knots and straighten your spine, helping to keep your immune system strong and your head clear.
Make an adjustment: Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy.
For more great ideas on stress reduction call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan, 303.674.1500 Fontana Chiropractic or email the office@fontanachiro.com
What is sweeter than sugar?
7 July 2008Is sugar really the worst thing we can eat?
What are the alternatives? Splenda, Xylitol, Aspartame, Sorbitol, What to choose. The best choice of the 5 for me personally is hands down – Sugar. Pure unadulterated, organic, brown (raw) cane sugar. Now that isn’t a green light to go out there and suck down buckets of sugar, after all, moderation is everything – right?
But why not choose Splenda or any one of the other varieties of fake or artificial sweeteners?
Splenda: According to Wikipedia “Sucralose is an artificial sweetener originally sold under the trade name Splenda, but now also supplied by a variety of manufacturers under various brand names. … Sucralose is approximately 600 times as sweet as sucrose (table sugar), twice as sweet as saccharin, and four times as sweet as aspartame. Unlike aspartame, it is stable under heat and over a broad range of pH conditions and can be used in baking or in products that require a longer shelf life.” Sounds fairly benign to me, or is it? Splenda is used as a replacement sweetener in more than 4,500 drinks and foods. As you research this product on the internet for every pro-splenda site, I found many more negative pages dedicated to the dangers of using this additive. Splenda exposed has this to say “Splenda CAN adversely affect the body in several ways because it IS a chemical substance and not natural sugar. New chemical sweeteners (like Splenda) and the sweetener blends (aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame K blended together in one product) may be causing users to show signs of weight gain, disruption of sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, increases in cancer, MS, Lupus, diabetes, and a list of epidemic degenerative diseases. The corporations continue to stand tough in their denial of any connection to chemical sweetener additives.” As you read the documentation regarding the various additives and the problems you might encounter if you chose to use them, your choice becomes so much easier to make.
In the case of Aspartame the Mayo Clinic lists aspartame as not ok for cooking or heating but ok for beverages, and safe if you drink it. “Artificial sweeteners are often the subject of stories in the popular press and on the Internet, claiming that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, however, there’s no scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States cause cancer. And numerous studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are safe for the general population. Aspartame does carry a cautionary note, however. It isn’t safe for people who have the rare hereditary disease phenylketonuria (PKU). Products that contain aspartame must carry a PKU warning on the label.” Ok that does not make me feel better about eating or drinking this additive. If it has been proven to be dangerous to anyone ingesting it - I don’t want to eat it either!!!
Sorbitol is another of the artificial sweeteners and is often found in chewing gum. If nothing else, high doses of sorbitol can help you lose weight, just not in a good way. High sorbitol consumption can have a very bad laxative effect.
Xylitol is fast becoming the go-to alternative for sugar. Everything I have read so far about Xylitol seems to be positive. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener from the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms. And for people it can have some benefits, including combating oral yeast infections and dental care. But one word of caution, Xylitol has been shown to be extremely toxic to dogs, even in very low doses. A single piece of Xylitol gum can poison a small dog and can cause acute liver failure, various blood disorders and problems that may prove to be fatal.
Stevia was also touted as an alternative to the toxic-sweetener debate. The Mayo clinic documents Stevia as a herb used as an artificial sweetener in certain parts of the world. Stevia extracts can be hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. Stevia has virtually no calories and doesn’t raise blood sugar levels. Some studies suggest that stevia may help treat type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.” Which all sounds fantastic, until you read further: “Side effects of stevia are generally mild, such as muscle weakness, dizziness and nausea. But questions about the risks of stevia linger, including possible effects on the reproductive system and kidneys. In the United States, stevia is available only as a dietary supplement. The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved the use of stevia as an artificial sweetener or food additive. If you’re considering taking stevia as a dietary supplement, consult your doctor about the possible risks and benefits.” Ok now that does not sound quite so appealing, a sweetener that comes with a doctor’s warning just cannot be good.
Before deciding to go with any one of these options, beside sugar, type your artificial sweetener of choice into Google and read the good – and the bad – to make a decision as to whether it’s something you continue to use.
Sometimes it just comes down to cancer vs. calories, choose wisely.
Make an adjustment: Be healthy ~ Be Happy ~ Become an informed consumer. Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at Fontana Chiropractic 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
1 in 6 children has a learning disability.
4 July 2008I went to a conference last weekend – it was for information on bio-medical interventions for ASD (autism spectrum disorders) and other letter (PDD: pervasice development disorder, ADD: attention deficit disorder, ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc.) disorders. It was a great conference but I was shocked and alarmed to hear from three different speakers that the rate of children in American schools with a learning disability is now recognized as 1 in 6. I was truly stunned and I have to wonder just how this has happened. This is America after all, a super power in the western hemisphere. We should be leading the way in technology, innovation and the future of commerce, not wondering why our 6 year olds can barely string a coherent sentence together. My questions are: Why is no one screaming at the top of their lungs about this? Is no one but the parents concerned about these kids? and Just what are we really dealing with here, what is making our kids sick? So I decided to take a look at some other statistics, to at least see what our youth are up against.
- 1 in 6 children (school age) are learning delayed.
- 1 in 150 children has an autism spectrum disorder.
- 1 in 95 of boys has an autism spectrum disorder.
- 7% of children seen at psychiatric facilities fit bi-polar disorder.
- 15,000 children each year are diagnosed with juvenile diabetes: that’s 40 children per day.
- As many as 3 million Americans may have type 1 diabetes.
- Between 16-33% of children and adults are obese.
- Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples.
Learning delays encompass many different disorders including but not limited to: dyslexia, central auditory processing disorder, sensory processing disorders, ADD, ADHD, PDD, and other behavioral / learning disorders. The data for autism or ASD disorders is huge in regards to current trends. In 2003 a federal study found that at least 425,000 American children under 18 had some form of autism, including 114,000 children under 5. Talk About Curing Autism lists current data as an estimated 1 million in the US as having autism spectrum disorder, this figure does not include any of the letter disorders, JUST Autism. That’s a terrific jump in just 5 years. In California there are currently two new cases recognized every day!
Bipolar disorder is also becoming more and more common in young children. Recently Newsweek ran a great article about the increase of childhood bipolar disorder. In the article a 7 year old boy with the disorder discusses his unhappiness, the various suicide notes he has written, and one attempt to take his own life. His parents discuss how they deal with Max’s diagnosis. One of the challenges with bipolar disorder is getting a correct diagnosis; some MD’s still maintain that children do not suffer from this disorder – try telling that to Max. Children with bipolar present with irritability, hyperactivity and distractibility, similar symptoms as ADD, ADHD and PDD. But the elated mood, grandiose ideas, hyper-sexuality, a decreased need for sleep and mania, occur primarily in bipolar disorder. Watch for elated, hysterically, happy, laughing children when the hysterical laughter occurs for no reason. This can happen in church, at home or at school. Grandiose behaviors such as children who act as if the rules are not for them, they tell teachers what to teach, other students what to learn or do, and complain about authority figures. Some children are convinced they can do superhuman deeds without pain i.e. flying out of windows playing Superman. Finally, topic switching or ‘flight of ideas’, and a decreased need for sleep. Many of these children only sleep 4-6 hours a day. Watch for these behaviors to cycle throughout the day. To learn more on bipolar disorder go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Juvenile diabetes is also on the rise, and can be detected in up to 15,000 children per year by looking for the warning signs: extreme thirst, frequent urination, drowsiness or lethargy, increased appetite, sudden weight loss for no reason, sudden vision changes, sugar in urine, fruity odor on breath, heavy or labored breathing and stupor or unconsciousness. All these symptoms may come suddenly: For more on Juvenile Diabetes.
We have to question what it is we are doing as a society when we are choosing to leave our children this legacy. It has been said that this is the first generation that is seeing lower survival rates than its parents. Yes the FIRST! Let’s hope that this isn’t the first of many. As national infertility increases, the question of what has gone wrong in our biological birth and nurture program has to be asked, and more importantly we have to recognize the problems and find resolutions NOW.
If you suspect your child has any of these conditions please consult with their pediatrician as soon as possible. Testing and therapies are available and the younger the child starts intervention, the better the prognosis.
Make an adjustment: Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan for your next chiropractic adjustment at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com