Did you know that breastfeeding your child (for at least a year) can help reduce your chances of developing breast cancer by at least a third? A recent study done by the Woman's Research institute in Ontario found that the benefits of breastfeeding for a mother, can be just as great for her, as it is for her baby.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9148659/Breastfeeding-for-a-year-cuts-cancer-risk-by-a-third-research.html

Are you expecting and thinking about seeing a chiropractor? Find out what is to be expected on your date with the Chiropractor and how benficial it could be for both you and your baby!

http://fitnessista.com/2011/12/first-date-with-a-chiropractor/

How far would you go to ensure your children don't consume too much sugar? Would you line up  in front of a convenience store to block children from entering after school? Would you consider putting a 17yr old age limit on buying and consuming pop?

Check out what else the health experts have to say!

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/spoonful+sugar+such+good+idea+report+says/6087952/story.html

 

I'm sure we've all experienced some sort of gut distress in our lives causing physical discomfort, indigestion, uncomfortable gas or bloating, maybe even irregular bowel movements.  Have you ever wondered if your gut distress may be causing or contributing to something else? A growing body of research shows the gut affects bodily functions far beyond digestion. Could our gut distress be linked to anxiety, depression, bone formation, learning and memory and so much more?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204468004577164732944974356.html

How much sleep are your teenagers getting? Do they like to stay up late and then push the clock in the morning before school? Are they sound asleep at an early hour and up to see the sunrise the next day?  A new study done by Australian researchers says that children who follow the “early to bed, early to rise” principle, are leaner and in better shape than those who stay up late and sleep in!

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2011/09/30/early-to-bed-early-to-rise-proves-healthier-for-teens/#

For years the famous saying was "an apple a day keeps the doctor away!" Recent studies prove that this world famous saying may now be the opposite of true! 92% of apples were found to have 2 or more pesticides. Another reason why we should eat organic as much as possible!!  http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011/06/Apples-top-list-of-produce-contaminated-with-pesticides/48332000/1

Did you know that the average American adult drinks 46 gallons of sugar-sweetened beverages each year? Research points out that the additional 200-300 calories a day that Americans are drinking now, compared to 30 years ago is strongly correlated to rising obesity. What ever happened to drinking good ol' water throughout the day instead of sugar loaded pop and juice? Check out what the Hawaiian health department has to say about these sugary drinks!

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Business/Hawaiian-health-department-warns-against-sugary-drinks

The best sunscreen is a hat, shirt and a sun-umbrella. Having a tan or burn signifies damaged skin. It may look good to you now, but you may be onsetting the aging process and 'bringing on the wrinkles'. Not to mention the scary skin Cancer that is more common then we know. Rest assured, there are safe options for sunscreen for you and your family that won't load you up with harmful checmicals and that will protect you from those harmful rays. Check them out!!

http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/best-sunscreens/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/

How many hours are you sitting down per day? Do you get up and move around as much as possible? The truth is that the human body simply just isn't built to sit for long periods of time. Take a look at the extra steps you can take to fight back against the negative effects sitting is having on your body.

http://www.yourdigitalspace.com/2011/05/the-truth-how-sitting-down-is-killing-you/

Time to put down the bleach and those chemical cleaners! Cleaning your floors with natural house hold ingredients is easy and will leave them looking spick and span!!

http://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/get-your-hardwood-tile-or-laminate-floors-clean-naturally.html

Do you stress about getting older? Wonder what aging may do to your skin, hair, teeth, and your insides? For many years I thought that the unpleasant signs of aging were inevitable. Turns out there are things we can do to fight back! Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University Prevention Research center says that we eat too many processed foods. Find out how you can be more proactive as you age!!

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/vitality/4-diet-mistakes-that-age-you-2475581/

How often do you use your cellphone? New research suggests daily cellphone use could have a negative impact on male fertility.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/conditions/sexual-health/cellphones-may-harm-male-sperm-quality/article2028775/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Health&utm_content=2028775

Will Ronald McDonald finally retire? Thanks to Corporate Accountability International, a nonprofit organization that fights corporate abuses, we will hopefully be saying good bye to McDonald's mascot Ronald McDonald.

http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/05/18/corporate-accountability-international-ronald-mcdonald-its-time-to-retire

Have you checked the ingredient lists of the cosmetics that you're using daily? You may find that most of your cosmetics don't have an ingredient list at all. Environment Canada did some research on the most popluar cosmetic products used by Canadian woman and found out some pretty scary stuff!!

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/16/arsenic-lead-and-mercury-discovered-in-canadian-cosmetics-study/

Have you ever wondered what effects IQ? Why some children just seem brighter than others? According to three government funded studies, children exposed to pesticides in the womb were proven to have lower IQ’s. 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/21/womb.pesticide/index.html

How much exercise are you getting? Different studies are suggesting that too much exercise could actually be damaging your heart.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/when-exercise-is-too-much-of-a-good-thing/

 

Laughter and positive thinking may just be the best medicine.
A Kentucky psychologist has been studying personal optimism
and how it plays a central role in protecting your immune system!

http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/optimism-seems-to-strengthen-immune-system-9800/

Does the thought of trusting your breast milk alone
to nourish your baby, scare you? It is common to
be nervous about many things when preparing for
a baby’s arrival. Many women tend to stress about
how to ensure their baby will get enough nutrition
and will their breast milk be enough. Rest assured
that nursing moms can trust their breast milk.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/114492/nursing_moms_need_to_trust?utm_medium=sm&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=natural_fanpage

 Wow! It’s scary to think that our bodies are so polluted from our
 personal care products.  To think that our lipsticks and baby shampoos are
 actually poisoning us? I know I’ll be reading labels from now on before
 purchasing anything I’ll be using on my body.
 http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/

 

As I think back to the number of times I have eaten microwave popcorn, I cringe....it tuns out that the packaging contains some seriously dangerous chemicals. 

http://www.naturalnews.com/030480_microwave_popcorn_PFCAs.html

When we purchase items for our children, we assume that the government has done a great job ensuring that the item is safe.  The truth is, chemicals remain in the everyday items we have in our homes until they are proven to be harmful.  These chemicals are not typically tested for toxicity BEFORE they are used in items such as crib mattresses, they are tested once there is a suspected problem.  Unfortunately the testing carried out by government agencies can take a long time.  By the time a chemical is proven to be harmful it could have been in household items for years.  It can also take government agencies years to set up new guidelines for manufacturers.  Seems to me that there is a real disconnect here...don't you want to know that the items in your home are safe?  Thankfully, there are many alternatives currently available on the market that don't contain industrial chemicals.

https://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2010/08/11/chemical-regulations-and-modern-mattress-stuff-nightmares

Being a kind, loving person is actually great for your health!  A recent study carried out in Sardinia suggest that people who have antagonistic personalities might be more likely to suffer heart attacks and stokes.  The nice guy really does come out ahead in the end.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/heart-attack-stroke-prone-arteries-common-nasty-people/story?id=11413859

Love this article!  Yoga is an amazing way to keep your body fit and healthy.  It also helps our patients hold their chiropractic adjustments.  Way to go Grandma!!

www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-wachob/too-old-to-start-yoga-my_b_605300.html

 

 

Did you know that the average American family watches 35 to 40 hours of television each week? That is comparable to the average time spent at the workplace each week! Imagine what you could accomplish by cutting TV viewing time in half. There would be 20 more hours each week to accomplish tasks, play with children, write letters, learn a new skill or hobby, or read.

With the warmer weather, you can be outside, playing and working in the yard. Visit parks and nature trails to enjoy the outdoors. You or your children and grandchildren can learn a new sport or improve on one that you already enjoy. It is a beautiful time to turn off the television and turn on life.

By reading a book, you can learn about new places, people and things. Whatever your interests are, there is probably a book to read. In your mind, you can travel to far off places, maybe even imaginary places. As Mason Cooley said, "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." You can open your mind to new opinions, increase your knowledge, and expand your horizons. You may even rediscover interests. Reading is a powerful tool.

Although it is good to be quiet and comfortable with silence, if you like to have background noise, listen to the radio or your favorite music. You will be amazed at the level of communication that happens when the television is not distracting people's attention. The creativity that flows when you allow your mind and body uninterrupted concentration is unfathomable.

Time with your loved ones becomes quality time where people are sharing and having fun. Instead of sitting in front of the television with an occasional shared laugh, you can play a board game and have many interactions with each other. Use the creative thoughts to make up a new game that everyone enjoys. By turning on life, you are making good habits and memories that will last a lifetime.

How many times have you said, "I will do it tomorrow" when talking about working out, joining a gym or health class, or just taking a walk. Then tomorrow comes, and another event presents itself and soon the whole year has gone by without increasing your quality of life or health. Waiting to get motivation is a trap. Motivation is not something that strikes you like lightening one day. It is something that sneaks up on you after you have worked consistently toward a goal. Health is much like motivation. It does not magically appear one day; you have to work for it.

New research has been reported on the benefits of walking to prevent stroke and heart attack. The scientists followed about 74,000 ladies for six years and found that the incidence of stroke or heart attack decreased by 30% for the ladies that worked out for at least 2 ½ hours each week. Working out is described as walking or other type of similar exercise that does not need to be strenuous. By completing 2 ½ hours of activity each week, their risk of heart attack and stroke decreased by one-third. This research provides motivation to increase health.

Instead of tomorrow, do it today. Do it without motivation. After you start just doing it, that is when motivation comes and makes it easier for you to continue. Motivation happens in many ways. For example, people are motivated when they feel better, have more energy, lose weight, lower blood pressure or cholesterol, and decrease their risk of heart disease. There are many opportunities to enjoy a workout, take a walk around the block or park, join a class that you enjoy, run, or swim. With the change of seasons upon us, it is a beautiful time to enjoy the outdoors. Then, reward your actions with a healthier you.

Try to take a deep breath in while slouching with your head forward or looking down, then sit up nice and tall with your shoulders back and head up looking straight ahead. Feel how deeply you can breathe with appropriate posture. Most people think that bad posture just looks bad, but there are many other negative side effects of bad posture.

By rolling the shoulders forward and slouching, it is more difficult to breathe. When people sit like this for eight hours in a day, the body is not getting enough oxygen. The cells in the body tell the brain that they need more oxygen, so the person has to take more breaths. This vicious cycle continues because the breaths are not deep enough to fulfill the need of the cells and the person ends up with a subclinical hyperventilation state in their body. This can present as general aches and pains that are not brought on by activity or trauma, tight chest muscles, and shoulder pain.

To counteract this problem, the person needs to begin by stretching the chest muscles and strengthening the middle back muscles. Concentrate on sitting in good posture and breathing with the belly, not the chest.

Being able to take deep breaths allows the body to get more oxygen to needed tissues, which helps to prevent chronic pain. It helps to create relaxation in the muscles and maintains the body in a normal state.

Check your family for correct posture by having them stand at a mirror with their shoulder facing the mirror. Imagine a line from their ear, to the shoulder, to the hip, knee and ankle. If these are not in a straight line, then the posture is not correct and there are stresses on the body in certain areas.

We are in uncertain times right now. Many pieces of our environment are in turmoil. It is times like these that we need to depend on healthy coping mechanisms to get us through, prevail, and even grow from the experiences.

By depending on a social support system, like your family, colleagues, coworkers, and friends, you can voice concerns that are important to you on a regular basis. Saying your concerns out loud and knowing that others are empathetic with you creates a feeling of belonging. Knowing that you are not alone in the world can decrease many stresses. Think about a time in your past when you were feeling a crisis situation. After talking with someone that had been in a similar situation and seeing him or her succeed increased the hope and lessened the stress. Spend more quality time with those you love.

Journaling is a great way to relieve stress in a personal aspect without any interpretations and interactions with others. If there are things that you do not feel comfortable sharing with others, get a piece of paper and write it down. It is very liberating.

Burn off stress by working out. An ideal way to prevent stress from building up and to help clear your thoughts is to do something that you love. By exercising, you are increasing oxygen and blood flow to muscles and your brain. This allows you to think more clearly and process thoughts more effectively. It gives you time to cool down and is one of the healthiest things you can do to prevent stress-provoked diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Create predictability in some aspects of your life. When the external environment becomes unsteady, you need to have safe places to relieve stress. Have routines in your daily life, which will generate consistency in some aspects of your life.

This year, approximately 62 million people will require medical attention for treatment of their cold and cold symptoms. The groups most affected by this illness are children and elderly because their immune systems are not strong enough to combat the cold.

One way to reduce the duration of a cold and decrease antibiotic use is to take zinc lozenges at the beginning of a cold. Zinc helps to decrease cough and runny nose along with other cold symptoms. Studies have shown that people who consume zinc lozenges on a regular basis reduce their frequency of colds. It is recommended that females take in 12 mg and males take in15 mg of zinc in their diet each day. The body cannot make zinc, so it must be consumed in the diet. Other good sources of zinc include high protein foods like beef, pork and chicken. A vegetarian diet must get zinc from supplements because fruits and vegetables are not high in zinc.

Another preventive measure is to take Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that helps to boost the immune system and reduce the length and severity of colds. The recommended amount of Vitamin C to take each day is 75 mg for females and 90 mg for males (add 40 mg if you smoke). To increase the amount of Vitamin C in your diet, eat more green peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, sweet and white potatoes, and cantaloupe. Vitamin C is present in small amounts in many foods including fish and milk.

Taking precautions and keeping yourself healthy with a balanced diet and exercise is the best way to have a wonderful winter.

Fibromyalgia is a common condition that is difficult to endure and treat. It is characterized by tenderness in the body, fatigue, sleep disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome. Many people have other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. It is the third most commonly diagnosed inflammatory joint disorder following osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, a case study published in the Annals of Pharmacology in June 2001 had promising results for those suffering with fibromyalgia. Some fibromyalgia patients are getting relief from eliminating monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame from their diet. It found that four particular patients with different presenting complaints of fibromyalgia all had complete, or nearly complete resolution of their symptoms within months of eliminating these two elements from their diet.

Scientists are relating the relief of symptoms to the reduction of excitotoxins in the patients' bodies. MSG and aspartate (a byproduct of aspartame) act as excitatory neurotransmitters, which can overstimulate the nervous system and cause chronic pain syndromes. By eliminating these chemicals from the body, chronic pain decreased or went away completely and many other symptoms the patients were experiencing were relieved or reduced. If the patients consumed MSG or aspartame again, the symptoms returned.

MSG is used to enhance the flavor in most processed foods. It can be listed as gelatin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, textured protein, and yeast extract. Aspartame is the most common artificial sweetener on the market since the early 1980's.

The sensitivity to MSG and aspartame is not the cause of all fibromyalgia cases because many people were not helped when they eliminated these chemicals from their diet. It is a positive step that fibromyalgia sufferers can take to see if it works for them. Therefore, pay attention to the food labels and try to avoid processed foods when possible. Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables can fill you up and help you curb the craving for processed foods.

Have you hugged someone today? Everyone needs human contact. As many people know, if a baby is not touched and held daily, there are detrimental effects. The results can be mild, like nonsocial behavior, or as severe as death. As children, we are hugged and touched constantly, but as we age, it decreases dramatically. Although the need for love and acceptance does not change as we age, our human contact decreases. Unlike a child, we are probably not going to die if we do not get a hug today, but the day would be a lot better if we hugged.

Webster defines hug as a close embrace. Hugging is a simple, safe gesture to show you care for someone. It is not necessarily intimate, but always friendly. Think of all the ways to show support for loved ones and friends, the easiest and best way is a hug. We always hug at weddings and funerals, but there is no need to wait for a special occasion. Everyday that we are alive is a special day, start it with a hug.

If hugging is too intimate for you, try a smile. They are a free way to spread happiness daily. You will likely find that smiling is contagious; there are not many people who do not smile back. It is an easy way to look beautiful and confident. Look another person in the eyes and smile. You will be amazed at the response. If you are having a bad day, where nothing is going right, just look in the mirror and smile or make a funny face. This may help to lighten your spirit and decrease stress. Children smile hundreds to thousands of times a day. They communicate through smiles. We can follow their example and share our happiness with others by smiling.

Sleep is one of the most important and healthiest things we can do for our bodies. During rest, our bodies are repairing and regenerating cells that maintain our health. It is imperative that we use good posture when we are sleeping to prevent aches and pains in the morning.

Sleeping on your back or side are the best positions to use. When lying on your back, your body is supported evenly. This equal support allows even blood flow to all areas of your body and maintains equal muscle lengths. Try to maintain a neutral spinal posture by using pillows that are not too thick or too thin. If the pillows are too high, it can create muscle imbalance and joint immobility in your neck or upper back area. When in a side lying posture, use a pillow between your knees to keep the upper leg at the same level in your hip joint. Otherwise, your leg will fall toward the floor, causing a lengthening of the outer leg muscles and shortening of the inner leg muscles. Over time, this can add strain to your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back.

If you absolutely cannot fall asleep unless you lay on your stomach, then sleep on your stomach. It is more important that you sleep than how you sleep. Make attempts to sleep in better positions; it may work with some effort. One of the many reasons to avoid sleeping in a prone position is that your head is turned to one side for an extended period of time. Think of the effects of this as walking around with your head turned to the left for two, four, six, or eight hours everyday! Imagine what this is doing to your body. You are creating imbalances in the body. Making small changes in your health everyday will create big changes for a healthier future.