A healthy diet and the right amount of exercise are key players in treating and preventing obesity, and a new study now reveals that an increase in physical activity is linked to an improvement in diet quality.

The data from epidemiological studies suggest that tendencies towards a healthy diet and the right amount of physical exercise often come hand in hand. Furthermore, an increase in physical activity is usually linked to a parallel improvement in diet quality.

According to Alonso Alonso, “physical exercise seems to encourage a healthy diet. In fact, when exercise is added to a weight-loss diet, treatment of obesity is more successful and the diet is adhered to in the long run.”

Eating and physical activity are behaviours and are therefore influenced by cognitive processes that are a result of activity in different areas of the brain. Previous studies have already assessed changes in the brain and cognitive functions in relation to exercise: regular physical exercise causes changes in the working and structure of the brain.

The experts point out that these changes seem to have a certain specificity. The Harvard researcher supports the notion that “regular exercise improves output in tests that measure the state of the brain’s executive functions and increases the amount of grey matter and prefrontal connections.”

Inhibitory control is one of the executive functions of the brain and is basically the ability to suppress inadequate and non-conforming answers to an aim (the opposite of this would be impulsiveness), which makes modification or self-regulations of a behaviour possible.

Full Report

TRUE health is achieved by the combined effect of a healthy diet, exercise, Chiropractic care, and more.

According to a recent study that tracked the incidence of back and neck pain from childhood to adolescence, one in 10 children (age 9) suffer from neck pain and one in three suffer back pain. The percentages dip a bit at age 13, but then climb dramatically by age 15.

Here’s what the research shows:

By age 15, nearly one in six adolescents report neck pain and nearly one in two report back pain.

Back and neck pain affect people of all ages; that’s the bottom line. If your children haven’t been checked by us, there’s no better time than now – regardless of whether they’re complaining of pain in the back, neck or elsewhere.

Preventing pain and problems before they start is the secret to lasting health and wellness.

Chiro.org

A news release issued on May 22, 2012, by the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) notes that a growing body of evidence shows that chiropractic is an affordable choice within emerging value-based health plans and may represent a significant advancement in cost and clinical effectiveness.

The release cites a research study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, titled, “A Hospital-Based Standardized Spine Care Pathway: Report of a Multidisciplinary, Evidence-Based Process”. The evidence shows that, “…of 402 low back pain patients treated exclusively by doctors of chiropractic at the low back pain program implemented at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, Mass., achieved successful clinical outcomes in an average of 5.2 visits at the low cost of $302 per case, while maintaining satisfaction rates above 95 percent.”

Additionally, the study showed that the participants self-reported pain and disability scores were reduced by about 70 percent over the course of just a few weeks.

The F4CP release also pointed out that one insurance company has already started promoting more affordable and effective care by noting, “Highmark Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, recently introduced a new health plan that utilizes incentives to further engage employees in their healthcare. Specifically, employees are encouraged to better understand less invasive, less costly approaches, such as chiropractic care, before considering more costly and clinically variable procedures, like back surgery and/or knee/hip replacements.”

“Research continues to accumulate in support of value-based approaches to inclusion of chiropractic services in employer health benefits design,” stated Bruce Sherman, MD, former medical director, Whirlpool Corporation and contributing author of Outcomes-Based Contracting- The Value-Based Approach for Optimal Health with Chiropractic Services. “As employers expand their approach to implementing value-based plans, these additional findings increasingly demonstrate the potential value that inclusion of chiropractic services may provide.”

Gerard W. Clum, DC, a spokesperson for the F4CP and an academic leader within the chiropractic profession for nearly three decades, summed up the trend by saying, “This is an exhilarating time for the (chiropractic) profession as employers seek to implement benefit plans with more valuable fundamentals. I expect that, as employers learn more about value-based plans with chiropractic, they will be pleased with the potential results – better outcomes, less costs and increased patient satisfaction.”

“Half or more of all communication is nonverbal,” says Todd Dewett, a management professor at Ohio-based Wright State University. “Professionals are stressed. They are multitasking. They face many competing demands. Consequently, while they might sometimes be focused on using words correctly, they never give a second thought to what their body is saying.”

From their vocal intonation to the tilt of their heads, successful professionals should convey confidence and authority. However, common body language mistakes may make them look uncertain and indecisive. Poor posture can be detrimental. “When you slouch you do not have a dynamic presence,” says career coach Sarah Hathorn. “In the business world it sends a strong signal that you lack confidence and have poor self esteem, which can undermine your actual abilities.”

Forbes Article

Don’t let poor posture limit your career and income. Call us for an appointment so that you can have great, confident posture.

New research shows that seeing a chiropractor or doing simple home exercises relieve neck pain more effectively than taking medication.

New research from Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota shows that seeing a Chiropractor or doing simple home exercises like neck bends can relieve neck pain more effectively than taking pain meds like ibuprofen, Tylenol, or even narcotics. Scientists tracked more than 270 people to find that 57 percent of those who saw a Chiropractor and 48 percent of those who did home exercises daily had a 75 percent drop in pain after three months; only 33 percent who took drugs reported the same relief. While popping a pill may be an instant palliative, therapy can trump prescription meds in as little as two weeks’ time, says lead author Gert Bronfort.

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Researchers have found that there’s a part of your body that might actually shrink when you eat too much fast food.

Unfortunately, it’s your brain.

People with diets high in trans fats are more likely to experience the kind of brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer’s disease than people who consume less of the artery-damaging fats, the new study suggests.

Those with diets high in vitamins C and E, the B vitamins and vitamin D, meanwhile, appear to have larger brains than people with diets low in these nutrients.

And diets high in omega 3 fatty acids seemed to benefit the small blood vessels of the brain — “and the thinking abilities related to those vessels,” said lead investigator Dr. Gene Bowman.

The B vitamins, the antioxidants C and E and vitamin D all seemed to be working in concert in some way the researchers can’t yet fully explain. But the B-C-E-D pattern was associated with greater total brain volume and better global cognitive function. People who scored low on this vitamin combination turned out to have less total brain tissue;

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When we think of chiropractors, we usually think of human patients, but one Georgia chiropractor is trying to help save the life of a more exotic creature from down under.

The patient’s name is Oliver.

Five-years-old and 68 pounds, he’s a Marcropus Agilis…an Agile Wallaby.

This was Oliver’s third visit to Dr. Stover’s clinic since injuring himself about a week-and-a-half ago.

“The first time I touched him his ears perked up and when he got my scent his heart beat slowed; he’s definitely aware that I’m here to help him,” he added.

The Report

Below is a quick summary of an article that was recently posted on Foxnews.com:

Back and neck pain are the chief complaints for which patients seek chiropractic help. Through manual spinal manipulation, chiropractic care is a holistic therapy that focuses on maintaining healthy musculoskeletal and nervous systems to ensure overall wellness.

The research about chiropractic care is growing. According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, recent studies show that spinal manipulative therapy performed by a chiropractor, along with exercise, relieve neck pain more effectively than medication.

Nancy Elwartowski-Cooper, a pediatric and prenatal chiropractor, sees more and more referrals from medical doctors: “They (patients) are tired of the drugs and want answers to what is causing their problems.”

Many chiropractors seek to care for the whole person, from general wellness to disease prevention. They examine every patient, not only for the reason of their visit but also their level of health. After diagnosis, a chiropractor develops a treatment plan.

You can read the entire article here.