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Is This The End Of Diet Soda?

Huge Study Links Aspartame To Major Health Problems; Sales Drop

As concerns about health epidemics plague the nation, demand and sales of diet soda have plunged as consumers try to make better diet cokechoices. As reported recently, Aspartame (the main sweetener for diet soda – check the labels) is regarded by scientists as one of the most dangerous ingredients used in our food supply, who have linked it to seizures and a host of other major health issues including fatal cardiovascular events. [1]

In a newly published study [2] (presented in 2014 at the American College of Cardiology, Washington D.C.), 60,000 women were sampled over ten years. It was shown that women who drink two or more diet drinks a day have much higher cardiovascular disease rates and are more likely to die from the disease.

“30% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, 50% more likely to die from related disease…”

In the largest study done of its kind, The University of Iowa concluded:

“…Compared to women who never or only rarely consume diet drinks, those who consume two or more a day are 30 percent more likely to have a cardiovascular event [heart attack or stroke] and 50 percent more likely to die from related disease.

This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome,’ says Dr. Ankur Vyas… the lead investigator of the study.

…The association persisted even after researchers adjusted the data to account for demographic characteristics and other cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index, smoking, hormone therapy use, physical activity, energy intake, salt intake, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake.

On average, women who consumed two or more diet drinks a day were younger, more likely to be smokers, and had a highdiet sodaer prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and higher body mass index.” [3]

Soda sales slipping… Thankfully this study comes on the heels of reports of already slipping sales of diet soda, one of the largest aspartame markets.

According to Time Magazine’s 2014 report:

“One reason for the decline could be a growing awareness of the obesity epidemic in the US and growing health concerns surrounding sugar-sweetened beverages. According to Reuters, industry experts say the beverage industry is shrinking under the scrutiny. Even diet-branded drinks have suffered a loss of sales with concerns over artificial sweeteners.” [4]

Whatever the reason for the decline, this new study should only add fuel to the movement away from artificial sweeteners. There are plenty of natural sweeteners that people can choose that are regarded as much healthier than aspartame.


 

References:

[1] http://www.wesupportorganic.com/2014/04/why-aspartame-is-the-most-dangerous-substance-added-to-our-foods.html

[2] http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/03/ui-study-finds-diet-drinks-associated-heart-trouble-older-women

[3] https://now.uiowa.edu/2014/03/ui-study-finds-diet-drinks-associated-heart-trouble-older-women

[4] http://time.com/44282/soda-sales-drop/

This article originally appeared on WeSupportOrganic.com.

How well do you know your body? What part of your body does this?

Do you know which part of your body does the following?

They are your natural shock absorbers.

They take the pounding of walking, running and even standing.

They are flexible and elastic and give you strength.

They are like a golf ball or a jelly donuts – lots of wrappings that surround a gel-like center.

They thicken during the nighttime and thin out as you walk and sit. That’s why you’re a little taller in the morning than you are at night. 

If they are stressed they might become brittle and tear.

What are they?body

If you said, “intervertebral discs,” go to the head of the class.

Discs are like pads that fit between your vertebrae. They help give your spine its curves. Except for the top vertebrae under your skull (your atlas), every spinal bone has a disc underneath it connecting it to and separating it from its vertebra neighbor.

The tough wrappings on the outside are called the annulus fibrosis and the inner gel-like center is called the nucleus pulposus.

If your intervertebral discs are damaged your entire spine can be thrown off-center, your nerves can become inflamed and you won’t have flexibility, strength and comfort. You may experience back pain, leg pain, sciatica and weakness.

Bone spurs and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine can develop and this is called degenerative disc disease (DDD). It doesn’t have to be part of growing older. To prevent DDD you need to keep yourself hydrated, stay physically active, and see your chiropractor to keep your discs free from stress!

Take care of your body

Don’t assume you need disc surgery merely because an MRI shows your discs are not well. Many people who have “normal” backs have MRIs that show disc herniations, degenerative changes and narrowed spinal canals. Just because you have symptoms doesn’t mean your disc is causing the problem.

Don’t just jump into surgery – always get other opinions – especially from a chiropractor or two.

In conclusion – get regular chiropractic adjustments to help keep your discs healthy.

 

Cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease: A Quiz

A Cholesterol Quizcholesterol 3

Did you know that there has never been a direct, proven link between high cholesterol and heart disease, heart attack or stroke? All of the hype was, at best, based on conjecture (the fancy term for guessing) and, at worst, a conspiracy to get people to take expensive prescription drugs!

If you’re one of the millions of people who believe these “facts” about cholesterol, get ready for an education. Take this True or False quiz to see if you can separate fact from myth about cholesterol.

  1. Cholesterol is a vital substance necessary for good health. T / F
  2. The lower your cholesterol, the healthier you will be. T / F
  3. Having cholesterol levels of less than 150 significantly reduces your risk of dying from heart disease. T / F
  4. The lower your cholesterol levels are the greater your risk of dying from cancer. T / F
  5. Cholesterol plays a role in helping to protect the body against environmental toxins. T / F
  6. Cholesterol is important in maintaining fertility and sex drive. T / F
  7. Eating foods high in fat will raise cholesterol levels. T / F
  8. The use of statin drugs has lowered the incidence of heart disease. T / F
  9. Oxidative stress and inflammation are the root cause of cardiovascular disease. T / F
  10. High insulin levels are a greater risk factor for cardiovascular disease than high cholesterol. T / F

 Don’t Peak below until you’ve answered the questions. 

Answers to Cholesterol Questions

Answers:

  1. True
  2. False
  3. False
  4. True
  5. True
  6. True
  7. False
  8. False
  9. True
  10. True

 Please share this with someone who needs to know!!!! 

 

 

EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO HEALTH

winter exerciseOk, so we all know that we need to exercise to keep our body healthy on all levels, physical, chemical and emotional.  Yet somehow we don’t.  And what I have found over the years is that we generally don’t place enough importance on our own personal health.  We do not prioritize our own health.

If you are ill, sore, out of sorts/whack… you are probably not a ray of sunshine and probably not too much fun to be around.

We actually take better care of our cars than we do our bodies and the time has come to make some changes.

Ideally, we need to do some sort of exercise for 30 minutes each day…and before you say.. where will I find the time?… I challenge you to look at how much time you actually waste in any given day watching mindless TV, for example.  Set your DVR to record the programs you “cannot live without” and do one of several things.

Firstly, walk on your treadmill or ride your stationary bike that has been  gathering dust while you watch those same shows ( you can speed thru’ the dumb ads too!.. BONUS!)

Secondly, you can do simple workouts at home with little, if any, fancy equipment.  If you don’t have a treadmill/bike/elliptical…check out this website for some really simple exercises.

I must admit I have been known to:

  • walk up and down the stairs at home carrying weights
  • do push-ups on the landing
  • kettle bells squats in the lounge
  • step ups /stepping on the steps from the family room to the kitchen
  • crunches on the ball in the family area 
  • more mountain climbers on the ball/steps than I care to think of

All of this to the befuddlement of  Sally cat..who wants to play along

Thirdly, join a gym to work out at…it does mean you can have “you” time which is wonderful and should not be considered a chore.  (Yeah, I know there will be groans, but these days you can have access to all the equipment you need for as little as $10.00 a month (2 less lattes’ & 1000 calories saved!)

Remember too, that walking is a wonderful exercise and make every effort to enjoy the winter weather at the same time!

Ray does Tai Chi daily and I do yoga and teach yoga 4 times a week and power lift 3x week  AND in this day and age there are countless wonderful videos on line or for sale that will give you a good workout on those days when staying home is preferable…but vegging is not!

What I am saying is that if you care at all about yourself,…you can and must make the effort and if you need the moral support, share your decision with a friend/ us to help keep you honest

There a plenty of ways to include mini workouts into your day…take time to share your faves with us.

The Perfect Vegetarian Holiday Meal

This menu us perfect for any

Ok so this is a questions we get often as to what we, as vegetarians/vegans eat on this two major feast days. The quick answer might be everything but the meat…but that leaves some people confused. So here is a rundown on some of the choices we have made over the past 30 years or so.

vegetarian holiday meals

Stuffed pumpkin/butternut/squash…stuffed with a mix of mushrooms, rice, nuts, tomatoes and garlic.

 

Mushroom/spinach strudel with filo dough which is not hard to work with at all!

 

A 16 layer lasagna…..many layers of different  roasted veggies.

 

Mushroom Wellington in flaky pastry.

 

Sides include :

  • Family faves such as Hasselback potatoes
  • Maple syrup roasted Brussel sprouts
  • Garlic mashed potatoes
  • A fresh salad including homegrown microgreens and fruit.

We are not really big on desserts (who needs that after a big meal) but we have one traditional South African dessert we “must” always make which is Melktert…(Milk custard made with English custard powder).

And possibly some chocolate dessert.

What are some of your favorite traditional vegetarian/vegan dishes?

Nourishing Foods Lead to Better Health

nourishing foods

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: https://www.ketogenicsupplementreviews.com/

Keep your brain healthy and prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – eat organic, pastured, grass-fed meat with lots of fat. If you are a vegetarian, add lots of organic, grass-fed butter to lots of cooked, organic vegetables (organic, raw cream from grass-fed cows is also very good for you).

A lesson learned from traditional cultures all over the world, from where our ancestors came, is that meat is eaten with fat. They discovered that a diet of too much lean meat would make them sick. One reason is because eating meat without the fat results in rapid depletion of vitamin A; we need fat to absorb vitamin A and our other fat-soluble vitamins. Most traditional cultures put a special emphasis on organ meats, because these are far more nutritious than muscle meats. 

Nourishing Foods: Organ Meats

Organ meats are the richest sources of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K2. Dr. Weston A. Price found they were prized by nearly every culture and are a key to robust good health. Organ meats are also rich sources of minerals and vitamins B6 and B12 (essential for brain health). Go to www.westonaprice.org for more information on Dr. Price and his research. 

Vitamins

Research shows that Vitamin A is anti-cancer and a deficiency of Vitamin D is associated with a substantially increased risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. There was a 53% greater risk of dementia and a 70% higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease among subjects who had a moderate vitamin D deficiency. (1)

Junk Foods Tied to Higher Cancer Risk

In a study of 471,495 people, who were followed for 15.3 years, it was discovered that people who regularly eat foods with a low nutritional quality have a higher risk of developing cancer. The study authors state that more countries should now enforce food labeling that clearly specifies nutritional value. 

The cancers associated with low nutritional quality include increased risk of colorectal cancer, cancer of the esophagus and stomach, and lung cancer (especially in men) and liver cancer (in women). 

The quality of the food you eat is the key to health.

Always avoid:

  • refined sugar and carbohydrates (especially from dry breakfast cereal)
  • high fructose corn syrup
  • hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils such as canola, corn, soy 
  • non-organic, commercial and junk foods (2)

  1. Littlejohns TJ, Henley WE, Lang IA et al. Vitamin D and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2014 Sep 2;83(10):920-928. 
  2. Deschasaux M, Huybrechts I, Murphy N et al. Nutritional quality of food as represented by the FSAm-NPS nutrient profiling system underlying the Nutri-Score label and cancer risk in Europe: results from the EPIC prospective cohort study. Published: September 18, 2018 PLoS Med 15(9): e1002651. 

 

Strength Training for People My Age

This article originally appeared on StartingStrength.com

by Mark Rippetoe (age 61)

strength training

I was born in 1956. That makes me “old.” Granted, I’m pretty beat up these days. I’ve had my share of injuries, the result of having lived a rather careless active life outdoors, on horses, motorcycles, bicycles, and the field of competition. People my age who have not spent their years in a chair have an accumulation of aches and pains, most of them earned the hard way. And for us, beat up or not, the best way to stay in the game is to train for strength.

The conventional wisdom is that older people (ah, the term sticks in the craw) need to settle into a routine of walking around in the park when the weather is nice, maybe going to the mall for a brisk stroll in the comfort of the air conditioning, or a nice afternoon on the bicycle, checking out the local retirement communities – at a leisurely pace, of course. For the more adventurous, a round of golf really stretches out the legs. Maybe finish up with a challenging game of Canasta. Your doctor will tell you that this is enough to keep the old ticker ticking away, and should you choose to rev the engine like this every day, you’re doing everything you need to do to maintain the fantastic quality of life enjoyed by the other old people at the mall.

Standards, unfortunately, are low. Your doctor often assumes that he’s also your fitness consultant. When you get sick, go to your doctor. When you are deciding what to do to extend your physical usefulness, how about taking a different approach than asking his permission to get up off your ass? How about asking yourself whether your current physical condition is as good as you’d like it to be? If it’s not, what would be the best way to improve it?

I’m pretty sure you know that walking around in the mall – sometimes more accurately referred to as “shopping” – is not capable of making anything change for the better. One of the benefits of being a little older is that most of us have had the opportunity to learn that all major improvements come with a price tag. There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch, as an intelligent man once said. Reversing the entropy takes a significant expenditure of energy, and a brisk walk just isn’t significant. Sorry.

A daily brisk walk, or a jog, or even a 9-minute pace for three miles can produce enough cardiorespiratory stress to keep your heart and lungs in pretty good shape, true enough. This, of course, means that it’s not a terribly difficult thing to do. For most doctors and for many of their patients, the calculation stops there. But not dying of a heart attack is really just a small part of the much larger picture of an active life well-lived. You interact with your environment using all the muscles of your body, not just your heart and diaphragm, and strength is the difference between the things you could do when you were 25 and the things you can’t do now.

Strength – as well as a tolerance for childish nonsense – is the thing we all lose as we age. Squatting down, standing back up, putting things overhead, pulling things up the driveway, loading the groceries, wrestling with the grandkids, teaching the dog who’s boss, mowing the yard, putting the broken lawnmower in the truck again: simple physical tasks we took for granted years ago are often problems for older, weaker people, as well as a source of potential injury that can be expensive and debilitating.

For most of us, this happens because of inactivity. If you do not use your muscles to produce enough force to convince them to maintain their ability to do so, it shouldn’t be surprising that they become less capable of doing it. And walking, running, riding a bicycle – physical activities whose performance is not limited by strength for even moderately active people – cannot increase or even maintain strength.

This is important to understand: physical stress followed by sufficient recovery (in theory, the stress shouldn’t kill you) produces adaptation. The adaptation is specific to the stress. That’s why sunshine on your arms makes your arms brown, not your feet; the shovel makes your hands callused, not your face. So running produces better running, not better strength. And if you want to get stronger you have to stress your ability to produce force, since that’s what strength is. Running is good for the heart and lungs, and that’s about all. A proper strength program is good for the heart, lungs, and everything else too.

Even those of us who have trained for strength for decades have noticed a downhill slide in our physical capacity. Our ability to produce power – the ability to produce force quickly and explosively – diminishes with age whether we train it or not. This is due to changes in the motor neurons and the muscles that control the explosive parts of the system, and even training cannot completely halt the process. The ability to react quickly with our bodies – to a loss of balance, a rapid change in position, or a falling jar of mustard – is the way power is displayed in everyday situations. Strength training should involve some explosive work too, but just maintaining strength slows the loss of power capacity.

The loss of strength also means the loss of muscle mass. Muscle tissue is not merely the stuff that generates force and moves us around. Muscles, in a very real sense, are glands that actively participate in the physiological regulation of our bodies. Muscles produce signaling substances that affect all the systems that must be maintained for continued normal functioning. A chronic loss of muscle mass is associated with poor health, and a profound loss of muscle mass is highly correlated with death.

The absence of skeletal loading is typical for older people, since we now hire the heavy work done instead of doing it ourselves. And just like muscles, bones adapt to the “stress” of being unloaded by getting thinner and less dense. Running is not a weight-bearing exercise in the sense that strength training is. It’s just a “you-bearing” exercise, and the impact of repeated footfalls affects only the legs. In fact, people sensitive to impact have far fewer problems with the static nature of barbell training than they do the repeated impacts of running. A barbell sitting on the shoulders or held overhead in the hands loads the skeleton in a way that other exercises cannot do, and a strength training program always results in the preservation of bone density. Coupled with the strength necessary to control your balance, this is the best insurance against the tragic and often fatal hip or pelvic fracture that an older person can acquire.

But the loss of strength can be slowed down quite a bit, and for older people who have never trained before, a vast amount of improvement can take place in a relatively short span of time. I have trained many older competitive “masters” lifters who started out as disinterested gym members and then experienced a sudden change of attitude when their strength doubled with six months of lifting weights. These people will tell you about the difference strength training – not running – has made in their lives..

Being strong is better than not being strong, strength must be prepared for specifically, and physical stress that lacks force production as a limiting factor cannot make you stronger. As you age, your strength goes away, and unless you do something to address this situation, you will be weaker. Much weaker. This is bad. So, make your plans now.

The Negative Health Effects of Heavy Backpacks, And How Your Kids Can Avoid Them

This article originally appeared on The Active Times by Katie Rosenbrock.backbacks

Back to school means back to the books, which is great for kids’ brains, but not so much for their backs.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a child’s backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of their weight, but often this limit is exceeded, and it could certainly lead to strain and even injury.

There are several research studies showing the long-term effects of carrying a heavy backpack.

Wearing a heavy backpack for prolonged periods may cause excessive strain in one’s neck, back and shoulders. Over time, muscles may fatigue, and the wearer may fall into poor posture, which may lead to muscle imbalances, which, if long-term, may cause increased risk of injury.

Additionally, children who wear heavy backpacks have a tendency to lean forward to support the weight, which further implicates their posture. Plus, for small children, heavy backpacks increase their risk of falling.

Clearly there are a handful of risks involved with bearing the brunt of a backpack that’s just too heavy for a kid to handle, yet a 2002 study out of Texas found that most parents (about 96 percent) don’t inspect the weight of their kid’s backpacks.

Determining an Appropriate Backpack Weight and Avoiding Back Painbackbacks

The AAP recommends a child’s backpack weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of their body weight, but according to The New York Times, a recent survey from Consumer Reports suggests aiming for the lower, 10-percent end of that spectrum. Quinn agrees.

Also worth noting, that same report found girls and shorter children may be most at risk for back pain resulting from heavy backpacks, so for smaller-statured kids, it’s especially important to find a backpack that fits well.

It’s important to make sure the straps are wide, padded and adjustable, so the backpack fits the child well

The backpack should be close to the body and should not hang too far below the waist. The best advice for older kids is to wear the straps on both shoulders and evenly distribute the items in the backpack.”

The risk for injury increases, Quinn explains, when the backpack is worn over one shoulder or when most of the items are packed to one side, which often causes the carrier to shift or bend to the side to bear the weight.

She emphasized the importance of carrying the backpack with both straps to distribute the weight evenly over both shoulders.

Removing unnecessary items from the backpack daily is also key..

Relieving Neck and Shoulder Strainbackpacks

Prevention is of utmost importance, but for kids who are already experiencing strain in their necks, shoulders and backs due to a heavy backpack, Quinn offers a few restorative stretches and exercises that may help.

“Heavy backpacks may cause the wearer to bend forward, causing increased strain on the lower back,” she explains. “It may cause a forward head and rounded shoulder posture, which may result in tight pectoralis muscles and excessive strain on the cervical spine (neck). Pec and upper-trap stretches may improve the flexibility of these muscles and prevent long-term postural deficits.”

As chiropractors we cannot stress how important it is that back packs are worn correctly, as well as carried correctly.   We can always check that your child pack is correct for them if you bring them into the office.  Let’s catch problems before they develop.  Dr C

Where do vegans get their protein?

So as a Vegan/Vegetarian we get this questions all the time…where do you get your protein??…. so here we go… By Lauren Venosta

Vegans don’t consume any products that come from an animal-based source. All macronutrients like protein, vegan protein carbohydrates, and fat are only consumed through plant-based sources—which can make it challenging to get enough protein.

A common question many vegans are asked is, “How do you get enough protein?” Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to get adequate amounts of protein on a vegan diet.

The  important thing to note about plant-based protein sources is that they are more bioavailable to the body. This means that the amino acids (which make up the proteins) are more easily broken down and absorbed by the body. Remember, you aren’t only what you eat, but you are what you absorb! If your body can’t absorb the protein you’re eating, it is useless.

If you’re a vegan or are interested in following a plant-based diet, these foods pack a plant-based protein punch!

  1. Spirulina     Spirulina is a blue-green algae that contains the essential amino acidsrequired for protein assimilation. It’s rich in chlorophyll, which you can see by the dark green color. 8.05 g of protein per 2 tablespoons
  1. Lentils    These edible pulses are a powerhouse of protein, fiber, and iron. Lentils are an easy way to get plant-based protein because they are easily digested and are a versatile ingredient. 17.86 g of protein per cup of cooked lentils
  1. Pea Protein   Green peas contain adequate levels of protein in their raw form (9 g per 1/4 cup), and pea protein is a popular alternative to the whey protein or egg-white protein that are commonly used in protein powders. 21 g of protein per 1/4 cup
  1. Chickpeas Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are meaty and filling. 14.53 g of protein per cup of cooked chickpeas
  1. Nutritional Yeast   Nutritional yeast, a food additive grown on molasses and treated to be “inactive” (as compared to “active” baking yeast), is known for adding a “cheesy” flavor to many dairy-free recipes. The flavor is amazing, but its nutrient profile is even better! It’s loaded with amino acids and B vitamins. Amino acids are essential for protein synthesis and B vitamins help covert the food you eat into useable fuel for the body. 8 g of protein per 1/4 cup
  1. Quinoa   Did you know that quinoa is a seed? Although it mimics a grain-based texture and cooks similar to rice, it is 100 percent seed. And that means it has more protein than many grains! 8.14 g of protein per 1 cup of cooked quinoa
  1. Almonds  A study showedthat eating 1.5 ounces of almonds per day can lower your cholesterol, keep your heart healthy, and even reduce belly fat!  15.12 g of protein per 1/2 cup
  1. Chia Seeds   In addition to their protein benefit, chia seeds are loaded with so much fiber they can actually absorb 10 to 12 times their size in water. This allows them to create a gel-like consistency and expand in your stomach, which keeps you fuller longer and improves digestive health.  8.91 g of protein per 1/4 cup
  1. Pumpkin Seeds    Pumpkin seeds are not only protein rich, but rich in magnesium as well. Magnesium is helpful for regulating blood sugar levelsso eating pumpkin seeds is helpful for reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes.  9.75 g of protein per 1/4 cup
  1. Steel-Cut Oats  Oats contain not only protein, but also fiber and iron. It’s important to purchase steel-cut oats, as they are higher in protein than processed oats. Steel-cut oats take longer to cook and have a more dense texture..14 g protein in 1/2 cup

There are plenty of vegan foods that contain protein. The important thing to remember when eating a vegan diet is to consume a wide-variety of different foods and colors. This will ensure you are getting all the necessary macronutrients (like protein) that are needed to sustain your body. Kick that lack-of-protein fear to the curb, because there is an abundance of bioavailable protein\ in plant-based foods.

Autism and Chiropractic Care

How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care?  Probably most of them.

Autism and Chiropractic Care

A 10-year-old girl diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)  and complained of:

  • neck pain
  • low back pain
  • insomnia

Autism and Chiropractic Care

In addition, she exhibited head banging and other uncontrolled behavior.

A total of 12 chiropractic adjustments were delivered to her occiput, C1, C2, sacrum, and coccyx over an eight-week period. When she first came to the clinic she held herself in a protective position: taut and rigid. However, after an adjustment she became much more relaxed, her outbursts ceased, she was calmer and her sleep improved.

Do you know anyone with the above symptoms? Please share this article with them. We’d love to help!

517.627.4547

Reference: Pappicco M. Improved health outcomes & quality of life in a 10-year-old child with autism spectrum disorder following chiropractic care to reduce vertebral subluxation: a case study & selective review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic~ March 22, 2018:7-12.