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Lifestyle Diseases
Recently obesity was officially classified as a disease. This means it may end up eligible for medical
reimbursement which theoretically will improve patient outcomes when dealing
with excess weight. A person is
classified as obese when their Body Mass Index is over 30. It has been estimated that at present that
could be over 1/3 of adults in the USA.
Opponents of this classification point to the fact that
obesity is caused by life style. It is
not an infectious disease. Lack of
exercise, diet and a host of other factors play a role in a person becoming
obese. It is a slow process that
develops over many years. Obesity is
also deeply intertwined with other life style illnesses such as diabetes,
cancer and stroke to name a few.
ISN’T THIS BASICALLY JUST CALLING WELLNESS CARE MEDICALLY
NECCESARY?
If lifestyle modification is the presumed treatment for
obesity then isn’t the medical establishment basically paying itself for
providing wellness care? Wellness care
has been looked at as basically a side treatment for years for people willing
to go further than standard medical treatment.
The idea of paying a doctor to talk to a patient about lifestyle modification
has apparently just been made acceptable and at the very least I hope this
makes it a more attractive alternative than say a bariatric surgery.
However, given that the typical doctor in the USA has had
virtually no training in nutrition, which is the cornerstone of any wellness
program, should they be the ones handling the majority of cases in which patient’s
seek assistance with what is essentially a wellness plan? As the issue progresses in the years to come
it will be increasingly important for the patient to seek a professional who
has ample knowledge of what is actually required to attain wellness rather than
just reading off some note cards.
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Lessons From Game 7 (Congratulations Miami Heat on your 2nd Straight Title!)
After watching an amazing game 7 of the NBA Finals last
night a couple things ran through my mind.
First of all was the sky high level of competition and sportsmanship,
which was great to see. Tim Duncan
turned back the clock all series long and played great basketball. And this is from a guy who is supposed to be
at the end of his career. Tony Parker is
like a layup magician who can pull a hoop out of thin air. The young and energetic Leonard really
stepped up all series too.
On Miami’s side of the ball LeBron James was his usual awesome
self, doing it all for the Heat who would never have even been in the Finals
without him. Dwane Wade battled his achy
knee one more night and turned in a great game and Chris Bosh was quite but did
all the small stuff right, as usual!
Mario Chalmers and Shaine Battier also contributed huge scores during
the game.
So what can we learn about health from Game 7? For starters, people try harder when it is their
last chance to play. The effort level
goes up tremendously. For many people
starting to make life changing alterations in their eating habits, exercise
patterns, etc… usually need some sort of wake up call. Something that makes it win or go home time
in their life. This event could be a health
emergency like a heart attack, a personal lose or a close call that makes them
realize how fragile life is or some similar event. I think it’s helpful to remember that in
life, it may not always feel like it but it’s always Game 7. There is no better time to put in the work. Put in the extra effort and really try to
make your life better.
Also, the best players show up in big games. This is also true in life and most if not all
people, deep down inside, know they can be better and when really pushed can
show up big in life. All sorts of
different scenarios exist in our daily lives where we know we can be more, do
better and really shine even though much of the time we choose not to. If it’s always Game 7 in the game of life why
not start showing up big?
The last thing is the people who put in the work get the
respect (and sometimes awards!). After
watching the series you can’t help but respect what those guys do. And you know they didn’t get where they are
clicking through channels on the couch all year. They put in the effort to get better at their
game and to become the best they can be.
It doesn’t happen overnight either.
It takes building physical toughness and mental toughness as well as
just experiencing enough ups and downs to be good enough to take it all in
stride. The same is true with life my
friends. Put in the work when no one is
watching. Do it day in and day out and
sooner or later you will see the changes in your life. Maybe you are even one of the fortunate few
who rises to the elite level and enjoys an amazing life of happiness and great
health! Shoot for the stars.
The Balance of Healthy and Unhealthy Behaviors
They human body is wonderfully designed to adapt to
different circumstances. Many positive
changes because of this adaptability are possible. For example, if you lift weights consistently
the muscles you exercise will grow stronger.
If you walk for several miles a day your cardiovascular strength improves. If you practice mindfulness techniques to manage
stress you can actually become a less stressed out person. Chiropractic care also works because of this adaptability. If you repetitively reintroduce proper joint
motion and muscle function by adjusting areas where normal joint and muscle function
has been lost the body will respond by adapting this as its normal state which
results in less pain, stiffness, radiating pain and increased nervous system
function.
This principle is a double edged sword however because it
works the other way too. If you never
work out the body stores extra calories in the form of fat. If you self-medicate via energy drinks,
alcohol or drugs to manage stress soon you find yourself needing that fix to
maintain the “normal” climate of your body.
Chronic poor posture inevitably puts extra stress on certain areas of
the spine which then results in the build-up of calcium as the body makes up
for the extra stress and bone spurs form.
It is very true to think of health as a set of balanced
weights with one side of the balance being healthy things we do and the other
side being unhealthy. Ideally we would
weigh down the healthy side with all of our good habits. The wonderfully healthy foods we choose to
eat. The 45 minutes of exercise we do
every single day. The total lack of
stress in our lives… But reality is that often do have a more even balance or
even a balance tipped in the favor of our unhealthy habits.
Remember, the scales can always be balanced
By taking control of our health and doing things we know
we should such as change how we eat and implement an exercise plan we start to
balance the scales. By doing any act of
willfully improving our health we are by necessity taking away from the
unhealthy side and over time the balance shifts. It’s not an all or nothing game and shifting
the scales of health in your favor may take time but its time well spent.
Rooibos Tea: A Summer Super Drink
With the warm days of summer upon us I don’t always feel
like hot tea, coffee or other beverages that sound so good on a cold, rainy day
or during a snow storm. I also recently
cut way back on coffee and other caffeinated drinks for a change of pace and
have been drinking lots of rooibos tea lately which got me thinking maybe I
should expand on the benefits of this wonderful tea.
Rooibos is a South African herb that is dried and made
into tea. There 2 varieties, a green and
a red one. The red has been oxidized
while the green has not. While both are packed
with nutrients the green has more because of its lack of oxidation but is also
more expensive and less easy to find.
As I mentioned above Rooibos tea is a nutrient
powerhouse. It contains high levels of
-iron
-calcium
-potassium
-copper
-manganese
-zinc
-magnesium
It is also caffeine free which can make it an attractive
alternative to coffee. Its flavor is
semi-sweet with a somewhat grassy twinge.
I really like the vanilla flavored variety provided you can find an
organic vanilla flavoring. Here in Eau Claire, WI that means Just Local Foods,
who carry a variety of organic teas.
Rooibos tea has also been purported to have many
additional health benefits including
• Reduces heart disease by providing protection through
ACE inhibition
• Contains quercetin and luteolin, which are known to
have cancer fighting qualities
• Is an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-mutagenic and
anti-spasmodic
• Eases nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems
• Limits uric acid production, which can help gout
sufferers
• Soothes asthma and eczema
• Boosts the immune system
• Cures nagging headaches
• Fights insomnia
• Strengthens bones and teeth
• Relieves severe stomach cramps
• Eases hypertension/lowers blood pressure
• Is considered to have anti-aging properties
• Prevents DNA damage
• Suppresses fasting glucose levels
• Improves glucose uptake and insulin secretions after a
meal
• Aids in liver tissue regeneration
• Acts as a bronchodilator
• Has no known side-effects
Rooibos is great iced so brew it up and throw it in the
fridge for a few hours before enjoying it how you would normally enjoy any
summer beverage!
Sources for this article:
http://www.naturalnews.com/Infographic-Benefits-of-Rooibos-Tea.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/035923_coffee_rooibos_energy.html
http://www.teavana.com/tea-info/rooibos-tea
The Chiropractic and Diet Connection
Chiropractic care is a natural form of healing that
focuses on restoring the proper function of the nervous system. This is accomplished through adjustments that
restore proper joint movement and restoring proper muscle function. When muscles are not overly tight and joints
move properly pressure on the nerves exiting the spine is relieved and the body
is able to heal itself without drugs or surgery.
Natural chiropractic care works wonders but the muscles
and joints being treated are still a part of the body. They body is subject to increased levels of inflammation
which and hamper its ability heal. Diet
is the single most important aspect of reducing inflammation in the body. The foods we choose to put in our bodies
dictate whether we are increasing inflammation in our bodies or decreasing
it.
The less inflammation is present in the body the easier
it is for the body to heal. Thus chiropractic
adjustments are more effective if the body has less inflammation. The better the food choices you make the more
benefits you will receive from your chiropractic treatments.
Beef Soup with Soup Bones
This recipe uses soup bones. This is important because the slow cooking
process releases collagen into the soup which adds some very healthy fat and
helps give the soup a very delicate and delicious flavor. This is essentially the “old school” way to
make soup and you will be able to tell a difference from normal beef stew. This nourishing
soup is excellent for people with digestive troubles or who need an easy to
digest meal that is still very high in nutrients.
1 lb beef soup bones
1 large onion
3 large carrots
16oz frozen green beans
Redmond Real Salt to taste
1 tablespoon thyme
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 bayleafs
Put soup bones, onion, carrot, beans and bay leafs in a
slow cooker and fill with filtered water until the food is just submerged. Cook on high for 5 hours. Turn off heat. Remove soup bones from pot and
separate bone from meat. Remove excess
fat and slice the meat into ½ inch cubes and return to pot. Add remaining seasonings and stir well.
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