Exercise of the Week

Hamstring Curls Supine, Hips Held Motionless

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
(Consult your chiropractor before doing this or any other exercise.)

Start: Lie on back, lower legs resting on ball, knees straight.
Hands can rest on hips with elbows touching floor. Press
down into ball with legs, lifting hips until entire body is in a
straight position, feet to shoulders. Stabilize with
stomach tucked in and hold.

Exercise: Roll ball toward buttocks using both feet. As
ball comes closer to buttocks, hips should keep still, neither
rising, falling or tilting to sides. Curl legs to 90 degrees and hold for 2 counts.

Return to starting position, maintaining
a tight abdomen throughout.
Repeat 5-10 times

Don’t “B” Without These Eight Vitamins

Don’t forget about our Real Food Revolution Classes. Read more here.

In this issue of Wellness Express, we look at the role of B vitamins and the importance they play in your body, especially for your brain, nervous system, metabolism and blood cells.

You may wonder why there are so many B vitamins. The eight types are chemically different enough from each other to stand alone as separate vitamins. When the eight are combined into a single capsule or tablet, the product is referred to as a B complex
vitamin.

Although B vitamins are found in numerous foods, there are times when it may be beneficial to supplement your intake of these nutrients. Your age, dietary habits, medication use and state
of health all impact the levels of vitamins you should be getting daily. Talk to your chiropractor or other qualified healthcare professional before using supplements. He or she can also recommend the appropriate amounts of B vitamins that are right for you.

From a food group perspective, B vitamins are mainly found in animal products, such as meat and dairy.
However, most B vitamins do occur in smaller amounts in plant-based foods; you can find them in green vegetables, potatoes, beans, nuts, bananas and citrus fruits. Below are descriptions of the eight B vitamins and their reported health benefits.

B1 (Thiamine) Like many of the B vitamins, B1 – or thiamine – is essential in creating energy from carbohydrates, fat and protein. It is also significant for the health of your heart and nervous system

B2 (Riboflavin) Riboflavin helps distribute iron, and it is also crucial for metabolism and skin health. It is used in conjunction with phototherapy to reduce jaundice in new born infants. More recently, Riboflavin demonstrated promise in
health studies as a treatment for the eye disease keratoconus.

B3 (Niacin) As well as extracting energy from food like other B vitamins, niacin aids with blood circulation and appetite regulation.

Niacin has been studied closely because of its therapeutic benefits related to cholesterol. Research reveals niacin boosts HDL (often called “good” cholesterol) while allowing bad LDL cholesterol to be flushed out of the body. 

Studies indicate high doses of niacin may increase HDL by as much as 35 percent. (Do not use niacin for cholesterol
control without supervision from a qualified healthcare professional.)

In research conducted at Michigan’s Henry Ford Hospital, niacin was shown to improve brain function after stroke, one of North America’s leading causes of death. B3 increased blood vessels in the brains of the stroke victims.

B5 (Pantothenic acid) Pantothenic acid is key in food energy conversion, especially as it assists coenzyme A – critical for the synthesis of fatty acids. Some research indicates that vitamin B5 may impact obesity. People with low amounts of pantothenic acid were more strongly influenced by hunger.

B6 (Pyridoxine) Pyridoxine plays a number of crucial roles, including preventing anemia, maintaining blood sugar levels, and helping your immune system. Vitamin B6 creates niacin (vitamin B3) from the amino acid tryptophan. It’s also important for maintaining mental health as it is a catalyst in the creation of mood influencing neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

B7 (Biotin) Biotin is often found in beauty products because of its ability to promote hair and skin health. But its most promising therapeutic potential could be for helping diabetics. Research shows biotin assists with blood sugar control and glucose levels – in some cases, slashing glucose by nearly 50 percent.  As well asimpacting blood sugar, biotin may alleviate symptoms caused by diabetic neuropathy.

B9 – (Folate / Folic Acid)
Vitamin B9 has one of the highest profiles of all the B vitamins. It is widely recommended for women trying to conceive children as it helps stop neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, during pregnancy. As well, folic acid assists with red blood cell formation
and preventing anemia. It also helps convert vitamin B12 into its most metabolically potent form.
B12 (Cobalamin) This B vitamin is well known for its positive effects on neurological health. Unfortunately, many older adults are deficient in this vitamin. B12 is not found in plant sources, which can make it problematic for vegans. If you do not eat animal products or you are over the age of 50, talk to your chiropractor about whether B12 supplementation is
appropriate for you.

According to research conducted at Oxford University, vitamin B12, along with vitamins B6 and B9, may help people suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) -- a risk factor in developing Alzheimer’s disease

Exercise of the Week

 

Hamstring Curls Supine, Hips in Neutral Position

Difficulty: Moderate
(Consult your chiropractor before doing this or any other exercise.)
Start: Lie on back, lower legs resting on ball, knees straight. Hands can rest on hips with elbows touching floor. Press down into ball with legs, lifting hips until entire body is in a straight position, feet to shoulders. Stabilize with stomach tucked in and hold.
Exercise: Roll ball toward buttocks using both feet. As ball comes closer to buttocks, hips should rise but not bend, keeping a straight line between knees, hips and shoulders. Curl legs to
90 degrees & hold for 2 counts.

Return to starting position, maintaining a tight abdomen
throughout. Repeat 5-10 times.

Sleep, Insomnia and Chiropractic

Don’t forget to sign up for our Real Food Revolution.

If you are having trouble sleeping at night, you are not alone. More than one-quarter of the U.S. population report they occasionally do not get enough sleep, while nearly 10% admit
to experiencing chronic insomnia. In Canada, of those with sleeping difficulties, approximately 18% get less than
five hours of sleep per night.

For some, lack of sleep could be the symptom of another problem. According to the National Institutes of Health, insomnia is sometimes related to neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, emotional disorders like depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress syndrome. Other possible causes include arthritis, asthma, headaches, hyperthyroidism, gastrointestinal disorders or menopause.

For some people, lack of sleep is self-induced. Working long hours,
taking care of the kids and increased stress-loads can lead to a restless night. Abuse of recreational drugs or alcohol, or too much caffeine may lead to less time spent in deep sleep at night.

If you find yourself experiencing sleep problems, your chiropractor would like you to pay particularly close attention because this could be detrimental to your health in a number of ways. In a recent article written for Time magazine, Christine Gorman reports that sleep deprivation is responsible for
slower reactivity times and poor memory. In fact, after about 20 hours without sleep, reaction times are similar to those with a 0.08 blood alcohol level, making it significantly more dangerous to operate a motor vehicle. 

Some experts tell us that a lack of sleep may contribute to a greater incidence of all kinds of disease, due to its effects on immunity. According to Dr. Diwakar Balachandran, a sleep specialist from the University of Texas, all-nighters can decrease our body’s ability to fight off colds and flu. Studies conducted in his labs have shown that T-cell counts decrease, and the concentration of inflammatory cytokines increase when a person is sleep deprived, thereby leaving him or her more susceptible to catching a cold or unable to recover from bacterial infections.

In other studies, sleep deprivation has been linked to obesity. In subjects exposed to two consecutive nights with less than four hours of sleep, hormone levels of leptin and ghrelin were altered. This resulted in a perceptive shift in hunger and a greater likelihood for these people to reach for candy, cookies and cake instead of vegetables, fruit and dairy products.6

How Do You Know You Have a Sleep Problem?

If a lack of sleep is starting to affect your concentration, memory or mood, you may have a sleeping problem. Chances are that it is just a case of nerves, or an inability to deal with life’s stress. But to be on the safe side make sure you have your physician perform
tests to see what may be causing your sleeping irregularities. Early detection and correction lead to the greatest odds for recovery. However, most sleep problems are related to other conditions or situations.
So, do not look for traditional medical prescription like sleeping pills to solve the problem.

Sleeping cycles, also linked to night/day cycles (circadian rhythms), are known to influence brain chemistry. One substance in particular, melatonin, is a naturally occurring hormone that is secreted during the dark phase of the 24-hour cycle. Taken orally, this substance has been shown to influence sleep patterns and reduce the symptoms related to insomnia.

Chiropractic Can Improve Your Sleep

If you do not want to have to take pills to improve your sleep, make your next step an appointment with your chiropractor.
In a recent study of 221 chiropractic patients, one third of the subjects who completed the required interview reported immediate effects on their sleep after a chiropractic adjustment.
From this group of responders, a whopping 98% recorded improved results with chiropractic versus those whose sleep patterns did not get better.  Pain, both acute and chronic, is
another primary reason why people experience disturbed sleep. Whether it’s back pain, neck pain or headaches, chiropractic treatments have a long history of being able to help.

Priority Health Chiropractic
19215 S.E. 34th Street, Suite 102, CAMAS, WA 98607
[p]: (360) 882-7733 - [w]: www.priorityhealthchiro.com

 

Disclaimer: Information contained in this Wellness Express newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional.
Copyright 2011 Wellness Express™

Real Food Revolution

Change your life one meal at a time!!

WHEN: January 25th - February 22nd -March 22 (Tuesdays)

Fee: $15 per class or $40 for all 3

TIME: 6:30-8:30 pm

WHERE: Priority Health Chiropractic

Today we have an abundance of options when it comes to the food we eat. But all foods are not created equal. In fact, some food should not even be labeled as food, but rather “ consumable product” or “edible but void of nourishment and will most likely cause chronic disease in the long run.”

Minda Coombs , NTP , along with Drs. Min, Lori and Gregg will be leading a 3 part seminar to help you navigate past the complexities of processed food and help you find your way back to the simplicity of real food and all its health benefits.

Register today ….

it will change your life, one meal at a time!

360-882-7733

Gluten Free

It’s that time of year where we take notice of our diet and make necessary changes.  It’s also the dead of winter and it’s the perfect time for comfort food using your slow cooker. 

We wanted to share a cookbook we found for Gluten free Slow cooker recipes. 

She’s got a variety of recipes and most are very kid friendly as well.

Make it Fast – Cook it Slow

Enjoy!