Paleo 101

When I started my nutrition program in early 2009 I had a time trying to find recipes that I could eat.  With my mom being on a nutrition program as well, and having very similar food sensitivities, we started collecting recipes.  For a long time I was afraid that I was going to have to compile a cookbook to get recipes that had no grains or refined sugars in them.  I could find gluten free cookbooks but all had loads of sugar.  I could find sugar free cookbooks but those used artificial sweeteners (chemicals!).

Imagine my joy when I picked up a cookbook at Whole Foods in St. Louis that did not have a single ingredient that I would not recommend for my family or my patients!  I’m not sure how I missed it for so long but I found the Paleo way of eating.  This way of eating was the only one that mirrored what I had been recommending for my patients.

Paleo is not so much a “diet” as it is a way of eating.  In its most pure form, those that eat paleo stick to eating only foods that they believe would have been available to humans during the Paleolithic period.  It is also referred to as the “caveman” diet.

In a nut shell, the paleo diet consists of good, wholesome, unprocessed meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.  It does not include any grains (wheat, rice, corn), legumes (beans, peanuts), dairy (paleo in its purist form) or refined sugars.  It basically is a clean way of eating and removes the processed foods out of the diet that are causing so many problems.

Eating the paleo way has been shown to help improve and even reverse many health concerns.  These range from auto immune conditions (such as Lyme’s and Rheumatoid Arthritis), blood sugar regulation, diabetes, digestive health, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, neurological health, heart health, thyroid, obesity, cancer recovery and athletic performance.

Paleo Cookbooks in my own kitchen collection: 

·         Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo, BS, NC (2012)

·         Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie & Charles Mayfield (2011)

I myself used the ultra-strict Fat Loss program in Practical Paleo for a month (no grains, legumes, white potatoes, dairy, AND no fruit or any other kind of sugar!).  I felt better, lost fat weight, and never felt like I was going to starve!  I will let myself splurge some for the holidays but will stay pretty much in the paleo way of eating just because I function so much better.

So do some searching for Paleo recipes and see what may tickle your tastebuds.  You may find some new favorite recipes for the holidays, too!

December Healthy Tip

You are what you eat.  Even with the holidays you can still be your best AND eat great food.  The internet is full of great recipes to try.  Try looking up “Paleo” recipes for healthy options that are free of refined sugars, dairy and grains but don’t skimp at all on flavor!  Eating this way over the winter months will also help protect your immune system and help prevent those extra holiday pounds!

Time to Rethink Saturated Fat

By MELISSA HEALY — Los Angeles Times    Published: October 22, 2013

The British Medical Journal has issued a clarion call to all who want to ward off heart disease: Forget the statins and bring back the bacon (or at least the full-fat yogurt). Saturated fat is not the widow-maker it's been made out to be, writes British cardiologist Aseem Lahotra in a stinging "Observations" column in the BMJ; the more likely culprits are empty carbs and added sugar.

Virtually all the truths about preventing heart attacks that physicians and patients have held dear for more than a generation are wrong and need to be abandoned, Lahotra writes. He musters a passel of recent research that suggests that the "obsession" with lowering a patients' total cholesterol with statins, and a public health message that has made all sources of saturated fat verboten to the health-conscious, have failed to reduce heart disease.

Indeed, he writes, they have set off market forces that have put people at greater risk. After the Framingham Heart Study showed a correlation between total cholesterol and risk for coronary artery disease in the early 1970s, patients at risk for heart disease were urged to swear off red meat, school lunchrooms shifted to fat-free and low-fat milk, and a food industry eager to please consumers cutting their fat intake rushed to boost the flavor of their new fat-free offerings with added sugar (and, of course, with trans-fats).

The result is a rate of obesity that has "rocketed" upward, writes Lahotra. And, despite a generation of patients taking statins (and enduring their common side effects), the trends in cardiovascular disease have not demonstrably budged.

Lahotra cites a 2009 UCLA study showing that three-quarters of patients admitted to the hospital with acute myocardial infarction do not have high total cholesterol; what they do have, at a rate of 66 percent, is metabolic syndrome - a cluster of worrying signs including hypertension, high fasting blood sugar, abdominal obesity, high triglycerides and low HDL ("good" cholesterol).

Meanwhile, research has shown that when people with high LDL cholesterol (the "bad" kind) purge their diet of saturated fats, they lower one kind of LDL (the large, buoyant particles called "Type A" LDL), but not the small, dense particles ("Type B" LDL) that are linked to high carbohydrate intake and are implicated in heart disease.

Recent research has also shown that Mediterranean diets - admittedly skimpy on red meat but hardly light on saturated fats - have outpaced both statins and low-fat diets as a means of preventing repeat heart attacks. Other research suggests that the saturated fat in dairy foods may protect against hypertension, inflammation and a host of other dysfunctions increasingly linked to heart attacks.

"It is time to bust the myth of the role of saturated fat in heart disease and wind back the harms of dietary advice that has contributed to obesity," writes Lahotra.

Whether physicians at the front lines of health have gotten the message, a change in thinking is evident, at least, among some of medicine's leaders. But it's not easy to tune out years of what Lahotra calls "the mantra that saturated fat must be removed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."

"When saturated fat got mixed up with the high sugar added to processed food in the second half of the 20th century, it got a bad name," noted University of California, San Francisco, pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig. On the question of which is worse - saturated fat or added sugar, Lustig added, "The American Heart Association has weighed in - the sugar many times over."

Real food includes saturated fat, Lustig said, and real food lives up to the principle that food should confer wellness, not illness. "Instead of lowering serum cholesterol with statins, which is dubious at best, how about serving up some real food?"

November Healthy Tip

Want to do everything you can to stay healthy this winter?  Most people regularly ingest a substance that cuts the immune system’s ability to fight off infection by 50% for 4-5 hours!  Avoiding it means that the body can work at 100% and fight infections as it was made to do.  This substance is sugar.  Look for hidden sources in your diet. When fighting an illness, avoid high sugar fruits as well.

Arthritis, Aging, and Allergies

Do you have discomfort and pains that you just can’t explain by your activities?  Too often these pains are simply written off or labeled as “arthritis.”  If you didn’t have to live with these pains would it be worth it?

Here are some examples of what of what I often hear: 

“Doc, why do my feet hurt so much on Tuesday that it hurt to walk and the rest of the week they are fine?  I didn’t do anything more at work than usual and I didn’t do anything different at home?  I don’t understand why they do this.”

“My lower back is out again.  I didn’t do anything to hurt it; I just woke up one morning with it hurting bad.”

“I feel like I literally fell apart this week!  I didn’t do anything different though.”

As stated above, these pains are often labeled as “arthritis” by both patients and doctors as well as written off as “just getting older.”  The term ‘arthritis’ actually means inflammation in the joint.  There are a number of things that can cause inflammation in a joint. 

One source of inflammation that is often overlooked or downplayed is food intolerance (also called food allergies).  Your diet consists of the food you put in your body.  If it includes foods that your body does not run well on, you will have problems.  This includes foods that you are sensitive to.  These foods are not necessarily bad for everyone and may be considered ‘healthy’ by many.  For example, some patients cannot tolerate eggs and many cannot tolerate wheat.  Avoiding nutritionally void foods, such as sugary foods and processed foods, is also important for your body to function at its best.

As a chiropractor, I see people with back pain, neck pain and headaches all the time.  I have learned over the years that the way a patient responds to an adjustment tells a lot about what is really going on.  Food intolerances can keep a person from holding an adjustment like expected.

If an adjustment only helps for an hour or so, even after multiple adjustments in the past, there is likely something else keeping the body from healing completely.  Back pain that does better right after a person gets up off the table and then is hurting just like nothing was ever done within an hour is a sure sign something else is going on. 

Often times the ‘something going on’ is food intolerance.  They can be hard to find because one or more foods can be involved and are often laced through a person’s diet to the extent they cannot tell what food is causing the problem.  The most common offenders are grains, sugars (which can include fruit sugars), dairy, and eggs.  While wheat is the most common grain (and allergen), corn and soy are also in the grains group and often overlooked as culprits.

Using a technique such as Nutrition Response Testing can help quickly find food intolerance and help direct which food(s) to start eliminating first to see if that unexplained problem can finally be resolved.

October Healthy Tip

October is Chiropractic Health Awareness month.  Use this month to take inventory of how your health is and resolve to find ways to improve it.  Find an activity to get you moving, get more sleep, add more green veggies to your diet, see your chiropractor for a checkup.  If you don’t have a chiropractor, consider starting care while you are not hurting so that you can prevent some future problems and maintain your active lifestyle!

Cleaning House or Closing Doors?

Have you ever had company and a house that wasn’t as presentable as you would like?  There are two ways to handle a messy house.  The most obvious one is to actually clean the house.  The other one is to shove everything into one room and shut the door!  I must admit that I’ve done the “shut the door” method when company comes suddenly.  I’m also aware using the “shut the door” method that even though my house may look clean, it is really not. 

It takes time to clean the house.  All the papers must be filed, all the things that were pulled out and not put back must be put back in the right place, surfaces need to be cleaned, and trash needs to be taken out.  In contrast, putting all the stuff in one room and closing a door takes a very short time and then a superficial cleaning can be done to make the house look clean.

This same idea can be applied to the body.  It takes time to clean a body.  Organs need to be cleaned up, new healthy cells need to be made, and damaged cells and debris need to be removed.  The contrast for the body is simply taking a medication to stop a symptom.  The symptom may not be bothering anymore but the underlying problem may not have be addressed at all!  The problem was simply shoved in a room and the door shut!  The problem then has a chance to get worse.  I guess you could think of mold now growing in that room in the house that had all the stuff shoved in it.  An even bigger mess now exists.

While medicine is great in the case of a sudden problem (like that sudden company) and can quickly handle a very acute situation, you must eventually clean up the mess if you expect to have a nice house (body).

Take the time and get your house in order.  Clean up your body right and it will function better and you can do what you were put here to do.

September Healthy Tip

School is back in session now for kids.  Consider their spines just as you would an adult spine.  Kids have stress put on them just like adults and can have the same problems.  Wellness checks are a great idea to keep your little ones healthy and going strong and chiropractic care is safe and effective for all ages.  Small problems are a lot easier to fix than big ones!  Help kids have a better chance at living a long, healthy life!

Still Small Voice

By now, many people know that my dad had a heart attack on July 22, 2013.  He is doing well and recovering. I wanted to pass on some interesting thoughts.

An interesting effect of both chiropractic and Nutrition Response Testing checks is that you start to learn to listen to your body.  I am always asking questions about how your body is functioning and I expect you to start listening.  My dad has been adjusted since 2000 and is much more aware of what his body is doing…even those little problems.  He knows to get the little problems taken care of before they become big ones.  He has also been on a nutrition program since 2009 and since then has become even better at listening to his body.

When he had indigestion on Monday he did ‘the usual’ and took the supplement he often finds takes care of indigestion.  When he realized in a short time that it was not taking care of the problem and it became a discomfort not like anything he had experienced before, he took himself to the hospital instead of denying a problem and going on an hour drive to a meeting.  That quick realization saved his life.

Here is a summary in his words:
When the pain in my chest changed character and intensity (it really got my attention), I changed direction.  My normal advice is to call and wait for the ambulance.  Given my proximity to the hospital and the probable delay for stopping and waiting for an ambulance, I chose to continue driving.  Frankly, I got a blessing...lucky if you prefer.  I made it to the emergency department in something less than ten minutes (and no, I wasn't speeding).

The cardiologist tells me he found a 100% blockage of the LAD (left anterior descending artery) and placed a single stent.  The pain and cell damage stopped immediately.  I have some healing to do, and am at least trying to behave myself, mind my doctor’s orders and be good.  Those of you who know me may laugh out loud at that...just like my wife and daughter did!

The cardiologist also tells me the lay term for that particular blockage is "The Widow-Maker".  Apparently many of those who do make it to the hospital don't often make it out of the cath lab.  He says (knowing that I am a minister), "Your boss has something planned for you."

I credit his survival to 3 things:
1. God is with him and not done with him yet.
2. Nutrition and chiropractic care have encouraged healing and repair in his body.
3. He has been learning to listen to his body for the last 13 years and paid attention to that still small voice that said this was different.

I have had people tell me him having a heart attack was probably a very big shock to me.  My reply is actually no.  Through chiropractic and nutrition analysis over the years I have seen the stress the heart was under.  We had also been actively working on helping to heal and repair the heart and take off the stress.  I always hoped we were ahead of any major problems and he would never have a heart attack.  I am convinced though, that if he had not done anything and just waited, he would have had a problem much earlier, it would have been much worse, or both.

I thank God every day that he is still with us.  I thank God that He has given me the tools to help not only my family regain their health but also those in my community.  Please, listen to the still small voice and if there is anything I can do to help you regain your health or the health of your loved ones, let us know!  God bless you!

August Healthy Tip

Taking medications?  Be sure to check the side effects of any medications you are on to see if they may be causing your symptoms.  You may have to review the side effects several times a year as most people do not remember the long list.  If medication is the culprit, speak to your MD to see if there is another option.  A specific nutritional program designed for an individual has been shown to help in cases where the medication is a necessity.

Pit Crew

Race cars have to have some maintenance to keep them going on the track during a race.  While I may not follow NASCAR, I felt that this was such a great analogy to what we do at All Creatures Chiropractic and Nutrition.

Your body, which is much more important than a race car, requires regular maintenance in your race, too. Your 'race' is daily life. You were put here for a purpose.

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Ephesians 2:10 NIV

Our job is to help with regular maintenance to keep your body running as well as it can to allow you to do the work you were put here to do.

Regular maintenance includes:

·         **Regularly checking your spine for any imbalances that will effect your nervous system and immune system.  Stress, bumps and bangs, and just general living can take its toll.

·         **Regular nutrition checks to make sure you have the ideal nutritional pieces going into your body.  This can change as you are exposed to different things, increased stress (both physical and mental), and as different layers that need repair are uncovered.  Many people have had years of nutritional imbalance that has resulted in several layers of issues that will take time to restore balance.

·         **Don't forget home maintenance!  This includes feeding your body with real food and good clean water.  Regular nutrition checks can help determine any foods that your body needs you to avoid. Sleep is also a must for proper maintenance; your body requires about 8 hours for an adult (kids need more!). If you are not able to sleep that long your body is telling you to come in for a pit stop!

·         **Your spiritual health is even more important than your body, but both functioning their best will allow you to do the work you were put here to do.  Don’t forget your daily spiritual maintenance.

Just as a race car driver listens to the signals from his pit crew and from the car itself, listen to your own body's signals that it is time to come into for a pit stop.  Remember that sometimes you may miss those small signals and that your pit crew is there to help you fix the small problems before they become big ones so regular tune ups are recommended.

You were put here for a purpose to do good works, just the same as we were put here to do good works.  Our purpose is to help as many people as possible to do the good works that God has for them.  Let us be your pit crew!

July Health Tip

As a nation we have moved more and more to “convenience foods.”  We have also become a nation that is getting sicker and sicker.  I don’t think this is a coincidence.  Start looking at the things you are putting into your body.  Most of the time fast food is not real food.  How “convenient” is it to have diabetes, heart disease, or cancer?  Now is the time to take control of your own healthcare and not leave it to others.

Time for a Bigger Pot

I’ll be the first to admit that I am no expert when it comes to plants.  We have five plants in the office and some even outside, which by the grace of God, I have not yet killed!  I had a patient a few years ago tell me that one of the plants was root bound and would thrive if it was given a bigger pot.

The plant originally came in a small black non-descript pot and, to dress it up, I placed it in a little bit larger pot without repotting it.  It served its purpose by blending in with the décor of the office and being a quick easy fix.

Following that patient’s recommendation, I purchased a larger pot and some potting soil and went to giving the plant more room to grow.  I jokingly placed the plant, still in that small black non-descript pot, into the larger pot and proclaimed I was done.  It was humorous and we got a kick out of it, but we knew for the plant to live and thrive the plant needed that larger pot.  Then I realized that this was a great illustration of what people do in their own lives.

Too often, when it comes to health (and many other important matters), we simply put the plant with the same small pot into a larger one and proclaim the problem solved.  This is simply dressing up the problem and covering up the symptom.  In the case of my plant, it is obvious that doing that is plain ridiculous.  Have you ever stopped to think it is more ridiculous to treat your body that way?

As just one example, let’s look at heartburn: a nasty symptom that interrupts daily life and can even make a person dread eating...or not eating…or both!  In an effort to cool the burn, people often turn to acid suppressors.  This unfortunately does not fix the underlying problem.  This is the same as taking the small black non-descript pot that has the root bound plant in it and placing it in a larger pot.  It looks prettier; the burn is no longer there but the problems remain. 

In the case of the plant, the roots will continue to be bound up, the plant will starve for nutrients and, as one site put it, “suffocate itself.”  In other words, if a root bound plant is not repotted, it will eventually die.  Human beings are the same way.  If a problem is simply covered up, the body will continue to starve for the nutrients it needs and will be suppressed (suffocated) and the body will continue breaking down.

So, the moral of the story is:  Don’t simply cover your problem up.  Get to the root of the issue and fix it so that you, too, may thrive!  (Pun definitely intended!)

June Healthy Tip

As a general rule, those stickers on your fruits and veggies can give you some information on how your food was grown.  PLU stickers have 3 types of codes.  Codes are 5 digits but the leading zero is often dropped.  The zero indicates produce that is conventionally raised (eg. 4011 banana).  A 9 indicates organic (eg. 94011 organic banana).  An 8 indicates genetically modified (84011 GM banana).  Choose wisely!

Lacto-Fermented Electrolyte Drinks

When the temperatures begin to rise, our first inclination is to drink as much water as possible. This is good, in fact it is necessary, but there is something else our body needs as well.  When we sweat a great deal, due to physical exertion or extreme heat, we lose electrolytes through that sweat. Those electrolytes are common minerals that we all need - sodium, potassium, magnesium and more. 

If we are depleting these minerals through sweating and we continue to drink a lot of water we only exacerbate the problem by flushing our system of the minerals it needs to maintain the all-important electrolyte balance in which we can retain enough fluid for functioning while continuing to flush out toxins through our urine.

Now, one can reach for one of the many sports drinks on the market labeled as “electrolyte drinks”. They do contain various added minerals to help support that electrolyte balance when you need it most, but what they also contain is loads of sugar.  There is a beverage, however, that contains ionic minerals, small amounts of (needed) sugar, and lactic acid - all of which can perfectly maintain that electrolyte balance naturally.  The beverage I speak of is the lacto-fermented beverage. These beverages are naturally fermented through a process of lactic acid bacteria fermentation. The acids naturally present plus the sugars used in the ingredients produce a drink more hydrating than water because of its mineral content.

The General Lacto-Fermented Beverage Formula

There are various lacto-fermented beverages that one can consume on those hot summer days, which we will get to in a moment, but there is a basic formula for a homemade cultured beverage you can make in your home kitchen.  A simple combination of live whey (strained from cultured yogurt or kefir), sugars (juice and or sweeteners), and flavorings (herbs, fruits, extracts, etc.) can be combined with water to make myriad flavors of lacto-fermented super hydrating beverages. Experiment by using about 1/2 cup of whey per gallon of water combined with sweeteners and flavorings to taste.

A Host of Cultured Beverages

There are more specific lacto-fermented beverage recipes you can prepare as well.

·         Kombucha. (http://www.culturesforhealth.com/kombucha) This fermented tea beverage is regaining popularity for its delicious and healthful benefits. Because of its detoxing properties some find it slightly dehydrating so it is best consumed in smaller quantities along with plenty of fresh water.

·         Water Kefir. (http://www.culturesforhealth.com/water-kefir) This is popular as an electrolyte beverage because of its light, sweet, fizzy flavor. It is delicious when flavored with various fruits, which makes it especially well-suited for those hot summer days.

·         Orangina. (http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2012/01/52-weeks-of-bad-a-bacteria-week-2-orangina-lacto-fermented-orange-juice/) This is a lacto-fermented orange beverage made popular by the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

·         Lacto-Fermented Lemonade. (http://www.foodrenegade.com/fresh-natural-healthy-lemonade/) This fizzy, sweet, and tangy version of lemonade is lower and sugar and higher in minerals and enzymes than the lemonade you may have grown up with.

A Note on Summer Fermentation

The catch-22 of these lacto-fermented electrolyte beverages is that you will be culturing them during the hottest part of the year. Fermentation is a fluid process, with the results depending greatly on environmental factors such as temperature and time.  So, if your kitchen is above 85°F in the summertime you may have to watch your ferments closely. Check them every day to be sure that the gases they produce will not explode your bottles. Also, realize that they will culture faster in the warmer temperatures and the rapid process can sometimes produce off flavors. So do try to find the coolest place in your home for culturing these beverages as well as all of your other cultured foods.

(Source for full article:  http://www.culturesforhealth.com/lacto-fermented-electrolyte-drinks)

May Healthy Tip

Hot weather is on the way and with it will come lots of sweating!  Don’t be tempted to fall for the marketing hype for sports drinks…a better choice is whole fruit.  You’ll get the water and minerals you need to restore electrolytes.  Even better: try homemade lacto-fermented drinks.  You can find recipes online and in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.  Check out our Facebook page for links.

Starving Cancer: Ketogenic Diet a Key to Recovery

By Lorie Johnson, CBN News Medical Reporter

Many people are frustrated with today's cancer treatments. They are expensive, painful and often just don't work.  However, there is a new cancer treatment that is free, has virtually no side effects, and can be used in conjunction with other cancer treatments.  It involves cutting out carbohydrates, beginning with the worst carb of all - sugar.

Killing Cancer

Dr. Fred Hatfield is an impressive guy: a power-lifting champion, author of dozens of books, a millionaire businessman with a beautiful wife. But he'll tell you his greatest accomplishment is killing his cancer just in the nick of time.  "The doctors gave me three months to live because of widespread metastatic cancer in my skeletal structure," he recalled. "Three months, three different doctors told me that same thing."  His wife Gloria remembers it well.  "It's a horrible, horrible feeling to have someone tell you that the person you love only has three months to live and you're not going to be with him anymore," she said.  While Hatfield was preparing to die, he heard about an anti-cancer diet, also known as metabolic therapy. With nothing to lose, he gave it a try and was shocked when it actually worked.  "The cancer was gone!" he exclaimed. "Completely. To this day there's no trace of it. And it's been over a year."

Starving Bad Cells

Although it wasn't easy, Hatfield stopped eating carbohydrates, which turn into glucose inside your body. Cancer cells love glucose and need it so badly, that if you stop giving it to them, they die.  "It just absolutely amazes me that medical science is just now finding this out," he said.  Hatfield's cancer recovery, however, was not a surprise to Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, who researches metabolic therapy. When he and his team of scientists at the University of South Florida removed carbohydrates from the diets of lab mice, the mice survived highly aggressive metastatic cancer even better than when they were treated with chemotherapy.  "We have dramatically increased survival with metabolic therapy," he said. "So we think it's important to get this information out."  It's not just lab mice. Dr. D'Agostino has also seen similar success in people - lots of them.  "I've been in correspondence with a number of people," he said. "At least a dozen over the last year-and-a-half to two years, and all of them are still alive, despite the odds. So this is very encouraging."

The Ketogenic Diet

All cells, including cancer cells, are fueled by glucose. But if you deprive them of glucose, they switch to the alternate fuel, ketone bodies.  Except cancer cells. A defect prevents them from making the switch to using ketone bodies as fuel and therefore, cancer cells can only survive on glucose. All other cells can use either glucose or ketone bodies.  "Your normal cells have the metabolic flexibility to adapt from using glucose to using ketone bodies. But cancer cells lack this metabolic flexibility. So we can exploit that," Dr. D'Agostino explained.  People like Hatfield, who want to deprive their cells of glucose and fuel them with ketone bodies instead, eat what's known as a ketogenic diet. It consists of almost zero carbohydrates, but lots of natural proteins and fats.  Gloria said the food on the ketogenic diet is in every grocery store and is pretty easy to prepare.  "You can go online and there's cook books," she said, "It's clean eating. Just very clean eating, none of the sugars, the salts, the trash food."  "Natural" proteins are ones that are in their original form. On the other hand, "processed" meats, like cold cuts and hot dogs, are off-limits because often carbohydrates have been added to them.  Similarly, "natural" fats are whole foods, like olive oil, avocados, and nuts. Stay away from "trans" fats, such as shortening or margarine, any oil that is hydrogenated. Trans fats are man-made.

Safe & Healthy

Sometimes people are afraid to try the ketogenic diet because they think eating fat like this is bad for your heart. But more doctors say as long as it's natural, fat is good for you, even saturated fat like coconut oil and butter.  "Is cholesterol the major cause of heart disease?" cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra asked. "Absolutely not."  In his book, The Great Cholesterol Myth, Dr. Sinatra said the real cause of heart disease is inflammation, which comes from eating too many carbohydrates.  "We need to coach our patients and empower our patients about the dangers of sugar," he said. "Unfortunately, they're not hearing that. They're hearing the converse, the dangers of fat. Fat is healthy for you, as long as you avoid trans fats."  So by cutting back on carbohydrates and eating natural fats and proteins, you could improve your heart health and even wipe out cancer.

April Healthy Tip

Spring is finally here!  Many people do spring cleaning at this time to clean up homes and yards.  Don’t forget your body!  Clean up your body by eating fresh vegetables and fruits and eliminating grains, dairy, and sugars for a time.  This will allow the body to detoxify.  Energy often increases as well as improved sleep, better brain function, and even decreased weight.  Need more help? Stop by the office and ask for more information.

The Lure of Synthetic Vitamins

Most chemists maintain, molecule by molecule, synthetic vitamins are identical to natural vitamins. The isolated factor of each may be identical, although newer information challenges this belief. Man-made synthetic supplements are a combination of some of the separate factors, never the whole complex of synergistic factors found in nature. The whole family of B, C or E vitamins is known as a "complex".

Synthetic vitamins may cause improvement of certain conditions for a short time but the whole complex goes even further. It is now believed that the "unknown" co-factors found in natural vitamins, not found in synthetic forms, act as catalysts which make the vitamins more effective. The reason why synthetic vitamins are so popular is because they are easier and cheaper to manufacture in a lab from petroleum products than to grow and harvest from crops.

Research indicates that synthetic vitamins may actually cause nutritional deficiencies. When you take a synthetic vitamin, it needs the co-factors normally found in the whole food, in order to complete its action. If they are not in the foods you eat, it will draw the co-factors from your body. You may feel good for a while but when the co-factors run out, you will begin to feel worse. The prolonged action of the synthetics imitates the action of drugs; they over-stimulate rather than feed your body. Science does not even come close to duplicating nature. Many illnesses, pain and suffering are the result of our dietary ignorance.

Synthetic vitamins will never have the effects of natural vitamins simply because they are missing many parts of the whole complex.  Give your body what it needs, it'll make everything else from that. To sustain good health, your cells must have all the elements they need to perform the jobs of growth and tissue repair in your body. Your body does not need hundreds of vitamins and minerals in order to maintain itself. It seems that every month a new miracle vitamin is being touted. Each cell in your body requires certain nutrients to maintain its basic metabolic function and keep healthy. The body will manufacture everything else from these basic building blocks.

Many consumers are confused by the labels. Many labels say "Natural" or "Food based" or "Organic". "Natural" is a term used very loosely. Many things are natural (e.g. oyster shells) but they may not be ideal for human consumption. Food based simply means that it started with a food product (such as a carrot) but the rest of it was synthesized in a lab. And if the carrot was organic, then they can also add the word "Organic" to the label.

One way to tell if a product is synthetic is to use the word potencies. In reality, high concentrations have nothing to do with potency. A 10,000 mg capsule of Vitamin C may not necessarily be potent at all! Remember, you will never see those concentrations or combinations in nature. They simply do not exist like that except in a bottle manufactured in a lab. Eat food, not chemicals!

March Healthy Tip

Soy may not be as healthy a food as you thought.  It has anti-nutrients which are natural or synthetic compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients.  Ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking do not neutralize them.  Some things soy does:  Soy increases your body’s need for Vitamin D and soy is particularly harmful to the thyroid.

Raising Drug Free Families

The following article is from www.chiroTips.com and is just excellent.

The statistics are staggering. Every year more than 5000 teenagers commit suicide while another 500,000 attempt to do so. Thousands of kids are killed and injured each year in an automobile accident and horrible acts of violence that are linked to drugs. Millions of kids are turning to drugs and alcohol to try to find their place in the world. What can we as parents do to make sure that our children grow up with the self-worth and the values that empower them to "just say no" and use good judgment when they are out on their own?

One of my colleagues informed me of a man who he heard tell an unfortunate story with a critical message on the very issue.

This was a professional man who spent his entire adult life working hard to achieve financial success for himself and his family. He was very committed to accomplishing extraordinary things in his professional life, and he did. He owned five major companies and was worth millions of dollars. He recently found out that this wasn't everything. One night, after flying his personal airplane to a business meeting, he received a startling call in the middle of the night from his wife. He jumped as his wife proceeded to tell him that his daughter in law was killed in a house fire and his two grandchildren were critically injured. Stunned by the news, he flew out the next morning, after his meeting and arrived home in time to hear the doctor inform the family that both of the children had died.

Crushed by this horrible news, he couldn't imagine things getting worse, but they did. Within just a few days, his son was arrested and charged with the crime. He is currently serving a life sentence.

This man's message is very powerful and very sad. Imagine his pain. Imagine the questions he must have. I would wonder to myself, "did I do all I can to raise my family with the right values?" Did I do all I can to instill a value system that supported a loving home in which every person knew they were important, a value system based on love and understanding and a value system free from drugs?'

Is this the kind of home you are creating? Don't answer this question with the spontaneous "of course" like many people thoughtlessly do. Think very carefully about whether your day to day actions match your response.

Many times, while your intention is to raise a drug free family, you are creating a drug dependent one without even realizing. You actually program drug dependency into your families’ behavior! What do I mean by this? How could this be? Please follow along with me for a minute without judgment and open yourself up to this information as you read on...

IT COULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE OUTCOME OF YOUR CHILD'S LIFE.

Think about what happens when your baby is born and he/she gets sick for the first time. If you have not educated yourself about your child's natural immunity and how it develops, you might immediately run to your doctor in a panic to alleviate your child's apparent suffering, at any price and give your child a drug.

As they grow up to become toddlers, they may get another cold or infection and so they won' t "suffer", you give them a drug. They continue to grow up and each time they complain, they don't feel good, what do you do to make them feel better? You run to the drug store and get them an over the counter drug.

Finally, they are old enough to go to school and the teacher tells you that your child isn't concentrating or sitting still. Rather than look for alternative ways to teach, like many good teachers do, the child is labeled hyperactive or attention deficit and given a drug, Ritalin. It is amazing that in some schools, 50% of the children are on Ritalin, while others less than 5% of the kids are on this drug that has severe side effects.

Drug companies market their products, drugs, to physicians and parents with little emphasis placed on these side effects. Ritalin, for example, includes side effects such as insomnia, appetite loss, stunted growth and suicide. Antibiotics cause digestive disturbances and create highly resistant bacteria that cause super infections which strain your immune system and are untreatable. Aspirin causes abdominal bleeding while Tylenol and Ibuprofen increase the risk of kidney disease.

Even worse than the side effects of these drugs is the message it sends. From the time they are born, your children get the message that when they feel bad they should take drugs to help them feel better. As subtle as it may seem, this behavior is conditioned. They see it every time you say "I have a headache" and choose to take a pill. Is it any wonder that when a child doesn't make the cheerleading squad or gets dumped by their boyfriend or girlfriend, they turn to drugs to relieve pain?

You can stop the insanity that this quick fix, relief orientation causes. Millions of people already have. Last year Americans made over 100 million more visits to holistic doctors than they did to medical doctors because people everywhere are tired of taking pills and are concerned about their horrible side effects. Almost every person you talk to today has a horror story about a severe drug reaction.

People today want wellness. They know that the human body has an incredible inborn healing power that heals them from a cut. At the same time they have little faith in drugs which are harmful chemicals with unpredictable side effects. They are demanding information on how to build their body's immune system for long term health rather than performing constant crisis care.

Chiropractic has led the way for these people by providing incredible results, information, scientific validation and research material on how to restore the body to optimum health and keep it that way. Thousands of families receive ongoing Chiropractic Wellness Care and have practically eliminated medical expenses because they are healthier now than ever before. These people have turned their medicine chests into bathroom cabinets because they no longer use drugs.

THESE ARE NOT JUST PEOPLE WITH BACK PAINS. These are people who are suffering from every disease you can name from cancer to Crohn's disease, from asthma to menstrual problems. While Chiropractic doesn't treat these conditions, it allows the body to return to normal function so that it has the best opportunity to heal itself. Many of these people are perfectly healthy and are just looking to get to the next level.

One patient, in particular, had such severe menstrual problems, she had to completely get away from people every month and check into a hotel. Within 90 days of getting Chiropractic care, her body chemistry balanced itself out and her hormonal rages were gone. Another woman with a severe intestinal disorder couldn't leave the house because of her condition. She was scheduled for surgery because she was dying. As a last resort, she tried Chiropractic. Her body’s innate healing ability took over and she cancelled the surgery. One month later, she was in Europe with her children. Her entire family now receives ongoing Chiropractic Wellness Care.

People are seeking out Chiropractic care for superior performance also. Olympic and professional athletes receive Chiropractic Wellness Care to help them get the most out of their training and enhance their performance.

Children who used to get sick all the time and be on constant medication are now getting Chiropractic Wellness Care with their families and they are truly healthy and drug free. Think about the difference in the message your kids are receiving with these two different approaches.

The old system says, "I'm sorry you feel bad. Your body is weak and you need these drugs to be well." Wellness, on the other hand says, "Your body is strong and has the ability to heal itself. Let's remove the interference so you can get well on your own. You can trust your body."

Children that grow up in wellness grow up believing in themselves and are independent from drugs. Families that receive Chiropractic Wellness Care are sharing healthy times and perpetuating healthy values. Kids run into Chiropractic offices and can't wait to get on the table for their adjustments. They are much healthier for it.

Give yourself and your family every opportunity to live the healthiest life possible. A drug free life! Empower them to believe in their own inner strength, healing capacity and their unlimited human potential.

If it works for millions of others, why wouldn't it work for you? Are you alive? Are you breathing? It will work for you, once you make the commitment!

February Healthy Tip

Be careful with all the ‘diet’ foods on the grocery shelves.  Many are sweetened with chemicals—aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda), and saccharine to name the common ones.  They are toxic to the body and nerves, can cause headaches, prevent weight loss, and even mimic Multiple Sclerosis!  Stevia is a better option for no calories.  Honey is also a great sweetener to use with a lower glycemic index.

January Healthy Tip

A recent study has shown that the bacteria in your gut play a role in obesity and your ability to lose weight.  You can change the environment in your gut in just a couple of days for better or worse.  To restore a healthy balance eat live yogurt, kefir, fermented veggies, and avoid processed foods and sugars.  Fermented foods are easy to make at home and you can read more from “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon.

Baby Steps in 2013

Another new year is upon us and many will be making resolutions.  One thing that I have found as I help people regain their health naturally is that you have to take small baby steps if you want to make lasting changes.  Trying to do everything all at once is a recipe for failure and I don’t want anyone to be a failure!

Making changes one small step at a time works for anything you want to change.  We emphasize physical health at All Creatures Chiropractic, but the baby steps work with financial and spiritual health as well.  Changes you would like to see in your personal and professional life also benefit from baby steps.

The following list is something I received in an email and I wanted to share it with you.

Tools for success:

1.      Focus on one resolution at a time.

2.      Be accountable to someone.  Designate a friend, family member or your coach.

3.      Be persistent! Don't give up until your achieve your goals.

4.      Keep your commitments and promises to yourself.

5.      Make your idea very specific, and your goal crystal-clear. This is the only way they

         can be truly manifested.

6.      Put it in writing.  Put your plan of action in writing.  Put the benefits in writing.

         Write it down.  Did I mention to write it all down?

7.      Own it.  Take responsibility for your life.

8.      List your resolutions for 2013.  It's OK to have more than one.

9.      Prioritize them. Put them where you can see them.

10.    Are your resolutions congruent with your purpose? If not, make sure that they are.

11.    Do they align with your values?  If they don't, tweak them, make sure that they do.

         (It is not realistic to think that you will work hard toward something that you don't

         really believe in...)      

12.    Is it really your resolution?  Make sure that your quest is something that you truly

         desire.

13.   Go for it!  Challenge yourself and reap the benefits personally and professionally!

Remember that you don’t have to just do resolutions at the beginning of the year.  Any time is a great time to start making improvements and bettering yourself!  If you falter on your goal, back up and do the previous baby step again or even break it up into smaller steps.  Here’s to a better YOU this 2013!