3 Reasons to Exercise

If you’re looking for motivation to start exercising, look no further.

Boosts brainpower. Studies have shown that aerobic fitness may reduce the loss of brain tissue common in aging. Want to clear your mind? Exercise. Working out also increases energy levels and serotonin in the brain, which helps to improve mental clarity.

Reduces stress. If you’re stressing over your 401k plan and the stability of your current job, then consider hitting the gym. Working out can be a positive distraction, according to WebMD, and can help elevate your mood, keeping depression at bay.

Increases energy. Believe it or not, 30 minutes of exercise in the morning could change your whole day. Studies have shown that endorphins are released into the bloodstream during exercise, making you feel more energized.

Source: OC Health

Exercise Without Weight Loss Still Helps

A new study from Texas, Italy, and the Netherlands found a regular 12-week aerobic exercise program consisting of four 30-minute workouts a week improved sedentary, overweight teen’ insulin sensitivity, even if they didn’t shed a pound. (It upped lean teens’ sensitivity too.) This is important because it’s hard to lose weight and keep it off, and if teens have that as a goal, they may abandon exercise when they don’t see the results they want. But if the goal is to increase insulin sensitivity, and possibly avoid diagnosis of or gain control over type 2, then they will see rewards from their hard work. And that means they’re more likely to stick with it.

Source: Remedy Life

Staying balanced… in unbalanced times

These are certainly turbulent times. With less available work, lower pay, bills, demands of children and family, it is harder than ever to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. If you’re like most people, you are working longer hours and are busier than ever, so it’s important not to overlook your personal health. Here are some tips to maintain balance:

Be sure to eat well.

A good guideline is: “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” A bad diet interferes with sleep and promotes weight gain.

Don’t stop exercising.

We all have the same 24 hours each day, so you have to prioritize time to take care of yourself. It doesn’t have to be a big block of time, even walking 15 minutes twice daily will greatly help. Everything counts. Get a pedometer and try to do 10,000 steps daily.

Make time for family and relationships.

Schedule a date with your spouse or significant other at least weekly. Tons of things to see and do in Orange County are practically free.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

If your life feels out of control, talk to a friend, a pastor, physician, or therapist. If you have serious anxiety or depression symptoms, don’t ignore them.

Source: Kevin M. Kinback, M.D.

STRESS FRACTURE SYNOPSIS

How Stress Fractures Develop

1. Casual event

2. Pain after exercise only and relieved by short rest

3. Pain tolerable during exercise but more marked after exertion and relieved by longer rest

4. Pain intolerable during and after exercise and partially relieved by long rest

5. Constant pain not relieved by rest

Signs of Stress Fractures

1. Point tenderness of bone (except well-shielded femur)

2. Soft-tissue swelling

3. Palpation of callus (with time)

4. Alteration of gait

5. Muscular atrophy, especially anterior tibial and gastrocnemius-soleus groups

6. Full and painless range of motion of adjacent joints

7. Painless resisted active movement of joint

Treatment of Stress Fractures

1. Rest from running

2. Relieve symptomatic inflammation with ice and anti-inflammatory agent

3. Maintain strength (especially foot dorsum and plantar flexors)

4. Maintain cardiovascular fitness with swimming and/or biking

5. Orthotics tailored to need

6. When asymptomatic, gradually reintroduce running

Source: The Physician and Sportsmedicine

Why Exercise Improves Heart Function

Most people would agree that exercise is good for the heart. With the right type of exercise, the heart pumps more blood and becomes more efficient. During relaxation, the heart fills with blood. When the heart pumps, the blood is expelled to the body.

Exercise increases muscle contraction, and this pushes blood toward the heart. The heart rate will increase at this time. A fast heart rate without exercise is of no benefit. This results from emotional responses. The heart gets strong from exercise by pushing against larger volumes of blood. The heart is a muscle, and can atrophy from lack of exercise. Exercising for 20 minutes, 3 times per week, can be of great benefit. Always consult a physician before starting an exercise program.

Dr. Moulas on Building Strong Bones Part IV

• Maintain proper bone position and thereby reduce abnormal biomechanical stress through regular chiropractic care.
• Reduce excessive protein and fat and eliminate junk food.
• Increase the amount of green, leafy vegetables, seeds, and whole, fresh foods.
• Take Cal Apatite to insure complete bone nourishment.
• Engage in some type of regular exercise.

Five Exercise Myths

1. Never drink while exercising. This was popular with the old time boxers. Drinking water helps bath the blood cells, and help them circulate.

2. Eat sugar before exercise to increase your energy. Bad idea! Sugar increases insulin, and gets stored in your organs.

3. Don’t eat before you swim. This one doesn’t work, because once you start exercising, circulation to the intestines shuts down. Blood is diverted to the muscles.

4. Use salt tabs to decrease fatigue. Salt tabs are made of solid brine, and when resting on the stomach walls can cause nausea and vomiting. Bad idea, skip the salt tabs.

5. Extra protein increases strength. Momma is wrong again! Your body has reserves of protein and can only digest small amounts per meal. Extra protein can be a big waste of money. The kidneys and liver get overworked also.

Total Fitness in 30 Minutes a Week

In their book Total Fitness in 30 Minutes a Week, Dr. Laurence Morehouse and Leonard Gross have put together a program that can get you in good physical condition in only two hours. (Even if you haven’t exercised in the past 20 years). Exercise can be done in the shower, waiting for the bus, or sitting at your desk.

Exercise sessions are done for ten minutes every other day. One minute is spent on limbering up, four minutes on muscle building, and five minutes on cardiovascular exercises. This is a great exercise program for those that truly hate to exercise. Remember – you are only two hours away from good physical condition.

Always consult a qualified physician before starting any exercise program.

Weekly Health Update 2/9/2009

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Week of: Monday, February 9, 2009
Courtesy of: Bob Moulas, D.C., 714-974-2505

Mental Attitude: De-Stress at Your Desk. Yoga helps improve circulation and reduces oxidative stress. If you’re overworked and overstressed, a few minutes of yoga can help. Try these four poses: 1. Side stretch. Raise both arms and stretch first to one side and then the other, holding the stretch for a few seconds on each side. This increases circulation and gets your spine moving the way it was meant to and is much better than spending the entire day hunched over a keyboard. 2. Rotation. Now slowly twist to each side. Be careful not to twist your neck excessively, especially if you’re tense. Keep your chin lined up over your chest. 3. Back arch. Sit at the edge of your chair and put your hands slowly behind you. Slowly arch backward, raising your chin as you do so. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. 4. Forward fold. Cross one leg so your ankle rests on the opposite knee, and then lean forward gently. This is a great way to stretch out hip and back muscles, which can tighten after hours of sitting. ~ Yoga Alliance, Yoga teacher Denise Dunn

Diet: Iron for a Cough? Women with chronic, idiopathic coughs were evaluated and all were found to be iron-deficient. All showed signs of throat inflammation such as redness, swelling and vocal cord sensitivity. After two months of iron supplementation, all the women showed either vast improvement or complete recovery. ~ Reuters, Oct 2007

Exercise: Diabetes Rate Up 90% in Last Decade. The incidence has been fueled by growing obesity rates and increasingly sedentary lifestyles. American Diabetes Association: 24 million US kids and adults, 8% of the population, have diabetes! ~ Reuters, Oct 2008

Chiropractic: Throwing Your Back Out …. If you lift a couch 100 times and your back goes “out” once, then it didn’t happen from that 100th time. So what did happen? The tissue in your back slowly fatigued from all of your activities and then one day, the tissue gave way. It’s the old “straw that broke the camel’s back.” So take care of your back from time to time; even if you are not in pain. ~ Marcus Strutz, D.C.

Wellness/Prevention: Smoking. In 2005, an estimated 45.1 million or 21% of adults were smokers. Smoking has declined 40% from 1965-1990, but has changed little since. ~ CDC, June 2005

Quote: “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Weekly Health Update 2/2/2009

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Week of: Monday, February 2, 2009
Courtesy of: Bob Moulas, D.C., 714-974-2505

Mental Attitude: The “Nocebo” Effect. A positive reaction to an allergy test may not necessarily mean you are allergic to the allergen. Researchers performed a double-blind, placebo controlled allergy test on children. About one of every six children showed a positive reaction to the procedure, confirmed by rashes, hives and diarrhea. The term for this outcome is the “nocebo” effect. While the placebo effect, which can improve a patient’s condition when he expects good results, the “nocebo” effect can cause physical manifestations relating to the patient’s negative expectations. ~ Allergy, Aug 2007

Heart Alert: Nightshift Risks. The World Health Organization is adding a new item to its list of “probable” cancer risk factors: working the night shift. The theory is that since melanin, which can suppress tumor development, is mostly produced during periods of darkness. Artificial light (or lack of a dark room in which to sleep) disrupts production, the individual is predisposed to tumor growth. Other explanations involve a simple circadian rhythm disruption, or perhaps the stress induced in people who work nights as part of a rotating schedule. ~ Associated Press, Nov 2007

Exercise: No Time? Current recommendations call for 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. There are 1,440 minutes in a day and 30 minutes is only 2% of your day! ~ American Heart Association

Chiropractic: Chiropractic neck pain and balance. 5-10% of people develop debilitating symptoms from neck pain. Unfortunately, even among those folks who do not have disabling pain, the majority find their neck pain is stubborn and recurrent, to some degree. Canadian scientists have shown that arthritis in the neck may affect balance. This could mean, in cases of poor balance or repeated falls among the elderly, treatment of the cervical spine might have value. ~ Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, March/April 2008

Wellness/Prevention: Slimming Sleep! A recent study draws a strong correlation between lack of sleep in children and their risk of becoming obese as they grow older. Each additional hour a 3rd-grader sleeps at night reduces the risk by 40% of becoming obese in the 6th grade. Irregular bedtimes, caffeine intake and in-room TVs are all thought to contribute to the obesity epidemic. Sleep deprivation appears to upset the balance between two hormones that regulate the appetite: ghrelin (promotes hunger) and leptin (contributes to the feeling of fullness). The average 3rd grader sleeps 9 hours a night. Those least likely to become obese routinely slept 10-12 hours nightly. ~ Pediatrics, Nov 2007

Quote: “He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.” ~ Arabic Proverb

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE 1/5/2009

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Week of: Monday January 5, 2009
Courtesy of: Bob Moulas, D.C., 714-974-2505

Mental Attitude: Researchers comparing the IQ of children raised in orphanages to those who were rescued at some point by foster parents discovered a dramatic difference. In some cases, it meant the difference between borderline retardation and average intelligence. One-on-one care at a young age has a definite impact on cognitive and intellectual development. According to this work, the earlier children are taken out of the institutional environment, the less stunting occurs. Children rescued before age 2 showed a 15-point IQ increase. For some of the age groups, each month spent in the orphanage translated to a half-point lower IQ score. Children raised by their biological parents still did much better than both groups - at about 10-20 points higher than the foster care group. ~ Associated Press, Dec 2007

Health Alert: Incontinent Memories - A study from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center suggests people taking anticholinergic drugs face a risk of memory and cognitive problems. Such drugs are used to treat high blood pressure, asthma, Parkinson's disease and incontinence. Those taking the medications showed a 50% faster decline in cognitive skills and memory. ~ Associated Press, April 2008

Diet: Breast Cancer and Weight. Keeping off weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer greatly increases a woman's chance of survival. Comparing survival rates with body mass index calculations, researchers found that for every 11 lbs gained after the initial diagnosis, the risk of death from breast cancer or other causes increased by 14%. Women classified as obese died at twice the rate of normal-weight females. ~ Reuters, Dec 2007

Exercise: Calories burned at rest! Our bodies burn calories as a result of workouts, increased daily activity, and something called "afterburn," which is an added attraction of strength training exercise. "Depending on how hard you work out, your metabolism can stay elevated for up to 48 hours after you've finished lifting." ~ Gary R. Hunter, PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Chiropractic: Simple Back Pain Demonstration - Try this: Sit-up straight and have a friend put their hand flat on your low back. Then pretend to drive, work on the computer, read a book, etc. You should feel the muscles of the low back tighten. This is a simple demonstration of how the low back fatigues as everyone holds these postions all day long, over the entire workweek, over their entire lives. Daily stretching and routine chiropractic care can help diminish the effects of everyday activities.

Wellness/Prevention: The Secret of Longevity. Researchers from the University of Cambridge report they have found four basic lifestyle habits that can add 14 years to your life when all are observed: Don't smoke; get regular physical activity; eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily; and drink alcohol only in moderation.

Quote: "The patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don't take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop." ~ Quentin Regestein

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE 1/12/2009

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Week of: Monday January 12, 2009
Courtesy of: Bob Moulas, D.C., 714-974-2505

Mental Attitude: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you can not do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" ~ Luke 12: 25-26

Health Alert: Flu Migration ~ The flu begins each year in Asia (especially in the east and southeast regions) and begins to thrive during certain favorable conditions. In tropical areas, the flu likes the rainy season. In temperate zones, it prefers the chillier months. Because Asia has overlapping zones and dense populations, the virus tends to circulate all year long. After a new strain begins to spread through Asia, it moves to Australia, North America and Europe 6-9 months later. The virus finally burns out in South America or maybe Africa. Be careful as trade and travel patterns appear to be reasons for the geographical migration. ~ Science, April 2008

Diet: Obesity Deaths ~ Health statisticians are now warning obesity may soon become the number-one cause of deaths from cancer. Currently, smoking is responsible for about 30% of all cancer-related deaths. Obesity ranks second, at 14% and 20% for men and women, respectively. Due to the success of anti-smoking campaigns and legislation, smoking is gradually becoming less of a factor. In addition, more research is turning up evidence for the role of excess weight in many different types of cancer formations. Earlier studies focused on food content, but it's starting to look as if body fat itself is more relevant. ~ Associated Press, Feb 2008

Exercise: Growth Hormone Illusion ~ The effects of human growth hormone (HGH) use by athletes are interesting: HGH use does appear to increase muscle mass, but the more massive muscles do not appear to be any stronger than the original versions, had they been physically trained in the same manner. In fact, researchers suggest exercise capacity might suffer with HGH, as well as producing other side effects. The dosages studied were at levels considered fairly safe, and these findings might not apply to people using dangerously high amounts of the hormone. ~ Ann Intern Med, May 2008

Chiropractic: Patients with general back pain have great results with chiropractic care. A study of back pain sufferers who received chiropractic care found 81.75% reported their back pain was much improved, 17.3% reported their back pain was slightly improved, 0.95% reported no change and 0.0% reported their pain worsened. ~ Chiropractic Research Foundation of National Chiropractic Association

Wellness/Prevention: Teflon Babies ~ A report correlates the use of nonstick cookware in the kitchen with low-birth-weight human babies. Previous research in rodents found developmental problems resulting from exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA). Researchers used umbilical cord were decreased relative to higher concentrations of the compounds. ~ Environmental Health Perspectives, July 2007.

Quote: "The nervous system controls and coordinates all organs and structures of the human body." ~ Grays Anatomy

Weekly Health Update 1/19/2009

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Week of: Monday January 19, 2009
Courtesy of: Bob Moulas, D.C., 714-974-2505

Mental Attitude: "A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities, and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." ~ Harry Truman

Health Alert: Cold Medicines Sending Children to Emergency Rooms. Just a few weeks after the FDA issued warnings about the dangers of cough and cold medications for very young children, a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports about 7,000 children each year wind up in hospital emergency rooms as a result of taking such medications. While many of the children took the medications without direct adult supervision, about one-quarter of the children received the properly recommended dose from a parent. The children cited in this study were 11 years and younger. ~ April 2008 Pediatrics

Diet: Whole Grain for Heart Success. Whole-grain foods are well-known for their protective effects against heart attacks, but another study now suggests they also make one less likely to suffer from congestive heart failure. This study gathered information over 20 years from 21,000 male doctors averaging 53.7 years of age. They found those men who averaged one bowl of whole-grain cereal a day (25 percent or more whole grain or bran by weight) were diagnosed with heart failure half as often, compared to those who rarely consumed such cereals. ~ Archives of Internal Medicine, Oct 2007

Exercise: BMI Is Out; Tape Measure Is In. If you're looking for an outward physical indication of atherosclerosis, you should forget the BMI index and use the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). The BMI only shows a correlation at the upper extreme of the scale, the WHR exhibits a very linear correlation across the board. In contrast to other studies that suggest a target waist size, this research simply says the smaller waist you have, the less clogged your arteries are. "Even a small pot belly puts us at higher risk when compared to a flat tummy." ~ Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2007

Chiropractic: Chiropractic Does Wonders for Headaches. Headache patients who received chiropractic care responded quite well. In one study, 83.2% reported their headaches were much improved, 11.1% reported their headaches were slightly improved, 5.1% reported no change and .6% reported their headaches worsened. ~ Chiropractic Research Foundation of National Chiropractic Association

Wellness/Prevention: Plants for Menopause. Foods with high polyphenol content may lessen some of the symptoms of menopause. Researchers report they were able to reduce excessive blood pressure (induced by a high salt intake) by about 50% using kudzu root extract. Kudzu is a woody vine with long, purplish flowers. The root has some estrogen-like activity and is used in traditional medicine to treat problems ranging from alcohol cravings to cluster headaches. ~ Reuters, Aug 2007, reporting on the work of Dr. J. Michael Wyss.

Quote: "The preservation of health is easier than the cure for disease." ~ B.J. Palmer