Newsletter
January’s Health News
Happy new year to you. I hope this year will be a great one for you.
Let’s talk about being healthy, weight-loss management (Medifast), barley and mental exercise this month.
As a chiropractor, I always thought that “if you knew what I knew, you would do what I do”, but that’s really not true. This is because there is a profound disconnect between knowing and doing. You also have to believe you have the power and ability to change and improve. Let me help you with that. I’d like to offer to you, and to someone you care about, a complimentary Physical Assessment Review to start off your new year.
This assessment has 5 simple tests which will test your flexibility, the stress hormone levels, your PH levels, your balance, and your Body Mass Index (ideal body weight). It takes about 15 minutes. I can test you either in Tarzana or Thousand Oaks, but please call ahead to make an appointment. This offer is good until February 24, then it will be a $35 charge.
NUTRITION
I have “rediscovered” barley (I used to love Scotch Broth as a kid). I bought some whole-grain barley the other day, soaked it overnight, and cooked it for about 20 minutes. I have been eating it like oatmeal, with walnuts and craisins and a little pure maple syrup. Awesome.
Barley is rich in niacin, thiamine, selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and copper. It also contains antioxidants which help fight oxidative damage caused by free radicals, and it has phytochemicals which possibly help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Use in place of rice, pasta or oatmeal.
“Barley is the new oatmeal,” says Jackson Blatner, “and it helps with weight loss.” Barley got its hunger-fighting reputation after Swedish researchers found that eating barley or rye kernels for breakfast kept blood sugar on an even keel. That’s because the carbs in barley and rye kernels are “low glycemic index,” meaning they raise blood sugar more slowly than some other carbohydrate foods. This helps you avoid a spike, and then a drop, in blood sugar, which can leave you feeling famished.
One caveat: “Buy hulled barely, not pearl barley,” Jackson Blatner says. The Swedish researchers used minimally processed hull barley, and they can’t vouch for the same effects for more processed forms, such as pearl barley.
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A CHANGE?
Even one change? You know, yesterday was a good day to start something new, even last month would have been good. The key to change is to first recognize your need to change, and then identify the first step you need to take, and then do it.
Why is it important to achieve and maintain a healthy weight?
Because research shows that a 10% loss in weight reduces the risk of weight-related disease by about 50%. This means it could reduce high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Gout, diabetes, joint difficulties in your hip, knee and ankle; some arthitis pain, and reduce your risk of some cancers. This could mean the reduction or elimination of your medications and the improvement of your quality of life.
If you would like to get your weight under control by changing your eating habits, then let’s talk. The Medifast plan through Take Shape For Life has been helping people manage their weight for 26 years. It’s inexpensive, it’s tasty, and it’s not forever, just until you reach your targeted body weight. Call me and let me help you become the new you. (cell: 805.358.8572)
THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH
Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague
We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
NOURISH YOUR BRAIN (exercise is mental as well as physical)
The aging process takes enough of a toll on the human body without having the mind share the same fate. As we age, the brain is susceptible to various degenerative processes, from simple lapses in memory and concentration to outright cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s. Fortunately, there are simple ways to keep your brain healthy into your golden years. Here are three brain boosters to keep you on your mental toes:
Feed It: Your brain needs sound nutrition to function optimally. The outer membrane of brain cells requires a constant supply of fatty acids. That’s where omega-3s can help. Choline, a B vitamin present in high amounts in eggs, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, wheat germ and tofu, may also be important for brain neurotransmitter function while benefiting mood and mental performance.
Exercise It: Research suggests consistent physical activity can help people maintain memory and cognitive function as they age. According to at least one study, the exercise necessary to achieve brain benefits involved simple activities such as walking, gardening, cooking and cleaning. Another recent study showed that after a year of lifting weights twice a week, elderly women performed significantly better on tests of mental processing compared to women who participated in a balancing and toning program instead.
Challenge It: In a sense, if you don’t challenge your brain, stagnation can set it, leading to all sorts of problems over time. The solution is simple, research suggests: challenge your brain. How? Try crossword puzzles, chess, word problems or other strategies to keep your brain alert and engaged. The moral is simple: Take care of your mind and your mind will do the same for you.
To Your Health
December, 2011 (Vol. 05, Issue 12)
For your amusement:
This is a must see…undoubtedly the best ventriloquist ever
http://www.youtube.com/v/qNJ02rxaNrs
Be well,
Dr. G
Dr. G’s December Health news
Blessings to you and yours during this Christmas season. I pray that you will have a healthy and happy December, which will lead you into the new year. For the first time in 24 years, Carrie and I actually have an “empty nest”, although only until sometime in January. For those of you who do not know, our three children are driving to Argentina on a 3-month adventure. Right now they just shipped their van from Panama to Cartagena, Columbia and are picking it up this weekend after sailing along the coast for 5 days in a 80 ft. sailboat.
What is remarkable about this trip (if I may be so bold) is that my children have the willingness and capacity to take on a venture of this nature. How about you? What adventures have you always wanted to do, and never gotten around to doing them? What goals would you like to complete this coming year?
At the end of this newsletter is an article on Capacity. Please read it and see if it inspires you accomplish something challenging this coming year.
For those of you who would like to read their blog, here is the link.This link will take you to the home page. In the lower right hand corner click the “follow” button and you can put in your name and email address to get an email when we post something! http://fromustoushuaia.wordpress.com/
ACTIVE MIND, HEALTHY BODY (from wisdom@healthwebMD.com)
What is the best to keep a sound mind as we age? The answer is to engage in numerous leisure activities such as reading, playing board games, playing musical instruments, and dancing. All of these activities were associated with a reduced risk of dementia in numerous recent studies. And while physical activity is important, mental activity is apparently more important.
Leisure activities associated with a reduced risk of dementia in many recent studies were apparently more important in that “a one-point increment in the cognitive-activity score was significantly associated with a reduced risk of dementia, but a one-point increment in the physical-activity score was not,” according to researchers.
The reduction in risk was related to the frequency of participation in cognitive activities. In another study, the risk of dementia was 47% lower in subjects who did crossword puzzles four days per week than in those who did them once weekly.
Involvement in cognitive leisure can help you keep an active mind and a healthy body as you age. Talk to me about safe leisure activities you can engage in to improve your health.
THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH
“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” Edward Stanley
“Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.” Washington Irving
“Let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
FIT VS FAT FOODS
Take a moment and look over this short slide show presentation between healthy and unhealthy foods. (A picture is worth a thousand words)
CAPACITY by Jim Naccarato DC, PhD
You have work, marriage, family, and church responsibilities to tend to. You have a home that needs to be cleaned and repaired. You have cars that need to be serviced and washed. You have personal needs that need to be met. In the end…life is demanding and the list of what you need to do is endless. And, if you are not careful you can feel overwhelmed. When people feel overwhelmed the tendency is to shut down. Emotionally first. Physically second. This is a mistake that comes with ominous consequences. Don’t make it!
You have two options: #1. Reduce your demands to meet your capacity. #2. Increase your capacity to meet your demands.
Option number one is limiting. Option number two is expanding. And as such is essential to your success. The following are a few suggestions that will increase your capacity to meet your demands:
- Get to bed on time. If you don’t have enough discipline to put yourself to bed on time you don’t have the discipline needed to succeed or prosper.
- Wake up on time. If you don’t have enough discipline to get up on time you don’t have the discipline needed to succeed or prosper.
- Make healthy food choices, exercise five times per week, read something uplifting every day.
- Be passionately positive. Passion is the fuel of success. Nothing of significance was ever accomplished without a positive attitude.
Truth: Although much has been written about the person who creates overnight, high dollar, passive income driven success, in general those who make real money throughout their lives create the kinds of businesses that can/will go the distance. To accomplish this objective these people develop the capacity required to run the “marathons” of lasting success and prosperity. In contrast to the “sprint” driven, high octane, energy drink driven fads that can produce a fast buck, but then all too often fade away just as quickly.
Bottom line: In an attempt to increase capacity many think (specifically/exclusively) about making physical changes, which are always considerations worthy of your attention. However, in the end, increasing capacity is an inside out game. First, inside of you. Second, out and to everything you do.
Homework: Think deeply on the information covered in this email and answer the following three questions:
- What one thing do I need to stop doing?
- What one thing do I need to keep doing?
- What one thing do I need to start doing?
Think about it. Do something about it…today!
Jim Naccarato DC, PhD
November Health News
WHAT IS WELLNESS, AND THE 3 FACTORS OF DISEASE?
Wellness is the state of being when all the systems of your body are working at 100%. This is achieved, and maintained, when your nervous system is able to regulate, heal, and re-grow the other parts of your body. This means your circulation, breathing, digestive, and muscular systems are able to function normally, without restriction. When outside forces begin to overwhelm you, then that is when the body, or that system, begins to break down.
First, there is trauma. Think about all the slips and falls you have had throughout your life. All these little (and big) traumas add up to imbalance and dysfunction. What you don’t often realize at the time is the neurological impact caused by subluxations of the spine. These misalignments of the spinal joints will put pressure on the nerves which exit your spinal column and cause pain, numbness, or dysfunction of your breathing, digestion, and other health problems. A basic postural and functional exam can determine where you are imbalanced and how you can correct it.
Secondly, there is stress. Actually, it is excessive or prolonged stress that leads to hormone imbalances which can affect your sleeping, digestion, immunity, heart function, weight gain and allergies, to name a few. This hormonal imbalance can be checked by comparing your sitting and standing blood pressure and then recommending the appropriate diet and supplements for repair.
Thirdly, there is pollution or toxicity. Your body processes over 82,000 chemicals each week, a taxing load on your liver. This toxicity can lead to weight problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, and allergies, because your body is always seeking to balance itself biochemically. There is a simple test of your saliva which can help determine your level of toxicity and then determine how to correct it.
Trauma, stress and toxicity are the three main factors that lead to all your ailments, pain and dis-ease. Make an appointment to be tested today for all three, and we can discuss what simple strategies you can do to achieve optimal, long lasting health.
Need a reason to work out? Here are 7 to start
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Feature
What if someone told you that a thinner, healthier, and longer life was within your grasp? Sound too good to be true? According to a wealth of research, exercise is the silver bullet for a better quality of life. Not only does regular exercise aid in weight loss, it reduces your risk for several chronic diseases and conditions. Finding activities that you enjoy and that become part of your daily routine is the key to a long and healthy life.
The list of health benefits is impressive, and the requirements are relatively simple — just do it.
Ward Off Disease
Research has confirmed that any amount of exercise, at any age, is beneficial. And, in general, the more you do, the greater the benefits. The National Academy of Sciences has recommended that everyone strive for a total of an hour per day of physical activity. Sounds like a lot, but the hour can be made up of several shorter bursts of activity (it can be walking, gardening, even heavy housecleaning) done throughout the day.
Physical activity is an essential part of any weight-loss program, to maximize your fat loss while keeping valuable muscle mass. But exercise has many other health and longevity benefits. It can help prevent or improve these conditions:
1. Heart Disease. Regular activity strengthens your heart muscle; lowers blood pressure; increases “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins or HDLs) and lowers “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins or LDLs); enhances blood flow; and helps your heart function more efficiently. All of these benefits reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Researchers at Duke University suggest that the amount of physical activity, rather than its intensity, has the biggest impact on improving blood lipids (cholesterol). According to The New England Journal of Medicine, these researchers also found that any exercise is better than none — although more is better.
2. Stroke. In an analysis of 23 studies, researchers found that being active reduces your risk of having and dying from a stroke. According to a study published in the journal Stroke, moderately active study participants had 20% less risk of stroke than less active participants.
3. Type II Diabetes. This disease is increasing at alarming rates — by 62% since 1990 — and 17 million Americans now have it. Physical activity can enhance weight loss and help prevent and/or control this condition. Losing weight can increase insulin sensitivity, improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and reduce blood pressure — all of which are very important to the health of people with diabetes.
In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Frank Hu, MD, of the Harvard School of Public Health found that a brisk walk for one hour daily could reduce the risk of type II diabetes by 34%.
4. Obesity. Overweight and obese conditions can be prevented or treated with exercise along with a healthy diet. Activity helps to reduce body fat and increase muscle mass, thus improving your body’s ability to burn calories. The combination of reduced calories and daily exercise is the ticket to weight loss. And controlling obesity is critical, as it is a major risk factor for many diseases. Lowering your body mass index (BMI) is a sure way to reduce your risk of dying early and to live a healthier life.
5. Back Pain. Back pain can be managed or prevented with a fitness program that includes muscle strengthening and flexibility. Having good posture and a strong abdomen is the body’s best defense against back pain.
6. Osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercise (such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights) strengthens bone formation and helps prevent the osteoporosis or bone loss often seen in women after menopause. Combine a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D with regular weight-bearing exercise for maximum results.
According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, data from the Nurses’ Health Study showed that women who walked four or more hours per week had 41% fewer hip fractures than those who walked less than an hour a week.
7. Psychological Benefits. Improved self-esteem is one of the top benefits of regular physical activity. While exercising, your body releases chemicals called endorphins that can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. The feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as “euphoric” and is accompanied by an energizing outlook. Exercise can help you cope with stress and ward off depression and anxiety.
And these are just a few of the ways exercise improves your health. Studies have suggested it can also help with certain types of cancer, improve immune function, and more.
NUTRITION: How to cut calories and still eat what you like. Watch this video (2:37 minutes)
http://www.webmd.com/video/can-you-save-calories?ecd=wnl_wlw_090311
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
At the 2008 Dynamic Growth Congress in Queensland, Australia, keynote speaker Glenn Capelli spoke on the concept of Kaizen.
Literally translated from its original Japanese, KAIZEN means small, seemingly insignificant, on-going, continuous and never ending improvements.
What does this mean for your business? And your life?
It means always looking for that small improvement in your systems and procedures, your efficiency, and in the service you provide. Essentially, it is about the power of persistence.
Failing to continually look for and implement this change will create a stagnant or degrading business, and the service that you provide will be on a downhill slide. This is not a good way to grow your business.
What Kaizen really implies is that you do not have to make massive changes to grow. Small improvements, done consistently, will always have you moving forward to a bigger and better business.
Have your team brainstorm and make a list of the little things that can make all the difference. Then start introducing them one by one over time to have that little bit of improvement every day. This might be a good way to improve your life and your relationships, too. Ya think?
TAKE SHAPE FOR “LIFE.”
Sometimes I hear “oh, I don’t want to start a diet during the holidays”.
Fact # 1: The average weight gain during the holidays is 10 lbs.
Fact # 2: TSFL is not a diet. (Don’t you know, diets don’t work)
This is a by-product of our healthcare system.
Allow me to give you the tools and teach you how to create new habits, so that you can lose weight not only during these holidays, but for the rest of your life.
You can approach the holidays much lighter this year and with more control over your food, instead of the food controlling you. What I am doing for myself, and for those who want to make a change, is providing the information for the Medifast meal plan, which basically is a 6 meal per day plan with limited calories. This is the best way to eat – 6 small meals each day. This allows your body to maintain a steady and healthy insulin level all day, decreasing your desire to “pig out” late in the day because you’re starving.
So if you want to make a difference in someone’s life, give them the gift of health with the Take Shape for Life Medifast weight management system.
Now is the time, this is the place and you’re the one who can make a difference in your life.
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