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Source: www.toyourhealth.com
Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, a doctor of chiropractic and the president of Parker University in Dallas, and Dr. Patrick DeFazio, a Los Angeles doctor of chiropractic, appear on the “Dr. Phil” show on March 14, marking chiropractic’s first appearance on the popular daytime talk show, which is broadcast on 220 television stations across the U.S. and in more than 40 countries worldwide. The segment begins with Dr. Phil introducing Dr. Mancini as his chiropractor for 14 years and author of the book The Power of Self-Healing: Unlock Your Natural Healing Potential in 21 Days! This set the stage for Dr. Mancini to talk about his book and the concepts of chiropractic. He stated that “the only way to truly fulfill your life potential is to fulfill your health potential.” Dr. Mancini added that the difference between chiropractic and what he called the “sick care system” in the U.S. is that “we see patients as [people, not just diseases].” Dr. Phil told the audience, “I got chiropractic treatment from you [Dr. Mancini] 2 or 3 times a week.” He went on to introduce his current personal chiropractor, Dr. DeFazio, who was given an opportunity to talk more about chiropractic and how it can, among other benefits, help relieve stresses on the body. After the show, a number of people working on the set asked about how to find a local chiropractor or remarked how much they had learned about the value of chiropractic. This was in addition to the many members of the audience who talked about chiropractic and asked Dr. Mancini to autograph their copy of his book.
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March 14, 2012
To Your Health Newletter 03-13-2012
September 28, 2011
To Your Health Newsletter 09-27-2011
Source: www.toyourhealth.com
On the hunt for a nutritious, vitamin-packed vegetable that is also loaded with great flavor? Try kale. There are many reasons to pile this cruciferous veggie on your plate. It is low in calories, has zero grams of fat and contains nearly 20 percent of the RDA of dietary fiber, which promotes regular digestion, prevents constipation, lowers blood sugar and curbs overeating.
Need more reasons? Kale also contains the glucosinolate isothiocyanate (ITC), which fights the formation of H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori), a bacteria that can attack the digestive system and cause big problems. Kale is also a superstar in the arena of carotenoids and flavonoids, two powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals that cause oxidative stress. There are also tons of vitamins in kale – think vitamins C, D, A and K. All boost immunity, help maintain healthy bones and teeth, and maximize overall health. Enjoy!
The number of adults with diabetes worldwide has more than doubled since 1980 to a mind-numbing 347 million, officially making it a global epidemic. But believe it or not, there’s good news about diabetes: There are a number of ways to combat and even outright prevent this growing disease.
Alcohol Attributed to Most Cancers
A European study found that “an important proportion of cases of cancer can be attributable to alcohol consumption, especially consumption higher than the recommended upper limits.” The “upper limits” were defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
July 22, 2011
To Your Health Newsletter 07-21-2011
Source: www.toyourhealth.com
The entire digestive process is orchestrated by good stomach acid. If there isn’t enough, the gallbladder doesn’t get triggered properly to function, and the pancreatic enzymes aren’t released for proper digestion.
So, knowing the vital functions of stomach acid, it seems absolutely insane to take antacids or proton-pump inhibitors such as that little purple pill, doesn’t it?
How does the stomach acid get turned off? And what can be done about it? The main reason stomach acid gets turned off is from stress caused by high carb intake (high sugar levels are enormously stressful for the body), mental stress, physical stresses like excessive exercise, or physical stresses such as inflammation, infections, anemia or food intolerances.
Most people simply need supplementation of digestible betaine hydrochloride (HCI), for three to six months to restore proper acidity to the stomach and eliminate the symptoms they’re having. Mucilaginous vegetables like okra are especially effective for that. The stomach lining heals quite quickly, so after 10 days of eating okra or taking okra pills, you can add in the betaine hydrochloride with each meal. Make sure that it’s taken with or right after a meal.
Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy for low stomach acid, but it’s quite weak. It will help a little, but you might also consider supplementation, because if you are continuing to stress your body in whatever way that you do, the apple cider vinegar might not be enough, and considering how much we need good acid, it might be worthwhile to supplement.
It’s not just a matter of fixing the problem once and thinking you’re done. Pay attention to symptoms, and ask your doctor about betaine hydrochloride if you start having problems. Anytime you have a large meal, or when you travel, or in periods of high stress, you take it just as a precaution.
You will be amazed at how quickly those acid reflux, sour stomach, and gas problems will be resolved without having to take a lifetime of purple pills when you incorporate these simple, natural strategies. Ask your doctor for more information regarding digestive health.
After the age of 40, we tend to lose about 0.5 to 2 percent of our muscle each year. If you aren’t concerned about looking good, then also realize that this loss is a large factor in falls in older age, which can most often lead to fractures and even death. The good news is that there’s an answer to helping fight this. Follow these steps and you will find yourself getting in shape for life:
Step 1: Don’t sit too long
The first goal is to avoid sitting or resting for long periods of time. A study in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that people who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of a heart attack. The shocking fact is that this is independent on whether you smoke or exercise! It doesn’t matter if you exercise or smoke. Sitting long periods still increase the risk.
Step 2: Start a Walking Program
Start with small steps. The best way to do this is get a simple pedometer. Those cost a few dollars and are well worth it. Stick to your regular routine for the first week and record how many steps you walk every day. Do this every week until you can get to a goal of 10,000 steps per day. This is the big goal so don’t aim for it from the start. It’s about aiming for smaller goals first and then reaching them.
Step 3: Start a stretching (warm up) program
Good news is that you don’t need to spend as much time holding a stretched position as we previously thought. That’s because we are often confused between stretching and warming up. Warming up is about moving body parts slowly and through a full range of motion until your muscles get warmed up. This is the best thing to do before you start any exercise program. Research has shown that static stretching, those positions that you hold for several seconds, can sometimes be responsible for increasing injuries, not decreasing them.
Step 4: Start a strengthening program
Researchers at University of Michigan Health System found that an adult can add 2.42 pounds of lean muscle and increase overall strength by 25 to 30 percent after 18 weeks of resistance training. This can occur well into the 80′s and 90′s so its never too late to start.
Not all calories are the same, especially when it comes to the calories you drink. Most people tend to revolve their diet plans around the foods they consume, often forgetting that what they drink on a daily basis is just as important. Countless drinks on the market tend to be very high in sugar content, which we all know eventually turns into fat, derailing our weight-loss goals.
Some drinks are also loaded with tons of calories that often can be just as high as an entire meal. Learning what drinks to watch out for and which ones to consume can make a big difference in your overall weight and health. Let’s take a look at a few healthy options that can help you meet your long-term goals.
When it comes to finding the perfect drink to complement your healthy eating goals, the number-one thing you need is just five letters: water!
Water is a basic beverage that provides essential benefits like helping to digest your food properly and hydrating the body, but most importantly, it contains zero calories.
When considering beverages, it is essential to always read the nutrition facts just like you would with food. The first ingredient listed is the most common ingredient; the least common ingredient is listed last. Your drink should be mostly water or 100 percent juice, depending on the beverage. If you see sugar first on the label, watch out!
Other things to consider: Try to keep your sugar intake lower than American Heart Association’s limits for added sugars: 100 calories (6 tsp) for women and 150 calories (9 tsp) for men per day. (These shouldn’t be coming from beverages, since many of your foods contain sugars).
So this summer, satisfy your parched taste buds with water; and if you can’t forgo your favorite sip (or more) of something less healthy, do it in small amounts! Small changes can equal big results! Drink well.
June 22, 2011
To Your Health Newsletter 06-21-2011
[Source: www.toyourhealth.com]
In the long run, repeated episodes of unhealthy weight-loss attempts are more likely to cause damage to our body and outweigh the health benefits of short-term weight loss. That doesn’t mean it’s better to stay at an unhealthy weight. We just have to make sure that we are losing weight in a healthy way and are able to maintain that weight loss.
It takes about a 500-calorie deficit per day to lose about 1 pound per week. If you incorporate exercise that burns an additional 500 calories per day, then you can lose 2 pounds per week. My recommendation would be to aim to lose no more than 2 pounds per week on average. “On average” takes into consideration that the initial weeks may result in greater weight loss because of the loss of retained fluids from exchanging fatty, salty foods for a healthier, more balanced diet. But overall, you should average out to about 2 pounds per week. If you are losing more than that, then you are more likely resorting to less-healthy methods of weight loss, which can hurt your metabolism and health in the long-term.
Believe it or not, people who lose weight at a slow, steady rate tend to keep the weight off longer because they are incorporating new, healthier habits instead of taking drastic measures to get the weight off. When we shift our focus from ‘”dieting” to “creating a healthier lifestyle,” we are more likely to succeed in keeping the weight off for good. Here are a few ways to do just that:
Water: Make it a daily priority to stay hydrated with water and to incorporate vegetables and water into every meal. Portions do not need to be large, but by keeping these two ideas in mind, you will be less likely to become deficient in essential nutrients your body needs to function.
Fibre: Remember to increase fibre in your diet, but at a rate that is slow and gradual. If you increase your fibre intake too quickly, you may bloat and become gaseous. Therefore, start to increase your dietary fibre (soluble and insoluble) gradually to about 20-30 grams per day.
Consider drinking green tea. Green tea flavoring ranges from jasmine to genmaicha (green tea combined with roasted brown rice) to dragon well (hint of sweetness), just to name a few. Green tea has been shown in some clinical studies to have a beneficial impact on many aspects of health, including improvements in cholesterol, weight loss and weight maintenance. The healthy ingredients found in green tea include, but are not limited to, flavonoids, polyphenols and amino acids.
Ultimately, it’s more important that you cross the finish line and achieve a healthy, fit lifestyle you can maintain, rather than losing a lot of weight quickly, but being unable to maintain the healthy weight because you took extreme measures to lose it. We all know that extreme measures cannot be maintained long-term.
Stretching is important for several reasons. It improves flexibility, which can come in handy whether you’re reaching down to pick up a pencil from the floor, climbing a ladder to the roof or trying to grab your overeager child before they run into the street. From a sports perspective, flexibility allows you to move more easily and with a greater range of motion while reducing the odds that you’ll pull, strain or overstretch something in the heat of battle. It also can protect against long-term injury, in the sense that flexibility and range-of-motion deficits can cause overcompensation patterns to develop.
Because stretching makes your body more flexible, it also has mental health benefits. First, picture yourself on the couch after a long day’s work or a morning at the racquetball court, sore, stiff and in pain. Now picture yourself on the same couch after the same activities, but well-stretched, blood and oxygen circulating properly, able to achieve a superior range of motion despite your draining day. Now that’s a reason to stretch, isn’t it?
Traditionally, stretching routines have followed the principle of static holding; that means holding a stretch in a single position for 20-30 seconds or more. These types of stretches, known as static stretches, were the only stretches in town for years. Of late, experts in the fitness world increasingly question whether static stretching, particularly before running or performing a sport, has value. In fact, they theorize that static stretching may actually increase injury risk if performed before participating in an activity.
The reason for this concern is because when your muscles are cold, they’re at their most stiff. That makes perfect sense, right? Again, picture yourself heading out for a run – without warming up your body – after spending a sedentary day at your desk at work and another hour in your car coming home. Static stretching could actually overstretch the muscle, straining or tearing it.
The solution, according to more and more experts, is to warm up first, complete your physical activity (say, a run) and then perform static stretches, when your body can handle it. The bottom line is that cold muscles are much easier to injure than warm muscles; applying a prolonged, static stretch before you’re adequately warmed up could do more damage than good.
So, does that mean you shouldn’t stretch before an activity? Of course not. But you might not want to do static stretches. Instead, try dynamic active stretches – things like knee lifts, arm circles, walking lunges, leg swings, torso twists, etc. Think of dynamic stretches as a way to warm up your body in a gentle fashion that prepares you for your activity. Talk to your doctor to learn more.
More than 3 million people in the U.S. have peanut allergies, among them millions of children. (Allergies among children have doubled in the past two decades, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.) Fortunately, adults and children can snack on almond butter as a sandwich spread or use it as a dip for veggies and know it’s good for them. Here’s why:
- It contains less calories and saturated fat and more fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin E and magnesium (based on a 2,000 calorie diet) than peanut butter.
- It can protect your heart. It’s high in monounsaturated fats, which are associated with a reduction in heart disease risk.
- Almond butter is packed with essential minerals. Some of the highly concentrated minerals found in almond butter include manganese and copper. It’s also rich in calcium, iron and magnesium.
- Almond butter is an excellent protein source. Almonds are packed with protein. One quarter-cup of almonds alone contains 7.62 grams of protein – more protein than an egg provides (only 5.54 grams).
- It tastes great! With a smooth, grainy texture and creamy, nutty taste, this alternative to peanut butter complements everything from toast to vegetables.
So why not try almond butter today? Your doctor can tell you more about the nutritional value of nuts and how to incorporate them into a balanced, nutritious diet.
June 15, 2011
How to Maximize Calcium Intake
By Carolyn Richardson
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. While 1% of the body’s calcium supports critical metabolic functions like muscle function, nerve transmission and the secretion of hormones and enzymes, the other 99% is stored in the bones and teeth.
While many of us try to eat more high-calcium foods and take calcium supplements, the fact is that only 30% of the calcium we consume is absorbed into the body. There are a number of factors that affect just how well your body uses calcium and knowing these interactions will help you to benefit from your calcium intake.
Foods that Reduce Absorption
Dietary calcium from eating dairy products and taking supplements may meet the recommended daily allowances set forth by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, however there are factors that negatively affect how the approximate 1000 to 1300 mg a day needed for most adults stays in the body. For example, phytic acid and oxalic acid can bind to calcium and be excreted through the intestinal tract. Phytic acid is found in whole grains, nuts, and legumes, while oxalic acid is found in healthy staples such as spinach, celery, pecans, tea and beets. Another set of healthy foods that may negatively affect calcium absorption are those high in fiber and protein. And according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT), “Alcohol, phosphates(found in soft drinks and meats), sugar, and… high levels of sodium may also be linked to calcium excretion.”
Enhancing Calcium Absorption
In addition to dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt, good food sources of calcium are kelp, carob flour, kale, chinese cabbage, broccoli, rhubarb, watercress, parsley, blackcurrants, and globe artichoke. Many cereals and fruit juices are fortified with calcium, which you may also notice is fortified with Vitamin D, with good reason. Vitamin D increases the absorption of Calcium from the gastrointestinal tract. You may also find many calcium supplements also have Vitamin D, this will help the body absorb more calcium than it would had Vitamin D not been present. Another way to enhance calcium absorption is by taking supplements throughout the day. Not only is calcium absorption highest in doses less than 500 mg, but according to Washington University researchers, calcium taken at bedtime could help stave off bone loss that occurs at night.
Interactions to Avoid
Calcium interacts with many over-the-counter drugs and minerals, so take heed to the following when eating or taking calcium supplements. If you take any prescription or over-the-counter medicines regularly, ask your doctor if it’s safe to use calcium supplements. Calcium can interact with drugs for heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, and other conditions. Also, avoid taking a calcium supplement with an iron-containing foods or supplements. You may find that many multivitamins that include a high dosage of iron, have smaller amounts of calcium. The reason is because calcium inhibits iron absorption, so be sure to wait two hours between taking a calcium supplement and iron supplement. Some specific drug interactions that impact utilization of calcium include anti-inflammatory drugs known as corticosteroids. Used to treat asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis, these drugs reduce the body’s ability to activate vitamin D, and thus decrease calcium absorption. Antibiotics also seem to decrease calcium absorption. Lastly, watch out for aluminum. According to MIT, “aluminum (foods cooked in aluminum cookware including the use of acidic foods with the cookware), aluminum foil, [and] antacids containing aluminum…” inhibit calcium absorption.
Calcium Supplements
Because calcium is so important to bone health and avoiding osteoporosis late in life, it’s important to consider taking calcium supplements if your diet is not adequate. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health, the Tolerable Upper Limit (UL) for calcium for children and adults ages 1 year and older is 2,500 mg/day. Yet, even at normal levels, calcium supplements may cause gas, bloating and constipation. When looking for calcium supplements, keep in mind that calcium carbonate is the most cost-effective source of calcium. Consider also that calcium dissolution varies from 33% to 75%, that is to say, some supplements may break down more readily in the intestinal tract than others. Lastly, watch for the elemental calcium per tablet not per serving. Sometimes labels can be confusing. Remember to track your calcium intake by checking your nutritional analysis daily after logging your food and supplements. By comparing your calcium intake daily over a week’s period, you should be able to determine if you are getting enough or may need to increase your intake of calcium.
For more information, visit the Calcium Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet.
Your thoughts…
How do you get your daily dose of calcium?
March 16, 2011
To Your Health Newsletter 03-15-2011
A cough, while common, can be caused by all manner of things; some fairly benign and some more health-threatening. Here are a few (varied) reasons why your child – or you, for that matter – could be coughing, courtesy of the Mayo Clinic. Talk to your doctor for more information.
Respiratory Tract Infection: A cough is often a symptom of a cold, flu, pneumonia or other infection affecting the upper respiratory tract. Unlike most of the other symptoms associated with these conditions, it can linger for some time, whether because the infection is hanging around or because your airways are still inflamed and sensitive to irritation.
Asthma: The leading cause of chronic cough in children and also common in adults, asthma can also cause wheezing and shortness of breath, although with at least one type of asthma, cough may be the only symptom. As you might expect, asthma-related coughs may be worsened by respiratory infections or other conditions characterized by coughing.
Blood Pressure Drugs: Yes, some children (and many adults, of course) take ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, which may cause chronic cough; in fact, it’s estimated that 20 percent of people taking blood pressure drugs develop chronic cough that may linger even after medication is discontinued. Your chiropractor can tell you about some of the other unpleasant – and potentially dangerous – side effects of over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: GERD causes stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, so the throat and even the lungs can be chronically irritated, the result of which can be chronic coughing.
There are other causes of cough, but keep in mind that an occasional, temporary cough is completely normal; it helps keep your lungs clear of foreign substances, secretions, etc., and helps to prevent infections. It’s the unrelenting cough that deserves a visit to the doctor for further investigation, if nothing else than to rule out anything serious as a causative factor.
Healthy Eating: A Matter of Balance
Balanced eating means taking in the amount of nutrients your body needs for optimal functioning, when your body needs it, and no more. Simple to understand, hard to do! Every person requires different levels of nutrient intake, and your age, activity level, whether you’re a man or woman, and your current weight all play a role in what your plate should look like. One thing is for sure, though: It shouldn’t look like one big bagel. Here’s why.
Not to pick on bagels, but in general, they’re unbalanced -nutritionists would call this “calorie dense / nutrient light,” meaning that within your average medium-sized cinnamon-raisin bagel with butter, most of the 300-plus calories come from one nutrient: carbs. Exchange that bagel for something like a slice of whole-grain bread with cheese and tomato and you get a more balanced profile of nutrients and a lot more vitamins and minerals – key to a nutrient-dense food. And nutrient density is what you want.
Unbalanced nutrition (in either direction) causes your body to work harder. Eating a diet that’s devoid of vitamins and minerals makes your body prioritize its activity – for example, without enough calcium, your body will take it from your bones to make sure your muscles have enough. Conversely, eating more than your body needs means extra energy goes toward processing nutrients, storing them and dealing with the long-term effects of extra weight (joint pain and inflammatory chemical changes, for example). The key is to get the right amounts of macronutrients (carbs, protein and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in the right balance so your body can function. Here are five easy ways to ensure balanced, healthy eating:
| 1. | Pay attention to what you eat. It may be boring, but writing down what you eat is the best way to actually see what your daily diet looks like. And you may be surprised by what it shows. Once it’s there in black and white, you can see what you’re doing right and what you might want to change. |
| 2. | Make sure every grain you eat is a whole grain. Grain products like bagels can ramp up your calories without providing much bang for the buck. Be adventurous! Try a new grain like quinoa, or replace the white flour in a muffin recipe with whole wheat or even a mix of oat, whole wheat and bran. |
| 3. | Eat a fruit and vegetable with every meal. Yes, even breakfast. And no, most jelly doesn’t count. Cold cucumbers with an egg sandwich or a reheated spinach omelet can help you meet your daily need for the vital nutrition found in fruits and vegetables. |
| 4. | Look at labels. If any one of the “daily values” for fat, protein, or carbohydrates is off the charts, put that item back. |
| 5. | Buy fresh and local as much as possible. Stay on the perimeter of the grocery store where the fresh food lives. And if your grocery store doesn’t stock local growers, talk to the produce manager and ask your friends to make comments, too. You could also join a community supported agriculture co-op, or make a point to visit your local farmers market. |
There’s No Better Time to Exercise
When it comes to exercise, you have to find time, make time and save time or invariably, you’ll have no time left in your busy day, week, month or year to make it happen. Regardless of how hectic your life is, here are four simple ways to ensure exercise doesn’t drop off your daily To-Do List.
Rise and Shine. With the exception of extra sleep, which is important for health in its own right, few things should beat out exercise first thing in the morning. Start the day with exercise and you’ll feel invigorated, if for no other reason than knowing you’ve gotten it done.
The World Is Your Gym. Too many people think that if they don’t make it to the gym or hit the open road for a 5-mile run, they can’t meet their exercise quota. Pure nonsense; after all, physical activity existed long before fitness clubs and fancy workout equipment did. Walk from work to lunch and back; take your dog for a jog; do push-ups with the kids; there are endless ways to stay active even during the busiest of days.
Two Is Better Than One. You want to go to the gym, but dread that it will consume precious hours of your time? Here’s what you can do: Circuit train, which means working out different body parts one after the other with little or no rest. (Many gyms have an equipment “course” set up for this very purpose.) You can also “superset” exercises, combining biceps and triceps routines, for example.
Don’t Go It Alone. If you’re one of the millions who struggle to stay the course (whether it’s exercise, diet, quitting smoking, etc.), it’s not cheating to recruit a little help. Schedule workouts with a friend or office acquaintance, join a walking or running club, or even pay for personal training sessions if you can afford it; whatever it takes to ensure exercise stays front and center.
Increasing research demonstrates the powerful benefits of consistent exercise. Talk to your chiropractor about these and other ways you can incorporate exercise into your life – and keep it there.
[Source: www.toyourhealth.com]
January 21, 2011
To-Your-Health-Newsletter-01-20-2011
Musculoskeletal Injuries in Kids
Children’s musculoskeletal systems are different from adults. To understand pediatric injuries that involve the musculoskeletal system, it’s important to be aware of the differences between children and adults in this regard. The main difference is that children’s bones are growing; adults’ bones have stopped growing. This bone growth happens in two ways – by growing lengthwise and widthwise. The bone grows lengthwise in an area at the ends of the bones called the epiphyseal plate or growth plate, in the region known as the metaphysis. The widthwise growth occurs on the surface of the bone.
Growing bone has inherent areas of weakness due to the growth process. In fact, children’s tendons and ligaments are relatively stronger than the growth plate; therefore, with severe trauma the growth plate will give way before the ligament. On the other hand, children’s bones and muscles are more elastic and heal faster compared to adults.
Due to the differences in growing bone, the patterns of injuries are different from mature bone. There are two main types of bone injuries: one is an acute injury in which violent forces are applied at one time; the second is from chronic, recurring stresses applied to the bone over a prolonged period of time. Growth plate injuries can cause cessation (stoppage) of growth of the bone, resulting in limb-length discrepancy, angular deformity or altered joint mechanics; possibly causing permanent disabilities. The chronic recurring stresses are often termed overuse syndromes, but also include stress fractures, which can lead to changes that affect the joints, causing early arthritic changes. Stress fractures, if not managed correctly, can result in complete fracture.
Adolescents who are in the peak period of linear growth – often termed a growth spurt – are most vulnerable because of imbalances in strength and flexibility and changes in the biomechanical properties of bone. Sports involving contact and jumping have the greatest injury risk. Most chiropractors who treat pediatric patients are aware of these injuries and the potential causes related to the growing musculoskeletal system. They have been uniquely trained to understand the musculoskeletal system, making them excellent resources for the management of sports-injuries.
You’re undoubtedly aware of the role a balanced diet can play in healthy aging and disease prevention, but do you know there is a non-nutritive element that can also exert a profound positive influence on your health? Proper function of the human body is dependent on the continuous activity of thousands of different enzymes. These essential biological molecules are the catalysts in all of the body’s biochemical reactions.
Here are three important health benefits attributable to enzymes. Talk to your doctor for more information about enzymes and their value in maintaining health and wellness.
| 1. | Digestion: Digestive enzymes, which are secreted in saliva and pancreatic juices, are responsible for the breakdown of food. This process helps facilitate proper nutrient absorption. In patients with pancreatic insufficiency or with food allergies, supplementation with a mild digestive enzyme blend can enhance nutrient uptake as well as gastrointestinal comfort. In addition, anyone who consumes a diet high in processed foods may benefit from enzyme supplementation. |
| 2. | Inflammation: Another known benefit of enzyme supplementation is the treatment of inflammatory and immune mediated conditions. Proteolytic enzymes, such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, bromelain, and papain, have the ability to neutralize inflammatory chemicals to aid in the healing of damaged tissues. It is believed that proteolytic enzymes have the ability to promote healing by decreasing capillary permeability, improving circulation, and dissolving fibrin clot deposits. Enzymes have also been shown to have positive effects on natural killer cells and macrophages, thus enhancing the overall immune response and body’s defense against infection. |
| 3. | Cancer: The use of enzymes in cancer therapy was first proposed by the embryologist Dr. John Beard in the early 1900s. In his research, The Enzyme Therapy of Cancer, published in 1911, Dr. Beard discussed his theory on injection of pancreatic proteolytic enzymes as a form of cancer therapy. Cancer cells, as well as nearly all pathogens, are often protected by a thick, protein-based, fibrin coating. Proteolytic enzymes have the ability to assist in the breakdown of this fibrin coating, allowing the body’s immune functions to take action against proliferating cancer cells. Although the original research was conducted almost a century ago, proteolytic enzymes are being used as a new and innovative way to combat cancer. |
One of the simplest ways to enhance your enzyme levels is to increase your intake of raw foods. Uncooked, unprocessed foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables contain natural enzymes that support digestion and overall enzymatic activity. However, since many Americans consume inadequate amounts of these foods, supplementation may be necessary to ensure enzyme activity is supported. Increasing your intake of enzymes can help support every mode of cellular activity as well as improve overall body communication.
Antibiotics are medications that fight bacterial infections. That means if your medical doctor ever prescribes an antibiotic to fight your child’s cold, flu, cough (in most cases) sore throat (unless strep) and even bronchitis – all of which are caused by viruses – the antibiotic won’t do any good and will be exposing your child to an unnecessary drug with potential side effects.
Unfortunately, studies have shown that doctors do prescribe antibiotics for viral infections, and that sometimes, it’s to appease the parent, who doesn’t want to hear that their child’s malaise will improve on its own in a few days or so.
Between unnecessary prescribing for viral infections and appropriate prescribing for bacterial infections, children can end up taking several courses of antibiotics in their early years. That can be a problem for several reasons, not the least of which is that, as a recent study suggests, they can end up with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) later in life.
While researchers did not find a clear cause-and-effect relationship between antibiotic use in year one and IBD in childhood, they did notice that children diagnosed with the condition were more likely to have taken antibiotics (one or more courses) in their first year compared to children without IBD.
Your doctor can tell you more about IBD and the dangers of antibiotic use in infancy, childhood or any age.
[Source: www.toyourhealth.com]