4 Vitamins You Can’t Do Without

Vitamin A plays an important role in vision, bone growth, reproduction, and cell division. Adequate amounts of vitamin A help to regulate the immune system and protect against infections by producing the white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses. Dietary sources: Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, eggs, milk.

Vitamin C: As you probably already know, a daily dose of vitamin C is one of your easiest and most effective weapons against illness. Vitamin C’s profound ability to protect cells from free radical damage can help lower your risk of various diseases and conditions, while improving iron absorption to promote healthy blood cells. Dietary sources: Fruits and vegetables, particularly cantaloupe, citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, green and red peppers, tomatoes and winter squash.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone the body creates naturally from diet and sunlight. It is vital for maintaining a strong immune system, regulating inflammation, assisting in calcium absorption, and decreasing the risk of chronic diseases. Since vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and enables normal mineralization of bone, it is needed for healthy bone growth and remodeling. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle or misshapen. Dietary sources: Fatty fish, cheese, egg yolks, fortified foods.

Vitamin E helps to prevent blockages in the coronary arteries. Additionally, vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to protect the liver, which can metabolize and excrete some forms of vitamin E. Antioxidants such as vitamin E effectively protect cells from free-radical damage, which contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and other serious health conditions. Dietary sources: Nuts, seeds, vegetables oils (soybean, canola, etc.), green leafy vegetables.

Remember to talk to your health care provider if you are considering taking any of these vitamins as supplements so they can recommend an appropriate dosage.

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Eat Healthier When Eating Out

Americans are eating out at an ever-increasing (sometimes daily) rate, and usually paying the health consequences. It’s tough enough finding healthy food when grocery shopping these days, but put your trust in the hands of a burger joint, a diner, a pizza parlor or the vast majority of other restaurants and you’re generally asking for trouble. Here are five substitutions to infuse a little more health into your next dining experience away from home.

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How to Improve Your Mood

Ever run into someone who’s irritable? Not exactly the person you want to be around. Now consider that on some days, that person is you. When you’re in a good mood, everything seems right; when you’re in a bad one, look out! Between work, kids and the countless other responsibilities your daily life entails, how do you stay sane and avoid becoming a stressed-out, irritable mess? It starts by understanding and then controlling some of the primary causes. Here are three big contributors to irritability; figure out how to reduce them and improve your day.

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Here are some tips from the BC Chiropractic Association to make your Thanksgiving holiday weekend enjoyable, and pain-free:

• If you have to drive more than two hours to visit friends and relatives, take a break; get out of your vehicle and stretch. This temporarily restores normal posture, which will help prevent a recurrence of neck or low back conditions.
• When loading your vehicle for the trip, organize your luggage and packages into smaller loads, as opposed to one large suitcase, cardboard box or carrying case.
• Wear your seatbelt. Adjust vehicle headrests so that the top is no more than two inches below the top of the back of the head. Many of the estimated 20 million car accident victims suffering whiplash injuries in North America could have prevented much of the injury had their vehicle seat headrests been adjusted properly.
• Make sure your children have support. Use the proper car seat/booster seat with a head rest or a child-sized neck pillow so that they do not flop over if they fall asleep in the car. Flopping forward can impact your child’s ability to breathe and flopping over sideways can cause misalignments in your child’s neck vertebrae.
• It’s OK to be a couch potato this weekend, but don’t slouch on the sofa and don’t fall asleep on the recliner, as two or three vertebrae in the spine can assume a sharp angle. When you sit up, the normal movement isn’t restored. We often see people walking into our office with their heads sideways, because by slouching, the position of the joints irritates the nerves and blood vessels, causing muscle spasm.
• Avoid bending directly over the oven door to lift out the turkey. Crouch down, pull out the oven shelf, and use your legs for better balance. Avoid putting all the weight-bearing stress on the lower spine. This helps reduce the sharp leverage on the lower spine.

With these few simple tips, the Chiropractic Doctors of BC wish everyone a healthy, happy Thanksgiving holiday.

Are there days when your “gas tank” is so low that you’re sleepy by lunchtime and craving a power nap by mid-afternoon? Ever wonder what’s making you so tired all the time? Most of the time, fatigue can be traced to one or more of your daily habits or routines. More than likely, you already know what’s causing your fatigue; you’re just not doing enough about it. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most powerful changes you can make today to fight fatigue.

Find a Rest Stop: Try going to bed a little sooner than usual. Start slowly at first; if you usually don’t crash until 11:00 at night, don’t shift to a 9:00 bedtime starting tonight or you may end up wide awake at 4:00 tomorrow morning. Also avoid drinking caffeine late at night, since it is a stimulant and will prevent restful sleep. And avoid carbohydrates a few hours before bedtime, to prevent spikes in your insulin and cortisol levels. Finally, develop a relaxing routine that prepares you to fall asleep – and stay asleep.

Rev Your Engine: Exercise is a fantastic way to combat fatigue and increase energy while becoming healthy. They key is to not exercise so much that you end up sending your body into a state of overtraining and more fatigue. More is not better with exercise; better is better. It is recommended that you exercise 20-45 minutes three to four days per week. You must allow sufficient time for your body to recover from intensive workouts, so adequate rest is crucial if you want to achieve optimal results

Fuel Up: Eating frequently helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels, preventing energy crashes during the day. If you wait too long between feedings, your insulin levels spike, causing your body to go on a hormonal roller-coaster ride. You will feel surges of energy followed by sudden crashes with tiredness, fatigue and lethargy.

You also may want to review a few smaller lifestyle issues to see if they are contributing to your fatigue. For example, if you are taking medications, fatigue could be a side effect. If so, ask your doctor if there is an alternative medication (or better yet, a nutritional supplement, herb or even a lifestyle modification) that would be just as helpful. For example, many people take diabetes medication, but diet and exercise are powerful ways to keep diabetes under control – in most cases without requiring medication.

Also consider the amount of time you are taking for yourself each day. Do you have any “me” time at all? A life of serving and worrying about others without caring for your own needs is extremely draining. Constant stress can also wear you down. This is a common problem for anyone who feels overwhelmed caring for their family, work, friends, and handling all their other responsibilities.

Life today can feel overwhelming, so much so that you may see no end in sight. However, by implementing some simple techniques, you can gain control over your body and mind, and ultimately your fatigue. Talk to your doctor for more information.

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Flu Prevention: Think Vitamin D

Every year the medical profession and government authorities encourage citizens in many developed countries to get immunized against the current form of influenza virus. This year is no different, particularly with the “dreaded” swine flu still on everyone’s minds. While the decision to get vaccinated is an individual one with both pros and cons, consider that a natural approach, namely supplementation with specific nutrients such as vitamin D, can boost immune function and may play an important role in the prevention of respiratory tract infections.

In recent years, studies have shown that vitamin D is an important modulator of immune function. Some authorities suggest it has the potential to reduce the risk of life-threatening influenzas based on the initial observation that influenza normally strikes in countries during the colder (winter) months, when vitamin D production in the skin declines. This happens because the most generally available source of vitamin D is sunlight. Reduction in skin production of vitamin D due to reduced or no exposure to daily sunlight is accompanied by a decline in blood levels of vitamin D.

Some vitamin D experts suggest adults should supplement with 2,000 IU vitamin D per day (especially during the winter) as a means to maintain more optimal vitamin D status in general, strengthen immune function and help reduce the risk of influenza and its invasion into the lung cavity.

Anyone who’s suffered through the flu knows that it’s not only potentially dangerous; it can be downright miserable. Ask your doctor to assess your current vitamin D status and discuss the value of vitamin D supplementation, particularly during the flu season. Whatever your strategy, it won’t eliminate your risk altogether, but why not do everything you can do naturally to protect yourself and your loved ones?

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Sit Less, Live Longer

You may find the following information so profound that you feel inclined to sit down for a minute, but that’s actually the opposite of what you should do. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests people who spend more time sitting (specifically, more than six hours a day) during leisure time have an increased risk of premature death compared to those who sit for three hours or less, and the results are independent of exercise

When you sit for prolonged periods of time, usually with little or no movement, it negatively affects circulation, metabolism, resting blood pressure and cholesterol, among other things. And more time sitting, especially in front of the TV, computer, etc., often contributes to excessive snacking -all too often the unhealthy variety – which can lead to obesity and weight-related disorders such as diabetes.

“Sit less, move more” is a great message to store in your memory bank and recall on a daily basis. Anytime you start to feel stuck to your chair, peel yourself away and add a little motion (and a few years) to your life. Talk to your doctor about the health dangers associated with prolonged sitting (especially its impact on the spine and posture) and how you can sit less and live longer.

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[Source: http://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/home.php]

 2.  Find a holistic practitioner who offers a range of health tests and can provide proactive on-going treatment and advice. You can ask people you know who you know look after themselves and find out who they go to. You will require supplements because hardly anyone eats a 100% organic, fully balanced diet and lives in a non-toxic and stress free environment.

3.  Avoid people and places that do not support what you are trying to achieve, i.e. there’s a lady who attends my gym every day to stay in shape and keep her weight under control yet she works in a bakery!

 4.  Set restrictions about how much of your time you’re prepared to work and stick to it. Do not take work home! Of if you work from home, set rules about when you will and won’t work. Make sure it doesn’t take over valuable family time.

5.  Eat healthily, get enough sleep and exercise regularly. Respect your body and treat it as you would if you bought a brand new car. Buff and polish it, go for a long drive and fill the tank with quality fuel.

Bet there’s nothing new here, that you didn’t already know. But are you doing it?

Wellness is about being pro-active with your health and not waiting until you are sick or something happens to you. No matter how busy you are, you surely can’t be too busy to die?

[Source: Lorraine Pirihi,  The Productivity Queen, is Australia's leading Productivity Specialist. To receive your F.R.E.E. CD & Report "3 Steps to Dramatically Reducing Your Workload and Stress While Maximising Your Profit$!   ($77 value) go to www.productivityqueen.com]

1. Get enough rest. If your body is overly fatigued, it is harder to fight off infections such as the flu (or any other bacteria or virus for that matter). Your body does most of its healing while you sleep.
2. Good nutrition is vital. Avoid sugar and caffeine (they weaken you immune system); eat whole, preferably organic foods. Enjoy fresh, raw garlic regularly – garlic is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. Lab tests have found garlic to be more effective than antibiotics against certain types of bacteria.
3. Exercise! Regular moderate exercise helps to boost immune system function (as well as the cardiovascular benefits and muscle conditioning).
4. Stay hydrated. Pure, clean water is necessary for every bodily function. When you are dehydrated, your body functions less efficiently and that can cause fatigue, dry skin, headaches, stomachaches and constipation. If you wait until you are thirsty to drink, it is already too late – you are dehydrated!
5. Use good hygiene. Washing your hands regularly decreases your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or to others. Antibacterial soaps should be avoided as they produce drug resistant “superbugs.” Sneeze or cough into your elbow, not your hands as viruses cannot survive long outside of the body and you reduce the potential for spread.
6. Decrease stress. Adopt a more positive attitude. Optimists have healthier immune systems, suffer from fewer infections and are not as adversely by stressful life events.
7.  Get adjusted! Keep your body subluxation free so your nervous system stays healthy. The immune system protects us from the flu, as well as any other infectious disease by directing your immune system and strives to get us well again when we do get ill. Remember, the immune system, like every other system in the body, is controlled by the nervous system. It’s about living your life to its fullest potential!

Thank you for your commitment to health. We are here to help with that commitment and are dedicated to the expression of your highest health potential. This information is posted to help you maximize that health potential. If you have any questions or need more information, please do not hesitate to ask. Thank you for sharing this with others; we appreciate your help in making this world a healthier place!

According to the Canadian Chiropractic Association, many people sleep badly and suffer preventable spinal pain due to their beds being too hard or too soft for their body type. The caution for this Valentine’s Day is to pay attention to sleeping posture and ensure you have a suitable mattress and pillows to guarantee a night of uninterrupted bliss.

Sleeping on your back puts 55 lbs. of pressure on your spine. Lying on your side with a pillow between your knees reduces the disc pressure to 40 lbs. Putting a couple of pillows under your knees while lying on your back will take most of the pressure off your spine (only 25 lbs. of pressure). 

If a mattress is too hard it causes pressure points and reduced circulation, requiring the muscles to work harder to keep the spine straight. However, if a mattress is too soft, then the spine may sag out of alignment and again create tension leading to dysfunction and pain.

Ideally, a mattress should be firm, comfortable and supportive, but not too hard as has been recommended by some specialists in the past. The line of your spine should be straight when lying on your side, and a natural curve maintained when sleeping on your back.

Chiropractors frequently notice that a variety of spine-related disorders become recurrent and chronic due to adverse stress from a bad bed. When you spend one-third your life in bed, it is important to choose the best possible mattress we can afford and look after it well!

One of the main reasons mattresses cause back trouble is that they are not replaced regularly enough. Manufacturers and chiropractors recommend changing a mattress approximately every 10 to 13 years, depending on how it is cared for. The following tips are recommended for maintaining the life of a mattress:

• Never fold or bend the mattress
• Rotate the mattress by turning it end to end every three months
• When cleaning use a vacuum cleaner, and do not wet the mattress
• When choosing a new mattress, lie on it as many different ways as possible in the store.

Some signs that the mattress may need replacing include annoying peaks, dips or lumps or waking up stiff and sore after sleeping on the mattress.

It is recorded that 80% of people suffer back pain at some stage of their lives, and because every body is different, it is important to choose a bed with the right support and comfort for the individual.

Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be a pain in the back!