Family Health

Acupuncture and Adjunctive Techniques

Written by Dr. Kelly Brown. Posted in Family Health.

Acupuncture Adjunctive Techniques to help you achieve pain freeDuring the Olympics last month, there was some excitement around the circular marks on some of the athletes. Cupping therapy has been used for centuries in many cultures, including China, Greece, and Russia. Cupping is only one of the many adjunctive therapies in acupuncture practice. Other techniques include Gua Sha, Moxibustion, and Tui Na. Safe and Effective Each of the listed techniques are useful in treating various conditions when combined with acupuncture. All of these therapies are safe when performed by a properly trained professional.

The Importance of Exercise for the Aging Brain

Written by Brian Strauss. Posted in Family Health.

Exercise for the BrainAs people age, some regions of the brain begin to shrink. Studies show the hippocampus shrinks one to two percent annually in people without dementia — a loss that is associated with an increased risk for developing cognitive difficulties. This is drawing much interest to the importance of exercise for the aging brain, and how it can alter brain health.

How Safe is Chiropractic?

Written by Dr Scott Rosenthal. Posted in Family Health.

How Safe is Chiropractic?Due to the physical nature of chiropractic care and the fact that it involves performing maneuvers to the neck and back,people sometimes question its safety. As with any medical procedure, it is wise to consider the risks. Being an informed patient can help bring about better choices for yourself and your loved ones. Before we look into the safety of chiropractic, I’d like to provide some perspective.
The following is a list of the most common causes of death in the U.S. (including the number of people who die from these causes each year):

Heart disease: 614,348

Cancer: 591,699
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 147,101
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 136,053

Conservative Care for Back Surgery

Written by Dr Douglas Briggs. Posted in Family Health.

Conservative Care for Back Surgery for Family HealthBack pain is an extremely common medical ailment, affecting eight of 10 people during their lifetimes. Lower back pain is the most common type of back pain, and is the No. 2 reason people in America visit the doctor. So it goes without saying that back pain is the most common reason that patients come to our office.
Lower back pain can be sharp, stabbing, tingling

Beware the Leaves of 3

Written by brian. Posted in Family Health.

remedies to relieve the Poison Ivy itchPoison Ivy can grow on the ground, it climbs and sometimes as a shrub. This is the plant that causes most of the misery since it grows on nearly every roadside, path, pond, stream, and beach But if you know what to look you might be lucky enough to avoid it.
Poison Ivy always grows left and then right

How to Avoid a Crisis of Illness!

Written by Dr Scott E Rosenthal. Posted in Family Health.

Family Health“But doctor, I didn’t do anything! I don’t know what happened! It’s just my bad luck!” Have you ever made such a statement? One day you feel great and the next it all seems to fall apart.
The “surprise attack” of illness is due in part to the silent nature of the disease process. Symptoms may wait to appear after weeks, months, or years have passed. Sometimes they never arise and no warning is given. It is not uncommon to hear about a “perfectly healthy” person suddenly passing away. The real question is, “What qualifies as healthy?”

TRUST YOUR GUT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH

Written by Dr Jessica Bohl. Posted in Family Health.

Trust your Gut

The phrase ‘gut health’ describes effective digestion and an optimal state of well-being. Just like the saying ‘happy wife, happy life’, ‘healthy gut, healthy life’ may be true as well.

Our digestive tract acts as a guardian between the outside world and the internal workings of our bodies.  If this barrier is healthy, it allows nutrients into the body while at the same time blocking foreign invaders.

DETOXIFICATION: What does it mean and do I need to do it?

Written by Melissa Crispell, CNS, CNHP. Posted in Family Health.

detoxBy definition detoxification (or detox for short) is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism, to include the human body, which is mainly carried out by the liver. The toxic remnants of everything you eat, breathe, and put on your skin passes through the liver before leaving through another system. Think about this: your coffee pot

Can Your Food Even Healthy Food Be Hurting You?

Written by Melissa Crispell. Posted in Family Health.

Integretive healthOne of the major advancements in science in recent years has been the expanded understanding of the immune system and its far greater and more important role in general health and wellness. Initially, it was thought that our immune system only protected us from “invaders” from the environment, bacteria or viruses. We now understand the immune system plays a protective role as well. The defense component of the immune system does fight off those “invaders” that cause illnesses and the repair component helps restore tissue and organ damage the illness may have caused. If either the defense or repair function becomes overburdened, immune dysfunction and disease may result.

Brooklyn Bedding

Written by brian. Posted in Family Health.

Brooklyn Beddingpleasedonotdisturb copy
From the editors:
Once Brian and I hit fifty years old (almost simultaneously), our bodies seemed to immediately correspond with our age. Age has also become a contributing factor to the onset of what would soon become many sleepless nights, a result of multiple aches and pains that seemed to appear almost overnight.
Recently, we received a mysterious box sitting on the front stoop of our home. The box was tall but relatively narrow, stamped with the Brooklyn Bedding logo

NEW HELP FOR TOUGH HEADACHES

Written by Dr Scott Rosenthal. Posted in Family Health.

HeadachesA SEVERE HEADACHE CASE STUDY
Several years ago, a women visiting from out of town came into the office with the worse headache pain I have ever seen. Her neck bowed forward, struggling to carry her head’s weight. Her eyes were heavy, as if she could barely keep them open. She was suffering from pain that only comes with an extremely SEVERE headache. I soon learned that this was a part of her regular life. She had already seen a neurologist and was on powerful drugs that offered no relief.

Top 3 Hearing Protection Myths

Written by Carol Meyers, Au.D.. Posted in Family Health.

Hearing MythsProtecting yourself from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) should be a year-round consideration. With more options than ever to keep your ears safe in a wide variety of loud settings, there is really no reason to take chances with your hearing anymore although many people will likely continue to use the same old excuses for not doing so. Here are three of the most common reasons given for skipping hearing protection and why they don’t hold up under scrutiny.

Unlocking the Secrets of the “Frozen Shoulder

Written by Dr.Scott Rosenthal. Posted in Family Health.

unlock the secrets of the Frozen ShoulderDon’t you just love to watch a great rivalry between epic foes? The Yankees vs. the Red Sox, Superman vs. Lex Luther, Rocky vs. Apollo Creed? Many of us can relate to battling a nemesis, that one opponent who pushes us to our very limits. I must admit, in my 22 years of chiropractic practice, I’ve had a few. I would like to introduce you to a true adversary that has caused me to stretch my abilities beyond almost all others. I am referring to the villainous frozen shoulder!

Arthritis and Acupuncture

Written by Dr Kelly Brown. Posted in Family Health.

Arthritis and AcupunctureAcupuncture and Pain
The weather is getting cooler, and winter is on its way. As the cold settles in, less outdoor activities are performed. Therefore, joint stiffness can become more noticeable. Some arthritis sufferers are able to relocate during cold months, but many people have to suffer through the winter months in pain. Medications can be expensive and have side-effects that can make winter more difficult to get through.

Living With TYPE 1 DIABETES A Mindset Of Acceptance

Written by Melissa Gray. Posted in Family Health.

Melissa Gray
No-one’s life is perfect, everyone has challenges and diabetes is just one of mine. I can’t control it or change it so I have accepted it and continued living my life.
Melissa Gray, 2009- Living Well Magazine

As I enter my eleventh year with type 1 diabetes, I can joyfully say that I have lived up to these hopeful words of the young, open-minded, and maybe even somewhat naïve 14-year old girl who wrote them upon entering high school.
Now, as a more mature, experienced,

Your Eyes needs SunBlock Too

Written by Brian Strauss. Posted in Family Health.

SunblockSunglasses have become a large part of our fashion culture, with an incredible variety of shapes, sizes, styles and colors to choose from the possibilities are endless. However, are those great looking shades protecting your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun?

UA Study Finds Owning a Dog Provides Health Benefits for Postmenopausal Women

Written by Brian Strauss. Posted in Family Health.

Menopause and dogsWorking to identify effective strategies to increase physical activity among older adults, particularly women, University of Arizona researchers have identified dog ownership as a key to better health. The findings were published in the January journal Preventive Medicine, Volume 70.
Regular physical activity can positively affect health outcomes in older adults

Turning Back the Clock: BEATING “BOOMERITIS®”

Written by Dr. Nicholas DiNubile. Posted in Family Health.

Beating BoomeritisMusculoskeletal (bone and joint) problems are on the rise in the United States. They are now one of the top reasons that people see a doctor in this country. In fact, in recent years, they have become the #1 reason for physician visits! In my orthopedic and sports medicine practice, I noticed a tremendous increase in these types of symptoms, ailments and injuries, especially in active individuals.

GROW Fresh Air

Written by Peg Castorani. Posted in Family Health.

grow fresh air in your homeEven NASA agrees that the stuffy air in your home and office can be detrimental to your health. They have done the research to provide us with a list of the most air cleansing plants for you, your family and even your pets. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is often more than 10 times more polluted than outdoor air. Most of us are in our offices or homes most hours of the day, hopefully with good insulation from the winter’s chill. Unfortunately, building materials, paints, finishes, furnishings and carpets release harmful chemicals into our insulated space. Other toxic chemicals are emitted from cleaning products, pesticides, and hazardous household supplies. Do you really know what the cleaning company uses?

Dark Chocolate

Written by Erica Reed. Posted in Family Health.

Dark Chocolate is good for your skinIt Does A Body Good. 

Eating for beauty benefits doesn’t mean a lifetime sentence of salad (although leafy greens do wonders for your body and your skin). Instead of feeling guilty after getting “wasted on chocolate”, you get excited, (as long as you choose the right kind of chocolate) because you’ll be reaping some beauty benefits and health rewards for treating yourself!

Some chocolate can deliver significant beauty benefits. However, the only chocolate that can supply these benefits is dark chocolate having at least 70% cocoa content. Unfortunately, most treats found in the candy aisle and conveniently located upon check-out at grocery stores and pharmacies are the wrong kind of chocolate. Dark chocolate, the good stuff, is lower in sugar and high in cocoa. It’s super-rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that nourish our bodies. For example, cocoa contains naturally occurring plant substance called; flavonoids which can contribute to a healthy heart and help reduce the risk of stroke. Dark chocolate also relaxes blood vessels, which in turn can reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Several studies even suggest that it may also be a “feel-good” treat that increases production of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters and improved blood flow to the brain.

Pregnancy and Chiropractic: Happier Mom! Healthier Baby!

Written by Dr Scott Rosenthal. Posted in Family Health.

Pregnancy and Chiropractic: Happier Mom! Healthier Baby!Celeste was expecting. She felt great and welcomed each miraculous change. The baby moved easily into the head-down position. She walked comfortably with a steady confidence throughout her last trimester. The birth went smoothly and as desired. Her midwife commented on the joy of assisting in such a wonderful delivery experience. Her recovery quickly unfolded.

How close is your vision of a "normal" pregnancy and delivery to the above? First of all, IT IS POSSIBLE! With the right game plan, the odds of a "perfect" pregnancy and delivery can be greatly improved. The purpose of this article is to introduce the many, but often little-known, benefits of chiropractic care for the expecting mother and developing fetus.

Please Tell Us What We Are Eating!

Written by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss. Posted in Family Health.

Please Tell Us What We Are Eating!Please tell us what we are eating!

Proponents of genetic engineering (GE)—whereby DNA from unrelated species is combined to produce improved or novel organisms—insist that the benefits of increased crop yields and less agricultural waste outweigh the potential risks, but many environmental and public health advocates aren't convinced.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), one risk of GE is that our new "frankencrops" could become invasive, toxic to wildlife, or dangerous in other as-yet unknown ways. "But the most damaging impact of GE in agriculture so far is the phenomenon of pesticide resistance," reports UCS, adding that millions of acres of American farmland are infested by weeds that have become resistant to Monsanto's popular herbicide glyphosate (known to most by its trade name Roundup). "Overuse of Monsanto's 'Roundup Ready' trait, which is engineered to tolerate the herbicide, has promoted the accelerated development of resistance in several weed species."

When All Else Fails, Play Show Me Your Movie

Written by Veronica Monet, ACS, CAM. Posted in Family Health.

You Can PlayMaggie saw Jim kick the family dog. His foot firmly connected with Grover's belly, sending him into a humiliating skid on the kitchen floor. The dog yelped and peed on the floor but he wasn't injured. Maggie was shaking with anger and a little bit of fear. It was bad enough that Jim had been yelling at her, but now he was abusing their dog? He would pay for his lapse in judgment, but right now she just wanted to get away from him. She stormed out of the kitchen and slammed the door to her bedroom.

The Offseason

Written by Danny Singles, PT, DPT, MA. Posted in Family Health.

OffseasonNoted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews recently authored a book about the current injury epidemic in youth sports.

Reading this book reinforced some beliefs about what I see daily in my clinic. Pre-teen and teenage athletes are constantly coming into the clinic with sports related injuries. They trickle in during the summer like drips of water from a leaky faucet. By midway through fall and into the spring, there is a steady stream of young athletes who do not make it through their seasons. Some of these injuries are traumatic, some are not. Almost all have one thing in common. The athletes who sustain them seem to be the ones who play a single sport all year round. This leads me to the topic of this month's article. What happened to the offseason?

Why Control of Your Diabetes Is Essential to the Health of Your Mouth

Written by Andrew Swiatowicz, D.D.S.. Posted in Family Health.

Diabetes and Healthy teethWhen it comes to diabetes mellitus (DM), patients have enough to worry about. Controlling this disease is essential to maintaining the health of one's blood vessels, eyes, limbs, kidneys and numerous other parts of the body. While most patients who are diagnosed with diabetes are aware of the previously mentioned potential complications, many are surprised to hear that their diabetes can impact their oral health.
Diabetic patients report a variety of oral issues, including xerostomia (dry mouth), oral candidiasis, and poor wound healing following dental surgery. However, what dentists notice the most in their patient with poorly controlled DM is a higher prevalence of periodontitis.

Glaucoma: Early Detection Can Save Your Sight

Written by Robert L. Stamper, M.D.. Posted in Family Health.

Glaucoma is the second most common cause of preventable blindness in the U.S. Approximately 2 million Americans have glaucoma. Another one million do not know they have the disease. With early diagnosis and treatment, the vast majority of people can retain their vision for life. The key is early diagnosis, which can only be obtained by regular, routine eye exams.

In a healthy eye, fluid is constantly being made and drained through a microscopic, drainage canal. When something blocks or prevents this natural drainage, the pressure inside the eye goes up. Glaucoma is often caused by increased pressure that can develop when the fluids in the eye are not draining properly. This condition eventually damages the nerve that connects the eye to the brain (the optic nerve) and leads to loss of vision. In most cases, a person's side vision (peripheral vision) is noticeably affected.

The Effects of Electronics on Weight: Is Television Making You Fat?

Written by Nancy Angelini and Tom Dadant. Posted in Family Health.

electronic food

Is it possible that electronics could be an underlying cause for the rise of obesity and Type II Diabetes in the American culture? Though not the sole culprit, the truth is that television, computers, tablets and phones very much contribute to the general decline in aggregate health and weight management. The reason, however, lies far deeper than merely rendering the general population less active. Rather, it has much to do with the colored light emitted from the devices' screens and the resulting negative impact on sleep. Deficiencies in sleep, in turn, handicap not only the body's ability to utilize the energy it stores in fat but also has a profound effect on the amount of fat the body will create, fostering the tendency to gain weight.

Weight is but a System of Body Out of Balance

Written by Elaine Katen. Posted in Family Health.

weight is  out of balance

Clearly something is out of balance. More than two-thirds of all American adults over the age of 20 are overweight or obese, according to Health, United States, 2012, an annual report on the health of the nation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Center for Health Statistics. If the current trend continues, it is estimated that 42 percent of Americans – men, women and children - will be obese by 2030.

With obesity on the rise, never before in the West have so many diet programs and products been available to those who want to lose weight. Some plans count calories or carbohydrates; others control what, how much, and when you eat; a few feature supplements or appetite suppressants, diuretics or laxatives; there are the workouts regimens and repetitions; and most extreme is stomach stapling. These weight-loss regimes are well advertised in various media, and classes, books, tapes, and DVDs abound everywhere. Americans now spend an estimated $55 billion a year on diet programs and products. Why then, are so many of us overweight?

Heal Shame and Increase Your Personal Power!

Written by Veronica Monet, ACS, CAM. Posted in Family Health.

Heal Shame and Increase Your Personal Power!Healing shame is a vital step toward realizing your full potential and can have many unexpected benefits.. For instance, if you are less controlled by feelings of shame, you may have more energy and enthusiasm to explore your creativity, find your passion, realize your purpose, and find fulfillment.

Movement = Life

Written by Danny Singles, PT, DPT, MA. Posted in Family Health.

movement=life

This is where we start. This is not unique to me; on the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) webpage, the APTA describes Physical Therapists (PT's) as highly trained medical professionals that "understand how the body works and how to get you moving again." This boils down to "Movement = Life."

7 Grains to add to your diet!

Written by Lwm Staff. Posted in Family Health.

7 grains to add to your diet

 Barley

Used as far back as the Stone Age for currency, food, and medicine, barley is a great addition to a healthy diet. Barley contains plentiful amounts of both soluble and insoluble fiber, it helps aid bowel regularity. It contains 96 calories, 22 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of fiber per half-cup of cooked barley. Unrefined barley contains abundant amounts of potassium. It also has lots of magnesium, manganese, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, zinc, copper, iron, calcium, protein, sulfur, and phosphorus. This versatile ingredient can be added to soups, stews, cereal, salads, pilaf, or ground into flour for baked goods or desserts.

A glass a day keeps the doctor away? Maybe not but in moderation there are benefits.

Written by dcfine. Posted in Family Health.

Ice cold beer

“Beer, if drank in moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit, and promotes health.”Thomas Jefferson

 

Studies have revealed that beer can produce the same benefits as drinking wine. Whether you prefer ales, lagers, stout, bitter or wheat beers, studies show that one drink a day for women or up to two drinks a day for men will reduce your chances of strokes, heart and vascular disease. It's no secret that the stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of serious, long-term disabilities.
What's interesting is that it was proven (New England Journal of Medicine - Nov. 1999) that those who drank one beer a week compared to those who drank one beer a day experienced no variance in reducing stroke risks. It is said that light to moderate drinkers will decrease their chances of suffering a stroke by 20%.
A researcher at the Texas Southwestern Medical Center (May 1999) reported that those who consume moderate amounts of beer (one to two a day at the most) have a 30-40% lower rate of coronary heart disease compared to those who don't drink. Beer contains a similar amount of "˜polyphenols' (antioxidants) as red wine and 4-5 times as many polyphenols as white wine.
Alcohol has also been attributed of its ability to increase the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) into the bloodstream as well as help to decrease blood clots.
Beer also contains vitamin B6, which prevents the build-up of amino acid called homocysteine that has been linked to heart disease. Those of us who have high levels of homocysteine are usually more prone to an early onset of heart and vascular disease.

 “Clearly, drinking alcohol has some benefits. But there also are some very real risks. If you choose to drink, be mindful about it and always drink in moderation.”

— Donald Hensrud, M.D., Preventive Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Recently, consistent information has been provided in support of an association between light to moderate alcohol consumption and protection from vascular and all-cause mortality, ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease, congestive heart failure, and recurrence of ischemic events. After reviewing the information with respect to major aspects of cardiovascular pathophysiology, to potential confounders and to underlying mechanisms, several concepts emerge. First, the recommended amounts of “safe alcohol drinking” in healthy individuals are up to two standard drinks (~20 g/d) for a man and up to one drink (10 g/d) for a nonpregnant woman. 

© Thieme Medical Publishers

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