As you may already know, during this holiday season my Oxnard clinic is offering “Fit for Food,” (exercise balls in exchange for food donations) and many of my colleagues are offering incentives as well to current and new patients that, in exchange for chiropractic adjustments, will help to provide money for local food banks or food items for charitable organizations to distribute directly to those in need.

And, as Thanksgiving approaches, I want to offer my gratitude to all of my loyal patients who, as they move from the limitations of health challenges and into the freedom optimal health, give me hundreds of reasons to continue to do what I do. And, my appreciation goes out to my chiropractic colleagues, as well, who believe deeply in the efficacy of chiropractic treatment and through their dedicated work make such a great contribution, and big difference, to the people in their communities.

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Here I go again talking about exercise, one of my favorite subjects as your Oxnard chiropractor when it comes to an essential part of good health that no one can do for you but

But, with holiday shopping and other “to-do” activities, even the simple exercise options above might fall by the way side. Your lunch break becomes an opportunity to get pressing holiday necessities accomplished and if you’re in a rush, you may find parking close to a mall or market entrance, and taking an elevator instead of the stairs far less time-consuming.

However, many holiday activities offer ways for you to get the 30 minutes of daily moderate physical activity that your body needs. And, in addition to the usual health benefits, making sure you continue to get exercise will also help your body burn extra holiday calories! And, of course, as I’ve mentioned before, you don’t need to get in your 30 minutes all at once, but instead, exercising in 10- to 15-minute “chunks” can also be beneficial.

So, here are a few tips to healthfully get you through the holiday season:

If you’re holiday shopping and in a hurry, continue to park farther away from the mall entrance, and get your heart pumping by picking up your walking pace. You’ll save time and get a workout. Once you’re inside, remind yourself that taking the stairs may seem to take longer, but waiting for the elevator is often more time consuming. And, when your purchases aren’t too heavy or bulky, try carrying them instead of using a shopping cart to help get your heart pumping and strengthen your muscles.

If you’re hosting guests for the holiday, getting ready for them and cleaning after they leave can be a good way to get in your aerobic exercise. Housework, such as vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, and even decorating (and “undecorating”) uses large muscle groups like those in your legs and back. The most important thing is to get your heart rate up at a consistent level for at least 10 minutes without stopping.

Don’t let inertia set in during the holidays. It’s hard to start exercising again once you’ve gotten out of the habit. And, if it helps, keep an image of Santa Claus and his big round belly in mind. Remember, he only exercises one night a year!

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Another important thing to remember is that not all carbohydrates are equal. And while healthy fats can be an excellent source of energy during your sport, it isn’t wise before the game to eat fats that digest too slowly, like the fats contained in potato chips, fried foods, doughnuts, candy bars, and other sugary foods. Not only can hard-to-digest fats cause stomach cramping, but these types of fats are hard on the body systems for many reasons.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is important to overall health. But, doing it right and not overdoing it will make a big difference in how well you perform.

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Self.com, which shares this little slice of information, says that conjugated linoleic acid found in whole dairy may actually fuel the metabolism. One ounce — a 1-inch cube or a piece about the size of your thumb — may not seem like enough cheesy goodness, but Self offers the following ways to enjoy a smaller portion of some of your favorite full-fat cheeses (No more of that reduced-fat cheese imposter!):

>>Goat cheese
One ounce of this creamy choice contains 76 calories and 6 grams of fat (4 g saturated) and boasts 5 g of filling protein. It’s also a good source of copper, which keeps your immune system humming. Swap out mayo and smear goat cheese on a wrap or mix with chopped nuts and dried fruit for a filling toast topper.

>>Parmesan
At 111 calories per serving, it seems like a splurge, but Parmesan comes with loads of needed nutrients: A single ounce contains nearly as much bone-building calcium as a glass of milk and 10 g protein—more per ounce than chicken breast. Grate and sprinkle over a bowl of salad greens for a punch of flavor.

>>Cheddar
It’s easy to warm up to this classic queso: It gets perfectly gooey—not greasy—when heated and has 6 percent more calcium than American cheese. An extra sharp cheddar adds zing to favorite foods like tacos and veggie burgers.

>>Monterey Jack
Nosh on Monterey Jack and a piece of fruit for a salty-sweet balance of carbs, fiber, protein and fat that can tide you over until your next meal. In the mood for something spicy? Choose pepper Jack cheese, a twist on Monterey Jack that includes hot peppers such as jalepeños. Eat 1 ounce of either to secure about 20 percent of your daily requirement of calcium and 6 g protein for 110 calories.

>>Ricotta
Good news, lasagna lovers! Even full-fat ricotta is a low-cal wonder: It weighs in at a scant 49 calories and 4 g fat (2 g saturated) per ounce and has the lowest amount of sodium of any cheese out there. For a decadent-tasting dish, toss ricotta with pasta and fresh herbs or stir into jarred tomato sauce for an easy upgrade.

>>Provolone
This mellow, firm cheese is versatile enough to go with most deli meats. One slice offers 21 percent of your daily requirement for calcium, along with other bone-building minerals phosphorus and selenium. Layer it on top of lean meat for 100 calories and 7 g fat (5 g saturated).

>>Mozzarella
Net 22 percent of your daily calcium with one serving of this luscious pick. Mozzarella contains 85 calories and 6 g fat (4 g saturated) per ounce. It’s an ideal fit for omelets because it won’t overwhelm the mild flavor of eggs and meshes well with most vegetables. Cheese for breakfast? Yes, please!

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The Almost Gourmet Quickie Veggie Wrap

This is my quickie go-to lunch many days. It comes together in just a few short minutes if you have all of your veggies washed and prepped ahead of time. I like to slice my veggies while I am assembling the wrap, but you could certainly slice them in advance if you are crunched for time, or even make the wrap ahead of time, and store it in plastic wrap. It is extremely filling and nutritious. I also adjust the amount of veggies by my hunger level – adding more if I am starving or less if I am not incredibly hungry.

If you want to add more protein, you can absolutely add some chicken/turkey breast, salmon, tuna, etc.

Ingredients

• Half of a gigantic whole wheat tortilla
• 1 tbsp of garlic and chive chevre (goat cheese)
• Cucumbers, sliced in long thin strips
• Red, green, orange, and yellow peppers sliced in long thin strips
• Carrots, sliced in long thin strips
• Beets, sliced in long thin strips
• Green onion, chopped
• Handful of sprouts
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Lay tortilla out on a flat surface.
2. Spread goat cheese evenly across tortilla.
3. Pile on the veggies. I typically organize them from heaviest items on the bottom to lightest on the top, to make it easier to handle.
4. Finish with salt and fresh cracked pepper.
5. Close wrap and secure with a toothpick if needed.
6. Serve.

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(healthDay News) — If you want to lose weight, exercise and diet are crucial. But a new study says other factors appear to play a role, too — including the number of TVs in your house and the presence of exercise equipment.

“The home environment really came out as a stronger factor than we would have anticipated,” Suzanne Phelan, assistant professor of kinesiology at California Polytechnic State University and lead author of the new study, said in a news release.

Phelan and colleagues looked at the results of surveys of 167 people who lost a big chunk of their body weight — at least 10 percent — and managed to keep the pounds at bay for five or more years. The researchers compared this group to two other groups of people who were overweight or obese.

The researchers investigated what set the weight-losers apart from the others, and published their findings in the October issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Read more…

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Hibiscus tea is made from the Hibiscus sabdariffa flower, which has been used in folk medicine as a diuretic and for the treatment of several other complaints, including high blood pressure, liver diseases and fever. The pharmacological actions of the Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts include strong in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity. Studies have shown that consuming hibiscus tea infusion has positive effects on blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) is defined as having a systolic and diastolic blood pressure greater than 140 and 90 mmHg. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood and diastolic pressure is the pressure in large arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. A double-blind randomized controlled trial involving 60 type II diabetes patients with mild hypertension… Read More…

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But, before you decide to add an extra cup of coffee to your morning routine, let me add that also on the website, under “Related Stories,” were a couple of articles reporting on studies that demonstrated the negative effects of caffeine, “Morning Jolt of Caffeine May Mask Serious Sleep Problems,” and “Coffee Consumption Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Attack For Persons With Certain Gene Variation.”

It seems to me that there are more than likely studies that will affirm, or at least bolster, any angle of thought, particularly when it has to do with age-related health issues. The “yin-yang” of caffeine benefits-deficits naturally aren’t, of course, the only ones. But, it did get me to thinking about the likelihood that there will not ever be just “one thing” that will with absolute certainty aid we, humans, in living longer, healthier lives. We are dynamic, biological creatures. We aren’t raised in unnatural confinement We are free to engage in life. And, furthermore, though Alzheimer’s disease apparently is on the rise, obviously none of us has been “bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease,” so caffeine isn’t entirely the “one thing” that will prevent or reverse it.

The human body is an exquisite, complex system that is based on homeostasis, i.e, balance. Consequently good health has more to do with a healthy, balanced approach to living, instead of our jumping on the bandwagon of the latest health study and “doing” or “overdoing” one specific thing under the illusion that it will reverse all of the other over-indulgent and unhealthy things we do to our bodies.

I believe, as a doctor of chiropractic, and specifically as your Oxnard Chiropractor, that every single day we have an opportunity to make decisions that will assist us to live longer, healthier lives, healthy choices for our body and mind. We know what genuinely “feels” beneficial and what doesn’t when it comes to what is good for our body. So, the next time you reach for that extra cup of coffee or that second glass of red wine, I hope that you’ll think about this. Neither one of those things is the “one thing” that will do “everything” for your age-related health issues.

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As our age-related risks of chronic disease increase, regular physical activity can actually slow down the trend. In addition, research has shown that people who have already developed coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Type 2 diabetes, and other age-related chronic diseases can benefit substantially by increasing their physical activity and, therefore, often can manage their chronic illness with fewer medicines.

Furthermore, some studies suggest that the cardiovascular benefits an individual gets from physical activity may also help the brain stay healthy. “Physical activity influences the frontal region of the brain,” says Dr. Bradley Hatfield, professor of Sports Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. So, if you’ve been wondering what the best thing is that you can do to keep your brain young, the answer may be for you to take a long walk. A key factor is that exercise thickens the brain tissue and builds more synapses in the brain.  The brain has 10 billion nerve cells, called neurons, and on average, neurons are connected to each other through 10,000 synapses.  Every time we exercise, more synapses form and the active brain gets stronger.

On a regular basis, being physically active increases the quality of life (period). Some of the benefits include improved energy levels, mental sharpness, balance, strength, flexibility, and weight control. Moreover, regular aerobic exericise has been shown to help in the management of depression, anxiety, and stress.

So, even though the facts point conclusively to the validity of the “move it or lose it!” warning, they also confirm that it is never to late for you to “move it” and regain your health. Call Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard. He’s all about mobility!

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Any movement is a step towards better health and physical fitness. Walk a lap (or two) around your house or apartment. Put that TV remote away and get up to change the channels. As your body becomes accustomed to moving again, you will probably discover that you actually want to move more. Then you can slowly add additional movement to your daily routine. Increase the walk around your house to a walk around the block, a walk in the park, or even a walk through the shopping mall. Walking with a friend can often help to keep you on track(especially on those days when you’d rather sit and veg, then get your body moving). If you are physically able, take the stairs instead of using the elevator as often as you can. Park farther away from the entrance to the supermarket and make it a goal to put more and more parking spots between you and the entrance.

After a few weeks of regular physical activity, you will begin to feel the healthful benefits of movement. Then you’ll be ready for new ways to build flexibility, fitness, and muscle strength. Your Chiropractor in Oxnard, Dr. Bolt, is happy to assist you in becoming more physically active and he’ll help you to development an individualized program.

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