Health experts, such as chiropractors, and the U.S. government all recommend getting daily exercise — about an hour a day of moderate exercise for most adults — to keep weight off and prevent heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Plus, we chiropractors are well aware that keeping weight off not only helps to prevent the diseases just mentioned, but it also helps to slow down, and often prevent, arthritis and stress injuries of the musculoskeletal system caused by excess weight.

But, excess weight is not only caused by, and sustained through, lack of exercise. Here are some more “fun facts” from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics:

• The prevalence of obesity among adults aged 20 and over has increased from 19.4 percent in 1997 to 28 percent in 2009.
• In 2009, 9 percent of adults 18 and over had diabetes, up from 8.2 percent in 2008 and 5 percent in 1997.
• 20.6 percent of adults smoked, about the same as in 2008.
• Nearly 23 percent of adults had at least one day of binge drinking in 2009, defined as having five or more drinks in a day.
• Most Americans believe they are healthy. More than 66 percent said they had excellent or very good health, down from 68.5 percent in 2008. 2.4 percent said they had poor health.
• Just over 4 percent of all Americans said they had an asthma attack in the past year

There are no shortcuts and no way to get around it: Good health and vibrant wellness is created and maintained through an overall healthy lifestyle.

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First of all, if you are someone who reads my Oxnard chiropractic blogs, you know that as your Oxnard Chiropractor I am a passionate advocate of living a healthy lifestyle that, as I’ve written so many times, includes a healthy diet, good hydration, plenty of exercise and, of course, regular chiropractic care!  In addition, I’m sure that if you are someone who is already concerned about your health, you don’t get your diet and nutrition guidelines from watching television. We all know that most TV advertisements that are about food, especially “convenience” food, are meant to sell, sell, sell, whether or not the product is actually good for you. That said, it always nice to take a moment to reflect on just how “unhealthy” TV ads can be. So, I read with great interest an article today in the

Taping 28 days of prime-time TV (as well as Saturday-morning programming) on the four major broadcast networks, researchers identified 800 foods promoted in 3,000 ads. Then, using a nutritional software program, they analyzed the content of the items, comparing the foods’ nutritional values with the government’s food guide pyramid and recommended daily intake values for various nutrients (based on a 2,000 calories per day diet).

Are you ready for this?  Not only would a 2,000-calorie diet made up solely of foods from commercials provide too much cholesterol, saturated fat and salt, and not nearly enough nutrients like iron, calcium or vitamins A, D and E, just one advertised food item by itself would provide, on average, three times a person’s daily recommended servings of sugar and two and half times the daily recommended servings of fat.

The study will be published this month in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

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Let’s face it, wherever there is a musculoskeletal structure, for example in the human body, there’s the likelihood of musculoskeletal dysfunction such as back pain and neck pain, pain in the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints, and ankle and foot pain. No one is immune from misalignment of the spine and joint inflammation, though numerous challenges are often the end result of sports injuries, accidents, and the aging process. Irrespective of the cause, whatever form of movement on a traumatized part of the body can not merely result in pain or suffering, but inactivity. And, of course, particular musculoskeletal problems, if left untreated, can lead to permanent disability.

It has been reported of chiropractic care that its “health benefits exceed” remedying a specific challenge. In fact, someone who comes in to see a chiropractor for low back pain, for example, not only profits from pain relief, but also increased circulation, a lowering or elimination of lactic acid, easier travel of oxygen and nutrients within the body, increased flexibility, reduced general pain and soreness, better recovery time, a more stress-free feeling, and the avoidance of future injuries! Is it any wonder why chiropractic care has become the treatment of preference for more and more people?

In addition to supplying qualified musculoskeletal treatment, chiropractors will also are able to provide education and counsel when it comes to enhancing your complete health and wellness. Chiropractors fully understand that in order for an individual to get healthy and stay that way, it’s important to select a natural health-oriented approach to life such as drinking lots of water to keep the body hydrated, following a nutritional diet program, and creating a consistent stretching and exercise routine.

Chiropractic treatment isn’t going to quite work “miracles, ” but it can come pretty close in numerous areas that may possibly surprise you. For instance, chiropractic care helps pregnant women give birth more easily. It can sharpen developmental potentials of babies, like improved motor skills, and frequently impede scoliosis. Chiropractic adjustments for kids has helped lessen bronchial asthma discomforts, ear infections, and bed-wetting. In combination with the rewards stated earlier, consistent chiropractic management can help adults to feel more vital and vigorous, which consequently boosts productivity. And, then finally, for aging baby boomers and the senior population, not only can chiropractic treatment assist in lowering age-related troubles and keep someone more active in later years, it can minimize the balance problems that all too often lead to serious injury from falls.

If you are currently visiting a chiropractor, that’s great! You have no doubt already felt most advantages stated earlier. If so, why not inform your friends about chiropractic? Don’t let someone you care about fall victim to the kind of misinformation relating to chiropractic care that will keep them from experiencing their day more fully. Tell a friend or family member to call Dr. Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, today to get the help they need!

Technorati Tags: asthma, balance problems, bed-wetting, chiropractic care, chiropractic treatment, chiropractor, healthy lifestyle, infections, pregnancy, regular exercise, Where:Oxnard-CA

Nadia Saleh Al-Amoudi of the Department of nutrition and Food Science, at the King Abd Al-Aziz University, in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, explains that myrrh is known to have medicinal properties, including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Read more…

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By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Nov. 2 (HealthDay News) — Though someone is diagnosed with diabetes every 20 seconds, many Americans lack basic knowledge about the potentially life-threatening disease, according to a new survey from the American Diabetes Association.

Diabetes is responsible for more deaths each year in the United States than breast cancer and AIDS combined, but just 42 percent of those surveyed knew that diabetes could be so deadly.

“There’s a real lack of awareness of the seriousness of the disease,” said Sue McLaughlin, president of health Care and Education for the diabetes association. To combat that, the organization has launched a new campaign called Stop Diabetes to encourage people with diabetes to share their stories. The effort aims to increase awareness of the disease, fight the social stigma sometimes associated with it and get more people involved in the fight against diabetes.

Those who have the disease often say the lack of awareness can feel like a lack of support.

“Living with diabetes every day is a struggle, and people don’t always understand what you go through every day,” said Malika Bey of Pittsburgh. Bey was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during two pregnancies, and then with type 2 diabetes after her last pregnancy.

“It would help if family members were more supportive,” she said. “You know, I can’t eat everything I want to eat, and at a party, nobody thinks about something simple, like getting diet drinks.”

McLaughlin said a common myth is that sugar and overeating cause diabetes. But, that’s not true for either type of diabetes. Diet isn’t a factor at all in type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly attacks the islet cells in the pancreas, destroying the body’s ability to produce insulin. And, though type 2 diabetes is more common in people who are overweight, genetics and other unknown factors — not just diet — can be contributors. Even some thin people have type 2 diabetes. Read more…

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Technorati Tags: childrens health, diabetes, healthy lifestyle, weight loss, Where:Oxnard-CA

What’s for dinner at your house tonight? How about a meat–free dish? Just by reducing animal protein in your diet, you could lessen your risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. Many people have found that reducing animal protein consumption can help with low energy and sugar cravings. You can also improve the health of our environment by preserving natural resources like water and fossil fuels.

Join a growing number of people all over the country in the Meatless Monday movement and pledge to eat meat-free once a week.  What will you eat in place of your meat entrée? Try incorporating more vegetables into your meal, which are high in fiber and will make you feel full and satisfied. Beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds are also a great meat alternative. They are high in protein, iron and magnesium and contain little to no saturated fat.

You’ll also reduce your carbon footprint by cutting back on meat just once a week. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, the meat industry generates nearly 1/5 of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide. Our precious water resources are exhausted daily and the demand continues to grow. Approximately 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. This total far surpasses the amount of water needed for vegetables and grains.

People are confused about how to start making improvements to their health, let alone make sizable changes to the environment. Start with what you put on your dinner plate. Start today. You don’t have to become a vegetarian to make a difference. Michael Pollan recently stated on the Oprah show: “Even one meatless day a week — a meatless Monday, which is what we do in my household — if everybody in America did that, that would be the equivalent of taking 20 million mid-size sedans off the road.”

Need recipe ideas? Check out Meatless Monday’s recipe page. Just think about the health message you’re starting today and how you can extend it for the rest of the week. Go meatless and the possibilities are endless!

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Technorati Tags: healthy lifestyle, nutrition, Where:Oxnard-CA

Staycations are here to stay

Need some time to relax and rejuvenate? But watching your pennies with today’s economy? How about a ‘staycation’? All across the country, families have decided to forgo expensive vacations this year and spend more quality time closer to home.

Traveling tends to include more work and stress than originally planned for, not to mention the added expenses, traffic and delays.

Staycations are not about the exotic locale, but how you spend your time. And more often than not, a break from your daily routine is all you really need.  Disconnect from technology and recharge your internal battery.

With vacation planning, ask yourself why you’re yearning to “get away” in the first place? Perhaps your job is overly demanding, your relationships have become strained, or you just feel a strong desire to escape the daily grind.

Think about what you hope to achieve during your staycation. Whether it’s rest and relaxation, much needed time with friends and family or maybe some fun activities to add excitement back into your life, prioritize this time for yourself.

During your free time, make a point to try something new. Try an exercise or yoga class that you normally couldn’t go to, take a day trip to a local town, or try a new restaurant or a recipe. Remember to practice extreme self-care and enjoy your staycation!

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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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The findings were based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a regularly conducted government health survey. Researchers focused on surveys conducted between 1988 and 1994 and between 2001 and 2006, which together included more than 15,000 Americans between the ages of 40 and 74. They looked at rates of five lifestyle factors involved in preventing a range of health risks: maintaining a normal weight, getting regular exercise, eating enough fruits and vegetables, not smoking, and drinking moderate amounts of alcohol.

Though the study cannot tell us why healthy lifestyle habits are on the decline, lead researcher, Dr. Dana E. King, of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, said that one reason may be that these changes are just difficult to make. “People’s increasingly hectic lives may be making it hard to fit in regular exercise, or to sit down to healthier, home-cooked meals rather than eating take-out.” He suggested some simple steps can make a difference. “It’s not hard, for example, to take some fruit to work with you, instead of going to the vending machine.” (Parking a little farther away from your destination and walking a bit can help, too.) Most importantly, Dr. King stressed that “it’s never too late” for middle-aged and older adults to make lifestyle changes for the better. In fact, in an earlier study, King and his colleagues found that when middle-aged adults newly adopted a healthier lifestyle — including regular exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables — their risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dying over the next several years fell by as much as 40 percent.

It’s never too late to start to see a chiropractor, like Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard. If you think about it, there aren’t many things in life that carry an “it’s never too late” guarantee. So, why not start today, no matter what your age may be? Your healthy future is depending on you!

Technorati Tags: cardiovascular disease, chiropractor, healthy lifestyle, middle-aged adults, Where:Oxnard-CA