The Flu Scare!!! What Can You Do?

Well, the scare machine was in full gear in 2009. The H1N1 flu virus was a killer pandemic strain that was going to decimate the earth's population in short order. The pharmaceutical companies couldn't make their injectable potions fast enough. It was a real crisis. NOT.

Latest research in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that the swine flu virus actually had a lower risk of serious symptoms compared to the seasonal flu. And yes, that includes children.

Halfway around the world, at the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, research on Vitamin D supplementation and the flu was carried out on school children. This was a double blind, placebo controlled study. Children given Vitamin D supplements during the height of the 2009 flu season had a 42% less risk for coming down with the flu than those that did not.

Back at home the CDC is now recommending that everyone above the age of 6 get the new flu shot which combines the H1N1 and a couple of other strains of flu. Keep in mind that the effectiveness of the flu shot on a good year is about 30%. According to the research, Vitamin D supplements reduces the risk of flu by 42%. Why isn't the CDC recommending Vitamin D? You would have to ask them.

Keep this in mind. Vitamin D supplements [D3] are important. It's a real immune booster. But your body makes its own Vitamin D when you go outside and don't slather your skin with sun block. So why not do both? Turn off the TV, game consoles and computers and send the kids outside to play. What a concept! And while they're discovering the outside world, get a little sun yourself!

If you would like to stock up on your Pharmacutical-Grade Vitamin D Supplements (pure and only available through Health Care Professionals - the best vitamins and supplements that you can buy), call our office at (859) 331-9566 (Press Option 1, then Option 5).

www.NKYChiropractor.com


Interested in a Relaxing HydroMassage? What is a HydroMassage?
To find out visit: www.AdvancedWellnessStudio.com

Then, if you want a complimentary HydroMassage visit:
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Increase Your Energy Level With Water

Water is life and our body cell consists of 90% water. It is the most necessary element for survival next to air.

Water is required for the elimination of toxins and waste through the digestive system, lymph system, liver, kidneys, and sweat glands. It also promotes metabolism, provides oxygen to cells, and fills spaces inside/between cells for healthy skin & toned muscle.

Deficiencies in water can result in excess body fat, poor muscle tone, digestive diseases, muscle pain, and water-retention. And being dehydrated can really increase stress, further impacting your health.

The amount of water that your body eliminates each day is somewhere between 1 and 3 liters, the equivalent of four to thirteen 8 oz. glasses of water per day. The US FDA recommends that women drink 11 glasses and men drink 16 glasses of water each day to stay hydrated.

So, how much water do you need to drink? The general recommendation is that you should consume 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight (30ml/kg) per day (that’s ten eight-ounce glasses for a 160 pound person), unless you are athletically active, in which case you should drink 2/3 ounces per pound (13 to 14 glasses a day at 160 lbs of body wieght).

Other Sources

Part of your daily water consumption may also be from foods and juices. A bowl of oatmeal, or a cup of soup, provides 8 oz. of water. A serving of broccoli or spinach, or a cup of rice, provides 5 oz. of water. Many fresh vegetables and fruits contain 3-5 oz. of water. For example, an apple or a pear contain 5 oz.

Other foods are not as hydrating, such as an egg, which provides about an ounce of water, or a slice of pizza, providing only about an ounce. Snacking on chips provides virtually none.

Some people argue that tea, soft drinks and coffee do not count, however this is in itself arguable. Although these contain caffeine, a known diuretic, which cause the body to expel a small amount of moisture, they do still provide additional fluids.

Juices are also ok, but one should keep in mind the amount of fructose concentrated in a glass of juice. The body has a lot of work to do to process the sugar that is concentrated in a glass of juice. When eating a piece of fruit, the liver has time to process the fructose into energy, but when consuming a single glass of juice, which may contain the fructose of up to six pieces of fruit, the liver becomes taxed and turns most of that fructose into fat.

Distilled, purified or reverse-osmosis water is still water. It is the H2O we’re talking about here as a requirement. However, reverse-osmosis water in particular is devoid of essential minerals that we commonly get from water as one primary source. In this case these minerals must be supplemented.

Signs of Dehydration

Two indicators of advancing dehydration are headaches, and dark colored urine. Thirst is a good indicator of the early stages of dehydration, and you should drink if you are thirsty.

Some suggestions have been made that by the time you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated, but your body creates the sensation of thirst when your body is still within normal hydration limits. However if you are actively exercising you should make it a point to stay ahead of the thirst so that the dehydration does not get ahead of you as you are sweating.

So staying hydrated is not as difficult as one might think. An extra glass or two over what you normally consume in food and fluids may be enough.

But you definitely don’t want to drink yourself into being over hydrated. This can cause hyponatremia, a shortage of sodium and other essential minerals in the bloodstream. This is particularly dangerous during exercise, because these minerals are excreted through the sweat glands. And because these minerals are necessary for maintaining brain and heart functions, deficiencies can cause serious problems (see the post in this blog on Essential Minerals).

In selection of your source of water, filtered water is best, to remove chlorine and associated chloroform, and fluoride. A healthy addition to filtered water is VitaEnhanced Water, which can be added by 1 oz. per gallon to provide an alkalized water source, with added benefits of being ionized.

Also, your energy can increase tremendously when you begin to properly hydrate yourself.
Keep hydrated and stay healthy!

www.NKYChiropractor.com
www.AdvancedWellnessStudio.com

Buying School Supplies? Backpacks Can Cause Back Pain

Backpack misuse leads to chronic back pain. Back pain is pervasive among American adults, but a new and disturbing trend is emerging. Young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations, and the use of overweight backpacks is a contributing factor, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that backpack-related injuries sent more than 7,000 people to the emergency room in 2001 alone.

"In my own practice, I have noticed a marked increase in the number of young children who are complaining about back, neck and shoulder pain," said Dr. Scott Bautch, a member of the ACA's Council on Occupational Health. "The first question I ask these patients is, 'Do you carry a backpack to school?' Almost always, the answer is 'yes.'"

This new back pain trend among youngsters isn't surprising when you consider the disproportionate amounts of weight they carry in their backpacks - often slung over just one shoulder. According to Dr. Bautch, a recent study conducted in Italy found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman. Of those children carrying heavy backpacks to school, 60 percent had experienced back pain as a result.

According to Dr. Bautch, preliminary results of studies being conducted in France show that the longer a child wears a backpack, the longer it takes for a curvature or deformity of the spine to correct itself. "The question that needs to be addressed next is, 'Does it ever return to normal?'" Dr. Bautch added.

The results of these types of studies are especially important as more and more school districts - many of them in urban areas - remove lockers from the premises, forcing students to carry their books with them all day long.

The problem has become so widespread, in fact, that the California State Assembly passed legislation that would force school districts to develop ways of reducing the weight of students' backpacks. Similar legislation is being considered in New Jersey as well. The ACA believes that limiting the backpack's weight to no more than 10 percent of the child's body weight and urging the use of ergonomically correct backpacks are possible solutions.

What Can You Do?

The ACA offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household.

Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.

The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.

A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child's back.

Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry-and the heavier the backpack will be.

Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.

Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child's shoulders.

The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.

If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child's teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.

Although the use of rollerpacks - or backpacks on wheels - has become popular in recent years, the ACA is now recommending that they be used cautiously and on a limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to carry a backpack. Some school districts have begun banning the use of rollerpacks because they clutter hallways, resulting in dangerous trips and falls.

Chiropractic Care Can Help...
If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from backpack use, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children. In addition, doctors of chiropractic can also prescribe exercises designed to help children develop strong muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition, posture and sleeping habits.

Chiropractic Rehab Center of NKY
(859) 331-9566
www.nkychiropractor.com

What is Spinal Decompression?

Spinal Decompression therapy has saved many people from spinal surgery. If you or a loved one are suffering from a degenerated or herniated disc, don't risk surgery until you have explored safe and effective spinal decompression.

View our video about Spinal Decompression: http://www.nkychiropractor.com/Decompression_Therapy.html

Calm Your Headaches With Cherries!

That's right. Cherries contain powerful plant compounds called anthocyanins that block inflammation so effectively, eating them works as well as aspirin at easing tension headaches.

www.nkychiropractor.com

Exercise is a KEY to Happiness

Research shows that people who exercise are healthier, more energetic, think more clearly, sleep better, and have delayed onset of dementia. They get relief from anxiety and mild depression. They perform better at work.

Also, although it’s tempting to flop down on the couch when you’re feeling exhausted, exercise is actually a great way to boost energy levels. Feeling tired is a reason to exercise, not a reason to skip exercise.

www.nkychiropractor.com

Exercise Can Be - GASP - Fun!!!

Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!

Physical activity doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new.

If you're moving, it counts!

Dr. Gary Callioni
www.NKYchiropractor.com