Blog

Dr Beecher’s August 2014 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter

To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!

“Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you’re scared to death.” ~ Harold Wilson

 

 Exercise and Nutrition Experts

May Have Been Wrong For DECADES…

Research Shows Much of What You Have Been Told About Eating and Staying Fit May Be DEAD WRONG

…and Actually Harmful

to Your Health!

 

Also this month:

• Sunscreen warning from the FDA: Why you should NOT use SPRAY-ON sunscreen on children (and maybe not yourself, either).
• Study finds eating protein reduces stroke risk: What kind and how much protein should you eat?
• Is more exercise better? Research debunks this common myth and shows how exercising too much may be harming you.
• Why are researchers now saying butter is good for you? The results of new study might surprise you.
• Will the National Football League soon have its first player without arms? Isaac Lufkin’s amazing story and dream to be the first…

Houston – The cover story of the June 12th issue of Time magazine, entitled Ending the War on Fat, begins with: “For decades, it has been the most vilified nutrient in the American diet.  But new science reveals fat isn’t what’s hurting our health.”

There is one word that sums up those two sentences: WOW!  If you are on Facebook, then you probably saw many of your friends liking or sharing this story.  For most people, that cover photo of the stick of butter and those two sentences were about all information they got from the article. But there is much more to this story than those 23 words and a catchy image concerning what you should or should not eat, including fat.

There are advocates for nearly every conceivable diet out there, but two that are very popular (and feuding) right now, in very general terms, are:  (1) the low fat “non-meat” group and (2) the meat and fat eaters.

Each have experts, researchers, doctors, marketers, etc. working to “prove” and popularize why their way of eating is healthier and superior to all your other options.

When you consider that the nutrition and diet industry is worth BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, you better believe that a lot of what you read, even from experts, researchers, and doctors, is based on profit.

That’s why weeding out fact from fiction in the diet and nutrition arena is more difficult than keeping a tight grip on a piglet smothered in grease.

There is not enough space in this newsletter to cover everything in detail, but there are some basics you should understand.  If you do, it should help you live a healthier (and slimmer) life.

To make sure this all makes sense to you, here is a great example from the fitness world…

Research studies have recently been published indicating that too much exercise is bad for you.  In other words, the old belief that “doing some exercise is good, so more is better” does not seem to be true.

In fact, some of this new research shows that too much exercise may increase the risk of death from heart attack or stroke in patients with existing heart problems.

This study was published in the journal Heart and tracked 1,000 people who were previously diagnosed with stable coronary heart disease.

According to CBS News:  “The researchers found those who were most sedentary were around twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those who were regularly physically active.  They were around four times as likely to die of cardiovascular events and all other causes.

            “But more surprisingly, those who did the most strenuous daily exercise were also more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than people who engaged in more moderate activity.”

It looks like Confucius was correct all those years ago when he said, “To go too far is as bad as to fall short.”  Doing too little exercise is no good.  Doing too much exercise isn’t good either. The trick is finding  the correct amount for YOU.  You are an individual who may be similar to others, but you are not the same.

Eating right is no different.  The first thing to understand is there is no simple answer and there is no magic bullet or cookie cutter approach that works for everyone.

You are an individual and your body will react to foods differently than the way other people’s bodies will react to the same foods.

But, there are basic principles you can use to help find which foods work best for you.

The first, and probably most important, is understanding that processed foods are generally bad for you.

America launched the war on fat back in the 1970s and started producing and eating massive amounts of processed foods with “low-fat” and “non-fat” promises on the packaging.

Not only were people eating these processed foods, but they were eating a lot of them — probably because foods that were labeled as “fat-free” were thought to be safe.  In fact, the daily caloric intake for the average person went up from 2,109 calories a day in 1970 to 2,586 calories a day in 2010.

During this time, vegetable consumption did not go up.  In fact, the amount of calories Americans consumed from vegetables dropped 3% during that time.  When you consider that vegetables do not have a lot of calories (a handful of broccoli contains about 30 calories), 3% is a lot.

Without getting into the great fat debate, there is no doubt, eating a lot of vegetables is good for you and eating too many calories is not.

In other words, you can cut out all the fat you want, but if you eat a lot of processed food and no vegetables, you will not be as healthy as you could be.

So, one simple thing anyone can do is to cut out processed foods and eat a lot of vegetables.  Just doing those two things can have a drastic effect on your health and life.

Should you be eating a lot of fat?  That is another topic without a simple answer.  There are different kinds of fats from different sources.  If you are interested, check out diets like the Mediterranean diet and read up on the pros and cons of the various types of fats from trans fats to the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and make a decision for yourself (or consult with your doctor).

But don’t think you can eat a pound of butter for breakfast every day because you saw the Time Magazine cover and read the headline on a social media site. J

 

            Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

Inspirational Story Of The Month

(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

 

 

Will He Be the First Player

in the NFL Without Arms?

 

Have you ever gotten a letter of praise from the President of the United States of America?  If you are like most people, the answer is, “no.”  But Isaac Lufkin has, and that should tell you he is doing something extraordinary…

Why is Lufkin so special that President Barack Obama would write him?  Well, it’s not that Lufkin is special, it’s that he is AMAZING!

Here is why:  Lufkin was born 14 years ago without arms.  He never wanted any pity, and he never complained.  Instead, he took all that mental energy and used it to propel himself forward in a positive direction towards lofty goals.

Lufkin has always wanted to do everything himself with ZERO help from others.  Just imagine getting dressed — putting on your pants, shirt, socks, and shoes — without arms!  Lufkin does that with ease.  Now, imagine playing high school football with the goal of playing in the NFL!

Lufkin is currently 14 years old and is the kicker for his high school team in Providence, Rhode Island.  His specialty is the onside kick and he and his team have had great success implementing it.

But, Lufkin wants more.  He wants to be a defensive lineman.  He loves big hits, and he actually thinks he has an advantage over his opponents with arms.

When questioned how this is possible, Lufkin quickly explains how they cannot grab him and they cannot grab his jersey.  What most people see as a handicap, he sees as his advantage.

That really is the secret to success and happiness for anyone in life.  We are all born with our own personal individual talents and gifts and those talents and gifts are very unique.  The key is to discover what your unique talents and gifts are and recognize them as advantages, not disadvantages.  Then, develop them to the best of your ability.

Just as important, accept that because of them, you are different from others.  Being different is good.  Being unique means you are special and you have something of value that sets you apart.  The last thing you want to be is exactly like everyone else.

Lufkin has embraced who he is and how and why he is unique, and he is working hard to develop that extraordinary talent and ability all the way to the NFL.

But the important thing is not whether he makes it to the NFL or not.  The important thing is, at 14 years old, he understands how to succeed and how to be happy.  He will have a happy and successful life no matter what happens with his football career.

So, what did President Obama write to Lufkin? He wrote,  “Your success on and off the football field serves as a reminder of what can be achieved when we work hard and stay focused on reaching our goals.  You have set a powerful example not only for your teammates, but for all Americans, and I hope you continue to aim high and strive for excellence in everything you do.” 

There is no doubt, Isaac Lufkin will be excellent at whatever he chooses to do.

 

We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and

getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!

Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!

Did You Know?…

 

Adults Sleep 20% Less Today Compared With Adults in the 1960s!

 

If you don’t sleep well, you’re not going to be as healthy as you can be, no matter how good your diet is or how much you exercise. The average person gets 20% less sleep than men and women did in the 1960s. That’s equivalent to one whole night of sleep loss each week!

Maintaining a natural rhythm of exposure to daylight and the darkness at night — called the circadian rhythm — is an essential component of sleeping well.  Light is important because it helps sync all the biological clocks in the body.  To maintain these clocks, you want to get bright outdoor light exposure for 30-60 minutes a day, ideally at solar noon.  Even just going outside for half an hour at lunch time can provide you with the majority of light you need to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.

In the evening, avoid the blue light wavelength.  This can be done by using blue-blocking light bulbs, dimming your lights, and if using a computer, installing blue light-blocking software.

Then, at night, sleep in maximum darkness. Use blackout shades or a sleep mask to help cut down light exposure while you rest.

 

Tip Of The Month

 

WARNING:  FDA says Not to Use Spray-On Sunscreen on Children…

 

The Food and Drug Administation (FDA) recently announced that it is investigating the possible harmful effects of breathing in spray-on sunscreen.  Because they believe there is a potential risk, the FDA is advising parents not to use this type of suncreeen on children and for adults who insist on using the product, not to breathe in the spray during application.  Since the most common time to breathe in the spray is when it’s applied to the face, it’s recommended to spray the sunscreen into your hand first and then apply it to the face.

 

Eat protein to decrease your stroke risk…

 

According to The Telegraph, scientists followed 254,489 people for an average of 14 years and concluded that “Eating a high protein diet significantly lowers the risk of stroke and could prevent 10,000 deaths in Britain every year… Consuming as little as one chicken breast or a salmon fillet – the equivalent of 20g – [a day] reduces the risk of stroke by 20 percent.”

The article quotes the study’s author, Dr. Xinfeng Liu, as saying, “If everyone’s protein intake were at this level, that would translate to more than 1.4 million fewer deaths from stroke each year worldwide, plus a decreased level of disability from stroke.”

Dr. Liu adds that people should avoid red meat, as other studies have associated with increased stroke risk.  In other words, stroke may be reduced by replacing red meat with other protein sources, such as fish or chicken.  It’s also worth noting that the reduced risk of stroke was stronger for animal proteins than vegetable proteins.

 

Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal

and maintain the pain free body you deserve.

 

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. If you have any questions, please call us at 281-286-1300 or e-mail me at [email protected].