Tag: Obesity

Dr Beecher’s December 2013 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter

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

“We can’t take any credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.”  ~ Madeleine L’Engle

 A Quick, Easy, and

Fun Way to Boost

Your Immune System

Plus, what you can do (and NOT do) after

a long, stressful day to relax and be healthier!

 

Also this month:

• Are Professional Athletes Making Your Children Fat and Sick? Top professional athletes give “mixed messages” parents should be aware of.
• New Research: What mothers do that increases the rate of bipolar disorder in their children.
• The Real Life Batman You Should Know About! The amazing story that proves Superheroes do exist and how you can become one…

 

Houston – Few would disagree that raising children is more difficult today than ever before. Many people believe the world has become much more complex and children are exposed to many things much earlier in life than their parents would like them to be, if at all.

It’s not uncommon for young kids to surf the net unsupervised and see things not meant for young eyes.  When not online, children often watch hours and hours of adult-oriented programs on countless TV channels.

Even when children are not exposed to adult content, marketers have the ability to reach them in many different ways with increasing frequency.

One example is the use of superstar athletes to sell them products.  When athletes are used to sell sneakers and apparel, the only danger is to your bank account.  But, other products hawked by the top pros are not so harmless…

A study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, and published in the November issue of Pediatrics, shows that a majority of food and beverage brands endorsed by professional athletes are for unhealthy products like sports beverages, soft drinks, and fast food.

Researchers selected the top 100 professional athletes based on their endorsement value according to a 2010 report in Business Week.

According to Yale News: “Of the 512 brands associated with these athletes, food and beverage brands were the second largest category of endorsements behind sporting goods. We found that LeBron James (NBA), Peyton Manning (NFL), and Serena Williams (tennis) had more food and beverage endorsements than any of the other athletes examined.  Most of the athletes who endorsed food and beverages were from the NBA, followed by the NFL, and MLB.”

The top three athlete food endorsements came from:  #1 sports drinks, #2 soft drinks, and #3 fast foods. One thing is shocking:  Of the 46 beverages endorsed, 93% received ALL of their calories from added sugar.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Marie Bragg, writes, “The promotion of energy-dense, nutrient-poor products by some of the world’s most physically fit and well-known athletes is an ironic combination that sends mixed messages about diet and health.”

The researchers also opined that professional athletes should be aware of the “health value” of the products they are endorsing and use their star status to sell healthier products.

Here is one issue that was not raised in the study: Are these athletes telling the truth?  Do they actually eat this junk food and drink this sugar?  Is it really something that helped them become some of the world’s greatest athletes?

Clearly, this is a difficult issue for parents trying to raise healthy children.  Do you tell your children that their sports idol is probably not telling the truth and only saying he or she eats those products just to make money?

Even if they actually do eat or drink what they endorse, it is nearly impossible for adolescents to understand that sometimes people succeed in spite of something they do, not because of it.

Did LeBron James really become one of the greatest basketball players who ever lived by eating fast food burgers, donuts, and drinking sugar-filled soda?  Who knows?  But we do know this, according to Forbes, he gets paid $42 million a year in endorsements, and a chunk of that is from companies selling fast food, donuts, and sodas.

But the real question is:  If he actually does eat and drink this junk, how good would he be if he didn’t?

An even better question is:  As a parent, what’s the best way to counteract all that star power and expert marketing?

There is no perfect answer, but two things will help:  (1) leading by example, and (2) communication.

The only person you can really control is yourself.  Choosing to eat healthy, exercise, reduce stress, and be an honest, ethical person is not only one of the best things for you, but it is one of the best things you can ever do for your children.

If you are stressed out about all this, or life in general, here is a great way to reduce stress NATURALLY…

Research has clearly shown that stress is a serious health problem.  It can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, weight gain, and diabetes.

In other words, it makes you age faster, look older, and shortens your life.  The best possible scenario would be to eliminate all stress from your life, but everyone knows that is impossible.

That’s why is it so important to learn to deal with and manage stress in a healthy way.

One of the biggest problems with stress is how it affects sleep.  Getting the proper QUANTITY and QUALITY of sleep is one of the most important aspects of staying healthy.

Sleep is when your body and mind repair and rejuvenate. Many studies have shown how devastating not getting enough quality sleep can be on the mind and body.

Here’s where it gets good:  Most people think they simply do not have enough time to get enough sleep.  But, in most cases, it is the quality of sleep that is hurting them, not the total hours.

Those who have the ability to relax and enter deep sleep need much less sleep than those who are stressed and hardly ever reach deep sleep. This is one reason so many people practice meditation.  Experts at meditation say they can induce a state of relaxation that achieves in minutes what most people cannot after hours of restless sleep.

Now a recent study from Loyola University says there is another great way to relax and reduce stress.  According to the study, taking a walk is a great way to relieve stress and taking a walk in the woods or in nature is much better for reducing stress and improving health.

According to Dr. Aaron Michelfelder, Professor of Family Medicine at Loyola University, “When we get to nature, our health improves, our stress hormones rise all day long in our bloodstream and taking even a few moments while walking to reconnect with our inner thoughts and to check in with our body will lower those damaging stress hormones.  Walking with our family or friends is also a great way to lower our blood pressure and make us happier.”

Walking in nature increases your white blood cells, lowers your pulse rate, lowers your blood pressure, and reduces the stress hormone cortisol. But wait, there’s more! Recent research from Japanese scientists shows that walking in the woods may help fight cancer because plants emit phytoncides, chemicals that helps protect plants from rotting insects. Phytoncides help your body’s immune response to cancer when they are inhaled.

One last relaxation tip is to stay away from electronic screens (like a computer) at night because they “activate” the brain and can make it difficult to sleep.

 

            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)

 

 

The Real Life Batman

You Should Know About!

The amazing story that proves Superheroes exist – and how you can become one…

 

One of the best things about being a kid is believing that superheroes really do roam the earth.  But as we grow older, we quickly learn they do not exist.  There are no altruistic do-gooders with super powers dashing around in tights and capes saving the world from the brink of disaster.

Well, what if I told you superheroes DO exist? I’m talking about REAL superheroes with REAL superpowers. I can prove it to you, and I guarantee you will never look at the world the same way again.  I also guarantee you will be a happier person from this day forward.

Here’s the story (and proof)…

In 2012, police in Silver Springs, Maryland pulled over a car because of an issue with its license plates.  The car was a black Lamborghini and the license plate was simply the bat symbol. Who do you think was driving?  You got that right… BATMAN… in full Batman outfit, including mask, utility belt, and cape.

A picture of the incident quickly ended up on social media sites and was so popular that the late night shows joked about it.

As it turns out in this case, Batman’s real name is not Bruce Wayne.  It’s Lenny B. Robinson, and he had the real license plates on the back of his “Batmobile.”  So, he was set free to do what this Batman does: Bring hope and happiness to sick children.

You see, Robinson, 48, is a self-made millionaire.  He recently sold a commercial cleaning business he built from the time he was a teenager.  He now spends about $25,000 a year on Batman toys that he brings to children fighting cancer.

Robinson brings them toys and memorabilia, backpacks, shirts, etc., and signs every book he gives them with a simple “Batman.”

Batman visits hospitals at least twice a month and gives talks at schools about bullying.  There is no doubt that he brings a lot of joy to a lot of suffering children.

But there are other “rich” people who do good things and give to charity.  Why is Robinson different from all the other “rich guys who write a check to charity?”

Robinson actually spends a lot of his personal time doing everything himself.  He is NOT just writing a check, and the time he gives is much more valuable than the value of the toys he hands out.

But the most important reason is Robinson’s intention.  Robinson has been doing this since 2001, and no one knew he was doing it until he got pulled over in 2012.  For 11 years, he did it without any expectation of recognition other than the reward of giving.

This is clearly different from other people who donate to charity and alert the press.  They do it for the great publicity it will attract to them and their business.

Joel Goldsmith, author of many books on spirituality wrote, “the only measuring stick of our [charity] is how much we give in secrecy without drawing the attention of others to our benevolence.”

With this definition, we can all be superheroes.  All you really have to do is start helping others for the right reasons.

 

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?…

Lack of Sleep Can Cause Weight Gain

One of the more profound ways lack of sleep promotes weight gain is by influencing the hormones that control both hunger and satiety.  For instance, chronic sleep deprivation raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  Cortisol tells the body it needs more energy to meet the demands of stress, which causes an increase of hunger and cravings.

Lack of sleep also increases grehlin, a hormone that promotes hunger and fat storage.  Sleep deprivation also decreases leptin, the satiety hormone that tells you when you’ve had enough to eat.  So in a double whammy, lack of sleep both increases hunger and inhibits the ability to feel full.  The result is a natural inclination to eat more and more frequently.

Unfortunately, weight gain due to sleep deprivation doesn’t only happen slowly over time.  Just a few nights of sleep deprivation can pack on pounds.  Sleep deprivation makes fat cells less sensitive to insulin, the hormone that ushers glucose into cells so they can produce energy.  In effect, it makes a person more insulin resistant, which is a stepping-stone to obesity and diabetes.

 

Tip Of The Month

Reduce Obesity with the 5 Meal Pattern

New research from Finland has added even more evidence to what a lot of doctors, nutritionists, and fitness experts have known for a long time.  According to a population-based study of more than 4,000 people, eating five meals a day helps fight obesity, even in those with a genetic predisposition for obesity.  The meals were  breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks.  The information use in the study was collected starting in utero and continued until the age of 16.

According to Science Daily: “A regular five-meal pattern was associated with a reduced risk of being overweight and obese in both sexes and with a reduced risk of abdominal obesity in boys.  Moreover, the regular five-meal pattern attenuated the BMI-increasing effect of the common genetic variants.  Conversely, skipping breakfast was associated with greater BMI and waist circumference.”

Also, the weight and health of a child’s parents matters a lot.  If either the mother or father is obese before pregnancy, it was a clear risk factor for the child to be obese during adolescence. If both parents had a BMI of 25 or more throughout the 16 years of the study, the risk of obesity of the child was much greater.

BMI is Body Mass Index and is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.  “Normal” BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, underweight is <18.5, overweight is 25 to 29.9, and obese is >30.  There has been quite a bit of controversy over the use of BMI because it may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have muscular builds and it may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.

What Mothers do that Increases the Rate of Bipolar Disorder in Their Children…

Smoking during pregnancy is known to contribute to significant problems in utero and following birth, including low birth weight and attention difficulties.  Now, a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry finds, “After adjusting for potential confounders, offspring exposed to in utero maternal smoking exhibited a twofold greater risk for bipolar disorder… Prenatal tobacco exposure may be one suspected cause of bipolar disorder.”  Like almost all studies, the researchers report that more research needs to be done to rule out other factors.  But, no one needs more research to know that smoking is bad for you and your children both before and after they are born.

 

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

and maintain the pain free body you deserve.

 

This information is solely advisory, and 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 healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without a thorough exam or appropriate referral. If you have any further concerns or questions, please let us know by calling 281-286-1300 or email [email protected].

“We can’t take any credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.”  ~ Madeleine L’Engle

 

A Quick, Easy, and

Fun Way to Boost

Your Immune System

Plus, what you can do (and NOT do) after

a long, stressful day to relax and be healthier!

 

Also this month:

• Are Professional Athletes Making Your Children Fat and Sick? Top professional athletes give “mixed messages” parents should be aware of.
• New Research: What mothers do that increases the rate of bipolar disorder in their children.
• The Real Life Batman You Should Know About! The amazing story that proves Superheroes do exist and how you can become one…

 

H

ouston – Few would disagree that raising children is more difficult today than ever before. Many people believe the world has become much more complex and children are exposed to many things much earlier in life than their parents would like them to be, if at all.

It’s not uncommon for young kids to surf the net unsupervised and see things not meant for young eyes.  When not online, children often watch hours and hours of adult-oriented programs on countless TV channels.

Even when children are not exposed to adult content, marketers have the ability to reach them in many different ways with increasing frequency.

One example is the use of superstar athletes to sell them products.  When athletes are used to sell sneakers and apparel, the only danger is to your bank account.  But, other products hawked by the top pros are not so harmless…

A study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, and published in the November issue of Pediatrics, shows that a majority of food and beverage brands endorsed by professional athletes are for unhealthy products like sports beverages, soft drinks, and fast food.

Researchers selected the top 100 professional athletes based on their endorsement value according to a 2010 report in Business Week.

According to Yale News: “Of the 512 brands associated with these athletes, food and beverage brands were the second largest category of endorsements behind sporting goods. We found that LeBron James (NBA), Peyton Manning (NFL), and Serena Williams (tennis) had more food and beverage endorsements than any of the other athletes examined.  Most of the athletes who endorsed food and beverages were from the NBA, followed by the NFL, and MLB.”

The top three athlete food endorsements came from:  #1 sports drinks, #2 soft drinks, and #3 fast foods. One thing is shocking:  Of the 46 beverages endorsed, 93% received ALL of their calories from added sugar.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Marie Bragg, writes, “The promotion of energy-dense, nutrient-poor products by some of the world’s most physically fit and well-known athletes is an ironic combination that sends mixed messages about diet and health.”

The researchers also opined that professional athletes should be aware of the “health value” of the products they are endorsing and use their star status to sell healthier products.

Here is one issue that was not raised in the study: Are these athletes telling the truth?  Do they actually eat this junk food and drink this sugar?  Is it really something that helped them become some of the world’s greatest athletes?

Clearly, this is a difficult issue for parents trying to raise healthy children.  Do you tell your children that their sports idol is probably not telling the truth and only saying he or she eats those products just to make money?

Even if they actually do eat or drink what they endorse, it is nearly impossible for adolescents to understand that sometimes people succeed in spite of something they do, not because of it.

Did LeBron James really become one of the greatest basketball players who ever lived by eating fast food burgers, donuts, and drinking sugar-filled soda?  Who knows?  But we do know this, according to Forbes, he gets paid $42 million a year in endorsements, and a chunk of that is from companies selling fast food, donuts, and sodas.

But the real question is:  If he actually does eat and drink this junk, how good would he be if he didn’t?

An even better question is:  As a parent, what’s the best way to counteract all that star power and expert marketing?

There is no perfect answer, but two things will help:  (1) leading by example, and (2) communication.

The only person you can really control is yourself.  Choosing to eat healthy, exercise, reduce stress, and be an honest, ethical person is not only one of the best things for you, but it is one of the best things you can ever do for your children.

If you are stressed out about all this, or life in general, here is a great way to reduce stress NATURALLY…

Research has clearly shown that stress is a serious health problem.  It can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, weight gain, and diabetes.

In other words, it makes you age faster, look older, and shortens your life.  The best possible scenario would be to eliminate all stress from your life, but everyone knows that is impossible.

That’s why is it so important to learn to deal with and manage stress in a healthy way.

One of the biggest problems with stress is how it affects sleep.  Getting the proper QUANTITY and QUALITY of sleep is one of the most important aspects of staying healthy.

Sleep is when your body and mind repair and rejuvenate. Many studies have shown how devastating not getting enough quality sleep can be on the mind and body.

Here’s where it gets good:  Most people think they simply do not have enough time to get enough sleep.  But, in most cases, it is the quality of sleep that is hurting them, not the total hours.

Those who have the ability to relax and enter deep sleep need much less sleep than those who are stressed and hardly ever reach deep sleep. This is one reason so many people practice meditation.  Experts at meditation say they can induce a state of relaxation that achieves in minutes what most people cannot after hours of restless sleep.

Now a recent study from Loyola University says there is another great way to relax and reduce stress.  According to the study, taking a walk is a great way to relieve stress and taking a walk in the woods or in nature is much better for reducing stress and improving health.

According to Dr. Aaron Michelfelder, Professor of Family Medicine at Loyola University, “When we get to nature, our health improves, our stress hormones rise all day long in our bloodstream and taking even a few moments while walking to reconnect with our inner thoughts and to check in with our body will lower those damaging stress hormones.  Walking with our family or friends is also a great way to lower our blood pressure and make us happier.”

Walking in nature increases your white blood cells, lowers your pulse rate, lowers your blood pressure, and reduces the stress hormone cortisol. But wait, there’s more! Recent research from Japanese scientists shows that walking in the woods may help fight cancer because plants emit phytoncides, chemicals that helps protect plants from rotting insects. Phytoncides help your body’s immune response to cancer when they are inhaled.

One last relaxation tip is to stay away from electronic screens (like a computer) at night because they “activate” the brain and can make it difficult to sleep.

 

            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)

 

 

The Real Life Batman

You Should Know About!

The amazing story that proves Superheroes exist – and how you can become one…

 

One of the best things about being a kid is believing that superheroes really do roam the earth.  But as we grow older, we quickly learn they do not exist.  There are no altruistic do-gooders with super powers dashing around in tights and capes saving the world from the brink of disaster.

Well, what if I told you superheroes DO exist? I’m talking about REAL superheroes with REAL superpowers. I can prove it to you, and I guarantee you will never look at the world the same way again.  I also guarantee you will be a happier person from this day forward.

Here’s the story (and proof)…

In 2012, police in Silver Springs, Maryland pulled over a car because of an issue with its license plates.  The car was a black Lamborghini and the license plate was simply the bat symbol. Who do you think was driving?  You got that right… BATMAN… in full Batman outfit, including mask, utility belt, and cape.

A picture of the incident quickly ended up on social media sites and was so popular that the late night shows joked about it.

As it turns out in this case, Batman’s real name is not Bruce Wayne.  It’s Lenny B. Robinson, and he had the real license plates on the back of his “Batmobile.”  So, he was set free to do what this Batman does: Bring hope and happiness to sick children.

You see, Robinson, 48, is a self-made millionaire.  He recently sold a commercial cleaning business he built from the time he was a teenager.  He now spends about $25,000 a year on Batman toys that he brings to children fighting cancer.

Robinson brings them toys and memorabilia, backpacks, shirts, etc., and signs every book he gives them with a simple “Batman.”

Batman visits hospitals at least twice a month and gives talks at schools about bullying.  There is no doubt that he brings a lot of joy to a lot of suffering children.

But there are other “rich” people who do good things and give to charity.  Why is Robinson different from all the other “rich guys who write a check to charity?”

Robinson actually spends a lot of his personal time doing everything himself.  He is NOT just writing a check, and the time he gives is much more valuable than the value of the toys he hands out.

But the most important reason is Robinson’s intention.  Robinson has been doing this since 2001, and no one knew he was doing it until he got pulled over in 2012.  For 11 years, he did it without any expectation of recognition other than the reward of giving.

This is clearly different from other people who donate to charity and alert the press.  They do it for the great publicity it will attract to them and their business.

Joel Goldsmith, author of many books on spirituality wrote, “the only measuring stick of our [charity] is how much we give in secrecy without drawing the attention of others to our benevolence.”

With this definition, we can all be superheroes.  All you really have to do is start helping others for the right reasons.

 

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?…

Lack of Sleep Can Cause Weight Gain

One of the more profound ways lack of sleep promotes weight gain is by influencing the hormones that control both hunger and satiety.  For instance, chronic sleep deprivation raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  Cortisol tells the body it needs more energy to meet the demands of stress, which causes an increase of hunger and cravings.

Lack of sleep also increases grehlin, a hormone that promotes hunger and fat storage.  Sleep deprivation also decreases leptin, the satiety hormone that tells you when you’ve had enough to eat.  So in a double whammy, lack of sleep both increases hunger and inhibits the ability to feel full.  The result is a natural inclination to eat more and more frequently.

Unfortunately, weight gain due to sleep deprivation doesn’t only happen slowly over time.  Just a few nights of sleep deprivation can pack on pounds.  Sleep deprivation makes fat cells less sensitive to insulin, the hormone that ushers glucose into cells so they can produce energy.  In effect, it makes a person more insulin resistant, which is a stepping-stone to obesity and diabetes.

 

Tip Of The Month

Reduce Obesity with the 5 Meal Pattern

New research from Finland has added even more evidence to what a lot of doctors, nutritionists, and fitness experts have known for a long time.  According to a population-based study of more than 4,000 people, eating five meals a day helps fight obesity, even in those with a genetic predisposition for obesity.  The meals were  breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks.  The information use in the study was collected starting in utero and continued until the age of 16.

According to Science Daily: “A regular five-meal pattern was associated with a reduced risk of being overweight and obese in both sexes and with a reduced risk of abdominal obesity in boys.  Moreover, the regular five-meal pattern attenuated the BMI-increasing effect of the common genetic variants.  Conversely, skipping breakfast was associated with greater BMI and waist circumference.”

Also, the weight and health of a child’s parents matters a lot.  If either the mother or father is obese before pregnancy, it was a clear risk factor for the child to be obese during adolescence. If both parents had a BMI of 25 or more throughout the 16 years of the study, the risk of obesity of the child was much greater.

BMI is Body Mass Index and is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.  “Normal” BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, underweight is <18.5, overweight is 25 to 29.9, and obese is >30.  There has been quite a bit of controversy over the use of BMI because it may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have muscular builds and it may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.

What Mothers do that Increases the Rate of Bipolar Disorder in Their Children…

Smoking during pregnancy is known to contribute to significant problems in utero and following birth, including low birth weight and attention difficulties.  Now, a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry finds, “After adjusting for potential confounders, offspring exposed to in utero maternal smoking exhibited a twofold greater risk for bipolar disorder… Prenatal tobacco exposure may be one suspected cause of bipolar disorder.”  Like almost all studies, the researchers report that more research needs to be done to rule out other factors.  But, no one needs more research to know that smoking is bad for you and your children both before and after they are born.

 

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

and maintain the pain free body you deserve.

 

This information is solely advisory, and 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 healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without a thorough exam or appropriate referral. If you have any further concerns or questions, please let us know by calling 281-286-1300 or email [email protected].