Low Back Pain and Excessive Weight
Houston Chiropractor Comments: Two things that are epidemic in the U.S. are low back pain and obesity (being overweight). The two go hand-in-hand and while excessive weight may not be the only cause of your pain, it does makes matters worse by aggravating your pain through increased loading the disks of the low back. In addition, most people with low back pain or who are excessively heavy are also very inactive.
The first step is to perform movements that don’t increase pain. For most people, walking can still be done. If your back hurts when you walk or you are so heavy, that walking causes your knees to ache, then you may need to start by walking in a pool. The important thing is to get moving because weight-loss will be helped if you can burn more calories. Walking will also improve the strength of your low back muscles, which may lessen your pain, making exercise more possible.
Over the years, the gradual increase in our waist size just sort of creeps up on us. When our back begins to give way, we then realize what a barrier being overweight has become.
Getting rid of your excessive weight is a simple formula of burning more calories than you consume. But, losing weight is not easy. Your genes will tell you to consume more because eating less than you need in a given day is not life sustaining. If you ate 500 less calories than you need each day, after a year or so, you’d be down to 80 or 90 pounds (depending on where you began) and eventually you would die. This is what you are up against when you’re losing weight. The body tells you “don’t do this” and gives you the craving to eat what you need. Despite this self-preservation mechanism, losing weight is possible and getting down to a proper weight is doable. For some people, psychological issues may be more at play. Do you eat to cover up or distract you from pain or anxiety? Are you really hungry, or has eating become a way to compensate for something more painful or difficult to confront?
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Dr Beecher’s March 23 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter , please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, March 23rd, 2015
Mental Attitude: Schizophrenia May Be More Than One Disease. New research suggests that schizophrenia may really be an umbrella term for a number of genetically different diseases as opposed to one unique illness. In this recent study, scientists uncovered 42 groups of genes that appear to influence schizophrenia risk. They believe that identifying these gene networks and how they correlate with symptoms will make it possible to develop localized treatments for the specific paths implicated in an individual’s schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry, January 2014
Health Alert: Good News for Blood Donors. Maintaining optimal iron levels in blood donors is important, especially when 25-35 percent of regular donors develop an iron deficiency that can lead to fatigue and anemia. In a study of blood donors, researchers discovered that individuals who received a low-dose iron supplement returned to their pre-donation iron levels between 7 and 18 weeks earlier than those who did not receive a supplement. Surprisingly, two-thirds of those who did not receive iron supplements failed to regain their pre-donation iron levels by week 24. National Institutes of Health, February 2015
Diet: Vegetarian Diets Boost Weight Loss. According to a new meta-analysis, a vegetarian diet causes weight loss, even without exercise or calorie counting. Researchers found that individuals who switched to a vegetarian diet lost an average of about 10 pounds (~4.5 kg) over 44 weeks. People who were heavier to begin with lost more weight, and men and older participants reported the greatest weight loss. The authors of the study hope that healthcare providers will prescribe this dietary approach to patients who need help managing their weight and health. Study author Dr. Susan Levin adds, “If you’re overweight, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can slash the risk of both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic, January 2015
Exercise: “Walking Seminars” Could Replace Sitting in Class. What began as a physical activity challenge for a computer science faculty has become a study in how education and fitness can be combined to improve both physical well-being and classroom discussions. University lecturer Dr. Olle Balter started a “walking seminar” in response to a competition in which staff recorded how many hours they and their students spent sitting vs. being active. The majority of students surveyed said that they felt better after the walking workshops than after typical, sedentary seminars. None of the students felt worse and most believed that communication was better during the walking seminar. KTH The Royal Institute of Technology, January 2015
Chiropractic: Claudication Responds to Conservative Care. Neurogenic claudication is the medical term used to describe the symptom of pain induced by walking, and it is caused by damage to the neurological system as a result of spinal stenosis. A small study assessing the effectiveness of a six-week, nonsurgical program to address neurogenic claudication revealed improved short-term outcomes among patients who received multimodal care that included soft tissue and neural mobilization, chiropractic spinal manipulation, lumbar flexion-distraction, muscle stretching, home-based exercises, and instruction on self-management strategies. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of this combination of nonsurgical treatment options for neurogenic claudication patients. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, January 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Prevent Urinary Tract Infections Among Children. To assist parents in preventing urinary tract infections in their children, the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse recommends the following: encourage kids to use the bathroom regularly, offer more fluids if children are not urinating frequently, teach proper wiping technique after using the bathroom, and dress them in cotton underwear and loose fitting clothes.
National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearing House, January 2015
Quote: “Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn’t exist and never shall. There is only now.” ~ Christopher Paolini
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s February 2015 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” ~ Harry S. Truman
New Study Shows Refined Sugars May Raise Blood Pressure More Than Salt!
Also this month:
- Study Links Vitamin D Deficiency to Depression. The evidence about the importance of Vitamin D is adding up. It affects your immune system and has now been linked to depression.
- Lose Weight with Potatoes? New study shows you may be able to lose weight even if you are eating a diet high in fat and refined carbohydrates with this potato extract…
- How Stealing Eggs Fed a Family of Six. Stealing is not good but the outcome of this “theft” may have saved a few lives…
Houston – There is no question, science has dramatically changed the way in which we see the world and has helped us better understand both ourselves and the universe we inhabit.
Here is something most people do not know about science and the scientific method: it raises more questions than answers. You see, the purpose of science is NOT to “prove” things. In fact, all scientific theories are actually unprovable.
The late philosopher Karl Popper believed a hypothesis, proposition, or theory is “scientific” only if it is, among other things, falsifiable.
According to Princeton University’s website: “Falsifiability or refutability is the logical possibility that an assertion could be shown false by a particular observation or physical experiment. That something is ‘falsifiable’ does not mean it is false; rather, it means that if the statement were false, then its falsehood could be demonstrated.
“The claim ‘No human lives forever’ is not falsifiable since it does not seem possible to prove wrong. In theory, one would have to observe a human living forever to falsify that claim. On the other hand, ‘All humans live forever’ is falsifiable since the presentation of just one dead human could prove the statement wrong (excluding metaphysical assertions about souls, which are not falsifiable). Moreover, a claim may be true and still be falsifiable; if ‘All humans live forever’ were true, we would never actually find a dead human, and yet that claim would still be falsifiable because we can at least imagine the observation that would prove it wrong.”
Here Are Two Important Things About This…
First, a statement that is unfalsifiable is non-scientific, but that does not mean it is not relevant or that it is inaccurate. One great example is the existence of atoms. The ancient metaphysical and unfalsifiable idea of the existence of atoms led to modern theories about atoms that are falsifiable.
In other words, just because something does not fit into the scientific method does not mean it will not fit someday or that it is false. It is very possible that things could be untestable by science but true.
Just as important, because something does fit into the scientific method and has withstood scientific testing, it does not mean it is true or even partially true. It is not uncommon to discover that things we believe to be fact are either partially or completely incorrect.
In other words, we know a lot less than we sometimes think we do and we should always keep an open mind.
Is Sodium Really the Devil?
For example, sodium has been demonized for quite some time because it has been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. For many years, it has been an accepted “fact” that sodium intake must be reduced in people with high blood pressure and by most people in general.
Not too long ago, a study was published that suggested the important measure wasn’t sodium intake but the sodium/potassium ratio in an individual’s diet. This could mean that even a low-sodium diet could be bad if an individual’s diet is also low in potassium, or that a high-sodium diet may not be an issue if a person’s diet is also a high-potassium diet.
But it gets better… Now, a new study published in the journal Open Heart has added to the debate. In this study, high-sugar diets were found to raise blood pressure.
According to the study: “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature mortality in the developed world, and hypertension is its most important risk factor. Controlling hypertension is a major focus of public health initiatives, and dietary approaches have historically focused on sodium.
“While the potential benefits of sodium-reduction strategies are debatable, one fact which there is little debate is that the predominant sources of sodium in the diet are industrially processed foods. Processed foods also happen to be generally high in added sugars, the consumption of which might be more strongly and directly associated with hypertension and cardio metabolic risk.”
The authors of the study went on to add, “Thus, while there is no argument that recommendations to reduce consumption of processed foods are highly appropriate and advisable, the arguments in this review are that the benefits of such recommendations might have less to do with sodium – minimally related to blood pressure and perhaps even inversely related to cardiovascular risk – and more to do with highly-refined carbohydrates.”
Here’s What Is VERY Important To YOU:
This may seem like a lot of “scientific” information. It may also seem confusing. Researchers are good at making things confusing!
Here is the scoop: Foods loaded with processed, refined carbohydrates are not good for you. Choosing to eat fewer refined, processed foods is one of the best ways to lose weight and stay healthy. Period. End of story.
Notice, I did not say to stop eating carbohydrates? Many people are confused by this and think all carbohydrates are the same but nothing could be further from the truth.
There is a HUGE difference between highly refined carbohydrates and unrefined carbohydrates.
Sure, there is a raging debate over low-carb and high-carb diets but that is another conversation. The first thing you must understand is highly refined carbohydrates are not good for you in any amounts. How many unrefined and GOOD carbohydrates you should consume is a very different topic.
Does science always have the right answer? No, it is not supposed to. Science is a method, a process. It is one part of how we know what we know. It is not all of it.
We should use science as part of the process to make the best decisions about life and health.
With that being said, I will go out on a limb and say this: If you want to be healthier – possibly much healthier – stop eating processed, highly refined foods.
Are You SAD? Vitamin D Deficiency
Might Be The Cause…
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is believed to affect up to 10 percent of the population. SAD is a type of depression related to the changes in the season and can affect some geographic locations more than others. The symptoms of SAD usually start in the fall and continue throughout the winter months. Now, new research suggests that Vitamin D plays a HUGE role in whether or not a person develops SAD. According to Dr. Alan Stewart of the University of Georgia College of Education, “Rather than being one of many factors, Vitamin D could have a regulative role in the development of SAD… We believe there are several reasons for this, including Vitamin D levels fluctuate in the body seasonally, in direct relation to seasonally available sunlight. For example, studies show there is a lag of about eight weeks between the peak in intensity of ultraviolet radiation and the onset of SAD, and this correlates with the time it takes for UV radiation to be processed by the body into Vitamin D.”
It is important to note that Vitamin D is involved in the synthesis of dopamine and serotonin and lower levels of both are linked to depression. This is especially important since many people now avoid the sun as much as possible out of fear or developing skin cancer. Clearly, exposure to sunlight is important for optimizing your health. But there is a big difference between getting too much sunlight (and getting sunburns) and taking an extreme position to get no sunlight at all. The tricky thing is determining what level of sun exposure is most beneficial for you. Factors like skin tone and geographic location drastically affect how much sun any given person should be exposed to. However, a vitamin D supplement may safely help increase your vitamin D levels, especially during winter months when sunlight exposure is extremely limited.
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)
How Stealing Eggs Fed a Starving Family of Six
Ever had a bad day? One of those days where you wish you never got out of bed? We all have those days. Sometimes we get more of them than we want to deal with.
Clearly, life can be tough and it has brought many good people to their knees. It’s a safe bet that EVERYONE at one time or another has needed help. Getting help is what this amazing story is about…
Helen Johnson was just buying groceries, something we all do. But that’s where the similarity ends for most of us.
Helen was not buying much, just the necessities because the children in her charge had not eaten in two days. When the cashier told her the total, she was 50 cents short. This put Helen in a very tough spot. She is raising her two daughters, two grandchildren, and a niece. She gets assistance from disability and welfare, but her last check got lost in the mail.
Helen was faced with letting her family go hungry… or stealing. She chose the latter.
She put three eggs in her pocket and they broke. This mistake turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Here is why: The cashier saw the broken eggs and knew she was trying to shoplift them, so she called the police. When the police came, Helen was honest and told Officer William Stacy what had happened.
Officer Stacy said she started crying and said she needed help to put food in her babies’ stomachs.
Instead of arresting her, Officer Stacy told her to wait for him in the parking lot. She did and he came back with a carton of eggs he purchased for her. When he handed Helen the eggs, she almost broke down with overwhelming emotion.
What’s more, someone in the parking lot caught the entire exchange on video. The video was uploaded to the internet and as you can imagine, went viral.
But it gets even better… Officer Stacy is employed by the Tarrant Police Department in Alabama. The Tarrant Police Department signed up Helen’s family for a local toy drive and also collected enough donations to deliver two truckloads of groceries to the family.
Helen has been quoted as saying, “I was just getting eggs and now that’s saved my life. I’ve never been more grateful in my life. I’m so overwhelmed with the goodness of these people… My heart is wide open right now.”
This story is not as unique as one may think. In 2013, Jessica Robles was caught shoplifting groceries in a Publix Supermarket in Florida. When Miami-Dade Police Officer Viki Thomas looked at the situation, she decided to pay $100 for the woman’s groceries instead of arresting her.
Everyone knows there is plenty of bad in the world, but there is also plenty of good. Most of the time, you see what you are looking for.
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?…
Are You Drinking Enough Water?
Throughout each day, your body loses water through your urine, exhalation, and sweat glands – even when you’re not purposely working up a sweat. As a result, you have to drink water to constantly replenish this fluid. No, coffee and soft drinks do not count toward this requirement. Both coffee and soda are high in caffeine, which act as a diuretic that will dehydrate you. Worse yet, sodas, fruit juices, and other sweetened beverages are loaded with sugars that could negatively impact your health. So, the key is to drink pure water. Once your body has lost 1-2% of its total water content, it will signal its needs by making you feel thirsty.
Besides listening to your thirst, a good rule of thumb is to look at the color of your urine. In most cases, you want to drink enough water to turn your urine a light-colored yellow (if it’s clear, you may be drinking too much water). Also, Riboflavin (vitamin B2, which is also found in most multi-vitamins) will turn your urine a bright, almost fluorescent yellow. So, if you’re taking supplements containing B2, it may be more difficult to judge hydration by the color of your urine. Frequency of urination can also be used to judge your water intake. If your urine is scant or if you haven’t urinated in several hours, that too may indicate you need to drink more water.
Tip Of The Month
Lose Weight with Potatoes?
Potatoes (and other carbohydrates) have gotten a bad rap in recent years. Now, newly published research claims they can help you lose weight. Well, sort of. According to researchers at McGill University, a potato extract may help limit weight gain from a diet that is already high in fat and refined carbohydrates. The study was done on mice that were fed an obesity-inducing diet for ten weeks. Some of the mice were also fed a potato extract. The mice fed the potato extract gained less weight.
Here are a few things that are important… The extract comes from 30 potatoes. Obviously, attempting to eat 30 potatoes a day would not achieve the same results (due to the large amount of calories) and is not advisable. That’s why an extract was used. But there is a bigger issue: This potato extract was tested on mice eating diets high in fat and refined carbohydrates. A much better solution would be to stop eating that sort of low-quality diet. The answer is not to eat poorly and hope that a supplement or drug will solve your problems. The answer is to eat right in the first place. The study said the mice taking the extract with the poor diet gained LESS weight. This means they still gained weight. There are no good shortcuts to losing weight and staying healthy. Making the decision to eat right and exercise for the rest of your life is the only real solution.
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.
Dr Beecher’s August 11 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, August 11th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Tinnitus Affects How Sufferers Process Emotions. Tinnitus is a condition in which patients hear noises that aren’t really there such as ringing, whooshing, whistles, and whines. According to experts, individuals with persistent tinnitus are more likely to experience increased stress, anxiety, irritability, and depression. To investigate how tinnitus affects the brain, researchers evaluated brain responses to different emotions by individuals both with and without tinnitus using functional magnetic resonance imaging. When compared to participants with normal hearing, they found tinnitus patients had decreased brain activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain that processes emotion and stress; however, they had increased activity in the parahippocampus and insula, areas of the brain that are also associated with emotions. This indicates that in order to cope with the stress of persistent noise, the brains of tinnitus patients have reduced activity in the amygdala and rerouted some of its functions to other regions. Brain Research, June 2014
Health Alert: Serious Allergic Reactions with Some Acne Products. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to consumers who use certain over-the-counter skin products for acne due to the risk of extreme allergic reactions. The active ingredients benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are suspected to cause these reactions, which can include feeling faint, breathing difficulties, throat tightness, and swelling of the eyes, lips, face, and tongue. Products containing the active ingredients benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are available as face washes, solutions, cleansing pads, gels, lotions, toners, and face scrubs. The FDA recommends consumers to stop using products containing these ingredients if they develop hives or itching. Food and Drug Administration, June 2014
Diet: Fruits & Veggies May Not Help Weight Loss. Adding more servings of fruits and vegetables is often recommended for individuals trying to lose weight, but according to researchers, doing so may not help them shed excess pounds. A review of seven studies found that increasing fruit and vegetable intake without reducing total calories consumed appears to have a near-zero effect on weight loss. Researcher Dr. Kathryn Kaiser adds, “In the overall context of a healthy diet, energy reduction is the way to help lose weight, so to reduce weight you have to reduce caloric intake.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2014
Exercise: Exercise Improves Body Composition for Kids. A recent study referred to as “FITKids” demonstrated the extent to which physical activity can improve body composition, which is important as it contributes to overall health. The study included 220 eight to nine-year-olds who were assigned to either a nine-month physical activity program that required 70 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity five days a week or a control group. Researchers measured baseline and follow-up cardiorespiratory fitness, percent fat mass, percent central fat mass, and estimated abdominal fat tissue. The FITKids showed improved cardiovascular fitness, less body fat, and carried less fat around their abdomens. The opposite was true for the control group who maintained their regular after-school routine. Pediatrics, April 2014
Chiropractic: Strong Support for Manual Therapy to Treat Back Pain. Two independent reviewers analyzed data from 360 studies published between 2000 and 2013 related to the use of manual therapies — such as chiropractic care — to treat acute, subacute, and chronic non-specific low back pain. For all levels of low back pain, the reviewers found strong evidence for the use of manual therapy to both decrease pain and improve function. The Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, May 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Keep Teens Safe During Sports. Participating in sports is a key part of many children’s high school experience, but injuries can and do occur. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests the following ways to reduce the risk of sport-related injuries: wear protective equipment, ensure proper training and conditioning, build strength and stamina, follow rules and practice good sportsmanship, play only one sport per season, and don’t play just one sport all year-long. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, May 2013
Quote: “The most dangerous phrase in the language is: We’ve always done it this way.” ~ Grace Hopper
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s July 2012 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” ~ Albert Einstein
An Avocado A Day Can Help Keep The Wrinkles Away?
More Great Stuff:
- Are Avocados An Anti-Aging Super Food?
- Want To Kill Weeds Without Toxic Chemicals?
- Did Chiropractic Care Help 15-1 Long Shot “I’ll Have Another” Win The Kentucky Derby?
- Former Professional Wrestler Helps Disabled Gulf War Veteran Lose 140 Lbs. And Walk Again!
“Just rub this wonder cream on and your face and all your wrinkles will instantly disappear!” We’ve all seen the commercials, and the results they show are pretty sensational. Isn’t it funny how that “wonder cream” is usually from some accidental discovery or from some magical plant in the rainforest?
What happens when you buy that wonder cream? Yeah, that’s right… NOTHING! Except your wallet is $19.95 lighter (plus shipping and handling).
So, instead of all that fantasy stuff, let’s talk about the real world and something you can eat that is good for you and might help slow the aging process.
That Food Is A Fruit &
It Is Called The Avocado
Why is the avocado so great? First, it has a very high level of oleic acid. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fat that aids in fat metabolism.
Avocados also have high levels of lutein, zeaxanthin and Vitamin E. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid antioxidants. According to the American Optometric Association:
“Many studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
“Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that filter harmful high-energy blue wavelengths of light and act as antioxidants in the eye, helping protect and maintain healthy cells.”
Avocados also contain ionic potassium and folate. Potassium – Sodium ratios are very important to keep your heart healthy and functioning properly.
If you eat vegetables (and you should), here’s another great thing about avocados…
According to Natural News, most vegetables contain high amounts of carotenoid based antioxidants. “Studies have shown that these antioxidants are lipophilic (fat-loving) and are absorbed best in the body when combined with a healthy fat such as oleic acid.”
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition in March 2005 showed that adding avocados to salad increased absorption of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lutein 7.2, 15.3, and 5.1 times higher, respectively, than the average amount of these carotenoids absorbed when avocado-free salad was eaten.
In other words, eating avocados in your salad and with vegetables is (most likely) a very good thing!
What Type Of Avocados
Should You Eat?
Both Florida (the big avocados) and Hass avocados are good for your digestive tract because they contain soluble and insoluble fiber. However, Hass avocados have higher concentrations of lutein, zeaxanthin and some other nutrients.
Can Avocados Prevent Skin Wrinkling?
Some think avocados can prevent wrinkles and skin aging. It is believed avocados are great anti-aging foods because they contain D-manno-heptuloe sugar. This sugar has been shown to improve skin epidermis by boosting collagen formation.
Avocados contain antioxidants that may reduce age spots, decrease inflammation and help scars to heal.
Did Chiropractic Care
Help 15-1 Long Shot
“I’ll Have Another”
Win The Kentucky Derby?
Chiropractic care has helped countless people, including many world-class professional athletes and celebrities!
Chiropractors are musculoskeletal system experts, and since animals and horses have musculoskeletal systems, why wouldn’t Chiropractic care also help them?
Well, according to USA Today, Larry “Thumper” Jones has been helping horses with Chiropractic care for years.
Years ago, Jones suffered a hockey injury and had back surgery. His rehabilitation was unsuccessful, and it wasn’t until a Chiropractor treated him that he got better.
For 30 years now, Jones has been treating horses as an equine Chiropractor. He has worked with top racehorses such as $5.2 million dollar winning horse, Lava Man. He recently worked on I’ll Have Another the week before the 15-1 long shot won the Kentucky Derby.
According to USA Today: “Jones, 53, describes I’ll Have Another as a ‘yoga specialist’ who has complete range of motion in his joints. He laughed, saying he wouldn’t be surprised if the horse could put his leg behind his head. As a result, I’ll Have Another should be able to take long strides, using less energy to get around the track.
“Keeping horses limber, relaxed and mobile is important, Jones said, as for any athlete. He said he uses instinct to know when a horse needs treatment, saying the animals often indicate the areas where they have tightness or pain.
“This week, I’ll Have Another will get some massages, done with a vibrating machine that helps to loosen muscles and increase blood flow.”
It looks like Jones was right. I’ll Have Another did take some long strides and won the Kentucky Derby! (Editor’s note: After this article was written, I’ll Have Another also won the Preakness Stakes, the 2nd leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, but had to pull out of the Belmont Stakes.)
If Chiropractic care is good enough for top professional athletes and Kentucky Derby winning horses, then it just might be good enough for you too!
And 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 Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Former Professional Wrestler Helps Disabled Gulf War Veteran Lose 140 lbs. And Walk Again!
Arthur Boorman was a paratrooper in the Gulf War. All the jumps took their toll on his back and knees. Unable to easily move from the pain, he gained weight, ballooning up the 297 pounds. He was no longer able to walk without the assistance of two crutches.
Doctors told Arthur he would never walk unassisted again, and he believed them… for 15 long years. He was 47 years old and had given up hope.
He thought exercise was impossible. He wanted to try Yoga, but instructors wouldn’t give him a shot; that is, until he found an unlikely angel. As the story goes, one day Arthur stumbled across the website of former professional wrestler, Diamond Dallas Page (DDP). DDP’s yoga seemed different and inspirational to Arthur. So, he sent DDP an email detailing his situation. DDP read his story and looked at his pictures. His immediate reaction was, “God, how am I gonna help that guy?” But, he was willing to try. Arthur said, “He didn’t know me… but he believed in me… when no one else did.”
Arthur began trying DDP’s yoga via DVDs in his living room. He fell. Over and over again… he fell. But every time, he kept getting back up. He kept trying because someone believed in him. He also started eating the way DDP advised him to. He started losing weight and gaining balance. He fell less and less.
Then, the most important thing took place… Arthur started to believe it could happen. He lost 100 pounds in 6 months. Then, he lost 40 more. He sent DDP videos documenting every step of his amazing transformation. But, there was one video that made even this big, bad ex-pro wrestler cry.
In the last video, DDP could see Arthur walking unassisted for the first time in 15 years. No wheelchair. No crutches. Then, all of a sudden… Arthur started running! He picked up speed and sprinted by the camera. The end of the video says: “They were wrong… it was possible. Never underestimate what you can accomplish when you believe in yourself. Almost anything is possible when you believe in yourself. Never give up. I lost 140 lbs. in 10 months. Thanks DDP for believing in me.”
Notice he thanked DDP for believing in him and not the Yoga? It’s something to think about. Here’s the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIXOo8D9Qsc
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?…
- The average red blood cell lives for 120 days.
- There are 2.5 trillion (give or take) red blood cells in your body at any moment.
- A red blood cell can circumnavigate your body in less than 20 seconds.
- Nerve Impulses travel at over 25 mph (40 km/hr).
- A sneeze generates a wind of 100 mph (166 km/hr).
- A cough moves out at 60 mph (100 km/hr).
- Our heart beats around 100,000 times every day.
- Our eyes can distinguish up to one million color surfaces and take in more information than the largest telescope known to man.
- Our lungs inhale over two million liters of air every day.
- When we touch something, we send a message to our brain at 124 mph.
- We exercise at least 30 muscles when we smile.
- We make one liter of saliva a day.
- Our nose is our personal air conditioning system: it warms cold air, cools hot air and filters impurities.
- In one square inch of our hand, we have nine feet of blood vessels, 600 pain sensors, 9,000 nerve endings, 36 heat sensors and 75 pressure sensors.
- A person can expect to breathe in about 40 pounds of dust over his/her lifetime.
Tip Of The Month
How To Kill Weeds Without Toxic Chemicals!
If you have a garden or plant flowers, then you know how much of a pain weeds can be. They pop up everywhere and pulling them is not only time consuming but it can be brutal on your hands and back. Most of the time, weed picking involves a slumped over (bad) posture. Spend an hour or an afternoon picking weeds and you might feel some serious back pain!
But, the alternative, spraying toxic weed killing chemicals, has a serious down side. These chemicals are not a joke. Not only are they toxic to weeds, they are bad news for humans and pets, too. Getting them on your skin and inhaling them can be bad for your health. Then, there are the environmental issues of putting those chemicals into the ground. Rainwater washes them everywhere… into gardens, the food supply, the water supply, etc.
There is another way! Most people do not know the power of vinegar to kill weeds! Vinegar will even do it without all the potential hazards of the powerful chemicals. All you have to do is spray the vinegar on the leaves of the weeds until they are wet. In a few days, the weeds will be dead!
There are two things you should know about using vinegar to kill weeds: 1) Vinegar is activated by sunlight. So, check your weather report and try to pick a day when it will be sunny and not raining. 2) Vinegar does not discriminate! It will kill ALL plants that it is sprayed on. So, only spray it on the weeds you want to kill. Do not get it on your flowers, tomato plants, etc.
Besides being safe and effective, vinegar is pretty cheap. All types of vinegar will work and white vinegar is usually the cheapest. If you spray it on and it rains and the weeds do not die, it is easy and inexpensive to simply do it again. FYI: Vinegar is great to use to kill the weeds that grow in sidewalk cracks!
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.
Dr Beecher’s July 2011 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense” ~ Gertrude Stein
WARNING HEART PATIENTS:
Should You Take These Popular
Over-The-Counter Pain Medications
After A Heart Attack?
Study Concludes – Heart patients who used common pain relievers called NSAIDs, even briefly, are at much higher risk of having a repeat heart attack or of dying than those who stay away from the drugs, which include such widely used over-the-counter medications as ibuprofen and naproxen
Plus…
- Study shows the simple formula for kids’ academic success – and it is NOT spending more time in the classroom!
- What type of exercise is best? Scientists say it’s good for your mind and body to “feel the burn.”
- Research: Getting the wrong amount of sleep can age your brain by up to SEVEN YEARS!
- A simple way to get better results from any weight loss program.
- And the story that shows how local heroes create heroes!
| H |
ouston – Many visionary health care providers warned about it. Most laughed it off. Now, the research is really piling up and the evidence is getting too strong to ignore.
Back in July 1998, The American Journal of Medicine reported, “Conservative calculations estimate that approximately 107,000 patients are hospitalized annually for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-related gastrointestinal (GI) complications and at least 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur each year among arthritis patients alone. The figures of all NSAID users would be overwhelming, yet the scope of this problem is generally under-appreciated.”
From the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine: “If deaths from gastrointestinal toxic effects from NSAIDs were tabulated separately in the National Vital Statistics reports, these effects would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States. Yet these toxic effects remain mainly a ‘silent epidemic,’ with many physicians and most patients unaware of the magnitude of the problem.
Furthermore, the mortality statistics do not include deaths ascribed to the use of over-the-counter NSAIDS.”
A New Study Warns
Heart Patients About NSAIDs
According to the Elsevier Global Medical News, “For patients with a history of myocardial infarction, any length of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs poses an unacceptably high risk for death or recurrent heart attacks, based on findings from a Danish study using hospital and pharmacy registry data and published online May 9 in Circulation.
The risk elevation began during the first week of therapy and continued throughout the course of treatment, with some differences in the magnitude of risk between NSAIDs.”
The authors stressed the results of the study are not in line with the American Heart Association recommendations regarding NSAID treatment in patients with established cardiovascular disease “because we demonstrate that even short-term NSAID treatment is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with prior MI,”
The article also stated, “Despite some limitations of the study, namely the observational design and the possible effects of information bias, and the need for randomized clinical studies… The accumulating evidence suggests that we must limit NSAID use to the absolute minimum in patients with established cardiovascular disease.”
You Are Probably Taking NSAIDs
And Do Not Even Know It
Estimates say that over 30 billion over the counter tablets and 70 million prescriptions are sold annually in the United States alone.
NSAIDs include Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Advil, and Motrin as well as prescription products like Celebrex, Daypro and more.
Is There A Better Pain Solution?
One of the principles of medicine is, “first do no harm.” In other words, make sure the treatment is not worse than the original problem.
That’s why, if at all possible, conservative natural options should always be looked into before more invasive and chemical treatments are used.
Chiropractic care has been helping patients relieve pain naturally, without the deadly side effects of NSAIDs since 1895.
As research and proof piles up – and so do the deaths – Chiropractic care becomes the intelligent, obvious choice.
Simple Formula For Kids’
Academic Success
Poor academic achievement has caused school systems to add more classroom time, in many cases, at the expense of physical education.
However, new research shows this may be hurting students’ performances.
A physical activity program that incorporated academic skills was instituted at a public school in Charleston, South Carolina. Students in grades 1-6 were scheduled for daily physical education. State standardized reading test scores were collected for both the academic year of program initiation and the following year.
The results showed statistically significant higher test scores for those students in the group with the physical activity program versus those without it at other schools in the same district.
What Type of Exercise Is BEST?
What type of exercise is best? Well, that all depends on what results you are looking for.
For example, researchers studied 11 people who were asked to take part in two 20-minute long workouts; one moderately intensive and one highly intensive.
The participants’ moods were recorded before, during, and after the workouts.
Results: They found no mood improvements after moderate exercise. However, participants in the group that did strenuous exercise claimed to feel more positive 20 minutes after the workout.
The strenuous workout got them breathing heavily and their muscles burning.
Nickolas Smith of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Department of Exercise and Sport Science, said: “These results have implications for the recommended intensity of exercise required to produce the ‘feel good factor’ often experienced following exercise.
“There are also implications regarding how people new to regular exercise should expect to feel during the exercise itself if they are to experience post-exercise mood benefits.”
Psychiatrists believe vigorous exercise triggers the release of endorphins. Endorphins are a type of neurotransmitter that helps fight pain. This is also believed to be an explanation for “runner’s high.”
To all of our patients who wish to read our monthly newsletter and weekly health news updates online, we have 2 options.
You can go to BeecherChiropractic.com/blog
or
www.facebook.com/BeecherChiropractic
Inspirational Story Of The Month –
(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Local Hero Creates Another Hero
20 Years Later, One Man’s Heroic Deed Inspires Another
There is an old story about researchers, kids and marshmallows.
In the story, researchers take a bunch of little kids and bring them into a room with one researcher and one marshmallow.
The marshmallow is placed in the middle of the table. Just as things get started, the researcher gets a call. He then tells the child that he has to leave the room for just a little bit. Then, he gives the kids two options…
The first is they can eat the marshmallow right now. IF they do, that’s all they will get. Or, they can wait until the researcher comes back. If they wait, they will get a whole bag. The researcher walks out of the room and leaves the child and the marshmallow on the table.
Results?
Most of the kids immediately ate the marshmallow. A small percentage waited until the researcher came back and got a whole bag. Some of the kids who ate the marshmallow still wanted a whole bag and complained. But, that’s not the important part. The important part is what happened many years later.
The researchers supposedly interviewed these kids when they were all grown up, and the results were quite telling. Basically, the kids in the group who ate the marshmallows right away were relatively unsuccessful both in their careers and financially, and they had many broken personal relationships. On the contrary, the adults from the group who did not eat the marshmallow had great careers, made more money, and had lasting personal relationships. It is theorized these results were due to a person’s ability to delay gratification. In other words, the kids who had will power and were able to put off a small reward now for a larger one later were able to achieve much greater successes in all aspects of their lives.
That makes complete sense. Sometimes these “gratifications” take a long time to materialize, which brings us to our hero story…
Kurt Beach is a police lieutenant who contracted Hepatitis C while trying to save the life of a baby 20 years ago.
A woman by the name of Teresa Janik heard his story and was emotionally moved. When she heard Lt. Beach needed a liver transplant, she came in and offered to be a donor. Tests showed she was not a match for Lt. Beach, but she was a match for a 12-year old girl who also needed a liver transplant. Teresa became a donor and gave part of her liver to the12 year old girl she never even met.
“You’re giving a part of your body to a stranger?” News Channel 3 asked. “Yeah,” Teresa said. “She could be my family member.” Teresa has lost one sister to breast cancer and another is fighting the disease right now. She says for years she’s watched strangers give platelets, blood, anything they could to possibly save lives. So, she couldn’t help but to try to save the little girl when the opportunity arose. Teresa said, “This will cure her. If the liver takes and it grows within her, she will no longer have a liver problem.” The Good Samaritan who set out to save Lt. Beach’s life says she can’t wait for her hero to hear how his story inspired her. “I’m very excited for him to find out that his story has made this happen,” Teresa said. “I would have never sought out liver donation, didn’t know anything about it, and if I could donate two parts of [my liver], I would donate the other part to him.”
When Lt. Beach heard about what Teresa was doing he broke down in tears. He had waited 20 years for that “gratification.”
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?…
Powerful memory requires a healthy brain and the right nutrition. The brain uses tremendous amounts of energy and is the most metabolically active organ in the body– it never completely rests. As a result, it has one of the highest rates of free radical production. These free radicals begin to destroy the structure of the brain, its connections and the cells. Unless you replace those damaged parts with nutrients, brain function starts to fall off more and more over time. For example, Omega-3 fatty acids are replaced extremely rapidly. If you are deficient in this nutrient, your brain begins to change its structure very quickly and soon (only 2 weeks) loses its ability to properly function because one of its vital components is missing. Americans consume an average of 129 pounds of sugar a year; 57% of it comes from processed foods. For example, teenagers drink an equivalent of 54 teaspoons of sugar a day just from soda. Sugar consumption dramatically increases free radical generation in the brain. It produces cross-linking of the proteins in all cells which dramatically increases the damaging effect of these free radicals, making every cell in your body age much, much faster — particularly brain cells. In some extreme cases, it can even result in permanent brain damage. Lack of Vitamin B-1 in the diet causes memory failure and depression. Consumption of a lot of carbohydrates depletes Vitamin B-1. Vitamins C, D, E, K, A, B and carotenoids are all associated with brain function. Animal fat impairs the ability to learn and remember, but healthy fats, such as Omega-3, improve depression, memory retention and thinking. This is because the brain uses an enormous amount of fatty acids for its membranes. Aspartame, MSG, pesticides, and herbicides in food; aluminum in deodorants; fluoride in the water; and mercury in vaccines may play a major role in brain toxicity and brain function decline. Excessive toxicity destroys brain cells.
Tip Of The Month
A Simple Way To Get Better Results From Any Weight Loss Program.
Everyone wants to know the answer to this question: What’s the best way to lose weight? The problem with that age-old question is – there is no ONE correct answer because everyone’s body make-up, chemistry and genes are different. In other words, we all react differently to different types of food. We also react differently to different types of exercise. That’s why losing weight and keeping it off can be so difficult. It has also opened up the door for marketers to sell all kinds of junk that promises to get you skinny… just about overnight.
Here’s the real truth about weight loss – and it’s something many people simply do not want to hear…
To successfully lose weight, you must meticulously figure out what types of foods and exercise work with your body chemistry and type. Then, you must make a plan incorporating those foods and exercises… then… YOU MUST STICK TO THAT PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. There is no “quick fix” pill or wonder diets or miracle piece of workout equipment that will work.
That’s A Hard Pill For Most To Swallow
But, there is a way to get better results for ANY eating or exercise program you do. Here is how: Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research instructed obese adults who participated in the study to follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and maintain a weight loss journal. While some were asked to maintain their weight loss journals six days a week, others updated it only once a week. The author of the study said those who maintained their journal regularly lost more weight compared to those who updated it only once a week. It is believed several reasons attributed to the success of the “journal” group. Two very important reasons are: accountability and the ability to really analyze what you are eating and doing physically. People are often surprised when they see in writing what they are doing. Perception is often very different from reality. So, if you want to increase the effect of any weight loss program you are on, try keeping a journal. But first, accept the fact that losing weight and staying in shape takes effort and time, and the results are a better looking and healthier you. Nothing is more important.
Remember, we’re always here, to help your body heal
and maintain the health 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 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 call our office at 281-286-1300.
Dr. Beecher’s April 2011 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
In Good Hands
A Free Monthly Newsletter For The Friends and Patients of Ward Beecher DC
“An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he knows.” – Dwight D
Eisenhower
“How 55-80 Year Olds
Increased The Size Of Their Brains!”
Scientific Study Shows How You Can Stay Mentally Sharp As You Age
Also In This Issue:
Study finds childhood obesity linked to health habits – not genes
New research shows trans fat intake linked to depression
Study shows children with ADHD benefits from dietary changes
30-50% of children use energy drinks – why they may harm their health
Scary trend: Why young people prefer “virtual computer lives” to the real world
Japanese researchers say dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer!
Want To Live To Be 96? A special tribute to Chiropractor, Jack LaLanne,
his amazing feats, special achievements and the health blueprint he left for you…
Houston – How would you like to have a bigger, more powerful brain?
Sadly, the hippocampus, a part of the brain key to memory and special navigation, is known to shrink as we age.
This shrinkage starts in late adulthood and is responsible for memory loss and impairment.
Now, There Is New Hope
According to the Los Angeles Times, a new study published by the
Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed
“a program of aerobic exercise, over the course of a year, can increase the size of the hippocampus… in adults ages 55- 80.”
In the study, 120 people from ages 55-80 who did not exercise previously were split into 2 groups; 60 were put into an aerobic exercise
How Man’s Best Friend Might
Save You From Cancer
According to Japanese researchers,
“a specially trained Labrador proved nearly as good at identifying those with cancer as a conventional colonoscopy examination.”
Furthermore, dogs can be trained to sniff out bowel cancer even in the early stages of the disease.
In a series of experiments, a specially trained Labrador sniffed either the breath or stool samples of patients and detected cancer as well as traditional colonoscopy.
In other experiments, trained dogs have been used to sniff cancers of the skin, lungs, bladder and ovaries.
According to an article in Guardian,
“In later tests, the dog correctly identified 33 of 36 people with bowel cancer after sniffing their breath, and 37 of 38 cancer cases after sniffing a stool obtained from the patient.”
program that consisted of walking around a track 3 days a week for 40 minutes per session; and the other 60 did a program consisting of stretching and weights.
Results: According to the
Los Angeles Times article, “The group doing aerobic exercise had increases in hippocampus volume: up 2.12 % in the left hippocampus, and 1.97% in the right hippocampus. The stretching group, on the other hand, had decreased hippocampus volume: down 1.40% on the left and 1.43% on the right.”
What’s important to note is the article said it is never too late to start and it suggested that some very simple exercise programs may be a cost- effective way to treat a
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widespread health problem, without the side effects of medication.
Study Finds Childhood Obesity
Linked To Health Habits – Not Genes
A study found, when 1,003 Michigan 6th graders were examined, obese children were “more likely to consume school lunch instead of a packed lunch from home and spend two hours a day watching TV or playing a video game.”
According to an article in Science Daily, the study suggests unhealthy habits are feeding the childhood obesity trend. “For the extremely overweight child, genetic screening may be a consideration,” says study senior author Kim A. Eagle, M.D., a Cardiologist and a Director of the U- M Cardiovascular Center. “For the rest, increasing physical activity, reducing recreational screen time and improving the nutritional value of school lunches offers great promise to begin a reversal of current childhood obesity trends.”
Here’s a startling fact: Childhood obesity has
TRIPLED in the U.S. in the last 30 years, and obesity among U.S. children ages 6-11 has gone from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008.
According to the Science Daily article,
“researchers found that 58 percent of obese children had watched two hours of TV in the previous day, compared to 41 percent of non-obese children. Forty- five percent of obese students always ate school lunch, but only 34 percent of non-obese students ate school lunch.”
Significantly fewer obese kids exercised regularly, took physical education classes, or were a member of a sports team.
In the study, 15% of the students were obese, but almost all had unhealthy habits. Over 30% drank regular soda within the previous day, less than 50% remembered eating 2 servings of vegetables in the same time period, and only 30% said they exercised for 30 minutes for 5 days during that week.
One of the biggest take home messages (besides realizing that it’s habits making us overweight — not just our genes) is that almost all the students can drastically improve their diet and exercise, not just the 15% who are obese. According to the AmericanCollege of Preventative Medicine, heart disease and diabetes are two of the most common preventable chronic diseases. Both have their preventable causes
in what we eat and how much we exercise, and both start from the habits we obtain in childhood.
As adults, we can change these habits any time we want and live a longer and healthier life just about instantly, but children need guidance to make the same healthy choices.
Many In Younger
Generation Prefer Online
Fake Life To Real One
Have you ever wanted to change your life? Maybe even wanted to be someone else?
If so, you are not alone. Now, a younger generation has found a way to make this desire a reality. Well… sort of…
According to an article in Dailymail, “A study has found that children are often more happy with their lives online than they are with reality, as it allows them to be who they want… They say they can be exactly who they want to be – and as soon as something is no longer fun they can simply hit the quit button.”
Even more shocking, according to the study, one in eight young people are in contact with strangers and often lie about their appearance, age and background.
The study also reveals 45% of younger people between the ages of 11-18 surveyed said they were happier with their online life than their real one.
“One told researchers: „It‟s easier to be who you want to be because nobody knows you and if you don‟t like the situation you can just exit and it is over.‟ Another said: „You can say anything online. You can talk to people that you don‟t normally speak to and you can edit your pictures so you look better. It is as if you are a completely different person.”
What’s more, 47% said they act differently online than in real life.
Experts warn this may be creating a generation of people who will not function adequately in society.
And 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 your lifelong good health.
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Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Inspirational Story Of The Month –
(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Who Else Wants To Live To 96 And Be As Healthy As A Horse?
A special tribute to Chiropractor Jack LaLanne, his amazing feats, special achievements and health blueprint he left for you…
I’m sure you’ve heard of Jack LaLanne. Everyone has – he’s a legend among legends. But, what do you really know about him? If you are like most people, you probably have no idea why he is truly one of the most important people to have lived in the last 100 years. For starters, Jack was an unhealthy child with anger problems who was addicted to sugar. He stated he had violent episodes directed at him and others. Jack described himself as “a miserable goddamn kid… it was like hell.” Besides having a bad temper, he also suffered from headaches and bulimia, and dropped out of high school at age 14. The following year, at age 15, he heard health food pioneerPaul Bragg give a talk on health and nutrition, focusing on the “evils of meat and sugar.” Bragg’s message resonated with LaLanne and it instantly changed his life. He said he was “born again” and focused on diet and exercise. He began working out every day and went back to school. LaLanne made the football team, went to college and became a Doctor of Chiropractic.
But, LaLanne knew he could touch more lives if he didn’t practice Chiropractic, and that’s what he really wanted to do. So, Jack became a health and fitness pioneer. Since he did so many amazing things – the best thing to do is to list them: 1954 (age 40): Jack swam the entire length (8,981 ft/1.7 mi) of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, under water, with 140 pounds (64 kg; 10 st) of air tanks and other equipment strapped to his body; a world record. 1955 (age 41): Jack swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco while handcuffed. When interviewed afterwards, he was quoted as saying that the worst thing about the ordeal was being handcuffed, which significantly reduced his chance to do a jumping jack. 1956 (age 42): Jack set what was claimed as a world record of 1,033 push-ups in 23 minutes on You Asked For It, a television program hosted byArt Baker. 1957 (age 43): Jack swam the Golden Gate channel while towing a 2,500-pound (1,100 kg; 180 st)cabin cruiser. The swift ocean currents turned this one-mile (1.6 km) swim into a swimming distance of 6.5 miles (10.5 km). 1958 (age 44): Jack maneuvered a paddleboard nonstop from the Farallon Islands to the San Francisco shore. The 30-mile (48 km) trip took 9.5 hours. 1959 (age 45): Jack did 1,000 star jumps and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes to promote The Jack LaLanne Show going nationwide. LaLanne said this was the most difficult of his stunts, but only because the skin on his hands started ripping off during the chin-ups. He felt he couldn’t stop because it would be seen as a public failure. 1974 (age 60): For the second time, he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf. Again, he was handcuffed, but this time he was also shackled and towed a1,000-pound (450 kg; 71 st) boat. 1975 (age 61): Repeating his performance of 21 years earlier, he again swam the entire length of the Golden Gate Bridge, underwater and handcuffed, but this time he was shackled and towed a 1,000- pound (450 kg; 71 st) boat. 1976 (age 62): To commemorate the “Spirit of ’76”, United States Bicentennial, he swam one mile (1.6 km) in Long Beach Harbor. He was handcuffed and shackled, and he towed 13 boats (representing the 13 original colonies) containing 76 people. 1979 (age 65): Jack towed 65 boats in Lake Ashinoko near Tokyo, Japan. He was handcuffed and shackled, and the boats were filled with 6,500 pounds (2,900 kg; 460 st) of Louisiana Pacific wood pulp. 1980 (age 66): Jack towed 10 boats in North Miami, Florida.The boats carried 77 people, and he towed them for over one mile (1.6 km) in less than one hour. 1984 (age 70):Handcuffed, shackled, and fighting strong winds and currents, Jack towed 70 rowboats, one with several guests, from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 mile.
Jack was also the first to: open a modern health spa, have a nationally syndicated exercise show on television, have athletes work out with weights, have women work out with weights, have elderly work out with weights, have a combination health food bar and gym, have a weight loss Instant Breakfast meal replacement drink, have a coed health club, combine weight training with nutrition, have an edible snack nutrition bar, sell vitamins and exercise equipment on television, teach scientific bodybuilding by changing the workout every 2-3weeks, encourage the physically challenged to exercise, and he also developed many of the exercise machines and equipment that are still used today. Jack said, “If man made it, don’t eat it.” He also said he NEVER ate dessert. Just doing those two things could change your life.
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.
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Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Did You Know?… Tea is a great food for health! 1. Tea, without sugar or honey, only has two calories per cup. 2. Steeping tea for three to five minutes produces the most antioxidants. 3. Milk in your tea doesn’t reduce tea’s health benefits. 4. The maximum amount of antioxidants contained in tea comes from brewing loose leaves or from tea bags. (Tea in powders or bottles has little or no helpful antioxidants!) 5. Tea in products applied to the skin has little or no health enhancing properties. Teas, especially white and green teas, can help with the following: Stimulate mental clarity, reduce the risk of certain cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood sugar levels, help prevent viral infections, help prevent bad breath, and help prevent tooth decay. Also, because the water used in tea is boiled, this makes tea safer to drink than tap water…
Tip Of The Month – Dietary Changes May Help ADHD.
Also: Consumption Of This Is Linked To Depression.
You are what you eat. This is not just a catchy saying – it is the absolute truth. Yet, most people ignore this “truth” and suffer from preventable diseases, aches and pains. Most seem to think it is easier to eat junk and take a pill later. There is always a miracle medicine to save you, isn’t there? The truth of the matter is…No, There Isn’t. It is abundantly clear and becoming clearer
each and every day that taking medication is no substitute for eating right, exercising and practicing proper maintenance care. Clearly, having your teeth pulled and replacing them with dental implants is no replacement for brushing and flossing your teeth and going to the dentist for routine check-ups. Eating fat, sugar and processed foods for 40 years and then thinking a drug or surgery is going to save you is even more foolish. Here is some research on what you and your children eat that you will find very interesting. Study #1: What You Eat and ADHD – A recent study found putting children with ADHD on a restrictive diet to eliminate possible, unknown food allergies decreased hyperactivity for 64 percent of kids. In the study, 41 kids completed the elimination diet and 32 saw decreased symptoms. Here’s a really important part: When certain foods thought to be “triggers” for each child were reintroduced, most of the children relapsed. The elimination diet, which lasted 5 weeks, consisted predominantly of rice, white meat and some vegetables. Among 50 kids given a “control” diet that was just a standard, healthy diet for children, significant changes were not noted. Due to the results, lead author of the study and a psychiatrist at the Nijmegen Medical Centre, Jan Buitelaar, recommended the elimination diet become part of the standard of care for children with ADHD. Here’s An Important Note About This Study – Many doctors frown upon the elimination diet, not because of its results, but because it is
“difficult.” Because it is perceived to be hard and many won’t do it, it is tossed aside for an easier approach. Of course, it is “easier” to take medications, but is the easiest approach usually the best? Study #2: Eating This Increases Depression Risk – According to Dr. Joseph Mercola’s health blog, “Consumption of trans fats can increase your risk of depression, according to new research. However, healthier fats may actually reduce your risk.” Participants in the study with the highest level of trans fat consumption had up to a 48% increase in the risk of depression. Study #3: Report Says Energy Drinks Unhealthy – According to a new report published in the Journal of Pediatrics, popular energy drinks may be harmful to children’s health. These risks are amplified if the child has diabetes, ADHD or a heart condition. The report also stated that 30-50% of children consume these drinks and they do not substantially increase performance or energy levels. Sales of products such as Red Bull, Full Throttle, Monster Energy and Rockstar are expected to reach about $9 billion in the U.S. this year, with children and young adults under 25 providing most of the revenue. Because these drinks are considered supplements, they are not regulated by the FDA.
Remember, we’re always here, to help your body heal and maintain the health 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 call our office at 281-286-1300.
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Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
