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High-Fructose Corn Syrup: What it does to your body

Do you know whigh-fructose-corn-syruphat High-Fructose Corn Syrup does to you?

In one clinical trial, test subjects who consumed high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) developed higher risk factors for cardiovascular disease in just two weeks, demonstrating just how influential your diet can be on your heart and brain health in the long term.

Foods that Contain High-fructose Corn Syrup?high-fructose-corn-syrup

Be aware of where HFCS is often found: baked goods, canned fruits, dairy products, carbonated drinks and most sweetened beverages in the market today! Just look at the labels and find out. (1)

As you avoid HFCS and refined sugar, be aware that artificial sweeteners such as Splenda® and Nutrasweet® are also linked to serious problems including retinal detachments, weight gain and brain tumors. (2)

  1. Stanhope KL, Medici V, Bremer AA et al. A dose-response study of consuming high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages on lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adults. Am J Clin Nut. 2015;101(6):1144-1154.
  2. Walton RG, Hudak R, Green-Waite RJ. Adverse reactions to aspartame: double-blind challenge in patients from a vulnerable population. Biol. Psychiatry. 1993;34:13-17.

Stay healthy: don’t get a flu shot!

We are approaching flu shot season again. Drug companies spend millions advertising the not only useless but dangerous flu shot that causes brain and nervous system damage. flu shot

Did You Know?

Not many people know this, the media doesn’t report it, but the U.S. government records vaccine injuries and deaths and the flu vaccine has been linked to both.

Government records show the flu vaccine kills and damages more people than all the other vaccines combined. The mercury in the shot has been linked to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS and autism.

There is no proof that pregnant women, children, babies or adults (especially asthmatics) get any benefit from it. Send this information to those you care about.

The Flu Shot: useless and dangerous

Anthony Morris, Ph.D. former Chief Vaccine Control Officer, US Food and Drug Administration and flu vaccine expert:

There is no evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza. The producers of these vaccines know that they are worthless, but they go on selling them anyway. 

Colds and flu prevent cancer

For thousands of years healers have viewed colds, flu, fevers and skin eruptions as some of the most powerful weapons your body has for cleansing, detoxification and self-healing. These symptoms are uncomfortable but provide natural benefits no drug or vaccine can give you. For example:

Those with carcinomas of the stomach, colon, rectum, breast, and ovary … and controls (with no history of cancer) were interviewed. A history of common colds or influenza prior to the interview was found to be associated with a decreased cancer risk. (1) 

Subjects who reported a history of infectious diseases (e.g., colds, flu) showed a 30% reduction in risk [of brain tumor]. (2) 

Do not suppress your fever or other symptoms with drugs that interfere with your healing; you may stay sick longer:

Taking aspirin or TylenolT for the flu could prolong your illness by up to 3½   days. (3)

  1. Abel U, Becker N, Angerer R et al. Common infections in the history of cancer patients and controls. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 1991;117(4); 339-344.
  2. Schlehoper B, Blettner M, Preston-Martin S et al. Role of medical history in brain tumor development results from the international adult brain tumor study. International Journal of Cancer. 1999;82:155-160.
  3. Plaisance KI et al. Effect of antipyretic therapy on the duration of illness in experimental influenza A, Shigella connei, and Rickettsia rickettsii infections. Pharmacotherapy. 2000;20(12):1417-1433.

Gratitude: Some Mental Hygiene

A grateful mind is a great mind which eventually attracts to itself great things. – Plato

Our minds often need a break from our thoughts.gratitude

We seem to be programmed to complain, worry, criticize and doubt. These thoughts do serve a purpose – making us aware of danger and preventing mistakes. But this defense can get out of hand and dominate our thoughts, weigh us down and make us miserable. Life can lose its luster as we get caught in our own minds.

Balance our Thoughts

Plato’s observation above is an excellent mental exercise to balance our thoughts and enhance personal peace and contentment. Research reveals that people who feel grateful have higher levels of well-being and are happier, less depressed, less stressed and more satisfied with their lives.

Expressing gratitude also leads to enthusiasm and inspiration, because it promotes the savoring of positive experiences, no matter what the present circumstances are in life.

Why wait?

But why wait for gratitude to hit us? We can deliberately cultivate gratitude, and increase our well-being and happiness right now. How? It’s easy.

Start by writing three or four things you are currently grateful for. Don’t have pen, paper or screen to write on? Reflect on the little things as well as the big things in your life that are going well:

  • Things that went well today or yesterday
  • Goals you have achieved
  • Things you like about yourself
  • What you like about where you live
  • People who have touched your life in a good way: teachers, mentors, friends
  • Even your dog or cat
  • And your wonderful caring chiropractor (we had to add that)?

Do it once a day, a few times a week or once a week or any time.

Key for success: write with a friend. Ancient wisdom has shown us that learning with a study-partner improves our success in any endeavor.

NOTE from Dr. C:  Two years ago, my gift to my yoga students was a gratitude jar into which they placed a daily “gratitude”.  Delving into that jar at the end of the year and reading some of the “gratitudes” was a very salient reminder of all the joys through the year many of which get “forgotten.”

How Important is your Health Really?

Do You Really Want To Be Healthy?

There is an old saying, “Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die to get there.” health-happy-family

A similar statement could be made concerning health. In almost any survey taken asking people what they wanted most out of life, good health is one of the top three things on the list.

The only two things that ever top it are usually happiness and good family relationships. Yet how many of us allow other less important things to keep us from attaining maximum health?

Like happiness, health does not come by luck. It is true that hereditary factors are important to good health but most people can be healthy in spite of hereditary weakness. Conversely, hereditary strengths will not overcome a failure to take care of yourself.

A Desire to be Healthy

Most people who come into a chiropractic office indicate a desire to be healthy. Unfortunately, thealth-sitting-backhey often do not realize that it will take some effort on their part.

The average person’s experience with medicine has led them to believe that they will be made healthy by what the doctor does to them or what he gives them. They can just sit back, do nothing or at most, remember to take their medication every four hours.

While this approach may be “relatively effective” in the treatment of disease, it has virtually nothing to do with health. For the most part, disease treatment is a passive activity. Health maintenance, or health restoration, is largely an active endeavor. Therein lies the problem.

Sitting back and doing nothing will not promote or maintain health.

Hoping or wishing for it will not make it happen. It must be actively pursued. A choice must be made. Good, nutritious, health-promoting food is available, but then so is junk food. You must make the decision as to what kind you are going to eat and then make the extra effort to get it. Exercise is not a passive activity. You cannot get it by just watching PX90 videos.

Chiropractic is not a passive activity either.

While it is true the patient lies on the table and relaxes, it is the body that makes the adjustment. The chiropractor introduces a force to the spine and the body’s muscles actively move the bone to exactly where it belongs. Further, the benefits of chiropractic care occur after the adjustment, like exercise and eating, they are far reaching and unlike treatments, they are not designed for short-term, immediate effects. It is true you may feel good after eating a good meal or after a good work out. You may also feel good right after a chiropractic adjustment, but the real benefits are the long-term ones. When the body is working better it can actively promote health and well-being and add years to life.

The patient must make the commitment to care.

There is another aspect that makes chiropractic care an active approach. The patient must make the commitment to care. The chiropractor cannot give you a bottle of adjustments and say, “take one every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the next six weeks.”

The patient must make the willful decision to come in, be regular and follow the program. The chiropractor cannot follow you around or take you by the hand.

Do you really want to be healthy?health-do-you-want-to-be-healthy

Sadly, too many people do not want to pay the price, which is time, money and effort. Happiness does not come by accident. Fame and fortune are not a matter of luck. Similarly, you cannot expect to have good health unless you do those things necessary to attain it. Every individual has to establish his or her priorities. Is watching television more important than exercising for your health? Is saving money by eating poor quality food more important to you than spending the few dollars for good food? Is doing whatever you do that interferes with regular adjustments more important than your health? Only you can answer these questions and how you decide on these and other relative questions could very well determine your health, your happiness and your life.

So do you REALLY want to be healthy?

Getting Into Maintenance Mode

Chiropractic patients are divided into two general categories: Healing and Maintenance

maintenance#1 Healing the Body

The first category includes a large number of patients who utilize chiropractic to enable their bodies to work better so that they might heal themselves of some condition or symptom. They understand that the chiropractor is not treating the condition or attempting to alleviate the symptom but that if he or she can correct the vertebral subluxation, the body will have greater capacity to heal itself.

They come in to have their subluxations corrected and find that their bodies work at a higher level, quite often high enough to get well of the physical problems they had when they arrived. Thousands of people have had their health restored because when nerve interference is removed at the vertebral level, the principle that heals and runs the billions upon billions of cells in the body is free to work a little better. Sadly though, many of these people do not fully utilize chiropractic care because they often stop once they feel better.

#2 Maintenance Mode

The second group of people realize that the same principle that enables the body to get well can also keep it well. They do not use chiropractic care as merely a way of regaining their health but as part of an overall, health maintenance and enhancement program.

They come regularly whether they feel good or not. They know that being adjusted will enable them to express more life in numerous ways, some we cannot even imagine. We do know that you can have more energy, better coordination, more flexibility, a greater ability to handle stress, and a greater benefit from the food, exercise and sleep that you get.

 All of this from regular adjustments?

Absolutely! Which of the above is not affected by your nerve system? Logically, a better nerve system, one free of interference, has to help accomplish all the above. How much benefit depends upon you, but everyone will have a better functioning body with a good nerve supply.

Not only do, these people come regularly but they also bring their families in and refer friends and relatives for chiropractic care. They know that it is far better to get someone under care while they are still healthy than to wait until they manifest the symptoms of a lack of health. They want everyone to experience some of the benefits listed above.

Getting everyone into maintenance mode

Our desire is to see primarily the second category of patients. We obviously would not turn away a patient with a medical condition who wanted his or her subluxations corrected for a greater potential for healing. Everyone needs chiropractic care, people with medical conditions of any kind need regular adjustments as much as people with no medical problems, even if they need medical care at the same time.

Who Should Go to a Chiropractor?

Is Chiropractic Care for You?everyone-needs-chiropractic-care

A very simple yet profound question.

The answer is dependent upon one’s concept of the goal of chiropractic.  If the goal of chiropractic is to get sick people well, then presumably sick people should go to a chiropractor.  If the goal is prevention of sickness, presumably all patients should be on a maintenance program.

Everyone can benefit from Chiropractic Care at some point in their lifetime. 

We would like to share the very unique goal of chiropractic as practiced in this office.

We would like to see ALL people, sick or well, young and old, getting their spines checked for vertebral subluxations on a regular basis to allow their bodies to better express all of their life potentials.  This would in turn allow each person to get more out of life.  In order to understand this concept, one must understand how vertebral subluxation affects the quality of one’s life.

Physiologically, it is known that virtually every expression of life is controlled, at least in part by body chemistry.   It is changes in body chemistry that determine our energy level, our ability to resist and recover from disease, our ability to extract nutrients from food, our moods, attitudes, sense of humor, our manual dexterity, and virtually every other expression of life.

Therefore, if anything happens to alter body chemistry it can affect every aspect of one’s life.  This is why the law does not allow people to drive after consuming too much alcohol.  The alcohol can produce blurred vision, slowed reaction time, poor coordination, and make a generally good driver a menace to society.

Of course the individual reaction to alcohol varies from person to person. Some people become sad, some become happy, some become violent, some silly, and some just fall asleep.  All however, seem to suffer from poor judgment and lack of coordination.

Medication is Not Always the Only Solution

Another example would be people who use medication to “treat” a variety of problems.  Just look in the Physician Desk Reference (PDR) to see that for every drug listed; side effects which can change you mentally, physically and emotionally.  It is easy to understand…

“Vertebral subluxations are, by definition, an interference with the innate control of the body.  You cannot have body chemistry in balance when vertebral subluxations are present”

…how altering body chemistry from the outside-in can affect everything we are and everything we can accomplish.  In short, it can negatively alter our potential in many different areas.

Imagine if more people knew about this!

What we really desire is to see hundreds of people who are concerned enough about their health to come in regularly with their families to receive adjustments to stay healthy and be the best they can be in life.  Imagine if more people knew about this and were getting checked and adjusted. Wouldn’t that be the community you’d want to live in?  We hope that it is your desire to be one of these type of people. If there is ever something about chiropractic health care that you do not understand, please ask us. It is our desire and pleasure to make you aware of all the benefits of being subluxation free.

While our potential, or performance levels, may be affected by drugs from the outside, they can also be affected by chemical changes that originate within.  Our body is an incredible natural chemical factory.  With a chemical reaction needed for virtually every aspect of life, there are countless numbers of chemical reactions occurring constantly.  It is the wisdom of the body, innate intelligence, which uses the brain, spinal cord and nerve system as its medium of expression, to control and coordinate the chemical producing organs and glands of the body. Any alteration in the production of chemicals like thyroxin, insulin, adrenaline, cortisone, testosterone, estrogen, and dozens of others (known and unknown) in the body, will produce just as drastic a change as would chemicals administered from the outside-in.

Related: Your Are the World’s Greatest Drug Store!

What are Vertebral subluxations?

Vertebral subluxations are, by definition, an interference with the innate control of the body. You cannot have body chemistry in balance when vertebral subluxations are present.  When you have an imbalance of body chemistry you are unable to fully express your potential in any number of areas.

It is not our goal to be a “sore back/neck doc”” dealing with neck aches and backaches and referring people out.  Every man, woman, and child in our community deserves to know the truth.   Chiropractic is not just for backaches, nor is it for cancer.  It is not for any particular malady.

Chiropractic is for people! All people!

Chiropractic is for people! All people!  There is not a person you will ever meet, who should not have his or her spine checked regularly.  It is the goal of this office to share chiropractic with as many people as possible, to allow their bodies to function and perform at a higher level of efficiency.  Thus enabling them to more fully express all of their potentials and abilities, and therefore, get more out of their lives.

Fermented Foods: Everything you need to know

Do you have fermented foods with every (or nearly every) meal?fermented foods pickles

You should – fermented foods are an inexpensive, effective and simple way to optimize your gut microbiome (micro-organism population) that is absolutely essential for physical and mental health.

Hint: Beer is a fermented food!

For every cell that is you there are ten times more bacteria, fungi, viruses and other tiny life forms inside you. You are a walking multi-species transport system with billions of microorganisms on your insides and outside (all over your skin, hair and in every nook and cranny).

Fermented Foods Help Your Body Function Properlyfermented foods beer

Over the past several years, research has revealed that the microbes inside you – bacteria, fungi, viri and others – are essential for proper body function:

  • They make vitamins
  • They keep the bad “bugs” under control
  • They help you get rid of toxins
  • They affect your weight and mood

What happens when your gut is unbalanced?

When your GI tract is not properly balanced, a wide range of health problems can appear, including:

  • allergies
  • intestinal issues and diseases
  • digestive problems
  • autoimmune diseases

That’s why fermented foods are so important. They are full of beneficial microorganisms that most people do not get elsewhere; they replenish the good microorganisms and keep you in balance.

How much fermented food should you eat? fermented foods yogurt

You need only one-quarter to one-half cup of fermented vegetables one to three times per day. You’ll probably notice improvements in your:

  • energy levels
  • mental clarity
  • digestion
  • elimination
  • immunity

Preparing Fermented Foods

Although common in traditional diets in every culture throughout the world, the preparation of fermented foods is becoming a lost art. But it is an art that is easily re-discovered. Google “making my own fermented foods” for information on making your own sauerkraut, pickles, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, beer, fermented vegetables and other wonderful foods that everyone in your family needs for optimal health.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks

healthy road trip snacks How to you fit in healthy road trip snacks when you vacation?

By Matt Frazier, ultra-marathonner and vegan advocate

Matt Frazier runs the popular fitness site No Meat Athlete.

In this excerpt he talks about healthy road trip snacks.

“So I learned an important rule for road trips: when you find a good grocery store, stock up. On foods that you can eat on the go, with no prep.” ~Matt Frazier

Very quickly, I learned what foods worked best in the car to keep me from resorting to junk:

  • Fresh fruit
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Hummus (I’d eat it fast because it wouldn’t last more than a day without a fridge)healthy road trip snacks fruit
  • Trail mix/granola
  • Smoothies made from just fruit (the pre-made kind — definitely not ideal, but a way to get a lot of good calories quickly)
  • Giant salads from the salad bar — I’d grab enough to last for two meals, dump a bunch of chickpeas on top, and if I was lucky enough to be at a Whole Foods, add some oil-free tahini garlic dressing.
  • Anything cracker-like but still healthy (could be baked corn chips, Wasa crispbreads, rice cakes, etc.)

What do you eat on the road? helahty road trip snacks salad

We want to hear from you. What are you favorite healthy road trip snacks?

Moroccan Chickpeas with Roasted Peppers, Parsley and Mint

Recipe courtesy of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Simon’s Fine Foods

Moroccan Chickpeas with Roasted Peppers, Parsley and Mintchick peas

Serves lots!

Ingredients:

  • canola oil, for cooking
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp raisins
  • 1 Tbsp chopped dried apricots (we used more!)
  • 4 cups cooked chickpeas (keep the cooking liquid)
  • 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (we used more!)
  • juice of a lemon

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, saute the onion in a skiff of canola oil over medium-high heat until soft.
  2. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg and cayenne and cook for a minute.
  3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, raisins and apricots and a splash of cooking liquid (or tomato juice) and bring to a simmer – it should be saucy.
  4. Add the chickpeas to the pan and stir to coat. Cook for a bit to cook off any excess liquid if need be.
  5. Add the red pepper, mint and parsley and squeeze over the lemon.
  6. Toss to combine and serve warm or refrigerate until chilled – allowing the mixture to marinate for a few hours (or a day) will help the flavors improve.

Enchilada-Stuffed Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Enchilada-Stuffed Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 4

portobello mushrooms

Ingredients:

  • 4 portobello mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup corn kernels
  • ½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon flour (important…helps absorb mushroom juiceness)
  • 1 cup mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons chives

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat your barbecue to medium-high heat.
  2. Using a small spoon, scoop the gills out of the mushrooms.
  3. Brush mushroom exteriors with olive oil and place on a large plate.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce, salt and flour until no lumps remain.
  5. Spoon around 2 tablespoons of corn and black beans into each mushroom. Drizzle with the sauce. Top with shredded cheese.
  6. Grill over direct heat (on a veggie grilling plate, or directly on clean grill) for 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
  7. Sprinkle with chives and serve with a side salad.