Too-early solid food could lead to problems for babies

April 12, 2013 by Meredith

At least 40% of moms are feeding their infants solid foods far too early, according a new study published in the medical journal Pediatrics, and that may lead to problems for their children later in life.

Researchers wanted to know how many babies were being fed solid foods (including cereal and baby food) sooner than recommended, whether breast-feeding or formula feeding made a difference and why solids were being introduced early. When the study began in 2005, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which also publishes the journal Pediatrics, recommended introducing solid foods when babies were between 4 and 6 months old.

In 2012, the AAP changed those recommendations. Now it says babies shouldn’t be eating solid food until they are about 6 months old.

Study and findings

As part of the two-year study, 1,334 mothers filed out monthly questionnaires about what their babies ate during the last week, says Kelley Scanlon, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and one of the study authors. Scientists then analyzed the data reported by the mothers to determine at which age babies were being fed solid food.

They found 539 moms, or 40% of moms, gave their babies solid food early. Previous studies had put that estimate at 19% and 29%. Researchers believe based on this study, they may actually be underestimating how many moms introduce solids early because the study was more likely to have older, more educated and higher income moms participating. “Mothers of lower socioeconomic status are at a higher risk of early solid food introduction,” the study says.

Giving your baby solid food too soon has been linked to a higher risk of obesity and diabetes, according to the study. Also, “starting infants on solids before 4 months can lead to allergies and eczema,” says Dr. Jennifer Shu, an Atlanta pediatrician and AAP spokeswoman who was not involved in the research.

Among the 539 moms who did introduce solids early, nearly 1 in 10 gave their babies solids before they were 4 weeks old.

Researchers found formula-fed infants were about twice as likely to be introduced to solids early, compared to only breast-fed babies.

Moms were also given 12 reasons to choose from to explain why they introduced solid food early. Among the top answers:
– 90% of moms said they thought their baby was old enough to start eating solids.
– 71% said their baby seemed hungry a lot of the time.
– 55% believed their doctor or another health care professional said their baby should start eating solids.

Scanlon cautioned that this last point reflected a perception that health care professionals were recommending when to start an infant on solids; researchers couldn’t actually confirm that’s what a doctor or nurse actually said.

Shu says she was surprised by the findings, but notes that some doctors and nurses may have been trained at a time when babies were fed solids earlier and says it’s hard to change behaviors when medical information changes so quickly.

Bottom line

“There’s a lack of awareness of what the recommendations are,” Scanlon says, adding babies are not developmentally ready for solid food before they are 4 months old.

Some of these moms are getting information on when to feed their babies solids “from generations (ex. grandparents, nurses, friends) who may have started their babies on solids at an earlier age,” suggests Shu.

According to the latest AAP recommendations, moms are supposed to exclusively breast-feed their babies until they are about 6 months old if possible, so babies can reap all the benefits of mother’s milk including extra immune protection and possible protection for future chronic illnesses like obesity and type II diabetes.

Every baby develops at a slightly different pace, but there are some signs to look for to help parents figure out if their child is ready for solids:
– Is the baby sitting up? Can she hold her head up?
– Does your baby open his mouth when food comes his way?
– Is she big enough? (Babies typically double their birth weight by 4 months)
– Can he take food off the spoon and actually swallow it?

The takeaway

Parents need clear and accurate guidance on when to introduce solid food to their babies, and pediatricians and health care professionals need to support them, says Scanlon, by explaining to the parents that crying doesn’t always mean the baby is hungry – it could also be wet, sick or lonely.

Filed Under: children and health, diet, health and wellness, pediatric Tagged With: children, chiropractic, dallas, diet, health, healthy

25 Ways to get Healthier Now!

April 10, 2013 by Meredith

(CNN) — Get going! Here are 25 ways to get healthier right now:

1. Grab your toes. Now pull. “This boosts circulation after your feet have been cramped in shoes all day,” says Michele Summers Colon, a podiatrist in El Monte, California. “Without proper circulation, the muscles and nerves in our toes don’t work properly. And that can cause pain in your knees, hips, and back.”

2. Wash the linens. Dust mites, a major allergy trigger, love to hang out in your bed. Zap ’em by laundering sheets and pillowcases every week in hot water. Also smart: Use mattress and duvet covers designed to keep mites out.

3. Flying? Turn on the air vent above your seat. “I fly a couple of times a week,” says Dr. Travis Stork, an emergency medicine physician and co-host of “The Doctors.”

“Part of the way I stay healthy is by being very conscientious about all of the germs that are on planes. I turn on the air vent and angle it so it blows air down in front of my face — that’s filtered air and it creates a little bit of a barrier to keep the germs going around the cabin from getting into my nose or mouth.”

4. Give this a shot. Get a yearly flu vaccine? Great. Now add a TDaP booster to your arsenal. TDaP stands for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis — and that last disease, also known as whooping cough, is a particularly dangerous respiratory illness. In fact, cases of pertussis in the U.S. have risen about 137% since 2000.

“For most adults, that means a nasty cough; in children, it can be worse,” says Dr. Ana Pantoja, staff physician for AltaMed in Boyle Heights, California. “So if you have kids or are around kids, it’s essential to get vaccinated.”

Even if you got the shot as a child, its effectiveness can wear off, so you still need one booster as a grown-up. (You’ll also need a tetanus booster every 10 years.)

5. Drop your panties. Going commando once in a while (say, overnight) couldn’t hurt, especially if you’re prone to urinary tract infections.

“Wearing no undergarments — or just cotton ones — allows the external genitals to dry and reduces bacteria growth that could otherwise make its way into your urethra and cause a bladder infection,” says Dr. Sherry Thomas, an OB-GYN and surgeon at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, California.

6. Keep this info handy. Put a card in your wallet that lists any allergies you have and medications you’re taking, in case you end up in the ER and are unable to speak for yourself.

Says Dr. John M. Kennedy, co-author of “The 15-Minute Heart Cure,” “It could just save your life.”

7. Crank down the volume. MP3 players can create sound up to 120 decibels — loud enough to cause hearing loss over time.

“Follow the 60/60 rule: Keep volume coming through your headphones to no more than 60% of the max, for no more than 60 minutes a day,” says James Foy, an osteopathic physician in Vallejo, California.

5 days of healthier breakfasts

You already know it’s important to start your day off right — now it’s time to kick it up a notch nutritionally with these easy ideas from Jackie Newgent, author of “1,000 Low-Calorie Recipes.” Just add…

8. Flax. Sprinkle one tablespoon ground flaxseed in your bowl of oatmeal for brain-boosting omega-3 fats and two extra grams of fiber.

9. Pistachios. Spread toast with chocolate nut spread; add chopped pistachios for cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.

10. Berries. Top pancakes or waffles with ½ cup of mashed raspberries to get more than 20 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

11. Turmeric. Toss a pinch of ground turmeric into beaten eggs to add earthiness and cancer-fighting antioxidants to a veggie omelet.

12. Hummus. Schmear half a toasted whole-grain bagel with 2 TBSP hummus for a creamy topping packed with fiber and filling protein.

13. Nuke the dish sponge. “This is the germiest thing in your house,” says germ guru Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “About 15% of sponges contain bacteria that can make you ill.“

So toss them in the dishwasher once a week or microwave them damp on high for 30 seconds.

14. Check yourself out. “Do a full-body skin check once a month in a well-lit room,” advises Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. “Grab a hand mirror if you have one. Ask a family member to check out your back if you can’t see it. Look for new moles or old ones that have changed or grown (then have a dermatologist take a look).

“I also recommend a total-body check with a derm yearly — twice a year if you have a personal or family history of funny moles. Early detection is key in treating skin cancer” — the most common cancer in women.

15. Munch on carrots. The humble carrot never got much attention, but it’s now a nutritionist favorite, thanks to its high vitamin A content — just one half cup has almost double the amount you need for healthy eyes. They’re hot with chefs, too, making it easier to get your good-vision fix.

16. Wear an activity tracker. Whether it’s a Fitbit, a Nike FuelBand, or any old pedometer, studies show that people who wear a device that tracks the number of steps they’ve taken each day get moving more than those who don’t.

17. Take a ticker test. You may not think about your cholesterol, but you should: Having high numbers is a major heart-disease risk factor that even slim women can have.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, you may be able to score a screening without paying one cent for it if you have a family history or other risk factors, according to Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

18. Fight daylight savings blahs. When we “spring forward,” the lost hour can have a bigger effect on our bodies than we might think.

“You might feel jetlagged, and it can take two to five days to adjust,” says Dr. Meir Kryger, professor of medicine at Yale University. His fix: “Get some sunlight as soon as possible” — by raising window shades or making a coffee run — “to help re-synchronize your body clock. Luckily, the switch-over happens on a Sunday morning, so many of us don’t have to go to work that first day!”

19. Get comfy. “At hotels, I keep lighting soft and bring lounging clothes and my Dream Sack, a thin, silk sleeping bag. On planes, I close the shades and wear an eye mask and noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs.” — Tracy Cristoph, flight attendant

20. Banish nerves. “When my mind starts racing in bed, I think about the next day’s challenges. Then, I take long breaths, thinking, Breathe in, breathe out. It takes practice, but if you do it regularly, your body learns how to relax.” — Rebecca Soni, Olympic swimmer

21. Silence your phone! “I alerted friends and family to when I would be sleeping so I could minimize noisy calls and texts. Turning the phone off works, too!” — Dr. Marni Hillinger, a medical resident in New York.

4 ways to slash stress in 60 seconds or less

22. Do 25 jumping jacks. Move your body, no matter how briefly, to stop the stress response in its tracks and change the channel on your mood, says Lisa Oz, author of “US: Transforming Ourselves and the Relationships That Matter Most.”

23. Press “play” for puppies. Pets are a proven stress-buster, but you knew that. Head to Wimp.com/littlepuppy stat to melt even the gnarliest of bad moods.

24. Make an instant hot cocoa. Research, including a study published in Appetite, shows that even a bit of chocolate can boost your mood almost immediately.

25. Go outside! “Fresh air is full of feel-good negative ions, which may boost oxygen flow to the brain,” says Kathleen Hall, founder of the Stress Institute in Atlanta. “If you can, combine it with exercise, like a brisk walk — activity boosts endorphins and energy.”

Filed Under: Dallas Chiropractic, diet, health and wellness, stress relief

Combatting Allergies and Sinus Issues with Chiropractic

March 31, 2013 by Meredith

If you live in Texas, it’s no surprise that Texas ranks as one of the worst state for allergy sufferers. Whether your poison is mountain cedar, ragweed, or just plain old pollen, your itchy, drippy nose and watery eyes are all the proof you need that Spring is here. If so, you are not alone–more than 35 million people in the US suffer from seasonal allergies. As a result, the market for allergy medications is booming.

I have had many patients over the years who have sought treatment for back pain (or neck pain, shoulder pain, etc.) only to find the added bonus that their Chiropractic treatments also helped to reduce the severity of their seasonal allergies. Many reported to me that they were able to greatly reduce the amount of allergy medication they required to manage their symptoms. What they learned firsthand is that once their bodies were running smoothly, they were able to deal with intrusions (like cedar, pollen, elm, ragweed) without suffereing a severe reaction.

Since another allergy season is about to pop, now is the time to schedule an appointment and begin your Chiropractic Allergy Combat Plan!

Chiropractic for Allergies: Allergies are a disorder of the immune system. The immune system overreacts to a typically non-harmful substance (cat dander, pollen, peanuts, dairy products, dust, molds, etc.), and initiates a response to neutralize and flush out the allergen. The results of this immune response are swelling, itching, runny nose and eyes, sneezing, diarrhea, to name a few. The immune system is highly effective in ridding the body of what it perceives as harmful.

Chiropractic is not a treatment for allergies per se, but it has helped allergy sufferers for years. Chiropractic aims to remove interference to the nervous system by specifically correcting a condition called subluxation. What controls the immune system? Many things including your spleen, bone marrow, adrenal glands to name a few. What controls all of these things? It is your brain and nervous system. In 1993 a group of researchers at the University of Calgary discovered a group of cells at the top of the spinal cord that form a direct pathway from the nervous system to the immune system. Any interference to this pathway would likely result in an improperly functioning immune system. A chiropractic study found that specific upper neck adjustments in HIV positive patients led to a 48% increase in CD4 cells (immune cells) over a 6-month duration. Preliminary studies have found that adjustments enhance the activity of IgA, IgG, IgM, and phagocytic cell respiratory bursts (all immune system functions). A properly functioning immune system is less likely to produce allergy symptoms.

Sources

Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory burst induced by spinal manipulation: potential role of substance P. Brenan PC, Kokjohn K., Katlinger CJ, et al., JMPT 1991, Vol 14, No. 7

Enhanced neutrophil respiratory burst as a biological marker for manipulation forces: duration of the effect and association with substance P and tumor necrosis. Patricia Brenan, John J Triano, arion McGregor, et al, JMPT, Vol15, No 2, Feb 1992.

Chiropractic treatment and antibody levels. Stewart M. Alcorn

The effects of upper cervical adjustments on the CD4 counts of HIV positive patients. Selano, J., Hightower B, Pfleger B, et al., CRJ-Vol3 No 1 1994.

Sinus Problems: The sinuses are 8 hollow spaces in the bones of the forehead, cheeks and temples. These spaces are coated with mucous membranes, which drain mucous in the air passages to help trap foreign particles such as dust and microbes. When sinuses become inflamed they cannot drain properly causing back up, pressure and possible infection. Risk factors include chronic allergies, abnormal structure in the sinus area, and rapid changes in altitude/pressure (flying, diving, etc). Sinus headaches cause dull, deep or severe pain in the area of the forehead and cheeks and are typically worse in the morning and better by afternoon. Being that the primary risk to the sinuses is allergies, the root of the cause of sinus problems most often lies in improper function of the immune system. This would explain why many people can breath the same air, and only a few end up with sinus trouble. The immune system over reacts to a begnin element (cat dander, pollen, etc) while at the same time is not able to rid the body of the likely sinus infections which might cause the patient to seek the “aid” of antibiotics.

Chiropractors aim to assist the body in functioning properly by removing interference to the nervous system. Ruling out abnormal structures (nasal polyps or bone spurs), chiropractic becomes a viable alternative for helping people with sinus problems. It is well known that chiropractic is effective for headaches, and numerous studies also point to the relationship between the immune system and nervous system and how chiropractic can enhance the functions of both. In addition the mucous membranes of the sinuses themselves are controlled by the brain and nervous system.

Folweiler DS, Lynch OT. Nasal specific technique as part of a chiropractic approach to chronic sinusitis and sinus headaches. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1995;18(1):38-41.

Cady RK, Schreiber CP. Sinus headache or migraine? Considerations in making a differential diagnosis. Neurology. 2002;58(9 Suppl 6):S10-S14

Hack, GD, The anatomic basis for the effectiveness of chiropractic spinal manipulation in treating headache. Abstracts from the 15th annual upper cervical spine conference. Nov. 21-22, 1998. CRJ 199:VI(1).

The effects of upper cervical adjustments on the CD4 counts of HIV positive patients. Selano J, Hightower B, Pfleger B, et al., CRJ-Vol3 No 1 1994.

(reprinted in part from ChiroZone)

Filed Under: allergies, alternative care, Dallas Chiropractic, health and wellness, sinus problems

Manning Wellness Clinic’s Top 5 Tips for Avoiding Weekend Gardener Syndrome

March 29, 2013 by Meredith

Spring has sprung! Warmer weather brings visions of homeowners manning the bbq, napping in their hammocks, and enjoying their backyard paradise, the one that has collected piles of leaves, sprouting weeds, dead branches and debris over the winter months. With fervent vigor, the weekend garden warriors head outside and attack their yards. Frequently, injuries result as muscles long-dormant during the winter months experience much more activity in a brief period of time than usual. Since the height of muscle pain typically sets in about 36 hours after strenuous activity, our office phone starts ringing first thing Monday morning. As we all know, it’s hard to sit immobile at a desk all day when your lower back (or neck, shoulders, knees, etc.) are screaming in pain. Your backyard may look amazing, but your back may pay the price.

Here are the Top 5 Tips for Avoiding Weekend Gardener Syndrome from Dr. Jeff Manning of Manning Wellness Clinic in Dallas:

1. Bend your knees: Weeding, one of the most labor-intensive outdoor jobs, is responsible for more low-back injuries than almost any other springtime activity. Repeatedly pulling at stubborn weeds fatigues the lumbar muscles and can strain ligaments and discs. With your back in an already compromised, bent-forward position, and your legs likely straight, one good yank at a tough weed may be enough to bulge a disc or misalign your pelvic bones. A half-kneeling position, or better yet, a narrow blade shovel, is a much safer/easier way to deal with weeds.

2. Avoid Heavy Lifting: Moving lawn and patio furniture, hauling bags of mulch or seed, planting new shrubs…often requires heavy lifting. Whenever possible, grab an extra set of hands to help with awkward or heavy items. Or pull out the trusty wheelbarrow or hand trolley. If you must lift, don’t forget to bend your knees, and keep the load as close as possible to your core, to take some pressure off of your lower back.

3. Pace yourself: Your yard does not need to be completed in a day! Breaking up the planting into small increments minimizes your risk of injury and maximizes your chance of a gorgeous garden. Hours of planting increases your risk of strained muscles, ligaments or other tissues. When a muscle becomes fatigued, its ability to stabilize a joint or create enough force to accomplish a routine task diminishes considerably. Raking is a perfect example since it requires you use large, postural muscles in your back. Tip: Take it slow and steady, and make sure to switch sides frequently so that you try to work your body evenly on both sides. Many injuries result from overly tired muscles. Listen to your body; if it’s telling you that it’s getting tired and something is starting to hurt, stop! Your body is communicating that it needs a break and if you don’t listen, it will just yell louder. By changing activities every 30 minutes, repetitive strain risk is decreased.

4. Don’t trim what you can’t reach: Pruning hedges with heavy sheers is an easy way to acquire rotator cuff tendonitis. It also puts your back at risk for injury. Over extending your arm with a heavy object in your hand is a quick recipe for a tendon injury. When trimming back bushes, keep the sheers close to your body and try to keep your shoulders at or below ninety degrees of elevation. This position protects the delicate rotator cuff from tearing and also protects your back.

5. Use the right tools for the job: Just like buying the right gear for an exercise program, buying the right tools for yard work can be just as important. Some better rakes and shovels are ergonomically designed so they better fit your body. Make sure your hand fits comfortably on the handle to avoid blisters and wrist strain. Also look for rakes and shovels which you can comfortably manage rather. Lastly, use the right tool for the job: Don’t try to use a snow shovel to dig a hole for a shrub.

Filed Under: back pain, Dallas Chiropractic, health and wellness, neck pain

27 Foods you Should Never Buy Again

March 15, 2013 by Meredith

Cross these items off your grocery store list—whether they’re rip-offs, fakes, drastically unhealthy, or just plan gross, here are the 27 foods you should never buy again.

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

A few shavings of nice cheese on top of pasta or vegetables can take a simple dish from good to great—but you don’t have to fork out $22 a pound for the famous stuff. Instead, look for varieties like Pecorino Romano and SarVecchio, which offer the same flavor at half the price.

Smoked and Cured Meats

From fancy charcuterie to “dime a dog” night, pass on cured meats in any form—they’ve been linked to cancer, disease, high blood pressure, and migraines. Plus they’re packed with artery-clogging grease: regulations allow up to 50% (by weight) of fresh pork sausage to be fat.

“Blueberry” items

Ahh, blueberries…now in everything from your breakfast cereal to muffins, granola bars, and sauces—or are they? Turns out that most of the blueberry-flavored items on grocery store shelves don’t feature a single actually berry, just artificial blueberry flavor. Buy your own berries and add them to plain cereal for a real health boost.

Multi-grain bread

This is junk food masquerading in a healthy disguise. Check the ingredient list to make sure whole wheat is the first, and main, ingredient—otherwise, you’re just getting a few grains mixed into regular white bread. Better yet, forgo the bread and enjoy straight-up barley, brown rice, quinoa, or steel-cut oats.

Reduced fat peanut butter

When companies take out the fat, they have to add something back in to make the food taste delicious. In this case, it’s lots of extra sugar—and who wants that? Instead, spread regular peanut butter on your sandwich for more of the good fats and protein without fake sweetness.

Bottled tea

Brew your iced tea at home and you’ll save both big bucks and your waistline—bottled teas can have more grams of sugar than a soda or slice of pie.

Tomato-based pasta sauces

A jar of spaghetti sauce typically runs $2 to $6. The equivalent amount of canned tomatoes is often under $1. Our suggestion: Make your own sauces from canned crushed tomatoes or fresh tomatoes — particularly in the summer, when they are plentiful, tasty, and cheap. The easiest method is to put crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh) into a skillet, stir in some wine or wine vinegar, a little sugar, your favorite herbs, and whatever chopped vegetables you like in your sauce — peppers, onions, mushrooms, even carrots — and let simmer for an hour. Adjust the flavorings and serve. Even easier: Coat fresh tomatoes and the top of a cooking sheet with olive oil and roast the tomatoes for 20 to 30 minutes at 425˚F before making your stovetop sauce.

Swordfish

Large bottom-feeder fish such as tuna, shark, king mackerel, tilefish, and especially swordfish are high in mercury. Choose smaller fish, like flounder, catfish, sardines, and salmon instead.

Energy drinks

Stick to a cup of coffee for your afternoon boost. Seemingly harmless caffeinated beverages are often sugar bombs—and the FDA has received numerous reports linking brands like 5 Hour Energy and Monster Energy to heart attacks, convulsion, and even death.

Gluten-free baked goods

If you aren’t diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, keep in mind that gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean healthy—and gluten-free baked goods like bread, cookies, and crackers often are packed with more refined flours, artificial ingredients, and sugar than traditional baked goods. Plus, they can cost up to twice as much as you’d normally spend.

Flavored non-dairy milks

Vanilla-eggnog-caramel soy milk doesn’t win you any points in the health department—and it definitely won’t help your grocery receipt bottom line. If you prefer non-dairy milks for personal dietary reasons, buy unsweetened versions. And if you’re just trying to eat healthfully, skim milk should be just fine.

Foods made of WOOD

Take a look at the ingredient list for your high-fiber cereal or snack bar, and you’ll probably see an ingredient called “cellulose.” Turns out that cellulose is a code word for “wood pulp.” Food manufacturers use it to extend their products and add fiber, so it looks like you’re getting more food. But really you’re just left with a mouthful of wood shavings.

White rice

Skip the refined grains and go for whole: a 17% higher risk of diabetes is associated with eating five or more servings of white rice per week, compared to eating white rice less than once a month.

‘Gourmet’ frozen vegetables

Sure, you can buy an 8-ounce packet of peas in an herbed butter sauce, but why do so when you can make your own? Just cook the peas, add a pat of butter and sprinkle on some herbs that you already have on hand. The same thing goes for carrots with dill sauce and other gourmet veggies.

Microwave sandwiches

When you buy a pre-made sandwich, you’re really just paying for its elaborate packaging — plus a whole lot of salt, fat, and unnecessary additives. For the average cost of one of these babies ($2.50 to $3.00 per sandwich), you could make a bigger, better, and more nutritious version yourself.

Premium frozen fruit bars

At nearly $2 per bar, frozen ‘all fruit’ or ‘fruit and juice’ bars may not be rich in calories, but they are certainly rich in price. Make your own at home — and get the flavors you want. To make four pops, just throw 2 cups cut-up fruit, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice into a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. You might wish to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water so the final mix is a thick slush. Pour into 4-ounce pop molds or paper cups, insert sticks, and freeze until solid.

Boxed rice ‘entree’ or side-dish mixes

These consist basically of rice, salt, and spices — yet they’re priced way beyond the ingredients sold individually. Yes, there are a few flavorings included, but they’re probably ones you have in your pantry already. Buy a bag of rice, measure out what you need, add your own herbs and other seasonings, and cook the rice according to package directions.

Energy or protein bars

These calorie-laden bars are usually stacked at the checkout counter because they depend on impulse buyers who grab them, thinking they are more wholesome than a candy bar. Unfortunately, they can have very high fat and sugar contents and are often as caloric as a regular candy bar. They’re also two to three times more expensive than a candy bar. If you need a boost, a vitamin-rich piece of fruit, a yogurt, or a small handful of nuts is more satiating and less expensive.

Spice mixes

Spice mixes like grill seasoning and rib rubs might seem like a good buy because they contain a lot of spices that you would have to buy individually. Check the label first: We predict the first ingredient you will see on the package is salt, followed by the vague ‘herbs and spices.’ Look in your own pantry, and you’ll probably be surprised to discover just how many herbs you already have on hand, and you can improvise as much as you want.

Powdered iced tea mixes or prepared flavored iced tea

Powdered and gourmet iced teas are really a rip-off! It’s much cheaper to make your own iced tea from actual (inexpensive) tea bags and keep a jug in the fridge. Plus, many mixes and preparations are loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other sugars, along with artificial flavors. To make 32 ounces of iced tea, it usually takes 8 bags of black tea or 10 bags of herbal, green, or white tea. If you like your tea sweet but want to keep calories down, skip the sugar and add fruit juice instead.

Bottled water

Bottled water is a bad investment for so many reasons. It’s expensive compared to what’s coming out of the tap, its cost to the environment is high (it takes a lot of fossil fuel to produce and ship all those bottles), and it’s not even better for your health than the stuff running down your drain.

Even taking into account the cost of filters, water from home is still much cheaper than bottled water, which can run up to $1 to $3 a pop.

If you have well water and it really does not taste good (even with help from a filter), or if you have a baby at home who is bottle-fed and needs to drink safe water, buy jugs of distilled or ‘nursery’ water at big discount stores. They usually cost between 79 cents and 99 cents for 1 gallon (as opposed to $1.50 for 8 ounces of ‘designer’ water). And you can reuse the jugs to store homemade iced tea, flavored waters, or, when their tops are cut off, all sorts of household odds and ends.

Salad kits

Washed and bagged greens can be a time-saver, but they can cost three times as much as buying the same amount of a head of lettuce. Even more expensive are ‘salad kits,’ where you get some greens, a small bag of dressing, and a small bag of croutons. Skip these altogether. Make your own croutons by toasting cut-up stale bread you would otherwise toss, and try mixing your own salad dressing.

Individual servings of anything

The recent trend to package small quantities into 100-calorie snack packs is a way for food-makers to get more money from unsuspecting consumers. The price ‘per unit’ cost of these items is significantly more than if you had just bought one big box of cheese crackers or bag of chips. This is exactly what you should do. Buy the big box and then parcel out single servings and store them in small, reusable storage bags.

Trail mix

We checked unit prices of those small bags of trail mix hanging in the candy aisle not that long ago and were shocked to find that they cost about $10 a pound! Make your own for much, much less with a 1-pound can of dry roasted peanuts, 1 cup of raisins, and a handful of almonds, dried fruit, and candy coated chocolate. The best part about making your own? You only include the things you like. Keep the mixture in a plastic or glass container with a tight lid for up to 3 weeks.

‘Snack’ or ‘lunch’ packs

These ‘all-inclusive’ food trays might seem reasonably priced (from $2.50 to $4.00), but you’re actually paying for the highly designed label, wrapper, and specially molded tray. They only contain a few crackers and small pieces of cheese and lunchmeat. The actual edible ingredients are worth just pennies and are filled with salt.

Gourmet ice cream

It’s painful to watch someone actually pay $6 for a gallon of designer brand ice cream. Don’t bother. There’s usually at least one brand or other on sale, and you can easily dress up store brands with your own additives like chunky bits of chocolate or crushed cookie. If you do like the premium brands, wait for that 3-week sales cycle to kick in and stock up when your favorite flavor is discounted.

Pre-formed meat patties

Frozen burgers, beef or otherwise, are more expensive than buying the ground meat in bulk and making patties yourself. We timed it — it takes less than 10 seconds to form a flat circle and throw it on the grill. Also, there’s some evidence that pre-formed meat patties might contain more e. coli than regular ground meat. In fact, most of the recent beef recalls have involved pre-made frozen beef patties.

Filed Under: children and health, diet, health and wellness

Best Remedy for Tennis Elbow may Surprise You

February 19, 2013 by Meredith

Shot in arm plus physical therapy doesn’t help tennis elbow: Study

CNN: Weekend sports warriors take note – that pain radiating out of your elbow may be tennis elbow. But don’t be so quick to ask your doctor for a cortisone shot.

Research has shown cortisone, or corticosteroid shots, can alleviate the pain in the initial weeks, but have little effectiveness in the long run, and do nothing to reduce recurrence rates.

Doctors have prescribed physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, in conjunction with the shots, hoping to increase the cortisone’s long-term effectiveness, but a new study in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association finds that the physical therapy doesn’t aid the cortisone shots at all.It’s contrary to what Bill Vicenzino, one of the authors of the study, expected. “I was surprised to find that addition of physiotherapy did not reduce the recurrence or lift the success rate in the long term.”

“We were also very surprised that the addition of steroid to physiotherapy tends to diminish the effectiveness of the physiotherapy,” he said.

The study evaluated 165 patients who had pain from tennis elbow for more than six weeks. Patients were divided into four groups – one group given just cortisone shots, another group given placebo shots, a third group receiving both the steroid and the physical therapy, and a final group receiving a placebo shot and physical therapy.

The study found that after a year, those who had the cortisone shots had the least successful outcomes and highest rates of recurrence. And the addition of physical therapy made little difference to the shots. However, physical therapy alone seems to provide the best outcome, with just under a 5% recurrence rate after a year.

Almost half of all people who play racquet sports like tennis, squash, or racquetball have tennis elbow, but racquet sports aren’t the only way to get it. Any sort of activity that requires a lot of twisting or gripping motion, like pulling weeds, using a screwdriver, or using a computer mouse can also inflame the tendon that connects your forearm muscles to your elbow.
Dr. R. Amadeus Mason, who was not involved with the study, remarked that it has been standard practice for some time to use saline or lidocaine shots in place of cortisone. Mason is an assistant professor in the department of Orthopedics and Family Medicine at Emory University and advocates for physical therapy.

“The recommendation has been don’t use steroid, use either saline and mechanical treatment, and going back to physical therapy as your first line,” he said.

But tennis elbow is just difficult to treat, he noted. “Yes, there are a lot of treatment entities, but when you go back and look, the treatment entities aren’t consistent across the boards.”

Filed Under: alternative care, health and wellness, sports injuries, tennis elbow

New Research: Chiropractic Patients Less Likely to Undergo Lumbar Surgery

January 30, 2013 by Meredith

Newly published research reinforces our belief at Manning Wellness Clinic that Chiropractic is often the most effective, least invasive and least costly treatment for lower back pain.

Chiropractic Patients Less Likely to Undergo Lumbar Surgery

New Studies Support the Chiropractic Profession’s Conservative Approach to Health

Arlington, VA.—A recent study in the medical journal Spine found a strong association between chiropractic care and the avoidance of lumbar spine surgery. Manning Wellness Clinic and The American Chiropractic Association are encouraged by this and other recent research supporting chiropractic’s conservative, less costly approach to low-back pain.

Key findings of the Spine study show that:

• Patients under age 35, women, Hispanics and patients whose first provider was a chiropractic physician had reduced odds of lumbar spine surgery

• Approximately 43 percent of patients who saw a surgeon first had surgery

• Only 1.5 percent of those who saw a chiropractic physician first ended up having surgery

Two additional studies reinforce ACA’s longstanding position that health care providers should start with conservative approaches to treatment, such as the services provided by doctors of chiropractic, before guiding their patients to less conservative alternatives. Such an approach benefits patients and cuts health care spending—especially for a condition as common as low-back pain.

Dr. Jeff Manning with Manning Wellness Clinic in Dallas says, “I can’t even begin to count the number of my patients who, by receiving regular chiropractic adjustments, were able to completely avoid surgery and all of the risks associated with it. I always tell patients to exhaust every non-invasive option before heading under the knife. That’s not to say that there are many instances when surgery is necessary, but there are many, many more times when it can be avoided.”

A recent study in Medical Care found that adjusted annual medical costs among complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) users was $424 lower for spine-related costs, and $796 lower for total health care cost than among non-CAM users. Furthermore, CAM treatments were cost neutral to health care systems, meaning that CAM users did not add to the overall medical spending in a nationally representative sample of patients with neck and back problems.

Published in The Lancet, “The Global Burden of Disease 2010,” authored by an international group of experts assessing the world’s biggest health challenges, underscores the need for better solutions to back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions. The massive survey indicates that while people may be living longer they are doing so more frequently with disability. The study identifies musculoskeletal conditions as the second leading cause of disability, and cites low-back pain as one of the major contributors to disability worldwide. GBD authors noted that creating effective and affordable strategies to deal with the rising burden of non-fatal health outcomes should be an urgent priority for health care providers around the world.

“As governments and health systems around the globe search for answers to complicated health challenges such as rising numbers of chronically ill and disabled patients and runaway costs, research is finally demonstrating what the chiropractic profession has promoted for years: that caring for patients with conservative treatments first, before moving on to less conservative options or unnecessary drugs and surgery, is a sensible and cost-effective strategy,” said ACA President Keith Overland, DC.

Filed Under: alternative care, back pain, Dallas Chiropractic, health and wellness Tagged With: alternative treatment

Best and Worst Breakfasts for your Health

November 14, 2012 by Meredith

From Healthline: Fast-food breakfast sandwiches could be “a time bomb in a bun”—and eating even one fat-laden morning meal has immediate adverse effects on your arteries, according to a new study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress meeting in Toronto.

A high-fat diet is linked to increased risk for atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries due to plaque deposits), but the study suggests that damage that could lead to a heart attack or stroke may start sooner than was previously thought.

Just one day of eating a fat-laden breakfast sandwich–such as egg, cheese and ham sandwich on a bun – and “your blood vessels become unhappy,” said Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher Dr. Todd Anderson, director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta and head of cardiac science at the University of Calgary in a statement.

The study measured blood flow through the forearm in 20 healthy people (average age 23). The researchers mentioned that the sandwich used in the study contained ham, egg, and cheese but did not name the restaurant from which it came. The goal was to reveal the risks of eating a general type of widely available breakfast sandwich, not to point the finger at specific restaurant. The test was done twice: once on a day when they’d eaten two fast-food breakfast sandwiches of a type that available anywhere in the US or Canada, and again on another day when they’d fasted. The sandwiches contained a whopping 50 grams of fat and 900 calories.

Impaired Blood Flow Two Hours After Meal

Compared to volunteers who skipped breakfast, those who consumed the fatty sandwiches showed impaired blood flow in their forearms two hours after the greasy morning meal. That’s because their vessels were less able to dilate (widen) and deliver oxygenated blood to the heart.

While the effects from a single meal were temporary, over time such arterial changes could set the stage for a heart attack or stroke, the researchers report. They used a test called velocity time integral that measures how much blood flow can increase after a brief interruption (compressing the arm with a blood pressure cuff). The higher the velocity, the “happier” the blood vessels are.

While one cheesy sandwich isn’t going to do lasting damage, the researchers say that their results highlight the importance of limiting fat, cholesterol, calories, and salt to prevent heart attacks and strokes. A junk-food diet has also been linked to increased risk for dementia, a memory-robbing disorder that has been called “type 3 diabetes.”

What’s the Worst Breakfast of All?

Whether you’re looking to slim down, build muscle, train for a marathon, or just protect your health, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. And a fast-food morning meal is not the worse choice. Instead, the unhealthiest option is not eating a morning meal at all.

Not only do people who skip their morning meal—or begin the day with only a cup of coffee—have less energy, worse moods, and poorer memory those who eat breakfast, studies show, but they also face some serious health risks. First of all,they’re up to 450 percent more likely to become obese, which in turn boosts risk for a wide range of ailments, including cardiovascular disease—the leading killer of Americans—gout, joint problems, and even some forms of cancer.

A 2012 study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also reports that people who regularly skip breakfast have a 21 percent higher risk for type 2 diabetes. The researchers tracked about 29,000 men for 16 years and found that the increased risk remained even when body mass index was into account. Scientists suspect that a morning meal helps keep blood sugar levels stable during the day.

What’s the Healthiest Breakfast?

The right breakfast not only reduces risk for overeating later in the day, but also revs up metabolism, fuels your body and brain, and helps you maintain a healthy weight. For example, 80 percent of participants in the ongoing National Weight Control Registry study (which tracks more than 4,000 people who have dropped 30 or more pounds and kept them off for a year or longer) eat breakfast regularly.

Nutritionists advise including both lean protein and fiber in your morning meal, such as whole-grain unsweetened or low-sugar cereal mixed with non-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, or soy milk and topped with fresh fruit. Researchers at University of Texas at El Paso report that eating a filling breakfast helps people consume an average of 100 fewer calories per day, enough to add up to ten-pound weight loss over a year.

The Breakfast Food that Fights Belly Fat

Another study linked having whole-grain cereal for breakfast with reduced levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to both weight gain and a tendency to accumulate belly fat. A large waistline is the leading warning sign of metabolic syndrome, which quintuple risks for type 2 diabetes and triple it for heart attack.

95 percent of Americans don’t eat the recommended three ounces of whole grains a day, which you can get from a slice of whole-wheat bread, a 6-inch whole-grain corn tortilla, or a serving of cereal. The health benefits of whole grain include:

Longer life. A high-fiber diet can cut risk of death from cardiovascular causes by nearly 60 percent, according to a recent nine-year study of nearly 400,000 people ages 50 and older.
A healthier heart. Soluble fiber in oatmeal and out bran reduces LDL “bad,” cholesterol and total cholesterol.
Weight loss. Whole grains digest more slowly than refined grains, which keeps blood sugar levels stable rather than stimulating insulin.

Filed Under: Dallas Chiropractic, diet, health and wellness

Children’s Headaches: Vision may Not be to Blame

November 14, 2012 by Meredith

When a child suffers recurrent headaches, a parent’s first reaction is usually to assume that bad vision is to blame. Current research now says otherwise. At Manning Wellness Clinic, Dr. Manning has treated many pediatric patients who present with headache symptoms. With proper Chiropractic care, we are almost always successful in offering the children a drug-free, gentle treatment to relieve their headaches. Headaches will often times interfere with a child’s ability to pay attention in school. Getting treatment sooner rather than later is key.

CNN: If your child gets recurring headaches and you think they might need glasses, you may be mistaken – a new study says children’s headaches are rarely triggered by vision problems.

The study, presented Monday at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s annual meeting, was conducted by researchers at the ophthalmology clinic of Albany Medical Center in New York. They evaluated medical records of nearly 160 children under the age of 18 who were being seen at the clinic for frequent headaches.

Researchers compared the exams of children with headaches to their earlier vision exams and other medical records. In 75% of the children, the vision test results were the same. No significant link was found between the headaches and a need for glasses – even if the headaches happened when the child is doing a visual task like homework.

“We hope our study will help reassure parents that in most cases their children’s headaches are not related to vision or eye problems, and that most headaches will clear up in time,” said Dr. Zachary Roth, who led the research team. “The information should also be useful to family doctors and pediatricians in caring for children and parents who have this common health concern.”

Researchers found in most cases, the children’s headaches resolved over a period of time regardless of whether the child got a new prescription for glasses or not. And those who did get new glasses were no more likely to have their headaches get better.

It’s highly unusual to find something wrong with the eyes when a child complains of headaches, says Dr. Daniel Neely, a professor of ophthalmology at Indiana University who specializes in pediatrics and the chairman of theAmerican Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus’ vision screening committee.

“The study is consistent with everyone’s clinical practice around the country. If the child has headaches the first stop should be their primary care doctor, and they will assess whether or not a comprehensive eye exam would be indicated.”

According to Neely, vision screenings – whether someone just measures the vision with an eye chart or with a vision screening device (camera-type devices called photo screeners) – should be part of a pediatric well-child visit .

“Some of them are very good about doing it and some of them are not very good about doing it, but the recommendation is that it should be done every year or two,” he says. ” … What we don’t recommend is that everyone get a comprehensive eye doctor eye exam unless they fail a screening or unless there is something in their family history that puts them at increased risk.”

Neely says if vision screening is not being offered as part of the well-child visits, ask for it – sooner rather than later.

“The reason that there’s a time factor on these screenings is because of a condition called amblyopia,” he says. “Young children less than age 7 are neurologically immature and if you have something significant affecting their vision, their brain will actually stop using the eye or both eyes and that becomes permanent loss of vision if not detected and treated. So the younger you identify them, the more easily you can treat them.”

Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is very common in children and is responsible for more vision loss than all the other causes combined, according to AAPOS. It happens when the eye sends blurry images to the brain, confusing it and causing the brain to learn to ignore images from the weak eye.

And Neely says as children get older they are less likely to respond to corrective treatment. “So if you detect something at age 10 that was serious, it would be too late. And that, again, is why we want the pediatrician doing this, because by the time the kid gets to school that window of opportunity is closing. So a vision screening by the school nurse in first grade might be too late.”

Most pediatricians will do some variation of the screening at every visit, Neely says, but AAPOS recommends children have a documented vision measurement by age 5.

Filed Under: Dallas Chiropractic, headache

Can Super Foods Help you Lose Weight?

November 9, 2012 by Meredith

Nutrition is something we tend to cover in almost all initial exams at Manning Wellness Clinic. We all know increased weight has an impact on the body, both physically and physiologically, but knowing we need to lose weight and actually doing it are two very different things. If certain foods can not only increase your nutrition, but help you to lose weight in the process, it’s a win-win. Read on…

(CNN) — When you’re on a diet, food consumes your life.

You can’t eat carbohydrates, so you think about them constantly. You can’t dig into your co-worker’s candy drawer, so M&M’s float across your computer screen like a desert mirage.

You skip the bar after work because that’s where the margaritas live. And forget snacking after 8 p.m.; that would be breaking diet rule No. 364.

“I’ve hated diets all my life,” says Lucy Danziger, who is ironically the author of weight-loss book, “The Drop 10 Diet.”

“If I tell you ‘Don’t think about this,’ that’s all you can think about.”

What if losing weight didn’t have to be so negative?

As the editor-in-chief of SELF magazine for more than 10 years, Danziger has seen every fad diet known to woman come across her desk.

Then, five years ago, the triathlete decided to ditch dieting all together and focus on choosing foods that would “pay her back.” She wanted to run, swim and bike faster, and she needed the proper fuel to do that.

Danziger started eating superfoods: foods like nuts, berries and whole grains that are full of fiber, protein and important nutrients. In less than six months, she dropped 25 pounds.

It’s certainly not a new nutrition concept: Avoid processed foods; eat more vegetables and fruits; replace white bread with wheat. But the idea of focusing on what you should eat, instead of what you can’t, could change the way we look at weight loss in America, Danziger says.

“We’re going to give you so many choices of what you can eat, you’re not thinking about starvation. … You’re thinking about feeding the engine.”

Danziger is big on metaphors. As she noshes on almonds in her office, she compares superfoods to premium gas for a car. “They have to do more than supply you with calories.”

So what makes a food “super”?

Eat the things you love, lose weight

What to eat after a workout?

Dr. Steven Pratt coined the term in 2004 with his first book, “SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life.”

According to Pratt, a superfood has three qualifications: It has to be readily available to the public, it has to contain nutrients that are known to enhance longevity, and its health benefits have to be backed by peer-reviewed, scientific studies.

Pratt lists salmon, broccoli, spinach, berries and green tea as a few of his favorites. His website, SuperFoodsRx.com, gives 20 more examples.

“These foods were chosen because they contain high concentrations of crucial nutrients, as well as the fact that many of them are low in calories,” the website states. “Foods containing these nutrients have been proven to help prevent and, in some cases, reverse the well-known effects of aging, including cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes, hypertension and certain cancers.”

Weight loss wasn’t on Pratt’s agenda when he started supporting superfoods. Yet as he traveled around the world touting the brand, that’s what people were excited about.

“The most common thing I hear is how much weight people lost without trying to lose weight,” Pratt says. “It’s the non-diet diet. It’s food you can eat for a lifetime.”

Marisa Moore, a registered dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says superfoods are healthy, but adding them to your plate won’t simply melt the pounds away.

“Yes, there are foods that are high in fiber, water and protein, and therefore promote satiety. … These are without a doubt recommended as weight-management friendly,” Moore wrote in an e-mail. “But to say that they boost fat loss may be taking it a step too far.”

Danziger agrees: Superfoods aren’t a free pass to eat as much as you want, whenever you want. Still, it would be pretty difficult to get fat eating spinach.

For Danziger, eating superfoods is about energy. She feels super after eating superfoods. She wants to work out, which in turn helps her sleep better, which gives her more energy and keeps her diet on track.

Pratt says that feeling is what keeps the superfoods trend strong.

“The better you feel, the more you do it. Your body will send an e-mail to your brain within minutes thanking it, saying, ‘I’m going to do better. I’m not going to get sick anymore.’ ”

After joking about injecting that feeling into his patients, Pratt turns serious. He’s been pushing superfoods since the mid-1990s, and still obesity rates and obesity-related disease rates are sky-high in America.

Pratt attributes most of that to the culture: It takes time and energy to make a change. Danziger says cost is certainly an issue for some people. But both experts agree the reward is worth it in the long run.

“At the end of the day, you invest in your wardrobe and your hair and your car and everything else,” Danziger says. “So invest in your body. Because it’s supposed to last for 100 years.”

Filed Under: Dallas Chiropractic Tagged With: super foods, weight loss

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