“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” -John Gunther
Monday, June 25, 2012
Exercise of the Week: Lateral Flexion + Forward Flexion
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Start: Sit upright in chair.
Exercise: Place one hand on top of head, with fingers pointing down toward opposite shoulder, behind ear (image 2). Then, allow neck to relax as weight of arm pulls head and neck gently forward and to opposite side (image 3). Chin should be pointing down toward knee, and you should not feel pain in this position. Drop shoulder on side you feel the stretch. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Switch sides, and repeat 2X per side.
Topic of the Week: How Does Breakfast Impact Your Health?
You have no doubt heard the old saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but aside from providing calories for energy, what are the other benefits of eating a morning meal? Research conducted on breakfast in the last decade shows how it may affect obesity, cravings, and nutrient intake. Breakfast also appears to influence the type of foods we select to consume during the rest of the day.
What Science Says
According to a 2011 survey about 10 to 12 percent of people in North America skip eating breakfast. Breakfast research has focused on a number of questions, including disease, breakfast skippers and body weight.
A study conducted in France showed people who consumed one quarter of their daily calories at breakfast were more likely to skip fatty food items and boost their levels of vitamins and minerals compared to breakfast skippers. As well, the authors commented that “…breakfasts and cereal consumption were associated with lower serum cholesterols” in the breakfast eating group.
An advantage of eating a breakfast cereal rich in fiber is it lessens the risk of heart disease. Soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream, and makes you feel fuller longer, so you often cut your overall daily calorie count. Breakfast cereals made from whole grains is a great way to increase your fiber intake, which should be about 1 ounce (25 to 30 grams) each day. Studies show that people who reach these levels of fiber intake slashed their risk of heart attack from 25 to 35 percent.
A similar study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, revealed people who regularly ate whole grain breakfast cereals had a lower risk of heart failure.
As well as fiber, one study showed that eating sufficient protein at breakfast can help you feel full. Research conducted at the University of Missouri used MRI scans on human test subjects, and the scans revealed a protein focused breakfast reduced brain signals controlling food “motivation and reward-driven eating behavior.” A protein heavy breakfast may curb snacking and assist people in losing weight more easily.
The medical journal Pediatrics conducted a study on adolescents and discovered over a five-year period teens that consumed a daily morning meal were more likely to eat healthier, be more physically active, and have a lower body mass index (BMI) than teens that skipped breakfast.
Another adolescent study was initiated “to examine the association of breakfast and cereal intake with body mass index (BMI) and consumption of nutrients” by girls. The researchers found that girls regularly eating cereal was “related to increased intake of fiber, calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamin C, and zinc, and decreased intake of fat and cholesterol…eating cereal was predictive of lower BMI.”
“Would You Like to See the Dessert Menu?”
One of the most surprising breakfast studies came out earlier this year. Researchers in Israel found that having dessert after a well-balanced 600 calorie breakfast of protein and carbohydrates actually helped dieters to lose weight and keep those extra pounds from returning. The study published in the medical journal Steroids followed obese participants for 32 weeks and discovered that those people who added a dessert (cookies, cake or chocolate) lost an average of 40 lbs (18 kilograms) compared to the participants who did not include sweets.
What can explain this unusual result? The lead researcher noted that avoiding sweets completely can actually make psychological cravings stronger. Restrictive diets work initially, but as times goes by many dieters become weary of the depravation and return to snacking on sweets throughout the day. A researcher commented: "…the group that consumed a bigger breakfast, including dessert, experienced few if any cravings for these foods later in the day."
When it comes to eating a well-rounded breakfast, you should include servings of whole grain, fruit or vegetables and a healthy source of protein. These choices will help deliver the energy to start your day, keep you feeling fuller longer, and prevent unhealthy snacking. Have questions about your diet? Ask your chiropractor!
Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © -The Wellness ExpressTM
Monday, June 11, 2012
Topic of the Week: Can Nutrition Help Kids with ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurological disorder among children, accounting for over 35% of all medical referrals to psychiatric clinics. In North America, it affects about six million kids and the rate appears to be increasing, as statistics showed a 22 percent jump in ADHD cases from 2003 to 2007. Although a few medical researchers believe it may be over diagnosed and over treated, ADHD remains a challenging disorder for both children and their families.
Kids with ADHD have trouble concentrating, act impulsively and have difficulty remaining still. It can dramatically impact their academic performance and social status among peers.
For reasons that are still undetermined, boys are more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder, and are prescribed medication three times more often than girls. Recent studies also indicate ADHD may have a pivotal role in the development of other chronic health conditions. For example, insomnia and other sleep disturbance problems appear more often in children with ADHD.
A study published in the journal Sleep showed 17 percent of ADHD adolescents suffered insomnia compared to 7 percent of teens without this disorder and the research indicates these sleep problems may extend into adulthood. Lack of sleep also exacerbates attention and concentration problems.
ADHD & Nutrition
Many parents of ADHD children are looking for an alternative– or a reduction – to medication. Changing to a healthier diet may reduce symptoms for some kids.
Medical research points to Western society’s indulgence of processed food, often high in refined sugar and low in nutrients as a possible cause of ADHD. Food additives and coloring are also suspects. Research published in the Journal of Attention Disorders reveals the common Western diet doubled the risk for developing ADHD. This may be the result of the low levels of nutrients in this food.
Some experts also recommend testing ADHD kids for gluten intolerance and, if they test positive, removing gluten food products from their diet.
Switching ADHD children to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish may provide a way to reduce the symptoms.
Research indicates omega 3 fatty acids found in fish are excellent for optimizing the health of the brain and nervous system. In particular, DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, seems especially influential on proper brain function for memory and learning. Choose fish that have low mercury levels, such as anchovies, mackerel and wild salmon.
While more research needs to be conducted on this subject, a study that appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that ADHD “subjects with lower compositions of total n-3 fatty acids had significantly more behavioral problems, temper tantrums, and learning, health, and sleep problems than did those with high proportions of n-3 fatty acids.”
Missing Minerals May Make Impact
A mineral that may be important for reducing ADHD symptoms is magnesium. It is involved in hundreds of chemical reactions in the body. Unfortunately, magnesium deficiency is common in the Western world. When you have low levels of the mineral, your nervous system can become agitated and overexcited.
A French study on ADHD children revealed those that received a combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 over eight weeks achieved substantial improvement in attention and other cognitive functions. When they no longer received this nutritional combination, the children’s ADHD symptoms returned.
Another mineral that may help with ADHD is zinc. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry revealed that zinc levels of ADHD kids were 43 percent lower than children in the placebo group.
It is preferable to have your child get required nutrients through his or her diet. If your child is a finicky eater, supplements may fill the nutritional gap -- consuming a good quality multivitamin may help ADHD kids achieve optimal nutritional levels. However, you should always consult your chiropractor or pediatrician before providing your child with vitamins, herbs or other supplements.
Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © -The Wellness ExpressTM
Exercise of the Week: Range of Motion: Rotation
Difficulty: Easy
Start: Sit upright in chair.
Exercise: Turn head as far to one side as you can. Stop when you feel resistance to movement, but no pain. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Then, turn head as far to other side as you can. Once again, stop when you feel resistance, but no pain. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat 5-10X per side.
Quote of the Week
“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.”~ Tony Robbins
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