Healthy Choices

Don’t Negotiate With Your Body

As our nation continues to pursue the “magic pill” to our health woes, you may want to consider taking matters into your own hands.  The good news is that it does not require any picketing or persuasion of your local governmental representatives.  If we look at the leading causes of death and illness amongst Americans, it is no surprise that a great number of them are due to lifestyle habits.  You can make the difference yourself; it IS in your control.

Our bodies are well designed to work properly when they are given what is needed.  If you try to withhold that, your body will not respond well.  The old adage that you are what you eat, could never be truer.  We have a generation of people who skip breakfast or have coffee (loaded with all the good stuff) and donuts to start the day.  This is followed by a hamburger with a side of fried potatoes, chips, a cookie, and a large soda for lunch.  Then dinner is served with large servings of meat and potatoes, followed by a gluttony of dessert.

Down the road, we realize that we are putting on more weight than we would like and start to think that our weight is the problem.  The response may be eating things labeled “Low Fat,” “Sugar Free,” or “Healthy.”  If you think about it, things that are truly healthy do not need to be labeled as such.  Things that are sugar-free and low fat often contain substitutes that our bodies do not know what to do with.

When we realize that this is not working, we look around for the latest crazes in diet programs that overload our bodies with more protein than they need, or join an expensive club to be told that we can lose weight by expelling more energy than we consume.  We can see the problem with these crazes when we look at the temporary nature of these programs.  Once we have lost the weight we hoped to achieve, we “graduate” and do whatever we want as if our diets are only important on a short-term basis.

All this time, we had forgotten that weight was not the problem.  It was US all along.  It was our behavior, and the choices we made that got us to where we are.

The question we should be asking ourselves is, “Are we truly healthy?”  Being healthy is not just about looking good or feeling good, though it includes both.  Our bodies need a wide array of nutrients to stay healthy and prevent us from illness.  The choices we make in the foods we eat play an important role in that.  We cannot just choose to eat healthy temporarily or at certain times; the body will not compromise-it will not change how it reacts to poor choices.  However, making even just a few good changes now can have a significant impact.

Shop at the perimeter of the grocery store.
This is typically where you will find all the fresh produce and foods.  Avoiding the center aisles will keep you away from overly-processed foods that lack nutritional value.

Eat more fruits and vegetables.
We all knew this would be included.  Doctors have said this for years, and it was as true then as it is now.

Eat fresh produce.
If at all possible, get them when they are in-season at your local farmers’ market or directly from your own garden.  When they are out of season, try the frozen alternatives since they are typically more fresh and nutritious than their canned counterparts.  Eat them raw if possible, as there will be fewer nutrients cooked out.

Pay attention to colors.
When picking what fruits and vegetables to eat, try to keep a variety of the different colors of the rainbow.  The different colored produce contains different nutrients and antioxidants that are vital for health.

Supplements, not substitutes.
Remember that if you are taking your daily vitamins and supplements, they are not meant to be replacements to your meals.  Continue to eat a regular and healthy diet.

Avoid overconsumption.
Remember that not every meal is a Thanksgiving dinner.  Eating until engorged is not a healthy way to consume your foods.  It is recommended to eat moderate sized meals frequently throughout the day.  This will help maintain a healthy metabolism.

Avoid smoking.
Smoking has devastating effects on your whole body, not just your lungs.

Avoid fad diet programs.
Though these programs may help lose weight really quickly, they typically lack the nutritional substances your body needs to be healthy.  Most people who enter these programs end up gaining all the weight back, plus a few more pounds within a few months.  Putting your body through this roller coaster ride can be very devastating physically and psychologically.  Don’t let the TV ads and the media fool you.  Looking good does not equal feeling good, nor does it mean being healthy.  There is a reason why the same celebrity is on TV pushing a new diet fad every few months.

Balance your lifestyle.
Don’t forget about other parts of your life.  Make sure you get enough sleep and exercise, properly deal with stress, and enjoy your life.

Alignment.
Keeping yourself well aligned by seeing your Chiropractor for routine checkups can be very beneficial to a properly functioning body.  Remember that your nervous system controls how your body functions.  Keeping stress off your spine will allow it to work properly.

Remember that the most important part of these changes is that they become routine.  These small changes can have wonderful results.

How much can keeping your spine properly aligned help?  Watch this video to see how it has helped local children.

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Happy Halloween!

It’s that time of year again, and we are not just referring to cold and flu scares.  Though it is important to make sure you and your kids take the necessary precautions to prevent infections, here are some other tips to help ensure Halloween is safe and fun:

Halloween Candy Safety Tips:

• Examine candy wrappers carefully.
• Do not let your kids consume any candy before you inspect it.
• Pay attention to any foods that your kids may have allergies to.
• Discard candy with any punctures or tears in the wrapper.
• Discard candy with any sign of being unwrapped.
• Discard candy with wrappers that are discolored or faded.
• Discard any unwrapped candy.
• Discard candy from unknown manufacturers or sources.
• Discard home-wrapped treats from unknown sources (cookies, popcorn, baked goods, etc.).
• Inspect fruits for punctures.
• Discard fruits that are from an unknown source since toxins may not be visible.
• Keep control of the area your kids do their trick-or-treating, staying out of unfamiliar neighborhoods.
• Don’t forget about the local businesses or malls that provide safe avenues for young trick-or-treaters.
• Make sure kids brush their teeth after eating candy to help prevent cavities.
• Be the parent.  Take control of how much and how often your kids consume candy as it contains high volumes of sugar and other chemicals that are not intended to be consumed in high volumes and frequency.
• Make sure your kids don’t go trick-or-treating hungry to decrease the temptation to gorge.
• Once candy has been inspected, ration out an appropriate amount to consume and place the rest in an area that is out of reach and out of sight.

Halloween Safety Tips:

• Make sure your kids can safely walk through neighborhoods, especially when it gets dark.
• Carry a good flashlight; attach glow sticks or reflective lighting to kids’ costumes.
• Plan ahead and know the neighborhoods and routes before trick-or-treating.
• Travel in groups and do not walk in between parked cars.
• Never let kids go to the door alone.
• Never let kids go inside a home alone.
• Stay in well-lit areas, as opposed to dark lawns or alleys.
• If crossing the street, cross at the crosswalks.
• Make sure masks are big enough to allow for as much peripheral vision as possible.
• Costumes should not be too long or big to prevent tripping and stumbling.
• Try to use flame-proof materials for costumes; if homemade, make sure kids are careful around pumpkins or anything with candles.
• Be especially careful around sharp objects.
• Props such as displays with fake swords, pitchforks, knives, etc. should be made of a safe soft material.
• Keep your yard safe for other kids by keeping it clean, putting away bikes and toys, and keeping it well lit.
• Drivers should be cautious and drive slowly, especially through residential areas.
• Don’t let kids carry large bags, as the tendency is to carry more candy than they should.  Kids are susceptible to sprain or strain injures as well.  If you are concerned that your child may have been injured, don’t wait. See your doctor right away.