Healthy Nutrition Hints and more….

Picture this: You kids beg and plead for you to go roller blading with them. After much consideration, you agree to go and lace up your skates and go. As you are blading along the sidewalk you hit a pebble, trip and fall, landing on your left knee. After biting your tongue because you truly want to scream out obscenities, you notice your knee is changing a myriad of colors and 3 times larger than your other knee. Your kids come to your rescue and manage to get you home without hurting yourself further. So, what do you use on your injured knee? Heat or Cold?

Both heat and ice improve the healing process by generating the blood flow, reducing inflammation and reducing pain. Knowing which one to use, when, will keep you from possibly doing further damage.

Cold treatment - Ice is generally used on acute injuries, which are injuries that have occurred within 72 hours. The goal is to limit the body’s response to the injury. This happens by reducing the blood flow into the injured tissues, reducing the swelling, and reducing muscle spasms and pain. It is also wise to use ice for chronic conditions, such as arthritis, tendonitis or overused injuries in athletes, but after activity. Using the ice after the activity will help control the inflammatory response.

The method of ice treatment that is useful for these injuries is quite simple. Place an ice pack between a cloth or towel, before placing on the injury to prevent frostbite. The ice pack then remains on the injured part for 20 minutes. It is normal to experience the following phases of cold, burning then numbness. The ice application should not exceed 20 minutes, or you can do more harm than good. This process can then be repeated for 2 to 3 hours for an acute injury.

Heat treatment - Heat is mainly used for chronic injuries to relax and loosen the tissues and stimulate blood flow to the given area. Heat should be used before activities and not after. It is important to remember not to use heat after and acute injury. Heat will increase the blood flow and increase the inflammatory response and may make the problem worse.

The most effective method of heat treatment are moist hot towels. The towels can be heating under running hot water or placed in the microwave, and then applied to the injured area. Heating pads, hot water bottles and hot showers or baths work well too. Remember to not apply for longer than 20 minutes and be sure to not fall asleep on a heating pad.

Combination treatment - This treatment can be used 48 to 72 hours after the injury occurs to receive the most benefit. Hot and cold packs are alternated for 10 minutes at a time each. The alternating will keep the swelling from occurring by using the ice and keep blood and nutrients circulating through the area with the heat. Be sure to also end the treatment with ice to avoid further swelling from occurring.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

As a child our parents always told us to go play outside when the sun was out. Now I wonder if they were just trying to get rid of us or actually helping us maintain healthier bones by increasing our ability to make vitamin D. Vitamin D also helps the body absorb calcium, the building block for bones and teeth.

Vitamin D is readily available through the giant, fireball in the sky. The Natural Library of Health states that your body will obtain the required amount of Vitamin D with as little as 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure 3 times a week.

Unfortunately, with the rush-rush lifestyles we lead it is difficult to find the time to spend out in the sun or outdoors and not to mention the risk of overexposure –skin cancer. We need not worry because if we are unable to obtain Vitamin D the natural way through sun exposure we can obtain it with foods and supplements. The current recommended daily dosage of Vitamin D is 200 IU for younger adults, 400 IU for those aged between 51 and 70 and 600 IU for those individuals older than 70. But according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, those values may be too low. Studies have shown that for an adult the amounts should be increased to 700-800 IU per day.

What happens if we do not get enough Vitamin D? The risk of osteoporosis when you age is much higher as well as a higher chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Increasing your intake of Vitamin D has protective effects. There was a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found younger adults with increased amounts of Vitamin D reduced their risk for multiple sclerosis by 62 percent. It showed those with Vitamin D levels of 100 nmol/L or higher reduced their risk by 50 percent compared to those with lower Vitamin D levels.

Studies have also shown that with the minimum intake of Vitamin D supplements as well as moderate sun exposure, the risks of breast cancer and colorectal cancer are drastically reduced. The lesson to be learned here is not difficult. Vitamin D plays a vital role in our aging process. It is a big component to preventing diseases. Good sources include the following: fish, dairy products, fortified cereal, multivitamin supplements, Vitamin D and sun exposure.

So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy the sun, your body will thank you for it.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

Everyone knows the importance of nutrition and exercise. We know that in order to keep our muscles in good shape we must exercise. But when was the last time you exercised your brain? A brain workout is just as important as a workout for our bodies and even more so.

A research study performed at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Southern California determined that mental training programs that are computer based appeared to improve cognitive performance in older people by 10 years. So are you curious yet? Are you wondering how to keep your brain fit? Here are a few tips:

• Challenge your brain : Working on games such as word jumbles, crossword puzzles and sudoku (a numbers game), will keep your mind working. In tests of people who worked on crossword puzzles of all ages, those in their 60s and 70s did the best.

• Eat your fruits and vegetables : Yes, not only are they good for us physically but they are good for us mentally as well. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends a diet rich in dark vegetables and colorful fruits. Some examples are spinach, kale and berries, raisins and oranges. They also suggest fish such as trout or salmon which are both high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3-fatty acids keep the neurons in the brain firing as they should.

• Be social : Getting involved in your community or participating in a favorite hobby with others is a great way to become social. Research has found that those with social ties were less likely to suffer cognitive decline. A research study done at George Washington University found that elderly people who joined a choir also increased their other activities within a 12 month time period and those that were not involved in the choir dropped out completely from any other social groups or activities.

• Move your body : Research has found that people who are active and exercised regularly for at least 3 months increased the blood flow to the hippocampus part of the brain. This part of the brain is responsible for memory. The research also showed a production of new brain cells. This increase in blood flow to the brain can offset mini-strokes which tend to cause cognitive decline.

So, let’s start exercising our brain along with our bodies. Keeping our bodies in shape is very important but now we know that keeping our brain in shape is even more important. What will you do today to exercise your brain?

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

Ever wonder what is so powerful and potent about green tea? Why do I see green tea in just about everything. For instance, just the other day, I saw green tea as one of the ingredients in a hair product. Hmm, what makes green tea so mysterious yet powerful? I decided to research and find out exactly what makes green tea one of the best teas for us as a whole.

Tea is known as one of the first Asian herbs we have ever used. There are wide varieties of teas in the Eastern World, but us in the Western World are only familiar with a select few. Each type of teas was use for certain medicinal purposes and the green teas were used for cooling and cleansing.

Recent studies have shown that green teas have reduced cholesterol by lowering blood lipids. Because of this, they reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. Green teas are also known to be more bitter than the other varieties. The leaves are dark green and the effect is slightly laxative. Not only have they been shown to reduce cholesterol, green teas’ flavonoids help with the absorption of Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system.

Green teas when taken in the morning will give you the added boost to start your day. This bitter tea will help in the elimination of poorly digested food. It also acts as a stimulant because it clears phlegm. The teas that work well are those that feel refreshing and energizing and cleansing. Green tea provides all of these characteristics, making this a great morning tea. But don’t limit yourself to just mornings. Green tea is a great energizer for throughout the day.

You will find many varieties of green tea on the market today. You will not have to go to a health food store or a Ethnic shop to buy this amazing tea. You can find it in your local grocery store and it is not just made to drink hot either. Some of the most popular forms of drinking this wonderful, mysterious green tea is in cold forms. Because of all it’s properties, it has become one of the widely used teas on the market today.

Have you had your green tea today? If not, what are you waiting for?

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

Many people wonder how they can lose weight without feeling hungry. These same people feel they need to take hunger suppressing diet drugs, but there is a safer and less expensive way. There are more satisfying ways to curb your hunger, the natural way.

• Make time for breakfast - yes, breakfast, if you have read my other posts, you will know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Did you know that it can also prevent nightly cravings? Many of us consume most of our calories at the end of a long day. But, research has shown those who start the day with a healthy, calorie-rich meal, will consume 5% less calories throughout the day. You will not starve yourself and you can actually be 10 pounds lighter in a year!
• Think low-calorie and nutrient rich - start by smart snacking. By snacking on fruits, veggies or sweet potatoes, you can actually suppress the hunger hormone. Low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods will make you feel satiated on a lot fewer calories. So, stay away from the potato chips!
• Take a deep breath - yes, a deep breath. Stress causes the body to produce cortisol, which then creates a resistance to leptin, a hormone that helps you feel full. By simply breathing, you can reduce stress and keep yourself feeling full longer. Try a breathing technique, where you release tension from your body by exhaling for a count of five, letting your shoulders slump as you breathe out. Then count to five as you inhale gently and fully, down through your lungs and into your belly. Hold for a count of four, exhale and repeat the process. Continue this technique throughout the day at different intervals and reduce your stress.
• Don’t skip your complex carbs - By including sweet potatoes, apples and even lentils to your diet, you can lose weight in just weeks. People who consume fiber-rich, complex-carbohydrate foods will most likely lose more than 2 pounds in five weeks. These foods are low in glycemic levels and will not cause your blood sugars to spike, therefore making you feel full longer.
• Don’t rule out potatoes - yes, you can eat white potatoes. White potatoes contain a natural resistant starch. This type of starch will act like a fiber once it hits your digestive system. This will in turn cause you to feel full longer while keeping your blood sugar level after a meal and may even reduce body fat. Cooling the potatoes will double the amount of starch, so it is just fine to enjoy your potato salad and fit into your skinny jeans, too.
• Don’t dismiss vanilla - it is not just for potpourri or decorative candles, it can also curb your appetite. The scent of vanilla releases neuropeptides, which then send signals to your brain making you feel full. Any vanilla scent will do, from extract to body lotions to candles. Enjoy the scent and lose weight.
• How about a dash of air with your meal - Professor Barbara Rolls, PhD, discovered that those who drank smoothies and other blended drinks for at least twice as long as necessary, ate 12% less and felt fuller than people who drank beverages blended for a shorter period of time. Dr. Rolls, a published author and Gunthrie Chair of Nutrition at Penn State, claims that the increased air in the longer-blended drinks made the people feel fuller.

Now you can feel full the natural way.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

There 10 fruits, vegetables and plants that should be a part of your diet…are they in your diet? Let’s see:

1. Pumpkin seeds : Did you know that just 1oz of pumpkin seeds contain 150mg of magnesium. They are also high in zinc and phytosterols, shown to lower cholesterol and defend against cancer.
2. Cabbage : These leafy, green vegetables contain a healthy supply of nutrients. One of the nutrients include sulforaphane, a chemical which increase your body’s production of enzymes. These enzymes combat cell-damaging free radicals and reduce the risk of cancer.
3. Dried plums : These little beauties are infamous for their high fiber content. However, they also include high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids which fight against structural damage to cells, one of the primary causes of cancer.
4. Gogi berries : These berries resemble raisins, yet they taste sweet and sour and are red in color. Including these in your diet will help protect the liver, improve sexual function and increase circulation. They are very high in antioxidants that help prevent the aging process of our cells.
5. Beets : These roots are known for their dark red coloring and are surprisingly sweet for a vegetable. They are the best source for folate and betaine, which help to lower your blood levels of homocysteine. What exactly is homocysteine?? Well homocysteine can damage arteries and increase the risk of heart disease…so eat your beets!!
6. Cinnamon : This is a common spice that many think are just used for cookies or cakes, but don’t overlook a pinch or two in your coffee or on your oatmeal. Cinnamon can lower your blood sugar and lower triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
7. Guava : This slightly pear-shaped fruit is known for its sweet, acidic flavor and its yellow or pink in color. It contains cancer-fighting agents such as lycopene. Lycopene is known for warding off prostate cancer. It also contains 688 mg of potassium and 9 grams of fiber, which is important in everyone’s diet.
8. Swiss chard : This is a slightly bitter and salty vegetable. This particular vegetable contains huge amounts of lutein andzeaxanthin, plant chemicals known as carotenoids. These protect the retinas from age-related damage.
9. Purslane : This is a broad-leaved weed. It has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant. It also contains 10 to 20 times more melatonin than any other fruit or vegetable.
10. Pomegranate juice : This juice has been consumed for decades in the Middle East as a popular juice beverage. Just 4oz of this juice a day provides 50% of your daily vitamin C needs.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

Being a Chiropractor I found this to be very interesting. I came across an article that mentioned how Chiropractic care can help children with Autism. Well, that sparked my interest because I know many who have children with this dreadful problem and find themselves helpless.

This article was written by a world-renowned chiropractor for children, Dr. Joan Fallon. She stated that more and more parents of children with developmental issues were seeking out chiropractors. She believes, as I do, that many times children with developmental issues, especially children with autism, experience sensory integreation problems. Sensory integreation disorder is defines as ‘the disorganization of the multi-sensory input into the body.’ People who suffer from this have profound and often dibilitating difficulty with touch, taste, smell, sound or visual input. Which means they have difficulty processing incoming sensory information.

So for instance, when in a mall or playground, most of us can block out sounds and talking that occurs around us. However, a child with sensory integration problems has difficulty filtering out the noises effectively, so it all comes at him/her all at once. Dr. Fallon believes that Chiropractic can help children with these problems, because Chiropractic care can get to the root of the problem by helping correct the imbalances in the nervous system. Imbalances in the nervous system are caused by ’subluxations’ in the spine.

Chiropractors correct ’subluxations’ in the spine. What are ’subluxations’? It is when two or more segments in the spine with the disc between are misaligned or lost its proper position. Subluxation can cause a numerous amount of problems in an adult and in a child it is much worse. As Chiropractors, we determine the areas of subluxations, misalignments and put them in the proper position. When subluxations are corrected, the body is brought into alignment and able to maintain the integrity of various systems within the body, including the nervous system.

Much more research has been done offering hope for children with autism. Chiropractic care believes that healing of the body comes from within. We as chiropractors, maintain the spine in alignment, therefore allowing your body as a whole to function at its optimum level.

We have seen children with these same conditions, improve tremendously with Chiropractic care. Give Chiropractic a chance and a child with autism a chance to live a symptom-free and healthier life.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

Catechins and epicatechins are found in a variety of plant sources. The largest source of catechins in the human diet are found in chocolates, wine, teas and vegetables.

Catechins also demonstrate antioxidant activities. Remember antioxidants are needed to remove the toxins from our bodies, but our bodies don’t make these so we must find products that are high in antioxidant levels to keep our bodies healthy.

Studies have shown that catechins can reduce atherosclerotic plaques, therefore are beneficial to us for cardiovascular purposes. Epicatechins can reduce the risk of 4 major health problems: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes. A professor named Norman Hollenburg who teaches at Harvard Medical School, did a study of people in Panama who drank 40 cups of cocoa a week and found that the prevalence of the major 4 health problems was less than 10%. He believes that epicatechins should be considered essential to the diet and should be classed as a vitamin.

We can obtain the power of epicatechins and catechins by adding products made from unprocessed cacao to our daily diets. It is true that catechins and epicatechins can also be found in fruits and vegetables, but the body needs to capture as many different types of catechins as possible such as those found in tea and chocolate. Dark chocolate has higher concentrations of catechins due to the higher levels of cocoa.

Be sure to add unprocessed cacao to your daily diets to get the highest levels of catechins and epicatechins in your system needed to prevent the ‘Big Four’: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.

Until next time,
Dr. Mommy

It’s all over the news…. the benefits of dark chocolate and the acai berry….but does everyone really know why those two main products are soooo good for us????

Well, I will list just a few reasons that they are very important to add to our health regimen—

1. Both the acai berry and dark chocolate contain FIBER.. The fiber will help the digestive system, eliminating wastes…And healthy chocolate does not have any transfatty acids…

2. Studies have shown that the consumption of dark chocolate may PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN..Cocoa contains mood-elevating chemicals that help people feel more energy and want to exercise more, which will also contribute to weight loss.

3. If you have high blood pressure, daily bar-sized servings of flavonol-rich dark chocolate may LOWER your BLOOD PRESSURE and improve insulin resistance.

4. Research studies have shown, dark healthy chocolate LOWERS BAD CHOLESTEROL…

5. Research studies have shown the nutrients in cocoa and acai are able to INHIBIT different INFLAMMATORY MECHANISMS. This is important because chronic inflammation has been linked to cancer and cardiovascular disease.

6. Both cocoa and the acai berry has been used for centuries as a food staple and to cleanse and DETOXIFY the body.

7. MORE NUTRITIOUS — unprocessed dark chocolate is an excellent replacement for other candies, including white and milk chocolate…

8. DESTROY FREE RADICALS—-our bodies are bombarded with free radicals on a daily basis, which causes aging, wrinkles, illnesses, fibromyalgia, to just name a few. Cocoa and acai berries provide antioxidant support to destroy the free radicals that are invading our bodies.

9. SUPPLIES THE BODY WITH CRUCIAL MINERALS—- Magnesium is essential in over 300 biological reactions in the body and is very important for energy production. Nerves, heart, muscle functions, bone health and blood clotting are dependent upon adequate magnesium….high magnesium intake has shown to lower blood pressure, reduce risks of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and osteoporosis…..

These are just a few reasons to add unprocessed cocoa and acai to your daily lifestyles…. Our healthy chocolate is made with unprocessed cocoa and also contains the acai berry. Our chocolates are made with a cold process which keeps all the phytonutrients necessary for our bodies to function at their maximum. This world wide, exclusive, patented cold process is used to make the Xocai chocolates and products.

To learn more about our products visit—-http://ultimatechocolatepower.com

Until next time,
Dr. Mommy

I just wanted to share a little about me and my testimonial regarding the Healthy Chocolate - Xocai….

I, along with many was extremely skeptical about chocolate being healthy….Sure I knew that dark chocolate was more or less better for you, but I personally did not care for dark chocolate.

Like many, I enjoyed milk chocolate. Well, did you know that the reason milk chocolate tastes so good is because of the added sugars, waxes and other additives to make it enticing. I, for one, never thought that I would enjoy the Xocai healthy chocolate, but since I love chocolate, I decided to taste it….

But, let me tell you, although I enjoyed the taste….and that is amazing because like I said, I didn’t like dark chocolate or so I thought. Never did I realize that Dark Belgian Chocolate was soo delicious. I still had reservations and wasn’t quite convinced until I researched it further..

Some of the research I did will be included in my blog posts, so you won’t have to use up your precious time. Being a doctor, I had to know the benefits and truly understand before I could wholeheartedly endorse this delicious product…

Well, after the research and of course consuming it for over 2 months, I was completely amazed!!! Not only did I enjoy the consumption of this healthy chocolate 3 times a day, I actually felt more energized. Not the energy that lasts only moments but one that lasted throughout the day….it was a euphoric energy. I slept better at night and did not toss and turn like in the past… I actually lost over 10lbs while consuming chocolate!! Now, where have you ever heard that claim??? Dark unprocessed cacao is a natural appetite suppressant and while consuming this decant food; I no longer craved the bad chocolate!!

I still maintain a healthy diet and consume this wonderful chocolate on a daily basis. I have a wonderful sense of serenity and can be assured that my body is not breaking down as it was before. With the loaded antioxidants contained in these wonderful products, I can enjoy chocolate without the guilt.

Now, my children consume this wonderful chocolate and they don’t feel the need to eat the junk food they once consumed. The Healthy Chocolate actually satisfies their cravings and that makes my husband and I very, very happy.

In my next post, I will share more about the research and the products that Xocai offers…..

Until then,
Dr. Mommy