San Leandro Chiropractor

Ways To Deal With Anxiety

June 16, 2011 by drburt

Modern American life is very stressful and many people start a new day with anxiety. So, what is anxiety? According to wikipedia: anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is “to vex or trouble”, in ether the absence or presence of psychological stress, it can create feelings of fear, worry uneasiness and dread. This condition is considered to be a normal reaction to a stressor. It may help a person to deal with a difficult situation by prompting one to cope with it. When this condition is to excessive, it may fall under the classification of anxiety disorder.

Dealing with anxiety is best done before it reaches the breakdown pint. Those who have advanced stage will have to find a professional help. However, most of the people can cope with this condition on their own.

SLEEP:

My teacher used to say: “Sleep is your weapon.” If one lacks it on a regular bases it is impossible to concentrate on important daily tasks. A good night sleep is very important for the body to regenerate the nervous system after a long and stressful day and it also helps to rest other important physiological processes that are taking place in our body. Our body has its own physiological clock and it likes to keep sleeping and eating habits at the same time. This will allow the body to run smoothly. It is imperative that you do these two essential things at the same time as much as possible.

FOOD:

Stay away from foods that contain too much sugar and too much sodium. These foods will cause inflammation process in your body. Have you ever seen people with swollen faces? Guess what – it is the diet that is responsible for it. Consume anti-inflammatory diet full of low sugar and sodium foods, vegetables, omega-3s, plant based protein – almond, walnuts and many other nuts will do the job. These foods will help to keep the mood stable and blood sugar level in check.

EXERCISE:

It is not a secret that one must have vigorous cardiovascular exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes. It will help excrete excess toxins from your body. Exercise will stimulate production of endorphins in your body and is an awesome way to de-stress. If time is the limiting factor try to walk around your office. One must find time to exercise. Keeping this schedule on regular bases will add years to a healthy and productive lifestyle.

STRETCHING:

As you age, the muscles in your body tighten and range of motion in the joints can be minimized. This can put a damper on active lifestyle and even hinder day-to-day, normal motions. Tasks that used to be simple, such as zipping up a dress or reaching for a can off the top shelf, now becomes extremely difficult. A regular stretching program can help lengthen your muscles and make daily living activities easier. Performing stretching on daily bases is very important and will help to cope with anxiety. It does not take much time and will provide a great benefit for your body and mind.

Below are some benefits

Reduced muscle tension
Increased range of motion
Enhanced muscle coordination
Increased blood circulation
Increased energy level

MUSIC:

A study from University of Michigan proves that music therapy relieves health anxiety. One must use this tool if music brings the joy to a life. Find music that matches your mood. Music can support you through a multitude of emotions.

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Diet and Pain Management

June 10, 2011 by drburt

“Changes in the modern diet are largely responsible for the increasing incidence of essential fatty acid (EFA) imbalances and deficiencies.”

“The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats has changed dramatically due to the widespread use of vegetable oils (mostly n-6 fats) in cooking and to the processing of oils to alter omega-3 fats to improve shelf life and eliminate their stronger taste (just think of the distinctive tastes of cod liver or flax oil).”

“Historical estimates place the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 oils at nearly 1:1 for prehistoric humans.”

By the turn of the century (1900), the ratio had increased to about 4:1. The current American ratio is about 25:1.

“The sharp rise is due to increased vegetable oil consumption: from 2 lb. per year in 1909 to 25 lb. per year in 1985!”

“Many of the chronic inflammatory conditions that accompany EFA imbalance are currently treated with symptom-specific pharmaceutical drugs such as steroids, prednisone, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), sulfasalazine, and colchicine.”

“The problem with such drug therapies is that they prevent the formation of ‘good’ anti-inflammatory eicosanoids, or they shift the production of one type of eicosanoid to another.”

“For effective, long-term management, eicosanoid production should be modified through dietary changes (balancing dietary intake of specific fats) and controlling insulin levels in the circulation.”

“Maintaining a proper balance between the various families of dietary fats may be one of the most important preventative measures a person can take to reduce the likelihood of developing one of the chronic diseases of modern civilization, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, and autoimmune disease.”

“And for patients who may already have one of these diseases, EFA testing and therapy has been demonstrated to reduce both morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases.”

Source: American Academy of Pain Management – Weiner’s Pain Management – A Practical Guide for Clinicians

New Scientific Evidence of Innate Intelligence Existence

June 8, 2011 by drburt

Scientific Evidence of Innate Intelligence Existence

Neuroscientists of Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne have been working on a Blue Brain Project. The most recent discovery about the neurons independent connections based on a subject’s experience. The complete published work can be found in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (PNAS)

It has been known for sometime now that neuron connections are being established and reinforced in the human brain based on one experience – also known as “synaptic plasticity.” Do you remember your first bicycle ride? Once you learned it you will never forget. The team working on the Blue Brain Project at EPFL, led by Professor Henry Markman, however, is offering new evidence that this may not be the whole story. The scientists were able to prove that small clusters of pyramidal neurons in the neocortex interconnect according to a set of immutable and relatively rules. A complete discovery of this process was published in the last issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Each cluster contains about fifty neurons plus or minus. The scientists look at them as essential building blocks, which contain kind of in themselves a kind of fundamental, innate knowledge. For instance, certain physical experiences of this world. Mr. Markman says: “This could explain why we all share similar perceptions of physical reality, while our memories reflect our individual experiences.”

The principle determining the formation of these microcircuits is astonishingly simple. Basically, when two neurons are each connected to the same neighboring neuron, the probability that they are also interconnected is greater than average. The researchers were able to build a statistical model based on this observation.

During the experiment different rats have presented similar characteristics with neuronal circuits. If the circuits had only been formed from the experiences lived by the different animals, the values should have diverged considerably from one individual to another. That means that neuronal connectivity must in some way have been programmed in advance.

“Since John Lock, about 400 years ago, research into how the brain learns and remembers has been guided by the belief that we start from a clean slate and then print memories with each new experience. The idea that memory is like building lego with fundamental building blocks of knowledge opens up an entirely new door for research”, explains Markram.

Current technology is now allowing us to qualify the “tabula rasa” hypothesis, which argues that our brains are a “blank slate” at birth, and we only gain knowledge through experience. It’s an idea that has permeated science for centuries. There is no question that knowledge, in the sense that we typically understand it (reading and writing, recognizing our friends, learning a language), is the result of our experiences. But the EPFL team’s work demonstrates that some of our fundamental representations or basic knowledge is inscribed in our genes. This discovery redistributes the balance between innate and acquired, and represents a considerable advance in our understanding of how the brain works.

Source: Mediacom

Six Very Essential Minerals and Women’s Health

June 3, 2011 by drburt

Minerals are playing a very important role in a human body. The main goal of these essential elements is to make sure that the body functions properly. If deficiency is ignored for a prolonged period of time a serious health problem can be developed. For instance: women who are menstruating need an extra supplementation of iron till the reach menopause stage. A good source of minerals concentration is in certain types of whole foods. However, it is hard to follow a diet that contains all the necessary nutrients that a woman needs. Taking multivitamin and food-based natural mineral supplements are few ways that can be very beneficial.

Supplements can help improve the body’s absorption of certain other minerals and nutrients – for instance, magnesium is necessary for calcium absorption, selenium is necessary for Vitamin E absorption, Zinc is necessary for Vitamin A absorption. Majority of the females are deficient in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine and selenium. These minerals are very important fro proper metabolic function, hormone balance and bone strength and many other important health benefits.

Below is the list of six essential minerals and their function:

MAGNESIUM:

Key Functions: Energy Metabolism, protein synthesis, bone health, muscle and nerve function

Food Sources: Leafy green vegetables, sea weed or green algae, avocados, raw chocolate, beans, nuts, and grains such as brown rice and millet

Daily Dosage Recommendation: Age 19-30: 310mg Age 31+: 320mg

CALCIUM:

Key Functions: Muscle function, nerve transmission, intracellular signaling, hormonal secretion, support and structure of bones and teeth

Food Sources: Dairy products, nondairy sources (preferable) include sea vegetables, Chinese cabbage, kale and broccoli, foods: juices, dinks and cereal fortified with calcium.

Daily Dosage Recommendation: Age 19-50: 1000 mg Age 50+ 1200 mg

IRON:

Key Functions: Part of the protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the body; also found in the protein myoglobin, which makes oxygen available for muscle contraction

Food Sources: Red meats, fish and poultry, lentils, beans, black-strap mo;ases, dried apricots, raisins.

Daily Dosage Recommendation: Age 19-50: 18mg Age 50+ 8mg

ZINC:

Key Functions: Strengthens immune system, increases white blood cells count, helps regulate hormones; supports absorption of calcium.

Food Sources: Oysters, pumpkin and many other seeds, most meat products, beans, nuts, whole grain.

Daily Dosage Recommendation: Age 19+ 8mg Pregnant: 11mg Lactating 12mg

IODINE:

Key Functions: Strongly influences nutrient metabolism, detoxification, nerve and muscle function, nail, hair, skin and tooth condition and mental development.

Food Sources: Seafood, seaweeds such as kelp, clams, lobsters, oysters and sardines

Daily Dosage Recommendation: Age 19+:150mcg Pregnant: 220mcg Lactating: 290mcg

SELENIUM:

Key Functions: Stimulates glucose uptake and regulates metabolic processes including fatty acid synthesis; acts as an antioxidant against free radicals

Food Sources: Cereals, legumes, Brazil nuts, beef, chicken, eggs and cheese

Daily Dosage Recommendation: Age 19+:55µg Pregnant: 60µg Lactating: 70µg

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