The Best Super-Seeds to Eat

  Here are 6 great seeds to add to your snack menu on a daily basis. I have summarized the benefits of each of the seeds in this writing and I recommend you go to the site included here for the full article.

  Pumpkin seeds:
Protein, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium

   Sunflower seeds:
 1/2 cup contains daily requirement of alpha-tocopherols (most active form of vitamin E), phenyalanine (amino acid that converts to norepinephrine)

  Chia seeds: with water helps them digest better, becomes gelatinous
Fiber, Calcium, Omega 3 fatty acid

  Sesame seeds: is Tahini spread
Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc

  Hemp seeds:
Essential amino acids, Fatty acids Omega 3s and ALA

  Papaya seeds:
Oleic acid (may be hypotensive, help cell-wall permeability allowing anti-inflammatory substances into cells), Palmitic acid.

Enjoy

http://www.organicgardening.com/cook/6-superfoods-that-arent-on-your-radar?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-937600-_-06072012-_-SuperfoodsRadar-body

Generation Text, Posture Distortion & Poor Health

  As they say in fighting: "As the head goes so goes the whole body." Now, we are fighting bad posture. Consider the results of a recent study involving school aged children: "Poor posture was diagnosed in 38.3% of children...The most frequently detected defects were as follows: protruding scapulae (shoulder blades) 50% of the children, increased lumbar lordosis 32%, and rounded back 31%." These postural changes are easy to see in the children as slouching. "Children with poor posture reported headaches and pain in the cervical and lumbar spine more frequently."

  First we removed lockers from schools and encouraged backpacks, then we gave the kids cell phones "in case of emergencies" and now many of the children are using computers in particular laptops or notebooks to do homework. All of these beneficial tools are in addition to an increased lack of physical activity that is increasing every year. All of these are re-forming our children's bodies into abnormal and unhealthy postures.

  Text Neck or Forward Head Posture has been shown to increase adult related health risks as shown in the following studies:
"Spinal pain, headaches, mood, blood pressure, and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture."
"Older men and women with hyperkyphotic posture (slouching and forward head posture) have higher mortality (death) rates.

  The solution to this problem is to increase our children's physical activity level and decrease their text time. This is easily done by involving ourselves more in physical activities as a family. It does not have to be limited to school sports. Find things that are fun for everyone and do them, that's what we do in our house.

  Remember, small problems with small kids become big problems with big kids. So, lets have fun and be healthy starting today.

Higher education and income levels keys to better health

People with higher levels of education and higher income have lower rates of many chronic diseases compared to those with less education and lower income levels, according to Health, United States, 2011 – the government’s annual comprehensive report on Americans’ health.

Health, United States, 2011 is the 35th annual report prepared by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, and includes a compilation of health data through 2010 from a number of sources within the federal government and in the private sector.
This year’s edition features a special section on socioeconomic status and health. Among the highlights:

• In 2007-2010, higher levels of education among the head of household resulted in lower rates of obesity among boys and girls 2-19 years of age. In households where the head of household had less than a high school education, 24 percent of boys and 22 percent of girls were obese. In households where the head had a bachelor’s degree or higher, obesity prevalence was 11 percent for males aged 2-19 years and 7 percent for females.
• In 2007-2010, women 25 years of age and over with less than a bachelor’s degree were more likely to be obese (39 percent-43 percent) than those with a bachelor’s degree or higher (25 percent). Obesity prevalence among adult males did not vary consistently with level of education.
• In 2010, 31 percent of adults 25-64 years of age with a high school diploma or less education were current smokers, compared with 24 percent of adults with some college and 9 percent of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Overall, in the same year, 19 percent of U.S. adults age 18 and over were current cigarette smokers, a decline from 21 percent in 2009.
• Between 1996-2006, the gap in life expectancy at age 25 between those with less than a high school education and those with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased by 1.9 years for men and 2.8 years for women. On average in 2006, 25-year-old men without a high school diploma had a life expectancy 9.3 years less than those with a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Women without a high school diploma had a life expectancy 8.6 years less than those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of children with a family income below 200 percent of poverty level who were uninsured decreased from 22 percent to 11 percent - 13 percent. The percentage with a family income at 200 percent to 399 percent of the poverty level who were uninsured decreased from 9 percent to 7 percent, and children with a family income at 400 percent of the poverty level who were uninsured decreased from 3 percent to 2 percent.

Other highlights from the report include:

• In 2010, half of adults 18 years of age and over failed to meet both the aerobic activity and the muscle-strengthening federal physical activity recommendations. Older adults were less likely than younger adults to meet the federal physical activity recommendations – 39 percent of adults 18-24 years of age did not meet the recommendations versus 70 percent of adults aged 75 and over.
• The percentage of women 40 years of age and over who had a mammogram in the past two years remained steady at 67 percent to 70 percent during the 10-year period from 2000 to 2010. During the same period, the percentage of adults aged 50-75 years with a recent colorectal test or procedure increased from 34 percent to 59 percent.

A special abridged edition, Health, United States, 2011: In Brief is also available as a companion to the full report. Both the full report and the abridged version are available at www.cdc.gov/nchs.

Taken from the CDC newsletter.

Sleep Loss, Diabetes & Weight Gain

  A recent Harvard University study has found a link between sleep deprivation and instances of diabetes and obesity. According to the research, male participants who received less than 5.6 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period showed a decrease in their metabolic rate and insulin production. This was demonstrated after only 3 weeks.

  Furthermore, researchers discovered that the slower metabolic rates due to erratic sleep contributed to a 12.5 pound weight increase over the course of a year despite no changes in exercise and food intake.

Go to http://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic/news/12516/54/harvard-study-links-obesity-and-sleep-deprivation/ for more info.

Simple Steps to Improve Brain and Body Function

  Lets look at three recent studies and see how easy it can be to improve ourselves both mentally and physically.

  The first two studies were done at the University of Illinois. One study followed 65 previously sedentary people aged 59-80 yrs old, these subjects walked for 40 minutes 3 times per week. Scientists "found enhancements in brain function and better performance in cognitive activities." A second study at the University of Illinois in the psychology and neuroscience department found that higher levels of exercise can reduce dementia risk by 30-40% when compared to lower levels of exercise. "Physical activity can also trigger the growth of new nerve cells and promote nerve growth."

  Another study done at the University of British Columbia at Vancouver involving older women found that those who did weight training performed 13% better on cognitive function tests than a group that did balance and toning exercises only.

  These studies demonstrate that any exercise is beneficial for the mind and body with most experts recommending at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week with resistance training offering the most improvement in brain function possibly due to an increase in growth factor levels which nourish and protect nerve cells.

  Now that we see it can be as easy as a short walk and some push-ups and squats (repetitive sit-down and stand-up) to improve our mind and our body lets get started.

Statins & Heart Disease Protection?

  I am still amazed at the number of patients who are still taking Statin drugs as a primary tool to prevent heart disease and cardiovascular events. Actually most physicians haven't even read the study that they are basing all these prescriptions on so why should the general public.

  Recently I had an opportunity to read an article by Dr. David Seaman which impressed me with its thoroughness and simplicity. This is one of the easiest to understand articles I have read on the Jupiter study, the study often cited support for Statin use.

  In the years since the Jupiter study several follow-up studies have shown that the there is little or no support for Statin drugs as a prevention therapy in "lower-risk primary prevention populations." Following the publishing by these other researchers Dr. Ridker, the primary author of the Jupiter study, commented on one of the follow-ups with: "I agree with the Ray et al., bottom line, which is what we have always said over and over: the first things to do to prevent heart disease is to eat a proper diet, exercise regularly and stop smoking." Following this great advise Dr. Ridker then made the misleading statement that being on a Statin will cut one's risk of having a heart event by 50%."

  Lets look at the numbers from his Jupiter study.
8,901 Statin patients: 1.6% had events.  8,901 non-Statin placebo patients: 2.8% had events.
These means that 98.4% of the Statin subjects did not have events and 97.2% of the placebo patients did not have an event. Correct me if I am wrong but I do not see the saving of 50% more lives taking Statins that Dr. Ridker was referencing from his study.

  Let us now look at what many recent studies are showing. One of the main causes of heart disease and Cardiovascular events is actually inflammation. As even Dr. Ridker said: "the first things to do to prevent heart disease is to eat a proper diet, exercise regularly and stop smoking." The current American diet is high in processed foods and sugar. This results in system-wide inflammation. This inflammation then increases the risk of a cardiac event and death.

  A few anti-inflammatories that you can add immediately are the herbs ginger and turmeric. These can be added to your meals today. Another addition to your daily regimen is the herb Boswellia, from Frankinscence. This is an herb that I use on a daily basis to control the inflammatory activity from a couple of injuries years ago. I take 300 to 1200 mgs/day along with an antiinflammatory diet which includes lots of fruit and vegetables, coconut, grape seed and olive oils and lots of herbs when cooking. Remember, prevention is far more enjoyable than recovery.

Pain, Inflammation and Dietary Changes

  Back pain accounts for more than $100 billion in annual U.S. healthcare costs and a major component of pain is inflammation. Inflammation goes hand in hand in most discussions on pain and this is where we bring in the dietary changes. Several studies, including: "Controlled trial of fasting and one year vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis", "Analgesic effects of dietary caloric restriction in adult mice", and others, tell us that overeating and the consumption of junk food increase pain. To quote Dr. D. R. Seaman: "it is clear that overeating nutrient-free and calorie dense foods (junk food) will lead to postprandial (after eating) elevations in glucose (blood sugar) and triglycerides, which is associated with inflammation." Now if eating junk food contributes to pain and pain costs Americans more than $100 billion a year then it makes no sense for people with pain to eat any junk food at all.
  Identifying these patients is important. They are not necessarily overweight although many are, sedentary, overeat sugary foods, overeat white flour based foods and fatty foods. All of the above at the expense of fruits and vegetables.
  In the context of keeping it simple I recommend a small calorie change. By cutting back or even better avoiding calorie heavy desserts after meals and junk food snacks during the day you can reduce your pain. If this is not enough and you don't need to visit your physician yet you can add a willow bark supplement to your cabinet and my favorite boswellia (the biblical Frankinscence). You can also add more ginger, turmeric, and curcumin to your cooking along with eating more fruits and veggies everyday. These herbs have been shown to decrease pain and inflammatory levels in many studies.
  The problem of pain and it's cost to our economy is made worse by our poor eating habits and can be improved by adding more fruits and vegetables, a few common cooking spices and a couple of time tested herbs.