This parent has the right idea

This is an interesting article I came across regarding the food in schools today.  Many parents that come into our office and ascribe to some of our dietary recommendations mention that it is difficult to keep their kids eating healthy while at school.  The article is attached in the link below: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/22/an-elementary-school-snack-list-–-nut-free/ 

 

As always, we love to get feedback! Have a great day.

Stopping snack attacks at work: Part II

We continue with our discussion regarding ‘proper’ snacking at work. We talked about ditching the junk food and having a plan in part 1. Part 2 will focus on scheduling time for meals and eating healthy snacks.

We recommend to our patients that within 30-45 minutes of waking up eat a meal with ‘good’ carbs, protein and ‘good’ fats. Eating when you wake up will not only boost your metabolism but it will help keep blood sugar levels steady thus reducing the urge to snack throughout the day. Block off 30 minutes at lunch for a healthy meal. If you can get out of the office or away from your desk that is recommended as well. Make it a habit to schedule your snack time at break time, this will help you get 5-6 meals in from when you wake up until its time to go to bed. A great way to keep that metabolism going is to have 5-6 small meals or snacks throughout the day.

The last recommendation we make is to plan for healthy snacks throughout the day. When you go a long period of time between meals or snacks you blood sugar decreases. This can happen when you have deadlines, meetings, conferences, etc. As your blood sugar level continues to decrease your body will naturally crave carb-rich foods to help bring it back to normal levels. Almonds, apples, walnuts and oranges are great snacks to have at your desk to take with you when you are on the go.

Dr. Dave Crosson – Stopping Snack attacks at work

A common conversation I have with my patients is how to stop snacking at work. Quite a few people will tell me, “Doc, I do great at home but at work I have a difficult time staying on track.” The truth of the matter is that stress is a major contributor to food cravings. You can see it happen at a party when people are nervous or anxious they tend to eat or snack more, thus taking up some of that nervous energy.

Grehlin, a hormone that stimulates hunger, drives the neurologic response to want to eat. Sometimes you may even not be hungry but have cravings. Stress at work is going to happen but if we can learn to snack appropriately our bodies will be much better off in the long run. Its actually extremely healthy to have multiple small meals throughout the day. Having a nutritious snack will boost metabolism and hold you over until you have a larger portion size. In this post we want to focus on cutting out the bad snacks and adding some good ones.

First you will want to stop snacking on ‘empty’ calories. That means all the sugary, processed foods like chips, candy, crackers etc. Surround yourself with foods that are high in fiber and nutrients which will help you feel full longer, thus reducing cravings. We tend to recommend, walnuts, raisins, almonds, apples, berries, cauliflower, sliced green/red peppers or trail mix. Most fruits, vegetables and raw unsalted nuts will work.

Second, something we do during our “30 Day weight loss challenge,” is make sure you are eating breakfast 20-30 minutes after waking up. This will not only help you fight the urge to snack but it will also boost your metabolism as well. A tall glass of water plus a small meal of carbs, protein and good fats will get you off on the right foot. We always recommend a glass of water because you have just slept for 6+ hours without any hydration, water as we know is extremely important.

Start with these two things and stay tuned for two more ways to stop the snack attacks. Have a great day at work!

Eating healthy…what about dessert? by David Crosson D.C.

We have a lot of patients in the office that are trying to change their eating habits.  Many of whom have started following a “Paleo” type diet which consists of lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables and raw nuts.  This type of diet is great not only for weight loss but for decreasing the amount of inflammation in the body.  Please see some of our previous posts for more details or go to www.thepaleodiet.com.

Some common questions I get are always regarding what to eat for dessert.  For a snack that can satisfy your sweet tooth cravings the recipe below is taken from one of our in office classes and its been modified from Dr. Loren Cordain’s book, “The Paleodiet for Athletes.”  There are many other recipes that use fruit and honey as a means for making an enjoyable dessert, this is just one of them.   Enjoy

Pecan-crusted strawberries:

Fresh strawberries cut lengthwise, honey, diced pecans, lemon juice.

Cut the strawberries lengthwise and in a small bowl mix the lemon juice and honey in equal parts.  Dip the strawberries in the mixutre and then roll or sprinkle the pecans on top.  Place on a serving dish and you are ready to go!

The truth about High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup: Friend or Foe?

Know the Facts!

Recently, I’ve seen a few commercials on the air sponsored by The Corn Refiners Association pleading with its viewers to “get the facts!” They claim that HFCS is perfectly natural and healthy. Their argument is that it’s made from corn so it’s “natural” and like sugar, its fine in moderation. Go ahead… watch it if you have never seen it. The link is below. You’re in for a good laugh.

The marketing is ingenious! There are two moms at a party and Mom #1 accuses Mom #2 of serving HFCS to the kids by saying, “you know what they say about HFCS, right?” Mom #2 replies back with “No, what DO they say about HFCS?” Mom #1 doesn’t know what to say in response and feels stupid for not knowing why HFCS is bad for her.
After laughing hysterically for a few minutes I got really insulted! The Corn Refiners Association is implying that the consumer (you and I) are the “dumb mom” and the Corn Refiners are the smart mom, tell us all the facts that we should already know. Well, I’m not stupid (and I know you’re not because you’re reading my blog ) but I’ll bet unless you have a background in food science, nutrition or health care, you probably CAN’T describe what it is that makes HFCS so bad for your health.
Just in case you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to explain to a friend why HFCS is bad for you like the commercial implies- here are the facts:
Commercial Myth: High Fructose Corn Syrup is made for corn so it’s “natural”.
Fact: By the time corn sugar (the new name they are putting on the food labels) reaches the product, it is so far from natural corn your body can’t even recognize it. And, just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Oil comes from the Earth and you wouldn’t drink gasoline if the oil companies told you its safe because it’s “natural” would you?
“High-fructose corn syrup starts out as cornstarch, which is chemically or enzymatically degraded to glucose and some short polymers of glucose. Another enzyme is then used to convert varying fractions of glucose into fructose…High-fructose corn syrup just doesn’t exist in nature” – Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest
Commercial Myth: Regular sugar has the same amount of calories as corn sugar, so it’s basically the same thing. HFCS can replace natural sugar without effects.
Fact: HFCS is absorbed more quickly than natural sugar. Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stated…
“The digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fructose differ from those of glucose. Hepatic metabolism of fructose favors de novo lipogenesis [production of fat in the liver]. In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Because insulin and leptin act as key afferent signals in the regulation of food intake and body weight [to control appetite], this suggests that dietary fructose may contribute to increased energy intake and weight gain. Furthermore, calorically sweetened beverages may enhance caloric overconsumption.”
In other words, HFCS is absorbed more quickly than regular sugar and it fails to stimulate important chemicals in your liver. This results in preventing you from triggering the body’s signals for being full and may lead to overconsumption of total calories.
Commercial Myth: HFCS, like regular sugar is fine in moderation.
Fact: While they do have a point- all sugar levels need to be moderated, it is virtually impossible to regulate the amount of HFCS you are eating if you consume a lot of processed pre-made foods. According to a study published November 2010 in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, “It has been considered that moderate fructose consumption of ≤50g/day or ~10% of energy has no deleterious effect on lipid and glucose control.” Sounds reasonable right? HFCS is not “bad” for you if you consume under 50g/day. But, just look how many grams are in ONE 12OZ can of soda:
Sugar Content of Cola / Pop / Soda / Drinks
Sugar Content per ** 12oz ** can
7Up (Cadbury Schweppes) = 39 grams
Coca-Cola Classic = 39 grams
Dr Pepper (Cadbury Schweppes) = 40 grams
Minute Maid Orange Soda (Coca-Cola Co.) = 48 grams
Mountain Dew (PepsiCo) = 46 grams
Pepsi = 41 grams
Sprite (Coca-Cola Co.) = 38 grams

In just one can of soda you’ve already almost consumed the 50 gram limit. Plus, if you’re drinking soda you’re probably using combining that with a bag of chips, a cheeseburger on white bread with ketchup, mustard, mayo and pickles- all of which have HFCS/corn sugar in them. It is rare to find a processed food on the super market shelf that doesn’t contain the nasty food substitute. (And don’t think since you drink diet soda you’re off the hook- that’s just as bad for you, but that’s a topic for different blog!)

Bottom Line: The causes of obesity are well-known and involve the overconsumption of calories from all sources- natural sugar, HFCS, fat, etc. HFCS in particular is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay and more.
The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology had this to say about HFCS: “We suggest excessive fructose intake should be considered an environmental toxin with major health implications.”

Implementing Solutions:
• Really limit your intake of processed pre-made foods. Almost all processed food contains HFCS, so it’s hard to control how much you are eating. Choose whole, unprocessed food like fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Use natural sugar alternatives like honey, agave nectar, stevia and beet sugar to sweeten your food.
• Of course, unless you have been living in a bubble and have avoided HFCS in your diet, you most likely still have this toxic chemical in your system. (Just think of what you had for breakfast!) If that is the case, your nervous system is not working as well as it should/could be. Come into the office and get a spinal check-up so Dr. Dave and Dr. Mary can help your body flush out the toxic waste HFCS leaves behind!
• Call (847) 382-3194 to schedule your appointment today- don’t wait! After you get adjusted and once corn sugar is out of your system (and out of your diet for good) you’ll notice more energy, less fatigue and you’ll start to feel better and live healthier in general! And who doesn’t want that? 

Barefoot running: helpful or harmful by Dr. Mary Klimek

Barefoot Running! Helpful or Harmful?
Recently, we’ve had a few patients come in asking about the newest health and fitness craze- bare foot running. I know you’ve seen the barefoot shoes before… they are the ones that look like toe socks. (If not go to Google and search “five finger shoes”) OK- now that you have a mental picture of what they look like, here’s the theory behind the trend.
Most of us grow up wearing shoes on our feet. And while that’s not necessarily bad, some exercise scientists say that wearing shoes over the years has caused human gaits to evolve for the worst. An article recently published in The Journal of Foot and Ankle Research found that when young children were put in shoes, their stride became longer than while they were barefoot, and they landed with more force on their heels (translation= think excess pounding!).
One of the theories behind the barefoot running shoes/barefoot running is that without the excess padding under our feet, our brain automatically shortens our stride and we land more on our fore foot (translation= less pounding). In studies measuring the force of impact, researches have concluded that a “fore foot strike” puts less impact on our body than a heel strike.
So, in essence- the companies promoting barefoot running claim that by wearing barefoot running shoes you will produce less force and less pounding which means less wear and tear on the body. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, there are a few problems with this theory. The first is that the body stubbornly clings to what it knows. “Just taking off your shoes does not mean you’ll immediately attain proper running form,” states Dr. Daniel Lieberman, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard. He was recently quoted at the symposium of the American College of Sports Medicine saying “Many newbie barefoot runners continue to stride as if they were in shoes, landing heavily on their heels.”
Plus, past research has shown that heel striking tends to cause force to move up the body through a person’s bones. Fore foot striking typically causes force to move through the muscles and soft tissue. So, shifting from a heel strike to a forefoot strike running style may lessen your risk for a stress fracture, and up your chances for developing a muscle strain or tendinitis.
What does all this back and forth research mean for us? According to Allison H. Gruber, a doctoral candidate at the University of Massachusetts, “the evidence is not concrete for or against barefoot or shod running. If one is not experiencing any injuries, it is probably best to not change what you’re doing.”
Whether you’re prone to running injuries or you simply just want to keep up with the trend and try barefoot running out for yourself, here’s what I suggest:
1. Start off slow. Since your gait will be altered, you’ll be using muscles and ligaments that you might not have used in a long time; and just like when you begin a new exercise routine these muscles are bound to be sore.
2. Run in your normal shoes for the first miles of training, and then for the last mile switch to your barefoot shoes. Gradually increase the distance you run in the barefoot shoes and decrease the distance you run in your “normal” running shoes.
3. A lot of times the aches, pains and chronic injuries from running are a result of improper spinal/hip/knee/ankle alignment. Make sure you’re making regular visits to see Dr. Dave or I throughout training wecan keep your body in optimal alignment and function!
Oh, and one more thought…..On a personal note, even though the research isn’t fully for or against this new craze; I have a few avid runner friends that have adopted the new barefoot running style. One of these “barefoot running enthusiasts” has completed in several Ironman competitions, has run a few ultra marathons (distances of 50-100 miles per race) and runs a 26 mile marathon in under 3 hours. To say that he has logged some serious running miles is an understatement! He loves barefoot running and agrees that the combination of barefoot running and regular chiropractic adjustments has kept him in tip top shape for all his runs- from a 5K to 100 mile ultra!

There are NO loopholes…

Over the course of our 30 Day weight loss challenge we have received many inquires regarding the different types of anti-inflammatory foods that we can eat.  My most common response is, “If you are asking me that question, it is probably not part of the diet.”  There are no loopholes.  We promote a Paleolithic diet in the office because research has demonstrated that an anti-inflammatory diet can help manage not only pain levels but chronic disease as well. 

The new year spawns all types of resolutions, many of those start with exercising more.  People understand that if you want to feel stronger, run longer, bike faster, you have to work at it and commit to it.  Most patient’s understand that the you don’t build a body like Arnold, overnight.   It’s the same thing with respects to your diet.  There is no easy way to get there, again, there are no loopholes.  Changing your diet, really making a lifestyle change that is different from what we were all taught to eat is challenging.  It will not happen overnight; and just like reforming your muscles, it takes a lot of work to do so.  There is no magic pill for health, no substance that you can take that will instantly make you healthy.  It’s a choice.  Every small step you make towards improving not only your diet but your health, will pay dividends years down the road.

The “Paleo-diet” promotes fruit, vegetable, fish, lean meat and raw nut intake.  If you are on that path, you are in great shape.  If you are not yet there, no worries, most chiropractors and some other healthcare professionals are starting to understand this trend, and are implementing in their daily patient care protocols.  I encourage you to speak with a healthcare professional about how your diet can effect your overall health.  Call your local chiropractor today to take that step to creating a lifestyle change that will last longer than an empty new years resolution. 

Dr. Dave can be reached at 847.382.3194.  He is always happy to answer any questions you may have.

New Year’s Weight Loss Challenge

It can be frusturating and down right painful discovering that so many foods we like are really, not that good for you. More dishearting is suffering people will have due to many of the numerous diseases and conditions associated with the inflammatory effects of our diet. Our weight loss challenge is designed to educate you on what to eat, what foods to aviod and how to make certain foods staples of your diet. Diet can play a role in numerous conditions associated with inflammation like arthritis, fibromyalgia, digestive conditions, headaches and chronic pain, just to name a few. In reality, “everything in moderation” is a poor phrase when managing someone’s diet. Some individuals genetic make up are able to handle pro-inflammatory foods better than others. The problem is inflammatory diseases and weight gain develop slowly over time and usually with out symptoms. Our 30 day weight loss challenge with motivate you to start 2011 off on the right foot. Included in the challenge is a nutritional consult and evaluation, body fat analysis, resting metabolic rate analysis, stress evaluation, spinal analyis and postural screening. Call today to RSVP to participate in this event. Great prizes will be given away to 4 winners.

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