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“Fake” Health News? How To Separate Fact From Fiction

March 15, 2017 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

We live in a world where we are constantly being bombarded with information. Access to information of all types is more accessible than ever and the amount of data out there is increasing exponentially as we speak. According to the latest estimates, we’ve created more information in the last 10 years than in all of human history before that. Amazing!

This is, of course, due to the omnipresence of the internet, social media, and smartphones. In this cauldron of information, how do we know what is true? When it comes to news and information about our health, how can we know what to believe? How do we separate what is fact from fiction?

Here are 5 things to look for when reading information or news about your health:

Look at the quotes in a story (or, rather, look for the lack of quotes): Legitimate journalists will use multiple sources from people who are considered experts and professionals in their fields. Most often, the article will include direct quotes from these sources.
Google it!: Do a little digging online to see if the sources or citations within an article are correct and true. If it is citation, you will most likely find it used in other articles as well. If it’s a source, a professional or expert, then you should be able to access their work or credentials online.
Pay attention to the domain and URL:For instance, there is a website URL: www.abcnews.com.co that is a fake website that looks very similar to the legitimate website www.abcnews.com.
Does it contain any citations?:Most health articles have citations, usually to other articles or published research, that support the claims being made in the article. If it doesn’t, that’s a major red flag. Most scientific work will have a lot of references and is published in peer reviewed journals. Also, make sure the work that the article cites supports the original author’s findings. Often, they are hoping you won’t take a closer look for data being used out of context.
Does the article make outrageous claims?:“The cure for _______” or “ _______ definitively proves X” are major red flags. If it’s too good to be true, most of the time it is. This is a circumstance where Google is your best friend. If a cure or breakthrough is found, EVERYONE will be talking about it. It would be in every major news outlet and publication.

Can there be differing opinions about your health? Of course! Most doctors don’t agree about everything. But, it’s important that when you are reading an article about the latest health news or doing research to help you make a decision about your healthcare that you get the most reliable and truthful information available.

LEARN MORE:

How To Spot Fake News

Fake News or Real? How To Self-Check The News and Get the Facts

How Can You Spot Fake Health News? (Video)

How To Spot a Fake Science News Story

Reputable Medical Journals

NeuroStructural Chiropractic: The Uber of Healthcare

March 3, 2017 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

Over the last 3-5 years, we have seen the rise of companies such as Uber and Airbnb in what economists are calling the “sharing economy.” These companies are doing so well that both can be found on Fortune’s Unicorn List, a list of private companies that have at least a billion dollar valuation. What makes these services so profitable and creative is that they take what already exists, your car or a basement apartment in your home, and makes use of it in a way that maximizes it potential value. In the case of Uber, you already have your car. You might own it outright or be making payments on it, and you are paying for insurance, so why not turn those costs into an investment? This is a great business model because it’s simple and sustainable. You don’t have to build anything new. You don’t have to sell anything. You take what you have already and make it work for you.

When we look at healthcare, most services and treatments do exactly the opposite of Uber. Rather than working with what is already there, they essentially add to (or in some cases like surgery) take something away from your body. It’s a business model centered on treating and managing symptoms. If something isn’t working right with your body, there is a product available for that. For instance, if you have an ache or pain, you take an Advil or Tylenol for relief; This is adding something to the body for the purpose of symptom management. Without a doubt, there are times where some healthcare products are lifesaving, especially in a crisis or emergency. But for the majority of us, thankfully, we do not live in a state of constant crisis as far as our health is concerned.

This is where NeuroStructural Chiropractic care can make a difference.

Instead of focusing on symptoms and treating pain, NeuroStructural Chiropractic looks for underlying Structural Abnormalities within the spine. We know that these departures from normal can compromise the structural integrity of the spine (the foundation of the human body) and can also cause deficits in optimal brain-body communication over the complex network of wires (nerves) that the spinal segments are responsible for protecting. Focusing on the underlying cause allows the NeuroStructural Chiropractor to provide a self-sustaining, longer-lasting solution to the patient’s Secondary Conditions (symptoms).

In essence, we look at your body and we find ways to maximize its potential for health without adding or taking anything away from it. NeuroStructural Chiropractic improves the body so that it is PROACTIVE in terms of PREVENTING illness, disease, and degeneration, while at the same time OPTIMIZING the body so that every muscle and organ is working at full capacity.

Is this possible? Health without external products and treatments?

Emphatically, the answer is YES. In fact, health has always come from within us. And just as it is so in this new sharing economy, the best model is one where you can maximize what you already have within your amazing body.

War on Bacteria | Part 3 of 3

February 21, 2017 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

Hopefully by now you know how important your gut health is to your overall wellbeing. A healthy microbiome usually means a strong immune system, good digestion, and a clearer thinking. About 70 percent of our immune system is housed in the gastrointestinal tract, so protecting it is critical for good immune function.

There are many reasons why our intestinal flora might be out of balance. Antibiotic or other medication use, food sensitivities, infection, or a breakdown in communication between the brain and gut can all interfere with the maintenance of a healthy gut.

Now that we know that bacteria is not our enemy, how do we nurture a healthy relationship with it? How do we begin to rebuild a healthy environment in our digestive system?

Eat fermented foods – kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, and Greek yogurt are all rich in beneficial bacteria.
Probiotics & prebiotics – if you’re looking to supplement, using a pharmaceutical-grade probiotic can replenish your microbiome. Prebiotics are also available, and act as food for the good bacteria so they can grow and flourish.
Fiber – gut bacteria love fiber because it makes it to the intestine undigested where bacteria can feast on it, so be sure to eat your fruits and veggies.
Avoid antibacterial soaps – even the FDA has recently recognized that antibacterial soaps not only do little to nothing to make soap work better, and they may actually contain unsafe ingredients like triclosan. Washing with plain soap and warm water is sufficient to prevent the spreading of germs to others. Soaps, shampoos and other cleansers that will clean your skin without stripping it of the beneficial bacteria are much preferred, such as Mother Dirt, which nurtures and replenishes natural bacteria that normally live on our skin.
Don’t over sterilize your environment – a little dirt never hurt anyone. In fact, there’s a building body of evidence that it’s actually good for you. Studies show that children raised in ultra-clean environments aren’t exposed to organisms that help them to develop appropriate immune system responses. Obviously things like washing your hands after using the bathroom are habits we should keep, but we shouldn’t live in fear of kissing the family dog or eating that piece of dropped food off of the kitchen floor.

Taking these steps gives your gut flora, the gatekeeper to your immune system, a fighting chance to thrive. Remember that bacteria only become our enemy when things are out of balance. Under normal operating conditions, bacteria support our health and help us to fell and function at our best.

Related Links & Articles:

Babies Know: A Little Dirt is Good For You

Is Fermented Food A Recipe For Good Gut Health?

Defining the Human Microbiome

War on Bacteria | Part 2 of 3

February 13, 2017 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

We are losing the war on bacteria and our health is the biggest victim.

Antibacterial soap, bleach, and disinfecting wipes are common items found on the shelves of our grocery stores. As a society, we are obsessed with hygiene. We wash our bodies once, sometimes twice, a day with hot and soapy water. This obsession coupled with our phobia of bacteria keeps sales of these products strong but compromises our immune system in the process.

On top of that, the over use of antibiotics further compromises our immune system while creating super bugs that become antibiotic-resistant.

We have missed the point completely.

Bacteria is not our enemy.

On our skin, a healthy bacterial diversity and flora prevents pathogens from entering the skin. In our gut, a healthy bacteria flora is one that’s balanced with a large variety to help you break down food and synthesize important vitamins and nutrients. Most bacteria have a SYMBIOTIC relationship with the body including notorious bacteria such as H. pylori, E. coli, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus.

So what happens when you get an infection if these bacteria are already in your system? The answer is twofold:

Number 1: The immune system becomes stressed, which causes the bacteria diversity of the body to falter.

Number 2: An unbalanced community of bacteria flora allows certain bacteria such as E. coli to overwhelm the entire system.

THAT’S when these bacteria can become very dangerous. A weakened immune state and an imbalance of the bacterial flora is how most infections happen. This is why only some of the kids at the playground get sick or how only a few of your colleagues at work seem to catch the latest bug going around.

Next week we will talk about how we can boost our immune system and nurture a diverse bacterial ecosystem!

War on Bacteria | Part 1 of 3

February 6, 2017 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

Our world is small.

Without microbes and bacteria human life would cease to exist. These tiny organisms are the oldest form of life on Earth, and they inhabit every surface of our bodies inside and out. They exist both in and on everything we can see, taste, or touch. Where there is air, there are microbes.

The number of bacteria on the Earth is estimated to be 5 million trillion trillion. That is a 5 with 30 zeros after it! If you line them up, they would reach all the way to the moon. That’s pretty incredible when you take into account the size of each microbe. There are more microbes present on one hand than there are people in the world, and here we are, living in this microbial soup.

The human body is made up of primarily microbes. While human cells are larger then microbes, microbes outnumber human cells by ten to one. The majority of bacteria in our system have a symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, relationship with our body. This is especially true in the human gut where 1200-1400 species of bacteria live and thrive.

Bacteria play a integral role in the health and function of the human body. They protect our skin from infections and help us digest and absorb nutrients from our food. They help us produce essential vitamins and they work to prevent cavities in our mouths. Bacteria control the acid level in our stomachs and boost our immune systems.

So why are we waging war on bacteria? Why do we have these super bugs that are adapting quicker then our antibiotics? And most importantly, are we healthier or worse off now? We will take a look at these questions in next week’s blog!

Three Dangerous Food Additives To Avoid At All Costs

January 24, 2017 By Dr. Jane 1 Comment

The food we eat is more processed than ever before. This is due to the way our food gets to our table and how our food industry has developed over the past 50 years. Additives are used mostly to preserve, stabilize, and manipulate our food, but they can also lead to ill effects on our health. Even major chain restaurants such as Panera are wising up and taking the time to rid their menu of additives. Here are the top three on my list to avoid!

Hydrogenated Oils

Food manufacturers began using hydrogenated oils to increase the shelf life of products and to save on costs. When a liquid unsaturated fat is manipulated into solid form, hydrogen is needed to stabilize the oil. This is how trans fats are made. These hydrogenated oils increase your LDL Cholesterol and lower your HDL Cholesterol, a good way to create increased stress on your cardiovascular system.

Common Culprits of hydrogenated oils include:

Margarine
vegetable shortening
packaged snacks
Prepackaged baked good
Fried food
Coffee creamers

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Glutamate is a naturally occurring amino acid that the body uses and needs. However, synthetic manipulation and processing of glutamate produces a form that is not found in nature and can be a toxin when ingested. Common symptoms from people that ingest MSG included headaches, flushing, poor attention, and weakness in the arms and legs.

Common Culprits of MSG include:

Soy sauce
Chicken Flavoring
Seasonings
Soy Protein
Corn Starch

Carrageenan

Carrageenan is an extract from a red seaweed that is used as a thickener or emulsifier to improve the texture of ice cream, soy milk, cheese, and other processed foods. Research has shown that carrageenan causes inflammation and that’s a big problem considering inflammation is the underlying constant for major diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Common reactions to carrageenan include skin rashes and digestive disturbances.

Common Culprits of Carrageenan include:

Flavored milk
Cottage cheese
Cream
Ice Cream
Yogurt
Non-dairy milk replacements (such as soy, coconut, or almond)
Certain deli meats

Let these lists serve as a guide. Cleaning up your diet can feel overwhelming at first until you learn to recognize these harmful additives. Take a few minutes while you’re out at the grocery store to read the labels of the foods you purchase. Replacing foods that contain these additives with products that don’t can make a big difference in how you feel and function day to day.

My New Year’s Resolutions

January 4, 2017 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

New Year’s hasn’t traditionally been my favorite holiday. It’s because its a time of resolution, and for me it always feels like a setup for failure and disappointment. This changed when I realized that having resolutions wasn’t a final exam or a test of who I am. New Year’s can be a chance to take stock of your goals, who you want to be, and where your life is headed. It‘s an opportunity for course correction and growth!

This year my New Year’s resolution is to share my journey and goals with YOU. Once a month, I will submit an update on my blog. I will share my successes and challenges along the way as well as helpful tips and techniques that I have learned. Look for my first entry the last week of January. It will have my goals as well as the strategies that I will be using!

If you are thinking about your own New Year’s Resolutions, here are a few important strategies to make 2017 the best year yet!

Purpose: Make sure you are clear on the reason WHY you want to accomplish your resolutions. If you want to lose weight, is it so you can feel good again and to have more energy? If so, why? Perhaps its so you can keep up with your growing family, or wanting to experience better health. Whatever YOUR reason is, be clear about it and connect with it on an emotional level. It has to matter. And when the time comes when it will be hard (and it will be) remembering your why can help you push through.

Goal Setting: Two things you want to do when you are setting goals for yourself.

1. Be specific about the goals you are setting. For an example, don’t just put down “I want to run a 5k.“ Put down the exact time you want to accomplish and by when – “Run a 5k in 28 minutes or less before April 30, 2017.”
2. Tier your goals. What do I mean? Have 3 levels of goals. Start with Run a 5k in 35 minutes. Then an intermediate goal of 32 minutes and then the final goal of running a 5k in 28 minutes. You don’t have to build Rome overnight!

Reward and be kind to yourself: You will fail or slip up on the way. No problem. Don’t beat yourself up. Look at each slip up as an opportunity to BOUNCE BACK and to grow. It isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress and the only way you really fail is if you quit altogether. So be kind to yourself and keep pushing forward! AND when you do push forward and you‘re doing well, reward yourself! Buy yourself a new dress or take a staycation. Celebrate! Tie a reward to each tier of your goals.

New Year’s doesn’t have to be something we shy away from. Let’s take this blank canvas available to us and make something awesome and beautiful!

Getting Healthy? There’s An App For That!

December 21, 2016 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

For most people, the dawn of a new year brings with it good intentions of improving their health. However, many of those resolutions fall by the wayside as people eventually slip back into old habits and routines. It’s tough to stay focused and make the necessary choices to take care of yourself, even though you know they are in your best interest.

Smart phones are ubiquitous, and most of us spend too much time staring at them (myself included). Unfortunately for us, that means the only part of our body getting a good workout are our texting and scrolling thumbs. The good news is that we can use our phones to help us make those healthier choices – you just need to know about the right apps to download.

For those of you looking for someplace to start, here are a few apps that can add to your health:

Strava – made for cyclists and runners, Strava tracks your activities, including metrics for distance, speed, and calories burned.
Couch to 5K – if you’ve wanted to get into running but aren’t sure where to start, the Couch to 5K app takes you through a 9 week program that can get you ready for your first event.
Headspace – it’s no longer a secret that a meditation practice is not only good for your mental health, it also has proven physical benefits as well. Headspace takes your through simple 10 minute guided meditation to practice mindfulness, and reduce stress and anxiety.
Yonder – great for people who enjoy their adventures outdoors, Yonder helps you locate great places to hike, climb, ski or bike wherever you might be.
MyFitnessPal – the most popular app for tracking your nutrition, MyFitnessPal has an enormous database of foods. It can help you reach your nutrition goals, whether you’re trying to build muscle or lose weight.
Productive – this app is a good organizational tool and habit tracker, and when used, can help you build a routine of positive healthy habits.

Using apps to bolster your health and track your progress can be rewarding (and beware: it can even be addictive!) Some of the apps above, such as Strava and MyFitnessPal, have a social platform built in where you can both challenge and motivate your friends as you work to meet your individual goals. These apps are only suggestions and definitely just a start – there are many hundreds more out there to choose from. Using your phone as a training tool can be convenient and help you push through times that you may not be as motivated to make the healthier choices.

Have a favorite health-related app? Drop us a line and let us know what’s working for you – we’re always looking for ways to improve our wellbeing and to help you improve yours!

3 Easy Steps For A Better Night of Sleep

December 6, 2016 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

Why Sleep Matters

Although it may seem obvious to you why sleep matters, there isn’t a consensus among scientists of exactly why. There are a few convincing theories with solid research, including the Restorative Theory. The Restorative Theory states that during sleep your body restores what is lost during the time it is awake and active. Findings show that animals that are completely deprived of sleep lose all immune function and die soon after. Studies done with humans show that major restorative functions such as muscle growth, tissue repair, and growth hormone secretion are only done while asleep. As we have explored previously, the Glymphatic System, the brain’s waste disposal system, is most active while we are asleep. The bottom line is that sleep is essential to our well-being.

3 Steps to take now for better sleep

Get rid of any light in your bedroom
Too much light disrupts your circadian rhythms and your ability to fall asleep. A study to be presented at a conference for the American Association of Neurology looks at this very problem. After surveying almost 16,000 people about their sleep, they took satellite images of light in the areas these people lived and compared it to how each person rated their sleep. They found that people living in cities were exposed to light at night that was three to six times brighter than what people in rural areas experienced.Compared to people in rural areas, people exposed to bright light at night slept less, felt tired more often during the day, and reported being dissatisfied with their sleep at night. They were also more likely to report waking up confused at night.Remember that before the advent of electricity we lived in complete darkness. Light (or the lack of it) was the cue for our bodies to determine when it was time for bed and when it was time to wake up.
Get rid of any noise in your bedroom
Light is not the only thing that can disrupt your sleep. Random and distracting noises can be as detrimental as bright lights. Two simple ways to combat this are 1) Get a white noise generator. 2) Get some ear plugs. Make sure you create the perfect environment for restful sleep!
Invest in a new mattress
Mattresses are the long forgotten piece of furniture in our homes. Although we use our mattress every night, when was the last time you examined your mattress? Is it uneven and lumpy? Does it cave to the center? Are the springs still supporting your weight? When was the last time you cleaned your mattress?!

Here are the two recommendations that I have for mattresses:

-The first is the Classic Silhouette 8 that can be found here. It is a foam mattress so it’s important to have a very sturdy base for it.

-My second recommendation is the Beautyrest Black Line Alexia which you can find here.

Conclusion

Don’t take sleep for granted! In our modern age we are experiencing more stress on a day to day basis than any other time in history, which makes sleep even more important than ever. Take the time to create the perfect environment for your restoration and well-being!

Gratitude: The Science & Benefits of Being Thankful

November 22, 2016 By Dr. Jane Leave a Comment

With Thanksgiving just a day away, gratitude and thankfulness are at the forefront of everyone’s mind. During this season, we are often moved to give when we normally wouldn’t, help when we’d usually stand back, or find new depths of generosity in some arena of your life.

Is it lovely to count your blessings on Thanksgiving? Absolutely.

Can it be life-changing to be thankful day in and day out? Without a doubt!

Gratitude can be one of the most overlooked and underutilized tools that we have available to us every moment of every day. It doesn’t require much time and doesn’t cost a penny, but the benefits reaped can be tremendous. There are advances being made each day concerning the neuroscience of why gratitude “works”, and entire university programs dedicated to advancing the understanding of positive psychology. Gratitude actually affects your brain at the biological level. It does this using two important chemicals in our bodies – serotonin and dopamine. Boosting these two neurotransmitters are the focus of many anti-depressant medications, but they can also be stimulated naturally simply by feeling and expressing gratitude. Some research even shows that remembering to be grateful actually changed the density of neurons in certain areas of the brain, and because of that, it takes less effort to be grateful over time.

Don’t just take it from me, here are a few benefits of cultivating gratitude that have their roots in science and research:

Grateful people sleep better.
Gratitude bolsters self-esteem.
Grateful people enjoy better health, both physical and mental.
Gratitude increases feelings of joy, optimism, and happiness.
Grateful people feel less lonely and isolated.

If you’d like to start practicing gratitude as part of your daily routine, here are a few simple ideas that pack a powerful punch:

Keep a daily journal of things that you’re thankful for. The best times of day to incorporate this practice is right when you wake up in the morning, or just before you go to bed.
Once a day, make a habit out of telling your spouse, a friend, or a coworker something you appreciate about them.
Write a thank-you note and drop it in the mail once a week.

Focusing on the good rather than what’s bad builds an enduring mindset of positivity that can be drawn upon long after performing any of these actions. Being thankful feels good, it’s good for you, and it’s a blessing to the people in your life. The only thing we’ve got to lose is a crummy attitude and a negative outlook, and that would be okay with me!