Screen your Sunscreen.

Could your Sunscreen be Causing

More Harm then Good?

   Screen your Sunscreen!

How did the sun, the source of all life, become the bad guy?  Sunlight is essential for the our bodies to make vitamin D3 - which has anti-cancer properties. In fact, several large scale medical studies have shown that  increased sun exposure actually decreased the chances of cancer deaths.  On the other hand, the chemicals we lather onto and bake into our skin are absorbed into our blood streams. These chemicals have been shown to promote tumors, damage organs, cause cancer and disrupt reproductive hormones. So how about a little moderation?  In addition, maybe it is time to start scrutinizing the labels of what we put onto our bodies, as much as we do what we put into them. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit consumer education group, has a great website for looking up the safety of personal care products: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/. Although Natural Sunscreens are harder to find, the health of you and your family is worth it!

Steps Towards Healthy Sun Exposure:

1.) Gradually expose yourself and family to the sun - to avoid sunburns. 

2.) Avoid sun exposure from noon - 3pm.

3.) Use clothing, hats, and an umbrella for protection when outside for prolonged periods of time.

4. ) Use natural sunscreens instead of the toxic, commercially available, suncreeens.     

5.) Light skinned people should seek 10-20 minutes of sun exposure for vitamin D production. Darker skinned may need up to 30 minutes per day.

Want a more delicious way to reduce your risk for skin cancer?  The National Academy of Sciences published a review showing that the key to preventing skin cancer was balancing the ratio of Omega 6 and Omega 3 fats in our diets. The typical American consumes too much Omega 6 fats (corn, soy, safflower, peanut and sunflower oil) and not enough Omega 3 fats (fish, tree nuts and seeds).   So pack almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds in your beach bag, and grill up some salmon for dinner! 

Environmental Working Group's: 2011 Sunscreen Guide.

Click for a link to the: Safest Sunscreens

Shop for: Natural Sunscreens at TheNaturalStore.com 



Omega-3 Fats - The Most Important Supplement

Omega 3 is the Fountain of Youth Vitamin! I tell my patients, "If you are going to take one supplement, this is the one to take!" It is the beautiful skin, hair and nails vitamin, and that is only the beginning - your skin, hair and nails tell a lot about your state of your health. Omega-3 fats (EPA/DHA) are anti-inflammatory, so they reduce pain and promote health and healing all over the body. Omega-3s have proven helpful in the treatment of a wide variety of illnesses to include: Cardiovascular Disease, High Cholesterol, Hypertension, Cancer Crohn’s Disease, Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Kidney disorders, Depression, Alzheimer’s Disease, Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, Obesity and Insulin Resistance (Diabetes).  Since our brains are composed mainly of fat, the better the fats we consume, the better the brain and nervous system works.  So Omega-3s are great for learning, behavior, mood, and focusing.  Ideally, we should be getting these essential fats through our diets, but in America, our consumption of Omega-3 (poly-unsaturated fats) has decreased, while our consumption of unhealthy, saturated, trans, and hydrogenated fats has increased. Omega-3 fats reduce inflammation, while other fats actually promote inflammation, pain and disease. The best way to add Omega-3 to the diet is through fish oil supplementation. (Liquid or capsule form.)  Be very careful of where you get your fish oil - you want to make sure that your supplement has been purified. (Remember the toxins, such as mercury, that can be found in fish!)   A brand that I highly recommend to my patients is Nordic Naturals. They offer a potent lemon flavored liquid fish oil, naturally lemon flavored capsules and tiny, strawberry flavored gel capsules for children.  Compared to fish oil, flax seed oil is an inferior source of Omega 3 fats, but it is the next best option for vegetarians. The Naturalstore.com carries a full line of Nordic Natural Products.  Improve the health and vitality of yourself and your family, by starting on Omega-3s today! 
Caution: Although fish oil is great for cardiovascular health, patients already taking cardiovascular medication, especially blood thinners, like Coumadin, should consult with their physician before starting on fish oils. (Since fish oils act similarly to blood thinning medication.)    

Natural Health Doc: 3 Steps to Natural Arthritis Relief - Part 2

Natural Health Doc: 3 Steps to Natural Arthritis Relief - Part 2

The Most Important Step for Arthritis Relief - Glucosamine





Glucosamine Sulfate 1,000 mg capsules - Puritain's Pride

 

 Show Your Body some Love for Valentine's Day!  

Glucosamine . . . The Fountain of Youth for the Joints!

It repairs old injuries and  reverses degenerative arthritis.  Glucosamine sulfate is made from crab shells, and it is the building blocks of cartilage.  The cartilage between our joints is like a sponge - composed of a protein and carbohydrate matrix. This matrix acts like a sponge to hold water. The injuries of life place wear-and-tear on the joints and tears in the matrix occur.  Just like a household sponge gets thinner with wear, and can't hold as much water, the cartilage in our joints gets thinner. Glucosamine comes in and repairs the tears in the cartilage matrix so that the sponge can soak up more water again. I have see patients' x-rays improve with Glucosamine. Left alone, once arthritis starts, it gradually worsens. Arthritis medications don't halt the progress of arthritis, they only mask the pain as the condition advances. The key to success with Glucosamine supplementation is dosage and consistency. You need to take it daily because its effects are cumulative - the longer you take it, the more healing occurs.  And you need to get enough into your system. It is not like a pain pill that works immediately - but the effects of glucosamine are long lasting! I recommend using pure Glucosamine Sulfate in a capsule.  Glucosamine Sulfate is the most absorbable form of Glucosamine, and capsules are more easily absorbed than solid tablets. When Glucosamine is alone in a pill, you'll get a higher dose of Glucosamine then if it it mixed with other nutrients. Chondrotin is a huge molecule, and is poorly absorbed. I have seen better, quicker results with basic, generic Glucosamine Sulfate. Trust me - I have had many patients tell me, "I tried Glucosamine before, and it didn't work." But they bought a combination joint formula, in tablet form, from a discount store. Then instead of taking the recommended 3 a day, they took 1 or 2 and not everyday. I usually recommend 2,000 mg of glucosamine for my patients with mild to moderate degenerative arthritis and 3,000 mg/ day with patients with severe arthritis. It is hard to find plain Glucosamine in a capsule. Why?  Because in it's generic form, Glucosamine can't be patented, so companies can't inflate the price.  Puritan's Pride has a great, cost-effective product: (Glucosamine Sulfate-1,000mg capsule). (Take the vegetarian version - Glucosamine HCl if you have shellfish allergies or if you have problems digesting Glucosamine Sulfate.)  Even if you think you have tried glucosamine in the past . . . spend a few dollars on another bottle and, stick to my recommendations for a month - you won't believe the difference!  Love your body again! Start participating  in life again!

Shopping tip: When purchasing from Puritan's Pride online - always search the web for promotional codes. Click here for any current codes listed on my website.

3 Steps to Natural Arthritis Relief - Part 2

Your body is an exquisite piece of machinery. What happens to that expensive foreign automobile if you forget to give it tune-ups, alignments, tire rotations, lubrication and premium fuel?  Tires wear-out, brakes fail and engines cease - the mechanical equivalent of arthritis!  So treat your body like you want it to take you places.  Follow the steps below to fight arthritis:  

 1.) Align the joint: Just as your car’s tires wear out quicker, if the car’s front end is misaligned, so will your body wear out quicker, if you are misaligned.  If a joint is not moving properly or if the weight of the body is unequally distributed, arthritis is inevitable.  Restoring normal biomechanics to the affected joints is crucial to fighting arthritis.  Adjusting and mobilizing joints works to  realign the joints, break up soft tissue restrictions and restore balanced joint motion.   Balancing the body may even include something like putting a heel lift in a shoe so that the pelvis is level - allowing both feet, knees and hips to bear equal weight.  Chiropractic physicians specialize in restoring biomechanical balance to the body. Physical therapists, massage therapists and other physical medicine clinicans also have techniques for aligning the body. You can even correct some misalignments on your own through stretching and traction techniques - that is one reason why many swear by inversion tables.   

2.) Nourish the Joint:  I call glucosamine the “fountain of youth for the joints.”  Glucosamine is a building block of cartilage.  It actually works to repair damaged cartilage and reverse arthritis.  Glucosamine sulfate is naturally derived from shrimp and crab shells. Glucosamine HCl is a vegetarian option for those who have shellfish allergies. I advise my patients to supplement with 1,000 – 3,000 mg of glucosamine per day, depending on the severity of their symptoms.  Most patients report an improvement of arthritis symptoms within 4 weeks.  I also recommend supplementing with fish oil as a source of Omega-3 fatty acids (1,500mg – 2,000mg EPA/DHA Omega 3s/day). Omega-3s are powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can help stop arthritis pain and progression, while also promoting the health and vitality of the rest of the body.  That is the beauty of natural medicine. By treating the cause of disease, the whole body is strengthened – resulting in positive side effects elsewhere in the body! Click to view the glucosamine I recommend.  Click to view the highly purified fish oil products that I recommend.

3.)  Move the Joint:  During the arthritic process, the body is working towards fusing a joint. Motion is life. Once you avoid moving a joint due to pain, the arthritis process hastens.  By keeping the joint moving, you are fighting arthritis. Non-weight bearing and low-impact exercise, such as swimming, is ideal. It is easier on the joints to move in the water, yet it is much harder on the muscles. In the water, the muscles that support the joints are strengthened, while the joints themselves are finally able to move throughout their range of motion without pain. Any time a joint is moved, it is nourished and adhesions can be broken.  Yoga, stretching, biking, walking, and elliptical machines are also beneficial.  A body in motion, will stay in motion. . . so keep your parts in motion!

If you don’t move it, you lose it!



3 Steps to Natural Arthritis Relief - Part 1

Are your aching joints really just old age? If so then why doesn’t everyone your age have the same pain and why does only one knee hurt?  The most likely cause of your chronic joint pain is degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis, commonly known as arthritis.  Football players often become riddled with it in their twenties and thirties, while some lucky individuals in their seventies have very little of it. Arthritis has everything to do with the injuries of your life. Like the old adage: If I knew I would live this long, I would have taken better care of myself! These injuries include major trauma such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, work injuries and sports injuries, as well as repetitive, microtraumas at work or at play.  Even excessive sitting, driving, and obesity can promote arthritis.  In degenerative arthritis, the cartilage, which normally serves to cushion the joints, becomes worn-out, damaged, and hardened, and bone spurs begin to form around the area. Early symptoms of arthritis include: morning pain and stiffness. The weight-bearing joints and the joints of the hands are most commonly affected. As arthritis progresses, patients report pain that is worsened by prolonged activity and rainy or cold weather and relieved by rest and warmth.  

Arthritis patients are frequently given the choice of living with the pain or taking arthritis medication for the rest of their lives.  However, even your medical doctor will admit that:  Arthritis won’t kill you, but the medicine for it will. The truth is that arthritis medication doesn’t actually treat the disease -it just masks the pain while the arthritic process continues. Arthritis medication is simply pain medication, or anti-inflammatory medication, and while it may be helpful in the short term, taken over long periods of time, these medications can be damaging to the kidneys, liver, stomach and cardiovascular system. Most common arthritis medications are in the category of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and include: aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.  In addition to inhibiting the body’s inflammatory process, NSAIDs can also inhibit many other normal and essential body functions!  Plus, pain is the body’s way of telling us that damage is occurring, and by masking the pain, patients are allowed to perform activities that will further damage their joints. Fortunately, there is another way. Countless arthritis patients have found relief following the 3 simple, natural steps outlined below:

1.) Align Your Joints: Just as your car’s tires wear out quicker if the car’s front end is misaligned, so will your body wear out quicker if your body is out of balance. 

2.) Nourish Your Joints:  I call Glucosamine the “fountain of youth for the joints.”  Glucosamine is a building block of cartilage.  It actually works to repair damaged cartilage and reverse arthritis.  In addition, the Omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory and also work to relieve the pain, swelling and damage of arthritis.    

3.)  Move Your Joint:  During the arthritic process, the body is working towards fusing a joint. By keeping the joint moving, you are fighting arthritis.

For more details on how to Align, Nourish and Move your joints to prevent, stop and reverse arthritis, stayed tuned for Part 2 - or if you can't wait, check out my website: http://www.smallmiracleschiropractic.com/.

Magnesium: A Natural Muscle Relaxer

"Magnesium - the cheapest little miracle cure" 

That's what I tell my patients. We don't hear enough about magnesium because it is so inexpensive. No one makes money advertising a health aid that cost only pennies a day, and it is a natural mineral - so it can't be patented. Plus, there are many expensive drugs that do the same things. Physicians in America are trained on the importance of magnesium in medical school, but in everyday practice, it is the pharmaceutical representatives that are spoon-feeding them the fairytale stories of drugs. Recommending vitamins cost more time and energy, and vitamin companies can't compete with the incentives and give-backs of the drug companies. Yet walk into a pharmacy in Europe, and it is filled with magnesium products.  When all else fails, magnesium is often given intravenously in American hospitals, but when the overwhelming majority of us are deficient in magnesium . . . why wait for a crisis?

Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer. It is the most used mineral in our bodies. It is used in hundreds of reactions a day, and it is vital to the function of every cell in our body. Poor soil, poor diets and medications deplete our magnesium; therefore it is almost a universal deficiency. Some effects of magnesium deficiency are: Muscle Pain, Spasms, Cramps and Twitches, Neck Pain, Back Pain, Migraines, Anxiety, Depression, ADD/ADHD, Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, High Blood Pressure, Heart Palpitations and Arrhythmias, Heart Disease, OB/GYN problems, PMS, Osteoporosis, Kidney Stones, Hyperglycemia, Diabetes, Raynard's Syndrome, and Parkinson's Disease. Take 250 – 500mg Magnesium Complex before bed, and sleep like a baby!  Magnesium also acts as a natural detoxifier. It is crucial for the removal of toxins from our bodies. (Just be careful: At high doses, it acts as a natural laxative!)  Even though magnesium may seem like a miracle cure - it is just replenishing a deficiency, and the body does the rest.  A balanced body is a healthy body!

For more information on Magnesium:
The Magnesium Miracle, by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., Balatine Books, 2007.
Click Here to View other Magnesium Publications Recommended by Dr. Imossi
Magnesium Capsule : The most cost-effective way to get magnesium. 
Magnesium Powdered Drink: Delicious and relaxing bedtime drink! Great for kids too!