Archive for February, 2014

There is Nothing Fishy About Fish Oil

February 27, 2014 at 1:35 am · Filed under At Home, Family, Nutrition, Seattle, Supplements, Wellness

Written by Carina Sanchez  February 13, 2014

Omega-3 fatty acids are key for normal development and growth. Since the human body cannot make omega-3 fatty acids, we have to get them from our diet. Omega-3 supplements have  become one of the most popular supplements in the U.S. and they are used to help prevent and treat a number of serious diseases. So what exactly is an Omega-3 fatty acid? How much is the right amount for me? How do I get it? Let’s take a look at what this amazing little oil is and what it can do.

Why do people take omega-3 fatty acids?

Studies from the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical and our very own Seattle Cancer Institute show evidence that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels. There is further evidence that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids help with rheumatoid arthritis, reducing risk of heart attacks, strokes and death from heart disease.

Taking a minute to look at heart disease we find the following statistics from the American Heart Association:

  • About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.
  • Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2012 were in men.
  • Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing more than 385,000 people annually.
  • Every year about 715,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 190,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack.
  • Coronary heart disease alone costs the United States $108.9 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been studied in many other conditions as well. Some of these include asthma, cancer, depression, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The different types of omega-3 fatty acids can be confusing. There are the fish oils, which contain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Then there are the plant sources with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is converted into omega-3 fatty acids in the body. Studies have generally used fish oils as the source for omega-3 fatty acids. While plant sources with ALA may have the same benefits, less is known about them. For now, fish oils with DHA and EPA have the more established benefit.

How much omega-3 fatty acids should a person take?

There are no standard doses for omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 1 gram per day of EPA+DHA for people with heart disease. Higher doses — between 2 to 4 grams per day — are used to lower triglycerides. If you need to take omega-3 fatty acid supplements, ask your health care provider what dosage they recommend.

Can you get omega-3 fatty acids naturally from foods?

Good food sources of omega-3 fatty acids include:

  • Coldwater fish, like mackerel, tuna, salmon, anchovy and sardines (though the lower on the food chain that the fish resides the better at reducing possibly issues with mercury)
  • Walnuts

The AHA recommends that people eat fish at least twice a week to increase their intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Also the addition of a pharmaceutical grade fish oil into the daily routine of supplements is a great way to add in some much needed Omega-3 fatty acids. Here at Lifetime Wellness Chiropractic we suggest to our patients and carry a line of fish oils by Innate Choice. The company uses only anchovy, herring, mackerel, and sardines, they process and pack the fish immediately in order to preserve the freshness, and they package the oil in dark glass the ensure that the oil will remain fresh and not spoil.

Lastly eating fewer foods with Omega-6 fatty acids — like some meats, eggs, and oils — can also improve the ratio of Omega-3 fatty acids in the blood, effectively raising the concentration or levels in the body. Most people in the U.S. eat diets that have 10-25 times more Omega-6 fatty acids as they do Omega-3 fatty acids (University of Maryland Medical Center). This imbalance may play a role in the onset of many diseases.

For more information about heart disease please see the following websites:

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Dangers of Self-Adjusting

February 21, 2014 at 6:40 pm · Filed under Chiropractic, Family, Pediatrics, Posture, Seattle, Wellness

Written by Dr. Heather Denniston

“Doc, usually I can get that one myself, I just turn my neck like this.  See?  Or twist my back like this.  See?  And then I get all these great pops and cracks. Pretty much I can adjust myself right?”

After being in practice for some time, statements like the ones above are very common. Patients often perceive that contorting their bodies into Cirque-du-Soleil-like positions that result in popcorn sounds ruminating from various parts of their spines is equivalent to a chiropractic adjustment. After I kindly let them know there is no need to demonstrate their techniques for me, I gently educate them on the difference between a chiropractic adjustment and a lay mobilization. I do not spare any details regarding the dangers of adjusting one’s own spine. If you or one of your loved ones is a “self-cracker” please read below.

A chiropractic adjustment is a specific force delivered to a spinal vertebra for the purpose of accomplishing a number of things.  Decreasing muscle spasming, breaking up tiny scar tissue adhesions, reducing inflammation and, most importantly, restoring proper nerve flow to the body are the results of a professional chiropractic adjustment. During the four years of post graduate work it takes to become a chiropractor, hundreds of hours are spent learning the anatomy and physiology of the body.  Hundreds of hours are then spent diagnosing the area of the spine that may need to be adjusted and then hundreds more yet practicing specific, intentional, restorative adjustments.

It is important to understand what to do during an adjustment.  It is equally important to understand what not to do.  The wrong line of drive, an inappropriate force, too much rotation, and contra indicators to adjustments are all things that a chiropractor must be aware of before he or she ever lays hands on a patient. Consequences of inappropriately applied adjustments include muscle strain, ligament sprain and hypermobility (loose joints that create instability in the spine). More serious issues include nerve compression, fracture and stroke or paralysis.

Some random pops or cracks in your spine do not constitute an adjustment. The pops and cracks are merely gas release from the inside of the joint that relieves a little pressure very temporarily. When a chiropractor makes an adjustment, the pops and cracks are a bi-product rather than the objective.  Many effective chiropractic techniques don’t elicit those sounds at all!

It may help to understand that even chiropractors can’t adjust themselves. They must visit their local chiropractor just like you. They know the dangers involved with trying to adjust themselves and understand that only a professional, who has properly diagnosed the health of their spine, should ever be attempting spinal adjustments. After all, the spine encases the most important system in one’s body: the nervous system!

So take heed patients. Leave the adjustments to the professionals.  Learn how to stretch and strengthen properly and those skills will take you much closer on your journey to a healthier, more highly functioning spine and nervous system.

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Chiropractor to Super Bowl Champions

February 6, 2014 at 10:36 pm · Filed under Chiropractic, Exercise, Family, Nutrition, Posture, Seattle, Wellness

I couldn’t believe my eyes! I sat in stunned silence for what I was told was several minute as I watched my boys in blue and green win the Super Bowl. It wasn’t just a win but it was a domination of epic proportions I watched several Super Bowl commentators discuss how and why the Seattle Seahawks did so well at Super Bowl XLVII , a common theme that I heard was that the team was just healthier and in better shape. Though it’s known that the players participate in hot yoga to stay loose, gym and field workouts to stay strong, and play reviews to keep their football minds sharp; my team also partakes in regular chiropractic care. Each player is seen at least twice a week in order to keep their skeletal and nervous systems optimally working. Below is a link to an article highlighting the teams chiropractor Dr. Jim Kurtz and his amazing work with this dynamic group of men.

Dr. Jim Kurtz DC

By the way, Lifetime Wellness Chiropractic would like to congratulate the Seattle Seahawks on a great 43-8 win against the Denver Broncos. GO HAWKS!!!

 

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