Gluten Sensitivity: Treatment, Avoidance or Both?

In my professional opinion, Gluten Hypersensitivity is severely misunderstood, misdiagnosed and often times mistreated. What follows is a brief explanation of another way of understanding and therefore addressing the health concerns associated with gluten.

Important information:

• Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, buckwheat and oats.
• Gluten hypersensitivity is made worse by the increasing consumption rate of grains, breads, cereals, pastas, corn, rice and potatoes.
• The inability to properly metabolize this protein, which often leads to a vast array of symptoms, is called celiac disease.
• This condition is commonly misdiagnosed as (IBS) irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance.
• Common symptoms of gluten sensitivity include but are not limited to diarrhea, gas, bloating, reflux and constipation.
• Misdiagnosis and mistreatment is so common, it has been reported that gluten insensitivity can go for an average of 11 years before properly diagnosed.
• Ten years ago it was estimated that this problem affected 1 in 10,000. A 2004 report estimates that number to be a staggering 1 in 133.
• Atypical symptoms can include problems with skin, brain function, energy levels, fertility, depression, weight loss or gain, osteoporosis, and various organs and glands. (Most physicians don’t know this!)
• Gluten can be hidden in many foods including soups, soy sauce, candies, cold cuts, and various low- and no-fat products so you will need to be sure to check the labels before you eat it. Also watch out for malt, starches, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and natural flavoring. Some pharmaceuticals, vinegars and alcohol can also contain gluten.

Let’s think it through…
When a person, with said hypersensitivity, eats gluten the immune system triggers an autoimmune reaction. This reaction inevitably damages healthy tissue in the process, specifically the villi of the small intestine. The villi are small hair like projections responsible for nutrient absorption: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and even water in some cases. Can you imagine not being able to absorb all of the nutrients you put into your body? This is a harsh reality for many people. It may even be a health problem for you, and you don’t even know it.

If we want to fix the problem and strengthen the body, wouldn’t it make sense to do something to address the cause(s), i.e. the exaggerated immune system reaction? Of course it would! If we could normalize the immune system, even a little bit, by reducing stress within the system, would that strengthen the body internally and help reduce symptoms naturally? Again, of course it would.

I know that mainstream medicine does not acknowledge this line of thinking as valid, but that’s not important. What is important is what YOU think is valid, logical, and in the end - a better course of action.

In many cases an avoidance strategy may be necessary, especially when you consider that the average diet is completely overloaded with grains already. In many cases, too much is just too much. So, it just makes sense to reduce and or eliminate gluten for a healthier lifestyle. But, consider the possibility that another issue needs to be addressed. That issue being an overly sensitive immune system, i.e. a weakness in the body. There are ways to address these weaknesses. If you or someone you know has a problem with gluten I suggest doing some research on what a BioVeda Health and Wellness Practitioner can offer. You can do more research by going to www.BioVedaofEastCentennial.com.

Stay tuned for Part 2: "Insights into Gluten and You"

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig Burns

Read the 1st page of this newsletter HERE - "Over 2000 in Colorado, How Do You Choose?"

Surveys Indicate that 99% of Americans…

Everyone wants to be well and healthy. Surveys indicate that 99% of Americans list health as one of the two most important aspects of their lives. The Chiropractic profession and the staff at Maximized Health have embraced the concept of health promotion, asserting that what we really do in Chiropractic care is to optimize Health. Toward that purpose we have been exploring ways to optimize our health and the quality of our lives in relation to wellness.

Wellness can be described as the full living of a healthy life at all levels: physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually and spiritually, as these dimensions of ourselves interact synergistically. You'll need to develop a road map that provides the vision and direction to successfully navigate this domain while finding joy in the journey.

Personal wellness planning provides a powerful individualized method that helps us transform the quality of our lives and achieve optimal wellness. Dimensions of wellness that you may incorporate in a personal wellness plan include: spinal and neurobiological balance, physical fitness, optimal nutrition, intellectual development, emotional and social wellness and spirituality. Goals set in each dimension should be simple, clear and measurable.

To help illustrate this for you, I will share my personal wellness plan below (my escape plan from the “sick care” system):

My Personal Wellness Plan
For a fit, 34-year-old, very active American male chiropractor and wellness fanatic, who teaches health empowerment.

Purpose: To empower myself in wellness so that, by the grace of God, I can serve others to a higher level of healthy living.

Chiropractic/Neurobiological Balance: I get checked for spinal and structural alignment/balance weekly; get adjusted as needed. Perform my stretching daily for my spine and traction when necessary.

Exercise Activity: I average 30-60 minute workouts, 6-7 days per week. I incorporate strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination/integration activities. My specific activities include running up to 15 miles per week and/or using other cardio-machines, free-weight and machine resistant training and stretching exercises. I work core musculature (abs, back, glutes, thighs) intensively at least three times per week. Because I have a physically demanding job and plenty of people that rely of my level of physical fitness, I am dedicated to maintaining my body.

Diet: I try to make healthy choices daily. I keep healthy and fresh food available around the home and office, and discard foods that tempt me when I'm low on energy. Usually, my daily diet includes fruit in the morning, fresh vegetables in salad or steamed with lean meat for lunches and dinners. I also ensure that I take in one to one-and-a-half liters of pure water per day. I also take high quality supplements rich in Anti-oxidants and especially omega-3 Fatty acids. I keep low quantities of starches, such as rice, pasta and rarely eat bread and potatoes.

Rest: I try to average 7-8 hours of sleep per day. Some days I get 6 hours and others I get 9 for balance. I go to bed early. Since the mind is programmed in the early morning and late evening, I read great things during that time. I also avoid the news which is mostly negative and is what people do first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Intellectual Development: I explore new possibilities relative to health promotion ad self-improvement by reading newsletters, texts and journals or listening to thought provoking speakers and authors. Even with a busy day, I am able to incorporate about 20-60 minutes of reading and conducting research related to Chiropractic, wellness and health promotion.

Family: I affirm, love, honor and pray for my family members daily. I'll spend at least 1-3 hours of quality, one-on-one time with my wife daily.

Spirituality: I dedicate about 20-30 minutes toward my spiritual inspiration daily often times while getting ready for the day. I give thanks daily for the abundance that we have in this life. I live my purpose daily, helping others to achieve better health so that they can serve their life mission with better energy.

Try making a trial plan which fits you, uniquely. Go for it! Capture your own imagination, and then make it real. If you have any questions about wellness planning, e-mail me at drcraig@maximizedhealth.net

Speak Up and Educate Others,


Dr. Craig Burns

Read the 1st Page: " Will You Escape the Sick Care System?"

What's the Deal with GMO Foods?

Eating genetically modified (GM) foods may cause disease

GMOs may be the greatest health disaster in the American diet. Within 9 years of their introduction in 1996, multiple chronic illnesses jumped from 7% to 13% of the population, food allergies doubled in less time, and many other ailments have been on the rise. Millions may already be suffering health problems caused by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their diet. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has urged doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients, and cites animal studies that show how GMOs cause disorders such as vital organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system problems, accelerated aging, infertility, and dysfunctional regulation of insulin and cholesterol.

GMO foods can be:

• Allergenic (contribute to food allergies)
• Toxic (possibly cause damage to your immune system)
• Carcinogenic (cause cancer)
• Anti-nutritional (create a nutritional deficit)

Despite claims by giant GMO manufacturers like Monsanto that genetically modified foods are no less healthy than non-GM foods, the research says otherwise.

The U.S. Is Behind the Curve in Rejecting GM Foods?

People around the world have joined forces to refuse GM foods and crops because of the dangers they present to your health and the future of your food supply. Europe, for example, eliminated GMOs from their food supply 10 years ago. In the United States, however, many of you are still not even aware you’re eating GM foods every day. That’s because an estimated 75% of foods in U.S. grocery stores contain GM ingredients. About 7 out of every 10 items in the average grocery cart have been genetically modified.

What can I do about GM Foods?

Examine produce stickers on the fruits and vegetables you buy. The PLU code for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers; organically grown fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number nine; and GM fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number eight.

Buy organic produce as often as you can. By definition, food that is certified organic must be free from all GM organisms. Stay away from processed foods. Most of these contain corn and soy products.

Additional Research: keyword search – “GMO corn dangers” or visit www.SeedsOfDeception.com

Speak Up and Educate Others,

Dr. Craig Burns

"How Much is your Body Really Worth?" - Click HERE to find out

Health Facts That Should Make You Go Hmm?

• Spinal stiffness was linked to visceral pathology with nearly 100% accuracy based upon sympathetic innervation. (Medical Times, 1921)
• 1,000 capsules of Tylenol in a lifetime doubles the risk of end stage renal disease. (New England Journal of Medicine, 1994)
• The average time for a whiplash-injured patient to achieve maximum improvement is 7 months 1 week. (Spine, 1994)
• 93% of patients with chronic whiplash pain who have failed medical and physical therapy care improve with chiropractic adjustments. (Injury, 1996)
• Taking the correct drug for the correct diagnoses in the correct dose will kill about 106,000 Americans per year, making it the 4th most common cause of death in the US. (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1998)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for rheumatoid and/or osteoarthritis conservatively cause 16,500 Americans to bleed to death each year, making that the 15th most common cause of death in the US. (New England Journal of Medicine, 1999)
• Glutamate and aspartame can cause chronic pain sensitization, and removing them from the diet for 4 consecutive months can eliminate all chronic pain symptoms. (Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 2002)
• Chiropractic spinal adjusting has been shown to be over 5 times more effective than the NSAIDs pain drugs Celebrex and Vioxx in the treatment of chronic neck and low back pain. (Spine, 2003)
• In patients suffering from chronic pain subsequent to degenerative spinal disease, 59% can eliminate the need for pain drugs by consuming adequate levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids. (Surgical Neurology, 2006)
• Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to significantly lower blood pressure. (Journal of Human Hypertension, 2007)
• The estimated incidence of chronic pain from whiplash trauma is 15-40%. (Jour of the Am Academy of Ortho Surg, 2007)
• Meniere’s Disease has been linked to a disorder of the upper cervical spine facet joints. (International Tinnitus Jour, 2007)
• Supplementing with vitamin D3 has the potential to reduce cancer deaths in America by 75%. (Ann of Epidemiology, 2009)
• Potentially, the largest exposure of Americans to the neurotoxin mercury is through the consumption of products containing High Fructose Corn Syrup. (Environmental Health, 2009)
• Those who consumed the highest amounts of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain drugs increased their risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s dementia, by 66%. (Neurology, 2009)
• The newest estimate for the incidence of autism is 1 in 91 US children. (Pediatrics, 2009)
  

Speak Up and Educate Others,

Dr. Craig Burns

Read Page 1 of this newsletter HERE: "Protein: Are You Getting Enough?"

Why You May Need to Eat More Protein

(Part 1)
About 90% of all the individuals I’ve ever consulted with have been eating less protein than they need for optimal health and ideal results. Now, there are a number of reasons why I recommend a boost in protein intake in most patients and clients so I’d like to outline them for you.

Reason #1 Increased Thermic Effect of Feeding — While all macronutrients require metabolic processing for digestion, absorption, and storage or oxidation, the thermic effect of protein is significantly higher than that of carbohydrates and fat. In fact, protein requires 25-30% of the energy it provides just for digestion, absorption, and assimilation while carbs only require 6-8% and fat requires 2-3%. That means that eating protein is actually thermogenic and can lead to a higher metabolic rate. This means greater fat loss when dieting and less fat gain during hypercaloric diets.

Reason #2 Increased Glucagon — Protein consumption increases plasma concentrations of the hormone glucagon. Glucagon is responsible for antagonizing the effects of insulin in adipose tissue, leading to greater fat mobilization. In addition, glucagon also decreases the amounts and activities of the enzymes responsible for making and storing fat in adipose and liver cells. Again, this leads to greater fat loss during dieting and less fat gain during overfeeding.

Reason #3 Increased IGF-1 — Protein and amino-acid supplementation has been shown to increase the IGF-1 response to both exercise and feeding. Since IGF-1 is an anabolic hormone that’s related to muscle growth, another advantage associated with consuming more protein is more muscle growth when overfeeding and/or muscle sparing when dieting.

Reason #4 Reduction in Cardiovascular Risk — Several studies have shown that increasing the percentage of protein in the diet (from 11% to 23%) while decreasing the percentage of carbohydrate (from 63% to 48%) lowers LDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations with concomitant increases in HDL cholesterol concentrations.

Reason #5 Improved Weight-Loss Profile — Research from Layman and colleagues has demonstrated that reducing the carbohydrate to protein ratio from 3.5–1 to 1.4–1 increases body fat loss, spares muscle mass, reduces triglyceride concentrations, improves satiety, and improves blood glucose management.

Reason #6 Increased Protein Turnover — All tissues of the body, including muscle, go through a regular program of turnover. Since the balance between protein breakdown and protein synthesis governs muscle protein turnover, you need to increase your protein turnover rates in order to best improve your muscle quality. A high protein diet does just this. By increasing both protein synthesis and protein breakdown, a high protein diet helps you get rid of the old muscle more quickly and build up new, more functional muscle to take its place.

Reason #7 Increased Nitrogen Status — A positive nitrogen status means that more protein is entering the body than is leaving the body. High protein diets cause a strong positive protein status and when this increased protein availability is coupled with an exercise program that increases the body’s anabolic efficiency, the growth process may be accelerated.

Reason #8 Increased Provision of Auxiliary Nutrients — although the benefits mentioned above have related specifically to protein and amino acids, it’s important to recognize that we don’t just eat protein and amino acids — we eat food. Therefore, high protein diets often provide auxiliary nutrients that could enhance performance and/or muscle growth. These nutrients include creatine, branched chain amino acids, conjugated linoleic acids, and/or additional nutrients that are important but remain to be discovered. This illustrates the need to get most of your protein from food, rather than supplements alone.

More to come next week on protein intake… stay tuned…Looking over this list of benefits, it’s clear that for many individuals, an increase in protein intake would be advantageous for most people’s health and fitness goals? Since a high protein diet can lead to a better health profile, an increased metabolism, and improved body composition – it’s time to start asking: how much protein do I really need?

MORE to come next week on protein intake...stay tuned...

Speak Up and Educate Others,

Dr. Craig Burns

Read the 1st Page of this newsletter here : Did You Hear The News?

Fat Chance!

Obesity rates have soared in all age groups over the past three decades. They’ve DOUBLED among children and TRIPLED among adolescents. And nearly one in three Americans are overweight or obese. All of which foretells a sobering future.

“If we don’t succeed in reversing this epidemic…”, according to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, “…we are in danger of raising the first generation of American children who will live sicker and die younger than their parents’ generation.”

In addition the costs of medical care for obesity-related disease and the resulting loss in productivity could be staggering. The obesity epidemic already costs our nation $117 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity. Childhood obesity alone costs up to $14 billion of that $117 billion annually, and if trends continue, that number will only get worse.

“I think it’s literally going to overwhelm us. “says Dr. Sandra Hassink, who heads a youth-obesity clinic in Wilmington, DE, and chairs the obesity leadership group for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Authorities also say obesity affects a child’s quality of life. Obese kids have negative body images, poor self-esteem, many become targets for bullying, and obesity threatens a child’s health-both in the short and long term. Overweight kids suffer greater risks for diabetes, heart disease, asthma, sleep apnea, depression and other problems.

“Think of obesity as an accelerator for disease…”, Dr. Hassink says, “…until recently we called Type 2 diabetes ‘adult onset’ because we never saw it in children. Now, it’s showing up in kids as young as 12.”

Dr. Judd’s Comments:

This is a very powerful article chronicling the consequences of being obese as a child. So did it come from the New England Journal of Medicine, AMA Journal or the Lancet? No, in fact this is from the September/October 2009 issue of “Scouting”, a magazine especially for members and adult leaders of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). BSA is tasked with helping boys become the best that they can be. The BSA leadership discovered an alarming trend among boys and leaders, more and more boys are unable to handle the stresses of simple outdoor activities. Plus their general health has declined dramatically. In fact, 41% of youth and 77.5% of adult applicants to the 2010 National Scout Jamboree were overweight, obese, or morbidly obese! BSA is so concerned that new health guidelines will be implemented starting in 2010.

Shouldn’t we be concerned too? I am a parent and a Scout Leader and a member of my community. I am deeply concerned with the health of my children and that of the boys in my Troop. BSA makes no apologies for their new stringent guidelines. Neither should we. It is time to take control of the health of our children and our community! They need us, let’s not miss this chance to make a difference!


Dr. Judd

Read the 1st page of the newsletter HERE

Raising Healthy Kids In An Unhealthy World
September 16th @ 6:30 pm
Guests welcomed & RSVP required.
You get 60 minutes of Migun Massage for every person you refer!!!
Speak up and tell others!

Hidden Sources Of MSG In Foods

From the book 'Excitotoxins - The Taste That Kills' By Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD

“What if someone were to tell you that a chemical (MSG) added to food could cause brain damage in your children, and that this chemical could effect how your children's nervous systems formed during development so that in later years they may have learning or emotional difficulties?

“What if there was scientific evidence that these chemicals could permanently damage a critical part of the brain known to control hormones so that later in life your child might have endocrine problems? How would you feel? Would that affect your buying decisions?

“How would you feel when you learn the food industry hides and disguises these excitotoxin additives (MSG and Aspartate) so they can't be recognized? Incredulous? Enraged? The fact is many foods are labeled as having "No MSG" but in fact not only contain MSG but also are laced with other excitotoxins of equal potency and danger.

“All of the above are true. And all of these well known brain toxins are poured into our food and drink by the thousands of tons to boost sales. These additives have NO OTHER purpose other than to enhance to TASTE of food and the SWEETNESS of various diet products.

Dr. Judd’s Comments:
In the movie “So I Married An Axe Murderer”, the main character’s father rants about Kentucky Fried Chicken in a thick Scottish brough, “It’s a well known fact that they put an addictive chemical in it to make you crave for it nightly!!” Pretty funny until you realize that he was right! This is truly scary stuff. These ‘addictive chemicals’ really are put in food to make us crave it! Did you ever wonder why kids love stuff out of a box? It’s ADDICTIVE!! Dr. Blaylock continues by giving us a list of food additives to look for when shopping. Make good choices and we can avoid this stuff together!

* Food Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG *

Monosodium Glutamate
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
Plant Protein Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Calcium Caseinate
Yeast Extract
Textured Protein (Including TVP)
Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
Corn Oil

* Food Additives That FREQUENTLY Contain MSG *

Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Bouillon
Broth
Stock
Flavoring
Natural Flavors/Flavoring
Natural Beef Or Chicken Flavoring
Seasoning
Spices

"Raising Healthy Kids In An Unhealthy World"
September 16th, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
**Guests welcomed & RSVP required.

**You get 60 minutes of Migun Massage for every person you refer!!!

Read the 1st Page of This Newsletter HERE

Nature's Pharmacy

Here are a few fun observations about nature and it's amazing ability to heal the human body and maintain optimal health.

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... All before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best and more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners...
　
A sliced Carrot - looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... And YES, science now shows carrots 　greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.　
A Tomato - has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.　
Grapes -hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.　
A Walnut - looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.　
Kidney Beans - actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.　
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb - and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.　
Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears - target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).　
Figs - are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.　
Sweet Potatoes - look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.　
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries　
Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits - look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.　
Onions - look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.　
　
Source: Anonymous

What Can You Learn From The Oldest People On The Planet?

Learn why these 5 cultures are living without disease and what common denominator connects them. They are well known for longevity of 120 to 140 years. You may have heard of their names if you have been studying alternative health for any length of time.

• Certain tribes of Tibetans in western China
• The Hunzas in eastern Pakistan near Mount Rekaposhi
• The Russian Georgians of the Caucaus Mountains in western Russia
• The Vilcabomba Indians in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador
• And the Titicaca Indians in the Andes Mountains of southwestern Peru
  

The common denominator… they all live in mountain valleys 8,500 to 14,000 feet in elevation and they all get their water from the “glacial milk” (the water that comes from underneath glaciers as they grind up the parent rock of the mountain). This highly mineralized water is white and opaque – it looks like milk.

More importantly, for 2,500 to 5,000 years, they have irrigated their crops with it. So, their crops have converted the metallic minerals in the “glacial milk” into organically bound plant colloidal minerals, the most absorbable form of minerals. And then guess what… they eat the plants and get all of those minerals.

In short, these 5 third world cultures gave their body the raw materials that it needed, and then let the greatest physician of all… their own body do the healing. Your body is capable of healing itself, but only when it’s basic nutritional needs are met on a daily basis.

Approximately 99% of the human body is comprised of minerals, yet minerals are generally overlooked when nutrition is considered. It is well known that the human body requires at least 60 minerals in order to maintain a disease and ailment free state.

Foods we raise or purchase in markets today seldom contain more than 16 to 18 minerals. This small number of minerals in plants is because of a mineral deficiency of the food producing soils around the world.

If this information is indeed true, it's easy to understand why sickness is so prevalent throughout the world, even in technologically advanced countries. The body can utilize some minerals without vitamins, but vitamins and most other nutrients are basically useless in the absence of minerals.

Extensive research is showing that without supplementation, it is not likely that we can eat enough food to get the full range of essential trace minerals required to obtain optimum health and longevity.

Dr. Craig’s Comments…

The water in one of my supplements, Ionix Supreme, is sourced from the Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains, an area known for the healing properties found in its water. Discovered within the Coleman mine, the water is supersaturated with quartz crystals and other minerals. Quartz Crystal Mineral Water is one of the most unique waters to be discovered. Quartz is made up of silica and oxygen and is an incredible conductor of electricity. Silica makes up the primary element saturated in this water. It is a trace mineral that is important for bones, hair, skin and proper nerve conduction.

When water becomes rich in minerals, as this unique quartz water has done, it enables the body to maintain energy, vitality and health. Many of the health problems we are seeing are occurring as a result of deficiencies in our diet. Using waters that are enriched naturally with minerals such as silica, calcium, magnesium and trace minerals becomes a fuel for the body to enrich and function more efficiently.

If you have more questions about mineral supplementation, please ask a member of our staff!

When Soft Drink Consumption Rises, So Do The Risks of Cardiovascular Disease

Have you ever taken a good look around the tabletops of a fast food restaurant and observed what people are drinking? A quick survey will probably reveal that a majority of the patrons are enjoying a large, extra-large or super-sized refillable soft drink along with their meal. This is likely quite a change from what you would have seen at a restaurant table 40, 30 or even 20 years ago.

The effects on the population regarding this increased soft drink consumption and the health of individual drinkers was the research topic of a recent study at the Boston University School of Medicine through the Farmingham Heart Study. Researchers found that persons consuming more than one soft drink per day had an increased risk of the factors that are associated with heart disease. Interestingly, both regular and diet soft drinks were seen as equal contributors to these threats to heart health.

These factors of heart disease risk have been clustered into a group of symptoms know as “Metabolic Syndrome.”
This grouping includes excess waist circumference, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides (fats), elevated glucose levels, and a lower level of the good HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein). According to the researchers, three or more of these factors present in the body indicates a higher risk for heart disease and for diabetes as well.

“We were struck by the fact that it didn’t matter whether it was a diet or regular soda that participants consumed, the association with increased risk was present,” said Ramachandran Vasan, M.D., and professor at Boston University School of Medicine. “In those who drink one or more soft drinks daily, there was an association of an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.”

The Farmingham Study involved some 9,000 personal observations made in middle-aged men and women at 3 different times over a 4 year period. When this study began, researchers immediately observed that persons consuming more than one soft drink per day had a 48 percent higher presence of metabolic syndrome than those consuming one drink or less a day.

Also interesting was the increased risk noted over the course of the study for persons who had no evidence of a metabolic risk at the start, but who consumed one or more soft drinks per day. At the end of 4 years, those who consumed this amount of soft drink had a 44 percent higher risk of developing new-onset metabolic syndrome. Also noted for this group was a 31 percent greater risk of developing new on-set obesity, a 30 percent increase in developing increased waist size, a 25 percent increase in triglycerides and glucose levels, and a 32 percent risk of having lower HDL levels. These results were published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

With obesity statistics for American adults and children rising each year and with the onset of diabetes also rising, a change in lifestyle and health practices is obviously overdue.

“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.”
Gautama Siddharta

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

Is “Good Enough” Really Good Enough?

When it comes to your body and your health do you settle for “good enough”? What I mean is… have you come to accept that your current state of health and fitness is good enough, and not worth worrying about or improving upon?

Too many people nowadays live in the paradigm of ‘if it ain’t broke it don’t need fixin’. In other words, if they feel fine with the way things are - then they are “good enough”. The “good enough” mentality means you don’t think you need improvement, need help or need to change anything in any way. I think the “good enough” mentality is actually the cause of many health problems we see nowadays.

Ask yourself this… would you like to be: more fit, thinner and leaner, more flexible, stronger, happier and healthier than you are now? What is holding you back? Is it because being “good enough” has become so easy? If so, I can relate. I still think this way from time to time.

For instance, I just started my first day of a 9 Day Detox and Cleansing Program. This program is designed to detoxify and clean the body internally of unhealthy chemicals that build up over time. I should mention, this is not a simple ‘pop a pill with each meal’ kind of health program – it requires commitment to a purpose! After my first 12 hours of consuming supplements and simple snacks instead of my traditional breakfast, lunch, dinner I begin to wonder if this was a good idea. I begin to rationalize that I am already pretty healthy and fit, so why am I putting myself through this process? The “good enough” mentality begins to rear its ugly head.

Actually, I was having the following thoughts before even beginning this health cleansing program: would this be worth it, can I finish it, will I cheat and or quit early, do I really need to do this, aren’t I healthy enough already, etc… the same thoughts that everyone else would have before taking on such a challenge.

My motivation on this Detox and Cleansing Program is to be the best that I can be. For this reason alone I am committed to succeed and rise to the challenge. I am committed to knowing what it is like to live at my full potential. I want to be an example to my family and friends that health and fitness is an investment with unparalleled rewards. I believe that “being at your best” is always better than “being good enough”.

For these reasons and a few others, I continue to push my limits in achieving a higher state of health and wellness. I can say that with each decision I make to refuse to be “good enough” the rewards of becoming better are always well worth the effort. My decision to be a lifelong chiropractic patient, to workout even when I am tired, to eat well even when something else sounds better… will improve my life and its impact on others.

Being “good enough” was never meant to be good enough or acceptable. Your life and your health is a gift – not a guarantee!

I applaud your decision to be a part of this office and your commitment to reading our educational newsletters. By doing so, you are refusing to accept the “good enough” or “as good as it gets” mentality as I have. It is a pleasure to be a part of the process that leads to you getting better, and your learning to be as good as you can be.
Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

Maximized Health “tip of the week”

The Real Dangers of Soda to You and Your Children

How many sodas have you had today? How about your kids? The average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks each year, but before you grab that next can of soda, consider this: one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites.

This is an alarming amount of sugar, calories and harmful additives in a product that has absolutely no nutritional value. Plus, studies have linked soda to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease. Despite this, soda accounts for more than one-quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States.

Teenagers and children, who many soft drinks are marketed toward, are among the largest consumers. In the past 10 years, soft drink consumption among children has almost doubled in the United States. Teenage boys now drink, on average, three or more cans of soda per day, and 10 percent drink seven or more cans a day. The average for teenage girls is more than two cans a day, and 10 percent drink more than five cans a day.

While these numbers may sound high, they’re not surprising considering that most school hallways are lined with vending machines that sell, of course, soft drinks. It’s not uncommon for schools to make marketing deals with leading soft drink companies such as Coca-Cola from which they receive commissions--based on a percentage of sales at each school--and sometimes a lump-sum payment.

The revenues are used for various academic and after-school activities, but what activity could be worth devastating the students’ health, which is exactly what consuming all that soda is doing? Getting rid of vending machines in schools--or replacing their contents with pure water and healthy snacks--could make a big difference, as vending machines can increase the consumption of sweetened beverages by up to 50 or more cans of soda per student per year. Let’s take a look at some of the major components of a can of soda:

• Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients.

• Sugar: Soft drink manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.

• Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens (cancer causing).

• Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.

• Tap Water: I recommend that everyone avoid drinking tap water because it can carry any number of chemicals including chlorine, trihalomethanes, lead, cadmium, and various organic pollutants. Tap water is the main ingredient in bottled soft drinks.

• Soda is one of the main reasons, nutritionally speaking, why many people suffer health problems. Aside from the negative effects of the soda itself, drinking a lot of soda is likely to leave you with little appetite for vegetables, protein and other food that your body needs.

If you are still drinking soda, stopping the habit is an easy way to improve your health. Pure water is a much better choice.

Toxicity and Weight Loss

Fact #1 = The average human being comes into contact with approximately 82,000 chemicals in any given week.

Fact #2 = The majority of people who try to lose weight permanently will fail.

There is a connection between these two facts and it goes way beyond weight loss. Would you like to know how to lose weight and in the process become healthier and happier? Then read on…
It is a medical fact that dangerous levels of toxic chemicals in the body will cause increased fat deposition. The fat molecules actually surround and encase the toxic chemicals in an effort to protect the body. This is a survival mechanism. And yes, the majority of the toxic chemicals that I am referring to are what you put in your mouth and on your skin.

People often fail in their endeavor to lose weight and get healthier because the body will always be smarter than they are. What I mean is… the body knows that it needs the excess fat to protect itself and will always require it unless a drastic change is made internally. A person who truly desires to lose weight and get healthier must first figure out how to reduce the body’s need for the excess weight. In other words, they have to become less toxic!

The health problems associated with chemical toxicity goes far beyond weight gain. Some problems associated with chemical toxicity include: damage to the liver, kidneys and other organs, chronic stiffness and pain in joints and muscles, altered neurological function, abnormal sleep patterns, fatigue, headaches, fibromyalgia, and mood swings… just to name a few.

Let me give you a few ideas on how you are already creating a toxic internal environment right now: by ingesting foods with preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, pesticide residues, etc…, by using unhealthy hygiene products including many forms of makeup, sunscreens, deodorants, soaps, and household cleaning products, and by regularly drinking tap water… just to name a few.

This health topic can be intimidating and interesting all at the same time. But, knowing the difference between right and wrong when it comes to health and disease is far better than the alternative and its associated consequences. So, to put things in perspective let me say this about health and toxicity… being perfect is impossible, but getting better is worth the effort!

So, where can you start learning more about chemical toxicity and your ability to not only lose fat but increase your quality of life? First, start by attending the nutritional seminar(s) this July 15th and 29th. We will certainly be exploring this concept further and offering practical solutions that will make a difference in your body and your state of health. RSVP is required. Seating is limited!

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

Medical Philosophy vs. Chiropractic Philosophy

Chiropractic and medicine disagree on what constitutes health, disease, the meaning of symptoms, and the goal of care. These are philosophical differences that go back over 2,500 years. "But chiropractic is only about 100 years old. How could we have a conflict with medicine for 2,500 years?" I hear you say. Good question.

The answer is that our philosophical roots go way back, as does medicine. In fact two conflicting philosophies of healing - similar to that of chiropractic and medicine - can be found from the earliest writings of Hippocrates (5th century B.C.) to the present day. The camps were referred to as the Vitalists and the Mechanists. Generally speaking, medical doctors or allopaths are Mechanists, while chiropractors, classical homeopaths, acupuncturists, traditional osteopaths and others are Vitalists.

Let’s look at how vitalists and mechanists view things: Mechanists assume the body operates like a machine whose whole is equal to the sum of its parts. "Study the body," they say, "study its cells, and its chemistry using disciples such as physics, mechanics and mathematics and the workings of the whole will be revealed."

Vitalists disagree: "Living creatures are fundamentally different from non-living creatures", they say. "The laws of physics, chemistry, mechanics, and mathematics cannot give us a complete knowledge or understanding of biological systems because the whole body is greater than the sum of its parts." Vitalists learn how the body works by studying the living body, not isolated chemicals in a test tube or by making up theories.

This philosophical difference is profound, it colors everything –

Mechanists say: "The body is a dumb machine; symptoms are always bad and must be destroyed. Fevers must be lowered, inflammations must be cooled, itching or eruptions must be suppressed, pain must be eliminated - symptoms are bad in and of themselves and must be destroyed."

Vitalists say: "The body is intelligent and reacts to the environment. Symptoms are its response to environmental stress, a sign that the body is fighting to return to it’s homeostatic balance. Symptoms must be permitted to express themselves so the body may cleanse and heal and return to normal balance."

Mechanists: "The most important thing is to diagnose the disease the patient has and then fight it. The patient’s resistance to disease is not very important."

Vitalists: "More important than diagnosing and treating disease, the individual’s innate power of resistance needs to be strengthened so it may heal."

Mechanists: Everyone who has a certain disease has the same disease as anyone who has that disease."

Vitalists: people are chemically, emotionally, and structurally unique. When caring for a sick person, we should try to learn why that one person is sick in his or her own unique way, and we should not generalize to other people. 100 people with cancer are, if you look closely enough are really expressing 100 unique conditions that have some things in common but many things unique to their situation. The more their care is tailored to their unique needs, the more successful the results.

Mechanists: "We will ultimately know exactly how the body works, what makes it sick and how to make it healthy.

Vitalists: "The body is essentially unknowable. It has billions of parts, each doing its own thing at a fantastic rate. The body is constantly reacting to its environment and changing moment by moment. How can anyone know what is happening at any one time to all those parts? And doesn’t the very act of observing alter our results?

Mechanists believe they can know the body and figure out what it needs in advance. Their procedures are often invented. Vitalists sit in awe of the body’s functions and state that the only way we can find out how healing works is see how living bodies react. Their procedures are discovered.

Which philosophy do you wish to live and promote for the health of future generations?

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

Maximized Health “tip of the week”

The idea that sunscreen prevents cancer is a myth

It's a myth promoted between the cancer industry and the sunscreen industry. The sunscreen industry makes money by selling lotion products that actually contain cancer-causing chemicals. It then donates a portion of that money to the cancer industry through non-profit groups like the American Cancer Society which, in turn, run heart-breaking public service ads urging people to use sunscreen to "prevent cancer."

The scientific evidence, however, shows quite clearly that sunscreen actually promotes cancer by blocking the body's absorption of ultraviolet radiation, which produces vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D, as recent studies have shown, prevents up to 77% of ALL cancers in women (breast cancer, colon cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, brain tumors, multiple myeloma... you name it). Meanwhile, the toxic chemical ingredients used in most sunscreen products are actually carcinogenic and have never been safety tested or safety approved by the FDA. They get absorbed right through the skin (a porous organ that absorbs most substances it comes into contact with) and enter the bloodstream.

The benefits of sunscreen are a myth. Proponents say sunscreen prevents sunburn, but in fact, the real cause of sunburn is not merely UV exposure: It is a lack of antioxidant nutrition. Start eating and supplementing your body with antioxidants and you'll build up an internal sunscreen that will help protect your skin from sunburn from the inside out. Sunburn is actually caused by nutritional deficiencies that leave the skin vulnerable to DNA mutations from radiation, but if you boost your nutrition and protect your nervous system with plant-based nutrients, you'll be more naturally resistant to sunburn. The same nutrients, by the way, also protect the optic nerve and eyes from radiation damage. That's why the consumption of berries and carrots, for example, has historically been associated with healthy eye function. (The same nutrients that protect the eyes also protect the skin.)

If sunscreen is so bad for humans, you might ask, then why do so many doctors recommend using it? This might be hard for you to believe, but it wasn't too long ago that doctors routinely recommended smoking cigarettes, too. The Journal of the American Medical Association, in fact, ran numerous ads promoting Camels as "recommended by more doctors than any other cigarette!" Doctors talked up the "benefits" of smoking cigarettes, urging people to start smoking in order to improve brain function or even -- get this -- make their teeth stronger!

The truth is doctors are easily influenced by commercial interests and can be readily convinced to recommend practically any product, no matter how toxic, unhealthy or deadly to consumers. Just look at how many doctors wrote prescriptions for Vioxx, for example, after being visited by a Vioxx drug rep pushing it as a "miracle drug" for joint pain.

TOPIC SUMMARY AND COURSE OF ACTION:

• Get small doses of sun without sunscreen (no burning) so that your body can produce Vitamin D (10 minutes or so is sufficient - not a difficult thing to accomplish here in Colorado)
• Make sure you have enough antioxidant rich foods to prevent burning and skin damage. Build up your "internal" sun damage defense system.
• Reduce Omega 6 (bad fats) and increase Omega 3 (good fats) = The high excess of omega-6 fats in most people's diet puts them at a much higher risk of developing skin cancer when they get sunburned.
• Find an ALL NATURAL INGREDIENT sunscreen, they do exist and they are free of cancer causing chemicals (example, go to www.gocarribeanblue.com)
• Learn more on your own, and teach your friends and family how to live wisely!

Can Chiropractic Cure a Deaf Man?

Chiropractic was discovered on September 18, 1895 by a man named Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer in Davenport, Iowa. D.D. Palmer was a magnetic healer in the city of Davenport and had an office in the downtown area. A good friend of D.D. Palmer’s and the owner of a janitorial business in the area was a man by the name of Harvey Lillard.

Harvey had been legally deaf for about 17 years. He was discussing his condition with Dr. Palmer one day and he revealed that his deafness started one day when he was lifting something heavy and felt a “pop” in his back. His hearing gradually got worse and worse from that point on until he could not even hear the horses and buggies go by on the cobble stone streets anymore.

Dr. Palmer concluded that if an injury to the back caused his problem, maybe he could relieve that problem by repairing that injury. Dr. Palmer had been an anatomist and physiologist for many years and had studied all there is to know about the human body. He knew that the spine houses the spinal cord and that the spinal cord is an extension of the brain, which the brain uses to communicate to the entire body.

He also knew that there are many nerves that travel from the spinal cord out to the entire body in order for the body to function. He concluded that there must be some sort of nerve interference to the nerves controlling Mr. Lillard’s hearing and if he removed that interference, he may recover his hearing. Dr. Palmer invited Mr. Lillard into his office in order to examine his spine. Upon his examination, Dr. Palmer discovered a lump in his spine. Dr. Palmer set his hands in a specific position in order to correct this problem and put a thrust into the spine. Harvey Lillard immediately stood up and could hear better. After a few more treatments of specific adjustments, his hearing was completely restored.

Initially, Dr. Palmer thought that he had discovered a cure for deafness, but after a couple other attempts to correct people’s deafness, he discovered that what he was doing was so much bigger than just curing one ailment. He saw a couple more patients with other problems with their heart, lungs, and other areas and began to see improvements in them also. He then discovered that he wasn’t only curing a disease, but he was allowing the body to function at its optimal level and therefore heal itself. Later, along with a friend by the name of Rev. Samuel Weed, Dr. Palmer came up with the name Chiropractic, which in literal terms means, “done by hand.”

Chiropractic did not “cure” Mr. Lillard. Fortunately, Mr. Lillard’s body was able to “cure” itself – it just needed a little help from Dr. Palmer. By way of the Brain–Spine–Body Connection, health can be restored in the same manner by which it can be destroyed. The Principle of Chiropractic is stronger than ever nowadays. People of all walks of life are coming forward and testifying to the fact that chiropractic has strengthened their body in ways they never expected. If you still think chiropractic care is for pain relief only – you are sorely mistaken!

I strongly recommend that you remain open to the full spectrum of health benefits that chiropractic can offer you, and your family. In a day and age where heart disease, cancer and diabetes is on the rise… do you really think medicine and surgery is the solution for the next several generations to come?

Chiropractic philosophy dictates that health only flows in one direction, and from one source… from within. Chiropractic science is teaching more and more of us how to foster health and prevent disease by keeping the body lined up, tuned, and functioning as it was designed to.

As healthy as you are within, so you are throughout.

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

Maximized Health “tip of the week”

Anyone you know complaining of Acid Reflux or Arthritis?

Acid Reflux Disease, commonly called heartburn is a digestive disorder that usually occurs in some people due to overeating the "wrong" types of food or drink. The digestive acids travel back up the esophagus (throat) causing a distasteful burning sensation in the chest, throat and mouth.

Most people think that Acid Reflux is caused because of too much acid production in the stomach. On the contrary, progressive health care professionals have learned that the problem may actually be coming from too little acid in the digestive system. Why would we have an acid shortage in the body? Although the body knows how much acid to produce and in the correct amounts, it seems too much processed "boxed" food in our diets throws off the balance. Live, naturally occurring foods, as we were intended to eat, can help maintain a proper acid balance. By living foods I am referring to fruits and vegetables. To help correct an acid "shortage" in the body pump up your diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

In the mean time, to help restore acid to the body, recent research has shown the benefits of taking pure, organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar with each meal. One tablespoon before each meal will help balance the acidity in the body and may even eliminate the acid reflux. If a tablespoon of vinegar is too strong to swallow, mix it in one 4 oz glass of water which should make it easier to swallow.

The digestive enzyme Betaine Hydrochloric Acid taken with each meal also helps balance acid production. Taking the vinegar and Betaine for four to six months should bring the digestive acid levels into the proper balance and thereby help in reducing or eliminating heartburn. It should be noted that over-the-counter and prescription acid reflux drugs, reduces the acid in the stomach, which temporarily gives symptom relief, but in the long term is throwing the important acid balance of the stomach out of kilter, and could be contributing to the problem.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is typically associated with aging, but it can also develop due to joint trauma and repetitive motion to the joints over a period of time. Repetitive motion can be from activities such as sports or work related activities. Two examples would be throwing a baseball for 20 years or using a hammer to bang nails for 20 years. As the bones start to rub together this causes pain and swelling. As time goes on, the bones begin to deteriorate, which can lead to bone spurs. This causes more pain and discomfort.

Sadly, Osteoarthritis, also know as Degenerative Joint Disease is so common that people think it is just a normal part of the aging process. As we get older joints do start to wear down, but at normal or minimal levels. The main problem with bone and joint degeneration is related to the acceleration factor. The more friction on the joint, the more accelerated the degeneration. As far as osteoarthritis in the spine goes, spinal bones that are out of alignment cause excessive friction on the spinal joint, accelerating the degenerative process. This is why in some cases a 35 year old may have the spinal deterioration of a 60 year old. A traumatic accident that injures the neck or the back when someone is in their 20's will cause spinal misalignments which then leads to friction on the spinal bones that over time will show up as arthritis.

This is why children should have regular spinal checkups!

To keep the joint surfaces healthy, Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements have been shown to provide the nutrition for healthy joint surfaces. Omega 3 fats, as found in fish oils provide an anti-inflammatory effect on the joints, easing discomfort. SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) has been shown to be just as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, but without the obvious health risk to the stomach, kidneys and liver. Resistance exercise strengthens bone density and helps keep motion in the joints.

And most importantly, use chiropractic care to your advantage. “Keep those joints healthy”

Before You Get to the Checkout Line? Choose Wisely!

Organic farming differs from conventional farming in the methods used to grow crops. Where traditional farmers apply chemical fertilizers to the soil to grow their crops, organic farmers feed and build soil with natural fertilizer. Traditional farmers use insecticides to get rid of insects and disease, while organic farmers use natural methods such as insect predators and barriers for this purpose. Traditional farmers control weed growth by applying synthetic herbicides, but organic farmers use crop rotation, tillage, hand weeding, cover crops and mulches to control weeds.

The result is that conventionally grown food is often tainted with chemical residues, which can be harmful to humans. There is debate over whether dietary exposure to pesticides at levels typically found on food is dangerous, but experts say that consumers should use caution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides to be carcinogenic (cancer causing).

Pesticides can have many negative influences on health, including neurotoxicity, disruption of the endocrine system, carcinogenicity and immune system suppression. Pesticide exposure may also affect male reproductive function and has been linked to miscarriages in women.

Aside from pesticide contamination, conventional produce tends to have fewer nutrients than organic produce. On average, conventional produce has only 83 percent of the nutrients of organic produce. Studies have found significantly higher levels of nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, and significantly less nitrates (a toxin) in organic crops.

There is little question that organic foods are superior to non-organic ones. However, I see many patients who are not eating any vegetables because they either cannot afford them or they are too difficult to obtain. Please understand that it is better to eat non-organic vegetables than no vegetables at all.

In the same vein, it is also important to realize that fresh non-organic vegetables will be better than wilted and rotten organic vegetables that are occasionally the only ones available in smaller organic produce stands. There are many highly perishable nutrients that degrade with time and exposure to air and ultraviolet radiation. If the organic vegetables are seriously damaged, then it would be far wiser to eat fresh, undamaged non-organic vegetables.

If you must buy conventional produce, there are ways to reduce your pesticide exposure. Thoroughly washing all fruits and vegetables will help, although all pesticide residues cannot be removed by washing. You can also remove the outer layer of leaves or peel vegetables if possible.

I know that it is confusing and sometimes scary to be put in a place where your choices can greatly impact your life or the lives of your loved ones. But, make no mistake about it- eating organic food is healthier and DOES NOT have to be considerably more expensive if you shop wisely. Also, if you have a hard time buying and cooking your daily dose of organic vegetables as I do… you can always drink them! If you don't know what a Green Super Food is… either come to a nutrition seminar, ask a member of Maximized Health Chiropractic (we use them regularly), or do some research on your own. When it comes to living at your full potential- your nutritional status is a very important factor. Make wise decisions on a consistent basis, and your body will thrive!

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

Maximized Tip of the Week – Featured Product

Ask yourself… are you really getting ALL of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs by eating ALL of the vegetables that your body requires? Looking for a simple solution? Read on…

Science has recently given birth to the concept of Green SuperFoods or PhytoFoods. Super Foods are a concentrated potent source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, fiber and the essential amino acids, which reputedly add alkalinity to our system, balance us, increase our energy, improve stamina, sharpen mental activity, and deodorize and cleanse the cells and colon.

Super Foods are a return to the basics of the food chain; generally they are organically grown in a chemical free environment. These concentrated, nutrient-rich food powders are mixed with water or juice and consumed in liquid form, preferably on an empty stomach for maximum absorption.

The Super Food that we recommend here in the office comes from a company called LifeSource. It is the highest quality Super Food I know of that is actually reasonably priced. I take the Green PhytoFoods supplement daily. Just look at the benefits below and you will easily understand why I take it- and strongly recommend it!

What are the Benefits of Green PhytoFoods?

• Increased and sustained energy levels, no more ups and downs of energy throughout the day.
• Emulsifies cholesterol & fat.
• Strengthens the immune system
• Natural weight loss by bringing the body back into nutritional balance.
• Detoxifies the intestinal tracts and cleans/purifies the colon.
• Helps control hunger as well as cravings. All natural nutrients ensure that you will get 100% absorption, while synthetic and non organic greens will provide only 5 – 15% absorption.
• Each serving is 5 – 7 servings of fruits, vegetables and whole foods.
• Neutralizes acidity. Helps with heartburn, acid reflux, and upset stomachs, all of which are caused mainly by over-acidification.
• Aids in efficient and enhanced digestion, and improves elimination of bodily wastes.
• Chlorophyll enriched, with fiber-enriched herbs and vegetables, which aids in mental clarity.
• Oxygenates the cells. Help the skin cells to regenerate more efficiently.
• Maximizes blood purification and aids in detoxification.
• Helps dramatically slow the aging processes caused by over-acidification.
• Much healthier skin (unhealthy skin is usually due to poor digestion).

Living at your full potential becomes even more possible when you nutritionally supplement the body wisely!

The ACTIVE LIVING Nutrition Seminar

Open to the General Public! Bring a Family Member! Bring a Co-Worker! Friends are Welcome to Attend!

Part I
January 21st
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Part 2
January 28th
6:30pm - 8:00pm

Topics covered will include:

PART I
• The Un-Diet Food Guide
Learn how to use the Un-Diet Food Guide to make better decisions about shopping, cooking, food combining, what to eat and when, etc

PART 2
• Raw Living Foods vs. Cooked Foods
Health factors associated with raw foods vs. cooked foods
• Food Preparation
Basic food prepaiation techniques that everyone should be using for better health
• Changing Your Body's Ph Balance
Simple strategies to reduce the state of acid that promotes pain and illness
• Sugar Intake
Insight into how sugar intake is directly corelated to poor health & what to avoid most
• Cleansing
Simple techniques to cleansing your body of stored up toxins
• Green Super Foods
Learn what a green surper food is and why we need it nowadays more than ever

Why should you attend?
Many people try to live better lives only to fail and become depressed with their inability to achieve higher levels of health and fitness. We can easily teach you the HOW and more importantly the WHY to radically changing the way you think and live. In doing so, you will notice that your quality of life will increase dramatically. Now is the time to take control of your health, and Maximize Your Life. Don't wait any longer!
Please reserve your seats now! RSVP at the front desk or by emailing info@maximizedhealth.net.
Seating is limited. This is a one time a year event. Don't miss out!

Maximize Your Life by improving HOW you live it!

A closer look at fruit juice. choose wisely!

Imagine this… you have two plastic, fully enclosed glasses sitting in front of you… you can not tell what is inside, but you do have a description sitting beside each glass vaguely outlining its contents.

Glass #2:

• No sugar added, only naturally occurring sugars and associated sweetness.
• No food coloring or dye added.
• Calorie count is minimal, but all calories are natural and well assimilated.
• Nutritional value has been maintained.
• Preservatives have NOT been added to promote your body’s shelf life.

Glass #1:

• Contains large amounts of sugar and is very tasty.
• Red dye color # 478 and is very colorful to look at.
• Enormous calorie count that will allow you to skip other meals.
• Nutritional value has been minimized.
• Preservatives added for better shelf life

If you and your children like fruit juice, choose 100 percent fruit juice instead of sweetened juice or fruit-juice cocktail drinks. While 100 percent juice and sweetened fruit drinks may have about the same number of calories, your children will get more vitamins and nutrients from 100 percent juice.

Fruit juice can be a good source of vitamin C, calcium and other nutrients. Some children don't like eating fruit, so serving juice is one way to get them the two to three servings of fruit they need everyday. Four ounces of juice equals one serving of fruit, but keep in mind that juice lacks the fiber of whole fruit. Although a little fruit juice each day is fine for most children, whole fruit is preferred.

A 2006 study showed that people who drank fruit or vegetable juices more than three times a week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who drank juice less than once a week.

Follow these simple guidelines in order to make good decision about fruit juice:

• Rule of Thumb: find one with a short ingredient list (100% fruit juice only is a good start)
• Shop in you local “health food” store, or at least where “healthier alternatives” are located
• No artificial sweeteners or added sugars… there is always a better choice than these items
• Compare calorie and sugar content (less is better – usually)
• Don’t drink it at night – too many calories = bad nights sleep and weight gain
• Moderation is key… approximately 12 ounces per day is plenty
• Go for the real thing… real fruit with fiber and all that “other good stuff”
• Try using your blender to create your own fruit juice
• Mix it up… don’t always consume the same thing… blueberry, cranberry, orange, pomegranate, etc.
• Support a company who is trying to support your health by producing a better product
• Vegetable juice may not be as “tasty”, but is even better than fruit juice.

I hope this clears some of the confusion – or at least gives you a sense of direction when it comes to making better decisions about what you put into your body.

Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig

How much do you know about Soda?

I don't recommend drinking soda (or even giving it away to a relative or neighbor you don't like), but there are some very practical things you can do with it.

Practical uses for soda include:

1. Cleaning your dirty toilet bowl
2. Removing grease, milk or blood stains from clothes
3. Stopping a jellyfish sting from stinging
4. Getting gum out of your hair
5. Getting rid of skunk odor

Soda is plagued with real dangers. Drinking just one soda a day can increase your risk of being obese by a whopping 60 percent and your risk of diabetes by 85 percent!

On top of that, soda drinkers have a higher throat cancer risk, and many varieties of soda contain a preservative that has the ability to switch off vital parts of your DNA.

If you thought diet soda was better, think again. After carefully reviewing this topic for years I am convinced that artificially sweetened soda is certainly worse. Your body was simply not designed to be exposed to the artificial chemical sweeteners used in diet sodas, and they can result in terrible side effects. For example, there are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame (Equal) consumption, including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures.

In spite of all of the dangers, consumers spend down more than $60 billion each year on soda. One of every four drinks consumed is a soft drink, and the annual consumption in the U.S. averages out to more than 56 gallons for every for every man, woman and child. High fructose corn syrup in soda is, in fact, the number one source of calories in the US.

Soda is one of the main nutritional reasons why most people suffer from health problems. It parallels alcohol in one profound similarity. If one drinks all that sugar the appetite is relatively suppressed for nourishing foods like vegetables and that results in nutritional deficiencies. This is independent of all the damage that sugar can do.

We all need about one quart of water for every 50 pounds of body weight. Soda, juice and milk do not count towards this requirement. As a matter of fact, it is very sad to read that the leading source of vitamins and minerals in children's diets comes from juice and milk, both of which should be avoided in a diet for maximized health.

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

How do you tell the difference between.

The truth about nutrition or “eating properly” is not hard to find- you just need to look for it. So, how do you get started eating your way to health, more energy, better sleep, less fatigue, better skin, clearer thinking, more positive attitude, etc? First, make sure you have already RSVP’d for the Free Nutrition Seminar scheduled this coming Monday evening at 6:30pm. I know it is hard to make the time after a long day, but you simply can not afford to not educate yourself in the area of proper nutrition. Your health and the health of your family depend on you taking control of your food choices. I can show you how to start that process. This seminar will truly make a difference in your life. Until then here is some food for thought:

How do you tell the difference between “Real Food” and “Food Products”?
While "Food Products" are:

• Produced, manufactured
• Neat, convenient
• Always the same
• Keeps forever
• Instant results
• Dull, bland
• Artificially flavorful
• No connection to land or culture

“Real Food” can be identified because it is:

• Grown
• Messy
• Variable quality
• Goes bad fast
• Requires preparation
• Vibrant colors, rich textures
• Authentically flavorful
• Strong connection to land and culture

A few other suggestions to help you make the distinction:

• If it didn't exist until after 1903 (when the hydrogenation process was invented), it's probably not “Real Food”.
• If it's wrapped in layers of plastic, cardboard and foil, it's probably not “Real Food”.
• If it requires heavy advertising to sell it, it's probably not “Real Food”.

Now, ask yourself this question… what percentage of all the food you consume in any given week is composed of “Food Products” instead of “Real Food”? Realistically the average person is probably in the 80-90% range. If health is a priority to you and your family, that number should remain the same, but instead represent the amount of “Real Food” that you are consuming- not “Food Products”. This can be done easily. Most people just don’t know the what, how or why to “Real Food” consumption. Don’t be that person any longer! Make a change in how you are living and eating!

For more information that will directly affect your quality of life… commit to being present this Monday evening… Please!!!

Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
Seminar signup at the front desk
P.S. this seminar is free, and open to the public… please bring people with you that you care about.