Duncan Blog

Dr. Eric Duncan Blog

Duncan Chiropractic Group P.C.

http://www.doctorofbrighton.com

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Did You Know?






Tea is a great food for health!







  • Tea, without sugar or honey, only has two calories per cup.




  • Steeping tea for three to five minutes produces the most antioxidants.




  • Milk in your tea doesn't reduce the tea's health benefits.




  • The maximum amount of antioxidants contained in tea comes from brewing loose leaves or from tea bags. (Tea in powders or bottles has little or no helpful antioxidants!)




  • Tea in products applied to the skin has little or no health enhancing properties.




  • Teas, especially white and green teas, can help with the following: Stimulate mental clarity, reduce the risk of certain cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood sugar levels, help prevent viral infections, help prevent bad breath, and help prevent tooth decay.




  • Also, because the water used in tea is boiled, this makes tea safer to drink than tap water.







Tip of the Month






Dietary Changes May Help ADHD.






Also: Consumption Of This Is Linked To Depression.


You are what you eat. This is not just a catchy saying - it is the absolute truth. Yet, most people ignore this "truth" and suffer from preventable diseases, aches and pains. Most seem to think it is easier to eat junk and take a pill later. There is always a miracle medicine to save you, isn't there? The truth of the matter is...






No, There Isn't.

It is abundantly clear and becoming clearer each and every day that taking medication is no substitute for eating right, exercising and practicing proper maintenance care. Clearly, having your teeth pulled and replacing them with dental implants is no replacement for brushing and flossing your teeth and going to the dentist for routine check-ups. Eating fat, sugar and processed foods for 40 years and then thinking a drug or surgery is going to save you is even more foolish. Here is some research on what you and your children eat that you find very interesting.






Study #1: What You Eat and ADHD






A recent study found putting children with ADHA on a restrictive diet to eliminate possible, unknown food allergies decreased hyperactivity for 64 percent of kids. In the study, 41 kids completed the elimination diet and 32 saw decreased symptoms. Here's a really important part: When certain foods thought to be "triggers" for each child were reintroduced, most of the children relapsed. The elimination diet, which lasted 5 weeks, consisted predominantly of rice, white meat and some vegetables. Among 50 kids given a "control" diet that was just a standard, healthy diet for children, significant changes were not noted. Due to the results, lead author of the study and a psychiatrist at the Nijmegan Medical Centre, Jan Buitelaar, recommended the elimination diet become part of the standard of care for children with ADHD.







Here's An Important Note About This Study


Many doctors frown upon the elimination diet, not because of its results, but because it is "difficult". Because it is perceived to be hard and many won't do it, it is tossed aside for an easier approach. Of course, it is "easier" to take medications, but is the easiest approach usually the best?





Study #2: Eating This Increases Depression Risk





According to Dr. Joseph Mercola's health blog, "Consumption of trans fats can increase your risk of depression, according to new research. However, healthier fats may actually reduce your risk." Participants in the study with the highest level of trans fat consumption had up to a 48% increase in the risk of depression.





Study #3: Report Says Energy Drinks Unhealthy





According to a new report published in the Journal of Pediatrics, popular energy drinks may be harmful to children's health. These risks are amplified if the child has diabetes, ADHD or a heart condition. The report also stated that 30-50% of children consume these drinks and they do not substantially increase performance of energy levels. Sales of products such as Red Bull, Full Throttle, Monster Energy and Rockstar are expected to reach about $9 billion in the U.S. this year, with children and young adults under 25 providing most of the revenue. Because these drinks are considered supplements, they are not regulated by the FDA.






Remember, we're always here to help your body heal and maintain the health you deserve.

How 55-80 Year Olds Increased The Size Of Their Brains!






Scientific Study Shows How You Can Stay Mentally Sharp As You Age

How would you like to have a bigger, more powerful brain?

Sadly, the hippocampus, a part of the brain key to memory and sepcial navigation, is known to shrink as we age.

This shrinkage starts in late adulthood and is responsible for memory loss and impairment.


Now, There is New Hope


According to the Los Angeles Times, a new study published by the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed, "a program of aerobic exercise, over the course of a year, can increase the size of the hippocampus... in adults ages 55-80."

In the study, 120 people from ages 55-80 who did not exercise previously were split into 2 groups; 60 were put into an aerobic exercise program that consisted of walking around a track . days a week for 40 minutes per session; and the other 60 did a program consisting of stretching and weights.

Results: According to the Los Angeles Times article, "The group doing aerobic exercise had increases in hippocampus volume: up 2.12% in the left hippocampus, and 1.97% in the right hippocampus. The stretching group, on the other hand, had decreased hippocampus volume: down 1.40% on the left and 1.43% on the right."

What's important to note is the article said it is never too late to start and it suggested that some very simple exercise programs may be a cost-effective way to treat a widespread health problem, without the side effects of medication.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Scientists Warn: Television Watching and Computer Game Playing "Damages The Heart"



Research Reveals
: How Many Hours It Takes
To DOUBLE Your Risk Of Major Cardiac Problems...
No Matter How Much Exercise You Do!!!
Are you sitting down? If you aren't, please find a seat because when you read this, you might get a little weak in the knees.
Here is why...
According to The Telegraph, a new study published int he Journal of the American College of Cardiology found, "The risk of heart disease and premature death from any cause doubled for those spending more than four hours a day glued to a screen, it was claimed. Metabolic factors and inflammation may be partly to blame, the report said.
Research revealed those who devote more than four hours watching television, surfing the web, or playing computer games are more than twice as likely to have major cardiac problems."
Here's The Really Shocking Part
The study found there was a 48% increased risk of all-cause mortality and an approximate 125% increase in the risk of cardiovascular events in those spending more than four hours in front of a screen.
"The risks were irrespective of factors
such as smoking, hypertension, BMI,
social class, and even exercise."
In other words, from the results of this study, the negative effect of watching television and being on a computer may not be lessened by exercise.
Like most health issues, more research is always needed for definitive answers... but limiting television and computer time may not only make you more productive... it might save your life.

Tip of the Month



The Danger Lurking In Your iPad?


Plus: The Secrets of 100 People Who Never Get Sick.


Here's a very interesting story reported by CNN. A man named J.D. Moyer from Oakland, California had a problem sleeping. So, he decided to do a little experiment. As soon as the sun set, he turned off all the lights in his house. This included every single source of light including laptop computers and the inside of his refrigerator. J.D. did this for an entire month and the results were remarkable. After just 30 days, JD, who used to struggle to fall asleep at midnight was conking out easily at 9pm (and waking up the next day well-rested and refreshed).

According to the CNN article, he felt so well-rested during the test, he said that friends remarked on his unexpected morning perkiness. "A number of times I had the experience of just feeling kind of unreasonably happy for no reason. And it was the sleep... Sure, you can get by with six or seven hours, but sleeping eight or nine hours -it's a different state of mind."

J.D. Is Not The First To Discover This.
There are a growing number of experts who believe artificial lights are fooling the brain to think it's daytime. In other words, using electronic gadgets like a laptop computer or iPad late at night may be directly contributing to not sleeping well and even insomnia. According to Phyliss Zee, a Neuroscience Professor at Northwestern University and Director of the school's Center for Sleep & Circadian Biology. "Potentially, yes, if you're using [the iPad or a laptop] close to bedtime... that light can be sufficiently stimulating to the brain to make it more awake and delay your ability to sleep. " It should be noted that laptops and iPads shine light in the eye from a close distance and can have a greater effect than a television that is across the room.
So What's The Simple Solution To Sleeping Better?
"I wish people would just take a boring book -- an old-fashioned book -- and [read] by lamp. Make sure that it's not too bright -- just so you can read," said Alon Avidan, Associate Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at UCLA. "And if they do that, I think they'll feel a lot better and they'll be able to relax." Now it's time for...
The Secrets Of 100 People Who Never Get Sick.
Have you ever known someone who never seems to get sick? When everyone else is miserable with the flu or a cold, he or she always seems to escape without as much as a sniffle! Well, have you ever WHY they never get sick? There must be a reason. Sure, it's easy to just chalk it up to great genes. But as we know, genes are only part of the human puzzle. Now, there may be an answer.
Here is why: Gene Stone is a very interesting man who set out to find the answer by interviewing 100 people who never get sick and his results may shock you. What he found was more philosophical than scientific. You see, the most important factor to people not getting sick was their positive mental attitude and, whatever they believed, they did it every day. In other words, what they did was not as important as their belief and consistency doing it. According to Gene, "People believe in health as a daily habit. I think that's a large part of why they stay healthy."
Remember, we're always here to help your body heal
and maintain the health you deserve.

Did You Know?



A few little tidbits...


1. If you are right-handed, you will tend to chew your food on the right side of your mouth. If you are left-handed, you will chew your food on the left side of your mouth.
2. If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water, because when a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.
3. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
4. Your tongue is germ free only if it is pink. If it is white, there is a thin film of bacteria on it.
5. The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing.
6. The average person who stops smoking requires one hour less sleep at night.
7. Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.
8. The roar we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in our ear.
9. Your left lung is smaller than your right lung to make room for your heart.
10. When you blush, the lining of your stomach also turns red.
11. The attachment of the human skin to muscles is what causes dimples.
12. The only part of the body that has no blood supply is the cornea of the eye. It takes in oxygen directly from the air.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Researchers Attempt to "Crack the Headache Code"




New Study Reveals: Cause Of This Type Of
Headache May Have Been Found -
Is There An Easy Solution?


Whether it was said directly to you - or you heard it in a joke... we've all heard: "Not now... I have a headache."

Sadly, headaches are common for many people. Not only can they make your life miserable, but they negatively affect your family and your friends who care about you. That's why this new information is so important...


New Research Reveals
Cause Of Certain Headaches


A new study published in the November-December 2010 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) shows "a relationship between cervical movement impairment and the presence and severity of CGH."

"CGH" is cervicogenic headache... which is a headache caused by your neck.

This is important because the study evaluated 92 subjects by putting them through a simple neck motion test.

They found that range of motion (how much your neck moves) was significantly reduced in the presence of a headache.

Basically, they found that subjects with headaches originating from the neck also had decreased motion in the neck. And, the more the neck motion was decreased - the worse the headache.


Why Is This
Important To You?


It's important to you, because if you suffer with headaches, there may be a simple solution.

Chiropractic care addresses the motion of your spine. Chiropractors are experts at assessing the range of motion of your neck, and if there is a problem, treatments are specifically designed to attempt to normalize that range of motion. In other words, if you have a cervicogenic headache that is caused by dysfunction and decreased range of motion in your neck, Chiropractic care may be able to help you.


How Do You Know If
You Have A Cervicogenic Headache?


The best way to know is to go to a Chiropractor and have a cervicogenic headache evaluation. Chiropractors are trained to diagnosis different types of headaches and give you the best advice for your type of headache.

A classic symptom of cervicogenic headache is pain that originates at the base of your head in the back and travels up your head possibly to the front and even to the eyes. This same type of pain may also start at the base of your neck and/or upper shoulders and travel into the head. But, headache diagnosis can be sneaky and some causes are very serious. That's why they should be evaluated by a trained healthcare provider.

Now for something completely different - but equally important...


Have Scientists Finally Found
The Fountain Of Youth?


Maybe they have. As it turns out, the fountain of youth is not some mystical place in the forest, it's located inside you. Here's what this is all about: According to Science Daily, December 2, 2010, "Prof. Dafna Benayahu and her team at Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine say their findings explain for the first time why older people who have exercised throughout their lives age more gracefully. They have discovered how endurance exercise increases the number of muscle stem cells and enhances their ability to rejuvenate old muscles."

Normally, as we age, we experience a decline in muscle mass and function. This research found that exercise INCREASED the number of muscle stem cells.

According to the Science Daily article, "The researchers believe that a decline in the number of these cells and their functionality may prevent proper maintenance of muscle mass and its ability to repair itself, leading to muscle deterioration." The researchers of this study now dream of the day when they can develop a drug that will "increase muscle mass and ameliorate the negative effects of aging."

But, maybe the answer is not always in a new drug? Maybe the answer should be simple like the information revealed in that study. And that information is...


EXERCISE!!!


Why take decades of research and unknown amounts of money in an attempt to develop a drug that may not work or have side effects when you can simply exercise? Yes, it would be nice to sit on the couch and eat ice cream and take this wonder drug these researchers are imagining for "someday." But, the reality is you can activate the fountain of youth that is found inside you TODAY if you are willing to put in a little effort. As always - the choice is yours!


Important Information
Every Parent Should Know


The amount of daily exercise that separates fit kids from unfit kids is small - but the impact on their lives may be enormous. Here's why: A December 7, 2010 article in the USA Today said,"Normal-weight children get 16 more minutes of physical activity a day than their obese peers, a new study shows. And overall, girls do 20 minutes less physical activity a day than boys."

Considering a third of American children are overweight or obese, which can lead to all kinds of serious health problems, this is a very big issue.

According to the study, published in the December issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine:



  • Normal-weight children, ages 6 to 17, are moderately to vigorously active for 59 minutes a day, compared with 43 minutes for obese children in this age range.

  • Overall, boys ages 6 to 17 are active an average of about 64 minutes a day, compared with 44 minutes for girls in this same age range.

  • Girls need to get more exercise to establish an active lifestyle, which will help with weight control and reduce their risk of diseases (like cancer) as adults, according to the study's lead author, Britni Belcher..


And don't forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We're here to help and don't enjoy anything more than participating in your lifelong good health.