April 6, 2004 [Volume 5, Issue 8]

To Your Health is brought to you by:

• Recommended Reading: "Stop ADHD, ADD, ODD, Hyperactivity" by Dr. Robert DeMaria
• Making Weight Loss a Priority: Your Doctor of Chiropractic Can Help
• Ruling Out Penicillin for Childhood Sore Throat
• Vitamin D Deficiency May Contribute to Musculoskeletal Pain
• Beware the Sugary Goodness

This month's featured title is "Stop ADHD, ADD, ODD Hyperactivity" by Dr. Robert DeMaria.

In "Stop ADHD, ADD, ODD Hyperactivity", Dr. DeMaria lays out a simple, effective step-by-step action plan that includes diet, exercise, emotional support, spinal corrective care and general behavior suggestions for a true wellness approach to this epidemic affecting today's youth. This book gives you a clear understanding of the philosophical differences of medication versus a holistic approach to treating this problem. Also included are concise charts comparing the importance of essential fats, synthetic versus organic vitamins, and the correlation between food chemistry and brain chemistry. There are also valuable strategies on how to implement these solutions into everyday life. This book is a must-have for everyone looking to find a "noninvasive" method to dealing with these dysfunctions.

Click here to read the complete review.

By now, you've heard the grim statistics: More than half of all American adults are overweight and at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and more -- diseases responsible for approximately 300,000 deaths a year. The most unfortunate part? These deaths can be prevented.

For most people, weight loss is a highly personal issue that can be difficult to face, especially if one has a considerable amount of weight to lose. And with the dreary facts surrounding weight loss -- chiefly, horror stories suggesting that most people who do lose weight don't keep it off -- many people doubt their ability to shed pounds permanently.

A recent article on weight-loss strategies suggests that the most effective weight-loss programs include a multifaceted approach that includes diet and behavioral modifications, as well as increasing physical activity. Prospective dieters are encouraged to determine why they eat, as well as assess what they eat, and engage in regular physical activity; however, some people -- especially those who have suffered from lifelong obesity - may need additional motivation to get started. This is where your doctor of chiropractic can help.

If you need to lose weight but aren't sure where to begin, your chiropractor can help you develop a nutrition and exercise plan suitable to your needs, as well as offer support and encouragement during the weight-loss process. And remember, routine chiropractic treatments not only help maintain the body's structural alignment, they help relieve stress, promote emotional clarity and positively affect your overall health.

To learn more about the benefits of chiropractic, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/whatis.html.

Reference: Bartlett, SJ. Motivating patients toward weight loss. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, November 2003;31(11).

You've heard the warnings: Over time, using antibiotics can build resistance to their infection-fighting properties, eventually rendering them useless as treatment options. Still, an increasing number of doctors continue to prescribe antibiotics even when no infection exists -- such as when symptoms are associated with the common cold, or when research demonstrates their ineffectiveness. Take as example a recent study that penicillin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic, does not reduce the duration of acute sore throat symptoms.

Researchers studied 156 children, ages 4-15, with a sore throat for fewer than seven days and meeting at least two of four other criteria, including history of fever, absence of cough, swollen lymph nodes, or red or swollen tonsils. Participants received either penicillin for seven days; penicillin for three days, followed by placebo for four days; or placebo for seven days.

Results: The study found virtually no differences in terms of symptom duration in the three study groups, and that sore throat actually resolved 1.3 days later, on average, in the three-day penicillin group compared to the group receiving placebo only. The authors make their findings perfectly clear: "Treatment with penicillin for seven days failed to shorten the duration of sore throat, reduce non-attendance at school, or reduce recurrence of sore throat in the following six months." These results were maintained even in children diagnosed with the presence of group A streptococci (which can cause strep throat, among other complications).

The authors conclude that nearly all children in the Western world can be treated for sore throat safely without the use of penicillin; however, parents are still encouraged to seek a doctor's care to rule out more serious potential illnesses.

For more information on child illnesses, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/childhood.html.

Reference: Zwart S, Rovers MM, de Melker RA, et al. Penicillin for acute sore throat in children: randomized, double-blind trial. British Medical Journal (online), Dec. 6, 2003. www.bmj.com.

Musculoskeletal pain, or pain that affects the bones and muscles in the body, is a common complaint among all segments of the population. Still, despite the high incidence and potential consequences of such pain, precise diagnosis and effective treatment are not always easily attained. What's more, extremely low levels of vitamin D (known as hypovitaminosis D) may be partly responsible for causing some musculoskeletal pain that goes undetected, which can often lead to more severe consequences, including softening of the bones.

In order to determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain, researchers examined 150 patients (ages 10-65) with musculoskeletal pain who had no known health conditions that would decrease the production or absorption of vitamin D, or otherwise account for their pain.

The study found that 55 percent of individuals younger than age 55 had exceptionally high rates of vitamin D deficiency, while 28 percent of patients had severely deficient vitamin D levels. The deficiencies were similar for both men and women.

The moral of the story? Don't underestimate the role that vitamins and nutrition play in maintaining health and well being.

For more information on the benefits of vitamins, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition/vitamins.

Reference: Plotnikoff GA, Quigley JM. Prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D in patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2003;78, pp1463-70.

The next time you reach for a soft drink or so-called "fruit" juice, consider this: A new study estimates that, on average, people consume up to 66 calories a day from sugar-laden beverage sources, and another 17 calories from other caloric sweeteners, such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maltose, dextrose and others.¹

Researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health in Chapel Hill examined data from the U.S. and countries around the world related to caloric sweetener consumption, including the role played by foods, urbanization and income. Worldwide, the study found a 74-calorie increase in the amount of sweetener consumed daily between 1962 and 2000, while data from the U.S. showed an 83-calorie increase -- 80 percent of which came from sugary beverages.

According to a report issued by the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization, less than 10 percent of an individual's daily calories should come from sugar, which translates into roughly one can of soda -- and no other forms of sugar -- on a 1,500-calorie-per-day diet.²

What's your best bet when it comes to sugar consumption? Limit your soda intake altogether, and consume more whole grains, fruits and veggies, so you can enjoy an occasional sugary treat with less guilt and fewer health-related consequences.

For more on nutrition, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition/index.html

References:

1. Popkin BM, Nielsen SJ. The sweetening of the world's diet. Journal of Obesity Research November 2003;11(1), pp325-1332.
2. Davis JL. Sugary foods making us fat. March 4, 2003. www.webmd.com.

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