Back Clinic Mind Body and Spirit Chiropractic Team. The mind, body, and spirit connection is a powerful thing. Understanding and tapping into its power are three phases of holistic healing. Indigenous peoples understand the concept of the mind and body as one. It has been part of their belief and heating systems for thousands of years. They also understand that a healthy mind is needed to create a healthy body. It is not only the body that needs healing, but sometimes the mind and spirit.
The body may be sick, but the mind or spirit may be the culprit. When this is the case, healing the mind brings healing to the body. This understanding has also shaped modern-day mind-body medicine. The mind has two levels. They are personal and collective. An individual participates in both whether they know it or not. The personal level processes old thoughts and new back and forth like a zip line. Disciplining the mind is one of the most difficult but important things for their health and wellbeing. One must learn to keep that software on and in the present. Once this is achieved, the contribution to the collective mind will improve.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, why not try to fix your resolution for the New Year.
New Year�s Resolution
With the new year coming up, many people make resolutions to better themselves for the upcoming year. Whether it be getting healthier, being more organized, stressing less, or living life to the fullest, resolutions are little reminders for anyone to get back on track on themselves. With the end of the month and during the holiday season, more people are more likely to put aside their health habits aside and indulge in the seasonal sweet and savory foods. The holiday season is filled with frequent gatherings with family and friends, which involves more consumption of food. In many parts of the U.S., sedentary behaviors have become a form of hibernation. Even though these holiday habits tend to make many people feel guilty, they always fuel resolutions so they can create healthier habits for when the new year begins.
Surprisingly, the most natural part is making resolutions; however, keeping them is the hardest part. Sometimes a person can make too many resolutions and can not follow through with them due to so many that they want to achieve. Other times there are people that are more likely to stick to their resolutions in the long run when their goals are more realistic than unattainable. There are a few changes that can make a tremendous impact on the person’s overall wellbeing and can make their lives a bit easier if they have a hectic lifestyle. One of the significant changes is getting healthier, and the majority of any chronic health issues can be rooted through a few practices that can sabotage a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health. So focusing on making good choices and making them habits or lifelong practices can provide a significant influence to not only the body but to the individual as well.
Getting Rid of Sugar
One of the first things that a person should do if they want to keep track of their health resolution is to ditch the overabundance sugar consumption. Many healthcare practitioners have continued to try and stop their patients from unbridled sugar consumption. It has been on the top list of chronic health problems that are plaguing the industrialized world since everyone in the world has consumed refined sugar into their bodies. Studies show that consuming refined sugar is the leading cause of dental cavities and being linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and endocrine dysfunction.
Studies even show that sugar consumption can also lead to hypertension and obesity-related cancers, as well as common mental disorders like depression. Research from the American Heart Association recommends that if both males and females want to limit their sugar consumption, then females must consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar a day. At the same time, males consume no more than nine teaspoons of sugar a day. The interesting fact is that people can reach that intake by just consuming a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sadly though, according to a 2012 research study, the average American individuals in the U.S. have consumed 19 teaspoons of sugar a day.
The body�s metabolism requires sugar to make sure that the person�s energy is leveled. Research shows that the metabolic mechanisms in which sugar helps contribute to diseases that can be both indirect and direct to the body. When there either a low sugar count or even a high sugar count in a person, it can lead to a dysregulation of the lipids and carbohydrate metabolism. When this happens, the body can have chronic conditions like dyslipidemia, reduce beta-oxidation as well as insulin resistance. Other mechanisms can affect the body when sugar is traveling through the bloodstream, like a positive energy balance. In some cases, when the sugar metabolism is too high, it can lead to hyperuricemia, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation in the body, and it can cause developing problems for the individual. So by making the right choices and eliminating added sugars that are in packaged foods out of the diet can result in a drastic shift towards better health for the person.
Staying Hydrated
It is highly essential that everyone at least drinks about eight glasses of 8 ounces of water every day. Sadly though, not many people drink the recommended amount of water, thus getting dehydrated. Studies show that dehydration is a common, under-recognized condition that many individuals have. Sometimes chronic dehydration starts in childhood and continues throughout their lifespan. Research shows that an estimated 54% of the population lives with chronic dehydration since the human body is nearly 85% of water and why dehydration can be problematic.
Sometimes dehydration can go beyond merely feeling thirsty. Studies show that when a person is mildly dehydrated, it can impair cognitive functions, and when it is prolonged, it can cause urinary and bladder dysfunction in the body. A good rule for anyone who wants to maintain adequate hydration is to drink at least half of their body weight in ounces of water since hydration is directly linked to body mass and making sure that the weight is leveled. By drinking plenty of water, it is a simple yet easy health resolution that people can get for free and can provide a powerful impact.
Eating a Healthy Protein Breakfast
Another health resolution that can have a significant positive impact on a person’s health is by consuming a protein-rich breakfast. Sadly though in North America, people have developed two breakfast habits that can be bad for their health. They are skipping breakfast altogether and consuming a high refined carbohydrate breakfast. Both of these bad habits have been associated with obesity and other related comorbidities.
In contrast, though when a person starts eating a protein-rich breakfast, the results are remarkable. Research shows that eating a protein-rich breakfast can help reduce a person�s appetite, increased their satiety, and provide a healthier energy intake that can get a person over the mid-afternoon slumps. The positive effects show that consuming a protein-rich diet can lower the effects of obesity and being overweight as well as reducing the risk of obesity-related health conditions that can affect the body. By eating a sumptuous protein breakfast, the results show that it can help the body by changing the blood lipids and blood pressure as well as reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome and chronically elevated insulin for individuals that have diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion
With the new year coming around the corner, making resolutions to not only better oneself, but it can provide a positive change to the person. Many healthcare professionals can encourage their patients to make these simple yet highly effective changes to promote wellness. New Year’s resolutions do not have to be complicated or unattainable; they can be simple and easily attainable with these fundamental changes. By eliminating added sugars, drinking more water, and consuming a protein-rich breakfast can make anyone keep track of their resolution. Some products can help make sure that anyone can keep track of their resolutions by providing support to the body’s metabolism as well as regulating sugar metabolism as well.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Association, American Heart. �Added Sugars.� Www.heart.org, 17 Apr. 2018, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars.
Chang, Tammy, et al. “Inadequate Hydration, BMI, and Obesity Among U.S. Adults: NHANES 2009-2012.” Annals of Family Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, July 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4940461/?report=reader.
Chow, Kai Foo. �A Review of Excessive Sugar Metabolism on Oral and General Health.� The Chinese Journal of Dental Research: the Official Journal of the Scientific Section of the Chinese Stomatological Association (CSA), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29181456.
Kn�ppel, Anika, et al. �Sugar Intake from Sweet Food and Beverages, Common Mental Disorder and Depression: Prospective Findings from the Whitehall II Study.� Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group U.K., 27 July 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5532289/.
Leidy, Heather J, et al. �Beneficial Effects of a Higher-Protein Breakfast on the Appetitive, Hormonal, and Neural Signals Controlling Energy Intake Regulation in Overweight/Obese, �Breakfast-Skipping,” Late-Adolescent Girls.� The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, American Society for Nutrition, Apr. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3718776/.
Maki, Kevin C, et al. �The Effects of Breakfast Consumption and Composition on Metabolic Wellness with a Focus on Carbohydrate Metabolism.� Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), American Society for Nutrition, 16 May 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4863265/?report=reader.
Stanhope, Kimber L. �Sugar Consumption, Metabolic Disease and Obesity: The State of the Controversy.� Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4822166/.
Team, DFH. �New Year’s Health Resolutions � Easy Does It.� Designs for Health, 23 Dec. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/917.
Urkin, Jacob, and Yair Bar-David. �Voluntary, Nonintentional Dehydration and Health.� American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, Nov. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605154/.
Vos, Miriam B, et al. �Added Sugars and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.� Circulation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5365373/.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might have experienced some trouble losing weight.
Trying to lose weight is harder than it looks. While the secret of losing weight is more accessible said than done, people are always trying to live healthier lives by exercising and eating right. Some people can maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives effortlessly; however, for others, it is a struggle that starts from when they were a kid, and it gets harder when they start growing up. There have been books on how to lose weight, and people gaining weight when they are middle-aged, it is shown around their mid-section of their bodies. Although when a person is trying to lose weight due to health reasons or wanting to get better, it can be a long, arduous journey.
There are many reasons why individuals are having trouble losing weight. It might be due to being older and that the body changes along with getting older as well. Here are some of the reasons why it is difficult to lose weight, the older a person gets.
Losing Muscle Mass
When a person age, their metabolism changes with them. When they are younger, their metabolism can make a person exercise with high intensity. As they get older, their metabolism changes, and they will slow down a bit when they are exercising. Not only that, but a person can lose their muscle mass when they reach the age of 30.
Studies have shown that the amount of lean muscle mass can naturally decline 3 to 8 percent per decade when a person hits 30, and it will be much harder when they are at the age of 60. This is due to sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a condition that is characterized by losing skeletal muscle mass and functioning. This condition is progressive, and some of the risk factors include age, gender, and the level of physical activity a person is doing. Since the strength and muscle mass decline in older adults mostly, it can lead to acute and chronic diseases that can harm the body.
There is a way to combat muscle loss for anyone that wants to have lean muscles and to lose weight, is to add weight training to their exercise regime. Research shows that lifting weights is perfect for anyone to make sure that the body stays toned and muscular while also preventing a metabolic slowdown. Since male and females bodies are different, doing weight lifting will help the muscles look lean and toned for females, while for males, their muscles look more prominent and bulker, depending on the weights they are using and how many reps they are doing.
Getting Overly Stressed
As we get older, the more stress we can get. Stress is made up of the hormone cortisol, which is released into the body. It can also be in two categories, which are short term and long term. With short term stress, it is effortless to manage since a person can be worried about a project for school, getting a job interview, or worrying about the little things, the cortisol hormone is short term and can be easily managed.
When it is long-term stress, it can lead to chronic illnesses if it is in a person for far too long. The pressures of work, having too many obligations, or stressing out due to deadlines for projects are bad for a person to have since the cortisol levels are building up in the body. Even having a sedentary job can cause the body to develop stress and weight gain.
There are ways to reduce stress in the body like finding hobbies to enjoy, exercising, always help the body release the tension that is pent up, even having a self-care day can do many wonders to a person and their body. Trying to de-stress the body is excellent and beneficial to anyone because being stress-free is essential for losing weight.
Major Lifestyle Changes
When it comes to significant lifestyle changes, it can be any one of these changes that can cause a person to gain weight. It does not always happen from the inside, but it can happen to people when they enter their thirties. Some changes can include starting a family, trying to find time out of a hectic schedule, distractions, or homework. Whatever the reasons are, these lifestyle changes require much attention. When that happens, then the pounds start to creep in, causing weight gain.
Medical Condition
Sometimes when a person gains weight, it is due to a medical condition they might have, and it makes it harder for them to lose weight as well. These medical conditions include PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), sleep apnea, and hypothyroidism. When these conditions affect the targeted body systems, it can cause many health problems to the body by causing it to dysfunction.
“There are many reasons why losing weight is hard for anyone. There is a wide variety of reasons like eating junk foods, not getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, or a hectic lifestyle. If we take the time to change one thing to maintain a healthy lifestyle, then the weight will slowly but surely go away.” -Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T. Insight
Conclusion
Losing weight is hard for anyone, and it can be easy for some while difficult for others. Since everyone has a different body structure, trying to lose weight is one of the more laborious tasks if an individual has problems trying to shed off the weight. By changing some of the habits that are causing the weight gain, it may be beneficial to not only the person but to their body. Some products can help the body’s metabolism and support the function of sugars and amino acids that help support even the gastrointestinal lining, the endocrine system, and help maintain the blood sugar levels.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Dray, Tammy. �Why Is It Harder to Lose Weight as You Get Older?� LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 2019, www.livestrong.com/article/417064-why-is-it-harder-to-lose-weight-as-you-get-older/.
Gunnars, Kris. �20 Common Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight.� Healthline, 20 Aug. 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-reasons-you-are-not-losing-weight.
Lawler, Moira. �5 Reasons It’s Harder to Lose Weight With Age.� EverydayHealth.com, 27 June, 2019, www.everydayhealth.com/weight/weight-gain-and-aging.aspx.
Santilli, Valter, et al. �Clinical Definition of Sarcopenia.� Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism: the Official Journal of the Italian Society of Osteoporosis, Mineral Metabolism, and Skeletal Diseases, CIC Edizioni Internazionali, Sept. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4269139/.
Walston, Jeremy D. �Sarcopenia in Older Adults.� Current Opinion in Rheumatology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4066461/.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then it might be the weather that is affecting your mood and your body.
The Weather
Does the weather forecast make anyone smile? Whether it is nothing but bright, sunny skies and warm temperatures or gray, overcast skies with threats of rain and thunderstorms, the weather can affect a person’s joints and cause them pain. The old saying “Feel it in my bones” comes to play when environmental conditions can affect the physical body. Research has indicated that these effects are not just skin deep, but the weather can affect a person�s mood and emotional health. They found that patients experience increased joint pain in response to a decrease in pressure and indicating that low atmospheric pressure conditions exacerbate joint pain.
Lots of people are affected differently by different weather patterns. There are no hard-fast rules regarding the influence of how the weather affects people�s moods. The research suggested that high humidity may increase sleepiness and can negatively affect concentration and focus on a person. While rising temperatures can help lower anxiety and skepticism mood scores in a person. Since humidity is the most significant predictor since it implicates for school and office performances are being discussed and highlights the importance of humidity as a weather variable.
Some individuals love to sit out in the sun and soak up every ray while basking in the heat. Others instead prefer to let themselves stay indoors surrounded by air conditioning and feeling so much better in the colder weather with less sunshine.
Types of People Affected By The Weather
Studies have researched that there were four distinct types of people, especially in children and their mothers that were identified when it comes to the weather and their moods. They are:
Summer Lover
Unaffected
Summer Haters
Rain Haters
Summer Lovers have better moods in warm, sunny weather while the Summer Hater has the worse moods under the warmer conditions. People in the Unaffected category has shown only the weak association between the weather and their moods. When it comes to rainy days, Rain Haters experiences particularly bad moods during those types of days. The correlation between the children and their mothers was founded for two of the types. It stated that there might be some intergenerational influences, and the finding from the study and many others show that there is a massive individual difference in how the weather affects people’s moods. Some people love rainy or sunny days, while others loathe them.
A 2013 paper found that rising temperatures and increased precipitation can have a significant impact on human conflict and interpersonal violence. The correlation between the higher temperatures like more extreme rainfall and increased violence was seen on both scales, large and small. Other researchers have suggested that the psychological effects of the weather are influenced by seasons and the time a person is outside. What they found was that higher temperatures or the barometric pressure were related to better moods, memory, and “broadened” cognitive style in the springtime as an individual spends more time outside has increased.
Weather Can Affect People�s Mood
While this relationship is perfect for some people, others see this relationship as an inverse during the other seasons. Some people found out that during the warmer seasons, lowers their mood. It is correlated strongly with individuals who live in the south. The hotter weather can cause them to have poorer moods when the summer has higher temperatures, and it can become downright debilitating.
Researchers speculated that the discrepancy between spring and summer moods might be related to seasonal affective disorder. With seasonal affective disorder, the results were consistent with their findings. They suggested that pleasant weather improves moods and broaden cognition in the spring because people have been deprived of such weather during the winter.
The founder and editor-in-chief of Psych Central, John M, Grohol, Psy.D., noted that the weather could affect people’s moods and emotions. He also mentions that the strength of that relationship varies from person to person, and the effects are noticeable, whether it be small in some people or more pronounced in others.
Another study found that many people intuit that the bad weather makes them sad and pleasant weather makes them happy. Scientific investigations have largely failed to support such associations, however, with variations in meteorological variables either showing no or weak relationships with variations in normal moods. It means that a person�s definition of� �good� or �bad� weather is their own opinion. If someone likes the rain, then gray, rainy days are �good� in their view while others view rainy days are �bad� and prefer sunshine, blue skies, and warmer weather.
Conclusion
The weather can affect anyone’s mood. Whether people enjoy the colder seasons or the warmer seasons, their moods can change due to the type of weather. If they are aware of their mood patterns, taking supplements can ease the transition of the change of seasons and be a beneficial impact on their moods. Some products can help support the body and making sure that the entire system is functioning correctly by targeting amino acids and sugar metabolism.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Bullock, Ben, et al. �Highs and Lows, Ups and Downs: Meteorology and Mood in Bipolar Disorder.� PloS One, Public Library of Science, 9 Mar. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5344507/.
Grohol, John M. �Weather Can Change Your Mood.� World of Psychology, 28 Mar. 2019, psychcentral.com/blog/weather-can-change-your-mood/.
Howarth, E, and M S Hoffman. �A Multidimensional Approach to the Relationship between Mood and Weather.� British Journal of Psychology (London, England: 1953), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 1984, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6704634.
Hsiang, Solomon M., et al. �Quantifying the Influence of Climate on Human Conflict.� Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 13 Sept. 2013, science.sciencemag.org/content/341/6151/1235367.
Keller, Matthew C, et al. �A Warm Heart and a Clear Head. The Contingent Effects of Weather on Mood and Cognition.� Psychological Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2005, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16137259.
Keller, Matthew C, et al. �A Warm Heart and a Clear Head. The Contingent Effects of Weather on Mood and Cognition.� Psychological Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2005, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16137259.
Klimstra, Theo A, et al. �Come Rain or Come Shine: Individual Differences in How Weather Affects Mood.� Emotion (Washington, D.C.), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21842988.
Team, DFH. �Weather Forecast � Can It Predict Your Mood, Too?� Designs for Health, 15 Aug. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1085.
Verg�s, Josep, et al. �Weather Conditions Can Influence Rheumatic Diseases.� Proceedings of the Western Pharmacology Society, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15633634.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then try eating flavonoid filled foods to regulate your metabolic health.
Flavonoids
Going to the grocery store is an excellent way to restock on certain food items and getting food that is filled with flavonoids. Nearly all fruits and vegetables are filled with this chemical component and are proven to be beneficial to the body. Flavonoids are a class of plant-derived polyphenolic compounds that represents a larger class of phytochemicals and phytonutrients. They are responsible for protecting plants from threats like insects and animals, while also having many beneficial health effects on metabolic disorders in humans.
With their chemical structure, they are group into six primary subclasses: anthocyanins, flavanols, flavan-3-ols, flavanones, flavones, and isoflavones. They concentrated more on the skins and seeds of plants, and when they are consumed into the body, they have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Heart Disease and Cancer
Flavonoid-rich foods have been linked to many health benefits and have been known to protect the body against heart disease and cancer. A recent study stated that individuals who consume a moderate to the high amount of flavonoid-rich foods have the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and cancer mortality. Individuals who are heavy alcohol users and cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing these chronic illnesses.
Flavonoid Beneficial Effects on Metabolic Health
Studies provided evidence that flavonoids from citrus fruits possess serval biological activities and have emerged as efficient therapeutics for the treatment of CVD (cardiovascular disease). Citrus flavonoids can scavenge free radicals, improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, modulate lipid metabolism, and adipocyte differentiation, suppress inflammation and apoptosis, and improve endothelial dysfunction.
A journal review demonstrated how natural-occurring flavonoids could prevent diabetes and its many complications. Flavonoids can target specific molecules that are involved in regulating pathways that support beta-cell proliferation, insulin signaling and secretion, reducing apoptosis, regulating glucose metabolism in the liver, improving carbohydrate digestion, glucose uptake, and deposition in the body. In human nutrition, quercetin (the most abundant dietary flavonoid) was shown to stimulate GLUT4 translocation to the molecular signaling that sets the motion during muscle contractions in the body.
Another study summarized that the role of flavonoid in metabolic diseases was able to elevate the energy system by activating the sympathetic nervous system, increasing epinephrine and thyroid hormone release, stimulating thermogenesis, and induce browning of� WAT (white adipose tissue). Browning WAT and up-regulating BAT (brown adipose tissue) can help increase the energy expenditure and improves lipids and glucose metabolism. When this happens, flavonoids stimulate the AMPK-PGC-1?, Sirt1, and PPAR? signaling pathways. These critical pathways are involved in preventing obesity and metabolic derangement due to their role in energy metabolism in the body.
Flavonoids Prevent Neuroinflammation
Blueberries are an excellent source of flavonoids that may help brain function in older adults. They have protective effects against the development of neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases. Studies have shown that anthocyanins have the responsibility for improving cognitive function and working memories on the individual�s brain.
Studies have been shown that flavonoids target astrocytes, and these are star-shaped glial cells of the CNS (central nervous system). When they are healthy, they are crucial for functional control of the CNS since they are the primary cells that are responsible for neurotropic growth, synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, cell migration, and differentiation. When glial cells are overactivated and dysfunctional, they are associated with the pathogenesis of brain diseases and cancers, hence why flavonoid therapy is a safe treatment of brain pathologies.
Sources of Flavonoids
Flavonoids are easily attainable through eating plant-based foods and beverages. Fruits, vegetables, tea, dark chocolate, and red wine are great examples because they are filled with not only flavonoids, but they also contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidants properties. The phrase “eat the rainbow” takes a whole new meaning for anyone who is trying to eat healthier. Colorful foods with deep reds, purples, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, and black hues are filled with flavonoids. Health professionals often recommend that it is best to avoid white foods that lack nutrients like refined bread, pasta, and sugars. However, white/tan-colored foods like garlic, cauliflower, mushrooms, ginger, onions, and parsnips offer oxidant-fighting properties that are perfect for getting rid of free radicals in the body.
Conclusion
Flavonoids are a class of plant-derived polyphenolic compounds that is in a variety of fruits and vegetables that are easily attainable for anyone to eat. When it is consumed into the body, it has many beneficial health effects on the body. They contained anti-inflammatory and antioxidants that the body needs to fight off free radicals that may have entered the body through environmental factors. Some products can be paired with flavonoid foods that can offer metabolic support as well as supporting the body’s sugar metabolism. So go out and eat the flavonoid food rainbow.
October is Chiropractic Health Month. To learn more about it, check out Governor Abbott�s proclamation on our website to get full details on this historic moment.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal and nervous health issues as well as functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
References:
Aron, Patricia M, and James A Kennedy. “Flavan-3-Ols: Nature, Occurrence, and Biological Activity.” Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18081206.
Barreca, Davide, et al. �Flavanones: Citrus Phytochemical with Health-Promoting Properties.� BioFactors (Oxford, England), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8 July 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28497905.
Bondonno, Nicola P, et al. �Flavonoid Intake Is Associated with Lower Mortality in the Danish Diet Cancer and Health Cohort.� Nature Communications, Nature Publishing Group UK, 13 Aug. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6692395/.
Cannon, Barbara, and Jan Nedergaard. �Brown Adipose Tissue: Function and Physiological Significance.� Physiological Reviews, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14715917.
Erdman, John W, et al. �Effects of Cocoa Flavanols on Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease.� Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296357.
Lila, Mary Ann. �Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach.� Journal of Biomedicine & Biotechnology, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082894/.
Mahmoud, Ayman M, et al. �Beneficial Effects of Citrus Flavonoids on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health.� Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Hindawi, 10 Mar. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6431442/.
Matias, Isadora, et al. �Functions of Flavonoids in the Central Nervous System: Astrocytes as Targets for Natural Compounds.� Neurochemistry International, Pergamon, 2 Feb. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197018616300092?via%3Dihub.
Panche, A N, et al. �Flavonoids: an Overview.� Journal of Nutritional Science, Cambridge University Press, 29 Dec. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465813/.
Richter, Erik A, and Mark Hargreaves. �Exercise, GLUT4, and Skeletal Muscle Glucose Uptake.� Physiological Reviews, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23899560.
Team, DFH. �Stock Your Fridge with Flavonoids.� Designs for Health, 1 Oct. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1116.
Trayhurn, P, and J H Beattie. �Physiological Role of Adipose Tissue: White Adipose Tissue as an Endocrine and Secretory Organ.� The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2001, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11681807.
Yu, Jie, et al. �Isoflavones: Anti-Inflammatory Benefit and Possible Caveats.� Nutrients, MDPI, 10 June 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924202/.
Yoga has long been touted as a healing activity that extends beyond its known fitness benefits. It can help alleviate depression, relieve stress, and decrease anxiety as well as tighten and tone the body.
A 2016 study by Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal shows that the more than 20 million people who practice yoga spend more than $10 billion on related classes and products. Chiropractors have picked up on the benefits of yoga and are recommending it to their patients. Why, because it helps to improve flexibility as well as spinal health.
Chiropractic and the spine�s role in the body.
Chiropractic is primarily intended to align the spine and balance the body. The spine is the primary support for the body. It houses most of the central nervous system and provides pathways for neural impulses to move throughout the body.
When the spine is out of alignment, it can affect how the central nervous system functions. It can also affect flexibility and even overall mobility as well as cause pain and stiffness.
Chiropractic treatment brings the spine back into alignment. It helps to balance the body and treat injuries as well as help with the changes the aging body experiences.
One of the best-known uses for chiropractic is to treat pain. It is a medication free, non-invasive treatment for chronic pain, sports-related injuries, and even automobile accidents. Many patients had reported finding relief with chiropractic when nothing else worked.
Combining yoga with chiropractic increases the effectiveness of the treatment while strengthening the body and making it better able to respond to it. It is the perfect complement to chiropractic care, and many patients are discovering tremendous health benefits from this winning, healthy combination.
What is Yoga?
In its purest form, it is an ascetic and spiritual discipline that comes from Hindu culture. It involves simple meditation, conscious breathing or breath control, and performing certain body postures.
While an ancient practice long used for spiritual and emotional healing as well as physical wellness, yoga has been adopted in western culture and widely accepted as a form of fitness as well as a therapeutic practice used for relaxation and overall good health. It focuses on inward healing for outward results.
People who regularly practice find they are more centered, handle stress better, and aren�t as likely to experience depression and anxiety. They also are more flexible, have better mobility, and have stronger leaner bodies.
What happens when you combine yoga and chiropractic care?
Because yoga helps to lower blood pressure, decrease stress, and strengthen the body�s core, it is perfect therapy for the chiropractic patient. While chiropractic care is working to align the spine and balance the body, yoga is helping to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, providing better support. The numerous health benefits, particularly regarding blood flow and relaxation help to increase chiropractic�s effectiveness as a pain management tool.
Patients who combine yoga and chiropractic will also often find that they see the effects of both treatments much faster than they would if they were only doing one or the other. Both chiropractic and yoga help with balance, flexibility, and mobility, but they come at it from somewhat different approaches. The benefit of this is that it provides a more balanced, well-rounded treatment in these areas as one supports the other.
Yoga also tones and tightens the body, preparing it for much more profound levels of healing, cleansing and releasing the body of tensions that may have been held�in for years. It also works to stretch muscles that have been restricted for years, or even for the patient�s entire life. It prepares the body to accept the full benefits of chiropractic and respond faster and more thoroughly.
If you sit behind a desk all day with little or no activity, you could be compromising your physical health, mental health, and brain health which could impact your productivity at work. From a physical standpoint, it isn�t healthy to remain in one position for too long. It can lead to various health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Experts advise movement. By getting up and walking around every hour or so or do exercises at your desk.
Healthy brain function can�be impacted by inactivity if you sit at work without moving for long periods of time your brain could suffer. The lack of activity could cause it to enter into a state of slumber which can lead to a decrease in brain processing speed and short-term memory loss.
It can also impact a person�s ability to learn or retain new information. It is so important to create an organizational culture that encourages moving around as part of their workday.
Create written policies that encourage and advocate movement during work hours. Incorporate moving workstations, moving meetings, flexible scheduling, more breaks when meetings run long, and a movement-friendly dress code.
Provide information and training to all employees and leadership underlining the importance of the policies and explaining the importance of movement as well as what they can do to support the initiative.
Places
Create workspaces that are conducive to movement, adjusting workstations so that they encourage active movement and incorporating dynamic change into current processes and workflows while minimizing the time employees spend sitting.
Seek out software and applications that encourage users to stretch or get up and move while they are working. Make stairwells more accessible and appealing, improve common areas, and promote collaboration that requires moving to various workstations or common areas.
People
Identify employees who are good role models for movement and train them for leadership roles so that they can encourage other employees to move a part of their workday. Train them in the policies regarding movement and task them with helping to create a culture of health and mobility within the organization.
Organize groups to walk during breaks or meet in common areas for light stretching and other types of movement. Sponsor contests and competitions with prizes for employees who achieve set goals.
Permission
Educate all employees and all levels of management or leadership on the benefits of movement and how it can positively impact personal production and performance as well as organizational outcomes. Stress that moving during the work day should become a regular activity and must be welcomed and allowed. Emphasize that it is the task of all employees to make a culture of movement the norm as opposed to the exception.
The benefits of moving around in the workplace extend far beyond healthier employees and increased production. Employees perceive themselves as valuable to the organization and morale is increased. Employee engagement�improves�on the job, and they invest more in their work as opposed to just doing a job. They are happier, empowered, and more productive at work and take more of an active role in business outcomes as well as their health.
Of course, employees will also enjoy individual benefits such as increased blood flow, as well as improved problem solving, better alertness, and enhanced creativity. A workplace that incorporates movement into its culture is a healthier, happier place to work with more robust, and more satisfied employees. You can�t afford to not implement this simple, effective strategy into your own organizational culture.
Everyone experiences stress at some point in their life. In fact, it is becoming a sort of new normal in today�s hectic, fast paced, high pressure society. Chiropractic treatment can help relieve stress symptoms and achieve optimal health!
However, a large percentage of the United States population is feeling a significant impact from the stress in their lives; 77 percent say they experience physical stress related symptoms on a regular basis. Additionally, 73 percent report experiencing stress related psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression. These are not accurate numbers though because many people never seek help for their stress issues.
Stress symptoms should not be taken lightly. It is important to address the symptoms and find ways to reduce the stress. Chiropractic is an effective stress reliever.
What Is Stress?
In literal terms, stress is the state of emotional or mental strain, pressure, or tension that result from difficulties, adverse situations, or extremely demanding circumstances. However, the very nature of stress by definition makes it very subjective. What is an adverse situation to one person may not even faze another. What one person finds to be an extremely demanding circumstance would to another barely warrant a second thought. This makes it difficult to pin down a precise, universal definition. More often, the term stress is more often used to describe the set of symptoms that are caused by stress and those symptoms can be as varied as the people who experience them.
What Are The Symptoms Of Stress?
Stress symptoms can affect the entire body, both physically and mentally. Common symptoms of stress include:
Technically, stress itself does not have a negative impact on health. Some people deal with situations that others would consider to be stressful, yet they never exhibit the first symptom. This again speaks to the subjective nature of stress. Different people experience different symptoms and it is a combination of the stress symptoms and how the person handles those symptoms that adversely affect health.
Ultimately, stress symptoms can lead to some very serious conditions including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and even certain cancers. Psychologically, it can lead to social withdrawal and social phobias. It is also often directly linked to alcohol and drug abuse.
How Can Chiropractic Help Relieve Stress Symptoms?
Chiropractic cannot get rid of stress, but it can help relieve stress symptoms. The more stress the body endures, the more sensitive it becomes to pain and physical imbalances. Chiropractic can help with bringing the body back into balance, aligning the spine, and relieving pain.
On a larger scale, the simple act of aligning the spine helps to relieve stress in the body that the person may not even be aware of experiencing. The physical stress of a misaligned spine can exacerbate stress symptoms and make a person more susceptible to stressful stimuli in their environment.
Chiropractic helps to improve circulation which is essential in relieving muscle tension. This is integral in achieving and maintaining a relaxed, balanced state. It shuts down the fight or flight response that is a common accompaniment to stress, and allows the body to rest and heal.
Stress symptoms are should not be ignored. They can lead to several very serious health conditions. If you are experiencing stress in your life or stress symptoms (you don�t have to recognize that you are under stress to experience its symptoms) pay attention. Those symptoms aren�t likely to go away but instead get worse. Take care of yourself; get help for your stress.
Injury Medical Clinic:�Whiplash Pain Treatment Chiropractor
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