Monday, November 21, 2011

Dr. Oz talks about chiropractic!

Dr. Mehmet Oz ("Dr. Oz") recently had a segment on chiropractic for low back. He referenced a study in which chiropractic was shown to be as effective as pain medication for relief of back pain. He does a good job at describing some of the basic principles of chiropractic in simple terms. This discussion is only a few minutes long and worth a quick watch!





If you have any questions regarding this video, feel free to call our office at (847) 673-6600 or visit us on the web at http://www.healinghandsofskokie.com/!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Low-Salt Diet Questioned by New Study

A new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension questions whether low-salt (low-sodium) diets are valid. The study finds that while eating less salt lowers an individuals' blood pressure, it creates a negative effect on both cholesterol and triglycerides. All three of these (blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides) factor into overall heart health. The study suggests that the benefits of establishing a low salt diet are negated by the changes to cholesterol/triglyceride levels.

Specifically, the study found that eating less salt lowered blood pressure levels in individuals with hypertension by 3.5% (and 1% in normal blood pressure participants). However, cholesterol levels rose 2.5% and triglycerides rose 7%.

This is not the first study to suggest that low-salt diets are overrated. Some researchers feel that there is not enough evidence to show that lowering dietary salt intake is beneficial, while others say that we should absolutely lower our consumption of salt. Obviously, more research is needed to find a consensus on this topic.

To read more about this study, follow this link: http://www.healinghandsofskokie.com/lower-sodium-raises-cholesterol.html.

If you have any questions regarding this topic, feel free to call our office at (847) 673-6600 or visit us on the web at http://www.healinghandsofskokie.com/!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Study shows Weight Watchers rather effective!

According to a new study out of the UK, diet plans such as Weight Watchers and Slimming World are more effective than plans implemented by primary care doctors. The study found that the commercial diet plans led to an average weight loss of approximately 10 lbs through the lifespan of the study, while the doctor-led plans yielded only a 3 lb weight loss.

The plans implemented by doctors included individual counseling on diet and exercise through the doctors themselves as well as nutritionists and nurses. The doctor-led plans are proposed and supported by the National Health Service.

The more effective diet plans (such as Weight Watchers) use weekly meetings and set weight loss goals for members. They are more widely available and considerably cheaper than doctor-led weight loss programs. Perhaps the main reason for success of these plans is the support of other members. Weight loss can be better attainable if a proper support network is available to the individual. Also, groups such as weight watchers tend to teach members proper eating habits and lifelong knowledge about how to select meals.

If you have any questions regarding this topic, feel free to call our office at (847) 673-6600 or visit us on the web at http://www.healinghandsofskokie.com/!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

"Freshman 15" - Fact or Myth?

Have you heard of the freshman 15? It is the 15 lbs. that you are guaranteed to gain in the first year of college. It turns out, according to an Ohio State University study, that the dreaded freshman 15 is more fiction than fact! The study found that freshman students gain, on average, between 2.5-3.5 lbs. during their freshman year. In fact, only about 10% of freshman gained 15 lbs. or more during their first year in college.

These results could simply be due to the growing and maturing bodies of 18 year olds. The researchers for the study suggest that college freshman only put on about 1 lb. more than their non-college counterparts. They assert that freshman should not fear putting on extra weight and should allow themselves to partake in normal college activities - such as ordering that late-night pizza!

But what about those who did gain 15 lbs. or more? The researchers stated that heavy alcohol consumption could contribute to the larger weight gains. In addition to many other negative affects, binge drinking leads to massive "empty" calorie intake. These calories can certainly contribute to large amounts of weight gain!

If you have any questions regarding this topic, feel free to call our office at (847) 673-6600 or visit us on the web at http://www.healinghandsofskokie.com/!