Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts

Monday, January 17, 2011

Healthy Foods

Check out this link to an article on 14 healthy foods.  It lists several good foods, with good scientific studies behind them.  The moral of the story is that we, as humans, were designed to eat naturally produced foods, not the chemical substitutes manufactured by mankind for mas marketing and business profitability.

When we eat right, we decrease our exposure to disease and illness.  It makes so much sense.  Start doing better today!

Keith Biggs, DC
http://www.eastmesachiropractor.com

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Healthier Choices at Fast Food Restaurants

We live in an instant society, and our food choices reflect our lifestyles.  The purpose of this post is not to argue the pluses or minuses of modern society, but to simply point out a great article on CNN Health that gives parents different options when dining out at fast food restaurants. 

You can connect to the website here. Take a moment, read the study, and make some simple changes for the benefit of your health and that of your children!

Keith Biggs, DC
www.eastmesachiropractor.com

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Its a Bouncing Baby Stone...

Yesterday I got a call from my mother. She informed me that my Father was passing two kidney stones!  OUCH!

If you have ever passed a kidney stone, you know how painful it can be.  The medical doctors told my father that if he was unable to pass the stones, that they might have to fly him from Pinetop AZ to Phoenix for treatment.  Fortunately, Dad was able to pass the stones in the night, but not without quite a bit of pain and a little blood loss.

Although I can't do anything about the stones that my dad passed last night, there are some things that I can advise him of that might help him in the future. They could help you as well.


According to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN), the very diet recommendations that have been found to reduce high blood pressure has also been show to reduce the tendency to develop kidney stones.

The diet is called the DASH diet, and it stresses the importance of increasing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts in the diet. It further recommends reducing sugars, sweets, and red or processed meats.

Imagine that... a healthy diet is a healthy diet... what a technological breakthrough.  I wonder what else a healthy diet helps with...

Anyway, excuse my sarcasm.

If you tend to suffer from kidney stones or know someone who does, pass this information along.  Most who have experienced the excruciating pain of passing a stone will agree that if changing their diet can prevent only one stone, it is well worth it.

Keith Biggs, DC
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic.blogspot.com
therapeuticfoods.blogspot.com

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Vitamin D Therapy

I have an elderly patient that recently told me that her medical doctor determined that she was Vitamin D deficient through a routine blood chemistry test. To treat the deficiency, she was given a prescription for 50,000 IU Vitamin D, to be taken once weekly for about 4 weeks.

Vitamin D is a hot topic these past several days. It is essential for proper bone health, muscle function, brain function, immune function, and many other physiological actions within the body. Kudos to the MD for making the diagnosis.

The problem is, what will this patient do when she is done taking the 50,000 IU of Vitamin D?

I hope that the patient was instructed in proper nutrition so as to prevent a blood deficiency of Vitamin D again, though I doubt it.

Historically, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin D is 400 IU. The RDA is the MINIMAL daily dosage. Anything below that level causes significant disease, the most common is known as Rickets in children, and Osteoporosis in adults.  It was also thought in the past that daily intakes of vitamin D above 2000 IU was toxic and detrimental to the body.

The good news is that these archeic thoughts regarding dosages are showings signs of weakening. Dr. Vasquez, DC, ND, DO, for example recommends doses of 2,000-10,000 IU for chronic musculoskeletal pain patients.
Some studies show that by taking an additional 1,000 IU per day, a person can reduce their risks of colon cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Vitamin D is produced in the body when it is exposed to sunlight. It is also present in many of the foods we eat, including fish, fish oils, grains, and eggs.

Back to my chiropractic patient. Instead of massive temporary doses of vitamin D, she should be placed on a daily supplementation of 2,000-5,000 IU, with a follow-up blood test in a couple of months. The goal is better health for the long term, and not an immediate spike of blood vitamin D levels for the short term. The long term benefits for this patient could be incredible, and unlike taking medications, vitamin therapy causes no detrimental long term affects.

Keith Biggs, DC
3617 E. Southern, Suite 8
Mesa, AZ  85206
480-985-3334
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic@gmail.com