Ritalin Risk

Character traits associated with ADHD/ADD include a chronic history of having a short attention span, being easily distracted, impulsivity, moderate to severe hyperactivity, minor neurological signs, abnormal EEG, impaired ability to learn…sounds like most normal children/teenagers! Aren’t they all easily distracted and impulsive? Yet, even though there is no single comprehensive test to diagnose ADHD (most consist of checklists of different types of observed behaviors), millions of prescriptions for Ritalin were written in 2005.

Some of the side effects associated with this mass-marketed psychotropic drug include:

• Impaired thinking/memory loss due to decreased blood flow to the brain – similar to what happens to the brain on cocaine
• Interference with the growth hormone, causing growth retardation, both brain and body, in children
• Addiction, similar to that of cocaine
• Insomnia, depression, mania, anxiety and an increase in the symptoms it is supposed to help
• Decreased ability to learn

There are natural alternatives to Ritalin, and other prescribed medications, used to treat ADHD and ADD. Parents need to be informed about these alternatives and to understand that according to the package insert, “Sufficient data on safety and efficacy of long-term use of Ritalin in children are not yet available. Although a causal relationship has not been established, suppression of growth (i.e., weight gain, and/or height) has been reported with the long-term use of stimulants in children. Therefore, practice members requiring long-term therapy should be carefully monitored.”

Often children are diagnosed with ADHD when what they really have is a food allergy, sugar addiction, hypoglycemia or hearing/vision problems. We would be happy to talk to you about your child’s problems and to review with you the many alternatives that are available to deal with your child’s condition. Call us to schedule a Nutrition Response Testing Analysis of your child.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
704 523 2367
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

What The Heck Is Pilates?

Pilates and chiropractic are a powerful pair.

You may have heard about Pilates (pronounced puh LAH teez), a form of fitness training, but how does it help your body?

Pilates combines strength and flexibility training, using exercises that tone and condition the entire body. Particular attention is paid to building and developing the area of the body called the “powerhouse,” the core region of the body that includes the abdomen, pelvis, lower back and buttocks.

Pilates also creates a powerful mind-body connection, developed through proper breathing technique and concentration on smooth body movements to achieve better mental and physical health and reduce stress.

 

 

Some of the benefits of Pilates include:

• Increases flexibility and agility
• Develops muscle strength, without “bulking” up
• Reduces stress
• Provides effective rehabilitation for injuries
• Flattens abdominals and strengthens back muscles
• Provides a gentle, low-impact, whole body workout
• Increases energy, invigorates the body
• Strengthens the mind-body connection
• Alleviates back pain
• Improves body posture and movement

Many gyms offer Pilates classes and Pilates tapes are available in many places that sell videos. You might want to rent one and try it out before investing in it. It only takes a few weeks to produce a noticeably toned body and it may very well be the workout that works for you!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

704 523 2367

Don't Nuke Those Veggies!

Proper preparation retains more of your food's nutrients.

What’s the best way to prepare vegetables? Steam them? Microwave them? Boil them?

Vegetables are a key source of antioxidants ~ cancer-fighting compounds that also help prevent heart disease. The disease-fighting benefits of vegetables can be affected by the way in which they are prepared.

The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture reported the results of a study that involved several ways of preparing broccoli. Broccoli that was microwaved lost 97 percent of flavonoids, 74 percent of sinapics and 87 percent of caffeoyl-quinic derivatives (three different types of antioxidants). When boiled, the broccoli lost 66 percent of its flavonoids and when tossed in a pressure cooker, it lost 47 percent of its caffeoyl-quinic derivatives.

However, steamed broccoli lost only 11 percent of flavonoids, 0 percent of sinapics and 8 percent of caffeoyl-quinic derivatives. Steamed vegetables do not come in direct contact with the boiling water so their nutritional elements are not lost or boiled away.

Microwave ovens heat vegetables from the inside and also use water, a combination that virtually destroys valuable antioxidants.

Still…if it comes down to eating microwaved vegetables or no vegetables at all…microwaved wins!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

704 523 2367

Just Dance!

Dancing isn't just fun, it's great exercise.

Can’t get into those yoga positions? Pilates just isn’t your style? Want to relax, feel great and burn calories? Dance! That’s right ~ dance!

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture recommends that adults engage in at least 30 minutes of moderately intense, or more vigorous, physical activity daily. Moderately intense exercise raises your heart rate and gets your blood pumping, and 30 minutes of dancing can certainly do that!

So sign up for a local dance class and enjoy some of the health benefits of dancing that include:

• Burning calories
• Reduced risk of osteoporosis
• Increased blood flow to the brain
• Reduction in stress
• Social interaction that wards off loneliness and depression
• Increased motor skill and agility
• Feelings of accomplishment when a new step is learned
• Reduced risk of dementia
• New friendships

And who said that exercise can’t be fun?

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

704 523 2367

Power Napping

A 30-minute nap can actually make you MORE productive.

In his book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Robert Fulgham advises, “Take a nap every afternoon.”  Many cultures embrace this philosophy.

An afternoon powernap can actually improve alertness and productivity in the workplace as many cultures who have long subscribed to “siesta time” already know. The rest of us have been slow to adopt the idea of napping on the job, although several professions, such as airline pilots and healthcare workers, actually encourage it, because of the consequences that could ensue if these workers are not alert at their jobs.

A team of Harvard researchers conducted a study to prove that napping helps the brain to process difficult tasks learned during the day. A group of volunteers were asked to complete a series of difficult tests. One third was not allowed to take a nap at all. One third was allowed to nap for 30 minutes and the last third was allowed an hour long nap.

All of the test-takers did their best early in the day. As expected, performance declined for those who did not nap at all, while it did not for those who took a 30 minute nap. Those who napped for an hour actually did better on post-nap test tasks than they did in those they did in late-morning.

Hopefully, the idea of the 30 minute “power nap” will soon become as widely accepted as the “coffee break” to refresh one’s mind… and spirit!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

704 523 2367

Hormone Replacement Therapy Alternatives

There are natural alternatives to traditional HRT.

No subject has raised as much concern among menopausal women in recent years as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). HRT, which consists of estrogen or combined estrogen-progestin therapy, has been widely prescribed for years to relieve the symptoms of menopause and prevent osteoporosis. HRT has been considered helpful in relieving flushing, vaginal dryness and mood swings associated with menopause.

But in 2002, a large Women’s Health Initiative clinical study was stopped after early findings revealed that HRT after menopause raised a woman's risk of breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes and blood clots.

As a result of these findings, many women have opted for natural alternatives to HRT. They have shifted their thinking to accept menopause simply as a normal life stage as opposed to a “disease” that requires medical treatment.

Natural approaches to menopause include healthier eating habits and increased calcium intake, herbal supplements and alternative approaches, such as chiropractic care and acupuncture, to help a woman’s body regulate and balance itself during menopause, without the side effects and inherent health risks associated with HRT. In addition, regular exercise helps relieve stress and aids in preventing heart disease and osteoporosis.

Nutrition Response Testing will help to determine which endorcrine (hormone producing) organ(s) are not functioning properly.  Then, through Whole Food supplementation, herbs and homeopathics, we can feed and strengthen those weakened systems, naturally.  Call today for a Nutrtion Response Testing Analysis.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Jeremy Hozjan
http://www.parkroadchiropractic.com/

704 523 2367