FDA Just Banned 3 Toxic Chemicals: Will These 8 Ingredients be Next? http://goo.gl/OjwBUZ 

FDA finally defending Americans not corporations.

Sugary Drinks Significantly Raise Cardiovascular Risk Factors
http://goo.gl/N2T8d3 

Glycation from excess sugar leads to Heart Disease

by Dr. Jeannine Baer Feinstein, Friday, Oct. 3, 2014

The 4 Warning Signs of Injury Caused by Backpacks

They are easy to spot and should be checked weekly, and especially if your child has changed grades, schools or has experienced an increase in schoolwork.

1. Your child is struggling to take off or put on their backpack
2. They are leaning forward or to the side while carrying their backpack
3. Your child is complaining of any back or neck pain
4. Your child is experiencing numbness or weakness in their arms or legs

If you spot any or all of these warning signs, a change needs to be made.


- See more at: http://njchiropractors.com/uncategorized/be-4-warned-of-backpack-injuries/#sthash.uJSrc20K.AHAYxABE.dpuf

Here is a great article on Fish Oil dosing by one of the leading researchers in the field Dr. David Seamen. Not only is he a leading thinker and researcher of dietary nutrition and anti-inflammatory diets but he was also one of my professors at Palmer who helped spur my interest into nutrition and human physiology. 
   
"We humans have a tendency to take things to the extreme. We over-eat, over-work, overparty,
over-play, and now we even over-Facebook. And then when it is time for people to go
the other way move towards health, they over-exercise, calorie obsess, and over-analyze
whatever they eat.
Regarding food consumption, I remain impressed by how little thought goes into over-eating
pro-inflammatory food calories from sugar, flour, trans-fats, and omega-6 fatty acids; however,
when it comes to eating properly, people start to worry about what is good for them. Why
would we worry so much about what is good, when we had absolutely no worry about what
was bad when we were recklessly eating everything in sight? We humans are a weird bunch.
When it comes to fish oil supplementation, our weirdness continues. If a little fish oil is good,
gallons must be better, correct? The answer is “probably not” in most cases.
If we look at traditional diets, the largest source of fat calories came from saturated and
monounsaturated fatty acids, which contain no or one double bond respectively. The a very
small percentage came from polyunsaturated fatty acids, which contain two or more double
bonds. The greater the number of double bonds in a fatty acid, the greater the chance for a
fatty acid to oxidize. Interestingly, the body only needs a small amount of polyunsaturated fatty
acids and nature happens to provide us with food that only contains small amounts.
EPA and DHA are the omega-3 fatty acids we supplement with in form of fish oil. We can make
EPA and DHA from alpha-linolenic acid, which is found in small amounts in green vegetables
and certain seeds, such as hemps, chia, and flax. EPA and DHA are also found preformed in wild
animals and fish that eat vegetation. It turns out that EPA and DHA have the most double bonds
found in nature.
The fact that we do not get a lot of linolenic acid in most foods, would lead to the assumption
that we might not need a lot of EPA and DHA. In fact we do not get appreciable amounts of EPA
and DHA from animals, save for certain fish, such as salmon. Historically salmon and other wild
fish was consumed by native people who ate no sugar, flour, trans fats and no omega-6 oils
such as corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed or peanut oils. These same people were very
active; we are not.
We should follow the historical lead of native people and stay active and avoid sugar, flour,
trans fats, and excess omega-6 oils. We should eat only/mostly natural foods. And the best
evidence suggests that taking 1-3 grams of EPA/DHA per day is reasonable, which is what I
personally do.
I am not in the habit of taking 5, 10 or more grams of EPA/DHA. This would have been humanly
impossible in past history. However, at times, it might be useful to take heavy doses of
EPA/DHA for short periods. A recent example of this was very high dose EPA/DHA supplementation in 8-24 year olds suffering from major depressive disorder who were not
responding to their selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) (1). The average participant age
was 15.6 years. Twelve subjects were in the low dose group that took 2.4 grams of EPA/DHA.
Eight subjects in the high dose group took 16.2 grams of EPA/DHA. The study period was 10
weeks of supplementation wherein the SSRIs were also taken.
The reason the authors took on this study is because previous studies have shown that
depressed individuals have reduced red blood cell levels of EPA and DHA. The subjects in this
study also had lower levels of EPA/DHA compared to age-matched controls. At the end of the
10-week trial, EPA/DHA levels normalized and symptom remission was observed in 40% of the
low dose group and 100% in the high dose group. This was an open-labeled pilot study with
only 20 subjects and so the authors indicate that larger blinded placebo-controlled trials are
necessary.
In my opinion, the best natural approach for dealing with depression is to dramatically change
the diet so that pro-inflammatory foods are avoided in favor of anti-inflammatory foods. The
reason is that we now know that depression is a chronic inflammatory state (2-8). The
metabolic syndrome, a pro-inflammatory state, has also been shown to promote depression (9-
11). And finally, compared to an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fish, vegetables and fruit, a proinflammatory
diet heavily loaded with sweetened desserts, deep fried food, processed meat,
and refined grains has been shown to promote depression in middle-aged individuals (12).
The chronic inflammatory state in depression and in general, involves more than just an
imbalance of EPA/DHA that requires heavy omega-3 dosing. In addition to eating an antiinflammatory
diet, supplementation with a multivitamin (13), magnesium (14), omega-3 fatty
acids (15), and vitamin D (16) also offer benefits, as does regular exercise (17).
About the Author
David R. Seaman, DC, MS, is a professor of clinical sciences at the National University of Health
Sciences in Pinellas Park, Florida, where he teaches clinical nutrition and evaluation and
management of the musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems. Dr. Seaman has authored a
book on clinical nutrition for pain and inflammation and has written several chapters and
articles on this topic. He is a consultant for Anabolic Laboratories and is on the Speakers Bureau
for NCMIC."

References
1. McNamara RK et al. Detection and treatment of long-chain omega-3 fatty acid deficiency in adolescents
with SSRI-resistant major depressive disorder. PharmaNutrition. 2014;2:38-46.
2. Wium-Andersen MK, Orsted DD, Nielsen SF, Nordestgaard BG: Elevated C-reactive protein levels,
psychological distress, and depression in 73,131 individuals. JAMA Psychiatry 2013, 70:176–184.
3. Khairova RA, Machado-Vieira R, Du J, Manji HK: A potential role for pro- inflammatory cytokines in
regulating synaptic plasticity in major depressive disorder. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2009, 12:561–578. 4. Miller AH, Maletic V, Raison CL: Inflammation and its discontents: the role of cytokines in the
pathophysiology of major depression. Biol Psychiatry 2009, 65:732–741.
5. Krishnadas R, Cavanagh J: Depression: an inflammatory illness? J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2012,
83:495–502.
6. Irwin MR: Inflammation at the intersection of behavior and somatic symptoms. Psychiatr Clin N Am 2011,
34:605–620.
7. Bonaccorso S, Meltzer HY, Maes M: Psychological and behavioral effects of interferons. Curr Opin
Psychiatry 2000, 13:673–677.
8. Dantzer R, O’Connor JC, Freund GG, Johnson RW, Kelley KW: From inflammation to sickness and
depression: when the immune system subjugates the brain. Nat Rev Neurosci 2008, 9:46–56.
9. Heiskanen TH, iskanen K, in kka JJ, Koi umaa- onkanen T, onkalampi K , aatainen K ,
 iinam ki T: Metabolic syndrome and depression: a cross-sectional analysis. J Clin Psychiatry 2006, 67:1422–
1427.
10. Koponen , Jokelainen J, Kein nen-Kiukaanniemi S, Kumpusalo E, Vanhala M: Metabolic syndrome
predisposes to depressive symptoms: a population-based 7-year follow-up study. J Clin Psychiatry 2008, 69:178–
182.
11. ie ola J, iskanen K, iinam ki , Kumpusalo E: Metabolic syndrome is associated with self-perceived
depression. Scand J Prim Health Care 2008, 26:203–210.
12. Akbaraly TN et al. Dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in middle age. Brit J Psychiatry.
2009;195:408-13.
13. Suarez EC. Plasma interleukin-6 is associated with psychological coronary risk factors: Moderation by use
of multivitamin supplement. Brain, Behav, Immunity. 2003;17:296–303.
14. Eby GA, Eby KL. Magnesium for treatment-resistant depression: a review and hypothesis. Med Hypoth.
2010;74:649-60.
15. Kiecolt-Glaser JK et al. Depressive symptoms, omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids, and inflammation in older
adults. Psychosomatic Med. 2007;69(3):217-24.
16. Vieth R, Kmball S, Hu A, Walfish PG. Randomized comparison of the effects of the vitamin D3 adequate
intake versus 100 mcg (4000 IU) per day on biochemical responses and the wellbeing of patients. Nutrition Journal
2004, 3:8.
17. Blumenthal JA et al. Exercise and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder.
Psychosom Med. 2007;69(7):587-96.

Below is a great article on Snow shoveling safety. This article is from mycentraljersey.com. Here is the full link: 
www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/new-jersey/2015/01/26/blizzard-snow-removal/22342089/ 

"Safety tips for shoveling snow

Snow and Ice Management Association
January 26, 2015

A 2011 study published in the Clinical Research in Cardiology revealed that shoveling snow actually does increase the risk of a having a heart attack. The study looked at 500 people and found that 7% started experiencing symptoms of heart problems while shoveling snow. The cardiologists conducting the Canadian study felt that while 7% is significant, there could be as many as double that number given the fact that the patients may not have connected their heart problems with snow shoveling.

"While heart attacks may be the most serious consequence of shoveling snow, there are other even more common health risks including dehydration, back injuries, pulled muscles, broken bones and frostbite. But the good news is there are ways to safely shovel snow," said Martin B. Tirado, CAE, Executive Director, Snow & Ice Management Association.

Today, on the brink of the blizzard conditions in the northeast, the Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA), the national nonprofit organization representing the snow removal industry, is suggesting these tips for safe snow shoveling:

TIP #1: Stay on top of the snow. No we aren't suggesting that you make snow angels but when there's a heavy snow, the best advice is to stay ahead of the storm. SIMA recommends that to prevent snow and ice from adhering to the sidewalk or street, clear the snow every few inches instead of waiting for the snow to stop falling before you head outdoors.

TIP #2: Wear breathable layers. Layering is typical cold winter weather advice. We suggest wearing layers of loose clothing so you can peal a layer off if you get hot. Avoid wearing heavy wools, manmade materials or other materials that don't allow perspiration to evaporate. Better choices are cotton and silk.

TIP #3: Watch your feet. No you aren't on Dancing with the Stars, but nonetheless, you need to pay attention to what's on your feet when heading outdoors to shovel snow. SIMA suggests wearing quality outdoor winter wear such as waterproof boots with good traction. Good traction is critical to ensuring that you don't slip and fall.

TIP #4: Take a few minutes to stretch. Shoveling snow is a workout so you need to stretch to warm up your muscles particularly because you are shoveling snow in the cold weather. Stretching before you start shoveling will help prevent injury and fatigue.

TIP #5: Push don't lift. Sounds like something a high school wrestling coach may say but if you push the snow to the side rather than trying to lift the snow to remove it, you exert less energy thereby placing less stress on your body.

TIP #6: Drink up!Water that is. SIMA recommends taking frequent breaks and staying hydrated. You should drink water as if you were enduring a tough workout at the gym or running five miles.

TIP #7: Don't play in traffic. Sometimes people get so focused on the task at hand they don't pay attention to their surroundings. When shoveling snow near streets, pay attention to the traffic since vehicles may not have good traction in the snow and ice.

TIP #8: Call and text. We're not suggesting that you make calls and text while shoveling snow, but it is important to have your cell phone on you so you can make a call in event of an emergency.

Following these tips will help ensure that you survive and thrive through winter. For more snow and ice removal tips, visit SIMA.

Additionally, snow shoveling can present the potential for spasms, strains, sprains and other health problems, warns the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

Bending and twisting when tossing a shovel of heavy snow can aggravate lower back discs, according to ACA. In addition, the overall physical exertion required for snow shoveling, without proper conditioning, often results in painful injuries.

ACA advises you to be prepared and follow these tips for exercise of the snow shoveling variety:

If you must shovel snow, be careful. Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work.

Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.

Shoveling can strain "de-conditioned" muscles between your shoulders, in your upper back, lower back, buttocks and legs. So, do some warm-up stretching before you grab that shovel.

When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don't try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.

Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.

Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.

Stop if you feel chest pain, or get really tired or have shortness of breath. You may need emergency medical assistance.

After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

If you continue to feel soreness, pain or strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a chiropractic physician. For a list of doctors of chiropractic near you, visit acatoday.org."

Great list of food ingredients that should be avoided at all cost. Credit to NaturallySavvy.com.

By Dr. Nicholas Carofilis D.C.

What Are Trans Fats?
Trans Fats are one of the most dangerous and devastating ingredients that can be found in our foods and supermarkets. Trans fats occur naturally in foods such as beef, lamb, and whole fat dairy products (in small amounts), but some amounts of trans fat come from a processed version. These trans fats are created by an industrial process which adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil. This processing allows these liquid oils to become solid. You may ask why this would be done? What is the benefit? Trans fats were invented as a way to extend the shelf life of foods and enhance flavor. Large food corporations benefit from the use of these trans fats due to the ability to produce processed foods that can be shipped all the way across the world and sit on store shelves for months at a time before spoiling. This increases profit margins and allows them to mass produce products to all corners of the globe. Food products that commonly contain trans fats are margarine, shortening, fried foods like french fries and fried chicken, doughnuts, cookies, pastries, cupcakes, breakfast cereals, frozen dinners, peanut butter, and crackers.

What Do Trans Fats Mean for Your Health?
These trans fats are incredibly unhealthy in comparison to their unprocessed liquid vegetable oil counterparts. Trans fats are clearly the reason for the high incidence of heart disease in America and other developed countries. Trans fats when in the body have been found to lower HDL (good cholesterol), raise large particle LDL (bad cholesterol), and actively clog arteries throughout the body. Trans fats have also been proven to be highly pro-inflammatory within the body (Please read my article on the anti-inflammatory diet below to understand the devastating effects of inflammation in the body). All of these factors have been proven to specifically cause heart disease within people of any age and ethnicity. Clogged arteries can lead to heart attack, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and numerous other health ailments. Trans Fats also have a half-life of 51 days, meaning at 75 days, there is still 25% of the substance in your body. So in summation, if you have learned nothing else so far I hope that you have at least learned that Trans Fats are BAD. They are bad in every form yet continue to be found in a large percentage of foods at our grocery stores. They are a major reason that we, they United States, continues to have such a high rate of heart disease within our country regardless of how much money is being spent on health care. It all starts with our food source. 

How to Avoid Trans Fats
Now to discuss reading and understanding food labels in order to avoid them. This should be easy enough because trans fats are always labeled just like calories, saturated fats, carbohydrates, protein, and sugar..... Right???? WRONG!!! There are tricks that the food industry can play in order to still advertise that a food has "0g of trans fats". A labeling law was passed by the FDA and it states that if a food contains less than .5g of trans fats it can be listed as containing "0 trans fats". So what did food companies do? Many foods which had 1.4g of trans fats for example were now said to be 3 servings rather than 1. This put the trans fat count per serving under .5g and the food could now legally be labeled and advertised as contained "0g of trans fats". The problem remains that many people eat more than the recommended serving size as well as the fact that the example food now contains 1.4g of trans fats. This is a significant amount especially when considering most recommendations are that you should consume less than 5g per day or according to the Center for Disease Control "as low as possible". So first look at the label for 0g of trans fats but then if it says 0g you must do a double check. Your second step will be to look at the ingredients list for the words "partially hydrogenated" or "shortening" this is an aka for trans fats. If your food product contains one of these ingredients then it means that per serving it contains less than .5g but still contains trans fats nonetheless. Check out the picture above of a food product that advertises "0g of trans fats" but then has a circled ingredient of partially hydrogenated oils and vegetable shortening. The easiest way to avoid these is by eating a whole foods diet and avoiding any and all processed foods. As more and more of these major food companies continue to advertise that they are making foods healthier for the public and point to the cutting of trans fats amounts in their products, you as the consumer must be smarter. This is a labeling trick as proved above. Most if not all have not truly lowered trans fats in their products. If a bag of broccoli says "ingredients: broccoli" then of course you're safe, but if it says broccoli and 30 other ingredients, you'd better start checking for trans fats and other harmful chemical additives. Buying locally also helps as it proves mass producing and food engineering for longer lasting foods is not supported by the public. 

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010.
2. Institute of Medicine.  Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids.  National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2005.
3. Food and Drug Administration 2003. Food Labeling: Trans Fatty Acids. Nutrient Content Claims and Health Claims. Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Register. 68 (133): 41433-41506. 354: 1601–1613.
4. http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
5. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA) (2010). "Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for fats". EFSA Journal 8 (3): 1461.
   

By Dr. Nicholas Carofilis D.C.

Today I will continue my discussion on healthy diets while simultaneously concentrating on Probiotics and Prebiotics.  First let me explain what each term signifies by definition. The term probiotics, which are gaining a lot of media attention, is synonymous for "good" bacteria that live within your gut (tube from mouth to rectum, including stomach and intestines). These "good" bacteria help with proper food digestion and immune system function. An ideal bacterial ratio is approximately 85% "good" bacteria to 15% "bad" bacteria. When this ratio is offset and "bad" bacteria percentage climbs higher that 15% this causes a state of dysbiosis. Dysbiosis has been linked to numerous health issues such as yeast infections, irritable bowel syndrome, and numerous auto-immune disorders. Unlike their media popular equivalents, prebiotics on the other hand are not as frequently discussed but are just as important. Prebiotics are indigestible foods that we consume that help nourish and maintain healthy bacteria within our gut. Think of prebiotics as a "house" which helps shelter and allow probiotics to flourish within our guts. Without these prebiotics our "good" bacteria is gone within hours of being consumed. Now that we have the basics down let's discuss why these probiotics and prebiotics are important from an evolutionary aspect. 

As we look back to the hunter gatherer lifestyle which we humans have evolved from we see certain foods that were very important in our diets but have since been cut out due to new technological advances. Most obvious are fermented foods. These foods were fermented as a way to preserve before refrigeration existed. During this fermentation process healthy bacteria would multiply and flourish. Those individuals that consumed these foods would then have these good bacteria in their gut and maintain healthy bacterial ratios. Our bodies evolved to rely on these essential bacteria.  Some examples of these foods that are still very popular in different cultures around the world are yogurt***, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha tea, pickled vegetables, miso (fermented soy paste) , natto (fermented soy bean), tempeh, lassi (indian yogurt drink) korean kimchi (pickled cabbage), and aged cheeses such as gouda, emmental, edam, and cheddar. 

I put an asterisk next to yogurt because many people think they can just go and buy a container of Dannon or Yoplait yogurt and it will suffice. This is not the case. Most if not all commercial yogurts contain the sugar equivalent of a can of coke and have absolutely no active probiotic strands present within them. Sugar and refined carbohydrates nourish "bad" bacteria and can lead to dysbiosis. So when I say yogurt I mean home fermented yogurt. The only widely sold brand that meets an acceptable probiotic criteria is the Organic Stoneyfield brand. This brand carries numerous active cultures as well as can be found in almost every supermarket store in America. An added bonus is the fact that the sugar content is less than half the amount of it's competitors.      

I strongly recommend that each person takes at least one serving of probiotics a day. Whether that is through supplementation or some form of fermented food. What I would like to point out is that these two options are not created the equally. Fermented  foods contain trillions of probiotics per serving. Even the best supplements out in the market only contain about 5 billion. This means that you could essentially eat an entire probiotics supplement container and the amount of probiotics which it contains would equal one serving of fermented food.

I personally get my probiotics through home brewed kombucha. Here is an attached link of how to do it yourself and make your own kombucha. There are also similar sites available upon search for homemade kefir, and pickled vegetables. 

These probiotics play such a vital role in our bodies health and wellness. There are approximately 100 trillion bacteria in our body at all times which is about ten times the amount of cells your entire body is composed of. Keeping these bacteria in balance (good vs. bad) is absolutely crucial for proper digestion of food, absorption of nutrients, proper development and expression of you immune system, and protection against "bad" bacterial over-growths that could possibly cause disease. Probiotics have been shown to have anti-inflammatory potential as well. 

Prebiotics on the other hand, as I mentioned above, should be thought of as the house for these probiotics. These indigestible foods help nourish and grow probiotics within the gut. Prebiotics have also been linked to increased calcium absorption according to some studies. These prebiotics are composed of soluble fiber, not to be confused with insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber are indigestible foods to both the human body and bacteria within the gut. Essentially insoluble fiber just speeds up your time sitting on the toilet. Prebiotics (soluble fiber, commonly oligosaccharides and inulin) allow for growth of healthy bacteria within the gut and are absolutely critical to consume. These indigestible foods take up home in the large intestine and allow probiotics to remain present up to a week after consumption. Almost all probiotics will be naturally flushed out of your body within about 1-2 days without a good base content of prebiotics in your gut.

Some examples of foods which contain prebiotics are artichokes, garlic, leeks, bananas, honey, onions and chicory . Soy beans and products made from soybeans are also a great source of prebiotics. Prebiotics can also be supplemented but in many cases these supplements cause a great deal of gas. This is why I again recommend consuming it naturally within your diet.

Approximately 80% of our immune system is located in our digestive system. This makes a healthy gut a major focal point if you want to maintain a strong and healthy immune system. Again a healthy immune system is vital as this is your number one defense system against all disease. Avoiding consumption of highly processed and refined foods will help maintain a healthy gut. These foods tend to feed "bad" bacteria and offset the optimal bacteria ratio. A good rule of thumb is the less ingredients the better. Often time we eat foods that are advertised as "health foods" just to find out we paid more money for no nutritional benefit and food engineering.



Collins MD, Gibson GR. "Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics: approaches for modulating the microbial ecology of the gut." Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 May;69(5):1052S-1057S.

Lamoureux L, Roy D, Gauthier SF. "Production of oligosaccharides in yogurt containing bifidobacteria and yogurt cultures." J Dairy Sci. 2002 May;85(5):1058-69.

Parvez, S. et al, Probiotics and Their Fermented Foods and Beneficial for Health, Journal of Applied Microbiology 2006:100: 1171-1185