Living a Happy and Healthy Life

We all strive to live a happy and healthy life, yet many of us struggle to accomplish one or both of these goals. Instead of setting large, unattainable goals, try to focus on making small choices that can improve your likelihood of attaining these goals and achieving a greater overall well-being. A functional-medicine pioneer sums up six elements to a happy and healthy life!

Eat using the perfect plate method. We know this sounds simple but this is often a big struggle for many people. Using the perfect plate, as described my Frank Lipman, M.D., helps you focus more on eating healthier foods rather than counting individual calories, prompting us to focus on quality over quantity. Lipman breaks the plate into 50 to 70 percent non-starchy vegetables, 10 to 15 percent best-quality proteins and 20 to 30 percent healthy fats. Focusing on these foods will help reduce the consumption of the starchy, sugary foods that promote inflammation and weight gain. This element goes hand in hand with another suggestion made by Lipman, address your toxic burden. We are surrounded by environmental stressors that our bodies have to expel each day. These include GMOs, carcinogenic compounds, chemical additives, to foods, healthcare products or personal care items, etc. Lipman suggests to avoid GMOs, educate yourself about what is healthy versus unhealthy and dismiss the doubters of what you want to achieve. 

Become active! Our bodies were designed to move and moving helps to keep our joints well lubricated and healthy. Moving helps to produce proteins called myokines that fight disease and reduce inflammation. It also strengthens the most important muscle in our bodies, our hearts! Take a 5 minute break from work to walk around and stretch or go for walk at lunch.

Get good sleep. The glympathic system, similar to the lymphatic system, is a system within the central nervous system that helps to keep your brain clear and healthy. The glymphatic system works by removing excessive proteins, byproducts of normal neurological functions, that have been linked to the loss of neurological function. The glymphatic system works while we are sleeping, allowing our bodies to rid themselves of toxic overload. If you have an out-of-sync sleep schedule here are some suggestions to improve your sleep cycle. Dr. Lipman recommends good light exposure in the morning by walking outside as our internal clocks are sensitive to the energizing effects of light. Getting outside regularly throughout the day for a few minutes also helps to improve alertness our circadian rhythms. As the evening progresses limit your exposure to artificial light as you prepare to sleep.

"Unwind: Use your breath as a pathway to peace". Stress is a large topic of many of our lives. Unwind by taking a break from social media and get away from the internet. Take time throughout the day to take deep breaths to help clear our minds and relax. Belly breathing or the 4-7-8 breathing methods help you to relax by focusing on breathing rather than your surroundings. To use these proper techniques refer to the attached link: https://experiencelife.com/article/6-keys-to-a-happy-and-healthy-life/.

Lastly, connect and practice appreciation for your fellow beings. We all enjoy a good compliment and healthy relationships, and so do our peers. Perform random acts of kindness like giving compliments, smiling, listening closely to whomever you are talking to, help strangers, etc. These acts help us to become more connected and relaxed, creating a healthier you and environment! To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.

Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/6-keys-to-a-happy-and-healthy-life/

Reducing Anxiety with Food

 Summer is in full swing and you, like many Americans, may become overwhelmed with a busy schedule. It is estimated that approximately 20 percent of Americans have been diagnosed with anxiety, with only 33 percent of sufferers seeking medical help. Many Americans suffer from anxiety when having to balance a busy schedule, while others experience anxiety as a result of genetics, brain chemistry or other life circumstances. 

According to the author of the book Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven Stage Journey Out of Depression, psychiatrist James Gordon, MD, notes that "The average American diet promotes anxiety". Unfortunately the American diet consists largely of refined sugars and flours, processed foods and unhealthy fats, which all contribute to anxiety. The food we eat helps the brain to produce neurotransmitters, chemicals released by neurons (nerve cells) that stimulate other cells. If we are not eating the proper food our brain has a difficult time regulating and producing the correct neurotransmitters. Some specific neurotransmitters are dopamine, serotonin and nor-epinephrine, all which contribute to mood. We are going to dive into some nutritional strategies that can help reduce anxiety and increase mood.

"A calm brain requires steady levels of blood sugar", according to Alan Christainson, NMD, and author of The Adrenal Reset Diet. Glucose is the most basic form of sugar and our bodies utilize glucose as a form of energy. Our brains consume about half of the body's glucose availability at any given time so glucose has a large impact on our mood. When we consume refined carbohydrates and sweets as a snack (easy access to glucose) we are tricking the brain into releasing serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter. Unfortunately eating these foods backfires because our pancrease releases insulin to store glucose into our cells causing a drop in our blood-sugar levels. As a result we feel anxiety like symptoms. Try to eat foods are more nutrient dense like complex carbohydrates or food with protein. Some good alternatives to the sugary snacks are seeds, vegetables and fruits in moderation.

Foods with a good source of protein not only help to regulate blood sugar but it gives the body the ability to use amino acids, the building blocks for protein, as precursors to make serotonin, dopamine and other calming neurotransmitters. One important neurotransmitter that is made from phenylalanine, an amino acids, is nor-epinephrine. Nor-epinephrine has been shown to effectively treat symptoms of depression. Foods with high sources of protein include poultry, eggs and salmon. Healthy fats are also important to consume because the brain is primarily of fat (60 percent of the brain is fat). Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are two important fats that promote a healthy brain and  proper neurotransmitter regulation. Fresh water fish, nuts and seeds are good sources of healthy fats.

Lastly, reducing sweets and incorporating more complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats all serve to help reduce global inflammation. Reducing inflammation of the gut can help promote a calm mind by promoting a healthy gut microbiome. Researchers are discovering the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and its effects of global health. “Inflammation is the cornerstone of every bad thing you don’t want to get, including chronic anxiety,” says neurologist David Perlmutter, MD. 

To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.

Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/anti-anxiety-eating/

Finding the Right Sunscreen

It is that time of year again to break out the sun block! With summer in full force it is important to know that there are many different types of sunscreens to consider when trying to protect yourself. 

Here is some advice when choosing the proper protection this summer. The FDA says that using 50 plus SPF may not be as useful as manufacturers claim them to be. SPF values only refer to protection from sunburn and they do not indicate protection against UVA rays, the harmful UV rays that contribute to skin cancer and skin aging. Another piece of advice is to specifically look for UVA protection labels on the sunscreen. Most sunscreens do not protect against UVA rays but rather protect against UVB rays, however the UVA rays are much more harmful. A suggestion is to look for mineral-based sunscreens as they effectively block UVA rays. Stay away from sunscreens that contain oxybenzone because it has been linked to allergic reactions and potential hormone disruption.

Try to use lotion over sprays or powder sunscreens because sprays are more often inhaled and go directly to the bloodstream.  Another one to avoid are lotions with vitamin A. Lesions are quicker to form on skin slathered with creams containing retinyl pamitate, which is also labeled as retinol or vitamin A. You should also avoid a sunscreen with insect repellent. Those two things need to be applied on different schedules. When the UV radiation is at its highest you should not rely on sunscreen solely. Try wearing hats and sunglasses for the ultimate protection. Last but not least reapply, reapply and reapply. Sunscreen washes off with water and can rub off with towels. Lastly men are twice as likely to die from melanoma in 2018 than women so protect yourself when spending long hours in the sun.

Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/which-sunscreen-is-right-for-you/