Here’s To Your Health In The New Year.

This time of year brings the joy of holidays, family and lots of food. Unfortunately, all those wonderful holiday treats come at the expense of our health and waistlines. We all know that as our weight increases, so does our risk for chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and hormonal problems.

As the New Year approaches, let’s talk about what you can do to invest in your health and your future. To shed those unwanted pounds and improve your health you must make a conscious effort to burn off more calories than you take in. To get started, we suggest you keep a food diary for one week. Write down everything you eat without making changes to your normal routine and add up your calories for each day. Use food labels, information on recipes or websites for restaurants you visit to calculate the calories, and don’t forget to check the portion size.

To lose 1 pound per week you must cut 500 calories from your diet per day or burn 500 extra calories per day by exercising or some combination of the two. As always, before starting any diet or exercise program, consult your health care provider. Even little changes make a difference. Start now. This year give yourself the gift of health. This is the most important gift you can give to yourself and to the ones who love you.

This is an interesting site about Free-Market medicine.

I particularly like this article where David Gratzer (author of The Cure) explains what the real problem is, and why socialization is not the answer. It begs the question: if we ARE in a market-driven system, why is it that costs don’t go down like other high-tech fields? The answer is: we’re NOT in a market-driven system. And it’s tough to argue that a truly market-driven system definitely wouldn’t work. So shouldn’t we try it first?

A lot of the rest of the site has videos that dispel some myths about the current system…like the number of people that are uninsured by choice, and the extent of the safety net for those who don’t have a choice.

A sister site, On the Fence Films, has a video about a brain surgery patient from Ontario which illustrates the flaws in a single-payer system.  Many of the arguments for “rationed care” simply comes to this:  only poor people are important, and those with jobs and money should have to wait just like everyone else.  Tell that to this gentleman.  The dirty truth is…even a poor person in the U.S. with no “coverage” would have better “access” than this middle class family in Ontario.  And our private system would eat the bill.

In addition, missing from the conversation of Government Health Care is the fact that local governments and non-profits have been an effective solution so far for those without private coverage.  Like the Loudoun Free Clinic, where anyone in the county who makes less than 200% of poverty can get FREE health care.

Healthy, Beautiful Legs for Life!

It is estimated that more than 80 million Americans suffer from some form of vein disorder.¹ These statistics show that nearly one in three Americans over the age of 45 are affected by vein disease. Unfortunately, only 4% of those are being treated. Venous disorders are an extremely common occurrence, just like high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. They also need to be taken just as seriously.

The veins in your legs have valves that keep blood moving in one direction: back toward the heart. When these valves no longer work properly the blood can flow backwards and problems begin to occur. A back up of blood results in higher pressure in the veins, especially in the lower extremities such as the legs. The higher pressure may strain the wall of the veins causing them to enlarge. This may lead to small bluish spider veins and enlarged varicose veins that become visible bulges underneath the skin. (more…)

From the American Academy of Pediatrics Web Site (http://www.aap.org)

Preschoolers

• I will clean up my toys.
• I will brush my teeth twice a day and wash my hands after going to the bathroom and before eating.
• I won’t tease dogs–even friendly ones. I will avoid being bitten by keeping my fingers and face away from their mouths.

Kids 5-12-years old

• I will drink milk and water and limit soda and fruit drinks.
• I will apply sunscreen before I go outdoors. I will try to stay in the shade whenever possible and wear a hat and sunglasses, especially when I’m playing sports.
• I will try to find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) that I like and do it at least three times a week!
• I will always wear a helmet when bicycling.
• I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car. I’ll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat until I am tall enough to use a lap/shoulder seat belt.*
• I’ll be nice to other kids. I’ll be friendly to kids who need friends–like someone who is shy or is new to my school.
• I’ll never give out personal information such as my name, home address, school name, or telephone number on the Internet. Also, I’ll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer without my parent’s permission.

Kids 13-years-old and up

• I will eat at least one fruit and one vegetable every day, and I will limit the amount of soda I drink.
• I will take care of my body through physical activity and nutrition.
• I will choose non-violent television shows and video games, and I will spend only one-to-two hours each day–at the most–on these activities.
• I will help out in my community–through volunteering, working with community groups, or by joining a group that helps people in need.
• I will wipe negative “self-talk” (i.e., “I can’t do it” or “I’m so dumb”) out of my vocabulary.
• When I feel angry or stressed out, I will take a break and find constructive ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or discussing my problem with a parent or friend.
• When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk with an adult about my choices.
• I will be careful about whom I choose to date and always treat the other person with respect and without coercion or violence.
• I will resist peer pressure to try drugs and alcohol.
• When I notice my friends are struggling or engaging in risky behaviors, I will talk with a trusted adult and attempt to find a way that I can help them.

*Virginia law now requires the use of a car seat or booster seat until age 8

by Tim Rankin Most of you know of the many benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in Fish Oil, from heart health to fighting depression. Now, more evidence is arising that consuming fish oil can also aid in weight loss! Click here to learn about an Australian Study showing participants who tooks fish oil lost significantly more fat than those who just exercised!

At Superslow Zone, we have recommended high dose pharmaceutical grade fish oil for our clients for years for the many health benefits offered. We offer Sealogix Fish Oil online, and carry a limited quantity in our studios. Tip: when ordering online, click the “People” link. Also order using the Autoship option and you can save 20% on the products.

Oasis Body Treatment Centre, Let’s Dish!, and the Loudoun Women Business Forum are helping raise money for a Leesburg family:

“On November 17th, 17 year-old Michael Ramirez of Leesburg, VA was diagnosed with Acute Lymphblastic T Cell Leukemia, the rarest type of Leukemia. Happily, Acute Lymphblastic T Cell Leukemia responds well to treatment, so there is hope for Michael. Michael’s mother, Mary, is a single mother of five, and needs your support to pay for the treatments, feed the family, and put gas in the car for frequent visits to Fairfax Inova Hospital where Michael is currently an in-patient undergoing chemo-therapy treatment.

Michael is a senior at Loudoun Valley H.S. A typical young-adult, he likes sports, video games, reading, drawing, and Subway sandwiches. He and his family are understandably frightened, worried, and in need of your support…”

Read More Here…

I tried to ignore the burning in my throat and the trouble swallowing, but after months of taking Prilosec, I finally had to admit my reflux was not getting better. I saw a Gastroenterologist who suggested several tests and procedures. A negative H.Pylori blood test ruled out a bacterial infection in my stomach. A barium esophagram was done to check for abnormalities in my throat since I was having trouble swallowing. The results were normal. However, an upper endoscopy showed evidence of prolonged irritation and inflammation. The good news - there was no cancer growing down there. The bad news - there was no apparent cause or easy cure for my symptoms.

Of course, I just wanted a pill that would fix the problem, but teatment was not that simple. I tried to be a good patient and follow my doctor’s orders. I began eating smaller and more frequent meals. I avoided tight clothing. I didn’t lie down after I ate. I raised the head of my bed. I avoided chocolate, coffee and wine – I was not fun to be around! I also began taking Nexium, a potent acid suppressor, twice a day. I was certain all these efforts would pay off, and I would be cured. (more…)

William M. Sonak, DC

C. Damon Moore, MD, FAAP

Gordon Culp, OD.