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There are many popular
reasons for not drinking tap water. Some health. Other’s taste. And
now some health advocates are getting news coverage about the
possible ill effects of Fluoride in the water supply.
For example, a number of experts and Tennessee residents are so
concerned about fluoridation, they’ve asked Gov. Phil Bredesen (D)
to remove it from their state’s drinking water.
A Tennessee TV station recently aired a video about these concerns.
It’s a three-minute clip and can be viewed on the internet at this
link:
http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/
Finally-the-Media-Is-Recognizing-The-Perils-of-Fluoridated-Water-4956.aspx
According to this video report, the problem with fluoride can be
serious with babies, and the American Dental Association has
recently recommended mothers not use fluoridated water in their
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Is The Switch To Bottled Water Safe?
American’s have been switching to bottled water for quite some
time. In fact, statistics provided by the Beverage Marketing
Corporation State: “Bottled water emerged as the second largest
commercial beverage category by volume in the United States in 2003,
and despite its significant stature, it continued to grow at a rapid
pace in 2005. The category is growing even more forcefully on a
global scale, but in the U.S., volume is unparalleled.
In 2005, total U.S. category volume surpassed 7.5 billion gallons, a
10.7% advance over 2004’s volume level. That translates into an
average of 26.1 gallons per person, which means U.S. residents now
drink more bottled water annually than any other beverage, other
than carbonated soft drinks (CSDs). While CSDs still have volume and
average intake levels more than twice as high as bottled water, the
soft drink market has been struggling recently because of
competition bottled water. Per capita consumption of bottled water
has been growing by at least one gallon annually, thereby more than
doubling in a decade.”
It’s scary that carbonated soft drinks “still have volume and
average intake levels more than twice as high as bottled water.”
It’s no wonder obesity is at record levels. But now there is a
question about the safety of bottled water too.
Last year, researchers at the University of Heidelberg Institute of
Environmental Geochemistry (Germany) measured the abundance of
antimony, a potentially toxic trace element, in 15 brands of
Canadian bottled water and 48 European brands. They reported
concentrations of more than 100 times the average level of antimony
in pristine ground waters, which is 2 parts per million.
After letting the same bottles sit at room temperature for 6 months,
the researchers found that average antimony concentrations in the
Canadian bottled waters increased by 19%, and by 90% in the European
brands.
Most of the waters tested were packaged in polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) containers. Researchers did not know why, but it
was clear that water bottled in PET contain much more antimony than
regular tap water. They also don’t know the impact this could have
on your health. Researchers said it’s something that should be
looked into further. Although antimony is a suspected carcinogen,
there is no proof.
As the debate rages on, one option is to filter your tap water. But
there is debate even on that subject, too. Some say reverse osmosis
is the way to go. Others prefer a distilling process. This is a
topic everyone should look into and decide for themselves. What is
abundantly clear is that carbonated soft drinks (yes, even the diet
versions) should be cut back or eliminated from your diet if you
want to lose weight and live a healthier life.
Remember, we’re always here, using the miracle of Chiropractic to
help your body heal and maintain the health you deserve.
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Q. Is it better to stretch before or
after exercise?
A. It's more vital to stretch afterwards, but it depends on what
type of exercises you do. If you lift heavy weights, then
stretch before and after. If do fairly gentle exercises then
stretch afterwards. The important thing to remember is in order
to prevent injuries from stretching, do not to stretch while
your muscles are cold. Your muscles have to be warm before you
stretch. |
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It's remarkable to consider how many
different types of pain relievers there are for headaches. Not
just the corner drug stores but also supermarkets, convenience
stores, and gas stations keep an abundant supply. Aspirin,
acetaminophen, and ibuprofen, is consumed daily in America by
the truckloads.
Have you ever thought about how we approach a health problem or
symptom? Too often it's a knee-jerk reaction where we pop a pill
for whatever ill. Rarely do we ask why there is a headache? What
is causing this headache?
It is very well established that there are many causes for
headaches. Chemical imbalances in the body can of course cause
head pain such as in dehydration or intoxication.
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But in large part, the pill stock in gas
stations isn't targeted to the occasional hangover, it supplies
the masses who suffer with tension headaches, migraines, and
headaches due to mechanical neck disorders (e.g. whiplash). So
what is the pill actually doing chemically? This varies from
pill to pill. The side effects can range from stomach bleeding,
to liver and kidney problems. Most people who take these
medications have pain for years and decades. It is long-term use
that is especially detrimental to the body. Headaches are a
chronic disease and it is likely there will be triggers for you
for many years to come.
Prescription NSAIDs and pain pills are usually much more
powerful unless you're doubling up on over-the-counter drugs.
With prescription patches and pills it is easy to get addicted
if taken over the long run.
But there is a different way to see the problem than the
chemical approach. Although the mode of action of these
different drugs changes, an important fact remains that they do
not treat mechanical problems of the neck. If your headache is
being caused by a joint injury in the neck, no amount of drug
can correct this postural fault.
How would I know if my headache is really a spine problem? It
could be that you notice stiffness in the neck or maybe it's
harder to look over one shoulder. If your headaches are
accompanied by a lot of shoulder and neck stiffness and tension,
this is a sign of a spine cause. In some cases though, the spine
symptoms are very mild, so it is easy to see why patients rarely
make the connection in their minds.
A thorough examination is needed to determine if your headache
is being caused by a spine injury. X-rays are often used to
precisely determine the positions of your spinal vertebrae. They
also show the condition of the disks, and any degeneration from
older spine injuries.
Several clinical trials have shown chiropractic adjustments are
effective for patients with tension-type and migraine headaches.
Less immediate side effects were also noted compared to those
getting drug treatment.
By identifying the cause of your headache, you've changed your
thinking to looking past the pain and asking why?
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(Our monthly feature of tidbits of news and info
to make your life easier and more fun, so you’re healthy all the
time!) |
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Vitamin C is important for a whole lot of
reasons. As an antioxidant, it acts as our bodyguard against
oxidization. It also promotes the absorption of iron by our
bodies and is needed to regulate our metabolic rate. The foods
you eat get metabolized (burned up) and used as fuel for energy
and to repair damage from injury and disease. This is why people
with infections or colds need higher doses of vitamin C to heal
faster. While those suffering from extensive burns need extra
vitamin C to form greater amounts of scar tissues.
The two earliest signs of vitamin C deficiency are bleeding gums
and broken capillaries.
In later stages, the skin becomes rough, brown, scaly and dry.
Wounds fail to heal. Teeth loosen and fractures in the bone
occur.
Kiwis are twice as rich in vitamin C than oranges: Contrary to
popular belief that oranges contain the best vitamin C content,
it's actually kiwis and papayas which contain the most of this
all-important nutrient.
Vitamin C is used as a food preservative and photographic
developing agent: Vitamin C is commonly added to foods as an
antioxidant to protect color and aroma.
It is also an alkaline solution that can be used as a
photographic developing agent.
Most animals can produce their own vitamin C with the exception
of fish, primates (including humans) and guinea pigs!
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Linus Pauling recommended taking mega doses of
vitamin C to ward off colds. According to the famous scientist
and champion of vitamin C, humans have lost the ability to
manufacture this vitamin due to their nutritionally-lacking
diet. He recommended that we take far above the recommended 60mg
a day.
Because vitamin C is water-soluble, it needs to be replenished
often. Water-soluble vitamins travel quickly through your
bloodstream. And whatever your body doesn't utilize tends to
come right out when you urinate. Since vitamin C doesn't hang
around long in our bodies therefore, it needs to be replaced
often, either through food sources or supplementation.
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