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July 2003

The fullness factor

Dr Laura Dronen

This article will focus on not about how much you eat to lose weight, but rather what you eat. One influencing factor when eating is satiety – that is, how full you feel while you eat and afterwards. The sensation of fullness occurs when your stomach and intestines send signals to the brain. If you're trying to lose weight, you should know that satiety is not just a matter of how much you eat, but also which foods you choose.

The key to weight control, according to some weight loss researchers, is to eat foods with a low energy density – meaning relatively few calories per ounce. This causes you to finish a meal feeling full and satisfied without breaking the calorie bank. Among these foods are fruits and vegetables and dishes that contain them (such as soups, stews, pasta dishes, and smoothies). All of these foods have a high water content and usually lots of fiber. Compared to foods with high energy density – many calories per ounce – these foods usually have a low water content and are often high in fat.

It's easy to follow this plan while cooking chili for example, by using lean meat and adding extra vegetables. To cut the calories in half in a pasta salad, add zucchini, carrots, and other veggies. Whole grain pastas, breads, cereals, seafood, skinless poultry, lean meats, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products are also good to eat. Try to eat whole fruit instead of fruit juice. The more fiber, protein, and water a food contains, the longer it will satisfy. Some high-carbohydrate foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which are high in fiber, are more filling than others, such as white bread or pasta. Fiber boosts satiety in a number of ways. While insoluble fiber (abundant in whole wheat) increases fullness in the short term, soluble fiber (in oats, for instance) can produce a feeling of satiety many hours after a meal. A number of studies have shown that high-fiber foods consumed at breakfast or lunch can significantly reduce food intake at the next meal, compared to low-fiber foods.

Make sure that you continue to eat 4-5 small, balanced meals per day. If you have further questions please call us.

Clinic News

As some of you may have seen, Barb LaMotte, office manager, is sporting a purple cast on her arm. She recently had a roller blading accident and fractured a bone in her thumb. She is learning to become a great one-handed typist despite the cast!

Dr. Dronen was recently engaged! She and her fiance are planning a December wedding in the Bahamas.

Please be aware that our clinic will now be open 2 Saturdays a month throughout the summer. Deborah will be available for massages both Saturdays. Remember to schedule early for your Saturday appointments!

Don't forget to pick up any supplements that you may have run out of. We have re-stocked our supplement supply so stop in today.

Water sports injury prevention

Dr Heather Karls

Along with the beautiful weather of summer comes a longing to get outdoors and get moving. This also means an increase in injuries from our summer activities.

Injury prevention is the key to having fun. After all, if you want to ruin a good summer there is no better way than to get hurt. So follow these tips for fun in the sun and enjoy your summer!

First of all, start the day out right by stretching before you get out of bed. Bring your knees to your chest, turn on your side then sit on the side of the bed with your upper body and arms toward the floor. Now slowly roll up thinking of stretching each vertebrae individually. Put your shoulders back, stand up, and start your day! Don't you feel good already?

Before heading out for the boat, lake, river, or pool, slather on some sunscreen. An average person needs at least a shot glass size amount of sunscreen SPF 15 or higher for good coverage. Apply it before you go out in the sun. As a chiropractor, I am concerned about your whole body, and your skin is the largest organ.

Alright. Now get ready to swim by warming those muscles up. Cold muscles are more prone to strains. Do jumping jacks, jog in place and then stretch. This little warm up takes only 5 minutes.

Swim in a pool only if you can see the bottom at the deepest point; check the shape of the full diving area to make sure it is deep enough. Do not swim in a lake or river after a storm if the water seems to be rising or if there is flooding because currents may become strong. The clarity and depth of the water may have changed, and new hazards may be present.

Remember that alcohol and water sports don't mix. Alcohol affects not only judgment, but it slows movement and impairs vision. It can reduce swimming skills and make it harder to stay warm. Get in the water with a swim buddy and have fun!

Now I know there are some patients of mine who are not content just to swim. Here are some special injury prevention tips for you. Common sense says that you should avoid diving into shallow water. However, lakes and rivers have constantly changing water levels. Check first! There are over 1,000 disabling back and neck injuries each year from shallow water diving and all of those injured thought the water was deep enough.

Water skiing and tubing pose their own set of issues. Always wear a life jacket and communicate signals with the driver. Make sure you have a spotter. Wear skis that are the right length and fit for you. If you fall, put your ski up so other boats know where you are.

For sailing and windsurfing enthusiasts, learn the rules of boating safety because they apply to you also.

During your day on the water, make sure to drink plenty of fluids. If you do have an injury despite all of your precautions come in and get treated!

Chiropractic and bed wetting

Dr. Anne Langford

Bed wetting is another of many reasons why parents bring their children into a chiropractor. Bed wetting (enuresis) refers to the inability of a child to establish proper bladder control which results in daytime or nighttime involuntary urination. Most children wet the bed for the first few years of life but by age 4-5 most children have bladder control. In most cases, bed wetting is considered just an unfortunate childhood problem and so no outside treatment is sought. Frequently, parents wait until the child grows out of it, and often the problem is left untreated.

Most chiropractors adjust the child's spine, usually in the lumbar spine or sacrum. Anatomy of the child (and adult) shows the nerve supply to the muscles that control the bladder are via the sacrum. Bladder function is controlled by the urogenital diaphragm which gets its nerve supply from the lumbar spine (L2 nerve). The sacrum consists of separate segments in the child and does not fuse until the mid 20s. As the child falls this trauma may cause misalignment of the segments resulting in nerve irritation. This early trauma may be the major reason why bed wetting ceases after the spine is adjusted. Bed wetting may be improved in children whose cause is spinally related, while chiropractic may not be effective for children with other causes of bed wetting. It is best to have your child evaluated for the possibility of spinal problems as the underlying cause.

Knowing your insurance benefits

Barb LaMotte

Would you know what to do if you were involved in an auto or work accident? Hopefully this will get you started.

You may or may not have pain right away, but your best bet is to be seen by us as soon as possible. When you call to make an appointment, let us know that you have a new injury, otherwise you may not have the appropriate amount of time needed for your appointment. You will need to fill out new forms and have a new history and exam and possibly x-rays. After making your appointment, make sure you have contacted your auto insurance company or your employers' worker's compensation carrier. They will also require forms to be filled out. They should also supply you with a clam number and billing address. Bring this information to your first appointment. Without this information your claims could be delayed and payable by you. Once you have completed the above procedures, you should be ready for any future problems, if any arise. It's that simple, with just a few phone calls an unfortunate accident can be very easy to deal with.