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October 2003

Purchasing the best quality vitamins

Dr Heather Karls

Have you been confused when comparing brands and cost of vitamin supplements? This article will help you decide which factors are important to look for.

It is extremely important to make sure that you are getting the best quality supplements . First of all, you are putting it in your body aren't you? A pharmaceutical grade quality means that the manufacturers are subject to strict regulations.

Also evaluate why you are taking the supplement. Has the supplement you are taking undergone scientific studies? It is important for research to be performed by third party scientists to reduce bias.

Also, some manufacturers may use a form of an ingredient that is poorly absorbed or not proven effective. For example, certain strains of L. acidophilus have very little, if any, research showing their effects. There is one strain, the NCFM strain of L. acidophilus, that has extensively been shown to have benefits.

Even a high quality, proven ingredient may not be effective when provided at an inadequate level. High quality tablets should consistently disintegrate within a very short range of time, making ingredients readily available for absorption. Be aware that not all tablets on the market are designed this way. Some break down slowly, or even worse, pass through the digestive system intact. High quality manufacturers test every batch of their product to ascertain that they follow these guidelines.

We are confident that the brand, Metagenics, that is sold at our clinic meets all of the above standards. They have strict guidelines to ensure purity and safety. They can also provide you with research to support their claims. Be hesitant to use any vitamin that does not follow the guidelines above.

Thank you to Janice G for the idea to write this article.

A Parents Guide to Chiropractic Care for Children

Dr Anne Langford

A young spine with few exceptions, usually develops perfectly by the end of pregnancy. It's what happens around the time of birth and in the months thereafter, which can sometimes upset the normal functioning of the spine. Spinal segments can be pushed out of place or jammed by the position of the baby in the womb, or can suffer similar problems, during labor, from the trauma of the trip through the birth canal or from the birthing process itself. Medical research has identified the fact that many problems early in a child's life can come from birth trauma.

Spinal problems can also occur as a result of the frequent falls suffered by young infants in the first months of life. A fall from a bed, a sudden stop in an automobile or any significant unsupported movement of the head and neck in an infant can induce excessive movement in the spine causing vertebral subluxations. At the other end of the spine, the act of learning to walk, and the number of simple falls encountered in this way, can induce trauma to the lower spinal segments and to the large sacro-iliac joints of the pelvis. Young children learning to walk also fall and hit their heads; these apparently innocent, frequently occurring events can also create spinal subluxations.

Unless a child has an obvious problem, it can be difficult for parents to recognize when a child has spinal subluxations. It is not always easy for someone other than a chiropractor, highly trained in evaluating the spine, to determine if the child has a problem, just as it is difficult for someone other than a dentist to determine if a child has any cavities. Both cases take the skills of a trained specialist to perform a thorough evaluation.

There are some signs however, which parents may look for. These include the child's head consistently being tilted to one side, disturbed sleeping patterns, feeding difficulties in the very young infant, or difficulty breast-feeding on one particular side.

The Skinny on Fats

Dr Laura Dronen

If the world made any sense at all, fat would make you fat, but it's just not that easy. Fat is not evil, and it is actually a very necessary component of our diets. The trick is finding the right balance of fat in your diet – 15 to 20% of your overall calories and also choosing the right type of fat.

Fat has many jobs inside our bodies. Vitamins A, D, E, K are all fat-soluble, meaning they are carried and dissolve in fat. Without fat, these vitamins would be unavailable to our bloodstream.

There are two essential fatty acids that we must consume in our diets because our bodies do not make them (omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids). These fatty acids allow kids to develop normally and help adults maintain healthy skin and are used to make sex hormones. Excellent sources of these fatty acids are safflower oil, corn oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, brazil nuts, pumpkin and squash seeds and peanut butter.

Fat also supplies energy to our bodies in a concentrated form. Our bodies use the energy fat supplies, but if there is extra, it is stored in our fatty tissues. When our bodies need extra energy, it will turn to these fat stores.

Fat also cushions our organs to protect them from injury, provides a fatty layer for insulation, and helps satisfy our hunger. Fat helps with satiety because it takes longer to leave your stomach, leaving you feeling fuller longer. Other foods, like carbohydrates and proteins, come and go pretty quickly, which is why you get hungry one or two hours after a low-fat meal.

Read the food labels to check the amount of fat in the food. The “total fat” on the label is the grams of saturated, unsaturated, and trans fat. All fats are not created equal, and the key to becoming a healthier eater is to understand the differences.

Saturated fat is usually listed on the label under total fat. Avoid excess saturated fats because they raise the body's LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Foods that contain high levels of saturated fats are solids at room temperature – examples include butter and shortening. Animal foods like meat, poultry, butter, and whole milk also contain high levels of saturated fats.

Trans fats are found in margarine and other foods. These fats are also bad because they raise blood cholesterol levels which puts you at an increased risk of heart disease.

Unsaturated fats are “good” fats. Monounsaturated fats are your best choice because they lower LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol. They are found mainly in plant foods, such as olive, canola, and peanut oils. Polyunsaturated fat, found in sunflower, corn, soybean, and safflower oils, as well as in some fish, has been linked to decreasing total blood cholesterol by lowering LDL levels. Keep in mind that fat is fat. Each fat has equal calories!

Preventing Football Injuries

“There is probably no better experimental or research laboratory for human trauma in the world than the football fields of our nation.”

This quote, attributed to Dr. Schneider, a researcher, sums up football injuries. They are widely variable, from concussions and neck injuries to turf toe. The unhappy news is that 54% of all permanent paralysis in sports occurs in the game of football.

The good news is that this is very uncommon and serious injuries are generally technique related. It is helpful to note that there have been rule changes that have directly influenced and eliminated the deliberate actions of spearing and ramming. These are two of the most implicated moves associated with quadriplegia.

I would like to help your football players by giving them the basic skills they need to avoid catastrophic injuries. Arming players with the knowledge of basic spinal mechanics, easy positions to maintain, as well as exercises for the neck muscles, a player can safely and easily be in the best shape possible to avoid injuries.

Contact the clinic to let us know when you are scheduling for yourself or a friend that would like to discuss football injury prevention. Please do it before it becomes an issue.

Clinic News

Kelli Dickinson is our new chiropractic assistant. Kelli will work alongside Teresa and Michelle to assist patients at the front desk and with therapies. She is a busy mother to 4 young children.

Tony Erickson, massage therapist, has started taking classes to enter the nursing program at North Hennepin Community College. He will continue to work with us throughout his nursing program.

Dr. Karls' father-in-law passed away recently after a courageous battle with cancer.

Jennifer Olson, massage therapist, has expanded her hours! She is now working Thursday mornings 9:30- 1PM

Intern News

Gretchen Hess is a T9 at Northwestern Chiropractic and is our only new intern this fall! She is very interested in working with pediatrics. She has a 16 month old daughter that keeps her very busy. When she graduates in the spring her family will be moving to Florida where she plans to set up a practice focused on prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care.

Kelly Kuka graduated in August and is continuing to work with us until her results are returned from National Boards. She hopes to buy a practice somewhere in the metro area. Congratulations on your graduation Kelly!