Chiropractors, like your Orlando Chiropractor, are committed to making sure their patients know the importance of drinking enough water each day. The positive repetitive stress is on “Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!” Water comes in a close second when it comes to human survival. A shocking 75 percent of Americans are mildly and habitually dehydrated, even though drinking a healthy amount of water would appear to be as visceral as breathing in a sufficient quantity of air. (Most individuals are not breathing enough either, but let’s talk about why staying well-hydrated is so important.) Water is absolutely vital for good health. Every system in your body — every cell, tissue, and organ — requires water to function properly. Water is the essential element for saliva and the fluids surrounding the joints. Your blood is kept circulating and your body temperature and metabolism are moderated by water. Drinking plenty of water daily has been shown to improve nutrient absorption and toxin removal, and to reduce heartburn, hypertension, exhaustion, and headaches.

When it comes to conditions produced by dehydration, athletes are particularly at risk. Researcher, Susan Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training in Indiana State’s College of Nursing, health, and Human Services, said of athletes,”Physiologically, their core body temperature could be higher than it should have been if they were hydrated. Their heart rate will be higher, and they’re going to perceive that they’re working harder than they actually are.”  According to researchers at Indiana State University, a high percentage of collegiate and professional athletes begin the season dehydrated, putting their health at risk even before they begin strenuous workouts. In fact, eighty percent of football players displayed symptoms of dehydration during pre-season physical examinations.

Just how much water is enough water may seem a little confusing. Chiropractors, like most health care professionals, advise no less than eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day for quite a few of our patients, though for our patients who are athletes, or for those who are overweight or exercise or work in a hot environment, we propose even more. There is a fairly simple way for you to be sure that you’re drinking a healthful quantity water. The color of your urine is a good indicator. If it is a light, pale yellow, it’s a good sign that you’re well-hydrated!

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Recently I saw an article on sciencedaily.com regarding a study carried out on aged mice induced to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and the boost that caffeine gave to reversing memory loss. The article lead with the tease that “Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup.”  It continued by discussing back-to-back studies published online July 6 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that demonstrated that caffeine considerably decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice that had developed symptoms of the disease.

But, before you decide to add an extra cup of coffee to your morning ritual, let me add that under “Related Stories” on the website were a couple of articles regarding studies that showed the negative effects of caffeine, “Morning Jolt of Caffeine May Mask Serious Sleep Problems,” and “Coffee Consumption Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Attack For Persons With Certain Gene Variation.”

In my experience, I’ve noticed that there are conceivably many studies that will confirm, or at least bolster, any angle of thought, particularly when it comes to age-related health issues. The “good/bad” studies related to caffeine naturally aren’t, of course, the only ones. Even so, it did get me to thinking about the reasonableness that there will never be any “one thing” that will irrefutably help we, humans, to live longer, healthier lives. Humans are dynamic, biological beings. We aren’t bred in unnatural confinement We are actively engaged in life. And, moreover, though Alzheimer’s disease may be on the rise, obviously we, cage-free humans, have not been “singled out to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease,” so caffeine isn’t entirely the “one thing” that will reverse or prevent it.

Our body is an elegant, involved system that is designed to function homeostasis or balance. It is likely, then, that good health is about a healthy, balanced attitude towards living, rather than our jumping on the bandwagon of the latest health study and “doing” or “overdoing” one specific thing in the hope that it will reverse all of the other immoderate and unwholesome things we have done to our bodies.

As a doctor of chiropractic, it is my belief that every moment of the day we have an opportunity to choose healthfully for our body, to decide what will assist us to live longer, healthier lives. When it comes to what is good for our body, we know what actually “feels” right and what doesn’t. So, I just wanted to offer a little something for you to keep in mind the next time you reach for that extra cup of coffee or second glass of red wine. Neither one of those things is the “one thing” that will do “everything” for your age-related health issues.

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Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) impacts an estimated 90% of women, at one time or another, and nearly 20% of those women afflicted undergo severe to debilitating symptoms. Suggesting to a woman that her PMS is “just in her head” can be not only just plain risky, it’s also just plain non-factual! In nearly all cases, there are physiological reasons for PMS, including one that you might find surprising — spinal misalignment. That’s right. Your back could actually be the problem. Spinal misalignment, particularly in the lower back, can frequently produce a diverse variety of female health problems in addition to Premenstrual Syndrome, such as pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, incontinence, and even infertility.

Are you wondering how chiropractic can relieve the symptoms of PMS? Chiropractic treatments get rid of nerve impedance in your body. Your nervous system controls and regulates every cell, fiber, tissue, organ, and system in your body. Your reproductive system is included in this master regulation. If your reproductive system isn’t operating correctly due to nerve impingement, it can cause an array of symptoms such as those associated with PMS. You would most likely experience agitation, pain, heavy bleeding, or severe cramping if your reproductive system were overactive. Under-activity can cause missed periods or infertility. The good news is that if nerve impingement is producing your PMS symptoms, then chiropractic treatment can help because adjustments restore unimpeded activity to your nervous system and, hence, help it to function more normally.

Many women discover an improvement in their reproductive health, in conjunction with improved general health, while under chiropractic care. So, if you’ve been thinking that your PMS is just in head, think again! Then call your Orlando Chiropractor. Chiropractic care offers  a natural, drug-free answer for PMS that could help you to avoid periodic misery, without medication, and keep you pain-free and active all month long.

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Doesn’t it seem that healthy lifestyle information is everywhere you look these days? There are magazines and TV shows all about healthy foods and beneficial exercises. There are even recipes for nutritious meals in the newspaper. But, even though more Americans today are aware that eating nutritious meals, getting exercise, and keeping their body weight down is essential for health and longevity, a new study reported in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Medicine has found that the number of middle-aged and older Americans who have adopted a healthy lifestyle has actually declined substantially in the past two decades. Using data from a large government health survey, researchers found that in 2006, only 26 percent of Americans ages 40 to 74 said they ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. That’s down 16 percent from the 42 percent who responded in the 1988 survey! When it came to exercise, the same kind of decline was reported. Only 43 percent said they worked out at least 12 times per month, versus 53 percent in 1988. Not surprisingly, the rate of obesity in the United States went in the opposite direction, from 28 percent in 1988 to 36 percent in 2006.

The findings were based on data from the National health and nutrition Examination Survey, a regularly conducted government health survey. Researchers focused on surveys conducted between 1988 and 1994 and between 2001 and 2006, which together included more than 15,000 Americans between the ages of 40 and 74. They looked at rates of five lifestyle factors involved in preventing a range of health risks: maintaining a normal weight, getting regular exercise, eating enough fruits and vegetables, not smoking, and drinking moderate amounts of alcohol.

Though the study cannot tell us why healthy lifestyle habits are on the decline, lead researcher, Dr. Dana E. King, of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, said that one reason may be that these changes are just difficult to make. “People’s increasingly hectic lives may be making it hard to fit in regular exercise, or to sit down to healthier, home-cooked meals rather than eating take-out.” He suggested some simple steps can make a difference. “It’s not hard, for example, to take some fruit to work with you, instead of going to the vending machine.” (Parking a little farther away from your destination and walking a bit can help, too.) Most importantly, Dr. King stressed that “it’s never too late” for middle-aged and older adults to make lifestyle changes for the better. In fact, in an earlier study, King and his colleagues found that when middle-aged adults newly adopted a healthier lifestyle — including regular exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables — their risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dying over the next several years fell by as much as 40 percent.

If you think about it, there aren’t many things in life that carry an “it’s never too late” guarantee. So, why not start today, no matter what your age may be? Your healthy future is depending on you!

Technorati Tags: cardiovascular disease, healthy lifestyle, middle-aged adults