Live to be 100 years!

	100 YEARS…AND COUNTING!

 

Would you like to live to be 100?  You would be surprised at how many people would answer “no” to that question.  Many people are in such poor health that it is a physical and emotional struggle to get through each day, let alone an entire century.  It doesn’t have to be that way.

Actually, if we are living properly, enjoying the rich quality of life that we are entitled to, we should all be thrilled to live to 100!  In fact, the hard part should be figuring out how to squeeze all of our goals and accomplishments into such a relatively short period of time.

It’s true that we are living longer than our ancestors, but while the medical profession is quick to point out that our lifespan is increasing, what remains hidden in the fine print is the atrocious quality of life that our senior population must endure.  Twinkies® have a long shelf life, but it would be a stretch to call them healthy.

A balanced meridian system is the foundation of health and longevity, and it is like a bright light glowing deep within.  Dim the light and your quality of life dims along with it.  Extinguish the light and you die.

The key to living a long, healthy life is to maximize the function of the meridian system as long as possible.  Acupuncture does exactly that.

Understand that longevity is built right now.  Today.  This very day is part of your 100 years.  Your state of health at this moment is a result of your actions yesterday and the days prior.  Your state of health tomorrow depends on what you do today.

Health is not black and white.  It is a continuum, with death at one end and complete wellness at the other end.  We are never stagnant, we are constantly moving back and forth along the scale. 

Every action you take either moves you toward health or away from it, and the key to longevity is to habitually engage in those activities that drive you in the right direction.  Things like acupuncture treatments, daily exercise, proper nutrition, gratitude, a positive mental outlook, spiritual fulfillment, love, and so on.

It’s been said that success is a journey, not a destination.  The same can be said of longevity.  If a long, healthy life is a goal of yours, then don’t just let your life play out and hope for the best.  Longevity is not about dragging out an existence just to make it to a certain age.  Longevity is a byproduct of living the right way every single day until, before you know it, a hundred years have passed.

HEALTH AT ITS BEST REQUIRES MAINTENANCE!

ARE YOU STUCK IN FIRST GEAR?

Imagine you are driving down the road with your gas pedal to the floor.  Your car runs great and gets you to where you need to be. All is good.
But then you look around and notice that everyone else is whizzing right by you. 

Determined to keep up with those around you, you take your car into the shop and have the mechanic give it a good once-over.

The mechanic finds that while you have been getting to where you need to be, you have been doing so while driving in only one gear.

  In actuality, he discovers that your car has an entire set of gears that have never even been utilized!
Many people live out their lives the same way; stuck in first gear and never living up to their full potential; not quite hurting, but definitely not at their best.  The problem is that while most people realize that they simply are not living up to par, they don’t know how to access their hidden gearbox to take their health to the next level.

These are the people that need to be under medical  acupuncture care!
The old misconception that acupuncture care is just for those in pain or battling symptoms is quickly being exposed for the fallacy that it is.
Those who get the most out of their acupuncture treatments are the ones who take their care beyond the relief phase and work with their acupuncturist to maintain lifelong health and wellness.
The true essence of acupuncture actually has nothing to do with the treatment of pain and symptoms.  Acupuncture treatments remove meridian system blockages by detecting and correcting imbalances in the meridian system.  Symptoms are relieved as a byproduct of building a healthier body.
A blockage within the meridian system, ones that are continually out of balance, will never allow the body to run at maximum speed and efficiency.   The blockage and imbalance in effect acts as a governor on your body’s engine, limiting it to a certain speed that it can’t rise above.
You are not designed to sputter through life in first gear.  You are created to live all out at full throttle.  Settle for any less and you not only short-change yourself, but also those who depend upon you.
Your meridian system is housing a whole new set of gears that most of us never even tap into.  By unleashing the full scope of your body’s innate potential, acupuncture can help you take your health and your life to unparalleled heights.  Come visit us and experience the difference!

10 FOODS YOU SHOULDN'T EAT

10 FOODS YOU SHOULD NOT EAT

Today we will go over a few big no-no’s with respect to nutrition. Hopefully this will help you choose your food better and eat healthier.

 

1.Chips

 

One ounce of potato chips has 152 calories and 10 grams of fat (three grams saturated).  Absolutely no nutrition to it.

If you eat just three ounces a week, in one year you'll have consumed 23,400 calories and added about seven pounds to your waistline. And that’s from just a couple handfuls – which barely constitutes a full and satisfying snack for most of us.

 

2. Crackers and Cookies
 

Crackers and cookies are made with white flour, sugar and some fat. They carry no nutrition. They can have  all the way from 10 ( Cracker ) to over 150 ( large snicker doodle cookie )  calories per piece, but beware! All of it will convert into sugar in your bloodstream, and will make you gain weight. This is not even considering the toppings you might add to them such as butter, cheese, jam, etc.

 

3.Doughnuts

 

White flour, vegetable shortening, white sugar… and deep-fried!

One glazed Krispy Kreme packs 200 calories and 12 grams of fat, including heart-stopping saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. 

An old-fashioned cake doughnut has 300 calories, 28 grams of carbohydrates and a whopping 19 grams of fat, including 5 grams of saturated fat and 4 grams of trans fat. 

Only 30% of our calories should come from fat, says the American Heart Association. That’s about 65 grams in a 2,000-calorie daily diet. What they fail to mention is, that your fat should not be saturated or trans fat.

 

4. Fettuccine Alfredo
 

Strips of pasta drenched with butter, cream and parmesan cheese – what’s not to love? How about its fat and calories! A 3-ounce serving (about the size of your fist) has 543 calories and 33 grams of fat (19 of which are saturated). A regular serving is likely to have double or triple that amount. With just this meal, Soda and likely some bread you have eaten in one meal the amount of calories you should have eatn in one day.

 

5. Sausages
 

Whether you fry them for breakfast or boil 'em in beer, sausages are a health hazard. 

A single pork link packs 217 calories and 19.5 grams of fat. And who eats only one?

 

6. Fried Chicken

 

A fried chicken breast has nearly 400 calories and 22 grams of fat. And we are not considering the mashed potatoes you normally eat with eat, or even worse, the fries and sodas. Try Grilled Chicken  for a much lesser amount of fat. 

 

7. Soda

 

Just one bottle ( 20 onz ) of regular coke has  65g of sugar packing 240 calories all from sugar. If you only drink 2 a week ( a very little amount for the average American ) you will drink over 23,000 Calories a year just in Soda.

 

8. French Fries

 

One large order (6 ounces) of fast-food fries from a typical commercial restaurant contains roughly 570 calories, half of which are from fat. (That's probably why we love them, and usually polish off the serving!)

If your restaurant order includes a large hamburger (such as Burger King’s Whopper), tack on 670 calories and 39 grams of fat.

 

9. Soft White Bread ( or Tortillas )

 

You may as well have a candy bar. A slice of white bread offers little more than 65 calories of white flour, a simple and rapidly digested carbohydrate that causes your blood sugar to rise and crash, like any simple sugar.And, because it has so few nutrients, white bread leaves you feeling hungry for the fiber and vitamins your body needs. Again, we are not considering you will only eat one or the content of your bread ( butter, cheese, etc ). Try eating whole wheat bread. It is considerably more expensive, but well worth the investment as it packs protein, fiber and it is much more filling than the white counterpart.

 

10. Fried Wontons

 

These delicate triangles, often filled with meat, shrimp or cream cheese, are deep-fried to a crispy crunch. Often served as appetizers, these bite-size morsels seem harmless, but pop a few too many in your mouth and they’ve added up to a whole meal.

Unfortunately, just four crab and cream cheese-filled wontons have 311 calories and 19 grams of fat - too greasy a treat for anyone trying to stay fit.

10 BEST SUPPLEMENTS

1. Fish Oil

Fish oil is known for delivering omega-3’s, essential fats that our bodies can’t make on our own so must get them from our diet. Even if you eat fish one to two times per week, you won’t be taking in enough omega-3’s to meet your body’s needs. By taking a high quality fish oil, you can reduce triglycerides, lower your risk of heart disease, improve recovery from exercise, protect your brain health, and potentially lower your risk of diabetes. Omega-3’s may even help with losing body fat. When choosing a supplement, pay seek brands that deliver a minimum of 2 g EPA and DHA (two of the three acids in omega-3s) daily.

2. Vitamin D

Plenty of data has suggested that the majority of Americans have less than optimal levels of Vitamin D. That’s not surprising – the nutrient is tough to get from food (though canned salmon, milk, and sardines are all good sources), and the only other method is sunlight. If you live north of Atlanta, the sun isn’t strong enough from November to March for you to make sufficient amounts. And even when you are outside, most people are covered with clothing and/or suntan lotion. Vitamin D is essential to ensure calcium absorption from the GI tract into the bloodstream, synthesis of cholesterol and sexual hormones.  Most experts agree that supplementing with at least 1000 IU’s daily is a good start. For a better treatment, go to your PCP’s office and get a vitamin D level taken.

3. Whey Protein

Whey protein is not an essential supplement, but it is a good one to have on hand. Because whey is high in branched-chain amino acids, it can aid recovery from exercise. More importantly, whey protein is a quick, convenient source of quality calories. Add some to fruit or a scoop of nut butter and you’ve got a perfect on-the-go meal that takes 60 seconds to make.

4. Greens Products

While not a replacement for fruits and vegetables, Greens products (fruit and vegetable concentrates) are a good “insurance” policy if your produce consumption is lower than idea. Less than 6% of men and 9% of women aged 5 to 34 consume the recommended minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Greens can help fill this void. They’re especially handy when real produce is hard to come by, like during times of heavy travel. Very useful to ensure daily detox too.

5. Probiotics

The bacteria in your gut can influence your overall health, digestion and immune system. Probiotics can help replenish and nourish your internal supply of good bacteria, sometimes leading to less gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. Aim for a product from a trusted brand that lists at least 5-10 billion organisms per serving. Keep it refrigerated after opening to protect those organisms.

6. Turmeric (Curcumin)

Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Indian dishes, and a key component in the spice is curcumin. Hundreds have studies have suggested that curcumin possesses a wide range of beneficial health properties, including a 2010 study that suggested curcumin has anti cancer, anti viral, anti arthritic and anti inflammatory properties. The nutrient’s very strong anti inflammatory actions are seen as one of the primary drivers of these benefits. You could just add turmeric to your foods if you enjoy that flavor, or seek a curcumin supplement that delivers around 500 mg daily.

7. Cinnamon

Another powerful spice, cinnamon has one of the highest antioxidant levels of any of the spices. Several studies have shown that cinnamon may improve insulin sensitivity, which improves utilization of carbohydrates and leads to better blood sugar control. Sprinkle it in shakes, on oats, yogurt, cottage cheese or wherever you’d enjoy the added flavor. Or if you want the assurance of getting a specific dose, you can choose a supplement. Studies have shown that 1g daily (about 1/2 teaspoon) is sufficient. Note: Cinnamon comes in two varieties -- Ceylon and cassia cinnamon – and most benefits have been linked to the cassia variety. Another note: If you have blood sugar issues, exercise caution if combining cinnamon with other diabetes drugs or supplements for blood sugar control.

8. Magnesium

Useful in a large number of clinical situations. Well known to medicine are: Constipation, muscle pain and cramps, Asthma and Preeclampsia. Others include: arrhythmias, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, migraine, osteoporosis and others. Clinical and population-based studies have established links between inadequate magnesium intake and elevated risk for cardiovascular diseases. Less known are situations like: Aging, Fibromyalgia, Diabetes, TMJ, kidney diseases, etc.

9. Coenzyme Q10/Ubiquinol

The ubiquinol form of coenzyme Q10 has been shown to absorb into the blood stream 7x more effectively than ubiquinone ( Coenzyme Q10 ). Preventively, it may help with fatigue and muscle aches and pains. Clinically used to treat side effects from statins ( Cholesterol medication ) such as fatigue, muscle aches and pains and help reduce the possibility of liver dysfunction and rhabdomyalgia. It is the treatment of choice for heart failure in Israel and Japan, also treatment for hypertension and some forms of Parkinson’s disease.

10. Activated Folic acid ( Methyltetrahydrofolate )

Encourages overall good health by promoting cardiovascular health, mental function, detoxification, maintenance of DNA, prenatal health, and breast health. Depression helper, blood thinner, helps in neuropathic ( nerve pain ) pain. Most people cannot process regular folic acid.

10 FOODS WITH MORE ANTIOXIDANTS

Algae
 

Not necessarily the tastiest of foods, Algae like Chlorella and Spirulina are extremely rich in antioxidants and work well helping to detoxify your body from heavy metals. You can find them as capsules or pwder at your nearest Health food store or at our clinic.
 

Berries
 

Berries, including blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries and red currants, are especially rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals. Eat a handful of berries every day. You can include them in cereals and salads, eat berries instead of calorie-heavy desserts and use them to make smoothies for breakfast or a snack. Another way of taking these are by using a super food supplement.
 

Other Fruits
 

Plums and prunes, red grapes and raisins, oranges, cherries, apricots and apples are also good choices because of their high antioxidant levels. Including berries, eat four servings of raw fruit a day.
 

Cruciferous Vegetables
 

Kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, rutabaga, turnip and other cruciferous vegetables not only contain antioxidant vitamins and minerals, they contain valuable fiber and help prevent cancer.
 

Other Vegetables
 

Colorful red, orange and purple vegetables contain a variety of antioxidants, especially tomatoes, red bell peppers, beets, sweet potato, eggplant and carrots. Leafy greens, especially spinach, round out the list of antioxidant vegetables. Eat five servings of vegetables every day, in a variety of colors.
 

Seasonings
 

Even the seasoning you choose can provide antioxidants. Garlic and onions, ground cloves, cinnamon and oregano top the list in antioxidants and can be included in every meal. Although you eat them in smaller amounts than other antioxidant foods, they still provide plenty of protection.
 

Tea, Red Wine, Chocolate
 

Green and black tea infusions provide similar antioxidant benefits because they are prepared from the same plant. Starting the day with a cup of tea gives you an antioxidant boost. Try ordering iced or hot tea instead of a soda with your meals. Red wine, like red grapes, has many antioxidants, and drunk in moderation, gives you protection against heart disease because of free radical damage. Unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate, like tea and red wine, contains antioxidants and makes a healthful drink if not overly sweetened.
 

Whole Grains
 

Whole grains such as quinoa, oats and brown rice provide antioxidants, minerals, fiber and protein. Choose whole grain breads, pasta, crackers and rice. Eat whole grains at every meal.
 

Nuts
 

Almonds and walnuts are especially nutritious. Eat about 1 oz. of nuts a day, a small handful, preferably raw or dry-roasted.
 

Oils
 

Olive oil (and olives), walnut oil, wheat germ oil and other vegetable oils not only contain antioxidants themselves, but they also help you absorb oil-soluble antioxidant vitamins in other foods. Fish Oil and Krill oil are also recommended.