Slow-Cooker Vegetable Stew
February 23, 2012
Photo Credit: USDAgov
This Slow-Cooker Vegetable Stew from Real Simple magazine is a delicious meal for days when you’re short on time but craving comfort food. Add whatever you have on hand, and serve with brown rice or barley for a hearty meal that will warm you from the inside out.
Serves 6| Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 7hr 30m
Ingredients
- 4 large carrots, diagonally sliced into 2-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
- 2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained
Directions
- Combine the carrots, turnips, onion, garlic, tomatoes (with their liquid), broth, salt, cumin, and pepper flakes in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours.
- Add the zucchini and chickpeas and cook 1 hour longer on low.
Childhood Falls and Unexplained Health Problems
February 17, 2012
Research led by Jessie Garciaguirre and Karen Adolph published in Introduction to Infant Development, Oxford Press, 2007, showed that fourteen month old toddlers fall an average of fifteen times per hour while playing. Fifteen times! That is not a trivial number especially when you begin to add the number of falls they take during a day, a week, a month or a year. The cumulative impact of these repetitive falls can cause problems in the spine and nervous system that contribute to many unexplainable health problems.
Do the math! Fifteen falls per hour, six hours minimum per day, is approximately 90 falls a day. This equals nearly 700 falls per week, and up to 2,500 falls per month. And while their young bodies are capable of adapting to the environment during their developmental years, these repetitive strains can be overwhelming and cause injuries to the spine and nervous system that affect their health on every level. In addition, these falls can cause abnormal spinal patterns that become lifelong problems and lead to unhealthy aging.
Injuries to a child’s spine called vertebral subluxations can result from these falls. They can also be caused by trauma from the birth process. Research out of theUniversityofColoradoby Seth Sharpless, M.D. found that it only takes 10 millimeters of pressure, the weight of a dime, to reduce nerve transmission. While this amount of pressure may seem insignificant, it is enough to wreak havoc within a growing body and cause immediate symptoms, or it may remain symptom-free and go unrecognized for years. Also, since not all nerve interference is felt as pain and can affect the organs, many unexplainable health problems can result.
The medical profession is well aware of these types of conditions and has termed them “Medically Unknown Symptoms” (MUS). These are conditions for which there are no medical examination findings even though the individual may be suffering from symptoms such as pain, irritable bowel syndrome, non-cardiac chest pain and fibromyalgia (Hatcher, S, Arrol B. Assessment and management of medically unexplained symptoms. BMJ 2008; 336:1124).
In fact, among patients seeking medical care, the prevalence of MUS is in the range of 50 percent, varying from 25 to 75 percent, with pain being the most common symptom (Smith RC, Dwamena FC. Classification and diagnosis of patients with medically unexplained symptoms. J Gen Intern Med 2007; 22:685).
The nervous system controls and coordinates the function of every cell, tissue and organ in the body, and adapts you to your environment. Because of the vast nature of nervous system control, many symptoms related to spinal injuries are overlooked and unexplainable through traditional medical examinations. This can be true with many childhood maladies ranging from ear infections and digestive disturbances to growing pains.
A chiropractic examination can determine whether repetitive falls may be affecting your child’s health and development. This important, non-invasive examination can ensure the healthy function of their spine and nervous system, and a healthy future.
A common-sense solution to your child’s unexplainable health concerns may be right around the corner. Or, if you want to ensure that your child’s spine and nervous system are developing normally in spite of all their falls, this comprehensive spinal examination can give you the security you are looking for.
Either way, explaining the unexplainable may be a phone call away. Don’t waste another minute in worry or wonder. Make an appointment for your child today.
Reprinted with permission from The Family Practice.
Personal Fitness or Cardiac Rehab?
February 17, 2012
Photo Credit: VinceHuang
Your choice for a healthy heart!
What is the difference between being on a personal fitness program and going to a cardiac rehabilitation session? The answer is quite simply ‘timing.’
Personal fitness is a key element of living the 100 Year Lifestyle while cardiac rehab happens after you have had a heart attack. Otherwise, the procedures of each are similar. Many people who are into personal fitness wear a heart monitor to track their results. During cardiac rehab, the cardiac specialists hook you up to a more sophisticated heart monitor to minimize your risks and their liability. At some point you are either going to choose to make fitness a part of a proactive healthy lifestyle or be forced into fitness because of a life-threatening crisis.
Heart disease is the leading cause of preventative death in theUnited States and most of the industrialized nations. The key word in the previous sentence is ‘preventable.’ Through common sense food choices, maintaining your ideal weight, regular exercise, and a stress free spine and nervous system, you can keep your heart healthy for a lifetime.
Sixty-seven percent of the population is overweight, increasing their risk of a heart attack. Most people are aware that their weight is an issue and it can lead to serious health problems. Unfortunately they are just waiting for a severe crisis to give them the life changing wake up call.
If there is somebody in your life who is on this dangerous path, you can be the intervention that wards off the crisis. Hand them a copy of this newsletter. Sit them down, and have a heart to heart talk with them. Let them know that you are concerned about their well-being and that they are headed for a crisis. Ultimately the decision to change their lifestyle will be theirs, but it will help them to know that you care.
Decide together that you will buy healthier foods at the grocery store and make healthier choices at restaurants. Begin choosing QCs or quality calories over ECs, empty calories, during all your meals.
Next, decide to Get Your ESS in Shape: Endurance, Strength and Structure. All three are essential to a healthy heart and quality of life as you age.
There are several key appointments that you will want to make to help you prevent you from needing that dreaded trip to the emergency room and cardiac rehab center. If you have a history of heart disease or are concerned about an underlying heart condition, consult your cardiologist. Make an appointment with your chiropractor to ensure that your structure, spine and nervous system are stable enough for exercise, and that the nerve supply to your heart is clear.
If you are an inexperienced exerciser, set an appointment with a personal trainer, or for more privacy in your fitness journey you can visit the online calorie tracking and personal training program at www.100yearlifestyle.com.
If you’re reading this then you are probably in a position to delay a heart attack and cardiac rehab, and even prevent it completely. This is a really good idea, don’t you think? Take action and make your appointments today.
Reprinted with permission from The Family Practice.
Allergy Season Already?
February 17, 2012
Photo Credit: p_a_h
Are you an allergy sufferer? Itchy eyes, runny nose, fatigue – you’re not alone! Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, and this year’s mild winter has led to an early start to allergy season. Allergies can leave you feeling miserable and exhausted, and trying to keep symptoms at bay with antihistamines does nothing to solve the root of the problem.
You might not think of chiropractic care for seasonal allergies, but you should. That’s because chiropractic care is key to a healthy immune system. At Rozenhart Family Chiropractic, our approach to allergies is just like our approach to any other symptom. We know seasonal allergies are the body’s over-reaction to an innocuous stimulus, like pollen or mold. When you are suffering from allergies, we can analyze your nervous system to see if that is the cause of the imbalance in the immune system.
We also encourage you to boost your immune system from the inside out, by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables daily and cutting out dairy, sugar and caffeine. If you struggle with getting in enough servings of fruits and vegetables (we recommend 10 per day), try supplementing with a whole-food supplement like Greens First.
Don’t spend another spring suffering! To learn more about how we can help ease allergies, call Kristina at 408-979-9999.
6 Stretches You Can Do at Your Desk
February 9, 2012
Photo Credit: eflon
Sitting at a desk all day in front of a computer can cause back and neck pain, tight hip flexors, weak gluteus muscles and hand and wrist pain. The best remedy is to get up and move around as often as possible. Instead of emailing or calling your colleague in the next office, get up and walk down the hall! Just standing up will reduce strain on your entire body. Even when you’re tied to your desk for long periods of time, simple stretches throughout the day will help relieve tension and ease discomfort. Here are a few to get you started:
- Hips. Put one foot 2’ in front of the other and drop your hips first to one side, then the other. This will stretch your hip flexors that get tight all day long as you sit.
- Shoulders, Chest. Look up at the ceiling and clasp your hands behind your back if possible. This will open up the front of your body if you’ve been hunched over your desk.
- Wrists. Holding both arms in front of you, grab the fingertips of one hand and gently pull back to stretch the wrist. Then bend your hand down and hold. Repeat with your other arm.
- Calves. Place the balls of your feet on the wall and lean forward to stretch your calves.
- Shoulders. Stretch your shoulders by raising one shoulder at a time to your ear, then rolling down and back. Do this 5- 10 times, then reverse.
- Neck. Drop your head forward, then to the side, then back, then to the other side, holding for a few seconds at each position.
Take your time! Hold all stretches for 15-30 seconds and don’t forget to stretch both sides. To learn more about making your work environment more ergonomically-friendly, call Kristina to set up a consultation at 408-979-9999.
Have a Heart
February 2, 2012
Photo Credit: marc falardeau
February is National Heart Month, so we’re reminding all of our practice members to take care of their hearts. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few tips to help prevent heart disease:
- Manage your blood pressure with chiropractic care. Studies have shown that a chiropractic adjustment can significantly lower high blood pressure, without the use of drugs.
- Get a daily dose of exercise. Exercise helps control your weight, lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke and strengthens your heart. In fact, walking just 30 minutes each day, five days per week cuts your risk of heart disease in half!
- Fill up on phytonutrients. The specific nutrients found in red, blue and purple foods (think berries and grapes) help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by inhibiting clot formation.
- Eat a healthy diet. Try out some new recipes and tweak your old favorites to make them lighter by eliminating unhealthy oils or going meat-free one night each week.
If you want to learn more about how we can support your efforts to improve your heart health as part of an overall wellness plan, come to our March 6th 100 Healthy Years Workshop, or call Kristina at 408-979-9999.
100 Healthy Years Dinner Workshop!
February 1, 2012
100 Healthy Years Workshop, March 6th 6:00pm
Who are YOU going to be?
- Do you even WANT to live that long?
- What if you didn’t have a choice?
- How are your choices TODAY impacting the quality of your life in the future?
- What different choices would you make if you knew…
Join us to learn how you can live your best years going forward….
because you are older every day!
A light dinner will be served,bring a guest (or two…after all who doesn’t need this information??) and you will receive a one hour massage certificate!
Reservations needed-Sign up early to make sure you don’t miss out!
Call Kristina for your reservation at 408-979-9999 or email at info@rozenhartchiro.com
Thank You Silicon Valley
