Digital X-Ray Update at Our Office

We are very excited to announce that we have just completed a major upgrade to our digital X-Ray unit.  The new improvements will provide significantly improved image quality while reducing radiation X-Ray exposure by up to 50% with the iCRco Crystal IP low dose/high resolution digital X-Ray cassette.

We see the significant costs associated with upgrades such as these as a necessary part of upholding our responsibility to you- -ensuring that we continue to provide our patients with the safest and most current technologies available.  As such, you will not see an increase in our fees as a result of this change.

For those tech nerds out there that might be interested, here is a link to the product website.

Top 10 Injuries around the home and how to avoid them

This list is not all-inclusive, but makes up about 90% of all the injuries we see in the office.  It covers the common effects of each, and solutions to avoid them.

Honorable Mention: Falling off ladders - by far the worst in terms of seriousness of injuries, and mostly preventable by staying off the top two steps, having a spotter hold the ladder to help with stabilization, ensuring the feet of the ladder are securely planted on a level firm surface, making sure the ladder itself is fully open, and not believing that little voice inside your head telling you that the top steps are really just fine.  Over the age of 50, most people have the capacity for great strength and stamina, however reaction time begins to worsen.  On a ladder, that slight extra delay in response if beginning to fall can mean the difference between catching oneself or falling to the ground.  So far during my years in practice, we have lost three patients who died of head injuries from falling off a ladder doing simple things like stringing Christmas lights or taking out and putting away boxes in the attic or ceiling storage.  PLEASE be careful.

10. Sitting on the floor to wrap presents or sort papers - At Holiday time, we call this Wrapping Back, and in April, we call it Tax Back.  The usual injury is to the sacroiliac joint of the pelvis, but can also result in disc bulge or herniation.  The only solution to avoiding this problem is getting the work up off the floor and onto a desk or table where it really belongs.

9. Weeding and gardening - Prolonged bending, twisting, and pulling motions are the top reason for causing sacroiliac joint injuries.  The cantilevered weight of the body leaning forward, the uneven load on the lower back caused by the twisting of the shoulders to get one arm and hand to the ground, complicated by pulling up and back overstrains the muscles and ligaments and can not only injure the joint, but tear local muscles and ligaments.  The best solution to avoid these common injuries is to kneel on a knee pad, and use one arm to do the work while the other arm supports your upper body weight.

8. Vacuuming and sweeping - Classic case of what we refer to as the “BLT”.  Bend, Lift, Twist.  Like with gardening, this is the recipe for injury to the lower back.  The combination of all three motions at the same time is the cause of the injury, and with sweeping and vacuuming all three are constantly involved.  Eliminating one of the three dramatically reduces the chance of injury.  Avoiding twisting of the shoulders and upper body in those activities will help a lot.  For vacuuming imagine you are a fencer, and have your legs create the forward and backwards motions rather than thrusting with the arm and shoulder.  With sweeping, use only your arms to make the motion rather than by twisting the shoulders and upper body.

7. Reaching overhead to clean, change light bulbs, and get or put things away on high shelves - When the head and neck are extended and the arms raised up, there can be some significant compression of the nerves in the upper neck.  Aside from pinching one, it is also the most vulnerable position for adversely affecting the alignment of the upper neck.  One additional risk is causing a stroke via damage to the arteries in the neck.  Ideally, you should not work with the hands higher than the level of the top of your forehead.  If reaching high up is unavoidable, position your body to be pointing straight at the object and use two hands to create a symmetrical strain on the neck and shoulders.  (Or call a handyman?)

6. Tripping - Entirely avoidable by just being aware of where you are and where you are going.  Usually this isn’t a problem, but when carrying something in front of your body, you are not able to see what is in front of you.  Scouting out your path before starting to walk will alleviate that risk.  The injuries we see from tripping range from fractures, to torn ligaments and herniated discs in the back or neck.  Also, don’t forget to use adequate lighting!

5. Moving boxes, furniture, potted plants - This action places you into the “BLT” position.  Usually people bend over, lift the object, and then twist to set it down in the new location.  The proper way is to bend over, lift the object mainly using the legs, stand fully upright, turn using your feet until you are facing where you plan on placing the item.  Then lower it down using the legs and stand back straight up.  As with vacuuming and gardening, we see herniated discs, torn and strained muscles and ligaments, and damage to the sacroiliac joints.

4. Making the bed - Leaning out over the bed (bending), lifting the covers (lifting), and then pulling them up (twisting), is yet another classic “BLT” error.  Here the injuries are usually confined to torn and strained muscles and ligaments, and sometimes injury to the sacroiliac joint.  To avoid this, don’t make the bed until you have been up and moving around for a bit, for example after breakfast, so that your body is warmed up somewhat.  Also, use one hand to support your upper body weight while the other manipulates the covers.

3. Walking the dog - great for exercise, but terrible when Fido sees a rabbit or another dog off to the side, and then lunges towards it while you are looking in the other direction at some nice flowers.  The jerk can injure the shoulder muscles and tendons, and often pulls the person off balance resulting in a fall onto pavement or concrete.  Fractures, strains/sprains, and a host of injuries can result.  The solution is a well-trained dog that won’t lunge.  Short of that, mindfulness is necessary to be able to see what is about to happen and not be taken off guard.

2. Lifting the kids/grandkids -  For everyone, but over the age of 70 the problem is almost universal.  The action of lifting a baby creates the “BLT” movement again, and the repeated movements for all the naps, changes, and other needs breaks down the tissues in the lower back resulting in sprains/strains and sacroiliac joint injury.  The problem isn’t the baby, but the reconditioning that has occurred from not using the body for that function for 30-40 years.  The ideal solution is to always have a regular exercise program so the muscles are prepared for that lifting, but to also eliminate one of the three components of the “BLT” so that you are only bending and lifting, but not twisting in the process.

The Number 1 home injury: Sleeping!  For a much more thorough discussion of sleeping positions, beds, and pillows, see my earlier post on the subject.  Whenever the weather changes from warm to cool nights or vice versa, we see a procession of acute painful necks.  Stomach sleeping is simply bad for the neck, lower back, and causes facial wrinkles.  If a side or back sleeper, an appropriate pillow is needed that keeps the head in the same position relative to the body that it occupies when upright.  In line with the spine, not tilted forwards or backwards.  The arms should not be under the pillow.  That usually indicates for a side sleeper a pillow that is too thin.

So, what to do if you have been injured?  There are several criteria you can follow that are generally pretty good predictors of whether you need treatment for the injury or can just allow time to heal it on its own.

If any of the following occur, you should come into the office if: you experience sudden severe pain that prevents or makes standing upright very difficult; pain shooting into an arm or leg; pain that worsens with coughing or sneezing; pain that lasts to any degree into the 4th day after the injury.  Any of these symptoms indicate the injury is more serious than a simple pulled muscle or spasm.  

Ice any injury initially for the first day or two.  See this post for details on how long, etc.  Heat might feel good, but can cause significant swelling to occur, creating much more pain and a much longer recovery.  

Avoid prolonged bed rest.  Studies repeatedly show bed rest over three days significantly worsens the long term outcomes and weakens the muscles making the back even more susceptible to repeat injuries.  Instead, walk around slowly and when tired sit on the front edge of a firm chair.  Avoid deep soft couches or chairs that allow the back to slump.  That may feel good while sitting there, but when you try to rise from that position, the added swelling will make the action difficult/impossible and significantly worsen pain. 

Winter 2015 - live longer with better choices

Welcome back to another year!

On the staff front, Carah will be leaving us at the end of January.  We are sad to see her go after being such a wonderful person to work with, but we can’t fault her reason.  She is expecting her first child next month.  Best wishes to her and her new family.

Joining us is Nancy Wright, who comes with an extensive background in medical office work, care coordination, and assisting.  She is going to be a great addition to our office.

Some important information from the ongoing world of research:

LASER TREATMENT:

Class 4 Laser (the type we have in our office) has been shown to be helpful for treatment of rotator cuff tendonopathy, tennis elbow, and mild to moderate knee arthritis. If interested in references to the involved studies, please contact me and I will be happy to provide them.

ADD OR SUBTRACT 14 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY:

Lifestyle choices can either age you or prolong the quality and quantity of your life.  Four major factors have a huge effect in determining your overall health: exercise, smoking, diet, and stress in that order.

People who make the right lifestyle choices in these four categories live an average of 14 years longer than those that make the wrong decisions.  Another way of viewing it is that the comparable age of a mid 50’s person making the wrong lifestyle choices will be 12 years older than their contemporaries.  

Improving any of these will positively and beneficially affect one’s health and life expectancy, and the more, the better.  

DR. HOANG IS NOW A CERTIFIED CHIROPRACTIC SPORTS PHYSICIAN:

Dr. Hoang has obtained the postgraduate designation of Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician^®.  The CCSP^® certification requires the doctor to complete a 100 hour postgraduate program and pass a comprehensive written examination.  This instruction is specific to physical fitness and the evaluation and treatment of injuries encountered in sports along with emergency on field procedures.  

Dr. Hoang is also working on becoming a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians^®.  Obtaining this status requires successful completion of 200 hours postgraduate education in the DACBSP^® Program, a comprehensive written exam, a six-station practical exam, an approved written abstract presented at the annual ACBSP™ symposium, and 100 hours of practical experience in the field.  Less than 350 individuals hold this designation worldwide.

If you have any sports injury treatment or prevention questions for yourself or child, Dr. Hoang is available for consultation.

UPDATE ON KINA

Kina released her second major album last year and has almost completed her second World Tour, leaving in a few weeks to tour the southern USA from Florida to San Diego.  It has taken her from Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, across the US and Canada, and twice through Europe.  It has been an excellent tour and she has had a lot of exciting times. 

Holiday Newsletter 2014

Avoid Holiday Back Injuries

The holiday season is almost upon us, and with it we will be seeing a number of people with injured lower backs, usually from sitting on the floor and wrapping presents.  Why?  Sitting on the floor and leaning over to wrap gifts over-stretches the ligaments and muscles of the back and pelvis causing muscle spasms, pain and sprains.  

So what’s the solution?  Eating at the dining table seems to be a thing of the past, so why not dust it off and get some use out of it as a gift wrapping station?

Flu Season Arrives!

There is an increase in flu cases during the winter months.  Several studies point to a Vitamin D deficiency that occurs during this period for several reasons.  We cover up more skin to stay warm, spend less time outdoors due to temperature or rain, and there are fewer and less intense hours of sun each day.  The MDR for Vitamin D has been raised to 800IU, however many people are very deficient and may need more.  If you haven’t been taking the required amount as a supplement, I would recommend seeing your doctor and having your Vitamin D levels checked to see if you need a higher daily dose.  Lower Vitamin D levels are also associated with increased risk for osteoporosis, or weakening of the bones.

If you have had a recent bone density study (DEXA), we’re happy to schedule a consultation to discuss the results and recommendations.

State of Oregon recommends Chiropractic as the only drug-free treatment for low back pain

Oregon’s Governor, John Kitzhaber, M.D. has issued a proclamation naming October 2014 as Oregon Chiropractic Health and Wellness Month.  This was based on the results of a seven-year prospective study published in JMPT analyzing over 70,000 patients managed by chiropractors.  During that period, the treated group showed an 85% reduction in drug costs, 62% reduction in MRIs and surgeries, 60.2% reduction of in-hospital admissions, and a 59% reduction in hospital stays, resulting in reducing per-capita costs and improving health, satisfaction, and safety.

Diet Drinks cause weight gains?!

Diet drinks pose a paradox.  Though they are sweetened with a form of sugar that the body cannot digest and therefore have no calories, as recently mentioned in Science News some recent studies seem to show that people consuming diet drinks gain more weight than those drinking regular sodas.  How can this be?  

It seems the explanation lies in how the body tries to self-regulate calorie intake.  We know now that the brain tries to keep track of the number of calories we eat on a daily basis, and then tells us when to eat more or stop eating for the day.  

The process through which this takes place begins in the mouth.  When food arrives in there, sensors there can tell by taste stimulation that calories have arrived.  The mouth then signals the stomach to get ready to go to work.  

When food arrives in the stomach, it tells the brain about how many calories actually arrived.  The problem comes when we consume diet sugar or oils, such as Olestra, Saccharine, aspartame, Splenda, and Sorbitol.  The mouth tastes calories but the stomach finds none, and sends a “no calories here” message to the brain.  

Being a quick learner, the brain learns that the taste of sweetness in food is associated with no calories, and therefore disregards all other calorie intakes of those flavors when keeping tally of the total calorie ingestion for the day.  The result is that ALL of the fat or sugar you then eat may then be disregarded, and the brain makes you eat more of other types of calories to make up for it and obtain the necessary daily amount.  The net result is that people consuming these ‘diet’ artificial oils and sweeteners tend to gain more weight than those eating the real version.

It isn't that there is something magical about diet sweeteners, but that the brain ends up leaving the "hungry - eat more!" appetite switch in the "on" position longer.  More food ends up being eaten, and weight is gained.  

Avoiding Tax Back!

Its that time again, with winter winding down and the IRS breathing over our shoulders.  That pile of receipts and forms that has been menacingly growing for the past year now becomes the focus of our attention.

Each year, we see numerous people in the office, suffering not just from the stress of tax preparations and tax bills, but also from acute low back and neck pain.

Its not just the stress that causes these pains.  The main culprit is how the tax preparation is done.

Two simple but important tips to consider:

DO NOT spread your papers out over the floor and then sit in front of it leaning over to sort.  This is the most common way to strain the lower back ligaments and muscles and adversely affect the sacroiliac joint.  Instead, DO use a desk or the dining room or kitchen table. 

DO NOT sit at your desk sorting or working on the computer longer than 60 minutes without getting up. Instead, DO get up and move around for at least 10 minutes every hour.  The discs of the spine start to compress and dehydrate with sitting too long and that can lead to disc herniation and early degenerative changes.  Additionally, the spinal muscles start to atrophy, making them easier to injure.  Inactivity is also terrible for overall health considerations such as raising risk of heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Common Cycling Injuries

Common Bicycle Injuries

Greetings!  My name is Dr. Kenneth Hoang and this is my second contribution to the Health Matters blog.  My goal is to help provide insight into various topics of health and wellness based upon personal experience and research.  If there are any topics you would like to hear about, please let us know!

I’d like to start with common sports-related injuries I have seen and treated.  In 2010, I was part of a volunteer Chiropractic-Sports Medicine team that treated thousands of participants on a 7-day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to help raise funds for AIDS research.  Here are the three most common injuries we saw and easy ways to treat and help prevent them:

Elbow Pain: Ulnar Neuropathy
This term refers to numbness and pain at the pinkie, ring finger and inside of the hand and is usually caused by pressure of the wrist and hand on the handlebars for extended periods of time.  The ulnar nerve and artery travel through a narrow tunnel in the wrist.  Constant compression to this area will inflame the artery and nerve and cause symptoms.  Initial treatment revolves around reducing inflammation and irritation with ice, stretching, soft tissue mobilization and taping.  Use gloves with padding around the band of the hand or thicken the handlebars with a softer grip.  This will reduce the amount of pressure applied to the pain sensitive areas.

Hip and Knee Pain: Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome
This is experienced as hip, thigh, or knee pain felt on the outside of the upper leg as a result of friction between the Tensor Fascia Latae or IT Band as it is commonly called, over the knee joint or hip bone.  It is commonly a result of improper warmup or tightness of the associated musculature, rapid increase in load, or bad technique.  Initial treatment is to stop irritation by discontinuing activity and following standard RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) protocol.  Once inflammation is controlled, proper stretching along with the use of a foam roller is recommended.  In-office treatment with taping and manual release of myofascial adhesions is often initiated as soon as it can be tolerated.  Addressing any issues with poor form is also a must.  

Knee Pain: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
PFPS usually refers to pain in front or around the knee cap and is sometimes called “Runner’s Knee.”  This can occur in one or both knees and pain tends to increase with more activity.  It is often caused by slight displacement of the kneecap during movement.  Much like a train on a track, the patella (kneecap) fits and moves within a groove of the femur (thigh bone), and incorrect glide of the patella can cause irritation of the cartilage on the underside of the patella.  The patella can slide up, down, side to side, tilt and rotate, all of which can create contact with the many articular surfaces within the knee.  Common causes are muscle imbalance, overuse, and incorrect form or posture.  Sometimes the easiest fix is making sure you are properly fitted for your bike or being educated on proper riding technique.  Other in-office treatment includes mobilizations (resetting the alignment of the kneecap), taping, and exercise prescriptions revolved around balancing out muscle weaknesses.

Injury-Free Housework

The easiest way to injure the back is the BLT.  Bend, Lift, and Twist.  Vacuuming done wrong is a series of BLTs.  No wonder so many people get injured, and that so many people either don’t do it or hire it out to someone else.  The key is to keep the shoulders in the same plane as the hips, and therefore not twist.  With the torso and hips moving as one, the legs and arms in combination do all the work.  Instead of twisting, try navigating the vacuum with a series of small shallow lunges.  This provides the forward movement and can be enhanced by extending the arm forward.

The classic way of doing it, with the back bending and twisting forward is the best thing you can do to bring on an injury and the need for treatment.  

In short, No BLTs!  

While correct home ergonomics are important, nothing is more important than exercise for reducing the likelihood of injuring the back.  Our Physical Performance Test is designed to test the functional status of your back and neck muscles for the presence of significant weakness that can be the cause or chronic and recurrent back and neck injuries.  For more information, contact Carah or Dr. Hoang by emailing DrH@Grannischiropractic.com or calling the office at (949) 448-8599.

Research supports Chiropractic before Spine surgery

The University of Pittsburg Health Center now requires a trial of chiropractic care before qualifying for surgery.

In guidelines published in 2012, the University of Pittsburgh Health Center requires a 3-month failed trial of physical therapy, chiropractic, and medication along with a low back pain health coaching program before a patient can qualify for spine surgery.

No wonder, given that overall it is estimated that 90% of low back disc herniations will improve within 3 months with conservative non-operative care.  Additionally, considering that death rates from neck and low back surgery are in the range of .1% (1 in a thousand) and complication rates range from 5% to 19% for all types of back surgery, opting for a trial of conservative care before considering back surgery is the correct evidence based decision.  

Chiropractic care is one of the safest alternatives.  For treatment of lower back disc cases, the complication rate for clinically worsened disc herniation in the lower back from chiropractic treatment is estimated at less than .0000037% (1 in 3.7 million). Put another way, for every one patient worsened by chiropractic treatment, there are 3700 surgical complications.

If surgery has been recommended for your spine, insist on a trial of chiropractic care before consenting, except in cases of caudal equina syndrome, worsening and failing neurological signs, fracture, or infection.

Walking for Mental Health

A 2004 study found that compared to those walking more than two miles daily, those that walked less than a mile a day had a 71% increased risk of developing dementia, and those that walked a quarter mile or less had an increased risk of 77%. What we can take from this is that walking is a very important factor in brain health, and the more, the better.  

Come on, you can do it!  

By the way, this even helps improve scores on people who already have dementia.  

Stretching: Best before or after Exercise?

Most people know that “warming up” before exercising or playing a sport is important.  But many either skip it, or simply don’t know how to do it effectively.  Historically, static stretching (think of the standard bending, stretching, and long holding of a muscle group in a stretched position) was thought to be the best way to prevent injuries.  However, more and more evidence suggests that it gives no injury prevention benefit, and may actually hinder performance.

A recent systematic review compared nine modern warm-up strategies to a “normal” routine of static stretching.  The results of all of them again were that static stretching doesn't work as well.

In truth, most of us are weekend warriors that don’t have the time or resources to go through vigorous protocols.  We simply want to have fun and try not to get hurt.  My recommendation would be to skip the static stretching.  Instead try starting with some jumping jacks, twisting your torso left and right, or swinging your legs back and forth.  Follow that with about 5-10 minutes of light simulation of whatever you may be doing.  If you’re about to play tennis have an easy rally with your partner while slowly sliding left and right, if you’re about to run then walk or lightly jog the first 1/4 mile, or if you’re playing basketball then shoot the ball a few times and slowly jog to get your own rebounds.  

What’s most important is to get a good amount of blood circulating to your muscles and soft tissues to get them warm and keep them properly nourished.  Once you start to break a bit of a sweat, your core temperature has risen and you’re probably ready.  If there is a place for static stretching, it is probably after the workout is over.  And don’t forget to drink plenty of water too.  

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to  comment below!

Contributed by: Kenneth Q. Hoang, DC

Ice Versus Heat

There is a lot of confusion about when to heat and when to ice an injury or a pain.  While there is no perfect simple answer, here is a good outline to follow.

First, it is important to understand the basic principles 

Ice is used to reduce swelling by causing vasoconstriction (clamping down of the blood vessels in an area).  Heat is used to increase the flow of blood through an area.  Both reduce pain most of the time, but for very different reasons.  Ice shuts off pain signals from an area by effectively turning off the nerve cells due to lack of ability to keep firing in the cold environment.  Heat increases the flow of blood and oxygen, both of which sedate pain fibers.

Of course, if an area gets too cold, it starts to hurt as a message to the brain that tissue damage from cold is about to occur.  With too much heat, as in acute burns, pain fibers are stimulated to initiate a reflex to move away from the source of heat.

In general, our bodies love heat and constantly work to stay warm.  That is why we shiver when we are cold.  Our muscles can generate a lot of heat by contracting repeatedly during shivering.  Bodies also hate to lose heat.  So when we apply ice to an area, the body immediately shuts down the blood flow through that area to reduce the amount of heat loss.  

How can we use this in figuring out whether to use heat or ice?

If there is a new injury that involves any amount of new fresh tissue damage, tearing, over stretching, or anything that can microscopically rip open the tiny capillaries, we want to stop the leaks from occurring by triggering that vasoconstriction effect with ice.  

If there is an muscle that has been working too hard for too long but that hasn’t been damaged or a body area that has been in one cramped position for a length of time, then we want to help it get more blood to replenish the oxygen and nutrient levels.  Also, if there is a body part that is arthritic, heat is very helpful for the same reason of helping to deliver needed oxygen and nutrients and therefore reduce pain.

Ice is best used for about 10 minutes at a time, repeated every 20 minutes.  Longer than 10 minutes can trigger the rescue vasodilation effect, and cause more swelling.  Following a new injury, it is best to use ice during the first 72 hours.  

Heat can be applied for 15 to 20 minutes, at a medium level, as often as desired.  Care must be taken with heating as area above a medium level as that initially shuts off the pain sensors and can result in serious tissue burns.  Also, NEVER bypass the “dead man switch” on heating pads that require you to continually hold down the “on” button.  NEVER sleep on a heating pad.  In either case you run serious risks of major second and third degree burns.  Bad idea. 

What if after all this discussion, you still aren’t sure which way to go?  

When in doubt, use ice.  If you heat an area that should have been iced, it will worsen the swelling and take longer to heal.  If you ice instead of heat, it will make it start to ache more.  No damage will have been done, and you can simply switch to heat and be fine.

Avoiding winter time flu bugs

We all change habits in the winter time, shifting activities indoors due to weather and shorter daylight hours.  Is it a coincidence that the peak flu season is in the mid winter months?  Apparently not.

A very interesting article in Epidemiological Infections covers the history of thinking and investigation about the subject and concludes that there is a very strong correlation with lack of ultraviolet radiation exposure on the skin and incidence of the seasonal flu.  It is well worth reading if for nothing other than an interesting graphic showing a completely inverse relationship to skin UV exposure (and hence Vitamin D production), and the flu.

Our skin synthesizes Vitamin D when exposed to the Sun’s UV radiation, however the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health point out that the sun screen protection (SPF) we all apply in order to avoid skin cancer (don’t we all use it?) can affect Vitamin D production.  In fact, SPF above 8 completely blocks Vitamin D synthesis.

That said, I advocate using a high SPF sunscreen, generally in the range of an SPF 30 to 50 because it is generally thought to limit UV damage to skin, and hopefully lower our chances of developing skin cancer.  However, since this will significantly reduce Vitamin D production, it is necessary to add a dietary supplement.

A good natural source of Vitamin D is Cod Liver Oil.  However, for those non-fish oil lovers, any off the shelf source of Vitamin D-3 will do.  

While the original recommended daily dose of Vitamin D was 400 iu, the FDA increased to 600-800 iu its recommended daily dose depending on the population age.  The Mayo Clinic article on Vitamin D recommends a maximum safe limit of 10,000 iu.

So, it is not a coincidence that we tend to start getting the winter flu in November, and it peaks in February.  Let’s try to make our Vitamin D levels stable throughout the year and see if we can beat that.

Dementia and low vitamin D levels

Great article by FuturePundit on the link between low vitamin D levels and risk of dementia in old age. Worth a read.

Link Between Cognitive Impairment In Elderly And Vitamin D

Avoiding holiday weight gain

Gaining weight over the holidays—who doesn’t? We socialize more, eat and drink more, and have less time and desire to trek off to the gym. Now that 2013 is right around the corner, it’s time to break those bad habits and get back into a healthy routine. Even if you don’t have time to do your normal exercise, try making an effort to go outside and walk around for 15 to 20 minutes each day.  

A simple 15 to 20 minute walk per day can reduce your risk by up to 1/3 of developing Type ll Diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease.  All that for a simple, short, and enjoyable walk.

Have you ever wondered why people used to go caroling?  Perhaps they knew it was a simple way of getting the whole group to be active, socialize a bit, and burn some calories all while having some simple fun. Caroling may not be for all of us, but maybe this year you can think up some fun ways to incorporate exercise into your holiday routine. 

Second helping of turkey? Sounds good! But only once you've danced a few minutes with your partner after that kiss under the mistletoe. Want a slice of pumpkin pie?  No problem.  How about 5 pushups per bite? Add some ice cream?  Sure, but after 10 sit-ups. Want to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" again? Every time the bell rings stand up and walk in place for the next 5 minutes! Get everyone involved, they'll be thankful, too!

Get the idea?  It may not be the most fun you've ever had, but after the holidays are over and your waistline is unchanged or smaller, you will be thanking yourself for months to come.