Daily News and Events
As students, ready to return to school, filled their backpacks with all their new supplies, member chiropractors of the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC) began a statewide campaign to get kids to lighten up.
“It is estimated that at least half of all student backpacks are too heavy for children to be carrying. As a result doctors and chiropractors are seeing more children than ever complaining of back pain, which can have long-term effects,” said ANJC Executive Director Sigmund Miller, who recently appeared on News 12 New Jersey to discuss the growing health problem.
ANJC members spoke to news reporters, radio and television announcers and others throughout New Jersey in August, making parents and children aware of the hazards of heavy backpacks and providing tips on making them lighter and easier to carry.
“Research is revealing the negative effects of improper backpack use. Abnormal stress on a young child’s growing spine can have a significant negative impact,” said Dr. Kenneth Freedman, a member of the ANJC also a Backpack Safety America instructor who spoke on New Jersey 101.5. “Early exposure to back stress can lead to a lifetime of back pain.”
ANJC mebers will continue their campaign by offering free backpack evaluations for students whose parents stop by their offices.
Parents should help their kids “lighten up” by following the tips below.
Choose the right back pack - Choose a backpack that has wide cushioned straps which will distribute the weight on shoulders evenly. In addition, a backpack with a waist strap helps stabilize the load by not allowing the pack to flop around.
Make sure the fit is right – Make sure the backpack fits properly. The straps should not be so tight that the pack goes above the collar line and the pack should not be wider than the shoulders. It should also be adjusted tightly enough so that it does not hang more than four inches below the belt line.
Pack correctly - The weight of the loaded backpack should not be more than 15 percent of the body weight of the wearer, particularly with small children. Also, students should pack the heaviest objects first so that they are carried lower and closer to the body. Students should only be packing essential items and if needed, make frequent stops at a locker to exchange books.
Lift correctly - Check the weight of the backpack. Face the backpack before picking it up. Bend at the knees and make sure to lift with the legs, not with the back. Put on one strap at a time.
Wear correctly - Use both straps and make sure they are snug. If there is a waist strap, use it. Don’t sling the backpack over one shoulder. Messenger style bags, which get slung over one shoulder, should be rotated so that they’re not being carried over the same shoulder all the time.
Parents should look for some the following warning signs that a child’s backpack may be causing a problem: The child cannot take his backpack off or put it on without struggling; The child has to lean forward to carry his bag; The child has numbness or weakness in the arms and legs; The child has one shoulder that is higher than the other.
Health information provided by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors and your local chiropractor.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Goat Milk?
Discover the healing power of goat milk.
By Daniel Madock, DC
Doctors of chiropractic have long been advocates of transforming health from the inside out. As we seek to better our patients’ health, there is one particular healing food that has been revered for centuries: goat milk and goat-milk-derived products.
Goat milk has extensive healing properties. Research shows that goat milk has better digestibility, buffering capacity and alkalinity than cow milk. Several properties testify to the superiority of goat milk. First, goat milk biologically resembles human milk. Second, goat milk contains a low level of allergy-producing substances. Third, it digests quickly and absorbs completely. Last, goat milk is an alkaline powerhouse.
Biological Resemblance to Human Milk
Goat milk has a similarity to human milk that is unmatched in bovine (cow) milk, which may be at the root of goat milk’s healing properties. At the very base of the DNA structure of goat milk are similarities to the DNA structure of human milk.
Low Level of Allergy-Producing Substances
Perhaps one of goat milk’s most famous attributes, low allergenicity, is vital to keeping each patient in optimum health. Cow milk allergy is the No. 1 allergy of children, affecting roughly 500,000 to 1.5 million children every year. Cow milk contains more than 20 allergen proteins, which are not recognized by the immune system and are targeted in ways that cause a variety of symptoms. Hives, wheezing, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, skin rash (commonly near and around the mouth), runny nose, watery eyes, colic in infants and even anaphylactic shock can all be signs and symptoms of a cow milk allergy.
Evidence points, however, to the lower allergic potential of goat milk when compared with cow milk. One study found that nearly 93 percent of infants suffering from cow milk allergies were able to tolerate and thrive on goat milk. Although soy milk has been touted as a safe alternative to cow milk, some studies show that those with a cow milk allergy have a 47-percent chance of also being allergic to soy milk.
Rapid Digestion and Complete Absorption
Goat milk has better digestibility and absorption than cow milk for several reasons. Goat milk is much higher in short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) than cow milk. This means that those SCFA and MCFA are better digested and absorbed than the long-chain fatty acids prevalent in cow milk.
Goat milk also contains proteins that digest in a superior manner. While the stomach enzymes, pepsin and trypsin completely digest over 96 percent of available goat milk protein, less than 73 percent of available cow milk protein was able to be digested completely.
Alkaline Powerhouse
Many foods cause the body to become acidic, which can lead to a host of health issues. A study from the Journal of Dairy Science examined the buffering capacity of goat milk, cow milk, soy milk and antacid drugs. Now, in theory, the antacid drugs should have proven to have the best buffering capacity since their function is to reduce acid. However, the study found that goat milk overwhelmingly exceeded the buffering capabilities of the other three samples tested. Another study in the Journal of Nutrition found that oligosaccharides (prebiotics) from goat milk very likely play a major role in intestinal protection and repair. This is important because acidic diets often cause damage to the gastrointestinal lining.
Practitioners act wisely when recommending alkalizing goat milk products to help patients with acidic GI tracts.
As chiropractors, we try to keep ourselves on the cutting edge of nutritional supplementation.
Isn’t it time you started healing with goat milk?
Daniel Madock, DC, can be reached at drdanmadock@hotmail.com. Full references are available.
By Daniel Madock, DC
Doctors of chiropractic have long been advocates of transforming health from the inside out. As we seek to better our patients’ health, there is one particular healing food that has been revered for centuries: goat milk and goat-milk-derived products.
Goat milk has extensive healing properties. Research shows that goat milk has better digestibility, buffering capacity and alkalinity than cow milk. Several properties testify to the superiority of goat milk. First, goat milk biologically resembles human milk. Second, goat milk contains a low level of allergy-producing substances. Third, it digests quickly and absorbs completely. Last, goat milk is an alkaline powerhouse.
Biological Resemblance to Human Milk
Goat milk has a similarity to human milk that is unmatched in bovine (cow) milk, which may be at the root of goat milk’s healing properties. At the very base of the DNA structure of goat milk are similarities to the DNA structure of human milk.
Low Level of Allergy-Producing Substances
Perhaps one of goat milk’s most famous attributes, low allergenicity, is vital to keeping each patient in optimum health. Cow milk allergy is the No. 1 allergy of children, affecting roughly 500,000 to 1.5 million children every year. Cow milk contains more than 20 allergen proteins, which are not recognized by the immune system and are targeted in ways that cause a variety of symptoms. Hives, wheezing, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, skin rash (commonly near and around the mouth), runny nose, watery eyes, colic in infants and even anaphylactic shock can all be signs and symptoms of a cow milk allergy.
Evidence points, however, to the lower allergic potential of goat milk when compared with cow milk. One study found that nearly 93 percent of infants suffering from cow milk allergies were able to tolerate and thrive on goat milk. Although soy milk has been touted as a safe alternative to cow milk, some studies show that those with a cow milk allergy have a 47-percent chance of also being allergic to soy milk.
Rapid Digestion and Complete Absorption
Goat milk has better digestibility and absorption than cow milk for several reasons. Goat milk is much higher in short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) than cow milk. This means that those SCFA and MCFA are better digested and absorbed than the long-chain fatty acids prevalent in cow milk.
Goat milk also contains proteins that digest in a superior manner. While the stomach enzymes, pepsin and trypsin completely digest over 96 percent of available goat milk protein, less than 73 percent of available cow milk protein was able to be digested completely.
Alkaline Powerhouse
Many foods cause the body to become acidic, which can lead to a host of health issues. A study from the Journal of Dairy Science examined the buffering capacity of goat milk, cow milk, soy milk and antacid drugs. Now, in theory, the antacid drugs should have proven to have the best buffering capacity since their function is to reduce acid. However, the study found that goat milk overwhelmingly exceeded the buffering capabilities of the other three samples tested. Another study in the Journal of Nutrition found that oligosaccharides (prebiotics) from goat milk very likely play a major role in intestinal protection and repair. This is important because acidic diets often cause damage to the gastrointestinal lining.
Practitioners act wisely when recommending alkalizing goat milk products to help patients with acidic GI tracts.
As chiropractors, we try to keep ourselves on the cutting edge of nutritional supplementation.
Isn’t it time you started healing with goat milk?
Daniel Madock, DC, can be reached at drdanmadock@hotmail.com. Full references are available.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
You're Invited to Canal Day Music & Craft Festival
This Saturday, August 21 The Canal Day Festival will be held in Wharton's Hugh Force Canal Park, 170 West Central Avenue from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
The Canal Day Festival is an old time country fair that celebrates the Morris Canal and the communities along its banks. The festival is now in its 34th year. Come to a day of free family fun featuring a juried craft show, designs, community services, food, educational events and 11 live bands. Hand picked crafters from around the region will display their beautiful offerings. Approximately 3000 people from around the region, from Connecticut, Pennsylvania and as far away as Texas, attended the festival in 2008 to celebrate this heritage and history.
This year's Festival will be larger than ever with the addition of a second performance area for acoustic venues. There will be something of interest for everyone to enjoy!
Learn about local history by taking a guided Morris Canal walking tour provided by the Canal Society of NJ. Experience life on Morris Canal first hand by travelling down the canal on a free mule drawn boat ride or prove your prowess by paddling a kayak. Take a pony or horse drawn wagon ride. The Wallaby Tails Traveling Zoo's demonstration of exotic animals will delight children of all ages. Many, many more activities for fun and learning are planned.
Optimal Family Chiropractic will provide foot and neck scans and provide
information about how many conditions can benefit from chiropractic care.
Come spend the day with us at Hugh Force Canal Park! There will be a fireworks display at Robert Street Park at 8:00 PM and as always admission is free. Please visit http://www.canalday.org/canalday.html for further information.
The Canal Day Festival is an old time country fair that celebrates the Morris Canal and the communities along its banks. The festival is now in its 34th year. Come to a day of free family fun featuring a juried craft show, designs, community services, food, educational events and 11 live bands. Hand picked crafters from around the region will display their beautiful offerings. Approximately 3000 people from around the region, from Connecticut, Pennsylvania and as far away as Texas, attended the festival in 2008 to celebrate this heritage and history.
This year's Festival will be larger than ever with the addition of a second performance area for acoustic venues. There will be something of interest for everyone to enjoy!
Learn about local history by taking a guided Morris Canal walking tour provided by the Canal Society of NJ. Experience life on Morris Canal first hand by travelling down the canal on a free mule drawn boat ride or prove your prowess by paddling a kayak. Take a pony or horse drawn wagon ride. The Wallaby Tails Traveling Zoo's demonstration of exotic animals will delight children of all ages. Many, many more activities for fun and learning are planned.
Optimal Family Chiropractic will provide foot and neck scans and provide
information about how many conditions can benefit from chiropractic care.
Come spend the day with us at Hugh Force Canal Park! There will be a fireworks display at Robert Street Park at 8:00 PM and as always admission is free. Please visit http://www.canalday.org/canalday.html for further information.
Shock Absorbers of the Spine
They bulge, herniate, degenerate and tear, but they don't "slip." Discs serve as the "shock absorbers" of your body. Separating each vertebra, they create the space for nerves to exit the spinal cord. Rings of fibrous tissue called the annulus contain a soft jelly center.
We generally see two types of disc problems:
Bulging Disc
A weakened area of the annulus allows the soft center of the disc to bulge out, putting pressure on nearby nerves. Bulging discs respond well to chiropractic care, often eliminating the need for surgery.
Herniated Disc
A herniated or ruptured disc is more serious. It seems most common in the lower back. This is when part of the soft center pushes out through a weakened area due to trauma or degeneration, putting pressure on the spinal cord.
Chiropractic care, along with walking, increased water intake and improved nutrition offer a natural, non-surgical resolution for many disc problems.
Health information provided by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC).
We generally see two types of disc problems:
Bulging Disc
A weakened area of the annulus allows the soft center of the disc to bulge out, putting pressure on nearby nerves. Bulging discs respond well to chiropractic care, often eliminating the need for surgery.
Herniated Disc
A herniated or ruptured disc is more serious. It seems most common in the lower back. This is when part of the soft center pushes out through a weakened area due to trauma or degeneration, putting pressure on the spinal cord.
Chiropractic care, along with walking, increased water intake and improved nutrition offer a natural, non-surgical resolution for many disc problems.
Health information provided by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC).
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Living to 100
People born 100 years ago would typically live to the ripe old age of 50 years, while children born this year are expected to live longer than 80 years. A study of centurions reveals some general guidelines that you can use to help extend your own life, regardless of your current age:
1. Be born a female. Hard to do much about this, but females have been outliving males for centuries.
2. Stay married. Married people live longer than single people - 10 years longer for men, 4 years for women.
3. Eat less. Research shows that life expectancy can actually double if you reduce your food intake.
4. Pass up refined sugar. Sugar can speed the aging process.
5. Use little salt. Getting used to salt-free tastes will take some time.
6. Reduce protein intake. Excess protein stresses the body and reduces your ability to fight disease.
7. Regular exercise. No need for a gym membership. Brisk walking improves circulation, metabolism and emotional well-being.
Don't take a single day for granted!
Health information provided by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC).
1. Be born a female. Hard to do much about this, but females have been outliving males for centuries.
2. Stay married. Married people live longer than single people - 10 years longer for men, 4 years for women.
3. Eat less. Research shows that life expectancy can actually double if you reduce your food intake.
4. Pass up refined sugar. Sugar can speed the aging process.
5. Use little salt. Getting used to salt-free tastes will take some time.
6. Reduce protein intake. Excess protein stresses the body and reduces your ability to fight disease.
7. Regular exercise. No need for a gym membership. Brisk walking improves circulation, metabolism and emotional well-being.
Don't take a single day for granted!
Health information provided by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC).
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