Sweet Stuff

A healthy diet needn’t be a bitter journey

Today, you’d have to be living in a cave NOT to know that sugary drinks and treats are not good for you.  Yet humans have an innate preference for sweet over sour, and when faced with the prospect of giving it up, many choose to indulge and pay the consequences.

But it needn’t be an either/ or proposition.  You CAN have your health and eat sweets, too, provided they are of the garden variety.

As stated in a recent New York Times article: “sugar consumed in fruit is not linked to any adverse health effects, no matter how much you eat. In a recent perspective piece in The Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. David Ludwig, the director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital cited observational studies that showed that increased fruit consumption is tied to lower body weight and a lower risk of obesity-associated diseases.”

How so? Fiber-rich foods break down more slowly in our digestive track, leaving us satiated and less likely to overindulge. One of the challenges of refined

 sugars as present in soda, candy and most desserts is that it is absorbed quickly by the body rather than being broken down. “Repeated surges in blood sugar make the pancreas work harder and can contribute to insulin resistance, thereby increasing the risk for Type 2 diabetes.”

So what are the smart choices?

•   Eat whole fruit in its entirety rather than fruit juices which lack fiber

•   Alternately, throw whole fruit in a blender or juicer, along with some nuts and enjoy a well balanced meal with a protein boost

•   Select unsweetened dried fruit as an ‘on the go’ energy alternative, being mindful of the added calories these tiny pieces contain

•   Choose freshly blended juices over commercial types or at the very least, juice with pulp

•   Finally, enjoy a wide variety of fruits ‘eating the rainbow’, since each contains different nutrient packages

Healthy eating needn’t be boring or bitter - you CAN have your sweets and eat them, too if you just choose right!

Yours in health,

Dr. David J. Rowe

 sugars as present in soda, candy and most desserts is that it is absorbed quickly by the body rather than being broken down. “Repeated surges in blood sugar make the pancreas work harder and can contribute to insulin resistance, thereby increasing the risk for Type 2 diabetes.”

So what are the smart choices?

•   Eat whole fruit in its entirety rather than fruit juices which lack fiber

•   Alternately, throw whole fruit in a blender or juicer, along with some nuts and enjoy a well balanced meal with a protein boost

•   Select unsweetened dried fruit as an ‘on the go’ energy alternative, being mindful of the added calories these tiny pieces contain

•   Choose freshly blended juices over commercial types or at the very least, juice with pulp

•   Finally, enjoy a wide variety of fruits ‘eating the rainbow’, since each contains different nutrient packages

Healthy eating needn’t be boring or bitter - you CAN have your sweets and eat them, too if you just choose right!

Yours in health,

Dr. David J. Rowe

HEALTHY TO 100!

RCO Health Fair sizzles on a hot summer’s day

The temps outside were sweltering but the glow within Rowe Chiropractic Offices on July 18th lured visitors to cool off and check out the fabulous offerings within.

And what a party it was! Healthy refreshments, pressed vegetable juices, alkaline water and luscious chocolate-covered fruits were available for sampling, and informative exhibitors provided tips and tools on how to stay well long into the later years. 

Over a dozen local merchants participated and more than 100 guests attended.  We learned how the alkaline content of water can significantly impact one’s immune system, and how essential oils properly administered can replace standard over the counter drug remedies. 

Rowe Chiropractic is dedicated to the wellness of the whole person, since spinal health is essential but not sufficient to becoming your most vibrant self.  How one thinks, eats and moves is a critical part of this equation and we are continuously providing education and evidence to keep you well informed.

We would like to thank our sponsors: Citibank, Cozy Corner, Dotera, Edible Arrangements, Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, Enagic, Food Emporium, Kangen Water, Simchick Meats & Soul Supports for making our event possible with their generous donations.

Bummed you weren’t there? No worries, as we’re planning another Health Fair in early Fall so stay tuned and mark your calendar!

In the meantime, why not stop by to one of our workshops Tuesdays at 10a or Thursdays at 7:30p. 

See you soon!

Yours in health,

Dr. David J. Rowe

WORKSTATION ERGONOMICS

The vital importance of sitting right

How much time do you spend at a desk each day? If you’re like most people, probably more than you’d like to, and certainly more than is good for your health.  

In fact, emerging research shows that sitting for long periods of time contributes to the risk of metabolic syndrome, heart attack and stroke, as well as increases the risk of death from any cause.  This is true even if you workout regularly, since it’s the aggregate movement that counts. 

While we aren’t suggesting that you quit your day job and go out and play (as nice as that sounds), there are ways to improve the situation, beginning with how you sit.

Use the following check list each time and soon, ‘sitting right’ will become second nature:

 1.1.       Align your ears, shoulders and hips

 1.2.       Roll shoulders back and down, keeping your back in one straight line

 1.3.       Hold elbows close to the body with forearms level with your table or  keyboard

 1.4.       Adjust your chair height so that hips and knees are at a 90 degree  angle and keep feet flat on the floor

 1.5.       Adjust lumbar support to sit in the small of the back

 1.6.       When using a computer, have mouse adjacent to and at same height  as keyboard

 1.7.       Have monitor roughly an arms length away, with one-third of its view  at eye level

In addition, try to take regular breaks - standing or walking whenever possible to get circulation moving, and invest in the best ergonomic chair affordable.

Need some professional advice about which chairs to choose or if you are properly aligned while seated?  We’re here to help.  Drop by to an upcoming workshop or speak to the doctors during your next visit.

Yours in health,

Dr. David J. Rowe

Reasons to Eat the Rainbow

The New York Times recently ran a story about plant nutrition that was an eye opener to many, especially in the age of plant based diets as guarantor of health and longevity.  It appears that not all produce are created equal and the sooner we understand why this is and what to look for, the better off we’ll be.

According to reporter Jo Robinson, author of the forthcoming book, Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health, “Studies published within the past 15 years show that much of our produce is relatively low in phytonutrients, which are the compounds with the potential to reduce the risk of four of our modern scourges: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia.”

That’s disturbing news, but there is much you can do to insure the choices you make are optimal for your health.  At Rowe Chiropractor, we believe it’s best to eat the rainbow for greatest nutritional punch and these new guidelines help you refine which varieties within each category are best.

So what are the new superfoods? Those that are closest to their species’ ancestral roots and generally, those that are deeper in color.  For example: wild arugula or dandelions versus iceberg lettuce: crab apples over the larger varieties; blue corn versus white; purple-yellow carrots and purple potatoes.  So where do you find these beauties? Go to the source!

Summer is here and farmer’s markets are in full swing.  Do yourself a favor and visit them regularly. Load up your recyclable bag with wild things in dark greens, deep reds, purples and you

Yours in health,

Dr. David J. Rowe

Path to Wellness through Chiropractic Care

In recent years, people are beginning to realize that healthcare is a proactive process, tied more to smart lifestyle choices than good genes. Today, only a fool would imagine he could eat junk food recklessly, smoke regularly or avoid exercise without being subject to disease sooner than later. But what about spinal alignment?

While eating right, moving regularly and having a healthy mind-set are important, the body’s control center is the spine, where nerve bundles and blood vessels connect with every organ in the body to supply nutrients and energy.  When the spine is ‘free’ from subluxations, the organs get what they need.  If not, they are compromised and begin to malfunction, and while the ill effects may not be immediately felt, over time they can lead to serious damage.

Clearly including regular chiropractic care into your personal healthcare routine is essential and we at Rowe Chiropractic Offices are here to help!

Three Steps for a Healthy Spine:

1.    Get a spinal evaluation: Virtually everyone is born with subluxations which tend to worsen if not treated due to ravages of daily living.  An initial visit includes a postural examination, X-rays, traction and recommended exercises to do at home between visits

2.    Commit to your care plan: Most patients go through three phases of care: 

A)  Intensive - daily adjustments to address the most serious blockages

B)  Corrective - thrice weekly adjustments to begin bringing the spine into proper alignment

C) Sustaining - generally once weekly to ‘stay aligned’ as the ravages of daily life - physical, emotional and chemical stress - all negatively impact the spine’s integrity

3.    Commit to doing your ‘homework’: every patient who comes to us receives both general guidelines on ergonomics and a customized care plan of daily exercises that must be done at home.  This last step is essential and can be likened to the necessity for good dental hygiene.  Getting professional cleanings will do nothing to prevent tooth decay if you’re not regularly brushing and flossing.

Naturally, spinal care without eating well, moving well and thinking well would also fall short and Rowe Chiropractic provides education and information to get you on the path to wellness and keep you there so check out our website for resources and recommendations.

We know life can get in the way, but as they say ‘If you have your health, you have everything!’

Yours in health,

Dr. David J. Rowe

Stand Up for Good Health

Everyone knows that good posture is important and goes a long way in making a favorable, first impression.  The slumped over, belly forward person is not only negatively impacting his health, he is sending a clear message that he just doesn't care about his looks - or his well being.

But it isn’t quite as easy as just standing tall, though that is a good start. The spine is an immensely complex organism which can - and does - sustain disruption throughout life, beginning with the birth process, and requires regular care to keep it in proper alignment.

Such disruption leads to subluxations - pressure on nerve endings caused by misaligned disks.  That they cause discomfort is self evident, but did you know that such pressure negatively impacts blood and nutrient flow to our vital organs, leading not just to distress but disease?

The diagram on the left provides a fascinating view of which organs are affected by which vertebrae.

Clearly, good posture is a lot more than looking pretty.  It lifts your mood, elevates your energy and goes a long way in maximizing your overall health and physical performance.

So how do you get on track and stay there? For starters, by getting an assessment of your spinal patterns and a care plan devised by your chiropractor.  Through regular chiropractic adjustments and at home maneuvers, you will be taking the essential steps to bring your spine into its innate and ideal alignment.

Want to learn more? Stop by for our weekly Youth & Vitality workshops Tuesdays at 10am and Thursdays at 7pm

Yours in health,

Dr David J Rowe

Tags: good posture, subluxation, chiropractic, vitality, autonomic nervous system, rowe chiropractic

Source: Posture Shop PPT

The Power of Positive Thinking

Your beliefs become your thoughts

Your thoughts become your words

Your words become your actions

Your actions become your habits

Your habits become your values

Your values become your destiny

-  Mathama Ghandi

Who would dispute this elegant line of reasoning propagated by one of the world’s great spiritual leaders and yet each day, many people think their way into illness and disease. How is that, you say?  We’ve little control over our circumstances and certainly don’t want to get sick.  Maybe so, but considering and refining how you think may be the most important step you can take to insure optimal health.

Perception truly is reality.  Stem cell biologist, Bruce Lipton who is also a bestselling author of The Biology of Belief cites: “Energy from neurological thought is 100 times more influential on genetic expression than molecular (chemical) stimulation.” Which is why merely popping a pill to improve your mood or fix your blood pressure rarely brings the health and well being you desire. 

Consider the athlete faced with a daunting hurdle or an entrepreneur being told over and again that his idea is foolish or won’t work.  The difference in their success lies in the attitude taken which fuels and drives focused behavior that yields best results. Your beliefs become...your actions become...your destiny.

Nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without dedication and perseverance.  And each day provides the opportunity to begin again, to replace toxic negativity with life-affirming positivity. 

Not sure where to begin? Attend an upcoming Think Right Workshop to learn more and get on the road to Optimal Health.

Yours in health,

Dr. David Rowe

ReGaining Your Innate Shape: The 10 Components of Exercise

Everyone knows that physical exercise is an essential component to good health, so why do so few do it regularly?

For one, it takes commitment and with so many demands on our time, we find excuses to put it off.  For another, if you dive headlong into working out, without awareness of your physical limitations and patterns, you can get injured.  Not only can that set you back, it also may make you hesitant about returning to the activity where injury happened.

Yet there's no doing without it and according to the Mayo Clinic, there are so many upsides in improved mood, increased energy, better sleep, and that it's one of the best investments you can make.


At Rowe Chiropractic, we believe there are 10 essential components to a well rounded exercise program:

1. Cardiovascular - any activity that increases heart rate, such as biking, running, elliptical machines, and even walking at a brisk pace will enhance your ability to process oxygen
2. Stamina - as it sounds, engaging in an activity at a steady pace for a sustained period of time (ideally, 45 minutes or longer) will improve your body's ability to process energy
3. Flexibility - stretching routines that work spine and extremities will allow safe and full range of motion in your joints
4. Strength - weight bearing routines that engage multiple joints and increase muscle's ability to create force
5. Power - pushing muscles/oxygen use to its limit as occurs in sprinting or speed lifting can enhance overall performance
6. Speed - similarly increasing level of your workout can contribute positively to both cardiovascular and neurological health
7. Coordination - activities such as playing sports not only adds a social factor to your workout but improves eye/hand/body coordination
8. Agility - karaoke drills, bosu balls, and agility ladders shorten transition times and come in handy in helping you regain balance/ prevent falls if you slip
9. Balance - speaking of balance, wobble boards, bosu balls, and diamond mats are a great way to test and build it, never forgetting that core abdominal strength is where movement should begin
10. Accuracy - lastly, don't forget fine motor movements need 'workouts' too and aim to regularly engage in activities that improve them such as drawing, knitting, or sewing

Interested in learning more?  The next Move Right workshop is scheduled for March 12 so mark it on your calendar and begin regaining your innate shape TODAY!

Wishing you health, happiness, vitality, & longevity,

Dr. David Rowe

Eating for Health and Vitality

The Kripalu Institute in upstate New York is a serene campus where visitors go to reboot physically and mentally, getting back on track with a healthy lifestyle.  While their programs are yoga-centric, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of proper nutrition and a considered acceptance of different paths.

Recently, they wrote about the Paleo diet and its increasing acceptance as a means of reducing disease that grains and dairy consumption might propagate. Also known as the “caveman diet”, it was populated by Loren Cordain, PhD, and based on the premise that the human body was 

designed to thrive on—and best digest—the foods available to us when we were hunter-gatherers: vegetables and fruits, meats and fish, nuts, seed, and sprouts.  Before the invention of agriculture and processed foods, we were fitter and less disease-stricken, he argues. 

Of course, most of us are already trying to cut down on processed foods if not grains specifically and many researchers argue that our ancestors were, in fact, largely vegetarians.  But the truth is the Paleo diet allows for any type of fruit or vegetable while disallowing dairy or grains, which has been found to cause inflammation, at the heart of most disease.

And Paleo needn’t be based on a diet of red meat: followers can opt for fish, eggs, and chicken. And they should, according to John Bagnulo, PhD, MPH, who teaches nutrition in Kripalu’s Healthy Living programs since red meat has been linked to cancer and heart disease. 

The key of course is becoming conscious of what you eat and realizing that diet is a significant contributor to your overall health and wellness.  E-mail us and plan on attending our upcoming Eat Right workshop on February 26^th to learn more!

Wishing you Health, Happiness, Vitality, & Longevity,

Dr David Rowe

Omega-3 for a Sharp Mind

A recent study published in the Journal of Neurology presented compelling evidence that Omega-3 is essential to keeping your mind sharp, particularly in the latter years.

Blood levels taken of 1,575 dementia free adults, whose average age was 67, showed a high correlation between superior visual and abstract memory and elevated levels of Omega-3.  “We feel that omega-3’s reduce vascular pathology and thus reduce the rate of brain aging,” said Dr. Zaldy S. Tan, the lead author of the study and associate professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Add to this Omega-3’s heart protective qualities and you might well wonder if you have adequate levels in your system.  From a dietary standpoint, flax seeds, walnuts and sardines are your best bet, as well as fatty fish such as anchovies, herring, and salmon.  But to insure you are sufficiently protected, the American Heart Association recommends taking a 1000mg daily dose of Omega-3 supplements.  Many practitioners feel that this is still not enough recommending doses as high as 4000MG/day for an adult men.

At Rowe Chiropractic Offices, you can pick up superior quality Omega-3 supplements in liquid or gel cap form or if easier, order through our website.

As always, wishing you a lifetime of health, happiness, vitality, and longevity.

Yours in health,

Dr. David Rowe 

Ask Dr Rowe

Tags: Omega-3, Gonstead, Rowe Chiropractic, AHA, brain health

Source:  
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/health/research/omega-3-fatty-acid-levels-linked-to-brain-performance.html?scp=1&sq=omega%203&st=cse

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartHealth/story?id=8240586#.T02XP3miaUU

Welcome!

Welcome to Dr Rowe’s blog The Optimal Health Guide and thanks for stopping by!

Good health is the most precious gift we could possess, yet staying healthy takes know-how and commitment. It begins with a healthy spine but that alone is not enough. The choices you make about food, exercise, stress management, even your relationships affect your vitality and long term health. That’s what The Optimal Health Guide is here for - to provide information, insights, news and tips to keep you on track and maximize your well being. 

Every week, we’ll be posting articles that teach you how to -

•  Eat Right - what you eat matters and we’ll feature the best foods to choose, how to shop and prepare, supplements that make a difference

•  Move Right - exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, affecting not just your body but your mind as well; we’ll cover safe ways to move at any age

•  Think Right - most people are aware that excessive stress causes dis-ease and illness but many feel overwhelmed by the situations that trigger it.  We’ll show you how slight shifts in your perspective can enable you to manage whatever life brings

•  Nourish your Spine - you know having proper spinal alignment is important but do  you know why? It’s a fascinating science and we’ll show and tell why it matters

•  Nurture your Relationships - last but not least, humans need each other and finding ways to build new friendships and relish the ones we have is a core component to a healthy lifestyle

If there are specific topics you’d like to learn more about, please email info@rowechiropractic.com  and we’ll add that to our menu. 

Thanks for visiting and please share your thoughts in our comments section.

Yours in health,

Dr. David Rowe