It’s important to remember that vitamin D3 is formed from exposure to UVB rays, whereas UVA radiation actually destroys vitamin D. This helps keep your body in balance; it’s one of the protective mechanisms your body has to avoid overdosing on vitamin D when you’re outside. However, when you’re exposed to sunlight through windows — in your office, your home or your car — you get the UVA but virtually none of the beneficial UVB.

This can lead to significant health problems, because in addition to destroying vitamin D3, UVA’s also increase oxidative stress. UVA is one of the primary culprits behind skin cancer, and it increases photo aging of your skin. It’s also what causes you to tan. You can actually get vitamin D without significantly darkening your skin, because the UVB wavelength does not stimulate the melanin pigment to produce a tan.

Normally, of course, when you get tanned from outdoor sun exposure you’re getting both UVA and UVB at the same time, so it’s not a problem. But when you are indoors and expose yourself to sunlight filtered through window glass, you are increasing your risk of a variety of conditions, primarily skin cancer, because the UVA’s are effectively destroying your vitamin D3 levels while you’re getting none of the benefits from UVB, and this can significantly increase your risk of skin cancer. This is one of the reasons why many that drive long hours in their cars develop skin cancer on the arm next to the car window.

Dr. Matt Hunt maintains a chiropractic office at 10020-A S. Mingo Rd Tulsa, Oklahoma. Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/huntspinalcare or like Hunt Spinal Care on facebook.

Source: www.mercola.com Little Sunshine Mistakes that Can Give You Cancer Instead of Vitamin D

Nutrition: Eat healthy and eat often to control blood sugar levels. When you wait long periods between meals, you have a spike of a hormone known as insulin. This hormone controls how fast sugar enters your bloodstream after eating. Big surges in insulin occur when you wait too long between meals which may increase stress on your body chemistry. You can get cravings and mood swings. Eating only three meals a day is insufficient in keeping this delicate balance of hormones in check. It is recommended to eat three meals a day, mixed in with 2-3 healthy snacks. You will notice a renewed sense of energy and vitality with regular feedings.

Mental: Take some “me” time every morning before you start the day. Use this time to reflect on yesterday and plan out today’s events. With the craziness of non-stop information overload in today’s society it’s more important than ever to take quiet moments. Set your alarm 15-minutes early and wake up to silence. Do not turn on the television or open the newspaper. You may find that problems which have plagued you suddenly become more manageable and put into perspective. When was the last time you sat in a room without white noise all around? Try it and see what happens.

Physical: Learning how to breathe with your diaphragm takes some practice, but in time it will become second nature. Practice the following technique on a daily basis for 3-5minutes. Lie on your back, putting a pillow support under your knees to relax your lower back. Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Slowly inhale through your nose and make sure the only hand to move is the one on your abdomen. Try to keep the hand on your chest as still as possible. Exhale through pursed lips and repeat. You may become temporarily lightheaded after your first few, but this is a normal response to the increase in oxygen uptake by the body. Do this before bed time and you will have a more restful sleep leading increased recovery and regeneration.

You do have power over your body. Simple changes in your life to help reduce stress can have a profound impact on your health. Take back control of your life from pain. Empower yourself to feel good again mentally and physically. Start with the simple strategies above and when you feel the positive difference you will want more for yourself.

To decrease the stress in your life, talk to your chiropractor about your concerns.

Never underestimate your body’s inborn ability to heal itself.  Dr. Matt Hunt maintains a chiropractic office at 10020-A S. Mingo Rd Tulsa, Oklahoma. Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/huntspinalcare or like Hunt Spinal Care on facebook.

Source: www.toyourhealth.com By Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA

Let’s take a look at some of those along with ways on how to prevent neck pain from occurring on a daily basis.

One of the first places to start prevention of neck pain is in the bedroom where you spend most nights asleep – often in the wrong position, which may be contributing to ongoing neck pain.

Here are some tips to make sure you are protecting yourself from neck pain while napping and sleeping throughout the night:

• Sleep on your side or your back with a pillow that can support your neck. Look for pillows that offer built-in neck support. When sleeping on your side make sure to keep your neck supported with a high pillow.
• Use memory foam pillows or cervical pillows that can help your neck to adjust properly and avoid neck pain in the morning.
• Try to keep your head leveled when sleeping upright making sure you don’t keep your neck to one side the whole time.
• Get enough sleep and rest – Make sure to talk to your chiropractor if you are having Sleeping problems such as difficulty falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking early in the mornings, and non-restorative sleep. People with these issues are more likely to develop chronic musculoskeletal pain.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, tracked 272 patients with recent-onset neck pain who were treated using three different methods:

1. Medication
2. Exercise
3. A Chiropractor

After 12 weeks the patients who used a chiropractor or exercised were more than twice as likely to be pain free compared to those who relied on medicine.

The patients treated by a chiropractor experienced the highest rate of success with 32 percent saying they were pain free, compared to 30 percent of those who exercised. Only 13 percent of patients treated with medication said they no longer experienced pain.

“Doesn’t surprise me a bit,” Dr. Lee Green, professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan told ABC News. “Neck pain is a mechanical problem, and it makes sense that mechanical treatment works better than a chemical one.”

Dr. John Messmer who specializes in family medicine at Penn State College of Medicine agrees.

“I always prescribe exercises and/or physical therapy for neck pain,” he wrote. “I also tell patients that the exercises are the treatment and the drugs are for the symptoms.”

The exercises prescribed to patients in the study were simple and designed to be performed at home with the help of instructional photos.

Source: abcnewsgo.com By Ben Forer

Vitamin C: As you probably already know, a daily dose of vitamin C is one of your easiest and most effective weapons against illness. Vitamin C’s profound ability to protect cells from free radical damage can help lower your risk of various diseases and conditions, while improving iron absorption to promote healthy blood cells. Dietary sources: Fruits and vegetables, particularly cantaloupe, citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, green and red peppers, tomatoes and winter squash.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone the body creates naturally from diet and sunlight. It is vital for maintaining a strong immune system, regulating inflammation, assisting in calcium absorption, and decreasing the risk of chronic diseases. Since vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and enables normal mineralization of bone, it is needed for healthy bone growth and remodeling. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle or misshapen.

Vitamin E helps to prevent blockages in the coronary arteries. Additionally, vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to protect the liver, which can metabolize and excrete some forms of vitamin E. Antioxidants such as vitamin E effectively protect cells from free-radical damage, which contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and other serious health conditions.Dietary sources: Nuts, seeds, vegetables oils (soybean, canola, etc.), green leafy vegetables.

Remember to talk to your health care provider if you are considering taking any of these vitamins as supplements so they can recommend an appropriate dosage.

Besides avoiding foods that may trigger your allergy, there are a number of foods that can be helpful for calming down allergy symptoms.

Consider the following:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: According to Mother Earth News, a German study published in the journal Allergy found people who have diets rich in of omega-3 fatty acids suffer from fewer allergy symptoms. A second study in Sweden found that children who regularly ate fish prior to age one had much lower allergies by age four.
• Probiotics: In a 2008 study, researchers discovered that people who took probiotics throughout allergy season had lower levels of an antibody that triggered allergy symptoms. Other researchers found evidence that giving probiotics to newborns and mothers-to-be may help prevent childhood allergies.
• Vitamin D: insufficient vitamin D levels have been linked to more severe asthma and allergies in children. Vitamin D has also been found to reduce allergic responses to mold.
• Hot peppers: Hot chili peppers, horseradish, and hot mustards work as natural decongestants. In fact, a nasal spray containing capsaicin (derived from hot peppers) significantly reduced nasal allergy symptoms in a 2009 study.
• Locally produced honey: Many believe that consuming locally produced honey, which contains pollen spores picked up by the bees from your local plants, can act as a natural “allergy vaccine.” By introducing a small amount of allergen into your system (from eating the honey), your immune system is activated and over time can build up your natural immunity against it. Just be careful to consume honey moderately as it’s high in fructose.

Other Tips For Making Allergy Season a Breeze

You may want to consider the purchase of an air purifier. Air purification will result in lower levels of allergens circulating around your home or office. We sell a high quality air purification unit in our office.

One of the best things you can do to reduce your allergy symptoms naturally is exercise. In a 12-year long German study, sedentary children had more than twice the rates of hay fever as active children.

In one study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, acupuncture reportedly reduced allergy symptoms in ALL 26 participants. In a second study, just two acupuncture treatments totally eliminated symptoms in more than half of the participants.

Lastly, remember to keep your vehicle and building windows closed on high-pollen days, especially in the mornings before 10 am when pollen levels are normally highest. Similarly, avoid using window fans when pollen levels are high. Pollen levels are also worse on dry and/or windy days. If you must do yard work, wearing a mask might be helpful. If you enjoy hanging clothing or sheets outside to dry, you may want to avoid this during allergy season as spores and pollen can cling to fabric and end up right next to your body, triggering symptoms.

A Few Things to AVOID…

• Avoid chlorinated pools and hot tubs if you have allergies or asthma.
• Want to clean your air ducts? Don’t bother. Instead, put the money toward a good air purifier.
• Although the findings are preliminary, they suggest that microwave radiation may somehow make allergic responses worse.

Never underestimate your body’s inborn ability to heal itself.  Dr. Matt Hunt maintains a chiropractic office at 10020-A S. Mingo Rd Tulsa, Oklahoma. Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/huntspinalcare or like Hunt Spinal Care on facebook.

Source: Mercola.com Enormously Useful Allergy Treatment – With Virtually No Side Effects

• Turn the corners of your mouth up. Exercise can be enjoyable – not a chore – when you enter into it with a bit of joy … even if you have to fake it at first!
• Think “wellness” rather than “weight loss.” Finding your ideal body weight should be a by-product of a bigger achievement, wellness. (And, by the way, this weight loss is the “good” kind, the kind that stays off.)
• Remember it’s not all or nothing. Even just 10 minutes of movement can make a difference.
• Mix it up. Doing the same thing everyday is boring for your mind and your body – they want variety, so give it to them. Try salsa one day, yoga the next.
• Have options. That’s why exercise DVDs are so ideal. You can do them anytime and anywhere. If you were planning on hiking with your dog, but a Noreaster has hit town, or if you slept through your alarm and missed the 6am spin class, you’re not out of luck. Pop in a DVD.

Source: Spa Magazine

1. Celery

This veggie is not the richest in vitamins and minerals, but it still has value as a low-calorie, high-water content snack that fills you up without bulking you up. Carla Fynan, RD, a nutritionist at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., recommends adding peanut butter for a bit of protein and healthy monounsaturated fat. Rinsing and scrubbing celery may help somewhat, but celery’s thin skin lets pesticides penetrate all the way through, so you’re really better off choosing celery from the organic fruits and vegetables section of your grocer. Non-organic alternatives include broccoli, radishes, and onions.

2 Peaches

This sweet, delicious fruit is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. It also has a laxative and cleansing effect on the bowels and is easy for the elderly to digest, says Marvin Kunikiyo, DC, author of the natural health book, Revolutionizing Your Health. You can peel peaches to rid them of some pesticides, but that does away with valuable nutrients, and the skin is so thin that many pesticides penetrate the fruit anyway. Therefore, organic food is really the best choice for this member of the dirty dozen. Non-organic alternatives: watermelon, oranges, grapefruit.

3. Strawberries

With their rich color and delicious flavor, strawberries are positively teeming with antioxidants, including vitamins A and C. Fynan says they are also low in calories and great with any number of dishes (salads and cereals) or on their own. You can’t peel a strawberry and rinsing doesn’t do much, so spending a few dollars for the organic food version is a good idea. Non-organic alternatives: kiwi, pineapples.

4. Apples

You might think that peeling an apple would be the best way to rid it of pesticides, but that peel is a treasure trove of valuable nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and an antioxidant called quercetin. Instead, rinse and scrub the apple thoroughly or buy organic food to ensure avoiding contaminants from this member of the dirty dozen. Non-organic alternatives: bananas, tangerines.

5. Blueberries

These tiny berries are antioxidant powerhouses, with a higher antioxidant level than any other fruit or vegetable according to studies. Unfortunately, up to 13 different pesticides have been detected on a single sample of non-organic blueberries, says Amy Hess-Fischl, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator on staff at the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center. Choose organic blueberries even if you’re on a limited budget when you buy organic food. Non-organic alternative: raspberries.

Divided into two groups of 20 participants each, the women received a daily supplement of 30ml (about two tablespoons) of either soybean oil or coconut oil. They also followed a balanced low-calorie diet, and walked for 50 minutes per day.

The coconut oil group presented:

• Increased levels of HDL (good cholesterol)
• Decreased LDL/HDL ratio
• Reduced waist circumference/abdominal obesity

The soybean oil group presented:

• Increased total cholesterol
• Increased LDL (bad cholesterol)
• Increased LDL/HDL ratio
• Decreased HDL (good cholesterol)
• No reduction in waist circumference/abdominal obesity

The authors concluded:

“It appears that dietetic supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia [an abnormal amount of cholesterol and/or fat in your blood] and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity.”

Today, soybean oil makes up 68 percent of the vegetable oils and fats consumed by Americans.

Source: www.mercola.com The Amazing Oil That Trims Women’s Waistlines

Most people don’t think twice about taking a couple of Tylenols when they have a headache or backache, given that this medicine is so widely available over-the-counter. It is in more than 200 products ranging from cold medicine for kids to extra-strength pain relievers and allergy relief for adults.

Just because a medication is easy to obtain doesn’t mean it’s harmless, and acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol products, is a perfect example of this.  Up to 100 million Americans take acetaminophen every year, and most of them are probably completely unaware that doing so may increase their risk of cancer.

Acetaminophen Linked to Blood Cancer

A new study involving researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle revealed that chronic acetaminophen users had nearly twice the risk of developing blood cancer.

Chronic, “high” acetaminophen use raised the cancer risk from about 1 percent to 2 percent — but still significant enough to raise serious safety concerns. Further, the definition of “high” use was using acetaminophen at least four times a week for at least four years — an amount that numerous Americans could easily exceed without even realizing it. A large part of what makes acetaminophen so dangerous is that it’s found in so many products; it’s actually the most widely used painkiller in the United States.

And of course, polypharmacy (the use of multiple medications) is common among Americans.

When many people have a cold, headache or other ache or pain, they don’t just take two Tylenol and leave it at that. Many people double or triple-up, taking multiple OTC and prescription medications, all of which may contain acetaminophen. So it’s actually very easy to overdose on acetaminophen, and doing so is clearly linked to health problems.

Do You Think Tylenol is Harmless?

It is a widely held myth that Tylenol is an innocuous, perfectly safe option for pain relief.   In case you weren’t aware, acetaminophen use is the NUMBER ONE cause of acute liver failure in the United States.

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states:

” … taking more than the recommended amount [of acetaminophen] can cause liver damage, ranging from abnormalities in liver function blood tests, to acute liver failure, and even death.”

So taking too much acetaminophen not only raises your risk of cancer, it also could result in liver failure or death. But, what’s even more important to know is that a risk is present even with “normal” use, as Tylenol can harm your liver even at regular recommended doses. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that up to 40 percent of people who took four grams of Tylenol (or eight extra-strength Tylenol tablets) every day for two weeks had abnormal test results that signaled liver damage.

A separate study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine also found that regular use of acetaminophen was harmful. They linked it to higher rates of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as reduced lung function.

Long-term Tylenol use has also been linked to brain damage, increased blood pressure and kidney failure; about 15 percent of the people on dialysis today are there as a result of the damage that Tylenol (and/or aspirin) did to their kidneys.

Never underestimate your body’s inborn ability to heal itself.  Dr. Matt Hunt maintains a chiropractic office at 10020-A S. Mingo Rd Tulsa, Oklahoma. Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/huntspinalcare or like Hunt Spinal Care on facebook.

Source: Mercola.com This Common OTC Painkiller Found Linked to Cancer