First of all, if you are someone who reads my Ventura chiropractic blogs, then you know that as your Ventura Chiropractor I am a passionate advocate of living a healthy lifestyle that, as I’ve written so many times, includes a healthy diet, good hydration, plenty of exercise and, of course, regular chiropractic care!  In addition, I’m sure that if you are someone who is already concerned about your health, you don’t get your diet and nutrition guidelines from watching television. We all know that most TV advertisements that are about food, especially “convenience” food, are meant to sell, sell, sell, whether or not the product is actually good for you. That said, it always nice to take a moment to reflect on just how “unhealthy” TV ads can be. So, I read with great interest an article today in the

Taping 28 days of prime-time TV (as well as Saturday-morning programming) on the four major broadcast networks, researchers identified 800 foods promoted in 3,000 ads. Then, using a nutritional software program, they analyzed the content of the items, comparing the foods’ nutritional values with the government’s food guide pyramid and recommended daily intake values for various nutrients (based on a 2,000 calories per day diet).

Are you ready for this?  Not only would a 2,000-calorie diet made up solely of foods from commercials provide too much cholesterol, saturated fat and salt, and not nearly enough nutrients like iron, calcium or vitamins A, D and E, just one advertised food item by itself would provide, on average, three times a person’s daily recommended servings of sugar and two and half times the daily recommended servings of fat.

The study will be published this month in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

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Though it is unclear how most U.S. men and women feel about gastric bypass surgery versus losing weight by adopting a healthy lifestyle, since Americans tend to have the most overweight people, per capita, than any other country, it is safe to say that a new poll conducted in Briton might also apply to attitudes in this country. The new British poll suggests that more than half of Britons would rather shift excess weight through drastic surgery than diet or exercise. More women than men, in fact, see weight-loss operations as the key to quick results.

As a chiropractor, I find these poll numbers very unfortunate. Weight-loss is, of course, very important for a person’s overall health — from helping to avoid cardio-vascular disease and diabetes to preventing the degenerative and often debilitating changes in the musculoskeletal system that occur as the body attempts to compensate for excess weight. I work with people every day who are experiencing debilitating and unnecessary back, hip, and knee pain as the result of the excess weight their body is attempting to carry around. Do these people need to lose weight? Yes, of course, but often these very same people have a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, both of which impact the quality of their health, including organic function, oxygen and nutrient distribution, and mobility and energy, all of which will eventually affect their longevity.

Overall, 26 per cent of women said they never exercise and would rather endure the discomfort of surgery than visit a gym once a week. Though this is not a majority by any means, it is still an unfortunate number of women who do not understand that 1) weight-loss surgery has serious risks and should only be considered when all other healthier means have been attempted and failed, and 2) the only way to genuinely get healthy and stay that way, in addition to weight loss is to eat a healthy diet (a balanced, nutritious) and have regular physical exercise (30 minutes at least five days a week).

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Let’s face it, wherever there’s a musculoskeletal system, just as in the human body, there’s the likelihood of musculoskeletal dysfunction such as lower back pain and neck pain, pain in the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints, and ankle and foot pain. No one is immune from misalignment of the spine and joint inflammation, even though numerous health issues are often the outcome of sports injuries, accidents, and the aging process. Irrespective of the origin, any type of movement on a traumatized spot of the body can not only lead to more pain or suffering, but plenty of down time and inactivity. And, of course, particular musculoskeletal problems, if left untreated, can result in permanent disability.

It has been said of chiropractic care that its “pros surpass” merely eliminating a specific condition. Actually, a patient who comes in to see a chiropractor for back pain, for example, not only gains from pain relief, but also from improved circulation, a lowering or elimination of lactic acid, easier travel of oxygen and nutrients within the body, much more flexibility, less general pain and soreness, better recuperation time, a more tranquil experience, and the reduction of future injury! Is it any wonder why chiropractic care has become the treatment of choice for so many people?

Besides delivering experienced musculoskeletal treatment, chiropractors also provide education and counseling as it pertains to improving your total health and wellness. Chiropractors understand that in order for you to get healthy and stay that way, it is important for you to choose a simple health-oriented lifestyle, especially drinking lots of water to keep the body hydrated, following a nutritious diet program, and establishing a regular stretching and exercise routine.

Chiropractic treatment isn’t going to quite work “miracles, ” however it comes very close in quite a few areas that will possibly surprise you. For instance, chiropractic care can help pregnant women give birth more easily. It can sharpen the developmental capabilities of babies, like enhanced motor skills, and often prevent scoliosis. Chiropractic adjustments for kids can help decrease asthma discomforts, ear infections, even bed-wetting. Besides the positive factors just mentioned, consistent chiropractic management can help adults to feel more vital and dynamic, which consequently increases productivity. And, then finally, for maturing baby boomers and the senior population, not only can chiropractic care help to reduce age-related challenges and assist in keeping an individual more lively in later years, it can also lessen the balance problems that commonly bring about critical injury from falls.

If you’re currently visiting a chiropractor, that’s great! You have no doubt already experienced any number of the health benefits mentioned above. In that case, why not enlighten your friends and members of your family about chiropractic? Don’t let someone you care about fall victim to the kind of misinformation pertaining to chiropractic care that will keep them from living their day more completely. Tell a friend or family member to give Dr. Alff, your chiropractor in Ventura, a call. They will be happy they did because he can help!

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The findings were based on data from the National health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a regularly conducted government health survey. Researchers focused on surveys conducted between 1988 and 1994 and between 2001 and 2006, which together included more than 15,000 Americans between the ages of 40 and 74. They looked at rates of five lifestyle factors involved in preventing a range of health risks: maintaining a normal weight, getting regular exercise, eating enough fruits and vegetables, not smoking, and drinking moderate amounts of alcohol.

Though the study cannot tell us why healthy lifestyle habits are on the decline, lead researcher, Dr. Dana E. King, of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, said that one reason may be that these changes are just difficult to make. “People’s increasingly hectic lives may be making it hard to fit in regular exercise, or to sit down to healthier, home-cooked meals rather than eating take-out.” He suggested some simple steps can make a difference. “It’s not hard, for example, to take some fruit to work with you, instead of going to the vending machine.” (Parking a little farther away from your destination and walking a bit can help, too.) Most importantly, Dr. King stressed that “it’s never too late” for middle-aged and older adults to make lifestyle changes for the better. In fact, in an earlier study, King and his colleagues found that when middle-aged adults newly adopted a healthier lifestyle — including regular exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables — their risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dying over the next several years fell by as much as 40 percent.

If you think about it, there aren’t many things in life that carry an “it’s never too late” guarantee. So, why not start today, no matter what your age may be? Your healthy future is depending on you!

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