Cause for Concern

Every day, we slather lotions, creams and other products on our
bodies in the name of better health and vitality. But have you
ever looked at the ingredients in these products? Do you know
whether they're safe? Recent studies suggest we should probably
be taking a closer look at what's in those bottles. Here are a
few key ingredients that are best to avoid when shopping for
cosmetics and personal care products:

Preservatives: They are added to kill bacteria and other
organisms from contaminating the product and to give it a longer
shelf life. However, many preservatives are irritants and cause
contact dermatitis. Some even release formaldehyde, a known
cancer-causing chemical.

Endocrine disruptors: Parabens, in addition to being
preservatives, are xenoestrogens or endocrine disrupters. They
disturb the hormone balance in your body. They are also skin
sensitizers and have the potential to cause allergic reactions.
They have been found in breast cancer tumors, but it is not known
if they cause breast cancer.

Fragrances: A single fragrance can be made of as many as 600
different ingredients. None of these ingredients is required to
be listed on the label. Some of the chemicals used in fragrances
are hazardous. A number of them may even cause cancer. Even
products listed as "fragrance-free" actually may have fragrance
added to mask offensive odors.

Artificial colors: Most artificial colors are derived from coal
tar, which is known to cause cancer. Generally, artificial
colors are designated either as FD&C, D&C or as a color with a
number after it, such as FD&C Red No. 40, D&C Green No. 5 or
Yellow No. 6.

Talc: Talc may contain cancer-causing contaminants. It's a
common ingredient in makeup and baby powder. Products containing
talc should never be used on the genital area or on infants and
children.

Antibacterial agents: We have become overly obsessed with killing
germs in the name of preventing illness. Antibacterial soaps are
not only unnecessary, but also harmful. Triclosan, the most
commonly used antibacterial agent, is classified as a drug by the
FDA and as a pesticide by the EPA.

MSG: Most people are aware that MSG in food causes a reaction in
some people. But did you know that MSG can be hidden in your
personal care products too? MSG is a neurotoxin and excitotoxin.
It's toxic to your nervous system and excites your brain cells to
death. You can protect yourself and your family by ensuring the
products you buy are safe and healthy. One of the best ways to
do this is to learn to read product labels, including determining
which ingredients are safe and which are not.

For more information come visit me on the web at
Anza Pain Treatment Center or check out my new Facebook page.

Putting Health Into Motion

Every single bone forms some type of joint with another bone
because joints allow us to have motion. When motion is normal at
a joint, life is good. But daily activities or injuries can
cause improper position of the bones, resulting in abnormal
movement at the joint. This can lead to problems like swelling,
pain, muscle spasms and arthritis later in life. The point is,
from head to toe, your joints occasionally need a tune-up. Let's
take a look at some of the more common trouble spots and what a
chiropractor will do to get the healing process started.

Head and Neck:
When patients have headaches, they almost always have a lack of
normal movement of their skull and the first two cervical
vertebrae (bones). By restoring alignment to these bones, muscle
tension is released. This allows blood circulation and nerve
information to flow better.

From Shoulders to Hands:
You probably know a lot of people who have shoulder injuries.
Well, our shoulder is made up of more joints than just the ball-
and-socket joint. Anyone with shoulder pain likely has one or
more of these joints that need to be realigned. Moving down the
arm, we can find elbow tendonitis (golfer's elbow, tennis elbow),
carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive-use injuries that can
cause considerable pain, swelling and muscle spasms. In general,
pain in any of these joints can be treated quite effectively with
chiropractic care.

Hips and Knees:
Hip joint arthritis is very common these days, and you might even
know someone who has had their hip replaced. When a hip is not
in good alignment, the same pattern we have talked about exists.
It can lead to lack of normal movement, arthritis and pain. And
ligament injuries in the knee and knee cap pain often arise due
to the leg bones being malpositioned.

Feet and Ankles:
Did you know we actually have three arches of the feet that are
supported mostly by a large ligament and secondarily by the bones
and muscles? When we have a collapse of these arches, which
happens in eight out of 10 people in the world, we can have a
variety of painful conditions.

The moral of this story is this:
No injury or pain is ever just muscular. You know now that
muscles attach to bones and bones make up joints everywhere in
the body. It may be the muscles giving you pain, but unless you
have the joints examined, you could be setting yourself up to
have a relapse or a flare-up down the road. Ask your
chiropractor for more information or contact me directly at
Anza Pain Treatment Center

De-Stress at Your Desk

You're at work and you need to de-stress fast, but you've only
got a few minutes because that report - and your boss - won't
wait. What can you do? Yoga to the rescue! According to the
Yoga Alliance, yoga helps improve circulation and heart health,
along with reducing oxidative stress and providing other anti-
aging benefits. And if you're overworked and overstressed, a few
minutes of yoga can help loosen those muscles and let you face
the rest of your day. Yoga teacher Denise Dunn suggests frazzled
workers try these four poses to take the edge off during a busy
day at the office:

* Side stretch.
Raise both arms and stretch first to one side
and then the other, holding the stretch for a few seconds on each
side. This increases circulation and gets your spine moving the
way it was meant to - much better than spending the entire day
hunched over a keyboard.

* Rotation.
Now slowly twist to each side. Be careful not to
twist your neck excessively, especially if you're tense. Keep
your chin lined up over your chest.

* Back arch.
Sit at the edge of your chair and put your hands
behind you. Slowly arch backward, raising your chin as you do
so. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.

* Forward fold.
Cross one leg so your ankle rests on the
opposite knee, and then lean forward gently. This is a great way
to stretch out hip and back muscles, which can tighten after
hours of sitting.

Remember, this isn't a workout; it's a gentle, peaceful break
from your stressful routine. Your doctor of chiropractic can
suggest more tips to help reduce stress and put you on the road
to better health.

For more information, please visit us at Anza Pain Treatment
Center.

A Must See Video with Bil Maher

...."Please watch this if your feel drugs aren't the answer to your pain or problem........"If you want to live a healthier life without harmful drugs, please visit Anza Pain Treatment Center"

Quick Facts About Fiber

Our traditional understanding of fiber and its nutritional benefits has been mainly in the area of regularity. Fiber keeps us regular; we know that. Despite this knowledge, however, there has been a huge discrepancy in actual fiber intake in the United States. While the recommended daily intake of fiber is 25-38 grams per day, the vast majority of Americans consume far less. But that trend is changing. Breakthrough research from as early as 1986 in the journal Gastroenterology highlighted the beneficial effects of colonic bacterial fermentation of complex carbohydrates such as fiber. Since then, multiple additional studies by leading researchers in renowned journals such as the British Journal of Nutrition and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have provided even more insights into this critical process.

Food manufacturers have obviously responded to consumers' demand for fiber and digestive-health products, and there are now more products with fiber or digestive-health claims in the marketplace. In fact, according to the global new products database, the number of new products in 2006 with a fiber descriptor on the label surpassed the number of new products with more traditional and established claims like "added calcium" or "reduced fat." Even more astounding, the number of new products with digestive-health claims introduced into the marketplace was second only to products with a vitamin fortification claim. In 2007, the term prebiotics was used on at least 54 food and beverage products, a remarkable increase from approximately 23 a year earlier.

The traditional categories for fiber were bakery or cereal products. While these products still are abundant, the discovery of new sources of soluble fibers in particular has enabled food and beverage manufacturers to add fiber to nontraditional products, such as beverages and dairy products. There are now prebiotic fibers in beverages, yogurt and bars. Dietary supplements containing prebiotic fibers also are very common.

Surveys show American consumers are actively looking for products that contain fiber. Over the past five years, the number of consumers increasing their use of fiber has risen steadily. A Health Focus Trend Report showed that in 2006, more than 42 percent of consumers reported they were actively increasing their fiber intake, while 9 percent reported increasing their use of carbohydrates that promote digestive health. And the International Food Information Council's Consumer Attitudes Survey showed that in 2007, consumers ranked fiber as a top 10 functional food, actually rating it higher than green tea. Ask your doctor for more information about the right foods to eat to promote digestive health.

For more more great tips please visit me at Anza Pain Treatment Center.

The Chiropractic Solution to Neck Pain

Neck pain is quite common, and most people simply carry on with their activities of daily living. However, about 5 percent to 10 percent of people develop debilitating symptoms. Unfortunately, even among those folks who do not have disabling pain, the majority find their neck pain is stubborn and recurrent to some degree.

The renewed interest in neck disorders among clinical researchers has
spurred some interesting studies. In the March/April issue of the
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT),
Canadian scientists have shown that arthritis in the neck might affect
balance. This could mean that in cases of poor balance or repeated
falls among the elderly, treatment of the cervical spine might have
value. This could represent a "top down" strategy, which is a bit
different from the "bottom up" approach to balance training more
commonly utilized in rehabilitation.

In the February issue of JMPT, a complementary study by New Zealand and Canadian researchers suggested spinal manipulation of the neck can relax muscles in the arms and could be useful in relaxation of the whole body. This implies anything causing tightness in the neck joints also might cause muscle pain in the arms or elsewhere. Since manipulation and manual therapy are primary treatments for neck problems, a doctor of chiropractic should be among the first providers consulted for this type of pain.

So, how fast can a patient with neck pain expect to feel better with chiropractic care? By chance, in the same March issue of JMPT, British authors studied which neck symptoms might respond the quickest to hands-on treatment. Overall, considering all possible neck area complaints, about 70 percent of patients reported immediate favorable responses to manipulation. However, if patients complained about more specific things like headaches, shoulder or arm pain, reduced arm or neck movement, neck pain, or upper or middle back pain, the percentage of those who reported immediate improvement in pain rose to an incredible 95 percent!

The moral to this story is clear: If you're experiencing neck pain and haven't scheduled an appointment with a chiropractor, you're missing the perfect opportunity to resolve your pain.

For more great pain solutions visit Anza Pain Treatment Center.