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November 2008
In this issue:
Message
Fish to Avoid If Trying to Reduce Inflammation
Stuffed Apples
Special Office Hours in November & December
MESSAGE
Happy Fall! Can you believe how chilly it's gotten already?? Time to hunker down for colder weather to come. And that means taking care of your health in important ways to prevent colds and flus.
Here's what you can do:
- WASH YOUR HANDS (and your child's) frequently. One sure fire way to prevent the transmission of disease is through simple good hygiene.
- Disinfect! This includes common items like: telephone handsets (especially if you share them at work and home), door knobs, toys, etc.
- Change linens (towels, pillow cases and sheets) more often -- and especially if someone in your home is sick.
- Throw away your Halloween candy! All of the sweets between Halloween and Easter suppress the immune system.
- Remember your multi-vitamin? Take it! And consider supplementing with a little extra vitamin C and fish oils which are rich in vitamin A (which is anti-viral, by the way).
- Reduce your intake of dairy products. They stimulate the body to make mucous which can make a mighty fine breeding ground for
bacteria and viruses.
- Get more rest. When you sleep, your body can get to the business of healing. So, skip late night television (most of it is negative junk anyway) and get some shut eye.
- Skip the flu shot and take better care of your natural immunity which is your greatest ally against illness (check out
this
article: and pick up informational articles in our office).
- Keep a box of Ossillococcinum (AH-sih-lo-coks-ih-num) (a homeopathic clinically shown to reduce the severity and length of the flu) on hand just in case you do get sick. It's a wonderful natural remedy which really works. It's available in healthfood stores and even many pharmacies.
- Get ADJUSTED!!! Adjustments are shown to help increase your natural immunity by up to 60%. Studies have also shown that adjustments may help lower fevers quickly (Fysh, 2002)
In fact on this last note, it always gives me a chuckle when parents call me to say they need to cancel their appointment because their child is sick. It's very well-intentioned because mostly parents don't want me to get sick, but please remember that treating people who aren't feeling well IS WHAT WE DO!! So, unless troublesome symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea won't let you leave the house, keep your appointment! You just never know how waking up the nervous system may help a child (or an adult!) get well.
Happy Fall Y'All!
Dr. Erica
Fish to Avoid If Trying to Reduce Inflammation.
Most of us are aware that fish consumption is promoted as a healthy choice for heart disease and other inflammatory diseases. The main reason for this is the content of anti-inflammatory omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids that are present in greater amounts than the pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. In a recent study, the n-6:n-3 ratios were measured in the common fish we consume(1). It is generally agreed that a 1-2:1 ratio is the best for human beings. The fish tested included Mahi-mahi, skate, blue fin tuna, triggerfish, monkfish, red snapper, wahoo, grouper, corvine, tuna, bronzini, toothfish, haddock, cod, hake, halibut, sole, flounder, croakers, perch, black bass, swordfish, escolar, sockeye salmon, Copper River salmon, Coho salmon, farmed Atlantic salmon, farmed trout, farmed tilapia, and farmed catfish.
Only bronzini, farmed catfish and farmed tilapia had excessive n-6 levels, with tilapia having the highest levels. In the case of tilapia ratios of arachidonic acid to eicospentaenoic acid (EPA) were measured. Arachidonic acid (n-6) is the precursor of prostaglandin E-2 (PGE-2), which is the most infamous of the pr o-inflammatory prostaglandins. In this regarding, consider that the reason for taking prescription and non-prescription anti-inflammatory drugs is to inhibit the conversion of arachidonic acid into PGE-2. In contrast to arachidonic acid (AA), EPA is the precursor of PGE-3 and 18R-resolvin, both of which are anti-inflammatory compared to PGE-2. Accordingly, we can envision inflammation being properly regulated if there is an 1:1 ratio of AA to EPA.
It was determined by Weaver et al(1) that the average ratio of AA to EPA was 11:1 for farm raised tilapia. The authors made the following dietary recommendation and compa rative statement regarding the pro-inflammatory nature of farmed tilapia(1): "For individuals who are eating fish as a method to control inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, it is clear from these numbers that tilapia is not a good choice. All other nutritional content aside, the inflammatory potential of hamburger and pork bacon is lower than the average serving of farmed tilapia." We now know that the build up of arachidonic acid in human tissues is associated with numerous diseases including osteoarthritis(2), endometriosis(3), osteoporosis(4), heart disease(5), and brain cancer(6). I was recently provided with an interesting anecdote concerning farmed-raised fish.
A friend of a chiropractic colleague owns a fish farm and he discovered that the best way to keep birds from preying on fish was to feed the fish excessive amounts of grains. The ratio of n-6:n-3 in grains averages about 20:1, suggesting that the fish were too inflamed for the birds to risk dive-bombing in for a meal. If only we were as smart as these wild birds.
By: David R. Seaman, DC, MS
Dr. Seaman can be reached at deflame@deflame.com.
Stuffed Apples
Looking for some exciting new dessert items for Thanksgiving or any Holiday get together? Try these awesome stuffed apples to share with your entire family!!
Makes 4 servings POINTS value | 5 per apple Here's a Flex Plan-friendly fall dessert that you can make ahead by letting the apples cool to room temperature.
Ingredients:
4 medium baking apples, such as Rome, Cortland or McIntosh
2 tsp lemon juice
10 pitted prunes, finely chopped
(5 ounces) 4 Tbsp walnut pieces, finely chopped
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Instructions:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Use a melon baller to corethe apples; you want to remove the core and seeds, leaving enough room for the stuffing. Start at the top by the stem and scoop down into the flesh, pulling up the core and hollowing out the apple without breaking through the sides or the bottom. Leave at least 1/2 inch apple flesh at the bottom.
Rub the lemon juice over the exposed apple flesh.
Mix the prunes, walnuts, honey and cinnamon in a small bowl; stuff a quarter of the mixture into each apple.
Set apples in a 9-inch baking dish or other small roasting pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together water and orange juice, and pour over the apples. Bake until soft, basting often with the pan juices, about 1 hour.
Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
Modifications:
Store them covered for up to four hours or refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat the apples in a microwave on high for about 25 seconds.
Special Office Hours in November & December
November we will be closed on Thursday November 27th for Thanksgiving.
Our Sunday hours in November will be:
November 9 & November 23
December we will be closed on December 11- December 19.
We will also be closed on December 24 - January 2
Our Sunday hours in December will be:
December 7 & December 21
To schedule an appointment call us at 703-383-1630 or you can schedule an appoint
online.
Thanks for tuning in, friends. I wish you and your family a happy healthy fall and a blessed Thanksgiving, enjoy the Holiday's and have a very Happy New Year
Sincerely,
Erica Statman
Maimonides Chiropractic
Save 10%!
Help fight off the flu the natural way this fall!
10% off of EPA-DHA (Essential Fatty Acids) between now and Christmas!!
Offer Expires: December 25, 2008
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