Archive for the ‘health and fitness’ Category
Lifelong Health May Mean Staying Out of the Sun!
As a chiropractor who believes that health and longevity include exercise, nutrition, a clean environmental, and chiropractic for health, I feel a need to warn you that if you’re looking for lifelong health fitness, you better run for the shade and fast! According to new FDA sunscreen guidelines, sunshine is definitely not safe…especially if you’ve been using the old tried-and-true sunblocks. Now, sunscreens will have to undergo testing to make sure that the product protects against both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B light, In which case it will be labeled as “broad spectrum.” Such terms as “sun block,” “waterproof” and “sweat proof” are banned because they give people a false sense security. “Water resistant” sunscreen will still be available, but it must disclose how long it works for and how effective it is. Products that don’t resist water, be it sweat, the pool, the ocean, etc.), will now have a disclaimer that will warm you about using the sunscreen and its lack of protection if you should get wet. And, all sunscreens will have to provide instructions to reapply every two hours for protection.
To be honest, however, I’ve never felt “secure” using most of the sunscreens that have been on the market anyway. In fact, just a year ago a report was leaked claiming sunscreens could possibly increase the speed at which malignant cells develop and spread cancer. Yikes, give me a big umbrella or the shade of an old apple tree. My sun worshipping days are behind me! But, that said, the announcement did reiterate that using protection is safer than any potential risks caused by ingredients in sunscreen. As far as I’m concerned, it often seems as if we’re having to choose between the “lesser of two evils” when it comes to our health! I’m looking forward to the day we can all expect lifelong health from being out in the great outdoors where the ozone layer, once impacted by human indifference, has been regenerated and we won’t need to call upon the artificial protection from what should be a healthy part of Nature.
But that seems to conflict this most recent urging to cover up at all costs. If you make the decision to follow the newly released FDA guidelines, it is important to seek out good sources of Vitamin D from your diet or take additional supplements.
The regulations go into effect in 2012. Expect to start seeing the new labels by then. Manufactures have a year to comply. The FDA is giving smaller companies up to two years.
Chiropractic for Health Includes a Healthy Lifestyle
The best doctors’ therapy, whether they be doctors of medicine or alternative health, is a good, healthy diet. As many people are beginning to discover, the more natural a person eats, that is to say, the less processed foods and artificially enhanced foods, the healthier a person is going to be (period). And, eating well keeps a person at a healthy weight and, therefore, prevents many weight-related diseases such as cardio-vascular diseases and even cancer. That’s right, according to recent research, losing weight can help reduce a person’s cancer risk and losing weight eating the right kinds of food can reduce it even further.
The Mediterranean-style diet, for instance, not only promotes a life-long dedication to good nutrition, but includes foods that build a strong immune system, are easily digested, and provide natures own health therapies, like: Plenty of fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods; using herbs and spices, instead of salt, to flavor foods; eating fish and poultry, while limiting red meat and alcohol consumption; and, using healthy fats like olive oil and canola oil, rather than butter.
Add whole grains and beans, and a regular exercise to this type of healthy eating, and a person will likely find themselves not only free of heart disease and cancer, but less likely to be laid up with colds and the flu!
So, eat your vegetables and fruit, munch on those grains, choose fish and fowl over red meat, and get moving in your life, and you may not only live a good, long life, but a long life of good health!