When we talk about chiropractic and the particular lifestyle a chiropractor in Lansing, Michigan would recommend, proper nutrition is often mentioned. Fresh fruits and vegetables are keys to any successful diet. The Acai berry, grown in the Brazilian rainforest, is the “in” ingredient and exotic flavor that’s sweeping the country. The question is why? When poured, its deep purple in color and it’s that rich color that holds all the antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and thus prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. The acai berry is super high in antioxidants and all the other stuff that promotes health. They even says its anti-mutagenic which means, everybody is getting DNA damage everyday because of radiation and oxidative stress and there’s a lot of evidence that the berries like this can really help prevent that damage which can eventually prevent many problems such as neck pain and back pain. These types of symptoms could be caused by biochemical stress such as bad nutrition or physical stress.
Dietary Tips
A Good Diet Equals Healthy Living
In order to live a healthy lifestyle, there are some essential nutrients which need to be present in your diet. A good chiropractor will also include a diet plan in his treatments to reduce the risk of disease. Here are some dietary tips you can use to improve your health.
Avoid Junk Food
Avoid junk foods with low nutritional values and additives such as artificial flavoring and coloring, as most of them contain chemicals that your body isn’t familiar with and can cause certain problems such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and irritable bowel movements.
Eat Foods with Good Nutritional Values
Let’s suppose a person has a calorie requirement of 1600 calories a day. He can either get these calories from healthy foods with good nutritional values, such as beans, vegetables or salads, or he can get them through unhealthy foods such as bagels, donuts or junk food. The calorie requirement is the same but he would be getting a more nutritious diet by choosing the former option, thus making him healthier.
Add Unrefined and Uncooked Foods in Your Diet
Natural foods contain relatively more nutrients as compared to their refined counterparts. For example, refined flour lacks the fiber and other nutrients that whole grain contains. Cooking can also destroy many of the beneficial nutrients in food, so it is important to add some raw fruits and vegetables in your diet to balance out the nutrient requirement.
Avoid Fried Food Items
Though they may seem tempting, a high consumption of fried foods can directly lead to certain health problems such as high cholesterol and heart problems. If you live a busy lifestyle which doesn’t give you time to exercise, fried foods can also cause obesity.
Don’t Use Too Much Salt and Sugar
Too much salt results in high blood pressure, increasing the likelihood of developing health problems. High levels of sugar can also increase the risk of diabetes. Try to reduce the amount of salt or sugar you use in food items.
Ask Your Chiropractor for Advice
As most chiropractors have information on nutritional requirements, you can ask your chiropractor to advise you further on what you should include and what you should exclude from your diet. A chiropractor can also formulate you a proper diet plan which you can follow to stay healthy.
Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: A Matched Set by Tony Alter
Dr. Dennis Walk / Run For Health and Wellness
Innate Chiropractic practice members are welcome to join me each and every Tuesday morning so that we can all be in better shape, to make new friends, and maybe just run or walk for better fitness! Some of us are just starting an exercise program; others have been exercising for a while. But regardless of the specifics, we all share one common goal – to have fun.
This is a non-intimidating environment, and I really do motivate people to get fit and have fun.
The general format of Run/Walk for Wellness is as follows:
- An organized training run or walk each Tuesday morning with a group of runners or walkers whose training pace is similar to yours.
- A short 15-20 minute seminar on injury prevention, stretching, nutrition or other topics related to distance training each Tuesday to help you learn the fundamentals of successfully improving your fitness. The seminars will be held prior to our run or walk.
Dr. Dennis’ Run/Walk for Wellness works because it follows the successful format of the USA Fit program which has been refined and improved since it began in 1989. The USA Fit programs have improved the health, fitness and wellness of thousands of people each year throughout the USA, Canada and around the world. Dr. Dennis is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as an Exercise Leader. Come out and join us and see for yourself right here in Lansing, Michigan.
Tuesday’s at 7:00 AM. Please meet me at the 7-11 on Jolly and Aurelius.
