Worthington Wellness Center

Jack LaLanne

Dr. Heather Worthington — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:45:53 +0000

It is sad to say, Jack LaLanne passed away Jan. 23rd 2011 at the age of 96. However, it is great to say that he lived an amazing life and changed the “idea” of health as we know it today. LaLanne worked out daily and ate clean. He walked the talk. LaLanne established his first health club in 1936 and was criticized at the time for suggesting that weight resistance training was crucial for overall health in both men and women. Today we know that maintaining lean muscle mass is crucial for an active metabolism and resistance training helps to keep bone density in females. LaLanne was one of the first people to state that exercise can alleviate symptoms of depression and fatigue. Today we know this to be true as exercises releases endorphins and decreases cortisol levels..critical elements in both chronic fatigue and depression. LaLanne was most recently known for his Juicer which urges the public to eat whole fruits and vegetables. In a society where diet fads and chemically processed food is taking over this idea is a much-needed breath of fresh air!!! I hope you enjoyed this little blog and I will end it with a great quote from the late health guru….

“The only way you can hurt the body is not use it.” “Inactivity is the killer and, remember, it’s never too late.” – Jack LaLanne

New Year’s Resolution Jan. 2011

Dr. Heather Worthington — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:24:35 +0000

Hello All,

Health and weight loss are typically #1 on most of our resolutions! One way to achieve your goal is by setting up a nutritional consult with myself. Cost is $30 for a half hour and $60 for a full hour. I am not going to teach you something that is ground breaking in the weight loss world, but instead I am going to look at what you have been doing in your daily life and give you a schedule for change. The tips come from me but the work is 100% done by you, that is gratifying! Here is a tip that will change your life and weight-loss goals forever…Focus on being healthy not being thin!!! This is a completely different mentality. Food is a source of fuel for the body but often times it is viewed as a reward. It is basic math, we need to consume the amount of calories that we burn a day. If we consume more we will gain weight, if we consume less we will lose weight, if we consume too much less we will slow down our metabolism and break down muscle tissue. A healthy balance is exactly what we will need to get high nutrient food into our bodies and create lean muscle mass at the same time. There is no better time to get started than today. Here are some fun food facts.. 1. Eggs contain about 1.6 grams of saturated fat, are packed with protein, iron, and also contain Vit. D. Eggs are high in cholesterol so if that is a worry limit eggs to about 3 per week or go yolk free! 2. Strawberries are the most popular berry in the world and have over 600 varieties. These are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage including certain types of cancers. I hope you enjoyed the blog.

Sincerely,

Dr. Heather

Postate Health

Dr. Heather Worthington — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:02:32 +0000

Prostate Health

The following is a portion of my Feb. 2010 newsletter…

The following is a website related to only prostate health, http://www.prostatehealthguide.com/index.html. I chose this site because it has a very good description of the prostate and the most common prostate diseases. As a chiropractor in MN I am licensed as a primary care physician. This means that I have completed prostate exams and I’m licensed to do so. I, however, chose not to complete prostate exams in my office and do request that you get regular exams with your MD during your yearly physicals. Now that we have covered the medical side of the prostate here are some alternative non-prescription options. Adjustments of the pelvis and lumbar region help support the pelvic girdle and promote healthy nerve response to the prostate. Other alternative options include acupuncture and massage therapy. Nutrition is largely correlated with prostate disease. Increase your intake of vegetable/fruits. Decrease the intake of red meats, eggs, and milk (this is for prostate health-not bone health). Increase Lycopene intake found in red foods (tomatoes highest source). Increase Vit. D, Vit. E, Zinc, Selenium, garlic, and soy. Herbal supplementation should include Saw Palmetto, this helps reduce prostate size by reducing the body’s production of DHT. These items are a good place to start when addressing prostate health specifically. I hope you enjoyed this topic of the month!

If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please send me an email with your name and email address and I will be sure to add you to my contact list.

Children need adjustments too!!

Dr. Heather Worthington — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:42:57 +0000

After viewing this video, I hope you would agree that children need their spines checked. Most adult spinal decay or degeneration could be prevented with early preventative chiropractic treatment. It is crucial to remove nerve interference while children’s organs, tissues, and bones are growing! As the saying goes, “As the twig is bent so grows the tree!”

Just a little note about fish oils….

Dr. Heather Worthington — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:33:15 +0000

Hi all,

It is truely stated that fish oils are my favorite general supplement. I am bias, I just finished taking my fish oil for the day. If you continue reading, you will find an article which talks about some of the many benefits fish oils have to offer. The one thing the article doesn’t mention, which I feel is a must, is be cautious the brand of fish oils you are consuming. Some are not well purified or researched. Some brands I enjoy are Carlson, Metagenics, and Nordic Naturals (of course these are not the only good brands). If you do not do your research to find a good purified brand you may be consuming metals, medications and other water contaminants that are stored within the fish livers and fat cells from contaminated water. Unfortunately, our water systems are not as clean as they once were or should be today! I hope you enjoy the following article by Aaron Wilmont.

The latest research on Fish Oil Benefits

Read about the latest studies involving fish oil supplementation.

In the quest to achieve better health and wellness, fish oil supplements have become an increasingly popular way to take advantage of many different medical benefits. Fish oil originates from the tissues of oily fish, such as carp, herring, salmon, and fresh tuna. Today, fish oil is recommended as part of a healthy diet because of the amount of omega-3 fatty acids contained, which is known to reduce inflammation throughout the body and lessen the threat of coronary heart disease (among other things).

There are two main ways to include fish oil as part of a healthy diet. The first involves the consumption of oily fish, including sardines and cod, which contain oils throughout their body and about their gut, unlike other species of fish. Depending on the species, oily fish fillets may offer up to 30% oil. Besides omega-3 fatty acids, oily fish also provides a good source of vitamins A and D.

The second approach towards increasing the amount of fish oils in a diet is to purchase fish oil capsules or supplements. Many people are said to prefer the consumption of fish oil capsules because they are easy to follow and do not require laborious measurements in making sure recommended daily values are satisfied. To explore some of the many benefits associated with fish oil supplements and consumption, a few examples can be found below:

Decreased Pain Levels and Inflammation

Omega-3 fatty acids may posses the power to lessen inflammation in the body, as well as ease the pain associated with arthritis and cystitis. Rheumatoid arthritis patients often report an improvement in joint pains and inflammation when taking fish oil supplements.

Treats Depression and Stress

Some individuals have been able to ease their symptoms of depression by implementing omega-3 fish oil supplements into their diet. Fish oils have also been linked to showing promise in treating bipolar and psychotic patients. Supplements may also help to promote the overall mood of patients, and may even reduce premenstrual stress.

Cardiovascular Improvements

The heart, arteries, and veins may benefit from fish oil because it has been known to help lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, while at the same time improving “good” cholesterol levels. Additional information can be found at benefits of taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements for more research and product detail.

Fights Strokes and Heart Attack

The threat of stroke and heart attack may be decreased with the introduction of fish oils into a diet because they may help to prevent blood clots and other damage to the heart. A decreased risk of sudden death and heart attacks has also been seen.

Enhances Brain Activity

Fish oil is known to boost intelligence and overall happiness in users, as well as improve the memory and ability to stay focused. In the elderly, the risk of dementia and memory loss sometimes decreases with the use of fish oil supplements. Additionally, mothers who consume or take a high amount of omega-3/fish oils during pregnancy often give birth to children with a higher IQ.

Combats Childhood Disorders

Children, who suffer from disorders, such as ADD and ADHD, have experienced a better quality of life when incorporating fish oil fatty acids into their diet. Additional conditions that respond to fish oils include dyslexia and compulsive disorders. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

By Aaron Wilmont
Published: 7/31/2007

Asthma

Dr. Heather Worthington — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:46:25 +0000

Asthma Study Shows Chiropractic Benefits

From the November / December 2000 issue of Todays Chiropractic, comes a study report on Asthma. The article notes that approximately 14 Americans die each day from asthma. Asthma is only one of three diseases that has shown an increasing death rate in recent years, up 58% since 1979. Presently estimates say that 17 million Americans suffer from the disease making it the most common and costly illness in the United States today, costing over $13 billion annually. Presently, asthma causes more hospitalizations of children than any other childhood disease.

In the study, 47 patients were observed for a two year period. These patients had all been medically diagnosed with persistent asthma ranging from mild persistent in 11 cases, moderate persistent in 28 cases, to severe persistent in 8 cases. The care rendered consisted of specific chiropractic adjustments. The range of visits was from 14 to 44, with the average being 26 during the study period. Most patients in the study began care at a rate of 3 visits per week with this frequency being reduced after 4 to 8 initial weeks.

The patient results were very good with all 47 of the study patients showing a marked improvement ranging from 87 to 100 percent. Patient observed improvement was measured by both improvement in their symptoms as well as a decrease in their usage of acute asthma attack medication. Even more impressive was that all of the patients in the study reported maintaining their improvement after a two-year follow up.

(The above listed overview displays a small study group of asthma patients whom benefit from chiropractic care. I wanted to post this in order to display an alternative to only relying on medication. Several studies are now being released about the correlation of increased chemical cleaners/airborne toxins and the increase in documented asthma cases. It seems to be quit closely correlated. Again…stay educated, keep your minds open, and I hope you enjoy…… Dr. Heather)

Chiropractic Safety

Dr. Heather Worthington — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:10:24 +0000

Hello all,

Posting an article of this nature came to mind, since I have been hearing a few comments about ”being scared” to visit a chiropractor. This is a normal feeling, however it is very unwarranted. Chiropractic adjustments if done correctly are very safe. Please pay close attention to the statistics on pain relievers. Remember these pain relievers are sold everywhere, dosage is uncontrolled, and the general public views these as safe. I just enjoy throwing a bit of alternative health care knowledge in your direction. I hope you enjoy.

Chiropractic-Ear Infections

Dr. Heather Worthington — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:52:03 +0000

Hello all,

I thought this was a nice, light article about the relationship between childhood ear infections and chiropractic care. The text is not filled with super heavy factual information, but instead is more of an eye opener about alternative health practices. I hope you enjoy.

Swine Flu…Pandemic

Dr. Heather Worthington — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:38:56 +0000

I thought this would be fitting due to the world wide interest in the swine flu. This article is both interesting and eye opening. My professional suggestion to the general public would be relax, educate yourself, and boost your immune system. At the end of the above listed article Dr. Mercola lists a few great ways to boost the immune system, but forgot one very critical item…get adjusted! I hope you enjoy.