WHAT ABOUT THE LITTLE ONES?

Parents who love care often wish they started earlier, as in when they were kids.
Looking back, they wanted a jump start on chiropractic benefits, plus confidence for help with flare-ups or times of life's extra stresses (auto accidents, athletic injuries, falls, etc.).

And so these parents ask me, "What about my little ones?"

The great news I can share is that more and more research is being done on the benefits of chiropractic for children. In my office the care is gentle, no-force, and many people think of that approach as an extra benefit.

Following are links to some of my favorite sites for information on children's chiropractic care, with articles on topics from A to V: ADD/ADHD, asthma, backpack stress, bedwetting, colic, ear infections, scoliosis, sports and more.

1) International Chiropractic Pediatric Association - Research Foundation
http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/wellness/htm

2) same site, different section
http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/articles/childhood/articlelist.htm

3) http://www.chiropediatrics.com

Yes, even the little ones can be spine tingling (in addition to being cute, and loveable, and fun).

I will be sure to post about children's specific topics, in more detail, in upcoming posts.
I wanted first to make these links available, many parents have found them very handy.

Be Spine Tingling,
Dr. Madeline Behrendt
iwomenfilm@gmail.com

HOLISTIC CARE FOR WOMEN: FERTILITY AND PREGNANCY - BROCHURE AVAILABLE

Hot off the press - my new brochure on Holistic Care for Fertility and Pregancy.

Here's the begining:
"Dr. Madeline Behrendt, D.C. provides gentle, effective care that can improve body structure and decrease stress. Many women enjoy this care during fertility treatment and pregnancy.

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, CBS, ABC, Obgyn.net, and asrm.org all featured the work of this Boise-based provider."

The brochure is described as "eye-opening" by women struggling with fertility, and pregnant women love the info too.
For the rest of the brochure, just e-mail me (address below), and I'll send it out.

Be Spinetingling,
Dr. Madeline Behrendt
drmadelinecare200@hotmail.com

CHILDREN OF ALL AGES ARE SAFEST WHEN PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE BACK SEAT....

Yet, six out of 10 drivers of children age 12 or under believe it is safe for children age 12 or under to sit in the front seat in front of a passenger air bag.
This erroneous and sobering statistic is reported on http://seatcheck.org.

Seatcheck is a national champaign to help parents properly secure their children in motor vehicles. The website is full of tools, tests, inspection sites, and links to laws in every state.

This issue is literally life or death for children and safety information is critical for anyone that puts kids in cars:
--Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of children ages 3-14.
--Almost all (96%) of parents and caregivers believe their child safety seats are installed correctly. However the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research shows that seven out of 10 children are improperly restrained.
--Child safety seats can reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers, ages 1-4.

And while using child seats correctly can help save a child's life, overusing them, i.e. using them when the child is not in a vehicle, can cause spinal and respiratory problems.

This interference can develop when a carrier in a prolonged upright position causes the infant's head to flex on the chest (reducing air flow), and the legs to flex into the abdomen( encourages gas build up). For more details:
www.icapediatrics.com/news-item.php?pageFormat=print&item=news070404

Road trip season is upon us. So for motoring down a highway and promoting proper spine and motor function, be sure to check out the two links listed.

Be Spinetingling,
Dr. Madeline Behrendt
drmadelinecare200@hotmail.com

MIKEY GOT 10 A's! MIKEY GOT 10 A's!

I am SO PROUD of my 10 year old nephew Mikey.

As you can tell by the title, Mikey go 10 A's on his latest report card.

How GREAT is that?

And Mikey loves something else as much (ok, more than) getting A's.
He LOVES milk chocolate. Just like his Aunt. And his Mother.
So I send him one Boise Bronco's milk chocolate bar for every A.
Ummm.

But underneath all this bragging about Mikey, on a site where my intent is to blog about health news, is a very simple and significant truth:

One of the best ways to promote health and wellness is to give love.
And be loved.

There are studies that explore this, but this is an experiment that one can do at home.

It's tremendous fun to break out of a normal routine, no matter how good you already are, and do something extra loving. Go ahead - make somebody's day. Your body will feel it too.

Putting together Mikey's chocolate package made me feel so happy - my cells are still jumping up and down! And it was less fattening then eating the chocolate myself.

So, GREAT JOB Mikey, Aunt Madeline loves you very much!


Be Spinetingling,
Dr. Madeline Behrendt
drmadelinecare200@hotmail.com

CHA CHA YOUR BRAIN CELLS

Here's some research that'll put more fun in your life:

Dancing is good for the brain.

A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that ballroom dancing at least twice a week made people less likely to develop dementia.
Plus AARP reports that "exercise increases the level of brain chemicals that encourage nerve cells to grow. And dancing that requires you to remember dance steps and sequences boosts brain power by improving memory skills."

Below is a link to the specifics of the study, including age ranges and activities......as well as the AARP report.

But you don't need to be a senior to enjoy the benefits of dancing - --- you can start at any age and get an awesome workout.

After reading the study I tried out a Bodyjam class at my gym.
Did I feel smarter after taking the class?
Not exactly.
After all this was my first class.
I was just trying to move both my arms and legs at the same time without hitting anyone nearby.

What did I feel after my first class?
I LOVED it. Dancing is fun. Dancing is social. Dancing is a sweaty, heart-pumping workout. Dancing has opened up a whole new adventure in my life.

Dancing doesn't just work the brain - there is a dance style to tone your body into whatever level of fitness you are seeking. Dance Fitness is now an Olympic event!

And there is shopping. Fun shopping. Dance fitness is a big workout movement and there are plenty of clothes to inspire dancers of every level.

Here's some of my favorite links to learn dance moves at home:
www.lesmills.com/westcoast/en/members/bodyjam/learn-the-moves.aspx
www.nike.com/nikewomen/us/index.jhtml?sitesrc=uslanding#home,workout
The Nike site includes dance fitness clothes (for everyone who treats shopping as a cardio event) as well as a workout, dance personality quiz, and more.

And the New England Journal of Medicine and AARP links:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/348/25/2508
http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/get_motivated/lets_dance_to_health.html

So Cha Cha your brain (and the rest of you)......it's so much fun!!!

Be Spinetingling,
Dr. Madeline Behrendt
drmadelinecare200@hotmail.com

FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH - TIME TO GET YOUR GREEN ON

As promised, it's the first Monday of the month so I am posting my favorite Going Green Checklist. The list is from Body and Soul magazine and has 101 Ways to Get Started.

Many readers have already started, so use the list to inspire you further.

Reminder - a great way to be successful is to use the 101 item checklist as a mini test you can score, then reward yourself for improving your score each month.

Progress, not perfection, is the idea.
Every little thing you do can make a difference.

And for moms, kids love being green, so show them the checklist so they can be included in the fun.

It's First Monday - Get Your Green ON!
http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/2007Q2/bas_0507_going_green.pdf

Be Spinetingling,
Dr. Madeline
drmadelinecare200@hotmail.com