SEPTEMBER MAGAZINES - Dr. MADELINE'S PICKS

September's magazines are good for your health.

Really.

So many people ask if I've seen this fertility article or that nutrition article, so I'm adding a regular feature:
the last week of each month I will post my picks of the 'Don't Miss' health articles in the upcoming month's magazines.
Right now I reviewed many women's magazines, but I have so many men in my practice that I hope to include men's magazines also.

We're kicking this off today, I'll refine as appropriate.

Enjoy! I've saved my readers a lot of time!

DR. MADELINE'S 'DON'T MISS' PICKS - SEPTEMBER 2007 MAGAZINES

O Magazine

1) Vitamin Wars

Take them/don't take them.... news about the conflicting antioxidant vitamin studies.

2) Stay Clear - and Safe - for Less

More dirty news about antibacterial soap.

3) Of Mice and Women

Reports on how pain research is still coming up short for women.

4) The Blood Test Women Need - and Doctor's Skip

Great information to help women become their own best health advocates.

VOGUE magazine

1) Widespread Panic by Harriet Brown
A writer shares her moving, decades-long journey of trying to co-exist with anxiety symptoms: the detours it caused in her life, and her years of searching for proper diagnosis and effective treatment.
NOTE: Too many women spend years of their lives trying to find an answer to their body's cries for help, especially in the still-evolving realm of mental health. I've seen chiropractic care calm the nervous system and many patients report improvements in mental well-being. I reported one such case in 2004, co-authoring a case study done in Idaho, follow this link for details:

The Impact of Subluxation Correction on Mental Health: Reduction of Anxiety in a Female Patient Under Chiropractic Care (http://jvsr.com/abstracts/index.asp?id=210).


Yoga Journal

1) Wrist Remedy
Do your wrists need TLC?
This article offers a great introduction to how the wrist works, and practical, holistic tips for when wrists rebel.

With step-by-step photos and instructions, chiropractor/yoga teacher Dr. Tom Alden offers "a yogic solution" to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Namaste.

Harpers Bazaar

1) Eating Diaries

The food and exercise routines of three gorgeous women (Gabrielle Reece, Amy Sedaris, and Iman) are revealed, then reviewed by a panel of health experts. I love all of it, and wonder what they are really eating, and how my routines would hold up to such scrutiny.

2) The Tests That Can Save Your Life

Yet another article about tests women should ask for.

ELLE

1) DRUGTRIAL

For women concerned about their skin, this article reports the results of a study that compiled 24 years of research on anti-depressant (SSRI) side effects and noted that "rashes, hives, and acne were among the most common issues."

MORE

1) Heart Health for Women

More magazine focuses on heart health this issue with multiple articles packed with information, and updates on the latest testing available. I devoured them all.

More magazine encourages women to become savvy about their heart health for two very heart-felt reasons:

1) More women than men die from heart attacks every year.

2) Only 8% of primary care physicians know #1.

I encourage women and men to become their own best health advocates. With the information and tools available to consumers now there has never been a better time to take care of themselves. Start here: http://drmadeline.blogspot.com/ and visit often.

Look for news about 'Dr. Madeline's Don't Miss Picks - October 2007 Magazines' during the last week of September.

Be Spine Tingling,

Dr. Madeline Behrendt / iwomenfilm@gmail.com

For information and education only.

BACKPACK ABUSE: HOW TO SAVE YOUR BODY

My family asked for backpack tips and this is what I told them:
Don't treat backpacks like shoes.
Please!

Ask any woman. There's probably a history of pain between her and her shoes.
Women are notorious for:
--Buying shoes that are too small or narrow (and dreaming the shoes will "stretch").
--Loading shoes in bizarre ways (the swayback look).
--Using shoes for purposes they were never designed for (stilettos for anything but making an entrance and exit).
--Wearing shoes improperly (weight on the wrong part of the foot = bunions and bad toes).

Now as painful as all this may seem, it can get worse. Applying this same approach to buying and using backpacks can result in a miserable, crooked, tired body.

So let's review the most important backpack tips:
1) Fit
For a backpack to be effective, it must fit.
Otherwise it's just an expensive, heavy, lopsided bag that can cause backaches.
Parents who are not aware of this first step are often trying to do the right thing by buying a backpack for their child, but without the right fit, this can actually cause harm.

a) The width should not be greater than the child's body, try not to buy a size that's too big thinking the child will grow into the pack.
b) Two wide, padded shoulder straps are important so that straps don't dig into their shoulders.
c) An additional band around the waist can help distribute the weight more evenly.
d) Padded backs can help provide cushioning and protection.
e) The pack's weight is light, but because it's well-made, not flimsy.

2) Loading

In my practice I encourage kids to bring their backpacks in so we can demo how to pack them. Note that the proper maximun weight for loaded backpacks should not exceed 15 percent of the child's weight.

a) The heaviest books/objects go on the bottom of the pack, closest to the child's core strength.

b) With multiple compartments, be sure to distribute the weight evenly, from bottom to top.

c) Be sure to clean out the backpacks on a regular basis, as they tend to acquire 'stuff.'

3) Lifting

Just like grown-ups who are advised to 'lift with their legs' - a child can help avoid injury by facing the backpack, bending the knees, and then picking it up so they may slip into both straps.

4) Wearing

a) If a child is leaning forward, back, or to one side, the pack is either too heavy or packed improperly and needs to be looked at.

b) Wearing only one strap, or carring a loaded backpack by one hand is not ideal. This exta weight asks the body to compensate by leaning to one side, and can cause muscle spasms and spinal rotation. Wearing the backpack properly is critical to it's effectiveness.

There's a growing body of research on the impact of backpacks on children's health. Early reports indicate that back pain prevelance is higher in girls than boys, excess load can create changes in cervical curves and stress on pelvic joints, and as weight and posture impact pulmonary mechanics, significant increase in oxygen consumption is reported in children who use backpacks.

For more research on children, backpacks and posture, backpacks and back pain, visit this great site: http://backpacksafe.com/N5_News_Detail.asp?pid=6&ID=7

These backpack tips also work for big kids (adults), following these simple steps can help keep backs healthy and happy. Just think FLLW: fit, load, lift, and wear, it's easy.

Now, about those shoes......

Be Spine Tingling,

Dr. Madeline Behrendt /iwomenfilm@gmail.com

For information and education only.

BAD AIR/BAD ATTITUDE: THREE STEPS TO BREATHING EASY (FIRST MONDAY GREEN TIP)

Six days into a cough-free August and we're holding our breath; the air can degrade at any moment, overcome by wildfires and lightening.
In July, Boise had some of the worst air in the U.S.A.
Even worse than L.A.
And people are not happy about it.

At ground level, ozone pollution can aggravate asthma, cause coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Particle pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, and coughing and phlegm.

Children are at special risk as their immune systems are developing, and playing on the ground increases exposure to toxins.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Air Quality states that:
"People exposed to air toxics at sufficient concentrations and durations may have an increased chance of developing cancer or other serious breathing problems, including:
---damage to the immune system
---neurological, reproductive (reduced fertility), developmental, and respiratory problems."

Bad air is so toxic, the World Health Organization indicates that air pollution causes 2.7 deaths annually.

Not wanting to be part of a statistic like that, I adjust my lifestyle when the air in Boise goes bad.

I look for the Air Quality alerts announced on Local TV. These provide practical information about when to stay inside or not exercise.
Details can be found at: http://www.deq.state.id.us/air/data_reports/monitoring/aqi.cfm.

In addition, these three steps help me breathe easier:
Step 1) IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY
I recover from toxic air outside by improving air quality inside.
One of the easiest (and most beautiful) ways to improve indoor air quality is through plants.

In the book How to Grow Fresh Air, Fifty Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office by Dr. B.C. Wolverton, the top plants are ranked based on ease of growth + maintenance, resistance to pests, efficiency at removing chemical vapors, and transpiration rate.

Plants that Purify Air - THE TOP TEN
Areca Palm, Lady Palm (Rapis excelsis), Bamboo palm, Rubber plant, Dracaena "Janet Craig," English Ivy, Dwarf Date Palm, Ficus Alii, Boston Fern and Peace Lily.


Step 2) EAT GREEN (and Red and Blue and Yellow)
Antioxidants have been shown to improve respiratory problems such as asthma, so I make sure to add extra helpings of foods rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.

From the USDA, the Top 20 Best Sources of Food Antioxidants (Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts):
1) small red bean
2)wild blueberry
3) red kidney bean
4) pinto bean
5) blueberry (cultivated)
6) cranberry
7) artichoke
8) blackberry
9) prune
10) raspberry
11) strawberry
12) Red Delicious apple
13) Granny Smith
14) Pecan
15) Sweet cherry
16) Black plum
17) russet potato
18) Black bean
19) plum
20) Gala apple

Step 3) SAY HELLO TO HEPA

Introduce yourself to a great air-purifier. This helps process the pollution that people and animals trek indoors.

The best air purifiers are HEPA (high-efficiency particulate arresting) filters. Home-owners can look for filters to connect with their home central air systems, or purchase individual devices.

I recommend visiting your favorite home-friendly store in town, no need to have them trucked or flown in.

And finally, I make sure to get adjusted during times of increased environmental stess. Holistic chiropractic care helps the body respond to the extra stress demands, as well as ease the spinal spasms triggered by coughing attacks. It makes a difference for me.

Be Spine Tingling,

Dr. Madeline Behrendt

iwomenfilm@gmail.com

For information and education only