Hamburger Stuffing? Really?!

I've decided it was time I wrote a light-hearted post. Enough of the information-heavy articles for a while. It's holiday time, right?

For me that means it's time to start getting out the recipes to figure out what I'm baking and sending off to far-away loved ones.

So, I'm cruising the Sunday newspaper coupon inserts a couple of weeks ago looking for coupons, and there it was....a full page ad with a recipe that read:

"A New Tradition 90 Years in the Making!"

Wow! 90 Years? What could that be? Sounds intriguing, right? Then, I read on. The recipe was for stuffing. And the NEW ingredients?                            

10 Hamburgers

No pickles

Woah!! What the heck!? Really, I thought it was a joke.

I mean, stuffing isn't difficult to make. Bread crumbs, onions, broth/butter (yes please butter) herbs and spices. And nuts if you like, maybe sausage.

But hamburger from a fast food joint?

Here's the rest of the recipe I know of for stuffing:
 

 1 1/2 cups of celery, diced

1 1/4 tsp. ground thyme

1 1/2 ground sage
3/4 tsp. coarse ground pepper

1/4 chicken broth

Looks like it would be pretty dry to me. And bland. Anyone out there care to try it and let me know how it turned out?

I know this a short blog, but this recipe really bugged me. I mean, hamburgers? How gross? Let me know what you think.

Yours in health,

Dr. Jeanne

W: http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com
P: 612.259.7323

Follow Boulevard Natural Healing Arts, P.A. on Facebook!

Multi-Vitamin Test Gets An "F" In My Book!

Are You Taking Multi-Vitamins? Do you have a death wish or something??!! If you happen to have bought into recent "studies" on this subject matter, then maybe you do.

I, however, don't think taking multi-vitamins will kill you. I think reading "studies" that are full of questionable data might though.

Allow me to explain myself...

According to a report in the October 10th issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, consuming dietary supplements, including multivitamins, folic acid, iron and copper, among others, appears to be associated with an increased risk of death in older women.

The conclusion was that use of common multi-vitamins (including Calcium, Iron and Copper ... which are actually minerals, in case you're wondering) have an increased risk for causing death to those to take them. Conversely, Calcium was associated with decreased mortality (death).

There was a lot of press about this study (probably because it freaked millions of older women out!) and even made the home page of Yahoo! at the time.

But the one little thing this study failed to mention, was what sort of stuff they didn't account for during this study to ascertain these SHOCKING results.

You see, there are studies and there are "studies." The "study" cited in the article was named the "Iowa Woman's Health Study." It's what's called a "Retrospective Study of Already Collected Data."

Sounds impressive, right?

Not really. Basically, surveys were sent to 38,772 postmenopausal women (average age at start of study was 61.2 years) in 1986, 1997 and 2004. Then, Iowa death records were checked for accuracy about mortality rates, and roughly forty percent of those women had died during those eighteen years.

The data collected in the "study" included the following: diet, supplement usage [those are vitamins, ya'll], weight, smoking history, hormone replacement therapy history and history of heart or diabetes.

Oddly, some chronic and/or degenerative diseases weren't on the list. Hmm, not wanting to know whether any of these ladies have CANCER seems a little fishy, no? This seems like a pretty big omission doesn't it?

There are two aspects to this omission that I feel are significant to mention:

• Cancer, like heart disease and diabetes (included in the surveys), is a chronic/degenerative disorder. So why wasn't it included? It just doesn't make sense.

• Also, no questions were asked as to WHY these women were taking supplements. It would be safe to assume that there were some women who started taking supplements after a diagnosis of cancer (or indeed, any other scary diagnosis).

Trust me, as a chiropractor who's been offering nutritional advice for close to 20 years, this is extremely common. I'll even go out on a limb here and say that the majority of people who use supplements, do so out of trying to fend off a syndrome or disease after they've been diagnosed, arguably late in the game.

But that's what I've seen. So, that's gnawing away at me, why didn't they record data about Cancer and why these women were taking supplements?

Some of the conclusions back up previous studies, such as supplementing with iron and copper - if unneeded by the patient - can have toxic effects due to the generation of free radicals (that's why anti-oxidants are often recommended).

Also, significant benefit was found with the following supplements: B, C, D, E and Calcium. But the way the data on this "study" was merged with the rest was... well... perhaps a little flawed. (More detail on this can be found at the "Life Extension Foundation" website).

This here is just my opinion.

But wait, there's more. Want to know my real beef?  Or tofu, for the vegetarians out there? The term "Retrospective"

So, a survey is sent out 3x over 18 years, and that's supposed to be trusted to be accurate information? As a clinician who hands out questionnaires, like a ceiling fan's blades whip through the air, I know how flawed this is. Most people's memory regarding their health is typically fuzzy because hey, they have lives to lead and don't really want to think about their health. It takes a geek like me to want to do this type of work!

As an example, I myself can't remember what supplements I was taking 3 months ago, although I should mention I'm continuously tweaking the recipe!

I look at this "study" as a snapshot, as just some marginally useful information, but certainly not ammunition for the "Vitamins Will Kill You Crowd."

Thanks also to Alliance for Natural Health USA for information and perspective on this. Sometimes it helps to get a second opinion when reading these types of articles.

I'd be interested in hearing your comments and thoughts on this matter. Do you take multi-vitamins and other nutritional supplements? And why?

Yours in health,

Dr. Jeanne

W: http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com 
P: 612.259.7323  
Follow Boulevard Natural Healing Arts, P.A. on Facebook!

Tips To Avoid Harmful BPA Exposure At Home

This week's post will be much shorter and easier to read, I promise. If you read last week's blog post, you know how dangerous exposure to BPAs are; and you also know that BPAs are in a TON of everyday items. 

So, here's my list of tips to Avoid BPA Exposure At Home.

I hope you find it helpful!

1) Food and beverage containers are the biggest source of BPA exposure. DO NOT store food in plastics that are labeled with a "7" (that little triangle on the bottom of the container that has a number in the middle).

FYI, most of the plastic sold out there in retail outlets for this purpose is labeled "5", which has NO BPAs. Also safe in this regard are numbers "2" and "4."

 

2) When requesting a "doggie bag," check to see if there is a number on the bottom (if it's a plastic container.) If it happens to be a "7," ask the waiter to line it with aluminum foil before the food is placed in it. I know, aluminum has it's own problems, but the BPA risk trumps it, in my opinion.

3) This one is commonly known. Do not heat food in a microwave oven using plastic containers. We don't know all of the risks involved with heating plastics, so it's just better to be safe than sorry. Personally, we don't have a microwave!

4) Throw out any battered, scratched or dented plastic containers, especially ones used for food and beverages storage. Just toss it. As number "3" above states, we may not know all of the risks. Just saying...

5) If you use canned foods regularly, switch to a company that stopped using BPA in 1999: Eden Foods. Organics cost more, but it's worth the extra cost. And Eden Foods isn’t necessarily making any more money - using a plant-sourced resin costs Eden Foods 14% more to produce. (And no, we don't own stock in the company.)

6) Especially for parents of bottle-feeding infants: Use powder formula. In the September/October 2010 issue of Mother Jones Magazine, liquid formula was cited as having one of the highest levels on BPA. Developing infants are highly susceptible to damage. You might want to check out the article for more information.

Hope you find this information empowering and enlightening! Share it with your loved ones!

Next week, I'll sort out the facts on a recent multi-vitamin study.

Healthy Eating and Healthy Living! 

Dr. Jeanne

http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com  

Office: 612.259.7323  

Follow Boulevard Natural Healing Arts, P.A. on Facebook!

Breast Cancer: Could store receipts and canned goods put you at risk?

I'm sure many of you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are pink ribbons everywhere!

As a woman and a doctor, I know the fear the words “breast cancer” can stir up. The rising incidences of breast cancer in the US and other countries are staggering – and they mostly stem from not-so-wonderful lifestyle choices and habits.

I’m not going to repeat depressing statistics, as they can be easily found elsewhere. I will however, spend the next two blogs offering some helpful information to reduce your risk for this terrible disease.

First of all, it's no secret to the scientific community that the majority of breast cancer cases are driven by estrogen levels. Specifically, excess estrogen levels. When balanced, estrogen is actually an essential hormone in the body - even men produce it! 

 It does all kinds of wonderful things like help women conceive babies! It’s also essential for bone health (which is why women have increased incidences of osteoporosis after menopause, because there is a decline in estrogen.)

The problems arise when the body produces too much estrogen or comes in contact with yucky stuff in the environment that mimics or disrupts estrogen levels. Obviously, any imbalance in human physiology is not good… but excess estrogen is really bad. It can lead to an imbalance in the "steroid/hormone dance" (that's what it's actually called in the study of Functional Medicine), which can begin initiating cancer cells and tumor development.  

So why does the body do this then?  

I’ll tell you in a minute.

First, I bet just about everyone has heard of Bisphenol a -- or BPA as it's more commonly called. No? Well, let me explain. BPA is a monomer (chemistry term, sorry) that is used in plastics, dental sealants, canned goods – as well as eyeglasses, cell phone cases and the receipts you get printed out at the store! And because us humans come in contact with these everyday products all the time, it's estimated that over 90% of Americans have this substance stored in our bodies (in the fat, actually.)

So what does this have to do with Breast Cancer?  

BPA is a synthetic estrogen. When it comes in contact with your body and gets inside you, it ends up disrupting the normal balance of estrogen already in you by displacing the good estrogen.

Since it’s stored in the fat (and we have fat cells everywhere) - not only are BPA’s a BIG reason as to why losing weight is so difficult, they’ve have also been implicated in causing a world of hurt to other parts of our bodies.

Ready for this list?

When exposed to excess amounts of BPA, you might be at risk for:

1. Decreased brain function
2. Altered brain chemistry (anyone out there have sleep problems?)
3. Weight gain 
4. Behavioral changes depression and mood swings
5. Diabetes
6. Prostate cancer
7. Early puberty in our kids
8. Reduced sperm count to make aforementioned spawns
9. Down Syndrome
10. Altered immune function 

Sadly, as in life, there are no guarantees in health either. However, there is a useful test to measure estrogen to help determine if you’re at risk for developing cancer and tumor development. It's called "Estronex" and is performed by Metametrix Labs out of Duluth, Georgia.

It's an easy test - just one urine sample. It costs under $200. Based on their findings, your health care provider can develop a treatment plan for you. The test can be repeated six months to a year later to determine if further changes need to be made – so it’s a pretty good way to keep an eye on yourself.

While giving to charities is very commendable, maybe you should think about donating to your own health and well being this year. The level of breast cancer cases are increasing in men and women at the same rate. It’s time you take the steps to protect yourself so you don’t become just another sad statistic.

I will post next week about some pro-active steps you can take to lessen your exposure to harmful chemicals like BPA’s and hopefully reduce your risk to potentially life threatening problems.   

Yours in health,

Dr. Jeanne Masanz, DC

http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com 

Office: 612.259.7323

Follow Boulevard Natural Healing Arts, P.A. on Facebook!

Dr. Dave's 1st Blog Post: Ergonomics and You

Hi, I’m Dr. Dave. As the “other half” of Boulevard Natural Healing Arts (Dr. Jeanne being the other!), I’ll be popping up this blog from time to time to offer up thoughts on my areas of expertise. 

Today's topic: Ergonomics! 

Almost everything I needed to know about ergonomics I learned from my piano teacher in the 4th grade. 

For those of you that didn’t take piano lessons, the basics are sitting up straight, not looking down at your hands, and keeping your wrists straight or “floating” over the keys.  

The funny thing is... typing at a computer and playing the piano are almost the exact same motion.  Now, this formerly free advice has turned into the big business of ergonomics. Who knew my piano teacher was so ahead of her time?

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is a fancy name for how your body moves and supports itself with the use of muscles, ligaments and bones in relation to mechanical supports and tools.  (I.e.: sitting at a computer.)

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are most likely sitting at your computer incorrectly right now. This is by no fault of your own - most people don't even know that they are, or... that sitting at a computer incorrectly can put you at risk for health problems, including fatigue, body discomfort, headaches and emotional stress.  

So just adjust the way you sit at your desk and get no more midday headaches?

Yes -  if you know what you're doing. There are actually several other issues that have to be addressed to make a completely ergonomically friendly workstation.

As an Ergonomics expert, I've gone into many local businesses throughout the Twin Cities to set up work stations using SittingSafe® standards. That's step one.

The second step is showing employees the proper way to sit at computer stations to alleviate aches and paints and help prevent new problems stemming from poor posture.

The bottom line is this: You need allow your body to sit (or stand) correctly with the least amount of stress and then move the equipment to support and fit you, rather than forcing your body to adapt to the equipment.

It's time to get these tools to work for you.  You are allowed to move office equipment to fit your own physical size and shape, and if something doesn’t fit, see if you can replace it.   

For example: a mouse.   

There are a multitude of mouse sizes and shapes available - so change them up to prevent repetitive stress injuries. I usually recommend having 2 or 3 different ones to switch around if my hand gets tired. Like a carpenter has several different sizes of hammers, you can have a different mice (or is it mouses??)

So, if you find yourself slouching in your chair, hunching forward to see the monitor, or anchoring your wrists down on the desk when keying, not only would you be a pretty bad a piano player, you are putting unnecessary stress on your body and working much harder than you need to be at your computer.   

If you'd like more information about how I can help you or your business, let me know!

Yours in health, 

Dr. Dave

http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com 

Office: 612.259.7323

Licensed vs. Certified: Theres a BIG difference

:

Did you know...

There’s a difference between being "Licensed" and being "Certified"?

I know, I know… I’m sure it's not a question you've been burning to see addressed in this blog, or anywhere else. However, I will occasionally see a doctor advertise him/herself as a "Certified Doctor of Chiropractic" or a "Certified Chiropractic Doctor."

The fact is, being “certified” means very little. I myself, along with my partner in life and business, Dr. David Monson, both have probably a dozen certifications between us. And although we learned very useful information earning them, as far as what we can or cannot do to assist people trying to maintain their health, or reduce musculoskeletal pain syndromes, it doesn't legally mean anything.

All that being said, certification isn't useless. It typically means that you've been to a weekend or series of weekend seminars, often passing a test at the end and have new services to offer patients. Some certifications are quite rigorous, and some require yearly classes to keep current. But what you really need to make sure of is that your doctor is licensed.

Licensure involves a weekend long test to become an official Doctor of Chiropractic – where – after 4 years of intense schooling, you get to put a little D.C. after your last name and start helping patients. Pretty cool, right?

The test is HARD. Plenty of it is hands on – you have to prove that you know all aspects of handling patients: from taking a history, through a physical examination, making a diagnosis, x-ray analytical skills, spinal adjusting, physical therapy questions… you get the idea.

Chiropractic licensing started with Kansas and North Dakota in 1913 and ended with Louisiana in 1974. And in my home state of Minnesota there was an attempt as early as 1905! (We’re so ahead of the curve!) By the mid 1920's, two dozen states had licensure and 43 by the end of WW2. It’s now available in all 50 states of the US, but it’s also interesting to note that each state has it's own "Scope of Practice." Kansas has probably the most lenient scope, and they can even call themselves Chiropractic Physicians. Not so in Minnesota. We are officially called Doctors of Chiropractic.

You can check out information on each states "Board of Chiropractic Examiners" website. Not too difficult to understand, even for this non-lawyer!

So, the moral of this story is that when choosing a health care provider, you should know the difference between Certified and Licensed, and if your doc is certified but not licensed – then he is or she isn’t a doctor!

Make sure you tune in next week - Dr. David is going to write a post about ergonomics and how it affects you.

Yours in health,

Dr. Jeanne Masanz, DC

http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com 

Office: 612.259.7323

Follow Boulevard Natural Healing Arts, P.A. on Facebook!

Dirty Dozen: The 12 Most Contaminated Fruits & Veggies in the Market

It's official: summer's over.

On to fall colors, sweaters, boots, before you know it snow... ugh.

For now though, it's time to enjoy the abundance of fall fruit - especially that one-a-day wonder we call the APPLE. 

There are many ways to enjoy apples: in the raw, in a pie, in a sauce, in a slaw, and especially in a turnover!

What may not be good however, is the source of where your apples came from.

Did you know that conventionally grown apples are the most pesticide-laden produce in the market? 

According to the latest list from The EnvironmentalWorking Group, there are 12 fruits and veggies - when not grown organically - that are highly contaminated with harmful pesticides.

THE DIRTY DOZEN:


1) Apples                                                    7) Grapes (imported)
2) Celery                                                     8) Sweet Bell Peppers
3) Strawberries                                            9) Potatoes
4) Peaches                                                  10) Blueberries (domestic)
5) Spinach                                                  11) Lettuce
6) Nectarines                                              12) Collard Greens/Kale

Stuff you feed yourself and your kids everyday, right? That’s why it is especially important to always buy organic and avoid nasty chemicals.

The good news is the EWG also prepared a list of what they call the CLEAN 15: foods that are the least likely to need pesticides.

1) Onions                                                  
2) Corn                                                        9) Cantaloupe (domestic)        
3) Pineapples                                              10) Kiwi Fruit
4) Avocados                                                11) Cabbage
5) Asparagus                                               12) Watermelon
6) Sweet Peas                                              13) Sweet Potatoes
7) Mangoes                                                 14) Grapefruit
8) Eggplant                                                 15) Mushrooms                       
  
Here's another rule of thumb I use forced to buy non organic produce: If it has a thick skin, at least you know there is some protection from the chemicals and you can peel it off. 

Also, make sure to wash all produce with warm water and soap beforehand. (This is to guard against bacteria as well as chemicals.) You definitely don't want salmonella in your GI (gastrointestinal) tract. Remember all those nasty outbreaks around the globe the last few years? Dangerous stuff and no fun either.

Remember, just because you can buy non-organic fruits and veggies, doesn't mean you should.

Yours in health,

Dr. Jeanne Masanz, DC

http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com 

Office: 612.259.7323

Follow Boulevard Natural Healing Arts, P.A. on Facebook!

On a diet? 5 Tips for surviving the Minnesota State Fair.

Ah... it's a beautiful late summer day here in Minneapolis. As most Minnesotans know, Labor Day is traditionally the busiest day at the Great Minnesota State Fair.

I've certainly paid my State Fair dues. Including my two visits this year, I think I've attended it over 50 times! That must make me some kind of expert... although not of the usual "what's the best new food-on-a-stick" variety.

In spite of all the fried food and ice cream available - when I head to the fair, I take my healthy habits with me.  Yes, I know that over-eating is a State Fair tradition, but here are some easy ways to still have fun without packing on the pounds.

Dr. Jeanne's tips on surviving the best State Fair around!

1. Eat something before you go

If you're filled up on high quality food before you hit the midway, you won't crave deep fried butter (as much.)

I'm not even talking an actual meal. Just something that will stick to your ribs a bit. If you have at least a little bit of food in that tummy, you will actually be able to hold off long enough to find a food you love - a Fair favorite (mine are the scones!) that you can devour and dribble all over your carefully chosen outfit. (Chosen, that is, to be expendable.) So, have some eggs, cheese, breakfast types of protein. Forget the cereal and toast. You'll get plenty of that type of nourishment later in the day. 

2. Order the smallest size of all food and drinks

It may be tempting to order the extra large twist cone at Custard's Last Stand, but if it's just you scarfing it down - your waistline will pay the price. Look for healthier options in between snack attacks. They actually had Salad-on-a-Stick this year. Delish!

3. SHARE whenever possible

This is my most important tip. When you share with your fellow fair-goers, you eat less and spend less while still getting a taste of all those yummy fair foods. It's a win-win.

While I'm at in, here are two more tips - though not food related: 

4. Wear comfortable shoes

Bring an extra pair, just in case. Walking will most likely be the only exercise you'll get all day. While not very stylish, socks with sandals are totally acceptable, too.

5. Bring a hat

Good for sun or even light rain. Also, wear sunglasses if you don't tolerate sun well. Butter queens don't squint, and neither should you. (Crow's feet? Not so pretty.)

Now, you may think these five fair tips might impede your ability to stuff yourself silly. Nonsense. Once you hit the fairgrounds, those smells will reach into your nostrils and pull out every bit of rational thinking from your brain cells. After all, we're not here to analyze our choices, right? This is one day we can just have fun.

So, eat something before, order smaller sizes and share when you can. At least you'll feel better about eating the fun food that will be calling out to you, looking for a tummy to call home. Who knows, you might even eat a few less french fries or one less pop or soda (depending on what part of the country you're from).

And remember, have fun!

Yours in health,

Dr. Jeanne Masanz, DC

http://northwestminneapolischiropractor.com

Like what you're reading? Follow Boulevard Natural Healing Arts, P.A. on Facebook for more!

Welcome to our Blog!

Greetings!

Welcome to the new blog of Boulevard Natural Healing Arts.

I hope you enjoy my take on timely health issues. I will attempt to be educational, informative and interesting. And, I'll even throw in some humor now and then. Being a doctor, sitting in my office, looking over patient files, worrying about how they're doing... I need to do something different! I need some extra fun!

As a Chiropractor, you can imagine I treat a lot of people with pain in one or many joints: neck, back wrist, knee, hip... the list goes on and on. That's very rewarding, as the results are usually reasonably quick and the next time someone needs my help, they just call me up and say, "Fix me doc!"

The more challenging cases are when the care of a patient involves lifestyle changes. That's why I feel this blog will be a great resource, because I can reach more people and share my expertise in hopes that the people reading this will gain knowledge for themselves to live healthier lives. (FYI: I won't give any advice other than the most general recommendations, as there is no doctor-patient relationship present. Thought I should get that out of the way. :)

I should warn you that I have been practicing as a licensed Chiropractor for 21+ years. I say that tongue-in-cheek because as a group, Chiropractors are  kind of "different." We all have an individual way of doing things, but we all practice what is called "alternative health care" in some form or another.

And so it begins!

In Good Health,

Dr. Jeanne