Nov 27 2013
How To Eat? Part II Organic Foods
So now that we know what to eat and some nice eating habit tips from our last blog, let’s explore the quality of our foods. In other words how important is organic?
Scary study! I know we already had Halloween but check out this frightening study:
Farmed Out? Most US citizens are suffering from dangerous diet deficiencies. The alarming fact – fruits, vegetables & grains – are now being raised on millions of acres that no longer contain enough minerals! No matter how much of them we eat, these foods are starving us! It’s bad news to learn from our leading authorities that 99% of North Americans are deficient in vital minerals. A marked deficiency in any of these results in disease. Senate Document No. 264, 1936.
Did you see the date on that study! 1936! So our farm lands have been over used and most of the nutrients we expect to be in our foods are not!
More scary. 80% of organic farmers report GMO‘s (genetically modified foods) being carried by wind or water into their fields. Commingled crops during harvest or cross-pollination can also cause contamination.
53% of the public say they won’t buy GMO food, but there are no current labeling requirements in US.
92% of soybeans (soybean oil) & 80% of corn (high fructose corn syrup) are said to be GMO!
Whole Foods Magazine, 2008
Okay, okay so you’re scared, so we need to be sure we are getting our foods from good sources.
What’s Organic? USDA
Single-Ingredient Foods. On foods like fruits & vegetables, look for sticker version of the USDA Organic label or check the signage in the produce section for the seal. The word “organic” & the seal may also appear on meat packages, egg or milk cartons, cheese & other single-ingredient foods.
Multi-Ingredient Foods. Beverages, snacks & other processed foods use the following classification system to indicate their use of organic ingredients.
100% Organic. Foods with this label are made with 100% organic ingredients & may display the USDA Organic seal.
Organic. These products contain at least 95-99% organic ingredients (by weight). The remaining ingredients are not available organically but have been approved by the National Organic Program. These products may display the USDA Organic seal.
Made With Organic Ingredients Food packages that read “Made With Organic Ingredients” contain 70-94% organic ingredients. These products may list up to 3 ingredients on the front of the package & can’t bear the USDA Organic seal.
Other Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may only list organic ingredients on the information panel of the package. These products will not bear the USDA Organic seal. Even if a producer is certified organic, the use of the USDA Organic label is voluntary. Not everyone goes through the process of becoming certified, especially small farming operations. When shopping at a farmers’ market, consumers should ask vendors how the food was grown.
Eat right, eat well!
See you soon…
If you have more questions about the organic foods and the benefits of chiropractic just ask: Dr. Lance Casazza.
Dec 11 2013
What’s The Deal With Cracking Knuckles?
Ah yes the age old question. I thought that cracking your knuckles was bad for you? At least that is what my mother always said. And isn’t that popping sound that occurs during a chiropractic adjustment the same thing?
Quick answers: No; mom is often right but not always (sorry mom); and yes. Let’s take a closer look.
First off what is that sound? Synovial fluid in your joints contains oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas. When a joint is rapidly pulled apart (think chiropractic adjustment or cracking your knuckles) the volume of the joint increases by 15-20%. This creates a partial vacuum (decrease in pressure) and the gas rapidly releases due to the pressure change. (Boyle’s Law, 1662). The ligaments of the joint that just got stretched out will slowly return back to a normal position and the gases will be compressed back into the synovial fluid. This takes about 20 minutes for smaller joints (hands) and longer in larger joints.
Try this: Crack your knuckles. Then immediately try again. No popping sound the second time. Now wait 20-30 minutes and try again. More popping.
The Missed Adjustment? Sometimes when you get adjusted there is no popping sound, why is that? Simple the joint was not pulled apart far enough and/or fast enough. This is typically because the patient’s muscles are too tight and will not allow the joint to be pulled apart.
Okay, so good or bad? Does cracking knuckles cause arthritis?
Previous studies had NOT shown a link between knuckle cracking and hand osteoarthritis. One study even suggested that knuckle cracking helped prevent osteoarthritis.
Knuckle cracking and hand osteoarthritis, Journal American Board of Family Medicine, April 2011.
This study involved 215 people, of whom 135 had x-rays that showed they had osteoarthritis in their hands and 80 did not (healthy controls). The participants were aged from 50-89 years; they all had an x-ray of the right hand during the previous 5 years.
The results:
None of them had evidence of neuromuscular, inflammatory or malignant diseases, factors associated with lower grip strength and hand osteoarthritis.
Cool Story! Dr. Donald Unger spent 60 years cracking the knuckles of his left hand but never his right. He reported no arthritis or other problems in either hand. He earned the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine for this in 2009.
So there you have it, that popping sound is not bad for your joints.
See you soon…
If you have more questions about the organic foods and the benefits of chiropractic just ask: Dr. Lance Casazza.
By Dr. Lance Casazza • Chiropractic Treatments, Health and Wellness, Pain Management • 0 • Tags: Cracking joints, Ig Nobel Prize, Joint, Osteoarthritis, Popping, Spinal adjustment, Synovial fluid, United States