April 2007 Newsletter

In this issue of To Your Health

• 6 Ways to Help Your Children Eat Right
• Taking Charge of Your Health: Is a Health Savings Account Right for You?
• Choosing Supplements Wisely - There Is a Difference
• All Car Seats Are Not Created Equal
• The Power of Positive Thinking
• Cholesterol: Know the Facts

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6 Ways to Help Your Children Eat Right

Childhood obesity is a rampant epidemic in the U.S. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 20 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight or obese. As a parent, you have a unique opportunity to be part of a solution to this growing concern, meeting the problem of childhood obesity head-on and taking measures to avoid the potentially lifelong consequences surrounding this condition. Here are six ways you can lay a solid nutritional foundation for your children:

1. Establish motivation for your children to eat well. Help identify motivators with your family that are personal and individualized, and use these to encourage healthful food choices.
2. Make good foods easily accessible for children. When children head to the pantry or refrigerator for a little something to eat, more often than not, they will reach for the first thing visible.
3. Establish a regular schedule for meals and snacks. Sticking to scheduled meal and snack times encourages a healthy attitude toward food and an understanding of its purpose.
4. Get children involved in grocery shopping.
5. Get children involved in cooking. This can result in a bit of extra cleanup, but when children become more familiar with simple meal preparation, they learn that healthy cooking can be easy and fun.
6. Limit your child's beverage menu - especially sodas and juices. At 100 to 150 calories and nearly 30 grams of sugar per can, sodas boast no nutritional value whatsoever and can contribute to cavities, childhood obesity and diabetes.

Remember, teaching your children the fundamentals of proper nutrition is just like teaching them how to ride a bike - once they learn, they never forget.

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Taking Charge of Your Health: Is a Health Savings Account Right for You?

You've got the savings account, the checking account, the 401k - maybe even the investment fund or the college savings account. Now consider joining the 3 million Americans who have invested in a health savings account (HSA).

With the future financial stability of Medicare in question and the cost of health care rising exponentially, the outlook is bleak, at best. You can protect yourself against these risks using a health savings account to gain tax-free savings for future health care expenses.

The tax advantages of HSAs are what sets them apart from other tax-advantage programs. Not only is the money deposited into the account tax-deductible, but the interest earned and any qualified withdrawals also are all tax-free. Moreover, the HSA, unlike a standard health insurance plan, in which your premiums are "lost" forever, ensures that your money goes into a savings account. You choose which providers you see and what health care you use, as long as HSA funds are used only for "qualified expenses."

If you want more control over your health choices, get the facts on how a health savings account works and how it could help protect your future. Remember, a HSA isn't right for everyone, so find out more from your health insurance representative today.

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Choosing Supplements Wisely - There Is a Difference

Never settle for second best, right? Then you shouldn't settle for the cheapest, easiest or fastest option when it comes to nutritional supplements, either. Because of changes in agricultural procedures over the past several decades, eating a well-balanced diet no longer adequately supplies adequate amounts of life-sustaining minerals.

In addition to purchasing organic foods and eliminating processed and synthetic foods from your diet, you can improve your health by choosing the right nutritional supplement. Four basic kinds of vitamins are sold today:

• Natural. A "natural" vitamin is a concentrated nutrient derived from a quality natural source, with no artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives.
• Synthetic. Although synthetic vitamins are inexpensive, they can cause toxicity and are far less effective than natural vitamins.
• Organic. These whole-food-derived nutrients minus the insecticides, pesticides and herbicides can suffer less-than-optimal absorption due to the technology used to press them into tablets.
• Carbon-bond organic. A carbon-based organic supplement has living carbon wrapped around its nutrients, which is cold-processed to preserve the living matter in the product. These supplements may derive the maximum nutritional benefit, with no known risks or side effects.

In many cases, it's better to take no supplement at all than to take a poor one. Follow these guidelines for choosing a nutritional supplement and you too can find the best source of vitamins and minerals for your body.

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All Car Seats Are Not Created Equal

Is your booster seat putting your child at risk? Regular automobile seats are not designed to protect children. This is why U.S. law mandates booster seat and seat belt use for small children. The booster elevates the youngster in the seat, so both the lap belt and shoulder harness fit the child more like they do an adult. The purpose of every booster is to prevent injury to a child's vital organs and spine in the event of a collision.

There are two kinds of booster seats. The most basic kind is the so-called backless booster seat. The other type is a seat bottom/back combination: the high-back booster, which also has a head restraint and side head protection to prevent bending of the head and neck in the event of a car accident. A recent study demonstrated that the high-back booster reduced injuries by a very commendable 70 percent, while the backless booster was shown to be no more effective at reducing injuries than seat belts without the booster. So replace those backless boosters right away!

There are a few simple ways to determine whether your child should be using a booster seat. Children should ride in a booster seat until they are at least 57 inches tall (4 feet, 9 inches). Once they have reached this height, if your child cannot sit all the way back against the vehicle's seat back and bend the knees over the edge of the seat, they should remain in a booster.

Your child is precious cargo. It's up to you to ensure that your child is safe while traveling in any vehicle.

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The Power of Positive Thinking

Eating disorders affect almost 5 percent of all young American women. Surprisingly, the first-ever national survey on eating disorders reported that binge eating is more prevalent than anorexia and bulimia combined. Binge eating occurs when people undergo frequent, uncontrolled eating binges without purging. It reportedly affects 3.5 percent of women compared to anorexia (1 percent) and bulimia (1.5 percent).

Experts believe eating disorders are closely associated with social issues and a negative self-image. A recent study of 242 college students found that concern over outward appearance is uniquely predictive of an eating disorder, even compared to low self-esteem, neuroticism or insecure attachment styles.

Reports indicate the best cure for a negative self-image is positive, self-affirming thoughts, reminders of your personal strengths, and close relationships with a social support network. So be kind to yourself and nurture the positive relationships in your life. You deserve it.

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Cholesterol: Know the Facts

Surely you've heard of cholesterol, but do you know what your cholesterol score is or how it could affect your health, now and years from now?

One of the first steps in getting your cholesterol under control is knowing your numbers. A "safe" total cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL. A score of 200 or higher signifies increased risk for developing heart disease; over 240 puts you in the high-risk category. Most importantly, find out your ratio of "good" HDL to "bad" LDL cholesterol. An LDL cholesterol level of less than 130 mg/dL is acceptable for most people, and the recommended HDL level is at least 40 mg/dL for men and at least 50 mg/dL for women.

Once you know the numbers, take a look at your diet. Consumption of foods high in saturated fat and LDL cholesterol is a major reason for out-of-control cholesterol levels and rising heart attack rates in the United States. While saturated fat increases LDL and total cholesterol in the bloodstream, unsaturated fats increase HDL cholesterol and reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. So on your next grocery shopping trip, be sure to select a few foods high in omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like fish, olive oil, olives, avocados and nuts.

LDL cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fats can have a profound impact on your health. Find out which foods and lifestyle choices can help you win the battle against high cholesterol.

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James Bogash, DC and Amy Strock, DC
1830 S. Alma School Rd, Bldg 7, Ste 135, Mesa, AZ 85210
(Alma School Road, just south of the Superstition Freeway/Highway 60)
Chiropractic Health Care Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert & Tempe, Arizona
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