Sunscreen: Could it be Causing More Damage than Good?
Although you may think you’re saving yourself and your children by lathering up at the beach, you may actually be
doing more harm than good. Have you ever checked the label on your sunscreens to figure out exactly what you’re
putting on your skin? Or have you taken the time to research just how protective your sunscreen is? The sunscreen
you’re using may actually be more damaging than the sun.
What’s in most sunscreens? The most common active ingredients in sunscreen include: oxtinoxate, oxybenzone,
octisalate, homosalate, avobenzone, and octocrylene. Oxtinoxate (Octyl methoxycinnamate), present in over
90% of all sunscreens, has been shown to be toxic to mouse cells at concentrations lower than that in sunscreens, and
the effects more than doubled when the cells were tested under UV rays. Oxybenzone is a derivative of benzophenone,
one of the most powerful free radical generators used to start chemical reactions. A study by the CDC revealed
that 97% of Americans are contaminated with oxybenzone, which has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption,
and cell damage. Avobenzone is also a powerful free radical generator that can easily be absorbed into your skin.
Practically anything you put on your skin can be absorbed into your body, creating free-radicals and other harmful effects.
What’s more cancerous: the sun or your sunscreen? Did you know your sunscreen may be more likely
to cause cancer than the sun? Common sunscreen ingredients are suspected or known carcinogens and/or hormone
disrupters, including diethanolamine, triethanolamine (DEA, TEA), padimate-o, octyl dimethyl PABA, benzophenone,
oxybenzone, homosalate, octyl-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate), salicylates, and parabens. According to the
Skin Cancer Foundation, over 600,000 new cases of skin cancer are detected every year, and that number is on the
rise. Why is skin cancer suddenly so prominent? Studies found that nations where chemical sunscreens are heavily
promoted have actually seen a higher rise in melanoma. Sun exposure in adequate amounts actually prevents cancer
through vitamin D production and immune system stimulation.
But if I need protection, at least sunscreen keeps the rays off me, right?

Yes, staying out in the sun too long can be harmful to your body, but most sunscreens don’t do a very good job at protecting you from either the
UVA or UVB rays. To begin with, many sunscreens only protect from one type of ray. Another problem with sunscreens
is that they don’t last that long. As stated above, most sunscreens use chemicals that break down within the
first hour, leaving you completely unprotected and frequent applications increases your chemical exposure.
What’s the difference between the two rays? UVA rays are the longer rays that penetrate deeper into your
body and are believed to be the cause of aging skin.. They are present all year round and can pass through clouds and
even windows. UVB rays are the shorter rays that are mostly responsible for sunburn. Only about 5% of the rays can
make it through our ozone, but because of their higher energy, they can still be damaging. UVB rays are also responsible
for helping our body produce vitamin D, which is essential for maintaining our health. At first, you’ll have to be
careful about how long you spend in the sun. However, your body will eventually be able to build up to a few hours
out in the sunlight, and will need even need that extra sun to continue producing the same amount of vitamin D.
Do I need to get any sun? YES! It’s important to get some unprotected rays to produce vitamin D. The recommended
amount of sun is about 20 minutes a day in which your body will make about 20,000 units of vitamin D.
The government recommendation is about 400 units a day, nowhere near enough! Not only is 400 units not enough,
by regulating your vitamin D intake through synthetic pills, you can actually overdose. But you can’t overdose on
sunlight! Your body knows when to turn off vitamin D production.
Sun Exposure and Sunscreen recommendations:

Sun exposure is necessary and good for you, just don’t burn! You can safely stay out in the sun without any protection until your skin turns a light pink color and then cover
up. It is only when you burn that the suns rays are damaging to the skin. Many experts recommend covering up or
staying out of direct sunlight between 10am and 3pm when the suns rays are strongest. If you or your children must
or choose to be out in the sun during the peak hours of the day and need to use sunscreen, take time to study the ingredients.
It may be hard to find a non toxic sunscreen at a retail store and doing diligent research online may
be your best source. Look for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient when choosing sunscreen
and zinc oxide appears to be the safer of the two. Zinc oxide appears white and many new
products are using small nanoparticles where there is concern of easier skin absorption. There are a
few products that contain non nanoparticle zinc oxide that does not appear white and contains no
synthetic materials. To save you time here is one such product: Green Screen® Organic SPF 20
Sunscreen made by Kabana skin care. Green Screen Organic SPF 20 Sunscreen contains these certified organic
and natural ingredients: 25% Zinc Oxide, Eldorado Springs Artesian Water, Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive
Oil, Certified Organic Jojoba Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Certifiied Organic Shea Butter, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax,
Vegetable Vitamin E

Golf and Chiropractic: A Natural Combination

The weather is turning warmer and the golf courses are prepped and ready for the golfing enthusiasts to return to their favorite pastime, golf.  After a long winter it is important to hit those courses being mindful of what 9 or 18 holes of golf can do to a misaligned, unconditioned spine.

There are several avenues of care that chiropractic can offer golfers, including spinal adjustments, warm-up exercises and anti-inflammatory nutrition.  Spinal adjustments are known to be effective in reducing pain and improving spinal mobility.

The golf swing can be stressful and injurious to the lumbar spine.  In addition to chiropractic adjustments, exercises that impart the least amount of stress on the lumbar spine are important.   Make it a habit to do a warm up routine before you start your round.  Swinging your golf club 10 times in the opposite way of your usual swing.  Do this before and towards the end of your game. Another good pregame exercise which pumps your spinal discs and loosen up your back is to push against your golf cart extending the spine backwards.  Also when using shorter clubs bend at your hips instead of from your low back.

Nutritional factors should also be considered by golfers. Golfers commonly self-medicate with aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help deal with inflammation and pain. These medications are known to cause gastrointestinal ulceration, harm to the liver and reduce connective tissue healing. It would be wise for golfers to adopt a diet that is rich in dark green and other colorful vegetables, which are known to be sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, bioflavonoids and phytochemicals.  Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids are eggs, flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, beef and soybeans. A good source of bioflavonoids are citrus, berries, legumes and onions.  Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and Vitamin C are useful for enhancing the repair of connective tissues.

If after a round of golf you find yourself stiff and sore, apply ice to the affected areas using the 20 minutes on and 40 minutes off method; repeating as needed if pain persists.  Drink plenty of hydrating fluids and keep moving.  If in a day or two you are still feeling pain, a spinal adjustment may help get you ready for next weekends golf game.

Misalignments in your spine, hips or pelvis can and do adversely affect your game.  If corrected with chiropractic adjustments your golf swing will improve but accuracy is up to you!

How Can a Chiropractor Help?

The strength of both the immune and respiratory systems depends largely on proper communication between the brain and spinal cord to control and coordinate their functions properly.  When there are interruptions in this communication such as misalignments of the neck, immunity may be compromised.  This irritation can exaggerate or even produce allergic and asthmatic symptoms.  Through chiropractic adjustments a chiropractor can help restore alignment and open the necessary pathways of communication between the brain and spine.

In addition to promoting a stronger immune system, adjustments may also help regulate the rush of histamine and amount of cortisol produced during high allergy season.  The majority of allergies involve release of inflammatory producing substances such as histamine.  Adequate production of cortisol, an anti-inflammatory hormone produced by the adrenal gland is necessary to combat this.  Understandably, many allergy sufferers are also found to have weak adrenal gland function.  What many do not realize is that the adrenal gland is fed directly by the T9 spinal level nerve root, meaning once again, that spinal misalignments can greatly impact allergic reactions.  By helping to maintain balance and regulation of important allergy-fighting hormones, a chiropractor can help allergy sufferers find relief and lessen reliance on anti-histamines.

Along with spinal adjustments, chiropractors typically offer helpful lifestyle and nutritional advice to patients based on their specific needs.  Chiropractic is a holistic method of medicine which recognizes that the human body is healthier and functions at a higher level when all aspects of health are taken into account, including physical, nutritional, and environmental.  For allergy sufferers, certain foods and environmental factors may improve or worsen their symptoms.  A chiropractor can help you determine lifestyle and dietary changes that may serve to lessen allergy symptoms and improve overall comfort and health.

A lack of Vitamin D will also weaken the immune system. That cold you have been fighting could be related to a low Vitamin D level.  We need to take at least 10 times the recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D (35 IU/lb of body weight, 4-6,000 IU/day for most adults) to help our immune systems fight off viruses we come in contact with on a daily basis.  Vitamin D can be taken in pill form but a better, more convenient form is available in liquid drops.  As a convenience to our patients we sell several high quality vitamin supplements.  The Vitamin D supplement we recommends is Bio-D Mulsion Forte.  This is a Vitamin D drop that provides 2000 IU in each drop.  Each bottle contains 750 drops.  It is recommended to take up to three drops daily especially during cold and flu season.  Studies show boosting your vitamin D is more effective than taking a flu shot.

Daily doses of sunlight also provide Vitamin D but we only absorb Vitamin D through the skin that is exposed to the sun so during the months we have to cover up we get negligible amounts of this important vitamin. Foods that are good sources of Vitamin D are fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna.  Egg yolks also provide a good source of Vitamin D however dietary sources are rarely enough and supplementation is highly recommended.  The #1 nutritional deficiency most people have is Vitamin D.

We see more injuries from spring yard clean up than winter snow removal.

It is important to follow safe back care during your spring clean up.  Here are some tips to help you keep your back feeling great during what could be “back breaking” chores.

1. See your Chiropractor for a spinal adjustment prior to doing strenuous yard work. A spine in good alignment is your best tool when tackling tough yard work.
2. Stretch, arms, legs, neck and back before you head outside.  This warms the muscles and prepares them for the work ahead.
3. Think ahead and arrange an area where you can sit down perhaps under an umbrella and have a cool drink to take a break.
4. Pace yourself and take your time with heavy items or stubborn weeds. It is important to take breaks often when doing long stretches of yard work.
5. Lift with your arms, legs and back as one unit bending at the knees.
6. Rest and regroup when you’re starting to feel tired.  Remember, taking breaks help keep you from overworking which is just as important as getting the job done.
7. Stay well hydrated. Dehydrated muscles are more prone to injury. Taking that needed break while hydrating is important.
8. Maintain good posture while mowing or raking. Good posture can also prevent back problems. Taking a break is a good idea too!
9. Take the pressure off your back using the “scissor” stance when raking.  Put your right foot forward and left foot back, then reverse after a few minutes. Don’t forget to take breaks, it’s important!
10. Start or continue strengthening your core musculature and increase aerobic activity to lessen the chance of straining your low back.
11. If you didn’t catch it above, TAKING BREAKS is very important. Taking a 10 minute break once per hour to stretch/recover/hydrate will go a long way in preventing back injuries.

You may still feel stiff and sore the day after doing a lot of yard work, ice to soothe the discomfort.  If there is no improvement in your aches and pains within 48 hours call us for an appointment.   Chiropractic treatments are highly effective in treating muscle pain (remember your spine and nerves control your muscles) and will get your back and you feeling good.

Exercises to increase balance and decrease motion sickness

All of the motion sickness exercises should make you slightly dizzy or nauseous. While this does not sound fun, remember the saying, no pain no gain. Unless you push your brain past its comfort point, no rehabilitation can be gained. Most people will feel the effects for 5-10 minutes after finishing the exercises. If you continue to feel dizzy or nauseous after an hour, decrease the amount or speed of the exercises for next time. Remember, start slowly and don’t overtax your system. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You can begin by trying out all of the new exercises on the first night or by choosing to only do one or two new ones a night and spreading them out throughout the week. Continue adding on to the previous weeks’ exercises and switching them up every night so that your body doesn’t adapt to one move only!

When attempting these exercises, always make sure to be holding on to something stable or to be near something stable that you could easily grab if you begin to lose balance. If you start feeling overly nauseous or dizzy, take one hand and press down on the top of your head for a few seconds or make a pair of binoculars with your hands and look through them at the ground.

Week 7:  Big Finale!

Motion Sickness:    This week we are going to work on saccades. Saccades are quick movements of the eye. For example, think about cats. If you watch them, you will see that the minute something moves, their eyes go right to it. To practice this, place two targets in front of you about an arm’s length away. For one minute, look back and forth between them as quickly as possible. The second part of this exercise requires you to rotate your head as well.

Balance: This last exercise requires a piece of paper and either a hallway or a fairly open room. Now, try to walk around while looking only at the paper. This takes the visual part of balance out and really works on improving your body awareness or proprioception system. By practicing this exercise, you should have more confidence walking around a supermarket while reading a shopping list and also more confidence walking around without constantly having to watch where you place each foot!

Good Luck!

Exercises to increase balance and decrease motion sickness

All of the motion sickness exercises should make you slightly dizzy or nauseous. While this does not sound fun, remember the saying, no pain no gain. Unless you push your brain past its comfort point, no rehabilitation can be gained. Most people will feel the effects for 5-10 minutes after finishing the exercises. If you continue to feel dizzy or nauseous after an hour, decrease the amount or speed of the exercises for next time. Remember, start slowly and don’t overtax your system. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You can begin by trying out all of the new exercises on the first night or by choosing to only do one or two new ones a night and spreading them out throughout the week. Continue adding on to the previous weeks’ exercises and switching them up every night so that your body doesn’t adapt to one move only!

When attempting these exercises, always make sure to be holding on to something stable or to be near something stable that you could easily grab if you begin to lose balance. If you start feeling overly nauseous or dizzy, take one hand and press down on the top of your head for a few seconds or make a pair of binoculars with your hands and look through them at the ground.

Week 6: Almost there!

Motion Sickness:    You can either be standing or sitting for this exercise. Begin making circles with your head. Place your chin to your chest, then left ear on left shoulder, right ear on right shoulder, and finally back to chin on chest. Don’t extend your head backwards. Do this slowly with your eyes open for about a minute. Reverse and go the opposite way.

You can do this exercise with your eyes open first, and then with your eyes closed. You can also continue to increase the speed at which you perform the head circles to increase the intensity. 

Balance:    This exercise may seem basic but can prove to be quite a challenge for some people. Using tape, mark spots on the carpet in a circle about a step width apart. Now walk in a circle trying to step only on the spots you marked. Then switch and go the other way. If this seems too easy, go around your house and collect your cushions and pillows, try to get at least 8. Set them up in a circle spaced about a foot or two apart. Now walk in a circle only on the pillows. Switch and go the other way. You can also place the pillows in a line or a zigzag pattern and follow that!

Good luck!

Why is vitamin D important for your health?

It’s the beginning of January, and the days are still short and wintry! The vitamin D stores that we spent all summer building up are nearing empty.

How is vitamin D made?

Our bodies make vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. After just 20 minutes in sunlight, with the arms and legs almost completely exposed, we produce about 10,000 IUs (international units) of vitamin D! Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning that some can be stored by the body. However, most people are still deficient in it due to the inadequate amount of sunshine we get during the cold weather seasons.  Plus, if you spent your summer inside an office building, lathered up in sunscreen, or just in the cloudy Chicago area, your body is barely getting enough vitamin D to function normally, much less having any left over to store.

What does vitamin D do?

Some people might think missing a little vitamin D isn’t a problem, but we need vitamin D to help absorb calcium and increase bone strength, support the immune system, and to prevent cancer. Every cell in our body has vitamin D receptors, and without it, most activities performed by the body are in some way affected. Vitamin D also helps to prevent the winter blues!

Is all vitamin D the same?

There are two forms of vitamin D that you will normally see on foods and supplements. D2 (ergocalciferol) is made by plants and D3 (cholecalciferol) is made by humans when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Traditionally, ergocalciferol has been the form used in many fortified foods and supplements due to a higher availability and longer lasting shelf life. Cholecalciferol, however, is much more potent and longer lasting in the body. When choosing a supplement, make sure it says D3 or cholecalciferol!

Getting Vitamin D naturally:

Daily sunlight exposure is the best way to get vitamin D. Our bodies are naturally able to create vitamin D. 20 minutes outside with full arm exposure and some leg exposure is very helpful in reaching our daily requirements. However, in cold weather, this can be hard to do. Taking a daily vitamin D supplementation is necessary for most people to reach their recommended amount.

How much should you take?

It is possible to overdose on vitamin D, but no adverse effects have been seen before 10,000 IUs. The general consensus is that you should be taking 30 IUs of vitamin D for every pound of body weight. A 150 pound adult would need to be taking at least 4,500 IUs a day. Getting at least 2,000 IUs a day as well as some sunshine should also be enough. If you think you’re daily sunlight levels are too low, or you’re unsure which brand of vitamin D you should be taking, just ask Dr. Brian! He believes that vitamin D is one of the most important supplements a person can be on and recommends a liquid Bio-D-Mulsion Forte, which he uses himself and is one of the few things he sells right here in the office!

New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep!

With the new year beginning, many people have already started making their resolutions. Many of these resolutions are such an extreme change from their normal life that they’re almost impossible to consistently keep. These are a few hints to help make more  reasonable resolutions and how to make sure you follow through on those resolutions!

1. Start small – Only make resolutions that you can keep. If you haven’t been working out lately and you want to start moving more, don’t make a resolution of going to the gym 7 days a week. Instead, commit to two or three days a week when you know you can make the time. Or, if you want to eat healthier, don’t  plan on an extreme diet that takes away all of the foods you love and also takes more time to make. As an alternative, choose one thing to improve in your diet. Try eating at least 2 servings of vegetables a day, or instead of desert, find a healthier replacement.
2. Get support – Sticking to a New Year’s resolution is a lot easier when you have someone else doing it with you or there’s another person to hold you accountable. Find a friend or family member that is striving for a similar goal as you and help each other out!
3. Focus on one resolution at a time – Remember, these resolutions are for a whole year, so you have that year to slowly integrate them into your life. If you have a long list, try focusing on one resolution a month. Once a resolution becomes more of a habit, it won’t be so hard to follow, and your brain will be better able to concentrate on the next resolution.
4. Make your goals extremely specific – Setting goals such as “get in shape” or “eat healthier” aren’t very good goals. They leave a wide room for interpretation and you don’t have a set point that you can strive for. Instead, set goals like “lose 10 pounds” or “drink only one pop a week”. These goals are attainable and you can be proud of yourself for reaching it!

Exercises to increase balance and decrease motion sickness

All of the motion sickness exercises should make you slightly dizzy or nauseous. While this does not sound fun, remember the saying, no pain no gain. Unless you push your brain past its comfort point, no rehabilitation can be gained. Most people will feel the effects for 5-10 minutes after finishing the exercises. If you continue to feel dizzy or nauseous after an hour, decrease the amount or speed of the exercises for next time. Remember, start slowly and don’t overtax your system. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You can begin by trying out all of the new exercises on the first night or by choosing to only do one or two new ones a night and spreading them out throughout the week. Continue adding on to the previous weeks’ exercises and switching them up every night so that your body doesn’t adapt to one move only!

When attempting these exercises, always make sure to be holding on to something stable or to be near something stable that you could easily grab if you begin to lose balance. If you start feeling overly nauseous or dizzy, take one hand and press down on the top of your head for a few seconds or make a pair of binoculars with your hands and look through them at the ground.

Week 5:

Motion Sickness:    Begin by looking at a target somewhere in front of you. Close your eyes and continue to imagine that you’re looking at the target and stay focused on that target. Now rotate your head to one side or up and down while still pretending to keep your eyes on the target. When you open your eyes, they should still be focused on the same spot. How accurate were you? Repeat this exercise for about 2 minutes, varying the direction of your head and the speed at which you rotate it.

Balance:    Stand in the middle of the floor and put various small objects around you in a circle (cans, socks, pens, pencils, etc. Try to have at least 10.) Stand on one leg and try to touch each of the objects with the other foot. You can lean over and bend your supporting leg if need be, just try not to let the raised foot touch the ground. Once you have done that with one foot, switch and use the other.  After completing one set, pick up the objects and move them around and try again.

Good luck!