What is Water? Drink 5

Water is essential for life. You can survive 3 weeks without food, but barely 3 days without water. So it’s obvious why hydration is so important to health. But what truly hydrates us? Is it just water or does a soda work, too? Patients always ask me what counts towards their daily water intake and how much water they need to stay healthy.

In honor of Drink Water Month, I put together my list of what is and isn’t water.
5. Sports Drinks & Energy Drinks: Similar to soda, these drinks typically have additives that the body will have to work double-time to clear out including dyes, preservatives and sweeteners. While many think sports drinks are good for replenishing the body after physical activity, you’re better off with water and some energy rich foods like nuts, avocado or eggs.


That's just one of the many examples I have of where you can get your water. Check back next week for more!

What is Water? Drinks 3-4

Water is essential for life. You can survive 3 weeks without food, but barely 3 days without water. So it’s obvious why hydration is so important to health. But what truly hydrates us? Is it just water or does a soda work, too? Patients always ask me what counts towards their daily water intake and how much water they need to stay healthy.

In honor of Drink Water Month, I put together my list of what is and isn’t water.
3. Coffee & Tea
In moderation, coffee and tea are fine options and can count towards your water intake. But that’s a cup of black coffee or unsweetened tea. The minute you add sugar, creamer, or a fancy term (think mocha, latte, frappe), you lose the hydrating benefits. Those additives will tax your liver and require more water to flush your system.

4. Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits are an excellent source for water. The highest ranked is Watermelon at 90% water. Other options include melons and citrus. But remember – fruit also adds sugar, so if you’re watching your weight, keep your fruit servings to 2-3 daily. Vegetables can also provide a nutrient-rich water source, though not as much as fruit. Stick with celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, and Romaine lettuce. And there’s no limit to your daily veggie intake, so eat up!

That's just two of the many examples I have of where you can get your water. Check back next week for more!

What is Water? Drinks 1-2.

Water is essential for life. You can survive 3 weeks without food, but barely 3 days without water. So it’s obvious why hydration is so important to health. But what truly hydrates us? Is it just water or does a soda work, too? Patients always ask me what counts towards their daily water intake and how much water they need to stay healthy.

In honor of Drink Water Month, I put together my list of what is and isn’t water.

Juice: This one falls into the “it depends” category. If the juice is 100% fruit juice, then it counts as a serving of fruit and also adds to your water tally. If there is more on the label that just the juice or it’s only a percentage “real” juice, then you run into the same problems as soda. Be label-choosy here and you’ll end up with the healthiest, best tasting option.

Fruits & Vegetables: Fruits are an excellent source for water. The highest ranked is Watermelon at 90% water. Other options include melons and citrus. But remember – fruit also adds sugar, so if you’re watching your weight, keep your fruit servings to 2-3 daily. Vegetables can also provide a nutrient-rich water source, though not as much as fruit. Stick with celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, and Romaine lettuce. And there’s no limit to your daily veggie intake, so eat up!

 

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.
Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter.  

3 Tips for Warming Up for Spring - Tip 3

 

Water is essential for life. You can survive 3 weeks without food, but barely 3 days without water. So it’s obvious why hydration is so important to health. But what truly hydrates us? Is it just water or does a soda work, too? Patients always ask me what counts towards their daily water intake and how much water they need to stay healthy.

It’s been a long winter and spring is in the air. For many that means tackling projects at home, clearing out the garden, or getting back to outdoor adventures like running, hiking or biking. I lovingly call it being a weekend warrior – squeezing every last bit of sunshine, energy and outdoor time out of the weekend before Monday morning starts the work week again.

The downside to being a weekend warrior? Going from zero to yard work hero without the proper prep and strategy can lead to injuries – from strains and sprains to serious pain. So before you put yourself at risk, take a look at 4 Tips for Warming Up for Spring:
3.       Replenish What You Lose

When you are working hard –whether at work or at play – your body is losing fuel. If you replenish it regularly with the right foods and fluids, you’ll stay hydrated and ready to go. If you neglect to break to fill your tank, you run the risk of dehydration and binging when you do stop for food. Running on an empty tank has no benefits!

My number one rule for outdoor adventures is to stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle with your throughout your day. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy water break; just take a moment to have a swig. If you’re working up a sweat (and that’s good!) be sure to drink extra water to replenish what you’re losing through your pores. Skip the sugary sports drinks and opt for regular old water. If you need some flavor, add some citrus like lemon, lime or orange.  Watermelon is also a great addition to water and a great snack (because it is 90% water).

My ideal outdoor snack is a handful of hearty trail mix full of nuts, dried fruit and maybe even a little dark chocolate. An apple or banana is also a great grab-and-go snack. Remember to plan a well-rounded meal for yourself prior to starting your adventure. Preparation will keep you from unnecessary snacking or being overly hungry when you sit down to eat.

 

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.
Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter.  

3 Tips for Warming Up For Spring - Tip 2

 

It’s been a long winter and spring is in the air. For many that means tackling projects at home, clearing out the garden, or getting back to outdoor adventures like running, hiking or biking. I lovingly call it being a weekend warrior – squeezing every last bit of sunshine, energy and outdoor time out of the weekend before Monday morning starts the work week again.

The downside to being a weekend warrior? Going from zero to yard work hero without the proper prep and strategy can lead to injuries – from strains and sprains to serious pain. So before you put yourself at risk, take a look at 4 Tips for Warming Up for Spring:


2.       Stretch for Success

You are about the work muscles that may have been dormant for the winter.  Stretching before and after your planned activities is the best way to make sure those muscles are ready to work today and tomorrow.

Two specific areas that I suggest addressing are the shoulders and the hips/low back.

 A great shoulder stretch is to bring your arm across your body just under your chin. Use your opposite hand to supply a small amount of tension by placing your arm above your elbow and pulling your arm into your body. Repeat that on your opposite arm to get a well-rounded stretch. 

You can also do a door jamb stretch to hit both your shoulder and chest muscles. Start by finding a sturdy door jamb. Place your hand and forearm on the frame of the door with your elbow making a right angle to your shoulder. Lean into the doorway lightly until you feel the stretch.  Switch sides and repeat.

To focus on your hips and low back, you have a wide range of options.  My favorites are the simple lunge, quad stretch and calf stretch.

The lunge is not an exercise here, but a simple stretch.  Get into lung positon with one leg in front of you and the other behind. Bend your forward knee slightly so that you are lunging, making sure your knee does not stretch past your toes. You can add to this by twisting your body slightly, moving the side of your body with the leg back forward to feel the stretch through your hip. Swap leg positions and get both sides fully stretched.

The quad stretch and calf stretch are relatively standard. To stretch your quad, reach behind you and take one of your feet in your hands, bending your knee and stretching out your quad. Hold for several seconds and switch to the other side. Make sure you have something to hold onto if you don’t trust your balance.  To stretch your calf, find a sturdy wall and place your toes on it so that your heel is resting on the floor and your foot is making a V shape compared to the wall. Now simply lean towards the wall to feel the stretch. Repeat on the other side and you’re all set.
With next weekend right around the corner, keep this tip in mind to keep yourself warrior-ready.

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.
Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

3 Tips for Warming Up for Spring - Tip 1

It’s been a long winter and spring is in the air. For many that means tackling projects at home, clearing out the garden, or getting back to outdoor adventures like running, hiking or biking. I lovingly call it being a weekend warrior – squeezing every last bit of sunshine, energy and outdoor time out of the weekend before Monday morning starts the work week again.

The downside to being a weekend warrior? Going from zero to yard work hero without the proper prep and strategy can lead to injuries – from strains and sprains to serious pain. So before you put yourself at risk, take a look at 4 Tips for Warming Up for Spring:

1.       Mind Your Position

Tedious or repetitive activities, like weeding the garden or biking on a long trail, may require you to be in an awkward position for long stretches of time. Be mindful of your posture during these activities and know that there is a right way and a wrong way to position yourself.  Try to keep your head back and not bent too far forward. Alternate between squatting and kneeling when you can to engage different muscles and relax others.

When changing position isn’t an option, make sure that you are taking periodic breaks so that you don’t become stiff or tight. Take a movement toad motion back into your legs if you are sitting or kneeling. Stretch your arms out when you are raking or shoveling. Another option is to change activities all together if there are different parts of a project that you can work on simultaneously.

Before you attempt to move a large rock or pull a big weed out of the ground, test the force that you’ll need to be successful. Over or under estimating the weight or strength of something that you’re trying to more is another way that you can seriously injury yourself. Misjudging the strength and position you’ll need can put you off balance and ill-prepared. Take the moment to test and save yourself possible injury.

With next weekend right around the corner, keep this tip in mind to keep yourself warrior-ready. This is tip #1 of 4. Stop back next week for another installment. 

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.
Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

Once a Day for Life - Vitamin #4

Why supplement? For starters, no one eats a “perfect diet”. Supplements insure that our bodies get the nutritional building blocks that they require, even when our healthy eating intentions are slightly sub-par. What’s more, research shows that the food we eat today often lacks the nutritional value that it held in previous decades. Adding a supplement helps make up for that gap.

The question remains – what do we really need? In honor of National Nutrition Month, here are the Top Four Musts for nutritional supplementation.

#4 Anti-Oxidants

Anti-oxidants are free-radical fighter. Free radicals are cells out looking to cause trouble in the body; disrupting normal activity and actually damaging DNA, planting the seed for disease. Anti-oxidants neutralize free radicals by sharing their electrons to stabilize them.

There are two kinds of antioxidants that target different systems in the body. Fat soluble anti-oxidants like vitamins E and D help keep the peace in organs and tissues. Water soluble antioxidants like OPCs are effective for blood sugar regulation, circulation, inflammation and immune support.  A mixture of both is a great idea for overall health.

These are general guidelines that can benefit everyone. Adding these four quality supplements into your daily routine is an inexpensive, easy habit that will set you up for healthier future.

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

One a Day for Life - Vitamin #3

Why supplement? For starters, no one eats a “perfect diet”. Supplements insure that our bodies get the nutritional building blocks that they require, even when our healthy eating intentions are slightly sub-par. What’s more, research shows that the food we eat today often lacks the nutritional value that it held in previous decades. Adding a supplement helps make up for that gap.

The question remains – what do we really need? In honor of National Nutrition Month, here are the Top Four Musts for nutritional supplementation.

#3: Vitamin D

When sunshine isn’t an option, it’s important to supplement the Vitamin D our bodies need to

promote calcium absorption, bone and teeth health and immune system function.

Choose a supplement that includes Vitamin K for improved absorption. Look for an option that is specifically D3 (natural) versus D2 (synthetic) so that it’s bioavailable (ready for your body to use).


This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter.   

Once A Day For Life - Vitamin #2

Why supplement? For starters, no one eats a “perfect diet”. Supplements insure that our bodies get the nutritional building blocks that they require, even when our healthy eating intentions are slightly sub-par. What’s more, research shows that the food we eat today often lacks the nutritional value that it held in previous decades. Adding a supplement helps make up for that gap.

The question remains – what do we really need? In honor of National Nutrition Month, here are the Top Four Musts for nutritional supplementation.
#2: Omega 3 (Fish Oil)

Omega 3s are considered “Essential Fatty Acids”. Essential in this context means that it’s not something that our bodies make – we have to ingest it. Omega 3s and Omega 6s support your nervous, cardiovascular, immune, and reproductive systems. You want to keep a healthy Omega 3:6 ratio (ideally a 1:1 – 1:4). The problem? We ingest a much larger amount of Omega 6 in our diets, tipping the ratio.

To balance things out, add 3000mg of a high quality Fish Oil daily. Look for one made with small fish (less toxins), and with both EPA and DHA.

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.
Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

Once a Day for Life - Vitamin #1

 

Why supplement? For starters, no one eats a “perfect diet”. Supplements insure that our bodies get the nutritional building blocks that they require, even when our healthy eating intentions are slightly sub-par. What’s more, research shows that the food we eat today often lacks the nutritional value that it held in previous decades. Adding a supplement helps make up for that gap.

The question remains – what do we really need? In honor of National Nutrition Month, here are the Top Four Musts for nutritional supplementation.

#1: A Quality Multi-Vitamin

A good multi-vitamin will cover a number of things that the body needs.

You should see the 4 major fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, D, and K). You’ll also want to see that the spectrum of B’s are covered – B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (pyridoxine/al/amine), B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folic Acid), and B12 (various Cobalamins).

You should also look for a mixture of Calcium and Magnesium. These two elements work together in bone, muscle, and nerve health.  Other trace minerals are also important, including Iron, Manganese, Iodine and Selenium.

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

4 Heart Health Hints #4

When a group of children is asked to name an organ of the body, the heart is typically one of the first to come to mind. That’s because we learn its importance at a very young age. The heart is a power-house pump that pushes blood throughout the body and back again. The heart is a well-oiled machine…until it isn’t; then a devastating reality becomes apparent – the heart is only as strong as we make it.

So what can we do to keep our heart strong, healthy, and pumping? I have 4 Heart Health Hints to get your blood flowing (and keep it that way!)
#4  Implement a Consistent Exercise Routine

It’s no big secret that exercise will ultimately be good for your heart. Your heart is a muscles and consistently working it out will make it (and keep it) a lean, mean, blood-pumping machine. I won’t go into the many other reasons that regular exercise is good for your overall healthy; suffice it to say the reasons are many and true.

While you should always consult a health care professional and/or someone certified and knowledgeable about exercise before starting a strenuous exercise program, there are several broad recommendations that can be made. Almost every program should incorporate some anaerobic burst-type exercises. Commonly called interval training, these types of exercises have been shown to have a wide range of health benefits and can be efficiently completed in a short amount of time.

Weight training is also an important aspect of a well-rounded workout program. It doesn’t have to be larger amounts of weight, but the process of working individual muscles groups will strengthen your frame and increase blood flow to the focused areas of your body.

That's the last of our 4 Heart Health Hints. Check in next month for Once a Day for Life: 4 Top Nutritional Must-Haves.

This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

4 Heart Health Hints #3

When a group of children is asked to name an organ of the body, the heart is typically one of the first to come to mind. That’s because we learn its importance at a very young age. The heart is a power-house pump that pushes blood throughout the body and back again. The heart is a well-oiled machine…until it isn’t; then a devastating reality becomes apparent – the heart is only as strong as we make it.

So what can we do to keep our heart strong, healthy, and pumping? I have 4 Heart Health Hints to get your blood flowing (and keep it that way!)

# 3  Improve Your Nerve Function

Blood pressure is one easy to measure indicator of heart health. High blood pressure can be indicative of a heart that is not functioning at its best; working hard, but not efficiently to pump blood throughout the body. Low blood pressure can also be a red flag that your heart is not pumping blood as it was designed to. If your blood pressure lows when you move from a sitting to standing position, this could be an indicator of a heart health challenge.

When an organ is not function at its best, the answer may be that it is simply suffering from a lack of communication between it and the body’s control center (the brain). Typically, it’s not the brain giving the organ the cold shoulder, but the lack of clear communication is due to an interference that is blocking the signal.

Chiropractic adjustments are designed to remove that type of interference (what chiropractors call subluxations) to allow the proper flow of information to and from the brain and other part of the body. That’s why individuals with high blood pressure see their numbers improve with chiropractic care.

A very interesting study was conducted on 50 patients with early-stage high blood pressure at The University of Chicago Hypertension Center testing the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments on lowering blood pressure. 25 patients underwent 8 week of chiropractic adjustments while the remaining 25 received 8 weeks of placebo adjustments. None of the patients took medication during the 8 weeks.

Compared to the placebo group, those who received true chiropractic adjustments saw an average of 14 mmHg greater drop in systolic blood pressure and 8mmHg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure. George Bakris M.D, the director and study leader said that "This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination and it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems."

Pre and Post x-rays were taken in this study. The pre adjustment x-rays showed that the atlas (or top bone of the spine) was misaligned (subluxated). Even the smallest misalignment to the atlas puts pressure on the brainstem, which boasts control of the cardiovascular system as one in a long list of duties. The post adjustment x-rays for those individuals showed that the atlas was re-aligned and the pressure on the brainstem released.

This study mirrors what I see every day in the office. When we remove subluxations, the result is a better functioning nervous system. When our nervous systems are functioning at their best, the systems of our bodies heal and function at their best. That includes the cardiovascular system and the heart. You can’t get much simpler than that.
This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

4 Heart Health Hints #2

When a group of children is asked to name an organ of the body, the heart is typically one of the first to come to mind. That’s because we learn its importance at a very young age. The heart is a power-house pump that pushes blood throughout the body and back again. The heart is a well-oiled machine…until it isn’t; then a devastating reality becomes apparent – the heart is only as strong as we make it.

So what can we do to keep our heart strong, healthy, and pumping? I have 4 Heart Health Hints to get your blood flowing (and keep it that way!)

  #2 Just Say No to Sugar and Grains

Removing sugar and grains from your diet is a great way to improve overall health. Among other offenses, grains and sugars cause an increase in inflammation, promote allergic response, and raise insulin levels. An elevated insulin level leads to insulin resistance, which cascades into many other health challenges – one of which is elevated blood pressure.

How are insulin resistance and blood pressure related? Insulin stores magnesium. When cells are resistance to insulin, they also reject the magnesium that comes with it, so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium relaxes muscles. Low levels of stored magnesium cause blood vessels to constrict rather than relax, raising your blood pressure.

Insulin also causes your body to retain sodium. How does this affect your blood pressure? Sodium retention causes fluid retention. Fluid retention is another cause of high blood pressure. Fluid retention can also lead to congestive heart failure.

One of the many ways that sugar hurts the body is by depleting it of B vitamins. B vitamins are necessary for proper heart function. Having low levels of B vitamins increases inflammation in your body and makes you more susceptible to infection and injury. You can increase your B vitamins through a quality nutritional supplement, or through a well-rounded diet including leafy green vegetables, nuts, and beans.

Eating sugars and grains -- including any type of bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, or rice -- will cause your insulin levels and your blood pressure to remain elevated. Removing these things from your everyday diet will help to regulate both your insulin levels and blood pressure. Eliminating them completely will produce the best change, but even just reducing your consumption may make a noticeable difference.

If your high blood pressure is a complication of insulin resistance, then controlling your blood sugar levels will, in turn, help to lower your blood pressure and improve your heart health. If it isn’t, eliminating grains and sugar is still a smart move that will ultimately improve your overall health. No negative side effects!

Check in later this week for more tips on how to help your heart!

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter.
This blog maybe be reproduced in part or in its entirety in print or online with specific permission from Dr. Dan Turo.
Please contact our office directly at 412-369-0400 or info@turofamilychiropractic.com for details.