Healthy Habits for Avoiding Holiday Hips - Part 3

The holidays are fast approaching and with them family, friends and feasts abound! What a blessing the chance to celebrate is; but don’t let it be a curse to your health (and waistline!). As we give thanks and deck the halls, let’s remember to follow a few simple rules to avoid undoing all the healthy decision making we do the other 10 months of the year. Let’s keep “losing the holiday weight” off our resolution list this January!

Here are 6 Healthy Habits to Avoid Holiday Hips this (and every) year! Bon Appetit!

3)      Cut It In Half

This tip is all about portion control. There are several ways to watch your portions aside from the obvious (don’t put too much on your plate).

Ask for a smaller portion that is being offered. Especially at family gathers, pieces are cut on the generous side and can quickly cause you to over eat without thinking about it. If you cut a serving in half before it makes it to your plate, you’re controlling your portion size without wasting or stressing.

You can also double up on the healthy options available at the meal, like veggies without heavy sauces and breading and lettuce or spinach based salads. Vegetables will help to fill you up without adding the extra pounds that carbs and dessert do.

Being healthy this holiday season doesn’t have to stop the party. Being mindful of what you do and how you eat will help you keep your health and hips in check this winter.  This is only Tip #3 – Check back soon for the rest of our Healthy Habits for Avoiding Holiday Hips!

Healthy Habits for Avoiding Holiday Hips - Part 2

The holidays don't have to mean weight gain!

The holidays are fast approaching and with them family, friends and feasts abound! What a blessing the chance to celebrate is; but don’t let it be a curse to your health (and waistline!). As we give thanks and deck the halls, let’s remember to follow a few simple rules to avoid undoing all the healthy decision making we do the other 10 months of the year. Let’s keep “losing the holiday weight” off our resolution list this January!

Here are 6 Healthy Habits to Avoid Holiday Hips this (and every) year! Bon Appetit!

2)      Put Down Your Fork

This tip goes hand and hand with #1 as far as its waistline benefits. Putting down your fork between each bite takes time. It allows you time to chew, enjoy your food, participate in conversation and (most importantly) “stop the shovel”.  You can use the trick of pattern interrupt on yourself. Make yourself put down your tools. Take a minute to take in how you feel and if you really want those last few bites.

On average, it takes your brain 20 minutes to signal to your stomach that you’re full. Eating at a slower pace will give your brain a chance to catch up and keep you from over indulging.  You will end up consuming 10% fewer calories by slowing your pace than those who hurry through a meal. Take the time to enjoy the company and the feast – there’s no need to rush!

Being healthy this holiday season doesn’t have to stop the party. Being mindful of what you do and how you eat will help you keep your health and hips in check this winter.  This is only Tip #2 – Check back soon for the rest of our Healthy Habits for Avoiding Holiday Hips!

Six Healthy Habits for Avoiding Holiday Hips - Part 1

The holidays are fast approaching and with them family, friends and feasts abound! What a blessing the chance to celebrate is; but don’t let it be a curse to your health (and waistline!). As we give thanks and deck the halls, let’s remember to follow a few simple rules to avoid undoing all the healthy decision making we do the other 10 months of the year. Let’s keep “losing the holiday weight” off our resolution list this January!

Here are 6 Healthy Habits to Avoid Holiday Hips this (and every) year! Bon Appetit! 

1. Chew Your Food 

Chewing your food helps your body in many ways!

At the risk of sounding like your mother, this one is more important than keeping your elbows off the table. And chewing your food thoroughly does more than save you from choking.

Chewing your food will help with your digestion. Breaking down the food into smaller particles reduces the stress put on your esophagus, helps the stomach metabolize the food, and makes it easier for your intestines to absorb the available nutrients. Not to mention that the longer food stays in your mouth during the mastication (fancy word for chewing) process, the more saliva is produced which contains digestive enzymes. In short, thorough chewing leads to more productive and gentle digestion.

Chewing also helps to decrease the amount of angry bacteria in your intestine. Without getting to graphic about the process, smaller food particles can reduce instances of gas and bloating, cramping, constipation, diarrhea, and other digestive distress that no one wants during the holiday season (or any time of the year!).

To top it off, mastering munching will help you maintain a healthy weight.  Being conscious of completely chewing your food will slow down your eating speed, causing you to feel full sooner and ultimately eat smaller portions.

Being healthy this holiday season doesn’t have to stop the party. Being mindful of what you do and how you eat will help you keep your health and hips in check this winter.  This is only Tip #1 – Check back soon for the rest of our Healthy Habits for Avoiding Holiday Hips!

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.

Get Sunscreen Savvy - The Do's and Don'ts for Fun in the Sun Part 2

Now that we know what to avoid, what is the alternatives? We can’t just stay out of the sun! Remember – the right amount of sun is healthy! It’s our best source for Vitamin D3, improves our moods, and keeps our biorhythms on track. It’s also been shown that daily moderate sun exposure can decrease your risk of some cancers. Your body craves sunshine!  The following are a handful  of tips to maximize your sunshine benefits and keep you sun savvy this summer.

5 Healthy Habits for Sun Fun

#1 Drink Water like it’s…Water.

You know that I’m always plugging water as the best drink choice. When you are out in the sun, it’s even more important to down the H20. It’s not just important needed ward off dehydration. Drinking water increases your skins natural moisture factor which helps protect it from environmental factors (like sun exposure).

The day before an outdoor adventure (and every day for that matter!), make sure you are drinking enough water and avoiding dehydrating beverages, like those with caffeine or artificial sweeteners. Take water with you and drink as you go. Remember: by the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

#2 Eat Your Sunscreen

You can receive added sun protection naturally through your diet. Certain vitamins and minerals help your body repair the oxidative damage that occurs during sun exposure, the kind of damage greatly increases the risk of skin cancer. Here’s a list of 6 protective ingredients and the foods that can help you beat the burn: 

1.      Astaxathin: Find it in wild caught salmon and quality fish oil.
2.      Beta-carotene: Find it in carrots, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and cantaloupe.
3.      Catechins: Find it in green and white teas.
4.      Resveratrol: Find it in blueberries, red grapes, red wine, and supplements.
5.      Omega 3 fatty acids: Find it in wild caught salmon and high quality fish oil.
6.      Vitamin E: Find it in almonds, asparagus, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds

#3 Get At Least 20 Minutes of Rays a Day

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – sunshine is healthy and important for body function. Do your best to get at least 20 minutes of sun each day. This allows your body to gradually take in the vitamin D it needs (and creates a tan rather than a burn!)

Choosing the right time of day to catch your rays is also important. Avoiding the sun at the hottest parts of the day will allow your skin to absorb what it needs without assaulting it.  And remember, even when it’s cloudy, the sun can still find you!

#4 Cover Up BEFORE You Burn

We’re all good at covering up after we burn, but if we do it before, guess what? No burn! Planning ahead by bring a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and light tops or wraps to cover exposed shoulders and legs will offer stylish protection even when you can’t make it to the shade. When all else fails, find an umbrella or tree to grab some shade when the sun’s at its hottest.

#5 Nurse Your Wounds Naturally

If you do get sunburn, treat it like an injury. It is a burn, the kind you would get if you touch a hot stove. Taking care of the area properly will help your skin heal faster and provide your body with what it needs to repair the damage.

Using Aloe, Vitamin E and/or Coconut Oil can be very soothing to the affected area and will also supply the body with healing nutrients directly at the burn site. Treat the area for several days until the redness and heat dissipates. Even if the burn is not bothering you, it should be addressed for optimum healing.

Aloe, Vitamin E and/or Coconut Oil can also be used on the skin even if a burn hasn’t occurred. They have great healing potential and it doesn’t hurt to baby your skin after a day out in the sunshine!

That covers our 5 healthy habits for fun in the sun.  Check in later this week for Part 3 to fun out what sunscreens made our safe list and how to make your own! (If you missed it, here's Part One so you know what to avoid on the ingredients label!)

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.

Get Sunscreen Savvy - The Do's and Don'ts for Fun in the Sun Part 1

It’s the season for fun in the sun. And for many that means lathering on the sunscreen.  But there’s a right way and a wrong way to protect yourself and your family from unfriendly rays.

It's Not All Bad 
Getting a healthy amount of sunshine is very good for you. It is essential for vitamin D production in your body and is useful in treating skin diseases like psoriasis and scleroderma. Sunshine is also capable of increasing energy and improving mood.  Sunlight can be used to treat jaundice in infants, promote wound healing, improve immune system function and help to regulate biorhythms and body temperature. All great reasons to fit a little sunshine into your day!

That’s not to say that sunscreen cannot come in handy. Too much sun can obviously be a serious concern. But so can some of the ingredients often found in sunscreen.

Why Does It Matter?

Your skin is extremely absorbent.  Anything you put on your body (lotion, soap, make-up) can be absorbed into your body through your skin cells.  And your skin doesn't discriminate between good and bad - healthy minerals sink in, toxins and chemicals sink in. Of course, we’d all love to keep chemicals and toxins out of our bodies. That makes choosing a quality sunscreen an important health decision.
 
Here are 4 Ingredients to Block from Your Sunscreen  

1)  Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that can cause hormone disruption and cell damage.  Researchers have specifically advised against using this chemical on children (some of the number one users of sunscreen!). This chemical is found in 97% of Americans and current research says that it may cause cancer.
 

2) Octocrylene
 The most widely used sunscreen ingredient. The cons: estrogenic effects, and disruption of thyroid hormone and brain signaling.  What’s more, in lab trials it has been found to kill mouse cells when exposed to sunlight.

3) Padimate O (Octyl Dimethyl PABA / PABA Ester)
 This chemical releases free radicals, damages DNA, and shows estrogenic activity. Serious charges that make it worth avoiding.

4) Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate)   

It's a vitamin - doesn't that mean it's good for you? Not always the case. An FDA study found that when the form of vitamin A used in sunscreens (retinyl palmitate) is exposed to sunlight, it can actually speed up the development of skin tumors. So just keep it out of the sun (and therein lies the problem!)

So What’s Left?
The only ingredient that really needs to be present is zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Finely ground powder, these minerals block the absorption of nearly of the harmful UV rays from the sun. This power will always be mixed in some kind of lotion base. Looking for a natural or organic version of your favorite brand, combined with reading the ingredients list, will help you find a reliable option that’s safe for you and your family.

Now that we've summed up what to avoid, our next post will talk about easy ways to protect yourself from too much sun. Then tune in for Part 3 where we'll make our own sunscreen!

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.

Why DIY? 6 Toxin You Can Avoid Through Do-It-Yourself Recipes Part 3

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects are many things. They can save money. They can give you a sense of satisfaction at a job well done. They can give your home, office, or meal time a bit of unique flare. But did you know that DIY projects can also have added health benefits?

I’ve put together a list of the top 6 toxins we avoid at home by some simple DIY projects. (My wife, Erin, put together some how-to videos here  if you’d like to try them out, too!) Here's our last two:


Potassium Bromate

Potassium Bromate has become a buzz word as of late in the health-conscious community. Bromide itself is considered an endocrine (hormone) disruptor no matter what it’s attached to. It is commonly used as an additive to increase the volume in some breads, rolls, and flours. You can find it on a label as bromic acid, potassium salt, bromated flour and enriched flour.

Originally patented in 1914, this long-term baking aid is still prevalent in US. In 1982, researchers in Japan published the first of a series of studies showing that potassium bromate causes thyroid and kidney cancers in rats and mice. Based on the research piling up against it, the additive has been banned in the EU, Canada, Brazil, and many other countries. The FDA requests that bakers avoid using bromate-based agents, but there are no restrictions in place.

Saved by DIY: The fastest way to rid yourself of this toxin is to stay away from the bread and bakery aisles in the grocery store. If you feel the need to purchase baked goods, try a local bakery and ASK if they use potassium bromate in their confections. If they don’t know the answer, pick another baker – they should know EXACTLY what goes into their products or it’s not as “homemade” as they’d like you to believe.

You also have the option of making your own breads at home. If you’ve never tried it before, start simple. Here’s a quick no-rise pizza dough that Erin uses to get your feet wet. Again, the best way to know what you’re putting in your body is to make it yourself (or get it from someone that makes it themselves!)

Refined Vegetable Oil

Where to begin with this one? Commercially-refined vegetable oils come under many labels including soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil. They are found in almost all processed foods from Animal Crackers to Zebra Cakes and everything in between. They also come as stand-alone products for cooking (bottled oils and margarines).

[Sidenote: Never choose margarine! There have been numerous videos online of butter and margarine sitting out, with flies collecting on the butter and steering clear of the margarine. Nature is trying to tell us something! I don’t care if the margarine is labelled “heart healthy”, “enriched”, “extra calcium” or “super magic spread”, IT IS ALL GARBAGE! It’s clever marketing designed to hide the truth – it’s a tub of chemicals waiting to be spread on toast (that probably has potassium bromate in it). I’m looking at you, Smart Balance.]

So what makes these oils so bad for us? Like many things, it’s all in the processing. These oils are made by intensive mechanical and chemical processes in order to extract the oil from the seeds. This process uses chemical solvents and high temperatures, deodorizing and bleaching. This process removes the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals from the seeds. What’s worse – it creates a product that becomes rancid and oxidizes easily, creating the dreaded free radicals.

What do free radicals do? In short, they damage a cell’s DNA in search of its missing molecules (oxidation). This creates an environment for disease. Oxidation contributes to inflammation in the body, elevated blood triglycerides, and impaired insulin response. Other free radical generators include cigarette smoke, air pollution, and excessive alcohol consumption.

These oils are also high in Omega-6 fatty acid. They increase inflammatory affects in the body and neutralize the benefits of Omega-3s in your diet. There’s more - many refined vegetable oils are hydrogenated, creating trans fatty acids, which are known to contribute to heart disease and some cancers. 

Save By DIY: Any time you opt out of packaged foods, you’re most likely cutting some refined oils from your diet. Replacing these oils in your home with good-for-you choices like coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil is a great step. If you’d like to shake things up a bit, you can make your own infused oil for dipping. From there, it’s a quick step to making your own salad dressing, too. You can avoid the bad and add the good with just a little work.

Another saver to counteract the Omega 6s disrupting our lives is to balance them with quality Omega 3s. Omega 3s can be consumed through fish and also by using a high quality supplement. Like anything, it’s important to know where the Omega 3s come from and how they are processed. You can ask a knowledgeable healthcare provider (or contact me directly with questions).

Why DIY? There are lots of reasons. My favorite? Do-It-Yourself to be sure you know what’s in it (and what isn’t) as a way to better overall health for you and your family. This is our final installment. Catch up on what you missed here and here.

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.

Why DIY? 6 Toxin You Can Avoid Through Do-It-Yourself Recipes Part 2

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects are many things. They can save money. They can give you a sense of satisfaction at a job well done. They can give your home, office, or meal time a bit of unique flare. But did you know that DIY projects can also have added health benefits?

I’ve put together a list of the top 6 toxins we avoid at home by some simple DIY projects. (My wife, Erin, put together some how-to videos here  if you’d like to try them out, too!) Here's our next two:

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

HFCS is a highly-refined sweetener in which corn starch is separated from the corn kernel. The corn starch is then converted into corn syrup through a process called acid hydrolysis. Any time a process with that many letters is used in food prep, I’m hesitant to keep the product as a staple in my diet.

So we’ve all heard the debate… Is it bad? Is it any worse than “regular” sugar? Who should I believe? As a general rule, all processed sugars - HFCS and white granulated sugar – are something to avoid. They are poisonous to the body, causing inflammation, triggering cancer cell growth, initiating premature aging, and increased weight gain. A packaged food containing these ingredients isn’t typically a healthy choice for this and other reasons. If you’re label looking, you might find HFCS hiding under the aliases Corn sugar, glucose/fructose (syrup), high-fructose maize syrup inulin, iso-glucose, and fruit fructose.

HFCS is the #1 source of calories in the US diet, and has been shown to contribute to weight gain and the development of diabetes. It’s also been shown to be major contributor to cardiovascular disease, arthritis, insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides and raised LDL cholesterol. It’s found in everything from beard to yogurt, cereal to salad dressing. On average, Americans consume 12 teaspoons of HFCS per day.

More negative news - the Environmental Health Journal reported that a study conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (2009) found MERCURY in 9 of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. These samples were taken from 3 different manufacturers including popular brands such as Hunts, Quaker, Kraft, Smuckers, Yoplait, and Nutri-Grain. Mercury is a heavy metal and is considered a potent brain toxin. Need we say more?

Saved by DIY: This may sound vague, but nearly ANY DIY recipe you choose will rid you of HFCS. Avoiding prepared and packaged foods will decrease the presence of HFCS in your life. When you do choose a packaged item, be diligent about the label. No one regulates the term “All Natural”; seeing that on the box might just be clever marketing. Snake venom is all natural too, but that doesn’t make it good for us!

Artificial Food Coloring

Artificial Food Coloring and Dyes are exactly what they sound like – something isn’t the color the manufacturer wants it to, they “improve” it with dyes. These dyes, originally derived from coal tar, are now made from petroleum. Artificial Food Coloring and Dye are found in most packaged foods - candy, baked goods, cereal, energy bars, puddings, jams, bread, macaroni and cheese, deli meat, frostings, condiments, ice cream, sherbet, sorbet and nearly every bottle or canned beverage.

Fast food is so full of junk – dyes, preservatives, butane, petroleum, flame retardant – that the term food should be taken lightly. (This is a lengthy rant for another blog)

Think the meat counter is safe? Think again – coloring is added to make pork, beef, and fish look “fresher”. I’d prefer if it was actually fresh, but maybe that’s just me?

Artificial food coloring is a broad category. It can be found on the label as caramel color, Red Number 3, FD&C Blue #1, Brilliant Blue FCF, Bright blue, FD&C Red No.40, Ingtotine, Royal Blue, Erythrosine, Blue # 2, Allura Red AC, Yellow 5 and 6, FD&C Green Number 3, to name a few.

Many dyes have been banned because of adverse reactions in lab animals; however, recent studies have shown that NINE dyes currently used in the US raise some serious health concerns.
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s (CSPI) study on food dyes, “The three most widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, are contaminated with known carcinogens. Another dye, Red 3, has been acknowledged for years by the Food and Drug Administration to be a carcinogen, yet it is still in the food supply.” These 9 food dyes are linked to serious health issues ranging from cancer and ADHD to allergic reactions.

In 2007, the UK medical journal Lancet published a large-scale British government study stating that a variety of common food dyes, as well as the preservative sodium benzoate, increased hyperactivity and decreased the attention spans of children. These additives were shown to adversely affect children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), along with children having no prior history of behavior problems.

Fun Fact: The European Union (EU) mandated labeling regulations to inform consumers of the health risks of these 9 offenders; the US has done nothing to alter regulations…after 7 years. That makes me sick to my stomach.

Saved by DIY: Choosing fresh, natural foods automatically makes your plate more visually appealing while decreasing dyes in your life. Making your own juice and switching to water are great simple changes to make. Avoiding fast food like the plague (because that might be their “secret ingredient”) and prepping meals ahead of time for grab-and-go convenience can go a long way. You can even use natural foods to add pops of color to recipes. Try mashing up a few blueberries and raspberries for cake frosting – they don’t change the flavor, but can brighten up a white icing!

Why DIY? There are lots of reasons. My favorite? Do-It-Yourself to be sure you know what’s in it (and what isn’t) as a way to better overall health for you and your family. This is Part 2 of 3 - check back next week for Part 3 with more Toxins and Ways to Avoid them and catch up on what you missed last week here.

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.

Why DIY? 6 Toxins You Can Avoid Through Do-It-Yourself Recipes Part 1

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects are many things. They can save money. They can give you a sense of satisfaction at a job well done. They can give your home, office, or meal time a bit of unique flare. But did you know that DIY projects can also have added health benefits?

DIY for Your Health
 
It’s true. Cooking fresh meals is a great way to make meals healthier. But we don’t have to stop there. Making some common kitchen ingredients instead of buying them off the shelf can eliminate hidden toxins you might not even be aware of! And the fewer toxins we ingest, the better we function. We’re less likely to get sick and more likely to have increased energy and a positive attitude. Maybe it’s time we all tried a little DIY!

I’ve put together a list of the top 6 toxins we avoid at home by some simple DIY projects. (My wife, Erin, put together some how-to videos here  if you’d like to try them out, too!) Let’s start with two:

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) 

MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor-enhancer in processed foods. MSG is also a known excitotoxin - a neurotoxic chemical. This chemical has been shown to harm nerve cells by overexciting them, sometimes to the point of cell death. Regular consumption of MSG increases appetite and contributes to weight gain and obesity. It has also been linked to significant brain cell death, leading to neurological disorders and other health problems. Sounds like something to avoid to me!
As one of the most common food additives, it hides in everything processed - from salad dressings, low-fat yogurt, canned meats, frozen entrees, potato chips, canned soups and flavored crackers to name a few.

The tricky thing about MSG is that it goes by many names. You can find it hiding as Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Vegetable Protein Extract, Yeast Extract, Glutamate, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Caseinate, Textured Protein, Soy Protein Isolates, Barley Malt, Calcium Caseinate and Malt Extract. Any of these on the label and it might as well say “MSG lives here”.

Saved by DIY: The easiest ways to avoid MSG are to read the label and shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Anything in a box or bag has the potential to contain any of these food additives. Making your own salad dressings and seasoning mixes (like tacoseasoning and ranch mix) will help eliminate some offenders from your kitchen cabinets. Making homemade soups and casseroles rather than buying prepared foods has two benefits – you know what’s in them and they taste better, too!

Artificial Sweeteners – Aspartame, Sucralose, Saccharine
 
The three most widely used artificial sweeteners; one is always trying to claim health benefits over another. The truth? Not one of them is good for you. In fact, all have been found to be carcinogens (cancer-causers). Aspartame, like MSG, is an excitotoxin (neurotoxin), and breaks down in the body to formaldehyde, an agent used in the embalming of corpses. Lovely.  These sweeteners have also been linked to neurotoxic effects like blurry vision, dizziness, headaches, and gastrointestinal disturbances.

This one also hides behind several aliases: NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Spoonful, Natrataste, AminoSweet, Slenda, Sweet’N Low, with more surfacing all the time.

These offenders are found in over 6,000 products – in anything from diet and sugar-free sodas and drinks, sugar-free chewing gum, yogurt, breath mints, instant breakfasts, frozen desserts, juice beverages, and gelatins.

Saved by DIY: If you can’t avoid the sweets all together, it’s best to make your own. You can sweeten homemade items with honey or maple syrup instead of processed sugar or sweetener. Using frozen fruit instead of ice cubes is a great way to spice up water or tea without adding excess calories or chemicals.


Why DIY? There are lots of reasons. My favorite? Do-It-Yourself to be sure you know what’s in it (and what isn’t) as a way to better overall health for you and your family. This is Part 1 of 3 - check back next week for Part 2 with more Toxins and Ways to Avoid them.

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.

5 Best Ways to Fight Our Failing Food Supply #3

It is becoming more and more apparent that our food today has fewer nutrients and more toxins than the food consumed several decades ago. And I'm not just talking about the processed food we typically try to avoid.

Because of this notable decline in our food supply, and in honor of National Nutrition Month let's go over the 5 Best Ways to Fight Our Failing Food Supply:

#3 Liven Your Liver with Water

All of the steps that we are considering to fight our failing food supply fall into two categories. One is reducing the number of toxins that we are putting into our bodies. Two is helping the body become more efficient at eliminating the toxins that we encounter.

The liver is our body’s filter, which naturally detoxifies the blood (the primary transport of nutrients and waste). On average we have about 5 liters of blood pumping throughout our entire body every minute of our lives. And this circulation of blood can be increased as much as 10 times during intense exercise!

Have you ever wondered about the composition of your blood? It is primarily WATER! Not soda, nor tea, nor coffee, nor alcohol, nor energy drinks; your blood is primarily water!

I always find it amusing that I have people who complain that they cannot drink water because of the lack of taste or they just don’t like it. Your body loves water. In fact, after oxygen, water is the most important nutrient of life.

Think about this, most people do not like to sit in a smoke-filled restaurant because it deprives our lungs of an oxygen rich environment. But when we consume soda, energy drinks, and coffee as our primary source of fluids, we are depriving our body of a water-enriched environment.

Consuming 60-100 ounces of water will provide your body with an essential nutrient of health and assist our liver in filtering out many of the other toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis. When we encounter toxins in our food - pesticides, preservatives, dyes, food additives - it is best to be prepared. If we give our liver the water it needs to funnel those toxins out, we are taking the right steps to better our health.

Our food supply just isn't what it used to be. Knowing this and taking steps to fight its failures is the best way to meet your nutritional needs. This is Tip #3 of 5. Check back soon for the next installment!

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.

5 Best Ways to Fight Our Failing Food Supply #2

It is becoming more and more apparent that our food today has fewer nutrients and more toxins than the food consumed several decades ago. And I'm not just talking about the processed food we typically try to avoid.

Because of this notable decline in our food supply, and in honor of National Nutrition Month let's go over the 5 Best Ways to Fight Our Failing Food Supply:

#2:  Be Choosy with Your Meat

When it comes to the process of how animals are raised, breed, slaughtered, and prepared for consumption, the best documentary that I have seen and strongly recommend is “Food Inc.”. The documentary is not for the faint of heart nor stomach. However, it will open your eyes to where our food sources (especially our meat sources) are coming from. I am a big proponent of understanding the origin of our food. The more information we have about our food sources, the more we understand their influence on our health. 

Grass Fed, No Hormone Added, Antibiotic Free, Free Range - What do they all mean?

 

Grass Fed – Many conventional farm-raised animals have been transitioned to a primarily grain and corn diet because it is cheaper and increases the mass of the animals, thus more product. Unfortunately, corn and grain fed animals are showing much greater signs of disease compared to those animals that are fed the grass that cattle are genetically designed to graze on. When cattle have the opportunity to eat grass diets, the meat is leaner, healthier and in my opinion much tastier than grain/corn fed beef. The image to the right illustrates that point. 

And it's not just farm-raised land animals either - farm raised fish, like salmon, are sustained on a grain-based diet. (Gross fact: When salmon eat grain, their flesh is lighter in color. To get the pretty pink of wild caught salmon, farmed salmon are typically fed dye pellets. Wonder what's in those...)

No Hormones Added – Of course all living animals have natural hormones as part of their healthy lifestyle. However, conventionally raised animals are given growth hormone and testosterone injections to increase muscle mass and decrease timeline for the animals to reach maturity. Well it does not take a brain surgeon to realize that those injected hormones end up in our diet when we consume those meat sources. Is it any wonder why there are a plethora of drugs out there to treat hormone derived health challenges nowadays? Birth control, synthroid, premarin, testosterone, and insulin are just a few examples. If you are on one of the above medications, you should to speak to a health professional that can address this issue as a possible cause. Changing your diet appropriately could eliminate the need for medication.

Antibiotic Free – Food Inc. does an excellent job portraying the poor living conditions of these conventionally raised and mass produced animals. These animals are packed like sardines into closed living quarters and diseases, especially infections, run rampant. What is the solution? Add antibiotics prophylactically in order to keep infections at bay. Where do you think those antibiotics end up? That’s right, on your plate once again. Any idea why we are seeing a large population of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the last few decades? Hmmm…

Free Range – This is exactly what it states. Rather than animals being raised in cages, they have the ability to move around in their environment. Animals need exercise, just like humans. An animal with the access to exercise will be healthier for himself and for your consumption. I love Whole Foods' Animal Welfare Rating System as a resource (Check it out here). Free Range meat (like grass fed) is typically more nutritious, more filling, contains less toxins, and is tastier!

As always, reading (and understanding) the label is your best bet to improving the quality of what goes in your grocery cart. Small changes can make a world of difference in your health!

Our food supply just isn't what it used to be. Knowing this and taking steps to fight its failures is the best way to meet your nutritional needs. This is Tip #2 of 5. Check back soon for the next installment!

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.