Friday, February 9, 2007

Finally, Something Healthy For My Sweet Tooth!!!

For all you athletes, health nuts and those trying to get healthy again who starve & crave for something tasty, sweet and healthy, I’ve finally found something that meets all my criteria without compromising my Ultrametabolism “Whole Food” nutritional values.

Up until now, it has been fruit and more fruit to satisfy my sweet tooth; well, and the occasional piece of 87% Cacao Dark Chocolate(we’re talking bittersweet & about a 1”x 2” square of it every couple days). Sometimes, it's not very convenient to eat a piece of fruit. Some of them can be a bit messy and that doesn't always work for me in the middle of the day while in my office.

For those who don’t know me, I’ve been on this crusade against high fructose corn syrup(HFCS), corn syrup, even added sugar to my foods as well as stamping out all hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils from my diet. It has been somewhat trying, but after 5 months, it now comes naturally.

I read labels on EVERYTHING that I stuff into my mouth now. Recently, I found a “bar” that I can eat that is (1) Whole Food (2) Contains healthful nuts and fruits (3) Doesn’t have any added sugar, or that HFCS crapola (4) Doesn’t have any artificial sweeteners, nor do they have any hydrogenated oils. What are they? LARABAR



They come in a variety of flavors and they are a very welcomed treat to add to my whole food way of eating. If you are looking for an in-between meal treat, I think you’ve found your answer. For example, the “cherry pie” bar pictured above contains unsweetened cherries, almond and dates. That’s it. No really….that’s it.

Here’s the scoop on them…

LäraBar is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices. Made from 100% whole raw food, each flavor contains no more than 2 to 6 ingredients. Pure and simple, just as nature intended.

Raw! Uncooked, unprocessed!
Delicious!
Kosher Certified!
Simple Real Food - only a handful of ingredients!
No Dairy!
No Soy or soy by-products!
No Corn Syrup! Corn-Free!
No Sugar!
Non-irradiated!
No added Sweeteners of any kind!
No Wheat!
No GMO!
No Gluten!
Sulfite-Free!
Low-Glycemic index!
No Cholesterol!
No Artificial Colors!
No Preservatives!
Completely Vegan, no animal by-products!
Convenient!
Easily digestible and quite filling!
Great Texture!
Only mostly Organic due to cost.
Rich in Antioxidants, with a good balance of Vitamins, Essential Enzymes, Fiber, Minerals, Omega 3 & 6 EFAs, Protein and Complex Carbohydrates!

And yes….they taste great too!!!

Go to http://www.larabar.com/ to read more about them.

Enjoy!

DocT

PS....and for all of you out there concerned about carbohydrates and sugar. Stop whining and read Ultrametabolism already. Your body needs carbohydrates from whole natural sources. It's all of the added sugar and refined carbohydrates that screw you up. That is what you should be worrying about. To the right of this column there is a link to purchase Ultrametaolism. Click on it, buy it and learn how you are supposed to feed your body. Stop trying to cut things out of your diet that your body is designed to eat; rather learn how to eat to speed up your metabilism and start living again!

_____________________________________________________________


Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

Sunday, February 4, 2007

Networking Strategies ( and a couple other thoughts) for Doctors

1. Find Out Where Your Patients Go Before They Go To YouAlways ask who your patients other physicians are. Doesn’t matter what specialty, it’s an opportunity to meet another professional and expand your network and reputation. It doesn’t matter if it is a dentist, optometrist, podiatrist or maybe even a massage therapist pf a faith healer; whomever they sought out before they came to you - you need to meet them. Pick up the phone and invite them to lunch.

2. In A (Medical) World of Specialists, Seek Out The Generalists
Since the focus of my practice is sports medicine, sports injury related treatment, as well as treatment of general musculoskeletal aches, pains and injuries, I seek out general practitioners and internists. These physicians see a multitude of problems. Offer to help them help their patients by being their “go to guy” for the specific systems, disorders and/or conditions you specialize in. Again, pick up the phone, invite them to lunch. Or better yet, bring lunch to their office. And yes, treat their staff to lunch as well.

3. Tell Your Patients What Else You Do.
If your patient sought you out for their neck pain & headaches, often they will think you primarily treat patients with neck pain & headaches and therefore will only refer people with those types of conditions. Don’t be afraid to tell your patients the various conditions you treat BESIDES the one they came to you for. Then, ask them who they know, love and care about right now who is suffering that they would like you to help and ask your patient to call them when they get home.

4. Don’t Just Join, Get Involved.This is one of the keys to developing a stable community based practice. Join the local hospital foundation, chamber of commerce, B.N.I. and other similar groups. However, just joining will get you nowhere. You must get involved. Get yourself out of your practice and on some committees and boards for those organizations, offer your help, your wisdom and give from your heart. In time, the people you meet along the way will become eventually become your friends and the best source of referrals to your practice. Joining an organization gives you access to that organization. Go to the parties, go to the fund raisers, go to the meetings because that is where the people are who make the organizations work and pull the strings in your community.

5. Practice What You Preach.I can’t stand doctor who smoke. Come on man, that’s so 1960's. (maybe get rid of the brown paneling and shag carpeting too). You might be a genuinely nice person, but who the hell do you think you are giving advice about health? Walk your talk. You’re a doctor. Besides the responsibility to your patients, you have one to yourself and your family. Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you would go to you? Otherwise, why should your patients believe you? You apparently don’t believe yourself. Practice what you preach. Get rid of your unhealthy vice no matter what it is. Set the example - be the example.

6. Lose The Arrogance.
You’re a doctor, not G-d. You may be able to save a life, fix a broken part or fix someone’s aches, pains or infection, but I have yet to see a doctor create a life from scratch. So, until then, lose the arrogant attitude. I have had way too many patients who leave their other doctors and come to our office because of the other doctor’s attitude. If you are bothered by a patient asking you a question, you’re in the wrong business. Be humble, caring, genuinely concerned and empathetic. Your attitude comes through loud and clear when you’re with other people. My wife always taught me to “kill ‘em with kindness”. And yet again….She’s right.

7. Relationships Are The Key
It’s not just meeting more people that makes the difference, it’s getting to know people well. When you’re out at a networking event, at dinner with a new business contact or at a party, lose the small talk and really get to know the people you speak with like you are holding an interview for a new best friend. It’s not whoever dies with the most toys wins; It’s whoever dies with the most friends wins. Read Keith Ferazzi's book Never Eat Alone and you'll understand.
Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

#chiropractormiamibeach #MiamiBeachChiropractor #SportsInjuriesFixedHere #DrNarson #ToddNarson #Narson #TriDoc #TriathlonDoc #ChiropracticSportsMedicine #ACASC #SportsMedicine #SportsChiropractor #MiamiBeachSportsMedicine #SportsMedicineMiami #MiamiSportsMedicine #MiamiChiropractor #Triathlon #Running #Ironman #IFixPeopleInPain #TrainWithoutPain #MiamiBeachChiropractor #GrastonTechnique #FAKTR #IASTM #Chiropractor #FootPain #Narson #NarsonBodyMechanic #NarsonTool #DACBSP #CCSP #ACBSP #BackPain #NeckPain #ShoulderPain #RotatorCuff #ITBandSyndrome #runnersKnee #PlantarFasciitis #Plantarfascitis #AchillesTendonitis #AchillesTendonosis #GettingAthletesBackInTheGame  #MiamiBeachChiropractor #MiamiSportsMedicine #MiamiBeachSportsMedicine #WeFixPeopleInPain #TrainWithoutPain #ChiropracticSportsMedicine #ACASC #ProSportChiropractic #FunctionalMedicineMiami #DrNarson #BackPainRelief #NeckPainRelief #SportsInjuriesFixedHere #LaserTherapy #RockTape #KinesioTape #KTTape #Nutrition #21DayPurificationProgram #DetoxProgram #PaleoDiet #PaleoDoc #FunctionalNutrition #Chirooractor #Chiropractic #ChiropracticPhysician #DoctorOfChiropractic #USATriathlon #USAT #TeamUSA #CorporateWellness #HappyEmployeedProfitableBusiness #HeadacheRelief #MigraineHeadacheRelief #Migraine #SportsSpecificExam #SportSpecificTreatment #WorkCompDoc #WorkersCompensation #ankleSprain

Friday, February 2, 2007

The Haunting: When Childhood Bumps & Bruises Come Back To Roost In Adulthood.

I’m sure you remember falling off your bike as a kid. Maybe a little accident on the monkey bars or on the ball field. A bump on the head, a bruised knee, a sprained ankle or a sore shoulder from a multitude of childhood horsing and playing around. You went home, mom or dad put on a cold compress and the next day or the day after you’re up and running around again like nothing ever happened.

Ahhhh; but something did happen. Your little bump, bruise, strain or sprain started a little process. Yes it’s your body’s natural healing process but its how we ignore the process that presents the problem. Mom or dad puts an ice pack (if you were lucky) or a heating pad on it for a day or two and then off to the races you go. It doesn’t really matter if you go to a doctor or therapist for treatment of your injury, it will heal on its own regardless. But that doesn’t mean it will heel properly or optimally. That’s where we (the doctors, trainers & therapists) come in.

So, you have some contusion (deep muscle bruise) or strained a muscle that now needs to be fixed. The healing process starts by removing the damaged tissues then when that’s done, it starts bring in the new materials to start rebuilding. Inflammation happens, hopefully it subsides on its own, typically it doesn’t. So you put on some ice, take some over the counter pain killer and you feel fine again. Trust me on this, you’re not fine. You can ignore the pain, the slight change in function and get on with your little life. But the healing process ensues. Eventually, the damaged tissue heals with scar tissue and you’re all patched up. Now, here in lies the problem.

Scar tissue isn’t as good as the original tissue. Just look at any old cut on your arms or hand, or that spot where you skinned your knees as a kid and you can easily see it. Scar tissue has a haphazard matrix of fibers whereas the original tissues matrix is organized. It’s organized based on the specific function of the tissue for both strength and resiliency. Have you ever seen a car that had bad body work done on it? It’s just like that. Most scar tissues (adhesions) are simply a bad “patch job”. If you’re lucky enough to realize what’s going on in the beginning, applying ice compresses, doing light stretching and very light resistance exercise can help scar tissue heal optimally. If you just brushed it off, took a few over the counter pain killers and ignored it, (like most of us); as you get to your mid 30s or 40s all of a sudden you start getting these aches and pain out of nowhere. Then you are forced to deal with it as that once childhood bump, bruise or strain, comes back to Haunt You.

The problem lies in the transition area between the scar tissue and “normal” tissue. It’s a zone of weakness that is prone to re-injury. It’s not that neat organized “normal” flexible tissue you used to have prior to that old injury, and it’s not that thick inflexible scar. It’s the transition somewhere in-between. And it’s weaker!

So, how do you get rid of it?

In the past, we never realized that scar tissue and adhesions from old injuries were such a problem. The conditions were attributed to “old age” (what I call a cop-out), arthritis or the doctor would say something like “you probably twisted yourself in your sleep” or something the like. The approach was typically physical therapy, ice compresses, or heat compresses or stretching or massage, joint mobilization, adjustments to the joints etc. Which, are all good treatments, but never really addressed the primary problem. Now, through a lot of trial and error and some published research, reducing scar tissue and adhesions from old injuries seems to be solving many of the problems people have been told they simply have to “live with”.

Once scar tissues have formed they are pretty darn durable. Which is usually as good thing. But many scars attach to more than just the injured part and therein lies the problem. Muscles, ligaments, connective tissue, fascia etc are all layered on top of one another and they slide & glide on top of each other. When one tissue gets injured, the “stuff” that becomes a scar to heal the area solidified while attaching to a bunch of different tissues in the area bonding them together. But they weren’t made to work together like that, they should work independently. This causes restriction and pain and sometimes it could take years for it to develop as the scars become more mature as the years pass. (Think about lifting your pants leg up while it sticks to your sock or stocking with static cling; or taking a band-aid off a cut while the little white pad sticks to the scab)

You can’t massage them away, some more aggressive stretching works in some cases but is mostly temporary. Typical therapies just never really did the trick. However, over the past 8-10 years a new technology has emerged that directly addresses scar tissues and adhesions at their source. With high density stainless steel soft tissue mobilization tools, doctors and athletic trainers using Graston Technique (aka: Graston Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (GIASTM) have been able to detect both superficial and deep scars and adhesions, reduce and remove them and in combination with post GIASTM treatment protocols, finally get rid of this nemesis that plagues us as we get older. I have great successes with rotator cuff problems, post surgical knees, chronic hip pain after hip replacement surgery, low back pain, TMJ disorders, neck pain deep contusions, ankle sprains, plantar fascitis just to name a few.
The GIASTM technique has been wildly successful to the point where most Athletic Trainers for the NBA, NFL, MLB have become certified and use the technique to treat their pro athletes. This past summer I was down in Cartegena Colombia treating world class athletes along with some colleagues at the 2006 Central American & All Caribean Games; and after only a few days, those of us certified in Graston Technique were getting a huge following amongst the athletes, their team physicians & trainers. Those physicians who weren’t certified, all inquired about signing up for the certification program. That's how powerful this is. Trust me, physicians are a skeptical bunch.

So, if your joints are starting to ache and you feel like you too are suffering from “old age”, maybe try a new approach. If you are an athlete and you feel things aren’t just right, maybe not like they use to be, then seek out a Graston Certified practitioner in your area and put those childhood bumps, strains and bruises back in the past where they belong.

If you need a good Graston Technique physician, athletic trainer or physical therapist, feel free to email me.

Healthfully yours

DocT


Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

#chiropractormiamibeach #MiamiBeachChiropractor #SportsInjuriesFixedHere #DrNarson #ToddNarson #Narson #TriDoc #TriathlonDoc #ChiropracticSportsMedicine #ACASC #SportsMedicine #SportsChiropractor #MiamiBeachSportsMedicine #SportsMedicineMiami #MiamiSportsMedicine #MiamiChiropractor #Triathlon #Running #Ironman #IFixPeopleInPain #TrainWithoutPain #MiamiBeachChiropractor #GrastonTechnique #FAKTR #IASTM #Chiropractor #FootPain #Narson #NarsonBodyMechanic #NarsonTool #DACBSP #CCSP #ACBSP #BackPain #NeckPain #ShoulderPain #RotatorCuff #ITBandSyndrome #runnersKnee #PlantarFasciitis #Plantarfascitis #AchillesTendonitis #AchillesTendonosis #GettingAthletesBackInTheGame  #MiamiBeachChiropractor #MiamiSportsMedicine #MiamiBeachSportsMedicine #WeFixPeopleInPain #TrainWithoutPain #ChiropracticSportsMedicine #ACASC #ProSportChiropractic #FunctionalMedicineMiami #DrNarson #BackPainRelief #NeckPainRelief #SportsInjuriesFixedHere #LaserTherapy #RockTape #KinesioTape #KTTape #Nutrition #21DayPurificationProgram #DetoxProgram #PaleoDiet #PaleoDoc #FunctionalNutrition #Chirooractor #Chiropractic #ChiropracticPhysician #DoctorOfChiropractic #USATriathlon #USAT #TeamUSA #CorporateWellness #HappyEmployeedProfitableBusiness #HeadacheRelief #MigraineHeadacheRelief #Migraine #SportsSpecificExam #SportSpecificTreatment #WorkCompDoc #WorkersCompensation #ankleSprain

Thursday, January 25, 2007

So, Milk Does A Body Good Huh? Read And Decide For Yourself.

You've seen the milk mustache, you've guzzled it down after a peanut-butter & jelly sandwich. But, is drinking the milk from a cow really good for you? You should know, right off the bat, that we humans are the only species on earth that drinks milk in adulthood. We are also the only species that drinks milk from another species. Now, look at a cow, then look at a human and ask yourself if they look like they would have the same nutritional requirements?

Personally, I have an allergy to milk protein and I am moderately lactose intolerant. In other words, my body is telling me to stop drinking milk and stop eating milk based products. About 12 years ago, I stopped drinking milk. About 6 years ago, I stopped eating milk based ice cream and about 2 years ago I started using soy milk in coffee & tea. I’ve since stopped coffee as well. August 30, 2006 I stopped all dairy products with the only exception being eggs. So, milk isn’t high on my list at all and a recent study apparently highlights some possible adverse effects. If you ad milk to tea or coffee, you may want to read about this. Especially if you make even a small effort to be healthy.

A recent article on Yahoo: Milk Destroys Health Benefits of Tea (paraphrased here) highlights a German study that reports that when women drank half a liter of tea, their arteries relaxed significantly more than when they drank hot water or tea with milk( milk being 10% of the drink’s volume). In the study on 16 women ages 50+, drinking black Darjeeling tea; the researchers placed ultrasound probes on their forearm to measure the arterial responses.

Tea has complex antioxidant compounds called polyphenols which are believed to help the arteries to relax or dilate, thus enabling a smoother flow of blood. The results were confirmed via lab-dish tests on the aorta of rats. The study in the European Heart Journal points the finger of blame at 3 milk casein proteins. These milk proteins adhere to the polyphenols (the good antioxidants in tea known as catechins) and prevent them from carrying out their healthful duties. One of the researchers point out that in England, where tea is consumed in abundance, they continue to have difficulty making headway with cardiovascular disease. A very interesting implication isn't it? Well, we know the tea is healthy.

Rachelle Strauss in her on-line article Is Dairy The Best Source of Calcium, points out the other side (the side I believe) of the “Milk Does Your Body Good” controversy. I suggest you read it and decide for yourself. She makes very compelling arguments for seeking other sources of calcium.

So, if milk and milk protein containing products can destroy the health benefits of tea, what will it do to you on its own? Thought provoking isn’t it? Feel like guzzling down an 8oz glass of milk right now or are you having second thoughts?

Is milk really good for us or is this a case of the dairy industry trying its best to pull the wool over our collective eyes to sustain their business. Only you can decide for yourself. For me, since I’ve stopped dairy, I’ve stopped snoring, I’m sleeping better, no more dark rungs under my eyes and in combination with some other nutritional changes have lost weight and am feeling more energetic, more often. But that’s me. Read more on this subject and decide for yourself. Even talk to your doctor about it.

So, next time you reach for those cookies, maybe try some vanilla soy milk with them instead. I bet you'll be surprised.

Healthfully Yours,


DocT


Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.



For More Information On Dr. Narson's Practice, visit: www.NaturalSportsMedicine.com

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Thursday, January 18, 2007

Dr. T’s Guidelines To Reduce High Cholesterol & High Triglycerides (and you’ll also lose weight too!!)

This is a long blog entry. It’s packed with good information and references. Doctors, feel free to print this out and use it as a reference. Just please make sure you reference where you got this info. Oh, this is reference material. "Food for thought", so before you start any weight loss or exercise program, consult with your personal physician

If you’ve been following the classic USDA Food Pyramid for the last decade or so, you’re probably extremely obese, have high cholesterol and triglycerides, have bad skin, probably have diabetes, or cancer or heart disease and are close to dying. Which is why health professionals “in the know” have been urging the USDA for years to change it. Finally they listened and they’ve almost got it right, but like most government agencies, they are still beholden to the big industries and their power lobbying. Why? Because to them, jobs and the economy are more important than your health. Several months ago, my personal physician, Islon Woolf, MD; On a prescription pad wrote: Ultrametabolism; Mark Hyman, MD. He told me to buy it and read it and follow it. And so I did. It changed my life and it can change yours. I've been using the info I learned in this book the change the lives of my patients as well.

If you want to reduce your cholesterol and triglycerides, and live life to it’s fullest potential, try the following:

1. Cut out all foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup
2. Cut out all products with Corn Syrup
3. Eliminate any added sugar from your diet.
4. Eliminate Hydrogenated Oils from your diet
5. Eliminate Partially Hydrogenated Oils from your diet.
6. Eliminate white and wheat flour from your diet
7. Cut out rolled oats (typical oatmeal)
8. Eliminate white rice from your diet
8. Cut out all fried foods.
10. Cut out red meats & pork
11. Cut out caffeine in all forms.
12. Cut out dairy (there are other, much better sources of calcium anyway, try green leafy vegetables, tofu, sesame seeds, etc.)


Don't starve yourself or cut our meals. It will only slow your metabolism and cause you in the end to regain the weight you've lost and pack on even more!


OK, now that you're in shock, here's what you can eat:
1. Eat only organically grown, range fed and/or wild chicken or turkey
2. Eat only wild fishes (not farmed) if available. Especially Salmon. Stay away from bottom fish
3. Eat only whole grain breads (yes they can be found); whole wheat doesn't count.
4. Eat only whole grain or Konjac Pasta(http://www.konjacfoods.com/). Konjac pasta tastes kind of rubbery and whole grain pasta is a bit gritty. Konjac is known as a "superfiber" and slows the absorbtion of CHOs (carbohydrates).

5. Eat 5-9 servings of Fresh raw Fruits & veggies per day. Preferably Organic & vine ripened.

6. Take a properly balanced Omega oil supplement I prefer Flora’s Udo’s 3-6-9 Oil Blend. Take 1-Tbsp per 50-lbs of body weight. It can be drizzled over salads or simply spoon it in. It must however, always be kept cold. Any heat will destroy the health benefits of this amazing balanced omega oil.



Click On The Picture To Find Out More Info

7. Take whole food supplements rather than individual vitamins. Vitamins and other phyto-nutrients were meant to work "in concert" with one and another how they exist in nature. Not individually. Unless of course you have a specific deficiency.

8. Drink green or red teas to provide rich anti-oxidants and to help you relax. Do not add milk to tea as it destroys the cardiovascular health benefits of tea

9. Eat Steel-cut oats (This is the kind of oatmeal that takes 30-40 minutes to make. The kind your grandmother use to make your parents for breakfast)

10. Add Raw Almonds to your diet. It's amazing how healthy they are. Eat them in-between meals for a snack to keep yourself from getting hungry. Almonds are incredibly healthy for you as long as you aren’t allergic or have diverticulitis or diverticulosis (check with your doctor). Yes, almonds have fat; but they’re good fats and you need to eat them!!! Eat ONLY RAW Almonds.

Oh, and yes, Avocado has a lot of fat too. But it’s good fat. Eat them, enjoy them and you’ll get healthier.


The Bottom Line...Eat Whole Unprocessed Foods to Speed Up your metabolism so it burns more calories. Here's how I explain this "speeding up your metabolism" thing to my patients:

Think about one of those old coal burning locamotive trains. You have a big pile of coal, an engine that runs off of steam and a fire that boils the water to create the steam. If you don't put in enough coal (starve yourself) the fire will die, the water won't boil and the engine will shut down. Then you are left with a big pile of coal. Which, now you can store (fat) for later use.

If you shovel in too much coal (eat too much) you will smother the fire, causing the system to shut down(slow down your metabolism -- kind of like when you go to sleep after eating too much)

Now, if you shovel in the right amount of coal, you keep that fire burning, the water boiling and the engine running(metaboism). This way, you get to your desired location (results). Keep the fire burning throughout the day by shoveling in moderate amounts of coal (with snacks and lunch) to keep the engine chugging along.

So, you must eat the right foods at the right intervals to keep your metabolism burning those calories. Don't be temped to skip a meal. You'll only slow down your metabolism.

Here Are Some Of The Rules I Play By:
1. You must read labels on everything you purchase when shopping for food. Trust me on this, they’ll sneak stuff in the most unsuspecting foods. I've seen "100% Whole Wheat" breads and multi-grain breads that were nothing more than multi-ground flour breads sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. It's nasty and not only isn't it good for you, it's poison to your body and will raise your triglycerides! Read the ingredient list, not the front of the package. It's not the mixture of multiple ground up grains, it's the multiple whole grains that is most important.

2. As the saying goes, Eat Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince & dinner like a pauper.

3. Eat a Large breakfast to get your metabolism kicked into high gear.

4. Eat a handful or two of raw almonds in-between breakfast and lunch to prevent hunger and to keep your metabolism burning strong. Apples also make for a nice in-between meal snack. The in-between meal snack is very important to keep your metabolism firing away!!!

5. Eat a moderate size lunch.

6. Eat a handful or two of raw almonds in-between lunch and dinner to prevent hunger and to keep your metabolism burning strong through the afternoon.

7. Eat a “smaller” to medium size dinner. Keep it on the lighter side.

8. Do not eat 3 hours before bed. Any foods eaten during this time will simply be stored as fat as your metabolism slows down before bed and while you sleep.

Preparation is the Key to Success!!!
1. If you prepare your foods and snacks in advance, you can eat regularly and prevent that ravenous hunger (Like a shark’s feeding frenzy) that takes over your body when you’ve gone too long without eating. When the hormones kick in, well, you’re pretty much “S.O.L.”. Prepare your foods and prevent that from happening.

2. Prepare something to eat right after your workout. If you go too long without eating after your workout, you will allow yourself to get hungry and your hormones will kick into overdrive and you will be powerless over them. Plan a little post workout snack if you can’t sit for a proper port workout meal.

3. Get a small cooler for your car and bring your snacks and meals with you if necessary.

4. Drink plenty of water. Keep hydrated.

5. Exercise at least 4 days per week for a minimum of 60 minutes. Even if it is just walking, it’s a good start and it’s better than doing nothing. Personally, I do a mixture of cardiovascular (interval training) & weights. At my gym, I even take several group fitness classes that mix weight training, flexibility and aerobics. If you've never exercised before, you should hire a personal trainer. to guide you and teach you how to exercise properly. Also, don't forget to check with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program.

6. Now, take all your new knowledge and teach your children. Teach your children’s children and so on and so forth.

If you want a brief background on why I feel what I have written above is so important, read my earlier article at: http://naturalsportsmedicine.blogspot.com/2006/12/is-yogurt-as-bad-as-soda.html to find out a little of the evolution of our species and our diet.

However, for some real in-depth background and the references for what I have written, I suggest you read the following books. Here you will get all of the gory details as to why I make the suggestions above. The books are easy read and make a lot of sense. They are must reads for anyone who wants to take back their health and improve their quality of life. Let me tell you, the following four sources have gotten it right. Their research is valid, their conclusions are accurate and their message should be taken to heart. Read them, teach your children and spread the word to your friends.

Ultrametabolism; by Mark Hyman, MD













Eat, Drink And Be Healthy; by Walter Willet, MD















PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Origins & Evolutions of the Western Diet; An article written by Cordain et al. Sorry, no cute picture. Just click on the link and it will start to download a .pdf file you can read or print.



The Authoritative Source On Good Fats (Fats that Heal) & Bad Fats (Fats that Kill) is Udo Erasmis, Ph.D. To find out more about his book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill and what the real deal is on the fats you absolutely need and the ones to stay away from. There is no better authority on the subject of good fats and bad fats than Dr. Erasmus.






If you have any questions regarding the above, please feel free to visit my office web site at: www.NaturalSportsMedicine.com and you will find a link to my email address there.

Healthfully yours.

DocT

Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

He can be contacted at: www.NaturalSportsMedicine.com for more information, comments or lecturing info.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Are Your Life’s Goals Aligned With Your Workout?

Several years ago a local personal trainer referred a semi-retired cardiothoracic surgeon to my office for evaluation and treatment of shoulder pain. The shoulder pain had slowly set in after several weeks of training with his personal trainer. He had been to two orthopedic surgeon “sports medicine” specialists and was diagnosed with bursitis, given anti-inflammatories, told to apply heat and that was pretty much it. After an actual physical exam (I actually do hands on examinations using classical and new orthopedic tests) I determined he had a shoulder impingement syndrome bordering on what I felt was a rotator cuff tear/strain. I prescribed a course of Graston Technique, physical therapy and chiropractic shoulder adjustments and he noted immediate improvement for the 1st time in a long time and full resolution of his shoulder pain within 10 days (yes, he even followed my home instructions!) I later found out that in high school and college Dr. “B” was a “back-stroker” on the swim teams which made a lot of sense since this type of swim stroke can lead to shoulder impingement in and of itself.

A few weeks later, Dr. “B” returned with a new complaint; Low Back Pain. He said he strained it while working out and then later confessed to me that this was the 4th training related strain injury he had suffered in a short period of time and that he felt that he was being trained much too hard. He further mentioned that all he really wanted in his semi-retirement was to be able to walk around his medical practice, examine and consult with his patients (he no longer performed surgeries but continued to train medical residents) and that he wanted to be able to get back in the pool and do the back-stroke like he did in college. He felt his trainer was trying to prepare him for the Iron-Man and wouldn’t listen to him. It was obvious to me that Dr. “B” was being pushed beyond his wants and needs. His repetitive strain injuries were actually hindering him from the activities he really wanted to do.

I asked Dr. “B” if he had ever sat down and discussed his life’s goals with his personal trainer; he said no. Basically what had happened is Dr. “B” was going to a trainer who was training him for what the trainer felt should be his health & fitness goals and capabilities and not necessarily what Dr. “B” wanted or needed. Dr. “B” eventually dropped out of his personal training because of the repetitive injuries he suffered from the training. After his symptoms reduced and his function restored, he began doing what he loved, the back-stroke & consulting with his patients.


So, I ask you, is your workout aligned with your goals? If you work out with a personal trainer, make sure you have this conversation with him or her. It’s very important; after all, it’s your life and your workout. If you are a trainer, when was the last time you sat and just talked with your clients to get to know them, their goals and their dreams?

DocT



Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Clinic.

Friday, January 5, 2007

Proper Work Out Technique Isn’t Just For Exercising…

It occurred to me that that most of the people who’ve been to my office for “gym” or “workout” injuries haven’t injured themselves actually working out, but rather preparing for the workout.

Yes of course I get the overzealous person who strained themselves lifting too or the person who mis-stepped in an aerobics class. But way too common are people injured when setting their exercises up.

Everyone pays attention to proper technique when doing the exercises themselves. But sit back sometime and watch how they set up the barbell. Look how they take the weights or dumbbells off the rack. Look how they lift the handle bar and attach it to the lead wire for a weight-stack machine.

Proper technique counts whether you are doing an exercise, lifting a weight to put on a bar or bending over to pick up a handle for a weight stack machine. You may not be exercising, but you are lifting a weight. If nothing else, your body weight.

I’ll never forget patient file #6 from 1994. All she did was bend over from the waist to get a cotton ball out of the bag of cotton balls from underneath the bathroom cabinet below her sink. Even if she lifted the entire bag of cotton balls, it would have only been maybe 1 ounce. But only 1 cotton ball and guess what…? She herniated a lumbar disc in her lower back. Ouch!!!

It’s not what you lift, but how you lift it. It’s not how much you lift, but how you lift it. It doesn’t matter if you are doing an exercise, preparing your workout or getting ready to remove your make-up. Proper technique should be observed at all times. Not just when doing your exercise.

Remember, you might not be doing an exercise, but your still lifting a weight. Even if it's just the weight of your own body.

DocT


Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Clinic.

www.NaturalSportsMedicine.com