Archive for August, 2009

5 Red Flags In The Freezer Aisle

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Do you ever buy frozen foods at the grocery store? I’m sure you have. The main benefit of frozen foods is their convenience. Just pop them in the oven and it’s ready in no time at all – with no cooking required.

However, the frozen foods section is packed with dietary land mines that can sabotage your weight and health. So today I wanted to point out a few things to look for…and avoid…when buying frozen foods.

1. High Glycemic Load

Wheat flour, high fructose corn syrup, and other starchy ingredients are at the top of the ingredient list on most frozen foods. You’ll find that many have as many as 40 grams of carbohydrate per serving, with only a few grams of fiber. When you see that, this is your clue that you’re looking at a high-glycemic food that will spike your blood sugar, promote fat storage, and contribute to chronic disease.

2. Empty Calories

At first glance, it may seem that a packaged food provides decent nutrition (i.e. 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 5 grams of fiber per serving). But look closer at where those calories are coming from. Clean organic sources of protein? Healthy fats? Nutrient-rich veggies? Probably not. The bulk of ingredients in frozen foods are low quality and devoid of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc).

3. Filler Proteins

There is a filler called “soy protein isolate” that is found in many frozen foods. The reason it’s in the food is because it’s inexpensive. Don’t be duped into thinking soy protein isolate is a health food. It’s definitely not. And it is in almost every packaged frozen food, including organic ones like Amy’s and Kashi.

4. Unhealthy Fats

The label tells you that your ready-meal contains polyunsaturated fat - but it doesn’t tell you whether it is omega-6 fat or omega-3 fat. Omega-3 fats are critical to our health but severely lacking in the typical American diet. Omega-6 fats, on the other hand, are overly abundant and are one of the primary dietary causes of inflammation…the cornerstone of disease.

5. Sodium

In order to get bland-tasting wheat flour, beans, and rice to taste good, manufacturers rely on salt. Too much sodium, coupled with not enough potassium in the diet, is a recipe for high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

To make smart food choices, all it takes is an understanding of the factors that go into making food healthy (or unhealthy) and a little time spent on planning ahead. One food that I include in my diet is the Isagenix Isalean Shake. It’s super fast to make, packed with tons of good nutrients and enzymes, is low-glycemic, tastes great and is less expensive then just about any healthy meal you’ll find out there.
So look out for these ingredients when buying frozen foods, and try to avoid them if you can.

Helping you reach YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

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Too Much Cola Can Cause Muscle Problems

Monday, August 17th, 2009

I’m sure you’re well aware that drinking sodas aren’t the best thing for you, but check this out…

On May 27, Health Day reported that drinking too much cola can increase the risk of a muscle problem called hypokalemia.

What is hypokalemia?  In people with hypokalemia, a drop in blood potassium levels results in problems with vital muscle functions. Symptoms can range from mild weakness to serious paralysis.

Did you know that there are people out there drinking between 2 and 9 LITERS of cola PER DAY?  Isn’t that crazy?

“We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before, and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralization and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes,” and there’s increasing evidence that excessive cola consumption leads to hypokalemia, Dr. Moses Elisaf, of the University of Ioannina, said in the news release.

Elisaf said the three most common ingredients in cola — glucose, fructose and caffeine — can contribute to hypokalemia.

“The individual role of each of these ingredients in the pathophysiology of cola-induced hypokalemia has not been determined and may vary in different patients,” Elisaf said. “However, in most of the cases we looked at for our review, caffeine intoxication was thought to play the most important role. This has been borne out by case studies that focus on other products that contain high levels of caffeine but no glucose or fructose.”

However, “caffeine-free cola products can also cause hypokalemia because the fructose they contain can cause diarrhea,” Elisaf said.

So if you know anyone who drinks an abnormal amount of Coca-Cola or Pepsi, let them know that it could be very harmful to their muscles and their overall health.

Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

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Running May Protect Your Knees

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
There was recently an interesting article published in the New York Times (read the whole article here) about long time runners actually having healthier knees than other similarly aged people that were non-runners.
The article discussed a couple of studies that point to the possibility that long term endurance running can actually protect your knees from degeneration (osteoarthritis) as you age. This is in direct conflict with conventional wisdom that says that running is terrible for your knees.
It’s a very interesting article and I recommend you check it out. I have two points to add.
The first point I’d like to make is one that was glossed over in the article. The studies mentioned seem to follow long-term runners that were CONSISTENT with their running. Exercise and training of all kinds tends to be more beneficial if it’s consistent. If there is a large fluctuation in the amount and intensity of exercise (think weekend warrior), then you’re less likely to get the benefits discussed in the article.
The second point is also one that was briefly mentioned but I’d like to briefly expand on. It was mentioned that if a muscle isn’t firing appropriately, say from an injury, then another muscle or other structure (ligament, cartilage, etc.) will have to compensate and try to pick up the slack, as it were. This is precisely the way that I often help athletes perform. Through something called applied kinesiology (AK) I can locate a muscle weakness and
better still, I can locate the source of the weakness and fix the problem, often times in just a visit or two to my office.
You see, often times, the body breaks down from the inside out. In other words, if you have a digestive system, immune system, nervous system or another part of the body that is stressed and not sending ideal messages to the rest of the body that will often times set you up for an injury.
Here’s a quick story of a person that I helped the morning of his race with just such an issue.
“I came to Dr. Frykman because I hurt my knee training for a race. I had a shooting pain every time I stood and I could hardly walk up stairs. I tried everything I could think of to relieve the pain but I was having no luck.

The day of the race it was worse than ever and I was ready to throw in the towel. In desperation I decided to talk to Dr. Frykman and he agreed to see me to try to fix the problem.

He was very professional and explained everything to me in a way that I could understand. After the session I couldn’t believe it when 95% of the pain was gone! I was so ecstatic! I was able to run the race with little problem.

I have to admit that at first I was skeptical but Dr. Frykman made me a believer. He has a customer for life. I would definitely recommend him to others.”

Tim Osterlund
Business Banking
So the moral of the story is make sure you’re getting consistent exercise and to really optimize your health, set up an appointment with an applied kinesiologist who can locate the source of any potential muscle weaknesses.
Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,
Dr. Chris Frykman

Posted in Exercise, Goal setting | No Comments »

Consumer Reports Rates Chiropractors Higher Than MDs…

Monday, August 10th, 2009

You’ve heard of Consumer Reports Magazine (and website), right? Well check this out…

In May 2009, Consumer Reports published the results of a survey involving over 14,000 of their subscribers.

The results showed that “hands on” treatments, led by chiropractic care, were the “top-rated” treatments for people suffering from back pain. The massage survey also found that chiropractors were given the highest “satisfaction with care” ratings, well above those given to medical doctors who administered various forms of care to back pain sufferers.

The survey found that more than half of the respondents had pain that severely limited their daily routine for a week or longer, and 88% said it recurred throughout the year. The report stated that while many go to a primary care physician for diagnosis and treatment, the majority were disappointed with the results.

On the other hand, the majority reported that they were “highly satisfied” with the care they received from chiropractors.

Respondents were also asked to rate the types of treatments they received. Again, chiropractic/spinal manipulation got the top honors.

Also in the results was Dr. Orly Avitzur, a medical neurologist saying, “The survey showed “hands-on” therapies, which include chiropractic care, are “very successful” and I almost always recommend them.”

This is exciting news because Consumer Reports has a great reputation. What’s also nice is that the positive comments are coming from people just like you and I, so no one’s trying to scam or manipulate what’s being reported.

I often tell my patients that chiropractic care is the best kept health care secret in America. And there continues to be more and more proof to back up my claim!!!

So if you know someone who could benefit from chiropractic care but is skeptical or unsure of whether or not chiropractic care could work for them, please pass this email on to them and share this information with them.

I’m sure you are like me and hate to see your friends and family suffer with pain, so let them know that chiropractic care is a proven option to restore their health and relieve their pain.

Have a great day and I’ll talk to you soon!

Dr. Chris Frykman

Posted in Chiropractic | No Comments »

The Health Benefits Of This Popular Activity…

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

I know no one talks about sex a lot because most people find it a little embarrassing, but I came across an article that talked about the health benefits of sex and it’s pretty interesting.

It turns out, having a good sex life helps you stay happy, healthy, and fit…and it has numerous health benefits that even I didn’t know about.

For example, did you know that sex can actually cause you to get fewer colds? It’s true! Research has shown that couples who have sex weekly have a 30% increase in immunoglobulin A, which is an antibody that fights infections.

Sex also has the following positive health benefits:

* It helps women have a more predictable period cycle.

* It helps reduce stress levels – for physiological as well as emotional reasons. Sex activates a nerve that has a calming effect.

* It lowers blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart disease.

* It can reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol!

* It helps you tone your abs, gluts, and pretty much any muscle in your body.

* It increases estrogen levels, which improves the look of your hair, skin, and nails

* You get increased feelings of motivation from the release of endorphins

* Improved memory because of increased blood flow to the brain

* Boosts intimacy and self esteem from the increased levels of oxytocin (the love hormone)

So there you have it – a bunch of reasons why sex is beneficial to your overall health.

Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

Source: ABC News, June 16, 2009

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