Diet Soda Not Helpful for Dieters!

A new study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that drinking diet soda may not help dieters lose weight. 

Using data from the long-term National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers discovered that, even though people who drink diet sodas are drinking fewer calories, they tend to consume just as many or more total calories than people who drink sugary beverages. 

According to lead author Dr. Sarah Bleich, "The results of our study suggest that overweight and obese adults looking to lose or maintain their weight--who have already made the switch from sugary to diet beverages--may need to look carefully at other components of their solid-food diet, particularly sweet snacks, to potentially identify areas for modification."  

American Journal of Public Health, January 2014

Green Tea Slows Prostate Cancer Progression.

New research shows that green tea polyphenols may help slow or prevent some types of cancer. 

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that premalignant prostate lesions were three times less likely to progress to malignant tumors in men who took a 600mg green tea catechins supplement daily for a year (9% vs. 30% in the control group). 

 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2013

Exercise and Neuropathic Pain Relief

Neuropathic pain is a difficult-to-treat pain caused by nerve damage associated with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, some strokes, diabetes, metabolic conditions, immune disorders, trauma, cancer, or as a side effect of chemotherapy. 

New evidence shows that inflammation in nervous tissue is a large contributing factor to neuropathic pain and exercise can reduce this 30-50%. 

This is great news for neuropathic pain sufferers as common treatments for this condition involve antidepressant and antiepileptic medications that may have serious side-effects. 

 The International Anesthesia Research Society, June 2012

Drinking the Legal Limit of Alcohol Impairs Vision

It is known that alcohol affects motor skills and decision making skills, but what about vision? 

A new report states that vision is impaired up to 30% before an individual hits the legal limit for drinking in the United States (.08% blood-alcohol concentration by volume). 

This visual impairment makes distinguishing differences between objects based on lightness and darkness much more difficult. 

Researcher Dr. Brian Timney writes, "This is obviously important when you are driving at twilight, when objects are more difficult to see and more difficult to discriminate, even without alcohol. It's at those times when you are going to be most affected, and impaired."  

Perception, October 2013

Smoking is a $289 Million Dollar a Year Burden!

--> During the last half-century, 20 million Americans have died as a consequence of smoking and 16 million more continue to suffer from smoking-related conditions. 
The combined healthcare expenses and lost economic productivity that results from smoking-related illnesses costs the United States (US) about $289,000,000 each year. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every thirteen children alive in the US right now will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases unless current smoking rates drop!  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2014

Helpful for Chronic Whiplash Symptoms

A past case study reveals that chronic whiplash injury patients can respond well to conservative management including chiropractic spinal manipulation, soft tissue work, and post-isometric relaxation techniques in addition to active rehabilitation exercises, self stretches, and proprioceptive exercises. 

After seven treatments, a patient with chronic whiplash-associated disorder reported no neck pain, no headaches, and had unrestricted cervical spine range of motion. Four months after treatment ceased, the patient reported only mild, intermittent neck pain. 

Clinical Chiropractic, March 2003

Slow Metabolism in Humans Results in Long Life Span

A new report claims that humans and other primates burn 50% fewer calories each day compared to other mammals of similar size. 

Experts believe this reduced energy expenditure is responsible for our slower development and longer life spans. 

A human would need to run a marathon every day to burn the same amount of calories as a comparably-sized non-primate mammal.  

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, January 2014

Does Anti-Bacterial Soap Work?

--> The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that there is no evidence anti-bacterial soaps are any more effective at preventing illness that plain soap and water. Many anti-bacterial soaps contain potentially harmful chemicals, like triclosan and triclocarban, that may have unanticipated hormonal impacts on long-term users. Because of this potential risk, the FDA has issued a proposed rule that would require anti-bacterial soap manufacturers to provide more substantial data to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of their products.  
Food and Drug Administration, December 2013

Pain in the Neck?

The cervical spine is made up of seven bones called vertebrae, and these vertebrae are separated by disks filled with a cushioning gel-like substance. 

Your cervical disks stabilize your neck and help it to turn. Decades of movement can really take a toll on the neck as two-thirds of people will experience neck pain at some point in their lives. 

Researchers estimate that 50% of the population at 40 years of age and 70% of those at 65 years, have some level of cervical disk degeneration. 

Cervical disk degenerative processes can cause radiating pain, as well as numbness and weakness in your shoulders, arms, and hands. 

 Clinical Evidence Concise, 2004.

25% of Health Care Workers Carry Diarrhea Spores on Their Hands

-->
A new study suggests that one in four healthcare workers’ hands are contaminated with Clostridium difficile spores after caring for infected patients. 
Clostridium difficile is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. Many healthcare workers could be passing on C. difficile to patients, even after routine alcohol-based hand rubbing, supporting the need for routine hand washing with soap and water after treating any infected patient, regardless of the setting. 

Study leader Dr. Caroline Landelle explains, "Because C. difficile spores are so resistant and persistent to disinfection, glove use is not an absolute barrier against the contamination of health care workers' hands. Effective hand hygiene should be performed, even in non-outbreak settings." 

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, January 2014

Aerobic Exercise Better than Resistance Training for Obese Girls

In the past 30 years, adolescent obesity has tripled. 

Researchers divided 44 obese teenaged girls into three groups

1) one hour of aerobic activity performed on a treadmill or elliptical trainer three times a week for three months
2) one hour of resistance training using weight machines, also performed three times a week for three months
3) no structured physical activity for three months. 

Compared with the sedentary group, girls in both exercise groups had less total fat and intramuscular fat after the training period ended. 

However, the participants in the aerobic activity group also lost visceral and liver fat and experienced improved insulin sensitivity. 

In addition, they appeared to enjoy their workout more than the girls in the resistance training group. 

The authors of the study conclude, “Therefore, given the superior improvements in metabolic health with aerobic exercise and the enjoyment factor, we propose that aerobic exercise may be a better mode of exercise for adolescent girls of this age group”.   

American Physiological Society, November 2013

Get Your Kid Fit This Summer

Strength & Fitness training for kids is not about pumping iron or how much you can bench. Today's young athletes can enjoy greater success if they are instructed in proper movement patterns and the acquisition of speed, agility and quickness. 

Parents generally do not understand what personal training for children is all about. Below is an article from the Mayo Clinic about this very important topic. Enjoy.

From: Strength training: OK for kids? (Mayoclinic.com)
For kids, what are the benefits of strength training?

Done properly, strength training can:

* Increase your child's muscle strength and endurance
* Help protect your child's muscles and joints from injury
* Improve your child's performance in nearly any sport, from dancing and figure skating to football and soccer

And strength training isn't only for athletes. Even if your child isn't interested in sports, strength training can:

* Strengthen your child's bones
* Help promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
* Boost your child's metabolism
* Help your child maintain a healthy weight
* Improve your child's self-esteem

What's the best way to start a strength training program for kids?

A child's strength training program isn't necessarily a scaled-down version of what an adult would do. Keep these general principles in mind:

* Seek instruction. Start with a coach or personal trainer who has experience with youth strength training. The coach or trainer can create a safe, effective strength training program based on your child's age, size, skills and sports interests. Or enroll your child in a strength training class designed for kids.
 
* Warm up and cool down. Encourage your child to begin each strength training session with five to 10 minutes of light aerobic activity, such as walking, jogging in place or jumping rope. This warms the muscles and helps reduce the risk of injury. Gentle stretching after each session is a good idea, too.
 
* Keep it light. Kids can safely lift weights, as long as the weight is light enough. In most cases, one set of 12 to 15 repetitions is all it takes. The resistance doesn't have to come from weights, either. Resistance tubing and body-weight exercises, such as push-ups, can be just as effective.
 
* Stress proper technique. Rather than focusing on the amount of weight your child lifts, stress proper form and technique during each exercise. Your child can gradually increase the resistance or number of repetitions as he or she gets older.
 
* Supervise. Adult supervision is an important part of youth strength training. Don't let your child go it alone.
 
* Rest between workouts. Make sure your child rests at least one full day between exercising each specific muscle group. Two or three strength training sessions a week are plenty.
 
* Keep it fun. Help your child vary the routine to prevent boredom.

Results won't come overnight. But eventually, your child will notice a difference in muscle strength and endurance — which may fuel a fitness habit that lasts a lifetime.


From: Strength training: OK for kids? (Mayoclinic.com)
 
Call Advanced Fitness (610-444-1711) to discuss our youth programs  

You will be amazed at what youth fitness training has evolved to over the last several years. Once you see how our Assessment and Programming model works, you will understand why every major health organization is touting the benefits of strength training for kids.

New Test Detects Brain Cancer in 30 minutes

--> Researchers have created a new technique that can speed up current methods of diagnosing brain cancer from two to three days to 30 minutes. 
The new technique uses infrared light on blood serum to detect whether gliomas (a type of tumor that starts in the brain or spine) are present.  

Analytical and Bio-analytical Chemistry, September 2013

Vitamin B12 Deficiency!

After analyzing the health data of over 200,000 patients, researchers have determined that long-term (>2 years) use of heartburn and ulcer medications can increase a person’s risk for vitamin B12 deficiency by 65%, with higher doses associated with an increased risk. 

Vitamin B12 is absorbed into the body with the help of stomach acid and any drugs that suppress or neutralize stomach acid can also keep the vitamin from entering the body. 

Chronic B12 deficiency can increase a person’s risk for dementia, nerve damage, and anemia.  

Kaiser Permanente, December 2013

Produce with the least amount of pesticides

The Clean Fifteen™

EWG's Clean Fifteen™ for 2014 - the produce least likely to hold pesticide residues - are avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, onions, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, kiwis, eggplant, grapefruit, cantaloupe, cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Relatively few pesticides were detected on these foods, and tests found low total concentrations of pesticides.
Notable findings:

• Avocados were the cleanest: only 1 percent of avocado samples showed any detectable pesticides.
• Some 89 percent of pineapples, 82 percent of kiwi, 80 percent of papayas, 88 percent of mango and 61 percent of cantaloupe had no residues.
• No single fruit sample from the Clean Fifteen™ tested positive for more than 4 types of pesticides.
• Detecting multiple pesticide residues is extremely rare on Clean Fifteen™ vegetables. Only 5.5 percent of Clean Fifteen samples had two or more pesticides. 

www.ewg.org

Produce with the highest level of pesticides

Highlights of Dirty Dozen™ 2014

EWG's Dirty Dozen™ list of produce includes apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, sweet bell peppers, imported nectarines, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes. Each of these foods contained a number of different pesticide residues and showed high concentrations of pesticides relative to other produce items.
In particular:

• Every sample of imported nectarines and 99 percent of apple samples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
• The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other food.
• A single grape sample contained 15 pesticides. Single samples of celery, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece. 

www.ewg.org

Watch Out for Distracted Drivers!

A new study finds that distracted drivers in the US are killing an increasing number of pedestrians and bicyclists. From 2005 to 2010, the number of bicyclists killed by distracted drivers has increased by 30%, while pedestrians killed by distracted drivers increased by nearly 50% over the same period. Study author Dr. Fernando Wilson states, “We’re constantly exposed to distracted drivers. I don’t think there’s a day that I don’t see someone driving and using their cell phone. A lot of time they’re texting… It’s something that’s pervasive in society. That’s one of the reasons it’s so difficult to deal with.” University of Nebraska Medical Center, November 2103

How Does Chiropractic Care Benefit Pregancy?

Why should I have chiropractic care during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrinological changes that occur in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby. The following changes could result in a misaligned spine or joint:

* Protruding abdomen and increased back curve
* Pelvic changes
* Postural adaptations

Establishing pelvic balance and alignment is another reason to obtain chiropractic care during pregnancy. When the pelvis is misaligned it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint. A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery.

The nervous system is the master communication system to all the body systems including the reproductive system. Keeping the spine aligned helps the entire body work more effectively.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy?

Chiropractic care during pregnancy may provide benefits for women who are pregnant. Potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:

* Maintaining a healthier pregnancy
* Controlling symptoms of nausea
* Reducing the time of labor and delivery
* Relieving back, neck or joint pain
* Prevent a potential cesarean section

The most common referral from a Medical Doctor to our clinic comes from the ob/gyn. These M.D.'s and D.O.'s don't want to put the expecting mothers on serious pain meds because of the risk with pregnancy. Becuase of this, these doctors elect to send their patients to our clinic. The expecting moms soon thank them for it.

Call the office at 610-361-9531 to schedule an appointment of speak with one of our Chiropractors about Chiropractic care for pregnant women.

The Best Nutritional Supplement for Acute or Chronic Pain

Want to know more about a nutritional supplement powerful enough to treat acute or chronic pain....read on.

I have used this product for years on and off. Since I have been training much more and trying new sports / activities, my incidence of joint pain has been a little more frequent. Not that I have been injured, but I have felt more of the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) than in the past. I supplement with Wobenzm PS and feel my recovery time shorten and the aches and pains diminish. I would never take OTC for pain and i do not agree with managing pain with anti-inflammatories. Wobenzm is my nutritional natural supplemement of choice. After a hard workout at CrossFit Kennett Square I may take a few Wobenzme to speed up the recovery process. Find out more about CrossFit training here or watch a video here.

For years athletes and those who know have been using Wobenzym to treat acute and chronic pain. Backed by decades of clinical research and published studies, Wobenzym™ PS supplies specific enzymes to the body to support immune function, joint, muscle and tendon health, as well as normal wound healing. Compared to Wobenzym® N, Wobenzym® PS provides health professionals with a unique blend of enzymes in an enhanced formula with twice the strength of active ingredients Bromelain, Trypsin, and Rutoside. Wobenzm come in "N" ans "PS" forms. The "PS" is stronger and more effective.

Here's a little more about Wobenzm from http://www.wobenzyme.org/:

"Some of the Olympic athletics who have consumed Wobenzym notice that it’s able to minimize the accidents about 50 percent as well as to speed up the recovery process when the injury happens. The reason this can happen is partly because the bioflavonoids characteristic in this systemic enzymes that also takes part to prevent discoloration as well as local pain related to traumatic injury. That’s why, nowadays some top surgeons recommend Wobenzym to avoid edema and bruising along with the related pain for the post-surgical patients.

Other benefits of Wobenzym that has been discovered and reported by the user:

• Lowering the occurrence of the blood clots.
• Decreasing the occurrence of the strokes, and heart attacks due to its anti-spasmodic, anti-arrhythmic, anti-thrombotic and the ability to lower the cholesterol.
• Reducing the inflammation that takes part in allergies and also ease the symptoms related to this condition.
• Dealing with rheumatic and autoimmune disorder or diseases (like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, muscle and join pain) as well as sports injury, and traumatic injury.
• Treating sinus infection, fungal and viral infection, herpes simplex infection, bacterial yeast, pelvic conditions caused by inflammation, elevated triglyceride and cholesterol levels, cardiovascular obstruction and related conditions, digestive problems, edema, even only general colds and flu.
• Enhancing someone feeling of the well-being because of the effects from its antioxidant characteristic"

If you want Wobenzm PS (professional strength), call my office at 610-361-9531 or email us at info@b2hc.com.

Strength Training Secret #42: Complexes

Training Complexes: Barbell / Kettlebell / Dumbbell


If you've never heard of "complexes" before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a "set", you sequence one rep of several different exercises right after one another and repeat the sequence several times to complete a "set". It's basically like performing a routine, instead of just mindlessly performing a typical "set".

This type of training is excellent to work a huge amount of musculature in a short amount of time, and definitely takes your workouts to a whole new level of intensity. The conditioning aspect of this type of training is amazing, as you'll find yourself huffing and puffing after repeating a sequence a mere two or three times. This workout may not seem difficult when you read it but you will soon be surprised. If you are not familiar with the exercises or movements, find a coach and learn how to perform them. You can get coaching with us at Advanced Fitness and shorten up your learning curve.

This type of training elicits an excellent growth hormone response as well, due to the large amount of full body work completed in a given time period. When you couple this with 1-2 times per week of strength training with heavier weights you will get a testosterone response as well.

I like to incorporate about 5 exercises into my complexes. Any more than that and you might start to forget what's next in the sequence. Here's an awesome barbell complex that really gets it done:

Example Barbell Complex

1. high pull from floor (explosive deadlift right into upright row in one motion);

2. barbell back to thighs, then hang clean (explosively pull bar from knees and "catch" the bar at shoulders);

3. barbell back to floor, then clean & jerk;

4. barbell back to thighs, bend over, then bent over row;

5. barbell back to thighs, then finish with Romanian deadlift

Use a weight that you can still handle for your weakest lift of the bunch, but keep it heavy enough to challenge you. Try to repeat the sequence 2-3 times without resting... That's 1 set. You could progress over time on this routine by increasing the amount of times you repeat the sequence in each set, or by adding sets on subsequent workouts before eventually increasing the weight.

For example, say you completed the above complex with 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 3 sets in today's workout. Next time you perform the workout, try to do 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 4 sets. Once you successfully complete 5 sets with 155, increase the weight 5 or 10 lbs next time, and drop back to 3 sets. This is a great way to make improvements over time, while cycling your training volume.


Now I'm going to show you a great kettlebell complex that really kicks my butt. If you don't have a kettlebell, you can use a dumbbell, but I'd highly recommend picking yourself up a kettlebell... very convenient to have around when you want to bang out a quick intense workout at home without going to the gym.


I've been training with kettlebells for a little over 2 years now, and can definitely say that they've dramatically improved my strength, body composition, and overall physical capabilities. If you're not familiar with kettlebells, they are an old eastern European training secret that has just started to take the US by storm over the last few years. Many elite athletes are using kettlebells as their preferred training tool for serious results.

I'd recommend just starting off with one kettlebell and learn all of the single kettlebell drills first, before delving into the double-bell drills. Just one kettlebell coupled with some bodyweight exercises can literally be enough to comprise your own home gym, without any other equipment necessary. Or a kettlebell can just be a great alternative workout to incorporate into your routines once or twice a week. Either way, it opens up a whole new world of training for you.

Example Kettlebell Complex

1. one arm swing

2. one arm snatch, keep the bell over head;

3. one arm overhead squat;

4. bell back down to bottom, then one arm high pull;

5. bell back down to bottom, then one arm clean & press

As with the barbell complex, repeat the sequence (without rest) 2-3 times with each arm. That's one set...and one hell of a killer set at that! Try increasing from 3 to 4 to 5 sets on subsequent workouts with a given weight before increasing your sequence reps. If you're not drenched in sweat with your heart beating out of your chest after that complex, you either went too light, or you are a mutant freak!

Since dumbbells are more accessible to most people than kettlebells, now I'll show you how to put together a good dumbbell complex.

Example Dumbbell Complex

1. upright row with each arm separately then both together

2. front lunge with one leg, then the other

3. back lunge with one leg, then the other

4. curl to overhead press

5. keep dumbbells at shoulders and squat

Again, the same type of sequencing and progressions explained with the barbell complexes work great with the dumbbell complexes. I think a great strategy is to alternate barbell complexes on one day with kettlebell or dumbbell complexes on alternative training days.

For example, you could do barbell complexes Monday, K-bell or D-bell complexes Wednesday, and back to barbell complexes on Friday. Maybe hit some sprints and bodyweight drills on Saturday; then Monday would be K-bell or D-bell complexes again, Wednesday would be barbells again, and so on. Give this program a try for a month (if you dare), and you will be one hardened mofo!