My weekend at the Olympics, Dr. Stripling’s self-help video and this week’s 1-page health news!

Dr. Hyman spent this weekend learning all about Olympic Lifting at the Crossfit Olympic Lifting Coaches’ certification. Two full days of barbell snatches, cleans, and jerks. These lifts have a powerful application to most sports, even triathlon. Stay tuned for more info as we’re working on creating a relationship with a crossfit gym that’s close to the office. Dr. Hyman will be in the office Monday through Wednesday this week, and then he’ll be out of the office teaching for Active Release Techniques this coming weekend.

Dr. Stripling has started his weekly Denver Chiropractic Center TV segment on You Tube. In this week’s installment, Dr. S shows you how to help yourself when you feel that nagging pain between the shoulder blades. You can find these videos on our blog. The link is at the bottom of this email.

Health Alert: Children, Cars and Second-Hand Smoke. Just ten minutes in the back seat of a car with a smoker in the front seat increased a child’s exposure to harmful pollutants by 30%, even with the front windows completely rolled down. British Medical Journal, November 2012

Diet: Cholesterol and Probiotics. Two daily doses (200mg) of a probiotics lowered “bad” (LDL) and total cholesterol in study participants. Probiotics are live microorganisms (naturally occurring bacteria in the gut) thought to have beneficial effects. Common sources are yogurt or dietary supplements. Those taking the probiotics had LDL levels 11.6% lower than those on placebo after nine weeks. American Heart Association, November 2012

Exercise: Belly Fat and Sleep Quality? Losing weight can directly aid in improving sleep quality among obese or overweight people. Sleep quality was meaningfully associated with weight loss, either from changes in diet or a healthy diet combined with exercise. Sleep quality improvement was also observed with a loss in belly fat. With an average loss of 15 pounds and 15% belly fat, sleep scores improved by 20%. Chronic sleep disruptions can elevate the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and stroke. American Heart Association, November 2012

Active Release / Chiropractic: Spinal Degenerative Joint Disease. Spinal DJD (degenerative joint disease) occurs in most people as early as 40 years of age. The degeneration is due to gravity, major traumas, and repetitive micro-traumas (activities of daily living). Once the spine degenerates, simple mechanical compression (moving) can change nerve impulses, and the central nervous system may interpret that as pain. Pain, 1977 (Maintain that spinal mobility by getting ART and chiropractic treatment!)

Wellness/Prevention: Sleep and The Immune System. Sleep deprivation increases the risk for developing inflammation related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and diabetes. Biological Psychiatry, September 2008

Quote: “Never confuse motion with action.” ~ Ben Franklin

Video Link: Dr. Stripling’s self help for mid and upper back pain (click)