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Dr. Emmett Blahnik

Dr. Emmett Blahnik is a Wisconsin native who earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater in 1998, as well as Doctorate degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2006. Dr. Blahnik currently operates one of the largest Natural Health Clinics in Wisconsin and North America. Become a part of the community by entering your email address in the email form at top right area of this page.

Topic of the Season

July 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, most cancers, and autoimmune disorders.  It is estimated to be the largest epidemic of vitamin deficiency ever in the United States.

Are you suffering from the winter blues yet?  By the middle of winter many people are hitting a low in energy and vitality.  A vitamin D deficiency may be the culprit.

Have you ever gone on that winter vacation to somewhere warm, you get a tan and you feel good?  That’s because your body, when exposed to sun; produces vitamin D.  The problem is that most Americans in the northern hemisphere do not get enough exposure to the sun.  And when we do, we usually use too much sun screen.  In fact, the average resident of Florida is also vitamin D deficient.

When it comes to pain, vitamin D has been shown to reduce various types of chronic pain. Numerous studies confirm that it is highly effective for reducing pain and inflammation. Also, it is shown to increase the function of your immune system helping to ward off the flu and various viruses.

The best way to find out if you are deficient is through blood testing.  It’s a simple, inexpensive test that could save your life. In 2009, Dr. Gerard Guillory, MD tested 1200 of his patients and found 90% to be deficient in vitamin D with levels less than 32ng/ml.  Another recent Denver study showed 75 % of the people tested were significantly deficient. Yet, after 8 weeks of proper supplementation the average blood level rose 106% into the normal range.

The Vitamin D Council recommends that adults take 5,000 IU per day for 2–3 months, then obtain a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL year-round.

If you have questions on recommended dosages for children and yourself, ask your chiropractor or visit the Vitamin D Council’s web site.  Your family’s health may be improved by knowing about this vitamin that has been long overlooked.

Article Source: Chirotopix.com

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Children

June 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A chiropractor is trained to help your children through infancy, childhood and adolescence.  Adjustments to the infant or child’s spine are tailor made to their size.

For most families, childhood is a time of joy, vitality and robust health. Children seem to be full of limitless energy and possibility! Yet, there are times when our children face various health complaints and injuries. Your Chiropractor is trained and able to help your family with all aspects of wellness care.

Ear infections are a common complaint of childhood. So are colic, viruses, bed wetting, sports injury, headaches, allergies, and even ADHD. Young people are no different than adults in their bodies’ ability to heal itself.  With the aid of your chiropractor and good nutrition, your children can be their healthiest.  After all, the human spine is present in adults AND children!

One of the focuses of training for a Chiropractor is in the treatment of infants, toddlers, children and teens. Chiropractic adjustments and care are just as safe and effective for them! So often, the most common health problems in childhood are related to disruptions in the nervous system.  Subluxations of the spine can begin at the birth process, from normal childhood falls, and adolescent sports injuries. Adjustments are very gentle and specific to help them with restored health.

The link between the spine, nervous system dysfunction, and childhood health issues are common. A thorough chiropractic examination can reveal noticeable spinal problems and even a change in the normal neck curve. With a schedule of safe and natural chiropractic adjustments, the body can heal itself. Most often a child responds much faster than an adult because the nervous system is more active.

Even medical doctors are seeing the benefits of treating children from ALL disciplines of health care, with a special focus on chiropractic. From the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics:  PEDIATRICS Vol. 105 No. 1 Supplement January 2000, pp. 214-218

Article Source: Chirotopix.com

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Nutrition

June 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

We all know we’re supposed to eat better – right?  Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins.  Every two years the amount of information on nutrition expands by two fold. Yet, American’s waist lines are also expanding.

Yet despite a wealth of knowledge available to Americans on the subject of nutrition, obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes are all on the rise. Sixty percent of Americans are now considered obese! If we know so much about nutrition, including calories, fat, protein, and sodium, why do Americans continue to decline in health? Simply because the “Standard American Diet” (SAD) is far from healthy! Highly processed packaged foods that are mass-marketed to the busy families of today are typically high in refined fats and sugars, low in fiber, full of simple carbohydrates, and rarely resemble real food in any way.

Reading the labels, we find words like monosodium glutamate, high fructose corn syrup, nitrates and nitrites, preservatives and artificial flavors and colors. These ingredients are unnatural for the human body to digest and are slowly chipping away at the health of our nation.

Where can you start? Ask your chiropractor for a list of truly healthy foods that you should look for at the supermarket. Foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, good proteins, pure water, and unrefined sugars will become part of your weekly grocery list. Your chiropractor may also suggest nutritional supplements to complement a healthy diet, or fill in the gaps due to previously compromised health.

Add one new, nutritious food each week. Try a vegetable your family may not have eaten before. Buy a loaf of delicious 100% whole wheat bread. Consider replacing some of the sugar in your favorite home baking with honey. Roast a chicken, using sea salt and fresh herbs. If you have children, involve them in the shopping and cooking process, it will help them open up to new foods!

A great way to look at your plate is to divide as follows:  half should be vegetables, one fourth as complex carbohydrates, and the other one fourth as lean protein.  Follow this and you will have amazing results.

Shop with information and confidence, knowing that your future vitality is in your hands! Good nutrition helps reduce chemical stresses to our body; therefore reducing subluxations and helping your body maintain your chiropractic adjustments.

Article Source: Chirotopix.com

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Acupuncture

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment


Most people have heard of acupuncture, but do not understand what the practice is and what it entails.  This ancient practice can be a great addition to your health care.

As more people learn of acupuncture, the interest in using it for treatment and relief has grown quickly. It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and has become more familiar in Western medicine toward the middle part of the last century.

Acupuncture is simply the practice of gently inserting fine needles into specific points on the body for the purpose of relieving tension, stress and pain. Each point into which a needle is inserted is related to specific nerve endings and the energy flow of the body. It is believed that when these areas are gently stimulated by the touch of a needle, healing can take place. Due to the fine gauge needles used, there is usually no discomfort during the process. Other than back, neck and joint pain relief, acupuncture has been used in the treatment of asthma, allergies, infertility, chronic fatigue syndrome, digestion problems, hypertension, and the relief of chemotherapy-induced nausea.

With the practice of acupuncture on the rise in the United States, research and conventional medicine recognize the benefits! According to an article in the June ‘98 issue of The Physician and Sports Medicine, “Interest in alternative or complementary medicine ‘especially chiropractic’ is booming… active patients are running to unconventional providers to treat their aches and pains… from chiropractors and acupuncture to magnets and meditation.” In 1997, acupuncture needles were reclassified from “experimental” to “medical device” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The National Institutes of Health released a statement that same year endorsing acupuncture for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as post-operative pain, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Talk to your chiropractor today to see if acupuncture should be part of your care plan.

Article Source: Chirotopix.com

 

 

 

 

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Subluxations

May 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In our busy lives of activity, stimulation and stress, it is no wonder we are often plagued by physical pain and discomfort. Subluxations are often the cause of many of the complaints and conditions of the human body!

A subluxation (“sub” meaning less than; “luxation” meaning dislocation) is the result of spinal bones with improper motion or position affecting nerve communications between your brain and your body. It is a stress response – muscles spasms occur, spinal bones lock up, and adjacent nerves are choked or be irritated. This interferes with the way your brain communicates with your body, causing problems with the control and regulation of your body‘s functions.

Your central nervous system controls every aspect of your body, including all cells, tissues and systems.  As the impulses travel from your spine, your vertebrae need to be free of subluxations for optimal health.

There are three basic causes of subluxations. Physical causes may include slips and falls, accidents, repetitive motions, and improper lifting. Emotional causes are often stress, anger, anxiety and fear.  And chemical causes are typically found in alcohol, drugs, pollution and poor diet.

Only a chiropractic examination can properly detect the location and severity of any subluxations you may have. And only chiropractic adjustments can naturally reduce their effect to your nervous system. The application of precise and specific force in the right direction, and over time, can change the position and movement of spinal bones.  This will therefore release the normal function and communication through the nerves.

Our nervous system is much like a well designed freeway system; it allows traffic to move freely in the appropriate directions.  However, like in a traffic jam, our nervous system can be backed up from subluxations.  The weight of a small coin is enough to reduce normal nerve impulses by up to 50%.

With the help of your Chiropractor, your body can be cleared of subluxations and brought back into the position to be able to heal itself naturally. Good health and vitality can begin again!

Article Source: Chirotopix.com

 

 

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Carob Bark

November 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A fast and easy snack with the look of CHOCOLATE… but contains 3x as much calcium!

If you love the taste of chocolate, but are interested in improving the beneficial foods you eat, Carob may be your saving grace. What is Carob?  Carob powder may look like cocoa powder but it has it’s own flavor. Unlike chocolate, not a lot of sweetener is needed to make it taste good. Carob is a tropical pod with a sweet pulp. It’s ground into a powder after the pulp is dried and roasted.

Benefits of Carob:

  • Low in fat
  • High in fiber and protein
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Alkaline Food
  • Doesn’t contain caffeine and is not addictive
  • Safe for dogs (unlike chocolate)

How to make Carob Bark

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup  Coconut Oil
  • 3/4 cup Carob Powder
  • 2 – 3 teaspoons  Pure Vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup  Craisins, Nuts or Trail Mix
  • A pinch of cinnamon

Steps:

  1. Melt coconut oil over medium – low heat.
  2. Add all other ingredients to pan of melted coconut oil.
  3. Stir.
  4. Pour combination onto wax paper lined cookie sheet and spread.
  5. Refrigerate until solid, approximately 20 minutes.
  6. After it’s hardened, break into pieces and enjoy without guilt

How to Store:

Carob Bark should be stored in a refrigerator.

Filed Under: Education, Natural Health

Anti-Inflammation Diet

October 20, 2011 By 1 Comment

Inflammation is the body’s normal reaction to something causing trauma to the organs, tissue and cells.  Chronic cellular inflammation can be the cause of disease and creates conditions like asthma, allergies, pain, fibromyalgia etc. Intestinally, you see it in gastric reflux, indigestion, Crohn’s disease, colitis, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) etc.  These symptoms or diseases are commonly misdiagnosed and usually all have something in common, sensitivity to grains, or have a gluten allergy and have massive amounts of cellular inflammation.

The body’s Normal Reaction inflammation can be necessary at the right time and place, for example if  someone twisted their ankle causing trauma to the ligaments in the ankle during a basketball game, the ankle swells due to inflammation, part of the body’s natural healing reaction.

Truama>>>Reaction>>>Inflammation

Surprisingly we create trauma to our organs, tissues and cells via the things we ingest.  It becomes  dangerous to our health when the system of organs, tissues and cells get’s in a cascade of this reactive inflammatory process due to the things we are constantly putting into or on our bodies.

Inflammation is brought about by:

1. Standard American Diet (S.A.D)

  • Processed Foods, Grains
  • Food colorings, dyes, additives, fillers
  • Pasturized Dairy
  • Non-Grass Fed, Lot Fed Meats, growth hormone injected, antibiotic injected, non free range meats
  • Pesticides on Fruits and Veggies

2. Medications

3. Cellular Dehydration (lack of water)

4. Stress

5. Lack of sleep

6. Nervous System Interference

 

Anti-Inflammatory Eating

Hydrate with H2O Properly = Drink 1/2 Your Weight in ounces of Water Daily

  • Example Weight:  160 pounds = 80 ounces of water daily.
  • 70-80% of the body and cells are made up of H2O (Water) not Coca-Cola, Milk, or Coffee.
  • Roughly 80% of the brain is H2O

Eliminate Omega 6 foods

1. Vegetable, nut, and seed oils found in packaged foods (soy, canola, sunflower, cottonseed, peanut oils, etc) and any hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil.

2. Commercial animal products like pasteurized dairy, red meat, chicken, and non-free range eggs from the grocery store

 

 Eliminate fungal or allergy inducing foods

1. Fungal, acid producing foods to avoid: Alcohol, corn, peanuts, citrus, cashews, pasteurized dairy, wheat, sugar, rye, barley, sorghum, and cottonseed

2. Drastically reduced grains and eliminate fungal grains above  ex: wheat (gluten)

 

Eliminate sugar

1. Watch out for the items that have hidden sugar in them like soups, dressings, ketchup, crackers, etc

 

 Add Good foods

1. Alkaline foods like berries, raisins, vegetables, sweet potatoes

2. Omega 3 fats. Good fats to consume (anti-inflammatory fats): Fish oil capsules, flax seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, extra-virgin coconut oil, avocado, walnuts, almonds, almond butter, raw-organic butter, cod-liver oil.

3. Alkaline water from an ionization machine

4. Greens powder for alkalization/anti-inflammatory

100% aloe juice for alkalization/anti-inflammatory

 

You can learn more about the inflammatory nature of each product you are ingesting by finding it’s IF (Inflammatory Factor) Rating located www.nutritiondata.com

This will massively change your life. 

Filed Under: Education, Natural Health

Some Asthma Inhalers May Be Lethal

August 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Don’t Let Your Inhaler Take Your Last Breath! Singulair  and Advair are the most  highly prescribed medications for the treatment of Asthma in America.  These drugs have been under FDA investigation for Lethal Side Effects.
 The Drug company Merck, said it recently added reports of suicide to Singulair’s label, which already listed suicidal thinking and behavior as possible side effects.

Clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University Shelley Salpeter states that 4,000 deaths could be prevented annually if commonly prescribed asthma medications would be recalled by the FDA.

Asthma is a chronic disease that leaves 20 million people in the United States with troubled breathing.  It has become the number one reasons for school nurse visits. In fact Asthma has increased by more than 300 percent over the last 20 years.

Many seek commonly prescribed asthma medications such as Advair and Singulair, the most popular among other inhalers, to help with their breathing, as asthma can prove deadly when a severe attack happens. However, asthma can be deadly when it is misdiagnosed and treated as well, because commonly prescribed asthma medication can cause death as well as an addition to increased thoughts of suicide.

The FDA is still monitoring Singular for its possible link to suicide and depression. Doctors say adults and children should be observed closely for any signs of depression, behavioral disorders and suicidal tendencies.

According to Doug Bremner M.D., “Advair, which contains Serevent and a steroid, also carries the same black box warning about increased asthma related deaths. This hasn’t stopped it from running up 2 billion dollars in sales per year. Based on the SMART study, we cannot conclude that long acting beta agonists, when administered with steroids, are safe; in studies where 75% of patients were taking a steroid there was still a 2-fold increased risk of asthma related death.”

Singulair, also known as Montelukast, is used for the long term maintenance treatment of asthma and to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies. While Singulair has been associated with side effects like gastrointestinal disturbances, hypersensitivity reactions, sleep disorders and increased bleeding tendency, the higher occurrence of depression in users is now being investigated by the US Food and Drug Authority.

Merck said it recently added reports of suicide to Singulair’s label, which already listed suicidal thinking and behavior as possible side effects. Health Canada is also following the US FDA’s lead in investigating the asthma drug Singulair’s possible link to suicide, following reports of adverse reactions.

 The Truth about Conventional Asthma Treatments  The most common side effect of non-steroidal bronchodilators is that they will double your risk of a heart attack.

  • Gastrointestinal Disturbance
  • Stunted growth
  • Heart Disease
  • Hypersensitivity Reactions
  • Infections
  • Increased bleeding
  • Cataracts
  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Weight gain
  • High blood pressure

Safe and Effective Strategies to Treat Your Asthma 

So what can one do naturally to be open and free and breathe freely like a baby just taking its first breath? There are several things that can help ease asthma such as diet, herbs, exercise and aromatherapy.

Diet for asthma treatment naturally begins with breastfeeding. According to studies done by European Respiratory Journal “in an overall study among 5,368 children, those who weren’t breastfed had overall increased risks of wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and persistent phlegm in the first four years of life, when compared to children who were exclusively breastfed for six months”. Some studies further suggest that breast milk also has a growth factor in it that helps improve lung function which has a protective measure against wheezing, further studies also suggest that this can have a long term effect on the fight against asthma.

Allergens can also cause asthmatic reactions, such as gluten allergies. Eating a gluten free diet, as well as working on eliminating allergy causing foods from one’s diet, as well as eating more organic fruits and vegetables can help one breathe freely as well.

Anti-inflammatory and lung soothing herbs such as mullein, wild cherry bark, anise and motherwort can help the lungs, keep airways open, and help reduce stress, which can also be a cause of asthma. These herbs are usually consumed in form of tea and/or herbal extracts.

Exercise also helps those with asthma, because it helps reduce stress. Stress increases chances of asthma, as stress can tighten the chest and restrict breathing.  Some advise against exercise and asthma, however the benefits outweigh the risks. Studies  show that asthmatics benefit from exercise on the whole, as it improves their cardiopulmonary fitness.

Asthmatics who exercised regularly showed improvement in:

  • Maximum Oxygen carrying capacity, uptake
  • Work capacity
  • Maximum heart rate

Exercise showed no significant effect in other measures such as:

  • expiratory air-flow rate
  • expiratory volume
  • days of wheezing

The bottom line start exercising there was no evidence suggesting that regular exercise worsens asthmatic symptoms. The review examined 13 studies, involving more that 450 total participants. It may be advisable for asthmatics to seek counseling on ways to prevent and treat exercise-induced asthma.

Maximize your vitamin D levels , Carrots, Celery and Grapefruit – We now know that there’s a very strong connection between vitamin D levels and asthma, as vitamin D can be a very powerful immune modulator.  Vitamin D deficiency has been recently linked to a variety of non-bone related diseases including depression, autoimmune disorders, and now asthma

Maximize your intake of animal-based omega 3 fats  high quality animal-based omega 3 fats in your diet prove to be potent anti-inflammatories.

Avoid & Restrict

  • Processed Foods
  • Grains
  • Refined Sugars
  • Preservatives
  • Additives
  • Colorings
  • hydrogenated oils
  • rancid fats

Minimize omega 6 fats: The average American today  is consuming far too much of these vegetable oils, such as corn oil, soy- and safflower oil.  Throwing the balance off and distorting the normal ratio between omega 3 and omega 6 fats will absolutely cause the cellular inflammation that leads to asthma.

Avoid Antibacterials and Antibiotics– Childhood exposure to common bacterial and viral infections is the platform for developing a strong and healthy immune system to prevent asthma naturally.   In fact according to Newsday, March 2006 Infants exposed to one round of antibiotics during their first years of life are twice as likely to develop asthma as those who don’t.  The more courses of antibiotics, the worse the immunity and the greater the risk of asthma.  Read more Antibacterials and Asthma

Aromatherapy is also helpful with beating asthma. In a study conducted by Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Israel, an ingredient found in some essential oils called limonene helps protect against asthma, and people with asthma and other lung conditions treated with limonene containing essential oils stated that they experienced relief from their conditions. Limonene is found primarily in citrus fruits, and citrus essential oils, but is also found in pine, geranium and rose essential oils.

Dr. Emmett Blahnik’s Conclusion

Asthma is a very serious condition and can be life threatening so speak with your doctor first about any changes in your drug usage.  If you follow these simple steps you will minimize or virtually eliminate the dangers of Asthma related problems.

Sources:

Antibacterials and Asthma

Doug Bremner M.D

Center for the Advancement of Health October 21, 2005

The Cochrane Library 2005, Issue 4

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Juice Your Way To A Beach Body

July 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you still have a little bit of flub on your belly from this past winter or that Fourth of July cook out? Want to get in that bikini, or have a stomach that is finally tight and tone? Well juicing is may be just right for you!

We all know that fruits and vegetables are essential for good health, but did you know that cooking vegetables usually means that you cook most of the nutrients out? Actually raising the temperature to about 110-120 degrees destroys most beneficial digestive enzymes.

Juicing is a great way to blast fat yet give your body the necessary nutrients and vital energy it needs to keep it running clean.

The extra flub on the belly can also be caused by toxic overload due to chemicals from unnatural foods such as the aspartame in diet Coke or even toxic chemicals in the items you use to clean your home.

Another issue that causes belly fat is your colon. There can be years of gunk stuck to the inside of your colon, causing it to become distended. Your colon impacts other organs, which can make you have that dreaded pooch that I know you do not want to take to the beach with you this summer.  Juicing can clear both of these issues up for you in a way that is very, very delicious.

Vegetable juices can sweep your colon clean of the gunk that has been stuck to the insides of it. Vegetable juices can also sweep clean your blood of the toxicities that have built up due to over indulgence in foods and beverages with artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners and whatever toxicities have built up in your body due to environmental hazards such as pollution and common household cleaners.

Fruit juices can nurture and heal the organs that may be sluggish due to you living la vida loca as well.

Now, I am sure you are jumping out of your chair, like come on give me the goodies, what juices can I take to get rid of this stubborn blasted flub on my belly!  Okay, I’m about to give the goodies to you!

First and foremost, I highly suggest using only 100 percent organic fruits and vegetables in your juicing regimen! I spoke earlier about toxic overload in your body that can cause you to have that unsightly pooch, and the fact that we want to get those toxins out, and the fact is non organic fruits and vegetables have been dowsed in highly toxic pesticides amongst other things.

I do not think any of us want to drink liquid and beet flavored round up! Yuck!  Okay, now onto the good stuff.

The first vegetable I want to talk about on this fat blasting journey is the carrot. According to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; carrot juice can yank heavy metals and pesticides from the fatty tissue in the body and discharge them very quickly.

Heavy metals are usually found in pesticides, cookware such as Teflon coated pans, and in the very air we breathe.  As you can see the carrot is a good friend when it comes to getting the blood and organs cleaned out from the nasty stuff, and it is also very sweet tasting. I think of sweet milk when I think of carrot juice.

The next vegetable I want to talk about is the beet. The beet is a very powerful little vegetable, and packs a big punch. The beet is good for flushing the lymphatic system, the kidneys and the blood of toxicities.  When the lymphatic system is clogged, it can cause cellulite, when the kidneys aren’t working right you can get some bloat going on, and when the blood is toxic, your body is toxic and there ya go , a gut and a butt you are not too proud to own!  So love your beets, but you only need a tiny bit, like ¼ of a beet to start, and absolutely do not juice it by itself, add some carrots for a delicious drink. Now onto a couple of fruits that are great to juice for weight loss.

My absolute favorite fruit to juice in the summer is the watermelon, and the watermelon is our friend when blasting flub from our midsection.  Watermelon sweeps the colon, renews the blood, is a diuretic, and gets poisons out of the blood. That my friend is the reason why the watermelon will help you be beach ready.  Intake of watermelon juice will help keep your colon happy as well so you will be regular, and lessen the chance of the pooch returning.  The Native Americans treasured the beloved watermelon for increasing stamina, which is great to have when you need or want to do a good workout! Last but not least, another great fruit for the blasting of flub is the apple.

Fresh apple juice is excellent for stripping the colon walls of the junk that has accumulated in it like an ignored closet. Apple juice also cleanses the toxins from the colon, rejuvenates the liver, and keeps the weight under control. Please remember when juicing apples to remove the seeds. Apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide, and can become concentrated when juiced.

I hope this article has helped you discover the ways in which juice can keep your juicy from spilling out of your swim suit or swimming trunks while at the beach this summer! Here is to your health!

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Energy Drinks Are the New “Legal” Drugs

July 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

Have you unleashed your beast or tried out your wings? That is, indulged in the energy drinks Monster or Red Bull? If you haven’t, you’re definitely out of the loop. Energy drinks sales are growing at the rate of 12% every year and are expected to reach over $9 billion by 2011: the market has grown by 440% from 2002 to 2007. 1 And sports drinks? Those caffeine-free and supposedly healthy hydrators? They sold to the tune of $7.5 billion in 2006.

2 Energy drinks were once favored by video gamers and adrenalin-sports junkies but today they’re a daily indulgence for school kids and working adults alike. The energy boost, mental alertness and caffeine buzz associated with energy drinks appeals to many people in our fast-paced culture and an increasing portion of the population are addicted to these legal drugs.

“We think energy drinks are the new coffee,” says SoBe marketing VP Scott Moffit. 5

Manufacturers aggressively market the beverages because, as Beverage Digest editor John Sicher says, “The [profit] margins are somewhere between excellent and obscene.” 5

The sports drink market now includes many alternatives to Gatorade: Vitaminwater and similar beverages are marketed to health-conscious people with skewed health claims.

“For years we’ve been programmed to believe that sports drinks are healthy and you need to replenish those electrolytes,” says Center for Science in the Public Interest’s (CSPI) Margo Wootan. 2

Sports drink manufacturers don’t have the caffeine to hook people with so increasingly, they’re adding unregulated herbs and other compounds that are perceived as healthy to boost sales.

It’s a functional food craze.

“Manufacturers cash in on that whole idea of functional foods, of creating different foods and beverages with supposedly special benefits, usually involving health, and then charging extra for them,” says nutritionist David Schardt.

But are they really healthy? The science doesn’t seem to say so.

CSPI brought a class-action lawsuit against Coca Cola for the misleading marketing and health claims it makes with its popular Vitaminwater line. 3 The names of the drinks themselves (Defense, Endurance, Rescue) imply health benefits that aren’t proven, says CSPI, and Coca Cola also claims that Vitaminwaters “reduce the risk of chronic disease and eye disease,” “promote healthy joints” and “support immune function.” 3

CSPI nutritionists say that “the 33 grams of sugar in each bottle of Vitaminwater do more to promote obesity, diabetes and other health problems than the vitamins in the drinks do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottles.” 3

A recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of California, has linked diabetes and heart disease to the ingestion of sugary sports drinks. 9 The scientists reviewed medical and diet data on adults over 35 during the years 1990 and 2000 and discovered that drinking sweetened drinks were associated with 130,000 diabetes cases and 14,000 coronary heart disease conditions. 9

The mega-doses of caffeine in energy drinks are linked to increasing incidences of caffeine overdose, emergency room visits and calls to poison control centers. 6

Australian researchers at the University of Adelaide have found that just one energy drink can significantly raise blood pressure, damaging blood vessels and increasing blood cell stickiness or clotting risk. 8

“Given the prolific use of these drinks within the young population,” says Dr. Scott Willoughby, more research is needed because the beverages increase the risk of heart attack and other heart conditions in fit and healthy people. 8

A dangerous trend is the combination of alcohol and energy drinks. Red Bull and Coca Cola’s functional beverages are routinely sold in bars and pubs. Sweden has banned energy drinks after 3 people died after imbibing them.

Two of the deaths occurred after the victims mixed Red Bull and vodka; the third after a man drank several cans of Red Bull after a strenuous workout. 7

University of Florida researchers have found that mixing energy drinks and alcohol increases the odds of intoxication by three times. 11 College students who blend the two are four times as likely to drink and drive. 11

Associate professor Dennis Thombs says that: “When caffeine is mixed with alcohol, it overcomes the sedating effects of alcohol and people perceive that they are less intoxicated than they really are.” 11

A North Carolina study published in Academic Emergency Medicine says that students that mixed alcohol and energy drinks are more likely to be injured or require medical treatment than those who drank alcohol alone. 6 They were also more likely to be involved in aggressive sexual behavior, either as perpetrators or victims. 6

University of Buffalo scientists have found that high consumption of energy drinks on their own—without alcohol—are linked with “toxic jock” behavior. 6 A toxic jock engages in aggressive and risky behaviors such as substance abuse, unprotected sex and violence. 6

Energy and sports drink producers aren’t willing to admit that they target youth in their marketing campaigns but the celebrities that sponsor such beverages range from popular skateboarders, surfers and race car drivers to music superstars and celebrity actors and actresses. Rockstar, JetSet and Playboy are examples of energy drink names that play up these associations and many celebrities have even come out with their own energy drinks.

Some people consider these drinks as “gateways” for alcohol and drug abuse in the young. They appeal to many young people as a means of getting a legal high from caffeine and sugar. Consider some of these energy drink names: Wired, Amp, Full Throttle, Jolt, Rush and Natural High.

The energy drink “Cocaine” doesn’t even attempt to play down this association. The company has been issued a warning by the FDA for marketing the drink “as an alternative to an illicit street drug.” 4

John Hopkins University professor Roland Griffiths says it’s “a terrible message. It has implications for drug use in the future.” 4

Along with Sweden, Argentina, Denmark, France and Norway have banned energy drinks because of their caffeine content. 5, 10

And hydration? The caffeine in energy drinks dehydrates rather than hydrates, making the association of energy drinks and sports a dangerous one.

Sports drinks are often sold in schools because they’re considered healthy beverages but dietician Lilian Cheung says that they’re really just sugar water with some added electrolytes. 12

“Unless they’re running marathons, which we do not recommend for kids, water is the best choice for quenching their thirst,” says Harvard researcher Steven Gortmaker. 12

A daily dose of the 10 teaspoons of sugar and 130 calories in the typical sports drink can add 13 pounds to a child every year, says Gortmaker. Unless a child exercises for more than two hours, no extra calories are needed says weight management expert Dr. Joanna Dolgoff. 12

Dr. Blahnik steps, if I were you…

  • 1. Healthy Nerve System Function:Spinal Corrective Care Chiropractic (this is not pain management Chiropractic) adjustments to remove pressure and interference on the nervous system, paying particular attention to how the atlas (C1) is positioned against the brain stem.
  • Hydrate properly with a minimum of ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day. (for example 100lbs / 2 = 50 ounces of water (H2O) per day.
  • B-Complex 100 (3 times daily)
  • Alkalize and energize by balancing your pH…drink Mega Organic Veggie Greens
  • Cod Liver Oil: 1 Tbsp. for adults 150 lbs. or more, 2 tsp. 80-150 lbs., 1 tsp. 50-80 lbs.
  • Eliminate grains and sugars: Replace them with vegetables and berries
  • Eliminate Dairy: replace with coconut milk, almond milk or rice milk
  • GET some Movement & Exercise: helps stimulate the brain and improves blood circulation to the brain. Circulation of oxygen dramatically improves with minutes of movement per day.
  • Eliminate exposure to potential neurotoxins (such as lead, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides) in the environment and many vaccines.

Sources

  1. Press Office (2007, Dec. 11). New Report Predicts Energy Drink Sales in the U.S. to Exceed $9 Billion by 2011. Report Buyer [online]. Retrieved from http://www.reportbuyer.com/press/new-report-predicts-energy-drink-sales-in-the-us-to-exceed-9-billion-by-2011/
  2. Organic Consumers Association (2007, Oct. 16). Are Sports Drinks Junk Food? Organic Consumers Association [online]. Retrieved from http://www.healthy.net/scr/News.aspx?Id=9472
  3. Geller, Martinne and Richwine, Lisa (2009, Jan. 15). U.S. Group Sues Coke Over VitaminWater Health Claims. Reuters [online]. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE50E54L20090115
  4. Shute, Nancy (2007, Apr. 15). Over the Limit? Americans young and old crave high-octane fuel, and doctors are jittery. US News [online]. Retrieved from http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070415/23caffeine.htm
  5. Day, Sherri (2004, Apr. 4). Business; Energy Drinks Charm the Young and Caffeinated. New York Times [online]. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/04/business/business-energy-drinks-charm-the-young-and-caffeinated.html?pagewanted=2
  6. Parker-Pope, Tara (2008, May 27). Taste for Quick Boost Tied to Taste for Risk. New York Times [online]. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/health/27well.html
  7. BBC News (2001, Jul. 12). Red Bull in Suspected Link to Deaths. BBC News [online]. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1435409.stm
  8. McGilvray, Annabel (2010, Feb. 2). Energy Drinks Raise Heart Alarm. ABC Australia [online]. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/02/02/2808053.htm
  9. Vavoulis, Mark (2010, Mar. 11). Can Sports Drinks Cause Diabetes? Dr. Cutler [online]. Retrieved from http://www.drcutler.com/blood-sugar/can-sports-drinks-cause-diabetes-19657300/
  10. Penalty, Jeff (2010). A Brief History of Energy Drinks. Swindle Magazine [online]. Retrieved from http://swindlemagazine.com/issue06/a-brief-history-of-energy-drinks/
  11. University of Florida (2010, Feb. 2). UF researchers: Alcohol, energy drinks add up to higher intoxication levels, increased driving risk. University of Florida News [online]. Retrieved from http://news.ufl.edu/2010/02/10/energy-drink/
  12. Deardorff, Julie (2009, Sept. 15). Sports Drinks: Not Healthy for Kids. Chicago Tribune [online]. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/sns-health-kids-and-sports-drinks,0,4851090.story

 

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