Erik Sorbo, DC Patricia Sorbo, DC, DICCP

(970) 356-5255 1713 61st Ave, Suite 102 Greeley, CO 80634

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Top 10 Health Recommendations for 2011

 

As I began to think about my article installment for this month, I thought about how much I hate new year's resolutions.  Therefore, I am not going to say another word about them, but instead want to focus on my top 10 health-enhancement recommendations for 2011.

Numbers 10, 9 and 8 focus on supplementation for the simple reason that we can no longer trust that we are getting all the necessary nutrients from our food supply

10. Whole-food, organic multivitamin supplement
We carry a high quality one-a-day that is a great option for the vast majority of people.  If you have questions about your current multivitamin supplement, ask me to evaluate it.

9.  High-quality purified fish oil supplement
Unless you are regularly consuming wild-caught organic Alaskan salmon and organic grass-fed beef, you are not getting enough EPA and DHA to promote good health.  Most food products that say they contain Omega-3 fats have ALA, which is much less usable by the body.  Not all fish oils are created equal - you definitely get what you pay for in this department.  I recommend nearly all adults consume 3000mg of EPA + DHA daily.  Whether you are currently taking fish oil or not, ask me about specific dose suggestions for your situation. 

8.  Vitamin D - the Sunshine Vitamin
This is my biggest supplement passion for 2011.  Research shows adequate vitamin D slashes the risk of colds, flu, cancer and can eliminate depression and fibromyalgia.  Sadly, the US RDA for vitamin D stands at 400iu/day.  Research shows that 1000iu/day does not result in adequate blood levels of vitamin D.  Therefore, my recommendation for all adults is a 5000iu/day dose supplemental to any sun exposure you have.  Vitamin D toxicity is extremely rare and my recommendations are far below doses that could potentially cause toxicity.  If you have concerns, please ask me for more information.

7.  Eliminate these common health-sabotaging toxins *Artificial Sweeteners of all varieties - these include sucralose (Splenda), Acesulfame Potassium, saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, alitame, neotame.  All have more in common chemically to pesticides than to food products.

*High fructose corn syrup and its new, more dangerous relative, crystalline fructose - Fructose, despite what the corn growers tell you in their commercials, IS different than regular sugar.  It must be metabolized by the liver first and significantly increases the risk of liver problems, as well as contributing to obesity.  Check out the label on Vitamin Water and Gatorade - better to take your vitamins with pure water!

*Vegetable oils of all varieties - corn, canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, etc.  All are high in omega-6 fats which promote chronic inflammation and cause heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other diseases.  By reducing omega-6 fats and increasing omega-3 fats (see #9 above) you reduce your risk for these diseases.

*Enriched flour - if you gave me $27 and I gave you $4 back would you feel enriched?  That's what happens with grain - they strip out 27 important elements and put 4 back in (and the iron they put back in is not even usable by the body, so it's like getting a counterfeit $1 bill with your change)  Not such a good deal.

6.  Drink more water
When I say water, I mean water - not coffee, tea, soda, beer, wine, vodka, Red Bull or any other liquids you could consume.  Half your body weight in ounces of water every day should be your goal.

5. Daily prayer/meditation

Finding time to clear your mind and make your requests and praise to God can be a tremendous emotional cleansing process. 

4.  Sleep 6-8 hours per night
Some tips for improving the quality of your sleep:  keep the room as dark as possible (especially important if you work nights), keep your bedroom a bedroom – get the TV, computer and all other electrical devices out, white noise machines can reduce environmental noises like traffic, barking dogs and UFOs landing in the yard, and please don’t drink coffee after 6pm.

3.  Read daily (not the newspaper)
Reading is brain fitness at its best!  Keep checking back with our website for an updated recommended reading list – I’ll be posting books that I have read that you might find interesting.  But keep it positive – they search the world over for enough bad news to fill the newspaper every day – don’t fill your head with it (sorry to my journalist patients)

2.  Get outside!
Fresh air and, yes, even sunshine are good for you!  That warm, glowing ball in the daytime sky is what has sustained life on this ball of rock for quite a few years – it’s nothing to be feared.  You’ll get some vitamin D along with getting in shape, which brings me to tip #1

1.  Start a well-rounded fitness plan
Your fitness plan should include at least these elements
            *Cardiovascular conditioning
            *Strength Training
            *Core stability
            *Stretching and balance (yoga/Pilates)
Dr. Patricia and I recently joined Work Out West and have found a tremendous variety of group fitness classes that are great introductions to the basics of fitness.  For more information, go to http://www.workoutwest.com .

Ranking higher than all of these tips, however, is regular chiropractic care.  It is not the end all and be all of health, but it will make all of the above recommendations more effective in your life.  When your nervous system is working well, you will consistently seek to make more positive health choices – this is the recipe for good health!