Is Filtering Your Drinking Water with a Water Ionizer Necessary?

by Dr. Michael Roth Do you give any thought to the water you drink everyday? How sure are you that the water you drink is not doing more harm than good to your health? Many people are concerned at the quality of water that comes through their taps. That’s why more and more people are looking into ways to improve the quality of their drinking water. Getting a water ionizer is one solution. Is it really necessary to get a water filtration system for the home? There is no guarantee that your municipal water systems will always deliver uncontaminated water. Just take a look at the news: – In 1993, there was a tragic case of water contamination at Milwaukee. It claimed the life of 54 residents. 52% of the population suffered diarrhea and more than 4000 people were hospitalized. All this because the water was contaminated with cryptosporidiosis. – On March 2008, 27 residents of Alamosa, Colorado fell ill because of salmonella found in their municipal water supply. – More recently, on 24 June 2009, kutv.com reports that E.coli bacteria have been detected in the water source of Eureka, Utah. The residents there have been directed to boil their water before use. To further understand the hazards of tap water, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) conducted a study in 1993 to evaluate the quality of tap water in 19 cities around the United States. Some cities were given an excellent grade. The majority were considered good or mediocre. Unfortunately, they also found places such as Albuquerque, Fresno and San Francisco to have contaminated water that posed health hazards to the residents. So you see, it would be wise to install a water filtration system in the home as you never know what kind of water is being supplied to you. You never know when contamination may take place. What does a water ionizer do? There are 2 steps to a water ionizer. The first step is to filter out all the hazardous pollutants such as bacteria, pesticides, solvents, trihalomethanes, lead, asbestos, fluoride, arsenic, sodium, etc…. What the ionizer doesn’t filter out are soluble minerals which are beneficial to your body. The second step is to ionize the water. Through the process of electrolysis, the water is separated into alkaline and acid streams. It’s drinking the alkaline water that has health benefits. What are the benefits of drinking ionized water? It has antioxidant powers. What’s so great about antioxidants? They neutralize free radicals in your body and that helps you to fight diseases, aging and cancer. Increase hydration of the body When the water goes through the ionization process, it alters the way the molecules group together. They become ‘microclustered’ water, meaning the water now consists of smaller groups of molecules. In this state, it is able to hydrate cells more effectively and efficiently. Balances your body’s pH and detoxifies Our body can be very acidic because of the types of food we eat. When you drink a lot of soft drinks and frequently take in fast foods and processed foods, you are slowly building up the acidity in your body. This makes you more prone to diseases. A healthy body has a pH in the range of 7.34-7.40. Drinking ionized water helps to detoxify the body of acid waste. The ‘microclustered’ water is able to infiltrate tissue and cell walls more easily than normal H2O, even areas that could not be reached before. That’s why if you are just starting to drink ionized water, you will experience detoxification effects within the first few weeks. You may get headaches and diarrhea which is the result of detoxification. Newbies drinking ionized water must adjust the water ionizer’s intensity to a lower level first and then later, work themselves up. If you are looking to protect your family from contaminated and unhealthy water, you should consider getting a water ionizer. This is especially true if you have a pregnant woman, children or elderly people in your home. Impure water imposes a greater healthy risk to them. Sure you can always buy bottled water but even then, there are concerns such as the plastic leaching into the water. With a water ionizer at home that not only cleans but keeps the water healthy, you can drink with a peace of mind knowing that you are getting the best water. For more information about pure, safe drinking water, click here.

A Natural Weight Loss Program — Advantages of Regular Exercise

by Dr. Michael Roth

Flickr photo credit Brett Lohmeyer

When you are trying for results with a natural weight loss program, exercise in conjunction with the dietary aspects will increase your chances of successfully reaching your weight goals.

Some people who are beginning a natural weight loss program do not realize the benefits that can be gained by making regular exercise a form of weight loss.  Taking advantage of these benefits means that you don’t have to strain so hard in other aspects of your weight loss program.  The exercise doesn’t even have to be strenuous or difficult to the point of painful — just consistent.  For example, if you spend twenty minutes on a brisk walk three to four times per week, you will gain tremendous benefits in your weight control efforts.  Other forms of exercise, including those that are aerobic, are equally helpful in controlling your weight.

Firms and Tones the Muscles

Natural weight loss is a great way to manage your weight, and regular exercise aimed at firming and toning all the major muscles of the body is even more helpful to you.  Choose your exercises with the intent of beginning gradually at a comfotable level for your existing abilities and increase the difficulty and duration gradually to gain maximum benefit.  By working the major muscle groups, you replace the fat cells that are being eliminated from your body with healthy muscle cells.

Burns Calories

Exercise done in conjunction with a well-thought-out natural weight loss program will burn calories.  Each calorie that is burned from a fat cell is an opportunity to get rid of those cells forever.  If you have doubts about the effectiveness of exercise in losing weight, simply look at a chart of calories burned through various day-to-day activites.  Even some types of exercises that can be done while sitiing at a desk are effective ways to help you on the path to weight control.  If you have time to swim regularly, that is a great exercise since swimming a few laps raises your heart rate and helps to improve your lung function.  Even perspiring accomplishes the use of calories.

Resets the Metabolism

A natural weight loss program combined with regular exercise will actually help you to crank up your metabolism rate so that the food you eat will be processed more effectively.  Instead of excess calories being converted into fat, they are burned up in you body’s individual furnaces — the cells.  It’s as if you turned the thermostat of your internal furnace up a degree or two so that the fuel burns hotter and more completely.

For more information about eliminating stubborn belly fat, check out this workshop!

A Guide to Permanent Weight Loss

by Dr. Michael Roth

One of the more frustrating aspects of weight loss diets is the great chance of weight return and perhaps a few more pounds on top, after stopping the diet program. Most people think a diet that can work for their body type has to be as complicated to figure out as rocket science. It truly is not that difficult, but with the many choices and types of diets out there, it’s no wonder that most people fail to get the results they are looking for. When you look at the different weight loss diets, there are many programs and combinations of programs to choose from. The three main nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates can be broken down to different ratios for total daily calorie intake. For example, you can have high, medium, low and zero calorie amounts of fats, proteins or carbohydrates. The calorie ratios of each nutrient set against the others are numerous. This is where a diet “guru” can come up with his or her own program, advertise it as the best and further confuse the general public with yet another choice. It doesn’t have to be this way if we look at the real key to this diet program conundrum. There are some general guidelines to follow when you are shopping for a weight loss diet that will allow you to decide if a particular one is right for you. These guidelines can be found in virtually every diet manual. The aim here isn’t an explanation of what diet you should actually follow, but to give you a logical approach as to how to succeed with whatever program you decide to do. Apply some common sense to a nutritional plan and you will make your weight loss permanent and lifelong. If we can understand why diets fail in the long term, then we can try to prevent them from failing over and over again. Basically, weight loss goals for most people don’t succeed because of the lack of long-term commitment. Most people already know that they need to expend more calories than they are taking in. No real rocket science here. Unfortunately most are not willing to do what it takes to achieve this calories deficient ratio for longer than a few months or less. Generally all diets work. It can be high fat, low fat, high carbohydrates and the many combinations of fad diets we see so often. In the short term, by burning more calories than you consume there will be some weight loss, but we need to find the real key that will give us permanent weight loss. Recent studies have shown that when the popular commercial diets were compared to each other over a 6-month to one-year span of time, they generally had the same weight loss results. The conclusion of one major study sited that the adherence level rather than the diet itself was the primary predictor of whether the weight loss program would work. The bottom line is that even though some diets are healthier than others, or suppress the appetite better, virtually all diets work the same in the short term. What is clear is adhering to the diet becomes the most important thing when looking at weight loss for the long term. Lifestyle alteration is the basis here and any thoughts of having permanent weight loss need to be addressed as life long management in order to succeed. Although most people are looking for the magic bullet to end their weight loss woes, there hasn’t been any real advancement in trying to lose weight without drugs or surgery. People for hundreds of years have known about cutting calories as the method for getting leaner. So the guide to permanent weight loss is to reduce your calories and do your diet program for the long term. That is the real secret. Save your money looking for the next best thing and do what has been proven to work for every one throughout the ages. Check out this workshop for more info on eliminating stubborn belly fat!

Chemical Stress and the Mind/Body Connection

by Dr. Michael Roth

Several posts ago I discussed a reflex in the body that becomes activated when we are under stress. By evaluating the range of motion in your neck as well as your hip joint, if there is unilateral restriction that might be an indication of your body being in the fight or flight mode. Today I want to bring your attention to another sign that the body provides for us when there is chemical stress and perhaps toxicity in the body.

Flickr photo credit Bernard Goldbach

When patients present to my office, whether for weight loss or chronic pain, I am looking to see whether their digestion and blood sugar is in balance. For many people, they are not in balance. And what is interesting is that most people are not aware when their digestive system is under stress or toxic.

A simple check that you can do is look at your tongue in the mirror. If you see a white film or coat on your tongue, there is a high probability that your digestive system is under stress. A healthy pink tongue is what we want. If you see a white film, there is no need to panic, just know your digestive system is under stress. You might want to look at what you are eating as a first step.

Flickr photo credit eltpics

On another note — for those of you who have read my book, “Balancing your Emotional Health”, please consider writing a review on Amazon .  Thanks!

Stress Management and the Mind/Body Connection

Chemical Stress and the Mind/Body Connection, part 2

by Dr. Michael Roth

 

Yesterday I wrote about chemical stress and explained how a white film or coat on your tongue might be indicative of toxicity and/or stress in your digestive system. My intention was to provide a simple means of evaluating whether there might be stress in your system. This blog is not meant to diagnose a condition, but to provide some information. That being said, many of you asked yesterday what can be done if there is a film on your tongue. There are many causes. The most common that I see on a regular basis is diet related as well as some prescription drugs.  For most people, reducing their sugar and dairy intake for 7 to 10 days will generally improve the digestive stress. The film will disappear in most cases. If it does not, something else may be going on. I hope this answered your questions!

Stress and the Belly Fat Connection

Chemical Stress and the Mind/Body Connection, part 3

by Dr. Michael Roth

Today I want to discuss briefly another very common form of chemical stress. Many people  have difficulty in balancing their blood sugar. For people who are overweight especially struggle with this. However, in my clinical experience, many people are running around with blood sugar symptoms.

Flickr photo credit Moyan Brenn

Again, my intention is not to diagnose, but to provide useful information for you and your families. Generally, if you get tired and want to crash about two hours after you eat a meal, that is a sign of reactive hypoglycemia. Other signs of hypoglycemia are fatigue and irritability in the late afternoon, as well as waking up around 2AM and not being able to fall back asleep.  If you are someone who wants to fall asleep immediately after a meal, that is a sign of carbohydrate sensitivity.  I will discuss in future posts different organs and glands which become stressed or are stressed causing blood sugar issues. Once the cause is determined, diet and nutritional supplementation can make a big difference in your symptoms.

Stress Management and the Mind/Body Connection

Stress and Chemical Stress

by Dr. Michael Roth

Tonight my intention is to provide some self help advice for those of you who experience reactive hypoglycemia or carbohydrate sensitivity.  If you experience carbohydrate sensitivity, i.e. the strong desire to fall asleep shortly after eating a meal, it is best to limit sugar consumption as well as starchy carbs.  Consuming sugar and starchy carbs (pasta) will exacerbate the symptoms.   When asked what  organs and glands are involved with blood sugar handling, the usual response is the liver and pancreas. Both are correct. However, the adrenal glands are often overlooked and a key player for those with hypoglycemia. Stress plays a huge role with the adrenals,often causing these glands to be overworked resulting in many of us complaining of chronic fatigue. Again, limiting your intake of sugar and starchy carbs will generally help. Also taking B1 or thiamin with your meals might also help. Biotics Research has a Nutritional product call Bio glycozyme Forte,which has an an excellent formula to help balance blood sugar.

Michael Roth, DC

Stress Management and the Mind/Body Connection

Obesity, Genetics and the Obesity Gene

by Dr. Michael Roth

While in the office recently a patient asked me if their 60+lbs over their ideal weight was possibly due to the obesity gene she recently heard about. A participant at a talk I spoke at asked if it were likely that her obesity was genetic because her mother was also obese. Before I address their questions I want to acknowledge that there are metabolic reasons as well as emotional reasons for obesity. Last night I read David Powers post on recent research that was done as a possible link to Obesity. Our genes have not changed much over the years, yet obesity is on the rise not declining.What we eat is making us overweight. The average American consumes 175 lbs of sugar a year. That will contribute to being over weight as well as the frequency of fast foods we eat as nation.  Not to mention our tendency to being sedentary. Darryl wrote a great post on his personal experience after gaining weight and what he did to drop the weight. Eat Well, Move Well,Think Well. I am all for research. With regard to Obesity, lets get back to the basics first.

Secrets for Eliminating Stubborn Belly Fat

How to Reduce Stress in Your Life

by Dr. Michael Roth

Stress is a natural physiological mechanism that drives us to get things done. Without stress, we would float about life aimlessly without any goals in mind. It is stress that makes us get up for work each and every morning and meet our obligations. We know that we have bills to pay, and that they won’t get paid without our help. Stress prompts us to take our children to the doctor when they are sick. Stress also helps us avoid collision during a near miss accident while driving.

All in all, stress is good, but it can sometimes take over our lives and do a great deal of harm to our mental and physical well being. Having too much of a workload, taking care of a sick family member, or just trying to keep up with the hectic pace of life can leave us feeling tense, aggravated, and dissatisfied with life. This is when stress becomes unhealthy.

While there is no such thing as a life free from stress, there are ways that you can reduce the amount of stress that you experience on a day-to-day basis. Here are just a few ideas to help you relieve that tension in your neck.

*Exercise
Feelings of tension in the body are mostly due to a build-up of stress throughout the day and the stress chemical adrenaline. By exercising regularly, you can free your body of left over adrenaline and ease tense muscles. You will feel relaxed, energized, and ready to face another day.

*Time For You
Sometimes all that is needed to relieve the tension from a hard, stressful day is to take a few minutes to unwind and do an activity that you enjoy. Too many of us live life like robots without taking any time out for the things that we enjoy. This just zaps the joy out of life and allows stress to build up and take over our bodies.

*Say No
There is only so much that one human can accomplish in a day. Learn how to say no when your workload becomes too heavy. Delegate responsibility to other family members or coworkers.

*Don’t Let It Worry You
While it is true that worrying is part and parcel with life, it really doesn’t serve much of a purpose. When was the last time that you solved a problem by simply worrying about it? Problems take action, and the sooner that you take action, the less that you will worry. Address problems as they occur, stay calm, and think of solutions rationally.

In addition to these tried and true stress reducers, try to eat as healthy as you can at all times and get plenty of sleep. The fact of the matter is that the healthier you are, the better you will be able to handle life’s daily mishaps without getting bent out of shape. This will reduce your stress and give you a sense of well being and contentment

Stress Management and the Mind/Body Connection

Top 5 Tips for Preventing and Reducing Chronic Back Pain

 

by Dr. Michael Roth

Back pain affects over half of working Americans every year, according to the American Chiropractic Association. Causes of back pain are numerous, but many fit within a few simple categories. While some believe most people who suffer from it are those with arthritis or serious injuries, this is not the case at all.

Back pain often comes from doing something simple like bending over to pick something off the floor, having poor posture or twisting too quickly. Here are five tips to keep your spine safe and your back pain-free:

1. Watch your diet and exercise

It sounds so simple, but many people fail to realize that diet can be the best weapon against back pain. Carrying excess body weight puts large amounts of stress on the spine, so burning that fat isn’t just for looks: it can prevent and eliminate your back pain, too! Exercising also helps to strengthen the muscles around the spine, making it less susceptible to pain and injury.

2. Movement is key

Society has gradually declined into a sedentary state, due to incredible advancements in technology and innovation. However, this has had a tremendous negative effect on health in general, and needs to be corrected. Back pain is common among those who sit at their desks all day with poor posture, so be sure to take a walk and stretch every once in a while. (Yet another very simple way to prevent back pain: and it works!)

3. Lift properly

While it is possible to injure your back doing practically anything, lifting creates a lot of stress on the back so doing so improperly can produce horrible pain. Be sure to lift with the knees, not the back. By simply bending at the knees when lifting, stress on the spine can be reduced by as much as 90% or more!

4. You don’t have to be awake!

Even while you’re asleep you can take action to treat your back pain. If you sleep on your back, try putting a pillow beneath your knees for lower-back support. If you sleep on your side, this method can work too, by keeping your spine straight.

5. See your Chiropractor regularly

If the above steps just don’t seem to work, the best treatment for back pain is to see a Chiropractor. By making regular visits, you will find yourself reaching for pain medication less often, and you can learn some valuable tips about your back specifically, which most people would never know without a professional. These factors make seeing a Chiropractor worth it if all else fails.

Implementing these small, simple changes into your daily life will give you long-lasting pain-relief, without the use of harmful and expensive medications. So what are you waiting for? Start sitting up straight, exercising a bit more, placing a pillow between your legs while you sleep and maybe even seeing a Chiropractor. You’ll be glad you did.

Michael Roth, DC

Balancing Your Emotional Health