McGee Chiropractic » Nutrition

Nutrition, Digestion and the body

Paul — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:53:51 +0000

Awhile back I was discussing nutrition , more specifically supplementation with a patient when he commented that his primary health care provider said that the only thing that taking vitamins was good for was making expensive urine. At first blush I was a bit taken back by that comment. But as I thought more about it, I realized on some level that observation has some merit. No matter what substance we humans put into our mouths, whether it is food, nutritional supplements or drugs, prescription or over the counter, how much of that substance we absorb depends on many factors. One of the major factors which comes to mind is age. As we grow into middle age our bodies produce less digestive enzymes and stomach acids which are responsible for breaking down any substance we eat or swallow. The more unprocessed and natural a food is, such as an apple as opposed to a cupcake, our bodies will break it down and absorb its nutrients more easily. That’s because the apple has enzymes as part of its makeup which works in tandem with our digestive system to break down the apple and absorb its nutrients. Processed food does not have any inherent enzymes so our bodies have to work harder to break down this food and absorb what little nutritional substance they have. In regards to nutritional supplements, how we absorb these products also depends on the quality of the product. Even a high quality synthetic supplement has limitations on how much of the product we can absorb and utilize. These type of supplements are so large in their quantity because, in the best of circumstances we absorb a relatively small percentage of the supplement. For example , a fifty year old male taking a 1500 mg calcium supplement on a daily basisis is probably only absorbing a small percentage of that mineral depending on the type of calcium, his own personal health and other factors. Whole food supplements , which are literally derived from real foods are more compatible with our digestive system and therefore can be in smaller quantity and are absorbed more easily. All substances that we ingest that we do not absorb are excreted and eventually work their way into our waterways and oceans. This is especially unfortunate for some marine life ,which has been shown to be adversely affected by exposure to medications and drugs which are rapidly accumulating in the world’s waters. There are numerous factors involved in properly advising someone regarding a nutritional program. I have seen too many patients walk into my office with an armload of supplements that they have randomly bought like the flavor of the month. Factors such as age , gender , and health goals all must be taken into consideration when planning a nutritional supplement program for a patient. Remember , not all supplements are made equal. One of the services I offer in my office is nutritional counciling. I will leave you with this question which I will answer in my next blog. What is one of , if not the most responsive organ in the human body to a proper nutritional supplementation program ? Until the next blog !

Toxins absorbed by your body

Paul — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:43:25 +0000

Detoxification….. Most folks, when they hear that word think of people who are alcohol or drug addicted going to a “clinic” for rehab. But the detoxification I would like to speak about today is unfamilar to a lot of people. The fact of the matter is that over the last 30 to 40 years there have been thousand of chemicals invented for various uses which we are exposed to on a daily basis. I would also include in this list of toxins we are exposed to metals, air, water and soil pollutants. To be more specific, pesticides used to treat our crops and fertilize our flowers and lawns, chemicals used to treat our furniture, mercury in our seafood and carried in the air from industrial uses such as coal burning plants. Think of anything you put in or on your body such as shampoos, moisturizers, sunscreens and makeup. The list is almost endless. Collectively, year after year your body is absorbing these substances, many of them to varying degreee have been proven toxic and detrimental to your health. The good news is that your body has built in features which function to excrete these toxins from your system. Your liver, kidney, lungs and skin as some of the main detoxifying organs of the body do a very good job. But as with many aspects of modern living which we humans were never designed for, your system is probably in a state of toxic overload. What can we do ? Well, you can exercise more. Through perspiration and rapidly induced breathing we detoxify our system. Also make sure you are ” regular “. Daily bowel movements keep toxins from ” hanging around ” too long in our system. Indoor pollutants are a growing problem. Keep lots of houseplants such as english ivy and ficus to clean and detoxify your home. Nutritional supplements such as chollella have been shown to bind to metals stored in your body and excrete them along with a bowel movement. Be proactive, read the labels of any products you use on your body to determine if the ingredents in that product are considered safe for your health. For a more comprehensive nutritional detoxification program, consult a health practioner who is knowledgeable in this area of health. For more information on this topic and other nifty health information, a two good websites to peruse are www.naturalnews.com and www.hsibaltimore.com For help in getting yourself on a good detoxification program call 617-846-4553 or fill out a contact form

How Vitamin B can help depression

Paul — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:30:42 +0000

The researchers found a clear connection between vitamin B and depression. In fact, participants with the most B6 and B12 intake had the fewest episodes of depression. And to be more specific, the researchers found that for every 10 milligram increase of B6 and for every 10 microgram increase of B12, the risk of depression dropped by two percent.

For more information on nutrition and wellness call Dr. McGee at 617-846-4553

Vitamin D Health Benefits

Paul — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:21:16 +0000

The topic of the day is Vitamin D. Although known to many health care practitioners, who have stressed the inportance to their patients of having adequate amounts of vitamin d levels in our bodies, only recently has this information come to light in the media and medical mainstream. Our main source of vitamin d throughout human history has been the sun. Human beings evolved and developed in sunlight as did every living creature on earth. Basically, the way it works is that as our skin is exposed to sunlight, cholesterol converts the sunlight to vitamin d in our bodies. Once in our bodies , vitamin d acts more as a hormone than a vitamin and it uses and functions are incredibly numerous and essential to our health. If you wish to minimize your exposure to sunlight but want to maximize your vitamin d levels ,then taking a vitamin D3 supplement ,which is D in its natural form and the one best absorbed by the body, is your best option. A 25 Hydroxy vitamin D blood test can tell you your current vitamin d level in your system and give you a baseline from which to begin increasing your levels. For more information on vitamin d I refer you to the website Vitamindcouncil.org. Another good website on safe, nontoxic and effective sunscreens is www.ewg.org.

How to prevent Diabetes

Paul — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:16:22 +0000

Today I would like to talk about a serious health condition which is rapidly reaching epidemic proportions in our country called diabetes. Not the form of diabetes which can be inherited, but the type that develops as a result of of improper eating and living habits. Looking for reasons for the tremendous increase in cases of diabetes in our country , I believe can be summed up in one short sentence. Lack of physical activity and too much sugar intake. In the year 1700 Americans ate approximately 4 pounds of sugar a year. By the year 2010 we are eating approximately 180 poundsof sugar. On the whole, children growing up today are less physically active and consume more processed foods ( which are quickly converted to sugar in our bloodstream ) then ever before. The fact of the matter is that throughout human history, as a species, we consumed very little sugar. And when we did, it was primarily in the form of fruit. Certainly not in the form of processed foods which we eat in overabundance today. Human beings are designed to be physically active and to eat nonprocessed foods. This is how we thrive. So how do we do this ? Eat as much nonprocessed food as possible. I’m talking about fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean meats and eggs from grass feed animals and drink good clean water. Be physically active. Walk run, bike, hike and be out in the fresh air as much as possible. I reccomend to a lot of my patients who are fearful of this condition to begin a weight lifting program. I am not talking about turning into the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, but light to moderate weight lifting, especially for the upper body has been shown to burn off excess blood sugar in rapid fashion. In many cases, treatment or prevention of this condition is more involved and complex, but just by making these basic lifestyle changes I mentioned above can help alleviate or possibly prevent this disorder known as diabetes.