Do you kids eat their Veggies?

Many parents come to believe that their children have an inbuilt disliking to certain foods, in particular vegetables. Research done at the Deakin University in Melbourne suggests that children can be successfully introduced to new, healthy foods, when they are regularly exposed to it, and when the experience of eating them is made enjoyable!

In an interview with Dr Gie Liem, a lecturer in social and behavioural nutrition in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Deakin University, explains the findings of his research in what motivates children to like or dislike food.

http://www.nutrenews.com/archives/children-like-food-64

Are anti-depressants the answer?

Over the past decade the use of anti-depressants has skyrocketed…….to frightening levels.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at 2.4 billion drugs prescribed in visits to doctors and hospitals in 2005. Of those, 118 million were for antidepressants.

Adult use of antidepressants almost tripled between the periods 1988-1994 and 1999-2000.

"It's hard to believe that number of people are depressed, or that antidepressants are the answer,"……

The article below discusses the possible causes of depression, questions the effectiveness of antidepressants, the potential side effects of these drugs, and explores other options for the relief of depression .......

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/medications_depression.htm

Antidepressants aren’t a silver bullet for depression, and they come with their own side effects and dangers. Plus, recent studies have raised questions about their effectiveness. Learning the facts about antidepressants and weighing the benefits against the risks can help you make an informed and personal decision about whether medication is right for you.

Zzzzzzz…….

Zzzzzzz……..why we need a good nights sleep, and tips to improve your sleep

With longer working hours, the internet, TV and other distractions of a modern life, more and more people are finding it difficult to turn off their internal mental chatter and get a full night’s sleep.

Beyond the bleary, blood shot eyes, a lack of sleep may have wide-ranging effects - it may make you cranky, moody, short tempered and less able to cope with stress. It may even trigger over-eating! When you’re sleep deprived, you can be less alert, your decision-making and performance can deteriorate and you may not even realise it. Sometimes you can get so used to sleeping less that you don’t attribute these things to a lack of sleep!

So, how much do we need? Generally, eight hours of sleep is considered to be a ‘good night’s sleep’. However, being the diverse creatures that we are, we know that this isn’t the case for everyone and some people need more or less sleep. And, if you suffer from difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, you are considered to have a ‘sleep problem’ of some sort.

Short-term Sleeplessness can last from a few nights to a few weeks. It usually arises from an event that causes worry, anxiety or excitement (e.g. wedding day or starting a new job).

Chronic Sleeplessness can develop from poor sleeping habits (e.g. having children who wake during the night or irregular sleeping patterns caused by shift work) and anxiety about sleep.

It can also be caused by distressing events such as divorce or bereavement. If this is the case, you may wish to seek counselling.

Common causes of Insomnia and sleeplessness

• Medications – such as blood pressure medication or asthma medication

• Environmental changes – travel or jet lag

• Stressful events – life changes, grief, conflicts or pressures at work
• Psychological conditions – such as anxiety

• Hormonal imbalances – menopausal and menstrual changes (your Naturopath may be able to help normalize hormonal imbalances naturally)

• Faulty sleeping habits – excessive daytime naps, caffeine and nicotine consumption late in the day

• Not having a peaceful sleeping environment

TRY THE FOLLOWING TIPS FOR A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP

• Establish a regular bedtime by going to bed at the same time every night.

• Get up at the same time every morning, even on weekends.

• Before going to bed, do something that relaxes you and takes your mind off any worries.

• Don’t watch TV, read a book or think about problems in bed. If you must do these things, go to another room to do it until you become sleepy.

• Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, cool and conducive to sleeping.

• If you’re a worrier, write problems down before going to bed, together with possible solutions.

• Don’t stay awake in bed. If you aren’t asleep within 15 minutes of getting into bed, get up and do something relaxing until you become sleepy again.

• Avoid alcohol – its sedative actions are short-lived, meanwhile your bladder fills and it’s time to get up again. Alcohol often leads to a broken nights sleep.

Your Chiropractor may also help you, as interference to your nervous system from spinal imbalances can also effect sleep patterns, and getting regular chiropractic adjustments can be extremely beneficial zzzzzz

'just doesn't make sense to me!

It's yet another case of the 'supposed' cure being worse than the disease.

In the UK, more than half of the kids who have taken Tamiflu – the antibiotic weapon of choice to combat the H1N1 virus – have experienced side effects.

Although most of these side effects have been minor (such as stomach cramps and nausea), as many as one in five of these kid have had disturbing bizarre, "neuropsychiatric" reactions to the drug.

Reports say that kids have had an inability to think clearly, have suffered from nightmares, and have behaved "strangely."

Unfortunately, these reactions are nothing new. The dangers are Tamiflu are well- documented. It's even been linked to the deaths of some children and teenagers.

In the U.S., the FDA has acknowledged that there have been as many as 1,800 reports of "brain effects" such as abnormal behavior resulting from the use of Tamiflu by kids. In Japan, they've actually banned the use of Tamiflu by kids.

But because the UK is in such a cold panic over swine flu, they're handing out Tamiflu like candy. Believe it or not, there's even a telephone hotline and website where people can order a prescription for Tamiflu.

So far, as many as 150,000 people have been prescribed the drug in this manner.

No wonder so many kids are having so many side effects. At the first sign of a runny nose or a headache, their parents are pumping them full of Tamiflu...... it's frightening!

All of these risks in order to reduce the flu symptoms by less than two days. That's right: according to the makers of Tamiflu, clinical tests have show that the drug only has the ability to reduce the duration of symptoms by about 36 hours.

How about just allowing the body do, what it innately knows how to do, without the potentially devastating effects of drugs??

Magnesi-umm?

A wide range of minerals is essential for human health!

Magnesium is directly involved in 300 bodily functions, and is one of the most essential minerals to our wellbeing. It is directly involved in many of our bodily functions and processes.

A magnesium mineral deficiency may cause the following symptoms:

·Nervous anxiety 
 ·Depression
 ·Constipation 
·High blood pressure 
·Sleeplessness 
·Muscle weakness, cramps and spasms (this one is a definite sign of magnesium deficiency, possibly even calcium)
 · Premenstrual Syndrome 
·Hearth rhythm irregularities/ angina 
·Cravings for chocolate and caffeine (which also causes the body to lose more magnesium) ·Headaches and migraines 
·Stiff and aching muscles · Bones and joints that need continued chiropractic treatment ·Hypoglycemia ·Diabetes ·Nervousness
· Hyperactivity 
·Osteoporosis
 ·Adrenal exhaustion/chronic fatigue syndrome 
·Exhaustion from exercise

Foods that are high in magnesium include kelp, raw almonds, whole grain cereals (especially buckwheat), broccoli, sesame seeds, blackstrap molasses and green peas. However, we need to have these foods on a regular, daily basis in order to obtain the recommended daily dose of 400 – 500mg from dietary sources, which is not always possible or convenient. In addition, if we exercise and sweat, we need extra magnesium (as well as other minerals) as we lose substantial amounts of minerals during sweating - particularly calcium and magnesium.

A wholesome diet with all the essential minerals, combined with exercise and regular chiropractic care can help you achieve optimal health and well being!

What's your recipe?

Our cells are programmed with the perfect recipe for health; it’s our choices and our living environment that determine whether or not the proper ingredients are supplied.

Financial Crisis?

Did you know that one in three tax dollars are currently spent maintaining the health system?

Alarmingly, the NSW Auditor General forecasts that by 2033, the entire state health budget will be consumed by the health care system, leaving nothing for education, roads, transport and other essential services.

The increased cost is largely associated with increasing prevalence of chronic conditions, in an aging population, such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

In many cases, these conditions can be avoided. In Australia, 90% of adults have at least one modifiable risk factor for heart disease, stroke and vascular diseases, and 25% have 3 or more modifiable risk factors.

How long do you plan to live, and what action steps can you take to ensure that you reduce your risk of chronic illness and not contribute to this financial burden?

Every day we can make choices that contribute to our quality of life, for now and in the future. We have the opportunity to choose between eating foods that are high in fat, sugar and chemicals or eating healthy, organic, wholesome foods. We can choose between a sedentary lifestyle or one with regular exercise. We can take steps to reduce stress, and better manage the stress in our lives.

Another important lifestyle choice is to maintain a healthy spine and nervous system. Your nervous system controls and co-ordinates every cell, tissue and organ in the body. Spinal imbalances (subluxations) can interfere with this delicate system and can reduce your health expression. Regular chiropractic adjustments can help maintain a healthy nervous system, and allow you to be your best!

Making better health choices today for you and your family, will help you live a vibrantly healthy life!