Can Your Sleeping Position Protect Your Brain?
Dr. Joshua Gelber2015-08-28T13:22:10-04:00Chiropractors have know for years that sleeping on your back or side is best for your health. Now research in the Journal of Neuroscience has shown that your sleeping position doesn't just impact how comfortable your rest is, it can also have impacts on your health. And this goes beyond just heartburn and snoring - it could help you avoid neurological diseases, like Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. According to the research, sleeping on your side, as opposed to sleeping on your back or stomach, may be a better position for your brain to clear out its waste while you sleep. The researchers used an MRI [...]
Why a ‘Western’ diet is bad for your health
Dr. Joshua Gelber2015-08-13T19:48:19-04:00The developing world is seeing rapid urbanization, with more than half of the world's population now living in cities and this figure expected to reach 70% by 2050. But with this progression comes an urban lifestyle - often meaning less physical activity and the consumption of a "Western" diet. It has been shown with people around the world, that as incomes go up, they choose more calories and meat in their diet. The result? Potentially disastrous consequences on health and an increased risk of disease. What is a Western diet? The biggest features of a Western diet are overconsumption of over-refined sugars, highly refined [...]
What 2,000 Calories Looks Like
Dr. Joshua Gelber2015-02-20T15:55:11-05:00The nation’s largest restaurant chains have made a big deal in recent years about introducing smaller portion sizes. McDonald’s eliminated the Supersize menu, while T.G.I. Fridays and others have introduced small-plate items. Yet the restaurants have also been doing something else, with less fanfare: continuing to add dishes so rich that a single meal often contains a full day’s worth of calories. Here are samples and tips on just how many calories you are consuming at a meal (calories are within the brackets): CHIPOTLE Carnitas burrito (945), chips and guacamole (770), Coke (276). SHAKE SHACK Double ShackBurger (770), fries (470), Black and White [...]
Easy Tips To Eat Healthy
Dr. Joshua Gelber2015-02-03T22:01:26-05:00We are now into February and thought you might like some healthy eating tips on how to continue to stay focused on healthy eating in 2015. Here are some simple tips to incorporate healthy eating: Eat fruits or vegetables at every meal Try to include a serving of fruit in each breakfast and snack, and two servings of veggies in every lunch and dinner. One serving is about 1 cup of fresh fruits or vegetables, or about the size of a tennis ball. An easy way to add fruit to your diet is to whip fruit into a smoothie, add it [...]
Lack of exercise is twice as deadly as obesity.
Dr. Joshua Gelber2015-01-17T00:57:58-05:00Even a small amount of exercise, such as brisk daily 20 minute walk, reduces the risk of premature death. It seems more and more studies are showing that any level of activity has benefit. So begin today by doing something. Researchers estimated that 337,000 of the 9.2 million deaths amongst European men and women each year were attributable to obesity but twice this number of deaths could be attributed to physical inactivity. They found that even small amounts of exercise, such as brisk 20 minute walk each day which burns around 100 calories, had major health impacts, reducing the risk of [...]
The bitter truth about sugar and its effects on your health
Dr. Joshua Gelber2014-10-10T19:33:27-04:00This spring, the World Health Organization made a bold move by urging people to restrict their sugar intake to less than five percent of total calories. That’s a sharp drop from the 16 percent that Americans consume on average, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In fact, the agency proposed changing food labels for the first time in a decade to reflect the amount of sugar added during the production process. And last month, the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists issued a damning report on the sweet stuff. It alleged that food and beverage manufacturers and industry [...]
Sitting is the new smoking – time to take a stand
Dr. Joshua Gelber2014-09-12T18:51:08-04:00You’ve already heard that sitting is the new smoking. Now, scientists reveal exactly how it hurts the body, and novel ways to undo the damage (without clocking hours at the gym). You might want to stand up for this. From standing desks and fitness trackers to groundbreaking pilot experiments in high schools in several cities, the movement to sit less and stand more is gaining momentum. Which is a good thing, because new evidence suggests that the more than eight hours the average American spends sitting every day could be exacting a serious - and previously misunderstood - toll. Studies have long connected sedentary behavior to [...]
Time for your veggies
Dr. Joshua Gelber2014-07-28T19:13:13-04:00You know the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"? Turns out eating one apple isn't enough. A new study suggests people who eat up to seven servings of fruit and vegetables a day can cut their risk of premature death by 42% - and that vegetables may be more important than fruit to your overall health. The researchers found that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can be protective against cancer, heart disease and all other causes of death. Eating at least seven servings was best, but each serving increase was associated with a lower risk of [...]
Diet and Exercise Are Effective Protection Against Alzheimer’s
Dr. Joshua Gelber2014-07-21T18:58:02-04:00In a groundbreaking study that looked at how diet, exercise and other non-drug interventions affect cognitive decline, researchers see some hope for relatively easy dementia-fighting strategies. A recent study showed that after just two years, people who underwent lifestyle interventions showed improvements in their mental functions, including in memory, executive function and speed tests of their cognitive skills. Dr. Miia Kivipelto from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden knew that several studies have linked some lifestyle behaviors, such as exercise and a healthy diet, as well as being more socially active, to less cognitive decline and stronger scores on memory and organizational tests. But it wasn’t [...]
