COLD OR FLU? WHICH IS IT?

During the winter months, the phone rings constantly with people who have “the flu”. Except…they don’t. Do you know the difference between having a cold and having the flu?

The common cold (and boy is it common) develops gradually over several days and can start with a scratchy throat, sneezing and sniffles leading to congestion. Any fever present is mild (in adults). Coughing is generally hacking and can be moist due to congestion.

On the other hand, influenza often starts rather suddenly with fever (usually greater than 101 degrees F and lasting 3-4 days), headache and all over body aches (myalgia).  People with the flu are often exhausted or fatigued. Coughing is usually dry and hacking and can last days or weeks after all other flu symptoms have passed.

Influenza or “the flu” is more of a systemic illness, meaning it affects your entire body, whereas a cold generally just affects the upper body. You can sometimes get a stuffy nose, sneezing and sore throat with the flu, but it’s much more common with colds. The flu is more serious because it can lead to other problems, like pneumonia in susceptible adults and young children.

Influenza is caused by a virus. In general, viral illnesses will run their course without a trip to the doctor. Antibiotics don't work against viruses, so all your doctor can recommend to help you are pain medications, cough suppressants or an anti-pyretic (fever reducers). All of these are available without a prescription from your local drug store to help you deal with flu symptoms.

If you are suffering from cold or flu symptoms, you should also schedule a visit to your chiropractor. Chiropractic care doesn’t treat the virus directly, but rather boosts your body’s ability to fight the invaders. That’s why regular chiropractic care can reduce the frequency with which you get sick. When your body’s immune system is in peak condition, it can fight off minor intruders with ease.

All ABout Vitamin A

You may have heard from your grandma that eating carrots can improve you vision. That may not be exactly true, but carrots do contain something called provitamin A carotenoids. These are pigments in some plants that can be converted by the body into vitamin A, and vitamin A is important to your vision.
 
Vitamin A is also helpful to bone growth and your immune system. As with other vitamins, there are different forms of vitamin A. One of the forms that is most usable to the body is called retinol, which is found in liver, eggs, and milk. One of the most common provitamin A carotenoids that the body converts easily to retinol is beta carotene. Beta carotene is found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and cantaloupe. Vitamin A is also one of the vitamins often used to fortify breakfast cereals.

Vitamin A is fat soluble, which means that the body stores it, mostly in the liver. That also means that it is possible to build up toxic levels of Vitamin A. This rarely happens from food sources because as the body builds up supplies of vitamin A it will slow down the conversion of beta carotene. When people do get vitamin A toxicity, it is usually from taking too much in supplemental or pill form. Toxic levels of vitamin A can cause liver problems, central nervous system problems, deterioration of bone density, and birth defects.

True deficiency of vitamin A is rare in the US, but common in countries where malnourishment is widespread. As mentioned earlier, vitamin A is important to the immune system and vision. This is because the body uses vitamin A to make various internal tissues, such as those lining the eye, lungs, and intestinal tract. When these linings are weakened by vitamin A deficiency, it is easier for harmful bacteria to penetrate them and thus, people with vitamin A deficiency are more prone to infections, illness, blindness, and respiratory problems.

Aside from the malnourished, other people who may be prone to vitamin A deficiency include those who consume large amounts of alcohol and those with certain metabolic disorders that affect how fat and other nutrients are absorbed by the body.

Some recent and ongoing studies involving vitamin A and beta carotene include investigations as to whether high amounts of vitamin A contribute to osteoporosis, and whether beta carotene can lower the risk of some forms of cancer.

As of this writing the Recommended Daily Intake for Vitamin A was 2,310 IU for females and 3,000 IU for males. For a current list of recommendations and list of foods that contain Vitamin A from the National Institutes for Health visit http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina/

Which Type of Yoga Is Right For You?

The Most Popular Types of Yoga

Yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world today. The number of places holding Yoga classes of many different types is on the rise. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused. This article will help you to understand the difference between the most popular types of Yoga so you can choose which type is right for you.

Hatha Yoga

In Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”. This type of Yoga is a relatively slow paced, gentle type of Yoga and is a good place to start if you are completely new to Yoga and don’t know any of the asanas (poses).  Like all types of Yoga, Hatha Yoga aims to unite the mind, body and spirit.

Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit. It’s a fast moving, intense style of Yoga based on a progressive sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga Yoga can be quite physically demanding as you are constantly move from one asana in the sequence to the next, so you’ll find that it will improve your stamina as well as your flexibility and strength..

Power Yoga

This is a western interpretation of Yoga and is based on Ashtanga Yoga. A Power Yoga class may not necessarily stick to the exact sequence of poses like Ashtanga Yoga does, but it does involve practicing a series of poses without stopping and starting.

Iyengar Yoga

This type of Yoga is based on teachings by B.K.S Igengar and concentrates on the correct alignment and form of the body.  Unlike Ashtanga Yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each pose for a long period of time rather than moving constantly from one pose to the next. Iyengar Yoga uses props such as blocks and straps to help align the body into the different poses.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa means breath-synchronized movement and is another fast paced type of Yoga, with an emphasis on breathing. A practice typically starts with sun salutations and moves on to more intense stretching. Throughout the practice each pose is balanced with a counter pose.

Bikram Yoga

Otherwise known as “Hot Yoga”, Bikram Yoga is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, with a humidity of around 40%. Generally a sequence of 26 different poses is practiced during a Bikram Yoga class and the hot temperature helps to loosen muscles. Due to the high temperature most people sweat a lot during the class and this helps to cleanse the body of toxins.

If you’re just starting out or have never done any Yoga before, you may want to try a few different types of yoga to find out what you like best. Remember, there’s no rule that says you have to stick to one type of Yoga.

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Types Of Allergies

Allergies are the Most Common Chronic Disease in Children

It’s estimated that 60 million Americans suffer from some type of allergy. That’s 1 out of 4. It’s the 5th highest chronic disease in America and the 3rd most common chronic disease in children. Many people suffer from more than one allergy type.

INDOOR/OUTDOOR ALLERGIES

 
Pollen from trees, grass and weeds are in the indoor/outdoor allergy category.
Other common indoor/outdoor allergy triggers are mold spores, dust mites, and cat, dog and rodent dander. About 75% of people with allergies have indoor/outdoor allergies. The most common pet allergy is cat dander.

SKIN ALLERGIES

Skin allergies are another common allergy. The most common causes of skin allergies are plants like poison oak, ivy and sumac. Allergic reactions can also be caused by skin contact with latex, cockroachs and dust mites, and even some foods. Skin allergies are the main allergy for about 7% of allergy sufferers.

FOOD & DRUG ALLERGIES

While we hear a lot about food and drug allergies, they’re the primary allergy of only about 6% of allergy sufferers. Food allergies are more common in children. Peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish are responsible for 90% of all food allergies. Food allergies claim over 200 lives yearly.

When it comes to common drug allergies, penicillin is the winner. Almost 400 Americans die every year from allergies to penicillin.

Some people have allergies in a single category and others suffer from allergies in multiple categories. If you are an allergy sufferer, discuss your triggers and symptoms with your chiropractor. Some types of allergies respond remarkably well to chiropractic care.

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