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One common mistake people make when bending to pick something up from the floor or tie their shoes is that they bend from the lower back. This adds unnecessary stress on the joints, ligaments, soft tissues, and discs of the lumbar spine. This is because our lumbar spine is meant for stability and our hips are meant for motion. Think of the discs of your spine like a jelly donut. When you push on the front, where does the jelly go? To the back. In the case your spine, your disc can be pushed back, and potentially outward, pushing on the nerves such as the sciatic nerve. Repetitive bending can create disc problems as well as damage the ligaments and soft tissues that support the lower back. Mastering the hip hinge will protect your spine, and help maintain proper hip motion (save yourself from a hip replacement!) How to hip hinge: 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward. 2. Keep your arms at your side, shift your weight onto your heels, push your hips back toward the wall behind you and hinge forward at the hips. Bend forward at the hips until your torso is midway between vertical and parallel to the floor. Let your knees slightly unlock (keep them above or slightly in front of your ankles.) 3. Contract your glutes and push up off your heels. Push your hips forward and upward, slowly returning to upright. Repeat 10 times. Do daily. 
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 As we discussed in the previous article, over accumulation of phthalates in the body has the potential to be a major contender for a series of health challenges. Exposure to plasticizers can come from skin absorption of cosmetics, body lotions, hair gels, shampoos, and deodorants. You can ingest them from water, PVC (water) pipes, detergents, and foods. We also can inhale them from airborne adhesives and glues, building materials, school/business supplies, furnishings, auto interiors, solvents, plastics, lubricants, insect repellents, vinyl flooring, carpet tiles, vinyl wallpaper, body toiletries, artificial leather, adhesives, dyes, and toys. Don't forget that plastics coat every wire in the electrical systems of our homes, offices, appliances and computers. As the wires heat, the plastic coating outgases into the air. So as you can see, plastics are everywhere and, to be quite honest, they are difficult to avoid. The best most people can do is to be certain they are doing everything they can to effectively and efficienctly eliminate any build-up of plastics (phthalates) in the body. Before I move on to the 3 step protocol to detoxify plastics, it is first important to determine your level of accumulation. For some people they are fast metabolizers and quickly eliminate any exposure to plastics or for that matter most environmental toxins. On the other hand, there are many people who have a poorly functioning detoxification system and will unfortunately accumulate plastics as well as other environmental toxins. The best way to determine your level of accumulation or toxic burden is to get tested. The recommended lab test is called Phthalates & Parabens Profile (www.metametrix.com) How Do We Get Rid of Them? Let's look at 3 ways you can help your body detox it's plastic overload: 1: Since they are detoxified through glucuronidation, take IndolPlex and Calcium D-Glucarate each 2 twice a day. 2: Having 2 or more servings of Brassica or cruciferous vegetables a day revs up the detoxification of plastics. These include cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, radishes, mizuna, watercress, arugula, turnips, collard greens, kale, rutabaga, and more. 3: A third way to get the phthalates out is with your Far Infrared Sauna. It is important to have a health professional knowledgeable in the best protocol for using the Far Infrared Sauna. Meanwhile, considering the level of plastics we are exposed to on a daily basis it may be necessary for slow metabolizers and accumulators of plastics to regularly follow a detox protocol as recommended by your healthcare professional.. I like to conclude and be certain that everyone understands the seriousness and potential danger of an over accumulation of plastics in the body. Your present and future health depends on doing your due diligence to clear your body of these environmental toxins. Compliments from Functional Medicine University - www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required. Plastics (or the chemical name, phthalates) are now considered the number one pollutant in the human body. They make products flexible, durable, and these chemicals are also in items you would not consider to be plastics, like pesticides, detergents, cosmetics, medications, or your shampoo. They are found everywhere. It is difficult to completely avoid them.
You can live in the most pristine place on planet earth and still find animals polluted with plastics. It is an interesting fact that plasticizers are over 10,000 to 1,000,000 times higher in our bodies than any other toxins that have been found in EPA studies. Unfortunately once in the body, these plastics do enormous damage. 7 Ways Plastics Damage the Body 1: Phthalates damage the chemistry of fatty acids most importantly, the fatty acid, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). This is the fundamental chemistry necessary for making every cell lining or membrane. These fatty acids are the foundation for brain health including memory and recall. 2: Phthalates can create a zinc deficiency which will compromise the metabolism of vitamins A and B-6. In turn this could lead to conditions such as indigestion, depression, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and accelerated aging. As a quick side note the combination of low zinc and low DHA can lead to chronic inflammation. Medical literature has clearly identified chronic inflammation as one of the most common underlying pathologies of most diseases leading to auto-immune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, MS) to cancer and heart disease. 3: Phthalates has been found to be responsible for damaging the pancreas leading to diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome X. 4: Phthalates has been found to lower sulfation. This means that you are no longer able to effectively detoxify like you should. This in turn can lead to a whole host of health challenges. 5: Phthalates damage hormone function, especially thyroid and testosterone. 6: Phthalates can poison the peroxisomes needed for the control of the chemistry of cholesterol. They can cause high cholesterol while at the same time keep cholesterol from forming the “happy hormones” (neurotransmitters) of the brain. 7: Phthalates can damage the body's ability to make catalase. Catalase is absolutely essential for devouring up the hydrogen peroxide that cancer cells make to allow them to metastasize or wildly spread throughout the body. Lack of catalase is a reason why many cancers briefly seem to be in remission after treatments, only to resurface months or years later with lethal consequences. These are only 7 of the devastating effects of plastics in our bodies. Many diseases will never be cured until the phthalates are out. Stay tuned to learn how to detoxify and remove phtalates from your body. Compliments from Functional Medicine University - www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required. 
Biological age is an effective indicator or your "true" age because it measures how well you taking care of your body by rating the damage your body has undergone in its lifetime. For example, a well maintained car will run for a very long time. The same car, poorly maintained will breakdown within a few years. Likewise, your body requires proper maintenance to support a long and health life. The following questionnaire provides an inner profile by measuring the extent of internal damage your body has accumulated. To achieve an accurate measure of your biological age, it is important to answer the questions as accurately and honestly as possible. The Biological Age Questionnaire is divided into six sections with a total of 26 questions. SECTION A - Chronological Age 1: What is your current age (in years)? _____TOTAL SCORE (SECTION A) SECTION B - Dietary Choices 2: How frequently do you eat fried, broiled, or barbequed foods? Often (4) Once a day (3) Few times per week (2) Once a week (1) Almost Never (-2) 3: How often do you consume nutritional oils (not fried or heated)? example flax seed oil Never (2) Once a week (1) Once a day (0) 2+ times per day (-1) 4: How many servings of fruits or vegetables do you consume? (1 serving= 1 cup) Almost Never (3) Few time per week (2) One per day (1) 3 per day (-1) 5+ per day (-2) 5: How often do you consume whole grains and/or natural fiber? (example: whole wheat, pysllium, brown or wild rice) Almost Never (3) Once a Week (2) Few times per week (1) Often (-2) 6: How many glasses of water do you consume daily? (Water does not include coffee, black tea, soda or alcohol) Almost Never (3) One per day (2) 4 per day (1) 8 per day (0) 10+ per day (-2) 7: Do you consume sugar, soda, white flour, or other processed foods? (example: canned foods, fast foods, TV dinners, foods with preservatives added) 3+ times per week (3) Once a day (2) Few times per week (1) Almost Never (-1) 8: How many alcoholic drinks do you consume per week? 12+ per week (3) 8 per week (2) 4 per week (1) 2 per week (0) Almost Never (-1) 9: How often do you add salt to you food? All food (3) Daily (2) Few times per week (1) Once a month (0) Almost Never (-1) ______ TOTAL SCORE (SECTION B) SECTION C- Dietary Supplementation 10: Do you take a multi-vitamin? Almost Never (2) Once a week (1) Few times per week (0) Daily (-1) 11: Do you take anti-oxidants? (example: grape seed extract, selenium) Almost Never (3) Once a week (2) Few times per week (1) Daily (-2) ______ TOTAL SCORE (SCORE C) SECTION D - Daily Activities 12: Do you exercise (30 or more minutes of continuous activity)? Almost Never (3) Once a week (2) 3 times per week (-2) 5+ times per week (-3) 13: When you exercise, do you do so for more than 2 hours? (If you do not exercise, please put "0" as your answer) Most times (4) 50% of the time (2) Almost Never (0) 14: Do you sleep well and awake rested? Almost Never (3) Sometimes (2) Usually (0) Always (-1) 15: How often do you have normal bowel movements? Once a week (4) Every 4 days (3) Every second day (2) Daily (0) 2+ times per day (-2) ______ TOTAL SCORE (SCORE D) SECTION E - MEDICAL HISTORY 16: Is there a history of the following conditions in your family? (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, obesity, liver disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) 2 or more (1) Once (0) None (-1) 17: Have you ever had any of the following conditions? (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, obesity, liver disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) 2 or more (3) One (2) None (-2) 18: How frequently do you experience the following conditions? (headache, fever, sore throats, muscle aches (not exercise induced) colds or flu, rash, swelling) Once a day (3) Once a week (2) Once a month (0) Almost Never (-1) 19: Have you ever been exposed to heavy metals or toxic substances? (examples: mechanics, hair dressers, nail technicians, etc..) Daily (4) Weekly (3) Monthly (2) Almost Never (0) 20: Have you ever been exposed to heavy metals via dental work or fillings? (example: mercury fillings or other fillings) 3+ fillings (4) 2 fillings (3) 1 filling (2) Never (0) ______ TOTAL SCORE (SECTION E) SECTION F - STRESS 21: How many full meals do you eat per day? (a snack is not a full meal) Never (3) 4+ per day (2) 3 per day (0) 2 per day (1) One per day (2) 22: At work or at home, how often are you in front of electronic equipment? (example: computers, television, live cameras, electrical wires) 8+ hours per day (3) 6+ hours per day (2) Few hours per day (1) Almost Never (0) 23: How often are you exposed to cigarette smoke (direct or second hand)? All day (4) Few times a day (3) Few times per week (1) Almost Never (-1) 24: Do you use a recreational or street drugs? 2+ times per day (4) Once a day (3) Once a week (2) Once a month (1) Never (0) 25: Do you drive in heavy traffic? For a living (3) Daily (3+ hours) (2) Daily (1-2 hours) (1) Almost Never (-1) 26: At work and/or home, do you experience stress? Very High (4) High (3) Moderate (2) Slight (1) Almost none (-2) _____ TOTAL SCORE (SECTION F) Calculating your Biological Age Add your scores from the following sections together to calculate your biological age SECTION A: Chronological Age______ SECTION B: Dietary Choices_______ SECTION C: Dietary Supplementation_____ SECTION D: Daily Activities______ SECTION E: Medical History______ SECTION F: Stress______ TOTAL____ This is your biological age How did you do? How to interpret your results A: Minus 11 years or greater (Biological age is eleven or more years less than your chronological age): If you are you are presently 45 years old (chronological age), and you score reflects minus 11 years, then your biological age is 45 years minus 11 years which makes you 34 years old in biological terms General health picture is excellent. The right choices are being made to ensure your continued health B: Minus 1-10 years (Biological age one to ten years less than your chronological age) General health picture is very good. Focus on maintaining your healthy lifestyle choices, diet, exercise and stress management C: Biological age is the same as your chronological age General health picture is good. However, changes are required to achieve optimal health and maximize energy levels D: 1-10 years plus (Biological age one to ten years greater than your chronological age) General health picture is fair. However, following the same lifestyle will cause your biological age to rise and heighten the risk of serious health problems E: 11-20 years plus (Biological age eleven to twenty years greater than your chronological age) General history is average, as this is the most common health picture, with a moderate risk of health complications in the next five years. Energy and mobility are starting to decline and will continue to do so. F: 21 years plus (Biological age twenty-one years greater than your chronological age) A chronic degenerative health picture, with a high risk of developing serious health complications. Energy and mobility will seriously decline in the next five years (if they have not already). How did you do? If your biological age is greater than your actual age, making small changes in your diet, exercise habits, and stress levels can help take those extra years off and make you look and feel younger. Not sure where to start? Call (818) 477-0921 to learn about our wellness programs. Remember- "Take care of your body, it's the only place you have to live" Compliments from Functional Medicine University - www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required.
Buying and Storing Nuts
Nuts are susceptible to infection with toxic molds, which produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are dangerous to the human body and prolonged exposure has been linked with problems such as infertility, cancer, and autism. When buying nuts, it is best to buy organic, whole, raw nuts, preferably refrigerated. Refrigeration of nuts protects them from their susceptibility to mold and prevents them from becoming oxidized. Nuts are high in fat and become rancid(oxidized) when exposed to warmer temperatures. Types of Nuts to Eat Below is a list of nuts and its benefits. Note that peanuts are not on the list because they are actually not nuts, they are legumes, which we do not recommend eating. If you are allergic to nuts, avoid them completely! Almonds - excellent source of copper, Vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, Vitamin B2, and Tryptophan -helps regulate blood sugar -resistant to molds Cashews - high in copper and magnesium Hazelnuts - contain more biologically active forms of Vitamin E Macadamia Nuts - great source of monounsaturated fats - help lower LDL cholesterol Pine Nuts -great source of memory- boosting omega-9 fatty acids, iron and magnesium Pistachios - rich in copper, manganese, phosphorous, B vitamins - high in dietary fiber and carotenoids - higher risk of mold- Inspect before you eat! Walnuts - high in omega-3 fatty acid -don't cook with walnuts because they will oxidize and create free radicals  How do you define health? Most people define health as the absence of disease. I believe health is the absence of disease AND having adequate energy levels, healthy digestion, and ideal physiological function. Without these, you place yourself at a higher risk for disease. You are probably thinking, "If I am free of disease, then my body is working properly." This is not always the case. Your body may be malfunctioning long before disease develops. Poor diet, lack of exercises, exposure to harmful environmental substances can damage cells and interrupt normal physiology. A comprehensive blood chemistry is an inexpensive way to assess major bodily functions. Unfortunately, most healthcare providers today will not order this kind of in-depth testing. Instead, basic blood panels with limited information are commonly ordered. This is likely due to cost, insurance limitation, and a general lack of focus on disease prevention. As a result, important patterns and clues are missed, and the patient is considered healthy when there are underlying problems that could manifest into disease if left untreated. For example, TSH levels(thyroid stimulating hormone- a marker for thyroid function) are commonly tested without testing T4/T3 levels (thyroid hormone). If your TSH levels are within the laboratory range, then you are considered normal. However, your T4/T3 levels may be low, which may indicate an issue in the liver where thyroid hormone is converted. So even though your TSH levels are normal, you will still experience low thyroid symptoms- low energy, hair thinning/loss, mental fog, difficulty losing weight, etc. It is also important to note that most laboratory reference ranges vary from lab to lab, city to city, and are based on population averages. Meaning, as people get sicker lab ranges get broader, and so does the "normal" range. Everybody should consider a comprehensive blood chemistry analysis to achieve optimal health. Ask your doctor or chiropractor today! For more information, click here.   Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the thick connective tissue on the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) that helps maintain the arches of the foot. The inflammation is due to tearing of the tissue that may not completely repair due to repetitive stress. It is often a precursor to a heel spur. The soles of the feet are very painful, especially in the early morning. Pain with prolonged walking or standing, and toe-walking are also common findings with plantar fascitis. It can be very debilitating, preventing many people from performing normal daily activities or enjoying recreational activities.
Several factors can contribute to plantar fascitis.
 You are probably sitting down right now reading this. I am sitting as I type this. Unfortunately, sitting is something that we cannot avoid. We sit at work, school, while driving, watching television, waiting in lobbies, the list goes on. Although we often feel relief while sitting, we do not realize the damage that extended periods of sitting does to our bodies.
Dr. Joan Vernikos, a NASA scientist, and author of book “Sitting Kills, Moving Heals” studied the aging process of astronauts while in space, who were found to be prematurely aging in space. Dr. Vernikos noted the same findings in bed ridden individuals. What these 2 groups had in common was the lack of interaction with gravity. The changes in bone and muscle that occur here on Earth in one year’s time is approximately one percent loss of bone or one percent loss of muscle. In space this occurs in just one week to one month. Incredibly, you get close to a 10-fold acceleration of the aging process when you live in a gravity-free environment! Some of the effects of prolonged sitting are: - loss of bone mass - loss of muscle tissue (atrophy) - abnormal stresses on the spine, disc, and nerves due to poor posture - increased risk for cardiovascular disease - increased risk for obesity Interestingly, lipoprotein lipase (an enzyme that attaches to fat in your bloodstream and transports it into your muscles to be used as fuel) is dramatically reduced during inactivity, and increases with activity. The most effective activity is standing up from a seated position, hence going against gravity. Does this mean you should never sit? No! Prolonged standing can also negatively affect the body. It’s all about moderation and incorporating different movements into our daily routine. As Dr. Vernikos stated, “ It’s not how many hours of sitting that’s bad for you; it’s how often you interrupt that sitting that is GOOD for you!”. This means getting up after every 20 minutes of sitting, changing positions, jumping, squatting, kneeling, the possibilities are endless! So by the time you finish reading this, don’t just sit there, stand up, jump up, and don’t let gravity keep you down! Sources: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/23/vernikos-sitting-kills.aspx http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22634869 Welcome to our blog! This is your one-stop shop for information and tips on health, exercise, nutrition, and positive thinking. These are all important factors in living the Asana Lifestyle.
What is the Asana Lifestyle? Asana means position of well being. In yoga, Asanas are poses used for restoring and maintaining one’s well being and vitality. Proper exercise, nutrition, regular chiropractic care, and a positive outlook on life are just like Asanas in yoga. They need to be performed on a regular basis to achieve a state of well being, inside and out. So follow us on our road to great health and enjoy the ride! |
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