How to Calculate Your BMI

Your BMI is simply determined by the ratio of your weight and height. More specifically, BMI is calculated using the following formula:

BMI = weight / (height)²

This formula uses the metric system, with weight in kilograms and height in meters. To calculate your BMI based on height in inches and weight in pounds, multiply the result by 703.

BMI = 703 x weight (lbs.) / (height [in.])²

Interpreting Your BMI

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) considers BMI scores for average individuals to be ranked as follows:

Condition            BMI

Underweight     Below 18.5

Normal               18.5-24.9

Overweight        25.0-29.9

Obesity               30.0 and above

It is important to note, however, that BMI scores may fail to properly estimate the level of body fat in certain individuals. Athletes and others with muscular builds, for example, may fall into the overweight category despite having near perfect physiques, while the elderly and those who have lost muscle mass may fall into the underweight category despite having excess body fat.

The other important thing to note is that BMI assessments vary by sex and age. BMI scores for boys are slightly lower than for girls (aged 7-16), and scores for women are slightly lower than for men (aged 18 and up).

Despite these caveats, for most people, the BMI is a simple and useful tool for determining disease risk due to excess fat.

Risk Factors Associated with High BMI

There are a number of risk factors linked to high BMI scores that put individuals at significant risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease and some types of cancer. These include:

• High LDL cholesterol (considered “bad” cholesterol)
• Low HDL cholesterol (considered “good” cholesterol)
• High blood sugar
• High triglycerides
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking

How much BMI do I need to loss to see improvements?

It may seem that a significant amount of exercise is needed to lose weight but even a small drop of 5 to 10 percent body weight can help lower the risk for obesity related diseases. As with all exercise programs, care must be taken when starting up. Check with your doctor before you begin and discuss the fitness program you intend to start.

Depending how many additional risk factors you have, your doctor may advise a weight control program rather than a weight loss program. For dangerously high BMI scores, your doctor may advise more drastic measures, which may include surgery. However, for most individuals, a sensible fitness program and healthy diet that is incorporated into daily life and maintained in the long term can significant lower BMI scores and thus lower the chances for excess fat related disease.

Sources of indoor air pollution

Indoor air pollution can come from sources such as gas, oil, coal, kerosene, and wood burning products. Certain building materials can increase pollutant levels, such as asbestos, damp carpets, certain pressed wood products. Household cleaning, renovation and hobby products can be sources of indoor air pollution, as can central heating and cooling systems. Finally, outdoor sources such as pesticides, radon, and outdoor air pollution can contribute to indoor air pollution in your home.

Whether or not any of these things results in poor or dangerous indoor air quality depends on many factors. These factors include the age of the source, the quantity of pollutant it releases, how hazardous the pollutants are, and how well maintained the source is. For example, a gas stove emits carbon monoxide, but a properly adjusted stove emits far less than an improperly adjusted stove.

Effects on health

Poor indoor air quality can result in a variety of symptoms, including nose and eye irritation, sore throat, dizziness, headache, and fatigue. These symptoms are treatable and, if the exposure to the pollutants is stopped, usually go away quickly. More serious illnesses, such as asthma pneumonitis, and humidifier fever are also possible consequences of poor indoor air quality.

Your age and your general health status affect your sensitivity to indoor air pollutants, as does your genetic makeup, which varies from person to person. Sometimes the symptoms resemble those of a viral or bacterial infection, so it can be hard to know if the problem is due to indoor air pollution. It is important to note the time and place the symptoms started, and if they change depending on location. If the symptoms fade when away from home, for example, indoor air quality problems are a likely source of the problem.

Some health effects take years of exposure to develop. They include cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases. Because these illnesses are so serious, it is a good idea to try to ensure good indoor air quality in your home at all times, even if no one living in your house has any symptoms. This can be accomplished by eliminating sources of pollution or reducing their emissions, improving ventilation in the home, and by using effective air cleaners.

Adjustments, also known as “spinal manipulation”, involve the use of a certain amount of controlled force, applied in a specific direction, to a joint that is not moving properly. Adjustments are usually carried out manually by the doctor, or by using an instrument. Chiropractic adjustments help return your vertebrae to their natural position and range of motion, with the goal of restoring health proper neurological & musculoskeletal function. In addition to restoring joint mobility, adjustments can also allow healing of tissue injuries involving inflammation and pain.

Before carrying out an adjustment, your chiropractic doctors will thoroughly evaluate your case through collection of a health history, physical examinations, laboratory tests, imaging (such as X-rays) and other procedures. During the adjustment procedure itself, you may be lying down on a specially designed chiropractic table. Your chiropractor will apply the adjustment in a controlled, sudden manner, pushing your joint beyond its normal range of motion.

Each adjustment is customized to the specific patient. Factors in this decision include how much force is needed, where in the body the adjustment is needed, the position of both the chiropractor and the patient also contribute to the selection of the best type of adjustment for your particular condition.

Adjustments may be used to treat back pain, neck pain, or pain in other areas of the body such as arms, legs, and shoulders. The procedure rarely causes pain; however if there is recent trauma or if you are new to chiropractic medicine there may be some discomfort. The popping and cracking noises that occur during adjustments are due to the release of gas bubbles between the joints, and these sounds are perfectly normal. It is a similar phenomenon as when knuckles are cracked.

In many cases, chiropractic care is all that is needed to treat a certain kind of problem, such as lower back pain. However, adjustments may be complemented by other medical treatment if concurrent conditions are present.

Resources

http://www.acatoday.org/

http://www.chiro.org/acc/What_is_Subluxation.shtml

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chiropractic-adjustment/MY01107

http://www.mdguidelines.com/chiropractic-adjustments-and-manipulations

The regular intake or production of Vitamin D in our bodies can help to prevent rickets in children and the onset of osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D, especially when combined with calcium, helps to maintain healthy bones and can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. While it is commonly known that Vitamin D is good for the health of our bones, many people do not know that it also affects the function of the neuromuscular and immune systems, inflammation and cell growth [1][2][3]. Vitamin D also partly modulates the genes in the body that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis [1].

The recommended dietary intake, recommended by the Food and Nutrition board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, is about 15-20mcg in a healthy adult for optimal bone and overall health [1]. Even though getting regular sunlight is the simplest way to top up Vitamin D levels, many people don’t get sufficient sun, particularly if they live in a colder climate or during the winter. Fortunately there are plenty of food sources out there that can help support our Vitamin D intake.

In some countries, it is not uncommon to come across food that has been artificially fortified with Vitamin D [4]. But the regular consumption of fatty fish, such as catfish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, eel and tuna, can help to naturally get enough Vitamin D in our diet. Other food sources are also rich in Vitamin D, such as: whole eggs, beef liver, fish liver oils – including cod liver oil, mushrooms and yeast that have been grown under UV light.

It is important to maintain a healthy balanced diet rich in Vitamin D and to get enough sunlight when the weather is nice enough to do so. Vitamin D is important for a healthy skeletal system, immune system [5], may reduce the risk against cancer [6] and may even reduce the overall mortality risks from any cause [7][8].

References:

[1] Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2010.

[2] Holick MF. Vitamin D. In: Shils ME, Shike M, Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 10th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006.

[3] Norman AW, Henry HH. Vitamin D. In: Bowman BA, Russell RM, eds. Present Knowledge in Nutrition, 9th ed. Washington DC: ILSI Press, 2006.

[4] DRI, Dietary reference intakes: for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluoride. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press. 1997. p. 250. ISBN 0-309-06350-7. Nutrition

[5] http://web.archive.org/web/20080419071840/http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20061111/bob9.asp Accessed October 2011

[6] Ingraham, BA; Bragdon, B; Nohe, A (January 2008). “Molecular basis of the potential of vitamin D to prevent cancer”. Current Medical Research and Opinion 24 (1): 139–49.

[7] Autier P, Gandini S. Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med 2007;167:1730-7.

[8] Giovannucci E. Can vitamin D reduce total mortality? Arch Intern Med 2007;167:1709-10.

Our bodies are made up of 43-75% water, and it’s an essential component of our health. The wide range in percentages comes from measuring different populations ranging from newborns (~75%) to obese people (~45%), with normal adult hydration at about 57-60%.

We can survive a month without food, but we’ll die after a week without water. The body is able to absorb many nutrients and salts better thanks to water’s ability to transport these nutrients and oxygen to our body’s cells and organs.  Detoxifying is vitally important to our health, since it cleans our bodies of impurities. The best way to excrete these impurities is through urine and sweat – both of which depend on our water intake. Upping your water intake may help to reduce the risk of kidney stone formation. The kidneys filter our waste products through the blood and out via urination. If the concentration of salt in our urine is high, and our water content low, this increases the risk of kidney stone formation. By drinking more water, this concentration of salts is reduced.

We are at risk of sunstroke if our bodies become dehydrated. When we sweat, this cools our body down. If dehydrated, the body cannot sweat and overheats, which can damage the body’s internal organs.

If you suffer from high blood pressure, maybe it’s your water intake that is the problem. When our bodies excrete and lose more than the optimal amount of liquid, our blood vessels constrict, which can cause our blood pressure to increase. If blood pressure is increased by a deficiency in water, this may also increase the risk of heart disease. Because the constricted blood vessels cause an increase in blood pressure, the heart works harder to compensate for the reduced volume of blood. Lower blood pressure and greater consumption of water help lower stress on the heart.

What’s more, drinking more water can help you stay younger looking. Drinking a lot of water helps keep the skin clean and fresh-looking by removing impurities through sweating. Water also helps to keep the skin hydrated, which means younger looking skin – sagging and wrinkled skin is usually a sign of dehydration. Drinking water also cuts hunger pangs and acts as a good filler. Water has zero calories, so consider trading in your sugary drinks and juices to help control your weight.

If increasing your water intake seems like a chore, why not add lemon or mint to your bottle to make it taste better? Eat more fruits rich in water such as watermelon, and try to drink water more regularly over the course of the day.  Having a glass of water or water bottle near you during the day has been shown to increase water consumption without effort.

When looking for the right ergonomic chair for you, it is important to find one suited to your needs. With so many ergonomic office chairs on the market, it’s important to research them, since there is no single chair that could be labeled the “best.” There are specific features that should be considered when looking for a desk chair, such as adjustable seat height. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your thighs at a horizontal position, and your arms should be even with the height of the desk. Having an adjustable armrest is also beneficial, since users can rest their arms and relax their shoulders, which can eliminate significant tension while working. You should also look for a chair with a seat that has sufficient width and depth to support any user. While working, you should be able to sit with your back resting against the back of the chair. In addition, the back should also be adjustable in its tilt forward and backwards.

One big issue about working at a desk all day is that many chairs are not designed to support the lower back. Support for our lumbar spine, or our lower back, is very important. Our spinal curvature has an inward curve in the lumber spine, and sitting for too long without supporting it will lead to slouching and straining the structures of the lower spine. An ergonomic chair must offer lumber support and adjustment, so the user can fit the chair to the inward curve of the lower back.

Additional things to also consider are the seat material: is it comfy? An ergonomic chair with a swivel on the chair can help you reach different areas of your desk without strain.

High consumption of added sugar in any form can lead to numerous health problems, including weight gain, dental cavities, poor nutrition and increased risks of heart attacks. While the health concerns of excess sugar consumption may seem obvious, what about the specific case of high-fructose corn syrup? Should we go out of our way to exclude it from our diet, even in moderate consumption?

High-fructose corn syrup and cane sugar are not biochemically identical – cane sugar is a naturally occurring ingredient, whereas high-fructose corn syrup is an industrial product, and is processed differently by the body than naturally occurring sugar [1]. Sometimes high-fructose corn syrup is produced from genetically modified corn [2].

A study at Princeton University [3] found that rats from two test groups, one that consumed high-fructose corn syrup and another standard table sugar, yielded different results in the rats’ obesity — even with the same caloric intake. The group of rats that consumed high-fructose corn syrup experienced abnormal weight gain – particularly in the abdominal region – and also elevated triglyceride levels. Along with high quantities of HDL, otherwise known as bad cholesterol, high triglyceride levels can cause arterial blockage and may increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension and even strokes.

Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes [4]. An increased risk of diabetes was observed from the metabolic profile in the study of rats that were given sugar-sweetened beverages, exhibiting impaired glucose and insulin homeostasis.

Long-term liver damage has been cited as a side effect to consuming high-fructose corn syrup [5]. This is particularly risky to individuals who live a sedentary lifestyle. Excess consumption can also result in a fatty liver [6].

One indirect health concern pertaining to high-fructose corn syrup is the contamination of mercury [7]. Mercury cell chlor-alkali products are used in the manufacturing of high-fructose corn syrup, which may leave a trace of the toxic heavy metal in its products, which can be up to 0.5micrograms/g of corn syrup. When you consider the average consumption of corn syrup as being around 50g per day, this could lead to a dangerous build up of the heavy metal in the body’s system.

References:

[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/high-fructose-corn-syrup-dangers_b_861913.html Accessed September 2011

[2] http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/high-fructose-corn-syrup-dangers/ Accessed September 2011

[3] Bocarsly ME, Powell ES, Avena NM, Hoebel BG., Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2010 Nov;97(1):101-6. Epub 2010 Feb 26.

[4] Sheludiakova A, Rooney K, Boakes RA., Eur J Nutr. 2011 Jul 29. [Epub ahead of print]

[5] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322204628.htm Accessed September 2011

[6] Kretowicz M, Johnson RJ, Ishimoto T, Nakagawa T, Manitius J., Int J Nephrol. 2011;2011:315879. Epub 2011 Jul 17.

[7] Dufault R, LeBlanc B, Schnoll R, Cornett C, Schweitzer L, Wallinga D, Hightower J, Patrick L, Lukiw WJ., Environ Health. 2009 Jan 26;8:2.

Chiropractic physicians are specially trained to diagnose the underlying causes of back pain and to recognize when specific types of treatment may be either ineffective or harmful in situations where patients have degenerative disc disease. Since they are often skilled in a wide range of conservative, non-surgical therapies, most chiropractors will recommend low-force, non-thrusting techniques in situations involving disc degeneration and related complications. They may also employ traditional spinal adjustments based upon the results of a careful evaluation of the patient.
Chiropractic care generally focuses on addressing back pain at its source as well as improving the spine’s stability and mobility. While there is no cure for degenerative disc disease, an effective treatment plan will usually combine manual therapies (such as manipulation or massage) with supervised exercise and/or nutritional programs and lifestyle changes designed to minimize its impact. Dr. Creech has cared for patients with this disease for over a decade and has found that chiropractic care helps much more often than not. Early diagnosis and along with supportive care are the key to increasing mobility and quality of life. If you’re wondering what chiropractic care could do for you or someone you care about, please call our office today to schedule a consultation.

We all know what we should be doing, but let’s be honest: very few of us eat a balanced diet all of the time. Many of us make the choice to take the elevator rather than the stairs and we try to find a parking place that’s as close as possible to our destination rather than taking the opportunity to walk a little further. We also tend to let stress, work, social gatherings and more interfere with the amount of sleep that we’re able to get each night.

When we don’t go the extra mile to take care of ourselves, and when our immune systems start to falter because of it, we may not feel it right away. Soon, sluggishness starts creeping in. This sluggishness not only slows us down, it also ages us prematurely.

Fortunately, there’s something that we can do to counteract some of these effects. We can maintain our vigor and reduce the risk of disease simply by adding antioxidants to our diet.

What are antioxidants? The simplest answer is that antioxidants are plant-derived compounds that help prevent and repair cellular damage. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, lycopene and resveratrol are all examples of antioxidants that are found in fruits and vegetables. By making an effort to add antioxidants to our diet, we can slow the cellular damage that leads to disease.

Antioxidants are, in effect, sponges that soak up the free radicals in our systems. Excess free radicals are generated by the less healthy foods that we eat, alcohol that we drink, smoke that we’re exposed, and stress that we endure.

Although your infant cannot tell you what is wrong, your intuition says it is another middle ear infection. The statistics would suggest that your hunch is probably right. Earaches are the #1 reason for visits to the pediatrician’s office. As a parent, that probably comes as no surprise. But, you may be surprised to learn that both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Academy of Family Physicians recommend a “watchful waiting” or “wait and see” approach to acute ear infections. Research published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association[1] demonstrated that there was no difference in fever, otalgia (pain) or number of future visits between kids that were given an antibiotic prescription and those that were not. As it turns out, antibiotics only outperform the body’s own immune system in a handful of cases.

At the same time, numerous studies of manipulative therapies including chiropractic care have shown remarkable results without the side effects of antibiotics. A groundbreaking 1997 study[2] of 332 kids ages 27 days to 5 years indicted a strong correlation between chiropractic adjustment and the resolution of otitis media (the technical term for a middle ear ache). Just to highlight one finding – there were 104 kids in the group classified as having ‘chronic’ otitis media. This group of kids got 5 chiropractic adjustments each. Across the next six months the recurrence rate among this group was only 16%!

Let’s put that data into more human terms. That means that 84% of these kids classified as having chronic ear infections went six months without having another one after just 5 adjustments. A full half year devoid of screaming in the middle of the night, lost sleep and anguish of watching your child suffer for 84% of the parents.