Benefits of Grapefruit

Next on our series of cold and flu talk...the beloved grapefruit! This is probably one of my top three favorite fruits. 

Here are some ways to include it in your diet:

• Eat it as a whole for breakfast, cut in hlaf and scoop out the goodness!

• Juice the fruit and drink 4-6 oz with your breakfast

• Have it as a mid day snack with some nuts

• cut up the fruit and add it to your salad

• Add it to your smoothie with other fruits and veggies

• Add it to a yogurt parfait or acai bowl 

Here are some of the major nutrients found in half of a medium-sized grapefruit:

• Calories: 52

• Carbs: 13 grams

• Protein: 1 gram

• Fiber: 2 grams

• Vitamin C: 64% of the RDI

• Vitamin A: 28% of the RDI

• Potassium: 5% of the RDI

• Thiamine: 4% of the RDI

• Folate: 4% of the RDI

• Magnesium: 3% of the RDIT

This fruit  is a rich source of some powerful antioxidant plant compounds, which are likely responsible for many of its health benefits. Antioxidants protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules that may cause harmful reactions in your body. 

Most important antioxidants in grapefruit: 

• Vitamin C: A powerful, water-soluble antioxidant that is present in high amounts in grapefruit. It may protect cells from damage that often leads to heart disease and cancer.

• Beta-carotene: It's converted into vitamin A in the body and thought to help reduce the risk of some chronic conditions, including heart disease, cancer and eye-related disorders like macular degeneration.

• Lycopene: Known for its potential ability to prevent the development of certain types of cancer, especially prostate cancer. May also help slow the growth of tumors and decrease the side effects of common cancer treatments.

• Flavanones: Their anti-inflammatory properties have been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Medication Interaction:
The medications most likely to interact with grapefruit include-

• Immunosuppressants

• Benzodiazepines

• Most calcium channel blockers

• Indinavir

• Carbamazepine

• Some statins

If you are taking any of these medications, talk with your doctor before adding grapefruit to your diet.


Sources: 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12569111
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3942711/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20394143
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22574825
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23254473%20
 

Do You Spend Majority of Your Day at a Desk?

Do you sit at a desk all day for work? Whether you work in an office, at home, or at coffee shops, sitting for too long can take a tole on your back. 
One of my favorite chairs has been the stability ball with support. I started using it a few years ago when I first opened my office and lets me honest...it was a challenge. Especially when I was tired all I wanted to do was sit back and slouch. When I work on my laptop I like to get into all sorts of weird "comfy" positions. And this chair is the farthest thing from comfy haha. So a few months in I stopped trying to cross my leg, or sit on one leg, or lean over because it just made it harder to sit on this darn ball! Fast forward two years laster and I think I have finally adapted to this new chair of mine. Lets talk benefits! 
1.Releive Back Pain
Since you can't really slouch or hunch over on the ball, it makes you focus on maintaining a good posture while sitting on it. Now is this ball going to cure your back problems that you've had for years? No. But will it help from making things worse? Yes! The nice thing is that now you have an exercise ball with you, so not only can you sit on it but you can use it for a quick stretch or 5-10 minute exercise! 
2. Tone Core Muscles
With a stability ball we're not so focused on relying on the back of the chair to support us. Now you actually have to engage your core, which of course leads to better core strength. 
3. Quick Workout

• Plank with forearms on the ball

• Ball squats

• shoulder curl and press

• Figure 8 for pelvis mobility

• Figure 4 (leg crossed) stretching 

• Upper body stretches 

Here is a link for a ball:
https://www.amazon.com/Gaiam-Classic-Balance-Ball-Chair/dp/B0007VB4NE/ref=sr_1_4?crid=C058POACCWM7&keywords=ergonomic+ball+chair&qid=1568818118&sprefix=ergonomic+ball+%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-4

Friendly reminder, regardless on the type of chair you have, take a break every 20 minutes from sitting. Walk around, stretch, take a water or bathroom break! 

Take Care of Your Gut, It's the Only One You Got!

Gut health is so important in today’s world of processed foods, fad diets, and new gut diseases. Gut health can control so many other aspects of our lives such as: Weight and Heart Health. When gut health is working in perfect harmony with your body, the benefits could be endless. Certain gut bacteria can help to digest fiber. When fiber is not digested correctly your body can experience bloating and other intestinal issues. Gut bacteria, or microbes, can also help maintain a healthy immune system. With our busy schedules, getting sick is the last thing anybody wants.

Some of the things that can help to improve your gut health are:

Pre/Probiotics
Regular Exercise
Eat foods that contain healthy bacteria
Eat whole grains
Try to eat unprocessed foods
Daily supplements

Pre/Probiotics

First of all what are pre/probiotics, what’s the difference?

Essentially Prebiotics are substances that are fermented by the beneficial bacteria in the gut and used as a source of fuel to help enhance gut flora health. Probiotics, on the other hand, are live microorganisms that can confer health benefits to the host ranging from improved immunity to better brain function. To break this down into simpler terms, prebiotics “feed” the probiotics, or beneficial bacteria in your gut.

So what kind of pre/probiotic do you recommend?

Here at Essence, we choose the best supplements that are preservative, soy, and dairy free. We chose our products from Designs for Health because its a company committed to the goal of producing the most effective and therapeutic nutritional products possible. Most probiotics do not include prebiotics as well, and like we said “feeding” those probiotics is essential for preserving your gut health by maintaining balance and diversity of intestinal bacteria, especially by increasing the presence of “good bacteria,” such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Our probiotics are kept in the fridge unlike most others to ensure maximum potency and shelf life.

For our Essence kiddos we use once a day, chewable probiotic. Our Flora Bites do not contain Gluten, corn, yeast, artificial colors, or flavors. Ortho Molecular manufacturing test the purity, strength, identity, and composition of each and every product, making it a sure choice for your little one. They are sweet little gummies that will have your kiddo asking for more! It also contains amounts of Vitamin C, great for promoting a healthy immune system.

For our Essence babies we recommend using our Floraboost powder. FloraBoost is a probiotic formula for children, designed to deliver live bacteria that promote healthy gut microflora, protect intestinal integrity and boost immune function. Not only does it help maintain Gastrointestinal Balance, but Supports Bowel Regularity, Digestion, and Micronutrient Absorption.

Supplements

As our daily supplement, we choose to use, Organic PurePea Vanilla Protein. The vegan dietary supplement is made from North American grown yellow peas. It contains non-GMO ingredients and uses no chemicals in the natural fermentation process. The company even checks for the misuse of heavy metals and bacteria.The protein is a great addition to any smoothie, and with the added calcium, iron, and sodium this supplement will have you feeling great in no time!

Curcum-Evail Chewables are also a great supplement to support your gut health. These once a day, mango-nectarine chewables contain the ingredient curcumin. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.

Because of our hectic lifestyle, and the way we often consume food that is frequently overcooked, digestion can often be less than optimal. Poor digestion can produce bloating and gas, cramping, diarrhea or constipation, and even lead to incomplete digestion of food proteins that have been linked to food allergies. As a daily adult supplement we recommend Digestzyme-V. Digestzyme V is specifically designed to support digestion, help unlock more nutrition from food, and promote regular bowel movements.

Got Milk?

To all of our breastfeeding moms out there, we applaud you! Breastfeeding is no easy task and as moms sometimes we can get frustrated when baby isn’t latching firmly. Many of the care providers as well as moms are unaware of the biomechanical disorders in the infant’s spines and craniums that cause difficulties in breastfeeding. Some of the most common indicators of difficulty with breastfeeding are:

Babies who cannot latch firmly
Babies who can latch and not sustain sucking
Babies who are unable to smoothly coordinate suckling, swallowing, and breathing
Babies who can feed in only one position
Babies who seem dissatisfied when nursing or who remain fussy and distressed throughout the day
Babies who chew and damage the mother’s nipples
Babies who may not feed any better from other devices
Babies who have the need to suck 24/7

So how can we help? Babies with latching issues who see a chiropractor usually respond favorably and most mothers see a huge improvement. The major things a trained pediatric chiropractor will look for are the following:

Do they have a sucking reflex?

All babies are born with this instinctive reflex that allows them to find food and thrive. Although not all babies develop this reflex upon being born. Teaching them through tongue and mouth exercises is one way to work on building the reflex to improve the spontaneous desire to latch.

2. Is the jaw aligned properly?

The jaw is a complicated joint. When nursing it moves in little circles when functioning correctly. If they baby’s jaw is not tracking properly the signs are not always so obvious. Gentle cranial and neck work can help to improve the biomechanics of the jaw, in turn approving latching.

3. Can baby fully rotate his head to nurse?

Finally, we have to look at the ability of the baby to get into proper position to nurse. This allows a good amount of rotation from the neck. This ability comes from the joint at the very top of the spine, the atlas, which spins on top of the axis vertebra. If the bones that make up this joint are misaligned baby’s range of motion will be decreased. Now how does this happen? most of the time it is caused by the stress and pressure of moving through the birth canal during birth. Gentle adjusting can correct this misalignment and allow for more balanced nursing on both sides.

So don’t get discouraged if breastfeeding is not your superpower, we are here to help! Dr. Ashtiani is certified in more than 200+ hours of training in pediatric chiropractic through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). As well as a certification in Tongue and Lip Ties. Now can we promise major changes overnight? No, if you did see them we would be rich by now and be on a beach in the Bahamas somewhere. Breastfeeding is a process and consistency is key!

Benefits of Infant Exercise

We've all heard of doing bicycles for your babies to help with gas, but did you know that there are also other benefits that support the gross motor milestones to come?
We like to encourage our parents to do some of the exercises during diaper changes to make it a routine. Now, some of the names of the exercises we do sound like the same stuff we do ourselves at the gym...so you ask...are we trying to give our babies a six pack?!
Our goal is to always think long term when we do exercises with little ones. We want support for head control, rolling over, sitting, crawling, standing, cruising, and walking. Sure every kid eventually walks...but why wait and see when it happens, why not give your child some extra support now?

Infant exercises can help with:

• Bonding: thats extra quality time between you and your baby to make physcial and eye contact.

• Sleep: who doesn't sleep better after being active all day? It's the same for babies, being stimulated and engaged helps them rest longer or easier when its time to sleep.

• Less gas and/or constipation: Have you ever noticed that when you sit on the couch all day, eat and binge watch some show on netflix that your bowel movements have a different consistency that when your active, up and moving? Same goes for our babies. 

• Increasing range of motion: muscles and joints require movement! Babies who tend to lay on their back in the same position have a higher chance of having a misshapen head (flattening of their occiput) and tight neck muscles (torticollis). 

• Increasing body awareness: stimulating your little one’s senses of touch and proprioception can help them learn about their body and how to move it in deliberate ways.

• Strengthening muscles: when your baby does exercises with you, they will flex their muscles which in turn help strengthen them.

• Building muscle tone: muscle tone allows the babies to stabilize their muscles. This is really important because as infants they rely on muscle tone to help stabilize their head during tummy time and as they grow and sit up. 

Dry Needling vs Acupuncture

What’s the difference between dry needling and acupuncture?

When looking at the two side by side they almost look similar. Both acupuncture and dry needling use thin stainless steel needles that are inserted into the skin. Both also claim to treat pain. Other than those similarities dry needling and acupuncture are very different. Knowing the difference between the two can help you decide which type of treatment is right for you.

What is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a modern treatment made to ease muscular pain. It is based on Western anatomical and neurophysiological principles. During dry needling, several thin stainless steel needles are inserted into your skin. Because the needles do not inject any fluid into your body, the term “dry” needling was given. The needles are placed in “trigger points” within your muscle or tissue. These points are usually areas of knotted or hard muscle. The needles are sometimes gently manipulated and removed after a short period. The process may be repeated several times.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a treatment based on traditional chinese medicine that’s been used for thousands of years. Acupuncture originated in Asian medical practices and sometimes uses the term “oriental medicine.” Needles are inserted into established meridian points on the body and are left in for some time. Acupuncture addresses the flow of energy around the body and vital organs and are intended to create balance within the bodily system.

What are the benefits?

• Dry needling

Dry needling may provide relief for some muscular pain and stiffness. In addition, easing the trigger points may improve flexibility and increase range of motion. That’s why this method is often used to treat sports injuries, muscle pain, and even fibromyalgia pain.

• Acupuncture

The fundamental belief of acupuncture is that illness is the result of blocked or interrupted chi. Chi provides your body with healing energy. Acupuncture seeks to remove these blockages and return your energy flow to a state of balance.Acupuncture is used to treat hundreds of conditions and symptoms, including:

• pain
  nausea
  vomiting
  headache
  menstrual cramps

So which one should I choose?

The bottom line is if you’re weighing acupuncture or dry needling as a treatment option, the choice may come down to a matter of preference. Dr. Ashtiani is always willing to speak with you about the treatment if you are interested. Another option could be adding it on to your treatment whether that be graston or just an adjustment!

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening Primrose the small yellow wildflower found in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia that’s most sought-out for its oil. Evening primrose oil is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that has been used to treat everything, including:
female reproductive tissues
blood channels
the respiratory passages
nervous system

These days, you can find primrose oil in a variety of beauty products, as well as in supplement form. Below are some ways evening primrose could help.

Relief from skin conditions
Help reduce wrinkles
Slow Hair loss
Heal nerve damage
Lessen symptoms of arthritis
Put hormones in balance
Diminish acne breakouts
Reduce breast pain
Ease PMS

Not only can it help improve all of the symptoms above, but Evening primrose oil is high in GLA, which supports the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins can help improve poor blood circulation, maintain normal inflammatory balance, and strengthen immune function. Here at Essence we recommend evening primrose to all of our expecting moms. Why you ask? Women use evening primrose oil in pregnancy for preventing symptoms such as high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia), shortening labor, starting labor, and preventing late deliveries. Inside orthomolecular’s Evening Primrose capsule, includes 1,300 mg of cold-pressed, organically grown evening primrose oil and 117 mg of GLA, in a convenient, high-dose soft gel capsule. It is also free from gluten, corn, yeast, artificial colors or flavors.

Debugging Chiropractic Myths

With social media all around us as well as our friends and families opinions we all have heard that going to the chiropractor “is bad for your bones” or the common “what if they break something?” Chiropractors are not as scary as they look or seem, especially Dr. Ashtiani! Chiropractors do just the opposite of breaking your body, they really help put it all back together. Below are 5 common chiropractor myths that need debugging.

1. Getting an adjustment hurts
While some people call chiropractors “bonecrushers”, this is just a myth. Many people experience great relief after receiving an adjustment. When your body is aligned the rest of your body can properly do its job! Children and some adults are sometimes nervous when it comes to receiving an adjustment, but there is nothing to be concerned about. Before Dr. Ashtiani does anything to you or your body she clearly explains what she is going to do, where she will be placing her hands, and makes you feel as relaxed as possible. You have to understand that a chiropractor understands the skeletal and muscular system in a way that allows them to find the source of problems and make adjustments to correct and alleviate any pain you might have. Also, Dr. Ashtiani uses a variety of techniques to aid in the adjustment, so if hearing a pop scares you, fear not…she has plenty of other techniques that she can use that are safe and effective!

2. Once I start, I’ll be going forever
This isn’t true! Now can you come to us forever? Sure! We would love to see you, but most of the time theres no need for you to be coming in multiple times during the week or even weekly. Depending on the care that you need and what Dr. Ashtiani recommends we usually see our wellness patients once a month. Now with that being said, everyone comes into our office for a different condition so its important to know that what is recommended for one person may not be whats needed for you. Acute or chronic injuries do require more visits. Also taking the time to listen to your body is so important, if your body says that you need the extra care don’t wait till your next appointment, getting in front of your wellness is priority.

3. It’s expensive
When compared to most visits to the doctor’s office, chiropractic care is actually less expensive. Considering long-term treatment plans that can involve medication, surgery, or intensive physical therapy, chiropractic care can often provide a less expensive, natural, healthy alternative. Its always cheaper to take care of your body when you’re healthy compared to waiting until you need major medical interventions involved. Although we do not take insurance we do accept HSA/FSA and can provide you with a superbill which can be turned into your insurance for a possible refund.

4. Chiropractors are not real doctors
There is a common misconception that chiropractors are less qualified and under educated than medical doctors. Chiropractors attend 4 years of undergraduate school and go on to receive their doctorate after another 4 to 5 years of studies. They must also pass State and National board certifications to become licensed. Dr. Ashtiani graduated from UTSA with her Bachelors in Biology and Masters in Health Promotion. She continued her academics to pursue a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Texas Chiropractic College in Houston, Texas. She also gained 200+ hours of experience in both the Webster Technique and from the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics.

5. It’s only for adults
NO! Many of our patients that come to see us are under the age of 2! Many children, including infants and toddlers can benefit greatly from chiropractic care. Some studies reveal a 80-90% reduction in colic with 1 treatment. Bring your little one to the chiropractor is like taking them to the dentist, everyone should go. Their growing bodies need just as much care as yours!