Diamond Chiropractic

The #1 reason that kids get antibiotics, costing the country $2.8 billion a year, is ear infections. A new analysis shows that this is completely unnecessary in most cases. 80 out of 100 children with ear infections are shown to get better on their own in only about three days. Prescribing antibiotics improves that rate slightly, to 92 out of 100. The side effects of antibiotics are another reason to avoid them. 3-10 children will develop a medication related rash and 5-10 more will get diarrhea. Overuse of antibiotics can cause more severe problems, encouraging the growth of hardier, drug-resistant bacteria. Many say that it's not always easy to avoid antibiotics. Alot of day care centers will not allow kids with fevers to come in and doctors are pushed to treat when not always necessary. Richard Rosenfeld, professor and chair of Otolaryngology at Long Island College Hospital in New York, says the best relief for ear infections is a bedtime dose of over the counter ibuprofen. What...

A new study shows a link between light exposure at night and depression. Exposure to dim light at night- about the brightness of a TV- caused hamsters to show signs of depression, according to the study. Autopsies of the animals revealed physical changes to the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a region of the brain linked to mood. Light at night suppresses production of the hormone melatonin, and this could have caused the brain changes. This is just one more reason to shut the blinds tight at bedtime.

Follow the link below to an article found on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/11/10/hyper.texting.teens/index.html?hpt=C2 The article discusses a study by the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine which links poor health behaviors -- including smoking, drinking and sexual activity -- to hypertexting and hypernetworking. Hypertexting is defined as sending more than 120 messages per day while hypernetworking is defined as spending more than 3 hours per day on social networking sites such as Facebook. Here are some statistics that were found in the study: According to the study, teens who are hypertexters are: *2x more likely to have tried alcohol *40% more likely to have tried cigarettes *55% more likely to have been in a physical fight **90% more likely to report four or more sexual partners According to the research, teens who are hypernetworkers are: *60% more likely to report four or more sexual partners *79% more likely to have tried alcohol *84% more likely to have ...

Every year it seems kids backpacks get heavier and heavier. And every year we see children in our practice with spinal issues due to heavy or improperly worn backpacks. Many of these problems can be prevented by checking fit and size for your child. We also suggest having spines checked periodically by a chiropractor. The Massachusetts Chiropractic Society is offering some tips and guidance for backpack safety. *Limit the backpack's weight to no more than 5-10% of the child's body weight. A heavier backpack will cause the child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back. For example a 50lb child should not carry more than 5lbs. *The backpack should never hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking. *A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects a...

After seeing a man skip across the street early this morning, we thought it would be interesting to check out the benefits of skipping... and apparently there are quite a few! Skipping- the hippity hoppity gate that came naturally to us as children is great for the body, mind and spirit! What are the physical benefits? Skipping is great exercise. It burns twice as many calories as walking. It has less impact on your joints than running and is joy based, unlike running, which generates from our fight or flight reflex. It's a playful way to add variety and fun to your workouts. What are the mental benefits? Skipping is an instant mood lifter. The next time you are feeling down, try skipping just ten steps. Keep in mind that the times you feel like skipping the least are likely the times that you need it the most. It is virtually impossible to skip without smiling. Skipping also helps you to be true to yourself. It is surprisingly challenging for most adults to do. In order to do so, ...

*In this month's Zone Living ezine, Dave Schreck has talked about ZoneFast recipes, and we've written about studies that prove that eating breakfast is important. Here are some recipes for quick Zone Breakfasts. A child will typically eat two-block meals which we have listed below. Simply double the recipes for Mom/Dad. Breakfast Hash 2 ounces cooked meat (roast beef, ham, etc) 3/4 cup chopped tomato Chopped onion, to taste Chopped green pepper, to taste Chopped mushrooms, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste Worcestshire sauce, to taste 2 teaspoons olive oil 3/4 cup cut grapes 1.In a non-stick pain, saute onion, green pepper and mushrooms in the oil until tender. 2. Add cooked meat, sauteed vegetables, spices and worcestshire sauce to saute pan. 3. Cook, stirring until heated through. 4 Serve with fruit on the side. Cottage Cheese with Raspberry Sauce 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese 1/2 cup diced peaches 1/2 cup grapes 1/2 cup raspberries 2 macademia nuts, chopped 1. Mount cottag...