The road to good health in adulthood is paved with the decisions made during the teenage years. And as teen girls and boys continue to grow, there are daily nutrients and habits they’ll need to keep them happy and healthy.

“In the transition from the childhood to the teen years, nutritional needs increase with the rapid physical growth that occurs during those years,” says APHA member Nicole Larson, PhD, MPH, RDN, a National Institutes of Health-funded researcher and senior research associate at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. “So there’s an increase in energy demands, but it’s also important to think about increases in nutrient demands

Teens need a variety of nutrients, such as iron, calcium, folic acid and protein, which can be found in lean meats, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

Iron is essential for teens, but especially for teen girls, as they’ll lose more of it after starting menstruation, Larson says. Good sources of iron include meat, fish, poultry, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, she says.

“Another group of nutrients that’s important to be seeking out daily for bone health is calcium and vitamin D,” Larson says. Good sources of these nutrients are dark green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and okra, along with fortified foods like fortified juice.

While foods and beverages high in calories, saturated fats, sodium and sugar aren’t off limits, teens should aim to eat those foods only on occasion, according to USDA. Consuming such foods and beverages on a regular basis can have long-term health consequences into adulthood, Larson says. And skipping out on nutrients such as iron could lead to fatigue or anemia.

“You might tend to carry those eating behaviors with you over time,” Larson says. “And if you do not eat well over the adult years as well, there’s certainly an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes and (being) overweight.”

Good nutrition for teens starts at home. Larson says parents who want their teens to practice better nutrition should make healthy food readily accessible.

Keep portable foods high in calcium and vitamin D, such as yogurt and lower fat string cheese, in the fridge for teens. Low-fat granola bars and whole-grain crackers are an easy way for teens to get their fix of iron and whole grains, Larson says. Produce such as pre-washed carrots or sliced apples are also good on the go.

Parents should also encourage teens to eat breakfast before school and to pack their lunch during the school week, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Parents of teens should try to schedule family meals, as research shows teens who eat with their parents tend to have healthier diets, Larson says.

“While that is not always possible, we know from research that teens really do appreciate having family meals, even though they’re often very busy,” Larson says. “But that is something that they enjoy. If it doesn’t work to meet up at dinner for a meal, try to be creative in terms of scheduling. Maybe it works better to have breakfast meals together or have lunch together on the weekends.”

When teens are out in restaurants, tips include ordering milk instead of soda and a side dish of fruit over something high in calories, such as French fries. Teens should also look for smaller portions to avoid excess calories, she says.

“Maybe it’s easier to order off the kids’ menu than the regular menu to make sure you’re getting a smaller portion and look for key words that indicate a healthier version of a sandwich or a menu item, like choosing a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a crispy chicken sandwich,” Larson says

Nutritional Medicine is about creating new lifelong habits as much as it is about restoring function. Ask our office for more advice on how to make your health goals more achievable.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is defined as a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing from a sitting or supine position. It is also known as postural hypotension. Diagnosis is made if the blood pressure drops by or greater 20mmHg systolically and 10mmHg diastolically. This occurs within three minutes of standing after lying facing up for 5 minutes or at 60% angle on a tilt table. This sudden drop in blood pressure is due to failure of autonomic reflex, volume depletion, or adverse reaction to medication. Symptoms on presentation are commonly related to reduced blood flow to the brain but many patients can be asymptomatic. Frequent falls occur due to this disease process resulting in a high rate of morbitity and mortality and multiple hospital admissions.

Orthostatic hypotension etiology can be caused by

1. Neurogenic. This occurs due to autonomic instability secondary to neuropathic disease, neurodegenerative disease, or aging eg Diabetes, Lewy body dementia, Demyelinating diseases, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, MSA.
2. Non neurogenic. Volume depletion eg Dehydration, Hyperglycemia, Hemorrhage, Vomiting.
3. Medication related. eg vasodilators, diuretics, antidepressants, antipsychotics and dopaminergic drugs , polypharmacy

Signs and Symptoms

The person will present with symptoms occurring when rise from standing or sitting, particularly if done rapidly. The related signs and symptoms are due to reduced cerebral blood flow. These include: lightheadedness; generalised tiredness; vertigo; blurred vision; difficulty concentrating; palpitations; anxiety; nausea; falls

Diagnostic Procedures

Take the BP

5 minutes after lying down facing upwards. Record or memorize this number

1 minute after standing

3 minutes after standing

A drop in systolic BP of 20mmHg or greater, a drop in systolic BP of 10mmHg or greater is diagnostic tool. Three subcategories exist

1. Classic as defined above
2. Delayed OH, when the blood pressure changes as noted above go beyond 3 minutes
3. Initial, which is a normal finding. A drop 40 mmHg systolic and 20 mmHg diastolic BP on initial 15 seconds or less of standing, which returns to normal in less than 30 seconds.

Management / Interventions

Apart from removing any offending medications, the initial line of management are lifestyle related. These include; Drinking 2-3 litres of water, in small boluses over the day; increasing salt intake or salt supplements; elevating bed head at night to decrease fluid to kidneys with resultant urine production and fluid loss; use of compression stockings and corsets when out; exercising major muscle groups eg static gluteals just before standing or on standing; counting a slow 10 before moving on from sit to stand position.

Pharmacologic treatment via MD consultation should be considered after conservative lifestyle interventions have failed to relieve symptoms. Medications that work through different mechanisms in order to increase vascular tone are utilised. However, since some of these medications may result in side effects, we encourage our patients to consider conservative care first through physiotherapy and chiropractic care.

To find out how we can help you, please contact us at:

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Raising healthy families is the goal of every parent. Moms and dads innately want the best for their beloved. With the right health philosophy and action steps, you and your loved ones can enjoy an excellent quality of life together. Here’s a super healthy philosophy with some science and common sense to back it up.

Health comes from within. The moment you were conceived, one cell from your mother and one from your father united to form a unique and magnificent you. This united cell multiplied over and over again during the next nine months into 80 quadrillion cells without any help from the scientific community. Your heart, lungs, fingers and toes, were all positioned by the Universe to develop and function properly.

As long as there is no interference to this process, everything can develop perfectly and you are prepared to be delivered into this world. This mechanism  stays with you after you are born. With the nervous system as its conduit, this intelligence controls and coordinates the function of your entire body. Keeping this system free from interference is essential to a healthy life. It keeps you healthy in mind and body. If you teach this philosophy to your children you will raise them as strong, confident individuals who trust their body, immune system, and genetic potential. They will be “super” healthy kids.

On the other hand, teaching a drug-oriented philosophy from birth can lead to drug-dependency as an adult. Too many people buy into the philosophy that they need drugs to be healthy.

While this may be true in limited cases of extreme pain, sickness and disease, it is not true or healthy as an overall philosophy or lifestyle.

Think about the impact of a “drug first” philosophy. When your baby gets sick for the first time, you have a choice. If you do not have confidence in your child’s natural immune system, you might immediately panic and give your child a drug. In their toddler years when they get a cold or infection you may give them a drug right away so they won’t “suffer”. Each time they say they do not feel good, rather than rely on their body’s innate wisdom, do you call in a prescription or go to the store and get them an over-the-counter drug?

When your child is old enough to go to school, the teacher might inform you that they are struggling to concentrate or sit still. The child might be labeled and immediately given a drug.

What is the message that is constantly sent to a child under these “drug first” conditions? If a child is taught that they should take a drug every time they do not feel good, this drug-first mentality becomes conditioned. Is it any wonder that when this child has a minor ailment, does not make the team, or has a social conflict that they turn to drugs to “feel better?”

Your health care philosophy is your choice. PRI long and lustrous lifestyle delivers an innate health care philosophy which is working for millions. It can also work for you and your family. Isn’t it time you begin trusting yourself and this innate philosophy and begin living the healthy life that you and your children deserve?

For more info on how to take control of your health, please reach out to:

Phone: (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

There is a growing need for primary health care providers who use natural methods which are safe, effective, and without side effects, especially for developing children. Many parents turn to chiropractic care for their children. Many more parents are bringing in their children soon after birth to have their spines checked; these babies are not sick!  But, these parents realize that the birth process itself may place stress on the developing spine. They don’t want to wait until symptoms develop and there is a problem!

DRUG FREE HEALING, NATURALLY

Instead of using drugs, our therapists work with children’s bodies to help strengthen their immune systems and heal. In the common ills of children, gentle chiropractic adjustments, cranio-sacral work, and sometimes nutritional modifications are used to help regain homeostasis – that fine line between well-being and dis-ease.

WELLNESS CHIROPRACTIC

PRI is a big advocate of preventative chiropractic care.  You don’t wait until you child’s teeth are rotting before you take them in to the dentist, do you? So why should you wait until your child has a spinal curvature, earache, asthma, or allergies, before you take them in for a chiropractic check up? Prevention is the key!

Because the nervous system controls and coordinates many functions in the body, regular chiropractic care starting at birth (or preferably in utero!) absolutely helps children to grow up healthier and happier! Even “normal” births can cause trauma to the spine, especially the neck and cranium of the newborn. When forceps, vacuum extraction, or cesarean section are used, the trauma increases.

Your baby’s spine will grow 50% in that first year, making it very susceptible to injury. Your child’s spine must also develop curves in the neck and low back during that first year in order to continue growing properly in childhood. After that first year, the child’s activity level increases, which may subject the spine to repeated physical trauma. Look at a child who’s learning how to walk. Can you imagine falling on YOUR butt so many times a day? And have you seen older children playing on the playground? Those repeated stressors can cause vertebrae to misalign and affect spinal health.

REACHING THEIR FULL HUMAN POTENTIAL

We all have high hopes and dreams for our children. Each child is special in their own way. Chiropractic can help YOUR child reach THEIR full human potential, whatever that may be. This includes those children with special needs, such as those Down’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and others who are physically or mentally challenged. This may help them grow up healthy – in mind, body, and spirit!

Indications that your OLDER CHILD may benefit from chiropractic include:

* Backaches and Growing pains

* Sports injuries

* Headaches

PRI  believes “A well-adjusted kid is a child who gets regular chiropractic care!”

No matter what your childs health concerns or goals may be, this approach and care can make a big difference for you like it has for millions of others.

Ask our office for more advice on how to make your health goals more achievable.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Do you feel it’s harder for you to stay thin than it was for your grandparents at your age? You are right! Though we may be eating the same foods and exercising just as much as they did, we are about 10 percent heavier than people were in the 80’s. This may be due to changes in lifestyle and environmental factors that impact our BMI, or body mass index.

Recent research by York University’s Faculty of Health shows it’s more difficult to maintain the same weight at a certain age than it was for someone 2 or 3 decades ago. Even if you eat exactly the same macros (protein, fat, and carbs) and perform the same amount and type of exercise, you are likely to be heavier than they were at your age.

In fact, accounting for all the factors, the predicted BMI has risen 2.3 points between 1988 and 2006.

Jennifer Kuk, the study’s author, states “Our study results suggest that if you are 40 years old now, you’d have to eat even less and exercise more than if you were a 40-year-old in 1971 to prevent gaining weight. However, it also indicates there may be other specific changes contributing to the rise in obesity beyond just diet and exercise.”

Specific factors contributing to our increased BMI

In the past, we tended to look only to dietary and exercise habits when we considered our weight or BMI (body mass index).

However, managing your weight is much more complex than simply watching what you eat and working out regularly. Our BMI can be impacted by many factors such as:

Medication use

Environmental toxins

Genetics

Timing of meals

Stress level

Gut bacteria populations

Nighttime light exposure

While the study’s authors admit we need more research to determine exactly how these variables contribute to the changed BMI picture, they suggest three main factors:

Increased environmental toxins. Compared to 30 years ago, we are exposed to a higher level of environmental toxins such as pesticides, air pollution, heavy metals, flame retardants, plastics found in food storage containers, and more. These toxins place a heavy burden on the endocrine system and alter the hormonal processes which affect metabolism and weight management.

Increased use of prescription drugs. Since the 1970s, prescription drug use has risen dramatically. In the US, antidepressants are the most prescribed drugs for those between the ages of 18 and 44 and are also linked to weight gain.

Our gut microbiome has changed. The gut microbiome, which is comprised of the good and bad bacteria that naturally inhabit the digestive tract, has drastically changed since the 1980’s.

Americans eat differently than they did in the past. The products we eat now contain more antibiotics, pesticides, and other toxins; we consume more artificial sweeteners; and we eat more junk food. All of these factors may negatively impact the population of our gut bacteria.

A hot topic of research, the gut microbiome is now being connected to more and more aspects of health and disease. For example, some gut bacteria are linked with weight gain and obesity. In fact, doctors are even using fecal implantation — inserting gut bacteria from a healthy thin patient into the gut of an unhealthy obese patient — to reduce chronic obesity.

For ways to support a healthy microbiome, please contact our office. We can help you evaluate your microbiome health and show you how to improve it so you can maintain a healthy weight.

Nutritional Medicine is about creating new lifelong habits as much as it is about restoring function. By injecting the best the placebo effect has to offer into your daily diet and protocol, you are laying the groundwork for a lifetime of more positive outcomes.

Ask our office for more advice on how to make your health goals more achievable.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com