Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Healthy Skin for Sun Lovers

The sun's rays damage our skin.  People spend hundreds of dollars on skin care every year. Unfortunately, most skin care products are full of toxic chemicals.*  For tips on all-natural ways of protecting and healing the largest organ of your body, read my latest e-zine article, A Youthful Complexion: Six Simple Solutions for Sun Lovers.

*Uncover the toxic dangers of your personal care products at the Environmental Working Group's fascinating and sobering website.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Whole Foods Supplements I Recommend

There are a handful of nutritional supplements that I recommend to just about all my patients.  Over the years I've sorted through dozens of excellent products, and only a few have met the following criteria.  The supplement must be:
  1. Based in whole foods
  2. Genetically congruent (not artificially altered for one reason or another)
  3. Pure (non-toxic)
  4. Essential for human health
  5. Difficult or impossible to attain in sufficient quantities or purity from the foods we eat.
Here are the few supplements that fulfill all of these requirements:
  1. Omega 3's (DHA and EPA):  The ideal ratio of Omega 6's to Omega 3's is from 1:1 to 2:1, but has become 25:1 on average for Americans.  
  2. Probiotics:  Research shows that we now consume one-millionth of the healthy bacteria that we did before pesticides, herbicides, and industrial farming.  Be sure to look for L. plantarum in the ingredient list.  
  3. Xanthones:  Scientists have identified dozens of benefits from this class of phytonutrients, including anti-inflammatory properties.  The best source of xanthones is from the whole fruit of the mangosteen (especially the rind).  Researchers have identified over 200 positive biological effects from the mangosteen.
  4. Vitamin-Mineral Complex:  I recommend this only to my patients who do not always eat their recommended twelve servings of vegetables and fruits, either through salads or juicing.  Not all complexes are equal.  Many are not absorbed and pass right through one's system.  (Ask any portable toilet technician!)  One excellent brand is XanGo's 3SIXTY5, which comes in either men's or women's formulas, and is exceptionally complete.
The best source of Omega 3's and probiotics I have identified can be found at www.innatechoice.com.  To receive a discount, enter access code WP90502 when ordering.  After looking at various brands of mangosteen juice, the only one that is comprised of the whole fruit (pulp, rind, stem, and seeds), and fulfills the above requirments, is XanGo, which you can order at www.DrConnieAmundson.net (3SIXTY5 information and ordering also available at this site).

[To read a longer version of this article, view it on EzineArticles.com.]


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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Wrist Stretches for Computer Users

Many of my patients have found these wrist exercises--taken from Aikido--to be very effective for preventing and reducing the harmful effects of long-term use of computer keyboards and the infamous mouse!

Each exercise should be performed slowly and gently for ten repetitions on each side. You should feel a pleasant stretch, but no pain.  If you cannot do these stretches without pain, please stop immediately and consult your chiropractor.

Thanks to Nik Kanetomi for demonstrating the stretches and John Kanetomi for wielding the camera!

Wrist Flexion

*Begin by holding
the back of one
hand in front of
your belly.

*Slowly raise your
hands, applying a
gentle pressure to
flex your wrist.

*Stop when you reach
your chest and hold
for 1-2 seconds.








Wrist Flexion With Rotation

*Hold your hands in
front of your chest
with thumb of one
hand placed in the
groove between the
4th and 5th bones
of your opposite hand,
near your knuckles.

*Slowly lower both hands, applying 
gentle pressure to
flex and rotate your wrist.

*Stop when you reach
the lower part of your
chest and hold for 1-2 seconds.





Wrist Flexion (Z)

*Hold your hands out
in front of your
chest as indicated
in the photo(your thumb is on top).

*Slowly bring your hands
toward your chest,
gently twisting your
hand toward your face.

*Stop when you reach
the end point of your
stretch and hold
for 1-2 seconds.





Another ezine article accepted

Yea, my second article, Inflammation: Seven Ways to Silence the Silent Killer, has just been published at ezinearticles.com.  To find my articles, put "Connie Amundson" into their search function and search by author.
As Featured On Ezine Articles

Monday, December 15, 2008

It was easier than I thought

Here I am in the blogosphere, with musings about chiropractic, health, wellness, and the dilemma of semi-consciousness.  My first e-zine article (Choosing a Chiropractor:  Nine Ways That Worked and One That Didn't) was accepted today!  Yippee!  I'll let you know where it's posted, as soon as I figure out how to add links...



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