The State Of Health

State of Health

As a principled chiropractor, I am passionate about saving lives. Unfortunately at this stage in history, our urgency in that passion is also fueled by a reality that no one can afford to ignore. The state of health in the world is rapidly declining. The statistics below represent just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the enormous obstacles we face, and they speak for themselves.

Chronic Disease

Nearly one out of every two people in the US dies of heart disease or cancer, according to research by the Center for Disease Control.^{1, 2}

Obesity

• 68% of adults are overweight. 33.8% are obese. ³
• 17% (12.5 million 4) children and adolescents in the US are obese. Since 1980 this number has doubled for children and tripled for adolescents. ⁵
• Global Obesity has doubled since 1980 ⁶
• 1.5 billion adults were overweight in 2008
• In 2010, nearly 43 million children under the age of five were overweight

Mental Illness

• According to the World Health Organization, mental illnesses account for more disability in developed countries than any other group of illnesses.⁷
• 25% of the world’s population has a mental illness
• 26.2% of US adults have a mental disorder. According to US Census statistics, that equates to nearly 57 million people.
• 50% of US adults will develop a mental illness within their lifetime
• 46.3% of children 12-18 have a mental disorder.
• 118 million anti-depressants were prescribed in 2005, more than any other type of medication. ⁸

Autism

Contemporary research suggests that autism spectrum disorders affect as many as 1 in 38 children ⁹, more than double the 1 in 110 that is reported by the CDC. ¹⁰

Alzheimer’s

• An estimated 5.4 million people in the US have Alzheimer’s disease ¹¹
• This number is projected to triple to 15 million by 2050
• Worldwide, 1 in 85 (or 106.2 million) people are projected to have Alzheimer’s by 2050. ¹²
• 1 in 8 people age 65 or older have Alzheimer’s.
• Alzheimer’s costs the nation over 183 billion dollars annually.

“Well, in part I kinda hope I did scare the heck out of some of your listeners because it’s a crisis that we’re facing now and it’s only gonna get worse. You know part of what we say is “failure is not an option.” We cannot hit the middle part of this century without effective interventions for Alzheimer’s because it’s really unimaginable. We need to start making progress, we need to invest the money in research, we need to make sure we have the care infrastructure as more and more of our loved ones are gonna develop this disease in the decade to come.” - Jim Wessler ¹³

These stats only scratch the surface of the rapid decline in health that our world is experiencing. We are engulfed in these numbers every day, but at Maximized Living, we're also surrounded by the joy that comes from everyday people breaking out of this system and reaching their incredible potential from the care we provide. Please contact me if you or someone you know is suffering from sickness and disease. I can help you! Contact me at drnickbarnes@gmail.com

Recipe: Healthy Chicken Fingers!

Kids love chicken nuggets and chicken tenders, but the kind you buy frozen or get at a restaurant are unhealthy and even dangerous. Some brands on the market that are better than others and may be made with organic chicken, but they're still typically breaded with wheat breadcrumbs. Many of the "healthy", grain-free/gluten-free recipes result in a less-than-exciting taste, have breading that just won't stay on, and lack the crispy, crunchy texture kids love. These are so tasty that you could easily bring them to your next neighborhood potluck or barbecue. (Plus, you can feel great about this grainless, gluten-free, highly nutritious chicken recipe.) I have experimented with a lot of recipes and finally found one that passes the test. I tried multiple ingredients and convoluted recipes and ended up with one that is just three ingredients (five, if you count salt and pepper) and is fabulous.

Ingredients

• 1 lb organic chicken tenders or chicken breasts, pounded thin.
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil Vegenaise. (This brand is readily available and has a purple top. There are other versions that use canola oil, which we do NOT recommend.)
• 1 cup almond flour.
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Cooking Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge in Vegenaise and then in almond flour.
3. Place in a glass baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 – 40 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken.

Additional Options:

• Make a lemon butter sauce for a "piccata" style dish
• Make the chicken into chicken parmesan by adding organic spaghetti sauce and mozzerella

 Looking for more recipe ideas?

Try some of these other Core and Advanced Plan approved organic chicken recipes.

• Homemade Chicken Soup
• Boneless Buffalo Tenders (w/ Flourless Breading)
• Organic Thai Red Curry Chicken

Please contact me at Drnickbarnes@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

Are Your Hormones Making You Fat?

Special Guest Contributor: The Inspiyr Team
As many as 6 in 10 Americans want to lose weight. However, many people who are determined to lose weight often gain it right back. Studies show that this could be the result of pre-existing hormone levels.
We caught up with weight loss experts Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, and Dr. Rose Kumar, medical director and founder of the Ommani Center for Integrative Medicine to learn more about what these hormones are, and how you can keep them at healthy levels.

How Hormones Effect Weight Gain

There are three hormones that play a key role in regulating hunger and weight gain: leptin, ghrelin, and insulin. When these hormones are out of balance, they can affect the signals that tell your brain when you've eaten enough.

• Leptin: Leptin is a hormone produced primarily in the white fatty tissue in the body. When you have high body fat, you generally have high levels of leptin. The more calories you take in, the more leptin you produce, triggering the "full" response in your brain.
• Ghrelin: Ghrelin alerts your brain that you're hungry. Ghrelin levels are at their highest right before you eat, and at their lowest right afterward.
• Insulin: Insulin is produced in the pancreas, and its job is to regulate glucose. This means that insulin is a key player in metabolism and energy production. Insulin and leptin are closely correlated; when leptin levels increase, so does your insulin.

8 Ways to Keep Your Hormone Levels Balanced

There are different steps you can take to make sure these three hormones stay balanced.

1. Get proper sleep. Studies show that lack of sleep caused by stress can effect how our bodies balance our hormones. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night.
2. Exercise. The CDC recommends that adults between the age of 18-64 do at least two and a half hours of moderate intensity exercise each week.
3. Eat a plant-based diet low in sugar and simple carbohydrates. Dr. Kumar says that switching to a plant-based diet can have great health implications. "A plant based diet has been shown in numerous studies to be the best diet for human consumption. Most of the disease of the Western world such as cancer, heart disease and autoimmune diseases are a result of eating a diet high in inflammatory factors, primarily animal based."
4. Eliminate processed foods. Eating a diet high in processed foods has been linked to obesity and cancer, so stick to a diet that focuses on natural foods and not those made in a factory.
5. Don't over-eat. Even short-term overeating can cause insulin resistance in otherwise healthy adults.
6. Eat the right type of fats. According to Dr. Dean, the good fats are found in egg yolks, organ meats, fish, fish eggs, butter (from grass fed cows), coconut oil, nuts, seeds and avocados.
7. Watch your supplements. Dr. Dean, who is a Board Member of the non-profit Nutritional Magnesium Association says that hormone levels can be thrown out of whack when there is too much calcium or not enough magnesium, so make sure you're supplementing accordingly.
8. Avoid Fructose. Studies have shown that fructose consumption can increase leptin resistance.

The Takeaway
Losing weight is an important goal for lots of people, but one that is often not achieved. By understanding the hormones that effect hunger and metabolism; leptin, ghrelin and insulin, along with the steps you can take to manage them, can give you a step up in your battle against the bulge.
Contact Dr. Nick Barnes for more information in how to use your own hormones to get healthy and stay healthy! Drnickbarnes@gmail.com

Natural Antioxidant May Prevent Cognitive Decline

Staying Sharp

Resveratrol, a type of antioxidant found in red grapes and raw peanuts, has been shown to help keep the mind active and sharp as people get older. It may also prevent long-term loss of hearing.¹
According to a study conducted at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, this naturally occurring chemical "seems to protect against the body’s inflammatory process as it relates to aging, cognition and hearing loss."
The study tested resveratrol’s effect on rats. Equivalent studies have yet to be conducted on humans. However, previous studies have suggested that resveratrol can help people in many ways. Resveratrol has been shown to:

• Suppress the growth of cancerous cells.
• Prevent stroke.
• Protect from harmful blood clots.
• Increase good cholesterol (HDL), while reducing bad cholesterol (LDL).

Michael D. Seidman, the study's lead author, said, "We've shown that by giving animals resveratrol, we can reduce the amount of hearing and cognitive decline."

What They Found

In the study, researchers gave resveratrol to a group of test rats prior to exposing them to prolonged loud noise. Rats given resveratrol showed fewer instances of long-term hearing loss.
Hearing loss, though typically associated with advanced age, actually affects more than 12 percent of American troops returning from active duty as well. Loss of hearing also increases blood pressure, blood sugar and triglyceride level--all of which are risk factors of coronary heart disease.
Resveratrol has long been known to decrease inflammation, which is the root of almost all pain, illness and disease. Inflammation is associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and other common signs of aging.

Helping Your Family

Resveratrol can be obtained from a number of common whole-food sources.
Red grapes and red wine are probably the best known sources of resveratrol, but neither are ideal options for reaping the benefits of resveratrol. Both of these can wreak havoc on blood sugar levels due to their high sugar content.
Sugar's laundry list of negative health effects greatly outweighs the benefits of resveratrol. So, while a single glass of red wine will not derail a person closely following the Core Plan, it should never be consumed frequently under the guise of health benefits.
Instead, choose organic, raw peanuts and blueberries to utilize the powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol. Raw peanuts contain healthy, undamaged fats and are an excellent source of energy. Blueberries are low-glycemic, and therefore will not cause wide fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

• If on the Advanced Plan:  Snack on organic, raw peanuts to stay full without overeating and eat blueberries to conquer sugar cravings without disrupting blood sugar levels. Grapes contain too much fructose and should be avoided while on the Advanced Plan.
• If on the Core Plan: Grapes are OK in moderation, but are not ideal. Red wine should not be used as a source of resveratrol, as the dangers of drinking greatly outweigh the positive effects of resveratrol.

What You Can Do

To learn more about our Core and Advanced Nutrition Plans, you can contact Dr. Nick Barnes at drnickbarnes@gmail.com or—if there’s no doctor in your area yet—purchase a copy of the best-selling Maximized Living Nutrition Plans today.
For more cutting-edge fitness, nutrition and whole-body wellness tips, be sure to sign up to receive our free newsletter.

Sources

1 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220131742.htm