Chiropractors certainly are known for treating the spine – but keep in mind that the nerves of the spine extend to every tissue of the body, including the arms, hands, legs and feet. The chiropractic philosophy of care focuses on how different parts of the body fit together as a whole. In other words, chiropractors don't just look at your knee if you come in with knee pain. Believe it or not, all of your body parts and systems function in harmony with one another. Pain in one area does not necessarily mean that the problem is located in the same place.

Sometimes, the source of the pain is, in fact, coming directly from your lower back. Often, however, the cause of the pain, or a large contributing factor to it, comes from your lower extremities and feet. Most people do not realize their feet have three springy arches that help support the weight of their entire bodies. Whether it's due to genetics, heavy weight-bearing activities or bad shoes, to name a few, these arches can fall down over time. This makes your feet unable to support the weight of the body correctly, causing them to start rolling inward. This is called overpronation, and it's a fairly common condition, especially for runners. You may be surprised to know that 80 percent of people are overpronators. Your chiropractor can adjust your feet and other affected joints, and can recommend treatments that help support all three arches of the foot.

Analyzing your feet is an important part of whole-body wellness. As chiropractors, we want to keep our patients feeling great, but the adjustments are just a part of the entire health package. Diet, exercise, healthy work and life habits, proper shoes, and suggestions on pillows and beds also come into play. We can use many other tools, combined with spinal adjustments, to tailor a specific chiropractic treatment plan to meet your needs.

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Almost all men will have some kind of prostate disease in their lifetime. The most common prostate diseases are benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), inflammatory prostatitis and cancer. BPH is an enlargement of the prostate, and it is very common. It's present in more than 50 percent of men by age 60. For men under the age of 50, prostatitis, a benign (non-cancerous), inflammatory condition, is the most common prostate disease – so common, in fact, that some estimates show at least half of all men, at some point in their lives, will develop symptoms. There are a number of treatment options for BPH and prostatitis, and neither disease develops into prostate cancer.

There are a number of risk factors for developing prostate disease. You may have little control over some of them, such as race and family history. Research consistently shows that eating a diet rich in whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, reduces your risk of many chronic diseases, including several types of cancer. Nutritional supplements, including selenium and saw palmetto, can also support prostate health.

Exercise has become the solution for just about every ailment, and prostate disease has been added to the list. According to a new study, older men who exercise regularly have a much lower risk – nearly a 70 percent decrease – of developing advanced prostate cancer or dying from the disease.

There is a lot you can do to protect yourself from prostate disease. Be proactive. Eat whole foods, exercise, take whole-food supplements and speak with your doctor about getting tested. This is your best defense against developing any type of prostate disease.

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New, healthier snacks and drinks are slowly making their debut in schools. And it's about time. With 17 percent of Americans between the ages of 2 and 19 overweight, nutrition experts welcome this growing trend. While the following additions to school cafeterias probably don't represent ideal nutrition, they're an improvement over what most schools have offered for the past several decades.

In January 2007, Bravo! Brands Inc., in partnership with Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., began selling a 150-calorie, 8-ounce bottle of flavored, vitamin-fortified milk in school vending machines. Bravo milk is currently distributed to approximately 8,000 schools, with plans to expand by the end of 2007. Other healthier school lunchroom additions include:

• Dannon Company Inc. is selling a variety of low-fat yogurts and smoothies.
• Pepsi is reformulating its Doritos, Cheetos and Quaker products.
• Dole Food Co. is testing placement of fresh fruit in school vending machines.
• Pepsi will launch Frito-Lay's Flat Earth fruit/vegetable crisps.

Since most teenagers are not going to change their eating habits overnight, the latest developments represent a small but important step in the right direction. Experts continue to push for additional regulations regarding school lunch options and an end to self-regulation by the food industry. If this trend continues, there is hope for future generations of healthier, happier young people.

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