Strolling to Safety

We all want to include our young children in our outdoor activities, whether it's biking, jogging or just walking in the park. There is a seemingly endless array of strollers, baby joggers, carriers and bike trailers that allow us to do this. But keep in mind that these baby carriers are not without their potential risks to both child and adult.

According to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, spinal cord injuries are more likely to occur in developing children, especially in those under the age of 12 months. According to Dr. Gerard Clum, spokesperson for the foundation, "Parents should always be aware of how a device positions a child's neck or spine, and follow the manufacturer's safety instructions when using a stroller or comparable equipment." Here are a few other tips from the foundation:

Make sure the child is always properly secured in the device. In addition, check to be certain that the child's head is not bobbing around. This is why backpack-type carriers are not ideal; you can't see if your child's head is stabilized. Front-carriers are preferable, particularly for very young children. In addition, consider the size, weight and age of the child when selecting your carrier or stroller; it should be appropriate for the activity in which you wish to include the child.

Also be aware of your own safety when selecting a device or maneuvering your child in or out of it. Avoid carrying or pushing anything that may be too heavy for you, and always practice with the device before attempting to use it with the child. When lifting children to place them from a car into a carrier, don't bend from the waist, stay as close to the car seat as possible, and place them into the carrier without reaching, stretching or twisting. The farther the child is from your body, the greater the strain on your spine.

Talk to your doctor about the best way to protect your child's developing spine and potential problems you should be on the lookout for. Ensuring your child's health is worth every effort.

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The Detox Diet

Less than 150 years ago, chemical use was quite limited. These days, each successive generation is exposed to a limitless supply of unnatural chemical toxins that accumulate in our tissues and organs. These toxins, many of which may be originating from our food/water supply, include unnatural fats and cholesterols, xenobiotics (organic toxins), inorganic chemicals, and heavy elemental metals, to name a few. All of these toxins can severely affect the operation of the body's organ systems over time and cause significant health problems.

How do these synthetic toxins wind up in our foods? In addition to the contaminants that coat our food sources from rainwater, the soil is loaded with fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, etc. These toxic chemicals seep into the soil directly and are absorbed through both the leaves and roots. Logic tells us these chemicals then end up in the fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds we consume every day.

The good news is that many of these toxic accumulations can be halted and even reversed. An overall healing plan must be initiated to remove stored-up toxins. A colon cleanse is simply not enough, since nearly every cell can be affected. In order to detoxify our bodies and prevent or reverse illness, a proactive, multi-pronged attack must be mounted, one that includes exercise, fresh air (less toxic exposure), clean water, limited sun, and a healthy diet.

So, what kinds of foods help our bodies to detoxify and heal? Examples of cleansing foods are (organic) green teas, which serve to induce detoxifying enzymes for chemoprotection (chemical protection) or cytoprotection (cell protection). Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and turnips are all excellent for energizing and cleansing the liver, your body's built-in detox center. Lemons, watercress, garlic, oregano, sesame seeds, and fruits also are powerful detoxifying foods that not only aid in colon-cleansing, but also possess anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties.

However, the primary growing regions of this country continue to use the same soil repeatedly to grow crops. This overuse eventually causes the earth to become depleted of essential organic complexes, nutrients and minerals, which means less is taken up by the plants. The best way to combat this unfortunate deficiency and ensure complete nutrition is to supplement. Just like our foods, the type of supplement is very important. Ideally, one should look for organically complexed (carbon-bound) supplements derived from whole foods that are minimally processed and made from the highest quality ingredients obtainable.

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Winter Skin

The skin is the body's first barrier of defense against millions of bacteria, viruses, mold and fungi. Think of your skin as the walls of a fortress that protect the interior from invading armies. In short, our skin is vital to our overall health. That being the case, why do we treat it so poorly? Especially during these winter months, it's important to take care of your skin so it can help take care of you.

Let's first look at why the skin becomes dryer in the winter months. Low humidity is the main cause. The air around us is more dry, so the moisture is wicked out of our body and we receive virtually no moisture from our environment. Other factors contribute to dry skin, but dry air will exacerbate an existing problem.

When dealing with dry skin, you should have two objectives in mind: first, getting moisture into the cells, and second, keeping it there. One thing you can do is to work with the air around you. Add some moisture to it. When I was a kid, I remember my mom putting containers of water on the vents in the floor. She was adding moisture back into the air. That was our humidifier. Grandma always had a cast-iron tea kettle simmering on her wood stove. Again, a way to put moisture back into the air. And in addition to keeping our skin moist and cutting down on static electricity, moist air retains heat better.

Now let's look at topical applications. These are moisturizers, with hand and body lotions being the most commonly used products. There are three types of basic moisturizers. One puts moisture in, one prevents moisture from escaping and one makes the skin feel smoother. Individual skin varies, so trial and error may be necessary to find the right combination. It's chemistry that makes these work, so I'll give you ingredients to look for. There are many substances in each category, but these most often appear in over-the-counter lotions:

Humectants. This is a classification of moisturizer that penetrates the stratum corneum, the top layer of skin, and helps the skin absorb moisture. Humectants are popular in anti-aging products, since skin dries out more as we age. Common substances in this category include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, propylene glycol and sorbital.

Occlusives. This category of moisturizer works by coating the top layer of the skin to decrease evaporation. Common substances with occlusive properties include lanolin, stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, mineral oil and petrolatum.

Emollients. Emollients soften and smooth skin texture. Common substances that possess emollient properties include cyclomethicone, dimethicone, isopropyl myristate, octyl extenuate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl isostearate and jojoba oil.

Exfoliators. A lotion or moisturizer works more effectively when the skin is free from dead surface cells. To achieve the best results in the winter, use a good nonabrasive exfoliate that contains its own moisturizing properties. A salt scrub may help, but can also be drying to winter skin.

But there is still more that can be done. The skin has a layer of lipids that is vital to healthy skin. This natural lipid component can be stripped away with soaps, harsh cleansers and even hot water. At the very least, try using warm rather than hot water for showering. After showering, pat dry and while the skin is moist, but not wet, apply your lotion; especially a moisturizer or lotion with humectant properties. This can actually draw the moisture from the surface into the skin.

In short, skin care problems should be viewed as any other acute or chronic health issue and be addressed accordingly. Talk to your doctor for more information.

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