In Good Hands

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GIESEN FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

New Study: Texting And Social Networking Linked To Health Risks?

New Prague – Modern technology can be wonderful. It has never been easier to stay in touch and communicate with friends and family. With texting and social networking, anyone can communicate messages, pictures, internet links and videos within seconds.

But Is There A Down Side To All This Texting And Social Networking?

According to a November 10, 2010 CNN article, “A new study by the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine links poor health behaviors -- including smoking, drinking and sexual activity -- to hyper texting and hyper networking [teenagers].”
The article defines “hyper texting” as sending more than 120 texts per school day, and “hyper networking” as spending more than 3 hours per school day on social networking sites (like Facebook).
According to the article, the study found nearly 20% of Midwestern teens surveyed were “hyper texters.”

“hyper texter” teens are:
• 2 times more likely to have tried alcohol.
• Nearly 3.5 times more likely to have had sex.
• 40 percent more likely to have tried cigarettes.
• 41 percent more likely to have used illicit drugs.
• 43 percent more likely to be binge drinkers.
• 55 percent more likely to have been in a physical fight.
• 90 percent more likely to report four or more sexual partners.

The article also stated 11.5% Midwestern teens are “hyper networkers.” They are:
• 60 percent more likely to report four or more sexual partners.
• 62 percent more likely to have tried cigarettes.
• 69 percent more likely to be binge drinkers.
• 69 percent more likely to have had sex.
• 79 percent more likely to have tried alcohol.
• 84 percent more likely to have used illicit drugs.
• 94 percent more likely to have been in a physical fight.

Here’s an important note from the author of the study: "We are not saying texting causes these behaviors... We can recognize that these kinds of connections… may be facilitating or enabling these kinds of behaviors, but we certainly can't think of (the online connections) as causing them." So, if your teenager is a hyper texter or hyper networker, taking away their phone or internet access may not reduce their risks in the above categories but they are an indicator that you should pay more attention to your child’s activities.

WARNING TO MEN USING LAPTOPS!!!

A November 8, 2010 article published by Reuters reports placing a laptop computer on your lap might be, “cooking your gonads.” According to the article, “Turns out, unsurprisingly, that sitting with a computer on your lap will crank up the temperature of your nether regions, which could affect sperm quality.”
Authors of a study in the journal, Fertility and Sterility, say the only way you can prevent this is by putting your laptop on a desk or somewhere besides your lap. Even using a lap pad, the temperature quickly rises above the acceptable range. "Millions and millions of men are using laptops now, especially those in the reproductive age range," said Dr. Yefim Sheynkin, a Urologist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, who led the new study.
"Within 10 or 15 minutes, their scrotal temperature is already above what we consider safe, but they don't feel it," he added.
While we are on the subject…

What Men Should Know About Performance Issues & Testosterone

You can’t miss it. There seems to be a television commercial about it every two minutes. It’s either Viagra or Cialis for “performance” issues, or the new buzz-word, “Low T” for low testosterone. Well, here’s something very important you should know about testosterone and sexual problems...
According to an October 29, 2010 Reuters Health article, authors of a new study say, “we need a lot less testosterone for sexual function than people think.” Dr. Frederick Wu, a hormone expert at the University of Manchester, is quoted as saying, “Most people with erectile problems do not have hormone problems, but often have blockage in their penis arteries." They also state that very low levels of testosterone can cause a problem, but they are not sure what this level is.

McDonald’s, KFC & PepsiCo Help Write Health Policy!!!

Here’s something ironic: The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently passed a law stopping McDonald’s from putting toys in children’s Happy Meals.
According to Yahoo News 11/3/10: “The law, like an ordinance passed earlier this year in nearby Santa Clara County, would require that restaurant kids' meals meet certain nutritional standards before they could be sold with toys.”
At just about the same time, the UK Health Department “is putting the fast food companies, McDonald's, KFC and processed food and drink manufacturers such as PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Unilever Mars and Diageo, at the heart of writing government policy on obesity, alcohol and diet-related disease.”
Maybe Tobacco companies will be put in charge of smoking policies next?
And don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health talk to us. Contact us with your questions

Inspirational Story Of The Month –
(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

Are These Two People The Nicest In The World?

Couple Wins $11.3 Million In Lottery And Gives It Away!!!

Money is one of the biggest problems in most people’s lives.
Money is also one of the main reason’s couples fight and marriages end.
How would your life change if you suddenly were $11.3 million dollars richer?
What’s the first thing you would do with all that money? Go on a vacation? Buy a car? Buy a new house?
Just think: Your home mortgage, paid. Your credit card balances, gone. No more debt whatsoever. Unless, of course, you owe more than $11.3 million!
In a nutshell, you could live each and every day like you’ve always dreamed.
But, that’s never going to happen… right? There is no way you could ever have $11.3 million dumped in your lap. Well… Don’t Be So Sure… Because that’s exactly what happened to a retired couple in Canada. In July, they won $11.3 million in the lottery and boy did it instantly change their lives and the lives of so many others!
Seventy-eight year old Violet Large and her husband, Allen, said the money was nothing but a headache. Crooked people came out of the woodwork trying to scam them. People they hadn’t spoken to in years called asking for money.
Allen said, “That money that we won was nothing… we have each other.”
Violet said, “What you’ve never had, you never miss.” The couple got rid of the money as fast as they could.
They took care of family first and then began delivering donations to the local fire department, churches, cemeteries, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, hospitals in Truro and Halifax, where Violet underwent her cancer treatment, and organizations that fight cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes.
Violet told the Canadian press they only kept 2% of the money as savings for a rainy day. She feels great that the money is going to help so many people.
Here’s what’s really amazing about this couple: Violet was going through chemotherapy when the couple won the money.
They have been much more concerned with taking care of Violet’s health and getting everything in their lives in order than spending money on luxury.
“We haven't spent one cent on ourselves because we've been too busy getting everything looked after with my health. I have to wait to get my health back to get the energy to do anything,” said Violet. “We're not travelers anyway. We live in the country and we're proud of it. Money can't buy you health or happiness.”
Now, they are the talk of the town.
"People who know them just know that's the type of people they are—they're just happy to have each other," local restaurant owner Lori Hingley told the Canadian Press.
So, it’s time to ask that question again…
What’s The First Thing You Would Do With All That Money?
Maybe you would still buy a new house, boat and car. But, maybe after hearing about Violet and Allen, you will also view that money a little differently.
But, even more important is how you view your life right now, without that money.
As Allen said, “That money that we won was nothing. We have each other.”
That is the real take home message… love and appreciate what we have and not spend too much time pining over things we do not have.
Allen and Violet probably never realized how important their health was until cancer took it away. I guess the old saying is true…
We never realize what we’ve got until it’s gone. IT may be even harder to realize what we don’t need to be happy.
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger! Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!

Did You Know?... How times have changed! 100 years ago there were less than 20,000 motorcars in the whole world, a lot of them being electric cars. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph (16km/h). The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world at 1,063 ft (324 meters). Most women washed their hair only once a month using egg yolks for shampoo. Eggs cost about 10 cents per dozen. Pneumonia and influenza were the leading causes of death. In 1910, the population of the United States was 92 million and the world population was 1.7 billion people. Today, there are more cars manufactured than there is demand for them. There are about 1 billion cars and light trucks on the road, half of them in the United States. The roads are so congested in most cities, the average speed is just over 10 mph. The tallest building is the Burj Khalifa (formerly Burj Dubai) at 2,640 ft (800 meters). Women wash their hair on average once a week – using any of thousands of products. On average, eggs cost $2 per dozen. And, the leading causes of death are heart attacks, cancers, strokes, and motor accidents. Today, the population of the United States numbers 300 million and almost 7 billion roam the earth.

Tip Of The Month – Professor Loses 25 Pounds In 10 Weeks On “Twinkie Diet”…

Find out how someone can eat a Twinkie every 3 hours instead of meals, and lose a ton of weight! If you think you have to stop eating junk food to lose a ton of weight – this is going to shock you. Here is why: According to a November 8, 2010 CNN article, Mark Haub, a Professor of Human Nutrition at Kansas State University, lost 27 pounds in 10 weeks on his “Twinkie Diet.” What’s the “Twinkie Diet?” For 10 weeks, Mark ate a Twinkie every 3 hours instead of meals. Yes, you read that right. According to the article, “To add variety to his steady stream of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Haub munched on Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, too.” As it turns out, the good Professor was doing his own little experiment. His theory is that when it comes to weight loss, caloric intake is what’s most important, not the quality of food. So, Haub consumed fewer calories than he burned. He limited himself to less than 1,800 calories a day. A man of his size usually burns 2,700 calories per day. Results? His body mass index went from 28.8, considered overweight, to 24.9, which is normal. His weight went from 201 to 174 pounds. But wait... Just because he lost weight doesn’t necessarily mean he’s healthier, right? According to the article, Haub's ‘bad’ cholesterol, or LDL, dropped 20 percent and his ‘good’ cholesterol, or HDL, increased by 20 percent. He reduced the level of triglycerides, which are a form of fat, by 39 percent. “That’s where the head scratching comes," Haub said. "What does that mean? Does that mean I'm healthier? Or does it mean how we define health from a biology standpoint, that we’re missing something?” Great Point, Professor Haub… So let’s repeat it: “Or does it mean how we define health from a biology standpoint, that we’re missing something?” Clearly, how most people define health has made and kept them sick for a long, long time. For example, most people think that if you do not have physical symptoms, then you are not sick. If your back does not hurt, there is nothing wrong with it. If you don’t have a fever, aches and pains and don’t FEEL sick, you are not sick. Well, here’s a question for you: What’s the first symptom of heart disease? That’s right, a heart attack. But clearly, that heart attack was building for many years… even decades. What’s the point? The point is: There is a monstrous gap in between what many people, doctors and scientists consider “healthy” and what, in reality, actually IS healthy. Clearly, not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. In other words, REAL health is something science simply does not yet have the ability to measure. Just because it cannot be measured with the tools science presently has, does not mean it does not exist. That’s why, at some point, everyone has to make a decision about what’s best for them with the use of current scientific research and a little common sense. Ask yourself – is a Twinkie every 3 hours healthy, even if you lose weight?