October 5, 2003- Give It a Rinse

Rinsing food from cans may help control one of the risk factors for stomach cancer.

Research suggests that a diet high in sodium may be a risk factor for stomach cancer. Many canned foods, such as beans, vegetables, and tuna, contain ample amounts of salt. Rinsing the foods will help cut your sodium intake. Also, look for low-sodium varieties of your favorite canned or prepackaged foods.

Limiting your sodium intake to 1,600 milligrams or less per day can help with many cardiovascular diseases.

Source: Journal of Gastroenterology, ©2003

October 12, 2003- What a Grind

Reducing your caffeine intake may help keep nighttime teeth grinding and jaw clenching to a minimum.

Consuming stimulants such as caffeine appears to increase the risk of bruxism, a sleep disorder characterized by nighttime teeth grinding or jaw clenching that can damage teeth. If you grind, cut back on caffeine and see your dentist or doctor for more advice.

Bruxism is the third most common form of sleep disorder after snoring and sleep talking. Signs and symptoms include severe, loud teeth grinding; worn tooth tips; worn tooth enamel; increased tooth sensitivity; jaw clenching; jaw pain; jaw popping or clicking; dull morning headaches, and chronic facial pain. Bruxism often is associated with stress, anxiety, anger, or other emotional disturbances.

Source: Medicine and Science, ©2003

October 19, 2003- Pumpkin Eater

Adding some pumpkin to your fall recipes may bring you some extra protection from cancer.

Pumpkin is an excellent source of beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. Studies show that a diet high in beta carotene-rich fruits and vegetables, such as pumpkin, may help to reduce the risk of certain cancers, such as breast cancer. Add canned or cooked pumpkin to your favorite soups for a heartier stock.

Researchers suspect that nutrients such as beta carotene work synergistically with the other nutrients in whole fruits and vegetables to produce an anti-carcinogenic effect. Be sure to aim for four servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables per day.

Source: European Journal of Cancer, ©2003

October 26, 2003- Battery Replacement During Fall Back

Twice a year, you need to change your clocks one hour.  This past weekend, we all had to turn our clocks back one hour.  There is something else you should do that could save your life someday.  Nearly all smoke alarms now have a battery in them, the time change is a perfect reminder to change the batteries in ALL of your smoke alarms.

Make sure you replace all the batteries and test each one of them.  This quick test and low maintenance care of your smoke alarm keeps it working in times you need it most.

Source: Brook West Chiropractic Clinic, ©2003