Raleigh Chiropractor Recommends Castor Oil Packs

Castor Oil Packs

One of the most useful home therapies I recommend to patients is the use of castor oil packs.  I've read that humankind has been using castor oil packs for about 3000 years.  During the Middle Ages, castor oil was known as the Oil of Christ. 

I recommend castor oil packs for their detoxification and anti-inflammatory properties.  The packs can be applied to the lower abdomen for assistance with digestive distress (constipation, IBS, chronic indigestion and bloating), menstrual cramps, uterine fibroids, UTI prevention, cystitis, as well as to the breasts and liver.  The heat provided by the castor oil pack helps to provide warmth to organs that are over-stimulated.  The pack also has strong detoxifcation qualities and has been known to assist with bile flow in the liver and inflammation in organs or joints.  I do not recommend using the packs on the head.

To make a castor oil pack, you’ll need a good quality castor oil, a wool flannel, hot water bottle/heating pad, plastic and rags/towels. Most natural food stores sell both the castor oil and wool flannel.

First, cut in half a plastic grocery bag and lay flat. Pour or soak the flannel in the castor oil until saturated but do not let it drip. Lay the soaked flannel across the abdomen and place the open plastic bag on top. Next, place a rag or old towel on top and then the hot water bottle/heating pad. Lie still for 45-60 minutes. When finished, remove the flannel and wash the area with a solution of baking soda and water. Beware that castor oil can stain so keep away from clothing. 


I generally recommend the castor oil pack every 2-3 days until symptoms improve. 

Jennifer Greenfield D.C.

Raleigh Chiropractor Recommends Castor Oil Packs

Raleigh Chiropractor Recommends Eating Beets

Beets are a wonderful food not only for general health but especially for liver health. Now that summer is winding down, I’m starting to think of the root vegetables which generally color my plate in the fall and winter. The most common beet available is the red beet, but golden beets are also available.

To get the most out of beets, I recommend eating the red beets. Beets pack a nutritional punch for the liver because they contains phytonutrients called betalains and betaine. The phytonutrients are supportive and protective of the liver and a healthy liver is vital to keep the body fit, trim, and young.

Not only are the beets themselves healthy and tasty but beet greens are fabulous as well. When I grow beets in my garden, I choose varieties that have abundant green leaves on the top.

Since many people are unfamiliar with beets and how to prepare them, I have some website suggestions for more information

• The World’s Healthiest Foods: http://www.whfoods.com
• Issue 10 (November/December 2009) has a great article called Just Beet It

• One of my favorite blogs has information on roasting beets, http://www.elanaspantry.com/how-to-roast-beets/, plus making beet hummus http://www.elanaspantry.com/beet-hummus/.

• http://sites.google.com/site/spiritualfoodcsa/food-a-pedia/beets

Roasted beets and butternut squash (or sweet potatoes) are a staple in my house during the cooler months of the year. Sauteed beet greens make a tasty side dish to any meal. I also make a beverage called Beet Kvass, which is for the more adventurous beet eaters.  Email me at drgreenfield@yahoo.com for more info on the Kvass. The only thing I don’t recommend is eating beets from a can. Canned food has little nutritional value. Fresh is always best.


I was not an adventurous eater as a child or even a young adult. I remember the “yuck factor” when tasting a pickled beet while in my early 20s. But once I taught myself to cook and experimented with vegetables, I learned to love beets and beet greens. I encourage you to give beets a try.

And a final note…if you eat beets, please be mindful that the color of your urine and stool will turn red. So, no, you are not bleeding, it’s a result of the beets!

Happy Eating!

Jennifer Greenfield D.C.

Beets from my garden, 2009

Raleigh Chiropractor Recommends Eating Beets

Feeling lazy, neurotic or depressed? You may have an adrenal deficiency.

I'm just SO TIRED

I am so depressed!

I never have energy

These three sentences are some of the most common in the healthcare field. In fact, fatigue and depression are a huge contributing factor to the success of the pharmaceutical industry. Not to mention the recent boom of energy drinks on the market.

While many factors can come into  play when discussing these symptoms a large part of the population is actually experiencing adrenal fatigue. In fact up to 90% of the population has some level of adrenal fatigue. So what is this condition and what can you do about it?

What are the adrenal glands?

They are 2 small endocrine glands, the size of a walnut, that sit on top of each kidney.

What do the Adrenal Glands do?

They are the “stress handling” glands.  They produce a variety of hormones that help you handle all types of stress – physical, mental or emotional.  They seek to keep your body functioning in a dynamic balance (homeostasis) amidst whatever external changes or challenges you meet.  They help mobilize you for “fight of flight” in a dangerous situation.

They control:

1. fluid balance
2. blood sugar balance in between meals
3. inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses to injury or invasion
4. immune system response and strength

They produce the steroid hormones which:

1. are the vitality hormones that determine overall strength, energy and stamina
2. provide a sense of well-being and maintain healthy mood and emotion
3. are on the backup system for sex hormones, and so are vital for everything from healthy pregnancy to healthy menopause, potency and fertility
4. when functioning in healthy levels and proportions, provide protection against all forms of dis-ease.

 How well you live depends to a large degree upon how well your adrenal glands function!

Adrenal Fatigue

1.        Adrenal Fatigue is not recognized by conventional medicine.  Only the extremes of Addison’s disease or Cushing’s disease are recognized.

2.        Probably 90% of the population is in some degree of adrenal stress or fatigue.

3.        Weak adrenal function sets the stage for a host of other conditions to appear and progress, including digestive problems, allergies, chronic fatigue, hypothyroidism, immune system weakness, diabetes, degenerative diseases and cancer.

4.        Traditional blood tests are almost always normal even though the patient is clearly not well and presents with a host of signs and symptoms.  These patients have often been told, “There’s nothing wrong, it’s all in your head,” or have been branded as a hypochondriac, lazy, neurotic or a difficult patient.

How do you "fix" adrenal fatigue?

The best thing to do is to contact your trusted acupuncturist, chiropractor or holistic nutritionist to discuss your options. Whole food and herbal supplements are usually used to treat this condition but first you should undergo a simple saliva test to see if you are truly experiencing this condition. If you are in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill-Wake Forest area call Dr. Jennifer Greenfield at Center for Chiropractic &Wellness (919-845-3280) to set up your appointment. She was recently voted best chiropractor in the triangle by the Independent, and she has extensive experience and focus with hormones and nutrition related to adrenal fatigue.

Some supplemental suggestions may include Rhodiola &Ginseng, Rehmannia and Ashwaganda, Cataplex B, or Drenamin. High Grade Licorice is also recommended in many cases. The herbs/whole food supplements prescribed to you should be done by a professional and on a specific case by case basis after that professional has reviewed your test and your chart. Monthly follow-ups should be done to re-assess your dosages for the most effective results.

Feeling lazy, neurotic or depressed? You may have an adrenal deficiency.

Yoga labeled as woman's domain: Men are missing out on the benefits!

A world turned upside down—that's yoga for most men because, unlike football, hockey, or baseball yoga is, seemingly, a woman's domain. According to a 2005 Yoga Journal market study, 77 percent of the yoga practitioners in America are female. Legendary teachers like Anusara Yoga founder John Friend and Power Yoga instructor Baron Baptiste believe the numbers might be even higher.

It's not that men don't know they are missing. Nowadays, there seems to be a yoga studio on every corner; Raleigh alone has more than a dozen of quality studios. Men see their wives, girlfriends, and girl-friends strutting yoga fit bods, standing proud and tall, and living a tranquil yet productive lifestyle due to the practice, but most men still refuse to try the discipline.

So why do so many men stay away? A recent   yoga journal article shows that  there are "social, physical, and emotional realities that discourage men from practicing."  It takes a "strong" man and a brave man to tackle the discipline because not only is it socially unacceptable fr a man to hit up a yoga studio for a session of zen and flow, it also forces men to delve deeper into their phsyical and emotional databases that they are used to doing with a game of pickup soccer, for example. Read HERE for a further explanation of these three obstacles and what you can do to overcome them.

As an aspiring Yogi and lover of the discipline, I recommend yoga to all demographics; male or female, indian or latino, young or old...

But why?

Yoga enables presence of mind and body. In today's society we are so bogged down by the future, the next step, the next turn that we forget to see the forest for the trees. Practicing presence, or staying in the moment as many people call it actually enhances productivity and balance. Yoga enables this process to begin for many through the awareness of and importance of breathing and posture, one breaht a

Yoga balances strength with flexibility: Many lifelong athletes have a repertoire of injuries. They may be strong or have a lot of cardio endurance but they neglect to stretch enough. Yoga combines strength and endurance techniques with flexibility all in one package. Preventing injuries is a total plus!

Yoga lubricates  the joints, ligaments and tendons: yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body. it has been found that the body which may have been quite rigid starts experiencing a remarkable flexibility in even those parts which have not been consciously work upon. Why? It is here that the remarkable research behind yoga positions proves its mettle. Seemingly unrelated “non strenuous” yoga positions act upon certain parts of the body in an interrelated manner. When done together, they work in harmony to create a situation where flexibility is attained relatively easily.

Yoga massages the organs: Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity which massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner, including those – such as the prostate - that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.

So get "bendy" men. The benefits far outweigh the social stigma, and your bodies will thank you. Your women friends will probably like it too :)

For a list of Raleigh Yoga Studios please visit this link

Yoga labeled as woman's domain: Men are missing out on the benefits!

Barbequing safety for 4th of July Holiday

Barbecuing is one of America’s favorite pastimes, especially during Fourth of July weekend. However, it’s hard to believe that this enjoyable and easy meal option can cause food poisoning and even cancer! ChicagoHealers.com Dr. Martha Howard M.D. provides the following tips for staying safe during summer grilling:

Safety Hazards:

• An April 2006 presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research showed that when PhIP, a barbecue/char chemical, was added to rats’ food, they developed cancerous changes in their intestines, spleens and prostates within four weeks.
• HCAs, hetero-cyclic amines, are also produced when meat is charred. This compound can increase the risk of breast, stomach, colon, and prostate cancer.
• PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are produced by smoking fat from chicken, fish or meat and can damage lung, liver, skin and kidney tissue. 

Tips for Safe Barbecuing:

• Clean the grill: get rid of the old fats left over from previous meals.
• Avoid petroleum starters for charcoal: If you use charcoal, use a wood starter and stack your charcoal up in a 2 pound metal can with the ends cut off. Lift off the can with tongs and spread out the coals when they are well started.
• Proper timing: Avoid a time gap between opening the valve and starting the grill.
• Wash your hands: Keep your hands clean and use separate plates and cutting boards for raw and cooked meats.  Be sure to wash hands again before putting on long, heat-proof barbecue gloves.
• Trim meat: Trim most of the fat from meat; less fat means fewer PAHs. 
• Use marinades: This protects the meat from charring.  Put the marinade on, and refrigerate until use. Don’t let meat sit out.
• Pre-cooking: Use pre-cooking prior to grilling, especially for items like raw brats. Avoid taking burgers, chicken or other meats directly from the freezer to the grill.
• Cutting techniques: Cut meat and chicken into smaller pieces so they cook through.
• Flipping: Turn down the fire, and turn your burgers, steaks, chops, or chicken often, so they cook through, and come out golden brown.
• Meat thermometer: If you are cooking a thicker portion of meat or chicken, use a meat thermometer. 
• Chicken:  165 degrees 
• Hamburger: 160 degrees
• Pork: 150 degrees
• Hot dogs: 140 degrees 
• Steak: 145 degrees for medium rare and 160 degrees for medium.
• Cleaning up: At the end of the barbecue, be sure to put out your charcoal completely, and if you are using propane, be sure the valve is turned off.

Barbequing safety for 4th of July Holiday

WellnessTip: Understanding Osteoarthritis

For decades, osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, has been considered a part of aging. Recent research points out, however, that older people don’t have to suffer from osteoarthritic pain. And, surprisingly, people much younger than 65 can develop osteoarthritis.

What Is Osteoarthritis?

• Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage—slippery tissue on the ends of bones that meet in a joint. Normally, cartilage helps bones glide over one another. In a patient with osteoarthritis, however, the cartilage is broken down and eventually wears away. As a result, instead of gliding, bones rub against each other, causing pain, swelling and loss of motion.

• Although the majority of patients with osteoarthritis are 65 and older, recent research shows that osteoarthritis is not a by-product of aging. Family history of osteoarthritis, being overweight, lack of exercise and prior joint injuries are suggested risk factors.
• Osteoarthritis is diagnosed through a combination of clinical history, patient examination and X-rays. Other tests, such as drawing fluid from the joint, are sometimes used.

What Are Signs of Osteoarthritis?

• Steady or intermittent joint pain
• Joint stiffness after sitting, sleeping or otherwise not moving for a long time
• Swelling or tenderness in the joints
• A crunching feeling or the sound of bones rubbing against each other

Should Osteoarthritis Patients Exercise?

• Exercise is one of the best forms of osteoarthritis treatment and prevention. It strengthens the muscular support around the joints and improves and maintains joint mobility and function.
• Exercise helps control weight and improve the patient’s mood and outlook.
• Low-impact or non-weight-bearing activities, such as walking, stationary training, and light weight training, work best for patients with osteoarthritis.
• Strengthening exercises help tone the key muscle groups that relate to the function of the joints that may be weakened by the degeneration.
• If you are overweight, start exercising carefully, so as not to put too much stress on the knee and ankle joints.
• Stair climbing, water aerobics, Theraband workouts and similar exercises will help to keep the joints mobile without straining them.
• When exercising, learn to read the body’s signals and know when to stop, slow down or rest.

How Can Your Doctor of Chiropractic Help?

• Doctors of chiropractic, by the nature of their work, can detect the earliest degenerative changes in the joints. They see the impact of degenerative changes in the spine, as well as in the hips, knees and other weight-bearing joints.
• Doctors of chiropractic are also trained to relieve the pain and improve joint function through natural therapies, such as chiropractic manipulation, trigger-point therapy or some massage techniques.
• Doctors of chiropractic can provide exercise counseling, helping you choose exercises that are best for you. If a sore or swollen joint prevents you from exercising, talk to your doctor of chiropractic about other drug-free pain-relief options, such as applying heat or cold to the affected area.
• Your doctor of chiropractic can help you choose proper supplements that play important roles in osteoarthritis prevention and treatment.

 
 From the ChiroVoice Newsletter

WellnessTip: Understanding Osteoarthritis

Link Lovin': Spread the Love with a Click (or a few)

Here is the second Link Lovin' source list for June:

Food Renegade is one of my favorite blogs. In this article dated May 13 this wonderful blogger discusses research should you wear sunscreen? Already has 15K viewers!
For more on this topic let me refer back to the Environmental Working Groups Shopper's Guide to Safer Sunscreens.

Now, as school is out for many students right now, what a better time than the present to start your kids eating better. For helpful tips on a truly nourishing diet check out the Nourishing Our Children Foundation .

For a tasty bite try Karina's Kitchen Pomegranate Smoothie...it promises to be drool-worthy and full of antioxidants!

Link Lovin': Spread the Love with a Click (or a few)

Kathy's Summer Massage Specials for active families

Youth Special
Summer is a time for children's active play, summer swim team, soccer and other sports camps. It is a fun time but the constant go-go-go can wear on your kids muscles, especially if they are not engaging in proper stretching before and after activity. If your child has been active this summer consider treating your children to a 1/2 hour sports massage.


 
Adults who play like kids special
Are you an active adult? Gym Junkie, Trail Runner, Triathlete, Marathon Runner, Masters Swimmer, or just plain active parent busy running after your kids? Then take advantage of our massage special.



Both Specials consist of a 1/2 hour sports massage for $30.
We look forward to treating you!

Kathy's Summer Massage Specials for active families

Center for Chiropractic & Wellness Voted Best in the Triangle 2010!

Center for Chiropractic &Wellness has been nominated and selected as the best in the triangle 2010 for Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Holistic Medicine. Thank you to all of our friends and patrons who thought us worthy to receive this honor. We accept it with love and appreciation to you all! 

Please share this good news with all your friends and family. The more people we help the more we are able to further our mission of health &wellness for the triangle!

 

Center for Chiropractic & Wellness Voted Best in the Triangle 2010!

Center for Chiropractic & Wellness Recommends "Real Food on a Real Budget"

Real Food on a Real Budget is written as a primer for families who want to learn how to save an average of 20-30% on their food budget while  serving better quality and more nutritionally dense foods.
Based on 6 years of hands-on experience and hundreds of hours of research, Real Food on a Real Budget is packed with practical tips and suggestions to help you become a better a steward of both your finances and your health.

What You Can Expect to Learn:

• How to shave literally hundreds and potentially even thousands off of your grocery expenses every year, without compromising on what you buy!
• How to establish a realistic food budget for your unique family, and actually stick to it.
• How to provide better nutrition and cost effectiveness through a meal planning method that suits you best.
• How to find places to buy whole and traditional foods wherever you live and compare prices so that you know you're getting the absolute best deals.
• Why, what and how to buy in bulk and what to do with all that food!
• Which foods are both nutrient-dense, cost-effective, and how to work your diet around them.
• Why cooking from scratch is key to eating real foods, how to find the time to do it, and how to use that time as effectively as possible.
• Why you should purchase your foods seasonally and locally, preserve them for cheaper year-round eats, and even grow them yourself.
• How to evaluate whether couponing can work for you and help to stretch your budget just a little bit further.
• Countless tips for practicing frugality in your kitchen.
• And more...

Download this PDF file to read a preview copy from the Introduction chapter.

Real Food on a Real Budget (Preview)

(Click on it once, it will take you to a new page with a link- when you click that link the file will open/download)

Center for Chiropractic & Wellness Recommends "Real Food on a Real Budget"

Benefit of Selenium in Brazil Nuts for Prostate Cancer, Hepatitis C, Cancer, and more.

These nuts are extremely nutrient-rich and contain protein, copper, niacin, magnesium, fiber, vitamin E and selenium. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that works to neutralize dangerous free radicals. A study at the University of Illinois even found that the high amounts of selenium in Brazil nuts may help prevent breast cancer.

Selenium is not only showing to be helpful for breast cancer, it is also critical for prostate health.

According to a study conducted at Harvard Medical School in Boston, one in four men has an inherited genetic vulnerability, which may be a factor in development of prostate cancer. When levels of certain antioxidants such as selenium, vitamin E, and lycopene are low, oxidative stress can lead to disease. An easy way of getting the necessary source of selenium needed to reduce the stress load leading to prostate cancer is to incorporate a small amount of brazil nuts every day. Two freshly hulled Brazil nuts each day provide the recommended daily requirement of 200 micrograms. If you purchase the nuts already shelled, consume 8-16 nuts to obtain the same benefit. An easy enough fete! Read more at Brazil Nuts and Prostate Health: Selenium-Packed Nuggets Protect Males Against Common Cancer

Additional health benefits of Selenium and Brazil Nuts can be found everywhere you look when researching the subject. For example, according to research published in the January 2007 Archives of Internal Medicine, daily selenium supplements appear to suppress the progression of the viral load in patients with HIV infection. According to Burt Berkson, MD, PhD on the subject of Hepatitis C "Selenium acts as a birth control for the virus".

Author of Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon, has talked much about the health benefits of Brazil Nuts. Some examples of her comments are below:

"A vital antioxidant, selenium acts with vitamin E to protect the immune system and maintain healthy heart function. It is needed for pancreatic function and tissue elasticity and has been shown to protect against radiation and toxic minerals. High levels of heart disease are associated with selenium-deficient soil in Finland and a tendency to fibrotic heart lesions is associated with selenium deficiency in parts of China. Best sources are butter, Brazil nuts, seafood and grains grown in selenium-rich soil." (1)

In addition, Sally Fallon discusses the importance of specific nutrients for the relief of PMS and menstrual disorders here. She identifies Brazil nuts as a rich source of Calcium, important for PMS among other things.

Side Note:

"Improperly prepared nuts are very difficult to digest without depleting your store of digestive enzymes, making it difficult for you to gather any nutrients from the food you eat. Commercially available roasted nuts are most likely not soaked first which means they still have enzyme inhibitors. To make the awesome storehouse of nutrients in nuts available to you, you can soak and sprout them or follow this recipe."--Sally Fallon (1)

(1) Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Policitally Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD., Revised Second Edition, ©2001, pp-40-45, NewTrends Publishing (877) 707-1776,

Benefit of Selenium in Brazil Nuts for Prostate Cancer, Hepatitis C, Cancer, and more.

Raleigh Chiropractors include Nutritional Support for treatment of Vertebral Subluxations

"Subluxations can go undetected for years, and can affect any system in the body. Seeing your chiropractor will help ensure that your body is in proper alignment."

"At our office, we believe that given the proper nutrition, your body has the amazing capability of healing itself. We also beleive that nutrition should be individualized to meet each patient's needs. For these reasons and many more, we proudly recommend Standard Process whole food supplements."

What are Subluxations?

In a healthy spine the vertebrae are "stacked" (or aligned) so that the nerves from the spinal cord are free to properly function. Even if one bone is misaligned, the spine is said to be subluxated. These subluxations may interfere with proper nerve function when nerves can't fire signals to and from the brain effectively. This may result in improper functioning of not only the spine but also organs, glands, muscles or other tissues that are controlled by nerve impulses.

The Stress Factor

Physical and Emotional Stress go hand in hand with subluxations. Poor posture, repetitive motion of any part of the body, or lifting improperly can lead to physical stress on the nerves and spine. Emotional Stress on the other hand can create tension which causes the ligaments and muscles affected by the same nerves to tighten significantly. Any of these situations from stress can easily cause the spine to become subluxated.

Where does Nutrition comes in to play?

While re-aligning the spine through chiropractic adjustments is important for the bodies ability to function normally many chiropractors don't identify an equally, if not more important factor contributing to these subluxations: NUTRITION. Identifying nutritional challenges is essential to spinal health and stability because these challenges can and often do affect nerve function. Proper nutrition through diet and whole food supplementation promotes overall health and provides the human body with the essential building blocks neccesary for tissue repair. The Standard Process and MediHerb Supplement lines work with your bodies synergies to support you and your spine throughout your chiropractic care. At CCW we realize this and we incorporate these products when needed into our treatment process.

Below are some examples of supplements used in treatment of specific areas commonly affected by subluxations:

Joints: difficulty turning and/or bending? This is often caused by improper motion or position of spinal bones

• Glucosamine Synergy: Supports the body's natural cartilage, ligament, and bone regeneration function
• Boswellia Complex: Supports Healthy Joints and circulation; provides antioxidant protection

Nerves: numbness, tingling? Often caused by improper spinal function which irritates delicate nerve tissue.

• Neuroplex Supports a healthy central nervous system (especially the brain)
• Cataplex B contains B vitamins; helps to maintain nerve health

Muscles: tension, weakness? Addresses the natural anti-inflammatory resonse

• Myo-Plus Supports the healthy functioning of the muscular system with naturally occuring coenzymes
• Calcium Lactate/Magnesium Lactate facilitates muscle contraction

Tissues: warmth or tenderness? often caused by Ca deposits, compromising spinal movement and function.

• Ligaplex II feeds the musculoskeletal system and facilitates freedom of movement
• Tuna Omega-3 Oil Supports a healthy inflammatory response
• Gotu Kola Complex Promotes healthy connective tissue and supports the bodies normal tissue repair process

Spine: Restricted Movement?

• Calcifood helps the body build healthy bones
• Ostrophin PMG maintains healthy bone function
• Cataplex D helps maintain a healthy level of Ca in the blood

Raleigh Chiropractors include Nutritional Support for treatment of Vertebral Subluxations

Top 10 Healthy Restaurants in NC's Triangle area

The following are some of my favorite haunts for healthy eating and socializing. You will find restaurants from all over the triangle as well as varying price ranges. Please let me know what you think of my suggestions by commenting on this post.

1. Zely & Ritz : Organic, local tapas. AMAZING!
2. Zest Cafe and Home Art : Right off six forks...one of the best salads i've ever had was the salmon salad
3. Panzanella: fantastic Sunday Brunch
4. Butternut Squash Restaurant : organic food, great environment
5. Mint Indian Cuisine : some of the best Indian food i've ever tasted, not to mention local and organic.
6. Weaver Street Market: Great variety, wonderful atmosphere, friendly people...especially on Sunday.
7. Irregardless Cafe: Great vegetarian options right downtown in Raleigh
8. Whole Foods Market: You can't go wrong with the salad bar and the Sunday Brunch.
9. Jason's Deli: Some organic options and always fresh ingredients.
10. Neomande Deli and Bakery: a local legend...locations in Raleigh and Morrisville
    

Places i'm eager to try...they may make my next top ten list, who knows?!

La Shish Greek and Lebanese Food: This review from the N&O makes my mouth water!

• "Kebabs -- chicken, lamb, kofta and beef tenderloin -- are consistently toothsome, and salads are fresh. Attention to detail and authenticity are evident everywhere you look (and taste), from the dusting of sumac on the creamy hummus to the minty brightness of the tzatziki to the whisper of orange blossom in the fresh-squeezed lemonade. Beef shawarma is succulent against a backdrop of caramelized onion, and spanakopita...is stellar."

Tower Restaurant:

• I am professional cook myself, I bet u can never find a better authentic food in the Triangle area or in the Carolinas, Texas has a couple which can compete with the quality of food. I enjoyed everything on the menu and had nothing to complain of. It is pricey a bit, but compared to the food, I would say , It's moderate. Sambar and rasam was ...

Top 10 Healthy Restaurants in NC's Triangle area

Cancer Prevention Tips: Raleigh Wellness Center discusses easy tips

1. Focus on healthy diet: Science supports the importance of eating fresh fruit and vegetables and low intake of animal protein and casein (dairy protein) in preventing and reducing the risk of cancer by 30-60%. Try the low-carb Meditteranean Diet for a great basic diet. Essential Fatty Acids are neccesary for health and healing. Great sources are Coconut Oil, Butter, Flax, Hemp Seed Oil, Avocado, Eggs and more.

2. Exercise: People who exercise 6 days a week lower the risk of getting cancer by more than 30%. Try to move and stretch any chance you get all day long. Take a lap around your house or office building on a break. Stretch and stand up for a quick walk to the water cooler...you get the idea.

3. Sleep: Sleeping 7-8 hours a night increases hormone production and immune system boosters. The result is reduced risk of cancer. Eliminate intake of caffeine especially after lunch. Drink a lot of water to expel toxins and stimulants from the body.

4. Stress management: Addressing stressors and managing their impact on the human body decreases cancer risk significantly. Get an Adrenal Stress Index Saliva test done to see how your adrenal glands are currently functioning and how you can possibly support them nutritionally to handle stress levels better.

5. Eliminating alcohol: People who consume more than 7 drinks per week have 60% higher risk of developing cancer. Alcohol is directly connected to increased risk of pancreatic, stomach, liver and liver cancers. Limiting the quantity and frequency of alcohol intake decreases risk of cancer.

6. Obesity and diabetes: 20% higher risk of colon cancer and of course all other types of cancer and diseases. See points 1&2. Move and Eat right...simple as that

7. Smoking: Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, vocal chord cancer, and throat and bladder cancer.

8. Birth control pills: They increase the risk of liver cancer and other synthetic hormones are associated with increased incidence of female organ cancers like ovarian, breast and uterine cancers. Also avoid soy as it can increase estrogen levels causing early puberty in women and increased cancer risk as well as lower testosterone levels in men.

Cancer Prevention Tips: Raleigh Wellness Center discusses easy tips

Reinventing the School Lunch- Ann Cooper

Back to School means school lunches for many people. Whether choosing government subsidized or privately funded school lunches for cost, convenience, or sheer habits sake many children are often left with low quality and low nutrient dense food as their sole source of sustanance throughout the day. Studies have shown that a diet of this low caliber can result in food allergies, learning disabilites, behavioral problems and much more.

So other, than meticulously pack your child's lunch with the hope that they aren't tossing their organic carrot sticks for the cafeterias cheese pizza what is a mom or dad to do?

Cafeteria reform is not an urban myth. Parents can do something about what schools feed their children. Proof is in the "pudding" so to speak...Just ask this Chef...

"Chef Ann Cooper is a renegade lunch lady. She works to transform cafeterias into culinary classrooms for students — one school lunch at a time.

At The Ross School in East Hampton, NY, Chef Ann served as the executive chef and director of wellness and nutrition, developing an integrated school lunch curriculum centered on regional, organic, seasonal and sustainable meals. The implementation of her pilot wellness program proved successful, and Chef Ann was invited to work with schools across the country. She has transformed public school cafeterias in New York City, Harlem and Bridgehampton, NY, and now in Berkeley, CA, to teach more students why good food choices matter by putting innovative strategies to work and providing fresh, organic lunches to all students.

Chef Ann offers consulting services for school administrators, revamping their school lunch programs and offering nutrition and food choice education to students. She works with schools to incorporate integrated school lunch curriculums that not only promote nutrition and food education, but serve healthful foods and increase the availability of healthy food and nutrition choices for kids and teens. Through collaborative work with organizations including the Center for Ecoliteracy, Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Food and Society Policy Fellowship, Chef Ann has made tremendous strides in a variety of school wellness programs." http://www.lunchlessons.org/html_v2/about.html

Chef Ann is the author of

• "In Mother's Kitchen: Celebrated Women Chefs Share Beloved Family Recipes" (2005);
  
• "Bitter Harvest: A Chef's Perspective on the Hidden Dangers in the Foods We Eat and What You Can do About It" (2000), a glimpse into food safety and the dangers of every day meals; and
• "A Woman's Place is in the Kitchen: The Evolution of Women Chefs" (1998).

Check out these sample menus so you can show YOUR school system that eating healthy is NOT a lost cause!

Sample Elementary School Menu to show your principle/PTA
Sample Middle School Menu to show your principle/PTA

Reinventing the School Lunch- Ann Cooper

Your Bodies Reaction to Drinking a Soda

Do you know why you feel all "giddy" after drinking a Soda...a Coke for example? It is because your body literally gets "high." Here is how Coke, despite the lack of cocaine (an original ingredient), effects your body in a way that causes dependency and addiction:

First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (THAT IS A LOT BY THE WAY) You don’t immediately vomit from the excessive sugar ONLY because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.

10 more minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver then turns any sugar it can get its hands on into fat.

2o more minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.

5 minutes later Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. Heroin works this way too.

In under an hour:

• The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of Calcium
• The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play and you will inevitably have to use the bathroom losing water, and unfortunately the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium and other electrolytes. Therefore the Coke isn't just dehydrating you, its taking away vital nutrients from your body that are needed for cell and bone repair and strength, energy, and much more.
  
• As the rave inside of you dies down you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish.

This will all be followed by a caffeine crash in the next few hours. What then? Have another Coke? (see the point?)

Words on foodstuff labels that mean SUGAR:

• Saccharose,
  
• Sucanat,
  
• Sugar,
  
• Granulated Sugar,
  
• Refined Sugar,
  
• Brown Sugar,
  
• Cane Juice,
  
• Evaporated Cane Juice,
  
• Evaporated Cane Sugar,
  
• Cane Sugar,
  
• Raw Cane Sugar,
  
• Demerera,
  
• Muscovado,
  
• Turbinado,
  
• Cane syrup,
  
• Beet syrup,
  
• Baker's Sugar,
  
• Bar Sugar,
  
• Barbados Sugar,
  
• Berry Sugar,
  
• Chinese Rock Sugar ,
  
• Confectioners Sugar,
  
• Gemsugar,
  
• Polincillo,
  
• Rock sugar,
  
• Wasanbon
  
• AND MORE...
  

Your Bodies Reaction to Drinking a Soda

Energize Your Life: Is Tribulus Right For You?

Do You Feel Depleted? Are you having a hard time exercising because your body is just ...well....tired? Do you feel off kilter, off balance, not yourself?

Tribulus (by Standard Process and MediHerb) may be part of the answer to regaining yourself!

"Tribulus contains an extract of Tribulus terrestris herb (aerial parts - leaves and stems) and contains steroidal saponins, mainly furostanol glycosides (including protodioscin and protogracillin) and small quantities of spirostanol glycosides, sterols and other compounds. This product is standardized to ensure optimal strength and quality. The compounds in Tribulus work together to:

* support normal reproductive function in men and women
* support normal hormone production in men and women
* promote vitality and stamina
* support physical endurance
* promote an overall feeling of well-being

Caution: Not to be used during pregnancy and lactation unless otherwise directed by a qualified health care professional."

Contact Center for Chiropractic & Wellness, the offices of Dr. Jennifer Greenfield and Dr. Darcy Ward in association with Dr. Thomas Young, Brian Kramer L.Ac, and Kathy Wilson LMBT to learn if this herbal (completely NON-SYNTHETIC) supplement could be the answer for your wellbeing!

Energize Your Life: Is Tribulus Right For You?

DETOXIFICATION Informational Session Tomorrow!

I just wanted to blog a quick reminder to all of you with a reminder of our upcoming Detox Bootcamp. The Informational Sessions will be held this Thursday at either 1pm or 6pm in the Stone Wolfe Cafe area across the hall from our office. Please join us to learn more and to get your products ordered.

here is a reminder of the benefits of this amazing program:

Due to the great success of our last Detoxification Bootcamp this Winter combined with the high demand for the program to return we have decided to reinstate our bootcamp. The foundation of this 21-day purification program includes eating whole, organic, and unprocessed foods; taking whole food supplements; and drinking plenty of water. You will eat vegetables and fruit from days 1-10, with select proteins added at day 11. It's simple, yet clinically HIGHLY effective for the following health issues:

Improved weight management results

Increased energy

Better digestion

Less bloating

Clearer skin

Shinier hair

Disappearance or lessening of past conditions

GO to this site for more information, recipes, and links: http://ccwwellness-detox.blogspot.com

If you are currently a patient of CCW you will only need to call our office (919) 845-3280 to sign up for the program ASAP and to order the product kit. Included in the price of the product kit (complimentary to) are 4-5 free group meetings with your support group and wellness coordinator, which will give you a chance to address any and all questions or concerns as well as to get helpful hints, recipes, and more to increase your success on this program. In addition, free one on one meetings with your Wellness Coordinator are always available through out the week for nutritional guidance and support.

If you are currently not a patient you will need to sign up for a New Patient Appointment with either Dr. Jennifer Greenfield or Dr. Thomas Young before we can include you in the bootcamp. After this meeting the cost will be the same as it is for existing patients.

DETOXIFICATION Informational Session Tomorrow!

Patient Appreciation Day

Samples, giveaways, demonstrations, refreshments, and 10% of proceeds go to Family Support Network of Wake County

Samples: glee gum, affordable mineral makeup, vermont bee balm, vitamyn toothpaste and mouthwash, wingsets organic bug repellant, econatura linen care and sunblock, bumble bars, raw revolution whole food bars, aubrey organics makeup, and more!

Demonstrations: massage, acupuncture, non-thermal laser

Rosie's Plate providing refreshments

Make Your Appointments Today by calling 919.845.3280

Patient Appreciation Day

Hidden Sugar: Recognizing Sugar Sources

Below is a list of terms that you should recognize as meaning that sugar is in a certain food.

• Barley malt,
• beet sugar,
  
• brown sugar,
  
• buttered syrup,
• cane-juice crystals,
  
• cane sugar,
  
• caramel,
  
• carob,
  
• syrup,
  
• corn syrup,
  
• date sugar,
  
• dextran,
  
• dextrose,
  
• diastase,
  
• diastatic malt,
  
• ethyl maltol,
  
• fructose,
  
• fruit juice or fruit juice concentrate,
  
• glucose,
  
• glucose solid,
  
• golden sugar,
  
• golden syrup,
  
• grape sugar,
  
• high-fructose corn syrup,
  
• honey,
  
• invert sugar,
  
• lactose,
  
• malt syrup,
  
• maltodextrin,
  
• maltose,
  
• mannitol,
  
• molasses,
  
• raw sugar,
  
• refiner’s syrup,
  
• sorbitol,
  
• sorghum syrup,
  
• sucrose, sugar,
  
• turbinado sugar,
  
• xylitol,
  
• yellow sugar.

While some of these ARE natural sugars (carob, raw sugar, etc) they still need to be recognized. Why? Because excessive intake of sugar, natural -or- processed is contributing to rising disease, illness, and obesity. Lets stay on top of our wellness!

Hidden Sugar: Recognizing Sugar Sources