Tuesday Trivia: How much vitamin C can our bodies absorb at once?

How much Vitamin C can our

 bodies absorb at once?

A. 100 mg

B. 200 mg

C. 500 mg

D. 1,000 mg

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The answer is B, 200 mg!

I am a huge advocate of vitamin C and generally take close to 1,000 mg a day. Not only does vitamin C boost your immune system, but it also helps with collagen repair (found throughout your body), acts as an antioxidant, and decreases blood vessel fragility! 

When people get sick or start feeling a cold coming on, it is common for them to start upping their vitamin C intake, sometimes taking 1,000-2,000 mg a day, and usually all in one dose. While there is nothing harmful with this amount, our bodies are only able to absorb so much of the vitamin at once. Since vitamin C is water soluble, the excess that we’re unable to absorb is flushed out of our system. 

Studies show that up to 200 mg of vitamin C can be absorbed at 100 percent. After 200 mg, absorption greatly decreases and most of the vitamin ends up getting discarded. To make the most of your vitamin C, take 200-250 mg at a time, 3-4 times/day. This will allow your body to retain the maximum amount of vitamin C for the longest time!

yours in health, 

dr samantha boldt

Levine M, Conry-Cantilena C, Wang Y, et al. Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: evidence for a recommended dietary allowance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1996;93(8):3704-3709.

Look Up! Decreasing Neck and Shoulder Tension

This week’s goal…….look up!

We spend so much time looking down; at work, on our cell phones, computers, reading books, etc. Rarely do we give our necks a break and look up. The normal weight of our head is about 10-12 pounds. Our spines and bodies were made to easily hold this weight up. The further we move our heads forward and the more we look down, the more force is placed on our spine and surrounding muscles. 

Looking all the way down at your phone or tablet can cause your head to weigh about 60 pounds! It’s no wonder so many people today are wandering around with sore upper back, shoulder, and neck muscles. Walking around looking down is like trying to walk around while supporting the weight of an eight-year-old on your head! This leads to degeneration in the bones and discs of the spine and is harder to correct the older you get.

One of the best stretches you can do for your neck is what I like to call the collarbone hold. Take both of your hands and place them on your collarbone and pull down. 

Now, try to look up. Certain muscles attach to the collarbone, and when they are too tight, our collarbone travels upwards when we look up. In order to stretch those muscles, we have to hold our collarbone in place. Once looking up is less of a stretch, try tilting your head to the left or right and jutting your chin out. 

You will notice different muscles being stretched this way as well!

Luckily for you, there are also some great things to look up at! 

The Perseid Meteor Shower just passed, but Venus will be stationed in the lower western sky soon after sunset this week and the full moon will hit Wednesday night.  

So whenever you get the chance this week, look up. Even if it's just for a few seconds, developing this habit will help to stretch out the front neck muscles. This will decrease the anterior pull on the head and you will automatically be able to keep your head further back than before! 

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

Recipe:

Easy Flavored Water

Water is absolutely essential to our health. One of my first questions to patients is asking how much water they drink a day. Once we take out all of the coffee, juices, soda, and energy/ sport waters, it is astounding how many people drink less than 2 glasses of water a day! Most of these people are so dehydrated that they have even completely lost their thirst reflex (the craving for water when the body is low).

When I ask why......WHY AREN'T YOU DRINKING MORE OF THIS PRECIOUS LIFE AND HEALTH SUSTAINING FLUID.......the common answer from patients is that they don't like it all that much. I love water, and it's been a hard concept to wrap my head around, but there are people out there who either do not like the taste or find it bland.

If you are one of those people, or you just want to spice up your water life, than this recipe is for you!

I want everyone to understand just how easy it is to make flavored water. I have brought different flavors to parties and people always want to know how it was made. It's this simple.

Take a cup of anything (although I normally suggest fruit or cucumbers.....but hey, go wild), cut it up, put it in a pitcher of water and let it sit for an hour. That's it! You have just made flavored water! Now you have a drink that is good for you, not full of sugars and additives, but doesn't taste like just water!

For some of you less creative or experimental ones out there, my three favorite "recipes" are below.

1) Cucumber Water

-Cut up a cup of cucumbers into circles (like the kind you put over your eyes) and throw it in the water.

2) Fruit Splash

-Cut up a 1/3 of a cup of strawberries, a 1/3 of a cup of blueberries, and a 1/3 of a cup of pineapple and throw it in the water.

3) Ginger Water

-Cut up a 1/3 cup of fresh ginger, and you guessed it, throw it in the water. Careful! Ginger can be potent. This is a change from the cup of anything rule. Lemon can also be added to this one for a nice variation.

Simple, easy, delicious! If you have other great water recipes, I'd love to hear from you!

yours in health,

dr Samantha boldt

Leg day

Thursday Humor

The Day After Leg Day

Why I Walk Backwards.......and Why You Should Too!

Why I Walk Backwards.....
And Why You Should Too!

Every time I go to the gym, I spend at least 5 minutes walking backwards on the treadmill. It's not a common sight, (and every once in a while I get a strange look) but it should be! Walking backwards is GREAT for the body!

     As a chiropractor, one of the biggest complaints I get from patients is that they are suffering from low back pain. It seems like everyone deals with it at some point in their lifetime. Our current lifestyle of sitting for hours every day only to add in set periods of "exercise" is not conducive to the health of our muscles and joints. However, this lifestyle is also inescapable for many of us. So we must ask the right questions. What is happening to our body when we sit for long periods of times that is causing pain? And, is there a quicker and easier fix than quitting the 9 to 5 and taking up a job as an outdoor enthusiast? 

   

1. What happens to our bodies when we sit for 

long periods of time?

    Sitting for long periods of times with no reprieve is bad for us. Period. We have studies showing the negative effects that sitting too long has on our brain, our mood, our organs, and even our digestion. But what exactly does it do to our muscles and joints to be the culprit of such widespread back pain? 

    First off, many of us sit slightly on our tailbone (or completely on our tailbone for some of you slouchers!) rather than sitting straight up on the bony part of our butt like we're supposed to. We lose that nice little arch (lordosis) in the low back, tilt the pelvis backwards, and now our hamstrings are in a constant state of contraction. When the hamstrings lose their flexibility, we are no longer able to tilt the pelvis forward. This then causes an increase in low back muscle and ligament tension, and you guessed it, pain. (1)

2. So is there an easy fix?

     I never like to say anything is easy, but if you have five minutes a day, you can start retraining all of those muscles in your lower back and legs to activate properly and become nice and healthy. All you have to do is walk backwards. 

     While walking backwards, hip extension and knee extension are greater than in forward walking. Greater hip extension opens up the spine and decreases the compressive forces on the spinal discs. Greater knee extension allows more range for the hamstring, increasing it's flexibility, and allowing the pelvis to tilt forward. Again, this forward pelvis tilt decreases compressive forces to the spinal discs. (2)

     Walking backwards is also easier on the joints of our lower body. Many people with low back pain tend to have issues in their hips, knees, or ankles as well. When we walk forward, we use a very heavy heel strike (the moment your heel touches the ground first). This puts a lot of stress on these joints and too much walking can be quite painful for people with arthritis of the hips, knees, and ankles. (3) While walking is normally seen as a good rehabilitation exercise, many overweight or arthritic individuals are unable to benefit from it due to too much stress on their joints. Walking backwards relieves some of this stress and can be a good way for people with pain in their joints to increase or keep the muscle strength in their legs.

Bottom line!

     Numerous studies have found that no matter who you are, walking backwards is beneficial to your body! It stretches out your hamstrings, reduces pressure on joints, has a greater cardiovascular benefit, activates your core muscles, and helps to train new neuronal pathways in your brain - keeping it healthier. Move forward with your health goals by walking backwards today!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

1) Phalen GS and Dickson JA. Spondylolisthesis and tight hamstrings. J Bone Joint Surg Am 43:505-512, 1961.

2) Journal of Exercise Physiology April 2011, Volume 14, Number 2.

3) Nor AM, Lyn KS. Effects of passive joint mobilization on patients with knee osteoarthritis. Sains Malays.2011;40:1461–5.

Which two exercises should you avoid if you have low back pain?

Tuesday Trivia!

Which two exercises should you avoid if you have low back pain?

A. The Superman

B. Bird-Dog

C. Roman Chair Extension

D. Side Bridge

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The answer is A and C! Both the superman exercise and the roman chair exercise put a lot of force on the low back discs. If they are already not happy, these two moves will only aggravate them further. Low back forces should be kept below 3300 Newtons to avoid compressing the vertebral disc and bones of the vertebrae. This may not be something you feel immediately, but overtime, these compressive forces add up. 

Here is a list of common exercises and the 

compression load they cause:

Sit-Up (bent knee)       3,300 N

Sit-Up (straight leg)     3,506 N

Curl-Up feet anchored     2,009 N

Curl-Up feet free     1,991 N

Quarter Sit-Up     2,932 N

Bent Leg Raise     1,767 N

Isometric Side Bridge     2,585 N

Roman Chair Extension     4,000 N

Back Extension (arms and legs)     6,000 N

Bird-Dog      2,000 N

McGill S, Low Back Disorders: Evidence Based Prevention and Rehabilitation. 

Human Kinetics. 2002.

The bolded exercises exceed the force limits we should be placing on our spinal vertebrae and discs. The bird-dog exercise, pictured above, is actually one of the best exercises you can be doing to help train your back and core muscles and relieve low back pain!

Take a break from technology. This week's goal.....enjoy some silence!

Take a break from technology!

This week's goal.....enjoy some silence.

Today’s world is filled with technology; computers, phones, portable games, etc. Our brains no longer get to experience the peace and quiet they sometimes need. Your goal this week is to take a 5 minute break in the middle of the day, find a quiet place to go sit, and just relax without thinking of anything else (AND NO TECHNOLOGY). Hard, isn’t it? We are so used to constantly being stimulated that it is hard for our brains to unwind. However, this relaxation time promotes healing throughout the body, allows time for messengers in the brain to regroup, solidifies memories, and allows for higher energy and productivity! So go take a break, and if your boss asks, just tell them it’s doctor’s orders!

Saturday Supplements: Formula 303 (Dee Cee Labs)

Saturday Supplements:

Formula 303 (Dee Cee Labs)

I don't normally have such strong feelings about supplements, but if you don't have this yet, get it! I have used this with patients for years now with phenomenal effects.

So what is it used for?

-Muscle Spasms

-Tension

-Stress

What can it be used for?

-All of the above

-Menstrual Cramps

-Headaches

-Inflammation

-Constipation

-Anxiety

-Soreness/Achiness

The only ingredients are magnesium, passion flower, and valerian root, but they are the perfect ingredients in the perfect ratios to relieve a multitude of issues. As a chiropractor, I recommend this as a substitute for aspirin, or in conjunction with the aspirin, but at least the aspirin can be taken in smaller doses. Formula 303 has no bad side effects on the digestive tract or liver. In fact, the magnesium in it can be very helpful for people suffering from constipation!

One of the other big areas I always recommend Formula 303 for is menstrual cramps. Two tabs every 4-6 hours greatly diminishes the pain some women suffer from during this time.

Where can you get it?

It's all over the internet, especially Amazon. It is not very hard to find. That being said, if you know a doctor that sells it, chances are it will be much less expensive!

Dr. Sam's rating:

Excellent! 

Scale: Excellent, Great, Good, Fair, Bad, Abysmal 

Friday Recipe - Zuchini Noodles! (I know, I know.....we're on a noodle kick right now.)

Friday Recipe - Zucchini Noodles! 

(I know, I know.....we're on a noodle kick right now.)

Last week we talked about how to make spaghetti squash into noodles. Well, this week it's zucchini, and it's just as delicious. Why are we doing so many vegetable noodles? Because they're delicious and healthy and even kids will eat them! Plus, if you have a healthy base, it's easy to continuously make new recipes by throwing different ingredients in.

How to "noodle" zucchini.

What you will need:

- A zucchini

-A zucchini noodle maker, I use Vegetti, but there are others out there.

(If you can noodle zucchini with just a knife, please send me a video, because I would love to see that skill in action.)

1) Optional. You can either leave the skin or peel the zucchini like you would a potato. The outside can be a little tougher (however it's zucchini, so not much), but it also has nutrients that you are cutting out if you take it off. 

2)  Insert zucchini into the noodle maker and rotate.

Tada! You have noodles! And it only took a few minutes!

4) Steam the zucchini noodles for 5-10 minutes depending on how soft or firm you like your noodles. You can use a vegetable steamer, as pictured below, or you can always just put some water in pot and heat the noodles straight in the water. Warning: they do get soggier that way. 

(I know those aren't zucchini noodles.)

3) Add the zucchini and other ingredients into the pan and stir fry for 5 minutes on medium heat.

I normally add in a protein, like chicken, and some extra cooked vegetables, but be creative! Finally, finish with a sauce. Different oils, pasta sauce, or teriyaki/tamari sauce are all good options.

Enjoy!

Thursday humor - Yummy Avocados

Yummy Avocados!

Avocados are packed full of yummy, healthy fats, with the majority of it being monounsaturated oleic acids. Current research is showing that oleic acids reduce LDLs, raise HDLs, and are associated with a healthy cardiovascular system. And since fat doesn't make you fat, that's sugars job, eat as many as you want!

High Fructose Corn Syrup......no, it's not just sugar, and here's the science behind it.

High Fructose Corn Syrup......no, it's not just sugar, and here's the science behind it.

Let's first talk sugars. 

Monosaccharides are called simple sugars, and they are the most basic unit of carbohydrates. We know them by names like glucose and fructose. Disaccharides are still considered simple sugars, because they only have two units attached to each other. Polysaccharides are anything more than two units of carbohydrates attached. (Look at the picture below for a visual!)

Normal table sugar is known as sucrose, and it is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose in a 50:50 ratio. This is what we're led to believe high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the same as.

Now let's look at HFCS.

The sugars in high fructose corn syrup are extracted in a process resulting in different ratios of glucose to fructose. Normal table sugar is 50:50 glucose:fructose. The most common form of HFCS is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. It is very close to the same ratio as normal table sugar. 

So what's the fuss?

The difference is in the biochemistry!

In nature, glucose and fructose are bound tightly together to make a table sugar molecule. In HFCS, that bond is missing! 

Since there is no chemical bond between them, the normal processes of digestion are not required and the glucose and fructose are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. The only place fructose can really be metabolized is in the liver, and when the liver is overwhelmed, it tends to immediately start creating fats like triglycerides and cholesterol. 

Without the bond, the fructose is known as "free fructose." Free fructose consumption has been continuously linked to higher rates of obesity, increased belly fat, higher levels of triglycerides, cardiovascular disease, and overwhelmingly fatty liver disease. Studies not done by the corn industry don't share the same view that HFCS is "just" sugar.

Chronic consumption of HFCS caused several problems like cardiac and endothelial injury of aorta by hyperuricemia and induced oxidative stress and inflammation.

Hum Exp Toxicol. 2016 Feb;35(2):194-204. doi: 10.1177/0960327115579431. Epub 2015 Mar 29.

The impact of high fructose on cardiovascular system: Role of α-lipoic acid.

Consuming beverages containing 10%, 17.5%, or 25% Ereq from HFCS produced dose-dependent increases in circulating lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for CVD and uric acid within 2 weeks.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jun;101(6):1144-54. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.100461. Epub 2015 Apr 22.

A dose-response study of consuming high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages on lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adults.

When one group of rats was fed sucrose (table sugar) and one group was fed HFCS, the HFCS group was found to have gained significantly more weight even though the rest of the diet remained the same.

“A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain.”

Even though that tiny, missing bond may seem like a small change, it makes a huge difference in how our body metabolizes it. If you're going to be eating sugar, avoid HFCS!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week’s goal…….learn to spot sugar!

This week’s goal…….learn to spot sugar!

This week is all about sugar awareness. As I hope most of you know, sugar in the amounts that most people eat it is terrible for your body, and another week, we will go over some of its effects. Since the 1700s, sugar consumption has been on the rise. In the 1700s, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year. During the 1800s, that amount increased to 18 pounds per year. By the end of the 1900s, people were consuming 90 pounds of sugar per year. How much are we eating now? Today, the average American is eating over 150 pounds of sugar every year! Most people don’t even realize how much they are consuming. So this week’s goal is to begin understanding food labels and recognizing the tricks companies use to make sugar look like a smaller ingredient than what it is.

1. Know the different names of sugar! First, anything ending in –ose is a sugar; glucose, fructose, maltose, galactose, and lactose. Other names sugar goes by include cane juice, dehydrated cane juice, cane juice solids, cane juice crystals, dextrin, maltodextrin, dextran, barley malt, beet sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, caramel, buttered syrup, carob syrup, brown sugar, date sugar, malt syrup, diatase, diatastic malt , fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, dehydrated fruit juice, fruit juice crystals, golden syrup, turbinado, sorghum syrup, ethyl maltol, maple syrup, yellow sugar.

     2. When reading labels, you will notice that ingredients are placed in order from most used to least used. If you start paying attention, you will also notice that most of the time sugar is listed more than once with different names. Sugar is sugar. All of these different names have the same damaging effects on your body. Companies separate them into different names to make it appear that sugar is not as high on the ingredient list as it should be.

     3. Our bodies have a low threshold for sugar, normally about 2 teaspoons of added sugar two to three times a day. Now, one pound equals 96 teaspoons. This means that the average American is eating about 40 teaspoons of sugar per day, which is well over the limit. Looking at food labels, you will see that sugar is labeled in grams, and 4 grams equals one teaspoon. Anything with more than 8 grams of sugar per serving is too much! And you have to make sure you only eat that one serving!

This week, start looking at the labels of the foods you are eating and build an awareness of your sugar intake. Every time you reduce your sugar intake, you are on your way to being a healthier you!