New Office Hours
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Mon: 2-6pm
Wed: 9am-12pm,
1-6pm
Sat: 8:30am-12pm |
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"I have had chronic shoulder stiffness
and soreness for over 25 years."
I have gone through many rounds of
massage therapy, laser treatments and chiropractic sessions. Nothing
worked for more than a day or two at best.
After my very first
acupuncture treatment with Dr. Lee, I felt relief that lasted many
days. Now, after several weekly treatments over the summer, I can only
feel the soreness and stiffness when I stop to think about it. My
range of motion has improved immensely.
I can now see a day when it
will feel completely normal again - I had given up. Thanks Dr. Lee."
Garnet Uhl
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My thanks to Garnet for sharing another great story!
Sometimes all it takes is just a small tweak to unravel a long standing nagging problem.
It's really satisfying and exciting to see the amount of enthusiasm that people have been expessing when they are motivated to get healthier.
If you are thinking about having a nagging problem looked at or just want some nutritional guidance, don't hesitate. Just drop me an email if you have any questions at all at drlee@betterhealthproviders.com.
Dr. Derek Lee
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In This Issue:
- Vitamin D Deficiency, What You Need to Know
- Why TV Viewing Is Now A New Health Risk Factor
- Long Commutes to Work: Try Eating Along The Way
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, I have to admit that commuting to work during the first week of September has been anything but fun. More traffic, getting the kids settled in school and getting used to the new traffic patterns have been a challenge...oh, did I mention more traffic?!
How do you make it more productive? Try a commuter snack pack. Just pack a box or bag ( I use a soft cooler with a shoulder strap so I can take it with me to the office) with healthy snacks, juice boxes and water and munch away.
It's a great way to supplement your breakfast on the way to work and to take the edge off of hunger and cravings when you commute home in the evenings.
Check out this video on the "Commuter Snack Pack" at my blog here.
Also, this month's newsletter looks at 2 other issues. We examine the current scientific studies that look at the following:
- Vitamin D Deficiency. The major causes, testing and supplements.
- TV viewing is now another health risk factor. Great, just in time for football, hockey and basketball season...figures!
Enjoy the newsletter!
Dr. Derek Lee |
Vitamin D Deficiency Declared a Pandemic!
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, the latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
states that "vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic."
Those scientists studying vitamin D find that as much as one-fourth
(28%) or more of the population living in the upper half of the United
states is at significant health risk due to low vitamin D levels. And
this problem is worldwide.
Low vitamin D levels result in increased risk for:
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High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Low bone strength resulting in osteoporosis and fractures
- Autoimmune diseases
- Diabetes
- Many common cancers
- Rickets in children
The major cause
of vitamin D deficiency is lack of adequate sunshine, either because of
our lifestyle (spending so much time indoors), because the skin is
covered by clothing or sun block, or due to living in Northern regions
during winter when the body is unable to make vitamin D because of to
the sun's low angle on the horizon. Very few foods have vitamin D and
those that do have such low levels they are inadequate even for
children.
The recommended test for vitamin
D is a blood test, checking the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D).
A blood level of at least 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) is required to get the
full health benefits of vitamin D. Your doctor can check your blood for
vitamin D to see how you are doing.
Supplements.
If you live in the northern half of North America, taking a vitamin D
supplement makes good sense. In the absence of adequate exposure to the
summer sun, you need at least 800-1000 IU of vitamin D3 daily - that
holds true for children and adults. Daily intakes up to 2000 IU per day
are judged safe by the Institute of Medicine.
Reference:
- Holick MF and Chen TC. Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008 Apr;87(4):1080S-1086S (abstract).
- Wellsource 2008
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Television Viewing: A New Health Risk Factor
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, a new study in the American College of Sports Medicine journal gives
evidence that sedentary time, involving prolonged sitting and absence
of whole-body movement, is an independent risk factor for several
health outcomes.
The study included 2,033 women and 2,031
men, all who reported being physically active at least 2.5 hours a week
(30 minutes, 5 days per week). They were also all free of diabetes and
heart disease. Researchers then looked at the total number of hours
daily spent watching television and compared TV time to the prevalence
of metabolic risk factors.
In men they found that as the hours of daily TV viewing increased, so did their:
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Waist circumference (indicating increased abdominal fat)
- Systolic blood pressure
- Blood glucose levels
All
increases showed a dose-response relationship (the more TV they
watched, the higher their risks).
All three of these risks are primary
risks for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease. These
findings were adjusted not only for physical activity but also age,
education, smoking, income level, alcohol intake, diet quality, and
family history of heart disease or diabetes.
In women they also found a dose response relationship between hours of TV viewing and:
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Waist circumference
- Systolic blood pressure
- Blood glucose levels
- Blood triglyceride levels
- Blood HDL levels
Detrimental
health changes were observed in women who watched more than an hour of
TV daily, and in men who watched 2 hours or more of TV daily. The
highest risks were linked to women watching 2 hours or more of TV daily
and men watching 3 or more hours daily.
It appears that,
even though all of these people met minimal guidelines for physical
activity, long periods of inactivity, such as watching TV, should be
considered a unique modifiable behavior, an independent risk factor for
metabolic diseases. It seems the body was designed for activity and
long periods of inactivity can result in poorer health and increased
risk for serious health problems.
Just as there are national
guidelines for physical activity, the authors of this study suggest
that there also needs to be similar guidelines for inactivity. They
suggest no more than 2 hours of leisure-time screen time per day may be
a practical starting point. Children are recommended to spend no more
than an hour a day of screen time. Persons engaging in more time than
this are significantly increasing their risk for obesity, high blood
pressure, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease.
Excessive
TV viewing can now be considered a new risk factor putting people at
increased risk for some of our nation's most serious health problems.
Excess TV viewing can replace time normally spent in moderate
activities such as household chores, gardening, playing with the kids,
and other light-intensity activities that contribute to better health
in addition to a regular exercise program.
If you just have
to watch a favorite, lengthy movie or football game, here is a way to
beat the system: Bring your stationary bicycle to the TV, or a
treadmill, and put in some active miles while watching. The goal is to
avoid long periods of sitting, which is a health hazard.
Reference:
- Healy GN, et al. Television time and continuous metabolic risk in physically active adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2008;40(4):639-645.
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Take the On-Line Stress Test
(With permission from the Canadian Institute of Stress)
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This on-line test will give you personalized answers to:
- Your overall stress level.
- How your stress score compares to others.
- Your primary stress type:
- Worry Wart
- Speed Freak
- Basket Case
- Loner
- Cliff Walker
- Drifter
- How to reduce your stress by following the 2 ACTION RECOMMENDATIONS specific to your Stresstype.
Click here to take the test.
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Make an Appointment
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Dr. Derek Lee's Wellness Clinic
4792 Hwy 7 E Kennedy Rd & Highway 7 E
Unionville, ON L3R 1M8
Telephone: (416) 291-5120 or (905) 474-5120
Services:
- Stress Management
- Nutriton & Weight Management
- Chiropractic
- Acupuncture
- Massage Therapy
- Naturopathy
For appointments call 905-474-5120
or direct emails to drlee@betterhealthproviders.com
Click here for a map! |
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