• Watch: Do the Tiger Squat!

• Is Your Child’s Backpack a Good Fit?

• 5 Healthy Snacks for People with (or without) Diabetes

Do the Tiger Squat! I produced this great video to demonstrate the correct technique for the martial arts position called the Horse stance. Then we finish with everyone’s favorite, the Tiger Squat. You don’t need any equipment for this series and I guarantee that your legs will scream on this one! Click here to see the exercise video and learn the Horse Stance and Tiger Squat. Is Your Child’s Backpack a Good Fit? 3 steps to find out. It’s back to school and it’s vital for your children to have the correct backpack that protects their spines without straining. The Association of NJ Chiropractors have put together an expert guide on what to look for when selecting a backpack for your child. Click here to view the web article with News 12 New Jersey video interview. There’s also quick handy guide that gives you the safety tips and warning signs you need to be aware of to protect your children from unsafe backpacks. If your child’s school insists on over packing your kid’s pack, print out this flyer to use to convince them of the need to protect young spines. Click here for the safety flyer.(it’s a pdf file) 5 Snacks for People with (or without) Diabetes What do you snack on? I’m always looking for healthy snack ideas since I love to eat but don’t want junk snacks. Well here’s a few tips on snacks that will fill you up and give you good energy, not the fake Snickers kind. They all keep your blood sugar stable which is especially good for people who have blood sugar issues like diabetes and hypoglycemia. Here’s the link to the full article. Enjoy!

• Get Your Feet in Shape

• Watch: All About Push ups

• The Cholesterol Myth That Can Be Harming Your Health

Get Your Feet in Shape Your feet are the foundation of your body, and any weakness or distortion in the arches of the feet can have a significant effect on your ankles, knees, hips and low back. Many of you have had success with the custom flexible orthotics (arch supports) we made for you from the company Foot Levelers. But it is also important to exercise your feet to build strength in the arches. Here’s some suggested exercises courtesy of fitnesshealthzone.com Toe Raises: Start with feet flat on the floor; lift the heels as high as you can and push the backs of the toes against the floor. Hold for 5 seconds and lower. Repeat 5 times each foot. Toe Points: Be the ballet dancer and stretch your foot out into a beautiful point. Hold for 5 seconds and relax. Repeat 5 times with each foot. Big Toe Action: Put a thick rubber band around both your big toes. Keeping your feet level, pull your feet apart, away from each other sideways. Hold for 5 seconds and relax. Repeat 10 times. Sole massage: Put a tennis or golf ball under your foot on the ground. Roll your foot around with moderate pressure on the ball to effectively massage the whole of the sole of your foot. This one is great for relieving tension. Pick it up: Lay 10 marbles on the floor. Stand up, if you can, and pick up one marble at a time using your toes, and put it into a small bowl. Repeat with the other foot. Pen Drop: Drop a pen or a pencil on the floor. Pick it up with your toes, trying to grasp the pen with all your toes at once. Towel Crumple: Have a small towel on the floor. Using one foot, crumple it into a ball by pulling it towards you with your toes. Sand Walking: Whenever you can, walk barefoot in the sand. Ankle Circles: Lift your leg so your foot is off the floor, knee straight. Make large, slow circles in the air with your big toe, for 10 circles in each direction. Repeat with the other foot. Heel Toe Rock: Sit with both feet flat on the floor. Rock your feet to alternatively raise your heels and toes from the floor. Repeat 10 times with each foot. This is a great one to do periodically, if you have to stand for long periods. All About Pushups Here’s a great video we produced showing you a variety of ways to do push ups with correct form. Most people do push ups with their elbows too wide which puts stress on the rotator cuff of the shoulder joint. Here you’ll learn how to do them to maximize stimulation of the chest and triceps. Click here to see the exercise video and learn all about push ups. The Cholesterol Myth That Can Be Harming Your Health This is a very important article from Dr. Joseph Mercola concerning the myths surrounding high cholesterol. If you have a cholesterol issue or if you are taking statin medications to lower your cholesterol, you need to read this article right now! I’ve been teaching my patients for years that cholesterol is neither good nor bad and it’s falsely blamed as the main culprit in heart disease. Dr. Mercola is not alone in his scientific analysis of the issue; many medical doctors and health care professionals are seeing the light and realizing that cholesterol has become a household word in order to sell us more drugs. Here’s the link for the full article

• You Need a Vacation!

• Watch: Athlete’s Core Warmup

• Insomniacs: Rock Yourself to Sleep

You Need a Vacation! Having just come back from 10 days in a tropical paradise, I can really relate to this article called “6 Ways to Do Nothing in a Wired World” by Jeffrey Hull Ph.D. I found it challenging to not check my phone or email or facebook page but I successfully chilled out on vacation. As a result, I felt totally rejuvinated and energized and I happened to follow most of the six suggestions on rest and relaxation that he makes in the article. Quickly they are: Practice silence, skip a meal, get a massage, float in water, sit quietly in nature and nap,nap,nap. Here’s the article link Athlete’s Core Warmup In this short exercise video, student athlete John Savoy and I show you a simple series of warm ups that athlete’s can do on the field. This isn’t the old athlete’s warm up we used to do in high school that was based on 1960’s physical training. It’s PowerCentering stuff that gets you centered and balanced for maximum performance! Click here to see the exercise video Insomniacs: Rock Yourself to Sleep We all know you have to rock a baby to put them to sleep, so why does rocking an adult to sleep seem so strange? Dr. Michael J. Breus in his article “Insomniacs: Rock Yourself to Sleep” makes a strong scientific argument that it works for 67% of insomniacs tested with an electrical device that gently stimulates the inner ear balance center to stimulate rocking. And if you don’t want to be hooked up to an electrical gizmo he suggests some real good natural alternatives: “A warm bath before bedtime. Listening to relaxing music with a good pair of headphones on after getting into bed. Keeping your bedroom cool, quiet and low-lit. These strategies won’t necessarily make you feel like you’re swaying, but you can add some visualization to conjure that rocking, swaying sensation. With your music playing, close your eyes and just imagine safely floating on a raft or inner tube while drifting in the ocean. It’s actually not too difficult to visualize. And it might just take the “difficulty” out of falling asleep.” Here’s the link for the full article

2

Ask Dr. Pete Hotline 201-836-9558

		Dr. Pete’s Health & Fitness Tips I hope these tips help you to enhance your health and fitness! Is there arsenic in your protein powder? Ever hear of barefoot running? How strong is your core? Take the test!

Is there arsenic in your protein powder? Myoplex and Muscle Milk found to be the worst. Consumer Reports Magazine conducted an investigation “including tests at an outside laboratory of 15 protein drinks, a review of government documents, and interviews with health and fitness experts and consumers. They found most people already get enough protein, and there are far better and cheaper ways to add more if it’s needed. Some protein drinks can even pose health risks, including exposure to potentially harmful heavy metals, if consumed frequently” “All drinks in the tests had at least one sample containing one or more of the following contaminants: arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Those metals can have toxic effects on several organs in the body.” For more details and for a list of the worst offending brands click this link

Ever hear of barefoot running? If you like to run, you need to read this book! I just completed the book “Born to Run – a Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen” by Christopher McDougall and it reads like an exciting novel. It’s the story of the author’s quest to discover why he was getting multiple running injuries no matter how careful he was, while tribal people can run for very long distances injury free wearing sandals or barefoot. His quest brings him to the Copper Canyons of Mexico where he meets an extraordinary group of people who run 100 mile races in sandals. Along the way, he discovers the scientific evidence from researchers, elite track coaches and indigenous peoples that we were born to run long distances. But due to the rise of the sneaker industry and all their supposed high tech footwear, we are changing our running technique for the worst, causing more comfort in the foot with extreme padding but more injury to the ankle, knee, hip and low back. Did you know one study shows a direct relationship between cost of a running shoe and injury rate. The more expensive the shoe, the higher rate of injury! The idea is not to run barefoot, but to change our technique to land on the ball of the foot, not the heel. Take shorter strides, lean a little more forward and engage the calves when pushing off the ground. Many track teams will train once or twice a week barefoot on grass because running barefoot forces you to adopt the correct technique. For more on “Born to Run” go to this link. click he

How strong is your core? Take the test! It’s also the best core exercise! Here’s the link for the Core Strength and Stability Test and Exercise Video. If you’ve never taken this test, or haven’t attempted it in awhile, give it a try. The procedure is to initially perform the test and record your score (score 1 point for each of the 8 positions completed). Then include the same sequence in your daily core exercise workout. Since the test is identical to the daily exercise, you’ll witness your progress daily. You’ll see fabulous results in about two weeks. Use the video below to guide you but if you need additional help, contact me and we’ll have you do it for me in the office and I’ll make the necessary corrections and modifications for you. Click here to see the Core Strength and Stability Test video I hope you enjoyed this weeks tips and stay healthy! Dr. Pete Gratale

Generalized body inflammation is rampant with our American diet high in irritating pro-inflammatory foods that cause body bloat, joint and muscle pain and swelling and inflammation around your heart and internal organs.

Below the graphic is an explanation of each level. Contact me if you have any questions. Try it! You’ll feel much healthier.

HEALTHY SWEETS
How much: Sparingly
Healthy choices: Unsweetened dried fruit, dark chocolate, fruit sorbet
Why: Dark chocolate provides polyphenols with antioxidant activity. Choose dark chocolate with at least 70 percent pure cocoa and have an ounce a few times a week. Fruit sorbet is a better option than other frozen desserts.

RED WINE
How much: Optional, no more than 1-2 glasses per day
Healthy choices: Organic red wine
Why: Red wine has beneficial antioxidant activity. Limit intake to no more than 1-2 servings per day. If you do not drink alcohol, do not start.

SUPPLEMENTS
How much: Daily
Healthy choices: High quality multivitamin/multimineral that includes key antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, mixed carotenoids, and selenium); co-enzyme Q10; 2-3 grams of a molecularly distilled fish oil; 2,000 IU of vitamin D3
Why: Supplements help fill any gaps in your diet when you are unable to get your daily requirement of micronutrients.
Click here to learn more about supplements and get your free recommendation.

TEA
How much: 2-4 cups per day
Healthy choices: White, green, oolong teas
Why: Tea is rich in catechins, antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation. Purchase high-quality tea and learn how to correctly brew it for maximum taste and health benefits.

HEALTHY HERBS & SPICES
How much: Unlimited amounts
Healthy choices: Turmeric, curry powder (which contains turmeric), ginger and garlic (dried and fresh), chili peppers, basil, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme
Why: Use these herbs and spices generously to season foods. Turmeric and ginger are powerful, natural anti-inflammatory agents.

OTHER SOURCES OF PROTEIN
How much: 1-2 servings a week (one portion is equal to 1 ounce of cheese, 1 eight-ounce serving of dairy, 1 egg, 3 ounces cooked poultry or skinless meat)
Healthy choices: High quality natural cheese and yogurt, omega-3 enriched eggs, skinless poultry, grass-fed lean meats
Why: In general, try to reduce consumption of animal foods.  If you eat chicken, choose organic, cage-free chicken and remove the skin and associated fat.  Use organic, reduced-fat dairy products moderately, especially yogurt and natural cheeses such as Emmental (Swiss), Jarlsberg and true Parmesan.  If you eat eggs, choose omega-3 enriched eggs (made by feeding hens a flax-meal-enriched diet), or organic eggs from free-range chickens.

COOKED ASIAN MUSHROOMS
How much: Unlimited amounts
Healthy choices: Shiitake, enokidake, maitake, oyster mushrooms (and wild mushrooms if available)
Why: These mushrooms contain compounds that enhance immune function. Never eat mushrooms raw, and minimize consumption of common commercial button mushrooms (including crimini and portobello).

WHOLE SOY FOODS
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soymilk, ½ cup cooked edamame, 1 ounce of soynuts)
Healthy choices: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy nuts, soymilk
Why: Soy foods contain isoflavones that have antioxidant activity and are protective against cancer.  Choose whole soy foods over fractionated foods like isolated soy protein powders and imitation meats made with soy isolate.

FISH & SEAFOOD
How much:  2-6 servings per week (one serving is equal to 4 ounces of fish or seafood)
Healthy choices: Wild Alaskan salmon (especially sockeye), herring, sardines, and black cod (sablefish)
Why: These fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which are strongly anti-inflammatory. If you choose not to eat fish, take a molecularly distilled fish oil supplement that provides both EPA and DHA in a dose of 2-3 grams per day.

HEALTHY FATS
How much:  5-7 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 teaspoon of oil, 2 walnuts, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed, 1 ounce of avocado)
Healthy choices: For cooking, use extra virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed organic canola oil. Other sources of healthy fats include nuts (especially walnuts), avocados, and seeds – including hemp seeds and freshly ground flaxseed. Omega-3 fats are also found in cold water fish, omega-3 enriched eggs, and whole soy foods. Organic, expeller pressed, high-oleic sunflower or safflower oils may also be used, as well as walnut and hazelnut oils in salads and dark roasted sesame oil as a flavoring for soups and stir-fries
Why: Healthy fats are those rich in either monounsaturated or omega-3 fats.  Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant activity and canola oil contains a small fraction of omega-3 fatty acids.

WHOLE & CRACKED GRAINS
How much: 3-5 servings a day (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked grains)
Healthy choices: Brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, buckwheat, groats, barley, quinoa, steel-cut oats
Why: Whole grains digest slowly, reducing frequency of spikes in blood sugar that promote inflammation. “Whole grains” means grains that are intact or in a few large pieces, not whole wheat bread or other products made from flour.

PASTA (al dente)
How much: 2-3 servings per week (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked pasta)
Healthy choices: Organic pasta, rice noodles, bean thread noodles, and part whole wheat and buckwheat noodles like Japanese udon and soba
Why: Pasta cooked al dente (when it has “tooth” to it) has a lower glycemic index than fully-cooked pasta. Low-glycemic-load carbohydrates should be the bulk of your carbohydrate intake to help minimize spikes in blood glucose levels.

BEANS & LEGUMES
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup cooked beans or legumes)
Healthy choices: Beans like Anasazi, adzuki and black, as well as chickpeas, black-eyed peas and lentils
Why: Beans are rich in folic acid, magnesium, potassium and soluble fiber.  They are a low-glycemic-load food.  Eat them well-cooked either whole or pureed into spreads like hummus.

VEGETABLES
How much: 4-5 servings per day minimum (one serving is equal to 2 cups salad greens, ½ cup vegetables cooked, raw or juiced)
Healthy Choices: Lightly cooked dark leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, Swiss chard), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, sea vegetables and washed raw salad greens
Why: Vegetables are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.  Go for a wide range of colors, eat them both raw and cooked, and choose organic when possible.

FRUITS
How much: 3-4 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 medium size piece of fruit, ½ cup chopped fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit)
Healthy choices: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes, plums, pomegranates, blackberries, cherries, apples, and pears – all lower in glycemic load than most tropical fruits
Why: Fruits are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.  Go for a wide range of colors, choose fruit that is fresh in season or frozen, and buy organic when possible.

Additional Item:

WATER
How much: Throughout the day
Healthy choices: Drink pure water, or drinks that are mostly water (tea, very diluted fruit juice, sparkling water with lemon) throughout the day.
Why: Water is vital for overall functioning of the body.