So you've decided to eat that slice of bread (much to the chagrin of the carb haters out there).  You head to the store to secretly hide that loaf of bread under the broccoli and alfalfa sprouts in your cart.  You get to the aisle and notice that there are literally (quite literally) dozens and dozens of choices.  Which one should you make?  Here is a quick breakdown of what's out there, what you might want to look for, and what you might want to avoid.

-White bread--Don't bother, bleached of everything worth while and filled with sugar.  Move on

-Wheat--Well it depends.  It could be something almost as processed and devoid of nutrients as that white bread, or it could be something baked fresh by the local French Bakery down the street.  Either way you want to look for the word "whole".  Whole wheat means that the bread has been made with all the parts of the kernel (germ, endosperm,   bran).  Wheat alone means that the bread has been enriched and stripped of essential nutrients.

-Whole wheat--Now we are starting to get closer.  Again whole wheat bread is made from all the parts of the kernel. But..........(you knew there was one) many commercially produced whole wheat breads are made by separating all those parts and then reconstituting them back together.   You want to look for the word "stone".  Stone ground bread means that the kernel wasn't separated during the grinding process.

-Multi-Grain--This is a tricky one because it sounds really healthy.  All it means is that more than one grain was used.  It doesn't mean the grains used are the healthy ones.

-Sprouted--BINGO!!  Sprouted bread not only contains all of the kernel, but often times contains other ingredients like oats and barley.  Sprouted means that the seeds have been allowed to grow a sprout before being ground.  They actually soak the seeds in water allowing them them to sprout.  Because the seed is now "alive" it releases enzymes which help break down proteins and carbs which make the end product (the bread) easier to digest when we eat it.

There you have it..............bread for the masses :)
Enjoy!
-Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP
Vitality Sports Chiropractic

Last week I gave a presentation on motion and its importance to the human body.  It got such a great reception that the group asked if I could post it online.   Here ya go!  
Motion is by far (to me) one of the essential keys to life.  More and more today we sit on our country bumpkins all day long and the effect to the body is truly disastrous.  The average office worker now sits roughly 10 hours a day!!  The average adult puts in about 5,000 steps a day, nearly half of we are recommended to get.  Interestingly, the Amish walk nearly 18,000 steps a day.  Their life expectancy is about what the average adult life span is...about 78 years.  But.................for the Amish is has been that way for nearly 300 years!  That means that 300 years ago when we were all dying at the ripe age of 40, the Amish were sailing past us to their late 70's.  It has take modern medicine  nearly 300 years to catch the average American up to where the Amish have been for centuries.  Did you know that only 4% of the Amish are considered as obese?  Just 4%!  While nearly 30% of the general public is now considered in the obese category, and unfortunately (and no pun intended) that group is only growing larger.  
THIS IS HERMAN (slide 2).  Herman is my Grandfather (with my kids).  When I asked the group how old they thought he was I got everything from late 70's to early 90's.  No one guessed that in this picture he was 102.  I say he was 102 because this was last year and he is nearing 103 (August)!!  What is the key to his longevity?  MOTION!!! The man still gets up everyday drives his car to work and puts in a full day, albeit at a much slower pace.  So what are the ramifications of all that sitting??  You can take a look at the stats on page three of the ppp, but pretty much EVERYTHING good slows-like your metabolism, your muscles, your brain function, while everything bad increases-like your risk for cancer, diabetes, and cardio vascular disease.  
So, what are you going to do?  You're going to get up out of that chair, that's what!  Standing instead of sitting for just one afternoon burns over 170 more calories for the day.  Studies show that work production actually increases by over 15% by just getting out of the chair and moving around, and you will certainly report less headaches, neck and back pain.  Did you know that back pain was the #1 reason that people took disability from work? That back pain was only #2 to the common cold for visits to the doctor.?? No?  Now you know.  Take a look at the two pictures on slide 4.  Out of those two  bolt/screw pictures which one do you think is healthier and has better function.  If you chose the rusted one then I have failed as a chiropractor and am leaving the profession to sell Frisbees at the beach.  My job as your Chiropractor is to ensure that the joints and muscles in your body are bio mechanically sound and lubricated.  Without motion that simply can not happen.
Technology has its drawbacks, but certainly has its advantages.  For tracking and helping with motion this has never been more true.  Check out some of the ideas on slide 4 of the presentation.  Just some good ideas and thoughts to help you get up and move around.  I simply love the idea of the LUMO.  
If you are reading this and would like to talk some more about how we can help.  Please don't hesitate to contact us.  I have an office in Roswell, and Duluth GA and I always have my door open.
Thanks,
Dr. Wiskind DC,CCSP, CKTP, Graston
​Vitality Sports Chiropractic

 I get this question all the time.  "Should I go home and soak in an Epsom salt bath?"  My answer?  Sure, but it's probably not genuinely doing anything truly helpful.  For as long as I can remember and long before that, people have been anecdotally using Epsom salt baths for every ache and pain known to mankind (and womankind too). But, here is the thing..........there is absolutely no proof whatsoever  that it works.....none!
Lets take a closer look at our salty friend.  The salt got its' namesake from a saline spring at Epsom in Surrey England.  Although it's called a "salt" it's not truly a salt.  It is magnesium and sulfate.  It has all sorts of uses from gardening (fertilizer), exfoliation, and even has been used as a laxative (really works). But, most people soak in it as the age ole cure for achy muscles and joints. We know that magnesium plays a number of roles in the body including regulating  enzymes, reducing inflammation, and helping muscle and nerve function. The  sulfate portion is supposed help improve the absorption of nutrients, and  flush toxins.  But does it truly work??  In all the studies in all the countries throughout the world  there has been only one study (1!!) with any sort of indication that yes, magnesium sulfate can in fact soak through the skin into our system.  That study was done by Dr. Rosemary Waring in 2006.  The actual research has never been published, so that should tell you something about the validity of the research.  Our skin is there  to form a protective barrier, and in fact is waterproof.  The skin has no ability to differentiate foreign liquids .  It can not choose to keep out bad liquids (Can you get drunk by soaking in alcohol?? You can try, but alas...you will fail), but yet designate an open entrance to such liquids as Epsom infused water.  What is amazing is that while the skin is completely waterproof from the outside, the body CAN let water out of the skin from the inside through sweat.  So what actually happens when you soak in an Epsom salt bath?  Why does it seem to help so many people?  The answer probably has a couple of components.  The 1st being a placebo effect.  If everyone tells you it works, then by golly dam the evidence it works (this was used to great affect during WWII when wounded soldiers were given saline injections after morphine ran out.  It worked on 40% of patients!).  The 2nd reason, is that bathing in a warm bath itself relaxes muscles and achy joints.  Let's be honest who feels awful after getting out of a sudsy, warm, candlelit bath (With Adele......er I mean Lynryrd Skynyrd playing in the background.)  So, what does this all add up to?  It adds up to keep doing what you are doing.  If you enjoy Epsom salt baths, continue to enjoy them.  There is no research that they are doing you any harm, and at a cost of $5 for a whole bag it is certainly cost efficient. Just know that in actuality you are probably not doing much more than if you were floating in the ocean on a hot August day.  "Not that there's anything wrong with that."
Thanks for reading,
Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP
Vitality Sports Chiropractic

It seems like there is a never ending supply of Fitbits, Jawbones and Garmins to track every single step that we take.  While these can help us increase our activity, how accurate they actually are at tracking our activity is an important question.  Well...........a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine takes a look at that topic.  The researches looked at three different methods to track activity; The metabolic chamber, the double label water method, and the wearable activity tracker.  For those wondering........the metabolic chamber precisely measures a person's oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output allowing for a direct measure of calories burned.  In the double water method the participant drinks water with certain isotopes which are excreted in the urine and can be measured.  The activity tracker is obviously worn somewhere on the body.  Which do you think will be most accurate??  The water method was actually the most accurate.  The chamber method reported in roughly 9% lower while the activity band came in as little as 2% lower to as much as 25%.  As usual with my blogs............what does this all mean?  It means that you should understand that the activity tracker is just that.....a tracker, a rather vague one at that.  The tracker should be added to an overall well balanced program to obtaining your goals.  Wondering which trackers were the most accurate? The Omron Active Style Pro, Omron Caloriscan, and Fitbit Flex. 

Thanks for reading.
Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP
Vitality Sports Chiropractic

No matter how you say the word the new research is showing just how   important this  abundant little  fruit is.  Why is it so important?  LYCOPENE of course!!  What is lycopene?  Lycopene is the pigment that gives red fruits such as tomatoes, gac, strawberries and cherries their dark red hue.  What does that mean to me?  Glad you asked!  New research is showing that ingesting lycopene can reduce a man's risk of getting prostate cancer.  What is even more interesting is how.  What the researchers found is that supplementing lycopene into the diet could reduce a man's risk by 5%.  Ingesting it in food like simple pasta sauce saw the reduction doubled to 10%!  So, what's the bottom line?  Although supplementation can be effective, there is just no replacement for ingesting lycopene in its healthy natural food state.  So whether you say tomato or tomado, or whether you think it's a fruit or a vegetable...........it doesn't matter.  JUST EAT IT!!!

Dr. Wiskind DC,CCSP
​Vitality Sports Chiropractic

The health and wellness benefits of blueberries has been well documented over the years.  Now comes two more studies that continue to prove the efficacy of eating blueberries to combat Alzheimer's Disease and other memory related difficulties.   The studies were done on adults with mild cognitive impairment who were given freeze-dried blueberry powder (1 cup of blueberries) or a placebo once a day for 16 weeks. Researchers observed improvements in cognitive performance and brain function in those participants given blueberry powder compared to placebo. The increased brain activity was even evident on MRI imaging.  Why are blueberries so effective at combating memory related diseases? Well, researchers believe it is anthocyanins. What are anthocyanins?  Glad you asked! Anthocyanins are the compounds that give fruit their dark blue color.  They are also very high in antioxidants. Here are some foods that are high in anthocyanins; kidney beans and black beans, cranberries and cherries, plums, black currant, pomegranates and of course blueberries.

Thanks for reading,
Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP
​Vitality Sports Chiropractic

As a chiropractor I get clients who come into my office in Roswell, GA and ask me all the time about the safety of cracking joints (especially knuckles) and what exactly the noise is.  Well, here is a great  video from the Weather Channel of all places giving you the answer to both.  In case you don't want to watch the video.  Is it safe to "crack" your knuckles?  Rejoice you popper of the phalanges.....the answer is yes! Multiple studies have been done to show that there are absolutely no adverse effects from cracking your knuckles (or any other body part for that matter).  That leads us to our next question....so what is that noise anyway?  The short answer.....suction.  Yep suction.  At every joint like where the femur meets the tibia (knee joint) there is a joint capsule.  Within every joint capsule is fluid.  The fluid (synovial) is like the consistency of egg.  When the joint is adjusted or (cracked) a cavity is formed within the eggy matrix .  The noise you hear is the suction of the cavity releasing.  So the next time your Grandmother tells you to stop cracking your knuckles because they will get huge and arthritic, tell her that's not a good enough reason anymore and completely untrue.
Here is the link------------------https://weather.com/health/video/is-it-ok-to-crack-your-knuckles
Thanks for reading
-Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP

Yes.  Please yes.  I always get the deer in head lights look when patients walk into my office in Roswell and I explain the breadth of maladies that I can deal with within the walls of my office.  Not only can I deal with plantar fasciitis, but I can treat and have success with many sports/overuse injuries.  Can my Chiropractor do this too?  I don’t know, possibly.  It depends on their training.  I am a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner which gives me specific training on top of the basic training we get within school.  The statement goes………”It never hurts to ask.”
So how do I treat my patients with plantar fasciitis?  I take a multipronged approach.

1-Adjust the lower kinetic chain-I am a chiropractor so this one seems pretty straight forward to me. The LKC runs from the foot to the hip and all these joints need to be working in concert with one another for the best efficiency.  The foot has 26 bones in it which can certainly contribute to its fair share of issues.

​2-Soft tissue work-I am Graston Technique Certified.  If you would like some more info on GT please head to the “services” tab at vitalitysportschiropractic.com and you can read up on it.  But what I can say it that I have found that releasing the fascia and soft tissue under the arch of the foot, into the heel, and up into the Achilles is essential to the healing process. A sometimes painful process, but essential nonetheless.

​3-Just tape it.  I am also Kinesio Taping Certified-(again for more information on KT please go to the services page of vitalitysportschiropractic.com).  I love Kinesio Tape.  I have taped most every overuse injury on the body at some point.  I have found that Kinesio Tape is absolutely invaluable in my process to heal PF.  To have a flexible, breathable, and functional tape to release strain on the fascia, support the arch, and reduce Achilles tightening (to me) is essential to a speedy and efficient recovery.


​4…….And the rest-Gait analysis, orthotics/inserts, exercises, icing, rest, ultrasound, and muscle stimulation are just some of the other adjunct therapies I will use within my office.  I may also refer out for PT or dry needling.
 
Needless to say, it can take a multitude of different therapies to heal a client of that awful pain in the bottom of their foot when they wake in the morning and take that first step for the day or sit too long.  And of course each client is different, needing the puzzle pieces to be put down in a way specific to them.  What I can tell you is that there are chiropractors out there ready to deal with this and other soft tissue overuse injuries. (Tennis elbow anyone?)
Until next time----Dr. Wiskind ​

Are you all ready to eat your Avocados??  A new study by the University of the Pacific may just show how important  unsaturated fats are over saturated fats in our diet.  The team tested over 200 participants and found that consuming 1-1.5 avocados per day greatly reduced bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides.  The key was to replace the saturated fats with unsaturated fats.  The avocado binging did not affect the overall level of good cholesterol (HDL).  What is shows is HOW important simple dietary changes and choices can be to our over health.  
-I hope you like guacamole!

It's winter time, that means more clouds less sunshine and less time outside enjoying that lack of sunshine.  And let's be honest, with the big “C” scare looming in our faces everyday we spend far less time outside in the summer time getting sunshine and when we do we are typically lathered up with SPF 450.  What does that all mean, well it means there is a growing epidemic of people who are vitamin D deficient.  Are you D deficient?  Well...I don't know, but here is a list of possible signs that you may be low in vitamin D.  If you have several of these signs, come speak to us here at Vitality Sports Chiropractic we can sit down and discuss what some of the issues may be and what the solutions are. 


1-Fatigue-Are you constantly exhausted?  Could be a lack of vitamin D.  Research shows that vitamin D deficiency and chronic fatigue syndrome are actually very closely linked.


2-Do you have dark skin?  Guess what people with dark skin are far more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency.  Why?  The dark skin acts like natural sunscreen.  Believe it or not it has been shown that people with dark skin need 10x the amount of sun exposure to produce the same levels of vitamin D of those people with light skin.


3-You're always sick.  Does it seem like the winter is just a never ending revolving door of sniffles and coughs.  Could be your low in vitamin D.  A recent study showed that taking 1200 units of vitamin D during the winter lessened the chances of getting the flu by 40%.  The link between chronic disease and vitamin D (the lack of) is growing.



​4-Sweaty head-It's a classic symptom of vitamin D deficiency.   Go figure.


5-Depression-Serotonin is the hormone that makes us feels good.  It's partly stimulated by sun exposure.  Less sun exposure means less vitamin D.  Those people with depression are far more likely to have low vitamin D levels.


6-You're weak and achy-A lack of vitamin D means that less calcium is also be absorbed.  In fact, your body needs at least some vitamin D for calcium to be absorbed at all.  Low calcium levels can lead to joint aches and pain (Fibromyalgia?) and weak muscles.


So, what is the daily intake requirement for vitamin D?  It's 600 IU (international units-it's what vitamin A,D,& E are measured in).  You don't have to get this all from a supplement.  Sun expsoure and food intake count as well. 


Thanks for reading,
Dr. Wiskind-Vitality Sports Chiropractic