Rebounding: An Old Exercise with New Interest

You loved doing it as a child, but did you know that bouncing on a trampoline might be one of the best full-body exercises you can do as an adult? But it's so much fun, you say, how can it possibly be exercise? Well, according to NASA, "rebounding", which is just fancy terminology for jumping up and down on a mini-trampoline, is 68% more effective than jogging! That's great news for the child in us all.

Rebounding is considered a plyometric exercise which not only "jump-starts" your metabolism, it also detoxifies the body, reduces fat, and provides a comprehensive cardio and strength-training workout. Who would have thought you could get a full-body workout, including core, glutes, quads, hamstrings and shoulders, simply by bouncing up and down with gravity and a few springs to keep you moving?

Athletes are finding that they can practice skills such as jumping, sprinting, and even weight training while balancing on a trampoline. Volleyball and basketball players find it particularly effective, and it's even great for seniors and people with disabilities (be sure to get the okay from your doctor first). For regular folks who just want a fun new way to exercise, you can do some great stomach strengthening, among other things, simply by rebounding on a trampoline at your gym or in your very own home.

On your own or in a class, rebounding a couple times a week will have you jumping for joy at the prospect of a stronger core and better overall health.

Health Benefits of Pumpkins

Fiber, Vitamin A, few calories - what a tremendous fruit! That's correct, pumpkin is a fruit! Try it in soup, seeds on salads, on the run, while at rest. The flesh is delectable, and the seeds and oil are really healthy!
For most of us, including us at Hull Chiropractic, we look to the pumpkin pies and breads and seeds to enjoy the efforts of the pumpkin farmers. As the pumpkins turn into Jack-o-Lanterns around Halloween and adorn our Indianapolis front porches, many Indianapolis residents saved the seeds to roast and enjoy. Did you know that was a healthy choice? Good for you!
Then, Thanksgiving approaches Indianapolis, and the pumpkin pies roll out. Fascinatingly, early pumpkin pies were actually created in pumpkins! Like we do today, early American settlers would chop the top off and remove the seeds, but they would then fill the pumpkin with milk, spices, and honey and bake the whole thing. Granted, there was no crust, but it was a healthier version of pumpkin pie!
Healthy pumpkin benefits are numerous! It's no wonder that the Native Americans used pumpkins seeds for food and medicine! 

• reduction in arthritis inflammation  and heart disease,
• prevention of osteoporosis in men due to the high zinc content - 71% RDA - in pumpkin seeds
• stress reduction and irritability as the amino acid tryptophan in pumpkin seeds converts to GABA (an anti-stress neurochemical) in the brain
• inhibition of benign prostatic hyperplasia in men
• anti-oxidant protection from free radicals floating around in Indianapolis due to the beta-carotene conversion into vitamin A (Don't you just love the bright orange color beta-carotene gives the pumpkin!),
• support of good vision, eye and skin health, and a strong immune system due to the 246% Vitamin A content one serving offers and
• improvement in postmenopausal women's issues taking pumpkin seed oil like an increase in HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and decrease in blood pressure, hot flashes, headaches and joint pain

From the flower to the inner flesh to the seeds, the pumpkin gives us its all! The flower is edible. The flesh is delectable in so many ways - pies, breads, smoothies. The pumpkin seeds are easy to make and fun to eat! Share some with your Indianapolis friends and family!

Vitamin D and Calcium for Bone Denisty

Bone density and  your skeletal structure continuously evolve over your lifetime, so your body needs calcium to promote healthy growth. Many adults use calcium supplements to ensure skeletal health, but recent studies have shown that long-term consumption of the supplement, when not combined with vitamin D, may lead to an increased risk of heart disease.


To avoid the need for calcium supplementation, make sure your diet is supplying your body with a the recommended levels of calcium and vitamin D. Receiving those essential nutrients from natural food sources will always serve your body better than an additional supplement.

Most adults should be consuming at least 1000 milligrams of calcium daily, and 200 IU of vitamin D. Seek out foods like milk, cottage cheese, dark leafy greens, beans, tofu, fish, and whole oats to provide your body everything it needs to stay healthy.

Five quick tips for building bones:

• Look beyond the dairy aisle.
• Get your vitamin D
• Get active
• Be careful about getting too much retinol (vitamin A) which can weaken bones  
• Help your kids build strong bones.

Do You Sit in an Office Chair All Day?

For decades, health professionals have championed the need to sit up straight when stuck in an office chair for long periods of time. The consensus being that perfectly erect posture is one of the tent poles of spinal health. Well, they may have been wrong.

Prompted by the rapidly increasing number of chronic back pain cases (back pain is now the most widely reported chronic work related injury in U.S.), a recent study using MRI imagery revealed that adhering to the recommended right angle position when seated may put excess strain on spinal disks. The straight-backed posture creates an unnecessary weight load on the spine, which can actually be more detrimental than previously expected.

The most severe damage, however, was seen in those participants that spent long hours slouched toward their knees. The forward lean dramatically elevates muscle tension, and creates dangerous friction across the spine and lower back in particular.

The same study examined subjects who sat with a slightly backward lean, forming a (roughly) 135 degree angle. Those participants who worked in the relaxed position significantly decreased tendon, muscle and spinal strain, yielding the best results. Considering the results, researchers recommend the use of seating that features a shoulder-height back rest, specifically angled to promote the more beneficial open angled posture.

Consumer Reports: Chiropractic is top rated treatment for back pain

In light of a new survey showing that chiropractic spinal manipulation is the top-rated treatment for people suffering with back pain, patients should consider a consultation with a doctor of chiropractic, says the American Chiropractic Association.
The Consumer Reports Health Rating Center released the survey results of more than 14,000 Americans.
The survey rated doctors of chiropractic as the top practitioner, with survey respondents noting that they were more likely to be "highly satisfied" with the care received from their doctor of chiropractic (59 percent) than their primary care physician (34 percent).
"For the treatment of back pain, few options are better than chiropractic," says ACA President Glenn Manceaux, DC. "As shown in this latest survey, chiropractic spinal manipulation is an evidence-based and effective treatment for low-back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries. Coupled with the high-levels of patient satisfaction, patients should turn to chiropractic as their first choice."
To compare which treatments helped most, Consumer Reports asked its subscribers to rate a comprehensive list of potential remedies along with their satisfaction with the health-care professionals they visited. Most survey respondents had tried five or six different treatments on average, and many found that their back pain interfered with their daily activities, including sleep and their sex life.
Doctors of chiropractic provide drug-free, non-invasive treatment options for many types of pain and inflammation. For example, chronic back pain, neck pain, joint pain and headaches can often be reduced with the appropriate combination of chiropractic manipulation, rehabilitative exercises and lifestyle counseling - all of which are offered by doctors of chiropractic in a patient's personalized treatment plan.

A significant amount of evidence has shown that the use of chiropractic care for certain conditions can be more effective than traditional medical care, with many patients feeling improvement shortly after their first chiropractic visit.

-Consumers Reports Magazine