There has been a fad going around again. This one was popular when I was a kid, but seems to be coming back for another round. It’s the energy drink fad. There has been a recent push from companies and celebrities to capitalize on the growing popularity of the supplement and health market. That has brought in super high caffeine drinks with all kinds of random vitamins and substances meant to help you. But is that really what it is doing? Is it healthy for people to be drinking these every day or even drinking multiple in a day? Or is there anything at all to what they are saying?

Everyone’s favorite thing in the morning is a cup of coffee, right? The boost of bitter energy and caffeine helps get 150 million Americans up and going every day. That’s around 50% of the population on a more conservative number. Some people assess it to be more like 60%-70% of Americans. Coffee isn’t the only way we can get that hit of energy though. A lot of people turn to soft drinks like sodas or even one of the many energy drinks that are on the market. These drinks all can contribute to complications from caffeine, but exactly how much of it is too much?

The temperatures around Missouri have been getting higher and higher each day it seems. The summer decided it was tired of waiting and showed up early this year. We aren’t hitting record highs yet, but have been close almost every day. That is some extreme heat. The kids are also out of school, which means more time spent outside and playing with family and friends. Should you be worried about the heat? How can I tell if I’m at risk of a heat illness, and what can I do about it?

To tell the truth, most peoples sleep hygiene sucks. It’s a widespread issue that is hurting people until we learn to be more responsible with our technologies and habits. Sleep is important. You should get your normal amounts of sleep if you want to stay healthy and functioning at your best. This is where sleep hygiene comes into play. What it refers to, is how you can set yourself up for the best sleep possible for the night. There are a lot of little factors at play and things you can take action on TONIGHT if you want to take up feeling rested in the mornings.

Now that school is out, the kids are ready to adventure and have a fun summer! Many people like to go travel and have vacations this time of year, but that has been more and more difficult over the past few weeks. Gas prices are at an all-time high and parents are looking to drive less. So, we have decided to share some of our favorite activities that can be done at home this summer! Some of these might require a little preparation or materials, but they can all be easily found at a local store or online.

This is a good topic to talk about here in Missouri. We tend to get severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, and all manner of bad weather systems. These raise concerns about being as safe as possible while we are outside living our lives. According to NOAA, the government authority on weather, 20-30 people are killed each year due to lightning strikes. Another several hundred are struck, but survive the experience. Those people can have life-long damage and neurological dysfunctions. Knowing what to look for, and how to react, could save you from a life-long disability or worse.

 Summer is right around the corner! We are just a few short weeks away from summer break for most of the schools. That means a lot more time out in the sun playing and going to events. This unfortunately means more sunburns and more of a need to stay safe and healthy in the sun. The number one tool in every parent’s toolbox is the sunscreen, but there have been some concerns lately about what goes into the commercially available options. Some people will go out of their way to get the all-natural sunscreens, which is great, but not always a cost-effective option. So today, I’m going to talk to you about those recent controversies in the world of sunscreen, the natural options, why we use it, and how you can try to make your own.

 April is coming to a close. The temperature has been up and down and the rain has been coming pretty steady this month. But they say those showers bring May flowers! What else can it bring? Seasonal foods! We talked last month about all of the benefits that come with buying and eating food that is in season. Now that it’s almost May, we have a lot of things coming up and ready for harvest! The farmers markets are going to start filling up with a solid variety of different veggies.

As a lot of you may have seen, its mushroom season here in Missouri! People are running in the woods and running out with 5-gallon buckets full of morels and other tasty natural foods. But why the craze? And why should you start eating more of them?

Nausea is a common issue when it comes to pregnancy. Especially for those in the first trimester. Nausea typically begins 2-4 weeks after the initial fertilization and can stick around for 22 weeks. But why is that? What is causing you to feel like you can’t eat without throwing up, or having “morning sickness?” How can you manage this at home, and when should I be getting concerned?

Allergies are a result of a foreign substance entering your body’s system. This foreign substance alerts your body’s security guards, so they call in their friends to help take care of the trouble. Makes sense, right? You don’t want that substance to cause your body harm so it’s a good thing that it is getting responded to, right? Well, its not quite so clear.

Protein: the essentials of life

If I had to pick ONE thing to focus on when trying to change your health (and your waistline), it would be proteins. Protein is most recognized for its role in muscle development and repair, but it is also SO important for numerous other vital processes in the body.

The skinny on fats

Fats are the most concentrated source of energy. Whereas carbs and proteins produce 4 calories of energy per gram, fat contains 9 calories per gram. That’s why the serving size on fatty foods seems really small, because you get more bang for your buck!

Carbs: we love them, we need them, but WHAT are they?

Carbs are our body’s favorite source of energy supply! Your body breaks these carbs down into their most basic compound of glucose (otherwise known as blood sugar) and is then absorbed by your bloodstream to be used as energy to fuel your body. They come in 2 forms based on their chemical structure and how quickly the body digests them:

It is getting to be spring out now! That means lots of rain and lots of sunshine as things start to warm up. Our bleak and barren fields will be full of fresh new plants in no time. That means a lot of fresh new produce coming to market. Why am I excited about this when I can get whatever I want at Wal-Mart year around? To put it simply, the locally-grown and in-season stuff is always better. It tastes better, you know where it came from and if its responsibly grown, and it’s even better for your nutrition.

Low back pain is a very common condition. Anywhere from 58%-84% of adults will have an incident of low back pain at some point in their life. It’s the most common burden that our patients seek help from us about. And it is true that the core plays a big part in lower back pain. You’ve probably heard people say, “My back hurts… I need to work on my core muscles or something…”. But why? How useful is it and is it really that important? Or is everyone just chasing a 6-pack for this coming up summer?

Splenda, was at one time, America’s favorite diet-sugar. It was sold and marketed as peoples answers to having their cake AND being able to eat it without the guilt. But is that the whole story?

What really is exercise-induced asthma?

Asthma comes in a couple of different forms, but this article looks at the exercise-induced kind. Like the name suggests, it is a narrowing of the breathing tubes that happens during strenuous exercise. Typically, people will notice this after going running or when their kids start into sports. It can be a scary experience for a parent and even more so for the person that experiences them. It typically starts with shortness of breath and then moves into coughing, pain in the chest/throat, and/or wheezing sounds. Its severity is different person to person, and even from attack to attack.

This is a good question! A lot of people get intimidated by the idea of going to get supplements and when it comes to the idea of vitamins. There are hundreds of different bottles all with different things in them and nobody knows what to do or what to pick. Is it worth the hassle? Can’t you just eat better?