Being active at age five helps kids to avoid excess fat as they age even if they don’t stay as active later in childhood. “We call this effect ‘banking’ because the kids benefit later on, similar to having a savings account at a bank. The protective effect is independent of what happens in between,” Janz went on to say.

Using a special scanner that accurately measures bone, fat, and muscle tissue, and an accelerometer that measures movment every minute, the UI team tested the body fat and activity level of 333 kis at ages five, eight, and eleven. The kids wore accelerometers to record their activity level for up to five days, providing much more dependable data than relying on kids or parents to track minutes of exercise.

The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, indicates that kids who are active at age five end up with less fat at age eight and eleven, even when controlling for their accumulated level of activity. The average five-year-old in the study got thirty minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day. For every ten minutes on top of that, kids had one-third of a pound less fat tissue at ages eight and eleven.

Although further research is required to learn what happens to the bodies of the active kids that keeps them in better shape down the road, Janz said that it may be possible that the active 5-year-olds didn’t develop as many fat cells, improved their insulin response, or that something happened metabolically that provided some protection even as they became less active.

Weight moderation, however, isn’t the only benefit of early exercise. As a chiropractor I have observed in my own practice that active kids have fewer common childhood health problems, such as catching colds and the flu. Chiropractic treatment is, naturally, exceptionally beneficial in helping kids to stay healthier. But, in addition, the stimulation to the brain that occurs during activities, especially those that necessitate “cross pattern” motor movements of the larger muscles, i.e., right hand/left leg and left hand/right leg, such as crawling, running, climbing, and skipping, also boosts the autoimmune system and keeps kids healthier.

Many children these days are overweight and unhealthy. Though part of the problem is an inappropriate diet, lack of exercise is also a major contributing factor. If you have a five-year-old who chooses to watch television or play video games rather than to participate in more active play, help your child to get up and get moving into healthier activities. Moderate to vigorous activity will not only benefit your child now, but will help to build a healthier future. You can bank on it!

Technorati Tags: children's health, chiropractic, chiropractor

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Earache and Ear Infections

A pediatrician who thinks that a child with an earache has a middle ear infection will normally prescribe antibiotics as a customary course of treatment. Current study, however, has concluded that this type of treatment is often misguided. The reason for the child’s middle ear infection may not be due to bacteria, and inasmuch as antibiotics are only effective against bacterial pathogens, many times there will be no positive reaction. The reason for this is that numerous cases of middle ear infection can be produced by a virus, and viruses do not respond to antibiotics. This may explain why children develop chronic ear infections.

One of the purposes of a chiropractor is to establish if the reason for the body’s incapability of combatting the earache or ear infection is produced by inflamation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings).

When these nerve endings are irritated, an undue tension is generated in the small muscles of the neck. This muscle tension can put pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, hence stopping the body from being able to naturally fix the problem. In addition, balance can also be affected.

Assessment by a chiropractor of such a problem is made by the detection of increased tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles. Usually more tension is felt on the side of earache. In addition, the chiropractor will check to see which spinal vertebrae are either moderately out of alignment or not moving within their normal range. This affliction may have been due to any one of the many bangs, jolts and falls that the majority of children undergo in the early years of their life. Restoration of normal lymph drainage is usually accomplished with a short regimen of treatments that include spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles. If your child is experiencing the pain of an earache or an ear infection, call your chiropractor as soon as possible.

Advanced Research and Guidelines

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection, the most prevalent childhood illness after the common cold, accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits every year. In addition, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are causelessly prescribed for the affliction.Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatric ear inflammation, and definitively recommended a period of “watchful waiting” since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) endorses the AAP on the guidelines and emphasizes that chiropractic care is a “good first option” for treating ear infection conservatively. “Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success – helping them to avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery,” said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort.”

Technorati Tags: children's earaches, chiropractic, chiropractor, ear infections, earache, earaches

Parents are disinclined to simply mask symptoms with medication, and they are frightened about side effects. Their desire to attain a state of true health for their children has encouraged moms and dads to look for health care alternatives that assist their child’s own inherent ability to be healthy.

Chiropractic care is that option. All children function better with 100% nerve function. The immune system is regulated by the nervous system. When it is working optimally, children stay healthier.  In the case of children’s health, “the best offense is a good defense.” Children are exposed to so many health-endangering illnesses every day that it would be unfeasible to immunize them against them all, even if there were such immunization available. Your Chiropractor is very familiar with colds, sore throats, ear infections, fevers, colic, asthma, tonsillitis, allergies, bed-wetting, infections, pains, falls, stomach-aches, and the hundred and one little (and big) things children go through as they are growing up.

Most illnesses that affect children are avoidable. Chiropractic treatment helps to remove interferences to the inherent healing power that runs through your child’s body. When that power is released, the changes that take place quite frequently are profound.

Furthermore, a child is lesslikely to be injured at play or in sports when his or her spine is in alignment. In addition, children who get adjusted on a regular basis don’t seem to experience as many “growing pains” as other children.

Lately, we are finding at your Chiropractor that more and more parents are bringing their children to us for everyday childhood health concerns. Every child is entitled to manifest their entire potentiality. Chiropractic care for children at your chiropractor is safe, gentle and effective.

Technorati Tags: children's health, chiropractic, chiropractor