At Vibrant Life Health Center we understand and that each person is uniquely different and requires specific services that focus on your health care needs individually. We are excited to share with you our official Blog to provide you with information on health tips, information, and steps you can take to transform your health and add years to life and life to years!
By Dr. Jon Thomas, DC, Board Certified
Chiropractic Physician.
Courtesy of
Public Domain Photos
It’s fun during the holidays to give
gifts to loved ones. It’s also fun to be nice to yourself, especially if you do
something that will continue to pay off in some way for a long time. For many
people, NutriMost is a gift that keeps on giving. Initially, NutriMost helps
people to lose a substantial amount of weight in a short period of time.
After going through the NutriMost
program, people continue to benefit by keeping the weight off. However, there
are lots of other benefits that aren’t reflected on the scale. Many people are
able to discontinue their use of prescription medications for conditions like
high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In addition to being
a health benefit, it is an economic benefit since it saves money.
Dr. Thomas recently wrote a blog post
about the advantages of buying locally grown foods, especially from farmers’
markets. We’re fortunate to live in a region where good things grow throughout
the whole year, and those foods can be brought to market very shortly after
they are harvested. No preservatives and no packaging.
One thing Dr. Thomas didn’t mention is
that those fresh foods generally don’t require labelling. What you see is what
you get. Bananas are bananas, tomatoes are tomatoes, and potatoes are potatoes.
It’s fairly straightforward.
However, for lots of reasons, many of us
are not able to go one hundred percent natural in our food choices. Most people
buy packaged foods at least some of the time. When it comes to packaged foods,
it’s very important to read and understand the labels.
The Food and Drug Administration and
Food Labeling Requirements
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
According to the official FDA website,
“The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for assuring that foods
sold in the United States are safe, wholesome and properly labeled. This
applies to foods produced domestically, as well as foods from foreign
countries.”
The FDA website has a great deal of
information about lists of ingredients, how foods should be labelled, and much
more. There’s even information on how companies should figure out serving sizes
to include with their food labels.
Comedian Brian Regan tells jokes about
the serving size for fig newtons. The serving size on the label that he saw was
two cookies. He asked, “Who eats two cookies?” The serving size for his ice
cream was half a cup. “Who eats half a cup?”
Nutritional information is generally
presented per serving. In other words, the number of calories printed on the
label is the number of calories per serving, not per container. It’s important
to understand that when making food choices. If the container has three
servings in it and you like to eat the whole thing, the calories, grams of fat,
etc. all have to be multiplied by three.
QR Codes and Food Labels
One recent trend in food labelling is
the use of Quick Response codes. They’re also known as QR codes and they
consist of black and white blocks of shapes, lines, and squares that are now
seen on many products including packaged foods. QR codes can be scanned with
smart phone apps. Once scanned, information about the product can be accessed.
President Obama recently signed a law
requiring food companies to flag genetically modified ingredients in plain
writing, an icon developed by regulators, or with digitally readable QR codes.
The new law allows companies to disclose the presence of GMOs using QR codes
rather than words on labels. This news was recently covered in a Wall Street
Journal article.
So, for some food products, the only way
to get nutritional information is with the QR codes. That’s fine for people who
have an app, but it’s tough luck for people who don’t have an app. Here are two
of the apps that are now available.
QR Code Reader: To scan a QR code or
barcode, simply open the app, point the camera at the code, and you’re done.
There’s no need to take a photo or press a button. The app will automatically
recognize any code your camera is pointing at.
Shazam: According to the company website,
this app is “one of the world’s most popular apps, used by more than 100
million people each month to magically connect to the world around
them.” This app does much more than read QR Codes.
Growing concerns about Genetically
Modified Organisms
“GMOs are organisms that have been
created through the application of transgenic, gene-splicing techniques that
are part of biotechnology.” OrganicItsWorthIt
One thing that many people have become
concerned about in their food is the presence of Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMOs). Genetic Engineering, the science of GMOs, allows genetic material (DNA)
from one species to be transferred into another species. The result is
organisms with combinations of genes from plants, animals, bacteria, and even
viral gene pools.
Genetic engineering is a new science and
there are a host of unknowns about genetically engineered crops and GMOs.
Research is accumulating which suggests that GMOs may not be safe. If GMOs are
in products, many consumers want to be aware of it and they deserve to have the
means to find that important information. Many consumers want to avoid GMOs as
much as they possibly can.
If you’re concerned about GMOs, as
everyone should be, start looking for the Certified NON GMO label on the food
products you purchase.
The trend toward fewer ingredients
Another interesting trend in the food
industry is the movement toward fewer ingredients.In fact, fewer
ingredients is now being used as a selling point for many foods. Many
people feel that fewer ingredients equates to more natural and better for the
body. There’s certainly some logic to that.
Products ranging from chocolates by
Hershey to ice cream by Haagen Dazs to snack bars from General Mills now
consist of fewer ingredients than similar products in the past. The Wall Street
Journal recently published an interesting article about this trend in packaged
foods.
Take back your health. Know what you’re
putting into your body.
It’s extremely important to know what
you’re putting into your body. The human body is complicated and it requires
good foods in order to run optimally. If you can’t find the ingredients of a
food product, you probably shouldn’t be eating it. If you need to get an app to
read QR Codes, I encourage you not to put that off. Download an app and start
using it.
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This article discusses the importance of
reading food labels and how to read food labels. I have also discussed
nutritional information that is now available through QR codes, the trend of
some food producers toward using fewer ingredients, and GMOs in food products.
If you have a comment about this
article, please leave it in the comments section below. If you know of someone
who might benefit from the information in this blog, please share it with your
friends and colleagues, and also on social media.
The Google Plus button and other social
media sharing buttons are below.
At Vibrant Life, we address all of the
key elements to add vibrance and vitality to your life. This includes
nutrition, chiropractic care, and fitness. If you need to consult with a
chiropractor about your neck, back, or any other health concern, please contact
our office to set up an appointment.
Tracy Thomas is the Vice President of
the Vibrant Life Health Center. After experiencing the transformative power of
Chiropractic and proper nutrition in her own life, Tracy made it her personal mission
to help others to find their own paths to true health and wellness. Tracy is
dedicated to developing and providing the best care available to patients at
the Vibrant Life Health Center. She helps clients implement and stick to
programs that lead to positive lifestyle changes. Tracy is sought after by
chiropractic practices throughout the country for training and consultation
pertaining to the implementation of nutrition programs.
By Dr. Jon Thomas, DC, PSc.D, Board Certified Chiropractic Physician.
Courtesy of Vibrant Life
Many people’s lives have been transformed over the years at Vibrant Life Health Center. We’ve had Chiropractic patients come to us with chronic pain and musculoskeletal issues that have been resolved. The transformations they’ve experienced have enabled them to return to doing things that they thought they might never be able to do again. We’ve had patients who had serious weight problems, problems with their metabolism, and things that just weren’t working properly in their bodies. People want to know how they can get to the next level. At Vibrant Life, we’re going to help them to do exactly that. We call it Life in Balance, and it’s a comprehensive approach to optimized health, fitness, and wellness.
Courtesy of Vibrant Life
Life in Balance will incorporate wellness Chiropractic. Lots of people associate chiropractic with getting well after an injury of some sort, and chiropractic is certainly great for that. The thing many people don’t realize is that Chiropractic is also good for staying well and for keeping the nervous system functioning optimally. As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, everything in the body is connected to the spine. Spine health is crucial for living a truly healthy life. The program will also encompass nutritional guidance so people won’t have to guess about what supplement to take and when or how to take it. With blood-based micro - macro nutrient testing, we’re going to show people what their bodies are truly deficient in and what is optimal. People are going to have an exact plan on what supplements they should be taking in order to address their specific deficiencies based on testing and then also re-testing post protocol to verify that the needs have been fully addressed. Another misunderstood and misused concept in health planning is detoxification steps. There are many methods related to detoxification but many are actually not effective, not safe, and confusing. The protocols in Life in Balance come from some of the longest used methods in history. Not only will you have the steps laid out for you, you will have a specific order by organ and when to cycle on and off the detoxification protocols. This will ensure that your body will get maximum benefit!
Courtesy of Wikimedia
Foods are also pivotal to health and wellness. With Life in Balance a food plan is developed using biofeedback to ensure cellular coherence with the foods you consume. This plan is comprehensive and lists good foods, avoidance foods, and a buffer in between. Within this plan you're not guessing…you know that you know that your food plan matches your body's needs. Fitness is another key component for Life in Balance. Someone might want to get to the point where he or she can walk a mile at a good pace without huffing and puffing. Someone else might want to gain muscle mass and get the six-pack abs they had in their 20s back. Either way, we’re going to help participants reach their fitness objectives.
Courtesy of U.S. Navy
Life in Balance is not a one-size-fits-all program. It’s comprehensive and tailored to the individual. A supplement that works well for one person might not work at all for someone else. There are reasons for that. Everybody is different and everybody has their own unique needs. We’ll be using the best technologies and time-tested methodologies to develop an individualized program for each participant. This is an in depth approach to optimal health. We’re going to look at everything going on in a person’s body and we’re going to address every challenge that might keep a person from reaching his or her goals. We want to give our patients much more than one or two pieces to the health and fitness puzzle. We want to give them all the pieces and then help them fit those pieces together so they can experience true transformation and start living the lives they’ve always wanted to live.
How my daughter, Avery, got her hair back: A personal Life in Balance testimony from Dr. Thomas According to WebMD, alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, which is where hair growth begins. The damage to the follicle is usually not permanent. Experts do not know why the immune system attacks the follicles. Alopecia areata is most common in people younger than 20, but children and adults of any age may be affected. Women and men are affected equally. My daughter, Avery, was diagnosed with alopecia at 5 years old. Tracy and I took Avery to several medical Doctors. They told us that she had an auto-immune disease, and there was nothing that could be done about it. Avery was told she would never have hair again. That news was devastating! Most people consider hair an important part of their personal appearance. It’s especially important to young women in our culture. A friend recommended that we take Avery to a Naturopathic doctor who thought outside the box. He tested Avery’s blood, urine, and saliva. After evaluating the results, he determined that Avery’s body was not producing HCL and her stomach PH level was an 8 when it should have been a 2. Based on that information, which traditional medical doctors had not considered, we made some changes. Today Avery is thirteen years old and she has a beautiful head of hair. That creates a whole other problem for a father, but I think I’ll be able to cope. Traditional medicine does not have the answers to every health challenge. Sometimes, people need do their own research and seek out a practitioner who thinks outside the traditional medicine box. With Life in Balance, when patients have a problem for which there doesn’t seem to be a solution, we’re going to consider all the options, including some that may be considered outside the box.
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In this article, I have discussed Life in Balance, our comprehensive new approach to health, wellness, and fitness, which is being offered by the Vibrant Life Health Center. Life in Balance addresses chiropractic fitness, nutrition and weight loss, fitness and exercise, and much more. The program is tailored to each participant to help them achieve their health and wellness objectives. If you have a comment about this article, please leave it in the comments section below. If you know of someone who might benefit from the information in this blog, please share it with your friends, colleagues, and on social media. The Google Plus button and other social media sharing buttons are below. At Vibrant Life, we address all of the key elements to add vibrance and vitality to your life. This includes nutrition, chiropractic care, and fitness. If you need to consult with a chiropractor about your neck, back, or any other health concern, please contact our office to set up an appointment.
Courtesy of Vibrant Life
Dr. Jon Thomas is a Board Certified Chiropractic Physician. His practice, The Vibrant Life Health Center, is located in the Mandarin section of Jacksonville. His interest in health and fitness started early, and his athletic pursuits have included BMX racing, Professional Snow Skiing, Water Skiing, Baseball, Weightlifting, and Martial Arts. After studying and learning from some of the top health experts throughout the world, Dr. Thomas dedicated his life to helping people of all ages to transform their lives. The objective for each patient is to initiate the body’s healing and to work progressively toward a body that functions optimally. Dr. Thomas is seen regularly on TV on First Coast Living, where he discusses the transformations of his patients. He also speaks at events throughout the community and writes informative articles to improve the health of residents throughout Jacksonville.
