Vitamin D is the vitamin of the sun. When our skin is exposed to sunlight, UV rays activate a blood soluble form of the vitamin termed D3. There have been a many important discoveries in the past few years about the health benefits of having optimal levels of this vitamin in our body and it is shocking to think that up to 85% of Americans may be deficient. There are small amounts of vitamin D in a few foods. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to get the proper amount that your body needs from food.
A powerful article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition identifies vitamin D’s potential for contributions to good health in the adaptive and innate immune systems, the secretion and regulation of insulin by the pancreas, the heart and blood pressure regulation, muscle strength and brain activity. Furthermore, it demonstrates that 36 different organ tissues in our body respond biologically to vitamin D. Similar to the past newsletter about Omega 3 Fatty Acids, optimal vitamin D levels has been shown to reduce the risk of death from ALL CAUSES.
Most of us do not expose our skin to the sun for long enough periods throughout the year to maintain adequate Vitamin D levels. It is a great idea to add this one as a supplement for your daily use. A generous dose for adults would be 5,000 units each day and it may be a good idea to double up in the winter months. Be sure to buy D3 as opposed to D2 because D3 is the type that your body creates with sun exposure. For more information, please visit http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Your local contact for preventative healthcare,
Kelly Baltuska, DC

The following information is provided by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. www.Icpa4kids.org    

More and more parents are seeking chiropractic care for their children. Many spinal problems seen in adults began as early as birth. Even so called “natural” birthing methods can stress an infant’s spine and developing nerve system. The resulting irritation to the nerve system caused by spinal and cranial misalignment can be the cause of many newborn health complaints. Colic, breathing problems, nursing difficulties, sleep disturbances, allergic reactions and chronic infections can often be traced to nerve system stress.

Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked right away. As the infant grows, learning to hold up the head, sit, crawl and walk are all activities that affect spinal alignment and are important times to have a child checked by a Doctor of Chiropractic.

As the child begins to participate in regular childhood activities like skating or riding a bike, small yet significant spinal misalignments (subluxations) may occur. If neglected, the injuries during this period of rapid growth may lead to more serious problems later in life. Subtle trauma throughout childhood will affect the future development of the spine leading to impaired nervous system function. Any interference to the vital nerve system will adversely affect the body’s ability to function at its best.

One of the most common reasons parents seek care for their child is trauma from an injury of some sort. These misalignments may or may not result in immediate pain or symptoms. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify potential spinal injury from these traumas, make the correction early in life and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults. Proper spinal hygiene is an important key to better health.

Another sought out reason for care is the resolution of a particular symptom or condition. Parents seek care for conditions such as colic, ear infections, asthma, allergies and headaches (to name a few) because they have heard from other parents that chiropractic care can help.

It is important to understand that the Doctor of Chiropractic does not treat conditions or diseases. The expertise of the chiropractor is in checking the child’s spine for misalignments that impair nervous system function therefore affecting overall body function. The bones of the spine, the vertebrae, house and protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord is an extension of the brain and carries information from the brain to the body parts and back to the brain again. Subluxations interfere with the nerves’ ability to transmit this vital information.

The nerve system controls and coordinates the function of all the systems in the body: circulatory, respiratory, digestive, hormonal, eliminative and immune system. Any aspect of health may be impaired by nerve interference. The chiropractic adjustment restores nerve system function allowing the body the ability to express a greater state of health and well-being.

The Doctor of Chiropractic will take a case history and perform a chiropractic exam to determine if spinal subluxations exist. Chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to fit a child’s size, weight, and unique spinal condition. They are both gentle and specific to the child’s developing spinal structures. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and look forward to subsequent visits. They also report that their children experience a greater level of health while under regular chiropractic care.

Once your family has experienced the many benefits of chiropractic care—please help us tell others!

Every cell in the human body is constantly performing an elegant balancing act to manage inflammation. The food that we eat can encourage this balance in favor of either ant-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory states.

The Standard American Diet or the SAD diet is far too high in Omega-6 fatty acids. These are found in poultry, eggs, nuts, cereals, whole grains, and vegetable oils. O6 FA’s encourage a pro-inflammatory process in our cells. This is required for life but detrimental when not at a healthy balance with Omega-3 fatty acids. O3 FA’s are anti-inflammatory and are often insufficient in the SAD diet. These are found mainly in fish and seeds. The key is to have a healthy balance of both O6 and O3 FA’s. The idea ratio is 1:1.

The easiest and most affordable way to balance is by supplementing with fish oil, which is full of 03 FA’s. A daily supplement can have a profound impact on balancing this equation while providing numerous benefits including: improved cardiovascular system and healthy blood pressure, clearer skin, decreased stress, anxiety and depression, anti-cancer effects as well as calming symptoms of many chronic pathologies such as: Parkinson’s, Lupus, and Psoriasis etc. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are a must if pregnant as the benefits to a growing fetus are endless. It is also safe and extremely beneficial for kids. There are three powerful scientific studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that correlate increased Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake with reduced risk of death from ALL CAUSES!

Depending upon body weight, it is safe to consume anywhere from 1 to 8 grams of fish oil each day. The FDA recommends limiting intake to less than 10 grams a day. The most commonly noted side effect is a burp that tastes fishy. This can be easily overcome by freezing your fish oil pearls before consuming.

Have a healthy day,
Kelly Baltuska, DC

We had a fun time at the Lenexa Community Days Parade on the 4th of July! Thank you to friends and family for all of your support. We distributed over 2,000 children’s spinal health brochures to the community that were provided by StraightenUpAmerica.org. These exercises and stretches that just take 3 minutes to perform everyday can vastly improve the health of children (and adults too).

Baltuska Family, Lenexa Community Days Parade, July 4th 2013

Paraders: Brian King, Anna Smades, Sammy Oley, Ryan Heathman, Martin Keegan, Cierra Handley, Tylor Hall, Leah and Lilliah Mothersill, Jennifer, Lydia, Vincent, and Apollo Baltuska.

Intern Cierra Handley with StraightenUpAmerica.org brochure

David and Julie Baltuska, Paraders, Dad and Mom
Event T-shirt: Lenexa, KS – The Backbone of America

Vincent Baltuska, Parader

Ryan Heathman, Parader

Brian and Anna, Paraders