The Chris McKay Radio Show

Cold and flu season is picking up and we figured it was time to take a look at some of the common myths surrounding the season.

Answer: Myth

Because the flu vaccine is readily available, many doctors begin receiving shipments in August. This doesn’t mean you should hold out until November (peak flu season) to get your vaccine. The vaccine is good for one year. So, you should at least try to get your vaccine around the same time each year for consistency.

Answer: Fact

Stress may not actually cause you to catch a cold or the flu, but it certainly weakens your immune system, making it more likely that to develop complications from a cold or the flu. If you get sick, take the time you need to get better. Pushing through work and trying to make that deadline won’t you do you any favors.

Answer: Myth

Regardless of which version you’ve heard, you won’t be hearing either from your doctor. It’s a very common old wives tale to say feed a cold and starve a fever. In reality, you really shouldn’t do the extreme of either when you’re treating a cold or the flu. Oftentimes when we’re not feeling well, we lose our appetites. It’s not important to force feed yourself in order to keep up with the cold. Instead, you should focus on drinking enough. It’s very important to stay hydrated when you have an upper respiratory infection or a cold, and especially the flu, as well, because when you’re feverish and sweating, you’re going to lose a lot of moisture.

Answer: Fact

It’s true. Chicken soup is actually good for the soul. While this tip goes at least as far back as the 12th century physician Maimonides (who some historians believe heard it from his mother), there is now solid medical evidence behind a remedy that was once only thought of as merely a comfort food. In 2000, University of Nebraska researchers showed that chicken soup does actually have an anti-inflammatory effect, mobilizing the neutrophils or the inflammatory cells and making them work a little bit better — and also keeping the mucus in the nose moving so that the virus, which sits in the nose, would mobilize a little bit faster and, maybe, potentially, get you better faster.

Answer: Myth

While the mythical status of most of these remedies may suggest that there’s no way out of a layover with cold or the flu, there is one way to cut down sick days from the flu, but you’ve got to be quick about it. If you do catch the flu early enough, you can take an antiviral to shorten the duration of the illness. But you have to act almost immediately and get in to see your doctor within the first 48 hours.

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Every step you take puts pressure on your knees and joints, so it makes sense that as you age, that wear and tear takes a toll and you notice more pain. However, certain conditions can increase your knee pain and being aware may help you avoid some of the discomfort.

If you haven’t yet experienced knee pain, there are things you can do to avoid it. Start by losing those extra pounds and exercising more.   According to a recent study, exercise provided knee pain benefits similar to those from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Experts recommend strength training and walking. The more you exercise, the more likely you are to lose weight and the less likely you’ll be to experience knee pain.

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

Some of the latest foods trends are also some of the healthiest we’ve seen in awhile. Incorporating these into your diet is a sure fire way to eat better in 2016!

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

Do the stresses of your day sometimes get you all worked up? Then the day ends and you just can’t seem to fall asleep as you re-run it all over again through your head? You need to relax and calm down. But it seems almost impossible. Let’s talk about the calming effects of calcium and magnesium.

Calcium is an essential nutrient for maintaining total body health. It’s necessary not just for keeping your bones and teeth strong, but also to ensure proper functioning of muscles and nerves. Calcium works in harmony with magnesium, kinda of like peanut butter & jelly (yum) but too much calcium can actually deplete your body’s supply of magnesium.

Calcium and magnesium work harmoniously together when the balance is correct. Calcium acts to excite nerves and is necessary for muscle contraction. Magnesium, on the other hand, calms nerves and is needed for muscle relaxation. Calcium makes bones stiff and hard, but magnesium is needed to avoid the bones from becoming brittle.

You experience the tensing and relaxing interaction of these two elements each time your heart beats, when you feel your pulse, and every time you breathe.

When you’re under stress or worked up, the balance of calcium and magnesium surrounding our cells gets out of whack. Calcium enters the cells and the calcium level temporarily becomes high. This is the tensing of muscles you feel as you’re getting worked up. But have no fear, Magnesium is here and saves the day by pushing the calcium out of the cell and the cell is again in its resting, relaxed state.

To maintain the correct balance of calcium and magnesium – you need to ensure you aren’t magnesium deficient. Much emphasis has been placed on the importance of calcium, but not enough attention has been called to magnesium. Magnesium helps your muscles function properly; it keeps your heart rhythm steady and supports a healthy immune system. This essential mineral helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure and is required for producing and storing energy.

Unfortunately, many of us are magnesium deficient. According to population studies of average magnesium intake, less than 30 percent of US adults consume the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of magnesium and nearly 20 percent get only half the magnesium they need daily.

So, if you’re having a hard time settling down, chances are your calcium and magnesium levels are out of whack and not working together properly. You should consider a high-quality calcium magnesium supplement. CalMax from Dr. Newton’s Naturals offers the doctor recommended ratio of calcium to magnesium in a unique beverage powder. Simply add a teaspoon to a cup of hot tea and you’ll feel your muscles relax, allowing you to calm down and get the sleep you need.

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

Whenever you’re preparing for your next big game party (you know like the super bowl or the world series) you might be gathering up all the fixings for nachos, wings, chips and dip and more. And while your team might thank you for the support, your digestive system and waistline will most definitely not be thanking you. Instead of the traditional high-fat fare, try these five healthy game day snack ideas:

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

B vitamins are responsible for creating energy from the food you eat. According to recent studies, being even slightly deficient in these vital nutrients can decrease your body’s ability to repair itself after exercising. Not to mention their negative impact on your energy levels and performance during workouts.

A study from the University of Oregon found that athletes who don’t consume enough B-complex vitamins were more likely to experience greater difficulty building muscle and healing from muscle injuries. Performance levels were also significantly impacted, especially for high-intensity workouts. Common symptoms included headache, dizziness, fatigue and shortness of breath.

When you exercise, you sweat, compounding your vitamin loss. Why?  Because perspiration contains vital nutrients. So, if you’re putting in a strenuous workout, your risk of vitamin B loss is even greater.

Poor eating habits can also contribute to a lack of B vitamins. If you’re avoiding dairy or eggs to keep your weight down, you’re at an increased risk of deficiency.

So, what can you do to avoid vitamin B deficiency? Many foods contain B vitamins such as:

If you’re still suffering from vitamin B deficiency, taking a high-quality B supplement can help. It’s important to look for one with a wide range of B vitamins like these:

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

It’s happened to all of us. You get to the store and can’t remember what you’re there for. Or, even with a calendar reminder, you still forget that appointment. It doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s disease or are having a so-called “senior moment.” However, research shows that memory loss can actually begin as early as your 20s, and it continues as you age. Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do throughout your day to help protect your memory and stay sharp.

Don’t Skip Breakfast – Your brain needs food to get going in the morning and keep you going all day. A Tufts University study found that folks who skipped breakfast performed worse on memory-based tasks than those who didn’t.

Get in a Morning Workout - Exercise increases the blood flow to your brain, bringing much-needed oxygen and glucose for energy. In fact, a study in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory found that subjects learned vocabulary words 20% faster when trying to memorize them after doing an intense workout rather than a low-impact activity. Try taking a dance or kickboxing class—anything that requires you to remember a routine for even more brain boosting power.

Surf the Web – Yes – you read the correctly. Spending an hour a day looking online for something you’re interested in (like researching spots for your next vacation) may stimulate the part of your frontal lobe that controls short-term memory, according to a recent study from the University of California, Los Angeles. The neural circuits involved in decision-making, visual-spatial, and verbal skills become very active when you do an Internet search. It can’t be mindless surfing though (ie. Facebook doesn’t count).

Enjoy a Drink with Dinner - While drinking too much can lead to memory loss, a new study finds that drinking in moderation may actually lower your risk for memory problems. In an analysis published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, participants who consumed seven or fewer alcoholic drinks total per week had the lowest risk for cognitive impairment, compared with those who either didn’t drink at all and those who drank more. Researchers believe this may be due to the anti-inflammatory properties of alcohol.

Floss Your Teeth – Flossing can actually be good for your cognitive abilities. When you don’t floss, your gums become inflamed, making it easier for bad bacteria to enter your bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can cause inflammation throughout your body, including in the brain, which can lead to cognitive dysfunction. So be sure to floss daily – your dentist and your brain will thank you!

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

Not only are jigsaw puzzles excellent brain training and coordination improvement tools, they’re fun, too! Working a puzzle helps develop your abilities to reason, analyze, sequence, deduce, logical thought processes and problem solving skills. These types of puzzles also improve hand-eye co-ordination and develop a good working sense of spatial arrangements.

When you solve a jigsaw puzzle, you are engaging your brain to retain information on shapes and colors in order to choose pieces that will fit together properly. This hunt for pieces requires your brain to memorize what each piece looks like or what the shape should look like and what kinds of pieces you are searching for in order to complete the picture. Because you are likely doing this repeatedly as you search for puzzle pieces, the process reinforces short-term memory.

Jigsaw puzzles also promote the relationship between the left and right brain. The logical left brain looks at individual parts. It is sequential, rational, analytical and objective. The left brain is stimulated by problem solving. The creative right brain sees the big picture. It thrives on randomness, is intuitive and subjective, and even likes the unfamiliar. Jigsaw puzzles satiate the needs of both the left and right brain.

In solving jigsaw puzzles, the brain is being worked in both hemispheres, making connections between the sides as well as between brain cells. The connections enhance your ability to learn, understand and remember. Furthermore, each success with the puzzle – from individual piece placement to the actual completion of the puzzle – encourages the production of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates mood and affects concentration and motivation. Dopamine also plays a large part in memory and motor control.

If you really like a challenge, try the ‘blind’ technique in solving your puzzles. With this approach, study the image on the face of the jigsaw puzzle box only before you begin. Then put it away. You have to work from memory to rearrange the pieces and complete the visual. When you’ve mastered that technique, you can really give your brain a workout by trying to put a puzzle together face down – with no picture. It may not seem as exciting as watching the picture come together, but you’ll be working your brain extra hard to figure out where those pieces go.

Puzzles can also be relaxing. Concentrating on the puzzle pieces might help refocus the mind away from negative and stressful thoughts. Once you’re in a peaceful state of mind, cortisol and blood pressure levels drop to healthier levels. Since chronic elevations of cortisol in the bloodstream can lead to impaired cognitive abilities, anything you can do to reduce those levels can only be beneficial for your brain.

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

Forty to 80 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cite fatigue as their most debilitating symptom, according to research published in the Israel Medical Association Journal in 2014. That, coupled with joint pain and other symptoms of RA, can be a big barrier to getting regular exercise.

Decreased activity levels in people with rheumatoid arthritis actually results in reduced muscle strength and ultimately can lead to increased arthritis pain and disability. It becomes a vicious cycle. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regular exercise can actually help ease the symptoms of RA. Researchers found that people who exercise have improved daily function, decreased depression and fatigue, reduced pain, and improved sleep. Instead of using RA as an excuse not to exercise, make it the reason you do.

Here are five exercises to help relieve joint pain

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.

Your mother was right – breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Try these brain boosting breakfast ideas with foods shown to keep brain cells healthy and ward off age-related cognitive decline.

Breakfast Quesadilla – need a fresh take on eggs? Try a breakfast quesadilla. Choline, a B vitamin found in eggs, has been shown to play a role in brain function and memory. In a study of almost 1400 men and women published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, those who consumed foods with choline performed better on memory and verbal learning tests than others. Eggs also provide high-quality protein, a nutrient that helps you concentrate by keeping your blood sugar stabilized and helping you feel fuller longer. Eggs are an excellent source of brain boosting nutrition.

Oatmeal – Oats contain iron, zinc, potassium and B vitamins, nutrients that encourage brain development and help your brain to function at full capacity. The fiber in oats will also help keep hunger at bay until your next meal. Studies have shown that children who ate oatmeal for breakfast scored up to 20 percent higher on tests than children who ate sugary cereal. When the sugar high wears off, there is a dip in blood sugar that negatively affects memory and concentration. So, when shopping for oatmeal, look for the steal cut variety or just plain oats, not the sugar filled, flavored packets!

Blueberries – all berries are rich in tannins, which protect brain cells and may play a role in improving memory by communication between brain cells. However, blueberries are also rich in antioxidants and other phytochemicals that have been linked to improvements in learning, thinking, and memory, as well as possible reductions in neurodegenerative oxidative stress. Toss blueberries on your oatmeal, in yogurt or make a smoothie to get a smart start to your morning.

Almonds – Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, providing almost 40 percent of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) in a one-ounce serving. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that vitamin E might help prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly. Almonds also provide a healthy combination of protein, fiber and good-for-you fats to help maintain your blood sugar levels – keeping you focused and energized.

Apples – running short on time? At least grab an apple on your way out the door. Apples are rich in quercetin, an antioxidant plant chemical that protects brain cells. According to scientists at Cornell University, quercetin defends your brain cells from free radical attacks, which can damage the outer lining of delicate neurons and over time, lead to cognitive decline. Just remember to leave the skin on, since the highest amount of quercetin is found in the skin of the apple.

Minute Health was brought to you by Dr. Newton’s Naturals visit them on-line at Drnewtons.com. When you do use the coupon code “Health” to receive FREE shipping on their high quality supplements that can make a difference in your health and well being.