Summer is finally here! I’m writing this newsletter from the deck in my backyard while watering my tomatoes, peppers and cilantro (mmmm, I think there is salsa in my future…).
I love it!

This summer I invite you to forget the workout and get outside and play instead. Maybe I’m dating myself, but when I was a kid, we spent our summers doing cartwheels, twirling hula hoops and running through the sprinklers. We threw the ball around, played rousing games of “pickle,’ and had contests to see who’s cannonball made the biggest splash. We got plenty of exercise but were having too much fun to notice.

So turn off those pesky computers and electronic toys and get outdoors this summer! Long days and warm temperatures mean you can go for an evening hike or bike ride and plan a family picnic and badminton game for the weekend. For more information on county parks, go to parkhere.org.

Dr. Pamela Wells

Free Workshops

We’re continuing our exercise workshops at the Sunnyvale Relax-The-Back store with a series of classes on Tuesdays at 7 pm. All classes are part lecture, part practice and all fun! You’ll learn key anatomy and exercise concepts to get you started or to help you move on to the next level. All classes are appropriate for beginner to intermediate exercisers. Advanced pupils can still learn a thing or two and can ask for more challenging variations.

June 22: Banish Back Pain with Balls! Learn simple stability ball exercises for quick relief and lasting results. Bring your stability ball.

July 20: Nix Neck and shoulder Pain! Exercise with bands and balls for better posture and quick relief. Bring your stability ball. We’ll supply the bands.

August 17: Stretch your Stress Away. Melt away your stress with simple stretches for total body relaxation.

Call Marcia at 408-737-0330 to sign up. Space is limited so don’t delay!

Out of the Office - Mark your Calendar!

Our office will be closed this Thursday and Friday, June 10th and 11th for the CCA annual convention in Reno, Nevada. Dr. Wells will be continuing classes to become certified as a 100 Year Lifestyle practitioner and Marcia will be attending a program for Chiropractic Assistants.

We will be closed the week of June 28th for summer vacation. Dr. Wells will be camping with her family in the high Sierra just north of Mono Lake. She’s looking forward to high country hiking, trout fishing and good books.

An on-call doctor will be available while we’re away. Call our office for contact information.

Hoop It Up!

Talk about fun! Hula hooping isn’t just for kids anymore. Fitness centers are adding “hooping” classes and adult size, weighted hoops make it easier to master. Hooping strengthens your core, gluteal muscles and legs. It’s a great warm up for running or circuit training or can be a stand alone cardiovascular exercise.

Go to hooping.org for more information on how to get started and even how to make your own hoop.

The 100 Year Lifestyle

“If you knew you’d live to be 100, how would you change your life?” Whether you want to or not, chances are you will live well into your 90s and beyond. While our parents and grandparents may have been blindsided by their longevity- and suffered for it- that doesn’t have to happen to you.

Aging can be a good thing…the opportunity to realize your dreams and establish a remarkable legacy. But if you don’t like where you’re headed, it’s not too late to make some healthy changes and transform your life.

Try this. Calculate your “Empire” or MPYR (Minimum Potential Years Remaining) by subtracting your current age from the age of the oldest grandparent in your family. 100yearlifestyle.com

Have a Soda-Free Summer

If you or your children are still drinking sodas, summer is the perfect time to say “good riddance!” As more and more adults and children struggle with obesity, doctors are targeting sodas and sweetened drinks, the largest source of sugar in the American diet.

To help families make the switch, several local health organizations have teamed up to create the Soda-Free Summer campaign. They encourage water as your best choice to stay hydrated during the hot summer days. Try it with a squeeze of lemon or sliced strawberries for a refreshing change. Go to sodafreesummer.org to track your soda-free days and enter to win cool prizes.

What About Diet Soda?
Don’t be fooled by slick marketing encouraging diet or sugar-free drinks as a healthy alternative. Artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and trick your brain into craving even more sweet stuff.

Why is High Fructose Corn Syrup so Bad?
A recent study by Duke University Medical Center found that increased consumption of high fructose corn syrup (the sweetener found in most drinks) was associated with scarring or fibrosis of the liver in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Even more alarming is that doctors are seeing more and more children being diagnosed with NAFLD, a condition for which there is no treatment.

Fructose, naturally found in fruits and vegetables, is metabolized differently than glucose. There is no insulin response to convey it into cells to be used as energy. Fructose is metabolized in the liver, which turns it into glucose first, and then if there is no need for glucose, into triglycerides (fat).

Food Rules

by Michael Pollan

# Avoid foods that have some sort of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top 3 ingredients.

# Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce.

# Buy your snacks at the farmer’s market.