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Of the three K vitamins, vitamin K1 (phytonadione) is the one we get from plant foods, and is the most important one for proper coagulation of the blood (or “Koagulation” in German, which is the origin of vitamin “K”). Without vitamin K we would eventually bleed to death from any small wound or bruise. It may also help prevent both osteoporosis and atherosclerosis. It plays a role in reducing inflammation and regulating cell growth.

Consumption of vitamin K may also reduce your risk of contracting non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that those who had the highest intake of Vitamin K1 had the lowest risk of contracting the disease, slashing their risk by 45 percent.

Vitamin K1 is associated with higher bone mineral density, and thus is helpful in preventing osteoporosis and reducing the rate of bone fractures. It also reduces calcium buildup in the arteries, protecting against atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.

Though deficiency in vitamin k is uncommon, newborn infants, people who are malnourished or those who suffer from alcoholism are at the greatest risk of deficiency. Also, as absorption of vitamin K (and all other fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, E and D) depends on bile, those who have had their gallbladder removed may be at risk of developing a vitamin K deficiency. Some signs of deficiency are easy bruising, increased menstrual bleeding, nosebleeds, bleeding gums and blood in the urine.

It is a fat-soluble vitamin, and the best sources of it can be found in such green leafy vegetables as kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts, lettuce and parsley.

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The best way to get answers to your questions is to ask us. You can give us a call during business hours or Email the Doctor.

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To make an appointment, call the main office phone number at (972) 380-6977 or use the Request an Appointment button below to submit an online request.

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Dallas chiropractor, Dr. Mark Harris founded Trinity Mills Chiropractic to bring pain relief to residents of Dallas TX, North Dallas, Carrollton and surrounding communities. We take great pride in making every patient feel comfortable in our office and making you an informed part of your health care and future wellness.

It can also be found in vegetable oils, potatoes, tomatoes, oats and asparagus. 

 

 

As autumn turns to winter and the days become shorter, do you find yourself suffering from symptoms of depression that mysteriously seem to disappear once the days have become longer? Do you feel like you would just like to hibernate until spring? If so, you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is estimated to affect around seven percent of the population, though the number can be higher, particularly among those who live greater than 30 degrees north or south of the equator.

Symptoms appear slowly as the autumn begins, and build up as the winter progresses. These symptoms include:

• Low energy

• Tiredness

• Trouble getting up in the morning

• Difficulty concentrating

• Increased appetite, particularly for carbohydrates

• Increased weight gain

• Increased feelings of depression

• Decreased sex drive

The more darkness the brain’s pineal gland receives, the more the hormone melatonin is produced. Melatonin is responsible for helping regulate the body’s hormones and maintaining its circadian rhythm. It particularly affects hormones produced by the pituitary gland, which is the main regulator of the entire endocrine system, including the thyroid gland, the gland responsible for producing the energy regulating hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

Melatonin is called the “sleep hormone,” as the pineal gland produces it when it gets dark to lower our body temperature and induce us to sleep, but as soon as sunlight hits our eyes in the morning the melatonin switch is turned off and is replaced by a surge in serotonin, which wakes us up and provides us with feelings of happiness and calm.

Though SAD can mimic the symptoms of depression, they are two different things. The symptoms of depression usually include insomnia and decreased appetite, while the opposite is the case in those with SAD. SAD also tends to occur primarily in the autumn and winter, whereas depression is experienced year-round.

If you have SAD, there are a number of treatments that can help ease your symptoms. These include light therapy, medication and/or timed melatonin supplementation.

Light therapy involves regular sessions of sitting before a bright white “full-spectrum” lightbox from 30 to 60 minutes. Studies have shown that 92 percent of those suffering from SAD experienced relief from their symptoms after this therapy.

The administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has also proved to be helpful to some, with an effectiveness rate of 67 percent.

Supplementation with melatonin, administered at particular times of day, has also been shown to be effective in some cases, as it re-synchronizes the person’s circadian rhythms, affecting the timely release of the body’s other metabolic hormones.

So don’t suffer in silence! Consult with your health care provider if you feel you have symptoms of SAD, as effective treatment is easily available.

How to Get More Information

The best way to get answers to your questions is to ask us. You can give us a call during business hours or Email the Doctor.

How to Make an Appointment

To make an appointment, call the main office phone number at (972) 380-6977 or use the Request an Appointment button below to submit an online request.

Learn More About Us

Dallas chiropractor, Dr. Mark Harris founded Trinity Mills Chiropractic to bring pain relief to residents of Dallas TX, North Dallas, Carrollton and surrounding communities. We take great pride in making every patient feel comfortable in our office and making you an informed part of your health care and future wellness.

We all want to look young and beautiful, no matter what our age, and keeping your skin in good condition goes a long way toward that goal. There are a number of things you can do to keep your skin looking supple and glowing that don’t involve expensive treatments or surgery!

1) Drink more water­– This may be the number one tip in achieving healthy-looking skin. Controlled climates such as homes and offices with heat and air conditioning tend to be very drying to the skin. Most people are actually chronically dehydrated, and this leads to an increased in lines and wrinkles, much as a grape becomes a raisin! Optimally, you should drink between 2 and 3 liters of water every day, which will make your tissues more plump and resilient, reducing fine lines and wrinkles. If you can’t stomach that much water, other beverages are fine, but beware of any that contain lots of sugar or caffeine, as an excess of these substances is not good for your health.

2) Cleanse and exfoliate – At the end of the day, after being subjected to the elements, including sun, wind, climate, etc. (not to mention makeup), you need to give your skin a good cleanse. Dead cells can accumulate on the skin’s surface, making it look dull and lifeless. Start by removing all makeup with a gentle cleanser, such as a little plain yogurt on a cotton ball, which removes makeup without the use of harsh chemicals. Then treat it to a light apricot kernel scrub, which can remove those dead cells and expose the fresh ones underneath.

3) Eat healthy – A diet high in fruits and vegetables, particularly the ones with high amounts of antioxidants such as Vitamin C, and low in sugar, unhealthy fats and processed foods, has been shown to promote younger looking skin. Red peppers, strawberries and avocados are among the foods highest in antioxidants and healthy fats.

4) Wear protective clothing – We all know that too much sun exposure is bad, exposing our skin to damage from free radicals. Chemicals in some commercial sunscreens can be almost as bad for you as too much sun and keep you from getting an adequate amount of vitamin D to boot! The best option is to wear protective clothing as much as possible. This includes long-sleeved shirts and hats with wide brims.

5) Moisturize – One way to keep your skin from drying out is to apply a good moisturizer once in the morning and again before bed, after your cleansing routine. Look for a moisturizer that does not contain any SLS (sodium lauryl/lauryth sulfate) or parabens, neither of which are good for you. The best are those containing olive oil, aloe or vitamin E.

6) Quit Smoking – The increased number of wrinkles that appear on the faces of smokers is yet another reason to quit. Smoking constricts the tiny blood vessels that supply oxygen and important nutrients that nourish the skin. It also damages the collagen and elastin that keep skin strong and elastic. 

How to Get More Information

The best way to get answers to your questions is to ask us. You can give us a call during business hours or Email the Doctor.

How to Make an Appointment

To make an appointment, call the main office phone number at (972) 380-6977 or use the Request an Appointment button below to submit an online request.

Learn More About Us

Dallas chiropractor, Dr. Mark Harris founded Trinity Mills Chiropractic to bring pain relief to residents of Dallas TX, North Dallas, Carrollton and surrounding communities. We take great pride in making every patient feel comfortable in our office and making you an informed part of your health care and future wellness.

Cold laser therapy (also called Low Level Laser Therapy or LLLT) involves the use of light (a specific wavelength and frequency of coherent light, generated from a low-wattage therapeutic laser) to stimulate the body's cells and cause them to accelerate the healing process. The therapeutic use of lasers (LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is not a new idea; they have been used to stimulate healing since 1967.

The term "cold laser" refers to the specific wavelength of light used, which is usually in the 630 nm to 980 nm ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. This wavelength allows for the least energy to be absorbed by surface tissue (meaning that the patient does not experience any sensation of heat or warming), while allowing the healing properties of the light to facilitate wound and tissue healing. Low-level laser therapy has been shown to reduce inflammation and accelerate the body's own healing mechanisms. When cells are exposed to laser light, cell functions are stimulated, improving immune system function, increasing collagen synthesis and enhancing tissue regeneration.

In chiropractic practice, cold laser therapy has been show to be effective in treating inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and bursitis. The use of laser therapy also accelerates the healing of connective tissue disorders such as sprains, strains and tendonitis, and has proven effective in reducing or managing chronic or acute pain in the neck, thoracic regions or lower back. Lasers have also been used to effectively treat muscle injuries or bruises, and neurological injuries such as herniated or ruptured discs. Chiropractors also commonly use laser therapy to increase the patient's range of motion, and to build or increase the strength of damaged muscle tissue. In many cases the use of cold laser therapy has cut rehabilitation time following an injury in half.

Obvious benefits of cold laser therapy over drugs or surgery are that it is safe, pain- and drug- free, non-invasive, and has no known side effects. The results are quickly perceived by patients, and laser therapy can be used immediately after an injury. Cold laser therapy has also been studied in over 3000 clinical trials, with proven clinical results. If you are interested in finding out whether it could be of benefit to treat your conditions, consult with your chiropractor.

Resources:

• http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=4124
• http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=41529

How to Get More Information

The best way to get answers to your questions is to ask us. You can give us a call during business hours or Email the Doctor.

How to Make an Appointment

To make an appointment, call the main office phone number at (972) 380-6977 or use the Request an Appointment button below to submit an online request.

Learn More About Us

Dallas chiropractor, Dr. Mark Harris founded Trinity Mills Chiropractic to bring pain relief to residents of Dallas TX, North Dallas, Carrollton and surrounding communities. We take great pride in making every patient feel comfortable in our office and making you an informed part of your health care and future wellness.

Obesity and the diseases associated with it cost a staggering percentage of health care dollars. It is estimated that $168 billion is spent each year in the U.S. alone to treat obesity-related diseases. These diseases include Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), high cholesterol, gallstones, osteoarthritis and more.

• Type 2 diabetes is a disease most commonly caused by obesity. Though it used to develop primarily in adults, it is now quite common in children as well, with the recent increase in the rate of childhood obesity. Blood sugar levels become elevated due to the insulin resistance caused by obesity and greatly increase the risk of developing diabetes.
• Heart disease can develop as a result of fatty deposits building up in the arteries, and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) is 10 times more common among the obese than in the population with normal body weight. Fat tissue also requires blood to survive, so more blood vessels are created, putting greater strain on the circulatory system, increasing blood pressure and making the heart work harder to circulate that extra blood.
• Those who are obese have an increased risk of cancer, especially cancer of the colon, breast, prostate, gallbladder and uterus.
• Obesity adversely affects both the metabolism and endocrine system, often resulting in metabolic syndrome, the fastest-growing obesity-related health problem. This refers to a group of risk factors that increase your risk of more serious diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Symptoms include excess weight particularly located around the middle of the body, insulin resistance, low HDL (“good”) cholesterol and high triglycerides.
• Women who are obese can suffer from a number of reproductive health problems, including infertility, uterine cancer and PCOS. Because obesity causes disruption in the menstrual cycle and the endocrine system that is responsible for the delicate balance of hormones necessary for successful ovulation, studies have found that even a modest reduction in body fat of between 5 and 10 percent is often enough to restore ovulation and fertility.
• Osteoarthritis has grown increasingly common as the rate of obesity has increased. The excess weight adds to increased wear and tear on the joints, particularly on the knees and hips. Obese women are nine times more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee, often leading to the need for a total joint replacement. However, researchers have found that losing as little as 11 pounds can reduce the risk of knee osteoarthritis by half.

The increased risks of these six diseases alone are good reasons to lose weight if you are obese. Even losing a little has been shown to have a positive effect on your health, and it can significantly reduce the amount you spend on health care every year.

How to Get More Information

The best way to get answers to your questions is to ask us. You can give us a call during business hours or Email the Doctor.

How to Make an Appointment

To make an appointment, call the main office phone number at (972) 380-6977 or use the Request an Appointment button below to submit an online request.

Learn More About Us

Dallas chiropractor, Dr. Mark Harris founded Trinity Mills Chiropractic to bring pain relief to residents of Dallas TX, North Dallas, Carrollton and surrounding communities. We take great pride in making every patient feel comfortable in our office and making you an informed part of your health care and future wellness.