Inflammation can be caused by a wide variety factors in your body, whether it is trauma related, overuse or repetitive stress, or even from your dietary choices. Below will outline food choices that will promote health and reduce inflammation assisting your body to heal faster and be more efficient, allowing you to do all of the things in life you love to do!

Inflammation Causing

· All Grains and Grain Products: Including white bread, whole wheat bread, pasta, cereal, pretzels, crackers and any other product made with grains or flours from grains. This also includes most desserts and packaged foods.

· Partially Hydrogenated Oils (trans fats): found in margarine, deep fried foods (French fries, etc.) and most packaged foods.

· Seed and Legume Oils (inaccurately called vegetable oils): Corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean oil and foods made with these oils such as mayonnaise, tarter sauce, margarine, salad dressings and many packaged foods. These oils/foods contain extremely high levels inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.

· Soda and Sugar

· Dairy and Soy: when consumed as staples

· Meat and Eggs: from grain fed animals

Inflammation Reducing

· All Fruits and Vegetables: eaten raw or lightly cooked

· Red and Sweet Potatoes: eaten with protein such as eggs, fish, meat or fowl

· Fresh Fish: avoid farm-raised tilapia, catfish, basa and bronzini they have elevated  levels of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids

· Meat, Chicken, Eggs from Grass-Fed Animals: Eatwild.com is a website that lists producers of grass-fed animals. Do the best you can to get lean cuts of regular meats otherwise.

· Wild Game: including Deer (venison), Elk, etc. Animals that feed on vegetation in the wild.

· Anti-Inflammatory Omega-3 Eggs and/or Egg Whites

· Raw Nuts: such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts.

· Spices: such as ginger, turmeric, garlic, dill, oregano, coriander, fennel, red chili pepper, basil, rosemary, etc. If you wish you can add a little sea salt.

· Oils and Fats: moderate mounts of organic butter, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Butter from grass fed cows is also a healthy choice.

· Salad Dressing Choices: an example is extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice, mustard, along with spices.

· Beverages: water, organic green tea, and if you choose to drink alcohol, red wine and stout beer are the best choices.

Having the correct backpack is vital to your childs success this upcoming school year. Although it is very tempting, especially in todays economy, to go for the value bag, you must remember your childs spine and posture are depending on a quality pack.

Make sure that the pack, whether it is Batman, Justin Bieber or Northface it has the following features in order to ensure your child's back, spine and posture are all in check:

~ Two wide (2'+) straps
~ Padded straps
~ Lumbar support
~ Bag sits just above the buttocks along the small of the low back
~ Weight does not exceed 15% of their body weight
~ Bag is carried on both shoulders, vs. one strap on one shoulder

Although this may seem trivial, just remember that the choices you and your child make now will effect the rest of their lives. Postural instability does not happen overnight. Some postural abnormalities that could result from the long term incorrect use of a backpack along with the abnormal sitting postures of the classroom are, but not limited to, forward head carriage, a high shoulder or hip, and over eggagerated curve of the lumber spine (low back). 

It is recommended that children from age birth on get chiropractic checks monthly in order to ensure proper alignment as well as full nervous system function. We are here to help. It is just as safe and normal practice for children to be adjusted as any adult. Adjustments are fantastic preventative tools, so don't let back pain be the only thing that brings your family in. Being proactive in keeping your spine in line will help to prevent any occurrences of aches and pains, or worse.