Pacific Way Wellness Center
1289 Pacific Way, Gearhart, OR 97138
(503)738.9796 email: twoods@seasurf.net

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Pacific Way Newsletter Archives

Winter Newsletter 2008

What's Inside:

New Year, New Beginnings

The doctors and staff at Pacific Way Wellness Center would like to encourage everyone to make a resolution to empower yourself and achieve your wellness goals. We should all make the decision to become healthier this year, and there are many things we can do every day to protect and improve our health. True wellness means that you have reached the highest level of overall health and well-being. It takes individual effort to reach your wellness goals - but the reward is a longer, more fulfilling, and happier life

It's important to remember that being healthy is more than just feeling good physically. Often, people may think they are healthy simply because they are not currently experiencing pain or sickness. However, harmful habits and poor food choices could be affecting the natural functions of your body. In time, this will lead to future injuries and illness. Therefore, prevention is a fundamental part of achieving wellness. The greatest thing we can do to take control of our own health is to make key changes in our daily lifestyle and diet choices.


Sweet Disaster: The Dangers of Sugar

One major change you can make this year is to reduce and/or eliminate your consumption of sugar. Science has shown us that too much sugar in our diet creates problems for our internal systems. This will eventually cause the body's natural processes to be damaged or even to stop working altogether. Numerous studies have linked excess sugar consumption to the growing rates of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.


In her top-selling book "Sugar Shock", author Connie Bennett discusses the role that carbohydrates play in our diet. She explains how the body converts all carbohydrates into glucose (sugar), which is then used as fuel for our demanding energy needs. This is why the complex carbohydrates found in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits are such an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, most processed foods are made with refined carbohydrates that have been stripped of their natural vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This is especially true in the case of white sugar and white flour. These kinds of simple carbohydrates are quickly absorbed into our body, causing high spikes in our blood glucose levels. Bennett points out that excessive glucose levels in our blood can have devastating effects. In specific, it forces our pancreas to overproduce insulin, upsetting our natural metabolic functions and suppressing the immune system. Additionally, our body will store the excess glucose as fat. This leads to an increased risk of obesity, one of the underlying causes of many chronic diseases.

There is no doubt that sugar consumption in the United States has reached unimaginable and dangerous proportions. Unfortunately, the increased use of sweeteners in our processed food means that Americans are consuming more sugar than ever before. Historical data from the USDA shows that in 1801, the typical person would annually eat about 8.4 lbs of sugar. This is approximately the same as 1 tablespoon per day. However, by 1999, Americans were averaging 143 pounds a year, or about ¾ of a cup per day! Is it any wonder that health problems in the Unites States have grown tremendously?

As our sugar consumption has increased, so too has the incidences of many life-threatening diseases. In fact, the onset of type-2 diabetes is directly associated with obesity and impaired glucose metabolism. According to the Center for Disease Control, adults with type-2 diabetes are two to four times more likely to have a stroke or to die from heart disease. Sadly, the American Heart Association reports that cardiovascular disease has caused more annual deaths in the U.S. than any other cause or group of causes since 1900. The charts below show a historical comparison between the rise in sugar consumption and the rise in cardiovascular disease.





Can You Find The Hidden Sugars?

You might already be doing a good job of avoiding too many sweet treats like pastries or candy, and may also have stopped drinking soda. If you have made these healthy changes in your life, congratulations! Take a moment to pat yourself on the back and appreciate your success. Through hard work and dedication, you have begun to take control of your health and are one step closer to true wellness.

However, if you are one of the many people who often include a lot of store-bought, processed foods in your diet, you may still be consuming too much sugar. Did you know that food manufacturers have been adding additional sweeteners to their products for years, even though sugar has no nutritional value? In particular, high fructose corn syrup has become a main ingredient in just about everything including condiments, breads, cereal, pasta sauces, frozen meals, and even yogurt and fruit juices. The only way to know just how much sugar you are actually consuming is to look closely at all food labels. Sugar can be listed under many different names including:

Keep in mind that knowledge is power. So the next time you are at the store, make sure to examine the food you are purchasing by reading the labels. You will most likely be surprised by the amount of sugar and refined carbohydrates listed on many of the typical food items. By understanding where hidden sugar is making its way into your diet, you will be able to make smarter, healthier, and more effective choices about the food you eat.

Want to learn more about the dangers of sugar? Connie Bennett's book "Sugar Shock" is a great read and can be purchased at our office for $14.95. You can also visit the author's website at www.SugarShockBlog.com to find nutritional news, diet tips, motivational messages and more that can help you eliminate excessive sugar from your life. Additionally, be sure to check out the other wonderful books available at our office that have a lot of good information on how to eat and live healthier.


Recipe: Shortbread Cookies

Still craving some sugar? If you simply must have something sweet, practice moderation and also choose natural sweeteners whenever possible. In fact, you might be able to occasionally enjoy your favorite treat by learning to substituting ingredients. Try this "converted" shortbread cookie recipe that used to rely on refined sugar and white flour:

1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp. pure vanilla

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup arrowroot flour

1 cup ground nuts

1/4 tsp. Stevia extract

2 tbsp. honey

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix well. Place on wax paper and form into a 1-inch thick roll. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator. Slice into rounds and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Keep baked cookies on the cookie sheet and chill in refrigerator before trying to remove them (otherwise they will crumble). After cooled completely, place in storage container and keep in refrigerator.


Extending Our Family

Here at Pacific Way, we want to help everyone in our coastal community to live longer and healthier lives. As part of this goal, we are starting a new "We Love Referrals" campaign. If you have family, friends, or coworkers who could benefits from our services, please tell them to call and schedule an appointment. To show our appreciation and thanks, you can receive $20 off a one-hour massage for every new patient referral!

Additionally, we would love to have more testimonials from our patients! Help others to find true wellness by sharing your own story. Just stop by our office or go to our website www.DrTheodosia.com to get a copy of the testimonial form.

Office News

Please help us to extend a warm welcome back to Dr. Susan Lanker. She is a valuable addition to the wellness center and our community, so we are happy to announce her return. Dr. Lanker specializes in Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique and also uses low stress instrument adjusting. With two doctors in the house, it is now easier then ever to schedule your next visit! Starting on February 1st, our office will be open six days a week. Need an evening or weekend appointment? Give us a call at 503-738-9796.

We are also currently in the process of creating a new Pacific Way Natural Foods Online Store! Dr. Woods is still very dedicated to helping the community have access to natural, healthy foods. Many of you may not know that she has started hosting wellness classes based on our philosophy of "Real Food, Joyful Motion, Lively Spirit". Although our web page for the store is still under construction, we encourage you to take a sneak peak at what we are doing and view the on-line food catalog. See something you like? Fill out an order form and send it to us. We have already begun receiving shipments every two weeks and are now accepting orders.