Pain Relief Chiropractic

Peanut butter is the creamy and ground form of dry roasted peanuts that’s enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Because peanut butter is typically 90% peanuts—the rest is a combination of additives to improve flavor, shelf life, and consistency—and peanuts are considered a healthy food, do those benefits extend to peanut butter, and should we be eating it?

One serving (one tablespoon) of peanut butter contains 95 total calories and includes 8 grams of fat (mostly unsaturated fat), 4 grams of carbohydrates, and 3.5 grams of protein. Because of its high-protein content (20% of total calories come from protein), eating peanut butter can also increase satiety, which may help reduce total calories consumed in a meal and reduce snacking between meals—both of which may aid in weight loss. 

Each serving of peanut butter also includes about 7% of one’s daily fiber requirement, which benefits bowel health. Peanut butter also contains zinc, which provides anti-aging and immune system-boosting benefits. The phosphorus contained in peanut butter also promotes healthy nerve conduction, manages energy and storage, facilitates muscle contraction, and keeps bones healthy.

Natural or organic peanut butters contain fewer—if any—additives, but their natural oils separate over time and float to the surface, requiring a good stir before use. Conventional peanut butter usually contains additives to enhance taste, as well as oils that are heated and exposed to hydrogen to solidify them at room temperature. This gives a smooth, creamy texture and prolongs shelf life. No-stir peanut butter or peanut butter spread contains palm oil, which has become increasingly less describable to many health-conscious consumers due to its trans-fat content. 

A 2021 study found that increasing daily nut intake (which includes peanuts and peanut butter even though peanuts are actually a legume and not a tree nut) by five grams may lower the overall risk for cancer by 3% and for pancreatic and colon cancers specifically by 6% and 25%, respectively. Additionally, the same 5 gram per day increase in nut intake can lower the risk for cancer mortality by 4%. 

It’s clear that peanut butter offers a great way to include healthy nutrients and minerals in an individual’s diet. However, there are other nuts, such as walnuts, that may confer even greater health benefits. So eat a variety of nuts when you can and unless you have a nut allergy, consider eating peanut butter (preferably the organic or natural variety) in moderation as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Pain Relief Chiropractic

4909 Louise Dr

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

 (717) 697-1888

Member of Chiro-Trust.org 

Tags: Whole Body Health

While the typical chiropractic patient is a working-age adult, children and teenagers also experience neck pain, back pain, headaches, and other musculoskeletal conditions that may respond favorably to chiropractic treatment. In fact, a 2017 study that monitored 1,400 Danish school children for three years found that 55% experienced spinal pain during the course of the study. With the increased prevalence of sedentary behavior and obesity in the pediatric population, it’s reasonable to suggest that musculoskeletal disorders may become more common in individuals under age 18 in the coming years. To better understand the use of chiropractic care by this population, researchers in Quebec surveyed 245 chiropractors in the province.

According to the survey, pediatric patients account for less than five patient visits per week—between about .5% and 4% of a typical chiropractic practice. Among the pediatric patient population, the majority of patients were children ages 6-12 and teens aged 13-17; however, babies under 23 months of age (and under six months, in particular) are often seen in chiropractic clinics.

The data show that the most common referral source for pediatric patients is a parent, family member, or friend (presumably also a patient in the clinic), with family doctors, other chiropractors, and other healthcare professionals accounting for the remainder. Among the patients aged six and up, the most common presentations appear to be back pain and headache with conditions such as torticollis, colic/irritability, head asymmetry, motor development issues, gastrointestinal problems, sleeping difficulty, jaw/temporomandibular joint issues, and gait/walking problems being more common complaints in the under-age two patients. 

Of the doctors surveyed, 24.9% report they had attained a “Diplomate in clinical chiropractic pediatrics” meaning they had undergone post-graduate training and board examination. Additionally, 54% were active members of a pediatric and perinatal care association. The participants also noted a willingness to co-manage patients with other healthcare providers and they’d immediately refer a patient to their medical physician or hospital if they uncovered any red flags including but not limited to facture/dislocation, fever, chest pain, suicidal ideation, dehydration, persistent vomiting, persistent abdominal pain, etc.

Though the authors of the study note that specific research on chiropractic treatment in the pediatric population is lacking compared to older age groups, they report that adverse events following manual therapy are rare. For pediatric patients who do not respond to conventional treatment, a consultation with a doctor of chiropractic for evaluation may be considered for a short-term course of care to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.

Pain Relief Chiropractic

4909 Louise Dr

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

 (717) 697-1888

Member of Chiro-Trust.org 

Tags: Whole Body Health