The Importance of Exercise

Older man wearing a blue shirt smiles while doing a push-up on a blue exercise mat in a gym with workout equipment in the background.

Exercise is incredibly important. Not just running, or weight training, but also yoga and pilates as well.

At Solstice Health, we believe that wellness encompasses lifestyle changes that benefit your health. We want to go over some types of exercise and how each can benefit you. Find what you enjoy and do more of it!

Why Is Yoga or Pilates Good?

Here are some points to show why flexibility exercises are beneficial:

  • It’s less stress on the joints.
  • It’s great for flexibility, strength, balance.
  • It teaches effective breathing techniques.
  • It helps with stress and emotional well-being.

Why is Aerobic Activity Good?

You want to keep your heart healthy with aerobic exercises. Whether you’re an athlete or not, aerobic activity increases your endurance. As a result, you can perform better in everything, whether it be work, sports, school, etc. There are all these benefits to exercise. Good examples of aerobic activity include:

  • walking or jogging (treadmill or not)
  • biking
  • swimming

What About Strength Training?

Weight training can help keep your muscles strong. Strong muscles take the load off the joints. There’s less stress across the knee, for example; by keeping your knees strong, the muscle absorbs more of the stress rather than the joint.

Overall, you want to have a balance of all types of exercise. There’s less chance of injury with people who have strong muscles and are flexible.

For more information on health and getting assessed for which exercises are appropriate for any injury or condition, contact us at Solstice Health today!

Can Green Tea Prevent Heart Attacks?

A woman with blonde hair and red lipstick, wearing a red strapless top, is holding a white cup and saucer close to her lips, ready to take a sip. The background is dark and blurred.

Some of us life to drink a cup of green tea every now and then, but we may be helping ourselves live longer without even know about it. Green tea is being studied all over the world for its anti-aging properties, with potentially revolutionary results. Other studies have been looking at the other properties such as promoting brain health and preventing Alzheimer’s, but a new study is finding promise in boosting heart health.

Scientists in the UK have found that there is a compound in green tea called EGCG that breaks up and dissolves protein plaque found in the blood vessels. Fat compounds can build up in your arteries that restrict blood flow to your heart and brain. This fatty material can increase the risk of a stroke or a heart attack. Green tea contains compounds that bind to the offending fatty material deposits that help make those molecules smaller and dissolve them, which protects blood vessels.

The challenge now? Finding out how to get the health benefits of green tea without needing to drink large quantities of green tea all the time. Scientists are looking into improving the body’s absorption of EGCG or using EGCG to make medicines that can treat heart attacks.

At Solstice Health, we can help patients improve their cardiovascular system. We focus on treating heart disease holistically and taking care of the root cause of heart problems. Every patient is different and we come up with a unique treatment plan for each patient to match. Contact us today to learn more and to book a consultation.

Eating in Moderation: Watching Your Carbs

A wooden board with various healthy foods, including eggs, nuts, leafy greens, avocado, potatoes, broccoli, raw meat, milk, grains, and crackers, set against a bright sky with fluffy clouds.

Holidays mean family, gathering together, and also eating! Many holiday meals involve things such as potatoes, lots of bread, cake, and much more besides. In other words, there’s a lot of carbs that can go into your diet without you noticing. Here’s how to moderate your intake over the holiday season and to make sure you stay healthy while enjoying delicious food!

  1. Watch what you drink: Avoid sugary drinks like soft drinks and sweet tea or juice. Sugar can have a lot of carbs that add up if you’re having them with every meal. Don’t use fruit juice as an alternative: fresh fruit is better than sugary fruit juice, as it has all of the benefits and none of the carbs.
  2. Cut back on staples: Staple foods include bread and potatoes, which are both delicious but also highly packed with carbs. The biggest offenders are white bread, which are low in fiber while being high in carbs. Even bread made from whole grains contain lots of carbs. If you want the nutrients found in whole grain or rye bread, there are other types of food to get it without the carbs.
  3. Snack healthier: Holidays can also mean a time for a lot of eating between meals, such as popcorn during a movie or chips. Try healthier low-carb alternatives, such as nuts, almonds, yogurt, and even cheese!
  4. Drink less: Alcohol is nothing but empty calories. There are no nutrients to be found in booze and beer in particular is notoriously high in carb content. Drink in moderation and alternate with a healthy drink such as water.
  5. Bake with low carb alternatives: Holidays are a time for dessert! There are many guilt-free ways to enjoy dessert, including low-carb flour, which are made with alternatives to wheat. Just beware that it may turn out slightly different out of the oven than if you used ‘proper’ flour!
  6. Eat more protein: Protein helps build muscle mass and lose weight. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts, cheese, yogurt, and beans are all rich in protein. Protein will help you feel full faster, boost metabolism, and in the long run help decrease your weight.

Learn more about how we can help you achieve your desired wellness goals at Solstice Health.

How to Really Eat Right

A smiling woman in athletic wear holds a green apple in her hand, standing indoors with a bright, blurred background.

What does eating right mean to you? Losing weight, feeling healthier, counting calories, or something else? Well, what if there is a simpler way that isn’t a fad diet and doesn’t cost you anything? Why not go back to basics with intuitive eating!

Intuitive eating is the idea that the best way to respect your body is by eating food you enjoy and making the right choices that suit you and nobody else. Everyone is unique in their needs and desires, so why should your eating habits be the same as everyone else?

Healthline has a few steps to guide you on your journey to intuitive eating:

  1. Break up with diet culture: don’t let diets run your life and ruin your enjoyment of food
  2. See food as fuel, not filler: food shouldn’t be a chore
  3. Honor your body and its signals: listen to what your body is telling you. It knows you better than any diet
  4. Discover satisfaction and respect: enjoy food and respect what goes into your body

It’s important to know what you’re eating and why you’re eating it. You must also learn to understand how different food affects your body, whether for the better or worse. You might find it helpful to start by making a list of all the food you eat in a journal so you know what works and what doesn’t. Soon you will be attuned to your body’s signals and you can automatically know what the best course of action is! Research says eating habits can form within 10 weeks or so, so it’s important to keep at it. But once you do, you will feel healthier, happier, and rediscover the joys of eating.

Allow the team at the Solstice Health help you understand your dietary needs. We offer medical weight loss services to help you find out what you should be eating more of and what you shouldn’t. Contact us today.

The Importance of Vitamin B for Your Health

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Vitamin B isn’t one vitamin, but an umbrella covering multiple vitamins. They include B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, and biotin. These vitamins have the same important goal for your body: to provide you with energy.

Each vitamin doesn’t possess energy on their own, but rather they help give you energy through metabolism. The different B vitamins break down and metabolise different energy sources, such as glucose, carbohydrates, protein, and fats, among many others. This is why eating lots of foods rich in B vitamins will provide you with a boost of mental and physical energy that can help keep you going for the rest of the day.

B vitamins aren’t just for energy on a day-to-day basis, however. It’s also crucial for your overall health. For example, in addition to helping turn carbohydrates into energy, Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is also responsible for helping your body boost its immune system and promoting anti-ageing.

There are many food sources for Vitamin B. They include whole grains, nuts, spinach, kale, milk, eggs, and red meat, to name just a few! Each B vitamin is found in different foods so it’s important to have a rich and varied diet for optimum health.

At Solstice Health, we offer a wide range of IV nutritional therapies to give your body the boost it needs, bringing you a sharper mind and a boost in your performance. Contact us at 262-239-7353 to learn more about how IV nutritional therapy can help.

The Importance of Vitamin D for Your Health

Doctors often advise patients to ensure they get the right amount of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. One of the most important ones is Vitamin D. A lack of Vitamin D can pose serious issues to your health, making it one of the most essential nutrients that you need on a daily basis.

Vitamin D is important because it’s a crucial part of calcium absorption. Even if you take the right amount of calcium, it won’t be properly absorbed without the right amount of Vitamin D. A lack of Vitamin D can lead to poor bone health, which becomes more of a problem the older you get. In addition to its benefits for your bone health, Vitamin D has also been found to be crucial to boosting and maintaining your immune system.

The amount of Vitamin D adults need tends to be around 600 to 800 IUs, but some research has found that adults might need up to 2000 IUs for the most benefits. But what is the best way to get all of this Vitamin D? Most food does not contain Vitamin D naturally except for fatty fish, but many products such as milk, juice, or cereal are fortified with some of your daily required amount. Despite this, the best way to get Vitamin D is through sunlight. Just being outdoors between five to 30 minutes a day is enough for your body to produce its own Vitamin D. In ideal sunlight conditions you could be producing upwards of 20000 IUs of Vitamin D on your own! Of course, this can change depending on climate, season, and your schedule – not everyone is able to be outside when it’s sunny, especially office workers. That being said, food as well as supplements available at your local grocery store or pharmacy can serve as ‘top-ups’ for Vitamin D when you aren’t able to make it on your own.

We offer nutritional therapy services at Solstice Health to give your body the boost it needs. Our medical nutritional programs can also help you optimize your body’s intake to improve your wellness. Call us today at 262-239-7353 to learn more.

Foods to Slow the Effects of Aging

Everyone is trying to reverse the effects of aging on their skin to look and feel younger. Until someone has figured out time travel, there’s no escaping the reality that we will continue to age. However, there are many ways to slow the effects of aging on our skin, including some very cost-effective methods with food you can enjoy from your own home!

  1. Grapefruit: As a good source of Vitamin C, it acts as an antioxidant that promotes collagen production, keeping your skin supple. Other sources of Vitamin C include oranges and other fruits.
  2. Green Tea: Inflammation can pose a serious problem to your skin. However, recent research has found that one of the ingredients, polyphenols, help to reduce the signs of aging as well as boosting the immune system. Other sources of this incredible antioxidant include red wine and dark chocolate.
  3. Walnuts: As a source of omega-3 fatty acids, it helps reduce inflammation and the damage to your skin caused by oxidation, which occurs naturally. It’s a healthy fat that also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and reduce joint pain. Other sources of omega-3 include salmon and chia seeds.

It’s not just eating the right food that can help slow down the effects of aging on your body. Staying hydrated, doing exercise regularly, and cutting the bad foods such as those high in sugar is important in preventing skin problems such as fine lines, wrinkles, and even adult acne.

At the Solstice Health, we know that skincare can be enhanced with supplements and lifestyle changes in addition to skin treatment. We offer non-surgical and natural options and treatment programs to help you look your best. Contact us today at 262-239-7353 book a consultation to learn more.

Anti-Ageing Nutrition Tips

A woman smiles as she holds a bowl of fresh salad and lifts a forkful of vegetables, including lettuce, tomato, and cucumber, toward her mouth. The salad contains olives, onions, and feta cheese.

It’s never too late to try and slow down or even reverse the effects of ageing on your body, both aesthetically and internally. One of the best ways is by watching what you eat. Here are some nutrition tips to keep your body young!

  1. Eat antioxidants: A diet rich in meats, fruits, and vegetables packed with antioxidants help by protecting your cells against free radicals. Antioxidants such as Vitamin E, B, and beta-carotene help by preventing cell damage. Food such as fish, poultry, almonds, and carrots are just some of the many choices out there that can help.
  2. Probiotics: Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and yogurt have anti-inflammatory properties as well as antioxidants. Probiotics help improve digestion, boost the immune system, and maintain a healthy weight.
  3. Protein: Maintaining muscle mass is important as it starts to decline as you age. Protein is the best way to do that. You can find protein in meat, dairy, fish, and soybeans. In addition to helping to build and maintain muscles, its importance in tissue cell creation means it’s also important to enjoy healthy-looking hair well into old age.
  4. Healthy fat: Yes, there is such a thing as good fat! Omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA, DHA, and ALA can be found in fish, nuts, and seeds. They help reduce joint pain and stiffness, and studies have found that they may be able to help boost the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs for arthritis. If you’re not keen on eating too much seafood, consider taking Omega-3 supplements after talking about it with your doctor.
  5. Water: If you feel thirsty, then you’re already in the earliest stages of dehydration. Stay hydrated all the time to help your cells replenish their nutrients such as oxygen. As you age, the importance of hydration is ever more paramount, especially in hotter climates.

At Solstice Health, we provide direct primary healthcare to ensure your wellness no matter the stage in your life. We want you to be as healthy as possible in order to enjoy life. Contact us today to learn more about how our direct primary health services can help.

How Stem Cell Therapy Can Help You Manage Pain

When you’re suffering from pain or injury, there are many ways to begin your relief and recovery process. The most common procedures are often surgery, pain medication, or even a combination of both. While pain medication and surgery have their uses, there is often another pain relief method that many have not considered: regenerative medicine.  

One of the biggest reasons for stem cell therapy over other pain relief methods is its non-invasive nature. There’s no anaesthesia, no operating room, and no extended downtime after the procedure. With stem cell therapy, you are able to have your procedure handled in an outpatient setting and you are free to simply walk out of the clinic immediately afterwards. Regenerative medicine such as stem cells and Platelet Rich Plasma has the ability to work with ligament injuries, back pain, joint paint, and even weakness in the muscles and joints. This is only scratching the surface of what stem cells can offer, and the potential is limitless. 

Stem cell therapy can also help you manage pain by getting rid of the pain altogether. Patients suffering from pain can be at risk of depending too heavily on regular medication to relieve the pain. However, this only works with the pain sensations and does not do anything to tackle the causes of the pain. This is what separates it from regenerative medicine, which will use stem cells to regenerate into the damaged tissue or other cells in order to help heal the affected area of the body.  

To learn more about how stem cell therapy may be the ideal pain management solution for your discomfort, contact us at Solstice Health to book a consultation today! 

 

 

Solstice Health Named Finalist in Wisconsin Innovation Awards – Vote for Us Today!

Logo for the Wisconsin Innovation Awards, featuring a light bulb with an outline of Wisconsin inside it, and bold text reading WISCONSIN innovation awards with yellow highlights.

As a testament to our continual success and contribution to the community, we are proud to have been named a finalist in the 2018 Wisconsin Innovation Awards in recognition of our achievement. If you have benefited from our clinic, we encourage you let your voice be heard by casting your vote online here for the People’s Choice Awards category!

The award winners will be announced on the 3rd of October in Madison at an awards ceremony. We’re excited and honored to be named as one of many innovative businesses in the state!

From the team at Solstice Health, we are truly honored and promise to continue to provide the best service and quality in medical health that you come to expect.