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Just a reminder, that Christopher Curtin, chocolatier and owner of Eclat Chocolate will be on the "Wellness 411 Show" live today at 4:30 on WCHE1520am. Listen to how healthy dark chocolate is for you:)

Also I will be on Bill Worndel's expert panel discussing the physical and mental challenges of the overuse injury in our children. Bill will have trainers, coaches and myself discussing this hot topic.

Tune in today at 1:30 on WCHE1520 to hear the round table discussion on this very important community issue.

A study released this week from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that 42% of Americans will be OBESE by the year 2030! The reports also predicts that the proportion of Americans who are severely obese, meaning more than 100 pounds, will reach 11%. This is about double the current rate.

What is most disturbing for me in this study, is that it reveals the price tag of obesity. It is predicted that this will cost Americans $550 Billion dollars for obesity-related health care costs.

SO WAKE UP! This disease will bankrupt us!

As individuals and as community members, we have an obligation to embrace a healthy lifestyle. We will not be perfect, but we need to try! Start by eating healthier options, engage in more exercise, educate our children on healthy choices. Get our children away from the internet and video games...kick them outside. How many of you had a mother like mine that said, "Go outside and play and I do not want to see you unless you are bleeding." Really...We know that 50% of severe obesity in adults is a consequence of obesity in childhood.

Start today! Take small successful steps toward a more healthy lifestyle, it will make a difference in all our futures.

Got high blood pressure?  Try a truffle.  Worried about heart disease?  Buy a bon-bon.  It is the best medical news in ages!  The latest study by researchers at San Diego University says dark chocolate - not white chocolate or milk chocolate - is good for you!

Dark chocolate has the highest concentrations of flavonoids of all chocolates.  Flavonoids are compounds produced by plants that function as important pigment molecules.  Since chocolate is made from plants, it will contain many of the same health benefits of dark vegetables.

Flavonoids act as antioxidants.  Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease.  Dark chocolate contains nearly 8 times the number of antioxidants as strawberries.  Flavonoids also lower blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide.  This will also reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 10%.

Dark chocolate increases blood flow, which is good in a number of ways.  Increased blood flow to the brain will help in cognitive function.  It will also help reduce the risk of stroke.  Dark chocolate keeps your blood vessels healthy and your circulation unimpaired to protect against Type II Diabetes.  The flavonoids help reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally.  Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index, meaning it will not cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.

Researchers have revealed that apart from protecting your heart dark chocolate tastes good, contains less fat, stimulates endorphins, contains seratonin (an anti-depressant) and theobromine (hardens tooth enamel).

Full of vitamins and minerals, dark chocolate is a sure bet for a sweet, healthy snack.  Unfortunately this does not give you the excuse to overindulge.  Chocolate is still a high calorie food.  The study suggests about 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate per day to get the above health benefits.

Tune into "The Wellness 411 Show" on Tuesday, May 15th at 4:40 p.m. on WCHE1520 to hear my guest Christopher Curtin, chocolatier and owner of nationally acclaimed Eclat Chocolate, discuss more about his journey and the health benefits of chocolate.  You can "Like" me on Facebook at DrLauren.

Careercast.com is out with its best and worst jobs of 2012. Using a methodology that looked at the dynamics of: physical demands, work environment , income, stress and hiring outlook, Careerlist.com ranked the top 200 jobs. They also ranked the jobs with the most stress. Not surprisingly, NONE of the most stressful jobs showed up on the best job list!

At the top of the list is software engineer and at the bottom of the list is the lumberjack. And for the most dangerous job, expect to earn little more than $32,000. That is about $56,000 less than the software engineer.

Go to www.careercast.com/jobs-rated to see all the jobs rated.

By the way...Chiropractic rated at 32nd best job out of 200...not bad:)

The 3rd Annual Health Rankings were released this week. CHESTER COUNTY RANKED SECOND among the 67 counties in Pennsylvania!

Congrats!

The factors that influence health rankings are: education, available primary care and social support.

Continue to stay healthy!

The "healing powers" of the sun have been well researched and documented, going back centuries. Various forms of light therapy can be traced back to biblical times and to virtually all ancient cultures. In later years, research in the 1920s established that specific wavelengths of sunlight trigger the germination of of seeds and their subsequent growth into mature plants that provide nourishment. In other words, Light is Vital to Life.

So what does this mean to us? It's a fact that certain kinds of light can stimulate mitosis (cell division) which is fundamental in replacing damaged cells in our bodies. Now, if I told you that this can occur as part of a treatment that I use in my office to help injury and disease, that would be awesome, right?  Well, I do.

The Erchonia Low level Laser is the ony FDA approved laser on the market that is patented for its frequency. The frequency used is 635nm, the closest frequency to the SUN. The Low Level Laser helps the cells of the body repair by enabling the cells to produce more ATP, which is energy, for faster tissue repair.

If you want to hear more about the Erchona Low level laser and patient testimonials, tune in today to WCHE1520AM radio at 4:30pm or on the web at wche1520.com. You can listen to the Wellness 411 show every tuesadys at 4:30 with Dr. Lauren as your host!

Also, please see the "offer" posted on westchester-pa.com to learn on hoe to receive free laser treatments!

Energy Drinks were first used back in London, 1929. “Lucozade Energy” was originally used in the aiding the recovery of hospital stays to “replenish.” It was not until 1997, that an Australian entrepreneur presented the energy drink ingredients that are used today, with “Red Bull.” By 2001 the energy drink industry had grown to nearly 8 million in sales. Today it is a 10 BILLION dollar market!

Energy drinks are particularly attractive to young people. Approximately 66% of its drinkers are between 13-35 years old, with males making up 65% of that market.

Energy drinks generally contain methylxanthines, (including caffeine) B vitamins, and herbs. Other common ingredients are: guarana, acai, taurine and gensing. Most contain vary high levels of sugar.

The most alarming ingredient is the high level of caffeine. Energy drinks contain approximately 3 times the amount of caffeine that is in a 12 ounce cola. For example, Coca-Cola Classic contains 35mg of caffeine whereas a Monster Energy Drink contains 120mg of caffeine.

The most disturbing fact is that people are not looking at the labels and understanding what they are drinking. Then, making matters even worse, people will have more than one energy drink a day. If you add other stimulants such as ginseng and guarana, that actually contain caffeine, the adverse effects are staggering.

Adverse side effects associated with consuming too much caffeine are: Sleeplessness, irritability, nervousness abnormal heart rhythms, and increased urination. Pupil dilation will occur if consumed while on anti-depression medications (SSRIs). “Crash” symptoms will occur if consumed with alcohol due to the coupling effect of a stimulant with a depressant. This is detrimental to the brain and heart, causing seizures and heart attacks.

We need to be aware as a community of the dangers of energy drinks since our largest consumers are our children! Please be observant, read the labels of the energy drink your children are drinking, what they are drinking it with and why they are drinking it. Even as adults, we need to monitor our own lifestyles. If you need to have 3 energy drinks to get through the day, then maybe you should reevaluate “why?”

On Saturday night I had the honor to join my community to support a volunteer firefighter in need. There was a Fundraiser at the Goodwill Fire Company on Union Street to help one of their own raise funds to fight pancreatic cancer. Jimmy has lived in West Chester all his life and is a volunteer fireman...for 24 years!

I know most of you attended because there had to be more than 2,000 people there. It was an amazing night. The organizers and volunteers of this event should be so proud. Their love and support for Jimmy and his family was returned by the out pouring of support from their community. Cheers to all of you, fantastic work.

Jimmy, you and I have never met, but with God's grace and the support of your family and friends, you will beat this. I look forward to one day meeting you.

Dr. Lauren

The American Heart Association has "coined" February as GO RED month and the last few years it has finally gained national attention and awareness through the Go Red campaign.

Cardiovascular Disease is the NUMBER ONE KILLER of American women, killing an estimate $485,000 women per year, THREE times more than all cancers combined.

Know the symptoms:

Jaw Pain           Fatigue           Nausea          

Anxiety             Ingestion        Sleep Disburbance

Chest Pain        Arm Pain         Shortness of breath

Weakness         Dizziness

My original thoughts for today's blog, early Sunday morning, quickly changed with the passing of Coach Joe Paterno.

They say "that human excellence is difficult to define, unless you have been in the presence of it."

For me, Joe Paterno is the definition of excellence. He was a man who loved family, demanded hard work and conduct from his athletes, revered education and embraced a community and an institution.

As a little girl, Joe Paterno was my neighbor at the Jersey shore. As a woman, this neighbor shared with me kind words of support and stories of comfort, as each one of my parents passed away. I will never forget his kindness.

I do not think my opinion will ever change that Coach, as I always called him, died of a broken heart.

He changed thousands of lives by living his in excellence and teaching those in his life to do the same.

Everyone wants a" Flat Gut" well, have I got a tip for you. You can flatten
your gut by working your invisible abdominal muscle. This muscle is called
your transverse abdominis. It is located under that "six pack" muscle called
the rectus abdominis.

This transverse abdominis when strong, will flatten
your waistline. When you "suck your gut in" that is this muscles action. So
exercise it every day, and you will achieve a smaller waistline and a
flatter belly.

All you need to do is pull your belly button towards your spine and hold for
10 seconds. Do this 5 x a day. You will see results, no kidding, in a few
weeks. Keep it up and you will be amazed!

 New Year brings on a “fresh start” feel to our lives that should come from the heart.  This may have different meanings for all of us.  There is no “one right way” to set up your New Year’s goals or resolutions.  So many of us get caught up in the hype of the media pushing us to think that their ideas are what we should do.  Instead of looking outward, look inside your soul as to what may interest, inspire, motivate or challenge you.  Whatever this is for you…… think of it as your new beginning.  A “rebirth” if you would, into yourself.

         I honestly feel that your goal for the New Year should be about you, not necessarily about work, family or commitments.  If you would like to have a better relationship or career… it still needs to start with yourself.  So set your goals appropriately.  Do not set “Monster Resolutions” that are going to take most of the year to accomplish if you do at all.  Set a small goal or a series of small goals.  Feel Good about each step in the process.  Too often we set ourselves up for failure by setting an unobtainable or unrealistic resolution/goal.

         Here are some helpful tips:

1. Involve loved ones in your resolution, if possible.  The more people you can tell your resolutions to, the more cheerleaders you create along the way.  There is no shame in asking for help!
2. Reward yourself for obtaining each small step in your resolution.
3. Write things down every day.  Whatever it is, mark your progress by journaling.  When we write things down, we tend to hold ourselves more accountable.  Also, when we read it every day, it gives us more motivation to keep true to ourselves.

Hopefully these tips have been helpful and remember to make the New Year fun, rewarding and ALL about you.