Supplement Labels

Supplemental Facts title indicates that the product is marketed for sale in the USA and is FDA standard.

Serving size, and the number of servings per container will be included to help you compare between products.

Make sure the serving sizes match when comparing supplements to get an accurate comparison.

Vitamins and minerals always show the dose in weight and % percentage daily value to help you understand your dietary requirements.

Supplements often will have doses that exceed the recommended daily value.

Dietary supplement ingredients that are not vitamins or minerals will not have the % percentage daily value because they are not essential ingredients in the diet.

Dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA, and all labels must follow a consistent format to make it easier for consumers to understand. Understanding dietary supplement labels well require some attention to the following points when you’re evaluating supplements.

Herbs sometimes have additional information listed in the supplement panel. You might see ratio numbers (example 4:1) that show how much raw material of the herb (fresh or dried herb) is in the supplement version.

Herbs might have a standardization amount that shows how much of an active ingredient is present. The dose of the active ingredient is often listed, but sometimes it is not.

Proprietary blends are common. Only the total amount of the blend in a serving needs to be listed, which means that you don’t get all of the information about every ingredient.

Proprietary blend ingredients are listed in order from most to least. Similar to how food ingredients are listed on prepared foods nutrition facts panels. 

The daily value percent is established against a 2000 calorie diet. This is the standard calorie amount, however, it’s always important to determine your calorie requirements that you need for your health goals.

How To Identify Organic Foods

In the United States, a food or product that is labeled as organic is required to be certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA has a certification program for natural growers and it has a set of very stringent standards that the product or food must meet.

There are some exemptions. For instance, a producer who does not sell more than $5,000 annually just in organic foods is not required to get the certification although they do have to adhere to the USDA’s stringent requirements for organic foods.

When a food carries the USDA Organic label, it means that it meets the requirements. While natural producers are not required to put the label on their products, many do.

The labeling varies, depending on the type of food. Single-ingredient foods like eggs, vegetables, and fruits are considered to be 100 percent natural and are allowed to carry the USDA seal.

Foods that contain two or more ingredients, like breakfast cereal, are still allowed to use the USDA seal, but also must include the following information:

• Organic – The product must be 95 percent organic or greater in order to be able to use this term
• 100 percent organic – The product must be completely organic or all of its ingredients must be natural
• Made with organic ingredients – The product contains no less than 70 percent natural ingredients

If the product has less than 70 percent natural ingredients, they are not allowed to use the word “organic” anywhere on their product labels.

Drop Foot

Drop Foot is a symptom associated with an underlying neurological, muscular or anatomical problem that is often treated with a combination of non-invasive techniques and procedures.

Overview

Drop foot/foot drop is a general term that means lifting the forefoot (front part of the foot) is difficult to do.

Drop foot is not a diagnosis but a symptom associated with an underlying condition such as:

• Neurological
• Muscular
• Anatomical problem
• Nerve or muscle injury
• Brain/spinal cord disorder, including
• Herniated disc
• Spinal Stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Vertebral Fractures

Walking can be difficult, so the foot tends to drag on the floor.

Those suffering from drop foot sometimes raise the thigh up in an exaggerated fashion, such as when climbing stairs.

Stepping high is the most common symptom.

Symptoms of Drop Foot

• High steppage gait
• Foot drop may be experienced in one or both feet.

It is typically experienced in one foot if the drop foot is caused by:

• Low back condition
• Foot and toes drag
• Hip-swinging motion but in an exaggerated fashion
• Limpness
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Pain in the foot
• Leg muscle atrophy

Treatment

Your Chiropractor will use a combination of techniques to help the condition, but each treatment depends on the cause.

• Spinal adjustments
• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Custom orthotics
• Braces can provide additional support, stability, and shock absorption
• Specific exercises to help the affected muscles
• Physical therapy

Prevention

Prevention includes keeping your bones and tissues strong and healthy through diet and exercise.

• Avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol use creates weak bones and problems with the blood supply
• Reduce the risk of injury by following safety measures on the job and beyond (i.e. wear a seatbelt).
• Custom orthotics can provide additional support, stability, and shock absorption.
• Kneeling for extended periods, such as on the job (certain construction functions laying tile, yard work).

Recovery

• Some cases of drop foot are temporary; however, others can become permanent.
• The recovery time and process depend on the cause.

Reduce *PLANTAR FASCIITIS* Pain for Better Athletic Performance | El Paso, TX (2019)

Foot pronation is the natural movement which occurs during foot landing while walking or running. Foot pronation also occurs while standing, and in this instance, it is the amount in which the foot rolls inward toward the arch. Foot pronation is normal, however, excessive foot pronation can cause a variety of health issues, including bad posture.

Dr. Alex Jimenez can help diagnose and treat excessive foot pronation. Patients recommend Dr. Alex Jimenez and his staff as the non-surgical choice for excessive foot pronation health issues.

What’s Afoot

Foot Dysfunction can very easily cause a domino effect that extends all the way to the back. The feet are the foundation of the body and when there is a problem with the way they function it can cause the entire body to shift out of alignment. Overpronation and oversupination, for example, can cause a variety of injuries and conditions that affect not only the feet and ankles, but also the knees, hips, and back as well.

NCBI Resources

If you have further questions or concerns about your particular diet, please ask us! Our Doctor of Chiropractic can help guide you toward a more healthy life, including the foods you consume. It comes down to two major areas: safety and nutrition. That is what consumers need to understand when they are trying to make a decision on whether to purchase foods that have been conventionally farmed or foods that are natural.