Chia! Aztec for “Strength”

Chia is a Mayan word that means strength and legend has it that mayan warriors used chia seeds to boost their strength before battle. What better ingredient then, for your weight loss diet? The aptly named meats and sweets diet is at the heart of epidemic obesity in America, even if the trend towards being overweight has slowed in the past few years. Regardless of, and perhaps partly caused by, the overload of information available on the internet, there is more advice and research than ever at our fingertips, yet we find ourselves at our most unhealthy point in history. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we know that weight matters because every extra pound places more burden on the spine, which can lead to debilitating conditions. So let’s go small and consider the chia seed, a nutritional powerhouse. 

• High levels of antioxidants
• Full of micronutrients including calcium which is essential for bone density and magnesium which is essential for calcium uptake. 
• Chia contains 9 grams of healthy fat, of which over half is omega-3s. Americans are largely deficient in omega-3: a healthy diet should balance omega-6 and omega-3 at a ratio of 1:1 but many American diets look more like 10:1. This is profound because omega-6 contributes to inflammation while omega-3s fight inflammation. 
• 4 grams of clean protein, 11 grams of fiber at only 137 calories per serving.

I dare you to find a food that is more potent calorie-for-calorie. With just two tablespoons, you can fight inflammation, fortify your bones and contribute to healthy immune and nervous systems. What more could you ask for? For help with every aspect of wellness, including taking the fight to inflammation and resolving long standing pain or chronic conditions that you can no longer stand, give our office in Sacramento a call; we would love to help.