Explore Chiropractic

LESS STRESS

2012-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Research studies have shown that people perceive their stress levels to be quite varied. On a scale of one to ten, respondents run the full range for what they believe their stress levels to be. Sadly most people see themselves in the higher ranges rather than the lower ones. Why is there such a wide variation and more importantly, why is it that most people perceive their stress levels to be high? Is it the economy? The world situation? Life in general? We really have no way of comparing the stresses of life today with 100 or 200 years ago.

It has been suggested that stress is not caused by the events or circumstances of life but by how an individual responds to those circumstances. Unpleasant events and circumstances have been described as adversities which when not dealt with result in stress. Hans Seyle, PhD, a world famous neurologist who did work in this area over a generation ago, described adversity as stress and the inability to handle that adversity as distress. He theorized that stress was good. We all need some adversity in our life in order to grow, to adapt, to be able to handle greater adversities as they occur. In the area of health, developing permanent immunity is merely a matter of handling the adversity of a disease so the body can learn to fight off the microorganism every time it comes in contact with it in the future. Permanent immunity makes you a stronger person. (Perhaps artificial immune procedures, while often making one immune to that disease, weakens the overall function of the body’s immune system by not subjecting it to adversity.) Lifting weights is a stress but if done properly with the right amount, this adversity can make a person stronger. Even emotional stress, if overcome, often makes us stronger. People even say, “Well if it doesn’t kill me, I’ll be stronger for it.”

We realize that certain adversities just cannot be overcome. They are just too overwhelming. Whether it is emotional, physical or chemical, if any given adversity is too great it will result in stress and that stress will reduce the quality of your life. Yet between insurmountable adversity and that which no one would even give a second thought to are the vast array of circumstances, events, and situations in life that cause tremendous stress in some people and do not affect others. From that we must conclude that there is a factor or factors inside of people that makes one person better able to handle adversity and not allow it to become stress and others less able to handle it.

One of those factors is the vertebral subluxation. How well you adapt to all types of stress is dependent upon the proper function of your nerve system and vertebral subluxation not only reduces the ability of the nerve system to work as well as it should but it is another stress upon the body compounding the stresses that you already have. In this day and age when people are constantly faced with adversity and potential, stress-causing factors, why would you want anything like a vertebral subluxation that can reduce you body’s ability to handle the adversities of life. Further, if you do have a vertebral subluxation would it not be wise to have it corrected as soon as possible? That is why regular chiropractic adjustments are so important.

How well you adapt to all types of stress is dependent upon the proper function of your nerve system.

Clearer Thinking

2012-02-13T06:50:00.000-08:00

Concentration and Memory

Science has only very recently begun to realize the relationship between the organs and the other parts of the body. In a push toward specialization in health fields during the second half of the 20^th century, the interrelationship and interdependence of the body’s parts was all but lost. Now the tide is turning and people are realizing how important it is to address every aspect of the body in order to experience true health, maximum potential and overall well being including the ability to think clearly, concentrate and remember things.

Some educators have realized that for students to do well in their studies, especially in the lower grades, it is important that they get a good breakfast, one that has protein rather than one that is full of worthless carbohydrates from sugar. Of course, others think the answer to our many sugar-high, grade-school students is to prescribe some drug for them. The corporate world has begun to realize that by providing exercise for their executives, not only will they be healthier and have less absenteeism but that they will also be mentally sharper and more productive when they are working. We have all experienced the drowsiness and mental dullness that follows a big Thanksgiving Day meal, when our digestive systems make significant changes in our body chemistry. Alcohol not only affects your mental abilities when it is in your bloodstream but in sufficient amounts will affect your mental activity even the next day (we call it a hangover). Get a bad night's sleep and your mental sharpness will likely drop a noticeable level the next day.

All of the above examples of things that can affect our ability to think clearly are quite obvious and easy for us to understand. What is more, if these examples are true in the perceptible realm, then they are also true in the imperceptible realm. Any change in body chemistry whether it is due to over-the-counter medication, alcohol or even poor eating habits is going to adversely affect your mental acuity, your memory, your reasoning ability, your reaction times, and your ability to focus and concentrate. Perhaps the decrease is not noticeable to you but it may be to your boss or to those around you. Sometimes it is noticeable to us. When we are “coming down” with the flu or a cold, we realize that our mental productivity is down. However, more often it is not noticeable or at best we realize that we are just not “up to par” that day.

The reasons for this may be numerous. One of these reasons is invariably vertebral subluxation. When your spine is subluxated your nerve system is not able to work at its full potential. Your nerve system is interrelated to every other system in your body. Every system is dependent upon a full complement of mental impulses in order to work properly. You cannot be fully energized without a good nerve supply. You cannot digest your food properly without a good nerve supply. Your body chemistry is less than it should be and your mental ability is decreased. You probably do not even notice it or if you do, you usually relate it to “having an off day.” Well no day should be an off day. Our bodies were created and meant to work properly all the time. If you want the most out of life then you want your mental faculties to be working their best, all the time or at least as much of the time as possible. That can only happen if you are seeing your chiropractor on a regular basis so that subluxations can be corrected before the cumulative affects of them rob you of your mental alertness. Sure you are going to have off days because of wrong choices you make like staying up too late, lowering your body’s resistance, or not eating well, but that is all the more reason to make sure that your mental alertness on the job, in the car and in relating to people is not impaired by vertebral subluxation.

Our bodies were created and meant to work properly all the time.

The Statistical Truth

2012-02-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

•We rank #2 in diabetes (Nauru is #1)

•We rank #1 in strokes

•We rank #9 in cancer

•We rank #13 in heart disease.

•This is not a ranking based on successful prevention and treatment, this means that we lead the world in deaths from these diseases.

What are you doing today so you won't be one of these statistics?

How Is Your Energy Level? High or Low?

2012-02-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

Why is it that some people seem to be able to go like the Energizer bunny and others can’t drag themselves out of bed in the morning? It is because all of us naturally have a varied amount of energy or vitality. Some of us were born with a 12-volt battery and some with only a six-volt. Some people simply have more energy than others. Often we classify these with a lot of energy as “Type-A personalities” or say they are “hyper,” but the fact is most of us would love to have the energy that they have, if only to be more productive. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done about that situation. It would seem though, with few exceptions, that everyone should have the potential to get out of bed in the morning and carry on the activities of a busy day without feeling like they are dragging an anchor behind them. Some people maintain that their lack of energy is due to not being able to get to sleep early enough. They just cannot get all their tasks done by a reasonable hour. For many of them, that inability is due to a lack of energy throughout the day that causes them to go at half speed. So the cycle continues until and unless they get more energy.

There are a few things one can do to have more natural energy. Most of those things are activities that we should be doing every day in order to be healthy. Eating good, nutritional food supplies the fuel that the body makes into energy. Proper rest allows the body to rejuvenate and recuperate from the day’s activities. Exercise is also important. There is one more less known but equally necessary component to having the maximum amount of energy your body can have, that is a nerve system that is free of interference.

Whether you have a 12-or 6-volt battery running your body you will want to make sure that all the voltage available is getting through. You can put high-octane gasoline in your car but unless the electrical system is working properly, you car is not going to have any more power. Eating good food supplies the fuel but your nerve system enables it to be turned into energy.

Regular chiropractic adjustments are absolutely essential to a properly functioning nerve system. When one of the bones subluxates (misaligns in a certain way), it interferes with the important message/energy flow to the organs and cells of the body. There is no way you can expect to have all the energy you were meant to have. Can your car get along on six cylinders instead of eight? Sure it can. Do you want it to? Probably not or you would have bought a six-cylinder car. Can your body get along with less than a full complement of natural energy? Sure it can but do you want it to? Like your car, a body that is not working as it should will eventually break down or develop some problem. Keep your nerve system free of vertebral subluxations and keep your energy level high.

Common Stresses Lead To Need For Chiropractic In Children

2012-01-30T12:03:00.000-08:00

In the January/February 1995 issues of the ICA International Review ofMaxine McMullen, D.C. reports on the physical stresses children are

Chiropractic,

subjected to that can lead to spinal problems requiring chiropractic care.

Dr. McMullen, Dean of Chiropractic Sciences at Palmer College, is the chair of

the International Chiropractors Association Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics. In

the article, McMullen points out that stress on the infant encountered during the

medically assisted delivery process (from mechanical extraction, such as forceps,

suction devices or cesarean section) can cause severe problems from too much

force being applied to the infant’s neck. Problems that can result include

irritability, colic, failure to thrive, and lowered immune response syndromes.

Developmental problems also occur as the child grows older. When a woman

breast feeds her baby, movement on one side of the baby’s body is constricted

while freedom of movement is allowed on the other side. This process is reversed

as the baby is changed from one breast to another and allows for a balanced input

of perception into the baby’s central nervous system, a necessity for proper

development. Mothers who bottle feed their babies tend to choose the side that is

most comfortable for them and stick with that position during every feeding. As a

result, there is not a balanced perception input and therefore improper nervous

system development can occur.

When babies starts to cross-crawl at about six months of age, it is important not to

put them into playpens, walkers or hanging baby seats. Forcing erect posture on a

baby too early puts stress on structures not yet ready for such forces. Predictably,

problems result. If the problems are not corrected, as they are under Chiropractic

Care, they degrade into scoliosis (lateral curvature of the spine), muscle

imbalances, motor dysfunction and symptoms of unknown origin which may not

present themselves until much later in life along with the complaint “but I didn’t

do anything” to make it hurt.

Dr. McMullen closes the report by saying “Those children one cares for

chiropractically on a regular basis develop strong, well-balanced, musculoskeletal

structures accompanied by attitudes [mindful] of the need to take responsibility for

one’s own health, not merely the absence of disease. This trend should be

consistent rather than sporadic as it is at present.”

Connection Found Between Body's Gene Repair System And Innate Immunity

2012-01-24T09:44:00.000-08:00

A study published in the December 8, 2000 issue of the journal

discovery that an enzyme normally involved in the body's genetic repair system is

also involved in the body's innate immunity, its first response against outside

invaders such as viruses, bacteria and toxins.

The finding that the enzyme, DNA-PK provides a link between the body's genetic

or DNA repair mechanism and its innate immunity confirms that the two systems

are activated when the body encounters invading bacteria, viruses or toxins.

The body's innate immune system, when functioning correctly, identifies invaders

by their structure and very quickly, within minutes, produces a large amount of

natural killer cells to deal with the invader. The adaptative immune system will

memorize this contact with an invader and over a period of days will gear up its

attack with B- and T-cells. The adaptative immune system is also responsible for

attacking the invader again if the body encounters it in the future.

In commentary, there is no question that the body has an inborn, innate immune

system that is capable of protecting it from both internal and external dangers and

we are happy that medical science is finally "discovering" this fact. Since its

inception in 1895, chiropractic has held that this system will work correctly

provided there is nothing interfering with how it functions. Chiropractic Wellness

Care will make sure that your innate immune system will function to the best of its

ability, keeping your body in a higher level of health.

Cell reports the

35 Fast Tips to Make This Your Best Year Yet

2012-01-16T08:01:00.000-08:00

I’m sitting on an airplane thinking about what the best performers and most successful people do to continually outperform everyone around them.
As we enter what I hope will be the single best year of your life yet, I’ve come up with 35 Tips that I invite you to concentrate on. Share these tips, reflect on then, post them where you can see them – and allow them to infuse your mindset:

Remember that the quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts.
Keep the promises you make to others – and to yourself.
The project that most scares you is the project you need to do first.
Small daily improvements are the key to staggering long-term results.
Stop being busy being busy. This New Year, clean out the distractions from your work+life and devote to a monomaniacal focus on the few things that matter.
Read “The War of Art”.
Watch “The Fighter”.
In a world where technology is causing some of us to forget how to act human, become the politest person you know.
Remember that all great ideas were first ridiculed.
Remember that critics are dreamers gone scared.
Be “Apple-Like” in your obsession with getting the details right.
Take 60 minutes every weekend to craft a blueprint for the coming seven days. As Saul Bellow once said: “A plan relieves you of the torment of choice.”
Release your need to be liked this New Year. You can’t be a visionary if you long to be liked.
Disrupt or be disrupted.
Hire a personal trainer to get you into the best shape of your life. Superstars focus on the value they receive versus the cost of the service.
Give your teammates, customers and family one of the greatest gifts of all: the gift of your attention (and presence).
Every morning ask yourself: “How may I best serve the most people?”
Every night ask yourself: “What 5 good things happened to me this day?”
Don’t waste your most valuable hours (the morning) doing low value work.
Leave every project you touch at work better than you found it.
Your job is not just to work. Your job is to leave a trail of leaders behind you.
A job is not “just a job”. Every job is a gorgeous vehicle to express your gifts and talents – and to model exceptionalism for all around you.
Fears unfaced become your limits.
Get up at 5 am and take 60 minutes to prepare your mind, body, emotions and spirit to be remarkable during the hours that follow. Being a superstar is not the domain of the gifted but the prepared.
Write love letters to your family.
Smile at strangers.
Drink more water.
Keep a journal. Your life’s story is worth recording.
Do more than you’re paid to do and do work that leaves your teammates breathless.
Leave your ego at the door every morning.
Set 5 daily goals every morning. These small wins will lead to nearly 2000 little victories by the end of the year.
Say “please” and “thank you”.
Remember the secret to happiness is doing work that matters and being an instrument of service.
Don’t be the richest person in the graveyard. Health is wealth.
Life’s short. The greatest risk is risk-less living. And settling for average.

I genuinely wish you the best year of your life.
Stay Great.
Robin Sharma

Aligning Goals with Your Purpose

2012-01-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

Many people subscribe to the Protestant work ethic, which says you must work hard to prosper. But success does not require struggle and suffering. It can be effortless, meaning that you are having fun while pursuing your goals, even when you’re working incredibly hard.
The key to unlocking effortless success lies in the goals that you choose to pursue. The more your goals are aligned with your purpose, the more fun you’ll have … and the more easily you’ll achieve the success you desire.
The Key to Effortless Success
We each have a unique purpose to fulfill here on Earth. Identifying, acknowledging and honoring this purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take.
Without a purpose in life, it’s easy to get sidetracked and end up accomplishing very little. But with a purpose, everything seems to fall into place. The people, resources and opportunities you need naturally gravitate toward you. The world benefits, too, because when you act in alignment with your true life purpose, all of your actions automatically serve others.
What Alignment Means
We’re all gifted with a set of talents and interests that tell us what we’re supposed to be doing. Once you know what your life purpose is, organize all of your activities around it. Everything you do should be an expression of your purpose. If an activity or goal doesn’t fit that formula, don’t work on it.
For example, I frequently am invited to participate in multi-level marketing companies and have on several occasions. But when I have, it’s left me feeling drained, even though the companies and their products were superior. The reason is that hosting meetings and selling opportunities to others does not support my purpose – to inspire and empower people to live their highest vision in a context of love and joy. I’ve learned through experience that the best way for me to work with MLM companies is by speaking to and training their distributors, an activity that allows me to fulfill my purpose.
Aligning with your purpose is most critical when setting professional goals. When it comes to personal goals, you have more flexibility. If you want to learn how to paint or water ski, go ahead and do so. If your goal is to get fit and lose weight, move ahead with confidence. Nurturing yourself emotionally, physically and spiritually will make you more energized, resilient and motivated to live your purpose on the professional front.
However, don’t ignore the signs that your job or career is not right for you. If you dread Monday mornings and live for the weekends, it may be a sign that it’s time to follow your heart and pursue the work you long to do.
Are You Aligned?
There are a few ways to gauge whether your goals are aligned with your purpose. The first is to simply check in with yourself and ask whether achieving the goal supports your life purpose. If not, the goal is not something you should pursue.

Conveniently, human beings are equipped with an inner guidance system that tells us when we are on or off purpose based on the amount of joy we are experiencing. When you feel like you are in “flow,” you are on purpose. When working toward your goals is a chore or success is extremely difficult, stop and evaluate whether your goal is aligned with your purpose.
A final technique you can use is to probe deeper into your desire to achieve a particular goal. Ask yourself, “If I achieve this goal, what would I have then that I don’t have now?” When you have an answer, ask the question again. Continue the process until you’ve reached your root desire. Then ask whether you truly need to achieve the goal to get what you really want.
For example, you may say that you want to earn $1 million. But upon further examination, you may realize that what you really crave is the joy of pursuing what you really want to do in life, which you would be able to do wholeheartedly once you had enough money to ensure financial security. Must you become a millionaire to experience joy? Of course not. Instead, consider all the ways that you can experience what you truly want to feel and be, then make those your goals.
At its heart, effortless success is about fully embracing and expressing who you are. It means following your inner guidance to ensure that you are living your very unique purpose as much as you can. Use the tips shared in this article to identify the right goals to pursue in 2012 – and watch how much easier it becomes to achieve your dreams.- Jack Canfield

Question: How Do You Eat A Elephant?

2012-01-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

Answer: One bite at a time.

How are your New Year's resolutions going? Are you sticking with the plan and achieving some results? I hope so. If not, take small incremental steps on your way to reaching those BIG goals. Consistency is the key.

Determined persistence is the key to lasting success and achievement. - Bill Harris, D.C.

Are you ready to make 2012 your best year yet?

2011-12-30T14:40:00.000-08:00

It’s easy to start the new year full of enthusiasm and optimism. But to maintain your momentum through the year, you need to set powerful, crystal-clear goals

The first step to getting what you want out of life this is to decide exactly what you want.
What do you want to accomplish?
What do you want to experience?
What do you want to acquire?
Who do you want to be?
One of primary reasons most people don’t get what they want is that they aren’t clear about what they want. Others will recognize what they’d like to have, but when they can’t see how it’s possible to get what they want, and they dismiss their desires as foolish and unattainable.

Don’t sabotage yourself this way!

After decades of research into how the human brain works, scientists now know that for our brains to figure out how to get what we want, we must first decide what we want. Once we lock-in our desires, our mind and the universe can step in to help make our dreams a reality.

Dream Big

We start the process by getting clear about what we want. So, what do you want? To create a balanced and successful life, write down a minimum of 3 goals in each of the following 7 areas:

Financial Goals
Career/Business Goals
Free Time/Family Time
Health/Appearance Goals
Relationship Goals
Personal Growth
Making a Difference

If you have more goals than this, don’t limit yourself – write them down! On the other hand, if writing down 21 goals seems like a lot, remember that we can have a mix of long- and short-term goals. For example, in the financial area, you may have a short-term goal of paying off a $5,000 credit card balance, as well as a long-term goal of amassing a net worth of $5 million dollars. You want to keep both goals present in your mind, even though you’ll be working more actively on the short-term goal first.

Stretch Yourself

When setting our goals, it’s important to include a few that will make us stretch and grow to achieve them. These might be learning a new skill or trying something that is uncomfortable and maybe a little frightening, such as public speaking. It also helps to set a breakthrough goal that would represent a quantum leap. Examples of breakthrough goals include publishing a book, starting a business, getting on Oprah, winning a gold medal at the Olympics, or getting elected president of your industry association.

Material goals are important, but the ultimate goal is to become a master at life. In the long run, the greatest benefit we receive from pursuing our dreams is not the outer trappings of fulfilling the dream, but who we become in the process.

The outer symbols of success can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go bankrupt, relationships end, cars get old, bodies age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned, and the new skills you have developed never go away. These are the true prizes of success. Motivational philosopher Jim Rohn advises that “You should set a goal big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become someone worth becoming.”

Turn Your Dreams Into Goals and Objectives

Once you are clear about what you want, write them down and turn each item into a measurable objective. Measurable means measurable in space and time – how much and by when.

For instance, if you were to tell me that you wanted more money, I might pull out a dollar and give it to you. You would probably protest, saying “No, I meant a lot more money, like $20,000!” But there is no way I’d know how you’d define “more money” unless you tell me, right?

Similarly, your boss, your friends, your spouse, your brain, God, and the Universe can’t figure out what you want unless you tell them specifically what it is. What exactly do you want and when do you want it by?

Your Goals Impact Others

As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, they compel others to want to play big, too.

You’ll also discover that when your dreams include service to others – that is, accomplishing something that contributes to others – it accelerates the accomplishment of that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.

Work on Your Goals Daily

To keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want, read your list of goals everyday. For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and focus on each goal and ask yourself, "What is one thing I could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?" Write down your answers and take those actions.

As the old joke goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Steady progress in bite-sized chunks puts even the most audacious goals into reach. -Jack Canfield

Patient satisfaction higher with Chiropractors Than Others

2011-12-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

A study published in the October, 1995

Journal of Medicine

satisfied with the care given them by their Chiropractor

than those who went to medical doctors were with their

care.

42% of those patients who went to a Chiropractor for low

back pain rated their care as “excellent” while only 27% of

those who went to a medical doctor for the same problem

rated their care as high. The Chiropractic patients also

reported more satisfaction with their histories, examination

and explanation of what was causing their problem.

The study also found that medical doctors were more

inclined to order more expensive CT scans and MRIs.

Chiropractic Patients Use Medical Services Less

2011-12-21T13:59:00.000-08:00

The June 1996 issue of

older patients who use chiropractic health care services end up

using less medical services such as hospitals, nursing homes and

prescription drugs.

In a study of geriatrics by the Rand Corporation it was found that

96% of the population studied who use chiropractic had not used

nursing home services in the three years before the study. 81% of

those who had not received chiropractic care didn’t need the use of

a nursing home, a 15% less nursing home usage by the chiropractic

patients.

In hospital use, chiropractic patients fared even better. 74% of the

people under chiropractic care did not need the use of a hospital in

the three years prior to the study versus 53% of the study group not

under chiropractic care; a 21% difference.

87% of those patients under chiropractic care perceived themselves

to be in good to excellent health. Only 68% of those not under

chiropractic care thought their health good to excellent. Put simply,

chiropractic works.

Topics in Clinical Chiropractic reports that

Chiropractic Improves Brain Function

2011-12-19T07:19:00.000-08:00

The sixteenth annual upper cervical conference was held at

Life University in Marietta, Georgia in November 1999. A

study presented at the conference found that patients under

chiropractic care experienced a measurable increase in brain

function.

Microcog is a computer administered and scored test that

serves as a diagnostic tool to determine cognitive (brain)

function. It measures activity in nine categories:

attention/mental control, memory, reasoning/calculation,

spatial processing, reaction time, information processing speed,

information processing accuracy, general cognitive functioning

and general cognitive proficiency.

A total of 40 patients had their brain function measured by

Microcog. 30 of these patients received upper cervical (neck)

chiropractic adjustments and 10 served as a control group

receiving no adjustments. Four weeks later, all 40 patients

were tested by the Microcog system again.

According to the study, "significant improvements were

observed in neurocognitive [brain] function in the group

receiving upper cervical care. The control group did not

demonstrate a similar trend. This study suggests that upper

cervical chiropractic care may positively affect neurocognitive

function."

The World Health Organization defines "health" as 100%

physical, mental and social well-being. A nervous system free

of interference is vital to the full expression of all these aspects

of your health potential. Chiropractic works to restore health

by removing interference to your nervous system.

General Health Status Improves With Chiropractic

2011-12-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

The Fall 1999 issue of the

reports that patients under chiropractic care reported an improvement in their

general health status after receiving chiropractic adjustments.

The study used the RAND (SF-36) Health Survey and the global well-being

scale (GWBS) as measures of improvement. Researchers also measured

changes in misalignment of spinal vertebra by using X-rays before and after

the adjustments. The GWBS survey was completed at each visit.

The SF-36 survey was given at the beginning of the patient's care, at the four

week mark and at the end of the care plan when their initial complaint

reached Maximum Chiropractic Improvement, (MCI).

The SF-36 measures such areas as physical function, bodily pain, general

health, vitality, social function, emotional and mental health. While all areas

showed improvement the area which showed the most improvement was the

physical area with an average improvement of 39 points on a scale of 100.

By way of commentary, it comes as no surprise that patients reported a

general improvement in health after beginning chiropractic care.

Chiropractic has long maintained that a body free of interference is able to

function at and maintain a higher level of health than one that is afflicted

with vertebral subluxation.

Chiropractic Research Journal (vol. 6, no. 2)

Chiropractic Care Increases “Quality Of Life”

2011-12-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

Research performed at the New Zealand School of Chiropractic and reported inJournal of Vertebral Subluxation Research [3(2), 1999] shows that patients

under chiropractic care experienced an increased “Quality of Life”.

Quality of Life was determined by asking patients to fill out a survey and assess

their own health in four areas; Physical State, Emotional/Mental State, Stress and

Life Enjoyment. These four areas made up a fifth area called Combined Wellness.

Quality of Life was measured as a sixth area of the survey.

89 people participated in the study which was conducted over a five month period.

The patients reported “significant positive perceived changes” in Physical State,

Mental/Emotional State and Combined Wellness.

The researchers also found that the data from this study suggested that Health and

Wellness may continue to increase over time while under chiropractic care.

By way of commentary, this research points out what chiropractors and their

patients have been experiencing for years; that by improving body function

chiropractic helps improve the health and wellness of you and your family.

Staying healthy is an active pursuit. We all need to do those things which help us

maintain health. We need to get good food, water, air and exercise. We must have

a positive mental outlook and maintain the integrity of our nervous systems

through chiropractic care. We can’t hope we’ll stay healthy, we have to work at it.

How Physically Active Are You?

2011-12-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

Why is it good to be physically active?
• Makes you look and feel great.
• Gives you more energy.
• Lowers stress and helps you relax.
• Helps you get to and keep a healthy body weight.
• Lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and certain
types of cancer.
• Helps build and keep healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
How often should I be physically active?
• To take care of your health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, you need at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity every day.
• To keep your weight under control, you need 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical
activity on most days of the week.
• If you lost weight and want to keep it off, you need 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity physical
activity every day.
What is moderate-intensity physical activity?
It gets you up and moving and makes your heart beat faster. Brisk walking, biking, taking the stairs, dancing,
and raking leaves are examples of moderate-intensity physical activity.
What is vigorous-intensity physical activity?
It makes you breathe hard and sweat. Running, jogging, playing soccer, fast dancing, and fast biking are
examples of vigorous-intensity physical activity.

Now get up and get moving.

Simple Rules for Healthy Eating

2011-11-14T06:51:00.000-08:00

The sense of taste is responsible for our enjoyment of food. Weight problems and other physical imbalances are due to loss of enjoyment from food. If we could truly enjoy food, we would never have a weight problem. The following awareness techniques maximize the enjoyment of food, improve digestion and metabolism, and increase energy and vitality:
1) Whenever you eat or drink anything, however little it may be, make it a rule to sit down.
Food can only be digested properly when we eat in the sitting position. To eat while in the lying position impairs blood and lymph flow throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and eating while walking or standing causes indigestion.
2) When you eat, don't do anything else such as listening to the radio, watching television, reading or driving a car.
A major reason for having taste buds on the tongue is that the brain can receive signals as to what type and quantity of food is entering the digestive system. This enables the body to produce and release sufficient amounts of various enzymes required for the digestion of the food. If we didn't have such a facility, our digestive system would secrete enzymes indiscriminately which would be a wasteful action the body cannot afford. When we turn our attention to anything else but the food we are eating, our taste buds cannot make sufficient 'conscious' contact with the various foods and their tastes. This restricts the release of the appropriate digestive enzymes for each particular taste and reduces AGNI, the digestive fire. It also confuses the body for it will no longer know when the saturation point for a particular type of taste, such as salty or sweet, has been reached. Hence, foods cravings begin to emerge which are linked with insufficiently digested and absorbed foods, as well as with the lack of pleasure hormones, normally secreted when food is eaten with full attention. Since eating is an act of enjoyment, we might as well do it with an undivided mind. As a golden rule, everything we do with joy and attention is beneficial, and everything we do with displeasure and lack of attention generates problems.
3) Eat only when the stomach is empty.
Otherwise you interfere with the enjoyment of food. When the stomach is still full or is in the process of digesting food, the taste buds are desensitized to prevent a person from eating. Natural hunger only occurs when the stomach is empty. On the other hand, false hunger or food cravings emerge when the basic natural rules of eating have been violated for a long time and emotional imbalances exist; both these causes override or suppress the normal signals of satiation coming from the stomach and taste buds. The urge to eat food while the stomach is still digesting, is often connected to occurrence of gallstones in the liver and gallbladder and disappears once they have been removed through a series of liver cleanses.
4) Do not put food into your mouth till the previous bite has gone into the stomach.
The process of eating is a unique opportunity to practice mindfulness and patience. By chewing the food until it has been masticated enough to produce a sweet tasting liquid, greatly enhances the enjoyment of food and keeps your attention on the present moment, which is the key to all happiness. Mahatma Gandhi advised people to 'drink' their food and 'eat' their drinks. Eating and drinking in this way is one of the most powerful methods of overcoming emotional problems in life.
5) Do not speak while there is still food in the mouth.
When you speak while there is food in your mouth, you tend to swallow before it is properly masticated, and you miss out on enjoying your food. It is better to speak only when there is no food left in the mouth. For your first helping, take about two cupped hands full of food. This will fill up two thirds of your stomach; the rest is empty space that is needed to propel the food and mix it with digestive juices. If you are still hungry, wait for five minutes. If the feeling of hunger has not subsided by this time, you may take some more food. Leaving the table slightly hungry is a good method to increase one's will power, determination and self-confidence. Completely filling the stomach leads to indigestion, dullness, lethargy and food cravings.
6) Make certain to have all the six tastes of food at least once a day.
The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Sweet taste, for example, is the dominating taste in carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and many nuts. Pungent taste is found in most spices, such as pepper, ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, etc. Sour taste occurs in fermented foods, vinegar, lemon, and other citrus fruits. Salt is best taken in its natural, unrefined state, as sea salt or rock salt. Astringent taste is found in beans, lentils and walnuts, persimmon and also in green, unripe bananas. Blood-cleansing herbs or teas generally taste bitter. Bitter taste is also found in lettuce, broccoli, and leafy green vegetables, as well as in cocoa, coffee, tea, and beers.

If the body receives all the six tastes, i.e. sweet, sour, salty, pungent, astringent, and bitter, it will be stimulated to produce many of the important nutrients itself and thus remain balanced. The sense of taste is our body’s supreme judge to know whether certain foods are right for us or not. Situated in the taste buds of the tongue and in coordination with the constantly changing requirements of the body, the sense of taste controls our natural instinct and desire for healthy food.
This can effectively help to reduce food cravings and prevent nutrient deficiencies. Be careful not to eat more than 3-4 main ingredients in one meal at a time or have more than one type of starch or protein in a meal.

Some Tips for Better Taste
There are two methods to improve the performance of our taste buds and to lubricate and sensitize them for greater enjoyment of food:

1. When your tongue is coated white or yellow, clean it with a tongue scraper or a tablespoon every morning after awakening and every evening before going to bed. This removes sticky AMA (with billions of bacteria) from your taste buds.

2. Swish 1 or 2 tablespoons of cold pressed and unrefined sunflower or sesame oil in your mouth cavity for 3-4 minutes every morning, and perhaps also in the evening before bedtime. The oil draws and absorbs toxins and microbes from the throat, tonsils, ears, eyes, blood, chest etc. Then spit it out and rinse your mouth with water.

When the tongue is clear and the taste buds are unobstructed, we tend not to overeat because the natural satiety level or satisfaction from food is reached more easily. Those who tend to overeat or smoke cigarettes have dull taste buds. They have a 'high-flavored' threshold, which means that they need much stronger and more stimulating foods to be satisfied; this may lead to food cravings and substance addictions.

Albert Einstein

2011-11-07T06:26:00.000-08:00

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. - Albert Einstein

Your spine is better off in place (Un-Subluxated), than out of place (Subluxated). - Mike Headlee, D.C.

It is as simple as that.

October Is National Chiropractic Month

2011-10-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

The Major Premise:

There is a universal intelligence in all matter, continuously giving to it all its properties and actions, thus maintaining it in existence, and giving this intelligence its expression.

The Chiropractic Meaning of Life:

The expression of this innate intelligence through matter is the Chiropractic meaning of “life.”
These are two of the 33 Principles of Chiropractic.

October is National Chiropractic Month

2011-10-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

This is a 8 minute video that explains what Chiropractic is in a very easy understandable way. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCQLNAsuPV8&feature=feedu

October Is National Chiropractic Month

2011-10-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Chiropractic was discovered 116 years ago by DD Palmer in Davenport, IA. He stated that Chiropractic was founded on the principle of tone. When the tone of your nervous system is normalized, the body is therefore able to self-heal and self-regulate at the highest potential.

This is why it is imperative for everyone to get regular check-ups from their Chiropractor to make sure the tone of their nervous systems is normal.

Have you had your spine and nervous system checked lately?

Test Your GMO Knowledge

2011-10-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

True or False?
Q: The only Sweeteners on the market that likely contain genetically modified organisms are those made from corn - ie., fructose, corn syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup.

A: False. Sweeteners made from corn, more than 80 percent of which is genetically modified, are likely to contain GMOs. But so is sugar, which is usually a combination of sugar cane and sugar from GM sugar beets. Also, the artificial sweetener aspartame, found in NutraSweet and Equal, is a genetically modified product.

October Is National Non-GMO Month

2011-10-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

True or False
Q: The two main traits given to genetically modified foods are to produce their own insecticide or to be resistant to herbicides that kill other plants.

A: True. The five most common genetically modified foods are genetically modified to either produce their own insecticide or to tolerate herbicides that kill other plants or both.

National Non-GMO Month

2011-10-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

True or False:
One of the easiest ways to remember the 5 major genetically modified crops in our food supply is to remember that they all begin with the letter "c"? - False. Three of the five -corn, canola, and cottonseed - begin with the letter "c". The other two begin with "s". They are soy and sugar from sugar beets.

Are You Well Connected?

2011-09-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

The brain communicates with the body through the nervous system and the body communicates with the brain through the nervous system. When there is interference with the communication the body can't express its fullest potential and Chiropractors call this subluxation. This is called the safety pin cycle. Make sure you are well connected and get regular chech-ups for subluxation.

Paper Cut

2011-09-07T11:47:00.000-07:00

What would happen if you get a paper cut? How would it look in a month? What if there was a splinter in it? Would it heal the same? The body is self-healing, self-regulating and subluxations interfere with the self-healing and self-regulating of the body just like a splinter interferes with the healing of the paper cut.

How Do Frog's Know How To Eat Flies?

2011-08-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

They have a Innate Intelligence or inborn intelligence inside of them, they didn't have to got to frog school. Just like all living things there is a Innate Intelligence inside.

Circuit Breaker

2011-08-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

What happens when a house has a surge of electricity beyond it's ability to adapt properly? it blows a circuit. When our body has stress beyond our ability to adapt properly, we get subluxated. That is why it is important to get to a Chiropractor for regular check-ups.

45 Life Lessons

2011-08-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

Adopted from Regina Brett

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument.
7. Agree to disagree.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save starting with your first paycheck.
10. With chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others.
14. If you have to keep it a secret, don't do it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Don't wait for a special occasion. Now is then.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now.
24. The most important organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone including yourself.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business. (my personal favorite)
30.. Time heals almost everything. Give it time.
31. However good or bad it is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside daily. Miracles are everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

How Does A Cell Phone Explain Subluxation?

2011-08-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

What happens when your cell phone only has 1 or 2 bars showing? You get static on the line or you might lose the call because of interference. The same is true with your body, if you have a subluxation, your brain can't communicate 100% with your body and you wil not be able to function at your fullest potential. It is as simple as that.

What Is The Master Control System Of The Body?

2011-08-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

The nervous system is the master control system of the body. It is like the strings on a puppet controlling it, if you interfere with the strings, you interfere with its function. The same is true for the human body.

What happens if you interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses of the nervous system? You hope for the best because your body will not be functioning at 100%. Make sure you get regular check-ups from your Chiropractor to see if you have nerve interference. It is as simple as that.

Can You Hear Me Now?

2011-07-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Having ear plugs in interferes with your ability to hear properly. There isn't anything broke or damaged, just interference. This is just like a subluxation, interference between your brain and body, nothing broke, just interference. When you have interference, your body isn't able to function at it's maximum potential. Make sure you are getting regular check-ups from your Chiropractor. It is as simple as that.

Is Your Power Turned On 100%?

2011-07-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

If you have a subluxation is it possible to have the power in your body functioning at 100%? Of course not. That is why it is important to get regular check-ups to see if you have any subluxations so you can be living your life at 100%. It is like having a dimmer switch turned down 20-30%, it will still allow light and you can still see, just not at 100%. It is as simple as that.

Do You Have A Weak Link?

2011-07-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

You are only as strong as you weakest link. Do you have a subluxation? Because they make you weak. Make sure to get checked regularily for subluxations.

Do You Have A Giraffe Neck or A Banana Neck?

2011-07-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

If the banana peel represents the cervical spine (bones), and the fruit represents the spinal cord, what will happen if you don't have a banana shaped curve and have a neck like a giraffe? The answer, you hope for the best. Get to your Chiropractor as soon as possible to see if your neck looks like a banana or a giraffe.

36 Random Insights On Exceptionalism

2011-07-11T14:19:00.001-07:00

1. Average people are dedicated to leisure. The best people are devoted to learning.

2. The ordinary wait for the energy to do a task. The exceptional do the task because that’s how they get the energy.

3. A job is just a job if all you see it as is a job. (Work is a vehicle to promote Full Self Expression of Your Creativity+Ingenuity+Talent).

4. The most precious asset of a businessperson isn’t time. It’s energy. Manage yours well.

5. Love your family. What’s the point of getting to uber-Success yet arriving alone?

6. From a participant at my recent Lead Without a Title event in Doha, Qatar: “The true measure of the greatness of a person is the length their shadow casts on the future.” Love it! Genius.

7. Manners matter.

8. If you’re in business, you’re in show business. And every day’s a performance.

9. “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” Oscar Wilde.

10. To double your income, triple your rate of learning. The best invest in their professional and personal development.

11. The primary purpose of business is the delivery of as much unusual value to as many people as possible.

12. Use music to boost your motivation.

13. Be ethical like Buffett. Rock the house like Bono. Innovate like Edison. Serve like Mandela.

14. You dishonor yourself when you play small with your talent.

15. Ideation without execution leads to delusion. What makes Google Google is not the idea behind Google but the culture of execution that is Google.

16. Don’t work at world-class for the money or the ovations. Do it for the pride you feel on a job brilliantly done.

17. Keep a journal.

18. Spend time in solitude. The only person you’ll be with your whole life is you. Why not get to know-and like-yourself?

19. Watch “The Fighter”.

20. Work hard. Industry stands at the foundation of Mastery.

21. Remember that the quality of your practice determines the caliber of the performance.

22. Speak your truth-even when your voice shakes.

23. Leaders leave a trail of leaders behind them. If you’re not developing the best in others, you’re not leading.

24. You know you’re doing genius-level work when people start to dislike you.

25. Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to Mastery.

26. Develop your friendships. Respect your elders.

27. Make time to have fun. Life is short-enjoy the ride.

28. The bigger your dream, the more important your team.

29. If you have average people, you’ll have an average company. To have a great company, hire and coach great people.

30. Remember that your doubts are nothing more than the lies your fears have sold you.

31. Leadership is simple. It’s not easy. But it’s really really simple.

32. Leadership’s mostly about 3 things: Impact+Influence+Inspiration.

33. If you’re not inspiring those around you, you’re not Leading. You’re following.

By: Robin Sharma

36 Random Insights On Exceptionalism

2011-06-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

1. Average people are dedicated to leisure. The best people are devoted to learning.
2. The ordinary wait for the energy to do a task. The exceptional do the task because that’s how they get the energy.
3. A job is just a job if all you see it as is a job. (Work is a vehicle to promote Full Self Expression of Your Creativity+Ingenuity+Talent).
4. The most precious asset of a businessperson isn’t time. It’s energy. Manage yours well.
5. Love your family. What’s the point of getting to uber-Success yet arriving alone?
6. From a participant at my recent Lead Without a Title event in Doha, Qatar: “The true measure of the greatness of a person is the length their shadow casts on the future.” Love it! Genius.
7. Manners matter.
8. If you’re in business, you’re in show business. And every day’s a performance.
9. “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” Oscar Wilde.
10. To double your income, triple your rate of learning. The best invest in their professional and personal development.
11. The primary purpose of business is the delivery of as much unusual value to as many people as possible.
12. Use music to boost your motivation.
13. Be ethical like Buffett. Rock the house like Bono. Innovate like Edison. Serve like Mandela.
14. You dishonor yourself when you play small with your talent.
15. Ideation without execution leads to delusion. What makes Google Google is not the idea behind Google but the culture of execution that is Google.
16. Don’t work at world-class for the money or the ovations. Do it for the pride you feel on a job brilliantly done.
17. Keep a journal.
18. Spend time in solitude. The only person you’ll be with your whole life is you. Why not get to know-and like-yourself?
19. Watch “The Fighter”.
20. Work hard. Industry stands at the foundation of Mastery.
21. Remember that the quality of your practice determines the caliber of the performance.
22. Speak your truth-even when your voice shakes.
23. Leaders leave a trail of leaders behind them. If you’re not developing the best in others, you’re not leading.
24. You know you’re doing genius-level work when people start to dislike you.
25. Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to Mastery.
26. Develop your friendships. Respect your elders.
27. Make time to have fun. Life is short-enjoy the ride.
28. The bigger your dream, the more important your team.
29. If you have average people, you’ll have an average company. To have a great company, hire and coach great people.
30. Remember that your doubts are nothing more than the lies your fears have sold you.
31. Leadership is simple. It’s not easy. But it’s really really simple.
32. Leadership’s mostly about 3 things: Impact+Influence+Inspiration.
33. If you’re not inspiring those around you, you’re not Leading. You’re following.
34. Think for yourself.
35. “Potential unexpressed turns to pain.” From “The Leader Who Had No Title“.
36. Take brave risks. At your End, it’ll be the risks you didn’t take versus the ones you did that most fill you with regret.
Keep Leading Without A Title.- Robin Sharma

On a Scale of 1-10, How Important Is Your Health To You?

2011-06-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

When asked, most people respond that their health is very important to them.

When pressed for a number, the answer is almost always a 7 or higher. How about you? How would you rate the importance you have placed on your health up until now?

Now remember, most people come to our office for the first time with a health problem or concern that is, unfortunately, usually…minimally, chronic. This means that their health has had to have been deteriorating for a while before consulting us. Well, here are the attributes of the different levels of health priority:

1- Addicted-continuously looks for and adds self-destructive choices.

2- Binges-makes occasional destructive lifestyle decisions-is in denial.

3- Unconscious-doesn’t know a healthy choice from an unhealthy one.

4- Tolerates poor health – “maybe it will go away” – “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

5- Seeks treatment only when they have a problem.

6- Open to prevention of future health problems.

7- Makes effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

8- Consciously works at being healthy-makes healthy choices.

9- Occasionally looking for and adding constructive healthy lifestyle changes.

10- Continuously looking for and adding constructive healthy lifestyle changes.

It’s easy to see that for a health problem to become chronic, the importance placed on personal health could not have been higher than a 4 prior to consulting us. Starting care requires bringing your priority up to at least a 5. Unfortunately, what causes most people to raise the priority they place on their health is a serious health problem that doesn’t go away with their own approaches to correct the condition.

It should also be obvious that it order for one’s health to actually improve, the priority placed upon it must also be higher. So, the question for today is, “if I started living like a 7 instead of a 4 and the problems caused by me living like a 4 were not permanent, are they likely to go away? The answer…of course!

Which can you change, your health history or your health future?

2011-06-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

When you entered our office we asked you to complete a health history form. The fact is that the health decisions you made last year or five (5) years ago contributed to your health or the lack of it today. We can’t go back and change your decisions of years gone by.

Honestly ask yourself, are you as healthy today as you were five (5) years ago? Will you be healthier five (5) years from now than you are today? Creating health is not an event, it is a process. The lifestyle changes you make today will contribute to your health in the future. Even though we can’t change the health decisions you made five (5) years ago, with your commitment, we can assist you in being healthier years from now. The continual process of lifestyle behavior change that leads to optimal health is known as Wellness. It is possible for you to create better health consistently year after year, it’s your choice. My wish is for you to live your life to its fullest and improve the quality of your life by creating Wellness naturally.

THE CAUSE

2011-06-10T05:28:00.001-07:00

Your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is responsible for sending messages to every cell, tissue, organ and system in your body. This communication is made possible by your spinal neurological network. This vast communication network is in charge of virtually every function in your body and determines whether you enjoy good health or disease. The central nervous system is so important that nature built armor around it, your skull and spinal column. However, even with this inborn protection our nervous system can experience

interference, injury or disturbance. We call this a Subluxation.

Your examinations have determined that you have one or multiple subluxations that exist in your spinal neurological network. This could potentially be a very serious threat to your continued overall health and well-being. What caused my subluxations? There are three commonly recognized causes of subluxations, physical trauma, chemical toxins and emotional stress.

Physical trauma is what most patients blame for their subluxations. “I slept wrong.” “I lifted something heavy.” There are many causes of physical stress to our bodies throughout our life from being born, learning how to walk, learning how to ride a bike, slips and falls, car accidents, sports injuries, hobbies and work injuries. There are multiple of physical causes that may be responsible for our subluxations that have accumulated over our lifetime.

Chemical toxins are often overlooked as a cause of our subluxations. Chemicals are a direct poison to our nervous system. Chemicals can interfere with or disturb with the functions of our nervous system just as easy as a trauma. What many of us don’t realize is just how many chemical toxins we expose ourselves to on a daily basis. List includes: food dyes, sweeteners, preservatives, chemicals in our air and water, hormones in the meats, processed foods, caffeine, nicotine, prescriptions and over the counter drugs, cleaning chemicals, perfumes, hair spray, detergents...the list goes on and on. We are a chemical dependant society and these chemicals poison our nervous system resulting in subluxations everyday.

Mental and emotional stress is the most common cause of subluxations in the world today. Our nervous system filters and processes stress on a moment to moment basis. When our nervous system is overwhelmed by the constant or chronic stress that we endure on a daily basis it breaks down resulting in chronic subluxations. When we are worried, fearful or stressed, when we experience relationship, money or job problems, when life just doesn’t seem to go our way it takes its toll on our nervous system. Stress is inescapable in our society and a frequent subluxation producer.

During your Path-To-Wellness care plan our goal is to remove your subluxations, optimize your health and provide you with real life strategies to eliminate or reduce your physical, chemical and emotional stressors to provide you with lasting results and lasting health.

Explore Chiropractic

218-333-8811

Our Mission:

To foster, promote, and inspire health excellence to the people of northern Minnesota.

Are You Subluxated?

2011-06-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

Subluxations...

...if left uncorrected have devastating effects on our health!

We learned with the first component of the chiropractic paradigm that the body is a self healing organism. In the next component, we discovered that our nervous system is what is responsible for the function of every cell, tissue and organ in our body. In the third component of the chiropractic paradigm, we find that subluxations damage the ability of our nervous system to communicate properly. The fourth component teaches us that the interference to the nervous system from subluxations is devastating to our health potential, even life

threatening.

The nervous system, when interfered with, begins a progressive downward spiral regarding our health and well-being. When our nervous system is subluxated it no longer has the ability to respond appropriately to the environmental stresses we place upon our body. Subluxations may lessen our body’s ability to perform at every level: our immune system may be hampered, our emotional stability becomes fragile, our mental clarity may be cloudy, our organs may not function properly, and sometimes even fail, our strength and coordination becomes weak and clumsy, and even our genetic expression may be damaged. If this isn’t bad enough, subluxations continue to worsen over time as our body slowly deteriorates.

Recent studies confirm our worst fears about subluxations.

Subluxations have become the known as the “silent killer” because of how they destroy our health often without symptoms. Every man, woman and child should be checked for subluxations and possible nerve interference! When was the last time you and your family were checked for subluxations?

Is Your Family Ready For Summer?

2011-05-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Your Kids Get A Back To School Physical.

Why Not Get Them Prepared For Summer With A Chiropractic Physical?

The best way to properly prepare your child, and yourself for that matter, to have as happy and healthy a summer as possible is to make sure all their systems are working properly. Let’s check them to make sure that their summer can be as awesome for them (and you) as possible. Call today! 218-333-8811

The Story of “That Something”

2011-05-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

“Man, write that story you’ve told us. Write it so that every man may read.

Send that message out into the world. If men will read that story, read and

reread, until it is written on their memories; if men will believe the message

you bring, and then if they will but awaken that something within their souls

that now lies asleep—I say if you can make men do this, you will have done

more for mankind than any man or any thousand men have done in many,

many years. Write it, man, write it word for word as you have told it here, so

every man may read. Write it, man, write it!”

And so it has been written.

You who have heard it through, I pray that you may hear it every word

again and again until ‘That Something’ of your souls has been aroused, and

you have taken your places among the rulers of the world.

THE END

WHICH IS

THE BEGINNING.

22 Ways to Become Spectacularly Inspirational

2011-05-23T05:21:00.000-07:00

1. Do important work vs. merely offering opinions.

2. Lift people up vs. tear others down.

3. Use the words of leadership vs. the language of victimhood.

4. Don’t worry about getting the credit for getting things done.

5. Become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

6. Take your health to a level called superfit.

7. Commit to mastery of your craft instead of accepting mediocrity in your work.

8. Associate with people whose lives you want to be living.

9. Study for an hour a day. Double your learning and you’ll triple your success.

10. Run your own race. “No one can possibly achieve real and lasting success by being a conformist,” wrote billionaire J. Paul Getty

11. Do something small yet scary every single day.

12. Lead Without a Title.

13. Focus on people’s strengths vs. obsessing around their weaknesses.

14. Remember that potential unused turns into pain. So dedicate yourself to expressing your best.

15. Smile more.

16. Listen more.

17. Read the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.

18. Reflect on the words of Eleanor Roosevelt who said: “Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

19. Persist longer than the critics suggest you should.

20. Say “please” and “thank you”.

21. Love your loved ones.

22. Do work that matters.

By Robin Sharma, author of the #1 bestseller “The Leader Who Had No Title”

The Power To Heal Is Within You

2011-05-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

I am not your healer! That power is yours.

I can, however, help you to heal yourself by removing an obstacle to the expression of that natural healing power. Spinal misalignments (subluxations) can produce neurological distortions (interference) which will reduce your body’s ability to function properly, maintain itself and heal itself naturally. Chiropractors adjust (correct) spinal subluxations.

I cannot be your healer, because that’s your job.

But I would be honored to be your Chiropractor!

Eat Fish for Better Hearing

2011-05-16T05:36:00.000-07:00

Australian researchers have found that people over the age of 50 who eat fish at least twice per week are 42 percent less likely to suffer from hearing loss. The study, which examined diets of nearly 3,000 people, was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Upper Cervical Health Care … SIMPLIFIED!

2011-05-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

By: Daniel O. Clark, D.C.,

Retired Upper Cervical Doctor

Brain health and healing messages leave the brain by way of the brain stem,

pass through the neck, down the spinal cord and out over

the entire nervous system to all parts of the body.

These messages control, maintain and monitor all body functions.

They also direct all body healing.

Head/Neck misalignment can cause interference at the top

of the neck and prevent the brain from sending efficient healing messages to the body.

When the weight of the head

(8-14 lbs.) is shifted

off the center of the top of the neck and held in a misaligned position by muscles and ligaments, the body is imbalanced.

In its effort to keep the head balanced over the center of the neck, the rest of the body

will compensate to the shift of weight.

The spine will twist, causing one shoulder to drop down, one hip is pulled up bringing the leg with it, creating body imbalance.

This gives the appearance of one leg being shorter than the other and is a direct result

of head/neck misalignment.

When you stand or walk, the weight of the body is not equally divided. One side of the body

is carrying more weight

than the other.

Misalignment Interference

at the top of the neck can prevent the brain from sending its normal health and healing messages to some part of the body.

Any part of the body that cannot communicate efficiently

with the brain will begin

to develop health problems.

These health problems will remain and magnify until normal

brain to body communication

is restored.

The Upper Cervical Doctor's specialty is to correct misalignment interference at the top of the neck to restore the normal flow of brain health and healing messages to the body, so its natural self healing process can begin.

All Upper Cervical doctors have the same objective regardless of the corrective procedure they choose to use;

restore head/neck alignment

and help each patient maintain their alignment correction,

so there is no interference in the body’s natural self healing process until it is stabilized

and completed.

Upper Cervical Corrective Health Care is a logical, effective and scientifically proven procedure in the Chiropractic profession.

Its purpose is to restore the body’s natural ability to heal itself and maintain optimal health, without the use of drugs

or painkillers.

Acute and chronic health problems respond to the specific Upper Cervical Corrective Procedure.

It provides the ultimate in wellness health care for children and adults of all ages.

Green Tea May Defend Against DNA Damage

2011-05-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

The antioxidants in green tea have long been believed to help reduce cancer risk. Now scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong may have discovered why: Drinking green tea appears to reduce the DNA damage that can cause a cell to become cancerous.

Eighteen healthy volunteers drank either two cups of 1% green tea or water every day for four weeks; after a six-week washout period, they switched substances. Body fluid analysis showed a 20% drop in DNA damage, according to results published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

TWO WOLVES

2011-04-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

.One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a

debate that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the

battle is between 2 "wolves" inside us all. One is Evil. It is

anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed arrogance, selfpity,

guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride,

superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love,

hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy,

generosity, truth, compassion and faith." The grandson

thought about it for a minute and then asked his

grandfather: "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply

replied, "The one you feed"

THE SPINAL COLUMN

2011-04-13T13:19:00.001-07:00

The Spinal Column

223 Third Street NW Phone: 218-333-8811

Bemidji, MN 56601

www.explorechiropractic.com

April 2011

Welcome to our office's Chiropractic newsletter. We'd like to entertain you, inform you and even inspire you a little. We’d love to hear from you; feel free to write to us with any questions or comments.

What counts in making a happy relationship is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility. – Daniel Goleman

Change is inevitable; growth is optional. – Unknown

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Your Spine: Discs, Nerves and Curves
Words Of Wisdom
Childhood Vaccination
Breastfed Infants have 1/3 Hospitalizations
Is Sleeping With Your Children (Co-Sleeping) Good For Them?
Smallpox Not So Dangerous?
Doctors Strike, Death Rates Drop
Chiropractic and Spinal Research
Humor

Your Spine: Discs, Nerves and Curves

Chiropractic specializes in spinal health and it’s good to know a little about this amazing body part. The illustration on the left shows the lumbar (low back) spinal bones or vertebrae. Between the bones are the discs (in blue) that help give your spine its curves and serve as shock absorbers so your bones don’t hit each other when you walk or sit. Nerves (in yellow) travel through your spine and exit through holes between the bones and go to your internal organs, joints, skin and down your legs. If your spine is distorted or misaligned, spinal stress can irritate or impinge your nerves and spinal cord causing pain, abnormal organ function and dis-ease, affecting your entire body. Spinal stress can also affect your discs causing tears, bulges, inflammation or herniation. The other illustration shows what a bulging disc in the lower back would look like.

Your chiropractor’s job is to correct spinal nerve stress (subluxations), using the art of the spinal adjustment. This releases stress on your nerves, discs, bones, muscles and internal organs, bringing normal curves to your spine, releasing old stress from muscles organs and glands and permitting more normal and healthy function.

What causes subluxations? The main cause of subluxations is stress: physical stress, emotional stress or chemical stress. If you (or your spouse or your children) are under more stress or if it’s been awhile since your last checkup, please stop by. It’s always better to correct problems now rather than wait until after your body has been malfunctioning (dis-eased) for a while. An adjustment can make a big difference. Why wait?

Words of Wisdom

Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul. – Democritus

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. – Helen Keller

Breastfed Infants Have Less Illness

Among generally healthy infants in developed nations, more than a tripling in severe respiratory tract illness resulting in hospitalizations was noted for infants who were not breastfed compared with those who were exclusively breastfed for four months. (1)

Is Sleeping With Your Children Good For Them?

Children love to sleep with their parents (co-sleeping). Is it a good idea? Does it make a difference? A recent study found that early co-sleepers were the most self-reliant preschoolers, getting dressed without help and entertaining themselves with a book or toy. They demonstrated the most independence with their peers and were more likely to initiate friendships and work out problems with playmates. (2)

A related study reveals that intensive parenting – holding and cuddling your baby and responding to their needs quickly – is good for them (surprise!). The benefits include positive stress-response patterns that last a lifetime. The study, done on baby and mother rats, indicates that there is a “window” of opportunity during the first years of human life when extra cuddling, holding and attentiveness seem to give the most benefit. (3)

Doctors Strike, Death Rates Drop

Whenever (and wherever) there’s a doctor’s strike, death rates drop, often dramatically. This was seen in Bogata,

Colombia

and Los Angeles, CA but most recently in

Israel

. Hundreds of thousands of patient visits and tens of thousands of elective operations were cancelled. Doctors attended only emergencies. The Jerusalem Post reported that the number of funerals has fallen drastically. According to one funeral parlor manager the same thing occurred in 1983, during a similar doctor’s strike which lasted 4½ months. The only area of

Israel

which was found to not have a reduction in its death rate was the city of Netanya; all of the doctors at the only hospital in this city have a "no-strike" clause. (7) Commenting on the drop in death rates Robert Mendelsohn, MD said, “What we need is a perpetual doctor’s strike.” (8)

Chiropractic and Spinal Research

Chiropractic is not for diseases but for the whole person. Everyone with any health problem needs a spine free from subluxations. It might make all the difference. Feel free to forward these studies to others.

Chiropractic after neck surgery. This is the case of a 35-year-old female who had two neck surgeries to relieve chronic pain and spasms. Five years later she still suffered from these conditions. Her surgeon suggested a 3rd surgery but she decided on chiropractic instead. Within 30 days of her 1st chiropractic adjustment all her chronic pain and muscle spasms resolved. A follow-up 2 years later revealed no recurrences. (9)

Anxiety attacks after auto accident. This is the case of a 42-year-old female suffering from anxiety attacks and agoraphobia since an auto accident . She also had nightmares, insomnia , tachycardia , dizziness , memory loss, difficulty concentrating, peptic ulcer and urinary bladder urgency Chiropractic analysis revealed subluxations at C5-6, T5-6, and L5-S1. After two months of chiropractic care and counseling there was a sharp reduction in anxiety and no more agoraphobia , bladder urgency, insomnia and dizziness. After four months of more care there was complete relief from anxiety and ulcer symptoms. (10)

ADD and hyperactivity. This is the case of an 8-year-old boy diagnosed with ADD and hyperactivity. For three years (since kindergarten) he was on Ritalin™, Prozac™ and behavior modification. By his 2nd chiropractic adjustment he could sit still longer. After 3 weeks of care all medication was removed and after 6 weeks he showed noted improvement in cognitive skills, concentration, ability to control emotions and decreased aggressiveness. (11)

Humor

I owe the government $3,400 in taxes. So I sent them two hammers and a toilet seat. – Michael McShane

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.

– Mark Twain

A doctor says to a man, "If you want to improve your love life you need to get some exercise. Run 10 miles a day."
"Two weeks later, the man called the doctor.
The doctor says, "How is your love life since you have been running?"
"I don't know, I'm 140 miles away!"

Confusing Signs of Our Times:

Spotted in a toilet of a London office:

Toilet out of order. Please use floor below.

In a Laundromat:

Automatic washing machines: remove all your clothes when light goes out.

In a London department store:

Bargain basement upstairs

In an office:

Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken.

In an office:

After tea break staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.

Outside a second hand shop:

We exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines, etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?

Notice in health food shop window:

Closed due to illness

Spotted in a safari park:

Elephants please stay in your car

Seen during a conference:

For anyone who has children and doesn't know it, there is a day care on the first floor.

Message on a leaflet:

If you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons.

On a repair shop door:

We can repair anything. (Please knock hard on the door the bell doesn't work.)

Thanks

Thanks for being our patient. We really do appreciate you. Please stop by for a spinal checkup to keep your body and mind functioning at their best. Remember, even chiropractors go to chiropractors – we also get our spines checked so we can function at our best when we take care of you.

References

1. J of Pediatric and Adolescence Medicine. 2003;157:237-243.

2. Keller M. To co-sleep or not to co-sleep? Mothering Magazine. [Master’s thesis, Dept of Psychology and Social Behavior, U of CA, Irvine 2001.] Jan/Feb 2003;27. 3. Science. 1997;277:1859-1861.

4. Mack T. A different view of smallpox and vaccination. New England Journal of Medicine. 2003;348(5):460-463.

5. Medscape http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/446692.

6. Grob G. The Deadly Truth. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 2002;30.

7. British Medical Journal. 2000;320:1561.

8. Mendelsohn R. Confessions of a Medical Heretic. Chicago: Contemporary Books.1985.

9. Polkinghorn B & Colloca C. Chiropractic treatment of postsurgical neck syndrome utilizing mechanical force manually assisted short-lever spinal adjustments. JMPT. 2001;24(9).

10. Sullivan EC. The chiropractic management of anxiety : a case report. ACA J of Chiropractic. 1992; 29:29-34.

11. Peet JB. Adjusting the hyperactive/A.D.D. pediatric patient. Chiropractic Pediatrics. 1997;2(4):12-15.

The 9 Timeless Secrets of Being Happy

2011-04-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

1) Embrace New Experiences.
Most people suffer from merely existing versus really living. Don’t get caught in a rut; get out of it if you are. Explore. Play. Go beyond your comfort zone. Don’t lean on the excuse “I don’t have time to try new things.” It is as tragic and ridiculous as saying “I don’t have time to breathe.” New experiences are life. Live deeply.
2) Be Who You Are.
Recognize and clear through what others expect of you, including society’s expectations, your parents’ expectations, the opposite genders’ expectations, and anyone’s expectations. Recognize and clear through the guilt, anger, fear and other emotions that are sabotaging you. What are your dreams? Your goals? Your loves? Who are you? Be that person.
3) Let Go of the Past.
The past is good for two things: the happy memories, and the lessons it provides. Clinging to resentment and sadness for past events hurts one person the most: you. Don’t let the past suck the gift of the present out of you. Forgive. Let go. Be here now, and go forward.
4) Be Kind.
It is easy to act kindly to those who have been kind to you. Do so, but also remember that is not where kindness is needed most. Recall those many times where you made mistakes, where you reacted out of negative emotions instead of responding from who you really are. Recall how you felt, or how you would have felt, if others responded to your mistakes with kindness instead of harsh criticism or a cold shoulder. Negativity only breeds more negativity. Empathize, and choose to be kind. It spreads rapidly.
5) Be Responsible for Yourself.
Whatever happens, however promising or tragic, only one person is responsible for how you respond to it: you. There are no greater wastes of energy and potential than blame, envy, a desire for revenge, and wallowing in self-pity. You and only you are responsible for how you respond to anything and how you act. You wish others were a certain way? You wish the world were a certain way? Be the example.
6) Nurture Relationships.
Think of your most joyful moments. Think of all you have learned. Think of what has helped you grow. Chances are great these all involve other people, and other relations such as pets and nature too. There are over six billion people on this earth. There are infinite relationships to be had. Everyone has something to understand and to learn from. There is infinite love to be had, and to give. You can choose to be lonely, but you are never alone.
7) Recognize All You Have, and Be Grateful for It.
If you are alive, you are fortunate. If you can read this, you are fortunate. If you can walk, talk, see, smell, taste, or feel, or all of these, you are fortunate. You are what you focus on, so if you focus on what you lack, you become that lack. Focus on all that you do have, on the gifts inside and all around you. Be grateful to be great.
8) Do What Inspires You.
Painting, singing, writing, biking, swimming, gardening, reading, dancing, walking, woodcarving … what is your flame? What ignites you, inspires you, enlightens you, restores your life? Do it, and do it often. Do not believe your excuse of having too much work to do and too little time for what inspires you. Doing what inspires you is the very fuel that will give you the strength and motivation to do the other things you need to do, and do them well.

9) Remember that Happiness is a State, Not a Circumstance
Happiness is a state of being, not merely a moment of pleasure or joy. By committing to your happiness you acknowledge and accept that there will be times of challenge and suffering, but by staying true to who you are you will not just endure but thrive. Happiness is not just the bird floating serenely on the water, and happiness is not made unhappy by the rock that falls and temporarily disturbs the water. Happiness is the water itself, always being exactly what it is.

The 9 Timeless Secrets of Being Happy

2011-04-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

1)Embrace New Experiences.
Most people suffer from merely existing versus really living. Don’t get caught in a rut; get out of it if you are. Explore. Play. Go beyond your comfort zone. Don’t lean on the excuse “I don’t have time to try new things.” It is as tragic and ridiculous as saying “I don’t have time to breathe.” New experiences are life. Live deeply.
2) Be Who You Are.
Recognize and clear through what others expect of you, including society’s expectations, your parents’ expectations, the opposite genders’ expectations, and anyone’s expectations. Recognize and clear through the guilt, anger, fear and other emotions that are sabotaging you. What are your dreams? Your goals? Your loves? Who are you? Be that person.
3) Let Go of the Past.
The past is good for two things: the happy memories, and the lessons it provides. Clinging to resentment and sadness for past events hurts one person the most: you. Don’t let the past suck the gift of the present out of you. Forgive. Let go. Be here now, and go forward.
4) Be Kind.
It is easy to act kindly to those who have been kind to you. Do so, but also remember that is not where kindness is needed most. Recall those many times where you made mistakes, where you reacted out of negative emotions instead of responding from who you really are. Recall how you felt, or how you would have felt, if others responded to your mistakes with kindness instead of harsh criticism or a cold shoulder. Negativity only breeds more negativity. Empathize, and choose to be kind. It spreads rapidly.
5) Be Responsible for Yourself.
Whatever happens, however promising or tragic, only one person is responsible for how you respond to it: you. There are no greater wastes of energy and potential than blame, envy, a desire for revenge, and wallowing in self-pity. You and only you are responsible for how you respond to anything and how you act. You wish others were a certain way? You wish the world were a certain way? Be the example.
6) Nurture Relationships.
Think of your most joyful moments. Think of all you have learned. Think of what has helped you grow. Chances are great these all involve other people, and other relations such as pets and nature too. There are over six billion people on this earth. There are infinite relationships to be had. Everyone has something to understand and to learn from. There is infinite love to be had, and to give. You can choose to be lonely, but you are never alone.
7) Recognize All You Have, and Be Grateful for It.
If you are alive, you are fortunate. If you can read this, you are fortunate. If you can walk, talk, see, smell, taste, or feel, or all of these, you are fortunate. You are what you focus on, so if you focus on what you lack, you become that lack. Focus on all that you do have, on the gifts inside and all around you. Be grateful to be great.
8) Do What Inspires You.
Painting, singing, writing, biking, swimming, gardening, reading, dancing, walking, woodcarving … what is your flame? What ignites you, inspires you, enlightens you, restores your life? Do it, and do it often. Do not believe your excuse of having too much work to do and too little time for what inspires you. Doing what inspires you is the very fuel that will give you the strength and motivation to do the other things you need to do, and do them well.

12 Delicious, Easy Ways to Enjoy Vegetables

2011-03-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

From a health standpoint, vegetables are a five-star food group: naturally nutrient rich;

better tasting than a vitamin pill; low in calories and fat; cholesterol-free and

packed with disease-fighting phytonutrients. To maximize your health with

vegetables, nutrition experts suggest at least 3 to 5 servings per day – in a rainbow

of colors. All types of vegetables can be nourishing and delicious – fresh, frozen,

canned and juiced. Here are a dozen daily ways to treat yourself to good health!

1. Broccoli and cauliflower: Versatile and very healthful – eat them raw (with dip if

you like) or cooked, in a salad or even a slaw.

2. Carrots: Sweet, crunchy, good for your teeth, eyes and

heart! Perfect raw (as a snack or salad) or cooked in a

stew.

3. Peppers: Green, red, yellow, orange or even purple!

Enjoy peppers in a salad, stir-fry, or casserole or as a

snack.

4. Spinach: A salad of baby spinach leaves with pears or

apples can turn anyone into a real spinach lover.

5. Onions: The zesty onion family (scallions, leeks and garlic, too!) offer some

powerful antioxidant nutrients.

6. Peas: Fresh, frozen or even canned, peas are a treat to eat and they are very

popular with small children.

7. Beets: If you’ve never liked beets, try them in a new way – like roasted, grilled or

lightly steamed in the microwave.

8. Sweet potatoes and yams: Switch the color of your usual baked potato and you’ll

get a lot more nutrients, along with great taste.

9. Mushrooms: Just a mushroom or two adds rich flavor to a casserole, soup, stew,

stir-fry or even a tossed green salad.

10. Leaf and romaine lettuce: Rule of thumb for a healthy salad – the darker green or

red the lettuce leaves, the more nutrients you get.

11. Green, yellow or purple beans: Like their pea ‘cousins,’ beans offer some fiber and

a little bit of protein, along with vitamins and minerals.

12. Tomatoes: Cooking increases the availability of some tomato nutrients – so enjoy

12 Delicious, Easy Ways to Enjoy Fruit

2011-03-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

Fruit is a double-sweet treat. It’s a delicious treat for your taste buds and a

nutrition treat for your whole body. Fruits are naturally nutrient-rich. That means

they are packed with vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytonutrients and

are still low in calories. To maximize the health benefits from fruit, nutrition

experts suggest 2 to 3 servings per day – in a rainbow of colors. All types of fruit are

nutritious – fresh, frozen, canned and dried – so here are a dozen easy ways to treat

yourself to good health!

1. Berries, berries, berries: Canned blueberries in muffins, dried cranberries in a

salad, or fresh, juicy strawberries for dessert.

2. Citrus fruit: Oranges, pink and white grapefruit,

tangerines, tangelos, Clementines, lemons and limes.

3. Melons and more melons: Slices of watermelon,

cantaloupe, honeydew or Crenshaw – in a fruit cup or for

a sweet snack.

4. Bananas: Bananas, nature’s fast food, come in their own

wrapper – convenient to take in the car or eat at your

desk.

5. Kiwi fruit: Slice kiwi fruit into a mixed fruit or fresh spinach salad or just scoop

them out of their thin, brown peel.

6. Pineapple: One of the most versatile fruits, pineapple is perfect fresh, canned,

dried, as juice or on a pizza!

7. Tropical fruit: Fresh produce departments and canned food aisles now serve up

mangoes, papaya and star fruit.

8. Apples and pears: A fresh, crisp snack, a juicy addition to green salad, and in a

tasty pie, tart or cobbler for dessert.

9. Summer tree fruit: Nectarines, peaches and apricots are fabulous when fresh and

still quite tasty when canned in their own juice.

10. Plums and prunes: Fresh plums are another juicy taste of summer. Dried or made

into juice, prunes are very nice for regularity!

11. Cherries and grapes: Fresh or dried, cherries and grapes make a great snack or

addition to salads (mixed fruit or tossed green).

12. Trendy tomatoes: Tomatoes are a fruit and now they come in sweet, fruit-shaped

cherry, grape and strawberry varieties.

How is your Atlas and Axis Alignment?

2011-03-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

At the top of your spine, there are two very special bones. These bones, the Atlas and Axis, are found in every human being and all vertebrate animals. They were created to support your head and protect the most vital part of your nervous system, the brain stem, while at the same time allow for maximum movement in the neck.

The story begins like this, and it could happen to anyone.

Mary had a difficult birth. Her mother labored for many hours before the doctor finally pulled her from the birth canal with forceps. Anyone observing the birth could easily see that this placed extreme stress to the baby’s upper neck, but the doctor assured her mother that this is common and the baby did appear to be doing fine. However, the next few months were difficult, because Mary was having a terrible time with colic, irritability, and constant crying. Once again, her mother was reassured, and everything was chalked up to Mary just being a “fussy baby.”

A year went by and like most toddlers Mary fell on average 5000 times while learning to walk. The first two bones of Mary’s spine are the smallest (as they are for all of us) yet they hold the weight of her six pound head. Because these are the only bones in the spine that aren’t “locked” into place like the other bones in the spine, they take the brunt of the force. By age two, Mary was experiencing recurrent ear infections that antibiotics just couldn’t “fix”.

At age seven, Mary fell off her bike. She got a few scrapes, bumps and bruises and complained of soreness for a couple days, but bounced back pretty easily, and Mom thought she’d be just fine. Oddly enough, Mary seemed to “catch” every cold and flu bug that winter. By spring, she developed a new allergy to grass and pollen. She must have been run down.

In high school, Mary played soccer on the varsity team subjecting her body to lots of tackles and using her head to strike the ball. She then went to college where her academic work was emotionally stressful and after graduation joined the “real world” where her stress continued.

At age 35 Mary had a fender bender that whip-lashed her upper neck that caused her pain and difficulty in turning her head. Her hips and legs felt a little “off” although she couldn’t really explain it. She thought maybe it was because she was getting older. These things happen, right? By this time, Mary was experiencing headaches more and more often. They could be debilitating even though she had been prescribed medication. Later she began to experience chronic fatigue and bouts of depression. Her doctor prescribed Imatrex for the headaches, Ambien to sleep and Prozac to help her “cope.” Nothing seemed to help.

By age 40 Mary had been diagnosed with migraines, arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. This true story is the story of millions of people. Substitute the traumas (physical, emotional, chemical) and the symptoms, and in the end, you have a very common story which is repeated daily throughout the world.

It’s all about the proper alignment of the Atlas and the Axis, the top two bones in your neck which allow for the optimal function of the brain stem.

Have you been checked lately to see if your atlas and axis are in proper alignment?

The Rocks In Our Backpacks Stressor Analogy

2011-03-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

The analogy I like to use to explain that chronic illness is the result of chronic stressors and chronic allostatic load is what I call my rocks in our backpack stressor analogy.

Imagine that you are born into a swimming pool wearing water wings and a backpack. Water wings are those little inflatable bands you wear around your arms to keep you afloat.

Imagine yourself in a swimming pool with water wings around your arms and a backpack on. Now it seems to be fairly well accepted that human species has a genetically determined lifespan of around 120 years. In this analogy what this means is that you can think of being born into a swimming pool with a backpack on, with the water wings on, and those water wings have a very slow leak. This very slow leak means that the air will run out of those water wings in about 120 years, that’s your species specific genetically determined life span potential. So if you are born into that pool, and there are no chronic stressors, you are just going to be happily afloat around in there, and you are going to get your 120 years out of life.

Now, in this analogy, any form of stressor in your life, any toxicity or deficiency, any allostatic load, represents a rock in your backpack. Any form of stress in your life is a rock in that backpack. Now, what happens is when you get that rock in your backpack, a couple of things that are very important occur every single time. The first thing is that you sink a little bit lower in that water. What does that do the pressure on your water wings? It increases it. What does that do to the rate of air leakage? It increases it. So what does this do to your rate of aging? It increases it. It means you are going to have less time on this planet.

What are the rocks in your backpack? Are they inactivity, over eating, negative thinking, dehydration, lack of good sleep, lack of spinal maintenance? Start today by removing some of the rocks from your backpack so you can lead a long, productive, and quality life.

What Is Your Level Of Thinking?

2011-03-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

Little Johnny

Little Johnny was born in the hospital. His mother was given medications to “assist” her in the process. The drugs slowed her contractions and as a result, it was recommended by the experts that a Caesarian be performed as to not risk the damage that a protracted delivery may cause. The motions around Johnny’s mother became frantic and after cutting her open they grabbed Little Johnny’s neck and twisted and pulled. There was great concern in getting him out. There was little concern about the excess physical, chemical, and emotional stresses produced by the process.

When Little Johnny was an infant, he “caught” a cold. The people who loved and cared about him the most put a medication formula in his bottle and smiled as he drank it, because they felt assured that he would now get better.

At five years old, Little Johnny fell off his bike, scraped his arm and “twisted” his neck. The people who loved and care about him the most, his parents, cleaned his wounds and gave him two St. Joseph’s aspirin. They smiled warmly and explained to him that now he would be fine and that the pain in his neck would be made better by the aspirin.

At nine years of age, Little Johnny was playing little league football. Going through the line, he took a hard hit to the helmet. He came off the field complaining of neck pain. The next morning, he woke up with a scratchy throat and congestion, his neck still sore. The parents left reassured because now he was old enough for Junior Tylenol. How wonderful, they thought, that their boy was getting old enough to have more medications available for use when necessary. The people who loved and care about him the most gave him the drugs, feeling good because their fears were laid to rest as they helped their boy.

At 12 years of age, that same sore throat congestion came back, however this time the Junior Tylenol didn’t work. Johnny’s symptoms persisted. So now the people who loved and cared for Johnny the most took him to the person they respected the most in such matters, the guy or gal in the white coat, the pediatrician. The pediatrician did a very thorough evaluation of Johnny, talked to his parents, and then gave Johnny drugs.

Johnny’s experience for his entire life has been when he felt bad, the people who loved and cared about him the most gave him drugs. And the people who we respect the most as having the greatest amount of knowledge in these matters have him drugs.

Now Johnny is 16 years old and in high school. He doesn’t make the basketball team and the girl he likes rejects him. He feels bad. What has been his training and programming his entire life? And we can’t understand why the youth of your nation take drugs when we’ve programmed them to do it their entire lives. The average 18 year old in the USA has seen 20,000 hours of drug commercials! Image the contradictions we feed our children as they are taught to “just say no” to drugs while we feed drugs to them in record proportions. We are not winning the drug war in this country, nor shall we as long as the culture persists in such a way. To paraphrase Einstein, “You cannot resolve problems with the same level of thinking that existed when the problem was created.” We have a problem. What is your level of thinking?

Do You Desire to Be Well?

2011-03-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

It seems as though the word ‘wellness’ is everywhere these days. There are tons of wellness products and wellness services available to cure virtually any kind of ailment, lifestyle disease, or to relieve stress, etc. But did you ever contemplate the word, ‘wellness’ and what it actually means to you, and even more importantly, how one actually achieves it?

The way that I personally define wellness, I know this is different for everyone, is:

Wellness is a higher quality of human experience resulting from specific choices and actions which create an increasingly organized process of health and vitality in any dimension of life.

So, with that being said, wellness is not a fad, or something that we achieve in our lives, but instead it is a way of life, or what I like to call, a lifestyle. There is unfortunately a misconception that being “well” requires hard work and sacrifice, but what I encourage you to realize is that the only reason you may consider this decision to be challenging is because it is NEW. Think back to when you first learned how to ride a bike or drive a car, the anxiety that may have surfaced was probably overwhelming, but this was only because the activity was NEW for you. I know that you no longer consider either of these undertakings as difficult in the least bit because you have learned how to adopt them into your life. The same will happen with the concept of “being well and staying well,” but the only difference is that the result is far more significant than any car or bicycle, because the outcome is directly correlated to LIVING a healthy and vibrant life.

The reason that our office utilizes a wellness model when it comes to empowering people to make the necessary lifestyle changes is because it is our mission to:

Foster, promote, and inspire health excellence to the people of Beltrami County.

It has become abundantly clear that the health care crisis extends far outside the scope of anything that can be resolved within the world of politics, which is why we need to play our part in the Bemidji area in order to become educated and more aware of how our lifestyle choices directly correlate to our overall level of well-being. Therefore, if you resonate with our mission from above, then I encourage you to call 218-333-8811 to set up a 10 minute consultation with Dr. Mike at no charge or come to one of our free Thursday evening workshops at

223 Third Street NW, Bemidji, MN 56601

Regardless of your decision, I would like to inspire you to spend a few moments today in order to assess your life from the perspective of reaching for your full potential. If for some reason you feel like you might be falling short when it comes to your physical activity levels, your diet, or from the stress that you experience on a daily basis; then I would be honored to help you find a solution. Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions or concerns and if you know anyone who resonates with our mission, then I encourage you to share this message with them as well.

Thank you for all that you do!

Be Well…

Dr. Mike Headlee

(www.explorechiropractic.com)

15 Ways For You To Do Your Best Work

2011-03-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

Do your best work by challenging the way you did things yesterday.

Do your best work by allowing your passion to see the light of day.

Do your best work by becoming part of the solution versus growing the problem.

Do your best work by expecting nothing less than you playing at world-class.

Do your best work by giving away the credit (especially when you crave it)

Do your best work by practicing your skills so you become a virtuoso.

Do your best work by releasing excuses and doing important things.

Do your best work by getting up when you’ve been knocked down.

Do your best work by keeping your promises; to others and to yourself.

Do your best work by showing integrity.

Do your best work by delivering more value than anyone could ever expect from you.

Do your best work by making time to refill your well.

Do your best work by having a strong foundation at home.

Do your best work by becoming as fit as a pro athlete.

Do your best work by doing work that makes a difference and inspires others to do the same.

22 Ways to Become Spectacularly Inspirational

2011-03-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

By Robin Sharma, author of the #1 bestseller “The Leader Who Had No Title”

1. Do important work vs. merely offering opinions.

2. Lift people up vs. tear others down.

3. Use the words of leadership vs. the language of victimhood.

4. Don’t worry about getting the credit for getting things done.

5. Become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

6. Take your health to a level called superfit.

7. Commit to mastery of your craft instead of accepting mediocrity in your work.

8. Associate with people whose lives you want to be living.

9. Study for an hour a day. Double your learning and you’ll triple your success.

10. Run your own race. “No one can possibly achieve real and lasting success by being a conformist,” wrote billionaire J. Paul Getty

11. Do something small yet scary every single day.

12. Lead Without a Title.

13. Focus on people’s strengths vs. obsessing around their weaknesses.

14. Remember that potential unused turns into pain. So dedicate yourself to expressing your best.

15. Smile more.

16. Listen more.

17. Read the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.

18. Reflect on the words of Eleanor Roosevelt who said: “Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

19. Persist longer than the critics suggest you should.

20. Say “please” and “thank you”.

21. Love your loved ones.

22. Do work that matters.

What About Nutrition For Babies & Toddlers?

2011-03-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

These are things I wish I’d known in the first year after my oldest child was born! Breast milk is best, no formula comes even close to it, and soy milk/formula is not a good option. The formula companies would have you think otherwise, but the toll on children’s health due to their marketing strategies is incalculable.

Until about the time the baby’s eyeteeth come in, your baby’s body does not produce digestive enzymes needed to break down cooked foods. So, nursing until 18 months is ideal. If you must supplement breastfeeding, consider raw goat’s milk (ask at health food stores and explore health-related co-ops in your area to find a raw goat milk provider), and mashed bananas. Raw goat milk is closest to human milk, and it contains enzymes (unlike pasteurized milk). I would still choose homogenized and pasteurized goat milk over cow milk.

Don’t feed your baby formula and powdered/processed cereals. As you introduce foods, consider making your own baby food by mashing regular food rather than purchasing the refined products sold in jars as “baby food.” I never fed my last three babies a single thing labeled as “baby food,” and they were much better off for it.

In the first two years, introduce mostly veggies (few fruits) to keep your baby from developing a taste for only sweet foods. Never feed your baby or toddler refined sugar; this will be highly detrimental to her health and will create an acidic climate in her body, making her prone to infections. This includes sugar-added yogurt, sodas and sugared drinks, fruit juices, and treats made with sugar.

And you will notice that if you eat right during pregnancy (especially drink my green smoothie and granola throughout the pregnancy), your baby will have a taste for good food because of the nutrition he received during gestation and breastfeeding!

“My kids won’t eat . . .” is something I hear a lot. I think a lot of the difference between me and this statement is a difference in parenting philosophy. Feel free to reject this, but “old school” is how I was raised, and it’s working with my own children, who eat a green smoothie every afternoon, and a heaping dinner plate full of salad every night, before having the rest of those meals. The philosophy is that I’m in charge of their nutrition, we all eat ONE meal (not several different ones, according to preferences), and they can have the REST of the meal when their salad or green smoothie is gone. If they don’t want the smoothie, fine, but they go hungry for that meal. My kids rarely, if ever, choose to go hungry. No drama, no begging, no paying them to eat a vegetable . . . eating the good stuff is simply required if they want other food.

You may say that your kids are just “picky” and I must be lucky to get four who will eat anything. Not so: I have ONE child who would always eat anything. My youngest two kids are “picky,” and the oldest one tried that personality trait out, earlier in life. But we set limits and boundaries, and eventually they figure out that eating the raw veggie part of the meal is required, not optional. They also figure out through repetition that they like how they feel eating so many raw vegetables.

What Are You Going To Do Today To Change?

2011-02-25T06:23:00.000-08:00

Came across this quote from American psychiatrist Thomas Szasz: “Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all.”

Powerful. Transformational. And that’s why I salute the brave thinkers among us.

The very act of learning something new disrupts the way you’ve always seen things-and the way you’ve always been. A fresh idea pushes you out of your comfort zone and threatens the very foundations you’ve built your view of the world on.

That’s scary for nearly everyone. Truly frightening for the vast majority. So rather than experience any form of discomfort, most people regress – and return to their Safe Harbor of The Known. It feels better. Seems safer. But, in truth, it’s not.

The problem is that refusing to learn and grow is the beginning of the end.

Leadership-and life itself-is all about making tomorrow better than today. And stepping into your next level of excellence with every passing hour. To cling to the thoughts and ways of performing that you’ve always known is to resign yourself to being average. And mediocre. A spectator versus in the game.

Neuroscientists will tell you that a single new piece of learning actually changes the very nature of your brain. The circuitry shifts. And the wiring expands. But in order to reach these new lands, we must lose sight of the shore-even for just a little while.

And that takes guts.

Are you staying the same or are you going to change and improve your life?

“It’s your future, be there healthy”.

The Plant Analogy

2011-02-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

We can all agree that all living organisms are made up of cells working together to maintain life. Each organism is in fact an ecosystem of cells. I like to think of all my patients this way. I just see ecosystems of cells that are toxic or deficient and my job is to help them to become pure and sufficient. When this occurs the ecosystem naturally goes back to its natural state – homeostasis and health. There are countless examples of this to prove I am right. Stop smoking and your lungs clear (as long as you have not exhausted your innate ability to adapt). Stop polluting rivers and the plants and fish come back. Walk away from a logged forest for long enough and a forest will return. The less we intervene in natural ecosystems the healthier they are – period. When people realize that they are ecosystems they will stop polluting themselves and start making ecologically friendly or physiologically compatible lifestyle choices.

Think of plants. If you had a bunch of plants that were wilting what would you do? Add drugs and remove parts? I doubt it. You would ask intelligent questions such as if the plants were getting enough sunlight. You might notice that the wilting plants were in the shade and, realizing that these particular plants require a lot of sunlight, you would intelligently put them in the sun. Well they should all stop wilting right? Guess what. They all wilted more! If you were doing a study you would have to conclude that sunlight made plants worse. But you knew these plants were deficient in sunlight, how is this possible?

What if they were also deficient in water? Putting a dry plant in the sun could indeed make it dry out faster couldn’t it? O.K. then, let’s give all the plants water and put them in the sun. You’re a brilliant clinician! Too bad only a few of the plants got better. In other words, no significant difference between water and sunlight and flipping a coin or water and sunlight and fake water and sunlight. Your study concludes that water and sunlight has no beneficial effect on wilting plants. What? Some of the plants were saved! Sorry, not statistically significantly better than the control group and in the RCT model you must conclude that your intervention had no effect. How scientific! What a wonderful gold standard.

But wait, you won’t give up. You will also add nutrients to the soil. Now you have well fed, well watered plans basking in the sun all day. Surely your plants are totally sufficient now and will thrive. Sorry, only a few get better again. How is this possible? Your study will be quoted as evidence that water, sunlight, and food is no good for plants. But we know for sure plants will die without this stuff! Sorry, we must be scientific and your RCT study clearly showed that water, nutrients, and sunlight were not any better for plants than fake water, nutrients, and sunlight.

But if I take healthy plants and take away water, nutrients, and sunlight they will all die! Wait a minute, did you want to study healthy plats? That is not within the paradigm of allopathy because it cannot answer the real important questions of whether or not your intervention improved symptoms or treated a disease. In allopathy you must evaluate everything based on these criteria.

By the way, why didn’t your plants all thrive if you gave them all water, nutrients, and sunlight? They were toxic! Your neighbor was dumping out his oil in his back yard and it got into the root systems of your plants!

I hope you see that in order to be healthy and well, in order to maintain homeostasis, ecosystems have to have sufficiency in ALL the required nutrients, and purity in ALL aspects of their environment AT THE SAME TIME, for a period of time! This is what your patients need, they are ecosystems of cells.

I hope you also realize that in every case it was NOT a genetic problem with the plants or the cells of the plant ecosystem that was the problem. The problem was the deficient and toxic environments the plants were in. However, if you studied the genetics of these sick plants you would see different genes being expressed in the sick plants than in healthy ones. This is the EFFECT of the deficient and toxic environment NOT the CAUSE! Interesting isn’t it.

Ginger Reduces Muscle Pain

2011-02-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

Ginger reduces lingering pain after exercise, according to a study published in Phytotherapy Research. Compared to placebo, 2 g of ginger taken 24 hours after a workout reduced pain by 13 percent the following day. Other studies have found that ginger reduces arthritis pain and motion sickness.

Honey: Nature's Cough Remedy

2011-02-22T05:42:00.000-08:00

For sore throats, honey soothes and fights bacteria more effectively than common pharmaceutical cough syrups, according to research at Penn State College of Medicine. In two studies, researchers found that honey was better than conventional cough syrup in suppressing nighttime coughs among children ages 1 through 18 years.

For children (12 months or older) and adults, honey can also help to ward off infection, as it contains natural antibacterial ingredients and antioxidants. Take 1-2 tsp. and use honey to sweeten hot or cold beverages.

Walnuts And Flaxseeds Burn Belly Fat

2011-02-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

Eating 30 grams of flax seed or walnuts daily reduced belly fat in a study of nearly 300 overweight people at risk for diabetes and heart disease. The equivalent of 30 grams is approximately 4 tablespoons of ground flax seed or 14 walnut halves.

In the trial, published in the Journal of Nutrition, participants also received lifestyle counseling to improve eating and exercise habits. However, lifestyle changes alone produced fewer benefits than with the addition of either flax seed or walnuts.

People in the study had been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, a combination of factors, including belly fat, elevated blood sugar and/or blood pressure, that increases risk for diabetes and heart disease. Belly fat is especially dangerous because it generates chronic inflammation.

Cranberry Benefits Prostate

2011-02-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

A study of 42 men found that cranberry supplements - 1,500 mg of dried powdered cranberries daily for six months - reduced lower urinary tract symptoms and risk for prostate cancer. Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the study used standard medical measures of symptoms and PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests to assess risk for prostate cancer.

Whey Lowers Blood Pressure

2011-02-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

Washington State University researchers have found that whey protein, eaten daily, lowers blood pressure. In a six-week study of 71 young men and women, 28 grams of whey protein per day in a beverage significantly lowered unhealthy levels of blood pressure. It did not change healthy blood-pressure levels. The study, published in the International Dairy Journal, noted that the protein is known to improve blood vessel function.

Are You Aging Fast or Slow?

2011-02-10T06:33:00.000-08:00

The day after visiting a fair, my wife was in agony. "You know you're past your prime," she said, "when you hurt all over and all you rode was the massage chair."

Pycnogenol Relieves Tinnitus

2011-02-04T05:26:00.000-08:00

An extract of French maritime pine bark, Pycnogenol (150 mg per day) relieves ringing in the ear, or tinnitus, according to an Italian study of 82 people published in Panminerva Medica. The supplement improves blood flow to the ear.

Friendly Bacteria Fight Colds and Flu

2011-02-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

Infants are less likely to suffer from respiratory infections when they are given probiotics, or friendly bacteria, according to a study funded by the British Hournal of Nutrition. In another study, in Italy, researchers found that adults' resistance to flu bugs improves with probiotics.

Both studies used a specific strain of friendly bacteria, B. Lactis, BB - 12, and the adult study also used L. Casei 431. Each of these strains is found as an ingredient in various probiotics products.

Echinacea Relieves Anxiety

2011-01-31T06:18:00.000-08:00

A popular cold remedy and immune system enhancer, echinacea can also relieve anxiety. A Hungarian study found that the root of a specific species of the herb, Echinacea angustifolia, when taken at very low doses (about 20 mg, which is less than one-tenth of common amounts for immunity), reduced anxiety by 25 percent within one week.

FISH OIL COMBATS GUM DISEASE

2011-01-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

Fish oil can reduce gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, by 20 percent, according to research at Harvard Medical School. Published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the study examined diets and dental health of more than 9,000 American adults.

WATER: Weight Loss Elixir

2011-01-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

Smaller portions may be more satisfying if you drink two cups of water before a meal. In a study of 48 people who ate a low calorie diet for 12 weeks, those who drank water before meals lost five additional pounds. Water fills up the stomach with zero calories and can replace other calorie rich drinks.

Cinnamon Protects Against Diabetes

2011-01-25T05:56:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon may help to prevent or avert development of type 2 diabetes, according to research led by the US Department of Agriculture. In a study of 22 obese people with pre-diabetes (elevated blood sugar that indicates progression toward diabetes), 250 milligrams of a cinnamon extract, twice daily, was compared to a placebo. Among those taking cinnamon for 12 weeks, blood sugar dropped significantly and blood pressure and body fat decreased slightly.

Basic Nutrients Reduce Lung Cancer Risk

2011-01-24T06:54:00.000-08:00

Habitually consuming higher levels of vitamin B6 and methionine, an amino acid, can reduce risk of lung cancer by at least 50 percent. When levels of folic acid are also higher, risk of the cancer is reduced by two-thirds. These are the conclusions of a study that examined blood samples of nearly 2,700 people in Europe, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Methionine is found in meat, fish, dairy, and other protein-rich foods, as well as protein powders. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and folic acid are found in a variety of whole foods and in B complex and multivitamin supplements.

Vitamin C Prevents Osteoarthritis

2011-01-21T10:01:00.000-08:00

Taking vitamin C supplements lowers the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis in the knee, according to a study of 1,023 people age 40 and older. The research, conducted at the University of South Florida, was published in Public Health Nutrition.

Vitamin C is used to make collagen, a component of cartilage that supports bones in joints, but is destroyed with osteoarthritis. Vitamin C is depleted by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen (in Advil and Motrin), naproxen (in Aleve), and some prescription pain relievers. High doses of vitamin C can raise blood levels of these medications, so dosages may need to be adjusted.

The best source for Vitamin C is of course eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Oranges are a sure bet, however there is vitamin C in many other fruits and vegetables.

Apricots
Beans, Yellow Snap
Bell Pepper
Blackberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage, Green
Cabbage, Pe-Tsai
Cabbage, Red
Cantaloupe
Carambola
Cauliflower
Cauliflower, Green
Collard Greens
Chili Pepper, Hot
Gooseberries
Grapefruit
Guavas
Kiwifruit
Lemon
Lime
Melon, Honeydew

Okra
Onion
Orange
Papaya
Pepper, Le Rouge Royale
Pineapple
Potato
Prickly Pears
Pummelo
Radishes
Raspberries
Rutabagas
Spinach
Squash, Summer
Strawberries
Sweet Potato
Tangerines
Tomato
Watermelon

Good Source of Vitamin C
Fruits and vegetables that contain 6 mg to less than 12 mg vitamin C per reference amount (10-19% of the Daily Value per reference amount) qualify to carry the label “good source of vitamin C.”

Artichoke
Asparagus
Banana
Blueberries
Carrot
Celery
Cherries, Sweet
Corn
Cucumber
Green Beans
Mango
Nectarines
Peaches
Pear
Plums

The Spinal Column

2011-01-17T05:36:00.000-08:00

Explore Mike Headlee, D.C.

Chiropractic

223 Third Street NW Phone: 218-333-8811

Bemidji, MN 56601 Fax: 218-333-8813

www.explorechiropractic.com

January 2007

Welcome to our office's Chiropractic newsletter. We'd like to entertain you, inform you and even inspire you a little. Our Mission is: To foster, promote, and inspire health excellence to the people of Beltrami County.

Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts.

– Charles Dickens

Have a wonderful New Year!

May this next year be a time for renewal, health, healing, peace and insight. Thank you for joining our practice and letting us introduce you, your friends and family to the wonders of chiropractic and the world of natural healthcare. If we haven’t seen you in a while please stop by for a checkup. Your body will thank you.

Chiropractic Continues to Grow in Popularity You are part of a growing trend. More people are visiting chiropractors and non-drug healthcare providers than ever and its use has especially caught on with younger people. For example, a Harvard Medical School study shows that non-medical and holistic healthcare is becoming a permanent part of our society. By age 33, 7 out of 10 people born between 1965 and 1979 used some form of drug-free healthcare. For people born before 1945, the number is 3 out of ten. Of the people who had tried a drug-free care, nearly 50% were still using it 11-20 years later. It’s not a passing fad. (1)

Your Parts are Connected to your Spine

Most of your internal organs, muscles and glands receive a nerve supply from your brain and spine. To stay at your healthiest, your spine needs to be balanced and free of spinal distortions that cause nerve stress. Do you have spinal nerve stress?

Chiropractors are especially trained to locate spinal nerve stress (called vertebral subluxations) and to correct subluxations using the science and art of the chiropractic spinal adjustment. In order for all your body parts to work at their fullest, for your resistance to disease to be high and for you to have the energy and strength to heal yourself fully, bring in your spine for a chiropractic spinal checkup. It’s a great thing for everyone to do – young and old. We adjust spines while you wait!

Breastfeeding
“Breast is best” is now accepted beyond all doubt as the best thing for babies. Studies show that it’s also a very good thing for mothers. In fact, mothers who breast-feed have a lower risk of getting breast cancer and (2) breast-fed babies have a decreased risk of getting breast cancer when they grow up. (3) Exposure to breast milk in infancy and the risk of breast cancer in infants who were exclusively breast-fed for 16 weeks or more had a 50% lower rate of acute otitis media. (4)

If breastfeeding is natural feeding then formula feeding is artificial feeding. Obstetrician Mayer Eisenstein writes: "Formula is no magic concoction. Anyone who reads the ingredients on a can of infant formula will see that it is simply a recipe of cow's milk, sugar and water." Although hospital personnel will assure you that pasteurized cow's milk, refined sugar, and chlorinated tap water is an adequate substitute for breast milk, there is no evidence (none) that this is true and mountains of evidence that infant formula can be detrimental to your baby's health.

Whiplash and Chiropractic

With all the slips, falls and auto accidents that occur this time of the year we should tell a little about whiplash. Whiplash is not really a disease like arthritis or high blood pressure but a description of how an injury occurred. When a person suffers a whiplash injury he or she is telling you that their spine, usually their head and neck, were unexpectedly thrown very quickly in one direction and then rebounded in the opposite direction. Their head was "whipped around" on their neck usually front to back, but it can also happen from a side to side motion of the neck as well. (5) To complicate matters, if their head is rotated even a slight bit to the right or left during the accident the effects of the injury are increased.
Where is Whiplash Damage? The vast majority of whiplash sufferers misalign their neck's spinal bones (cervical vertebrae) and cause nerve, joint, ligament, tendon, muscle and disc stress, irritation or damage.
Chiropractors have a special name to describe this type of condition – a vertebral subluxation. Research is revealing it to be the most common source of pain and discomfort from whiplash injuries. (6) Not too long ago a respected medical journal finally stated what chiropractors (and chiropractic patients) have known over a century: “Chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment in chronic cases.” (7)

References
1. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2001;135:262-268. 2. Neucomb et al. Lactation and reduced risk of pre menopausal breast cancer. New England J of Medicine. 1994;330(2):81-87. 3. Freudenheim M et al. Epidemiology. 1994;5:324-331. 4. Sheard. Breast-feeding protects against otitis media. Nutrition Reviews. 51(9):275-277. 5. Cailliet R. Neck and Arm Pain. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Co. 1979:64.
6. Lord WM, Barnsley L, Wallis BJ, Bogduk N. Chronic cervical zygopophysial joint pain after whiplash: a placebo-controlled prevalence study. Spine. 1996;21:1737-1745.
7. S Kahn, J Cook, M Gargan, G Bannister. Asymptomatic classification of whiplash injury and the implications for the treatment. The Journal of Orthopedic Medicine. 1999;2(91).

Explore Chiropractic’s Mission: To foster, promote, and inspire health excellence to the people of Beltrami County.

2011 Bemidji Wellness Challenge:

Sign up for this year’s Challenge today. You don’t want to miss this amazing event that starts February 7^th at the BSU Rec center. With your $99 registration fee you get:

3 workouts per week at BSU
10 Health related workshops
3 coaching sessions
10 meditation classes
Yoga classes
Qigong classes
A way to improve your life and win $1000

Call us today 333-8811 or print off the registration form from our website at www.explorechiropractic.com

THE SPINAL COLUMN

2010-12-05T18:09:00.000-08:00

EXPLORE CHIROPRACTIC

Mike Headlee, D.C.

223 Third St NW Phone: 218-333-8811

Bemidji, MN 56601 Fax: 218-333-8813

www.explorechiropractic.com

December 2010

Welcome to our office's Chiropractic newsletter. We'd like to entertain you, inform you and even inspire you a little. We’d love to hear from you; feel free to write to us with any questions or comments.

One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea. – Walter Bagehot

Ever Hear the Words “You Should Have Been Here Years Ago?”

We chiropractors often see people for the first time after they’ve been living in unhealthy bodies for many years. How often we wish that we could turn back the clock for patients who needed chiropractic care years or even decades ago but who first began care only today. The admonition “you should have come here twenty years ago” might hold truth but it doesn’t really help the latecomer to our offices. Hopefully this person will bring his/her children and grandchildren in for chiropractic spinal checkups so that in another 30 or 40 years they won’t be hobbling in to see the next generation of chiropractors and hear the same sad words of wisdom.
Why don’t more people come in for spinal health maintenance? Why do they live with uncorrected spinal nerve stress for years on end?
Because they don’t know. If their parents had brought them to a chiropractor for periodic spinal checkups they probably would have been spared much suffering and illness. Please bring in your children for care so they’ll be healthier for the rest of
their lives.

Chiropractic and Spinal Research
Asthma. A 9-year-old girl was on asthma medication and inhalers for 7 years. Her medication was causing headaches and stomach pains and was causing difficulty in school. After 3 months of care, she was off 5 of the 6 prescribed drugs. Her teacher remarked about how the change had been so remarkable and the girl, when asked about her care said, “Chiropractic is awesome.” (1)

Congenital torticollis. A two-month-old female presented with obstetrical brachial plexus injury (Erb’s Palsy) who had been under the care of several medical pediatricians without resolution. The condition showed complete resolution under chiropractic care without any complications or residual impairments. (2) Attention deficit disorder. A 12-year-old boy was diagnosed as ADD, with asthma and seizures. Positive personality change had been noted almost immediately at the beginning of spinal care and after 8 adjustments his parents had withdrawn all medication with the cooperation of their doctor. (3)

Bone Density Increases With Chiropractic Care
Can chiropractic make your bones stronger? There was a recent study that looked at bone mineral density (BMD) in patients under chiropractic care for a year or more. In this 34-month study, 33 patients, all over the age of 21, had their bone mineral density measured before care and after 1, 6, and 12 months of care. After 12 months of care, "Significant positive changes in BMD were noted in the majority of cases," including 3 cases that started with low BMD moving to the normal range.(4)

Humor
I don’t deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either.
– Jack Benny

As for me, except for an occasional heart attack, I feel as young as I ever did. – Robert Benchley
The other night I ate at a real family restaurant. Every table had an argument going.

Things The Movies Taught You (Part 2)

All beds have special L-shaped cover sheets that reach the armpit level on a woman, but only to the waist level on the man lying beside her.

All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread.

It's easy for anyone to land a plane, provided there is someone in the control tower to talk you down.

Once applied, lipstick will never rub off - even while scuba diving.

You're very likely to survive any battle in any war unless you make the mistake of showing someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.

Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German or Russian officer, it will not be necessary to speak the language. A German or Russian accent will do.

The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window in Paris.

A man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious beating, but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds.

If a large pane of glass is visible, someone will be thrown through it before long.

If staying in a haunted house, women should investigate any strange noise in their most revealing underwear.

All bombs are fitted with electronic timing devices with large red readout's so you know exactly when they're going to go off.

A detective can only solve a case once he has been suspended from duty.

If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone you meet will know all the steps.

When they are alone, all foreign military officers prefer to speak to each other in English.

Police departments always give their officers personality tests to make sure they are deliberately assigned a partner who is the total opposite.

References
1. International Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter. June 1993.
2. Hyman CA. Chiropractic adjustments and congenital torticollis with facial asymmetry: a case study. ICA Review. September/October 1996;41-45.
3. Webster L. First report on ADD study. Int’l Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter. Jan. 1994.
4. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. September