I always love it when people in my practice tell me how great they continually feel, that the benefits of regular chiropractic care continue and that their body’s are always improving. It’s not because they are “addicted to getting adjusted” or because we have created some type of dependency within their body by working together.  It’s quite simply because the body as a whole works better when the brain and spinal cord can direct all internal functions without interference.

A body that is neurologically and structurally balanced will always adapt to physical and mental stress better than one that is not. 

Consider this research: In 2005, a landmark study found evidence that chiropractic care can reduce oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress plays a role in a whole host of diseases and disorders: Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and many others. Thiols are compounds in the body that act as antioxidants, reacting with free radicals to neutralize them. Serum levels of thiols reflect DNA’s capacity to repair itself, and can be used to measure aging and disease status. The study participants who received chiropractic care for 2 or more years had higher serum thiol levels in their body. Some of the chiropractic patients even had serum thiol levels higher than what is associated with normal health and wellness!

Based on these findings and consistent with all other health habits, chiropractic as a preventative or wellness strategy just makes sense.

Many people choose to make chiropractic part of their life because they notice such profound changes in their level of health, and how they are able to think, move and live with greater ease. They aren’t addicted to chiropractic, they are addicted to feeling well!they have become “addicted” to feeling well!

Research studies on adolescents show neck and upper limb pain are more common in the fall-spring, and speculate it is because of the added schedule demands and academic stresses at that time, combined with playing musical instruments, jobs, sports involvement, studying, and long hours sitting.

Other findings to note:

– Early degenerative changes have been found in 14 yr. olds. often rapidly following the adolescent growth spurt It’s also been found that the frequency of disc degeneration was increased in those that had low back pain as teenagers.

– Another study examined 15 yr. olds with and without back pain and found that subjects who initially had low back pain had a lower frequency of physical activity (bad!) and decreased spinal function; at follow up time the degenerative disc disease had increased significantly in the group with low back pain.

– 13% of adolescents studies had evidence of spinal degeneration without any pain or symptoms

I love working with teenagers for many reasons. Similar to children, their spines have been in a subluxated state for less time, and there is less progression of spinal damage. Translation: they heal faster, in less time and it costs less.

Everyone can benefit from a spine that is moving well, adapting to stress, and performing the way it was designed to.

Structure dictates function. Spinal subluxations affect your joint mobility, but more importantly they affect the ability of your brain and spinal cord to coordinate all the internal functions that regulate how you think, feel, digest, breathe, and heal.

If your teenager has not been checked by a Chiropractor, make it a priority! Or share this information with your niece, nephew, grandchild, cousin, neighbour…any teenager that you care about!

Disclaimer: Chiropractic care supports overall health and healing, but is not a cure or treatment for degenerative disc disease in children.

I often have several books I am reading and currently “The Leader Without a Title” by Robin Sharma is in the mix. It’s not uncommon for me to find some correlation to health from most of the material I read, and in this particular case Sharma’s particular point had me thinking about health goals for people…what if you just tried to do 5 daily things to improve your health? Imagine doing 5 little, yet important, intentional acts everyday to get you closer to your most important health goal: feeling and functioning well….

I’m not talking about massive, major changes to your health that require a dramatic lifestyle change, but small daily things that ultimately create a bigger impact because you are actually doing them.

“Success in anything is created through the performance of a few small daily disciplines that stack up over time to create stunning results” – Robin Sharma

It’s much easier to build on small steps and gradually add more, than to attempt a massive change. It’s likely that you’re already doing some great things to support your health, but perhaps they have already become so routine for you that you’ve even forgotten they are good for you!

Focusing on the good things you are already doing, and all the good things your body is capable of doing is also a powerful gratitude reminder and can motivate other small changes. Can you think of 5 things that you do on any given day to support good health? This month I challenge you to take a minute and think about what consistent simple habits you are doing, even post them on the wall in the office.

Need some ideas? Here’s some to get you thinking

reduce your caffeine or alcohol

drink more water

go for a walk/run/swim/bike/hike

visit a friend

eat some fruit

go to bed a little earlier

play with your children

read a book

put that donut or cookie down

take a yoga class

breathe (with awareness! consciously relaxing, with full deep breaths)

do something you love

learn something that can help you live healthier

get adjusted!

Lately there have been many conversations from people in the practice about how surprised they are that they are able to do ‘so much’ without physically harming themselves, how they feel they are able to deal with stress more effectively or ‘handle more’ before feeling overwhelmed.

A little reminder: The body is amazing!

Every minute of the day your body is coordinating a multitude of activities…your heart is beating and sending blood and oxygen to all your cells; your lungs are expanding and contracting to exchange oxygen with the environment; your digestive track makes use of the food you take in to give you energy and will remove wastes; your immune system is constantly fighting microorganisms that try to inhabit your body…I could go on and on.

Your body can do all these things simultaneously, every second of the day, because your brain is coordinating it all.

Spinal subluxations are caused by stress (physical, mental, emotional & chemical) but they also create stress within the body.

Chiropractic adjustments work because they remove stress from your nervous system and maximize your brain’s ability to coordinate all internal activities, and yes, your joints will move better too!

Healthy joint function allows you to move freely, without pain, and push yourself more to become stronger, fitter and more flexible if you choose to.

You are designed in perfection to be who you are, to express every gift inside you, and to perform! It’s up to you to use those skills, to pursue your interests, and to take responsibility for your health and ensure your body performs the way it was designed to. Forget limitations, the goal of your care in this practice is to help your body thrive in every possible way by removing stress from your nervous system, and then guiding and supporting you in developing other health habits.

Chiropractic helps your ability to work, play, and live with a full range of physical abilities and emotional awareness, and ultimately to expand your potential.

“There is no process that does not require time”                                                           – Principle #6 in Chiropractic Philosophy

Sometimes we all need to be reminded of this simple idea.

Whether you are learning a new skill, starting a business, grieving a loss, building relationships, adapting to a new home or community, or changing a habit, it’s important to remember that time is an essential requirement.

I see so many people who are invested in their health, who want to honor their body and take care of themselves. However, many health professionals will also attest to the fact that what we also see (more often than we would like) are people who are looking for the quickest results possible, instant gratification, a short-term fix but not long-term healing.

Occasionally this approach is necessary because of finances, scheduling challenges, work responsibilities, or geography, but sometimes real healing just isn’t a priority for people because they don’t want to accept this very simple, but crucial fact:

When it comes to the human body virtually all functions are dependent on time, and in no area is this more evident than with healing.

It takes time for cells to regenerate. It takes time for muscle patterns to change. It takes time to break down scar tissue and muscle adhesions. It takes time for flexibility to increase. It takes time for symptoms to change. It takes time for structural changes to be evident on X-rays. It takes time for healthy joint motion to be restored.

Chiropractic spinal adjustments restore proper function to the joints, and restore balance to the nervous system. It’s not magic, even though sometimes it’s what many of you might think!

The systematic adjustment and tuning of your spine with consistency produces massive changes in your body’s structure, but this doesn’t happen with one adjustment, it happens with TIME.

There are things you can do to speed the process, ways to reduce the physical or mental stressors in your life to help your body even more. Ask me if you need some direction, otherwise take comfort in the fact that your body is healing and your health problems are subsiding, it may just take a little more time.

Spring is here! Even though the weather might not seem that way, the change of season is a great time to give your body a boost and consider a detox. Trust me, doing a detox is not a scary, depriving, horrible experience. It’s actually a great way to get refocused on healthy eating habits, give your digestive system a break and ultimately support your health.

There are countless programs out there, and even more products you can purchase to detox. I recommend this basic program because ANYONE can do it, no special products are required, and you can customize it to your comfort level and physiological needs depending on how ‘toxic’ you are. It’s also a fantastic way to determine whether you have any food intolerances or allergies, and provides great perspective on how you eat and your general attitude toward food.

Why Detox? Modern urban life is toxic by definition! Many people live a fast, hectic, stressful pace, and rely on convenient and time-saving measures to feed themselves. We are surrouded by a variety of chemicals in our environment too. Your body has its own detoxifying systems (liver, kidneys, bowels), and does an amazing job of removing wastes from your body. However, if the volume of internal waste exceeds what it is able to safely process, these organs can be overwhelmed and not function properly. If your body is carrying more toxins than it is built to handle, your health will be at risk.

The concept of detoxifying and cleansing your body has been around for hundreds of years, and has been used medicinally to promote the healing of many ailments. By giving your digestive system a ‘break’ from the task of processing, digesting, and eliminating certain foods, it can direct more energy towards cleaning out the build up of the potential stored toxins in your cells. Seasonally detoxifying supports all organ systems, allows for cell renewal, and will help you look and feel younger!

When? At minimum I recommend a detox protocol seasonally, unless there is a specific health concern that has developed to which a detox can offer benefit. To plan your detox you need to find a time when your social and work calendar is not over-booked, and when you can give yourself the time for some additional rest. It’s often a good idea to start on a weekend, so that the bulk of the detoxifying can start before the typical work week begins.

What are the benefits? After a detox program you should notice increased energy, clarity of thought, improved digestion, better sleep, glowing skin, and even the subsiding of certain health concerns. You’ll likely feel good about yourself that you were able to exert some discipline and will power, and possibly even determined some food sensitivities or allergies.

Are there any adverse effects? As your body is clearing itself of toxins you may experience some symptoms, but they are generally nothing of great concern and a sign that the detox is working. Remember, your digestive system will be healing and although you may be uncomfortable at times, they are healthy responses. Some symptoms you might experience are: furry tongue, headache, irritability, excessive elimination (urinating, diarrhea), flu/cold-like symptoms, skin eruptions, fatigue. Similar to when you contract a cold, develop an infection, or contract food poisoning, your body is doing its job to expel what does not belong inside! Consult a health professional if you experience anything that concerns you, but rest assured what you are feeling is temporary.

The plan: It’s pretty simple – Remove irritating foods and beverages, and overload your body with proper nutrients to support healing and increase the elimination of waste.

Avoid: alcohol, caffeine, refined sugars/candy/chocolate, processed food, wheat, gluten, dairy products.

Choose: an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods

Let me be clear, many items we consume taste great, offer us comfort, connect us socially, or fill some other need that is not nutritional. Consuming those types of foods or beverages occasionally (think 20% of your diet) is not necessarily harmful but it’s not a health-producing habit. The objective with a detox is to support your health so minimizing (if not completely eliminating) these items is key.

BASIC 7 – DAY DETOX FOOD PLAN

DAY 1 – liquids only, unlimited quantity (water, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, unsweetened herbal teas, vegetable broth, dairy-free smoothies )

DAY 2 – liquids and fruit only

DAY 3 – add raw vegetables

DAY 4 – add cooked vegetables and brown rice

DAY 5 – add beans, lentils, nuts and seeds

DAY 6 – add grains and live yogurt*

DAY 7 – add fish

Seasonings? At any time after day 3 you need to add more flavour to your foods, consider lemon, lime, olive oil, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, Bragg’s unfermented soy sauce. There may be organic, pure foods I have missed here, but just keep it simple for a few days. If in doubt whether something is appropriate or not, just look at the ingredient list and if there are items you cannot pronounce or that are not real food…pass on it!

Customize it: depending on how ‘toxic’ you are, or your interest level, this program can be implemented for anywhere from 7-30 days! If you have never done a cleanse before, consider a simple 7 day program to see how your body responds. If you are more comfortable and confident with the restrictions, consider a lengthier program. Although everyone can benefit from a 21 day cleanse, only you can determine what will work for you based on your level of commitment. You might find that once you start with the first week, continuing on is easier than you think!

To create a lengthier cleanse, simply follow the food implementation protocol but extend the number of days. For example, for a 14 day program follow the DAY 1 protocol (liquids only) for 2 DAYS, for a 21 day program follow it for 3 DAYS, for 30 day program follow it for 4 days..

You can do this!

You may have read through this and thought about being deprived, and what you are giving up for a week, wondered “What am I going to eat?!”….but I’d encourage you to think about what you are going to gain from changing your diet for a week instead of what you are losing. You’re stronger than you think! It’s only a week, and chances are, you’ve done many tougher things before and surprised yourself with the result.

Like any healthy habit, making choices to support a better body is never a poor investment. Regularly giving your body a detox boost is just another part of a healthy balanced lifestyle.

Your brain is the most amazing and important muscle in your body, and it has the same requirements as other muscles to stay strong and healthy.

To keep building it you need to challenge it! 

Your brain has the ability to constantly grow and change. It can grow new neurons, make new connections, and even learn to inhibit dysfunctional pathways that don’t serve you (such as cravings, addictions, negative thought patterns, hyperactivity, poor memory or concentration, etc.)  It’s a huge topic, but for now let’s just focus on ways to boost it with challenge and activity.

Giving your brain new experiences helps it form new nerve pathways necessary for that activity, particularly if its something you have not done before. Trying new activities is powerful for your brain because doing so stimulates brain centres that have been dormant, or helps create entirely new pathways to complete the task at hand. Your brain is an amazing machine that can adapt to new processes and challenges, you just need to give it the experiences to do so! If you have children in your life, they are some of the best companions with their eagerness and love of adult attention.

Consider trying some of these activities on a regular basis:

• Learn a new language
• Do mind games (sudoko, word scrambles, brain teasers)
• Try a new sport (builds coordination, precise muscle control, memory, strategy, plus increases blood flow to your brain!)
• Read a book
• Pursue something creative (painting, photography, sculpture etc.)
• Try a new instrument (or play one you know), sing, dance
• Learn to build models
• Play board games or work on a puzzle

There are unlimited ideas, these are just a few. Like moving your body, it doesn’t matter WHAT you do, just do SOMETHING that will engage or challenge your brain. Choosing something you find intriguing or joyful will stregnthen your resolve to keep doing it…but remember you might not know you enjoy a new activity until you try it!