I was coaching a client earlier this week about eating habits. He said something interesting to me. He said he just wanted to be able to eat "normal". He said that meant he just wanted to eat the way he usually does: bread, potatoes, pasta, starches. Two thoughts occured to me.
First, one definition of insanity is doing the same thing yet expecting different results. If we eat the way we always have and we expect to change our health, i.e. lose weight, control blood chemistry, have more energy, etc., we might just be insane.
This is the down side to crash diets. For example, HCG works very well at helping a person drop a lot of weight very quickly. The challenge is that it was never intended to be a long term solution. If after a round of HCG a person slowly goes back to their "normal" eating habits, they will also slowly go back to their "normal" unhealthy self. To think otherwise is...insanity.
Second, I realized that in this sense, being normal is not always a good thing. What is normal?
Mirriam-Webster dictionary describes normal as "conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern". What is standard or regular pattern of health in this country? Let's see...1 in 2 women will get breast cancer, 1 in 3 men will get prostate cancer. 1 in 3 will become diabetic, unless you are of a minority group in which case it is 1 in 2. So, "normal" lifestyle patterns cause "normal" diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
If that is normal, I want to be weird. I want my family, friends, patients, and everyone I can influence to be weird with me until healthy is normal again.
Can you join me? Do you have the courage to be weird? It is really not hard. Eat veggies, fruits, and lean meats daily, refuse food with bug spray on it (if you are not eating organic- it is covered in bug spray), shut off the TV or computer, take a multivitamin and fish oil (USANA Health Sciences), avoid sugar, dare I say it...choose to be healthy.
You can do it! I can help. Call, email, send smoke signals, use carrier pigeons- I don't really care how you reach me- just do it. Make the change and choose health!
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, HEALTHY LIVES
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Suffocating!
Most people I know are actually suffocating.
I ask all of my patients if they know how to breath. Funny enough, most of them don't. It seems kind of self explanatory- if you just exhaled, inhale and vice versa. Actually, there is a lot more to breathing correctly.
Good breathing requires full use of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a large flat muscle that attaches to the spine, bottom of the rib cage, and sternum. There is an attachment (called the central tendon) to the sack the heart rests in(pericardium).
A good breath means the diapragm contracts down and pulls air into the lungs. The chest should not have much movement. The belly should protrude out. When you exhale the belly button moves towards the spine. If your chest heaves up and down with breathing you are not doing it right.
Correct breathing improves oxygenation of the body. It helps circulation and strengthens the heart. The heart actually gets a "massage" from the sac it sits in. There is a study that suggests that chest breathing occurs in most if not all heart attack victims.
A strong diaphragm also helps maintain the low back curve (lumbar lordosis). Remember, the diaphragm attaches to the spine? This means your breathing is connected with spine form and function. It also means that if you had a spine injury you may not be breathing well and don't even know it.
When you get overly tired or stressed what should you do? Breath. It helps you to relax.
If you want to practice correct breathing- sit up tall, put your hand over your belly button, and inhale pushing your hand away with your belly. Then exhale and squeeze your belly to bringing your hand towards your spine. Try to inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds.
If this feels awkward to you- congratulations you have now recognized that you have a problem that you can correct. As you practice and progress, maintain the exhale twice as long as the inhale. If you really want to step it up- try this exercise on a Pettibon Wobble Chair with full spinal motion. Not sure what that is? Call Deb at 253-858-2474 and she can teach you.
I ask all of my patients if they know how to breath. Funny enough, most of them don't. It seems kind of self explanatory- if you just exhaled, inhale and vice versa. Actually, there is a lot more to breathing correctly.
Good breathing requires full use of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a large flat muscle that attaches to the spine, bottom of the rib cage, and sternum. There is an attachment (called the central tendon) to the sack the heart rests in(pericardium).
A good breath means the diapragm contracts down and pulls air into the lungs. The chest should not have much movement. The belly should protrude out. When you exhale the belly button moves towards the spine. If your chest heaves up and down with breathing you are not doing it right.
Correct breathing improves oxygenation of the body. It helps circulation and strengthens the heart. The heart actually gets a "massage" from the sac it sits in. There is a study that suggests that chest breathing occurs in most if not all heart attack victims.
A strong diaphragm also helps maintain the low back curve (lumbar lordosis). Remember, the diaphragm attaches to the spine? This means your breathing is connected with spine form and function. It also means that if you had a spine injury you may not be breathing well and don't even know it.
When you get overly tired or stressed what should you do? Breath. It helps you to relax.
If you want to practice correct breathing- sit up tall, put your hand over your belly button, and inhale pushing your hand away with your belly. Then exhale and squeeze your belly to bringing your hand towards your spine. Try to inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds.
If this feels awkward to you- congratulations you have now recognized that you have a problem that you can correct. As you practice and progress, maintain the exhale twice as long as the inhale. If you really want to step it up- try this exercise on a Pettibon Wobble Chair with full spinal motion. Not sure what that is? Call Deb at 253-858-2474 and she can teach you.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Made to be Healthy
Did you know there are 2 completely opposite ways of looking at the body?
A mechanistic view says we are a list of chemicals, parts, and pieces. We are a machine like a car. If a part stops working, pull it out (surgery), chemically force it to do something different (drug it), or manipulate it. YOU don't get treated- your illness or injury does.
Do you want to have a doctor for each part of the body or condition? (We know how often they all talk to know what is going on with you.) Do you want to treat the body by forcing it to behave differently? A mechanistic approach is why you may have a diabetes doctor, an oncologist, a cardiologist, a GP, an internist, a gastroenterologist, and an ENT (ear, nose, throat). Each doctor only works with "his part" of the body.
A holistic (also called vitalistic) view of the body says that YOU ARE MORE THAN THE SUM OF YOUR PARTS. If you have an illness it is because you are not working properly- you need to be nourished, moved, hydrated, neurologically stimulated, or in some way cared for. You have a symptom because something is not right. The symptom is not the problem- it is just a signal of the problem.
A vitalistic approach honors you as a complex relation of systems designed to be healthy. That is right, you are made to be healthy.
I love to know my patients. What is going on with you, your family, your job. When did you eat? How is the stress level? Did you get the raise or promotion? To be the best doctor that I can for each client I HAVE TO know them.
Would you love that kind of doctor and that kind of personalized care? To be treated like a real person and not have a conversation with the doctor's hand already on the doorknob? That is what I want and therefore what I deliver. Want to know more? Come by and sit down with me for a real consultation.
A mechanistic view says we are a list of chemicals, parts, and pieces. We are a machine like a car. If a part stops working, pull it out (surgery), chemically force it to do something different (drug it), or manipulate it. YOU don't get treated- your illness or injury does.
Do you want to have a doctor for each part of the body or condition? (We know how often they all talk to know what is going on with you.) Do you want to treat the body by forcing it to behave differently? A mechanistic approach is why you may have a diabetes doctor, an oncologist, a cardiologist, a GP, an internist, a gastroenterologist, and an ENT (ear, nose, throat). Each doctor only works with "his part" of the body.
A holistic (also called vitalistic) view of the body says that YOU ARE MORE THAN THE SUM OF YOUR PARTS. If you have an illness it is because you are not working properly- you need to be nourished, moved, hydrated, neurologically stimulated, or in some way cared for. You have a symptom because something is not right. The symptom is not the problem- it is just a signal of the problem.
A vitalistic approach honors you as a complex relation of systems designed to be healthy. That is right, you are made to be healthy.
I love to know my patients. What is going on with you, your family, your job. When did you eat? How is the stress level? Did you get the raise or promotion? To be the best doctor that I can for each client I HAVE TO know them.
Would you love that kind of doctor and that kind of personalized care? To be treated like a real person and not have a conversation with the doctor's hand already on the doorknob? That is what I want and therefore what I deliver. Want to know more? Come by and sit down with me for a real consultation.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Costco-Sized Bottles of Aspirin!?
You know what scares me? Those huge bottles of aspirin you find at Costco or Sam's Club. I mean 500 tablets per bottle. Those things have a shelf-life you know. They should expire before anyone could possibly go through them all.
But then, I know there are people out there who take 8 or more, at a time. Sometimes 3 times per day! The question I have is- why? Even taking 2 aspirins (or Tylenol, Excedrin, etc.) per day for a prolonged time (that being greater than 7-10 days according to most manufacturers) can have side effects. Not just bleeding stomach ulcers but some really nasty things like liver and kidney damage.
If you take ANY pain reliever as part of your daily routine you have a problem and should actively seek to fix it. Fixing the underlying problem is the smartest thing you can do.
Take muscle and joint pain- there are several causes. If your cause is found and corrected then the pain can go away on it's own. Try any of these: (Realize, too, you may have more than 1 problem).
But then, I know there are people out there who take 8 or more, at a time. Sometimes 3 times per day! The question I have is- why? Even taking 2 aspirins (or Tylenol, Excedrin, etc.) per day for a prolonged time (that being greater than 7-10 days according to most manufacturers) can have side effects. Not just bleeding stomach ulcers but some really nasty things like liver and kidney damage.
If you take ANY pain reliever as part of your daily routine you have a problem and should actively seek to fix it. Fixing the underlying problem is the smartest thing you can do.
Take muscle and joint pain- there are several causes. If your cause is found and corrected then the pain can go away on it's own. Try any of these: (Realize, too, you may have more than 1 problem).
- See a chiropractor/ME. (http://www.backbonerestored.com/).
- Drink enough water (see my blog post about water for all the info).
- Exercise 4-5 times per week. (start simple and build up).
- Take supplements - I prefer USANA Health Sciences (http://www.gigharborhealth.usana.com/).
- Get enough rest/sleep.
- Take MSM (it is a similar compund to glucosamine and chondroitin but more effective).
- Increase your fish oil (talk with me, a naturopath, or your doctor as too much can be not good).
- Take a "greens" supplement to improve your pH (reduce the acid in your system).
- Increase your salt intake (must be electrolyte balanced like RealSalt or Himalayan Pink- again, ask me if you need help or are not sure).
*Legal Disclaimer - I do not and can not prescribe ANY medication, even OTC.*
Logic would dictate that if the problem is corrected then the symptom (pain) should resolve as well. If reaching for a bottle is your first reaction then I have to recommend you fix the problem instead of just putting a band-aid over it and pretending it isn't there.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Do you know a healthy kid when you see one?
This sounds like the start of a really bad joke. I wish it was. This is the paradigm of "normal" that we need to be cautious of.
So a friend of mine takes her 1 year old son in for his check up with the pediatrician and the doc comments how the little guy is dropping in his percentile of weight. Not that he is undernourished, malnourished, showing any signs of starvation or abuse. He is just not as big "for his age group" as he used to be.
I know the family and mom feeds the kids typically very healthy. So what happened that he is dropping compared to his "peers"? I think the answer is easy - like my kids, they don't eat foods loaded with growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. Growth hormones in meat artificially stimulate our bodies to get bigger faster. Not healthier mind you, just bigger.
Shame on this pediatrician for not looking at anything other than an age-divided height/weight chart before making a comment that has the potential to really upset a good parent. What are we willing to accept as normal? Does being called small compared to a group of overweight people seem a bit off to you to?
A good doctor asks you about eating and exercise habits, vitamin/mineral supplements, how much water you drink, what kind of things you do to relieve stress, how much rest you get, etc. That is part of taking care of a whole person and being a trusted and learned friend a.k.a. doctor.
So a friend of mine takes her 1 year old son in for his check up with the pediatrician and the doc comments how the little guy is dropping in his percentile of weight. Not that he is undernourished, malnourished, showing any signs of starvation or abuse. He is just not as big "for his age group" as he used to be.
I know the family and mom feeds the kids typically very healthy. So what happened that he is dropping compared to his "peers"? I think the answer is easy - like my kids, they don't eat foods loaded with growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. Growth hormones in meat artificially stimulate our bodies to get bigger faster. Not healthier mind you, just bigger.
Shame on this pediatrician for not looking at anything other than an age-divided height/weight chart before making a comment that has the potential to really upset a good parent. What are we willing to accept as normal? Does being called small compared to a group of overweight people seem a bit off to you to?
A good doctor asks you about eating and exercise habits, vitamin/mineral supplements, how much water you drink, what kind of things you do to relieve stress, how much rest you get, etc. That is part of taking care of a whole person and being a trusted and learned friend a.k.a. doctor.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Lets Talk Supplements
Supplements are vitamins, minerals, herbs, and so on that are meant to help us complete our bodies nutritional needs. They are NOT meant to replace good eating habits. The whole concept seems to be misunderstood.
There are really only a few things to consider about supplements.
1. Quality. My recommendation is USANA Health Sciences (http://www.usana.com/). They are a general health support supplement meant to give you a solid base of nutrition to work from. You won't find a line of targeted amino acid therapy with them, that is just not what they do. What they do have is the best* multivitamin/mineral supplement with a selection of optimizers to expand on an individual's needs.
2. Diligence. It is like brushing your teeth. It has to be done daily. Waiting until Saturday and just brushing for 30 minutes is not the same as brushing every day for 5. Supplements have to be taken daily to be useful. They just can't work if they are not in your body.
3. Consistency. I almost always get asked, "What will I feel and how long will it take?" Generally, you may or may not have a noticeable change. Does it really matter? Are you expecting drastic changes in a day? When change happens over time it is harder to notice.
The thing to remember is that supplements do not replace good eating. They add to it. And please, don't be fooled by thnking that the foods around today offer a complete nutritional profile. Even the organic stuff (which is almost all I will eat) doesn't have it. Organic means they don't add chemicals and poisons, it does NOT mean that they are complete nutritionally.
Lastly, please don't buy supplements off the shelf at the grocery stores. They offer what is going to make them money not what is going to make you healthy. Some of the poorest quality supplements out there are Centrum, Kirkland Signature (Costco), and pretty much any grocery store brand.*
Do your health and that of your family a great help- use USANA supplements daily. And remember, if you want help determining your nutritional needs I can order labs and blood tests to dial in your specific needs.
*This statement is not FDA supported. It is not opinion as 3rd party companies have independently ranked USANA as the top supplement. (Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, MacWilliams).
There are really only a few things to consider about supplements.
1. Quality. My recommendation is USANA Health Sciences (http://www.usana.com/). They are a general health support supplement meant to give you a solid base of nutrition to work from. You won't find a line of targeted amino acid therapy with them, that is just not what they do. What they do have is the best* multivitamin/mineral supplement with a selection of optimizers to expand on an individual's needs.
2. Diligence. It is like brushing your teeth. It has to be done daily. Waiting until Saturday and just brushing for 30 minutes is not the same as brushing every day for 5. Supplements have to be taken daily to be useful. They just can't work if they are not in your body.
3. Consistency. I almost always get asked, "What will I feel and how long will it take?" Generally, you may or may not have a noticeable change. Does it really matter? Are you expecting drastic changes in a day? When change happens over time it is harder to notice.
The thing to remember is that supplements do not replace good eating. They add to it. And please, don't be fooled by thnking that the foods around today offer a complete nutritional profile. Even the organic stuff (which is almost all I will eat) doesn't have it. Organic means they don't add chemicals and poisons, it does NOT mean that they are complete nutritionally.
Lastly, please don't buy supplements off the shelf at the grocery stores. They offer what is going to make them money not what is going to make you healthy. Some of the poorest quality supplements out there are Centrum, Kirkland Signature (Costco), and pretty much any grocery store brand.*
Do your health and that of your family a great help- use USANA supplements daily. And remember, if you want help determining your nutritional needs I can order labs and blood tests to dial in your specific needs.
*This statement is not FDA supported. It is not opinion as 3rd party companies have independently ranked USANA as the top supplement. (Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, MacWilliams).
Friday, October 29, 2010
Happy Halloween, Please Pass the Crack.
So I can't figure this out. When did it become completely acceptable to ingest poison simply because we like it? I mean, crack addicts really like crack but we clearly don't want ANYONE ingesting it and yet we happily allow,even encourage people (especially children) to eat sugar.
Now, I know someone is going to say crack and sugar are not even close to the same. Indulge me for a second. Sugar has zero health benefits. It causes inflammation that leads to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease just to name a few problems. There is no real reason to eat sugar at all. In fact, as far as effect on health - sugar only kills slower than crack.
I don't know about many others but I personally know 2 (count them, two) people who have been addicted to crack. I know DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS of people with diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Doctor's offices, medical centers, and hospitals are literally crowded with diabetics, heart disease and cancer patients, stroke victims, and morbidly obese patients. Sugar will damage far more people than crack ever will.
Let me be clear- I am not referring to naturally occuring sugar like in fruit and some veggies. I am talking about processed, refined, added sugar. Cakes, cookies, pies, candy bars, processed meats (high fructose corn syrup is one of the worst), and boxed "foods" are loaded with it.
Let's stop the insanity of loading up on sugar and then pretending it is a "treat". At Backbone, we refer to sugar by its correct name - poison. Let's be rid of it. We can recommend and even offer natural alternatives for chocolate, sweeteners, and foods that will build you up instead of tear you down. Healthy eating is a part of treating healthy people.
Now, I know someone is going to say crack and sugar are not even close to the same. Indulge me for a second. Sugar has zero health benefits. It causes inflammation that leads to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease just to name a few problems. There is no real reason to eat sugar at all. In fact, as far as effect on health - sugar only kills slower than crack.
I don't know about many others but I personally know 2 (count them, two) people who have been addicted to crack. I know DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS of people with diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Doctor's offices, medical centers, and hospitals are literally crowded with diabetics, heart disease and cancer patients, stroke victims, and morbidly obese patients. Sugar will damage far more people than crack ever will.
Let me be clear- I am not referring to naturally occuring sugar like in fruit and some veggies. I am talking about processed, refined, added sugar. Cakes, cookies, pies, candy bars, processed meats (high fructose corn syrup is one of the worst), and boxed "foods" are loaded with it.
Let's stop the insanity of loading up on sugar and then pretending it is a "treat". At Backbone, we refer to sugar by its correct name - poison. Let's be rid of it. We can recommend and even offer natural alternatives for chocolate, sweeteners, and foods that will build you up instead of tear you down. Healthy eating is a part of treating healthy people.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
You are the Greatest Super Computer
So here is a new concept for some: spine care helps organs function better.
How does this work? Let me give you an analogy. The nerve system is like a computer. The spine is the keyboard. (90% of the information into the brain comes from the many joints, muscles, and nerve endings in the spine). The brain is the hard drive and processor in one. The organs are the monitor.
So it goes SPINE ---> BRAIN ---> ORGANS. We are input (sensory) driven!
Just like your computer, if the spine (keyboard) is broken then the brain (processor) just doesn't know what to do and the organs (monitor) will give you an "error message".
What is the "error message" from the organs? There are several things that can show up. High or uneven blood pressure, indigestion (even with a reasonable diet), muscle weakness, respiration, pulse rate, poor posture, glandular or cellular dysfunction, fatigue, or poor breathing.
Taking a drug (without investigating the CAUSE of the problem is like altering the processor without fixing the keyboard. Surgery is unplugging the monitor (permanently) so you don't have to see the error message. Neither approach deals with the underlying CAUSE of the problem.
What is the take home message? If you don't like what you see on the monitor (organs) - look at the input (spine) to the processor (brain). Get your spine checked! Find the long term solution to your health problems and have your quality of life as high as you deserve it to be.
PS- I know there are doctors out there who will disagree with this since it is not commonly taught anywhere but in chiropracitc schools. I invite them to contact me and I will happily put it in big technical language so they can feel spoken to from 1 physician to another.
How does this work? Let me give you an analogy. The nerve system is like a computer. The spine is the keyboard. (90% of the information into the brain comes from the many joints, muscles, and nerve endings in the spine). The brain is the hard drive and processor in one. The organs are the monitor.
So it goes SPINE ---> BRAIN ---> ORGANS. We are input (sensory) driven!
Just like your computer, if the spine (keyboard) is broken then the brain (processor) just doesn't know what to do and the organs (monitor) will give you an "error message".
What is the "error message" from the organs? There are several things that can show up. High or uneven blood pressure, indigestion (even with a reasonable diet), muscle weakness, respiration, pulse rate, poor posture, glandular or cellular dysfunction, fatigue, or poor breathing.
Taking a drug (without investigating the CAUSE of the problem is like altering the processor without fixing the keyboard. Surgery is unplugging the monitor (permanently) so you don't have to see the error message. Neither approach deals with the underlying CAUSE of the problem.
What is the take home message? If you don't like what you see on the monitor (organs) - look at the input (spine) to the processor (brain). Get your spine checked! Find the long term solution to your health problems and have your quality of life as high as you deserve it to be.
PS- I know there are doctors out there who will disagree with this since it is not commonly taught anywhere but in chiropracitc schools. I invite them to contact me and I will happily put it in big technical language so they can feel spoken to from 1 physician to another.
Monday, July 12, 2010
What's the Deal with Rehab?
So most chiropractors offices make you wait until the secretary puts you back in a small room with an adjusting bench. the doc comes in and pushes on all the tight spots until something "pops". Then you leave. Sounds wonderful right?
The idea of just getting adjusted and not doing rehabilitation to strengthen the muscles is so antiquated that it really amazes me that anyone still gets away with it.
If you want the spine to line up and stay lined up then a proper combination of adjusting and rehabilitation must take place. There are lots of types of rehab so the thing to understand is that the rehab we do in the office is for postural muscles.
Postural muscles respond to direct nerve stimulus with the Pettibon Weighting System and the Linked Exercise Trainer. Postural muscles just don't respond in the gym the way phasic muscles do. Postural muscles need isometric exercises.
The idea of just doing rehab doesn't cut the mustard either. If the joint is not moving properly then all the time spent making the muscle pull on the spine won't move the spine an inch. The combo of adjusting plus rehab is really what it takes to get the job done.
The idea of just getting adjusted and not doing rehabilitation to strengthen the muscles is so antiquated that it really amazes me that anyone still gets away with it.
If you want the spine to line up and stay lined up then a proper combination of adjusting and rehabilitation must take place. There are lots of types of rehab so the thing to understand is that the rehab we do in the office is for postural muscles.
Postural muscles respond to direct nerve stimulus with the Pettibon Weighting System and the Linked Exercise Trainer. Postural muscles just don't respond in the gym the way phasic muscles do. Postural muscles need isometric exercises.
The idea of just doing rehab doesn't cut the mustard either. If the joint is not moving properly then all the time spent making the muscle pull on the spine won't move the spine an inch. The combo of adjusting plus rehab is really what it takes to get the job done.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Healthy Now a Mental Disorder
Yes, sadly enough there are psychiatrists who now say that if you refuse to eat sugar, wheat, gluten, or some other known allergen foods or if you avoid herbicides, pesticides, and chemicals that you have a mental disorder. Did you get that?
If you eat healthy, organic food (no pesticide, herbicide, or chemical) you have a mental disorder.
You have to wonder if they really think that or if there is a new drug that isn't being used and someone came up with this hair-brained "disease" to justify prescribing it. (If you think that doesn't happen- look up Ritalin.)
The claim is that you will somehow become malnourished if you eat this way. The assumption is that the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is somehow better for you. This is the epitome of illogical.
So, if wanting to be healthy is now a disease- I will wear that badge with honor. Anyone care to join me?
If you eat healthy, organic food (no pesticide, herbicide, or chemical) you have a mental disorder.
You have to wonder if they really think that or if there is a new drug that isn't being used and someone came up with this hair-brained "disease" to justify prescribing it. (If you think that doesn't happen- look up Ritalin.)
The claim is that you will somehow become malnourished if you eat this way. The assumption is that the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is somehow better for you. This is the epitome of illogical.
So, if wanting to be healthy is now a disease- I will wear that badge with honor. Anyone care to join me?
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