30 Years of Adventure

30 years ago today I began practice in Medicine Hat, Alberta.  After graduating from Life Chiropractic College - West in December of 1984, my wife Pamela and I moved back to our home town of Medicine Hat to begin our careers as chiropractors.  With one young son and another on the way, I would practice solo until Pamela was comfortable leaving the boys. Graduating is one step to beginning practice.  National and provincial examinations needed to be successfully completed before a license would be issued to practice in Alberta.  On July 2, 1985 everything was in place for me to take over the Arcade Chiropractic Office from Dr. Ian Smith.  A great adventure began that day!

Looking back over the past 30 years, it has been an adventure indeed.  I have experienced and learned so much.  There have been many, many challenges and countless blessings. 
When I started practice, I thought I knew a great deal about chiropractic and health.  I was an honours grad after all.  Now, I know that I knew very little and that I still know just a tiny amount about the amazing human body.  That's one reason I am so thankful to be a chiropractor.  I don't need to know the minute workings of the body in order to help it.  I just need to know how to release it's potential.  That's what chiropractic does.  My job is to become ever more proficient at delivering chiropractic adjustments to enable my patients to experience the health they innately possess.  Along with the adjustments I have provided healthy lifestyle counseling to help people avoid the use of drugs and surgery whenever possible.

Upon reflection, there are many things from these years of practice that warm my heart.  There are the people who came to me, after having been everywhere and tried everything without success, and experienced a restoration of their health.  There are the young parents who were able to experience the joy of having a baby that didn't cry constantly.  There are the young children whom I adjusted who are now bringing their children to see me.  There are the smiles of the people who can sleep again, or walk again, or play again.  There the patients who have been able to return to work and support themselves and their families.  There are the support staff who have been able to be part of something greater than just having a job.  There are the associate doctors who have had the opportunity to develop skills to become great servant chiropractors.

I've also learned some other very important lessons.  Not everyone likes me or chiropractic.  I get fired on a regular basis.  I'm good with that.  Not all patients get the results either they or I desire, but I know their bodies are better for having been adjusted.  Not everyone values their health the way I value mine and they may not be prepared to work at, or invest in, being healthy the way I do.  Once I think I have things figured out, God sends someone through the door to prove me wrong.  Being the boss may seems like an enviable position, until the tough decisions need to be made and the tough actions need to be taken.  This has been 30 years of constant learning and it will continue to be as long as I am in practice.

Chiropractic has been good to me.  It has caused me to grow in innumerable ways.  It has given me a purpose bigger than myself.  There is no greater joy than helping people on a daily basis.  Chiropractic principles have guided me to live a healthy life.  I have been able to help my family be healthier as well.  Chiropractic has also given me and my family a very good and satisfying lifestyle.  I'm thankful every day that I'm a chiropractor and I have no desire to be in a different profession.  Let the adventure continue!  

Mastering the Tough Stuff

Usain Bolt receives a masterful chiropractic adjustment

When I graduated from Life Chiropractic College - West 30 years ago, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what it took to be a chiropractor.  Graduating near the top of my class I certainly had a lot of knowledge.  I also thought I had the skill to give a pretty good chiropractic adjustment.  When I started practice a few months later, I quickly realized that my knowledge and skill levels were far less than what I needed to be a great chiropractor.  There are still many days when I'm not sure I have arrived.  I still have much to learn about being a chiropractor.

In my early practice years I would go to seminars and watch to see how successful chiropractors conducted themselves.  The truly masterful adjusters had been in practice for years and regularly saw many, many patients.  People were attracted to their practices because their adjustments were extraordinarily effective.  Patients got results from these chiropractors they didn't get elsewhere.  Most of these chiropractors had one focus - to deliver outstanding chiropractic adjustments.  How did they get to be great adjustors?  They adjusted a lot of people and constantly focused on how they were providing those adjustments.  They weren't satisfied with being mediocre.  It was a constant that I observed in those who delivered outstanding adjustments regardless of which chiropractic technique they used. 

In Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Outliers", he proposes that in order to become truly great in a given field, a person needs to practice for 10,000 hours.  This applies to athletes, musicians, computer programers, scientists and, by extrapolation, even chiropractors.  While there may be holes in his theory, my experience is that when I had been in practice for 10,000 hours my skills where exponentially better than when I started practice.  When I had delivered 10,000 adjustments, my adjustments were amazingly more effective than when I thought I was a good chiropractor after graduating.  As I look back there has been a constant improvement of the effectiveness of my adjustments over the years.  I believe I am giving better adjustments today than I gave 5 years ago.  I see the same thing in my associate doctors.  They are becoming better and better with constant practice.  The more adjustments they give, the better the adjustments they give. 

I'm moved to reflect on the importance of mastering the difficult skill of the chiropractic adjustment because of a growing trend in the chiropractic profession.  There are groups of chiropractors, even here in Alberta, who are pushing to have chiropractors prescribe drugs.  Now there is a time and place for drugs to be used, but that should remain in the hands of those who's focus is medication - the medical profession.  There are real dangers for chiropractors being able to prescribe pain killers and muscle relaxants.  One such danger is that it is too easy.  Young chiropractors who have not yet mastered the chiropractic adjustment will be drawn to prescribe drugs to make up for the deficiency in their adjusting skills.  As a result they will prescribe more and adjust less never becoming masters and their patients will be worse off for it.  The default for most people, including professionals, is to take the easy road.  Sadly, when chiropractors are not masterful adjustors, patients usually don't get the results they were seeking and think chiropractic doesn't work.  Even more significantly the powerful effects of chiropractic on overall health are missed.  The great potential for these people has been denied because of the failure of the chiropractor to give the patient a great adjustment.

It has been fortunate for the chiropractic profession that we have not been able to prescribe drugs.  It has forced us to refine and master the chiropractic adjustment.  The result is that chiropractic has developed an enviable record of both results and safety.  This has not been an easy road for my profession, but it has been the right road.  The beneficiaries of taking this difficult path are the many patients who have had life changing experiences because of masterfully delivered chiropractic adjustments.  I pray that my patients are among those people.

AN ANTIDOTE TO SITTING ALL DAY

Sitting all day at work, school and often at home has become the prevalent posture in our society.  Increasingly, all this sitting is being attributed to a host of health problems including back pain, neck pain, headaches, diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular problems.  Indeed those who sit all day have higher mortality rates than those who don't.

To counter all the sitting we do, exercise is vitally important. Almost any exercise will be beneficial to help counteract sitting.  Walking, swimming, weight training and stretching will help.  Some exercises can be more effective and efficient than others.  Because time is often such a tight commodity, a good anti-sitting exercise should be able to be done in a short period of time.  Then it can easily be done daily or better yet, for people who spend their day sitting, twice a day.

I was reminded this past week of one exercise that is a fabulous antidote to all the sitting we do.  That is a back stretch over an exercise ball.  This short YouTube video demonstrates how easy it is to do.

I would like to add a few additional instructions for safety and maximizing the benefits.  

• Wear shoes or go with bare feet.  Socks can be too slippery and dangerous if you lose your balance.
• Only attempt this stretch if you can balance well on the ball while sitting.  If you are new to working on an exercise ball, have someone spot you until you are comfortable using the ball.
• Always move slowly and maintain complete control.  If you are wobbling on the ball, return to sitting and begin the stretch over again.
• When going from the sit to laying back on the ball, do a slight pelvic tuck to engage the abdominal muscles.  This will increase stability.
• Before raising the arms overhead, make sure the head is contacting the ball.  Keep the head against the ball during the entire stretch.  This will minimize the chance of neck injury.
• Hold the stretch for 5 slow breaths.  Breath into the abdomen rather than the chest.
• Don't over stretch!  The more often you do this stretch the further you will be able to stretch.  Just be relaxed and let the weight of your arms provide the stretch.
• When coming back up, again do a pelvic tuck and come up slowly.  Keep the head on the ball until the arms are again along the body.
• Repeat.
• Regular chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy will help this stretch to be more effective.

I don't know about you, but it seems that things that are good for me are easily dropped.  This ball stretch use to be a part of my regular routine and I've let it slip for months.  Well I've put it back into practice  this week.  Even though I don't sit all day, working on patients all day still puts me into flexion and this stretch is a great antidote.

If you sit a lot or spend time flexing forward this stretch is a simple and very effective antidote.  It only takes a few minutes to do.  Add it to your daily routine and you will appreciate how much better you will feel. 

Staying Healthy - According to Mark Twain

"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not."  Mark Twain from "Following the Equator" (1897)

Mark Twain is recognized as having been a very insightful individual.  Even in his humour he was a remarkably astute observer of human nature.  This quote was likely very truthful back in 1897 when he wrote it and is relevant today as well. The implication is that what we like the most to eat, drink and do may not be the best for us.

Mr. Twain is reminding us that good health is the result of the choices we make.  Having a healthy lifestyle often means making choices which we would prefer not to make but need to make for the sake of our well-being.   There are three areas in which he says we need to make the right decisions and not necessarily the easy decisions.

The sad fact is that so many foods that we like and that taste good are really detrimental to our health.  They taste good because of added sugars, unhealthy fats and chemical flavour enhancers.  Yummy tasting food is often devoid of essential nutrients as well.  So these foods are not only harmful, but empty as well. These are the foods we want to eat.  To be healthy we need to make food choices based not only on taste, but on nutritional content.  Pick the vegetables instead of the ice cream.

The same is true for what we drink.  Drinking water or tea is a healthier choice than pop or beer.

Then Mr. Twain says we need to do what we'd rather not do. The list of lifestyle choices which lead either to poor health or better health are long.  Choose to get adequate rest and exercise.  Develop stress control methods. Establish supportive relationships. Enjoy the sunshine. Get regular chiropractic adjustments and adopt a healthy chiropractic lifestyle. 

Good health comes from deciding to do what is best rather than what is easy or what we want.  The results are worth the effort.

Does Everyone Need to See a Chiropractor?

When people first find out I'm a chiropractor, there are two common responses.  First, is that they have been to a chiropractor and want me to "crack" their back or neck for them, often implying I should do it right there in the restaurant or wherever we may be.  Second are people who say, "I don't need to see a chiropractor.  I don't have back pain."  Should people who don't have pain go see a chiropractor?

It wasn't all that long ago that people only saw medical doctors when they were sick.  They only consulted a dentist when they had a tooth ache.  I'm old enough to remember those days.  The idea of consulting a health professional for prevention of problems is a fairly recent phenomenon.  Most of our society now sees the logic in seeing an MD, dentist, or optometrist before problems arise for either prevention or early treatment.  Using the same logic, it also makes sense to see a chiropractor before back pain, neck pain or headaches become problems.

Since every person has a spine, everyone has the potential to develop spinal problems.  Statistically, 80% of Canadians will experience back pain over the course of their lifetime.  For many of those people it will be debilitating; interfering with their ability to work or perform activities of daily living.  But the effects of spinal problems are not limited to pain.  Abnormal function of spinal joints results in irritation to adjacent spinal nerves.  This produces alteration of nerve function through the entire path of that particular spinal nerve.  The result can be health problems distant from the spine itself.  A person can suffer detrimental effects of spinal problems without actually having pain in their spine.

Chiropractors use the term, Vertebral Subluxation, to describe abnormally functioning spinal joints with associated nerve irritation.  It may or may not be accompanied by pain.  Chiropractors are uniquely trained to detect and correct Vertebral Subluxations.  Like most conditions, Vertebral Subluxations can be most effectively treated when they are detected early.  Once abnormal spinal joint function becomes chronic, associated muscles adapt patterns where they are either too tight or too lax.  The ligaments of the joints are weakened.  Blood supply to the joints is altered as well.  It's also significant that chronically irritated spinal nerves heal very slowly.  Consequently detecting and correcting Vertebral Subluxations early, even before there is associated pain, makes a lot of sense.  Seeing a chiropractor when you don't have back pain, neck pain or headaches is as logical as seeing a medical doctor when you aren't sick or a dentist when you don't have a toothache or an optometrist when you can see well.  

If you are the type of person that only consults a health professional when they have an obvious problem, you likely won't grasp the logic of seeing a chiropractor when you don't have pain in your back, neck or head.  But that doesn't mean that you don't have spinal problems.  Waiting until you have pain can result in much more damage to the tissues and prolonged treatment.  As well when treatment is delayed the outcomes are often much less desirable.

As always whether you choose to see a chiropractor when you don't have pain is up to you.  But the logical approach is to get checked and assure your spine is working as well as it can so you don't end up with debilitating or chronic spinal problems.  Regular chiropractic adjustments should be part of your healthy lifestyle.

Demon Sugar

The feature article in the May 12, 2014 issue of Maclean's is "Sugar Overload" by Kate Lunau.  The author reviews not only the health consequences of consuming too much sugar but also the strategies of the processed food industry to sell us sugar laden foods.

Ms. Lunau implies in her article that the link between sugar and health problems such obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and perhaps even Alzheimer's is a relatively new finding.  The reality is that this link was proposed in the 1970's.  William Duffy released his ground breaking book "Sugar Blues" in 1975.  Duffy argued that refined sugar is an addictive drug that is unnatural and leads to a host of physical and mental health problems.  Duffy was highly criticized and marginalized by the food industry.  Only those who were serious about natural health really took note.

"Sugar Overload" explores how mainstream science is now validating sugar's detrimental effects on human health. Take the time to read the article.  I'm not going to recap it.  Then get Duffy's book.  It will be an eye opener for you.  Although it is almost 40 years old, it is still very valid and is being verified by current science.

As you read this information also be very aware of the processed food industry's methods to have you buy and eat more and more sugar filled foods.  Food processors have a history of using whatever methods they can come up with to get people to buy their creations regardless of nutritional value. Think of their low cholesterol, low fat products which have turned out to be real health robbers.  (Don't hold your breath that their new gluten free products are going to be that healthy either.) 

The demon sugar can be beaten.  The answer is to eat unprocessed foods.  Whole foods with naturally occurring sugars do not affect the body the same as added sugar in processed foods. Shop the outside of the supermarket and avoid the middle aisles.  Real foods are found in the produce, meat, and dairy sections of the store.  Products in the center of the grocery are more likely to be processed with high sugar content along with other potentially harmful additives.

Eating wholesome, natural foods is an essential part of a healthy chiropractic lifestyle. 

It's Easier to Be a French Fry Eating Couch Potato

A few days ago I was cutting up a butternut squash to bake and I couldn't help but think that it would be much less work to just take the short drive to Wendy's and get some fries.  Then this morning the last thing I wanted to do was to do my workout.  I struggled through every set thinking of how good my bed would feel.  My oh my, a healthy lifestyle can be a lot of work!  And there are times I really don't want to put in the effort.  I know I'm not alone in feeling that having a healthy chiropractic lifestyle is a lot of work and there are days when it would be easy just to say forget it.

It's on those days when I have to remind myself of why I choose a healthy lifestyle, and it is totally my choice.  The benefits of eating well, exercising, getting rest, managing stress, and keeping my spine adjusted are tremendous.  When I do these good things I have more energy, I'm happier, my immune system is strong, and I'm able to handle the challenges life throws at me.  I also know deep within myself that by living healthy now, I have a much greater chance of enjoying good health as I age.  One goal I have for myself is to be able to live vibrantly until I die.

Then I also look at the cost of not living a healthy lifestyle.  I would surely gain weight and become sluggish.  Along with that comes loss of muscle tone and strength.  I would be more susceptible to acute infections and chronic disease processes such as diabetes, arthritis and cardiovascular problems.  An unhealthy lifestyle now would jeopardize the health I hope to have in the future.

The only benefit to leading an unhealthy lifestyle is that it is easy.  No effort is required.  To go downhill all you have to do is coast.  But once you reach the bottom getting back up is an awful lot of work, if it can be accomplished at all.  Hitting the bottom from a health standpoint is not a good place to be.  It means the body is no longer able to maintain or repair itself and there is widespread failure of body systems.  There is no longer any enjoyment of life.  That's not a place any of us look forward to being in; I certainly don't!

The best assurance I have of enjoying a healthy future is to put in effort and sacrifice today.  What I do, or don't do, today will have a tremendous impact on my tomorrow, my next year, and my next decade.  Like everything I do in life, where my health is concerned I need to focus on my long term goals and work toward them.  Though it may be easier to go for the fries and skip my exercises, I'm going to continue to prepare my veggies and get up to workout.  I resolve to persevere with a healthy chiropractic lifestyle this year and end 2014 healthier than when it started.  How about you - expend the effort or take the easy route?

Abnormal Lab Results

It's been a while since I've added a new post to this blog.  Like many people I don't always have time to accomplish all the things I want to and this blog has unfortunately been pushed down on my priority list many times lately.  There are many things I want to comment on and my plan is to be more regular again with my posting.

A few months ago I had my annual checkup from my medical doctor.  As part of the procedure he ordered a number of lab tests to check the chemical values of my blood and urine, along with an EKG.  When the tests results came back, a couple of the values were out of the normal range.  What should be done?  Very often the medical approach is to prescribe some medications to bring the lab values back to within the normal range.  Is this the best approach to take?

Before I comment further, let me clearly state that there are times when medications are necessary.  But there should always be other considerations first.  The chiropractic approach is always chiropractic first, drugs second, surgery last.  Fortunately I have a good relationship with my MD and, although his first suggestion was medication, we agreed on an approach that did not involve taking any drugs.  There were two of my blood values that were of concern.  First, my testosterone levels were low.  This is not uncommon for a man of my age.  Second, my C-reactive protein levels were high.  I believe anytime a person has abnormal lab values the first thing to do is to consider lifestyle issues that could cause the abnormalities.  Was there something I was or wasn't doing that would result in my body working less that optimally?

In the case of low testosterone, it's easy to just say I'm getting older and that's just what's going to happen.  The knee jerk reaction is to take hormone replacement, risk the side effects and not make any changes to my lifestyle.  Instead I changed my exercise routine to include more strengthening of my big muscle groups.  I also made sure I was getting plenty of high quality protein and fat in my diet, including increasing my red meat intake.  Additionally, I took an herbal supplement (TestoGain from Douglas Labs) formulated to support testosterone production.  Within three months my testosterone level was right in the middle of the normal range.  My conclusion is that my low testosterone was the result of diet and exercise deficiencies and not my age.

High levels of C-reactive protein are indicative of an inflammatory process in the body.  It is significant because low grade inflammation that elevates C-reactive protein is associated with cardiovascular problems.  Stress is probably the greatest cause of this abnormal finding.  This can be physical, chemical or emotional stress.  In my case, I recognized stresses in all three areas.  I reduced my consumption of wheat and white potatoes while increasing my consumption of green vegetables.  My sleep quality also needed improving so I became more diligent in getting to bed at the same time each night and taking magnesium (Natural Calm) each evening.  Managing emotional stress is an ongoing challenge, but I've tried to make sure I have down time just for me.  Additionally, I increased my anti-oxidant and enzyme intake.  Again within three months my C-reactive protein levels were well within the normal range.

When our lab values are abnormal, there is a reason.  There is usually a lifestyle issue that is the cause and lifestyle changes can be corrective.  It may be easier to take a prescription, but drugs all come with the risk of side effects and they don't necessarily get to the root of the problem.  It takes more effort to actually make changes, but the long term results are better.  Nothing beats a healthy chiropractic lifestyle.

I've given you my own case only as an example of what can be accomplished with some effort.  Abnormal lab values can be corrected with lifestyle changes and nutrition without the use of drugs.   What will you do when some of your lab results are abnormal? 

Buyer Beware

This past weekend news outlets around the world reported on research out of the University of Guelph that found a significant portion of herbal supplements tested either contained or didn't contain the products listed on the label.  A typical sample of these reports was published in the Vancouver Sun, "'CSI'-like DNA study finds herbal products don't always list all contents on the label."  The findings are not a surprise to me.

Patients in our office have often asked us why they can by a certain supplement at a big box store so much cheaper than for what we sell products at our office.  My answer has typically been that I know what is in the products I carry.  I do not know what is or isn't in the supplements carried at the big stores and likely no one at the big store does either.  These companies, and many smaller natural product companies, buy their ingredients from wherever they get the best price and simply put their label on it.  They do not maintain the laboratory facilities to assure quality control.  They accept the assurance of the supplier for the quality of the ingredients.  Sadly many of these suppliers lack quality control facilities as well.  It is thus common for supplements to contain toxins, contaminants, and ingredients that do not have the potency they should have.

On the other hand, I do know that by carrying the professional grade supplements we have in our office I am assured that what is on the label is in the product.  Both Metagenics and Douglas Labs maintain their own research, quality control, and manufacturing facilities.  Their products are produced to pharmacutical standards to assure there are no toxins or contaminents.  They produce many of the raw materials themselves and all ingredients are analyzed for potency.  This assures that the products consistently produce the desired biological effects in the body.

There are significant costs to establishing, staffing and maintaining the facilities necessary to assure high quality products.  Although the products sold in our office are often higher priced, patients usually get better results than when they use discount brands.  Many, many times patients will tell me they have tried a specific supplement with no positive results and then they have gotten great results when using our high quality supplements.  The end result was that the quality product was actually more cost effective because the desired results were obtained.

With supplements, as with anything else we buy, we get what we pay for.  No where is quality more important that dealing with our health.  Beware when buying supplements.  Buy quality if you want consistent results.  

Life is Like Riding A Bike

"Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance you must keep moving."  Albert Einstein



Albert Einstein was a pretty smart fellow and not just in math and science.  When reading quotes from him, I have to conclude that he had a great grasp of what life is all about.  The quote above is certainly in line with a healthy chiropractic lifestyle.

Balance is a key to both physical and mental health.  I don't know whether Albert Einstein was referring to one or both of these areas of life when he made this statement.  Motion is crucial for health in both areas.

In physical health it's easy to see how motion is a critical element.  Motion tones our nerves and muscles and it keeps our circulatory system functioning.  As we move our body systems become coordinated so everything works together.  That is the prerequisite to having physical balance.

As a chiropractor, I am very focused on the how well my patients move.  The motion of the joints of the spine is particularly important.  Spinal joints that move either too much or too little will affect the nerves that exit the spine and go to all parts of the body.  This can lead to an imbalance in the nerves that control not only muscle activity but sensations such as pain and feelings as well as organ function.  When spinal joints loose their proper motion and the nervous system loses its balance, that is termed a vertebral subluxation.  Correcting vertebral subluxations with specific adjustments is what chiropractors specialize in.

Physical balance requires motion in more areas than just the spinal joints.  All the joints of the body must move properly and all the body's systems must be working together in a coordinated fashion.  Its the nervous system that assures the coordination of the entire body..

Being balanced mentally also requires motion.  Physical motion provides proper blood flow to the brain.  Through the blood the brain receives the oxygen, nutrients, and hormones necessary for it to work properly.  Also through physical motion the brain obtains stimulation from every part of the body.   Keeping mentally active is also necessary for to have mental balance.  Keep the mental "gears" turning through constant learning and stimulation to keep the mind healthy. 

A chiropractic lifestyle involves keeping the spine functioning properly as well as adopting healthy diet, exercise, nutrition, and sleep habit,   It's about managing physical, chemical, and emotional stresses so the body and mind can function the way they were designed to.  To be healthy we need to be balanced, physically and mentally.. Sitting in front of the TV in no way promotes balance.  Balance requires movement.  Take it from Albert Einstein, to be balanced we need to keep moving.  He was a wise man.

5 EASY STEPS TO BECOME UNHEALTHY IN 2013

If your New Year's Resolution is to become less healthy this year, I have 5 easy steps for you to take to reach your goal.

1. Inactivity – Lack of physical activity will result in increased risks of circulation problems, heart disease, diabetes, digestive problems, sleep disturbances, muscle wasting, joint problems and mental health issues. It's not just physical activity you want to avoid but mental stimulation as well. Being a couch potato in front of the TV might be a great place to start.  This will minimize both your physical and mental activity levels.
2. Poor Nutrition – Eat as much as you can of whatever looks good and tastes good. Go for high sugar, deep fried, highly salted, high calorie, processed and genetically modified foods.  Avoid natural foods, especially fresh vegetables (green = bad) and fruit.  Consuming large quantities of alcohol will also deplete your nutritional reserves.  Without essential building blocks the body is unable to repair itself and all its systems gradually breakdown.
3. Poor Supplementation – Don't take any supplements.  Rely on the nutrient deficient foods you choose (see #2) to supply what your body needs, even though these foods don't have what the body needs.  Even more detrimental to your health is to take supplements that your body can't absorb or that are in forms that the body can't utilize. Choose low quality supplements that contain toxins and fillers. This is sure to stress the body chemically.
4. Stress Response – Prolonged stress has been shown to be a causative factor in 8 of the 10 most costly illnesses. This includes cardiovascular disease, some cancers, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory problems, spinal conditions, as well as mental health conditions.  So don't develop mechanisms to reduce your stress levels. Let your stresses eat away at you both mentally and physically.
5. Nerve Interference – Don't worry about using proper body mechanics. Ignore aches, pains and stiffness in your spine.  A poorly working spine affects the nervous system, which is the master control of the entire body.   It only takes as much pressure on a spinal nerve as the weight of a dime to reduce the function of that nerve by 60%. Then every tissue that nerve goes to will be compromised. Be sure not have any chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations and reduce nerve irritation in the spine.

I don't know which of these steps will cause the greatest deterioration in your health, but be assured that if you do all 5 of them you will definitely go downhill this year. It doesn't get any easier than that!  Going downhill is always the easy path.

But perhaps becoming unhealthy isn't really your resolution for 2013.  Do you instead want to get healthier? Then you will want to do the opposite of the things I've listed. Increase your physical and mental activity, improve your nutrition, take high quality supplements, control your stress levels, and reduce nerve interference with chiropractic care.  As chiropractors we can help you become healthier this year.

Forgetfulness

It's very frustrating that as a person gets older, it gets hard to remember even simple things.  Where did I put my keys? What did I come into this room for?  What did I have for lunch yesterday?  The list of what I forgot just gets longer and I'd tell you all the things that are on it, if I could just remember where I put it.  It's frustrating.

However, our memories don't have to get bad with age.  There are things that can be done to prevent, slow and even reverse age related memory loss.  Like so many problems that show up as we age, memory issues are best dealt with when we are young and before there are any signs of forgetfulness.

Memory is dependent on the proper functioning of a series of complex chemical reactions in the brain.  These reactions occur within the nerve cells and between the nerve cells.  First these reactions need to take place in order for the memory to be encoded.  Then there needs to be another series of reactions to retrieve the memory.  Any disruption in either process and we cannot remember what we wanted to.  As we age there is a tendency for the brain to produce memory related neurotransmitters which allow one nerve cell to communicate with other nerve cells.  There can also be a decline in the chemical make up of the cells themselves resulting in less efficient processing of information.  Memory is an indicator of not only how well the brain is working, but the entire nervous system.  Nervous system health is the primary focus of chiropractors.

In his book, "Brighter Mind", Kyl Smith D.C. has a four step program to prevent mental decline or to improve mental performance in those already experiencing problems.  Dr. Smith uses many scientific studies to illustrate his approach to boosting brain function.  He references over 1500 peer reviewed scientific studies.  The bottom line is that there are simple action steps that anyone can take to improve their mental capacities, including memory.  I like Dr. Smith's approach because it fits in with a healthy chiropractic lifestyle that I think is beneficial for everyone.

The four steps are to nourish, support, improve, and protect your mind.

1. Nourish -This means to feed, maintain and support.  To function properly it is absolutely essential that the brain has adequate amounts of all the B-Vitamins, Vit. E, Vit. C, Vit. D, beta carotene, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, essential fatty acids, and CoQ10.  The best way to get these nutrients is from a diet consisting of unprocessed foods with an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts.  Wild fish, free range poultry, and grass fed animals are also recommended.  While it is necessary to consume foods which contain the necessary nutrients, it is equally important to avoid foods which deplete those nutrients.  In the simplest term, this means no processed foods.  Processing destroys essential nutrients while adding many chemicals which interfere with brain function.  Dr. Smith says, "A diet high in processed foods can literally starve your brain."  Inadequate brain nutrition results in poor concentration, mental fatigue, depression, learning disabilities, disturbed sleep, and loss of memory.
2. Support - This means to assist, help and maintain.  Closely related to nourishing, supporting the brain means selecting slow release carbohydrates over sugars or carbs that are quickly converted to sugar.  Most refined grains fit into the latter category.   Consume  good quality amino-acid rich protein. Such proteins are best found in whey, dairy, eggs, fish, and beef, Yes, red meat is good to support brain function.  Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to support the brain.  These can be either plant derived or marine derived.  Those from marine sources are better because they are already in the form your brain utilizes.  A healthy cardiovascular system also supports the brain.
3. Improve - This means to enhance or make better.  There are naturally occuring substances that will actually improve the function of the brain and they have no side effects.  These include phoshadylserene (PS), GPC (L-alpha-glycero-phosphorylcholine; yikes! Just call it GPC.)  ALCAR (acetyl-L-carnitine), and DMAE (dimethyl-aminoethanol),   Of these supplementing PS and ALCAR show the most brain improvements.  Exercise, both mental and physical, is very beneficial for improving the mind.  Good sleep is also essential.
4. Protect - Means to guard, shield and defend.  The brain is particularly susceptible to damage from toxins and oxidation.  Oxidation is a product of metabolism in the body and is amplified by stress of all kinds.  Nutrients which protect the brain include: CoQ10, Vit. C, Vit. E, R-Lipoic Acid, ALCAR, resveratrol, grape seed extract, anti-oxidant rich berries and beans, vinpocetine, ginko biloba, rhodiola, and green tea,   This is a long list and not every person needs to consume all of these.  It is best to get most of them from a diet consisting of natural foods and then supplement with those that will specifically address an individual's situation.

The bottom line here is to improve one's diet by eating less processed foods and more vegetables and fruits, supplement to get hard to obtain nutrients and omega 3 fats, and exercise both the mind and the body.  Do this and your mind will work better.  You won't be as forgetful. 

Co Q10

There are a few supplements that I think just about everyone can benefit by taking.  One of them is Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10), also called Ubiquinol in it's active form.  Co Q10 is a fat soluble anti-oxidant and micro-nutrient.  It protects cell membranes from oxidative damage.  It is also absorbed into cells where it is a vital component in the production of cellular energy in the mitochondria.  A properly functioning body produces the Co Q10 that is needed.  However due to increased demand, illnesses, interference from medications, stress, nutritional deficiencies, and inadequate intake of Co Q10 building blocks, a huge segment of our society is Co Q10 deficient.

Without adequate Co Q10 people tend to have low energy levels.  They are also more likely to suffer from heart disease, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, periodontal disease, Parkinson's Disease, Type 2 diabetes, and a depressed immune system.  They are also unable to properly recover from physical stress. Heart muscle has a particularly high need of Co Q10. That's a pretty extensive and varied list of conditions.  Most of the conditions listed are ones I personally want to make every effort to guard against.   

The best dietary sources of Co Q10 precursors are organ meats, red fleshed fish, sardines, soybean oil, olive oil, and grapeseed oil.  They are found to a lesser extent in dark green vegetables and nuts.  Unfortunately these are not foods that we consume in large quantities so many people simply don't have the necessary elements to make adequate amounts of their own Co Q10.  A further complication is that as we age our bodies become less efficient at producing Co Q10.  Some studies indicate that Co Q10 production starts to decrease in people in their 20s.  That's not good news for someone my age.

A very significant problem in that past couple of decades is that a number of medications interfere with Co Q10 production and absorption.  These include some beta blockers, blood pressure lowering medications, and statins.  Statins are a class of cholesterol lowering drugs that include Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, and Livalo.  These statin drugs are known to produce many side effects and one of the reasons for these is the great interference they have on Co Q10.  Many specialists believe all people taking statin medication should be supplementing with Co Q10.

Supplementing Co Q10 is not straight forward.  It is fat soluble and not easily absorbed.  Unfortunately many people are simply wasting their money by taking Co Q10 supplements that they simply aren't absorbing.  It doesn't matter how low the price on the bottle is, it's expensive if your body can't utilize it.  The supplement should be all natural and free of toxins.  The product we most often recommend in our office is Nanocell Q from Metagenics.  This is a nanomicellized form of Co Q10 which converts the fat soluble product to become water soluble.  Once water soluble it is easily absorbed.  It is also in a great tasting liquid form which makes it easy to take.

Co Q10 is absolutely essential to be healthy.  Supplementation is the best answer for most people to help prevent many serious degenerative diseases.

3 Day Diet

Loss 20 pounds of fat!  Boost your metabolism!  Gain more energy!  Fast, efficient, effective!  Minimum work for maximum results. There is nothing like the 3 Day Diet!  Read on.

Sound too good to be true?  It is!  The scale may show a loss of a few pounds after a couple of days.  But no one really believes that being on a diet for 3 days can be effective.  There is simply no way that years of poor eating and lifestyle habits can be overcome in such a short period of time.  A person gains weight and loses their health over a long period of time and a takes time to both take weight off and restore health.

So why is it that people think that 3 chiropractic adjustments will remove the pain and restore the health of their spine?  That makes no more sense that a 3 day diet.  In most cases spinal problems are months, years and even decades developing.  Although, chiropractic adjustments can be very effective in relieving pain, to truly restore the proper functioning of the spine takes time.  Often a considerable length of time.

Changing your lifestyle to eat better and exercise more to loose weight and become healthier takes effort.  It also takes commitment to sustain the changes over a long period of time.  It is an established fact that crash dieting doesn't work and unless there are permanent changes in a person's life the weight and health problems return, only worse than they were before.  Correcting spinal problems, known as vertebral subluxations, is just the same.  Simply getting rid of the pain, with chiropractic or drugs, is just a short term fix.  The problem inevitably comes back ... only worse.

To successfully correct vertebral subluxations, and restore spinal health, repeated chiropractic adjustments are need.  As well exercise, nutrition and lifestyle changes are usually required.  A healthy spine is needed to have a healthy body and a healthy body is needed to have a healthy spine.  This takes time and effort.

Forget about 3 day diets.  There is no way they can work.  Forget about trying to get a healthy spine in 3 visits.  It simply can't happen.

Thanks

It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada.  We celebrate this holiday a month and a half earlier than our American friends, probably because we need to be done our harvesting earlier than they do.  Certainly the farmers around Medicine Hat have gotten their crops in.  Other than carrots to dig, our garden has given up it's abundance for this year.  The frost and even snow that we've had has made sure that the growing season has come to an end.  So we give thanks this weekend for the blessings the land has provided this summer.

But Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for more than just the produce of the land.  It is a time to reflect on the all the good things we have and we are certainly a people who have truly been blessed with great abundance.  Compared to most of the world our society has material wealth and possessions that the majority of earth's inhabitants can only dream of.  But we need to be thankful for more than just our bank accounts and stuff.  There are the things we cannot buy: family, friends, health, peace, freedom and life itself.

There is something very powerful about taking time to reflect on what a person has as opposed to what we don't have.  To give thanks for the blessings that are ours today.  It helps us to live in the present; to be more content with our lives knowing what we really have.  

I know from personal experience that when my life and circumstances have been difficult, reflecting on what I have that is good has been very beneficial.  Even more so when I have specifically been thankful for those blessings. The Bible tells us "... give thanks in all circumstances ..." (1Th 5:18).  It doesn't tell to give thanks for the circumstances we find ourselves in, but to look for the good in the circumstances.  Even in difficult times there are almost always some bright spots or some valuable lessons we are able to learn.  Some of our greatest personal growth takes place in our toughest times.  We need to be thankful for that.

Thanksgiving is not just about the turkey and fixin's.  It's about reflecting on what we have been blessed with, material and more importantly non material. 

Something that we are very thankful for at Powers & Jans Centre are the loyal patients who have entrusted us with providing chiropractic care to them and their families.  We know what a great blessing it is to be able to serve the needs of others.  Thanks!  

Habits

A habit is defined as an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.  Habits allow us to do the majority of our actions without putting a lot of mental effort into them.  This is a good thing.  We don't have to put effort into how we are putting our clothes on or each step that needs to be done to start the car to go to work.  Instead we can put our mental energy into picking an outfit with colours that don't clash or what our day's activities are going to be.  By committing the many little things we do over and over to habit allows us to perform activities while freeing our mind to focus on other things.  Consequently, if the habits we develop are "good" habits, we become more efficient and effective.  If however we develop "bad" habits they will cause us to be less effective and even self destructive.

Each person has developed both "good" and "bad" habits.  We can be happier and more successful in life by changing our "bad" habits to "good" habits.  Sounds simple doesn't it?  But just ask someone who has an alcohol habit, or a sugar habit, or a procrastination habit if it's easy to change the habit and they will tell you it is not.  Even changing a small habit can take a tremendous amount of effort.  In order to change a habit a person needs to understand how habits work.

There are three components to each habit: a cue, a routine, and a reward.  I'll let Charles Duhigg explain how these habit components work together.  Take a look at his video "How to Break the Cookie Habit" posted on the New York Times website.

Changing a habit requires that a person recognized all three components.  That's easier said than done.  Personally I think determining the reward is the hardest part.  What we truly gain from our bad habits is usually not obvious.  In many instances a person really needs to be a sleuth to pin down the reward and sometimes the cue as well.  

This is a very brief overview of habits.  If you are serious about wanting to change your habits please read  "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg.  This very readable book will give you a comprehensive understanding of how habits work, how we develop them, and very importantly how we can change them.

A Time for Resolutions

Around New Year's there is usually a lot of talk about resolutions for improving oneself.  September is perhaps a better time to be looking at making changes in one's life.

Here in Southern Alberta, summer is fast and furious.  We try to do as much as we possibly can in the weekends of July and August as well as during the long summer evenings.  It's the time when everyone goes on holidays to see and do something new.  While we endevour to experience so much of what the world around us has to offer, we often neglect the things that are really important to our health.   Routines for healthy eating, exercise, and rest are often cast to the side.  Frequently people neglect their spinal care as well.

Then September arrives.  Back to school; back to routines; back to reality.  The lazy (or not) days of summer have come to an end and it's time to return to normal activities.  It's also time to return to healthy routines.  Because September is a time when we are changing from summer mode, this may be a more logical time to make healthy lifestyle changes than the beginning of January.  So many of the routines people are returning to are healthier than what they have been doing over the summer.  (Think about that old song about "sodas, and pretzels and beer" during "those lazy, hazy days of summer".  That's a description of many people's summer.)  While people are already making changes, perhaps they should take it a step further and make some real significant lifestyle changes.

September is a great time to make healthy diet changes.  There is an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, many of them locally grown.  A commitment to ditching the simple carbohydrate foods and drinks for good would be a wonderful step to take.  Eat enough of the good stuff and you'll want less and less of the bad stuff.  Fortunately quality fruits and vegetables are now available year round, so a habit started now can continue through the winter.

Because the weather is still warm, but no longer swelteringly hot, September is a great time to get outdoors to exercise.  Exercising in the fresh air is good for body and spirit.  Get in the habit of exercising now when it's easy to do and you'll be more likely to continue even when the weather becomes less than cooperative.  It takes much more effort to start an exercise routine in January.

As you get back to routines, it's important to once again commit to getting regular chiropractic checkups.  Or if you haven't done so in the past this is the time to start.  Vertebral subluxations can creep up silently and have a profoundly negative impact on a person's health.  The best time to have them corrected is before they become symptomatic.  Regular visits to a chiropractor will assure that your spine is working as well as it can be.

This fall don't just get back to the same routines of spring but add some new, better ones.  Improve your sleep routines. Commit to taking high quality supplements on a regular basis. Embrace techniques to reduce stress. This may be the ideal time to start a new hobby. Rather than watching more TV this fall, look for more active ways to spend your time that will benefit you both physically and mentally. This time of year many organizations are looking for volunteers and committing some time and effort to helping others is very rewarding.

Take advantage of the season and make some resolutions to be a better you.

In It for the Short Term

My wife and I have a small cabin that's been in her family for the past 50 years.  In the village where the cabin is located there a currently a number of cabins for sale.  (One is pictured here.)  There is definitely a pattern in cottagers I've noticed over the years.  People buy a cabin and they are so excited by the new adventures and opportunities they see in their new purchase.  They have wonderful dreams of family times and development projects.  The first year they are at the cabin every opportunity they get and they are busy renovating and making the place their own.  The second season again sees a flurry of activity at their cabin.  Come season three there is usually a significant decline in both attendance and projects as the reality of both how time consuming, costly and labour intensive a cabin can be sets in.  After that many cabins are either used sparingly or go up for sale again.  The cost to reward ratio becomes too great in the minds of many cabin owners.

This phenomenon reminds me so much of what I see in people who embark on changing their lifestyle to either exercise more or improve their diet.  They start out gung ho on their new diet or exercise program with great dreams of being healthy.  Once they realize how much work is involved in changing their lifestyle they abandon the changes that held such promise for them.  It takes emotional effort to make and stick with healthy lifestyle changes.  Time must be committed to exercise and good food preparation.  Maintaining a healthy lifestyle when those around you and most of society drift toward ill health can be a challenge.  Unfortunately, short attention spans and short term goals seem to be an ever increasing norm in our society.  Too often people never stick with one thing long enough to see the true value in it.

To enjoy a cabin for the long term a person has to have a clear goal of what the retreat will be for them over time.  They have to count the costs not only in dollars, but also in time, physical and emotional terms.  The rewards have to out weigh the costs or the dream will be abandoned.

It is the same with making lifestyle changes.  The rewards of improved health, weight loss, etc. have to be worth the financial, emotional, and physical costs.  Long lasting results will never be obtained by making short term goals or by making goals that do not have a big enough reward to make the effort worth while.  A committment level needs to be established that will sustain a person through the tough times that will inevitably come.

My wife and I have enjoyed our cabin for many years and plan to enjoy it for a long time to come.  We also realize that the ability to continue to have pleasurable cottage experiences we need to be prepared to pay the costs in time, money, energy and emotions.  Likewise anyone wanting to experience long term good health must be prepared to pay the costs.  It is worth the effort.

Beating Inflammation Naturally

Inflammation is the cause of a great deal of our pain.  There are a number of biochemical substances associated with inflammation that produce pain.  Pain in turn produces chemicals which increase inflammation.  Reduce the inflammation and the pain and dysfunction subside.  Unfortunately just because the pain is gone, doesn't mean the cause of the problem is solved. 

Chronic inflammation is known to be a factor in autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, neurological disorders, arthritis, and pulmonary diseases.  It's not something that a person should ignore.  To complicate the issue, it's also not something that is always obvious.  Inflammation of internal organs is not noticeable until disease symptoms show up.   Inflammation of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints are more obvious.  While chiropractic can affect internal inflammation by improving the overall health of the body, it's focus is on musculoskeletal inflammation.

In addition to improving motion, reducing nerve excitability, reducing pain thresholds, and improving sensory functions chiropractic adjustments also decrease inflammation in malfunctioning joints and tissues.  Often inflammation is due to mechanical dysfunction and nerve interference in the body.  When joints don't move properly inflammatory and pain chemicals are produced.  Chiropractic adjustments are very effective at normalizing body mechanics to reduce inflammation.  This is one way chiropractors are able to quickly relieve pain.  One study by XJ Song, published in JMPT, showed that inflammatory pain symptoms were reduced in 10 to 14 days with Activator Methods chiropractic adjustments as opposed to 3 to 4 weeks in the control subjects.

Low level laser therapy has also been demonstrated to be very effective in reducing inflammation.  Low intensity laser energy is known to improve how cells function.  As cells function more normally there appears to be a reduction in the inflammatory chemicals within and around the cell.  The result is not only decreased inflammation but pain as well.

For localized inflammation, ice is a great anti-inflammatory.  It constricts blood vessels to reduce fluids in the area of injury.  The quantity and activity of inflammatory chemicals are also reduced by decreasing the temperature of the area.  A note of caution: ice should never be used longer than 10 minutes at a time or the healing can actually be prolonged.

There are also several natural substances that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties throughout the body.  These are: 

• White Willow (Salicin), 
• Proteolytic enzymes particularly Bromelain,
• Ginger, 
• Curcumin (Turmeric), 
• Boswellia, 
• Magnesium,
• Omega 3 fatty acids.  

Many of these natural approaches have been shown to be as effective as NSAIDs (Non steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, without the many side effects.

Dietary considerations to reduce inflammation include: red wine, fish, eggs, dark chocolate, vegetables, fruit, garlic, and almonds.  When making food choices to reduce inflammation a person must also avoid Omega 6 fatty acids which are know to increase inflammation. These are found in grains as well as oils produced from corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, peanut, and soybean.  Grain feed meats are also high in Omega 6 fatty acids.

Inflammation, whether localized or found throughout the body, can have a detrimental effect on healing and overall health.  Fortunately, there are safe, natural approaches to beating inflammation.  

Fighting Gravity

One of my sons has a t-shirt that says, "Obey gravity - It's the law".  Gravity is a force that is constantly pulling on our bodies.  In order to walk up right we are literally fighting gravity.  To be successful we need to have both good balance and good posture.  If we don't we will be prone to muscle and joint problems, falls, nervous system problems and stress on all our body systems.  Balance and posture play a big role in our health.


Fortunately there are a couple of simple exercises that can help improve a person's balance and posture.  These exercises can be performed by anyone regardless of age.

The most basic balance exercise is the One Leg Stand.

The One Leg Stand should be done three times every day.  Note that if you are very unbalanced or have vertigo, have someone with you to make sure you don't fall.  If you have hip or joint problems, only bend the joint as far as you comfortably can.
 
Posture problems are the first things to happen when gravity starts to get the best of us.  The basic posture exercise is the Wall Pelvic Tilt. 

Wall Pelvic Tilts should be performed twice daily.

When doing either of these exercises it's important to get your form as perfect as you can.  To get the most benefit focus and concentrate on the muscles and movements.  Most people notice very rapid improvements in their balance and posture when they do these two simple exercises regularly.  They are a great way to counteract the negative effects gravity has on the human body.