Nutrition

Faith VS Certainty

Dr. Brene Brown says, “Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of uncertainty.”  

I have been investing time in thought around the difference between faith and certainty, or the lack of.  I have years of practice (religion, environment, experience, etc) that encourages me to embrace faith in my spiritual life.  There seems to be a growing intuitive compulsion to practice faith in the realm of health, especially natural healing.  It has been a journey to say the least.  I am hopeful that this journey continues.  I have seen the practice of faith lend miracles.  It is a power that I honor and revere, but it is far from understood.  I think that is the beauty of it….we are not meant to understand, just believe….be courageous!

A patient delivered her gratitude for this phenomenon in the form of a hand-made card.  She writes:

Dr. Taryn

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I want to express to you how thankful I am that God placed me in your care to guide me on my journey to healing.  In May 2012 I found myself going down an unfamiliar path of dealing with several physical issues, and for some reason the majority of my pain manifested itself in my lower back and hip.  Something inside of me told me that all the issues I was dealing with had one root cause, and yet I couldn’t get anyone else to believe me.  I spent 7 months trying to deal with the issues myself.  I visited a couple of medical doctors that wanted to medicate the issues without getting to the root of all the problems, and that only added to my frustration.  I got to the point where I couldn’t stand the pain any loner and in January I found myself sitting in your waiting room.  After consulting with you I felt as though I finally found someone with a listening ear and the ability to address ALL that was going on with me.  I felt such a sense of peace when I left your office that day!  At that time I would have never dreamed all the things that I would learn on the other side of this journey….

First, I have learned to trust the God given instincts that He has given to me with the things concerning my body.  Secondly, I have learned to trust the peace that God gives to me when He leads me in a certain direction and to stay on that course and finish it.  I am so thankful God kept leading my path to you…..it was the only place my heart found peace and my body began to heal.  Thirdly, I have learned that my body is an amazing miracle that is complex and intertwined!  I have learned that if I treat the whole body….including the mind, spirit and emotion….then healing can begin.  I would have never guessed that all I was experiencing had so much to do with my chemical makeup and with what I was feeding it both physically and mentally.

My journey has had its ups and downs, but I finally feel like I am reaching the end.  I feel as though I have found peace in my heart.  In my mind, and in my body!  You have shared with me a vast amount of knowledge and have been my support and cheerleader throughout this journey….not to mention the many times your healing hands have brought relief to my hurting body 🙂  My words fall so short of what my heart feels and to simply say “thank you” seems very inadequate….but my words are all I have.  God has used you in my life to help me find my way to healing and I will forever be grateful!

My heart overflows with gratitude – Teresa Diener

I don’t know that I could say it any better than that.  When you listen to your “guts” and act in faith, truely amazing things can happen!

Sometimes we are blessed with confirmation through bloodwork or imaging  of a diagnosis (aka certainty).  From that diagnosis there is often a recommendation for treatment that can either prevent progression of the condition or resolve it.  BUT….more often than not, we are not given certainty.  It is very common to consult a healthcare professional with a symptom, maybe multiple symptoms, and a treatment is recommended as a trial.  Notice I used the word trial.  The practice of medicine usually starts with a differential of diagnosis.  One symptom could be a product of countless conditions.  A healthcare professional has to gather data from the patient and combine it with knowledge of disease/health that they have to conclude the list of possible conditions.  Again, we are occassionally blessed by a lab test or imaging that can confirm a single condition.  More often, treatment is recommended based on the more common or more likely condition, hence a trial of treatment, reducing and/or resolving the condition.

With a different pair of glasses on you can consider the power of adding good 🙂  Let’s say you are admitted to the hospital for 3 days for a cardiac procedure.  Of course the heart is an important organ.  The procedure is necessary to keep you alive.  Let’s also say you were denied food and water for those 3 days.  How would a lack of nutrition and hydration affect your ability to endure the procedure?  Recover?  Thrive?  I think everyone would agree, you would have to add food and water during your stay at the hospital to endure, recover and thrive.  The importance of nutrition and hydration, among many other “good” additions to our body, can be a game-changer when it comes to healing.  We all know what we should do to stay healthy; what if the right combination of  consistent “good” could be the key to our prosperity, even when there is disease present?

We need a myriad of “good” in our lives to thrive.  Everyone priortizes them a little different, but to name a few: food, water, relaxation, purpose, supplementation, sleep, exercise, oxygen, adjustments, detoxification, connection to others and positivity.  How often do we priortize the needs of others: work, school, friends, status, church, etc?  The  constant demand to serve immediate needs (of ourselves or others) at the expense of our long-term needs can rob us of our health!

It is often easy to convince yourself that a prescription medication that has been researched and approved by the FDA will help hault progression or resolve your condition.  What gives you that certainty?  Can you think of areas of “good” that you have neglected in your health?  Could you convince yourself, in the presence of a symptom/condition, that simply adding good would help you heal?

Every body is unique.  Every body has strength and weakness.  Every body handles germs, inflammation, pain and stress differently.  Strive to find the perfect combination of provider, treatment, faith and certainty that is right for you!  Never doubt your intuition, even if it challenges the norm!  Regardless of your religion or belief in a higher power, believe in YOU!  Find a proposal that delivers an inner peace and follow through!  Remember Teresa’s discovery, the “body is an amazing miracle that is complex and intertwined!  I have learned that if I treat the whole body….including the mind, spirit and emotion….then healing can begin.”

In Loving Service,

Dr. Taryn

Water**Aqua**Voda**das Wasser**Acqua

ImageHere’s a little motivation to review your water intake!!  I just love this picture!!  A good general rule is 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water EVERYday (ie: 100 lb person should drink at least 50 oz of water).  Other non-water liquids (tea, soda, coffee, beer, wine, etc) increase your daily water demands.  A great place to start your path to hydration is making a log of just how much water you consume.  Log it for a week and then start with small goals to gradually increase your consumption!  Happy HYDRATING!!

OsteOOOHHHH-Arthritis

Sharing a little about osteoarthritis today!!  Some references use terms such as arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA), degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease (DJD) or osteoarthrosis.  Depending on which specialty doctor you consult, there may be some variation in these disorders, but for the simplicity of our purposes we are talking about the same thing – inflammation of a joint.  OA is the most common form of joint inflammation, commonly leading to degeneration of the joint over time in the absence of diagnosis and proper care.

Osteoarthritis is characterized by:

  •  mild, early-morning stiffness
  • stiffness following periods of rest
  • pain that worsens on joint use
  • loss of joint function
  • local tenderness
  • soft tissue and/or bony swelling
  • joint crepitus
  • restricted mobility
  • X-Ray findings of narrowed joint space, cartilage erosion, bone spurs, etc.
I have suggested the article on Osteoarthritis out of the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Michael Murray, ND and Joseph Pizzorno, ND on countless occassions for patients at the office and for casual conversations away from the office. I would like to share a little from the cover about the doctors, then a few excerpts, and conclude with just a few extras about joint inflammation.

Dr. Murray is a naturopath and leading researcher in the field of natural medicine.  He is a faculty member of Seattle’s Bastyr University, one of the world’s foremost institutions of naturopathic learning.  In addition, Dr. Murray maintains a private practice and has authored over 20 books.

Dr. Pizzorno is a prominent naturopath physician, researcher and educator, along with the founding president of Bastyr University.  He is also the author of Total Wellness (Prima).

WHAT IS NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE?
As defined at naturopathic.org: Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) teach their patients to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and cutting edge natural therapies to enhance their bodies’ ability to ward off and combat disease. Naturopathic physicians craft comprehensive treatment plans that blend the best of modern medical science and traditional natural medical approaches to not only treat disease, but to also restore health.

SOME INTERESTING EXCERPTS

Weight-baring joints are more often affected – knees, hips and spine.

Osteoarthritis is divided into 2 categories: primary and secondary.  In Primary OA, the degenerative “wear and tear” process occurs after the fifth and sixth decades of life, with no apparent predisposing abnormalities.  Secondary OA is associated with some predisposing factor that is responsible for the degenerative changes (ie inherited abnormalities, trauma, previous inflammatory disease).

Onset can be subtle.  Morning joint stiffness is commonly the first symptom.  As the disease progresses, there is pain on motion of the involved joint that is made worse by prolonged activity and relieved by rest.  There are usually NO SIGNS OF INFLAMMATION.

One of the most interesting clinical features of OA is the lack of coorelation between severity of OA (determined by degenerative changes on XRay) and the degree of pain.

Depression and anxiety appear to increase the experience of the pain of OA.

Some of the side effects of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Nuprin, Advil), piroxicam (Feldene), diclofenac (Voltaren), fenoprofen (Nalfon), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Naprosyn), tolmetin (Tolectin), and sulindac (Clinoril) – are well-known: gastrointestinal upset, ulcer formation, headaches, dizziness, etc.  A less well-known side effect is FURTHER DEGENERATION OF THE JOINT CARTILAGE.  Experimental studies have shown that aspirin and other NSAIDs inhibit cartilage synthesis and accelerate cartilage destruction.  Clinical studies have also shown that NSAID use is associated with acceleration of osteoarthritis and increased joint destruction.

There is a considerable amont of evidence that hormonal forces may initiate or accelerate the development of OA……tamoxifen (an ANTI-estrogen drug) relieves it by decreasing erosion of the cartilage…..compounds containing phytoestrogen activity are capable of binding to estrogen receptors and acting as estrogen antagonists…..perhaps the best way to increase the intake of phytoestrogens is to increase the intake of food sources of phytoestrogens (fennel, celery, parsley, nuts, whole grains and apples).

Norman Childers popularized a diet that treated OA by eliminating nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers and tobacco.

The Framingham Osteoarthritis Cohort Study indicates that a high intake of antioxidant nutrients, especially Vitamin C, may reduce the risk of cartilage loss and inhibit progression of the disease in people who have OA….Both Vitamin E and C appear to enhance the stability of sulfated proteoglycans in the complex structure comprising articular cartilage.

Botanicals such as bromelain, curcumin and ginger have anti-inflammatory effects that can be helpful in the management of OA.

Boswellic acid extracts have demonstrated anti-arthritic effects in a variety of trials.

Glucosamine sulfate (Gs) promotes cartilage synthesis.  Gs was significantly more effective than the placebo in improving pain and movement after only four weeks of use…..the longer glucosamine sulfate is used, the more obvious the therapeutic benefit.  Double blind studies have shown that Gs produces better long-term results than NSAIDs in relieving pain and inflammation of OA…..Gs not only relieves the symptoms, including pain, it also helps the body repair damaged joints (note: obesity reduces the effectiveness of Gs; higher dosages may be required for obese patients)

Dr. William Kaufman, and later Dr. Abram Hoffer, reported very good clinical results in the treatment of hundreds of patients with RA and OA using high-dose niacinamide….research was later conducted that demonstrated niacinamide produced a 29% improvement in pain, range of motion and flexibility as compared to a 10% worsening in the placebo group. (note: high doses of niacinamide can result in significant side effects and should only be used under strict physician supervision)

Nonpharmacological approaches to pain in OA:

  • Acupuncture
  • Exercise
  • Weight loss
  • Laser therapy
  • Massage
  • Ultrasound
  • Psychological aids
  • They forgot chiropractic in this list 😦

If you consult the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine you will find many more of the details in this article, including a treatment summary with suggested doseages.  It is a really neat book to have in your library anyhow; lots of valueable information with research-backed credibility.

DR. TARYN’S COMMENTS:

So, I must start with how chiropractic care can aid in the management and/or resolution of osteoarthritis!  Drs. Murray and Pizzorno mention adding chiropractic care in their treatment summary.  I would recommend a chiropractic evaluation to anyone…wait, EVERYone who has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis or who has the related symptoms!!

RESEARCH SAYS

The journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, reported that an 63% of patients seeing a rheumatologist for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia, sought out some type of complementary care and alternative medicine (CAM).  Of these individuals, a full 31% visited a chiropractor at least one time.  More importantly, 73% of the individuals with arthritis that did seek a chiropractor’s help found chiropractic therapy helpful.  In another report, the US Agency for Health Care Policy and Research stated that chiropractic care is helpful in overcoming acute back pain.

IT’S THE NATURAL CHOICE

The whole basis of chiropractic is the adjustment.  The chiropractic adjustment can be applied to any joint in the body.  Chiropractors learn various techniques that prepare them to evaluate and adjust the spine as well as extremities (ankle, knee, wrist, elbow, shoulder, jaw).

As I mentioned earlier, OA primarily affects the weight-baring joints.  Weight-baring joints are influenced by physical, chemical and emotional stress just like any other joint.  There is a noteable difference in the physical stress of these joints though – gravity!  Weight-baring joints are impacted by gravity making posture, gait, footwear, sitting/standing/walking surfaces, objects in back pockets when seated (wallet, phone, etc), number of hours/day in prolonged weight-baring postures, and many other factors are very significant in the development of not only the inflammatory process, but especially the long-term degenerative process.

This is extra important so let me say this again, differently.  Some resources say that 80% of people over the age of 50 have osteoarthritis.  So lets take a male who is 53 years old for example.  Consider the “wear and tear” on his spine, particularly the weight-baring joints, given the following:

  • 30 lbs overweight
  • asymmetric posture – forward head carriage, slumped shoulders and chest
  • shoes that are worn on the soles and the arch support is broken down
  • carries his wallet (approximately 2″ thick) in his back, right pocket
  • 25 minute commute each way to work (sitting on his wallet)
  • high stress (bills, deadlines, illness in the family, etc) + high blood pressure
  • when he walks, his left foot flares out and his right tracks straight ahead
  • occupation requires him to stand, stoop and squat on a concrete surface for 8 hours/day, 5 days/week
  • average American diet with minimal water intake
  • limited quality sleep
  • not currently exercising
  • consumes occassional alcohol and infrequently smokes cigarettes

As you picture this gentleman, try to picture the stress that his spine is under on a daily basis.  Since this picture typically starts in the early part of the 2nd decade for many people, it is no wonder 80% of people over the age of 50 have inflammation eating away at their joints and causing daily pain and discomfort; maybe 30 years of abuse is the statistical limit!  I’m being sarcastic, but you can probably relate to this scenario or know someone who can.  Independently, few of these things are trouble-makers, but when you combine their power on a daily basis – the level of stress accumulates quite quickly!  Chiropractors lovingly work to relieve the stress caused by daily living!

ANOTHER HELPFUL TOOL

Omega Fatty Acids are absolutely essential in the case of osteoarthritis!!  I truely do my best to recommend quality fish oil to all of my patients as a pro-active approach to the daily stresses causing molecular levels of inflammation in all of us!  This is just an exponential need in the OA patients!

The University of Maryland Medical Center’s website shares the following: research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower  risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3  fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for  cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact,  infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during  pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of  omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart  problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.

Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm/#ixzz21sWMX163

Arthritistoday.org has a straightforward article on the benefits of omega 3s in the fights against OA symptoms: http://www.arthritistoday.org/nutrition-and-weight-loss/healthy-eating/food-and-inflammation/fatty-acids-benefits.php

Dr. Chestnut, founder and CEO of Innate Choice, is always a great resource on quality fish oil intake!!!  http://www.innatechoice.com/omegasufficiency.cfm

KEEP MOVIN’

Exercise and motion in general is going to be important to keeping your joints healthy!  There are so many organizations that are creating programs to incorporate fitness into your life – join one!  You can make new friends and connect with old ones by working out together.  If you choose to START a work-out regiment, you might consider consulting a personal trainer or healthcare professional about some of the types of exercise that might best suit your goals.  I find myself recommending yoga quite often.  There are several different types of yoga so do your homework before joining a class.  Once you find a good fit for your pace and needs, you will find there are a lot of physiological, psychological and biomechanical benefits!  This website has a LOT of reasons why yoga is a great choice for your work-out regimen:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/beginnersguide/yogabenefits.asp

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Ice, water and rest!  Never underestimate the power of these 3 power-packers!!  Most often my patients report that they have used heat, heat and then some more heat.  Heat is usually within reach and just sounds good for most achy joints (including the spine).  Unfortunately, heat accelerates inflammation.  In the case of chronic inflammation, ice therapy will be much more productive!

Water…need I say more!  Most often patients are just shy of ashamed to admit how little water they consume (Dad, are you reading this!!  LOL!)  I am convinced it is a learned behavior.  Arthur Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology states that “the total amount of water in a man of average weight (70 kilograms) is approximately 40 litres, averaging 57 percent of his total body weight; In a newborn infant, this may be as high as 79 percent of the body weight, but it progressively decreases from birth to old age, most of the decrease occurring during the first 10 years of life. Also, obesity decreases the percentage of water in the body, sometimes to as low as 45 percent. Considering your body is 57% water, maybe try consuming 57% of your daily intake in water!!  WOW!  I can see the look I would get with that one 🙂  Sincerely, you should slowly increase your daily water consumption to meet 1/2 of your body weight in ounces per day.  For each additional serving of non-water you drink, add the equivalent in ounces to your base intake of water.

Finally, rest.  Don’t we all need more of this!  We learned in chiropractic college that your body can never recover lost rest.  Personally, I really enjoy “catching up” on my sleep, but I suppose it is in my head 🙂

Inflammation, just like in the famous case of tendonitis, requires rest!  As best you can, try to get 8 – 10 hours of sleep per night and take naps when your body prompts you.  You heal more efficiently when you are sleeping and it gets rid of the bags under your eyes!!  Just making sure you are invested in this….everyone likes to look at less baggage 🙂

As you can tell, I have had fun sharing this information with you.  I hope that in the light of all the depressing-ness of this topic, you have found hope in the various treatments that all show successful!  Osteoarthritis is a complicated diagnosis due to the complexity of the body’s awesome design and ability to self-heal!  Have faith in your body’s innate power, give it the tools that you decide (hopefully with the help of a healthcare professional – wholistic or otherwise) will help it to heal, and then let it HEAL!!  Be prepared to thrive and celebrate the feeling of motion and life!!

Be blessed in every way!  In loving service,

Dr. Taryn Lowery

“Health” is a verb…

I would like to share with you a post from one the Chiropractic profession’s clearest philosophical minds on what it really means to live a “vitalistic” life.  He interprets the word “Health” in a very in-depth manner.  I hope you enjoy and you are making the best of decisions on your road towards wellness.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joey Lowery

Dr. Kevin Donka’s, “Health” is a verb,

The other day my kids and I were playing an educational game called Noun or Verb? During the game, my son Brennan noticed that some words could be both a noun and a verb like water, step and love. That was when we decided to think of as many noun-verbs as possible. After the kids went to bed, I started thinking about a phone call I had with a chiropractor in New Jersey last week where we had been discussing the definitions of many words, including the word health.

Most people define health mainly as the absence of some form of dis-ease. I have written many Chirothots on why this can not possibly be the case. I have described the fact that darkness is not the presence of something, but it is in reality the absence of light energy. I have also said that coldness is not the presence of something, but the absence of heat energy. Similarly, any manifestation of dis-ease (whether pain, spasm, inflammation, cancer or ANY other “illness”) is not the presence of something; it is simply the particular and specific way that a decrease in the expression of your Life Energy has shown up in your body.

Having now reviewed this idea with you, I would like to take it a step further. In school, you may have learned about the word homeostasis. This describes how our bodies are constantly adapting in order to deal with changes in our environment and keep functioning at a normal level. The word homeostasis can be misleading because of the “stasis” part. Stasis literally means to stay. But the definition talks about how we are constantly changing. The truth is that health is not the absence of something; in fact, it isn’t a physical state at all!

Health is the ability to adapt to most of the stresses you encounter each day and maintain your NATURAL state of EASE.

This discrepancy between the word homeostasis and its commonly accepted definition has led to one of the world’s biggest misconceptions about health; namely that it is actually possible to be either healthy or sick. The truth is that we are continually dealing with changes in our internal and external worlds, and we are never the same from one moment to the next.

The fact that we are changing in every single moment means that it is not possible to be either healthy or sick! The truth is that in every single moment, you are either getting stronger and moving toward health, wellness and wholeness; or you are getting weaker and moving away from them. And, in order to continually get stronger and move in the direction of health and the full expression of Life, you need three things;

1) A Deliberate Focus on moving toward what you want (as opposed to trying to move away from what you don’t want).

2) A Healthy Lifestyle that supplies all of your cells with everything they need to function properly, heal and continue growing.

3) A Clear Neurological CONNECTION between you and your body. Because your nerve system is surrounded by and intimately connected to your spine, it is necessary to keep your spine aligned and functioning properly to allow this clear neurological connection. This is the true purpose behind a program of regular chiropractic care – to keep you fully connected!

There is one more noun-verb that we need to look at in order to tie this all together; the word is LIFE. Most people believe that life is a noun – a thing; but the truth is that all of life is continually changing – Life is a verb! And, since all of life is constantly changing, and because health is a PART OF life, that means that HEALTH is also a verb! Make sure you are taking care of all three things necessary to keep moving toward the full expression of Life, and always be ready to express your Light. That way you’ll always be ready to write, direct and star in your own life story…lights…camera…ACTION!

Exercise Facts vs. Myths

So the turn of the new year is just around the corner, and guess what the number one “New Year’s Resolution” is.  You guessed it, lose a few pounds.  In today’s fitness world, the consumer is bombarded with the latest and greatest of new equipment that will get him/her over the hump and get them back into their favorite pair of jeans they haven’t been able to wear for a time no one dare knows.   As a person who still considers himself a Personal Trainer just as much as a Chiropractor.   I feel it’s an important subject to discuss the ever common myths among the population looking to lose weight not only now but in 2011.  Here’s just a few:

Myth: The ideal workout lasts more than an hour.

Fact: The ideal workout lasts less than an hour.

Myth: Lifting weights will generally make women BIGGER!

Fact: Lifting weights will generally make women smaller.

Myth: The best way to improve muscle definition and burn fat when weight training is to very high reps with very light weight

Fact: The WORST way to improve muscle definition and burn fat when weight training is to do very high reps with very light weight

And my personal favorite…

Myth: Aerobic exercise is the best form of exercise to burning fat.

Fact: Hormonally correct resistance exercise is the best form of exercise to burning fat. 

I understand it seems to make sense you’ll burn quite a few calories during Aerobic exercise, and I’m not going to tell you that you won’t.   Would it not make sense to perform exercises that not only set you up to be a calorie burning machine not only during, but many many hours afterwards?  Sure it does!  Resistance exercise, when done effectively, can be your best friend to help you lose the weight and keep it off. 

Here’s another obvious fact for you, we are more stressed, sicker, and more out of shape than we ever have been.  However, there are more advertisements in magazines and on TV about the magic pill in the form of exercise equipment or workout videos than you can imagine.  Here’s the good news, our physiology(function)  is relatively the same.  If we turn on the right kinds of fat burning hormones by doing the right kind of exercise, we are headed in the right direction for 2011.  Not only that, we’re able to cope with our daily stressors along with improve our immunity naturally without the use of anxiety meds or cough syrup and even anti-depressants!  I’m telling you now, effective exercise has been shown to have more benefit for those tagged with depression than the meds they are placed on! 

Here’s a great mentality to have when you’re about to perform resistance training.  Get as much muscle involved as possible.  What will happen you ask?  Your Growth Hormone will sky rocket, which will then rev up your testosterone up tremendously.  Ladies, do not be afraid.  Your testosterone levels are much lower than your male counterparts, so you will not increase in muscle mass as they will.  On top of that, your stress hormone (cortisol) is suppressed, and therefore, you are literally slowing the aging process down.  Your fat burning capabilities are now turned on and stay on as long as 20+ hours after your workout!  Focus on performing a variety of effective multi-joint exercises that recruit many muscles to execute (squats, deadlifts, pushups, pullups, lunges, etc..).  You will drive your fat burning potential much higher than with just conventional slow steady paced running or isolated exercises during weight training. 

Let me say, I’m not against Aerobics, but today’s population is already coping with high levels of cortisol due to daily stressors with dangerously low levels of growth hormone.  A steady dose of long distance Aerobics( >45 mins to 1 hour) with an already elevated cortisol level will inevitably eat your muscle away, decrease your bone density, poorly alter your sleep quality.  Basically it sends you in the wrong fat burning, muscle building direction.  We want our anti-aging hormones at their highest.  We want to be insulin sensitive, not insulin resistant.  We want our bodies to start craving foods that are nutritious for us (complex carbs, fruits, lean meats, healthy fats) and not foods loaded down with sugars, artificial sweeteners, empty calories, and unhealthy fats.  Yes, our bodies start to crave better food choices when you give it what it NEEDS.  We do that by consistantly performing effective resistance training.  We do that by putting our bodies in a position to workout smarter, not harder. 

The six variables of exercise are as follows: volume, intensity, duration, frequency, load, and exercise selection.  With the right selection of exercise at a high intensity, a shorter duration, the proper load, a safe frequency and volume you will have a higher probability of succeeding at losing weight in 2011.  Stay positive, set reasonable goals, have a support group, and stay focused/determined to achieve those goals.  The right hormones will turn on for you by doing this.   How can you lose? 

Last but not least, have your spine checked out before performing any sort of exercise program.  If there be any misalignments in your body’s joints, you can actually do more harm than good.  Your spine is extremely important becuase it houses the most important organ, your Nervous System.  If there be any degeneration in your spine, it can progress to a more severe level, and really set you back from having the quality of life you deserve functionally and health wise.  There’s a big difference between just moving and moving well.  Thanks for reading.  Have a blessed day.

Joey Lowery, DC, MS, CSCS, NCSA-CPT

Dr. Joey’s Cleanse Experience (Days 8-21)

Let me first apologize for allowing time and scheduling conflicts affect other posts about my(Dr. Joey) personal experience on the nutritional cleanse.  Although it’s been a fair amount of time between blog  posts, the results have been constant.  The overall feeling I’ve had of increased energy, prolonged stamina during the day, and better mental focus has been a consistent status.  Here’s a list of the variety of foods I consumed during the transition from no meat for ten days to chicken or fish every other day.

Breakfast options:  Egg white omelet with spinach, chopped up bellpeppers, chopped up onions, mild organic salsa.  The breakfast smoothie with cabbage, spinach, carrots, pineapple chunks, strawberry slices, and 1/2 cup of blueberries along with the SP complete and Whey protein complete.

Lunch options:  Mixed season vegetables, grilled veggie scewers dirty brown rice under grilled chicken or salmon, baked asparagus with minced garlic and lemon juice sprinkles, green salads with bellpepper chunks and onion chunks along with pinto and black beans.  Again, I emphasize those grilled scewers  at logans were absolutely delicious!

Dinner options:  The menu doesn’t really change from the lunch menu.  When the hours got away from me, a smoothie was an easy choice to fall back on in order to avoid the “full” feeling to follow if bedtime was near. 

This has been a great experience in my life to reclaim a better sense of control regarding food choices.  I no longer look for the quick route, but enjoy the process of making up a delicious, nutritious meal knowing I’m making a deposit in my personal health account.  Both my wife and I hope to inspire others to seek about the whole food process, rather than look for a quick fix only to fall back into the bad habits that pushed them further from health.  I lost a total of 15 pounds throughout the 21 day process.  What I am most proud of is no longer CRAVING a cup of coffee in the morning.  I am not a hostage under stimulant control.  It’s nice not to fall into the mindset I won’t be at my best if I don’t have a cup or two in the morning.  I truly hope someone’s interest was peaked during these blogs and would like to talk more about this venture.   Thanks so much for the chance to share our experiences with our readers!  Till the next time, this is Dr. Joey Lowery, saying, “Health is a choice, not a chance.”

Dr. Joey’s Cleanse Experience (Days 4-7)

A full work week has passed while I (Dr. Joey) have been on the nutritional cleanse, and I can honesty say I haven’t felt this good in a while.  As the days have passed during this hectic transition from graduating Chiropractic College to getting back into the working world, I have allowed a normally regimented lifestyle I had to slip.  Those slips have set me into a “living moment to moment” pattern.  What pattern do I speak of?  Rather than taking time on the weekend to plan meals for the week, I’ve taken a less disciplined road and during my mealtime I just grab something quick.   When I felt fatigue setting in, I’d justify grabbing a coffee.  When I got home from work, I would eat with a less than optimal focus on aspiring for optimum health.  It’s a road I feel I’ve detoured from in order to get back on a major highway to my own personal health journey.   I’m happy to say  the journey looks like a great one.   Here’s the menu for the week.

Day 4: Overall feeling (No fatigue, sleep improvement, better focus)

Breakfast: Smoothie with SP Complete, spinach, cabbage, carrots, pineapple, strawberries

Lunch: romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup of brown rice, salsa, bellpepper cuts, onion chuncks.

Dinner: I got home from work pretty late, so a smoothie was in order so I wouldn’t have a heavy stomach before eventually before going to bed.

Day 5: Overall Feeling (Same, decided to do a 15 minute session of yoga in the PM)

Breakfast: Chopped up Apple Slices along with a Strawberry-pinapple with Spinach smoothie containing the SP Complete

Lunch: Heaping bowl of steamed broccoli, carrots, chopped mushrooms, and 1/2 cup of brown rice with some garlic and herb seasoning on top. 

Dinner: Green beans lightly boiled, brussel sprouts lightly boiled

Day 6: Overall feeling (Even better with energy and I can tell the food has more flavor which means  my tastebuds are “turning on”)

Breakfast:  Pineapple, Apple, Cabbage, Carrots with SP Complete smoothie

Lunch: Same as the previous day due to the large amount of left over food.

Dinner: Another late trip home, but I wasn’t that hungry because of the big lunch, so I just had a smoothie.

Day 7: Overall feeling (Awesome!  A whole week under my belt!)

Breakfast: cabbage, spinach, strawberry, and blueberry with SP Complete smoothie

Lunch:  romaine lettuce, brown rice, pinto beans, bellpeppers, onions, olive oil with garlic and herb seasoning.

*Side note: went to the gym to get a total body workout in with a 15 Bike Interval Cardio session followed by a nice stretch.

Dinner: green beans, broccoli, carrots, onions, with an apple for a dessert.

It doesn’t look like the fanciest menu I admit, but I feel I’ve covered quite a bit of the super foods that are recommended we eat on a daily basis.  The supplements are easy to take at this time.  I’m completely finished with the Cleanse supplement and have moved on to the Green Foods supplement now.  I express the with 100% sincerity that this hasn’t been the easiest process so far, but has been very gratifying.  I’ve lost 9 pounds along the way as well.  That’s one of those nice little “side-effects” I mentioned in an earlier post.  Have a wonderful weekend and remember, your health is a choice, not a chance.

Dr. Joey’s 21 day cleanse experience (Day 1-3)

As several of our patients are aware of, a 21 day cleansing period is on the brink.   Before the majority of the group begins their personal experience, I (Dr. Joey) have began my own cleansing experience.  This is not my first rodeo with cleansing my body.  Several times I have integrated this cleansing program, among others, into my life to primarily detoxify my body of the harmful impurities I had accumulated. 

Where do these toxins come from?  Simply put, the air we breath, the water we drink, and the food we eat are exposed to harmful chemicals through pollution, pesticides and processing.  It’s inevitable that these necessary evils in turn expose our bodies to those same chemicals.   As we ingest these impurities, our body’s ability to ward off the potential damage decreases little by little.  This in turn sets up an environment for dis-ease or internal stress, and eventually disease.  We always emphasize to our patients they are only given one body; with just one body, it only makes sense to prevent a reason from happening rather than waiting for a reason to put a kink in our lives (ie: dis-ease causes sickness or pain that requires us to consult medication or a doctor). 

I’m pretty excited about the reception both my wife, Taryn, and I have received from our patients on what to expect, what not to expect, how will they feel, etc.  For those of you unfamilair with the cleanse, here’s the quick breakdown.  Days 1-10 are veggies and fruits with more emphasis on the veggies.  Days 11-21 chicken and fish are implemented into the menu every other day with portion control being suggested.  Supplements are taken throughout the process to enhance the cleansing efficiency.  Along with the toxin release, a nice side effect of weight loss, energy increase, and sleep improvement occurs.  For specific details, you can reference Standard Process’ website, http://www.standardprocess.com/display/psppurification.spi.

So here is a list of my menu for the last 3 days beginning on Friday, 8-20-2010 to Sunday, 8-22-2010.

Day 1 Overall feeling: slight fatigue with a minor headache

7AM: Veggie and Fruit smoothie containing 1 cup of cabbage, spinach, carrots, 1/2 cup of strawberries, and 1/2 blueberries.  Also in the smoothie is two scoops of the SP Complete smoothie powder.  I also took 7 capsules of cleanse tablets, and 3 gastro fiber tablets.

10AM: The same smoothie ingredients.

12PM: A nice sized salad containing romaine lettuce, red cabbage, green cabbage, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, salad seasoning, with a vinegarette for dressing.  7 capsules of cleanse tablets and 3 gastro fiber tablets were taken as well.

6PM: I ate a similar salad but didn’t finish the entire serving due to the feeling of a minor headache setting in.  It’s very common when a toxin release is occuring along with getting off the coffee.  I slept it off, and felt fine the next day.

Day 2 Overall Feeling: slight increase in energy with a tiny headache

8AM: I’m pretty predictable, a veggie and fruit smoothie with the same ingredients and supplements.  I like to go with what works when I find something that works for me, although variety is important in any well-balanced nutrition program!

12:30PM: A big heaping bowl of steamed broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower with some garlic and herb seasoning sprinkled on it.  The same supplements were taken.

6PM: There wasn’t much in the fridge, so I had a veggie and fruit smoothie along with the supplements to finish my afteroon off.

Day 3 Overall Feeling: Fully energized, no headache

7AM: Different day, same smoothie ingredients, along with the supplements of course.

12:30PM: A heaping side of broccoli along with two grilled vegetable scewers that had mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and onions.  I highly recommend if someone is on the cleanse, but unsure of a route to take when at a restaurant.  Try Logan’s veggie scewers from the grill.  They’re excellent!

7PM:  My wife and I always wish out loud about a Chipotle restaurant one day gracing our area.  Until that time we try to make our own recipes up.  I made her a romaine lettuce salad with a cup of brown rice, cilantro, bellpepper slices, onion chunks, two tablespoons of hot sauce, along with a few tomato chunks and a drop of lime juice on them.  The dressing was 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup water, and come chipotle seasoning all mixed together.  She was most pleased with the dinner, and I think I found a new salad recipe!

That’s all for now, and a good night’s sleep awaits me.  Day 4 (Monday) brings me back to the work week on the cleanse.  The first three days down, 7 more without meat to go.  As far as I’m concerned, the hard part is over.

Genetics Load the Gun, Lifestyle Pulls the Trigger

One of our professors at Parker College of Chiropractic always said, genetics load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.  As you can tell this little saying stuck with me, but as each day passes, I realize how much truth there is to this catchy phrase.  You might first be thinking, why does a chiropractor care about my genetics and my lifestyle…..I assure you I will get to that!  But secondly, you are probably wondering why this montra that so many people condemn their future health aspirations by is being challenged.  You have heard it a million times, “well, my dad had it and his dad had it so I guess I better start getting used to the idea of __________ (fill in the blank) because it’s bound to happen to me sooner or later.” 

So first, doom and gloom thinking will lead to doom and gloom realities!!  Like an unknown author said, “what you love you empower, and what you fear you empower – and what you empower, you attract.”  Don’t attract things into your life that you don’t want in your life.  Focus on the good!!  BE A POSITIVE PONDERER! 

Then, look to the science.  Dr. Mercola recently commented on a WebMD study on diet and how it relates to genetic malleability in 276 male twins, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/08/your-diet-could-be-more-important-than-your-genes.aspx.  Here is a small excerpt:

“Epigenetic “malleability” helps to explain why identical twins become distinct as they age, health-wise, and it explains how you can actually tweak your genes for better or worse, too.  In fact, you ARE changing your genetics daily and perhaps even hourly from the foods you eat, the air you breathe, and even by the thoughts you think.  You are the “caretaker” of your genetic roadmap.  As you age, your genome does not change but your epigenome changes dramatically, especially during critical periods of life, such as adolescence. It is influenced by physical and emotional stresses — how you respond to everything that happens in your environment, from climate change to childhood abuse.”

There is probably just as much science that says we can “change our genetics daily” as there are saying we have no control over strong hereditary influence.  So back to my “first.”  What do you CHOOSE to believe?  Do you choose to believe that your daily choices affect the future of your health and vitality or are you black-balled with no other choice?  The power of choice lends to empowerment!  Think about it…when you are TOLD what to do, do you want to do it?  Do you get excited about doing it?  Your dad tells you to mow the yard, your boss bumps up your deadline without any notice, your mother-in-law tells you how to dress your kid.  I know you can relate…and the answer is NO!  When your choices are taken away you feel cornered and threatened.  You become defensive and cold.  These negative feelings are not condusive to healing, much less the chance of overcoming any predisposed obstacles.  Again, choose to believe that you do have control and as a result, empower yourself and give your health a little hope!

Finally, how does chiropractic relate to all of this talk about genetics and choices?  The chiropractic lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle of choices.  Chiropractors get a cross look from time to time because we do things a little different than most.  We believe that health comes from within.  We believe that the Power that made the body can heal the body.  The idea of choices comes to the forefront when this Inside-Out philosophy collides with the modern, fast-paced, Outside-In conveniences.  We try to do “things” in our daily life that KEEP us healthy (without Dis-ease nor Disease).  Most American thought is to go, go, go until you can’t go anymore, due to Dis-ease or Disease, and THEN fix the damage. 

Think about your teeth for a minute.  Most of us are in a habit of brushing our teeth 2 – 3 times every day.  It has become a social no-no to have bad breath and dingy teeth.  We also visit the dentist every 6 months to have our teeth checked, making sure there is nothing that needs attention.  In doing this, we have revolutionized oral care.  This is similar to what chiropractors try to accomplish through chiropractic care.  We evaluate your spine, medical history, current complaints, posture, work habits, stress exposure, nutrition, environmental toxins, etc.  We look at ALL of these things to help you attack all areas of your life in an effort to stop chasing the day where you feel good.  We want you to feel GREAT everyday!  We want your body to be as efficient as the finest machinery, even better!  We were created as superior creatures.  We have an innate intelligence that knows how many pumps of the heart and how many expansions of the lungs we need each day.  Embrace that intelligence.  Feed that intelligence!  Give your body the tools that it needs to thrive.  Don’t throw trash in your temple.  Don’t subject your temple to chronic pain and injury.  These are the choices that pull the trigger.  Invest in your health and do a little EVERYDAY for YOU!  This is a CHOICE.  Chiropractic care can help you become familiar with specific gifts you can give your body to reconnect with your health!!  Please get your spine checked!!