“Treating the Bark vs. Adjusting the Cause…”

You walk into your Chiropractor's office, hop on a table and point to where it hurts.  But the Chiropractor adjusts a totally different part of your spine… not even close to where you feel the pain.  Why is that?   There's an old saying that goes when you step on a dog's tail, it barks out the other end.  In Chiropractic, that means where you hurt (the bark) isn't necessarily where the problem is (the tail).  Many times the symptom you feel in one area is due to  a remote cause.  For example, someone with sciatica may feel pain down their leg, but the cause of the problem is a Vertebral Subluxation in their spine. Chiropractors know that if you address the cause of the symptom, the body will no longer have  need to produce it.  That's why Chiropractors focus on fixing underlying problems and not superficial effects.  Chasing after symptoms is like a dog chasing its own tail – spinning around and around until it gets dizzy, confused and frustrated.  It's much smarter to address the underlying cause from the start.

Frozen banana dipped in yogurt and granola

Frozen banana dipped in yogurt and granola. Forget the ice cream! This healthy alternative saves you a days worth of sugar intake.

Ingredients:
Bananas (as many as you have yogurt)
Greek yogurt
Homemade granola (see this older post)

1.Dip the bananas, whole or half into the yogurt. Coat all around.

2.Roll in the granola.

3.Place on wax paper and put into the freezer.

4. Serve. You can place sticks into the banana before freezing to hold or place the banana in a bowl to serve with fresh toppings.

“Symptomatic Whack-a-Mole”

The object of the carnival game Whack-a-Mole is to use a mallet to hit as many critters as possible when they pop up in random succession.  Trouble is, as you hit one mole, three more pop up and disappear before you can nail them all.  Whack-a-Mole is a perfect metaphor for how people are medicated today.  Unfortunately in this game you end up on a ton of drugs, for a bunch of problems, with no actual improvement in your health.  

According to a NCHS Data brief by the CDC, over the last 10 years the percentage of Americans who took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44% to 48%.  The use of two or more drugs increased from 25% to 31%.  The use of five or more drugs increased from 6% to 11%.   Yet despite taking all these drugs, the US embarrassingly ranks 37th among the world's industrial countries when it comes overall health.

For Chiropractors, health is not defined by how many symptoms you can temporarily 'whack away' with drugs, but how well your body can adapt to its environment and heal under its own innate abilities.  You have more healing intelligence in your little finger than all the doctors and pharmacies in the world put together. Big Pharma doesn't believe so, but Chiropractors do.  Keep your Nerve System clear and you won’t have to play their failing game.

‘GET REAL’ with Chiropractic…

American TV personality and psychologist Dr. Phil doesn't hold punches when it comes to advising his guests on living a more balanced, principled life.  So it should come as no surprise how he feels about Chiropractic. On a recent show with personal Chiropractor and author Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, Dr. Phil touts the benefits he's experienced from regular care.  "I've been seeing a Chiropractor a couple times a week for the past 10 years…"  And you can bet it wasn't for a bad back.  Dr. Phil knows Chiropractic care goes beyond helping aches and pains.  It transforms your entire health and LIFE for the better – exactly what his show is all about. If you're frustrated with your current level of health, maybe it's time to get real with a new paradigm shift.  As Dr. Fab says, "we are all born with a natural ability to heal." Chiropractic care simply brings it out.  And if it's good for Dr. Phil, it could be good for you too!

Homemade Granola

This granola is more nutritious and less expensive than any granola you can find commercially. It is delicious served as breakfast cereal or over yogurt or on frozen bananas.

This recipe incorporates soaked oats, so that your body benefits from the broken-down phytates found in grains. Baking this recipe low and slow keeps it nutrient-dense. It contains raw nuts, seeds and coconut oil, which are great sources for healthy fats: all of the ingredients have positive health benefits.


Ingredients:
8 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups kefir
1 cup water (add more if needed)
1/2 cup raw honey
3/4 cup maple syrup (no fake stuff)
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sea salt
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup dried coconut, shredded
2 cups dried fruit, chopped (use 2 different kinds)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, chopped
1 cup nut (almonds) chopped

Instructions:
1. Combine your oats with the melted oil, melted butter and kefir in a very large bowl. Mix in nuts add the water last, you may not need as much. Mix well. Cover with a cloth and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours (keep it cooler, rather than warmer).

2. After the day of soaking, preheat oven to 200 F. Combine the honey, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring the mixture, until honey becomes thin.

3. Remove from heat. Combine honey and oat mixtures, mix well.

4. Spread mixture out over parchment paper on cookie sheets.

5. Bake for 4 hours, until granola is crunchy. It will seem slightly soft, but it crisps up as it cools. Turn the oven off and let it cool in the oven. Do not turn the oven up to speed drying. Cook it low and slow, stir every 30 minutes.

6. Mix in the coconut, seeds, dried fruits. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

“When You’re Feeling Dim…”

Ever have one of those days where you just don't feel as bright as you should?  Your diet's good, you're getting enough exercise but for some reason you still feel drained and unproductive.  Maybe it's time for a trip to the Chiropractor…

Think of your Nerve System as electrical wires and your body a 100 watt light bulb connected to it.  When the wires are clear and electricity flows freely, your bulb glows to 100 watts. But if power is restricted in the wires, your bulb dims.  Chiropractors call it being Subluxated or in a 'state of less light/less energy.'  And the only thing that can 'light you up' again is a specific, loving Chiropractic Adjustment.

Eating properly and getting enough exercise is important, but you'll never shine to your full potential if you're Subluxated… and you can't afford that.  The world needs you beaming at 100 watts.  So don't wait until your light's completely out.  Get adjusted and shine bright with regular Chiropractic care!

Brussel Sprouts!!!

Sorry Pastor Scott, these are awesome!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• olive oil 
• salt
• ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Single layer on cookie sheet mist them with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp outside and tender inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the Brussels sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve hot.

Variations

Quarter the sprouts, add balsamic vinegar and nuts (pine, almond, walnut) add a dash of lemon juice.

“An Ounce of Chiropractic…”

There's a saying that goes an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.  From a financial stand point, nothing could be more true when it comes to using Chiropractic care.

A 2005 study published in JMPT found "for low back and neck pain, the inclusion of Chiropractic benefits resulted in a reduction in the rates of surgery, advanced imaging, inpatient care, and x-rays."  That means less unnecessary testing, less hospitalization and fewer operations when Chiropractic care is made available.  The scales clearly tip in our favor.

When you keep your Nerve System clear and give your body a chance to heal itself, you end up saving tons of time, money and aggravation.  Chiropractors know it.  Our patients know it.  We're just waiting for the rest of the world to catch on.