You're Not Getting Adjusted Enough

My kid is 13 and a half, I can publicly write about his early days.  I don't think his friends read my blog.  

I adjusted him during his first week of life.  I would have adjusted him sooner, (as in day 1) but I was enthralled with his baby-ness.  I was getting to know him, I was staring at him, holding him, watching him sleep as we were trying to put more finesse in the whole mechanics of breast feeding.  (It takes close to a week in reality. It's a good thing babies are well nourished in utero.) 

By the way, that is not a picture of him in the upper corner, but it is an example of what he had to deal with as an infant with a touch of jaundice.  

I specifically remember at one point while in the hospital around the third day, he was acting too lethargic for my liking.  I knew he needed to be adjusted.  I think it was his 2nd adjustment because I adjusted him a couple of days earlier before we were headed back to the hospital.  To me it was stressful to keep putting him back in the bassinet under the lights, only holding him to feed him.  I wanted him to be sound asleep each time before setting him back down. Over all it was not an ideal way to live the first week of your life.  

So, when no one was looking, since it's nice to not have distractions, I adjusted him.  The immediate change in his body tension was evident.  His skin took on a better, brighter color.  His facial expression was much more relaxed.  I was literally watching the life speed up and circulate through his body.  

I was pleased. I had enough of this unnatural environment and was ready to get home.  He was so much perkier after that adjustment and we were soon to be discharged from the hospital.  

Here's the point.  The first few days of life were already stressful for a new person. The entire birth process is made more stressful than it needs to be.  A happy baby floating around in warm fluid has to suffer through the horrible swaddling of a dry, scratchy blanket right at birth.  What else do we do to make a baby's life traumatic?  Yes, a lot of adjustments are needed to calm down a shocked nervous system.

That goes for the rest of us.  Infants, toddlers, children, teens, and adults experience loads of brain stimulation that is more distressing than soothing.  The challenges are always there.  They are just different. So, get adjusted.  

Stress never takes a day off.  And your spine doesn't take a day off.  Give your spine and nervous system a life saving reboot on a regular basis. 

Just a reminder:  Here's what happens when the spine is under stress and what can happen when the adjustment frees up the spine. 

(Image: DrSchulter.com)

What happens when you are subluxated:

Cortisol increases

Blood sugar increases

Leptin decreases & belly fat increases

Hormones become dysfunctional

Hypothalamus becomes dysfunctional

Thyroid becomes dysfunctional

Adrenals become fatigued

Metabolism slows

Blood pressure increases

You can't sleep

You have no energy

(and more...... not enough room here.......)

What happens when you release subluxations with adjustments:

Decreases pro-inflaming cytokines (bad guys)

Increases pro-regulatory cytokines (good guys)

Increases CD-4 helpter T-cells (good guys)

Blocks TNF (bad guys)

Decreases CRP (bad guys)

The Adjustment Influences the Prefrontal Cortex of the Brain

(the conductor of the whole brain)

movement coordination

thinking focus

behavior goal directed tasks

decision making memory attention

intelligence

pain processing emotional response to pain

autonomic function (just about everything)

motor control eye movement spacial awareness

fall prevention muscle strength

pelvic floor control mental rotation of objects

The Potential to Heal Is Waiting the be Unleashed!

Always a Fan of Natural Heath Care

This is what Health Insurance buys you.

This is the door way to actual health.

You're never too old to learn more about 

your body's greatness.

I am still learning and in awe. 

I'm still surprised when people have a great response to chiropractic care.  Their lives change so much for the better.  Why am I still surprised?  Because sometimes I lower my expectations.  I see a lot of sick people.  I see a lot of sick people who never gave chiropractic a chance.  Give yourself a chance. 

I Won't Give Up, If You Won't Give Up

***Just a quick note here: I took this post from my other blog: Chiro-Cook.  

If you read my last blog post (here) you saw the statistic that only 10% of people like to cook.  That means 90% are eating out or popping some colorful packaging into the microwave.

You already know eating out exposes you to inflaming seed oils, lots of sugar and chemicals. The stuff tastes good as you deform your tastes buds to only like junk,  and you want to eat more.  The same goes for that instant food you're eating at home.  

Meanwhile, the population is getting sicker.  I don't see the pharmacies going out of business.  It's starting to get me down.

But I won't be deterred and I won't let you be deterred.  Cooking better food at home to save your health is very doable and not as time consuming as you think.

My kitchen demonstrations can get you started on the right path.  There's no reason to feel intimidated.  A tasting party will introduce you to organic, chemical free food prep that is convenient and beneficial for your health.  

Don't worry about starting at the beginning.  Think back to your early days with piano lessons.  Once you mastered Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, you were well on your way to more sophisticated pieces. 

Let's set a date and so you can see how meal solutions are healing solutions.  

Check out WildTree's fabulous recipes.

I'm Ready for a Truce: Meet Me Half Way?

This boggles my mind.  Over 20 years in two different healing professions and I have been perplexed by the attitude of people.

So many people just keep piling on the stress.  They are addicted to excuses and abuses.  Some days I wonder, why even bother?  I could just sell cigarettes and booze.  Really!  It's human nature to be stuck in our ways.  I get it.  But we've gotta grow in our minds and hearts, living each day better than the day before. 

I love learning about health.  I love to read and soak in any kind of health information I can get my hands on.  It has to be natural.  No drugs.  No surgery.   I also read the book, Change or Die.  The author researches why 95% of heart patients are too frozen in their minds to change their behaviors, even when they are told they will die if they don't change their life styles.  

I also apply a lot of these healthy concepts to my life. I take a ton of Standard Process supplements, I eat a low carb diet, and I get adjusted all the time.  I don't use an alarm clock to get up.  I don't own a microwave.  I don't drink coffee.  I do a lot of things that would label me a fanatic. But I am living the difference compared to my life style 20 to 30 years ago.  

I find it so inspiring and I can't abate my passion.  But I can't tell others what to do. I can't use scare tactics because people would call me a blubbering idiot.  I have to let you live your life.  It's a free country.   So, here I am trying to be a motivational teacher, but my students aren't earning A's.  

I know you guys are passionate about other things more than healthy habits.  I know people who are crazy about taking car of their cars.  I am not one of them.  In fact, I hate taking the time out to go to a service station, sit around and wait for an oil change, or repair.  Because I am trying to be as flexible as I am with office hours, I find it to be a real pain in the butt to take time out for my car.  But I don't want to break down in the middle of the country.  I don't want to ruin my car and buy a new one prematurely.  

I know people who like to garden.  I know people who like to fix things.  I hate both.  I can't stand buying gardening supplies, digging in the dirt, and weeding.  I don't plant flowers.  I don't decorate my yard.  I just don't like it.  But I know other people who are good at it.  They eat, breathe, sleep the next growing season.  

I don't like to fix things.  I make a real mess.  I lose parts.  I break things while I am trying to fix things.  I hate deciphering instructions.  I hate putting things together.  I don't have to patience.  

So I get it.  I know what it feels like to hate doing something that is good for me.  

So can we come to a truce?  

While I am challenging myself to try something new (Thank you, you tube.  I can replace a door knob and install a new sink.)  can my peeps meet me half way and take a new look at the approaches we can implement to give you more energy, lose weight, and reduce some of those nasty risk factors hanging over your head?

You're not alone.  I know life is a challenge most days.  I know I'm telling you things your friends and other doctors don't agree with.  

Let's add more TNT to your chiropractic care.  Let's make your nervous system take better care of you.  Let's transform your fears to cheers.  

All change comes from a shift in thinking.  Let's do some shifting together.  Let's revisit your nagging concerns and make a little shift. 

The world is stressful.  It's dirty.  The environment is damaging us.  Our food is not nourishing.  People are at each other's throats.  Let's find a balance to take the strain off of our lives.  

Let's put a little more emphasis on the chiropractic approach.  

See you at the table....
the adjusting table.

--Dr. Lisa
--Your Health Freedom Advocate

Foods That Inflame - A Pattern You Can Change.

In the latest handout of the week, I have been giving practice members information on the Pattern Wheel of Wellness.  

You can pick up your handout at your next visit. 

We know we can only change a problem by changing our patterns. 

One of the patterns includes the types of of macro-nutrients we are consuming. 

To reduce systemic inflammation, which causes metabolic syndrome, you eat the foods that do not inflame. 

Check out The Deflame Diet, by David Seaman.  I like his make it easy approach to meeting your health goals with food. 

---------------------------------

What Can I Eat?

Read the Deflame Diet (2016) Deflame.com

These foods will not inflame your body:

grass fed meat, wild game tubers/roots (potato, yam, sweet pot.)

meats nuts (raw or dry roasted)

wild caught fish omega-3 seeds (hemp, flax, chia)

shellfish spices of all kinds

chicken olive oil,

omega-3 eggs avocado

cheese dark chocolate

vegetables bacon

salads (leafy greens) red wine, stout beer

fruit coffee, tea (green tea is best)

coconut oil butter, cream

These foods INFLAME:

refined sugar

refined grains

grain flour products, including whole grain flours

refined omega-6 seed oils: soy, corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut etc.

trans-fats

*legumes/beans (unless they are soaked for 3 days and pressure cooked)

*whole grains (unless they are soaked for 3 days and pressure cooked)

(* Read Chapter 16)

The Heart of the Matter: You're Only Getting Half the Story (Part 4)

Sorry.  I procrastinated on providing part 4.  (You can go back to Part 1 here.)

I promised to write about the poly-pill study, which seems to me to have faded away over time.   It is an approach that pretty much insults the patient.  Let's put 5 or so meds into one pill to improve compliance.  

First of all, we're already too lazy to look at the dietary aspect of health, so might as well dump all the so-called medicines into one pill so we don't have to take responsibility for our own health.  

That's me being sarcastic.  We already know these drugs make the heart less healthy, so I  won't be considering this with a fair and balanced eye.   

The researchers admit the volunteers had a reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol, but we need to look deeper to see if health is improved.  (Blood pressure went down 3 points, and cholesterol 4 points.  See the Deflame Diet, Chapter 16)

It's still a "one size fits all" approach. If you have a bad reaction to a medication, how do you figure out which one is affecting you?

If you take a pill and keep eating your damaging diet, you will still have inflammation attacking your organs.

Oh, and nevermind that the authors of this proposal have applied for a patent in the polypill.  I am all for entrepreneurship, but, I won't be a buyer. 

See you at the table.

The adjusting table.

--Dr. Lisa

The Heart of the Matter: You Are Only Getting Half the Story (Part 3)

Need to read part 1 and 2?  Start here.

After watching the 2015 documentary film, The WIDOWMAKER, I felt compelled to blog about other information regarding heart health to round out the discussion.  


The film addressed technology for the problem of death due to sudden cardiac arrest, but it did not delve into the long occurring breakdown in health that got people into trouble in the first place. 

So, I offered 6 points of information and covered 1-3 in my Part 2 blog post.

What's Missing?
1- We need to talk about the nervous system
2- We need to talk about collateral arteries
3- We need to discuss why animals don't get heart attacks
4- We need to stop talking about cholesterol and change the subject to inflammation
5- We need to talk about the Jupiter study
6- We need to talk about the Poly-pill study

As a chiropractor, I offer people natural ways to maintain their health.  In fact, anything unnatural adds more stress to the body which is ultimately problematic and illogical.  These natural ways allow them to achieve health with their own efforts (with the exception of chiropractic:  someone else has to adjust the spine, but it is still a natural approach) giving people a sense of empowerment and accomplishment. 

When someone is in the midst of a health crisis, things are pretty scary and the level of anxiety pushes someone into a vulnerable state of helplessness. 

When someone is in an emergency situation, the trauma team at a hospital intervenes.  A life is saved with technological advancements, but the patient now has the daunting task of finding new life style habits to prevent a recurrence.  I don't believe it is daunting because the freedom and sense of personal achievement is powerful in healing. On the down side, the medical establishment turns to a slew of maintenance prescriptions that need constant monitoring for side effects. 

I do not prescribe drugs.  I don't want to.  As a consumer of health products, I am aware of the limitations of medicine and the risk of chemicals in the body.  I am also aware of the limitations of a body riddled with tissue damage.  When your tissues are drowning in the acidic soup of inflammation, the true source of inflammation must be addressed, and drugs only add to the fiery soup. My goal is to educate people on what is actually needed to stay alive and thrive. 

My dad died in his sleep from a coronary occlusion. But how am i sure of that?  The autopsy found the blockage, but was it really his nervous system strangled under inflammatory conditions? It was a long time ago when he was constantly given a clean bill of health after running a few minutes on a treadmill once a year.  His numbers were perfect according to his doctors .  He was taking blood pressure medication along with bile acid sequestrants. I can't remember how low his blood pressure was under medication, but his doctors were pretty happy.  

Now I blame his love of margarine for his death in his early 70's.  But I need to consider multiple factors affecting the state of his nervous system.  He was exposed to a lot of chemicals on the job that could have made his arteries stiff.  The bile acid seqestrants interfere with nutrient absorption, so I believe he lost minerals like magnesium and B vitamins that are critical for heart function. 

According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, we're no better off than 20 years ago.  Some websites state heart disease has decreased, but it is still the number one cause of death. And what about quality of life?  

4- We need to stop talking about cholesterol and change the subject to inflammation
Author, David Seaman, states in his book, The Deflame Diet,  cholesterol is "an 'innocent bystander' being unjustly blamed for clogging arteries."  He also cites recent studies that show inflammation is the culprit in atherosclerosis, not cholesterol.  Cardiovascular researchers know this is the case and the old view is no longer substantiated in the literature.  (See Chapter 20 of The Deflame Diet)  There are so many other authors out there who have already covered this topic I don't feel the need to give my readers a science lecture. 

Chronic inflammation is an underlying cause of heart and vessel dysfunction.  But you have to learn about it on your own because the medical establishment still tells you to eat low fat.  Processed food and soft drink manufacturers give money to health associations.  They will all tell you to eat anything in moderation so the money keeps flowing.  

The most inflaming foods are sugar, grains and seed oils which tends to add up to 60% of the average person's diet.  Asking someone to change 60% of his or her diet can create quite a panic, so there needs to be some type of emotional preparation.  Still, freeing someone from an inflammation catastrophe has numerous benefits in addition to improving heart health.  

5- We need to talk about the Jupiter study

Statin medications are the doctors' favorite for reducing cholesterol.  But, actually measuring if patients are better off is very difficult to prove.  I recently listened to talk by David Diamond who had to evaluate his health status.  Fifteen years ago  he was overweight and had terrible lab numbers.  He has improved all his heart disease risks by eating a low carb high fat diet and has never taken a statin medicine.  I liked his approach with the audience.  I liked that he was straightforward about the carbohydrate problem regarding overall heart and blood sugar health. I am impressed that he is a neuroscience researcher.  He understands the brain and mental function.  His critics complain he is not a heart expert, but they are missing the point that the brain and heart need the same nutrition for health.  He certainly knows how chemicals damage the brain!

He also has been critical of statin studies that poorly state their case of effectiveness yet media talkers brag about a number that is really insignificant yet blown up as major breakthrough in managing heart conditions. 

Read here: a summary of his objections to the Jupiter drug study. 

What I find interesting and helpful is really delving into the meaning of cholesterol since low cholesterol sets people up for poor health increasing their risks of infection and cancer.  Older people who have higher cholesterol in actually in better health, so it is seen as protective. As far as the damage to the brain, this is right up Dr. Diamond's alley.  Here in this link he reiterates his years of work in a rebuttal after other professionals complained of his debate with another doctor on a radio program. 


Dr. Diamond has never taken a statin and 15 years later he has had no heart attacks.  Imagine that!  What I find comical is that his doctors didn't like the fact that he used a low carb high fat diet to regain his health.  Here is a video of one of his entertaining talks.

6- We need to talk about the Poly-Pill study in Part 4.
I'm sorry that I'm taking so long to write this.  It takes a while to gather the information, even though it is readily available on the internet.  If you read David Seaman's The Deflame Diet, you will learn about the poly-pill study of researchers who want everyone over the age of 55 to take a daily pill that contains 2  blood pressure meds, an aspirin, a B vitamin (synthetic, of course), and a statin.  They did a 12 week study and took out a patent on their idea.  I'll let you know about this in Part 4.

Thanks for reading.