If You Care, It Shows

When I was in 6th or 7th grade I bought my first guitar. I saved up a huge pile of quarters for months.  My grandma would slip me a five dollar bill every now and then.  It was about $125 including tax.  I had my eye on the display at Kmart. Finally the day came when my new guitar was placed in it's cardboard box and I took it home. 

Being a kid.  I had no idea of the quality of the wood, or how the type of assembling gave the guitar its unique sound.  At that simple age, I was proud I could afford a "starter" guitar.  I enjoyed it. 

This is much like the folks I meet who believe they are doing great with the "one a day" style vitamins.  The ones advertised all over the TV.  They are "starter" pills.  I did the same thing when I was in my 20s.  I took  a CVS vitamin once and day and felt proud that my urine was yellow.  I knew I wasn't up to snuff if my urine was pale looking.  It meant I missed a dose of my great store vitamins. 

Just like my Kmart guitar, these cheap pills are just that, cheap.  However, a beginner's guitar is not dangerous to health.  Synthetic vitamins are horrible. 

Now that I hang out with more people who play guitar, I know more about quality.  You don't buy the cheapest instrument at the department store.  You actually go to a music store that specializes in stringed instruments.  You may even go straight to the crafter who builds guitars. 

This is the same with nutrition companies.  As you learn more about quality, you go to specialists.  You can even visit their farms and production plants. 

If you think you deserve the best quality nutrients, especially knowing how drastically poor our food supply is, you will go to specialists.  You won't listen to corny commercials during your favorite Monday night sit-com. 

In fact, the high quality supplement companies do not waste their money on fancy TV commercials.  They have more important things to do, like inspecting raw materials and planting regenerative crops. 

As we get older, we get smarter, right? More experience means you give yourself more options. 

Yes, I carry my favorite supplements in my office.  And I take them myself, for my own health.  

Oh no, I'm trying to get more money out of you by selling supplements.  

It's a free country.  You can go to the drug stores and buy what you want.  Ask the counter clerk for a copy of a quality analysis of your favorite supplement.  I bet the clerk can't even find the phone number for customer support.  Ask which farm you can visit. The store clerks are not invested in the products.  They just stack them on the shelves.

I have a new guitar, a Taylor Mini Special Edition.  It's got a great sound. It took a while to decide it was time for a new guitar.  Actually I haven't had one for many years.  I don't have my beginner guitar any more.  With all my moves, I have no idea where it ended up. 

With my new guitar I'm committed to play more, get better. 

When it comes to chiropractic, which is Greek for practice of the hands, cheir + praktos, you want to to support your adjustment with top notch nutrition.  I use my hands to adjust the spine.  You also practice with your hands the lifestyle habits that support your chiropractic care. 

Your body is reorganizing itself all the time.  Your nervous system is busy guarding and guiding bodily functions.  It deserves your thanks.  It deserves reimbursement.  Energy out = Energy In.  Pay back what stress takes. 

Just as I am inspired to be a better guitar player with a nice instrument, I hope you are inspired to understand how profound chiropractic and nutrition can be in your life. 

When you know how well designed your body is, you are more inclined to take better care of it.  Simple idea, but it can give you great mileage.  

My battle begins everyday when I have to first tell people that they are not diseased, they are not aging, and they are not falling apart.  You are built like a fine stradivarius.  We are not as flawed as we have been taught, but that negativity goes deep.  This belief does great damage to our brain's ability to handle stress.  Let's reverse the trend of misleading information.  

Get acquainted with your intelligent brain and body so you can see real improvements in your health. 

Learn the basics of the Brain First Protocol. 

Treat yourself like you would treat a valuable and beautiful stradivarius. Because you are valuable and beautiful. 

*  *  *  *  

What's Up with Concussions?

 

(Image: Queensland Brain Inst)

Again, I watch another news story about the increase in concussions.  And I wonder, what has changed?  What has changed in us?  We have always played hard, and fallen hard.  Is it possible our current traumas are more forceful?  I don't think so.  

Perhaps car accidents are more impactful with higher speed limits and a looser attitude toward driving under the influence...

Perhaps children are playing sports in a way that is too adult-like.  There's pressure to perform.  There's pressure to get a scholarship. Are kids playing more forcefully than when I was a child?  After all, we play for the thrill.  And to win.

I want to throw out some different hypotheses.

1- We are built differently.  I'll say we are weaker.  What are we made of? We are made of chemicals.  The protein matrix of our bones, muscles, and tissues are full of poisons.  We have a load of pesticides, solvents, preservatives, drugs and injections in our systems.  Besides having a lot of environmental pollutants, it is awful knowing our food supply is deliberately poisoned.  Our food is not food.  (I bet scientists already have proof of this but won't tell us.  I bet there are findings on blood work or Xrays that haven't been taught in medical school so they are ignored.  You hear the term "artifacts" bandied about often.  It's too easy to say, "Oh, it's just a meaningless artifact."  Is it meaningless?

2- Our brains are terribly wired.  Our brains are already damaged by our life styles. A brain can be so wrapped up in stress that it can't handle the new stress of an injury.   Our brains are then in a super high level of nervous system overload. The autonomic nervous system is so fired up with draining stress hormones that an injury pushes it over the edge.  When the body is already at the brink of collapse and then an impromptu accident is especially taxing.

Most of us appear to be functional.  We have no idea how burdened our nervous systems are, because we are used to it.

"Toughen up!"   Don't look weak.  Don't ask for help. 

How do you know if your nervous system is on the brink of collapse?  If something threw your life into a tail spin right now, would your brain and body be able to handle it?

Would you have a mild injury to recover from , or would you end up disabled?

The Brain First Protocol will shed light on this. 

Chiropractic is the Foundation of the Brain First Protocol. I'll teach you why.

The whole point of chiropractic is to adjust the spine so it can unwind the stress of your life, giving you a refreshed energy to live the whole human experience  --- regardless of pain, whether you are in pain or not in pain.   

The brain is constantly reorganizing itself.  Chiropractic enhances the process. 

-- Dr. Lisa

--Your Health Freedom Advocate

So, You Think You're In Control ?

 The Brain Decides & Delegates. 

It is Your Friend, not Your Enemy.  

I Teach Why. 

A Brain at work is not a Disease.

It's the Design.

You have Intelligent Design.

You can decipher it or disparage it.  Which one sounds healthier?

(Sometimes we misread our body's signals and add more fuel to the fire.)

Everyday your nervous system is learning new patterns, new wiring based on your exposures as you live your life. 

 You are totally unique.  Your patterns are all yours. 

Your brain is constantly reorganizing your body's responses based on the environment: your internal environment and external environment.  

This is the genuine magic of the autonomic nervous system.  

It takes care of your survival needs.  

Your limbic system regulates the survival responses -- Fight or Flight.

But, your pre-frontal cortex helps you decide how you want to move forward in life.  The pre-frontal cortex helps you stop a fight, for example.  That discerning part of your brain is what kept you from hitting your brother in the face when he made you mad.   

We may not have control over our immediate nervous systems responses, but we can choose to change the stress levels.  

The Brain First Protocol gives us the opportunity to respect the Fight or Flight response and the balance that allows our body to rest and repair. 

Is Your Pain a Villain?  Read More Here.

Brain First * Body Follows

Chiropractic works in sync with your

Intelligent Design

Posture is So Misunderstood

 Posture is not the Original Problem…

Fixing the Posture Won't Work

It is the Silent Alarm of Brain/Organ Burn-Out

from the Nervous System protecting you from the environment. (Mental, Physical, Chemical Environment)

The Fight or Flight position is head down, in order to run. The head weighs as much as a bowling ball.

For every inch the head leans forward, it adds 10 pounds of pressure on the body.

What happens over time?

• Headaches      Neck Pain      Vision Problems

• Thyroid Burnout     Cold    Weight Gain     Flaky Skin

• Shoulder pain, dysfunction

• Gall Bladder Removed         Liver problems   

• Heart / Lung Problems      Less Oxygen to the Brain      Anxiety

• Slowed Digestion    Bloated      Sinus Problems

• Leaky Gut: Allergies       Skin problems / Skin Rashes      Brain fog

• Irritable bowel: Constipation or Diarrhea     Crohn’s   Colitis

• Adrenal problems      Fatigue       Blood Sugar Problems, 

• Bone Loss, Muscle Loss / Atrophy

• Reproductive System Problems: PCOS, Heavy Periods, Infertile

• Back Pain       Leg Pain      Restless Legs       Calf Cramps

• Achilles Tendonitis or Rupture

•  Memory Problems   Depression    Poor Sleep  Vivid  Dreams 

It's another chicken and the egg question.

What came first?

Every organ/muscle/gland is stressed at the same time.

Why is the body so stressed?

We need an "Every" approach.

What Can We Do?

Follow the Brain First Protocol !!

Brain First / Body Follows

Chiropractic is the Foundation of the Brain First Protocol. I'll teach you why.

The whole point of chiropractic is to adjust the spine so it can unwind the stress of your life, giving you a refreshed energy to live the whole human experience  --- regardless of pain, whether you are in pain or not in pain.   

The brain is constantly reorganizing itself.  Chiropractic enhances the process. 

-- Dr. Lisa

--Your Health Freedom Advocate

S.M.A.R.T. Goals Are Dumb

Image: VeryFitWell.com

SMART Goals are not that smart.   

S.M.A.R.T. is for robots.   You are not a robot. You are a person with emotions, memories, and a persistent nervous system. 

We all have genuinely important goals we want to achieve. People want to lose weight, be more healthy, have better relationships, be good role models for their children, save money for a rainy day, etc.

S.M.A.R.T. doesn't really touch on the real problem of why we can't meet our goals. 

The SMART part doesn't help us get over our road blocks, the things that get in the way of our success.  And most of the time the road block is fear.

What is S.M.A.R.T.?

S -specific 

M -measurable

A -achievable

R -relevant

T -time-bound

This approach to success doesn't get anyone excited, right? Image: ParentMap

With any type of desired success, it requires an energy shift.  Where are you concentrating your time and energy?  

Saying you want to lose 10 pounds by losing one pound a week is not very motivating.  Yes, it is specific, measurable, achievable, etc., but the elephant in the room is why you gained 10 pounds in the first place and why it doesn't make you happy. 

To be even more depressing, the energy shift requires giving something up to gain something more worthwhile. It's a grieving process.

And the fear is still not addressed.  What is there to fear?

Fear of cravings.

Fear no one will support you or fear someone will tempt you

Fear of saying no to someone who offered you a plate of cookies. 

Fear of saying no at the junk food booth at the local football game.

Fear of losing friendships with folks who like buffet restaurants.

Fear of others watching you as you stumble around gym equipment that you've never used before.

The measurable end goal seems so simple.  Ten pounds should be no big deal.  But the real deal is what kept you from the goal which is your brain patterns.  

From a chiropractic point of view, we know a flexible nervous system is behind good health.  We utilize the chiropractic adjustment to rewire the brain from exhaustion and weakness to vitality.  

And yes, an exhausted brain can't think well.  A burned out brain is unable to problem solve. 

If you have weight loss as a goal, the reading on the scale is only one outcome.  From a brain first perspective so much more can be achieved such as better sleep, more energy, more productivity, more time for recreation and hobbies, maybe even a new job and a career move.  It's not about weight.  It's about how well your brain carries you through your life. And that brain is attached to your spine!

If you have other health goals, such as moving better with ease, having a clearer head, reducing anxiety, your brain health matters, too. 

If you want to skip the SMART way and go the BRAIN way, you've come to the right place. 

B - bed (sleep)

R - repattern (I'll teach you how)

A - adjustments (the opportunity to wake up the brain)

I - innate or insight (learn why the brain is always correct)

N - nutrition 

Brain First --> Body Follows

Brain First --> A Vibrant Life Follows

Take the first step today and make the phone call.  I don't bite. 

315-277-1362.

Change is a Verb

It Shouldn't Be This Hard.  I Quit!

I've Said it so many times!

I'm taking a course on coaching / motivational interviewing, and it reminds me of how hard it is to incorporate change into your life style.  

My biggest struggle is getting myself focused on a regular exercise routine.  The truth is, I have so many other things in my life that must come first. You know what I mean.  You can name your own road blocks. 

Work, family, getting to the grocery store, putting out fires, figuratively, when an appliance breaks down or you need an emergency plumbing repair.  All these other things get in the way. 

Then I follow these healthy diet gurus online who brag about their blood sugar numbers and ketones.  I watched a gal who made a video of her entire work day and how she fit in time at the cross fit gym and then a session in the sauna after a day full of appointments. 

First, I said to myself, she 's going to kill herself at that pace.  Then I said, but you don't have young children to raise, (I believe she has a child in college and one soon to graduate high school).  She probably has a housekeeper, yard worker and dog walker. I'm smug and pointing out how easy she has it with such a supportive group of people around her.  Well, she has to be a good example.  Perhaps that is the motivation.  She can't fail....... maybe she's falling apart on the inside with this high level of self imposed pressure.  

I tell myself diet and exercise shouldn't be that difficult.  And I work on ways to make it easier for my practice members.  But I can't.  It has to come from the individual's deepest desire to do some things differently.  

I've even said, "It shouldn't be this hard.  I quit."  And I've quit, many times.  It's the re-starting that makes me feel worse because I see how much progress I wasted.  Then I berate myself. I really wasn't that bad off, but now I have to make up for lost time.  That lost time is really demoralizing.  But it's never too late.  The studies have shown that muscle can be re-toned at any age. I'm getting back on track.  You can too. 

Change, after all, is a verb.  It comes from your inspired actions. 

But what kind of change do you want?  

You can go to a medical physician because you want a change.  You are given a pill and brief advice. Does this inspire action?  No.  It's like a visit to the principal's office, so it's more of a lecture and a depressing interaction. It may provide superficial change.

Do I offer something different?  I hope so.  Most folks don't like taking pills and will stop taking them or take less. Others will take them consistently without realizing the nutrient deficiencies that follow, which makes them feel worse or they believe their disease has progressed.   Nothing empowering here. 

I offer an explanation of why the body does what it does.  All body responses are logical and correct for the situation.  It may take more time to understand this different point of view.  This is the part that is unique only to you and no text book in medical school (or chiropractic college) addresses this. 

This seminar reminds me that everyone starts at the contemplation/recontemplation stage.  It should be called the ruminating stage. The starting is the most challenging. 

And I know, as a chiropractor, it boils down to the patterns wired into your brain.  When I talk to people resistant to change it is because their brains are drained of nutrients.  They are in an energy crisis brought on by an excessive fight or flight response.  

That's why the next step after verbalizing a desired goal is to assess the brain's capacity then concentrate on a brain nurturing plan.  

*Brain First * Body Follows*

* Brain First  then...Behaviors Can Be Enhanced.

Here's a quick hint: Get adequate sleep!

Next: Get coaching from me: The Brain First Protocol.

Paradox: Your Body Is Right But It's Miserable

Image: Forbes Article    

The same way your nervous system was trashed is the same way we repair it, but with compassion and common sense. 

You got here, in this state of disorganization because your brain followed your lead.  

Chiropractic can unravel it.

It doesn't matter what you call it.

Fatigue * Depression * Diabetes * Chronic Pain * Arthritis *  *Headaches * Anxiety * Angina * Restless Leg * Sciatica* Immune Dysfunction * Thyroid Disorder * Allergies *  Etc...   Etc...

Your brain learned it from your Fight or Flight adventures or misadventures....  Your life.  Your stress.  Your reaction to stress.  Your memories.  

Chiropractic helps you shift gears to reverse this learned helplessness. 

Chiropractic Reboots the Computer.

Brain First Protocol