Reminder: What We Already Know

Recently and, in particular, at the State chiropractic conference this past weekend I was aware of the vast numbers of companies selling nutritional supplements. The vendors’ speeches, the flashy brochures, and all the talk. Talk not always, or often backed up by serious science.

I was reminded of what we have in JuicePlus+, the most research brand-name nutritional product in the world. There is real science; and from all of my investigations – including a trip the their annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona – the company does not make claims that are not supported by primary high quality (usually gold standard) research, conducted in top research centers, and published in the best peer-reviewed journals that there is.

“The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” (Ann Wigmore)

JuicePlus+ is food, remember; probiotics and digestive enzymes are added (that is the ‘plus’). What exactly is in it and what exactly is not in it is certified by a third party verifying through independent testing that it meets and exceeds strict quality standards: it is NSF Certified.

JuicePlus+ helps bridge that gap between what we wish we ate and what we usually do eat: it helps us get closer to the 7-10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

And there is the research results…

Another reminder:

Here is what that science shows: JuicePlus+…

…contributes to cardiovascular wellness

…supports a healthy inflammatory response

…supports quality of life

…supports healthy cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride metabolism

…supports healthy lung function

…supports healthy skin and gums

…supports the immune system

…helps maintain healthy DNA

…reduces oxidative stress

…and is absorbed by the body

 

Advertisements

“Your eyes are in excellent condition.”

That comment was followed by, “You do not need glasses.”

It had been over five years since I had my eyes checked, so I went. What she meant by not needing glasses is that I do not need ‘prescription’ lens glasses: readers will do fine. (Last time I was in I ended up with bifocal prescription lens glasses…)

At 63, eyes maybe better than five years ago, certainly not worse, that made my day.

(The doctor mentioned my age bracket. I asked the upper end of the bracket. She said about 65. She explained that eye sight usually worsens from the early 40s to about 65, but then does not worsen after that. So, if I can hold out a few more years…)

I thought of all of those people who say to me that JuicePlus+ is too expensive, or that the alkaline water they drink is like Kangen water, or that getting chiropractic care just isn’t a priority.

It isn’t just one thing, of course, but the accumulation of many small and not-so-small healthy choices that make the difference. That and being blessed:-)

I will keep taking my JuicePlus+.

For Tai Chi Students: Separate Feet (Othmar)

Shi San International

Happy 100th Birthday

No, not chiropractic, that was yesterday (124 years!!)

This is the cake from a party that I attended on Sunday.

How cool is that!?

Seth Godin (He Keeps Getting Better)

At saying what shouldn’t need to be said in the first place!

“I know it’s bad – but everyone’s doing it”

The optimists who got excited about the ‘everyone has a microphone’ promise of the Net 20 years ago overlooked two flaws in human nature:

First, given sufficient reward (money, attention, fame, notoriety) some people will show up and say and do things that they know are wrong.

Second, if enough people are in the first group of bottom fishers, many other people may decide that those behaviors aren’t as wrong as they thought they were. The internet ends up normalizing bad behavior, because bad behavior captures our attention and gets noticed. We multiply the outliers in our imagination and come to the erroneous conclusion that their behavior is common, when it actually isn’t.

There are two ways forward, and both are up to us: First, we can start paying more attention (rewarding) good behavior. And second, we can start modeling precisely the sort of discourse and contributions we hope to see from others.

The best antidote to a culture shifting to bad behavior is to re-normalize good behavior.

How To Make the Simple Complicated, And Then Profit From It

Notice who will profit. 

Corporate capitalisms’ favorite trick: create a massive problem (mainstream medicine – including pharmaceuticals, then profit from pretending to address the problem). Examples abound.

For Tai Chi Students: Separate Arms

Ergonomics: Workstation 101 (The Desk)

This YouTube video is pretty good on almost all counts: there is nothing wrong with the recommended exercises, or advice to ‘just get up’. He starts at the desk; I think it makes more sense to start at the floor (feet, then knees, then hips). In general, most people will do fine with his recommendations. If you are still having trouble then see a chiropractor. (I would say that wouldn’t I?)

More Active, More Better (Carrots and Sticks)

According to this new research you are five times more likely to die an early death if you are not active (the stick).

This is not new news, it is more news – same theme. ‘Eat less, move more’ has been around a while. ‘Sitting is the new smoking’ has been around a while. It is a fact that every Blue Zone population on the planet (the folks who figured out health and longevity, not to mention happiness), has known for a while.

What you do seems to matter less and less; the authorities are simply trying to get people to move more. Some people suggest that there is nothing they can think of that they would want to do, activity-wise. That is hard to believe.

As a fitness fanatic for over forty years, one of my favorite parts of helping patients get active is coming up with clever choices that fit within their range of physical capacities, and are something that they can and would like to do (they are willing to do). They may still sabotage the plan, but I am not a psychologist.

The beauty of physical activity is that if a person does get active, happy chemicals will take over (the carrot) and they will eventually develop the habit. That is the best kept secret of the healthy, happy, heavy breathers: happy chemicals. Don’t tell anyone!

“I am no longer in pain…” FOUR ISSUES

The question was “Does it ‘make sense’ to continue” with ongoing chiropractic care?

That question is in the mind of many patients, once they feel better; we sometimes get to have mature conversations about it. I had that conversation with a patient today.

First it is understood that patients almost always present with pain (or some symptom) as their “problem”. We try to distinguish between symptom as cause: as chiropractors we address their function – look for and correct a condition (the subluxation complex) causing their pain. This is part of us doing our job to (1) inform them so that they can make informed choices, and (2) help them understand chiropractic (it is not a “medical” practice), it is different!

Second, whether or not it “makes sense” is not my call. Once a patient is educated, they need to decide on their priorities. As the professional health care provider I have to give them information that helps them with that, but my recommendations is as far as that goes. We providers have to be Ok with whatever decision the patient makes, I think, and to honor that, “love them the same” is what I always say. Not everyone agrees, but that approach has many benefits for the patient, short and long term.

Third, an understanding of what it means to “continue”  with ongoing chiropractic care needs to be clarified. They what to know because of money, or time/inconvenience usually. Since my care is based on how they function, the frequency of visits is adjusted as they improve: they come in less and less often. A visit once each month or every three months rests a lot easier in the mind of the average patient trying to manage their issues (priorities). This provides another opportunity to explain that for them to do the recommended home exercise is to hold their adjustments longer, hence they can comfortably go longer between visits. It is not just logical, with experimentation patients figure that out for themselves.

Fourth, finally, this conversation often times takes place over many years of recurring episodes of pain, and in many different ways. It really can take a while for patients to believe that the doctor has their best interest in mind when making recommendations: it is perhaps rare in their experience. The beauty of being around a while (35 years now) is that the choice people make on their path have consequences that are all quite predictable. It is predictable that pain will improve rather quickly with chiropractic care (step one). Taking care of the spine will help keep the pain and progressive degenerative decay at bay (step two). The cause of health and the cause of ill health are the choices in front of each of us. The numbers of options do change over time, but as some wise and famous person once said, “It is never too late to start heading in the right direction”.

Food Confusion and Science

Here is an article, solid in science, that adds context to the confusion of foods facts and dietary choices.

And like most reasonable folks these days, they can not talk about all of that without mentioning the Blue Zones.

But I guess you have heard me harp on that enough – dozens of Blog Posts are dedicated to that lifestyle.

Critical News for all Parents!

Well, important information. Whether it is news or not is another thing. It is critical though!