Taking Wellness on the Road

I just got a chance to try my hand at traveling the airways and staying healthy. (Family trip to Arizona. Warmer, dryer weather. And no major breakdowns. Wow!)

Traveling this time of year means putting ourselves in a closed environment with lots of other potentially infectious people at a time when we’re most vulnerable to those nasty rapidly multiplying cold and flu bugs. Then, we pile on the additional stresses that come with the holidays: Christmas cheer, liquid-edition; poor eating choices (Christmas cheer, solid-edition, featuring tons of white flour and sugar); less exercise due to poor weather; and crescendos of invitations to enjoy still more Christmas cheer. Not that I don’t enjoy all the festivities, but the combination of factors leads to a compromised immune system vulnerable to all those bugs floating about.

So, as I prepared for my trip, I tried to think about what’s essential to keeping healthy along the way. At the same time, I did my best to pack lightly and simply.

Simply, of course, is a relative concept. Non-negotiable items are:
• A neti pot for cleansing my sinuses of all airborne toxins
• My beloved cervical-friendly pillow
• GreensFirst or Red Alert for convenient nutrient intake and antioxidant protection
• Digestive enzymes
• Adrenal support for “fight and flight” responses (It was a family visit, remember?)
• Thyroid support (This is specific to me; everyone has unique supplemental needs.)
• Dental floss
Any extra room gets filled with clothes. And all into a suitcase that fits nicely into the overhead compartment or beneath the seat in front of me.

While away, I avoided caffeine, the simple carbs, and overeating. (No, I really did…well, most of the time, anyway.) On the plane, I drank tomato juice and bottled water. (Basic Wellness Axiom: staying hydrated is critical.) I also made sure I walked every day for at least an hour. And I did my best to keep the plans uncomplicated.

Sounds simple, eh? Well, it is. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. But adding as many of these tricks as you can to your holiday routines will help you keep your spirits up — right through and into the New Year.

PS: Don’t forget to leave room for the unexpected, entertaining, welcome surprise.

Sit Up and Take Notice

It appears I will never lack for material while my son, Julian, is around. Take yesterday, when I told him to close his computer.

“Mom, do you care if I’m healthy?”

I could see immediately that I was on a slippery slope. Cautiously, I affirmed my care, as he knew I would. Then I sat back to learn how continued computer time was going to augment his health.

“Well,” he began, “if you cared about my health you’d let me stay on the computer.” Here we go. “I’m exercising my fingers and increasing my ability to focus.” This was not a battle he would win.

Of course, it did get me thinking. What’s so wrong with our computerized, television-saturated culture? Let’s start with the basics. Posture.

The spine is more than just a skeletal support. It houses our nervous system and through its “fingers,” the ribcage, our organs. Poor posture causes decreased nerve impulse to all areas of the body, and it doesn’t take a lot of pressure to cause problems all down the line. Think “twisted hose, no water.” Most often, we don’t seek help due to poor posture until we’re in pain. But, guess what? That musculoskeletal pain is just the latest step in a slow, cumulative process. And so are the progressive organ problems that originate in our younger days and increasingly plague us as we age.

Good health is built upon a foundation of good posture, nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress reduction. (Good genetics are helpful, too, of course.) Our health, like our home, is easier to maintain if we build it on a good foundation. But it’s not too late; we can still fix the major cracks, if we catch them soon enough.

So remember: posture and proper alignment are key to proper nerve conduction, and to proper, pain-free function in all areas of the body — even if we can’t feel it happening.

Getting Cold vs. Getting a Cold

It is an unusual day when my son Julian doesn’t challenge me to rethink how I do things and why. Whether he’s asking which is a better breakfast — a toasted white-flour bagel or a piece of dark chocolate — or wondering why the peace advocates in front of the courthouse want us to wave instead of honk, there’s never a dull moment with Julian.

Yesterday was no exception. He continues — as many children apparently do — to consider wearing a jacket an antiquated idea that serves no useful purpose in his life. Armed with — what else is new? — a well-thought-out defense, he asked to take to school a note stating he could choose whether or not to wear his jacket on breaks. He was adamant that the note stipulate “in any weather.” He explained his rationale: he’s in constant motion outside, and he’s happy to continue to wear socks, shoes, gloves, and a cap, since most body-heat is lost through the extremities.

I had to admit he had a point. To admit that he hardly ever gets sick (see the previous blogs about keeping kids well). And, to admit that I’ve always thought the chill theory was overrated. So, he got his note.

Imagine my surprise this morning to see a recent study in which ninety students were paid to put their feet in cold water for twenty minutes. (Probably a minimum wage job!) Thirteen of the foot-soaking students developed cold symptoms, compared to five in the control group. The authors conjectured that feet-in-cold-water led to a constriction of nasal blood vessels, which increased viral susceptibility. But, they also noted that those developing cold symptoms had reported more frequent colds in prior years than had those who did not develop symptoms. (See an article about the study here.)

It reminded me of a class in chiropractic school, where our assignment was to fully immerse an arm in ice water while another student monitored our blood pressure. I whined and complained, but my blood pressure stayed nice and low; my test partner sat calmly, while her blood pressure reached dangerous heights.

What do I make of all this? We are all unique, and some of us are more susceptible to colds, while others are more susceptible to headaches, or allergies, or…you name it. More importantly, for most of us, STRESS is the aggravating factor.

In all cases, the answers lie in the same direction: Total Wellness. Strengthen your immune system through proper diet, targeted supplementation, stress reduction, and common sense. Drink your water — all 64 ounces, every day. Eat (or drink!) your fruits and veggies. Spurn those sweets and white flour treats. And — for some of us — put on that coat.

As for Julian…well, it’s another bargaining chip. Eat and drink up your protein, fruits, and veggies, Kiddo, and you may not have to wear that jacket.

Speaking of Rampant Infections, etc.

Speaking of rampant infections and deadly bacteria (see Children and Ear Infections), let’s look at our alternatives for staying healthy and avoiding illness — especially now, as the flu and cold season ramps up.

Consider the benefits of:
• a high-antioxidant drink to boost the immune system. (We offer two great ones, GreensFirst and Red Alert. Ask Lesley Ann for a free sample.)
• regular chiropractic adjustments to keep that nervous system pumping at its highest level.
• a reflex evaluation to identify and shore up any week spots or to appraise your current supplement regimen and design a more effective, targeted approach.
• daily use of the neti pot, a safe, effective, natural way to open those sinus passages and wash out the creepy-crawlies.
• a non-antibiotic solution, whenever possible.
• giving up white flour and sugar and stress and negative self-talk.

And, finally, consider your health the most important resource you have, and treat it with care.

Children and Ear Infections

On a seasonal note, ear infections are another ailment that can be managed with a total wellness approach. Our health care system increasingly travels the road of serial antibiotic treatments and tubes implanted in the eardrum. These invasive treatments further compromise the immune system, and lead to gut irritation, yeast overgrowth, bacterial regeneration, and ultimately to even greater problems down the highway. We'll help you and your child steer clear of this wreck waiting to happen with a combination of gentle manipulation, dietary changes, allergy desensitization, homeopathy, and lymph drainage.

Not to mention the scandalous and scary effects our societal addiction to antibiotics is yielding day by day. You can check out the latest on antibiotic resistance here.

Children and Traditional Chiropractic

But, what about traditional chiropractic and children? It’s a no-brainer. Children respond wonderfully to chiropractic adjustments for all musculoskeletal problems, and addressing them early can prevent future complaints. But, let’s not forget that while we treat the musculoskeletal system, we’re also working on the nervous system. That means chiropractic treatment helps resolve a wide-ranging list of conditions. Combine that structural correction with proper nutrition, immune system support, and homeopathic or nutritional supplements and we can improve our children’s overall health today, tomorrow, and for their lifetime.

Treating Children

It always surprises me when people ask whether I treat children. When it comes to health, children, for the most part, are just like us big people, only smaller. And some, like my son Julian, are seven-going-on-thirty. Julian has learned — on those RARE occasions when I get cranky — to suggest I go on my walk. And, when he gets cranky, to suggest dark chocolate might just be the answer. What he doesn’t yet realize is that both solutions elicit the same effect: increased serotonin, often referred to as our body chemistry’s “happy messenger.” So, it’s a tasty nibble for him and a two-mile ramble for me. Or sometimes a cocoa-y nosh for me, and twenty minutes of terrorizing the neighborhood for him. Either way, we’re both soon a lot easier to live with. Sometimes, Total Wellness means simple solutions to daily problems.

P.S. — If you do decide to try the chocolate solution, remember: 1) all things in moderation; 2) chocolate and bedtime are not good bedfellows; and 3) buy organic chocolate that’s at least 70% cacao.

Chasing the Blues, Day by Day

As we shift into December it is important to remember that there are lots of factors at play on our systems. As the solstice approaches, shorter days means less light and, for some of us, increased depression and anxiety. This can also be accompanied by a tendency to crave sugar, which we masochistically reinforce with holiday celebrations focused around sugar and white flour. Once in motion, the snowball grows. We avoid exercise, since we’re sluggish from haywire nutrition and easily dissuaded from venturing out into the cold, dark, wet weather. Hence, more depression.

What to do? The first step is awareness. The next step is a commitment to following through on that awareness. For example: Start the day with a couple of glasses of water — with a dash of lemon or lime or even cranberry, if you like. Then, take a big hit of your favorite protein, throw on your shoes and raingear, and hit the road, Jack. And I don’t mean a marathon. A simple walk around the block, ten deep breaths, and you’re good to go.

Remember — it’s often a physiological rather than psychological trigger that motivates our choices. So, let’s give ourselves a fighting chance by sending our bodies the right message first thing in the morning.