5 Tips to Help You Feel Your Best this Winter

5 Tips to Help You Feel Your Best this Winter.
Winter is the perfect time to re-set your health and restore your mind. Here are a few tips to help you stay happy and healthy through the winter so you can feel your best!
1. Optimize Your Water Intake: We need half our body weight in ounces of water per day (75% for 150-pound person). Start each day with two glasses of water before any other food or drink. Drink more water in between meals as too much during meals can dilute your digestive enzymes.
2. Get More Rest: All mammals are sleeping more this time of year and so should we. Go to bed earlier, sleep in when possible and take naps once or twice a week. Your body heals more when you sleep so give it the best opportunity you can.
3. Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D: Get outside as much as possible and supplement with 2,000-4,000 IU’s of Vitamin D per day to help with many biological processes in the body like immune support, bone health and autoimmune disorders. For more food sources of Vitamin D, read here.
4. Feed Your Soul: Take this time to look inward and reflect on yourself through prayer, meditation, writing, yoga, etc. to connect with your inner self and help relax the mind, calm emotions and raise your spirit. Learn more about stress management here.
5. Low and Slow Cooking with Broth: Broth is nutrient dense containing many essential minerals and can easily be used instead of water for cooking rice, beans, lentils, soups and stews. Cook on low temperatures for longer times and use in-season foods like root vegetables, winter greens and bone-in meats. This infuses food with heat to keep the body warm during winter months. Learn more about cooking with the season here!

Bonus Tip: Get adjusted to minimize spinal stress that can be keeping you from feeling like yourself!

Healthy Holiday Habits; 5 Tips to Start the New Year on the Right Track

5 Tips to Start the New Year on a Healthy Note.

Holiday festivities can derail even the healthiest of eaters. For many people this leads to weight gain, sick days and leaves them more susceptible to injury. Try these simple tips to stay healthy over the holidays and start the New Year on the right track!

  1. Watch your liquid calories. A 12-ounce flavored latte can have anywhere from 250 to 350 calories, hot chocolate has 250 calories, a glass of wine has 150 calories, a micro beer has 150 calories and a vodka/soda cocktail with lime has 100 calories. But, did you know that 8oz of kombucha has only 25 calories !?!?! At your next gathering, try serving GT’s Trilogy Kombucha mixed half and half with lime LaCroix. Trust me, your guests will love it! And, don’t forget to drink half your body weight in ounces of pure water per day.
  2. Look for veggies and nuts. When snacking or eating appetizers, stick to veggies and nuts. Put them on a plate/bowl and pre-determine how much you’re going to eat. Don’t graze!
  3. Stick to your routine. Go for walks, stretch, read, go to bed at the same time, don’t skip or add meals, exercise and take time for yourself each day. This will cut down on emotional eating, stress and help you not completely let yourself go.
  4. Count your “courses.” If you’re like me, you like to eat food before you eat your food. In America, we call these the appetizers. Everywhere else, it’s simply called over-eating. Appetizers, main course, second helpings and dessert add up to four courses and a heck of a lot of food. Try sticking to just one to two courses. Chew gum, drink water before a meal, have a cup of tea after you eat, put all the food you plan on eating onto one plate to give yourself a visual, have a family member hold you accountable or just do whatever is needed to resist the urge to overeat.
  5. Bring healthy options to gatherings. Make up your favorite salad, soup or veggie platter to share with friends and family. Or, order this holiday themed cookbook for new, dairy free/gluten free options that are sure to be a hit!

Bonus Tip: Get adjusted to minimize one more stress on your body and to prevent illness and injury!

5 Tips for Simple Meal Planning

5 Tips for Simple Meal Planning.

The difference between a healthy, home cooked meal and an unhealthy one is usually just the time it takes to plan and prepare it. With today’s busy lifestyle, it’s easy for working families to opt for quicker, less healthy meals in a crunch. Follow these five tips to start enjoying more delicious, nutritious meals together!

  1. Have a prep day. Set aside time every week to plan and prep a week’s worth of food. You can easily pre-cut veggies, cook meats, make soups, etc. It will make individual meal prep go much smoother and save time. Here’s a great article to get you started.
  2. Invest in a programmable crock pot or even an instant pot. Crock pots and pressure cookers with multiple settings and timers can make healthy meals a reality for working families. Or, don’t be afraid to ask a friend or neighbor to stop by during the day and turn your crock pot on for you.
  3. Have a 7-Day Plan. Knowing what you’re going to have for dinner on Thursday when it’s Monday morning takes out the guess work and minimizes trips to the store. Try eMeals and/or PlateJoy for customized help.
  4. Make it a family affair. Teach kids (and spouses) how to prep, using kid friendly knives if needed, and get them involved in as many steps as possible.
  5. Pull out the cookbook and explore food blogs. Expand your culinary reach by diving into a cookbook and explore new, healthy options. Here are some of our favorites to look into: Whole 30, Nourished Beginnings, Nourishing Traditions, Nourished Kitchen, Against All Grain, Raising Generation Nourished, Axe.

***Bonus Tip: Get adjusted! It won’t make meal planning easier but it will help your alignment, mobility and overall well-being ?

5 Tips For Managing Emotional Stress

5 Tips for Managing Emotional Stress.

Emotional stress is just as harmful to your health and physical trauma and toxic overload. But, many people don’t know what to do about it or even like to talk about it. Here are five tips to get you started on managing your emotional stress.

  1. Focus on Routine. Not only will this help with time management, it will keep your day on track and minimize emotional triggers. Establish a routine that includes both what you need to get done in addition to fun activities that you enjoy.
  2. Move Regularly. Whether it be walking, yoga, biking or even Boot Camp (high intensity interval training), regular body motion (you can call it exercise if you’d like) is vital for a healthy mindset.
  3. Feed your soul. Enjoy quiet time, read, pray, practice breathing techniques or do whatever it is that helps you relax and feel worry free. Here are a few of our favorite apps that can help. Glenn Harrold, Bold Tranquility and Centering Prayer.
  4. Find your (real) social network. Engage regularly with family, friends, church groups or even a pet. And, don’t be afraid to seek out the help of a counselor or therapist. Sometimes we all need professional help.
  5. Focus on Nutrition. Create a healthy meal plan (whole foods, paleo, Weston A Price) to keep you on track and prevent using alcohol, sugar and nicotine as coping mechanisms.

Bonus Tip: Get adjusted to minimize spinal stress that can be keeping you from feeling like yourself!

What to do when sick; 5 tips for a speedy recovery.

What to do when sick; 5 tips for a speedy recovery.

In addition to staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest, try these five tips to recover from your next illness quickly.

    1. Energize with Elderberries. Elderberries provide many immune boosting benefits and anti-viral properties. Try this syrup or make your own tea.
    2. Add Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). ACV contains a wealth of raw enzymes and beneficial bacteria (among other health benefits) to get you back to feeling like yourself again. Mix 1-2 tablespoons of ACV with 8 ounces of water and add raw honey or blackstrap molasses to minimize the strong taste.
    3. Believe in Bone Broth. Making your own bone broth is easy and full of nutrients, minerals and gelatin to help you recover from illness. Drink it like a cup of tea, use it instead of water when cooking rice and/or lentils and instantly make your homemade soups and stews more nutritious.
    4. Netti Pot is Necessary. Neti pots cleanse and refresh the nasal passages. Regular use will help relieve and prevent congested sinuses, colds and sinus infections.
    5. Embrace Essential Oils (EO). EO’s provide many therapeutic benefits and can aid in immune support. Specifically, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree and lemon can help with congestion, colds and coughs. Diffuse them in the air, apply a few drops topically (mixed with coconut oil) or add to a bath with a cup of epsom salt.

 

Bonus Tip! Get adjusted to improve circulation, drainage and enhance the body’s healing response.

3 Tips to Stay Healthy This Fall

Don’t let the cooler temperatures and diminishing sunlight hinder your health. Try our top 3 tips to stay healthy this fall so you can enjoy all that the season has to offer!

Breathe: In through the nose until the lungs are full and hold for 5 seconds.  Exhale completely and repeat for 3 full breaths. Do this 3 times a day to minimize stress, clear the airways and free you mind.

Walk Outside: There is nothing more healing than connecting with nature and breathing in clean, cool air. Commit to walking 10-15 minutes (or more) at the same time every day.

Eat In-Season Foods: Fall foods are heartier and nourishing while also supporting the immune system. Make your favorite soups & stews and save leftovers for quick meals & easy lunches!

***Bonus Tip: Get adjusted to improve mobility, circulation, drainage & physical well-being!

Learn more about “Living with the seasons.”

5 Must-Have Mobility Props

5 Must-Have Mobility Props.
Adding movement to your day to day activities is as easy as walking more, sitting on the floor instead of a couch and carrying your child on a hike instead of using a baby carrier. But most of us have restrictions and old injury that limit our mobility, function and ultimately, our health and well-being. Props are a beneficial tool to help your body move in different ways or introduce loads to minimize restrictions and promote healing. Here are our top 5 recommended props and how to best use them:
Half Round– Half rounds, or domes, provide the stability of a foam roller but in a fixed position. They’re a great way to stretch your calves, feet or even provide heel support for a modified squat. Keep one in both your home and workplace and use often. Calf/foot tension is often the root cause of many musculoskeletal issues!
Reflexology board– Reflexology boards provide instant soothing relief of foot soreness, releases stress and tension and stimulate reflexology pressure points on the bottom of your feet. Stand on these at home when working in the kitchen or at work with a standing workstation. Try 30 seconds at a time at first and move around to increase mobility between all 26 bones in the foot.
Stability Disc– Stability discs can be used to sit on at work or in the car to improve posture and alleviate spinal strain. You can also stand on them to enhance core function. Children with sensory issues often see improvements when sitting on these in the classroom.
Yoga Ball– Exercise balls promote strength, agility and balance. Use them for squats, abdominal work or just to sit on in your living room.
Pull Up Bar– Can’t do a pull-up? No problem! Hanging provides a great load on your body to improve shoulder function, minimize spinal tension, improve grip strength and open up the rib cage. Time yourself each week with a goal to hang longer and change your grip often. And yes, if you can do a pull-up, do them, lots of them with variable grips.

elderberry supplement for cold and flu season

Missing Minerals: 5 Common Deficiencies

Missing Minerals: 5 Common Deficiencies.

If you didn’t think vitamins and minerals were overwhelming, just walk down the nutrition aisle at Meijer or Wal-Mart and try to make some sense of it. Although we should get all our vitamins and minerals from our food, some essential nutrients are still lacking in a healthy diet and can contribute to chronic illness. Here is a list of what we’ve found to be the top 5 vitamin deficiencies, food sources to add and the best vitamins to supplement with that we know of:

  1. Fish Oil– the omega fatty acids in fish oils help with joint health and cellular repair. Wild Alaskan salmon is one of the best sources but is often very pricy. A more cost-effective alternative are canned sardines. When choosing a supplement, buyer beware! The jumbo bottle at Costco may not good quality and have little positive effect on your health. The best source of fish oil I know of is Rosita’s. It’s super fishy tasting and expensive. But, it works! For a better tasting oil, less expensive fish oil, try liquid Omegavail (capsule) or even the Lemon Drop Smoothie for kids.
  2. Vit D– sunshine, fatty fish (tuna, sardines & salmon), cheese and egg yolks all contain Vitamin D to help with many biological processes in the body like immune support, bone health and autoimmune disorders. Emulsi-D is a great supplement to easily get your 2,000-4,000 IU’s in per day. Bio-D mulsion is another source that may absorb better depending on the individual.
  3. Probiotics– probiotics are the good bacteria that live in your body to help with digestion and immune function and are found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, natto, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, tempeh and kefir. Probiotic Synergy is available in both tablet and powder Probiotic Supreme offers the same number of strains but in triple the concentration. For variety, Ther-biotic complete offers more total strains per capsule and their children’s chewable is perfect for kids! They also have an infant formula that is great for babies.
  4. Magnesium-magnesium helps with tissue repair, protein synthesis and over 300 biomechanical functions in the body. It is most commonly found in spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds, black beans, and avocado. Magnesium Malate provides a simple tablet at 180 mg each while Natural Calm makes a pleasant tasting drink with 155mg per teaspoon.
  5. Iodine– According to Dr. David Brownstein and many other healthcare professionals, living in the Midwest makes us significantly deficient in Iodine since it’s mostly found in seaweed, kelp and seafood. This significantly impairs thyroid function! A few great supplements are Iodoral, Liquid Iodine Forte and Iodine Synergy support your daily needs.

Essential Oil Basics

Essential Oil Basics.

Essential oils are becoming more popular as a natural health remedy. But there is still a lot of misunderstanding regarding what they are and how they help heal. Simply put, essential oils are organic compounds extracted from specific plants that exhibit healing properties. Their use for healing purposes is often called aromatherapy, which is a holistic treatment seeking to improve physical, mental and emotional health. For over 5,000 years, many different cultures have used these plant oils for many health conditions. There are even over 600 references in the Bible to essential oils and aromatic plants. They are often used for relaxation, beauty care, home cleaning and as natural medicine. Here is a basic guide to 6 essential oils from Innate Oils that can be diffused in your home, car & work or even applied with a carrier oil (coconut is often best) to be used directly on the skin.

  1. Tea Tree Oil is one of the best-known and most widely used of essential oils. The Australian Aborigines long ago realized the importance of this small tree’s healing attributes as it is effective against all three types of infectious agents: bacteria, fungi and viruses. Additionally, Tea Tree essential oil was included in the medical kits of the military in World War II due to its excellent antiseptic and immuno-stimulant properties.
  2.  Peppermint is a powerful, distinct essential oil that immediately ignites the senses. It has definitely earned its reputation as one of the most fresh and familiar oils available today. Once inhaled or consumed, it goes right to work stimulating the mind and body to help with cooling, muscle pain/aches, migraines, menstrual cramps, sinusitis, depression, nausea and anxiety.
  3. Lavender is one of nature’s most fragrant and versatile oils. It has long been used as a medicinal remedy for its antiseptic, analgesic and tonic properties. The familiar aroma of lavender is used in cosmetics, perfumes and many skin care products and derived from evergreen shrubs with light green leaves and violet-blue flowers. It is also used as a sedative, helps with calming & insomnia, acts as a muscle relaxant, decreases inflammation, alleviates sunburn & other skin conditions, eases depression, helps with asthma and can even help with headaches (when blended with peppermint).
  4. Lemon essential oil is crisp and refreshing, with an array of everyday uses and health benefits. It has become a go-to oil for newcomers and veteran users alike, employed extensively in cooking, cleaning, topical application, aromatherapy, and much more. Lemon oil is also rich in antioxidants, which provides anti-bacterial & antiseptic properties, detoxifies, prevents infectious diseases, can act as a fever reducer, repels insects and relieves mouth sores & inflammation.
  5. Pure Life is a perfect blend for warding off insects and other unwanted pests.  It is also great for cleaning and purifying the air to manage exposure to harmful chemicals/smells. Comprised of Rosemary, Lemon, Tea Tree and Lavender.   
  6. Safe Guard is another blend comprised of clove, cassia, lemon, eucalyptus, wild orange, rosemary and cedarwood. Safe-Guard has a sizeable amount of cleansing and purifying properties. When used aromatically this blend is designed to safe guard your body from harmful airborne viruses, bacteria, pollutants and promotes normal respiratory function.

 

Pregnancy Complications: 5 Common Triggers

Pregnancy Complications: 5 Common Triggers (And What To Do About Them!)

Pregnancy is a stressful time of life, both in positive and negative ways.  With so much to celebrate it’s unfortunate that the negative stresses can get in the way of enjoying the moment. These stresses can cause complications in each phase of pregnancy, labor and delivery. Fortunately, for over 10 years we’ve helped many women overcome these stresses and enjoy a more positive outcome for both mother and baby. Here are the top 5 triggers that we’ve seen cause problems and solutions to each.

  1. You’re Not Squatting Enough. Sitting, old injuries and lack of movement inhibits pelvic function, diminishes your ability to squat and can impair labor and delivery. Midwife Ina May Gaskin  recommends that all pregnant women squat about 300 times a day to improve birth outcomes. If you’re having trouble squatting, try these versions of modified squats. Also, taking a class in The Bradley Method will show you additional stretches and exercises to optimize pregnancy, labor and delivery.
  2. You’re exposed to too many toxins and radiation. Mercury from fish and flu shots can cause negative effects to both mom and baby. Tylenol also adds a major chemical insult that can cause neurological damage to the baby and also diminishes glutathione (important antioxidant) levels. Finally, each ultrasound puts some stress on the unborn child. It’s important to talk to your birth provider about which, if any of these, are necessary or can be omitted from your prenatal plan.
  3. You’re missing crucial nutrients. Poor diet can lead to low birth weight in the baby, inhibit pelvic ligament stretch during labor, cause the mom to be dehydrated and increases the likelihood of postpartum bleeding. The Brewer Pregnancy Diet is a great starting point for nutritional needs during pregnancy (additional article on Brewer Diet). Magnesium (and also Natural Calm) is a great supplement during pregnancy because it helps with constipation and muscle tension. Both Bradley Method and Hypnobirthing classes also discuss dietary needs during pregnancy.
  4. You Don’t Have A Plan. If you’ve ever ran a marathon, or thought about running one, you put together a plan first. Same goes for driving across the country or traveling abroad. Well, labor and delivery is harder than all of those yet few sit down to plan it out. Do you want to deliver upright (which is easier) or while laying on your back (much harder)? Who is allowed in the room? Is water birth an option? Vit K shot? Hep B? Circumcision? Sit down with your significant other and make decisions on these when you have a clear mind and not in the thick of things. Here’s a Sample birth plan to get you started.
  5. You’re Stressed Out. Emotional stress can cause undue muscle tension that may inhibit baby positioning, not to mention cause discomfort and pain. Try listening to relaxing music while taking an Epsom salt bath each night, download a stress management app (here’s another option and more relaxation methods) or even consider taking a hypnobirthing class.

*Bonus Tip! Get Adjusted.  Misalignments of the pelvis, sacrum and lumbar spine can affect supporting muscles and ligaments. In turn, these can prevent the baby from dropping into proper position, not to mention causing pain and discomfort for mom. Chiropractors trained in the Webster technique can help these alignment issues through gentle adjustments and improve birth outcomes. One published study found that pregnant women under regular chiropractic care had 25-31% shorter labors (Cara L. Borggren, 2007)!