TherapyJune 30, 2017February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

Here are the Three Big Goals When Prescribing Physical Therapy

When you’re in pain, whether due to an injury or recovering from surgery, the last thing you feel like you can take on is physical activity – including physical therapy, which may sound painful. But, that word “therapy” has a healing connotation to it. How could it be bad, then? Well, it isn’t. Most people find that physical therapy is a very impactful way to reduce pain, improve strength, and correct faulty movement patterns. Here at Life Care Chiropractic and Wellness Center, we focus on those three main goals in physical therapy.

Getting You Out of Acute Pain and Inflammation

To help push inflammation out of soft tissue, reduce muscle spasms, and ease pain, we use electric stimulation and ultrasound modalities (methods). These therapies are actually quite relaxing. All you need to do is sit or lay down for about 15 minutes while the electrical stimulation is applied on the affected area. We always adjust the level of stimulation to your comfort.

Ultrasound is then used. This includes applying a warm gel on the affected area. Then, a sound head delivers sound waves into the tissue. We often will use a natural pain relieving gel during this therapy, so you get the benefit of both the ultrasound and the pain relieving effect of the gel. This therapy is done in a private room. Patients often comment that they appreciate being able to sit in peace and quiet during their therapy.

Stretching and Strengthening Muscles and Soft Tissue

Learning how to properly stretch your muscles is a very important step in physical therapy. At our office, we have a special rehab area where we teach you how to correctly stretch targeted areas. This helps to increase range of motion or relieve pain. Stretching therapy may be taught standing, sitting, or lying on an elevated platform – depending on the area being stretched. We even have what’s known as a “wobble chair.” It takes your spine through helpful ranges of motion to increase spinal flexibility and hydrate the discs of the spine.

Strengthening the supportive muscles of joints is also very important for increasing your stability and range of motion. Typically, this is done with small hand weights, therapeutic resistance bands, or simple body weight.

Functional Training and Correcting Faulty Movements

Correcting faulty movements is a key ingredient for decreasing risk of injury and improving overall physical performance. This is actually a really fun form of physical therapy. Here, we identify “weak links” in certain types of movement patterns that you may have. Here’s an example:

A highly competitive female basketball player is prone to knee injury. This is because every time she lands from a jump, her knees migrate inward. In our investigation, we find that she has comparatively weak buttock muscles that allow that type of movement of her knees.

You don’t have to be an elite athlete, though, to have faulty movement patterns. Regular people have them just the same. We love figuring them out and helping you correct them!

So, as you can see, physical therapy shouldn’t be intimidating at all. It all towards getting you back to enjoying all the things you like to do. In many cases, it can even be a fun experience. If you’re experiencing pain due to an injury or have a surgery scheduled and will be in need of physical therapy, please give our office a call and let’s set up a consultation appointment.

NutritionJune 2, 2017February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

Is the Farmers’ Market Really That Good for You?

Frequenting your local farmers’ market is not only an enjoyable way to spend your morning or afternoon; it’s also great for your health. Being out and about gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing, which contributes immensely to a healthy well being. To help power that well being, you need the right nutrients at the right time of year. Let’s explore how the farmers’ market can provide what your body needs, when it needs it better than a supermarket.

Peak Nutritional Value

Buying fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown locally allows you to eat foods that are typically harvested at a more appropriate stage of ripeness. This allows for maximum nutrient content. When a fruit ripens, its starch converts into sugar, making it softer and sweeter, says Joseph Scheerens, Ph.D., a horticulture professor at Ohio State University. “The ripening process is a somewhat oxidatively stressful situation for plants, so they develop antioxidants to defend themselves against that stress,” Scheerens says. That makes it easier for host plant to survive, and even better for your body when you eat the fruit or vegetable.

Produce found in the grocery store often travels many miles – even from other continents. With such a long journey ahead, farmers must harvest the crops long before peak ripeness sets in. The produce also typically goes through some process of gassing, waxing, or irradiation in order to keep it looking good and preserved after finally arriving at a supermarket. All of that processing just adds chemicals with no nutritional value whatsoever. Who really wants that?

First-Hand Knowledge

At local farmers’ markets, you can usually speak directly to the farmer or those that work at the farm in order to get more insight into how the crops are grown. This helps you make informed decisions about what to purchase and, ultimately, consume. Perhaps you prefer produce grown with sustainable farming practices? Or, you like heirloom varieties of produce that is not genetically modified? Or, even more importantly, you want to be sure organic practices have been used with no pesticides? You can first-hand knowledge straight from the people who grew the crops. That’s comforting.

Right Food, Right Time

Eating food that is in season is better for your body. Humans have eaten “seasonally” for thousands of years before modern refrigeration technology. The body benefits from eating foods that are in season, such as lighter fruits and vegetables during hot summer months, heartier fruits in the fall, and heartier vegetables during the winter. Plus, as mentioned earlier, seasonally fresh produce is picked when it’s ripe and fully developed. That means it has had maximum time in the sun and soil to gather and produce nutrients which get passed on to you.

Diversity is Good

Generally, farmers’ markets offer a greater variety of fruits and vegetables than supermarkets, allowing for more diversity in your diet. A diet rich in diversity is very good for our bodies. By changing your menu according to what’s available, you are also less likely to develop food intolerances. We humans are complex creatures. We require between fifty and one hundred different chemical compounds and elements in order to be healthy. While we depend on animal products for a tiny handful of these, the vast majority lie within the roots, shoots and leaves of consumable plants. The more you consume, the better!

Safer is Better

Most cases of food contamination come from mass produced food in large industrial settings. Did you know that food from your local farmers’ market is statistically likely to be safer? This is mostly due to local farmers growing smaller quantities of crops and doing it naturally. Doesn’t that just sound better for you?

Knowledge is power, so if you would like to know which non-organic produce has the most pesticides, take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list. If you’re interested in the produce with the least pesticides, check out the Clean 15 guide. Of course, if you are at your local farmers’ market you can ask them specifically about what (if any) pesticides they use.

At Life Care Chiropractic and Wellness, we’re all about good nutrition leading to a healthy lifestyle. So definitely start shopping at your local farmers’ market versus the supermarket. The benefits are numerous. If you need some additional guidance on nutrition, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

ChiropracticMay 3, 2017February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

3 Shocking Mistakes People Make When They Have Whiplash

Being in an automobile accident can be a very traumatic experience. While the advanced safety features in today’s cars do a great deal to prevent fatalities, you can still sustain injuries. Whiplash is very common and is caused when the head and neck are forcefully propelled forwards, backwards or sideways. When this sudden force is applied to the neck and back, it generates microscopic tears within the fibers of muscles and ligaments. Inflammation gathers in the soft tissue, stimulating pain fibers, causing that sore feeling.

It’s easy to come out of an accident intact and think that whiplash will not be a problem for you. While it may be the case, as you are monitoring your condition immediately following your accident, here are three major mistakes you’ll want to avoid.

Mistake #1: Believing You Will Have No Pain

You may start out after an accident feeling stiff and sore, wondering whether you will ever fully recover and be able to return to your normal activities. For some, though, the adrenaline released by the body just after the accident blocks all or some of the pain. It also takes a while for the inflammation to build up in the tissue. In so many cases, people don’t believe they have any pain – until hours or even days after their accident, when they start feeling it. Monitor your body very carefully in the hours after an accident – and get treatment as soon as pain symptoms crop up so you can be on the path to recovery faster.

Mistake #2: Ignoring the Symptoms

You may think that your pain is minor and doesn’t warrant seeing a medical professional. But ignoring the symptoms of whiplash (neck pain and stiffness, loss of range of motion in the neck, headaches, and tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back and arms) or just covering up the pain with medication without any type of therapy can oftentimes lead to greater issues down the road, such as:

Migraines or tension headaches
Decreased mobility
Chronic pain
Degenerative changes in the spine

This is why it is important to get checked by a chiropractor after an accident – to fully heal and avoid any residual effects of the whiplash.

Mistake #3: Undertreating Your Condition

Finally, you may acknowledge your pain and do something about it…but it is not enough to give you true healing. For a typical accident, we find three types of therapy are needed:

Chiropractic care to properly align the spine to reduce irritation within the nervous system
Ultrasound and electric stimulation on the injured soft tissue to push out inflammation and reduce muscle spasm
Gentle therapeutic exercise to strengthen and stretch injured postural muscles

Some of our patients also choose to add massage therapy to their treatment plan. This is only when recommended by the doctor and after it no longer hurts to be touched, though. Typical recovery time for most accident-related musculoskeletal injuries can be anywhere from 3 to 12 weeks.

Word of Caution: You May Have Issues Beyond a Sprain or Strain

While most people only experience a mild to severe sprain or strain, some patients suffer from more complicated issues, such as concussion, torn ligaments or herniated discs. At Life Care Chiropractic and Wellness, we are prepared to examine, diagnose and treat all of these types of problems.

We hate that any of you go through the experience of a car accident, or any other cause of whiplash: rough roller coasters/amusement park rides, bumper cars, hits/collisions in sports, kids rough-housing and pushing from behind, pillow fights, turbulence on a plane, etc. And, above all, we want you to avoid the mistakes many people make when they have a case of whiplash. Know that we are here to help with everything from understanding how to set up a claim with your insurance company to treating your whiplash with a thorough medical approach.

We strive to make your entire experience as stress-free as possible. We understan that the accident itself has already been a traumatic episode. As always, give us a call if you have any questions – we are happy to help.

NutritionMarch 30, 2017February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

How to Combat Pesky Common Digestive Problems

For most of us, talking about the little aches and pains in our bodies is no big deal. In fact, we kind of find it therapeutic knowing others may be having the same ailments. There are other bodily issues, though, that many people just suffer with in silence. One in particular is digestive issues. Not exactly a topic of conversation at dinner parties, but it can be on someone’s mind – a lot. Do you ever have constipation, acid reflux, excess gas or bloating? We all do from time to time. These common digestive problems can actually be symptoms, though, of a poorly functioning or unhealthy digestive system. Not to worry. As bad as your situation may seem, there are ways to improve your digestive health. It just takes some effort and discipline on your part.

Here are seven methods for improving or even resolving common digestive problems. Try one or a combination to see what works for you.

Stay hydrated.

Too little water slows down digestion and hardens stool. So, drink plenty of water each day. A quick way to estimate how much water you need is to divide your weight in half. That number is what your body needs in ounces of water daily. In fact, throw a slice of lemon in your water. Lemon helps to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices and the citric acid from the lemon also interacts favorably with digestive enzymes.

Eliminate fatty or fried foods.

Foods high in saturated fats and fried foods typically require a lot of work from your liver and pancreas to break them down. If you consistently consume a high-fat diet, over time you can exceed the functioning capacity of your liver and pancreas causing a build-up of fats. The backlog of fats can coat carbohydrates and proteins, interfering with their absorption leading to indigestion.

Eat more fiber.

Fiber keeps everything moving along the digestive tract and helps produce regular bowel movements. It also helps to maintain a steady absorption of sugar, reducing the future risk for diabetes. Read more about good sources of fiber in this WebMD article.

Eat slowly.

Chew each bite of food at least 20 times to break down the food as much as possible. This makes it easier for digestion to occur in the stomach and intestines, and promotes the absorption of nutrients.

Eat real food.

Processed foods and foods with refined carbohydrates, such as white flour and white sugar, contain toxic additives and can increase inflammation in the intestinal walls. If your intestines aren’t functioning properly, you’ll experience symptoms like loose bowel movements or diarrhea, and it will affect the absorption of key nutrients.

Get a dose of helpful good bacteria.

Good bacteria assist in digestion and disease prevention as well as the production of serotonin and GABA, which allow proper mood regulation. You can get good bacteria from a high-quality probiotic supplement or from eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, fermented vegetables, kimchi and kombucha.

Try apple cider vinegar.

Drink 1 to 3 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar mixed with water 15 to 20 minutes before a meal. The apple cider vinegar helps maintain healthy acids levels in the stomach.

Most people will experience a marked improvement in how they feel within two to four weeks. Your results may vary, but be patient with the process. Your digestive system didn’t become unhealthy overnight and it will take time to bring it back to a healthy state. When it is finally healthy and functioning efficiently, you’ll feel better, stronger, and happier… and you can focus on living life to the fullest!

If you would like help with your common digestive problems, give our office a call and set up an appointment. Your wellness is important to us and we’re happy to help in any way we can.

ChiropracticFebruary 22, 2017February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

Every New Chiropractic Patient Needs to Know This

One thing I have noticed from years of being a chiropractor is that it is nearly impossible to cover everything that I think a new patient should know about chiropractic in just one visit. The initial visit typically focuses on the patient’s medical history, main areas of pain or concern, exam and/or imaging results, prognosis, a treatment plan, insurance coverage, etc. We cover a lot in the time we have on day one, but it never seems to be long enough. So, I thought I would dedicate this month’s blog to tell you the important things I think a new chiropractic patient should know.

#1: Be Patient as a Patient

To manage the expectations of new patients, it is very rare that a single session is enough to reduce or eliminate pain. Patients do often begin to see some relief in the first few visits, but one or two sessions is not enough to create lasting change. The body needs time to start to create a new pattern within the underlying structural issues or faulty biomechanics that are contributing to the overall problem. Typically, it takes about 12 visits for a significant change to take effect. During the treatment period, I’m helping your body to heal and to work more efficiently. This is a process that takes time. I like to do a re-exam around the 12th visit to see how far you have come and make any changes to your treatment plan at this point. It’s at this time when I often tell a patient that they can come less often, require fewer types of therapies or can start returning to certain activities that previously were challenging.

#2: This Might Hurt a Little

Some patients get a little sore after their first visit, as if they worked out at the gym. This is normal and should not be outside of new patient expectations. In a way, what I’m helping your body with is very much like starting a new exercise regimen. You end up with some “awareness” of your muscles after a session as I help your body to function better. Any discomfort or soreness typically subsides after the first few visits as your body gets used to the changes we are making. To help, I recommend patients take a supplement called Zymain that helps reduce inflammation. Also, using ice for 15 minutes on and off will help with any soreness or pain. By the end of the treatment, you will find that you feel and move better!

#3: It’s a Two-Way Conversation

In our sessions, I ask a lot of questions and do a lot of explaining. Our conversations, though, are two-way streets. Feel free to be open and honest! If the recommended treatment plan is not possible for you, let’s talk about it and come up with an alternative. Maybe you cannot afford your copay twice a week? Or, maybe the three therapies I recommend cause your appointment time to be too long and you have to be available to pick up your kids? It’s okay. We just need to be able to discuss the issues. My foremost priority is to get you well in a way that you feel great about.

#4: Beyond Chiropractic, We Can Help Your Well-being

Many people don’t realize that we offer many other services in addition to chiropractic and physical therapy. Yes, most patient engagements involve these two services, but at Life Care, we’re interested in your overall well-being. This means we really care about you reducing your physical, chemical and mental stress. With that in mind, we offer complementing services such as massage therapy, body purification programs, vitamin therapies and nervous system and brain health testing to help with the inner workings of your systems. And, we have products available – supportive pillows, back supports and custom made foot orthotics – to help with your day-to-day physical comfort.

Let’s talk about your overall health goals and see where we can help. As a new chiropractic patient, know that we are here to serve you and your well-being. If you ever have questions, concerns or suggestions, we are always happy to hear from you. Or, if you have a friend or family referral, we’re happy to hear from them, too!

NutritionJanuary 30, 2017February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

How to Easily Know Your Omega Fatty Acid Levels

If you have been my patient, you have probably heard me talk over the years about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids and how your brain relies on them to function normally. I may have also cautioned you against getting too many omega-6 fatty acids. Aside from musculoskeletal pain, an elevated omega-6 level can lead to plaquing of the arteries, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. So how do you know if you have too many or too few? It’s been complex, in the past, to know your omega fatty acid levels – but not anymore.

The Guessing Game

Essentially, omega-3s turn down your inflammatory pathways and omega-6s turn up your inflammatory pathways. Our bodies need both, but most people acquire way too many omega-6s from processed foods and high grain diets. Typically, I talk to patients about their diet and try to guess at what they need to balance omega-3 and omega-6 levels in their systems. I know that an optimum omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is 1:1 and anything over 4:1 really makes the body pro-inflammatory. However, I am just guessing at the patient’s status based on what they are telling me about their diet. Until now, I really had no way to measure this.

No More Guesswork

Recently, I was introduced to a simple testing procedure called BrainSpan. It is a comprehensive neurohealth assessment that assesses both structural and functional brain and cell health. So, what does that have to do with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids? There are two components to the test, the first of which measures fatty acid levels:

Blood Test

This first component begins with a simple finger prick. When the lab receives your blood sample, they break down the membranes of the red blood cells to analyze their composition. This is where omega-3s, omega-6s, transfats and palmitic acid can be measured. Because your red blood cells replace themselves every 120 days, this is a very accurate measurement of the fatty acid levels in your cells as there is no influence from what you recently ate in the days or even week prior to the test.

The blood test component has several measurements and significance:

Omega-3 Index – Here, the test measures the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your cell membranes. Omega-3s are essential to reducing inflammation, repairing cells, and regulating vital neurotransmitters.
Inflammation Index – This is the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. Although y0u need both 6 and 3, when omega-6 far exceeds omega-3, your body’s ability to manage inflammation is disrupted.
Trans Fat Index – Trans fats can cause cellular destruction, deregulate hormone production, adversely affect memory, and increase inflammation of the brain and body. Research has associated people with higher levels of trans fats in their blood with smaller brain volume due to accelerated aging.
Palmitic Acid Index – This is the percentage of palmitic acid (a fatty acid) in your blood cells. There is a link between higher levels of palmitic acid in the blood and a greater risk for diabetes and a rise in cholesterol levels.

Cognitive Test

In addition to measuring the components of blood cell membranes, a cognitive test measures how well your neural connections are functioning. The cognitive aspect of the test measures sustained attention, memory, cognitive flexibility and processing speed.

The test takes approximately 15 minutes and you can complete it at your leisure at home.

This May Be What You Need

Once the blood and the cognitive tests are complete, we can look at things like resilience to concussion, risk of future dementia, risk of stroke, mood regulation, cell inflammation and many other things. We can then determine what type of intervention would improve the score. The good news is that we can make changes, improve your situation and retest afterwards!

If you would like to know more about the Brainspan test or take the test, please contact our office. I highly recommend knowing your omega fatty acid levels so that we can get the correct ratio.

Exercise WellnessDecember 17, 2016February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

How to Maintain Mobility as You Age

Maintaining mobility as we age might be one of the most important health goals we could have as we go through life. After all, movement is required to continue to enjoy our hobbies and activities, interact with the environment, maintain social connections, work, exercise and keep our brains healthy. What you’re probably wondering now is, how to maintain mobility as you age?

Let’s start by clearing up a common misconception that flexibility and mobility are interchangeable terms. They are not. Flexibility refers to the range of motion of a joint. Mobility, on the other hand, refers to the degree of function and control over that joint and its range of motion. An example could be that a person has the range of motion (flexibility) to bend down, but doesn’t quite have the control (mobility) to squat down and lift their toddler grandchild off the ground.

Focus Less on Flexibility and More on Mobility

One of my colleagues, Brian Morrison, D.C. lectures often on the subject of mobility. He once pointed out in a lecture that elite athletes usually have average flexibility but exceptional levels of strength, power, endurance and balance. He also talked about how the average person doesn’t need more range of motion (flexibility); just better performance and control of the range of motion that they have (mobility)… like elite athletes. The same thoughts could apply to maintaining mobility as we age.

Why do Mobility Issues Occur?

Basically, there are three causes of mobility issues:

Normal Aging – after the age of 30, we begin losing muscle mass, bone density and flexibility.
Poor Diet – our muscles and joints need the proper nutrition to function well.
Pain from Injuries – we often experience pain as a result of injuries from car accidents, sports, or repetitive stresses like sitting for hours in front of a computer.

Pain Avoidance Leads to Declining Movement

Once we begin developing pain in specific areas or joints, we may start to avoid certain movements or activities. This type of avoidance can lead to weakness, loss of control and stability, and decline in coordination and balance. Pain may start with an injury, but its continuance doesn’t always mean a joint or muscle should not be moved. Also, hurt does not always equal harm. So, it is not necessarily good to let the fear of pain cause you to move less and less.

Creating a Nerve and Motor Pattern Helps Movement

One of the keys to maintaining mobility is finding the right way to rehabilitate or condition the weak area. During therapy, we want a person in the zone of what we call “The Edge.” This means they should find the movement challenging, with little or no pain, and be able to keep good form. Here’s an example:

Let’s say a person has difficulty rising from a chair. Perhaps they are weak and it is painful in their knees and back. The typical exercise that would strengthen those areas and involve the right joints would be squatting. However, squatting is too difficult and painful. As a solution, we might have them stand by the back of their couch and flex at the hips pushing their butt back until it hits the back of the couch. They may be able to do this movement pain free and successfully while still feeling challenged working the muscles.

When this becomes easy, we may have them do this on a slightly lower target. After a period of time practicing, they may be able to squat, hitting their butt on the back of a chair. The next thing you know, they are able to get up and down out of a chair quite easily!

This works because performing a movement sequence well creates a nerve and motor pattern that makes it easier and easier to painlessly repeat. Nerves that wire together fire together! The alternative is avoidance, which leads ultimately to being more and more sedentary. That is no fun!

What Can You Do?

There are several things you can do to help maintain your mobility as you age.

Chiropractic Manipulation – stimulates the brain to reset the perception of pain. It also turns down the part of our nervous system that perceives threat. Decreasing the perception of threat decreases the perception of pain.
Exercise Regularly – contributes to slowing both cognitive and balance decline in the elderly.
Reduce Stress – helps your body experience less pain and move well. The body produces cortisol in response to stress and cortisol inhibits the body’s own pain relieving neurotransmitters. Yoga and meditation are great ways to reduce stress!
Eat Well and Get the Right Nutrition – ensures you get enough protein to maintain muscle mass and strength, and enough vitamins and minerals for your bones and joints.

Remember, moving better keeps us engaged in life, prevents injury, relieves pain, slows the effects of aging and helps us to enjoy that mind-body connection. Hopefully, you now have better insight to answer the question how to maintain mobility as you age. Start working today on maintaining your mobility and you’ll enjoy the rewards later in life. If you’re already advanced in years, it’s never too late to start.

WellnessNovember 27, 2016February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

How to Full Body Detox and Feel Your Best

The New Year is just around the corner. No doubt we will find ourselves surrounded by the temptations of holiday parties and all of the treats that come with the holiday season. All of the processed foods and sugar can really stress the body. But what if you could do something amazing and exciting for yourself this New Year that will help you lose weight, have clarity of mind and really boost your energy? I invite you to start a 21-day program with me from Standard Process and I’ll show you how to full body detox!

Why Standard Process?

It is by far the best detox that I am aware of: the gold standard, you might say. Standard Process focuses on whole, organic and unprocessed foods and uses only whole food and organic ingredients in its supplements. For years and years, I have heard about the Standard Process 21-day Purification Program. I put off getting the program as I already offered a 10-day detox from another company, but, recently, I finally took the leap and ordered the Standard Process program.

Where Do All the Toxins Come From?

There are many toxins in our processed foods, environment, and even hair, makeup and skin products. Furthermore, a lot of our fruits and vegetables, which you would think are good for us, are loaded with pesticides. Even the fire retardants on our mattresses, glue in our carpet, and chemicals in our dryer sheets can really damage our bodies. These toxins virtually overload our bodies, especially the liver. As the liver becomes overloaded, toxins can have a bigger effect on our immune system, endocrine system, joints and even brain.

What Benefits Should You Expect from Purification?

Besides eliminating toxins from the diet during the purification process, the Standard Process Purification Program stimulates specific detoxification organs in the body, including the liver, kidneys, and small and large intestine. In fact, many who have finished the purification program report these benefits:
• Increased energy and vitality
• Better digestion
• Less bloating
• Improved weight management
• Clearer skin
• Shinier hair
• Better sleep
• Clearer thinking

So, What Do You Need to Actually Do?

Your first question is probably how complicated is this? Not complicated at all! Essentially, you simply eat whole organic food while t how to full body detox aking some supplements and drink plenty of water. The program comes with a guide that explains everything you need to do from day one through day 21. It gives you shopping guidance for what to keep in the kitchen, instructions on what and how much to eat, and recipes for delicious purification-friendly meals. The first 10 days you’ll eat selected fruits and vegetables. Then, on day 11, lean proteins are introduced to your diet.

What Physical Changes Will You Experience?

Two of the effects of the program will be increased urination and bowel movements. These are natural outcomes of purification and should not interfere with your daily activities. In rare cases, some participants have experienced a throbbing sensation in the head, generalized aches, itchy skin, rashes or fatigue. These occurrences typically subsided in a couple of days during a full body purification.

You’ll Have Plenty of Support

With Standard Process, there is an app for 24-hour mobile support available on Google Play and The App Store. With the app, you can:
• Get daily support and tips
• Track your food and activity
• Monitor energy levels and mood
• Chart body measurements and vital statistics
• Get supplement reminders

You also will have an email support system. You’ll have easy access to health care providers at Standard Process who can answer your questions. Plus, you have me! As you have to be a patient under my care to participate, I’ll also be part of your support team.

So join me this New Year (or anytime) and I’ll walk you through how to full body detox. You’ll enjoy improved weight, increased energy, better digestion, less bloating, clearer thinking, clearer skin, shinier hair, lessening of health issues and better sleep. Reach out today to make an appointment and we’ll get started!

fall fitness activities, things to do in Maryland, outdoor activities, experience fall

ExerciseOctober 25, 2016February 9, 2025byadminNo Comments

Fall Fitness Activities for Any Fitness Level

I just recently returned from a vacation in the Azores. This is one of Portugal’s two autonomous regions, consisting of a series of nine volcanic islands. Although these beautiful islands allow for plenty of high-energy activities, such as biking and hiking, my friend and I were commenting on how anyone could enjoy the beauty of the majestic Azores Islands no matter their age or fitness level. This is because some of the most beautiful vistas we saw were simply when we pulled off to the side of the road at a lookout.

After returning home to fall being in full blast, I started thinking about how it’s my favorite time of year to get out and enjoy nature. The weather is not-too-hot, not-too-cold, not to mention the colors! So I thought I might share some fall fitness activities that all involve getting out of your house, moving around and enjoying the outdoors, with options for any fitness level. As you will soon see, there are so many things to do outdoors in and around Maryland to help you stay fit in the fall.

Take a scenic drive and explore the destination

My absolute favorite thing anyone can do in the fall is take a scenic drive down Skyline Drive. Some people don’t realize it, but you can reach Skyline Drive from our area in just over an hour (assuming you go on the weekend when there is no rush hour traffic). The nearest entrance is Front Royal, but my favorite entrance is Thornton Gap. Thornton Gap is a little over two hours away.

Depending on which way you approach the entrance, you can stop at Thornton River Grille in Sperryville, Virginia. There, you’ll find a cute restaurant, a delicious, more casual pizza place and the cutest little country store.

If you approach from the other direction in Luray, Virginia, you can go into the small town and find many quaint little restaurants. Among them, you’ll find Gathering Grounds, Triple Crown BBQ and West Main Market.

Embrace your inner tourist

Don’t forget you live in a place where people from all over the world dream of visiting! If you’ve never had a chance to visit the museums and monuments in DC, take advantage of the off season and lack of summer crowds and do it while it’s nice out. Get a little outdoor fitness AND a little culture all in one day!

Plan a day of hiking

I love a good hike because I can simultaneously get active physically and calm down mentally– nature is just so peaceful. We have several nearby hiking options at a wide range of intensity levels. Here are some of my favorites:

If you are pretty fit, not too far away you can hike the famous 9-mile Old Rag trail. This is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable hikes within driving distance of us. Fall is the perfect time to do it since the not-too-hot weather helps ease the difficulty of the hike.

If you want a bit of a strenuous hike that is closer, try walking along the rapids of the Potomac River at Great Falls on the Billy Goat Trail Section A. An added perk of this trail? You can head across the street afterward to The Old Angler’s Inn and have a glass of wine or hot chocolate around the outside fire pit to reward yourself and relax.

Rose River Loop

If you’d prefer a more moderate hike, I recommend the 3.6-mile Rose River Loop near Skyline Drive. This trail goes along waterfalls and the Rose River for nearly continuous views of running water.

Stoney Man Trail

If you want something even easier, Stony Man Trail leads you to a beautiful vista and only takes about an hour to complete. However, if you decide to hike Stony Man, keep in mind that no pets are allowed.

If you really prefer avoiding going up or down hill, there are some really nice nature trails at both Skyland Resort and Big Meadows, along Skyline Drive. Anyone who can walk can do these trails.

Hit up your local farmer’s market

We have plenty in our area, but if you want to take a little adventure into the city, my favorite is Eastern Market. There, you can get beautiful flowers, fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, and homemade cheeses. You can even find vendors that sell beautiful jewelry, pottery and art.

Hop on your bike and hit the trails

We have several great destinations and bike paths for outdoor fitness in the area:

If you head to nearby Cedarville State Forest, you can find trails that range from very, very easy to a little rolling up and down through the woods.

The 13-mile Indian Head Rail Trail is a paved trail that goes from White Plains to Indian Head.

The 11-mile Three Notch Trail is another paved trail that runs from Hughesville to Lexington Park.

So whether you’re a fitness connoisseur or you’re just looking to step outside the house for a bit, there are many ways to enjoy fall. I hope some of these fall fitness activities inspire you to get active and enjoy the fall season in more ways than just drinking your pumpkin latte! But hey, you can always bring it with you.

NutritionSeptember 27, 2016February 10, 2025byadminNo Comments

What is Gout and Why You Should Know About It?

That sudden burning pain, stiffness and swelling in your joints means one thing: Gout! But what is gout and how can you prevent it?

Since gout affects 3.9% of US adults – 5.9% men and 2% women – it can be a real problem for many. Some people only have infrequent flare-ups but many are plagued by recurring symptoms.

It often feels like being burned by a hot poker and is just absolutely miserable. The symptoms of joint pain are often debilitating causing missed work and inability to get through your activities of daily living for days to weeks.

However, I’ve had patients who have had repeated flare-ups of gout and we’ve had success in reducing them by introducing some natural remedies. That’s why I want to tell you about gout and ways prevent it.

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