My Relationship With Food

I always thought I had a poorly functioning appestat.  It’s a hypothetical region of the brain that keeps you in touch with your body’s need for food.  Basically, it tells you when to stop eating.  Now, don’t feel sorry for me.  I’ve never been overweight.  Generally, I just never really would feel full.  I learned to stop eating based on social etiquette (others would stop eating, the food on my plate was gone, etc.)  People would comment, “Oh, I’m so full.”  But I would silently want more.  The few times I decided to just play into this odd feeling of not being satiated, I would start to gain weight.  And, people would comment about how I seemed to be able to eat so much!  Over time, I learned how to stop eating; not because I felt full, but rather it seemed the smart thing to do.

I got my appestat back a year ago.  I did a ten day Master Cleanse.  That means for ten days, I survived on only water with some lemon juice and maple syrup in it (and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper.)  It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.  Even though I rapidly lost weight, I found that I became too disconnected from the world.  Now, when you’re working on people, you don’t want to be disconnected.  By day ten (and ten pounds lighter), I had friends imploring me to stop. As I started to eat food, it tasted SO good!  I remember that first bowl of substance.  It was miso broth.  After a whole bowl, I actually started to feel full!  I couldn’t believe it!  Now, after a year of eating, I can still say that I frequently get full during or at the end of a meal.  Granted, I could easily eat just as much if not more than my husband, but I get full!

When my patient told me about a new fasting program he was doing, I didn’t even listen at first.  “I’m not fasting!  Not for me!  My body doesn’t like it!” I told myself.  After a few months of hearing him mention it, I became intrigued.  It wasn’t ten days of fasting; it was just 24 hours.  Intermittent Periodic Fasting, he called it.  I researched the concept and found out that it is promoted by Brad Pilon, author of Eat Stop Eat.  He states that fasting one to two days a week, for twenty four hours, will NOT hurt metabolism and has a host of benefits.

I now start fasting every Monday morning after breakfast.  Twenty four hours later, I eat again.  I look at it as really just two meals that I’m giving up.  I drink non-caloric beverages during fasting, which for me is just iced tea (or the occasional cup of plain Teeccino, a healthy coffee substitute.)  Sure, I get hungry during the afternoon, but I just keep myself busy. I’ve done this almost five months straight and I really like it. Weight never creeps up anymore and I have the best workouts on fasting days!

If you want to learn more, check out www.eatstopeat.com or www.bradpilon.com.

The next level of understanding and balancing my relationship with food came this past week. In preparation for a workshop I’m about to give, I’ve been researching metabolism for about a month.  I wanted to do some “self-experiments” to understand some concepts about metabolism.  My personal trainer, Eric, suggested I write down everything I eat, as well as the calories, carboydrates and protein content.  “Sure,” I said, “I’ll add that to my long list of things to have to do!”  But, like the good student I am, I did it!

Eric gave me some target numbers and I couldn’t believe the subtle differences in my appetite when I strayed from the numbers!  For example, I noticed the day after a lower-calorie day (especially if the total calories fell below my Resting Metabolic Rate), I had more ravenous hunger!  Days that I ate less refined carbohydrates and more vegetables, I felt more balanced.  Also, when I ate some tortilla chips (because they were there!), and some bread rolls (coudn’t resist at the restaurant!), my calories were higher and yet I felt like I needed more food. 

What I learned is this: I do best when I eat consistent meals.  When I skip meals, I tend to have swings in my appetite and overall feel less satiated.  I learned that when I eat breakfast with protein (like eggs), I eat less overall that day.  I learned that eating vegetables is the easiest way for me to feel good (emotionally and physically.)

What have you learned lately about your relationship with food?  Have you been paying attention to the subtle (or not so subtle) clues your body gives you?  By listening, testing, and learning about how food affects you, you can help keep your body happy!

To hear Dr. Jennifer’s “For the Health of It” podcasts on Core Eating, check out http://forthehealthofit.podbean.com!

Oh, my aching joints!

     I hear it every day in the office: “My joints ache!” Arthritis is a common (but abnormal) disease.  There are over one hundred conditions that fall under the heading of arthritis but the most common is osteoarthritis, or degeneration.  It is an “abnormal wear and tear” disease of weight bearing joints like the spine and knees.  Calcium deposits form on the bones and the buffer cartilage that protects bone ends breaks down.  People with osteoarthritis often find stiffness, pain, joint immobility, bone deterioration and pain and swelling in joints and spine during damp weather.

      Arthritis is breakdown in the body and the only way to prevent it is to keep the body working properly.  It’s like tires on a car.  If your car is out of alignment, the tires will breakdown faster because they are wearing unevenly.

      Every ten pounds of excess weight increases the risk of osteoarthritis in the knees by 30%.  The reason is not just that excess weight puts chronic stress on your knee joints.  Being overweight even increases the risk of osteoarthritis in your hands.  No one knows exactly why, but one possible reason is that fat cells make estrogen, and that excess estrogen is somehow involved in joint damage.  Support for this idea comes from the observation that women have more osteoarthritis than men, especially if they have had symptoms of estrogen excess, such as uterine fibroids.  When your diet is low in fat and high in fiber, the amount of estrogen in your blood quickly drops to a healthier level.

      You have to be careful about just popping pills for arthritis.You may remember when Merck Pharmaceuticals announced that their drug Vioxx, used for arthritis sufferers, had been shown to cause heart attacks and strokes in users of over 18 months duration.  It was pulled off the market.

     Short term use has its problems too.  Because drugs “mask” your symptoms, you may believe that your condition is under control because your shoulder feels okay or your knee isn’t as swollen, or your back feels better.  But the disease process does continue, whether you feel its effects or not.

      Often patients tell me they have arthritis from “old age.”  They think it is a normal process of aging.  Degenerative arthritis is common but not normal (like headaches.)  This type of arthritis can occur when you have irritation to the spine caused by subluxation, or misalignment in the spinal vertebrae.  Your chiropractor can tell you by taking an x-ray if you have spinal misalignment and arthritis in your spine.

      I have patients in their 70s and 80s who have been under chiropractic care much of their lives with no decay or degeneration in their spine.  I also have patients in their 30s and 40s who have neglected their spine and have arthritis.  In fact, chiropractic is often used to prevent arthritis from occurring in the spine.

      The first step in detecting degenerative spinal arthritis is spinal imbalance.  When we find spinal imbalance we always either find a situation where arthritis is beginning or where arthritis has progressed.  Spinal imbalance can be detected by checking posture.  When you stand with your legs shoulder width apart can you see one shoulder higher in the mirror, or one hip higher?  Have a family member or friend look at your posture from the side.  Is your ear lobe right above the tip of the shoulder?  If your shoulders or hips are uneven or your earlobe is in front of the tip of your shoulder, you may have spinal imbalance.  Over time, spinal imbalance leads to arthritis.  If you look in photographs and know your shoulder has been higher since you were a teenager, chances are there is arthritis in your spine.

      Once you know you have osteoarthritis, what do you do?  Supplements like glucosamine and chondroitan sulfate can help over time.  They won’t fix the biomechanical cause of the problem but they will help repair the damage and help with pain.  You don’t need a prescription and can buy them at a health food store.  Taken along with vitamin C (at least 500 mg taken throughout the day) increases their effectiveness.

    I’d also recommend getting a thorough evaluation by a chiropractor to see if the spinal imbalance is correctable.  If it is at all, it may help halt the progression of the arthritis.  If it isn’t, regular adjustments may at least help with pain, and are drug free.

    Lastly, we can prevent spinal imbalance in several ways.  Aside from regular chiropractic adjustments, posture plays a big role.  The way you sit, sleep, drive and swing a golf club will affect your posture over time.  Pay attention to your posture, be balanced in your activities.  Don’t sit on your wallet or sleep on your stomach.  Sleep with a supportive pillow on your side and a very thin pillow when on your back. Don’t cradle the telephone between your shoulder and head.  Make sure your mattress is supportive.  If you sit at a computer, make sure the screen is at eye level and the keyboard at a level where you can keep your arms comfortably at your side at a ninety degree angle.  Being careful of good ergonomics will give you more energy, help keep your spine healthy and possibly prevent arthritis in your future!

Your Fingernails Tell a Story

For twelve years, my husband and I have had an “article of the day” that we’ve handed out to our patients.  You can imagine how many articles we have created over time!  Interestingly, one of the most popular articles (that people often ask to see again) discusses how the appearance of your nails can tell you what is going on inside your body.  What I love about that article is this point: Your body sometimes gives you symptoms to tell you it needs help.  Are you listening?

Unhealthy nails are associated with nutrient deficiencies, poor care or lifestyle choices.  I will summarize the article here.  For more information, a good reference book is Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James Balch M.D. and Phyllis Balch C.N.C.

Brittle nails (hard, lacking flexibility) are possbily caused by iron deficiency, poor circulation or thyroid imbalance.  Nails that chip, crack, peel or break easily may be a sign of general nutrient deficiencies, poor digestion, loss of moisture from aging and a sign of frequent hand washing or using harsh chemicals.  White spots on the nails may be a lack of zinc and white bands can signify lack of protein.

If your nails are unusually wide and square, there may be a hormonal imbalance and if the nails are unusually pale you may have anemia (iron deficiency.)  If you get frequent hangnails you may have a folic acid deficiency or lack of vitamin C or protein, while dark nails and/or thin, flat, spoon shaped nails may be a B12 deficiency or anemia.

Do you have ridges in your nails?  Vertical ridges can signify poor general health, poor nutrient absorption or low iron.  Horizontal ridges are an indication of severe physical or psychological stress.

The base of the nail has a white mooned shape area.  If yours turns red there may be a heart problem.  If blue that could mean heavy metal poisoning or a lung issue.  Bumps on the surface of the nail may be caused by rheumatoid arthritis and if the nail turns half white with dark spots at the tip that means a kidney problem. 

If the nails are yellow it can signify a liver or lymphatic problem and downward curved ends may show a heart, liver or respiratory issue.  Nail Fungus got you?  It may mean there is trouble with your immune system or you have a lack of “friendly bacteria” or probiotics.

As chiropractors, we always strive to help you see your body as whole and connected.  In the medical field, there is a specialist for each body part and the paradigm is that each organ or system is mostly independent of the others.  The truth is that the body functions as a whole and when there is a deficiency or toxicity in one area, a symptom can be produced elsewhere.  For example, when you have spinal subluxation (or misalignment), the nerve supply associated with that spinal level affects whichever organ or tissue is at the other end of that nerve.  That neck subluxation of C5 may be causing heart damage, not just neck pain.  Your adjustments are helping your whole body. 

To clarify, we don’t “treat” heart damage, or neck pain for that matter.  Chiropractors find  intereference in your body’s natural healing, and by restoring the proper alignment and motion, allow your body to regain nerve supply.  When you get adjusted on a wellness basis, you are choosing to maximize nerve flow to allow full expression of your body’s intelligence.

When you observe your body’s health, be it posture, vitality or even nail health, watch for signs.  What is your body telling you?  What are you doing to help your body fully express its magnificence?

Why Do You Have To Keep Going Back?

I recently got asked the question, “If your office is so good at what you do, why do people have to keep coming back?”  If that question is being asked, then the confusion comes from how you think about health.  The assumption is that we “fix” people (of their pain or symptoms) and they only get adjusted when they don’t feel good or are in pain.  That assumption is far from the truth.

    This photo is my husband, Dr. David, and me.  I think it’s valuable to comment that David has had his spine checked and maintained regularly since birth.  Just like we are taught to keep our teeth healthy; he has been taught to keep his spine healthy through chiropractic check-ups.  As a result, he is one of the healthiest people I know.  With the “chiropractic wellness lifestyle”, he also eats healthfully, exercises often and has managed to never take medication (prescribed or over the counter) in his entire life.  I find that truly remarkable and inspiring.

     The reason our family (and hundreds more in our area) keeps going back for chiropractic check-ups and adjustments is the same reason you might keep brushing your teeth and seeing a dentist regularly: wellness is something you do ongoing as a health habit.  Just like eating well and exercising, we don’t stop when we feel good.  We choose to live that way to have the healthiest life possible.

     People who choose to utilize chiropractic for just pain relief find that it often works well and doesn’t take too long.  People who understand the long term benefits of maintaining a healthy spine and nerve system, utilize chiropractic regularly as part of their wellness routine.  Like caring for your teeth (or not), it’s always your choice.  We specialize in taking care of families who want to have the benefits of ongoing spinal care.

     It would be silly if you were told, “Oh, don’t start going to that gym to exercise.  I heard that they will keep telling you to come back.”  It is common knowledge that when it comes to exercise, you get out of it what you put into it.  Spinal health is similar. It’s not about the chiropractor “fixing” your pain or symptoms once a year or so.  It’s ultimately about helping you get the healthiest spine possible and maintaining it. (Just like dentistry isn’t ultimately about being pain-free; it’s about helping you have the healthiest teeth possible and maintaining them.)

     Many people, like David and I, look for better ways to create health for our families. When families have health improvements though, it isn’t because we “treated” their symptoms.  We don’t take the credit because we are not the healers.  How we help people heal is by correcting spinal problems.   The link is between the spine and nerve system.  Spinal problems cause nerve irritation: nerves that go to the head, lungs, stomach, legs…. the whole body.  If the nerves can’t work right, the body doesn’t work right. We help remove the interference (the misalignment) that’s not letting the body heal.  It’s as simple as that.

What A Chiropractor Does When She Gets Back Pain

If you’ve ever watched me adjusting families on a busy Thursday afternoon, you know that I work my spine ALOT.  Unfortunately, the correct body position for giving an adjustment is bent over, head down and slightly twisting at the waist.  I remember learning in neurology class that this is the exact position that puts the most stress on the spinal cord.  Imagine that!

I’ve had to learn, often the hard way, how to keep my spine functioning well despite my less than optimal work ergonomics.  For example, if I spend ten minutes stretching before an adjusting shift, I am less likely to feel sore later.  I’ve also learned that right before I make an adjustment, to slightly lift my chin, keeping my gaze up.  Ideally, I know I should adjust equally from both sides of the table and alternate feet when pumping the pedals.  If I do these things, and rest when I can in between patients, I can minimize trauma to my spine and feel better at the end of the week.

Maybe you’ve learned similar lessons with how you sit at your computer or your body position with a long commute.  I know patients who have “required breaks” at work to give their eyes and body a rest.  Being mindful of body position and taking regular breaks are keys to minimizing trauma from repetitive movements.

You might be thinking, “I know what I should do, I just don’t always do it.”  I fully understand and relate to that.  For example, when I get extra busy and am focusing intently on my patients, I tend to forget about my body positioning.  An hour can go by before I realize I have been slightly straining myself.  If I keep this up too long, I find myself hurting by the end of the week.  Maybe this has happened to your elbow or wrist from focused computer work.  Or to your lower back after eighteen great holes of golf.  Or your strained shoulders two hours into a riveting video game!

Once you feel strained, obviously the first step is to stop and rest.  Often, icing an area of acute inflammation will dramatically help.  I’ve also given patients temporary bracing for a wrist, elbow or ankle. We sell great seat cushions that take pressure off the tailbone when sitting. Where a real problem can set in, is if you don’t fully heal and then continue to strain yourself. Long term, a change of body position or equipment is necessary. 

If a laptop is causing the problem, a docking station or at least a separate keyboard and mouse is critical.  Raising the screen to eye level and making the keyboard at about your waist is necessary to not cause strain to the body. 

Irritation to the body can often be caused by footwear.  For example, I have discovered the three namebrands that feel best for me while working.  I need supported arches, rubber soles and a very low heel.  It is critical to not wear shoes that are worn on the bottom of the heel.  Take a few minutes to check your shoes and discard (or have resoled) any that have worn, especially if they have worn unevenly.  As a general rule, you will get what you pay for with shoes.  Buy high quality shoes for any frequent activity you do on your feet.

Lastly, be aware of the quality of support in your chairs, sofas, car seats and mattress.  A surface that is too soft or no longer supportive will put stress on your spine.  If used repetitively, you could notice an ongoing issue.  Working on your spine and body position in other activities will only be partially effective if you still spend hours a day sitting or lying on unsupportive surfaces.  When it comes to mattresses, choose a medium to medium-firm, high quality mattress.  Discount stores often have sub-quality products.  Lye on the mattress for at least 15-20 minutes to get a feel for it.  Also, make sure you get a good warranty in case it doesn’t work for you.

I still get back pain from time to time.  When it happens, this is what I do:  I get adjusted, rest, stretch, ice, use biofreeze or arnica, maybe get a massage, and spend time considering the cause.  Often, it’s not hard to figure out where I went wrong.  Sometimes though, I have to dig a little to figure it out.  Recently, I determined that one-legged squats were irritating my hip, which was weak and tired because I was forgetting to use my opposite foot when pumping the pedals on the adjusting table.  The pain escalated to the point where I started to limp a bit.  I took a week off from lifting lower body weights, rested for the weekend, got a few extra adjustments, saw a massage therapist  (that’s Jewelie with me in the picture above), avoided unnecessary driving, and was more mindful while adjusting.  It’s about 90% better now.  In another week it should be all healed.

Even when taking care of our bodies, we may have body issues from time to time.  The key is listening to your body and quickly taking action to rest and heal.  Then, reassessing your body positions and equipment to determine what caused the problem.  I’ve also found that asking the question, “What am I to learn from this?” is helpful.  It’s not uncommon that there is an underlying emotional component to injury or pain.  For example, maybe you really just need a break and feel guilty taking it.  Honoring your body’s healing time is smart and necessary to prevent a chronic, long term issue.

Weight Loss Cleansing

Summer is over.  I know, I’m sad too.  I’m also, like you, refocusing on my eating habits and food choices.  Gone are the lazy summer evenings grilling cheeseburgers while dipping my hand in the tortilla chip bag.  (Okay, you’re right.  My chips were organic and my burger was grass-fed local and all natural. But STILL; the pounds can pack on in the summer!) 

Ready to lose some weight? We recently posted a podcast about weight loss cleansing (http://forthehealthofit.podbean.com)  I’m writing to further motivate you and clarify details on how to make your weight loss cleanse a success.  Let’s start with the simple details.  The most obvious question is: What can I eat?

Vegetables, fruit, vegetables, oatmeal, vegetables, brown rice, vegetables, fish, vegetables, almonds, vegetables, eggs (if not allergic), vegetables, lentils, vegetables, seeds, vegetables, lean meat if you choose, vegetables and goat cheese!  To see a full list of all cleanse-friendly food, click on the podcast link above then click on the link marked “Cleanse Food List.”  Surprisingly, there is a lot you can eat.  Many people find that they learn to enjoy many foods they would never have tried such as hummus and rice crackers, swiss chard (sauteed with garlic, onion and coconut oil), and ezekial bread (sprouted grain).

The next obvious question is: What can’t I eat?  To summarize: alcohol, chocolate, dairy products (milk, cheese, ice cream), salt (except celtic sea salt), sugar (except honey and maple syrup), white flour products, wheat products, corn and corn products, bread (except brown rice or Ezekial or 100% sprouted), nuts (except almonds or walnuts), fried food, white vinegar, and butter.

If your main objective is to lose weight, I recommend backing off caffeine and NO cream or sugar in coffee or tea beverages (honey and rice milk are okay.)  If your main objective is to cleanse, strive to completely eliminate caffeine (slowly if necessary!)

The two trickiest ingredients to avoid are wheat and corn.  When you start looking at package ingredient labels you will notice that wheat and corn are everywhere!  By avoiding these two allergen-producing, often genetically modified ingredients, your body will be happy and lose weight more easily.  Be especially watchful for corn syrup or high frustose corn syrup.

I know what you’re thinking.  How can I give up sugar?  I know it may be hard, but you must!  To put it bluntly, that sugar you love is what’s responsible for the size of your belly and the width or your thighs.  If you really want a leaner body and better health, say goodbye to sodas, candy, cookies and cakes.  If you look closer, there’s probably sugar in your bread, salad dressing, pasta sauce, soup and protein bars.  Sugar has infiltrated itself through our food supply and is one of the biggest factors in obesity.  Once it’s gone for awhile, you will find your taste buds reset and cravings will diminish.  Once your body experiences the satisfaction of REAL nutrients, it will feel more alive.  Just give it time.

Now that you know what to eat, and what to avoid, the biggest focus for cleansing is on preparation.  When prepared with healthy food choices, it will be much easier to not reach for the junk. Avoid setbacks by having healthy delicious food prepared and available.  Spend a few hours cutting up fruit and making a fruit bowl for the week.  Same goes for vegetables that can be steamed or put in salad.  Put small bags of nuts in your car, work drawer and pocketbook.  Prepare containers with water and have them ready for when you run out the door.  Hard boil a dozen eggs, peel them and have them waiting in the fridge for a quick snack.  Make a cleanse-friendly soup to heat up at the end of a long day.  Buy a rice-based protein powder and frozen fruits for making quick yummy shakes.  Pre-plan which restaurant and menu items are cleanse-friendly for that special occasion.

Cleansing is always easier with a buddy.  It’s even easier when done with the people in your home.  But, don’t force anyone to do this with you.  Do it for YOU.  Having support is extremely helpful.  Being certain you want to do this is critical.  I recommend you tell, write and review your goals often.  If you want to lose weight and all the people around you know it, you’ll likely feel more supported and accountable.

Length of time to cleanse should be at least one week.  Two weeks is better and many people will cleanse for four to six weeks.  If you only do a week or two, I recommend buying a herbal cleansing kit to speed up the detoxification.  The one we sell at the office is great and most people lose 5-7 pounds in a week.

We have more supportive handouts and binders of information available at the office if you’d like to read up on cleansing, or want to also focus on cleansing a certain organ.  If you solely just want to lose weight, remember the three golden rules:  eat less overall, eat nutrient dense food, and eat more in the beginning of the day with less in the evening.  I can’t wait to hear your results!

Personal Notes from the World Championship of Public Speaking

Dumari and me in the Seminar Bookstore, buying speaking manuals

I may be the only person that goes to Foxwoods, stays at the magnificent MGM Grand hotel, and doesn’t gamble.  My friend Dumari and I were there this past week for the International Toastmasters Convention.  If you haven’t heard of Toastmasters, it is a very impressive international organization designated to help people become better speakers.  I joined Milford Toastmasters just under a year ago.  Having been a speaker for about fourteen years, my concern wasn’t overcoming a fear of public speaking.  I just wanted to improve my skills.  I must say, I was very delighted with the high caliber of professionals in this club.  And oh!  They are so fun!  I learn a lot listening to others’ speeches and we laugh.  A LOT.  It’s fitting that the founder of Toastmasters, Ralph Smedley, said in the 1920s, “We learn best in moments of enjoyment.”

So they just voted me in as President of the Club.  I like the challenge, in fact I’m really enjoying the role.  I have amazing officers who, like me, really want to help make our club special.  And special, it is!  For example, we have writers, painters, Realtors, massage therapists, financial consultants, stay at home moms, and company executives who all want to just be better.

It was a no-brainer to attend the Toasters International Convention in Mashantucket, Connecticut.  This was, by far, the closest to New Hampshire the convention’s ever come.  In 1966 it was in New York (the only other time in New England.)  As you can imagine, people came from all over the world.  And in true Toastmasters style, they like to talk!

I heard some of the best speeches I’ve ever attended live.  One of my favorite was Gary Mull, a distinguished Toastmaster and  professional speaker.  His inspirational and practical speech was about attaining Toastmasters club success.  I found it interesting how his subject matter applied to many areas of my life.  Below are some my favorite speech moments.

Mr. Mull discussed how we are born with sets of synaptic connections.  By using a clever exercise he showed how what we do well, love and nurture gets stronger.  What we don’t focus on falls away.  He concluded that leadership is a skill, to be nurtured.  He quoted David Starr Jordan, “The world will step aside and let pass any man who knows where he is going.” 

When talking about having integrity, Mr. Mull referenced the statue of liberty.  Did you know that when Bartholdi sculpted the statue, he created the hair on top of her head with the same detail and care as the rest?  This was done before flight existed.  No one would see the top of her head!  Mr. Mull’s point was  to have integrity to do things right, to make a commitment to do what you are supposed to do, no matter what.

Next I got the pleasure of hearing Mary Ellen Psaltis, the author of Spiritual Vitamins.  Completing the process of becoming an accredited speaker, she spoke about the five free things to do that feed your body and soul.  I was quickly taking five minutes to be “open and receptive to ideas and inspiration”. Then I was saying five words that make me feel good (fill in the blanks… I am ______ and ______ .  I am happy and rested.  I am blessed and loved.  I am smart and grounded.)  Soon after I was giving five smiles, then taking five deep breaths, then saying five things for which I am grateful.

Did I mention?  In between the seminars, my friend Erin joined us and we hiked a mountain, ate sushi, went to the beach, shopped, and ate the best breakfast on the eastern seaboard.  Not a bad weekend!

Then came Saturday morning. The World Championship of Public Speaking!  Ten contestants from around the world competed in this prestigious event.  You could feel the excitement as hundreds of people filed into the big auditorium. Inspirational speaking was the format.  We were prepared to laugh and cry, and we were not disappointed!

The second place winner, Mary Cheyne, from Massachusetts, gave a moving speech about fighting with your inner voice of negativity. 

The 2009 World Champion of Public Speaking, Mark Hunter of Australia, spoke of his journey in overcoming adversity.  Since an accident as a boy, he has been confined to a wheelchair.  Initially, he struggled with the choice of being a crusader of rights for people with disabilities or, the easier option, sinking into his chair and hiding.   He used the analogy that a loved one gave him as she was chopping green tomatoes and putting them into water in the kitchen sink.  A bright shiny red apple had fallen into the water and she said, “Mark, you need to make a choice.  Will you be a green tomato or this one red apple?”  After a time he answered, “I will be the water.”  We learned, in those magical seven minutes of his speech, that the water represented unconditional love.  This amazing man exemplified love.  The crowd erupted in applause as he was chosen the winner.

Lastly, we got to hear Fran Capo, comedienne and motivational speaker.  She’s also the Gusiness Book’s record holder for the fastest talking female.  Her philosophy is “just say yes and figure it out later.”  I loved how she explained that “fear is not a wall; fear is an emotion.”  Her focus and determination in life was a draw for me.  Oh, and we laughed A LOT.

I look for ways to be inspired.  I seek out opportunities to feel moved, motivated and pushed to grow.  This past weekend filled me up!  I encourage you to seek ways to feel moved.  Whether it’s a phone call to a positive friend, a favorite inspirational movie, a gorgeous view at the top of a mountain, a retreat or seminar, or even a visit to your chiropractor, submerse yourself with what feeds your body and soul.

To find out more about Milford Toastmasters visit http://milfordtmc.freetoasthost.ws/   Toastmasters International can be found at www.toastmasters.org

Also, check out my new podcast at http://forthehealthofit.podbean.com

Drug Problems in Our Town

If you’ve been around me at all the last two weeks, we’ve probably had a conversation about drugs.  It all started with Michael Jackson’s death.  Then it escalated when the FDA was proposing to take some well known narcotic drugs off the market.  Conversation then peaked on a Thursday night at our SPIZZ workshop.  At that point, it got personal.

We hear about the use and abuse of prescription drugs often.  There are consistently articles in the papers and online, we hear stories about grandparents and parents on a dozen drugs, and I even got an earful of information while doing Grand Jury duty last week.  Despite the familiarity of stories, it never seemed like it touched me and the people I loved.  In a nutshell, I am fortunate enough to live in a bubble.

This is what happened the day my bubble burst. During our team’s pre-shift huddle I was reading about how the government’s call for “sweeping safety restrictions on the most widely used painkiller, including reducing the maximum dose of Tylenol and possibly eliminating prescription drugs such as Vicodin and Percocet. ” The reason is that the active ingredient, acetaminophen, is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S.

This conversation gave me an idea.  I started a project.  I randomly chose 110 of our more recent adult patients and looked at their intakes forms to see which prescription drugs were being most utilized. The results astonished me. Out of 110 people, there were a total of 135 prescriptions and get this: 87 different drugs.  These are people I’ve come to care for, love, respect and cheer on to healthier lifestyle choices.  I just didn’t realize they were taking so many drugs!

This is what I decided to do: I wrote down a list of the 110 people who have been under wellness care the longest in our office.  The 110th person has been under care for almost seven years. All these people have been working on healthy choices consistently for a long time.  I want to know how many drugs theyare takin so I am interviewing them one by one.  I would hope that number would be much less than the first group, and so far it is looking like it will be.  I’ll keep you posted.

I’m sure you’re wondering what drugs are most commonly taken.  Four different kinds of antidepressants were very common.  As were drugs for asthma, allergies, heartburn, high blood pressure and cholesterol.  Then there were quite a few for diabetes and thyroid.  My conclusion is that people in our towns, in general, are sick and hurting. They might not all talk about it openly with their neighbors, but behind closed doors, people will admit they are sick and hurting, and taking drugs as a consequence.

Public education of healthier lifestyle choices is of critical need.  Even more critical than education though, is systems of support, accountability and motivation.  I take our work at SCC very seriously.  We provide a service beyond chiropractic adjustments.  We are a lifeline to a better way.  If you’ve found help through our education and support, please share it.  Give away all you know.  Tell everyone.  Don’t hold back. People want to know what you know.  People want a better way.  They are just waiting to find it.

In Pursuit of Good Friends

I recently went on a five day all women sailing trip.  Let me tell you, the boat (a 61 foot swan that draws eight feet) sure got a lot of looks.  But once observers saw it was five women sailing, we got plenty of smiles and shouts!  That alone was empowering.  What really made the trip special though, was the bond created among five diverse, successful women.

Here is what we all have in common: we are each married with two children, we have all had a child in Waldorf school at some point, we all utilize chiropractic care, we all eat organic food when possible, we have all done nutritional cleansing, we all get regular massages, and (as we found out) live an intentionally positive life.

Interestingly, in every other way we are quite diverse.  Erin is a yoga instructer who was a professional sailor for nine years.  Jewelie is a massage therapist and assembles electron sources for a physics company.  Dumari is a human design coach, I am a chiropractor and Kim is an air force lieutenant colonel and professional writer.

The boat was Erin’s domain.  She comes from a family of sailors and keeps her father’s boat docked in Jamestown, RI.  It was raining when we got there so we loaded up as fast as possible.  We were laughing and happy, despite the rain.  Kim, due to her aviation experience, was the logical first mate so she and Erin stayed in the aft of the boat.  Jewelie and I shared a bunk room and Dumari was by herself (we determined she had gone the longest with not sleeping alone so we gave her the prized bunk.)  It felt luxurious to only be responsible for ourselves those forty eight hours.

We sailed the short distance to Newport that evening where we docked for the night.   Once settled, Kim heated up the mushroom lasagna she brought and we opened up the container of cosmopolitans that Erin’s husband Richard had made for us.  The husbands, admittedly, were envious of our trip.  They supported our time together; they just wished they could come along.  As we sat around the table, sharing a healthy meal and fun stories, I started to feel the uniqueness of my situation.

It’s great to have friends where small talk is unnecessary.  Within the first hour, we had covered topics from child rearing to relationship communication to fashion.  And, if you can believe it, with no gossip or judging other people.  That is the caliber of our friendships.  By the end of the weekend, we had sailed to Block Island and back and we were bonded.  We knew each other’s secrets, passions and quirks.  It felt good to be exposed in a way that uplifts you.

We joked throughout the next week that, as we went back to our regular lives, we were different.  If I could see and measure the “energetic field” around my body, I insist it was intensified.  Maybe it was the ocean water.  Maybe it was being so unplugged from my life.  Whatever it was, my four friends were a cause.

Living with Intention

I set an intention in 2006.  I declared it my “Year of Technology.”  I researched and purchased a lap top computer, converted my music cd’s to an iPod and upgraded from a paper schedule to a Palm Pilot.  My intention was to understand and use technology to make my life simpler and more enjoyable.  Due to my clear vision and diligence, I achieved that goal.  It was intentional.

I like the following definition of intention: “to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to aim.” Intentional behavior can also be just thoughtful and deliberate goal-directedness.  Lacking intention, we sometimes stray without meaning or direction.   If we say something was intentional, we meant for it to happen.  If it was unintentional, we didn’t necessarily play a conscious role in its creation.

I believe there are three steps in living with intention.  They are having awareness, planning and being open to the outcome.

Having awareness is simply recognizing that you can go along allowing life to just happen to you OR you can live with intention.  For example, you can be intentional about your first thought of the day.  Think about it.  What was yours today?  “That annoying alarm!  How did the volume get so high?”  or “Ugh! I want to sleep longer.  I don’t want to go to work!”  or “I need to get in the shower NOW if I want to have time for breakfast.” or “What do I need to do today?”  or “Is that rain I hear?”

I made a choice several years ago to start my day intentionally happy.  I have trained myself that as soon as I hear the alarm or wake up on my own, I think “Today is going to be a great day!”  I even smile to summons the emotion that I MEAN IT.

Interestingly, I pretty much always have a great day.  When people ask me my secret, I tell them it is a choice.  An intentional choice.

You can be intentional about how you spend your time, how you communicate with a loved one, the words you choose to use or not use, how you honor your body (food, exercise, sleep), how you express love (ex. the Five Love Languages), how you prepare for your day, how you pursue hobbies, how you keep in touch with family far away, how you preserve memories and how you raise your children.

Likely, there are many ways you currently live intentionally.  You may choose to home school your children, eat organic food, practice your faith and get to bed by 10:00pm every night.  If you think about how in your life you live intentionally, that is probably where you are most happy and content.

Our children Max and Mackenzie are very sweet.  They aren’t mean bullys or demanding or “smart” with their words.  They are actually quite sensitive children.  But almost three years ago I realized, when we were spending a holiday with relatives, that our children weren’t particularly well-mannered.  For example, when wanting a drink of water, my son would say nicely, “Mom, I would like some water.” or “Can you get me some water?”

It wasn’t until I heard my exceptionally polite niece say, “Please may I have some water?” that I realized we had never fully taught our  then 3 and 6 year old children good manners.  My husband and I decided to set an intention to teach our children to be very polite. 

The second step to living with intention is to have a plan. For example, in our effort to train our children to have excellent manners, we decided that we would first explain it to them. We told them that from then on we expected them to ask for what they wanted in a certain way.  Going forward, when they asked for water, for example, we said, “I want you to say Please, may I have some water?”  They caught on pretty quick.  After a week or so, if they slipped and said, “Mom!  I’m thirsty!  “  I would respond, “Oh, that’s interesting.” and go about what I was doing as if they just had a comment for me.  After a moment, they would realize what happened and rephrase their request politely.  Now, we have quite well mannered children who say their Pleases and Thank Yous.

Having a plan for intention takes some thought.  You must STOP and THINK (awareness) then take the time to formulate your plan.  Exercising the plan may require diligence.  This is most easily done when you have attached positive value or loving thought to the intention.  For example, I really was excited to adopt more technology in my life.  I felt like a loving parent when I was taking the time to instill manners with my children.

Sometimes, instead of a plan, you just need to continually be aware of your intention.  For example, if you intend to stop judging people, that takes a LOT of awareness but not necessarily any planning.  The plan, I suppose, is to have continued awareness.  As you can imagine, this isn’t necessarily easy.  Just as not judging people wouldn’t necessarily be easy.  But that’s the point.  Living with intention is not about living an easy life, it’s about living a remarkable life.  Wildly successful people are intentional with how they think and live.

The third step is being open to the outcome.  If you are attached to the outcome, you allow negativity or fear as an emotion.  There are only two basic emotions from where all other emotions stem: love and fear.  Intention, at its best, is based in love or gratitude.  If you intend for something to be or to happen, you feel a positive emotion.  For example, if I intend to communicate better with my spouse, I have a positive emotion.  If his response is not reciprocated, I can choose to continue acting from intention and stay positive or I can attach to the outcome and be negative, thus losing the intention.  Being open to the outcome allows you to stay in intention.

Where do you feel anxiety, fear or are disconnected in your life?  In other words, where in your life to you want to feel joy, peace and connectedness?  This is where to put an intention.

Start by placing the intention on what you can fully control, such as how you feel about something or someone, or how you choose to act or respond in a situation.

Living with intention will create more fulfillment, joy, integrity and value in your life.  First become aware that you can set an intention, then have a plan and ultimately be open to any outcome.  This formula for living with intention will help make your life extraordinary.

I have continued to set intentions with technology.  This blog you’re reading is my latest intention.  I became aware of the value of blogging this past year.  I set a plan to start a blog in the Spring and write at least once every two weeks.  I have no attachment to the outcome; I just wish to inspire, entertain and motivate you toward building a better life.  Next steps, for me, are to look into an iphone and explore how to upload workshops to our website.  Ultimately, I intend to mobilize thousands of people to take actions that bring them closer to their potential.

What is your intention?