Proper Maintenance Extends Life

car_blog

Are you a car owner?  I bet you didn’t think that being a car owner could teach you a lesson about health.  It can!  Any car owner knows that if your car is out of alignment, the tires will wear unevenly.  What you may not realize is your shocks, struts, springs, and ball joints are also being stressed. All of these parts of the car are being abnormally worn and torn, as well. Replacing the tires will not fix the problem. Driving the car less often, slower, or in a different fashion will not stop the wear and tear either.  The longer we have the misalignment and the more severe it becomes, the greater the wear and tear becomes on the car and the more expensive it will likely cost to fix it.  We, as car owners, chose to keep our cars aligned.  Why?  Perhaps you do for your safety, to save money in the long run, or to keep your car running longer.

We, like cars, are subject to the same rules. A misaligned spine will change the biomechanics of your body. In other words, it affects the way your arms, legs, and all the joints of your body function and how they move. Any misalignment in your spine will abnormally wear and tear the discs in the spine, the knee joint, hip joint, shoulder joint, and other weight bearing joints. The biggest and most important difference is that you cannot replace joints of the body like you can the joints in a car.  Have you had your spine checked for proper alignment?

Call us today and make that first step!

678.971.4553

Phytonutrients…..Do you get enough?

Your body needs plants. It’s not just maybe needs or sometimes needs them; your body needs a variety of fruits and vegetables daily.  There are vital phytonutrients found in plants that you cannot get in any other food.   Your liver, for example, relies on key components from plants in order to appropriately detox the body and digest food properly.   Some of the biggest challenges we hear from people when it comes to trying to increase plant based nutrition is it’s boring, not flavorful, and takes too much time to prepare.

In this blog, we want to give you an idea of a healthy, flavorful lunch option that is packed with nutrients.  Plus it’s simple to prepare.  Anyone can do it!  You will want to set aside about 30-45 minutes on Sunday to prepare the food.  And when it’s all said and done you will have your lunch packed for the week!

Mediterranean Quinoa Saladquinoa

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups of water
½ red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper, to taste

First, you will want to cook the quinoa.  Boil 2 cups of water; add 1 cup of quinoa.  Turn heat to low and cover for 15 minutes.  Then, remove from heat and let the quinoa cool.

While you are cooking the quinoa, you will want chop the red onion, bell pepper and cucumber.  Once the quinoa has cooled add all the ingredients together and stir until well mixed.  The quinoa salad is a simple as that.  Depending on what flavors you enjoy, you could add herbs or balsamic vinegar to the salad as well.

Next, you will want to prepare what you would like to pair with your quinoa salad.  Hummus is delicious with this salad.  You can buy store bought hummus of your choice.  We like to add the hummus along with carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers slices.  Tomatoes would be delicious too.  The key is pairing it with veggies that you enjoy.  If you go ahead and chop the veggies all at once on Sunday you can prepare containers or baggies with the veggies for each day.  Life tends to get hectic once the week gets started, so by preparing the healthy foods in advance you will likely eat healthier throughout the week.

Have a healthy week and enjoy some plant based nutrition!  Your body needs it.

Scatter kindness everywhere….in the form of snacks!

 

We have the best patients at Hope Chiropractic!  What fun we had last week providing healthy snacks in our office.  Whether you grabbed an orange for your mid-morning snack, an apple to hold you over until dinner, or some delicious homemade granola to nibble on throughout the day, we hope you felt appreciated.  We have gotten several requests for the recipe, so we are sharing it with you.   It’s oh so good!

patient appreciation picture

 

Homemade Granola Recipe

Heat oven to 300.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl:

2 c old fashion oats

1/2 c chopped pecans

1/2 c dried cherries

1/4 c sliced almonds

1/4 c sunflower seeds

2T pure maple syrup

1T +1t coconut oil

1/4 t vanilla

1 lg pinch of sea salt

 

Mix with hands- making sure coconut oil is totally dispersed.

Place on foil lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.  Store in air tight container.

We look forward to hearing how you like it!  One of our favorite ingredients is the dried cherries.  What’s yours?  Enjoy!

 

 

 

5 Ways to Boost your Immune System during Cold and Flu Season

fruits and veggies

Cold and Flu season is here!  What are you doing to give your immune system an extra boost? While it is important to maintain a healthy immune system all year long, it is especially important during times when your immune system will be under additional stress.   Below you will find 5 ways to start boosting your immune system today, so you can ensure a happy and healthy season ahead!

  1.  Have your nervous system checked by a chiropractor.  Since the nervous system is the master control system of the entire body, every other system in the body will suffer if the nervous system is operating at a less than optimal state.  The nervous system and the immune system work closely together to allow you to respond and adapt to your environment, including the ability to fight off bad bacteria and viruses.  Learn more about chiropractic and your health here.
  2. Eat more fruits and veggies.  Much of what is found in the grocery store today is processed and packaged.  It isn’t even real food, but we fall victim to it because it is quick and convenient.  The old saying, “You are what we eat,” is true.  The food you give your body will be used to produce the cells that make up your body.  Your body deserves real food!  It desires real food!  I challenge you today to begin eating one raw fruit or veggie at every meal.  Also, consider using a supplement to help bridge the nutritional gap in your diet.  Juice Plus is a fantastic, research based, whole food supplement that is designed to do just that.
  3. Drink plenty of water.  You should be drinking enough water to turn your urine a very light yellow color.  Most people need about half of their body weight in ounces in water a day.  Therefore, if you weigh 150 lbs, you would strive to drink about 75 ounces of water per day.  The key is to drink it slowly throughout the day.  Adequate water intake will aid in proper digestion and absorption as well as removing toxins from the body.
  4. Exercise regularly.  Exercising boosts the production of macrophages in your body, which are the cells responsible for attacking bacteria.  If you are currently not on a workout routine, start slow and simple.  Walking for 20-30 minutes 3-5 days a week could be a good starting point, and the intensity and frequency can be adjusted as necessary.  The key is to get into a consistent routine.
  5. Don’t sacrifice your sleep.  Sleeping is extremely important and CANNOT be replaced by anything!  The body is able to repair and heal at its best during sleep.  You should strive for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.  If your sleep pattern doesn’t allow for adequate sleep, start going to bed 30 minutes earlier until you are able to get at least 7 hours consistently.

Are You Drinking Enough Water

 

spring waterThe health benefits of drinking adequate water are phenomenal, yet few people actually do it.  It’s simple and it costs little, but we do not do it.  Are you missing the value?  What if I told you drinking more water could:

  • Help you maintain a healthy body weight
  • Aid in proper digestion and absorption of food
  • Decrease muscle tension
  • Give your skin a beautiful glow
  • Remove toxins from your body

Many people are living life in a state of chronic dehydration because they have not been drinking adequate water for quite some time.  Are you one of them?  You are probably aware of some of the well known symptoms of dehydration like increased thirst, dark urine, and fatigue.  These symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg.  Chronic dehydration can also lead to:

  • Digestive challenges (like heartburn and constipation)
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Weight gain
  • High cholesterol
  • Aging prematurely

Are you thirsty yet?  Before you grab a glass of water, let me explain the best type of water to drink.  Mountain spring water is ideal because it has a balanced pH, which your body needs.  In a perfect world you would get your water from a gravity-fed spring.  While that is not realistic for everyone, the next best thing you can do is get your water from a company that gets water from a natural spring.

In our office we pride ourselves on providing our patients with excellent water.  Highland Mountain provides us with the best mountain spring water.  They provide water to offices as well as homes.  We could not be more satisfied with the quality product they provide for us; our bodies are certainly grateful, too!

How much water should you be drinking?  You should be drinking enough water to turn your urine a very light yellow color.

Now, go enjoy a big glass of water and let your body reap the health benefits of it!

For more information on the health benefits of water, go here https://www.mercola.com/article/water.htm.

For more information on Highland Mountain, click here.

When should you stop being adjusted?

Someone asked me the other day, “Dr.  Marjorie, when are you going to stop getting adjusted?”

I thought about it and responded with, “Well, when are you going to stop going to the dentist?”

Most of us are going to continue going to the dentist for the rest of our lives.  We know the benefit of having our teeth professionally cleaned twice a year and taking care of problems as they arise.

Our spines are no different.  The truth is that most of us neglect our spines.  Why?  Maybe because we cannot physically see our spines like we can physically see our teeth.

I cannot stress enough the importance of making sure your spine and nervous system are properly maintained.  It’s the lifeline for the body.  It’s the pathway by which your brain communicates with the rest of your body through your nervous system.

You can replace a decaying tooth, but you CANNOT replace a decaying spine.

Call today to have your spine evaluated, so you can be on the path to better health!  678-971-4553

Learn more here.

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