Healthy Heart Tip- Eat more fish!

Fish are amazing, beautiful creatures. I’ve snorkeled in crystal-clear waters full of vibrant, exotic fish. What a treat it is to see the many varieties that swim free in the ocean—all basically the same, yet all so very different, in so many shapes, sizes, and colors. Fish are wonderful entertainment, but they also can benefit us in other ways.

Certain dark flesh fish contain high concentrations of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are fats that are very beneficial to the human body. First it was found that Omega 3 fatty acids were good for the heart and cardiovascular health. Now it is thought that Omega 3 fatty acids are helpful not only in maintaining the health of the heart, but also in brain development and overall long-term health. They have been found to help lower cholesterol levels, elevate moods, and act as anti-inflammatory agents.

All of that, right there, should be enough to send you running down to the fish market. But before you do, you should know that when it comes to Omega 3 fatty acids, not all fish are created equal. The highest concentrations are found in dark flesh cold-water fish caught in the wild rather than raised on a farm. The wild fish eat more algae, which is where they get the Omega 3 fatty acids. The fish stores fat just as you and I do; when we eat the fish, we benefit from their stored fats.

Because some fish flesh contains high levels of heavy metals, I strongly recommend that you buy fish from a health-food store,   Ask where it was caught, and if it has been tested for contaminants. And remember: fresh fish does not smell “fishy.”

 The scales should be shiny, the flesh firm. Look your fish in the eye; if it’s fresh, the eye will be clear, not cloudy. Most stores sell frozen, serving-size fish, make sure it's  "wild caught".  This may be a good choice; fish are normally frozen right after they’re caught, and frozen fish is easy to store until you’re ready to eat it.

Fish with white flesh are good sources of protein, but they don’t have high concentrations of Omega 3 fatty acids, except in their livers. Unless you’re going to eat that, go for such dark-fleshed fishes as salmon and mackerel. Two or three servings a week are a great start.

There are many ways to serve fish: you can steam, poach, broil, grill, or bake them. You can fry them, though that may not be the healthiest option. You can go ethnic and make curried fish (Thai), fish stew (French), fish in green sauce (Mexican), or fish sauce piquante (Cajun). Or pick up a Mediterranean cookbook—the region boasts unlimited choices for serving fish.

It may be difficult or unacceptable to you to eat as much fish as you need to fulfill your body’s need for Omega 3 fatty acids. There are other choices. Check the refrigerated supplements section of your health-food store for flax-seed oil, a good vegetarian source of Omega 3 fatty acids. For a non-vegetarian source you can take a fish-oil supplement. As with all supplements, quality varies. Buy the best you can afford. Currently, 1000 milligrams is thought to be an adequate adult daily intake of Omega 3 fatty acids.

 While we’re on the subject of fatty acids, Omega 6 fatty acids are another type of essential fatty acids your body needs. These are found in corn, olive, sunflower, and safflower oils, so make sure you diet includes some of these. Best choice? Olive oil drizzled on your salads or vegetable side dishes.

Healthy Skin is Beautiful Skin

Take good care of your skin. You need healthy skin for your body to function fully. You also may find that you age more slowly if you look and feel younger. I think it’s true that beauty is more than skin deep But. I also think that your attitude about your self (and looks contribute to this), can effect the rate at which you age. You may find that you age slower if you look and feel younger. What could contribute more to looking and feeling younger than skin that is healthy, radiant, and wrinkle-free?

Your skin is one of the largest organs in—or, in this case on—your body. Yes, your skin is actually an organ, just like the heart or lungs or spleen or brain. In terms of surface area, the average adult human in the US has about 3,000 square inches of skin Your skin is responsible for many functions, including protecting you from bacterial infection, maintaining your body temperature, receiving stimuli from the environment, producing vitamin D, and excreting or retaining water and salts. Your skin regenerates itself daily, constantly sloughing off old skin cells and growing new ones. Follow these suggestions to give your skin its best chance of remaining healthy.

Be kind to your skin by protecting it from exposure to sun, wind, and other elements.  Wear protective clothing when you’re going to be in weather that will be hard on your skin. Wind, cold and/or dry air, salty or chlorinated water, and blowing dust are just a few of the environmental conditions that can adversely affect the skin. Some work environments, such as a dusty shop, or a job that requires you to be exposed to paint fumes, harsh cleansers, or oils, can also be hard on the skin; wear protective gear, and drink plenty of water.

Grow healthy skin from the inside out. To do this, eat lots of foods that themselves contain water, such as fruits and vegetables. Take your vitamins every day, so your body has plenty of the building blocks it needs to replace cells as needed. Include healthy oils, such as fish and flax-seed oils, in your diet. And drink plenty of water.

One of the quickest ways to age your skin is to smoke tobacco. Don’t do it. Make sure you get enough rest, again so your body has the energy it needs to replace dead cells with new ones. Stress affects every organ in the body, including your skin. If your stress level is high, read the section on de-stressing, and drink plenty of water.

Always wash your skin in pure water, and make it warm, not hot. Buy the best-quality skin-care products you can afford. Use soaps that are kind to your skin. Choose a natural product if possible, one with no harsh chemicals, dyes, or artificial fragrances. First clean your skin. Next tone; to balance your skins PH, and moisturize; to add moisture and lock out pollutants. Do all three at least twice a day. Guys, you can do this too—a skin-care routine is good for everyone, and plenty of products on the market are designed especially for men. Never sleep in makeup, cosmetics, or dirty skin. And drink plenty of water.

Acne usually starts at puberty, triggered by the body’s increased production of hormones. If acne is prolonged or acute, it means your body chemistry is in a state of imbalance. You probably need to clean up your diet, balance your hormones, and detoxify your internal organs as well as your skin. Because of side effects and drug-resistant bacteria, antibiotics are not the answer. However, homeopathy might be (see the section on Homeopathy). An herbalist can also be of assistance to someone who suffers from acne.

Many skin problems, such as eczema and psoriasis, can indicate an underlying toxicity in the body, as well as nutritional imbalances. A qualified homeopath or herbalist can be of assistance with these types of concerns also.

If it’s true that self-image, self-esteem, and attitudes affect aging, then taking good care of the skin is not just an issue of looks, it’s a step toward slowing the aging process.

Further Reading:

The Perricone Prescription, by Nicholas Perricone, M.D.

 Beauty and Grooming, by Reinhold Benz

Age Erasing Secrets, by Kevin Ireland

Natural Facelift, by Juliette Kando

Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, by Deepak Chopra

Is your home Environment clean and chemical free?

A clean environment is essential to your good health. You might think your house is clean, but the air inside it can be very dirty without looking or smelling as if it is. The chemicals you use to clean your home can pollute your surroundings. Allergies, respiratory problems, and reduced immune function can all be induced or complicated by toxins in the environment.

Environmental illness occurs when a person’s immune system is so sensitive that they are allergic to such everyday things as the carpets in their home or the fabrics in their clothes. Early research found that such people were often sensitive to the chemicals used to produce these everyday products, not to the products themselves.

Some companies make non-chemically-produced products for the home, such as mattresses, bedspreads towels, and shower curtains. No matter what kind of products you buy, always wash any new fabric products before you use them. This removes the residues from the manufacturing processes and decreases your exposure to toxins.

You may not be as sensitive as someone who can’t ride a bus without being sickened by the bus exhaust, or other people’s perfume or cologne or cigarette smoke. However, you could be sensitive at a sub-clinical level, where the reaction is never fully manifested but still puts stress on your immune system.

If you are often sick and/or tired, you may be sensitive to your environment. Why not keep your living space as free of toxins as you possibly can, just in case you are sensitive? It couldn’t hurt.

At home, start by cleaning or replacing all air filters on your furnace and air conditioners. Have the furnace Ducts cleaned on regular basis- it's a investment, but a good one- you would be amazed at how many pounds of dust is lurking in the furnace ducts! While you’re at it, change the filters on the exhaust fans for the bathroom, clothes dryer, and stove. Make sure all fans are working properly to vent outside the home. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to change them again in six months.

Use humidity controls. If you live in a damp climate, use a dehumidifier to discourage mold. If your home is too dry, use a humidifier to make the air more moist, and friendlier to your respiratory system. If you live in an area high in dust or pollen, keep your windows closed at high-risk times. The same goes if you live near a well-traveled road or freeway whose traffic pumps a lot of exhaust into the air.

If you use humidifiers, clean them at least once a week. Drain all the water, clean the inside with a brush, and soak the filters in a natural cleaner. Young Living Essential Oils makes several different oils that work to clean the air when added to the water in your humidifier. For instance the oil called Purification contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal ingredients that will ride the water droplets into the air, and decrease the pollutants in your home. If you don’t humidify, you can purchase an oil distiller, choose one that does not use heat - a cold distiller uses air pressure to release the oil molecules into the air. If you decide to use essential oils, be sure that they’re pure oils, with nothing added that might affect the oils’ detoxifying efficiency. I only use Young Living Oils, I'm sure they are pure!

Don’t pollute your home with cigarette smoke—if you must smoke, take it outside. Don’t use candles or incense excessively. Be sure charcoal burners and chemical fire-starters are used well away from open windows and doors. And when you clean dusty areas of your home, such as the attic or the garage, wear a facemask.

If you live in an area where household pests are a problem, try to use natural products to discourage the visits of ants, roaches, termites, and the like. Essential oils like peppermint and lemon discourage bugs.  If you feel you must use an exterminator, ask about natural products that can be professionally applied. Most insecticides include neurotoxins: they kill bugs by poisoning their nervous systems. Repeated exposure to such chemicals in your home can’t be good.

Limit your use of toxic cleaning products. There are many natural cleaning products on the market today—use them first. If you then find that you must use your favorite chemical cleaners, use them sparingly. Pick one or two, and don’t mix them. Choose products that pump or pour rather than spray—or, better yet, ones that you wipe on and off. This way you limit chemical over-spray, and breathe in less of the stuff as you clean. Always wear rubber gloves while cleaning, and don’t clean in small, unventilated spaces. If you do use chemicals, open the windows to let the house air out during and after use

Don’t use excessive amounts of chemicals to clean your clothes. Pick natural detergents and softeners. Use chemical spot cleaners sparingly. You might even consider running clothes through your washing machine’s rinse cycle twice to be sure all the cleaners are removed.

Clean your carpets and furniture at least once every six months. A carpet-cleaning company can do both. Use a company that uses environmentally friendly cleaners. And don’t forget the drapes—they catch a lot of dust, and should be washed regularly with natural cleaners.

Use houseplants to clean the air in your home. Studies show that houseplants actually remove toxins from the air, so fill your home with leafy plants and let them go to work for you. Remember, plants must be dusted, just like anything else in your home. For them to work as little air purifiers, their leaves must be clean.

If you work in a profession where you are exposed to environmental toxins like wood dust or gas fumes, always wear your protective mask. And be kind to your neighbors—make sure your car is kept well-tuned.

last but not least, take a close look at your personal care products- what chemicals are in them? I recently visited a friend who has respiratory problems. I had to leave the house when she sprayed her hairspray and the scent engulfed the house. I could smell chemicals and asked her if she had considered that breathing that spray a time or two a day could be part of her problem. She had never considered it. Use all natural personal care products, remember anything that goes on your body gets into your body!

Kick the Cans

It’s important to your health that you eliminate as many processed foods from your diet as possible. Processed foods are those that have been stored in cans or boxes or bottles in ways that make them less healthy than the same foods would be in their natural states.

Look at the canned vegetables you buy. These foods were plucked from the earth and shipped to huge processing plants, where they were cleaned and chopped, then cooked at temperatures high enough to destroy most of the vitamins these foods once contained. Then things were added to them—things such as salt, sugar (in all its wonderful disguises), preservatives, artificial flavors, colors, and stabilizers. After all this processing, little of the foods’ natural nutrition is still available, and health-defying ingredients such as sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) now take center stage.

I grew up on a small farm. We canned lots of veggies from the garden. In home canning, the cooking temperatures are lower, and you don’t add much of anything artificial. Such hand-canned products are much closer to natural than the store-bought varieties. These days, however, home canning is practically a lost art. Most people don’t know how to grow or can their food, and, with improvements in transporting fresh foods, most people don’t need to know.

Fresh is your best first choice. Frozen foods are a good second choice. In freezing, the integrity of the foods’ cell walls is destroyed, which is why frozen vegetables tend to be somewhat mushy. Still, much of the nutritional value remains, so no additives are needed. With that in mind, check the labels of frozen foods—what has been added that wasn’t needed? Most frozen foods need little processing—just cut, clean, bag, and freeze.

Then read the labels on some canned foods, counting all the additives. Ask yourself if you can figure out why companies find it necessary to add sugar and salt to vegetables. If you were going to use canned products with no added sugar or MSG, how many choices would you have? What if you wanted to eliminate salt as well—now how many choices do you have? If you shop in a chain grocery store of the non–health-food variety, your choices will be very limited indeed. Make a note of what products and brand names have no added sugar, salt, or MSG. That way, when you have an emergency, need to fix something quick, or are in a hurry, you won’t have to make a trip to a health-food store. You can make a quick stop at the neighborhood grocery and still make fairly good, though somewhat limited, choices for a quick meal.

Years ago, you couldn’t find canned goods in health-food stores. You didn’t see many boxed foods either. Most of what you could buy was dry, and in big bins. If you were really serious about health foods, you even brought your own recycled bags to put the products in. How much the health-food industry has changed and grown in the past thirty years! Today there are a variety of organic canned vegetables, pasta sauces, and soups on the shelf, as well as freezers full of products. Fresh is still best, but when you need a quick meal, many organic, no-additive choices are available.

A few canned products are so convenient you can’t help but use them. We all know that beans soaked and cooked at home are fantastic, but when you don’t have that kind of time, canned beans are great. Again, use the organic, no-additives kind. There are a number of brands of natural soups on the market today; again, if you have time to cook, fresh is always best—but for a quick meal, an all-natural soup high in carbohydrates and a portion of fish or chicken makes a good, quick, relatively healthy meal.

Have you heard that saying “there are always exceptions to the rule”? It’s true. The rule is use as few canned, boxed, or bottled food products as you possibly can. The exception is when you’re pressed for time. Then go for packaged foods that are as close to their original, natural state as possible. As with all the other habits you’re changing as you read and apply this book, each time you choose the healthier shopping alternative, you’ve won a small victory. You’re that much closer to enjoying good health for your lifetime.

Buy Snacks in Small Packs

            Stroll the Candy aisle of any supermarket. It’s amazing to see how many different kinds of chocolate bars there are to choose from. Look at all the other types of sugar-filled, artificially colored junk foods we can pick from, be they gummy worms or old-fashioned caramels. Next, take a walk down the Chips aisle (imagine, a whole aisle just for chips . . .). How many types of potato chips do we really need?

It’s said that variety is the spice of life. Well, we sure have enough variety in the snack department. In fact, it’s apparent that our culture has become so fixated on junk food that we’ve forgotten how to eat. Full of fats, salt, sugar and chemicals, these snack foods can adversely affect our health if we overindulge, and most of us do.

Now take a look at the Frozen Foods section. How many of these products can you identify as junk foods in disguise? From pastries that fit in a toaster to meaty, dough-wrapped snacks, most of these frozen snacks are full of artificial stuff, and do not count as good nutritional choices.

Now think of the number of times you’ve filled up on junk food rather than real food. How many times have you opened a bag of chips or cookies or candy when you weren’t really hungry, and entertained yourself by eating the whole bag? How many times have you been in such a rush that some quick junk food served as your meal? Most of us can say that we’ve done these things often.

Take a look at what your children are eating. It’s astonishing to me how many parents closely monitor their children’s TV viewing, friends, music, social activities, and Internet use, even as they stuff their cupboards with foods that cause obesity and other health problems for those children.

Most snack foods are full of sugar—or, even worse, artificial sugar—fat, salt, artificial flavors and colors, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and a variety of additives and preservatives. None of these is good for you.

My best advice for you is to give them up. Yes, I mean give up eating junk snack foods. Don’t shop in the Candy, Cookie, Chips, or Frozen Food aisles—skip them altogether. You can’t eat it if you don’t buy it. Learn to use healthy, natural foods for snacks. Try fresh or dried fruit, yogurt, nuts, and fresh vegetables. Shop the health-food store for natural alternatives to artificial snack foods.

If you feel that you just can’t give up snack foods, learn to regulate how you use them. This process begins at the grocery store. Start by thinking about what you’re buying. What snack food would you buy if you could choose only one? What is your second choice? Do you need both? Look at the lists of ingredients—are you sure you want to eat that?

Take a close look at the contents of your shopping cart before you check out. How many snack items did you choose? Did you really plan to buy that many? Would you like to put something back on the shelf?

Next, never super-size it! Don’t buy the largest package of anything. I know that snacks seem to cost less in bigger packages, but think of the cost in treatment for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other diet-related diseases. Eating cheap junk food now costs you many times more later, in healthcare.

If you must buy snacks, buy the tiniest package possible. Most stores carry chips and cookies in single-serving packages, all ready to put in lunch pails. Why not buy those? The cost per cookie is higher, but that’s even more of an incentive to eat less of them. Small packs stay fresh longer because they don’t sit open in the cupboard. With small packages, it’s easy to know when to stop munching: the package is empty.

If you must buy full-size packages of snacks, always look at the label to determine what a serving size is, then measure one serving into a dish. Often a serving will be something like 10 chips. Admit it—if you’re holding the bag in your hand, you’re probably going to eat more than one 10-chip serving. Candy packages also list serving sizes; be sure to read the label before you eat the whole thing.

Make a healthy choice. Decide to reduce or eliminate the junk snack foods in your diet. Remember to measure servings. Don’t use snack foods in place of a meal. Follow these suggestions and you’ll be on your way to a healthier life.

Chiropractic-Maintaining Your Body's Healing Ability

What is chiropractic? Chiropractic is the science, art, and philosophy of the effects of the vertebral subluxation complex on the health of the body. Chiropractic is based in physical science; there is an art to the actual delivery of the chiropractic treatment, called an adjustment; and there is an underlying philosophy about health that is unique to chiropractic.

As a chiropractor, I believe the body is a self-healing organism designed to be in a state of perfect homeostasis, or balance. I believe that when the body is in balance, all systems function at 100% of the system’s potential, and the body is healthy. When the body is not in balance, when systems function at less than 100% of their potential, then health is lost and disease takes over.

According to Gray’s Anatomy, the nervous system controls and coordinates all of the functions in the body. Chiropractic is based on this fact. We recognize that a nerve must transmit a message from the brain to the organ, tissue, or cell in the body so that the organ, tissue, or cell knows how to function in a healthy manner. If this transmission of messages is disrupted, health is disrupted.

Chiropractic recognizes the relationship between a healthy spine and a healthy nervous system. Because of the position of the peripheral nerves, which exit the spinal cord through openings between the spinal bones, the health of the spine can affect the health of the nervous system. In a spine that has the vertebral subluxation complex, there will be a lack of proper function, causing interference with the nerves that can and will affect the body’s ability to transmit messages through the nerves. When nerve transmission is disrupted or lost, organs malfunction, muscles weaken, symptoms of disease and decay occur.

As a chiropractor, my job is to make sure that your body is free of subluxations, and free of nervous-system malfunctions that can cause pain and disease.

 

Many people seek chiropractic care to be free from the pain of headaches, backaches, and other musculoskeletal problems without the use of drugs or surgery. Many patients, when freed from spinal subluxations, also report an increase in overall health and vitality, as well as a lessening of symptoms of conditions that are not musculoskeletal, such as asthma, allergies, and earaches.

 

Can you imagine what a change it would be to be without pain, without suffering, without drugs? Chiropractic care is suitable for anyone who has a spine. Chiropractic is appropriate for anyone of any age, from the youngest baby to the most elderly person who wants to change their health. Chiropractic is very safe, very effective, and cost-effective.

How does one become subluxated? There are many ways, from birth trauma and falls as a child, to auto accidents, sports injuries, or accidents around the house. Subluxations can be caused by years of poor posture, or from stress. Think about it—do you remember any falls from your childhood? Most of us have at least one story of a childhood injury to relate. Maybe you fell down the stairs, off a bike, out of a tree, or off the monkey bars. Many patients I see recall injuries from high school sports.

Most of us have experienced a fender-bender or two, if not some more serious vehicle accident. (It’s hard to total a car without doing some kind of damage to your body. Just because nothing was broken doesn’t mean nothing was hurt.) Maybe you became subluxated when you moved or picked up something heavy, and now, every once in a while, your back “goes out on you.” A back that “goes out” now and then is almost a sure sign of subluxation.

If, years later, you can remember a fall, injury, or accident, it probably hurt, and it probably seriously jolted your body. You are probably subluxated. You may wonder why

you don’t feel subluxated. Here are some clues as to what being subluxated feels like: Are you stiff in the morning or after working? Do you notice a general lack of flexibility in your body? Rather than just easily turning your head, do you have to turn your shoulders to look behind you when you put the car in reverse? Do you have headaches? (Many patients who are subluxated report an initial symptom of headaches.)

Does your body feel as if it’s getting old? Do you have numbness or tingling in your hands or feet? Perhaps you thought it was a lack of blood flow, your hands or feet going to sleep. This can be a very common sign of spinal subluxations. Do you have leg pain that has been diagnosed as sciatica? Sciatica is another common sign of spinal subluxation.

These are some of the more common symptoms that can point to spinal subluxations. If you have one or more or all of these, then you may also have some other health problems. You probably aren’t as healthy as you’d like to be, and you probably don’t do all the things you’d like to do. Some patients attribute the above symptoms to “just getting older.” You don’t have to accept the outdated mode of thinking that says that you lose your health as you age. If your doctor has ever attributed your health problems to the fact that you’re getting older, I recommend that you change doctors.

So now you may have a better idea of what chiropractic is, and how you might feel if you’re subluxated. Now what do you do about it? First, call a chiropractor and make an appointment. Don’t worry, all chiropractors are very well educated and must pass rigorous national and state requirements to practice.

Licensing requirements weed out those that are truly not qualified to practice. The rest is up to you. Any time you choose a doctor, you should look at their ability to communicate with you as a priority, as well as their ability to listen. Ask questions and see how they respond. If the doctor’s office is professionally run and you’re comfortable with the doctor, then you’re probably in the right place. Most insurance covers some chiropractic, so check out the doctors on your plan. Remember, insurance policies cover a certain number of visits per year for each policyholder. But the number of visits you may require might differ from the number of visits your insurance company will cover. This is very common.

Most patients receive a complete examination. Chiropractors are well trained to palpate the body—that is, to make muscle and bone diagnoses by touching the body—but nothing gives the full picture like a picture. I know the cost of x-rays is a concern for many patients, but what is your health worth? Another common concern is x-ray exposure. I definitely think you should keep your x-ray exposure to a minimum.

Talk to your doctor about the minimum required to get the maximum information. A picture of your bones could save your life if you happen to have pain because of a serious disease process that has yet to be seen.

After the exam and the x-rays, the doctor will tell you what type of treatment is appropriate for your condition. When you get adjusted, you lie on a table fully clothed, and the doctor literally moves your bones by pushing them in specific directions with a specific amount of force. Don’t try this at home; adjustments are safe only when done by a well-trained, highly skilled professional. After the adjustment, which takes only a few minutes, you can get right up and go on about your life; in most cases, no recovery time is needed.

You’ve probably heard stories about people who went to a chiropractor and felt worse after the adjustment then they did before. That happened to me—after injuring my neck in an automobile accident, I found that, for a few weeks after the accident, my regular adjustment appointments left me sore. Had I not been a chiropractor and not understood why that was happening, I might not have gone back.

Yes, sometimes people do feel more sore after their first few adjustments. But notice that I say after their first few adjustments—not after every adjustment. In the beginning of the process, there is often a small inflammation reaction in the adjusted joints. That means they’re going to be sore. This doesn’t happen in every case—in fact, it doesn’t happen in most cases—but when it does, it’s just a part of the healing process. After a few adjustments, the discomfort should go away for the most part, and future treatments should be painless.

Usually, a series of spinal adjustments is needed to correct subluxations. Although a single adjustment might relieve the pain, it won’t permanently cure the problem—repeated adjustments are necessary to get rid of the subluxation. Each adjustment builds on the previous one retraining the muscles to support the vertebrae in their “new,” restored, healthy positions, which they may not have held in years. Most patients continue with some sort of preventive care, to maintain their health and to prevent subluxations from becoming reestablished in their spines.

Most people find that an adjustment once a month keeps them healthy, and counters the effects of the stressful, active lifestyles most of us live. If you want to be healthy throughout your lifetime, chiropractic adjustments are a necessity.

Further Reading

Healing Hands, by Joseph Maynard, D.C., Ph.C.

Chiropractic First, by Terry A. Rondberg, D.C.

Introduction to Chiropractic, by Louis Sportelli

The Chiropractic Way, by Michael Lenarz, D. C.

Chiropractic Compassion and Expectation, by Terry A. Rondberg, D.C. and Timothy J. Feuling

How Long Has Your Oil Light Been On?

If you want to remain in good health throughout your life, you must learn to recognize and listen to the messages your body gives you. This may be a challenge at first—most people are not very body-conscious, and feel their bodies only when they’re in severe pain. To become more body-conscious, you must listen to your body when it whispers to you, not just when it screams. To become more body-conscious, try the following exercise twice a day, morning and night, just before you start or end your day:

Take a few moments to sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Let your mind feel your body. First, put your attention on your feet and legs, being aware of how they actually feel: loose? tight? hot? cold? achy? Now, let your attention wander slowly over the rest of your body. Are you aware of any part that doesn’t feel as good as the rest? What does that feel like? Is it a sign of something new? Did you have this feeling the last time you did this exercise? Has it changed or progressed?

Do this exercise each day and you’ll begin to become much more familiar with the way your body normally feels. That will make you more likely to recognize a symptom when it first appears. But once you’ve become aware of your symptoms, you must make a choice about addressing them. An illustration common in the chiropractic profession is the Oil Light Analogy:

Imagine that you’re driving along in your car and the oil light comes on. What are you going to do? Ignore it and hope it will go away? If you do, you might be able to drive the car quite a bit longer, but eventually the lack of oil—which is, after all, the problem the oil light is designed to alert you to—will ruin the engine and render the car useless.

Or, when the oil light comes on, are you going to stop, add oil, drive until the light comes on again, then stop and add more oil, and so on? Adding oil over and over is similar to adding pain relievers to your body. The symptom (the oil light) may disappear for a while, but it will return when the problem gets worse again (when enough oil has again leaked out or burned up). The underlying issue (the oil leak) is never addressed. Most of you probably don’t treat your car this badly, but your bodies might be another story.

Or, when the oil light comes on, do you call the mechanic and make an appointment to take your car in for service so that he or she can find out why it lost so much oil? Probably so. You want to fix that oil leak before it creates more problems in your car, costing you more money and inconvenience. You won’t wait till your car overheats or the engine seizes up just because of a simple lack of lubrication.

The oil light is similar to your symptoms. When your body malfunctions, it tells you so by exhibiting some type of symptom. The most dangerous way to deal with symptoms is to ignore them or hope that they’ll just go away.

Sometimes symptoms are subtle—fatigue, muscle tightness, loss of appetite, or a change in sleep patterns. This is the body whispering. At other times the body will scream for help, in the forms of pain, strong allergic reactions, or a reduction in organ function.

In most cases, the problem causing the symptoms has been there a long time, and the symptoms have worsened with time. (Remember, if the symptoms are getting worse, so is the underlying disease process.) I can’t tell you how many patients I’ve seen with severe health problems who waited a year or more to seek care because they “thought it would go away.” Meanwhile, their symptoms got only worse. In many cases, by the time the patient seeks care, the disease has progressed to a point where it is much harder to treat.

I often ask patients what prevents them from seeking care as soon as they’re aware of their symptoms. The most common responses are “I thought it would go away on its own,” “I didn’t have/didn’t want to spend the money,” “I didn’t have time,” “I was afraid of what the doctor might find,” and “I was afraid of how the doctor would treat me.” All

of these hinder people from receiving the benefits of early intervention. Let’s look at each of them.

First, if you think your symptoms might go away on their own, well, they might. But when the symptom goes away or is covered by drugs, is the underlying problem really gone? The body has an amazing ability to protect you from problems. In many cases, your symptoms will eventually go away because your body’s ability to speak to you is weakened. Your symptoms are gone, but the underlying problem persists until the body again tries to alert you, usually with more severe symptoms. Don’t ignore symptoms, and don’t cover them with drugs.

If money is a concern for you when you have symptoms, I suggest you build a good relationship with an alternative healthcare provider. A doctor of chiropractic, homeopath, doctor of Oriental medicine, or naturopathic physician are all good choices. These doctors are well qualified to act as primary-care physicians—that is, the first person you see when you have questions about your health. They can evaluate you and your symptoms and advise you on what steps you should take, including referrals to specialists, if necessary.

Many providers of alternative care offer consultations and appointments at reasonable prices, and are more likely to offer some sort of payment plan for those in need. Don’t wait until you’re really sick to make the initial contact—become an established patient before you really need to. The initial consultation is generally the most costly visit and takes the most time. Once you’re an established patient, most providers can do a follow-up checkup, as needed, for much less money. If you see these providers for your yearly checkup and maintenance needs, then they’ll already be up to date on your health history and will be able to help you when serious symptoms do arise.

I offer this advice to those of you who ignore your symptoms until they’re severe because you “don’t have time” to go to the doctor: First, review the “Make Your Health a Priority” chapter. Your health is so important that a trip to the doctor to get some advice should be a priority in your schedule. These days, more and more doctors’ offices, offer some evening and/or weekend hours. I know that many doctors’ offices can keep you waiting a long time. This is another good reason to build a relationship with a doctor before you really need a doctor. A few visits to a doctor’s office will give you an idea of how time-conscious the practice is. Your time, too, is important; your appointment time should be respected.

Doctors’ offices can get backed up for two reasons: emergencies and overbooking. Emergencies are understandable, but should be the exception rather than the rule. If you always have to wait for an appointment, it could mean that your doctor is trying to see too many people in the time available. Rushing patient visits is very stressful and can be a cause of mistakes. You might want to see another doctor.

If you’re the type of person who puts off getting healthcare because you’re afraid of what a doctor might find, remember: with many devastating and deadly diseases, early intervention is the key to survival. If you wait, it may be too late.

If you’re very afraid, take a friend or family member with you to the doctor’s office so they can help you deal with your fear. It’s easier to be brave when you’re holding the hand of someone who cares for you. Be sure to let the doctor and staff know that you’re afraid. Most support staff in doctors’ offices are wonderful when it comes to quelling patients’ fears—after all, they do it all the time. Let them know what you’re feeling, so they can help you be more comfortable.

Many people hesitate to seek care because they’re reluctant to take the drugs offered by allopathic practitioners. This is another reason to get established with an alternative-care provider first. They can tell you if your problem can or can’t be handled in a drug-free manner, because that’s what they provide: drug-free care. If they’re not qualified to treat your condition and you do need drugs, they’ll refer you to an MD.

Last but not least, if you’re already an established patient with a doctor before an emergency occurs, you’ll already know how well your doctor listens and how comfortable you are with him or her. That way, you won’t have to face an unknown condition and an unknown doctor at the same time.

Learn to listen to your body, and pay attention to your symptoms. Choose early intervention so that minor health problems don’t become major ones. These two things alone will help you live a longer, healthier life.

Health Goals are not the only goals that add to your good health.

 How many times have you been told to stop daydreaming? Probably more than you remember. I think daydreaming can make you healthier, because it’s during those daydreaming sessions that we often find our true goals in life.

Having goals seems to help extend a person’s life. Did you ever hear of a person who worked hard all their life, looking forward to those golden years of retirement, who then passed away just weeks after receiving their gold watch? A person needs something to strive for.

The goal could be building a nice home, or raising children who are respectful of all beings. Many of us have those goals. If you do, don’t forget that you have them. Be mindful of what you’re building and raising.

Maybe you have a career goal—to be the biggest, the brightest, the best. Maybe your goal is religious in nature—to find the Buddha within, to experience compassion. Maybe your goal is to accomplish something for your favorite charity. Maybe you’d like to become great at a sport or hobby. Maybe you’d like to learn something new.

Maybe you’d like to improve your health, or change your habits.

Striving for something keeps our spirits alive, focuses our energy, and keeps us young. It gives us a reason to stay focused when life seems unworthy of our attention. It gives us an opportunity to grow, and for the life energy to flow through us. It rejuvenates our spirits.

Goals give us a way to mark time. We set a goal, plan for success, watch the growth of the goal, and, finally, accomplish something. What a sense of pride. Belief in oneself is a major part of making and meeting goals. It’s also a major result of making and meeting goals. Believing, acting, and achieving will increase your confidence. Accomplishing goals makes one happy. That improves health.

Set goals for yourself by writing them down. If you have children, I’m sure you have goals as a parent. If you’re a homeowner, you may have goals for your home environment. Make a list of the goals you already have that you hadn’t even realized were goals. Starting the list with things you’re already doing will help you to become more mindful of your daily achievements.

Next, add to the list the goals you would have if you knew you could do anything. Have fun with this list. Don’t limit yourself—just write down whatever you might want to do. Don’t judge your goals, just imagine them and write them down, no matter how farfetched they seem. Remember, all goals begin as something you’re not doing that you’d like to be doing. Large or small, all goals begin as an inkling of something that might be impossible, that you choose to believe is possible.

When your list is done, for the time being—lists change as goals change as people change, so it will never be “finished”—read it over, again trying not to judge. Maybe sailing around the world is a goal that seems impossible at this time, but who knows? Even as you read this sentence, some people actually are sailing around the world. One day, you could be one of them.

Next, for each goal, make a list of the things that would have to happen to make it come true. If I were going to sail around the world someday, some of the things that would have to happen first are: learn to sail, learn to read nautical maps, get a passport, learn boat maintenance, familiarize myself with harbors around the world, learn the basics of several widely used languages, buy a boat (or look into renting one), and; most important, somehow find the time and the money to do all of this. Now, look at this list and choose a place to start. I could start by reading books on nautical navigation. Find a beginning point and start with it. The point is to start somewhere. Once you have, you’re already closer to your goal.

Now that you have your list of “things that would have to happen,” review it regularly. That way, when things start to happen in your life that could help make your goals possible, you’ll recognize and act on them. Being mindful of your goals draws them to you, and makes you better prepared to act on them.

A life on course to accomplish goals is a life with meaning and purpose. A life full of what you want is a healthier life. Here’s wishing all your dreams come true! 

Protect Your Brain-You Might Need It Someday!

Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia seen in aging patients, is on the rise. Such diseases devastate those who suffer from them, as well as family members who go through it with them. Can you imagine not knowing who or where you are? Not recognizing your surroundings? Your own family members?

This degenerative brain disease is characterized by changes in brain tissue such as plaque and tangled nerve fibers. Because Alzheimer’s has no known cure, prevention is of the utmost importance. You may not be able to change your genetic makeup that could predispose you to this disease, but there are things you can do to help keep your brain healthy and reduce the chance that you’ll suffer from the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

By now, you probably know what I’m going to say first: Watch your diet! Eat lots of all-natural foods so your body has the nutrients it need to remain healthy. Drink plenty of water every day. Take your vitamins: C, E, and the B vitamins are especially important for brain function, as is Co-enzyme Q10.

Some herbs may be helpful in increasing brain function. If you’re considering taking an herbal supplement, I highly recommend that you talk to a herbalist—someone knowledgeable about the various herbs, their effects on the body, their interaction with any medications you may be taking, and the proper preparation of herbs. Many herbs are available over the counter. Just remember, herbs were drugs before pharmaceutics were drugs. Herbs can be dangerous if used improperly.

The motto for full brain function seems to be “Use it or lose it.” Studies show that playing games, or doing tasks that require language skills, decreases the likelihood of degenerative changes in the brain. This is good news for all you lovers of Scrabble, crossword puzzles, word games, and journal writing. These have been found to be common denominators among people who never develop the symptoms of degenerative brain disease.

Get your family together for regular game nights. If you have neighbors who live alone, ask them to join you. Do you tackle the crossword puzzle online at work each morning? Well, you now have a way to defend yourself when co-workers accuse you of goofing off: “I’m protecting my brain function so I can perform work tasks more effectively!”

One of the more interesting findings from the latest studies indicates that social interaction at meals can have a slowing effect on the rate of brain degeneration. This is interesting in light of the fact that, over the years, it’s become less and less common for families to sit down to meals together, even as the incidence of degenerative brain disease seems to be increasing.

Make it a point to dine with your family regularly, and turn off the TV while you eat. If you find conversation lacking, or your family interactions routinely turn into uncomfortable silences, have a list of safe topics handy to draw from. Appoint one family member as the facilitator for the meal: that person can choose the topic or topics and keep the conversation going and on track.

If you live alone, join friends for lunch or dinner. One of my friends suggested that talking on the phone while eating might have the same positive effect, and may be an option for people who live alone. Perhaps you have a neighbor or friend who lives alone—invite them to eat with you on a regular basis; if you wish, make it potluck.

Alzheimer’s is just one of the many diseases that seem to have a genetic component. You may have an inherited tendency toward a certain disease, but remember—you can go a long way toward stacking the deck in your health’s favor if you start learning new, preventative habits now.

Further Reading

Aging With Grace, by David Snowdon, Ph.D.

Keep Your Brain Young, by Guy McKhann, M.D. and Marilyn Albert, Ph.D.

Are Drugs Really the Answer?

Chapter 17 of the book "The Health Manifesto, a simple Guide to Living a Longer Healthier Life" by Dr. Joan Coff, published in 2004.

Original Chapter Title--Medicine Cabinet, alter to a false God:

I’ve often thought it was interesting that in a society in which we ask our kids to “Just say no” to drugs, every home is built with a special place in which we store our drugs. Not only that, we have entire stores dedicated to the sale of drugs.

What does this say about our national dependence on drugs? What does it say about our acceptance of chemical solutions to our problems? What does it teach our children? When I was a child, the strongest drug we ever took was orange-flavored baby aspirin. Nowadays, doctors prescribe adult-strength drugs to children in alarming numbers. Never before have so many kids been drugged into submission. Our kids learn early that a little pill—from Ritalin to Prozac—will make everything okay. Why, all of a sudden, do so many kids need mood-altering drugs such as Prozac? What does this say about how we care for our children as a society?

Of course, prescription drugs are not the same as street drugs—or are they? Street drugs are taken to make one feel good about life. How many prescription drugs on the market today are sold to do exactly the same thing? How many prescription drugs are used to cover up symptoms of something much deeper than the pain? Isn’t that why people use recreational drugs?

What does the use of drugs say about our attitudes toward health and healing? Could it be that we think solutions come from outside us? Do we want to give responsibility for our health to a doctor, who then prescribes something to “fix” us? Are we saying, “I don’t want to make the effort to correct the problem—just cover up the pain so I can ignore what’s really happening with my health”?

Our attitudes about health come from the education we’ve gotten from the drug companies, which spend billions on advertising each year. Is what we learn from them true? Are drugs the best way to deal with our healthcare issues?

In Chapters 3, 38, and 39, I present the idea that symptoms are signals from your body that something is wrong. Symptoms should not be ignored. When you rush to the medicine cabinet for an over-the-counter drug, you’re covering up your symptoms (so you can ignore and forget about them). Over time, continued covering and ignoring leads to serious health problems.

Healing does not come from a bottle. Pills and potions do not make you well. Yes, they can temporarily relieve pain, but don’t fool yourself by thinking that the underlying problem is gone—you’ve just covered it up for the time being. It will be back. If aspirin got rid of headaches, wouldn’t you just take it once and never have another headache? I

antacids relieved your stomach problems, why would you have to take them after every meal? Wouldn’t once be enough?

A full medicine cabinet is a sure sign of ill health. Take look in your medicine cabinet. Is it full? If so, it’s time to change your lifestyle. Throw out the over-the-counter meds you bought at the drugstore without a prescription. Just because they sell it in the drugstore without a prescription doesn’t mean it has no side effects. Contact your medical doctor to find out if there is a safe, effective way to reduce your use of prescription drugs. Keep only what you absolutely need—your toothbrush, toothpaste, a box of Band-Aids. Okay, keep one bottle of pain reliever—but use a black marker to print on the label “This is not a cure,” to remind yourself when you take them. Keep some emergency supplies: gauze and tape, ipecac syrup for poisoning (if you have kids in the house), and a tube of antibacterial salve or a bottle of hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting cuts.

If you’re healthy, you won’t need much else. If you’re not healthy, find out why and correct the problem. Don’t cover up the symptoms. Remember, it’s much more cost-effective to catch and correct a health problem when it starts. It costs a lot more to take care of after you’ve spent ten years covering up the symptoms with over-the-counter drugs while the condition progressed.

Further Reading

 

How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor, By Robert Mendelson M.D.

Natural Alternatives to Prozac,  by Michael Murray N.D.

Under The Influence of Modern Medicine,  by Terry A. Rondberg, D.C.

Medicine on Trial,  by Charles B. Inlander, Lowell S. Levin and Ed Weiner

Medicine, Monopolies and Malice, by Dr. Chester A. Wilk

Pots, Pans and Microwaves

We’ve talked a lot about how, what, when, and how often to eat, how to balance your diet, etc. How you prepare your food is also important. Back in the 1970s, I read Back to Eden, in which Jethro Kloss warns about the dangers of aluminum cookware. At the time I had an aluminum coffee pot, the old percolator type, and an assortment of aluminum pans. After I read Kloss’s book, they all went right in the trash. What he said about the dangers of aluminum made sense to me. He talks about his experience of using aluminum cookware which led him to investigate early studies on aluminum poisoning, After I became a chemistry student, it made even more sense.

Cooking is complicated. Heat causes chemical reactions to take place between different substances. If you put molecules side by side and heat them, they’re going to interact, making connections and doing a creative little dance together. I don’t just mean cooking different foods together, but the interactions of foods and the containers they’re cooked in. Now, such interactions may seem unlikely, even impossible—after all, a cooking pot or pan is a solid, sturdy object. However, there are many different degrees of “solidity.” It turns out that, at cooking temperatures, your very solid-looking pan may be releasing molecules from its surface. Some foods contain corrosive chemicals that pull molecules from the surface of the pan, even without the addition of heat.

Just as heating food in an iron pot can add more iron to your diet, heating food in an aluminum pan can add more aluminum to your diet. Adding iron (a mineral the body needs) is probably not a bad idea; adding aluminum ( poisonous to the body) is probably a bad idea. I would venture to say that adding molecules of chemical lab created nonstick coating is not a good idea either. Nowadays there are other reference sources that say the same thing. What you cook with is as important as what you cook. High aluminum levels have been indicated in Alzheimer’s disease, and are thought to affect brain function.

Remove any aluminum cookware from your kitchen. The nonstick pans must go as well. In my opinion, the only healthy cookware is cast iron, stainless steel, or glass, all of which are more stable at higher temperatures. In other words, the heat you use to cook with is not high enough to make those materials shed molecules. Stainless steel and glass are not susceptible to the corrosive actions of foods. Iron seems to be, but some proponents of iron cookware cite that as one of its advantages. You add iron to your diet as you cook.

Stainless-steel cookware comes in a wide range of prices, so anyone can afford to use it. Almost any store that carries cookware will have a large selection of stainless steel. If you use plastic cooking utensils, replace them with stainless also. Glass cookware is reasonably priced as well. I’m a fan of Corning ware. It’s glass, it’s easy to clean, and

comes in many styles. I have Corningware everything, from pie “tins” and bread pans to casserole dishes and soup pots. It’s not fragile but it is breakable, so you may have the cost of replacing it now and then.

If you’re used to cooking on a chemical-coated nonstick surface, your new pans will take some getting used to. My best advice for avoiding scorched pans is to coat them with oil and use a somewhat lower cooking temperature. Place pans to soak immediately after using.

 

Microwave cooking has been around for many years; I’m sure everyone has an opinion on whether or not microwaves will affect your health if you cook with them. My latest research finds that there is still no definitive answer to this question, although the research seems to be leaning more and more towards the "Not safe to cook with" answer in the debate.

 

With that in mind, all I can tell you is that in my opinion, It’s better to err on the side of caution. This goes back to the “If it ain’t natural, don’t eat it theory,” mentioned in the section on MSG, artificial sugar, and other unmentionables. As always, I’m a proponent of staying as close to natural as possible. With that in mind I think you should use a stove to cook food, not microwaves. It’s just not natural to cook your food with radiation energy, which is what microwaves are.

Does this mean you should toss out that microwave oven? Ideally, yes. However, in the time-pressed world most of us live in, your microwave can come in really handy now and then. Why not save it for when you really need to cook or defrost something fast? Just don’t use it to prepare everyday meals.  Don't use it to heat water when you have a stove and tea kettle right there in the same room.

When you do cook food in a microwave, use glass containers. Supposedly there are safe, microwavable plastics, but why take the chance? Glass won’t shed molecules in a microwave. Plastics shed molecules all the time.

Replacing your cookware is relatively easy, and needs to be done only once: all you have to do is buy new pans. Not using the microwave oven may be more of a challenge. Just do your best and what you can afford, and remember—every time you avoid unnatural things in your diet, you add more health to your life.

Further Reading

Back to Eden, by Jethro Kloss

Total Wellness, by Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.

 

 

 

 

Massage is Not a Luxury

When people think of massage, the first thing that usually comes to mind is relaxation. What could feel better than an hour spent on a massage table being kneaded until your muscles are so relaxed that they remind you of cooked noodles? Oh, to be pampered in the hands of a good massage therapist as you listen to relaxing music and let your cares drift away with your tension! To many people, this sounds like a luxury, an indulgence.

Yes, massage can help you relax, and in doing so seems to combat the ill effects of stress on your body. If you want to stay healthy throughout your life, relaxation and stress reduction are not luxuries but necessities. If you live a fast-paced lifestyle, the very act of taking an hour out of your schedule just for your own relaxation is itself a healthy thing to do. If done on a regular basis, an hour spent having a relaxing massage can make a huge difference in your stress levels. Don’t let your busy lifestyle prevent you from caring for your health. Make regular appointments to unwind with a massage.

Massage has many benefits beyond the reduction of stress. Massage relaxes tense muscles. Muscles become tense for a variety of reasons: overuse from hard physical labor or intense exercise, repetitive motions, stress, and injury. Tense muscles can reduce your range of motion and restrict your flexibility and mobility, as well as cause pain and discomfort. Massage releases tension and helps muscles regain the normal function necessary for health.

In tight, constricted muscles, the normal flow of blood through the veins and arteries of muscle tissue can be reduced. Massage relaxes the muscles, permitting the increased circulation of blood. This reduces strain on the heart and increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells throughout the body. When your body is delivering plenty of oxygen and nutrients to your cells, you’re less likely to be fatigued. Increased circulation also aids in flushing metabolic waste products out of your system. The healthy circulation of blood throughout the body increases the likelihood of overall health.

Massage therapy can increase your immune-system function. In fact, there is a specific technique in massage for just that purpose. Just as massage in general aids in blood circulation, lymphatic massage improves the flow of fluids within the lymphatic system, which is involved with fighting illness and disease. Keeping your immune system functioning at its highest level is necessary for health.

Massage also helps increase nerve function. Just as constricted muscles can reduce the flow of blood through veins and arteries, constricted muscles can reduce the flow of signals in the nerve fibers that run through the muscles. Interference in nerve signals

means that your brain and body are not communicating as they should, which can cause a multitude of health problems. Releasing muscle tension reduces pressure on nerve fibers, thus improving brain/body communication. Proper nerve function is a necessity for good health.

This is just a partial list of the benefits of massage. As you can see, all of them are valid physical health reasons for massage therapy, and indicate that, if you want to remain healthy throughout your life, massage is not a luxury but a necessity.

If you want to experience the benefits of massage, ask friends for referrals. Many people have regular massages—you might know someone who just swears by their massage therapist. Many medical providers and chiropractors refer to massage therapists, so ask your doctor whom he or she recommends. You can also look in the phone book for your state’s massage board; call them for a list of licensed providers. While you’re at it, check for massage schools in your vicinity; most of them offer a reduced rate for an appointment with a student practitioner.

As with any other healthcare provider, it’s important that you feel comfortable and able to communicate well with your massage therapist. You may want to ask for a consultation to meet and discuss your health concerns before you make an appointment for massage. Remember, there are many types of massage. A very light touch may be more for relaxation, whereas the massage therapist may use quite a bit more pressure for deep-tissue therapy. Always communicate with your therapist about your level of comfort with the work being done.

If you’ve never had a massage, it may take a few appointments to relax chronic tense muscles. I routinely recommend that patients start with four to six one-hour visits to get their bodies really loosened up. I then encourage them to have regular massages to maintain their health. By “regular” I mean once a month, or once every two months, or whatever works best for you. Your doctor or therapist can recommend a schedule for you.

Some people have missed out on the benefits of massage because of their concerns about being partially disrobed. Most massage therapists are extremely sensitive to their clients’ privacy and modesty. Massage does require that the therapist work on bare skin, but not that you be totally naked. Most therapists will have you disrobe to undergarments, or put on loose shorts and a top for your session. The therapist will cover you with a sheet or towels, and will normally uncover only the area being worked on. Don’t let this concern keep you from getting the care you need.

Make regular massages a habit. Not only will you feel more relaxed and more flexible, you’ll be increasing your circulation, nerve, and immune-system functions. All three are necessities for your long-term health.

Further Reading

Massage Therapy Principles and Practice, By Susan G. Salvo, LMT, CI, B