"The only real education comes from what goes counter to you."

Andre Gide

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April 2006

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to family and friends!

Contents

1. Fix Me!
2. Question of the Month
3. Fitness Corner
4. Health News
5. Office Happenings

“Fix Me!”

We live today in a society where things are more available than they ever have been. When I was growing up, if you wanted to research something, you had to go to the library. You would look up books about your subject, refer to volumes of encyclopedias and possibly magazines or journals. This was a time consuming process, taking hours and even days to complete. Today, you can go to Google on the Web and in a few seconds you have access to unbelievable amounts of information on just about anything. It’s fantastic that so much is at our fingertips. But examples like this set up unreal expectations in other areas of our life.

If you wanted to successfully run and complete a marathon, would it take three or four training sessions to do so? No, it takes six months to a year of consistent training and lifestyle changes. Running 4 to 5 times a week, stretching, eating better and drinking more water are all necessary if you are to be successful. There are no shortcuts. There are no magic bullets.

When it comes to our health, we would all like instant cures. The problem is that if our health is not what we want it to be, it has taken time to get there. Often this is years of neglect and lack of attention. There are many factors that come into play. When added together, all the little things (and some big) wear down our health and vitality. It is a process. So expecting a miracle cure in a day or a week is setting yourself up for failure. It takes time to get sick and it takes time to get well.

The next time you walk into to your chiropractor, massage therapist, medical doctor or other health professional, think about what got you there. Resist the urge to think that you will leave that day with an instant fix or cure. Take responsibility for your health and respect the time it takes to heal. It will lead to a healthier life.

Question of the Month

Dr. Stacy, how often to you get adjusted?

That is a good question as I have been a regular chiropractic patient for over 19 years. I get adjusted approximately once every two to three weeks. It depends on my stress levels and how well I am taking care of myself. Sometimes I have a specific issue but most of the time I visit my chiropractor to keep my nervous system healthy and strong. This keeps me at my best so I can give the most to the people around me. It’s one of the greatest things I can do for myself.

Fitness Corner

Scott McDermott’s free monthly newsletter is a great resource for anyone who wants to lead a healthier life. To sign up for it, send an email to mybestbody@shaw.ca and tell him you want to subscribe. There are always lots of helpful tips and topics to get your wheels turning.This month’s topics are:
- Don’t jump into spring sports without preparation first!
- Airline travel requires food preparation!
- The powerful benefits of massage
Sign up today!

Health News

To head off allergies, expose your kids to pets and dirt early

Conventional wisdom said that pets promote allergies and that you shouldn’t eat peanuts until you are three years old. Here’s the new wisdom, early exposure to pets, peanuts and dirt might actually be good because they help a developing immune system determine what real threats are. To read more:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-03-19-allergies-cover_x.htm

I have written about this topic in past newsletters. It is gaining more acceptance as more research is being done. Basically your immune system is like your muscles, it needs to be exercised to work properly. Early exposures to different things in our environment help the immune system to mature properly. 

Vaccine for middle ear infections tested in infants

“A new vaccine may help reduce middle ear infections, a common problem in toddlers, researchers say.” Also to quote the article “The infection is usually mild, causing fever and pain, but it can sometimes result in complications like hearing loss.” To read more: http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2006/03/03/ear-infections060303.html

I know vaccines are a hot button issue but this ties in with the main article and the one from directly above. Immune systems are designed to be worked. Not everything can or in fact needs to be “fixed” when in comes to our health. Sometimes getting sick is healthy. The less we allow the immune system to work naturally, the more problems are going to develop.

Office Happenings

1. Rescan Month. During the month of April, update scans are a $15 donation to the SPCA. If you haven’t had a scan for a while or you would like an update, contact Carol. It’s a great way to see where you are at on your journey to a healthier you! Please note this only applies to update scans.

2. Office Hours. Here are our office hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00 to 12:30 and 2:00 to 5:30, Tuesday 8:00 to 12:30 and Thursday 1:00 to 7:30 pm.

3. Office Closings. Our office will be closed on April 14 for Good Friday. We will be open Monday April 17 for our regular hours.

4. Wellness Orientation Workshops. Do you want to understand more about chiropractic care? Do you want to introduce it to a loved one before they start care? Attend one of our W.O.W.’s in April. They are on Monday April 10 and Wednesday April 19. They start at 5:30 pm here in the office. See you there!