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

Andre Gide

Unfortunately, due to the intermittent nature of information on the internet some links provided within the body of our newsletters may no longer be functioning. We apologize for the inconvenience.

January 2002

Contents

1. 2002: The Year for Wellness
2. Question of the Month
3. Health News
4. Office Happenings

2002: The Year for Wellness

At Larsen Family Chiropractic, we are declaring 2002 the Year for Wellness. We want as many people as possible to shift their focus and approach to their health. What does wellness look like? Wellness is the process of being more alive in each day. Having a full life experience, being fully aware of your surroundings and being able to respond appropriately to them is the essence of wellness. It's about building the World's Greatest You.

So how do we work towards wellness? Wellness is not something you have one day and lose the next. It is a process. It requires daily attention for the rest of your life. It is not a diet or a quick fix. You can start right now whether you have symptoms or not. It's about your actions and thoughts about your health. A strong nervous system that is supported by your spine is a great place to start. Our personal and clinical experience has demonstrated that this is one of the foundational pieces of wellness. 

Another very important step to wellness is your thought process. Most think of good health as adequate suppression of symptoms. Wellness is something completely different. To help you with this aspect, we have a number of resources to get you started. We offer weekly Wellness Orientation Workshops (W.O.W.) in our office. These presentations are fun, short and informative and get you pointed in the right direction in regards to your path to wellness. We also have this monthly newsletter that will present you with further ideas and resources to help you with your journey. We hope to have our website up and running in the New Year as another resource for you to use.

Start by getting your spine and nervous system checked. If you haven't been in the office for a while, today is a fresh start. If you have been regular with your care, congratulations! Attend one of our complimentary W.O.W.'s as a refresher or if you haven't been to one yet. The dates for upcoming classes are Monday Jan. 7, Wednesday Jan. 16, Monday Jan. 21 and Wednesday Jan. 30. They all start at 5:30 pm in the office. Change your thinking and approach to your health and amazing things will happen. The journey of one thousand miles starts with the first step. Get on your way, today is your day.

Question of the Month

Why can some people go through life never needing chiropractic care?

Some people think of chiropractic care as being just about neck and back pain. If they never experience symptoms concerning their spine, they don’t see the benefit in going. Chiropractic care helps neck and back complaints but more importantly impacts your quality of life. The lifeline for the body is the nervous system. The most important parts of the nervous system are within the spine. When the spine misaligns, it puts tension on the nervous system, not allowing the body to work to its full potential. This may not cause symptoms related to the neck or back. It does affect the health and performance of the individual. The spine needs regular maintenance just like your car. You can choose not to tune-up your car while you own it. It may still run but not at its best. Think of your spine and overall health in the same way. 

Health News

It Can Be Good to Feel Bad

The subtitle for this article is ... Why fever, swelling and morning sickness may be right for what ails you. A professor of biology at Amherst College in Massachusetts sprained his knee and didn't follow the commonly prescribed treatment of rest, ice, compression and elevation. Instead he let the swelling and pain take its course, which seemed to serve as a natural cast and his knee healed perfectly. From his asking the "why" question, the theory of Darwinian medicine has begun. See article: 
http://www.nydailynews.com/2001-12-04/New_York_Now/Health/a-134059.asp.

The reason I mention this article is because what is being called the fledgling science of Darwinian medicine are basic chiropractic principles that have existed for over 100 years. Traditional or wellness-based chiropractic looks at the "why" questions involving the body and its responses. It honors the innate intelligence, organizing and healing powers within each individual and the suppression of symptoms is not its primary goal. This is a good article to get a better sense of a different perspective on health.

Immune System May Provide Best Defense Against Biological Weapons

Every healthy body has an immune system that knows, long before our minds do, when we've been invaded by a nasty bug. Researchers are now trying to boost the body's frontline defenses by provoking more cells to respond, and faster (with drugs of course). The entire article can be found at: http://nandotimes.com/healthscience/v-text/story/191230p-1854138c.html.

The article talks about the body's innate immunity, a primitive (?) physiological response that is active from birth. It unleashes cells whose job is to destroy anything that is not "self." Some of these cells are white blood cells. Did you know that white blood cells have been called our circulating nervous system and that some people are referring to the body's defenses as the neuroimmune system. Rather than using drugs, which are not "self", keep the nervous system and therefore the immune system strong by having a healthy spine. A simple yet profound concept.

Office Happenings

1. Patient Appreciation Hay Ride!! We had so much fun last year, we are going to do it again. On Sunday, February 3 at 2:00 p.m. at the Sutherland's east of Blackfalds, we will be having a hay ride and wiener roast. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. Bring along folding chairs to sit on. Contact the office to get information, directions and to pre-register.

2. Hawaii Are You Here Today? On Friday, January 25, we will have a fun day in the office with a tropical theme. There will be questions, a tropical setting and simply a break from winter on that day. Join us in your best hula skirt and we'll have a great day.

3. Family Addition. I became a proud father of another beautiful baby boy on Boxing Day. Evan James joined his brothers Matt and Peter and his Mom and Dad at 2:11 p.m. and weighed 9 lbs and 3 ozs. Both my wife and Evan are doing very well. Thanks to everyone for their inquiries, thoughts and prayers for my family.

4. Wellness Orientation Workshops (W.O.W.'s). The dates for upcoming classes are Monday Jan. 7, Wednesday Jan. 16, Monday Jan. 21 and Wednesday Jan. 30. They all start at 5:30 pm in the office and are presented by myself. See you there!

5. Rebel Tickets Giveaway. In the month of January you can enter your name for a pair of tickets for the February 2nd game vs. The Hitmen. To enter you must answer the following question, "Name the city and the state where chiropractic was started". You can enter by email or in the office. The winner will be selected from the correct entries on January 29th. Good Luck!