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

Andre Gide

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January 2004

Many thanks!!! We reached our goal and we were able to help a local family celebrate Christmas! We greatly appreciate all of the support we received from our terrific patients. Thank goodness for prosperity!

Contents

1. A Healthy Dose of Common Sense
2. Question of the Month
3. Fitness Corner
4. Health News
5. Office Happenings

A Healthy Dose of Common Sense

The human body is an amazing creation. Millions upon millions of things happen automatically every second that keep us alive and running. With such a marvelous design, much awe and mystery surround how all this could happen. For centuries it was forbidden to study how the body worked. Today we are just scratching the surface as to our understanding of the details. 

Unfortunately with the wonder surrounding the body we have forgotten to apply common sense to our health. Current thinking says that we can’t understand the whole if we can’t break it down to its smallest parts. That leaves us with the thought that we are unable to apply logic to comprehend our inner workings. We lose sight of the big picture. We say we got sick because of a virus or cholesterol was the only contributing factor in heart disease.

We treat symptoms rather than reflecting back on what they might mean and why they came. When the symptom is gone, we think that we are healthy, giving no thought to the cause of the problem. There is a big difference between being symptom-free and being healthy. It’s time to apply common sense to our health.

A good place to start would be when we have a symptom or pain. Does your back hurt because you slept wrong or has it been the weeks or months of stress you have been under? Is your high blood pressure or high cholesterol because of a lack of medication in your body or just a healthy and defensive response to what you are putting your body through? 

In this issue and the last newsletter, I have shown articles that question current thinking about high blood pressure and cholesterol. Step back when you have a health challenge or concern and consider your entire lifestyle. Does it make common sense to simply treat the symptom? Consider what your body is trying to tell you and look at the big picture of what is happening. It might not seem so mysterious.

Question of the Month 

I have heard that chiropractic care can improve overall health. How is that possible?

Chiropractic care plays an unheralded role in health and wellness. Primarily it is pigeonholed as a form of natural back pain relief. While it has helped millions of people in this way, it has much greater potential. The essence of what makes you alive is the living energy and intelligent messages that travel over your nervous system. These messages keep your mind and body working together, ultimately producing health. The spine can interfere with the nervous system and the messages when it’s misaligned. Regular chiropractic care maintains the lines of communication so the living energy and intelligence can pass clearly. This gives you the opportunity to live a fuller life. Consult a chiropractor today. 

Fitness Corner

This is a great place to start your New Year off right! Subscribe to Scott McDermott’s free newsletter and find the latest tips on fitness and health. This month’s topics are:

1) Plastics: A controversial health issue.
2) The joy of Pasta Sauce!
3) Body Image: Fit vs Skinny.
4) Magazine Watch: Articles from current magazines reviewed.
5) Coming Events

Send an email to mybestbody@shaw.ca to receive your newsletter.

Health News

Every Second Counts

I read a great book by Lance Armstrong recently called Every Second Counts. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Lance Armstrong, he is a cancer survivor and a five-time winner of the Tour De France. He was just named the AP press athlete of the year for the second year in a row. He has a couple of great quotes regarding his team chiropractor, Dr. Jeff Spencer. Read them below. Get the chiropractic advantage for your team or family. 

“The team wasn’t just the riders. It was the mechanics, masseurs, chefs, soigneurs and doctors. But the most important man on the team may have been our chiropractor.” Lance Armstrong, Every Second Counts

“If you judged the most important man on the Postal team by foot traffic in and out his door, then it was Jeff (team chiropractor). Without him, we knew we’d never make it to Paris.” Lance Armstrong, Every Second Counts

The Cholesterol Paradox

A new study turns common sense on its head by suggesting high cholesterol levels may actually help people with heart failure. Read more: http://www.healthscout.com/template.asp?ap=1&page=newsdetail&id=516315 

Another one of those things that make you go hmmm. It states in the article that higher cholesterol levels may be a response by the immune system to take care of any bacteria that may have entered the blood. This is another example of needing to look at the big picture and realize that there is intelligence behind every action of the body.

Office Happenings

1. Wellness Orientation Workshops (W.O.W.'s). This is a great place to help with those New Year’s resolutions. Here are the dates for upcoming classes: Monday January 5, Wednesday January 14, Monday January 19 and Wednesday January 28. They all start at 5:30 pm in the office. Get a fresh approach to your thinking to improve your health in 2004!

2. Office Closures. The office will be closed until 5:30 pm on Thursday January 8 but will be open until 7:30 pm. I will be at a seminar that day. The office will be closed on Friday January 23 for a day off. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

3. Jamaica Me Healthy Day. On Friday January 30, we are having a fun day in the office. Stop by for an adjustment, enjoy the sights and sounds of Jamaica and get a break from winter. See you there!