I want you to be well (bio-chemical)

There are safe, natural, drug free ways to improve and optimize your health. By incorporating regular chiropractic care with the following simple lifestyle practices you will be setting the stage for a proactive, healthier you over the long haul.

Do and don’t. Do use smaller plates. Do try to eat at the same time every day. Do serve the vegetables first. Do celebrate a meal with others (family, friends, co-workers). Do eat slower. Do try to stop eating before you are full. Don’t eat alone. Don’t succumb to food manufacturers marketing tactics.

Drink plenty of water. 70 oz/day is the rule. Coffee and tea does not count.

Eat green leafy and brightly colored vegetables and fruits. You can spend a lot of time trying to figure out which foods have which antioxidants when all you need to know is that people who consume more fruits and vegetables are at lower risk for chronic inflammatory diseases than those who don’t.

Essential daily nutritional supplementation. Multivitamin and mineral supplement with vitamin B complex which provides a spectrum of nutrients, vitamin D3 which controls gene expression, inflammation and immune function, EPA/DHA from fish oil known for their anti-inflammatory and health promoting properties, magnesium which is involved in over 300 biochemical functions, especially digestion, musculoskeletal and nervous system health, turmeric for its anti-inflammatory and health promoting properties.

Fats. Good fats are good for you. The enemy with regard to fats is saturated and trans fats, found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (corn, safflower, peanut, margarine) common in processed and packaged foods. Beef, poultry, pork, fish and eggs are fine. Stop worrying about good fat content.

Fiber. This “non-nutritive” material is essential for gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health, sugar and weight management. Supplement your diet with 15-20 grams of fiber per day.

Get to know your glycemic index. If calories don’t make you fat, then what does? Carbohydrates. Especially refined, simple ones like sugar and white flour. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into sugar, which enters your blood. Your pancreas responds to blood sugar by producing the hormone insulin, which tells your fat cells to hold on to fat and store it. Over time your body will store more fat than your body can use in energy and you gain weight.

Gut. The digestive system is the pathway starting at the mouth and ending at the anus. It is responsible for breaking down the foods you eat, extracting the nutrients needed and then eliminating the waste. Approach digestive health with the “3 R’s”. Remove offending foods and toxins from your diet, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, bad fats that cause inflammation. Repair the damaged gut with alkaline foods, cinnamon, zinc, mint, aloe vera. Restore your gut’s optimal bacteria with probiotics and digestive enzymes.

Minimal dairy. Stay away from dairy (cream, cottage cheese, milk, processed cheeses). Hard cheeses in moderation is fine.

Nature. Eat real food as close to the way nature made them as possible, without over cooking or over seasoning.

Protein. Protein supports the body’s ability to maintain, increase and repair tissues. It also provides micro-proteins important for immune function. Supplement your diet with 10-15 grams of protein per day.

Refined carbohydrates (Gluten). Reduce and/or eliminate refined, processed grains and sugars and processed carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks