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Phase 3 – Wellness Maintenance

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Perhaps the most rewarding phase of the three on the journey to wellness is the last phase, or phase 3. Phase 3 is simply considered wellness maintenance. It begins when the most challenging phases have been accomplished. Phase 3 is the reward.

In phase 1 you are in pain. It was being out of your comfort zone that prompted you to get help. Phase 1 addressed the most pressing issue, the one that was preventing you from enjoying daily life. But, even though the pain was gone, you were taught that the root of the problem still needed to be fixed. You understood that if it was not corrected the pain would return. So, you began phase 2 which involved rehabilitating the problem area of your body. You built up your strength so that your body could function as it was designed to. During phase 2 you realized what it meant to feel good again. You realized that you were stronger than you thought. You took ownership of your health and wellness. But then what?

Enter Phase 3. This final phase is the one that elevates your life from what it was before you sought care. What type of lifestyle were you living that may have lead to the pain? Were you eating right? How was your weight? How about exercise? What types of medications were you on before? Something for high cholesterol? Type 2 diabetes? High blood pressure? Many times patients find that once they enter phase 3 on their journey to wellness that their weight is down, along with their blood pressure and sugar levels. The ultimate goal of this journey is to live not only pain-free, but with more energy, lower stress, and feeling great each day.

In this final phase, visits to the chiropractor become a monthly thing, or as needed. This is simply maintenance. Maintaining the proper alignment of your body to stay healthy and well. Because now you know what good feels like. Through education you understand your body at a level that you never knew. You are now enjoying the rewards of healing your body and giving it what it truly needs to thrive.

Life Is a Journey

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There’s a saying about life that is all too familiar – “life is a journey, not a destination.” While we know it to be true, we mistakenly find ourselves treating our lives like that of a vacation. We have a beginning and an end. We drive for 12 hours to reach our destination – paradise. However, there is no real destination in life. Only moments. Our overall health and wellness is a journey, as well. There is no real destination, as maintaining wellness requires our daily effort. So, what happens when we hit a road bump in our wellness? Well, it’s important to remember that there are phases involved in restoring wellness after that road bump. Understanding this core principle will help make for a much smoother journey.

In an ideal world, we would always feel good, we would age gracefully, we would avoid any chronic conditions or injuries, but life happens. It’s unavoidable. However, we can get back on track if we give our body what it really needs to heal if we give it the time and effort it deserves. Let’s explain with a few examples:

  • You overdo it in the yard and hurt your back.
  • You play in a recreational softball league and injure your shoulder sliding into home.
  • You are rear-ended in a minor car accident and your neck is sore.
  • Work has gotten extremely busy over the past year. You’re sleeping less, experiencing more stress, not working out, putting on weight and eating poorly.

There are 3 phases of care when we hit that road bump in life. In the first phase, a person is seeking pain relief because it is very difficult to function when you are in pain. The second phase is focused on restoring function now that the pain has been properly addressed. And the last phase, phase three, is about maintenance. When you are once again back on your journey to wellness.

The next three blog posts will explore each phase in more depth. The goal is to fully understand and appreciate what needs to happen when you hit those road bumps on your journey. Just like preparing for vacation, having the essentials make for a more enjoyable experience. The same is true in maintaining optimal health and wellness. Proper planning makes life more enjoyable.

Lifestyle Excuses

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Remember as a kid thinking about using the excuse “the dog ate my homework” when you forgot to do it? While you may have been one of those kids who absolutely loved homework and studying, I would venture to guess that the thought at least crossed your mind more than once throughout your school days. In fact, you probably even thought about pretending to be sick just to get out of a test. It seems this mentality continues as we age. Excuses we make to get out of exercising, to rationalize being lazy or overweight. Why do we allow this mentality of excuses to permeate our culture? Why do we choose one lifestyle over another?

Many times, unless we are faced with a life-threatening illness, we do not change our ways. But why should it take a situation like that to create a lifestyle change? Why can we not take control of our lives and live healthy? Is contentment more preferable than wellness? Is it because we cannot see the havoc our poor choices are having on our body that we seem to think we are okay? It is easy to say that if given an ultimatum we will choose the option that helps us. But if it’s not an ultimatum we tend to gravitate towards what we want, what makes us feel good, what is easiest.

If you look around yourself throughout the day, chances are you will see people who look incredibly healthy and those who have made excuses and don’t look healthy. Which would you rather be? Choosing a lifestyle of health and wellness means no more excuses. It means not waiting for that ultimatum, or life-threatening illness, to force you to change your ways. It means taking control of your life. Yes, looking good and feeling good requires discipline. It requires awareness and better choices. But you are also rewarded with countless benefits:

  • better sleep
  • more energy
  • improved moods
  • weight loss
  • lower stress
  • increased muscle mass

The next time you feel the need to make an excuse to remain sedentary, eat unhealthy, or make other poor choices, stop yourself. Ask yourself this question, “Do I want to tempt fate and wait for that ultimatum to make a change, or do I want to take that first step today because I value myself and my quality of life?”

Know Your Body

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We make many assumptions on people based on clothes that are worn, cars that are driven, positions that are held, or where someone lives. We make assumptions about food based on how it smells, looks, or is prepared. We make assumptions about a book based on the design of its cover, the number of pages, or its author. We also make assumptions about our body, like how well we think we know it. But just like any assumption, we are taking a great risk in limiting our understanding of something that could have far reaching implications for us. It’s like living with blinders on.

When it comes to our body, we take for granted that if we are pain-free, mobile, and generally feeling good that we are essentially in the clear for any type of problem. And while that may very well be the case, it may just as easily not be. How well do you know your body? When was the last time you quieted your mind and focused on you? Was there ever a time that you really took inventory of all that you really are? If you do invest time in yourself, what do you see when you look in the mirror or step on the scale? Do you see dark under-eye circles? Acne? Bloated stomach? Cellulite? Thinning hair? Dandruff? What do you see that you have the power to change? Think about it carefully before you answer. Why? Because changing some things may require more time than others, but that is okay. Do not let the time element scare you.

The truth is that while we may think we feel good and therefore are okay, the reality is that we may not be. Knowing your body and taking responsibility for it are essential to living a life of wellness. It just doesn’t happen. And while applying a temporary fix to any number of symptoms will work, it simply does not address the underlying problem. Yes, we can add concealer to our dark under-eye circles, but we have not addressed the cause which could be anything from fatigue to a food allergy. Or, yes, we can use anti-dandruff shampoo to rid ourselves of the flakes, but we have not addressed what is really going on which could be a microbial imbalance on the scalp.

The best investment we could ever make for ourselves and those we love is in ourselves, specifically our body and what it is telling us on a daily basis.

 

Looking Good vs Feeling Good

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Skinny jeans. SkinnyMom.com. Skinny Pop Popcorn. Skinnygirl Cocktails. Even skinny love. All this focus on skinny. What does skinny really mean? Does skinny equate to looking good and feeling good? While this may be something we say we want, to be skinny, but do we really know what we are wanting?

According to the dictionary, the definition of skinny is “very thin.” Synonyms for skinny include scrawny, emaciated, undernourished, and bony. Granted, there are some people who are simply born that way, who remain thin no matter what they eat. However, for the vast majority of us, our metabolism is not equipped that way. Calories in must be less or equal to the calories out, or the weight gets added to our frame. But let’s say that we lose weight and become skinny. Does looking good and feeling good go hand in hand?

There is a fine line between being too thin and being at a healthy weight for our height, age, and whether we are male or female. There is also a price to be paid if we cross that line into the unhealthy waters of skinny. Being healthy is really how you feel, not about the number on the scale. How you actually feel on a daily basis is a good indicator as to your overall health. But there is another way to look at it, too. You can be thin, but also extremely unhealthy. Your body may not have the nutrients nor body mass it needs to thrive. Likewise, being overweight is unhealthy, as well. The extra weight puts additional stress on the body. It can affect your sleep, your metabolism, plus create aches and pains. But if a majority of our population is overweight or obese, why are we letting ourselves stay this way? Is it because we are so use to feeling bad, we don’t know what good feels like anymore?

So, what does feeling good feel like? Perhaps letting go of the crutches we are using to get through each day would help us to see how we are really feeling? Letting go of the caffeine, alcohol, pain medications, sleep aids, elastic waistbands, and anti-depressants. How would we really feel if we stopped using these things to help us feel good? What if you knew that you could feel good again without the crutches? What if you knew that it was possible to feel good again, but it would take time? Would you be willing to let go of your crutches and find out?

A life of health and wellness requires work, just like anything worth having does. Feeling good is priceless, especially after spending years not experiencing it.

What are you waiting for?

Live to Learn

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Imagine how your life would be if you stopped learning in grade school. What if you stopped learning in high school? Or college? Or at your very first job out of school? If you look back over your life, you probably realize that it has been full of life lessons. The times where we fell flat on our face but got up, brushed ourselves off and knew we would never make the same mistake again. A fundamental truth to life is that we live to learn. It never stops and that is good.

The milestones in life give us another opportunity to learn – getting married, having children, retiring, moving. Even when get sick or injured we learn once again. Preconceived ideas or beliefs, based on our life experiences, can limit our learning. We may unknowingly have on blinders that try to prevent us from learning a better or new way to do something. Take, for example, chiropractic care. Do we know that pain caused by an injury, such as with a fall, a car accident, or sports, can be successfully treated by a Chiropractor? Most of us probably do not. Most of us would take medication to address the pain versus addressing the source of the pain as a Chiropractor would. Most of us would assume that because there wasn’t an injury in the car accident that all is okay. Most of us would assume that playing sports means “no pain, no gain” – it’s just part of the territory. This viewpoint couldn’t be further from the truth.

The truth as we know it can be limited to what we actually know. In other words, if we stopped going to school in the 5th grade, our knowledge would be limited to that of a 5th grader. For the rest of our life we would be at a significant disadvantage to others who continued on with their education. We can use this same analogy with our health. We can severely limit our ability to maintain good health if we rely on what we learn from the media or commercials or pop culture. Rather, we should always be on a quest to learn more. Learning more can have a tremendous impact on the quality of our life. By living to learn, we take control of our destiny because we search for the truth versus making assumptions. We also come to realize that the many things we put no value in actually do. You see, depending on who is delivering the message, whether it’s on t.v. or an advertisement in a magazine, the truth is skewed in the favor of the company because they are selling a product. That’s not to say the product being advertised is of value, it simply means that there is a purpose to that ad – revenue. The truth is validated when YOU do your own homework. When YOU live to learn as much as you can about obtaining optimal health. Imagine the possibilities.

 

Wellness Is An Inside Job

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Remember the scene in the movie “The Wizard of Oz” when Glenda the Good Witch tells Dorothy that she always had the power to go home? That the power never was in the ruby slippers that she was wearing throughout the movie. That was a powerful statement made by Glenda, and it truly shocked Dorothy when she heard those words. All along Dorothy thought the answer was somewhere to be found within the land of Oz, not as simple as something she had all along.

How many times have we done something similar to Dorothy when it comes to how we treat our health and wellness? We buy into the latest trends, buy the books, the products, the memberships. We search for answers to our healthcare challenge outside of ourselves whether it’s to lose weight or simply get in better shape. The reality is that all along the answer really resided within us. We didn’t need all that “extra stuff” to get where we needed to go. Sometimes the answer is in plain sight, and because it is so obvious we can’t see it.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a choice. The first step is acknowledging that we alone have the power to transform our lives for the better. It begins with a commitment to ourselves to make decisions each and every day that align with a healthy lifestyle. We might need a little help along the way too, just like Dorothy with the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow. It may have been quite some time since we’ve exercised, so we don’t even know where to begin. We may not really know how to prepare healthy meals. That’s okay. Finding a place that focuses on wellness care versus disease care is a good starting point. Think of it like those ruby slippers. You need to actually put your feet into those slippers first. Just like you need to take that first step towards your wellness goals. No one has the power but you. No one.

 

Disease Care

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Think about the times when we would go to see a doctor? We are feeling sick, we’ve injured ourselves, we aren’t getting better, we are experiencing pain, we found something suspicious on our skin, the list could go on and on. Essentially, we visit a doctor to treat a problem, for disease care.

In the chiropractic field, the opposite is the case. These doctors are in the business of health care. Working to ensure that their patients stay healthy and well versus only coming in when there is a problem. This approach is proactive and requires a different perspective, similar to a healthy lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle means making choices every day that align themselves with that mentality. Exercising several times each week. Eating fruits and vegetables every day. Skipping the fast food and opting for cooking at home. Drinking plenty of water versus carbonated drinks. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. We have decided that maintaining good health is a priority and will take the steps necessary to ensure that it stays that way.

The best case scenario is to have a family chiropractor, just like you would have a family dentist, an optometrist, or orthodontist. A chiropractor is someone you and your family visit regularly for preventative disease care. This type of care is proactive not reactive. Think about the condition of our car if we chose to maintain it only when we had a problem. Never got the oil changed, rotated the tires or filled them with the correct amount of air. Never refilled the washer fluid or replaced the wiper blades. Never got the car washed of all the salt from winter. How good do you think our car would run over time? Would we significantly shorten its the life of the car? This is the approach of disease care. Why would we treat our bodies any differently than we do to properly maintain our car?

Remember to think about your health and wellness as something to be maintained, as a lifestyle, not something to tend to only when there is a problem. Say goodbye to disease care.

Who’s Driving?

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There are two ways to live your life, and you may have heard this saying before, too. You can be in the driver’s seat or the passenger seat. Being in the driver’s seat means you are in control. You decide where you are going. Being a passenger, on the other hand, means something entirely different. You do not have control of the wheel. You are simply along for the ride. You have allowed someone else to make decisions for you essentially. When it comes to health and wellness, the question we need to ask ourselves is “Who’s driving?” Are we, or are we allowing modern day conveniences and a sedentary lifestyle drive us?

It may come as no surprise that our society is facing a health epidemic. Obesity rates are at an all time high and with that comes type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and chronic inflammation. But why is this the case today? Is it because we have allowed ourselves to be put into the passenger seat of life? And if we have, why would we give up control on our life? Is it easier that way? Is it more convenient? Or have we simply given up on ourselves?

If you have found yourself in the passenger seat of life, there is a way to move over to the driver’s side. The first step is realizing you have put yourself in the passenger seat. The second step is actually wanting to move to the other side. The third is remembering that you always had control of you. Talk to anyone who has lost weight, got healthier, got off their medications for type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. You can see their joy before they even speak a single word. They decided to get in the driver’s seat once again. The feeling of accomplishment and success permeates from them. Yes, it may have taken a while to reach their goals, but each day they remained in the driver’s seat.

You can do it, too. Yes, it’s true. Just slide over to the driver’s seat and grab the wheel. Begin now on your journey back to wellness. If you need help, you can drive yourself right over to us. Our passion is restoring wellness to those we serve.

Our Pavlov Response

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In the early 1900s, Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov accidentally discovered classical conditioning while working with dogs. Classical conditioning involves an unconditioned stimulus and response. Then replacing the unconditioned stimulus with a neutral one in order to get the same response. Using dogs, Pavlov found that the dog began to salivate (unconditioned response) to an unconditioned stimulus, the food. He then realized he could turn a neutral stimulus,such as a bell ringing, into a conditioned response. In other words, the dog would begin to salivate when the bell rang, just as it did when it saw food. Our response to many things in life is really no different than what the dogs experienced in Pavlov’s experiments. We, too, have our own Pavlov response, especially when it comes to health and wellness.

Commercials and advertisements would like us to believe that what they are promoting is the solution to what we are searching for. All to often we believe that what they are promoting is the solution, as well. Heck, who doesn’t want their problem to disappear, especially those that involve our health and wellness? So, the unconditioned stimulus is the solution being promoted. Our response is the hope brought about by the possibility of a solution. Advertisements use various means to get our Pavlov response. They are looking for an action from us – a purchase!

To achieve sustainable good health and wellness, we need to change our stimulus. We have been conditioned for far too long to believe that improved health comes in the form of a pill or latest trend. Changing the stimulus means reconditioning ourselves to find the solution elsewhere:

  • whole food nutrition
  • exercise
  • adequate sleep
  • lower stress
  • meditation
  • chiropractic care
  • massage

We can change the outcome if we are aware of how we have been responding. We can train ourselves to respond in a better way. One that truly addresses the root of our problem versus opting for the band-aid approach that does nothing more than keep us exactly where we are.

OUR TEAM

Dr. Andrew Damron, Chiropractor

Why ChiropracticProfessional Experience Personal Information
Dr. Damron established DCW because he was fed up with the current health model. Statistics continue to show an increase in pharmaceutical prescriptions to patients every day. Although he does believe some medications are necessary, he believes the majority of what is prescribed is actually harmful to the patient’s long-term health, creating another set of healthcare issues as a result. Dr. Damron believes DCW’s unique approach to achieving overall wellness will revolutionize the healthcare industry through collaborative care utilizing chiropractic, massage therapy, rehabilitation, and nutrition. The DCW focus addresses the whole person versus a only symptom and uncovers the root cause. He also believes that education is vital to sustaining a healthier more vibrant lifestyle as well. His goal is to create a healthier society and a better place for our children to live.
Dr. Damron began his medical career with a Biology Degree from Wright State University in 2002. He went on to receive his Doctorate of Chiropractic from the prestigious Palmer College of Chiropractic in Port Orange, Florida in 2007. While attending Palmer, he had the opportunity to travel abroad to Madagascar and provide chiropractic care to the native Malagasy people. Dr. Damron has continued his post-graduate studies with a focus on nutrition, rehabilitation, and functional medicine.
Dr. Damron and his wife, Kristy, reside in West Chester with their two young children, Graden and Isabelle. An avid Buckeye fan, Dr. Damron enjoys playing the guitar in a band with his college friends, watching/playing any sport, cooking, reading, and attending concerts, especially the Dave Matthews Band and Foo Fighters.

Dr. Greg Washam, Chiropractor

Why ChiropracticProfessional Experience Personal Information
Dr. Washam was introduced to Chiropractic by his mother at the age of 16. She was working for a Chiropractor at the time, experiencing all the benefits that Chiropractic care had to offer, and thus began taking Dr. Washam and his siblings in for regular adjustments. Dr. Washam had been experiencing painful bouts of Strep Throat from the age of 8, which always included a 10 day course of antibiotics. While under Chiropractic care his doctor convinced him to avoid the antibiotics and receive Chiropractic adjustments instead. To his amazement, Dr. Washam’s strep throat symptoms had vanished within three days and he never had an issue from that point forward. He was so astounded by his experience that he fell in love with Chiropractic and decided that was the path for him. He wanted to commit his life to helping people through the power of Chiropractic, just as it had helped him.
Dr. Greg Washam began his college education at the University of Cincinnati, studying biology. After he made the decision to become a Chiropractor, he attended Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO. While at Logan, he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Life Sciences in 2009. He received his Doctorate of Chiropractic in 2011. Dr. Washam was presented with various awards upon graduation. These included Dean’s List honors, the Senior Intern Assistant Award, and the Award of Excellence from the Division of Research. He has completed many hours of post graduate education focusing on nutrition, supplementation and injury recovery.
Dr. Washam and his wife Kassie reside in Mason, Oh with their two daughters, Lillian and Wren. In his free time, Dr. Washam enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants, touring local craft breweries and reading. He also spends a great deal of time outdoors with his family and his Beagle, Willow. Dr. Washam is a music enthusiast and listens to all genres of music. He especially loves classic rock from the 60’s and 70’s. His favorite band of all time is Led Zeppelin.

Brooke Snyder, Operations Manager

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
Brooke had never been to a medical office where she really felt like they cared more about her than her money until she came to DCW as a patient. DCW made it so easy to arrange financial payment with, they were compassionate, dedicated and most importantly 100% honest. The team addressed all aspects of her health and well-being, above and beyond chiropractic care. Her initial impression of chiropractic offices were that they would only adjust then send her on her way. She realized that she was wrong. Because of her experience as a patient at DCW she realized she wanted to pursue a career within it. She saw everything she wanted in healthcare at DCW. Finally, a place where patient care really comes first! She comes to DCW with a degree in Nursing and a background in finance. When someone asks her “Why DCW?” she cannot think of one reason why not.
Brooke has a background in business finance and computer technology prior to the start of her medical career. She attended Southern State and obtained an Associate’s Degree in Science, R.N. Sh began working from DCW in December of 2014.
Brooke has five beautiful girls from 15 to 6 years old. She is married to Jamey Snyder who has two boys of his own. She lives on a two acre farm in the country with horses, dogs, cats, and a pot belly pig. Brooke enjoys spending time with her very active family and watching their kids play sports.

Nicole Foreman, Licensed Massage Therapist

Why MassageProfessional Experience Personal Information
Nicole always wanted a career that was focused on helping people. It wasn’t until she drove past the Dayton School of Medical Massage on a daily basis that it became clear what she was meant to do. She enrolled as soon as she could and it has been the best decision she has ever made. She loves the feeling of knowing she has alleviated someone’s pain and possibly made their day better in some way. She had been working alongside chiropractors for over 7 years before joining the DCW team. Before DCW she never really felt her opinions and insights were valued or even asked for, which she felt hindered patient care and the effectiveness of each treatment. At DCW she feels valued and part of a practice that is focused on changing the approach of wellness with cohesive and effective patient care.
Nicole is a graduate of the Dayton School of Medical Massage and obtained her license in 2008. She utilizes Deep Tissue, Swedish and Thai massage techniques to relieve pain, tension, and stress while increasing range of motion and flexibility.
Nicole is married to her husband of 5 years and they one daughter, Rylee, and one child on the way due in September 2016. As a family they enjoy camping, hiking and spending time at the lake during the summer.

Erika Pantona, Insurance Specialist

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
Erika started coming to DCW in 2010 after spending two years in substantial pain after an injury. She had spent those two years at various specialists and taking medications to simply get up in the morning due to the pain. She was 18 when she found herself facing a major, life altering surgery (SI Fusion) and realized there must be another way. When she began her treatment plan at DCW she started to have days with little or no pain. She stopped taking her medications and realized they had been affecting her overall mood. In 2015 Erika joined the DCW team because they allowed her to live her life once again. She wants to prevent others from living in pain like she did unnecessarily, and to receive the benefits of chiropractic care.
Erika is well versed in the insurance industry with her previous employment at Express Scripts and Anthem.
Erika has two siblings and resides in Liberty Township. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and hiking with her family.

Amy Faris, Patient Care Coordinator

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
After moving to Ohio in 2010, I was in need of some relief from minor pain associated with working in customer service fields for 15 years. I was interested in seeking alternative forms of therapy and found a chiropractor in our small town. After going for a few visits, the therapy seemed somewhat outdated compared to what I had researched. In talking with my husband, he remembered that he knew someone who was a chiropractor. After just a few visits with Dr. Damron, I definitely noticed a difference in his techniques and style. It was nice to see results and feel like I was being listened to as a patient, not just heard…something you don’t always feel with doctors. After being a patient for several years, the opportunity came about to join the DCW team. It would be something different from what I had done in my past, however I knew my passion for working with people would translate well into helping patients receive the best care possible. I believed in the mission of DCW as a patient, and I am excited to be part of living that mission every day. 
 I am originally from St. Louis, MO. I graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia with a degree in Secondary Education – Language Arts. I worked in restaurant/catering management for several years before starting a career in retail management and training.
In that position, I met my husband, Matt, who is from Wilmington, OH. After we got married in 2010, I moved to Wilmington. Realizing retail wasn’t where my heart was any longer, I began working as a substitute teacher in the Clinton County area. Matt and I live in Wilmington with our 6 year old German Shepard, Dale. I enjoy camping, boating, riding 4-wheelers, and spending time with family and friends. I love St. Louis Cardinals baseball and am a recently converted Cincinnati Bengals fan.

Hours

Monday 9-1 & 2-6

Tuesday 9-1 & 2-6

Wednesday 9-1 & 2-6

Thursday 9-1 & 2-6

Friday 8-11

Saturday and Sunday CLOSED

Contact information

 3187 Western Row Road Suite 114
    Maineville, OH 45039

Office:
     (513) 770-3434

Email:
    info@damronchiropractic.com