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Accountability Partner

January 8, 2016 By Pam Rezai

Any path to self-improvement is better when we have someone on the journey with us. Not only does it tell us that we are not alone, but it also benefits us in other ways as well. We have someone who has a better understanding of what we are going through, we have someone who can speak to our personal experience because they are right there with us, we also have someone who will hold us accountable to our journey. We have an accountability partner, who will ensure we stay on track and not let obstacles prevent us from succeeding. And sometimes that obstacle is our own self.

Many times our journey towards better overall health requires more than ourselves in order to be successful. And that’s okay. We are social beings. Taking that first step in the right direction can require a lot of effort. Why? Well, the fear of failure can be a very powerful thing. We may have tried once before and failed. We may be unsure of even where to begin. We may get frustrated and decide to settle with what we have. If we have an accountability partner, we have that external motivation to keep us moving forward. We have someone telling us not to settle, to expect and demand more for ourselves.

Damron Chiropractic & Wellness (DCW) can be that accountability partner you are looking for. We understand where you are and where you want to be, plus can address the needs of the “whole” you. Surrounding yourself with the right resources to help you along your journey can mean the difference between success and failure. And success with weight loss is what you want, right? Addressing the needs of all of you means going deeper than simply losing weight. It means strength training, it means better nutrition with supplements if needed, it means a structure that is in alignment, it also means addressing any muscle issues as well with massage.

DCW is rooting for you! Your success is our success. Who’s holding you accountable?

Your Gut and Weight Loss

December 1, 2015 By Pam Rezai

We know that burning more calories than we consume each day contributes to weight loss. But, did you know that is only part of the story? The actual process of burning calories is due to what resides in our gut. Surprisingly, it is the bacteria, yeasts, and fungi (of all things) that do the burning. This collection of microorganisms is called microbiome, and it is only with a healthy balance that our metabolism is optimized and weight loss can occur.

It is ideal that a healthy balance of microbiomes exist within our gut. If this balance does not exist, then we experience conditions like bloating, stomach aches, puffiness, infrequent bowel movements, and excess weight. All are signs that our body is not happy with how we are treating it, whether with antibiotics, poor nutrition, or environmental toxins. We cannot expect a different outcome if we continually choose to ignore the needs of our body. When it comes to good health and overall wellness, we will inevitable reap what we sow, especially as we age.

So what exactly to these microorganisms do, these microbiomes? Well, first and foremost they take the food we eat and extract the energy and calories from it. If our gut contains a healthy balance of microbiomes, then they will literally eat more than half of our daily caloric intake. Being gut healthy promotes weight loss, metabolism, vitality, energy use, and energy storage.

To help improve your internal situation, consider testing your microbiota balance to identify which of your bacteria needs support. Once the imbalance has been determined, steps can be taken to correct it from targeted foods, probiotic supplements, moderating stress, and getting sufficient sleep each night. Just as you are physically unique, so too is how you are designed on the inside. Tailoring a weight loss program that meets the needs of your gut will not only bring you closer to your ideal weight, but will significantly improve your quality of life. You will look and feel good, both inside and out.

Menopause and Andropause

October 27, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

By the year 2050, one in five Americans will be older than age 50, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While getting older is a goal we all strive towards, we experience bumps along the road as our body ages. For a woman, a major bump is menopause, which marks the end of her reproductive period. For a man, he has a similar experience with andropause. Both have the ability to cause profound changes in a person’s life with the manifestation various symptoms. However, with a proactive approach through the care of a chiropractor, the bumps along the way can be minimized so that aging can be both healthy and happy.

The decline in hormones during menopause does not happen suddenly to a woman. Over a period of 6-8 years prior to menopause, the hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate. This fluctuation leads to profound changes to a woman’s body and life. These changes include irregular periods, mood swings, irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, increased abdominal fat, and urinary problems. Additionally, after menopause, the likelihood of other health conditions increase as well, from bone loss and heart disease to memory loss and loss of libido. However, many of these symptoms can respond favorably to changes in nutrition, exercise, and dietary supplements. Interestingly, exercise is one of the most important and effective ways to prevent or improve these menopausal symptoms.

In men, the hormone testosterone begins to decline in their 50s. Just as with women, men can experience significant changes and health concerns during this period of life. Examples include loss of sexual function, weight gain, fatigue, bone loss, anemia, and declining muscle strength. Under the care of a chiropractor, a man experiencing andropause can help offset this change with exercise and dietary changes. A diet that incorporates a heart-healthy foods is the ideal such as the Mediterranean diet which is high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fish. There is a significant correlation between good cardiovascular health and improved sexual health.

Aligning yourself with a reputable chiropractor as your partner in healthy aging can provide you with the tools to increase the quality of your life, no matter what phase it may be.

Choosing Your Chiropractor

August 7, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

Choosing a Chiropractor is not unlike choosing any other healthcare professional. It’s a very personal relationship where you truly feel he or she has your best interests at heart. But there are other things to consider as well because you are essentially advocating for yourself. Good health is our greatest asset and it should never be taken for granted. It needs to be earned through daily effort. Partnering with a Chiropractor can help you achieve and maintain this asset throughout your life. The key, however, is making sure you chose wisely.

There are many false stereotypes regarding Chiropractors, just as there are for other professions such as lawyers and politicians. Common sense tells us that we mustn’t judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what we do. We take hearsay and turn it into fact without investing the time to find out for ourselves the truth. The end result? Lost opportunity to benefit from the care and expertise from a committed professional. Rushing to a snap judgement means we’d rather follow what another says. Relying on unsubstantiated claims can have a negative impact on our lives. Take, for example, the marketing of several consumer goods over the decades: Tab, Olestra, nicotine, aspartame, MSG, and GMOs. We took for granted that because it was available, it was good for us. Years later we learned we were wrong.

Chiropractors are doctors that specialize in the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. They practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to healthcare. With broad diagnostic skills, they are trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, in addition to nutritional, dietary, and lifestyle counseling. They are also best known for providing spinal adjustments to help restore joint mobility that causes inflammation and pain.

But what other services does a chiropractor provide?

Diagnostic imaging
Nutritional supplements
Clinical examinations
Patient education
Electrical muscle stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulators (TENS)
Heat and ice therapy

However, did you know that there are also other value-added services that you should be looking for when choosing your chiropractor? Here are a few questions to consider as you explore your options:

Is massage incorporated with treatment?
What about rehabilitation?
How much time does the Chiropractor spend with each patient?
How are patients educated on achieving and maintaining wellness?
Is decompression as part of the treatment options?

Other ways to educate yourself on the philosophies of a particular Chiropractor is to check social media. Are there recent testimonials? Pictures of the practice, the doctor, the other team members? What about reviews? What is the general feeling regarding the practice?

When it comes to your health, never settle. A little homework can go a long way!

Life’s Transitions

August 5, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

In a nutshell, life is a series of transitions. The older we get, the clearer our perspective is when it comes to this reality. Think about it. We transition from a baby to a toddler, from a toddler to a preschooler. We continue with our education into elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and sometimes even grad school. After our school days we transition into our career and a family. We transition once again as our children grow older and their needs change. We may transition into new jobs, new relationships, and new homes. Our goal through it all is to age both gracefully and well. To live each phase of our lives as healthy individuals without limitations.

Unfortunately, there are times that life throws us curve balls and our health comes in jeopardy. We may need to transition our expectations to accept a lifestyle with limitations. Yet, while that may be the case, it does not mean that our quality of life needs to be compromised. Healthy aging means transitioning ourselves again and again, and continuing to do what we can to enjoy our full potential.

This mindset increases in significance with the passing of each decade. Our body begins to feel the effects of our life and how we treated it. There are the telltale signs of wear and tear – aches, pains, limited flexibility, extra weight, wrinkles, loss of muscle mass. But, this does not mean we need to accept aging lying down. In fact, aches and pains is not synonymous with aches and pains. They do not go hand in hand.

The key to healthy aging is taking a proactive stance on your health. It means being aware of how you treat yourself and listening to what your body is telling you. It means taking the initiative to ensure your body has what it needs to thrive no matter what your age. It means:

Getting adequate sleep
Eating healthy
Exercising
Stretching
Strengthening
Adding nutritional supplements when appropriate

At Damron Chiropractic & Wellness, we specialize in healthy aging. We help you transition with each phase of your life by combining chiropractic care with massage, stretching and strength training, plus nutrition. We want you to achieve the highest quality of life that you can. This multifaceted approach is unique in that four specialities work in unison with a common goal of overall wellness.

Life is full of transitions. Minimize the impact and enjoy healthy aging with proactive care from Damron Chiropractic & Wellness.

VIP Supplements: Multivitamins

June 30, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

This is the last in a series of 5 on what we, at Damron Chiropractic & Wellness, consider to be the “Vital & Integral Players” – or VIPs – of the supplements necessary for healthy aging.

The word multivitamin certainly sounds credible. We’ve probably heard the word since our youth with those Flintstone vitamins our mom would give us that tasted remarkably like candy. It probably was no coincidence either that the commercials for those cute, little vitamins would happen during the actual cartoon. Clever marketing at its best! Nowadays, vitamins, or more specifically multivitamins, are found in every grocery store, pharmacy, fitness center, gym, and wellness boutique. There are literally hundreds of different multivitamins available today, too. So, how do we discern which is best, if we really need one, and what the real benefits are?

In order to survive and function optimally, our body needs a daily supply of essential vitamins and minerals. If eating a healthy diet, then a multivitamin would not be needed. However, the reality is how we actually live each day. It is a fact that most Americans are not eating a healthy diet, which leaves our bodies lacking the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive. Multivitamins can help close this gap between what is and what it should be. Now that we have acknowledged this gap, which of the hundreds of multivitamins is truly best for us?

Let’s start with the facts about how our bodies are designed. Our body is uniquely created to eat and digest the food our good Earth provides us. We have complicated things by taking that food and repackaging it with over-processing. If we were to take full advantage of how our body is designed, then we should acknowledge that food in its purest form is best. Therefore, a multivitamin that is created from whole foods (foods that are natural and in their purest form) rather than processed is the ideal. This would mean organic, too – no added chemicals or pesticides.

Another way to determine which multivitamin is best for you is to look for those that are certified. In 2007, the good manufacturing practices (GMPs) were established by the FDA to ensure high quality supplements are produced and available to the public. Other independent organizations took that a step further and offer voluntary certification programs for supplement manufacturers as well. When researching the multivitamin alternatives, search for those that have subjected themselves to the highest of quality standards. Examples of what to look for include: the Natural Products Association, U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, and NSF, in addition to the GMPs by the USFDA.

Remember, it is up to us to ensure or body receives what it needs to function at its best. It is also up to us to keep it that way so we can age healthily. We make choices every day that ultimately impact how well we stay on that path of wellness.

VIP Supplements: Probiotics

June 25, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

This is the fourth in a series of 5 on what we, at Damron Chiropractic & Wellness, consider to be the “Vital & Integral Players” – or VIPs – of the supplements necessary for healthy aging.

It seems to be everywhere. Probiotics. Everything from t.v. advertisements, coupons, and product labeling. But why exactly is this the case? Is this just another health fad like toning shoes or olestra? You’ll be happy to know that probiotics are not a fad and are here to stay. In fact, this VIP supplement is a great way to invest in your longterm health.

Probiotics are actually living microorganisms – bacteria and yeast. Hearing the word bacteria, though, we typically jump to the negative, thinking disease and infection. However, in the world of bacteria there exists both the good and the bad. The good bacteria is what you find within your digestive system. It is also in probiotics. The ideal occurs when the good and bad bacteria are in balance, meaning everything is functioning as it should. But there are times when we have an imbalance. Symptoms appear telling us so with the onset of an illness, a syndrome like Irritable Bowel, or a skin conditions such as eczema. This is a red flag that our good bacteria needs some help from us to regain that optimal balance.

But what exactly does good bacteria do for us? Surprisingly, these good guys serve a vital role in our overall wellbeing:

promotes colon health and proper functioning
helps to keep cholesterol in check
works to ensure hormone balance
specific vitamin formation (i.e. K)
creates certain digestive enzymes

It’s important to know that there are two main types of probiotics: lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. The first is the most common and found in yogurt or other fermented foods, the second is found in some types of dairy. Both play a key role in digestive health. While we can get much of our probiotic needs met from the foods we eat (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, dark chocolate, kimchi, tempeh, and miso soup), the reality is that our busy lifestyle may prevent us from doing so. Having a quality probiotic supplement will ensure your digestive needs are being met on a daily basis.

Remember, life happens. We eat too much of the wrong foods, we get sick, we get older, we encounter periods of stress. As one of the VIPs of the supplement world, probiotics can help you be prepared for those bumps in the road and be that preventative maintenance you need to keep your body running as it should.

VIP Supplements: Digestive Enzymes

June 23, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

This is the third in a series of 5 on what we, at Damron Chiropractic & Wellness, consider to be the “Vital & Integral Players” – VIPs – of the supplements necessary for healthy aging.

Have you ever thought about how the food you eat is broken down and used by your body? How even after the most filling meal, your stomach will be growling in just a few hours with hunger? Things move in and out of our body on a regular basis. But what keeps it moving? Digestive enzymes.

Enzymes run the show in our body. They are the linchpin that sustains our life. From our muscles and bones, to the organs and systems throughout our body and all the way down to our cells – enzymes regulate it all. They are the catalyst in every chemical reaction that occurs within us. In fact, enzymes actually speed up the chemical reactions which saves us energy and keep things moving at the appropriate speed. If we didn’t have enzymes there would still be chemical reactions, however, the speed at which they would occur would be too slow to keep us going. The food we eat is broken down by these digestive enzymes, primarily from our pancreas and small intestine, to get at the nutrients that comprise it.

Digestive enzymes can be broken down into three categories:

Lipases – break down fat
Amylases – break down carbohydrates
Proteases – break down proteins

Ideally, the food that we eat each day is comprised of these three nutrients, yet the reality is something entirely different. Our Western diet is comprised of foods that inhibit the body’s ability to get what it needs to work as it should and thrive. We are surrounded by foods that are highly processed, cooked improperly, and difficult to digest. This sad state of affairs puts our digestive system in disarray. Instead “the more refined and processed a food is, the lower your gut’s capacity to retrieve what’s there and distribute to your body” (S. Lamm, MD., NYU Medical Center, Jan. 2013). Only 40-50% of the nutrients are able to be extracted because your body is working in overdrive to get what it needs from the “junk” it was given for fuel. Imagine the consequences of eating a poor diet 100% of the time. If we choose to overlook the impact our bad diet has on our bodies, then we run the risk of harming ourselves not only nutritionally but with our immune system as well.

Surprisingly, 70% of our immune system resides in our gut. This means that our digestive system plays a major role in helping to prevent things like bacteria, viruses, and pathogens from entering our bloodstream and making us ill. Denying our body of optimal nutrition adds undo stress, but other factors can impact our digestive enzymes such as age, genetics, the environment, and poor lifestyles habits.

Here are some signs that your body may be experiencing a digestive enzyme deficiency:

gas
bloating
abdominal pain
nausea
heartburn
skin conditions – acne, eczema, rashes
moodiness, headaches
joint & myofascial pain

Adding a digestive enzyme supplement helps to offset the impact of these symptoms, plus give your body the boost it needs to function as it should. It’s as simple as knowing what to look for. Keep these four things in mind as you research your options:

Make sure you select a supplement company that is reputable (we prefer Standard Process).
Select one that is “blended” – in other words, helps with fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
Avoid digestive enzymes that contain fillers.
Look for supplements that are in capsule form.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference in our lives.

VIP Supplements: Fish Oil

June 19, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

This is the second in a series of 5 on what we, at Damron Chiropractic & Wellness, consider to be the “Vital & Integral Players” – VIPs – of the supplements necessary for healthy aging.

The idea of fish may be very unappetizing to some people, especially if you have a food aversion to seafood. The term fish oil actually doesn’t connote good images either if we are completely honest with ourselves. Sometimes, though, we find it’s those things that look and sound the most unappealing that are the most beneficial and tastiest of all. Life is full of surprises, isn’t it? Fish oil is one of those wonderful surprises that goes to prove we shouldn’t “judge a book by it’s cover.”

So what is fish oil exactly? All fish contain oils, but fish that are considered fatty such as mackerel, trout, tuna, herring, sardines, and salmon, have the highest concentration of oil which is can be up to 30%. This is much different that white fish, which contains significantly less oil which is found only in the liver versus the entire fish fillet.

There are two ingredients in fish oil that make it such a powerful supplement, or Vital & Integral Player (VIP), when it comes to maintaining optimal health: docosahexaeonic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Both are Omega-3 fatty acids, however, EPA is not produced by the fish itself but from the algae it consumes. DHA on the other hand is produced by the fish. DHA is found throughout the body, yet it’s highest concentration is in the brain and retina (97% and 93% respectively), plus it’s a key component of the heart. EPA is a necessary building block of DHA and our diet can provide it as well. EPA on the other hand is obtained solely from our diet. Unfortunately, American diets are substantially lacking in Omega-3s – too much meat, too few fish, and an overabundance of preservative-laden food contributes to this deficiency. The great news is that this trend can be reversed, and that is why fish oil makes the top five list of our VIP supplements.

Fish oil has been shown to:

help improve behavioral problems in children such as ADHD.
benefit memory recall.
reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
protect against vision loss as we age.
positively impact sensory, cognitive, and motor development of the fetus.
improve blood flow.
reduce joint inflammation.
aid in bone health.
help decrease symptoms of postpartum depression.
lower bad cholesterol and increases the good.
improve the effectiveness of exercise to lose weight.
boost the immune system.
promote mood stabilization.
improve dry skin, acne, and hair.

Common sources of foods with beneficial levels of fish oil or Omega-3s are:

flax
hemp seed
walnuts
eggs
basil
spinach
chia seeds
oily fish – salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, trout, and mackerel
edamame
grass-fed beef

The ideal ratio of bad fat to good is 2:1, but the reality for the American diet today is 20:1. Obtaining the benefits from Omega-3s means bringing balance back to our diets. Increasing your intake of foods that have high levels of Omega-3 and reducing your consumption of fried, fast, and boxed foods will help to restore that balance. And, most importantly, don’t forget that you can also add a high quality fish oil supplement to your diet as well. There’s no need to leave any gaps on your journey to wellness.

VIP Supplements: Fiber

June 17, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

This is the first in a series of 5 on what we, at Damron Chiropractic & Wellness, consider to be the “Vital & Integral Players” – VIPs – of the supplements necessary for healthy aging.

Let’s face it, there are a lot of supplements out there today. So many, in fact, that it’s near impossible to to discern what supplements to take, leaving many of us scratching our heads and walking away empty handed. Well, believe it or not, there are some supplements that are more important to our overall health than others simply due to the incredible benefits they provide. One might call them the VIPs of supplements.

The top five nutritional supplements, ranked in no particular order, that provide you with an optimal foundation to begin your wellness journey are:

Fiber
Fish Oil
Digestive Enzymes
Probiotics
Multi-Vitamin

While this list in no ways ranks in terms of significance to one another, it is meant to provide you with the basics to ensure your journey begins on the right foot. It is the starting point. Many times we never take that first step due to the uncertainty surrounding what direction that first step should be in. A common phrase describing this indecision is “analysis paralysis” – a decision is never made because we consume ourselves with analyzing our options to the point of complete confusion.

So let’s begin by dedicating this post with the first nutritional supplement on the list, fiber. When it comes to fiber we know that it is an essential part of our diet, but what does it do? Most of us might immediately think of Metamucil when we hear the word fiber or that fiber helps to keep things moving in the right direction, if you know what I mean. But fiber is so much more than that.

Fiber is actually a carbohydrate that is found in the plants we eat each day such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. However, due to its chemical makeup, it cannot be digested by the body. Passing through our system undigested is what makes fiber so important to our overall health and puts it on the top five list above. Fiber’s benefits to our bodies include:

Helping to lower our blood cholesterol.
Preventing diabetes because it slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
Lowering the risk of heart disease.
Reducing overeating by helping to make us feel full.
Promoting a healthy bowel function.
Adding zero calories to a meal to help to control weight.

Fiber gives our body that initial tune up. Cleaning out the old to get ready for the new. The new you! Unfortunately, most Americans are not getting enough fiber in their diet each day. The average adult eats an average of 10-15 grams per day when the recommendation ranges between 25 for women and 38 for men according to the Institute of Medicine.

To help you reach your dietary goal of fiber intake, fiber supplements can help. Sometimes our busy lifestyles get in the way of maintaining optimal health. That should never stop us from giving our bodies what it needs to thrive. Continue to build on eating whole foods full of fiber like brown rice, raw vegetables, fresh fruits, beans, nuts, and whole grains.

Utilize fiber supplements to fill in the gaps, because gaps can make for a very bumpy road.

Accountability Partner

Your Gut and Weight Loss

Menopause and Andropause

Choosing Your Chiropractor

Life’s Transitions

VIP Supplements: Multivitamins

VIP Supplements: Probiotics

VIP Supplements: Digestive Enzymes

VIP Supplements: Fish Oil

VIP Supplements: Fiber

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