Willpower -- Not So Powerful.

"This time I'm going to lose the weight." "I have had it! I'm going to start exercising and eating right!"

Living a healthful lifestyle is not rocket science. In fact, you know what you should be doing right now. (Put down the donut). Why is it that we so often fail in making good choices in our health? One possibility it we set ourselves up for failure.

Here's the typical scenario. Billy wants to start exercising. He starts going to the gym 6 days a week for 45 minutes. This lasts 2 weeks then he misses a day. He feels bad about it but tries harder. After a month he is back to his couch potato ways, never to darken the door of a gym again. He failed.
Billy set himself up for failure. He was unrealistic about his abilities and most of all his willpower.

Psychologist and lead researcher Loran Nordgren, PhD, of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management says "The key is simply to avoid any situation where vices and other weaknesses thrive and, most importantly, for individuals to keep a humble view of their willpower."

Keeping a humble view of willpower is key. Make realistic goals. Maybe plan to exercise twice a week for 12 weeks, then increase. Set yourself up for success then build on it. When it comes to diet, try to focus on one thing first. Maybe you need to cut soda, or eat 1 extra serving of fruit a day. Give yourself a time frame and celebrate when you make your goal. Then set another one.

Keep it real and you will succeed.

Diet Soda, Weight Gain and pH Balance

A constant theme in my office is weight management.  Most people with weight problems often choose to drink Diet soda, bad move.  This video does a fantastic job explaining this seemingly contradictory fact.

More than Low Back Care?

Far too many people still believe that chiropractic care isn't necessary unless they're suffering excruciating low back pain. The millions who do receive regular adjustments know that chiropractic can resolve their back pain, and more and more may also be learning about the potential nonmusculoskeletal benefits.
Take as an example the patients in a recent study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Twenty consecutive patients from each of 87 Swedish chiropractor's offices (1,504 total patients) completed questionnaires within two weeks of previous treatment. The questionnaires documented numerous reported improvements in nonmusculoskeletal symptoms, including:
· easier to breathe (98 patients);
· improved digestive function (92 patients);
· clearer/better/sharper vision (49 patients);
· improved circulation (34 patients);
· less ringing in the ears (10 patients);
· acne/eczema better (8 patients);
· dysmennorhea (painful menstruation)
better (7 patients); and
· asthma/allergies better (6 patients).
The number of spinal areas adjusted was also related to the number of positive reactions. Fifteen percent of patients reported positive reactions after having a single area adjusted; 35% of patients reported positive reactions after having four areas adjusted. Overall, 23% of chiropractic patients reported experiencing positive changes in symptoms that were not musculoskeletal in nature.
Have you experienced nonmusculoskeletal benefits following chiropractic care, and if
so, have you told your doctor of chiropractic? Always report any reactions (good or
bad) you experience during or following an adjustment.
Leboeuf-Yde C, Axen I, Ahlefeldt G, et al. The types and frequencies of improved nonmusculoskeletal symptoms reported after chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Vol. 22, No. 9, pp559-64.