How are Stress, your Immune System & Chiropractic Adjustments related?

Dr. Broosan's Research Corner
How are Stress, your Immune System & Chiropractic Adjustments related?

Along with family gatherings, celebration, and joy, the holidays can also bring with them higher levels of stress. Stress is one way to set off the body's "fight or flight" system. This system (known as the sympathetic nervous system) is intelligently designed to allow the body to adapt to life threatening situations. The problem arises when we have high stress levels chronically. You see, we were not meant to remain in a "fight or flight" state for long periods of time and yet this is exactly what happens to many of us on a daily basis. Add a little more stress (i.e. the holidays), and guess what happens to a lot of people? They get sick! Ever notice that when you are stressed out, you are more likely to get sick? It's not a coincidence.

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Thank you,
InnerMovement Chiropractic

Don't become sedentary as the weather turns cold

During the colder months of late fall and winter, we tend to stay indoors to avoid the chill and end up becoming sedentary creatures. We indulge in holiday sweets and treats, savory gravies at Thanksgiving and those "why-not-just-one-more" holiday hors d'œrves. While occasional indulging during special times is understandably impossible to resist, be sure not to sabotage all the hard work and exercise you've already done.


November is the month during which we take a look at our surroundings and express gratitude for everything we have been given. But besides family, friends and food there is another gift that most of us overlook: the gift of "you"! Don't let your health fall by the winter wayside, but make proper nutrition a year-round commitment.

Research shows that the top 10 leading causes of pain and chronic illness can be either put off or prevented all together through lifestyle choices. Each and every decision you make today can and will impact the quality of your life in the future. Give your body the tender love and care it deserves by continuing great self-care and healthly habits over the holidays. By continuing with regular chiropractic adjustments, therapeutic massages and practicing our nutrition tips, you can enjoy your holidays without the stress, strain or guilt. Doesn't that sound like something to be thankful for? We think so!

Until our next adjustment...

Yours in health,

Dr. Heidi & The InnerMovement Wellness Team

Healthy Nutrition Recipe(s)-of-the-Month

from our Clinical Nutritionist Michelle


Add these dishes to your Thanksgiving table this year as they are not only delicious but packed full of antioxidants & healthy nutrition!



Whole Wheat Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

Cut back on the heaviness and fat of regular pumpkin pie while still enjoying this delectable holiday favorite!

One 9 inch whole wheat unbaked pie crust

2 eggs

1/2 sucanat or brown sugar

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/4-1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. salt

1 3/4c. cooked pumpkin puree

1 c. vanilla soymilk

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450.

2. Beat eggs until frothy.

3. Add in spices and salt.

4. Add pumpkin and soymilk and beat until smooth.

5. Pour into pie shell.

6. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

7. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Can be served warm, chilled or at room temperature. If serving warm, allow to cool slightly before serving.





Cherry Cranberry Sauce

Enjoy this healthy and tasty twist on a classic. Good for days after for sandwiches too!

3/4 c brown rice syrup

1 cup water

1/2 cup port, or other sweet red wine

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup well-chopped toasted walnuts
Directions:

1. Combine brown rice syrup, water, port, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium stainless steel saucepan.Stir frequently until mixed well. Add cherries and cook for 1 minute. Stir in cranberries. Reduce heat and simmer until about half the cranberries pop, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.

2. Stir in walnuts. Cool completely.

Serve chilled.

To book your personal Nutrition Consultation with Michelle OR to take advantage of our Recipe Redux Special this month, please call us at 818-549-1300

Does eating healthy really make a difference?

Dr. Broosan's Research Corner

Does eating healthy really make a difference?

We all know that a proper diet is good for us. However, many people think that eating healthy is an impossible luxury. It's actually a lot more achievable than you think. The sooner we realize that eating well is an absolute requirement for health, the sooner we can take responsibility for our health. Sure, it may be easier to go to a fast food "restaurant" and pick up "cheap" meals, but doing so will lead us away from health and is much more costly in the long run.

So what are our genetic requirements to express full health? What is healthy and what is not? And, where can we go to for this information? While one may think the recommended daily allowance/intake (RDA/RDI) is helpful, RDA/RDI is based on how much of a vitamin/mineral is needed to avoid deficiency. To make this clear, it is not based on how much you need to be HEALTHY. It's based on how much you need to not get SICK. That is a HUGE difference. Would you rather be healthy or just not be sick?? Let us help you get on the path to wellness and clear up the confusion about what is truly healthy and how to best get there.

Here is what some research has to say about eating well:

"Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), specifically the n-3 and n-6 [omega 3 and omega 6] series, play a key role in the progression or prevention of human diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, neurological and heart disease, mainly by affecting cellular membrane lipid composition, metabolism, signal-transduction pathways, and by direct control of genetic expression."


Ntambi JM, Bene H. Polyunsaturated fatty acid regulation of gene expression. J Mol Neurosci. 2001 Apri-Jun; 16(2-3): 273-278; discussion 279-284.

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"Accumulating evidence suggests that this mismatch between our modern diet and lifestyle and our Paleolithic genome is playing a substantial role in the ongoing epidemics of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerotic heart disease."

O'Keefe, JH & Cordain, L. Cardiovascular diseases resulting from a diet and lifestyle at odds with our Paleolithic genome: how to become a 21st-century hunter-gatherer. 2004 Mayo Clin Proc. Jan; 79 (1): 101-108.

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"PUFAs also have dramatic effects on gene expression by regulating the activity or abundance of four families of transcription factor.....These transcription factors play a major role in hepatic carbohydrate, fatty acid, triglyceride, cholesterol and bile acid metabolism."

Jump DB. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and regulation of gene transcription. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2002 Apr; 13(2): 155-164.

Healthy Nutrition Tip-of-the-Month: Vegan Brown Rice Krispie Treats

from our Clinical Nutritionist Michelle
Here is a healthy Halloween Treat that's fun to make and enjoy with the whole family! Vegan Brown Rice Krispie Treats


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of organic all natural crunchy peanut butter (salted)
• 1/2 cup of brown rice syrup 
• 3 1/2 cups of brown rice krispies cereal
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of vegan chocolate chips (optional)

Makes 9 squares.
Directions

Put peanut butter, rice syrup, and vanilla into a small sauce pan and heat over a low heat for a few minutes until the mixture is liquid.

While the mixture is being heated, spray a large bowl with cooking spray before adding the rice cereal. Pour the peanut butter syrup over the cereal and combine until all of the rice krispies are evenly coated (you may have to work it a little).

Transfer krispies into an 8x8-glass baking dish that has been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Pat them down and make them nice and even, pop in the fridge about an hour or so, then cut em' up and enjoy!

If adding the chocolate:
After you have combined the cereal and syrup, stir in ¼ cup of chocolate chips. Make sure the syrup is not too hot, give it a few minutes to drop in temperature so the chips will stay in tact.

Once the chips are stirred in, place into the baking dish and chill.

If someone is allergic to peanuts, they can use organic all-natural salted almond butter but better if it isn't the raw kind.

 

To book your personal Nutrition Consultation with Michelle, please call us at 818-549-1300

Demystify your fears of Acupuncture & Chiropractic

Dr. Heidi

Happy October! In keeping with the theme of Halloween, I'd like to address some of the common fears associated with Chiropractic care. It is completely understandable that the noise of spinal adjustments and the perceived twisting of the neck is cause for concern for most people.

Innately, we are aware that our cervical spine, brain stem and spinal cord are vital to our health and without proper education even the term "adjustment" can seem "scary". But I'd like to put some perspective on those fears and hopefully alleviate them through education just as I do for new patients on a daily basis in my practice.


Statistics show that only 1 in 5.85 million patients are injured by a Chiropractor. To put this risk into perspective, if you drive more than a mile to get to your chiropractic appointment, you are at greater risk of serious injury from a car accident than from your chiropractic visit. Did you also know that 1 in 3 hospital visits are associated with the use of aspirin or NSAID pain relievers like ibuprofen. So to pop a pain reliever or get one from your doctor for back pain is statistically more scary than the adjustment.

Increase your metabolism with Qi Gong Breathing Exercise

Breathing exercises are a powerful tool used in Chinese medicine. Try this ....

Prior to each meal: 2 minutes before you eat, do this metabolic boosting breathing exercise: For the first minute of this exercise, place both of your hands below your belly button and take a few long slow deep breaths. Feel your hands rising on the inhale and descending on the exhale-this is focused deep breathing. Do this for the first minute.

It is important to note, a primary function of digestion is to break food into microscopic bits that can be sent to your cells and combusted with oxygen to release energy into the body. Over 90% of our energy comes from oxygen + food. That is why focused breathing is so important prior to each meal.

For the second minute of this exercise, squeeze all the air out on your exhale by bringing the abdomen toward the spine. Now do not worry about inhaling; just focus on bringing your belly toward your spine. Do it as quickly and as comfortably as you can. Imagine you are fanning a fire with bellows of air to make the fire grow.

After your meal, do the following for digestive health and to increase longevity: Bring both hands over the left side of your rib cage, below the heart. This is where the stomach is located. Circle your hands over the stomach area about 50-100 times moving from the right (liver) side of your body toward the left (heart) side of your body.

Congratulations! You just increased your metabolism! This is also a very simple yet powerful practice you can do each and every day.

School is in session! Your Acupuncture Primer

A recent article published on acupuncture in the Huffington Post* stated, "Some folks, including older Western M.D.s, still talk about whether or not they "believe" in acupuncture. Such thinking is ill-informed and outdated. One might as well speculate about whether to believe in aspirin, morphine, insulin, surgery or an MRI."

The question is not whether acupuncture works, but how it works, and whether it is the appropriate therapy for a particular syndrome, problem, symptom, disease or patient.

In a clinical setting, and performed by a licensed professional, acupuncture is effective for a variety of complaints.*"

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a safe, low-risk form of treatment for all age ranges offering a comprehensive natural health care system that can effectively prevent and treat illness, enhance health by effectively strengthen weakened immune systems, and balance hormones to bring the mind and body back into balance.

Many people don't know that in California, Acupuncturists are primary healthcare providers and recognized by mainstream medicine, the World Health Organization, the NIH, and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to effectively treat illnesses and support preventative healthcare. The National Institute of Health has stated, "there is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine and encourage further studies of its physiology and clinical value" and the NCCAM has sponsored countless studies that verify the efficacy of acupuncture for pain, fibromyalgia, post traumatic stress disorder, and arthritis, to name a few.

How Does It Work? Through balancing the meridians of the body through the use of acupuncture needles (made from ultra-fine stainless steel which are pre-sterilized, single-use & non-toxic) and targeted application of customized herbal formulations, acupuncturists can promote wellness by tapping into a complex network of charted meridians that exist within the human body. The practitioner will assess the signs and symptoms, conduct a thorough medical history, observe the tongue, and feel the pulses in order to assess and properly diagnose the root cause of the chief complaint. A comprehensive, customized treatment approach will be discussed with each patient.

Here's a list of some of the common health conditions that can be safely and effectively treated by acupuncture: gastrointestinal and digestive problems, headaches and migraines, fatigue, insomnia, allergies, anxiety, depression, sinusitis, skin disorders, colds and influenza, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal injuries and joint pain. Women's health, menstrual irregularities, menopausal issues, and infertility can also be approached from a holistic perspective, using Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

New Client Acupuncture Special!

$35 initial visit*

(includes consultation & treatment)

We will also verify your insurance coverage to find out if your plan covers Acupuncture!

A special one-time follow-up visit at discounted rate

of $50**

TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE CALL OUR ACUPUNCTURISTS:

Dorothy Low 323-363-9785

Veronica Sanchez 818-480-8227

*offer valid for new clients only. expires 09/30/10

**$50 follow-up visit is available to new clients that take advantage of this special offer and is a one-time offer. non-transferable. expires 10/15/10

'Schooling' you on Acupuncture

Hi Everyone!

This month we are 'schooling' you on the benefits of Acupuncture.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective alternative medicine therapy that has been practiced in China for thousands of years. Just like Chiropractic, Nutrition and Massage, Acupuncture treats the underlying causes of diseases rather than simply targeting symptoms.

At InnerMovement, we offer you a team approach to your health, utilizing the most effective alternative medicine therapies available. Our Acupuncturists are key to this wellness approach. On a daily basis I refer patients to our Acupuncture team to treat insomnia, hormonal imbalances, chronic inflammation, bowel disorders, migraines and much more. After witnessing our patient success stories I have become a regular patient of Acupuncture myself.

So, whether you are a person trying to learn more about ways to stay healthy or if you are suffering from a chronic condition, I hope you find this wellness news informative and helpful.

Until our next adjustment...

Yours in health,

Dr. Heidi & The InnerMovement Wellness Team