Atascocita Wellness Blog

It Can Happen To Anyone (You and I Too)

2011-10-09T14:40:00.001-05:00

Sooo, here I am, an up and coming health and wellness fanatic, doing my best to take good care of myself, and spreading the "gospel of wellness" to the masses in my own little way. Always eating well, exercising, resting and thinking well, as healthy as I can be right? Yes.........and no.

You see, 2 days ago at work on a Monday morning, I noticed I felt really tired, and a little cold at my office. I checked the thermostat to see if something was set wrong. It was normal. Hmmmm could I be getting sick? Surely not. I haven't run a fever in 2 years, haven't had a cold in 2 years, have felt terrific for a LONG time. Yet by the time lunch rolled around, I could tell I was not right. My eyes were wanting to do nothing but close, and my body felt a bit achy. Oh brother, I don't have time for this, I have a retreat I am going to later this week, I have patients to see prior to that. This was my thought process as panic almost set in. I mean, God forbid I get sick right? Someone like me should always be healthy right? Again, yes.......and no.

See, being healthy doesn't mean you're never sick. I doubt anyone's claims when they say they NEVER get sick. I mean, really? You never get a cold, never have a little stomach upset, no sinus headaches, ever??? Somehow I doubt that. Personally, since in my practice I physically touch 25-45 people a day, and these patients of mine come into the office in varying degrees of health, I get exposed to a lot of the "bugs" they carry in with them. In years past I would get sick enough every year to miss work about twice for a day or two, and you can see how that might happen in my line of work.

Now back to our story....So I realized my body was attempting to tell me something. I was cold and sleepy, and parts of my body were aching a little, which was my body's way of trying to fight off whatever was attacking it. So I went into prevent defense. I went home at lunch, took another dose of my Superfood Solution Shake (I usually take one/day), took two whole food supplements and, because I was listening to my body, I took a nap. I slept for about 1.5 hours total which in itself is a telltale sign that something was wrong since I never nap that long. That evening I took yet another dose of my shake and more whole food supplements. The next morning I was off work, so I took more supplements/shakes, ate good protein and some fruit, drank water, and slept some more. By the afternoon I was already feeling better, and now today I awoke feeling almost 100% (probably 95% if I had to put a number on it).

So why did I fall "under the weather"? Hindsight is 20/20 of course and I can say that over the last 2 weeks, I've let stress get the best of me, I didn't rest all that well because of it, and my eating habits toward the end of last week weren't all that great either. So that is lesson #1 to take from this. We need to pay closer attention to what we are allowing our body to go through as it has a cumulative effect on our health. I was struggling in 3 out of the 4 "Pillars of Wellness" (Eat well, move well, think well and rest well) so that lowered my immunity. The 2nd takeaway from this is how to handle it once you DO start heading down the path to sickness. I ate whole foods, I got extra rest, I practiced total relaxation, I took extra supplements, I didn't put anything toxic in my body (sugars, non-real food etc).

I think lesson #3 is that everyone gets sick to one degree or another at some point. The really healthy among us bounce back much faster, like the blow-up punching bags that are weighted on the bottom, you may get knocked down, but you always bounce back up, and you'll bounce back up faster the healthier you are. In this case, I didn't get knocked down, but I wobbled a bit and bounced back.

Lastly I think a lesson here is that you don't become sick overnight. It's usually a process where inch by inch your immune response slips. You are exposed to "bugs" daily, and your immune system when it's functioning right always wins and keeps them at bay. But when we start skimping on our eating, thinking, resting and exercising, we become less healthy, whether or not we actually have symptoms or not. Eventually if that state continues, we do acquire symptoms and classify ourselves then as "sick".

I find it very interesting that the last two times (this being one of them) I was "under the weather", I was able to bounce right back within a day or so via eating, moving, thinking and resting in a wellness manner. You can do the same thing by learning how to live the wellness lifestyle I promote via our blogs and other social media. I hope this helps!

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Starting The Day In A Wellness Way

2011-09-12T11:48:00.001-05:00

Right now as I type this, it is Monday morning, I’ve seen my first group of patients, have a short break before the next ones arrive, and I’ve had a thought in my mind since early this morning that I thought I’d share with you. I was reading through some posts on social media outlets today, and saw varying degrees of “Monday morning” comments. As you might imagine, they ranged from “ugh, it’s Monday”, to more encouraging ones wishing everyone a great start to the week. I had a brief conversation with my 14 year old son this morning on the way to school (aren’t all conversations with 14 year old boys brief?) about the same topic. It really got me thinking about the importance of how we start our days. I always encourage people to “Finish Strong”, but I sometimes think we forget to “Start Well”. This can set the tone for an entire day, and an entire week.

So, how do you start the day? Are you the “Good God it’s morning!” person? Or are you the “Good morning God!” person? Admittedly, I have both types of days at varying times, but honestly I have to say it’s more the latter to a very large degree. I don’t think it’s because I am especially blessed, or lucky, though both of those come into play to some degree. I know I am blessed to have a profession/career that is a blast. I know I am lucky to have the wife I have (she’d agree too) etc. But beyond that, I believe there are some keys that I’ve learned in my years of living and in my years of practice and observing the habits of my patients. So, today I’ll share a couple of tidbits that work well for me to have the best chance of “Starting Well”.

First, today being Monday, that means that I arose extra early to spend time at the gym for a spin class (stationary bike class). It’s an hour of intense cardio work and calorie burning. I’ll be honest that when that alarm goes off at 4:45 on mornings like this, I always have a 3 minute conversation with myself as to whether or not I will actually get up. Getting up usually wins because I think about how great it feels afterward to have started my day in such a great manner. You may not desire to rise that early and go spin for an hour, but the point is to find some way of expending some energy right off the bat and help your day start well. You’ll be proud of yourself and thus feel better emotionally about you. You’ll release endorphins that automatically make you feel good too. You will have awakened your body and made it ready to attack the week. Consider finding some way to exercise right off the bat, even if it’s walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes, you’ll be glad you did it and learn to love the new habit.

Another way to start your day off in a wellness manner is to eat well. Fuel your body in an appropriate manner. A caramel machiotto and pastry doesn’t qualify! Remember it needs to be real food. I start my day off with a Superfood Shake with some products we carry, giving me the equivalent of 8-10 servings of organic fruits and veggies, some healthy whey protein, a solid dose of Omega 3 fish oil, and my vitamin D for the day. I add in a boiled egg often, and a piece of fruit. It’s the first chance I’ve had since the previous dinner to re-fuel so I want to make sure I do it right to avoid mid-morning cravings for twinkies, soft drinks and the like.

I also enjoy a bit of quiet time first thing every morning. Sometimes this is spent with a cup of coffee on my back porch, sometimes sitting in a comfortable chair in my family room. That’s the time I spend mentally preparing for the day, connecting with my God, reading my bible and planning out the day. It organizes my brain (as much as that is possible at least) and helps me insure that the coming day will be as productive as possible.

Lastly, if nothing else, getting up early enough to not be rushing out the door is vital. Being able to take the time to enjoy the morning time (yes it’s possible) sets a good tone for the day. Stressing because we’re running late and trying to remember all the things we need to take with us at the last minute causes stress and certainly isn’t conducive to starting well.

If you begin one or more of these habits, I think you’ll find it easier to start well, stay productive, feel better about one’s self, and banish the “Good God it’s morning” persona!

Until next time…Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

Hatred Killed Americans 10 Years Ago

2011-09-11T18:05:00.000-05:00

And hatred is killing America today. It's sad, but it's true. Hatred of people within our own country has weakened us. Hatred of each other creates an "us vs. them" mentality within our own team. We have to remember that we are on the same side in the long run, and stop hating someone just because they have a different letter behind their name. "They" are Americans, "they" are one of us. We don't have to like "them", or what they believe in and stand for, that's not what I am saying. It's impossible to like everyone, even if "they" are on "our" side politically.

But the mass hatred I see in this country for entire political groups is a worthless emotion, with no upside to it. It has created a divided country where each side blames everything bad on the other. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. But to go on hating, and blaming, gets us nowhere. I'm like a lot of people this weekend, watching a lot of football. The teams that are strong and successful are united and work together, and I am sure they don't all like each other. If they acted on on the fact that they don't like each other, they'd not succeed. That same analogy can be said about our country, which is why I believe we are weakened country for many reasons, and divisiveness is one of the big ones.

Hatred in this manner kills. It kills the owner of that emotion. It is not a wellness oriented emotion, and can serve no good. The Carpenter from Bethlehem said for us to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. How much more so should we do this for those on our own team? How much more so does this weaken us individually by harboring said hatred? And when each of us is weakened individually by holding on to such hatred, well, the whole is the sum of it's parts.

If you want to be well, and if you want our country to be well, and be healed, it starts with each of us individually. Just like when one or more of the cells in your body become ill, it makes the whole body less healthy. Release that hatred, focus on the good, focus on doing good, serving others, caring for one's self. Thinking well is one of the 4 Pillars of Wellness I teach, and hatred of entire groups of people is the complete opposite of that pillar.

Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

Keep It Simple, Keep It Real

2011-08-11T20:30:00.002-05:00

It's simple. It really is.

Eating well is very simple. One doesn't need to spend countless hours watching grams of fat, weighing food, counting calories, evaluating what's good for you or not, looking at a pyramid or a plate. Too much information can truly confuse one as to what types of foods they should consume. It's sad.

I see people talking about eating healthy because they buy low fat "x" or they eat only whole wheat pasta, without regard to the fact that it's loaded with sugar, or processed carbohydrates that turn to sugar in the body. The media, the marketers, all tend to give us half the story. They're allowed to call something healthy without any regard to whether or not it's truly healthy. And unfortunately, most of society sees that and jumps right on it, because it's what they're told. The results? Rampant obesity, skyrocketing numbers of diabetes in children, heart disease, removal of organs (the gall bladder is the most popular these days), and in general fewer and fewer people that are truly healthy.

It's a shame. It really is very simple, and the title of this post says it all: Eat real, eat raw. Real food, as I've said over and over, grows or had eyes at some point. That would mean vegetables, fruits, and meat. For veggies and fruit, it's best to eat organic, and for meat it's best to have range fed wild animal meat. This is what our ancestors ate for years, and studies done on their remains have shown nowhere near the episodes of these diseases of lifestyle that are so prevalent in our western culture. Our ancestors also moved a whole lot more than we do. They walked places, they spent time outdoors playing, they worked hard in the fields, they had no TV to spend countless hours in front of. I'd guess they probably didn't work til all hours of the night since communication was limited, which meant they tended to rest well. In short, they lived innately, the way we were designed to live.

I just had this conversation with a patient this morning. The problem we have in our culture is the desire/felt need for convenience. If we didn't always look for convenience in our eating habits we'd be better off. Yes it takes a bit more effort to eat innately. It's not always convenient. However, it's not convenient to be sick either, it's not convenient to have heart surgery, or take insulin daily, or be stuck in a hospital for days. And that is the result of eating conveniently. It's also MUCH more costly in the long run to eat conveniently when you count the days lost due to illness, the cost of medicine, doctors visits, surgery and the wear and tear of those procedures/meds on our body.

So, instead of making it so complicated, think of it the way I do. Make it simple. It will take some extra work, specifically it will take planning. At the start of each week, look at your schedule, plan out meals for the week. I know sometimes you can't affect your meals. Many times I have meetings where they supply food. Sometimes it's a good choice, sometimes not. But when I look at my schedule and see opportunities to eat well, I plan those out. A basic meal needs some protein (meat/chicken/eggs/nuts/seeds), and about 2 different vegetables of varying colors or a good salad and/or fruit. Snack on things such as raw veggies/fruit/nuts/seeds. Purchase lots of healthy snacks for the times when you can't prepare a full meal, but you can put together several healthy ready to eat snacks to make up a meal. Eat throughout the day, avoiding the typical huge meals that are common. I like to use the concept of grazing vs. gorging to make this point clear. If you eat out, realize their portions are way too big, so plan on taking some home. You can even request a to go box when your meal is delivered and then separate out part of it immediately. Sharing a meal is another option when huge portions come your way.

Keep it simple, overcomplicating things makes us less likely to follow through. It can be done, and I am around to help people work through this via our wellness consultations. Call me if you want to work on your plan for wellness, and we'll evaluate your eating, exercising, thinking, and resting habits to help you attain your wellness goals.

Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

Wellness Days vs.Sickness Days

2011-06-01T20:40:00.000-05:00

I'd venture to guess that most people experience too many "Sickness Days". They deal with too much stress, bad food, not enough rest or exercise every day of their lives. And since one's life is created one day at a time, the sum of all of our "Sickness Days" is a sick life. So, Wellness Wednesday is what we call the first Wednesday of every month in our office. On those days we focus on adding in a new wellness habit and we often have our patients experience the new habit, such as tasting a new smoothie, trying out a new supplement etc. Our goal is to get people thinking monthly about what they can try that is new and different and that can move them toward a wellness lifestyle. It's a great idea I think, and our patients look forward to it each and every month to try something new. If everyone started a new wellness habit every month, our health as a nation would significantly improve over the long haul.

Recently in doing some wellness lifestyle coaching with one of my patients, I came up with a new idea. We were talking about making changes in her lifestyle to get her moving toward wellness, and I take the approach of making just a little change at a time. My purpose in doing this is to not overwhelm the patient with too much too quickly. This is important as we don't want to set a patient up for failure, and trying to do too much too quickly is sometimes too painful to be successful at, and they become discouraged and tend to quit.

Instead, we focus on baby steps. For instance, instead of trying to go out and jog for 30 minutes when they've been pretty much a couch potato, we encourage them to try walking "x" amount of time, depending on their fitness level, "x" times/week. After they get accustomed to that new habit, they are then encouraged to do a bit more, maybe increase the frequency, or the duration of their walks. That way it feels like they are only adding in a little bit more to their already established routine.

But, in doing this, I've found it takes a long time for enough new habits to build up to create significant changes. So to accelerate the process, I decided to give a new idea a shot. It's called a "Wellness Day". It consists of planning a certain day as a total wellness day. On that day, they must plan in advance what they are going to do. I encourage them to focus on all 4 of our Pillars of Wellness (eat well, move well, think well, rest well) and make sure they have plans for each area.

So in advance they plan out their meals and snacks for the day. They have to focus on whole foods (real food) with no additives. Remember my definition of real food: It either grows or had eyes at one point, otherwise it is an "edible food like substance". They need to focus on consuming plenty of water for the day, maybe some tea with lemon, or an herbal tea of their choice.

They have to plan to move more than they might normally. This may not be much more than a 30 minute walk if they are sedentary usually. If they're already active, then any sort of normal exercise program they do is acceptable, but maybe they push their duration by 10 minutes or so more. If they don't usually do any stretching, this would be a good day to start that habit too. There are many stretching sites on the net to learn from. Just always remember to be careful if you've not been active, and if you're over 40 or have a history of cardiovascular issues, get cleared by your doctor before you begin any vigorous plan of exercise.

I encourage them to spend some time de-stressing and relaxing on their Wellness Day. It's a great time to schedule a massage for relaxation purposes, or some time at a quiet spot for dinner with their spouse (eating healthy of course). Making sure they spend some time being grateful is extremely important, and connecting with their Maker on a spiritual level is vital for this special day. This can also be accomplished by whatever activities they really enjoy doing, grilling a good dinner, playing with the kids, the dog or both.

Finally, I encourage them to work on their sleep hygiene plan. I want them to get good rest that night, so nothing with caffeine after 4 in the afternoon. As bedtime draws near the need to start winding down is vital and they need a plan for doing just that; turning down the lights, quiet music, a good book, good conversation with their spouse etc.

By creating a Wellness Day, one can see what it would feel like to live that lifestyle. The first Wellness Day may be a bit tough, but it's only a day, so plan it ahead of time. If you wait til the last minute, there will be stress when you don't have all the foods that you need for a certain recipe, or when you suddenly realize that you forgot to plan out some aspect. Remember, I want you to be set up for success, not failure. And if you do fail in some aspect for that day, at least the day you had was more wellness oriented than it would have been otherwise. You can also choose to do this in community with others and discuss/plan your day together for accountability.

Once you have a Wellness Day going once/week, or even once per month if weekly is too tough, then add in "a little more", like an extra day/week or month. Soon those days will become comfortable for you and you will be able to continue adding in a day or two more. Soon the majority of your days will be Wellness Days, and you'll have much less "sickness" days.

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

When All Health Is NOT Breaking Loose......

2011-05-31T22:50:00.000-05:00

and instead, all HECK is breaking loose.....those are the times when it's tough on us to live a wellness oriented life. We have the best of intentions, but life is happening at the speed of, well, life. Everything seems to be out of control, and our health often suffers for it.

For many, the month of May is like that. I have been saying all month long (today is May 31 as I am writing this) that May is December, minus the cold weather and presents. It is crazy busy. Right now it is 9:30 at night on a Tuesday evening, I am at my church while my daughter is going through rehearsals with her performing arts group for the production this weekend. Tomorrow is the last day of school for my kids, and I decided to let my wife head home to finish up her grading etc. for the year, and maybe find time to pay a few bills lol. I am sure your life has similar challenges, and there are parents of about 150 kids here with us tonight out this late probably thinking some of the same things I (and you) are thinking: How can we allow this to happen?

It's not easy raising kids and keeping our lifestyles in check. I am not sure I have the best answer yet. But I know this. I cannot give up, and I realize that soon I'll be able to settle into a routine that allows us as a family to exercise with regularity, and eat home cooked meals regularly too (what a concept). I think it's important to just make sure we don't lose site of the goal, the prize, which is optimum health. Sometimes we have to accept, that for a short while, we may get a little unbalanced. But we need to keep looking for that time when we will be able to get back to that lifestyle we want, and make sure we jump right into it when that time finally makes its appearance!

For me that will be right after Youth Camp ends in about 1.5 weeks. I still have 1 week of hanging out with kids out in West Texas and eating, yep you guessed it, CAMP FOOD for a week! Talk about no control!

I so look forward to 2 spin classes a week, 2 Peak 8 sessions and 3 10 minute blasters every week again! The thought of salads with most meals, and here's a novel idea: a home cooked meal! I am pumped just thinking about it!!

Ok, maybe if I'm that excited, I need to get a life!!

Until next time...BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

What Would You Have Them Say About You?

2011-05-07T15:16:00.001-05:00

I hate this feeling. I just read that golfing legend Seve Ballesteros passed away from the evil brain tumor he had been diagnosed with a few years ago. Seve was always so strong, so determined, he was one of those you'd always EXPECT to make that killer putt, or chip it in when you least expect it. He was always getting himself out of trouble on the golf course. He always won and lost with class. He seemed to be a gentleman at all times. You couldn't help but root for him. And as he faced this battle of a lifetime, you again couldn't help but root for him, and again, you expected him to make it.

Sadly it wasn't to be. His body succumbed to cancer, and his time on this earth is done. He will be missed by family and friends, and the golfing world for sure. It brings to my mind my own mortality, he was less than a decade older than I. As I take in this loss of life, I am seeking the answer to what this means to me.

Obviously I didn't know Seve, only what I saw of him on TV, so that is not what I mean when I think of what this means to me. But it is a reminder that we are on this earth but a short while, our life is vapor Scripture says and we aren't guaranteed the next breath. It is a reminder to me to not take for granted what I have in my life. We all need to enjoy the time we spend with our families and friends, take care of our bodies we've been given and work to leave behind a legacy that will impact the world in a positive way.

I recall years ago going through an exercise where we were to think of what we'd like a friend, family member, co-worker, spouse etc to say about us if they were eulogizing us. Scary thought right? But, the exercise didn't end there. I was told to ask myself if they'd be truly able to say those things about me if I died right now. In many cases I'd say they wouldn't be able to say some of the things I'd like. The point is, if they can't say those things, then what do I need to do now, RIGHT NOW, to start making sure those are the things said about me when my time comes?

That's an exercise that should be a regular part of our life, especially if we want to truly live our lives in a wellness way. It's never to early to start working on that, our time could be around the corner.

RIP Seve.

Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

The Magic Health Potion: Does It Exist?

2011-04-26T13:58:00.001-05:00

n short, NO. Absolutely, without a doubt, NO.

I know in our Western culture, where we want everything in microwave fashion, it is ingrained in us to find the quick and easy way to health and wellness. I see people seeking it out all the time, and no matter what good evidence they hear to the contrary, they often continue to search for it. I could sit down and spell out exactly why Eating Well, Moving Well, Thinking Well and Resting Well is the formula for optimum health right in front of them, and it would all make sense, but the minute a quick solution is bandied about, it seems inherent in our nature that we grab onto it.

I don't know why that is. I know when I hear about such products, I am initially hopeful. But within a few minutes of thinking about it, without even researching it further, I know innately in my heart that it's probably just like one of the other many different products I've seen come down the pipe over my 2 decades of being in the wellness business. And most likely its popularity will peak, and then fade, especially if/when health issues come about related to this miracle product as so often happens.

My heart actually breaks for people that want it so badly to be the magic formula for them. I want optimum health for everyone: me, my family and our society so badly I want to scream when I hear someone promoting a product as the answer to our ills. Our society makes it so easy to slip into this mindset that "for every ill there is a pill". Think about this, does health really come in a pill? Is the solution for health and wellness wrapped up in a tiny drink or capsule? We all know in our heart that it doesn't come that way. Even with the supplements I take and promote, I know they don't create good health by themselves. It comes from taking care of our body with good nutrition, movement, rest and right thinking. There is no other way, period.

Often many of these products promote themselves as natural. This is particularly true in the weight loss realm. However, simple research often shows that though the products are natural, they contain things that can be harmful, particularly stimulants. Ma Huang was one that was used in the last decade, now there is one being used called "guarana". Stimulants such as these increase your heart rate, can cause palpitations and raise blood pressure when used in products to help with weight loss. Yes people WILL lose weight on them. And yes they can become skinny, but they can become skinny and have a heart palpitations, anxiety, or heart attacks. Look back on the product from the early/mid 90's called Formula 1. It was a weight loss products, sold in multilevel marketing form and was quite the rage. I remember many patients of mine trying to get me to promote it since it was "natural". Later when heart issues occurred in many of those taking the product, it went away, thought it's made an appearance again in something of a new form I hear.

Stimulants also "stimulate" one's adrenals. That can lead to adrenal fatigue or burnout, and more health issues with weight gain in the long run. Additionally, once someone loses weight on a product, if they stop taking the product they will gain the weight back, so they are essentially on the product for life (which by the way never happens in my experience, people always stop taking the product at some point,and sadly, but predictably, the weight returns).

Beyond that, I am really on a mission to get people to understand that weight loss doesn't mean health. Think about it. Anorexic people are not healthy. Starving people in 3rd world countries are not healthy. Unfortunately our society thinks thin is equivalent to health, and it's just not so. One can lose weight, but still have stress issues that lead to a heart attack. One can exercise perfectly but still not get enough good rest and end up with ill health. So the goal should never be "weight loss". It should be optimum health, and pursuing that will usually lead to weight loss. And some of them cause such rapid weight loss that it is not considered healthy. 2-3 pounds/week is optimum weight loss, more than that can be dangerous to your health.

My friends, please, please know there is no magic formula for health and well being. If all you want is weight loss, there are products that can help you lose weight. Knowing what I know, and having been around as long as I have been, I cannot and will not endorse them at all. If you are going to use them, you need to be aware of their side effects, and think long and hard about what your goal really should be, not what society says it should be.

Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

Are You Inflamed?

2011-04-20T06:45:00.001-05:00

Yep, most likely you are. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you live anything close to the typical Western lifestyle, you can bet that you have at least a little bit of chronic inflammation in your body.

So now you're probably thinking "So What?" I understand. It's a vague concept this whole inflammation thing, it makes no sense to the average person. Unless you are a bit weird like me, you probably don't spend hours at a time on the computer reading up on abstract topics like this. That's ok, I am here to sum it up for you in 47 pages or less (just kidding, should be only few paragraphs).

Why is this topic important? It's important because if you have chronic inflammation inside you, you have basically created the breeding ground for illness, EVERY illness, from colds to the flu, from diabetes to cardiovascular disease, from Alzheimers to cancer. Degenerative diseases thrive in this kind of atmosphere, and obviously this can have seriously deleterious effects on your health and well being.

So, if I am saying I just about guarantee you have inflammation in your body, how would I know that? Because most of you reading this are living the standard American way of life. You follow the Standard American Diet (SAD) at least a good part of the time. You don't exercise enough. You live a stress filled life. You don't sleep and get proper rest as much as you should. Maybe you have some really bad health habits like smoking, or drinking soft drinks (diet or non). Sound familiar? It should, most of us have challenges in one or more of the listed areas. Most of us are walking around "simmering" under the skin, setting ourselves up for increased chances of many debilitating illnesses.

What can we do to combat this? What can we do to stop simmering and "be cool"? Simply put it comes down to my often repeated, but never more true, wellness formula: Eat well, Move well, Think well and Rest well. Yep, it's really that simple. However, simple doesn't always mean easy. Take a hard look at yourself, truly evaluate yourself in each of the 4 pillars of wellness I just mentioned. How are your eating habits? Are you eating real food or "edible food-like substances"? Real food either grows or at one point had eyes. Are you buying organic foods more and more? Typical procedures for raising cattle/chicken produce very unhealthy meat for you and I to consume, meat that can create more inflammation. Meat in and of itself isn't bad for you, but bad meat is, and if you're not eating free range meat, chances are your meat is bad (read the recent articles on how much of our meat supply is tainted, disgusting).

Further ways to solve the inflammatory problem include exercising appropriately with resistance training and intense cardiovascular training. Supplementation to offset the inflammation producing habits in our eating can help (think Fish Oil supplements among other things). Taking time to de-stress and remove stressors that affect our life goes a long way to reducing inflammation. Proper rest allows the body to cool down, and thus alleviates inflammation.

It's very do-able, if you've got a big enough reason to make the changes. We help with that in our office, but there are wellness coaches throughout the country these days. Find one that teaches what I speak of, spend time with them, learn from them and act on what you learn. Soon you'll be able to say you are "totally chill".

Until next time...Be Well (stay cool)

Dr. Bruce

HELP! I Want To Quit!!!

2011-04-09T14:18:00.001-05:00

Ever feel that way? With regards to eating well? Or exercising? Taking care of yourself and trying to improve your health and wellbeing is not always an easy task. We all know it’s the right thing to do, and many really do WANT to make the necessary lifestyle changes to become healthier. But so many fail at it, or never really even get started. Why is that? How come some people can seem to have boundless energy for working out, undying commitment to eating well, and an unswerving focus on caring for their physical, mental and spiritual health? What is the difference maker?

In truth there are several difference makers, some of which I’ve written on before. One of the biggest difference makers is the size of your “why”. See my blog post entitled “When The Facts Don’t Count” for more information on that. This month I want to focus on another difference maker, one that I experienced firsthand in a huge way just last month, and continue to experience weekly in my pursuit of wellness: Community.

Sometimes it’s tough to get up and go. Sometimes it’s tough to continue to make the best decisions for your health. Floating downstream is always easier, but even a dead fish can do that. If we’re going to swim upstream, we need to put ourselves in a position where we have the greatest chance of success, or the least chance of failing or quitting. If we create a community of wellness oriented people, or join in on an existing one, we create a safety net to help us from falling off the wagon. The community can be as large as you want, or it can be as small as 2 people, though I recommend 3-4 at least.

How does it work? Simple. You find these people, and you commit to each other to pursue the vision of wellness. That might mean the only thing you commit to is working out together 3x weekly. It might mean you get together and walk in the neighborhood nightly. It can mean that you commit to attending wellness seminars and connecting with each other afterward to implement whatever it is you’ve learned. It can mean that once a week you get together with some friends and sample some new healthy recipes that you research. It can look like a lot of things.

I’ve had what I call accountability partners in my church. We would get together and spend time discussing our walk with God, do a bible study or just hang out and spend time together as friends, or with our families for a meal. We felt free to encourage each other, and sometimes even speak into each other’s lives when we see something amiss that the other person might be blind to, in a loving way of course!

That concept applies to our physical health as well. For instance, I have 2 other gentlemen, and just recently a female business associate joined in, that all like to do a spin (cycle) class on Monday and Friday mornings at 5:15. The night before, we text each other to check in, or send a Facebook message doing the same. That way we are reminded and we commit to each other to being there. It works well, and when one falls off the horse, we continue to stay in touch to encourage them to come back. I have to admit that there are times when my alarm goes off early in the morning, and I would like to stay in bed, but knowing I have accountability partners expecting me to be there pushes me to get up and get moving. And, I ALWAYS feel better after completing the class and am glad I went.

I also have a friend that used to live in our community, and he and I exchange emails about what is going on in our lives with regards to our attempts to work out regularly. We challenge each other, and enjoy reading about each other’s successes. Sometimes there are challenges we’ll express, and it’s good to hear those too and we can help each other through them.

It’s great to have a group to celebrate a win with too. In March, I, along with about 800 others, participated in an attempt at a world record for the largest outdoor spin class sponsored by Lifetime Fitness. It was two hours long and hot outside. It was exhilarating to see the mass of people on their spin bikes together and pushing themselves in the heat and humidity. After completing the long 2 hour class, I enjoyed a few moments of celebration with my instructor from spin class and several other regular attenders of the class. That’s yet another huge plus in developing community/accountability partners in your quest for wellness; celebrating the victories.

I would encourage you to find another person, and more than just one if you can, that you feel comfortable with and ask them to be your accountability partner. My son has caught onto this and recently asked 2-3 people, including me, to hold him accountable in his workouts. In our office we have two couples that work out 3x weekly and help keep each other focused (of course they enjoy going to breakfast afterward, so the social aspect kicks in too, but I am ok with that if it keeps them exercising and staying in shape together!) Find that person or those people, develop that commitment to wellness and see where it will take you!

Until next time…Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Are There Weeds In Your Garden?

2011-03-30T11:56:00.001-05:00

Metaphorically speaking of course.

Are there things in your life that just aren't right, and you know it? Do you have relationships that are strained? Do you have finances that aren't up to where you need them? Are you overweight? Do you have a deadline that is approaching for something and you're just not ready for it? Do you have some sort of challenge that is really wearing you down? In other words, do you have STRESS in your life? Those are the metaphorical "weeds" in your garden, the garden of life.

I am sure that most of us can answer yes to at least one of those questions above, or to other similar questions about our lives. Rare is the person that can say to you they have no stressful situations in their life. Stress is a fact of life for at least certain seasons. Some undoubtedly have more than others, and some undoubtedly deal with stress better than others. But the fact remains that stress is a part of life. It's not a matter of IF you'll have stress, it's a matter of WHEN, and more importantly, HOW you will deal with it.

I've read stats that say 90% of visits to doctors offices are in some way stress related. In my experience I'd have to agree. Stress does quite a number on our bodies. It affects rest, raises our blood pressure and pulse rate, reduces our immune response, damages our ability to digest food, and more. It even helps to create chronic inflammation in the body, which, if you've read my articles, you know is the breeding ground for pretty much every disease process known to man.

So now we know two things: 1. We all have stress, at least for a season, and 2. That's not a good thing. Feel encouraged yet? Neither do I. I promise we'll end on a good note, on how to deal with the "weeds" in our garden in an appropriate, wellness oriented manner. My 11 year old daughter was asking what my article was about just now, and I told her it was about dealing with stress, and she said to deal with stress one could just throw things around. That IS a response to stress, one probably used by some, but probably NOT a wellness oriented manner to deal with stress! (yes she was joking, no flying inanimate objects are allowed in Casa De Dr. Bruce)

So if we have weeds in our garden, what should we do? One way people deal with them is to whine and cry about their weeds. The get so wrapped up in them they sometimes don't do anything else because of their weeds. In other words they let their weeds limit their lives, they focus on them and get more distressed, depressed and don't perform at their best. Others try positive thinking by staring at their garden and saying "there are no weeds, there are no weeds, there are no weeds". In both of those scenarios, the weeds will take over your garden.

It's best to understand that there are two types of things in life: Those that you can affect, and those you can't. Once we realize that, then we can focus on dealing with the things we can change, and we won't waste time on those we can't, which does nothing but stress us out more. So find the weeds you can deal with, break out the weed killer and get to work. Don't go crazy and spray your weed killer everywhere indiscriminately, it may kill things that you don't want to kill. In other words, if we dive headlong into dealing with stress, without regard for how we might affect others, it can create more damage, hurting others and then creating more stress. Be strategic in your use of "weedkiller."

Ways to deal with stress include finding relaxation techniques (they're all over the internet). Use them regularly. Another is to live a life of gratitude. We have techniques to help people do just this in our office. Appropriate exercise also helps reduce the effects of stress significantly, and we often coach our patients on how to go about incorporating it into their lives. Learning how to rest well, with appropriate sleep hygiene diminishes the effects of stress as well. I've seen great results with patients once we get them to understand how to rest in a wellness manner. Developing a purpose in life helps to give one direction and prevent wasting of time on non-effective areas of life.

The results of doing these things are more than just stress relief. Relationships get better, people are healthier and more effective in their lives at work and home. Blood pressure drops many times. Medications can be reduced. Remember, if 90% of doctors visits are stress related, then learning how to best manage stress must then affect almost anything that would bring you in to see your health care providers in the first place.

Hey, wait a minute. If you control your stress too well, I may not be needed as much. I feel MY stress levels rising now. Scratch everything I said earlier!

Until next time...Be Well! (and less stressed)

Dr. Bruce

Community Wellness: The Ride Of A Lifetime 2011

2011-03-27T14:51:00.000-05:00

Well I/we did it again. Once again I had the chance to participate in Lifetime Fitness's "Ride of a Lifetime". Last year we did it for the first time, and this time it was done bigger and better. We again set the world record for the largest 2 hour outdoor spin class, this time with over 800 participants!

Last year we had about 600 people, and the temps ranged from 37 to 45 degrees. This year it was MUCH warmer, about 75-80 or so. MUCH MUCH warmer! But, now I am one year further into my fitness plan, and I do 2 spin classes/week and hit it hard when I do, so even though it was warmer, I felt it was easier to get through.

There was an air of excitement and I admit to having goosebumps as we got started (they wore off quickly though). It was great being part of such a large group, and spinning withe many of my regular 5:15 a.m. spin class partners, and spending time getting to know them a bit more prior to the event as well. Much water was consumed, gatorade too, and a few bites of banana that were passed out by the staff from LTF. There's nothing quite like the site of 800 people all dressed alike, riding in unison, fighting to accomplish the same goal. It was an outstanding event to be part of!

When I first went to a spin class, less than 2 years ago, I was afraid, as a man in his early 40's that wasn't in the best cardiovascular condition. If you had told me after that first class I'd be able to do a 2 hour class, twice in the next 2 years, I'd have laughed. I remember having trouble sprinting while out of the saddle those first several classes, due to my conditioning, and to my coordination. But because of persistence, and the encouragement of LTF instructors, I am 10 pounds lighter, one pant size smaller and in much better condition than I ever thought I'd be in my mid 40's. I am forever grateful for that.

All in all, the Ride of a Lifetime was/is a great event to be part of. I hope to do this every year (if they put it on) and watch everyone get pumped about being part of it and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment I get from completing it, in hot or cold weather!

Everyone should find some way to get involved in a community of like minded people that support them in their quests for wellness. This is what I've found in the spin classes at Lifetime. I have many accountability partners that I spin with. I am grateful for the community I've found, and for Lifetime creating these opportunities! I hope you find something similar in your life to help you in your quest for wellness.

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Resting Well

2011-03-24T10:05:00.001-05:00

We all know sleep is important, and we all sleep a bit pretty much every day of our lives. It's vital to our well being, it's vital for our bodies to function at peak levels. Without it, we can become ill, and even getting just a bit too little sleep over the long haul sets us up to be more susceptible to disease and illness. Why is sleep important, and how do we ensure we are getting it appropriately? That's what i am going to visit on here today.

First let's throw out a controversial statement to get you thinking: Sleep and rest can be two distinct things. One can sleep, but not rest. Follow me on this. Rest occurs when we spend a good amount of time in REM (Rapid Eye Movement, not the rock band)sleep. REM sleep is the deepest levels of sleep. It is not as vital for us to sleep as it is for us to reach REM sleep. At these deepest levels of being asleep is when rest really occurs. And getting to rest allows our bodies to do the repair work that needs to be done after being awake for 16 hours.

We all have had times where we slept for a long time. Have you ever slept a long time and NOT felt rested? That's the difference between sleep and rest. Something kept you from getting to REM sleep. Maybe it was too much caffeine, eating too late at night, not feeling well, stress, exercising too close to bedtime etc. Even alcohol abuse inhibits REM sleep, which is why people can drink all night, sleep for 12 hours and feel horribly tired. Alcohol may put you to sleep, but it interferes with REM sleep, thus keeping you from resting.

The more often we miss out on rest, the more we move toward the illness side of what you hear me call the "Wellness Spectrum". Our immune systems drop, our ability to think clearly is impaired, our energy levels decrease, our productivity decreases, we become more on edge with our love ones. None of this fits in with a wellness lifestyle does it? Of course not. So what do we need to do to ensure, or at least improve our odds of getting proper rest? That's where we're going next.

Sleep hygiene refers to the habits we have prior to bedtime. These become more important as we age and our body secretes less of a hormone called melatonin that helps regulate our sleep cycles. One of the first things you can do is begin to create a regular routine for your bedtime. Go to bed (and rise) at the same time, or at least close to it, every night. Do this even if you aren't working the next day. Routines are very important for helping us develop good rest patterns. People with jet lag are caught out of their routines and thus don't rest well.

Avoid substances that interfere with sleep too close to bedtime. No caffeine after 5 pm is a good rule of thumb. I know some of you will say "I can drink a pot of coffee and still go to sleep". I remember doing that in college too. You may be able to sleep, but you won't rest well since caffeine interferes with your ability to get to REM sleep (rest). Alcohol in excess does the same thing as we mentioned earlier.

Shower about 30 minutes prior to your bedtime every night. Turn the lights down lower as you approach bedtime. These are factors that get your body ready for rest.

No exercise for about 2 hours prior to bedtime, it tends to keep your heart rate up too high in some people to allow for good rest.

Turn on some soft music and spend some time without the TV on (tv will stimulate the brain too much). Learn some deep breathing techniques to begin slowing your mind patterns down.

If you have trouble sleeping there are some things to do to help out as well. Don't toss and turn for 20 minutes or more, get out of bed if you can't sleep and go read something pleasurable, or practice more deep breathing. If you stay in bed too long, your body will begin to associate the bed with stress. If you get up, do NOT turn on the lights too brightly, this signals your body to wake up more. You can try some natural relaxants like Passion Flower, Valerian Root, or even melatonin. Check with your natural health care provider for ideas on supplements that will work for you. We carry in our office something called Formula 303 that is a combination of relaxing herbs and minerals that we use for muscle spasm and for de-stressing/relaxing.

Remember, the goal is to develop a healthy pattern for rest. Good sleep hygiene will put you on the road to resting well.

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

How Did We Get Here, and How Do I Get Where I Want To Go?

2011-03-21T12:08:00.000-05:00

That’s the question of the hour. Wherever you are, how did you get there? And if you’re not where you want to be, how do you get where you want to be?

Of course, if you’ve been following me, you know I am speaking of where we are in our health. Specifically, wherever you are on the “wellness spectrum”, you got there (usually) because of the choices you’ve made over the years. If you’re high on the wellness spectrum chart, it usually because of a series of positive decisions you’ve made over the last 10, 20, 30+ years. They have a cumulative effect on us. Remember in previous articles I’ve written I speak of the fact that there is no “zero sum effect” with regards to the wellness decisions we make daily. Every single choice we make moves us one way or the other on the spectrum, there’s no escaping it. If we choose to take time to de-stress via exercise, massage, relaxation techniques etc, that moves us toward the wellness end. If we choose to eat a diet that is primarily made of processed food, soft drinks etc., then that moves us toward the illness end of the spectrum. If we’re spending our free time on the couch watching reality TV and not moving much, that moves us toward illness. When we choose to take time to get good rest nightly, we end up closer to the wellness end. I hope that puts into perspective how important it is to pay attention to our daily habits and decisions related to wellness.

So, to answer the questions listed at the top, let’s take the first one: How did we get here? It’s really very simple. The answer is …one step at a time. Ok, so that didn’t come with much fanfare. I understand. But it really is that simple. If you’re really unhealthy, you probably didn’t just wake up that way last Thursday. Our current health status is the sum of all of the choices we’ve made in our lifetime. Often times inch by inch we start changing our lifestyle. It happens almost imperceptibly. We don’t think about the fact that we’ve started drinking a few more soft drinks than we used to, maybe it’s only one more per week to start with. Then a few months later we add in another, and the trend continues until suddenly we wake up and realize we’re consuming way more than we thought we’d ever allow ourselves to. So we’ve taken a small bad habit and slowly incorporated it into our lives in a manner that we really don’t even see until we have a full blown bad habit affecting our health.

The opposite occurs too. Sometimes we imperceptibly drop a good habit inch by inch. Maybe at one point you were an avid exerciser. Maybe something happened to your schedule so that it became more difficult to keep exercising, so you drop one day a week. After a while you’re so used to the new schedule that you think it would be ok to drop a day again. A year later you’re hardly exercising at all, and you wonder why your blood pressure, your waistline, and your blood sugar are all heading higher. Now you’re in a lifestyle you don’t even recognize.

So the bad news is we are the sum of our own decisions when it comes to our health. But that is also the good news since obviously then, we can begin to turn this ship of ours around if it’s not where we want to be, and head in the right direction. So to answer the second question in the title of this article, you’re only one step away from making yourself healthier right now. Right now, wherever you are on the wellness spectrum, you can drop one bad habit or add in a new good habit and immediately begin moving yourself more toward the wellness end. I recommend focusing on starting a new habit rather than subtracting a bad one. That’s one reason we do Wellness Wednesdays in our office. One day a month we get people to sample a new product or taste a new “concoction” we put together that they can create or buy that would help them become healthier. By adding in enough new habits, they can begin to crowd out the bad ones. If everyone would focus on a new habit every month, or even every other month, we’d all be headed down the road to wellness together, inch by inch, one step at a time.

Until next time…Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

Mental Junk Food?

2011-03-07T11:47:00.005-06:00

We all know that junk food is bad for our body. Eating a preponderance of candy, soft drinks, processed foods etc has deleterious effects on how our body functions. It is the bane of our western civilization's health. It is consumed regularly, repeatedly, without regard for our long term well being. It is promoted without apology, 24/7 to our nation, with its target audience largely being our young children. In my opinion it is a crime and abusive to a certain degree to have our kids enticed, and then as parents, to let them indulge non-stop in this type of poisoning. I know that's strong, and some of you may think I am over the top on this, but it is how I feel, and there's abundance of research to back up why I feel this way. Most of us know this to a certain degree, but many choose to ignore it, and thus our nation's health continues to degenerate, to the point where the generation growing up now, will be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than its preceding generation.

Don't worry, I am not going on a rant about junk food (maybe I did already?). Instead, I am going to use the analogy of junk food for our body, to speak about junk food for our brain. Namely, I am going to rant today about media. Yes, media is the equivalent of junk food for our body when it comes to our mental health. To me it has never been so apparent how unhealthy our exposure to media can be as it is right now. Right now, as I write this, the media is full of another story of one of our illustrious troubled Hollywood characters. And we as a nation lap stories like this up, constantly craving the next juicy tidbit of news about this spectacle. We seemingly cannot get enough of it, and when this story fades out, there will be another one to take its place, and then another as we require more and more "hits" to achieve our "high" and satiate our appetite. In addition to this sensationalistic story, the news if full of who killed who, what business went bankrupt, what country has unrest, and how broke our nation is. We read it on the internet, have conversations about it on electronic bulletin boards, facebook and tweet about it, see it 24/7 on one of the many news channels, listen to it on talk radio etc. It's everywhere, and you cannot avoid it, unless you really try.

That's what I want really want to talk about: avoiding it. I am not talking about sticking our head in the sand and denying there is bad stuff around. You can't turn away from your garden that is full of weeds and say "there are no weeds, there are no weeds". There ARE weeds. There IS junk happening in our world. I am not here to try to deny it. But in this day and time, there is an overabundance of focus on it, via our media, social media/internet etc. And, being exposed to it 24/7 has deleterious affects on our mental health. I saw it change me when I began to tie into news all the time after 9/11 occurred. I've heard it in voices angry and filled with hate toward people just because of their political affiliation. I have seen it in people glued to their TV/Computer following a story that has NO bearing on their life in the least. It's like watching a train wreck occur over and over again as the same story is repeated, ad nauseum on the many outlets available. In kids it can provoke fear and/or anxiety. It can create a new "unhealthy" normal by numbing our minds to the most outlandish events and occurrences. It plants ideas in our heads of how we should be, what we should wear, what's now acceptable behavior, what we need to look like, who we idolize and more.

Now, if you're OK with that, I am not here to condemn you. That's your call. I am only here to voice a different concept. I am here to voice the idea that we should do more to filter what we let into our heads. Why? Because whether you like it or not, the repeated exposure to events DOES have an effect on you. It goes into your brain and either has a positive or negative effect. Many of you, (depending on your generation) if you heard me sing "Here's the story, of a lovely lady..." you could chime in without thinking and sing the entire song. You know what? I bet that you NEVER sat down and said "I am going to memorize the words to the Brady Bunch Theme". But you heard it over and over, and it became part of your mind. It is in there, no matter what you do.

So, just like we need to be careful what we allow in our body physically for health reasons, we need to be selective in what we allow in our brains for our mental health. Just like when we ingest food, there is no "zero sum effect", meaning we can't eat something without it moving us toward or away from wellness, nothing we allow in our brain has a zero sum effect. This doesn't mean you can't read any news, or do any of the social media that are so popular. It DOES mean that we need to watch our diet of what goes into our brain.

Sometimes when our health is bad, we have to take some more drastic steps initially to get us going in the right direction. Sometimes we have to do a cleanse for our body, or totally fast from junk food for a period. Let me encourage you to do a cleanse of sorts for your mental health. I am currently starting a one week long "media fast". I am staying away from media for this entire week, with few exceptions. I will do some social media/email/internet for work (just as I am right now) but that is all. I will check the weather on occasion so I know what to expect. I may take in a sports event (maybe not since I want to avoid commercials and news blurbs). Maybe a week is a bit long for you. If so, then try a day of TOTAL fasting from media. Start when you wake and don't touch/see/read any of it until the next morning. If you survive (and I think you will) plan on two days of it next week, then work your way up to a week. When you are tempted to "feed your habit", instead, fill your mind with good, healthy things. Start a gratefulness journal, pick up a good book, read some scripture, pray, write down your thoughts on what you're experiencing, listen to some good music, whatever it takes to get you past your "withdrawals".

Hey, I won't mind if you even fast from reading my stuff here or on facebook for a week!

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

A Fever Means You're Healthy

2011-03-01T08:45:00.002-06:00

Well now how's that for an eye catcher? I can imagine what some of you are thinking: "A fever means you're healthy? Are you serious? He's written some crazy sounding, counter-cultural stuff sometimes, but now I think he's gone off the deep end. Next think you know he'll say that vomiting means your healthy too" Stay with me on this one for a second. (By the way, that last comment about vomiting isn't far off the mark, and I'll touch on that in a bit).

Here's the deal. Every day your body is assaulted by germs/bugs/bacteria. They're on your hands, in your mouth, on your skin when you get a cut or scrape, they're all over. You can't escape them. Heck right now you have strep in your throat, you have cancerous cells in your body, you have flu bugs in your nostrils etc. That's the bad news. The good news is your immune system, when it's functioning well, fights off these invaders daily and keeps them at bay. But, sometimes your immune system is overwhelmed and the little bad guys start to win the battle. When that happens, your immune system has to kick into overdrive. One of the ways it does that is by raising the body temperature. A lot of these bugs can't replicate as quickly in a higher temperature setting so this makes it more difficult for them to proliferate. So, in reality, the fever shows that a body is healthy in some respects, because it is a healthy response to an illness. By this thought process, you can see that if you eat something bad for your body, and your body decides to expel it (vomit), then that process is a healthy process as well. The same can be said of many coughs, runny noses etc. They are reactions to invaders and attempts to expel the invading bug.

The sad thing is, many people, as soon as a temperature gets above 98.6, decide to medicate and bring down the fever so they can "feel better". That shortcuts the innate response of the body and prolongs illness, and weakens the immune system's ability to fight. Thus, you can actually make the body less healthy overall by jumping the gun and taking medication for a fever. In addition to this, all drugs, over the counter or otherwise, can have deleterious effects on the body. Thousands of people per year die due to taking NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)too regularly. Ibuprofen is in that class of drugs. You cannot put a drug (chemical) in the body without some kind of negative effect, whether seen or not. This doesn't mean drugs are not ever necessary, but we have to stay away from the mentality that is so prevalent that says "For every ill there is a pill" because that mentality has gotten us a very sick nation, reliant on more and more drugs, and less healthy for all our science.

So, we need to do things that boost our immune system regularly, and avoid doing things that lower our immunity regularly. Some of you that know me know where I am going with this now. Yes, we need to eat well ,move well, think well and rest well. Performing poorly in any of those areas lowers your immune system. Did you know there are studies showing that ingestion of refined sugar immediately lowers the immune system? So having that soft drink, or candy, or refined, processed food, makes you less healthy immediately. Not exercising lowers your immunity. Living a western culture style of life that is stressed to the max lowers your immunity. Staying up late all the time watching TV or on the internet lowers your immunity as does eating or drinking things that impede your body's ability to get true rest. I could go on but I know you get the picture.

So the thought for today is that our fever is a healthy response to an unhealthy condition in the body, and by doing things that short circuit our body's innate attempts to get healthy, we can actually do more harm than good.

Until next time... Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Lifestyle Trumps Genes In Lifespan

2011-02-17T09:05:00.002-06:00

Think you got it made because of your genes? As I've been saying, your genes have a code in them, but you can turn that code on or off by your lifestyle choices. Here's a brief article about a study from the Journal Of Internal Medicine.

If you expect to live into your nineties because your parents did, think again. A new study from Sweden has found that lifestyle factors are much more important than heredity in determining who lives longest. The researchers from Gothenburg University found that not smoking, drinking moderate amounts of coffee and having low cholesterol and good socioeconomic status at age 50 (based on housing costs) plus being in good physical working order at age 54 are key to living to 90 or longer. The study began in 1963, enrolling one third of all 50-year-old men in Gothenburg. Since then, a new group of men has been added to the study every 10 years (women were first included in 2003). The original group of men - all born in 1913 - were examined at ages 50, 54, 60, 67, 75 and 80. Of the 855 who enrolled at the start, 13 percent were still alive at age 90. The study was published online on Dec. 22, 2010 by the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Once again, it comes down to how we eat, move, think and rest to determine our future with regards to our level of wellness.

Until next time...BE WELL!
Dr. Bruce

Do Pills Work?

2011-02-14T11:53:00.002-06:00

This was the question posed to me just last week. The question came to me from my 14 year old son, Drew. It came in response to him communicating with someone who takes pills (over the counter and prescription) on a regular basis for multiple nagging health issues, from colds, to allergies and more, and who seems to be sick enough to miss school on a regular basis. It was one of those moments that we often run into as parents that we should consider teachable moments. I saw it as an opportunity to help him learn how to become healthy naturally, and still see that sometimes medications are necessary.

I am sure my son would have enjoyed a brief “yes” or “no” answer, but unfortunately this question doesn’t always have such an answer. And unfortunately for him, he was blessed with a father that can be verbose, and loves to present analogies to bring home a point. But, fortunately for him, we had only a few brief minutes as he asked this question while we were in line to drop him off at school!

Let me say this. Sometimes the only thing one can do to improve one’s health is to take a drug. If you’ve got an infection so bad that your immune system can’t handle it, sometimes the help of an antibiotic may be needed. That being said, I heard noted wellness guru Dr. Andrew Weil comment on this situation. His thought process is that the pill doesn’t actually heal the person, but it keeps the “bug” or infection at bay long enough to allow the immune system to catch up and knock out the invading bacteria. This makes a lot of sense considering the immune system doesn’t just shut down because we take an antibiotic, but rather the antibiotic provides an assist to our own innate intelligence that is fighting off the invader.
So in that sense, it could be said that pills do work. They work to assist us in becoming healthy again. But that still doesn’t give us reason to have the mentality that I see all too regularly, the mindset that says “for every ill, there is a pill” and that pills are the solution to health. Think of it: How could putting a foreign substance (drugs) in our body, actually make us healthier? In actuality, the ONLY way to truly become healthier is to eat better, move better, think better and rest better. More on that later.

But back to the question at hand, I think what my son actually meant was “Are pills necessary?” The answer is sometimes yes. I’ve used the following analogy before, but it bears repeating and it is what I told my son that morning. If your house is on fire, you have to call the fire department. They come in with their two tools, axes and hoses. They spray down your house, chop holes in parts of your home, all for the sake of saving your house and putting out the fire. This is analogous to taking medications, or having surgery when your body has a health crisis (ie, your “house” is on fire). It’s something that has to be done, but it does have its side effects. However, after the fire department puts out the fire in your house, and you need to rebuild your house, you don’t call them back out to help you. Hoses and axes won’t rebuild your home. Similarly, with your body, after the crisis is over, drugs and surgery won’t help you rebuild your body into a healthy “house”. Instead, it is time to contact a “re-modeler” to help you rebuild your body and restore it to its optimum capacity. That’s where our office excels as we teach people exactly how to make the changes necessary in eating, moving, thinking and resting well.

So in essence, what I am saying is, yes pills can help in crisis times. But we cannot rely on those same things if we want to get truly healthy. This doesn’t mean one should automatically drop their medications and start on a path to eating, moving, thinking and resting well, but relying ONLY on medications would not put you on that path. Talk to your health care professional about how to go about pursuing a wellness oriented lifestyle.

Remember our wellness mantra: To BE well, we must EAT well, MOVE well, THINK well and REST well. I know it’s trite sounding, but it is so innately true. If I could play a game with you right now I’d ask you to name a disease process. After you name it I ask you if it would be managed better, or potentially totally eradicated by following our wellness mantra. The answer is most likely “yes” for any illness we name off. It really is the pathway to wellness, and it really is that simple, not always easy, but simple.

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Sunday...A Day Of Rest....A Day Of Planning

2011-01-09T17:09:00.003-06:00

Here we are at the beginning of another week, 1 full week into 2011. The first week is in the books and we can't affect anything that happened in the last 7 days. You CAN look back on it and see where you did well, and where you think you need improvement. Some of us may have done well with our plans for the year, some of us have already dropped the ball on some of our commitments. If you fall in the latter group, don't despair, this is a new week, and one can always start over.

Here's a way to decrease your chances of not fulfilling your plans. It comes down to one simple word: plan. I heard a speaker say once, "People don't plan to fail, people fail to plan." I agree 100%. None of us say to ourselves, "I want to become less healthy this year" That would be silly. If asked, we'd all say, "I want to be healthier at the end of this year", right? Of course. So, what is a healthy year made of? It's made of healthier decisions made on a monthly basis. A healthy month comes from putting together several healthy weeks. A healthy week comes from the decisions we make daily, and we can affect each day by taking time to plan each week. Here's a way to do just that.

Here it is Sunday as I said, this is a great time to plan the week. Look at your week and see what the schedule looks like. Look for some times you can get in your exercise for the week, even if sometimes a day may only allow a 20 minute brisk walk. Schedule it in. Plan your exercise for the week. Put it in your PDA/Smart Phone and make sure it beeps at you to remind you about it. Planning it makes it a priority, and increases your chances of getting it done, rather than just saying "I am going to exercise x times this week."

The same goes for the other 3 pillars of wellness that I preach: eating well, thinking well and resting well. Look at your schedule and make sure you note days that may challenge you in your attempts to eat healthier. There may be a time when you know a luncheon is coming up where you can't control the menu. For that day, make sure your other meals/snacks are especially healthy, and plan to not over-indulge in the bad foods you have.

Also check your schedule for challenges in getting in enough rest and down time. This is an important pillar of wellness as well. Make sure you set aside some time daily/regularly to think/plan as well. The planning I am talking about doing is part of thinking well. It helps us get focused on the important things that need to be addressed. Use that time to create your to-be-done lists and follow through on them, thus making them "ta-dah" lists.

The point of this is to create a healthier year by planning out your months/weeks/days regularly. Make it a new habit that every Sunday evening (or another day if your schedule is one that doesn't allow it to be Sunday) to plan and create your new, healthier future.

I hope you find this thought process beneficial, I know I do.

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Dr. Weil on Health Care in America

2011-01-09T07:04:00.003-06:00

Here is part of an interview with Dr. Andrew Weil and his input on health care in America. I thought it was interesting and worth the read.

Kupfer: Where do you see the nation’s healthcare system going?

Weil: Unless we transform it, it’s going to steer us into bankruptcy. At the moment the debate is mostly about health insurance, but that’s not the root problem. The root is cost, and I don’t think we can look to politicians to bring costs down. Both Republicans and Democrats are so beholden to the big-insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies that they are not free to act. If Congress can stop the big insurers from disqualifying people on the basis of preexisting conditions, that’s great, but these are little steps. Real change is going to come only if people get aroused enough to start a movement that shifts the balance of political power.

Also, if we don’t get serious about our health, it’s going to bankrupt us as a society. We already have the worst healthcare outcomes of all the developed nations, and we spend more on healthcare than anybody else. We’re spending something like 17 percent of the gross domestic product on it, and it could soon be 20 percent. That is simply not sustainable. And this is before the baby boomers reach old age and become the heaviest consumers of healthcare. We want universal healthcare, but we cannot extend our present disease-management system to all of our citizens. No one could pay all those bills.

Kupfer: Specialized medicine is the most expensive. How did we end up with so many specialists and so few generalists in American medicine?

Weil: The reason is obvious: specialists get paid more and have more prestige. But research has shown that countries and states with more primary-care providers have healthier citizens. To balance the system we could try forgiving student loans for people who go into primary care, but we need political organizing to promote these ideas.

Kupfer: Do you think there’s an opportunity now to get holistic practices covered by national health insurance?

Weil: Yes, but the priorities of insurance reimbursement are completely backward. We happily pay for interventions, diagnostic tests, and drugs, but we don’t pay for doctors to sit down and teach patients how to eat or how to relax. We talk about prevention, but that’s not where the money is going. One way to change those priorities is to conduct outcomes-and-effectiveness studies. Let’s look at five or ten common ailments that now cost us huge sums of money, such as type 2 diabetes or chronic back pain. Because conventional medicine has no magic-bullet treatment for these conditions, people often try complementary and alternative therapies. We could compare conventional treatment with integrative treatment (which might make selective use of conventional medicine) and assess medical outcomes and costs. I’m quite certain that integrative approaches would produce better results at lower costs. If we could get the data and show it to the people who pay for the nation’s healthcare, then they might change their reimbursement policies and start to pay for preventive and integrative medicine.

You Should Be Committed

2010-12-01T10:15:00.002-06:00

Some would say I should have been committed long ago! Commitment is a word that I think too few pay attention to anymore. We jump from job to job, relationship to relationship, fad to fad etc. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes change is needed, but in this day and age, we go into things half-heartedly so often that the chances of success are fairly poor from the start. I am thinking on this concept today as I celebrate 20 years of marriage to a woman who probably should be committed for marrying me, and for putting up with me for the past 2 decades haha.

When it comes to our health, we have a habit of looking for the quick result with the least effort. When you think of commitment, the terms "quick result" and "least effort" don't go hand in and with that word, do they? Of course not. So often we look for health in a capsule, the fad diet, the 20 second ab workout, or the electrical stimulation unit that will gives us a 6 pack. I can see the attraction, and I understand the desire to find the "secret remedy" to optimum health, but it doesn't exist.

All things that are worthwhile take an investment of time, and to consistently invest your time requires commitment to a goal. The goal has to be so great as to keep us focused on it and running toward it, and this time of year is a great time to start looking at your 2011 goals.

Don't wait until 1/1/11 to start setting goals, start now. Start writing them down, reworking them as you get clearer about what you want. Set goals for yourself in multiple areas of your life including physical, mental, social, financial, and spiritual. Ask yourself, "What would I like my life to look like in those areas at the end of 2011?". Then create a plan that will get you there. It's easy to say I'd like to get to Alaska, but if you don't have a map, you may never get there. It's easy to set goals, but without a plan (map) we probably won't get there. Without a plan, goals are just pie in the sky wishes. Plan your work, and then work your plan.

To keep committed to your goals, have them written down where you can see them regularly. You might find that you need to have them in multiple places: on your laptop, in your PDA/phone, on a tablet in your bedroom by the bed, taped to your bathroom mirror (not your rear view mirror please!). Read your goals every day and see yourself achieving them, see what your life will be like when you achieve them, experience in your mind what it will feel like to be successful with each specific goal. I find that reading them on Sunday nights, before I start my week, causes me to make daily/weekly plans to get me closer to my goal, so maybe give that a try.

Anyway, to live a really wellness oriented lifestyle, it means more than watching one's weight. It encompasses being the best you can be, being what you were created for, pursuing your purpose in life. To do that, we have to stay committed!

I hope you find these ideas help you in your goals to live a wellness oriented life!

Until next time...BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

The Art Of Being Grateful

2010-11-07T19:18:00.005-06:00

It's Thanksgiving, and a time when we are supposed to give thanks. But do we? Or do we look at this holiday only as a time to stuff our faces, sit around and watch football, and hang out with family? There's nothing wrong with that, and I'll probably do a little of each. But, are we thankful? Really Thankful?

You'd be surprised at the benefits of living a life of gratefulness. It changes your whole physiology (your insides). Studies have shown that practicing gratefulness has a whole myriad of health benefits. It can literally add years to your life, and life to your years.

There are several ways to start living this style of life. I teach my patients these when they are having issues with depression or with anxiety. One would be to buy a small notebook that you keep with you. You can use this as your gratefulness journal. You can either carry it with you and write in it as the day goes by about what your grateful for, or you can have a specific time every day that you sit down to use it. Every day, your task is to write down 5 things you are grateful for. Now, the goal is not just to create a list of things you are thankful for, but to experience exactly why you are thankful. How do we do that?

When you pick something you are thankful for, don't just write it down. Instead, write it down, then write a brief sentence or two as to WHY you are grateful. For instance, if I were to write down I am grateful for my wife, I'd might say the following: "I am grateful for my wife because she is beautiful inside and out, and I could not ask for a better mom for my kids. I enjoyed sitting with her by the fire pit and just shooting the breeze last night". That is a real example that I used recently.

You can do that once a day and list 5 things, or you can go through the day and write things down as they come to you or you experience them. Or you can do a combination of the two where you spend 5 minutes writing in your journal daily, but you also keep it with you so you can write down other things that you might experience throughout the day. If you're ever feeling down, stressed, depressed or frustrated, take it out and read through some of the entries.

Lastly, every night before you fall asleep, think on those things again. The bible tells us in Phillipians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." So every night review your day and focus on those things that are noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable etc and be thankful for them. It's a great way to drift off to sleep.

Until next time...BE WELL!
Dr. Bruce

Beating The "Holiday 5"

2010-11-05T15:18:00.004-05:00

Yes the holidays are upon us. In just a few short weeks, turkey with stuffing, apple pie, pumpkin pie, candied yams and more will be available to us, along with many alcoholic libations. Tasty and enjoyable stuff for sure. I look forward to my first taste of pumpkin pie in almost a year.

However, when left unchecked, the holiday celebrations lead to the dreaded "Holiday 5", or in some cases the "Holiday 10". We are talking about the extra pounds put on because of the excess calories, and the poor quality of foods that we have available to us more commonly.

Over the last 2 years, I've worked hard on limiting the holiday poundage with some quality wins. Here's what I do now and recommend.

1. Understand that plenty of opportunities to splurge will occur. Accept that fact and be prepared for it.

2. Before going to a situation where you know you'll have sweet foods, alcohol, or high quantities of calories, have a snack. Yes, eat a snack. But, make it a healthy snack. Some pumpkin seed and a piece of fruit for example. Eat this about 30 minutes before the party so you don't arrive famished and ready to consume the first pretty looking food that appears (and most food looks much prettier when we're starving). Have your snack and 8oz of water.

3. Indulge in your favorite recipe. Don't completely ignore the pie or candy you love so much. You'll not enjoy yourself. But, limit the quantity. Eat it slowly and enjoy it. Plan ahead to only have "x" amount.

4. Don't fill your plate. This is a good rule all the time, but especially at holiday time. There's so much to choose from as you go down the line at Thanksgiving or Christmas. So put food on your plate, eat it and enjoy it, and then see how you feel. Again, take your time so you stomach starts to feel full.

5. If you know you want to taste everything, just take smaller quantities as you go through the line. Often we fill our plates with large servings and feel bad that we don't have room for something else we like, so we go back and get round two of the rest of everything.

6. Keep up with your exercise. Plan it out weekly so that you're getting the calorie burn you need. It's more vital than ever to do this now, especially since you know things will come up to get in the way of your exercise plan.

7. Finally, EVERY chance you get to eat healthy, DO IT! The next opportunity to indulge in sweets is just around the corner for you, so behave every second that you can!

Mainly, it's important to be prepared and to think about what you're doing. I want you to enjoy the holidays and the tasty foods, but not to the point of regretting it on January 2nd. I enjoy the challenge though. I weigh myself on Thanksgiving morning and monitor it all throughout the holidays, then have a final check on January 2. Last year it was only 1.5 pounds heavier, and I did enjoy my holiday. I hope you can find a way to enjoy and not regret it as well. Have a great holiday season!

Until next time...BE WELL!!
Dr. Bruce

Sleep vs. Rest

2010-10-26T21:06:00.003-05:00

What's the difference? Is there a difference?

Yes there's a difference. Rest means to have had rejuvenation. One can sleep without being rejuvenated. Ever hear of someone drinking a ton one night and sleeping til the afternoon the next day? They usually feel really tired, because they didn't rest. Rest occurs when you reach REM sleep and alcohol (as well as caffeine) inhibit the body's ability to reach REM sleep.

Develop some good sleep hygiene to ensure your "sleep" is "rest".

Weekend Wellness Warriors

2010-10-22T11:39:00.003-05:00

It's Friday, and the weekend is here. I don't know about you but the weekend offers plenty of opportunity to do great things and not so great things. Does that sound familiar to you?

Often we don't cook as much, we might go out a bit more. We might have a bit more wine, or a margarita or beer. We might sit all afternoon watching football Saturday AND Sunday.

The weekend is an easy time for us to get off base with our wellness plans. But, it also offers opportunities to do MORE wellness activities. From the simple things like going to a festival (walking a lot) to family bike rides, grilling healthy meats and veggies and more.......these opportunities are there for the taking. I like the idea of doing something with family, especially if you have kids. This helps them learn the value of a wellness lifestyle, and sets a good example for them, which can affect the generations to come.

I love the phrase, "People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan". It's so true in every aspect of life, and wellness is no exception. Plan out your weekend in a wellness way.

Until next time...BE WELL

Dr. Bruce

A Wellness Oriented Schedule

2010-10-17T21:54:00.003-05:00

It's Sunday evening, the week starts tomorrow. Do you know if you're going to be more or less well by the end of the week? You probably should.

If we don't plan it, chances are it's not going to happen. When are we doing to exercise? What challenges do we see in the schedule to eating well this week and what can we do to minimize those affects? Where do we have some downtime scheduled to really rest and de-stress? What plans do we have for improving our sleep hygiene?

All of those questions can lead us to planning out our week. It's what I am about to do now at 9:57 pm Sunday night. Plan out your week as best as possible to improve your chances of being more well when you end the week than we you started. It can be done!

Until next time...BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

3 Anti-Fitness Habits

2010-10-11T10:06:00.003-05:00

The following 3 habits will result in weight gain faster than you can say ‘anti-fitness habits.’ Break these habits quickly.

1. Drinking Calories. Soda pop, coffee drinks, smoothies and fruit juices are filled with calories. Since liquids won’t give you a ‘full’ feeling, these drinks slide by without notice of how many extra calories you’re getting. Stick with water to avoid extra calories. You have no benefit from eating these calories (empty calories) and you have all the bad stuff that goes along with it. It's a lose/lose arrangement.

2. Not Exercising. Skipping the gym day after day, week after week, and month after month will lead to muscle loss and a reduced metabolism. Exercise 3-5 days per week to keep your muscles strong and metabolism high. It's amazing to me how much more coordinated my patients that are over 35 if they've been exercising regularly. It helps significantly with balance too which is very important as we age.

3. Eating a Heavy Dinner. Eating a large heavy dinner sets you up for weight gain. Instead of eating the majority of your calories late in the day, spread it out over the entire day. Eat a large healthy breakfast, snack mid morning, a good sized lunch, a mid afternoon snack and a small dinner for optimum health. A small healthy snack can be had after dinner before bedtime if you eat light enough and early enough at dinner.

Until Next Time...BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

One Step At A Time

2010-10-10T18:28:00.003-05:00

If you are in poor shape or health, how did you get there? Answer: 1 step at a time. Most of us weren't born unhealthy, weak, obese and sickly. In truth, we were designed to be super healthy! We got into the condition we are in one step at a time. One bad habit started, one good habit dropped, and that's all it takes to start us down the pathway to illness.

How do we get into good health? Answer: 1 step at a time. Yes, to reverse the trend, all it takes is to start one new health habit that is good for you. Tomorrow start walking, or take some time to de-stress, or maybe eat one healthy meal each day for the next week. You are now on the path to wellness. But we can't stop there, we have to add in more new habits.

Once we get a new habit ingrained in our life, then we need to try another one. If every month, or every week we add in one new habit that is healthy for us, think where we could be in 12 months? 24 months? 5 years? The possibilities are endless.

They key is just a little at a time. And, I prefer to focus on ADDING in new GOOD habits rather than trying to cut out bad habits. As we increase the good habits, they bad habits will start to fall off.

Remember, one step at a time!

Until Next Time.....BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

If You Take Preventive Medication, Is That Wellness Care?

2010-10-07T16:40:00.002-05:00

Nope. No Sir. No Way. Absolutely Not. Emphatically NO!!!!!

You are sick if you are taking drugs to stay well. WHAT?? Does that even make sense? It does if you think about it, or even if you don't.

It's really pretty simple. If you have been put on medications, there is apparently something amiss in your body that you and your health care provider have decided to treat by using chemicals. You are therefore being treated....for something. And, if you are being treated for something, you are sick, and thus not well.

Wellness comes from within, not from the outside. It is not created chemically. Chemicals may hide issues, but that doesn't make one well. Hey, if my check engine light comes on, maybe I should just cut the wires to it so that it goes off, that way my car would be "well" again. NOT! It's only a matter of time before your car blows up on you. We wouldn't do something that silly would we? Of course we would. We have the "for every ill there is a pill" mentality in our culture, and it causes plenty of blowups in our bodies.

Wellness comes from the inside of our bodies when we eat, move, think and rest in a wellness manner. Pretty much every condition that we get treated medically for can be controlled, diminished, or even eradicated by living a wellness lifestyle. It doesn't mean you won't ever get sick, or have a health challenge, but it does mean that if your body is in crisis, you have a much better chance of winning the battle when needed.

Remember, if you're on medications, you're sick.

Until next time...BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

7 Habits For Achieving Your Wellness Goals

2010-10-05T07:05:00.003-05:00

1. Rethink your drink.
Lose the sugar and drop the weight. You can still get flavor in water/tea while skipping the sugar. Try adding citrus wedges, chopped mint, sliced cucumber or frozen berries to tea or water. My tea and my water almost always get a couple of slices of lemon in them. You'll also be getting the added health benefits of the fruit that you put in the drink.

2. Slow Down to Lose the Pounds
In a study in which female participants were instructed to wolf down their meal, they ate, on average 70 additional calories and felt less satisfied than the group that was instructed to eat slowly and enjoy their meal. It is important to eat slowly, take small bites, chew thoroughly and put your fork down between bites. Take your time and enjoy your food.

3. Know Your Serving Size.
The palm of your hand is approximately 3 oz. serving of meat. Your fist is a good measurement for ½ cup, which would be the serving of pasta. Thumb is about 1 ounce and the tip of the thumb measure about 1 teaspoon. Also, eating a small healthy snack (a 1/4 cup of almonds or walnuts for example) 30 minutes prior to your meal will help you feel fuller sooner and you'll back down on what you eat at the meal.

4. Aspire to Perspire.
When it comes to working out, there are more options than there are shades of green. When creating your workouts focus on transforming your body as well as tuning your mind. Try it all and find the activities you enjoy the most. Remember 45 minutes of cardiovascular activity most days of the week and 45 minutes of weight training at least 3 times per week is optimum.

5. Scale Down
As the number on the scale goes down so should the number of calories you are eating. To figure out your BMR – divide your current weight by 2.2 pounds then multiplying this number by 0.9 and then by 24. Now multiple your BMR by 1.2 and you have arrived at the number of calories your body burns per day when you factor in your physical activity. (300 – 500 calories per hour of intermediate exercise) Once you have your final number- shave off 500 calories to find how many calories you need to eat to lose a pound per week.

6. Mix It Up.
Have you been doing the same workout day in day out? If so, your body has more than likely become just familiar with the physiological conditions and this is no longer a challenge. To grow no more and to increase your body’s metabolism, you must change your workouts on a regular basis to continue the challenge. Increase your flexibility, strengthen your core, improve your agility and work on your speed. Constantly mixing it up will keep your body guessing, changing and improving.

7. Make a Promise. And keep it.
It is very difficult to blow off a commitment that you have made public to people that are important to you. Tell your family, your friends, your trainer and anyone else you think will be supportive of your new aspirations. A workout partner is always good for keeping you committed to your wellness goals.

Until Next Time...BE WELL!
Dr. Bruce

The Prize vs. The Price

2010-09-15T14:31:00.004-05:00

Really, this is what it all comes down to: The Prize vs. The Price. There it is, the secret of the universe. I could stop now and never write another thing (and some might be thankful for that) and you'd have all you need to make the lifestyle changes you know you need to make. The Prize vs. The Price. So simple. Who knew?

If we're not moving forward in our desire to be more healthy, then we're focused on the price. Sometimes the price can seem so overwhelming. I know, I have those moments, days, weeks or seasons. It seems the mountain is so high, and with my little steps it will take me so long to get to the top. What's the point? Gosh, I took 10 steps yesterday, and then I slid down the mountain on some loose shale, and ended up 15 steps back. And I skinned my knees and hands in the process and bruised up my backside. Now I feel achy, stiff, frustrated and don't know if it's worth it anymore.

Sound familiar? It probably should for most of us. It's those times where the price seems so huge, so monumental, so unconquerable, that it feels better to just give in, ie turn over and go back to bed instead of getting up to exercise, go to Wendys for a single combo with cheese instead of going to the store and making something fresh and healthy, ignore the need to de-stress and just keep plodding along, not take the time to truly rest, but rather stay out late partying regularly. It just seems so much easier to turn around, and walk DOWN the hill instead. Besides, that's what most people are doing, why not just go along with the crowd?

Here's why. Step back and look, REALLY look at the crowd. Do they have the life you really want? Most are over worked, over stressed, over weight, and over eating. Do you REALLY only want what the rest of the world has? Or do you want to be better than average?

Those who enjoy their lives, and live very balanced in their eating, moving, thinking and resting don't look at the price as much. They keep their eyes on the prize, even in the midst of the days where they're slipping down the slope and banging up their knees, elbows and backsides. And if they do start thinking about a price, it's the price they'll have to pay if they DON'T eat, move, think and rest well. They keep that in mind along with the prize of the life they want to live, the legacy they want to leave behind, and the memories they'll make of overcoming the challenges they've had to overcome.

I saw this on the face of many of the 1st time 5k runners at the recent 1st annual Lake Houston Area 10k/5k and Wellness Fest in our area. My wife was one of them. I was standing at the area where the 5k-ers turned in toward the finish line, and the look on her face as she could see the mountain top was priceless (get that? PRICE-less....think on that one). I remember high 5-ing some of the other 1st time runners as they finished up and seeing their proud looks. That was a perfect example to me of people focused on the prize.

That's what keeps me going personally. We all need to focus on the results, and overcoming challenges so that we can become the person we want to be. Get your reason, your prize, clearly in your mind and stay focused on it. And when you slip (and you will), don't look down, keep focused upward and get right back off your rusty dusty backsides and take that next step. Remember the prize, not the price!

Ok, cue the Rocky Theme Music now :-)

Getting Started

2010-09-13T21:28:00.002-05:00

One reader of this blog was asking "How do you get committed to starting your day off with exercise?". It's not easy, especially the older we are because habits are more ingrained as we age. That means two things: 1. The older I am, the more commitment it will take to change and 2. It's easier to change NOW rather than later when I have more years of bad habit behind me!

But, as I've said before in this blog, nothing happens without a "why". The "why" has to be big enough to make someone change and to keep the new change in effect long enough for it to become a habit, because it is one of nature's laws that only a habit can subdue another habit.

So, what are your reasons? If they're big enough, nothing will stop you. If I tell you to run into a burning house to see if someone is in there, you might question my reasoning. If however, I told you your most cherished loved one was in there, the "why" just got big enough in most cases to create action.

In our office we teach an exercise on how to create the why, and how to use it to force change, and to make the new change become the new habit. Call us to schedule a time to learn how to create and use your own "why"!

So Let's Get A Bit More Specific

2010-09-12T14:46:00.002-05:00

Ok, this topic of starting the day off right has been on my mind a lot lately (obviously). Someone in a previous post on this even asked "how does one start the habit of getting the day going right".

So......I am doing some researching and will post some ideas for starting your day off in the best way possible, stay tuned.

Speaking Of Starting Up.........

2010-09-12T08:51:00.003-05:00

How well do you start your day up with regards to re-fueling? By the time you wake, it's most likely been well over 7-8 hours since you last had the chance to re-fuel. Your body at this point is now almost slipping into the "starvation" mode, meaning it is close to beginning to feel as though more fuel is not coming soon. This is one of the reasons that breakfast is SO important. Your blood sugar levels have dropped, and the next thing you put in your body may be the most important.

Too much in the way of bad carbs, sugar, refined foods will send your blood sugar levels skyrocketing, setting the foundation for ill health in the form of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and other degenerative diseases. We often complicate matters more by SKIPPING breakfast entirely (and I hear a lot of excuses as to why people skip) and not eating til lunchtime, when we again often give in to our cravings because we are "starving".

Needless to say, Mom was always right when she said "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day"!

If You Start Me Up...

2010-09-10T09:23:00.004-05:00

I was thinking of that line from an old Rolling Stones song this morning as I was in a cycle class at 5:15 this morning. It seems like even though getting rolling that early in the a.m. is tough sometimes, once I complete the class, I am energized and ready to take on the day. I come out of that class wired up and fired up and feeling good about myself. What a great way to start my day, and bring an end to the week!

So my question to myself and to everyone is, what are we doing to get started up right daily? Do you have to be insane and burn 800 calories at 5 in the morning to start up right? Thankfully the answer to that is no for most people.

However, it IS important to find some way to get your day started off right..some way to set the tone for the day. I don't know what that will look like for you, it may look like a brisk walk, it may just be a healthy breakfast habit, maybe you need to have some focus time, or maybe some time connecting with God.

If your day seems to start with a countdown to 5 o'clock, or the next day off, then maybe it's time to start a new morning habit. Try a few different things to see what works best for you. In an ideal world, you might have some exercise time on some mornings, some quiet time others, or maybe some good quality time with your spouse or kids over breakfast.

I really don't know what it will be for you, I just know that you need to find what it is so that you do start your days off in the best way possible.

Until next time, Be Well!

Dr. Bruce.

The Innate Diet Of Grass.....a few random thoughts

2010-07-03T13:59:00.003-05:00

Living in the Houston area for 44, almost 45 years, I've seen the summer weather pattern a more than a few times and am quite familiar with it. Typically, June is the wettest of the summer months here, and if it's dry in June, we're likely in for a hot dry summer.

It started out that way here this summer, June was dry. But thanks to our friend Alex (hurricane) we've endured 3 days of heavy rains in the area, and as I type this it is raining hard again. This type of pattern, dry, then wet, makes me think of grass, keeping it alive, figuring out how to make it thrive, watering it etc.

What does that have to do with wellness? Good question of course! Have you ever noticed that when it's dry outside, when we water our grass, it does liven up a bit, and won't die off. However, when a good rain comes through, it seems the grass does even better than an equal amount of watering from our sprinklers. Why would that be? Let's look at that.

First, the innate diet of grass if you will, is rainwater. Rain, from the sky. Not water from a faucet or sprinkler. Plain old water from the clouds. The water in the pipes that feeds our grass is a bit "processed" so to speak. It contains things like chlorine among other possible contaminants (look up water contents and see what you find). So while it does feed our grass and keep it alive, it doesn't do as good of a job as the innate diet of grass. It keeps it alive, but it doesn't thrive.

So what does that have to do with us? We can choose to eat our innate diet or not. If we choose to not eat innately, then we may be choosing to stay alive, and not thrive. If we DO eat innately, then we have a better chance of thriving, and being as healthy as possible ie, living well.

The same goes for all of our lifestyle choices. How well we eat, move, think and rest affects whether or not we'll thrive or just stay alive. Which do you want?

Until next time, BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

PS, sorry I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted on here!!!!

"You Time".......or "Me Time"

2010-04-02T06:55:00.002-05:00

Whatever you want to call it, we all need a little bit of it. What is "it" you say? I call it "Me Time", or if I am telling you to take it, it would be called "You Time".

Today is good Friday, it's 6:55 in the morning. I slept until I felt done. No one is up around here except the cat, who is happy I just fed her, and now I am enjoying the quiet. I am having "Me Time" today. Time to do things I really want to do (even if some of them need to be done). I'll be going to a track in a couple of hours with my entire family to walk/jog for about an hour. I'll be watching my son and one of the catchers on his team practice pitching/catching (My son pitches, the other will catch).

I'll take some time to plant a few things in my front flower beds today. I'll have lunch AND dinner with my family. I'll help clean the house since we are entertaining a few families tomorrow night.

Oh, some of you are saying that sounds like a lot of work for a "Me Time" kinda day. But, the point is, the things I am doing, I really WANT to do, and actually enjoy doing (yes even cleaning, I know, I am a bit weird). Having "Me Time" doesn't mean doing nothing but sitting around vegging, though that can be part of a "Me Time" day. Hey, I might take a nap today. My pastor says sometimes the most spiritual thing one can do is take a nap, and I agree!

The real point is to do what Stephen Covey says when he talks about the 7th habit of highly effective people: Take time to sharpen the saw. Take time to rejuvenate yourself. If all we do is continue cutting down trees, without taking time to sharpen our saw, soon the work becomes harder and harder, and we have to take more and more effort to bring down a tree. Soon, even the smallest saplings that need to come down become a real chore. Our arms become fatigued, our backs, our legs, everything will begin to hurt, we might even injure ourselves because we become mentally fatigued as well and make a mistake with a dangerous tool like a saw.

That's how life is too. We must take time to rejuvenate, we must take "Me Time" regularly, not just when we feel the symptoms of fatigue and burnout, it has to be part of our regular lifestyle plan. If we don't, we'll fatigue, we'll feel like it's a chore to get through event he most mundane of activities. We might hurt ourselves, or others around us because we haven't taken time to rejuvenate, and we don't react to life the way we should.

What would your ideal "Me Day" look like? It doesn't have to look like mine. It has to be what rejuvenates YOU.

Take some time for you, this weekend and regularly.

Until next time...Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Health Care Is Not Expensive

2010-03-25T14:07:00.002-05:00

Got your attention? I bet I did. I know everyone of us are thinking about health care these days, one way or another. My goal today is to tell you how you can be less concerned about what changes are really coming down, and show you how you can have less costs with regards to your health, and, how if we all did this, it would save the country hundreds of millions of dollars, maybe even billions.

First, let’s clarify a couple of things. For starters, when you go to your doctor for an illness, (are you ready for this?) you are NOT receiving health care. That’s right, you heard it here first, it is NOT health care. It is SICK care. It is DISEASE care. You are going there because you are sick, or have a disease. You are there because for some reason, your body has broken down and is not doing what it’s supposed to have done, you body’s function has decreased enough to where an illness has temporarily (hopefully temporarily) won the fight for who is in charge inside you. This is true for the flu, a sinus infection, pneumonia, and diseases such as cardiovascular issues, diabetes, cancer etc. So, you have chosen to go and get some help via medications to suppress said sickness/disease/symptom in the hopes that either your body will kick in again and knock down the issue, or you can at least keep it down to a dull roar.

Please hear me, I am not condemning going to get treated for your disease. It is necessary sometimes. Otherwise, the results could be severe, even fatal. I am reminded of a patient I had a few years ago that didn’t seek care fast enough, and lost the lower ½ of his leg to a diabetic neuropathy. (More on this guy later). I am only trying to get us to think differently about health care vs. sick care or disease management. Remember, the type of thinking that we’ve developed so far in our country with regards to health and wellness has gotten us to where we are now, which is a very sick nation, with rampant obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many other diseases of lifestyle. That same type of thinking will not get us out of this rut, and will keep us reliant on medications, surgeries, and, of course, insurance plans.

Do you realize that much of our illness/disease in this country is caused by lifestyle decisions? What if we started thinking radically differently about our lifestyles? Obesity, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease are things that cost us directly when we have to deal with it, and indirectly when they reach epidemic levels as they have here in our country. What if we changed that?

Do you realize how much cheaper it would be for us if we only learned how to take better care of ourselves? If our thinking was so radically changed that we no longer tolerated putting toxins in our bodies that are disguised as food, we would chart a totally different course for ourselves, our families and our country regarding health. If we sought out health care providers that focused primarily on lifestyle changes, and supporting us in those endeavors, what would that do for us? If we joined a gym and actually used the membership, or started a walking group, how different could our lives be? It would cost us personally so much less for starters. And it would cost the nation much less too! Follow me here: The sicker we are as a nation, the more we have to use health insurance. The more we have to use health insurance, the less the insurance companies profit. They tend to not like that much, so our premiums go up. When our employers have to pay more in premiums, it cuts into their profits. That loss of profit is usually offset by the company charging the consumer more for their product or service. Do you see how every time one more of us gets sick and has to seek out sick care, it has an impact on the entire country? This doesn’t even count lost productivity because of absent workers! When you look at it in this way, the concept is staggering!!

This is supposed to be a time of “change”, so how can we change this situation? Seek out wellness oriented healthcare providers. Let them work with you in making lifestyle changes that will help you step closer to wellness. This is what we do at our office every day. We teach people what it means to eat better, move better, rest better and think better daily. We set goals for them, we support them as they work through changing 20, 30, 40 years or more of thinking in the old paradigm. It’s fun to see them lose 40 pounds under our supervision and feel “better than ever” as one 60+ year patient told us. It’s exciting to see people’s cholesterol levels normalize. It’s rewarding to hear how a person has learned to deal with stress so much better that they finally feel rested when they wake in the mornings. It IS possible. It IS happening right now. It CAN happen for you, and it would benefit not only you and your family, but our great nation as a whole!

So, back to my diabetic patient with the prosthetic leg. He chose NOT to learn to eat, move, think and rest better, he chose NOT to pursue true health care. I saw him a while back. He’s now in a wheelchair, with BOTH of his legs now removed from the knee down. A very sad story for a young man. A very costly process for him. A huge lesson for us all.

“Health Care” is NOT expensive, “Sick Care” is.

Until next time, BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

Real Food vs. Edible Food Like Substances

2010-03-12T07:19:00.002-06:00

Here's a GREAT article about real food, I LOVE IT!!

« Natural Cures Blog Carnival, A Little Chocolate Love
Wisconsin Raw Milk Hearings »
Real Food Challenge Attracts CNN Spotlight
By Kimberly Hartke | Published: March 10, 2010

Vicky @ CNN Headquarters Atlanta GA.
Creative Commons License photo credit: Morales Photo
My Real Food Challenge

by Guest blogger, Jenny McGruther, Nourished Kitchen blog

There’s something revolutionary about real food, something subversive about traditional foods. There shouldn’t be.

Real food, traditional food, is nothing extraordinary. There should be no cultural shock to enjoying fruits and vegetables, grains and beans, milk and meat grown, raised and prepared through the time-honored practices and traditions that nourished human health for millennia. But there is.

Raising animals with true, holistic care and respect to their natural diets and proclivities has been lost to confinement operations. Nurturing and cherishing the soil to optimize the production of heirloom fruits and vegetables has been lost to massive farming operations and mono-cropping. Farm fresh milk, drunk greedily the morning the cow or goat was milked, has been lost to the denaturing effects of ultra-high temperature pasteurization and homogenization. After all it’s to protect our health, isn’t it?

Moreover, we’ve not only lost the art of farming, but also of preparing food with care, attention and appreciation. Where we would have learned time-honored traditions of preparing nourishing foods as we tugged at our grandmother’s aprons, we’ve been taught instead to microwave our suppers and that freshly baked “from scratch” pastries and breads come from a box.

As a result, not only has our health as a nation suffered, but so has our culture. We’ve lost our heritage.

As the traditional foods movement has grown, many of us our muddling our ways through our journeys into real food – rediscovering the lost arts, but it’s a tricky road with no grandmother to hold your hand and show you how to mash the sauerkraut just so, or how to soak flour in buttermilk to make the lightest biscuits.

In early February, I challenged my readers at Nourished Kitchen to clean up their cupboards and reinvigorate their passion for real and traditional foods; moreover, my goal was to introduce the practices and fundamental aspects of traditional foods to an audience who so desperately wanted to learn what modern agriculture and food processing forgot.

So we made it happen – over 950 of us. I made the claim that real health comes from real food and that real food never comes from a box as I brazenly suggested that participants rid their pantries of processed foods: white flour, white sugar, refined vegetable oils and – gasp! – even agave nectar. I asked participants to make meals of vegetables and grass-fed meats and properly prepared whole grain. Every day there was a new assignment, new learning and a new goal.

We learned to sprout, sour and soak our way through phytic acid with the best of them. We lovingly tended to and babied our sourdough starters – celebrated when they rose high and wept when they failed. We made cheese – some the easy way with fresh yogurt and others were more adventurous. We ate our carrots and peas with butter, real butter, and we ate our fresh greens with plenty of olive oil. We relished our meat, eggs , fish, broth and even liver. And we washed it all down with sour, sweet and effervescent draughts of home-brewed kombucha.

Most importantly, we learned to give back to our communities: our farmers markets had more volunteers; our food banks found fresh, real foods, at their steps. A non-profit or two may have even found new members and donations to support their good work protecting farmers rights and supporting nutrition advocacy and education.

Eventually, what we were doing – over 900 of us on the challenge – caught the ear of a CNN reporter who covered the 28-day Real Food Challenge and Nourished Kitchen on CNN Health. And that is how liver and lard landed on the homepage of CNN.com.

It shocked many of CNN’s readers. After all, how could lard be good for you?!? How could someone, in this day and age, seriously advocate eating meat!?! My goodness, you’ll have to pry the Cheetohs from my cold, dead hands.

A nutritionist, who may well have benefited from taking the challenge herself, even touted the benefits of processed foods like low-fat milk and canned green beans, while those tried-and-true challenge participants scoffed.

Sure, the challenge wasn’t without its … well … challenges as addressed by the article on CNN. For many families, especially those previously unfamiliar with traditional foods and the Weston A Price Foundation, the challenge was struggle. Some families had never prepared a meal without the aid of a package or a box before embarking on the challenge. Others found the expense of real food a shock – though it can be easily mitigate through proper kitchen management. Yet everyone, no matter where they succeeded or where they struggled, learned.

Now that the challenge has ended, it still effects its goal. Participants found their passion for all-natural, real foods and many of them are still choosing to continue on the path of traditional foods. Moreover, others have emailed me to let me know their migraine headaches disappeared, that their ever constant gastrointestinal distress has ended and still others have expressed that after months or years without a menstrual cycle, their cycles have returned.

Real food truly brings health, not only for our bodies but for our culture and for our nation’s foodsheds.

Jennifer McGruther, a mother and farmers market manager in Crested Butte, Colorado, blogs about real food and the value of growing your foodshed at Nourished Kitchen where she features many nourishing recipes, publishes monthly recipe cards and feature articles on the real and traditional foods movement. If you’re interested you can also sign up for the next round of the 28-day Real Food Challenge or get involved at Nourished Kitchen.

Mercury In High Fructose Corn Syrup?

2010-03-11T08:55:00.003-06:00

Yes, still another reason to avoid the toxic HFCS. Just read this article from January last year in the Washington Post. Here are a few quotes from it:

MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.

Go Green Day

2010-03-11T07:17:00.002-06:00

I have been getting a lot of interest in our NanoGreens products, we will be putting our own testimonials together soon, but here are some from around the country at this link: (The link won't post????) http://www.biopharmasci.com/hp/sng/testimonials.asp (copy and paste to your browser)

Join us for our "Go Green" day on March 17 to get sample tastes of all of our Nano products (NanoGreens, NanoReds, NanoPro, NanOmega3), fruit smoothies and my special concoction of juiced apple/carrot/kale and ginger!

Come see how easy it can be to start "Being Well"!!

Until next time....Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Why A Fruit and Vegetable Supplement?

2010-02-28T15:31:00.003-06:00

Why should someone start taking a fruit/vegetable supplement? That's a fair question. Just what is up with the recommendations of servings of fruits and vegetables? Why are there minimum standards, and why are there optimum recommendations that are different? Let's take a look at this whole idea here.

First, 100 years ago, at the turn of the 20th century, our grandparents, great grandparents etc had a certain lifestyle. That lifestyle had more deaths from what we now consider treatable diseases such as infections from cuts and other illnesses. Now however, the death tolls for the current generation have more to do with diseases of lifestyle, meaning diseases that we bring on ourselves due to our way of living (this includes eating, resting, mental health and exercise). Now our health issues with things such as heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and many cancers are significantly higher than 100 years ago. Is that because suddenly, in the span of 2 generations our genes have changed that much? I am sure you would agree that the reason is probably not found in sudden DNA changes in that short period of time.

What is different in how the older generation ate, compared to how we eat now? Well one of the easiest answers would be fast food, but let's not spend time jumping on the mega doses of McD's that we take in these days. Instead, let's look at what's missing. The former generation in general did NOT have the amount of pre-packaged foods that we have. Almost all they ate was fresh food. Recently killed meats, recently picked fruits and recently picked vegetables were the order of the day. Prepackaged dinners? Never heard of them at that point. Foods that would keep forever on our shelves? Not even a thought in their lives. Today though, those are the order of the day in our generation. How much nutritional punch do those types of foods have? None, at least none in the positive sense of the word. The nutritional punch they DO have is unhealthy, filled with preservatives (read chemicals) and the like. How many things on an ingredients list of the prepackaged foods can you no pronounce? Probably quite a few! That's a good indication that it's not a healthy substance, not real food, and quite toxic over the long haul in your life.

So that's part of the equation, we've replaced too many of the fresh, real foods in our lives with non nutritional, toxic junk, that eventually poisons our systems enough to cause early death (the current generation of children is the first expected to NOT outlive their parents in age). Fruits and vegetables are the foods filled with substances that are amazingly powerful. There are too many to name, but understand that they do things such as lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, fight off infections, fight off cancers, fight obesity and more. Doesn't that sound like the perfect remedy for all of the diseases of lifestyle we are suffering from? Doesn't it sound better than turning to a plethora of medications (chemicals) to try to get healthy after we've begun to get ill? Wouldn't THAT be considered real HEALTH CARE vs. Sick Care?

That is what we have in the power of fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, it is too easy to eat the other junk. It's cheaper too, but ONLY in the short run. In reality it is cheaper to stay healthy than it is to pay for sickness care, and it's cheaper for the whole nation if we are a healthier nation not depending on drugs and surgery to stay alive. Keep that in mind when comparing a frozen pizza to the ingredients you need to bake chicken, make a salad and cook up some veggies.

But even if we know it's better, it's hard to eat 5 or more fruits and veggies a day. And even so, much of the fruit and vegetables consumed may be have toxins involved due to fertilizing and pesticide spraying in the growing of them. Organic would obviously be the best choice, but that can be even more expensive (farmers markets are the best place to get locally grown organic fruits and veggies for the price). Studies show that for OPTIMUM health, to deal with all the toxins that get in our body regularly in our western culture, we need more like 8-10 multi colored and varied fruits and vegetables a day. Jeeez, the good news keeps getting harder and harder doesn't it?

That's where a fruit and vegetable supplement comes in such as the NanoGreens and NanoReds we carry at our office. In one scoop, the equivalent of 8-10 servings of ORGANIC fruits and veggies are consumed, for less than $2.00 per scoop. Double blind studies in two different colleges (the most recent at the University of Miami) show that Nanogreens produce enough healthy punch to lower the blood pressure in those with hypertension enough to be equal with a person having been put on a anti-hypertensive medication. Again, is it better to get lower your blood pressure artificially with chemicals, or would it be better to do it more naturally? I think you know the answer. Food is the best medicine we can take.

We'll have a "Go Green Day" on the greenest day of the year, St. Patricks Day (March 17) this year. Free taste testing samples will be given out that day, and all the Nano products will be discounted that day. Door prizes will be drawn for at the end of the day too. If you're in our area, make plans to stop by between 9-noon or 3-7 pm that day and experience Nanogreens or NanoReds and our Superfood Solution Shake!

www.superfoodsolution.com

Until next time, Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Getting Enough Fruits and Vegetables?

2010-02-23T09:12:00.003-06:00

Who wouldn't be healthier if we ate more fruits and vegetables, particularly organic ones? The minimum requirement for daily intake is 5-6 servings of various colors of fruits and veggies. For optimum health it is recommended that we consume 8-10 servings. In my opinion, when we consider the amount of junk that we either put in our body, or gets into our body through the environment (city living, toxins on foods we take in, 2nd hand smoke) and toxins that are created in our body from stress, it is important to go for more than the minimum. We should be shooting for the higher amounts for optimum health, and preferably organically grown. If you read my stuff regularly, you know how I preach eating well, moving well, thinking well and resting well. The fruits and vegetables are a major part of eating well.

So, you say to me, how in the world can we get 8-10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables a day? Good question. On my best days, I can only get about 4-5 and they are usually not organic. Years ago, I began investigating ways to consume more. I found many supplements that either tasted horrible, or were attached to a multi-level marketing program. (OK, so that I don't get any rants, I have nothing against MLM's in general, I just don't want to carry their products in my office, to avoid the appearance of selling products for reasons other than optimum health). I checked out two different ones particularly. One was called Greens First, and the other was called NanoGreens 10. Both products were palatable, and both had a good track record, but one showed better absorption rates than the other. That was the product we've chosen to carry in our office.

NanoGreens10 won out. Since beginning to use it personally, I've been sick much less, and felt my energy levels increased drastically. Patients have enjoyed similar results in our office and many are continuing to use the NanoGreens and it's associated products (more on the other products later). Other testimonials include improved bloodwork, decreased blood pressure, better digestion and more. Their website can be viewed at www.superfoodsolution.com

This is NOT a substitute for eating fruits and vegetables, it is a SUPPLEMENT. Please don't use this to replace your intake of fruits and veggies. It is always best to go with the real thing.

In addition to the NanoGreens, there is also NanoPro (a great protein supplement), NanOmega 3 (a vegan source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids) and now NanoReds which is similar to NanoGreens but with a focus on red fruits such as pomegranate. The greens and reds drink when used daily (1 scoop in water or juice) is the equivalent 8-10 servings of ORGANIC fruits and vegetables daily, in addition to other great ingredients for your health.

The questions I want you to ponder are "Are you getting the optimum level of fruits and vegetables daily?", "Do you think you would be healthier if you did?", "How tough is it for you to consume enough?" and "Would you like to consume the equivalent of 8-10 servings daily?". If so, the NanoGreens and NanoReds products may be for you. You can add in some of the other products for a very healthy "Superfood Solution Shake" that can act as a meal replacement for you to help in healthy weight maintenance.

All of these products are very affordable. If you use one scoop of NanoGreens, it costs about $1.66 providing the equivalent of 8-10 servings of organic fruits and veggies. For a healthy shake, the combination of 3 of the products would run a approximately $4.50. Where else can you get that kind of nutrition for that kind of price?

Go to their website and read the study on High Blood Pressure, a study that was duplicated and found substantial reductions in blood pressure by just using the NanoGreens. Also on there are multiple testimonials that you can read through that are very compelling. Check out the entire site and learn about the company, it's worth the time investment.

We are excited about how this product can affect people's health and move them a HUGE step forward toward total wellness! If you have questions about these products you'd like to ask, view the website or or give us a call or email!

Until next time, BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

Sleeping Problems, Chronic Inflammation, And Our Kids

2010-02-09T06:45:00.004-06:00

I just read an article on sleep issues and inflammation. Our bodies react poorly to a lack of sleep, and I see in our children significant issues with sleep. Many are allowed to stay up late playing games, some are on their phones texting late at night, often unknown to their parents of course. This bodes poorly for their health: cognitive issues, high blood pressure, obesity and general lack of well being. Combine this with their diet that is high in things such as High Fructose Corn Syrup (anytime you read this, think "worst toxin we regularly put in our body), and we have the recipe for disaster. It's no wonder hypertension and high cholesterol are being found in our kids. It's no wonder we have such an obesity issue with our kids, and that diabetes is becoming much more rampant in our kids.

We have to create good sleep habits with our kids, we have to teach them how to deal with anxiety, both of which we do in our office with great results. We as parents have to be responsible for helping them get good rest, which means we have to have them on a schedule.

Here's a brief excerpt from the article I was reading by Byron Richards, Certified Clinical Nutritionist:

Inflammation, Oxidative Damage, and Poor Cognitive Ability

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles have shown that even one bad night of sleep turns on the core inflammatory gene signal (NF-kappaB) within cells of your body. This is not good. Once the NF-kappaB gene signal turns on, and starts overheating (as in a number of bad night’s sleep), then massive numbers of antioxidants will be required to offset the damage.

What if your child doesn’t have enough antioxidants? Answer: brain damage to a greater or lesser degree. Such inflammation and lack of antioxidants underlies depression and poor mood. But even on a lesser scale it reduces intelligence and cognitive potential. How can a child learn well under such circumstances?

Data coming from the Cleveland Children’s Sleep and Health Study is showing that even in perfectly healthy teens who do not have sleep disordered breathing (snoring/sleep apnea) a lack of sleep is adequate to begin the process of adverse changes in their cardiovascular system.

Of course this is only one way it can affect our health. Proper rest is important to undo all the damage that occurs in our body from daily living. When we don't rest well, our body deteriorates a bit, we become more susceptible to illness and disease, we are less clear brained and make poorer decisions (which can create a vicious cycle if our poor decisions lead to poor eating, which in turn further affects our health).

Remember our "Be Well" formula includes eating well, thinking well, moving well and RESTING well.

Until next time, Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

When The Facts Don't Count

2010-02-05T08:11:00.003-06:00

I had a conversation last night with some people from our LIFE group at our house. One person was talking about disciplined people, and what that looked like. He said he was jealous of several people in the group that were disciplined in how well they took care of themselves physically. He wishes he could do the same. It got me to thinking.

One of the things we do in our office is lifestyle counseling. We help people learn to integrate our Be Well formula into their lives. There is a saying that goes "Nothing happens without a dream". It's a true statement. In lifestyle counseling, I like to say, "Nothing happens without a 'Why'". In other words, no changes occur on a permanent basis without a big enough reason. And, when the "why" is big enough, the facts don't count. When the "why" is big enough, nothing will stand in our way of making changes. That is so true, that you can call it an undeniable truth. It's like gravity, it always works (well some would say gravity might have not been in full effect for some in the 1960's, but that's another story).

Here's how I know it's true: If I told you that you were going to die in 6 months if you didn't start walking 45 minutes/day 5 days a week, what would you be doing tomorrow? Answer: Walking. And the next day? Answer: Walking. Now that is an exaggeration to a certain degree of course, but you can obviously see that when the "why" is big enough, we'll do whatever it takes to make change.

We help people develop their "why" in our office with some simple, yet profound and effective exercises. It works every time, and if it isn't working, then they aren't focusing on their "why" enough, or they haven't made their "why" big enough. If you need help with developing your own personal "why", please contact us. It can mean the difference between a life with an abundance of energy and vitality and health, or one were you just exist, where your "get up and go" get's up and leaves you behind, and you're left wondering what happened, instead of making things happen.

Until next time, Be Well.

Dr. Bruce

How Are Y ou Doing?

2010-02-03T22:33:00.002-06:00

30 days into the new year, how are you doing on those resolutions? Chances are, you've at least fallen down a bit on some of them. Guess what? Me too.

The way we stay on track, or get back on track, is to have a big enough "why". I like to say that if the "why" is big enough, the facts don't count.

Think about it: If I told you that you were going to die next week if you don't start walking, or stop smoking, or eat better etc, what would you do? You'd make that change I am sure.

The key is to create a big enough why, using both positives and negatives and make it so real that you have no choice but to make whatever change it is you wish to make.

Get in touch with us if you want to learn just how to make a "why"!

Until then... Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-01T08:16:00.004-06:00

I have a brief message to send this day, I hope to read this every day this year. I cannot take credit for it, I used it years ago when speaking and looked it up again this early New Years Day. I hope you find it encouraging and inspiring too:

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another.

Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough
and we'll be more content when they are.

After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.

If not now ... when?

Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza ...

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.

So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time ... and remember that time waits for no one ...

So stop waiting until you finish school ... until you go back to school ... until you lose ten pounds ... until you gain ten pounds ... until you have kids ... until your kids leave the house ... until you start work ... until you retire ... until you get married ... until you get divorced ... until Friday night ... until Sunday morning ... until you get a new car or home ... until your car or home is paid off ... until spring, until summer ... until fall ... until winter ... until you are off welfare ... until the first or fifteenth ... until your song comes on ... until you've had a drink ... until you've sobered up ... until you die ... until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy ...

Happiness is a journey ... not a destination!!

Thought for the day:

"Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching."

Until Next Time, Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

Keeping The Routines

2009-12-22T07:13:00.002-06:00

Here we are 3 days before Christmas. How's it going for you on keeping up your wellness routines? I am fighting hard, am up 1-2 pounds since Thanksgiving, and am going to a spin class this morning, as well as a 1.5 hour spin class on Christmas eve. I can't find any other time for more cardio but at least I am getting that done.

I have patients bringing me goodies every day it seems lol. Guess they think I need a few pounds? I appreciate their thoughtfullness, and the treats are tasty (thus the 1-2 pounds). I just try to minimize the quantity of what I consume.

I want to encourage everyone to enjoy this season and it's flavors, but still stay focused on keeping as many of the normal healthy habits as possible. I am with ya!!

Until next time, Be Well!!

Dr. Bruce.

A New Christmas Poem, (A Worthy Read)

2009-12-18T10:40:00.000-06:00

New Christmas Poem

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,!
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

In The Midst Of The Insanity.....

2009-12-14T09:17:00.003-06:00

that occurs this season, remember a couple of important things.

1. Your health is your greatest asset while walking planet earth.

2. Remember to recharge your battery.

3. Remember to eat well while you can, because the next opportunity to eat Christmas treats is just around the corner.

4. Remember to increase your H20 intake.

5. Remember to keep on moving by exercising. I know sometimes you just "don't have time", but we may have to MAKE time for it.

6. Remember to rest. Don't let your immune system suffer by not resting well!

7. Remember the reason we celebrate this season. Peace on earth, good will to men.

Until next time, BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce

A Wellness Plan For The Holidays

2009-11-30T21:08:00.002-06:00

We are officially in the holiday season. What are your plans for staying healthy? Parties, dinners, desserts and crazy schedules take us out of our routines and leave us open to ill health and weight gain. We need to make sure to plan our weeks and eat, move, think and rest well when we can, knowing that there will be plenty of opportunity to NOT make the proper choice. Planning can keep us healthier, and help us keep the "Holiday 5" off!

Remember, people don't plan to fail. Rather, they fail to plan! Make your plans now for a healthy holiday season. Accept that there will be more parties with unhealthy choices. Before you go to the party, eat some fruit and nuts to get your stomach partially full. Then you can still enjoy some tasty treats without going overboard. Make sure to plan for rest when you can too. Sometimes our schedules get so hectic, we don't rest like we should. Schedule some down time for physical and mental restoration. And don't forget to keep up your exercise schedule. Not only will it keep some pounds away, but will help you de-stress from the hustle and bustle!

Until next time, BE WELL!

Dr. B

Even The YOU Docs Agree

2009-11-13T11:28:00.003-06:00

I just happened across an article on boosting your immunity naturally by Drs. Oz and Rosen. I know sometimes you guys all look at me and say "yea, yea, yea" or "blah blah blah" when I speak about how you can boost your immunity. Some of you roll your eyes when you hear me speak about "Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well and Rest well". So, it was somewhat comforting to hear it said by the "big wigs" so to speak. Not that I need THEIR validation! Maybe they've been reading MY stuff huh!!

Well, they don't use the same terms but they do speak about eating, resting, de-stressing and exercising as ways to boost your immunity. Here's a link to the article I mentioned: http://www.realage.com/blogs/doctor-oz-roizen/boost-your-natural-immunity

Until next time, Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Even The Best Laid Plans..........

2009-11-01T10:35:00.003-06:00

sometimes go awry.

Here I am, always promoting health and wellness. And yet, Friday afternoon, I started having sore throat at work, no biggie I thought. By Friday night, I had NO, and I mean NO voice. I got up Saturday morning, and still had no voice, and my throat was bad. I was going to try to go in to see patients because at 7:00 in the morning I had no fever at all, and there was a full schedule on the books.

By 8:30 I had a slight fever, called the staff to get them to handle phone calls etc. After all, I always preach not exposing others to one's illness, and I can't focus on patients if I am feeling that poorly.

By noon my temp had reached 100, and by 3 pm it was 101. Oh boy I thought.....Swine flu??? I recalled 3 or 4 patients this past week that came in, and when I touched their skin they were hot, and I asked if they were sick, and they all said yes. In my business, I touch people physically 25-45 times/day, so it's hard to not get exposed to whatever they may be carrying.

What did I do for myself to combat being ill? Here it is: 3 (maybe 4, I forget) servings of NanoGReens (8-10 servings of ORGANIC fruits and veggies/serving). 2 Fruit Smoothies. TONS of water, and doing nothing but laying on the couch (resting extra). I took time to practice some deep relaxation techniques as I lay there. I remember thinking I might be very sick, and probably be out of commission 3-4 days since my fever was SO high (usually means a viral issue, and most likely the flu considering the season). I let my fever keep on, taking no anti-fever meds, letting the fever do its thing to cook the bug in me.

Now here it is, Sunday morning, less than 24 hours after a 101 degree temp. I sit here feeling MUCH better, almost normal except for being tired, and a voice that is cracking like a pre-teen as it attempts to come back to life. My temp has been no higher than 97.0. Feels like I have come out of the illness with little to no problem, knock on wood, and I'll be able to be back at the office serving people at 9:00 a.m in the morning.

I don't say this to brag, but it's a great example of what I teach to my patients: being healthy does NOT mean never getting sick, everyone gets sick on occasion. It does mean bouncing back quickly, like the old blow-up punching bags with the weighted bottoms that you could punch and they'd bounce back up. It's what we've done with our kids (not the punching them part) by not filling them full of antibiotics at every turn etc. They're little immune systems are quite the killers after being brought up the way we have.

If everyone would do more of this, eating, resting, thinking, and moving well, now THAT would be some true "health care reform" in my opinion! We'd have a LOT less of those diseases of lifestyle like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer etc, and we'd spend a LOT less time at the doctors spending our hard earned money there and on the inevitable prescriptions that follow.

Hope you find this little anecdote beneficial......and until next time.....

Be Well!!

Dr. Bruce

Sometimes You Just Can't

2009-10-29T09:21:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you can't eat healthy. I have that challenge just as you do. Often when my son is in a baseball tournament, I eat baseball food: hot dogs, nachos, hamburgers etc. I do try to make sure I drink only water to avoid the sugary alternatives though. Last night was another good example for me. Worked late, wife and kids were running around doing what had to be done, my Mom was staying the night, and some old friends of hers/ours were coming over for dessert and coffee.

What did I do? I ate pizza delivered by our chef (Chef Domino of course lol) and had a slice of key lime pie. Ouch!!! I noticed how it made me feel afterward: not good. Fortunately, the rest of the day I had things like a Superfood Solution Shake, smoothie, fresh apple/carrot juice, a salad, almonds, fruit and plenty of water all day long.

The lesson I take from this is that you can't always control how well you eat, but when you do have any say at all, you (I) need to make the right choices. Plus, like I said, I noticed the difference in how I felt after eating poorly compared to how I had been eating prior to that. And, know that sometimes you'll blow it, but the next time you get the chance to re-fuel, do it in a good way!

Til next time, Be Well!

Dr. Bruce

Hug Them A Little Bit Tighter

2009-10-18T07:03:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I sat outside on a gorgeous afternoon watching my son's baseball team play very well, and watching him perform at a high level. I marveled at how he launched a bomb deep to the fence in right field. I was a proud Dad as he made two outstanding catches and a great throw to the plate from the outfield. All is as it should be it seemed, and I was enjoying the day immensely.

My wife received a text during the 2nd game.

I am at a loss for words. My son's 12 year old friend died of cancer yesterday morning. It was expected, yet I cannot begin to wrap my brain around the intensity of the loss Austin's parents must be feeling, and I cannot wrap my brain around how his friends must all be feeling, after losing one of their own at an age where it's just not supposed to happen.

They are ours but for a little while it is said, usually referring to how they grow up and move on. Austin's parents have lost theirs in a completely different, and overwhelmingly painful way.

We never know. Hug them a little tighter today.

Media Fast Results

2009-10-10T08:05:00.005-05:00

I did a media fast this week, it was hard to not be online especially, doing facebook, twitter, posting on a local neighborhood website etc. But it was good too, like a cleanse. I'll probably be more aware of my time spent in media now, maybe even do a fast from news sources more regularly. I recommend a physical cleanse for people often, why not a mental cleanse of sorts? After all, part of the "Be Well" formula is to "THINK well" right? Take some time to cleanse your mind regularly to be more healthy from the neck up!

Media Fast

2009-10-06T08:42:00.003-05:00

In an earlier blog, I touched on the concept of watching too much media and how it can affect us. Our culture today provides the opportunity to be engrossed in media pretty much 24/7. And most of it has spin, much of it is sensationalized (even the weather these days is not immune to sensationalism, ever seen the headlines "wicked weather"?, almost daily right!?). In short, it is filled with negativism, sensationalism and probably a few other negative "ism's".

Currently I am in the midst of a "media fast" along with my church. This blog is the closest to "media" I get. No personal facebook (only my business facebook), no news, no newspaper, no reading the news online, not even sports talk radio! While it is not easy, it IS a good thing. We have to protect what we allow into our minds, because what goes in, stays in. Anyone here have the words to a theme song memorized? How many of you actually sat down to memorize those words? None of us. But to this day I could sing "The Brady Bunch" or "Gilligans Island" theme songs (and yes that DOES date me). We heard those songs enough that they became ingrained in our brains. Spending too much time in the media can have deleterious effects on our health.

I am not saying you have to do a media fast, I am saying we need to protect our minds, which in turn protects our attitude, which in turn protects our health. Remember that THINKING well is part of our Be Well formula.

Until next time.....BE WELL!
Dr. B

The Best Defense.......

2009-09-30T09:55:00.002-05:00

is a good offense right? Right! Many people are running around scared and nervous about the most recent outbreak of Swine Flu. It is good to be aware and cautious, but it is NOT good to get nervous and over the top freaked out about it. That only increases your chances of getting ill! Let's talk about a good "offense" to ward off the chances of becoming ill with Swine Flu, or any other illness for that matter.

The actual simple solution is to make sure that you are not a good host for any virus or bacteria that tries to make its home inside your body. Simple right? Yes, not always easy, but it IS simple. That is the answer though, and no one would dispute that. How we go about making our bodies not be a good host is where it gets more complicated, but that boils down to what you've undoubtedly heard me say before: To BE well, we must EAT well, MOVE well, THINK Well and REST well.

So, when you are attempting to make your body stronger, eat better than you ever thought you could. Focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Eat them with your meals, and use them as snacks For instance, today so far I've had a Superfood Solution Shake (NanoGreens, NanOmega 3 and NanoPro), made a blueberry/banana smoothie, and brought some grapes, fresh blueberries and almonds to snack on. That's a good start!

Make sure you aren't stressing out too much. Stress lowers your immune system and makes you more susceptible to illness. Take time to De-stress daily (deep breathing/relaxation exercises). Make a list of things you have to be grateful for daily (here on this blog is a sample I used from a few months back).

Of course, exercise helps boost your immune system too. It also helps mitigate the effects of stress on the body. Keep up with your exercise, or start a walking program. I find that a good hard workout leaves me feeling totally de-stressed. Don't start working out hard if you haven't been, and get cleared by your doctor if you're over the age of 35 before you start a program.

Remember to get your REST! Keep your sleep habits the same (if they're good) even on weekends. Go to bed around the same time and wake around the same time daily. Use de-stresing exercises such as deep breathing/relaxation before you go to bed, or if you wake up and can't get back to sleep. Avoid caffiene late at night and avoid wild TV shows or movies late at night as well.

There you have it in a nutshell, but also remember to wash your hands regularly and if you feel sick, stay away from people as much as possible to reduce the chances of spreading illness.

Until next time, BE WELL!

Dr. B.

8 Decades

2009-09-19T16:41:00.002-05:00

Today my Mother turns 80 years old. 8 decades. WOW.....which is MOM upside down...not that that has any significance.

Back on topic. 8 decades. That is amazing. So many don't make it that long, and certainly not in as good of a condition as my Mom has made it. She is blessed, we are blessed to have had her this long, and I don't see it changing any time soon. How does one do that? Well let's take a look.

I wish I could say Mom was an exercise freak, as it would TOTALLY back up my way of life but she wasn't. Mom didn't eat fast food much, she did smoke til about 40 years of age (who in her generation DIDN'T smoke at some point?). She drank moderately, and still does (ok sometimes in her younger years more than moderately). She laughed a lot with my Dad, her life partner of over 50 years (Dad died at 78). She and Dad did start walking in their 40's and 50's and beyond, but never had a serious exercise plan, though they certainly weren't sedentary.

She raised 7 great kids, has enjoyed 20 or more grandkids (I don't recall the exact number and refuse to start counting now) and now several great grandkids. She has kids and grandkids that call on her to say hi, and visit with her regularly.

She and Dad always had a great social circle, and gave back to their community through church and investing in kids lives through youth group activities. They always had projects they worked on at the house, yardwork, gardens, cleaning, always a purpose to the day. She still goes through her day keeping her life in order, her house spotless, and talks daily with at least a couple of my siblings plus some of her generation. Today she has several of her best friends coming to visit her from Louisiana. Mom still drives all the way from Ft. Worth to Houston, spends the night with one of us, then drives 3 hours to Eunice.

I think all of these things contributed to her healthy life. Sure she has a few health issues, but nothing severe. I think that she and Dad lived life, loved life and are leaving a great legacy of love and laughter behind which helped them live as long as they did.

I'm impressed with her, and blessed to have her around. I hope that one day I cross that octogenarian line with my bride in as good of form as she has.

Happy 80th Mom!

9/11 and Thinking Well

2009-09-11T13:49:00.005-05:00

............

Ok, I am officially ready to potentially make a few people mad. But hey, it's my blog right? I'm glad you agree.

No adult around will not recall exactly where they were and what they were doing when the 9/11 catastrophe occurred. We'll always recall how that day "changed everything". I for one recall becoming addicted to the news, and eventually in the following years addicted to political news and the talking heads that we are all so familiar with these days.

During this time I've seen more divisiveness in our country than I can ever recall in my 20+ years of adulthood. It's all over the TV and radio daily. People I know spend hours reading political blogs, watching political TV, listening to political radio. Again, until about a year or two ago, I did the same, so I know of what I speak.

Let me be honest here. During that time in my life, I found myself with a large degree of anger and frustration built up inside of me. I found myself so wrapped up in the political news world that I began developing feelings of dislike for those of opposing views. Stay with me here, I am just being honest about a time period in my life. I found myself with an "us vs. them" mentality. Not exactly healthy thinking, right?

But eventually I recalled what I had learned in the 90's about being careful what I allowed into my brain on a regular basis. I recall being taught in more than one venue to avoid spending too much time watching/listening to the news as it was so negative, and never without what we now call "spin". I also began noticing the "us vs. them" mentality displayed on talk shows everywhere and I recall thinking back to a time when it wasn't so, a time that seemed so far back, but it really wasn't that long ago. I began recognizing so many of the political news folks were all about the "win" for their side, not about seeing a possible compromise, or even trying to see the other side.

It was then that I realized how unhealthy it was to be so caught up in the whole game. Now, in retrospect, I see the lack of "Thinking Well" that occurs in politics, and in our minds when we become too wrapped up in it. I look back on 9/11 and I am still amazed at how not thinking well led a handful of people, who had listened for too long to the rhetoric of some other non "thinking well" people, and agreed to hijack planes and eventually took the lives of thousands of innocent people. I can see how not thinking well led many to have vile hatred for the people of the religion whose people perpetrated the act. Trust me, I have no respect for those that choose to commit acts of terror, but I know in my heart that hatred for them is an unwell way of thinking.

That same emotion of hatred now has our country divided by and caught up in the "us vs. them" mentality. For nothing more than a letter that stands behind a name (D or R) a plethora of negative emotions and actions are brought forth. That kind of thinking is a non-starter for unity and for the health and well being of our country. I am saddened by it, and wish that my children could experience some of the days where it wasn't so rampant.

I am not saying that I don't have views, or that I walk the line on every issue. I am saying that the emotions that are brought out by this whole game are a serious problem that will affect the future of our country for generations to come if it is not changed. And to call it a "game" is a misnomer. Life is not a trial run, not a dress rehearsal. This is the real deal, and this "game", if it continues, will undoubtedly have real and serious consequences in our future, and it probably has already had said consequences.

On the other hand, thinking well, realizing we are all on the same planet, that maybe some other views may warrant a second look, that we truly are on the same team, can have real and everlasting positive consequences for our future, and for the future of our kids. On this anniversary of a very sad day in the history of this great nation, and of this planet, take some time to step back and see if you are caught up in some of this divisiveness. It can't hurt.

Until next time, "Be Well".

Dr. B

Kids and High Blood Pressure

2009-08-27T13:48:00.002-05:00

I recently received a message from a lifelong friend stating that their 18 year old athletic son had been seen by a doctor and had high blood pressure. Actually, I think it was a case of "white coat hypertension", but it was alarming to her family and his doctor initially. When they later checked his bp again it was fine, and at my office it was fine. However, I did let him know that I've read some studies showing that those with white coat hypertension can have be predisposed to hypertension in general.

Additionally, recent studies have begun to show an alarming trend: early stages of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) has been found to be more common in our teenagers (http://tiny.cc/ciCEl) than we thought. I personally have seen high blood pressure in high school children in our office. Why is this? Well, let's go back to the basics of wellness!

Remember, to BE well, we must EAT well, MOVE well, THINK well and REST well, right? Many of our children are growing up on non real food (edible food like substances), stressed because of tough schedules, family issues etc, playing too much Wii, and staying up half the night on the internet or texting their friends. All of this leads to poor health. Do you think we all of a sudden "get" high blood pressure? Of course not, it's a process that develops over time, based on lifestyle choices in how we eat, move think, and rest.

We MUST make changes in our kids lives for their health. Otherwise, the next generation will be worse off than our current sick generation! WAtch for seminars by our office on the Be Well formula, or schedule a Wellness Consult with us to start making changes now!

Until next time.....BE WELL!
Dr. B

Can You Eat Healthy In A Tex Mex Restaurant?

2009-08-13T20:48:00.003-05:00

Sure you can! This is a biggie for me since I love Tex-Mex!

First, here are some danger spots: Chips, Salsa, and tortillas primarily. For the chips and salsa, I recommend that if you HAVE to have it, do it this way: Take the basket of chips, take about 5 out and ask them to take the basket away. Then, break the chips into smaller pieces to dip in the salsa. After all, it's the salsa we're after, not the chip when we eat it right? Also, try to order as quickly as possible to minimize the time you're left in front of chips/salsa. And remember, you don't need an appetizer if you have chips and salsa, that will keep you from over indulging.

Most of these spots have GREAT fajita salads. Use Salsa for dressing. It will fill you up! If not, order fajitas, and avoid the rice, maybe eat only the fajita meat or chicken, mixed with the veggies and some guacamole. If you MUST have tortillas, try to eat only one, and eat the meat alone after that. Or, put a TON of meat into one tortilla and that should be enough. Also, many times (most of the time) fajitas for 1 is enough for two, so if two of you want fajitas, order for only one and you'll have plenty!

Often times you can get a GREAT grilled chicken dish with onions and bell pepper on it. That's a great way to go also. Try to avoid the rice as usual.

There's a few options, so if Tex Mex is your fav, you can now go there minus the guilt!! As always, in restaurants, be willing to ask for a "to go" box immediately and put 1/2 your meal away to take home to avoid too many calories!

Be Well!

Drink This Not That??

2009-08-07T08:18:00.002-05:00

Are you kidding me? Read the article linked below, but ignore the "drink this instead of that" part. Stay away from all of that toxic stuff, except maybe for an occasional treat.

http://tiny.cc/n4qrR

More Drugs and Surgery

2009-07-02T20:27:00.003-05:00

Yea that's the answer. Considering that we have more new drugs and surgeries available than ever before in the history of man, how's that working out for us? How much healthier are we? Read the obesity report below. In 1991 no state had an obesity rate of 20%. Now? Only 1 state DOESN'T!! Me thinks it's NOT working out well for us.

The problem is, in America, we have such a short term mentality about health. "A pill for every ill" is our thought process. So we pour more chemicals into our body, we take out body parts, I guess because we obviously have just too many body parts for our own good.

Remember, to BE WELL, we must Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well and Rest Well.

We're FAT.

2009-07-01T17:00:00.003-05:00

As a nation we are all growing fatter. A report that came out today saying that we as a nation continue to grow fatter. In 1991, no state had more than a 20 percent obesity rate. Today, the only state that doesn't is Colorado, at 18.9 percent.

Texas is #14 in the list of fattest states.

It's not just about the waist size, it's about what it does to our health! Do you want to have more health issues as you age? Then be fat, it's a guarantee, and not many things in life are guaranteed.

Here's part of the announcement from today.

WASHINGTON — Mississippi's still king of cellulite, but an ominous tide is rolling toward the Medicare doctors in neighboring Alabama: obese baby boomers.

It's time for the nation's annual obesity rankings and, outside of fairly lean Colorado, there's little good news. In 31 states, more than one in four adults are obese, says a new report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

And obesity rates among adults rose in 23 states over the past year, and no state experienced a significant decline.

"The obesity epidemic clearly goes beyond being an individual problem," said Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust, a nonprofit public health group.

It's a national crisis that "calls for a national strategy to combat obesity," added Robert Wood Johnson vice president Dr. James Marks. "The crest of the wave of obesity is still to crash."

While the nation has long been bracing for a surge in Medicare as the boomers start turning 65, the new report makes clear that fat, not just age, will fuel much of those bills. In every state, the rate of obesity is higher among 55- to 64-year-olds _ the oldest boomers _ than among today's 65-and-beyond.

The report provides one of the first in-depth looks at obese boomers, and its implications are sobering. This first wave of aging boomers will mean a jump of obese Medicare patients that ranges from 5.2 percent in New York to a high of 16.3 percent in Alabama, the report concluded. In Alabama, nearly 39 percent of the oldest boomers are obese.

Health economists once made the harsh financial calculation that the obese would save money by dying sooner. But more recent research instead suggests that better treatments are keeping them alive nearly as long _ but they're much sicker for longer, requiring such costly interventions as knee replacements and diabetes care and dialysis. Medicare spends anywhere from $1,400 to $6,000 more annually on health care for an obese senior than for the non-obese, Levi said.

"There isn't a magic bullet. We don't have a pill for it," said Levi. "It's not going to be solved in the doctor's office but in the community, where we change norms."

His group is pushing for health reform legislation to include community-level programs that help people make healthier choices _ like building sidewalks so people can walk their neighborhoods instead of drive, and providing healthier school lunches to help fight the childhood obesity that turns into adult obesity. The pending House and Senate bills address obesity in different ways; one provision would particularly target baby boomers.

Many states have begun programs to try to tackle obesity, and there are hints of improvements, Marks said.

"We're still getting fatter, but maybe a little more slowly than before," he said: Last year's report found obesity rates rising in 37 states compared with 23 this time around.

He's encouraged that 19 states have implemented nutritional standards for school meals that are stricter than the federal government's; in 2004, just four states did. Some are requiring nutritional information for restaurant food, he added.

States "recognize the solutions will lie outside traditional medical care," Marks said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long said that nearly a third of Americans are obese. The Trust report uses somewhat more conservative CDC surveys for a closer state-by-state look. Among the findings:

_Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity, 32.5 percent, for the fifth year in a row.

_Three additional states now have adult obesity rates above 30 percent, including Alabama, 31.2 percent; West Virginia, 31.1 percent; and Tennessee, 30.2 percent.

_In 1991, no state had more than a 20 percent obesity rate. Today, the only state that doesn't is Colorado, at 18.9 percent.

_The South is the fattest region. The Northeast and West are slightly slimmer than the rest of the country.

_Mississippi also had the highest rate of overweight and obese children, at 44.4 percent in total. It's followed by Arkansas, 37.5 percent; and Georgia, 37.3 percent.

_Following Alabama, Michigan ranks No. 2 with fat boomers; 36 percent of its 55- to 64-year-olds are obese. Colorado has the lowest rate, 21.8 percent.

GOING GREEN

2009-06-18T16:38:00.003-05:00

We're excited about Nanogreens, a greens drink with the potency of 8-10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables and loads of other healthy ingredients! Our staff had noticed increased energy, decreased healing time, better elimination and more! Combining it with NanOmega3's and/or NanoPro (whey protien) makes a phenomenally healthy meal replacement!

We're having a "GO GREEN" day at our office on June 19, 2009 with free taste tests and discounts on all our Nano products!

It should be a blast!! But more importantly, how many people will lead healthier lives by consuming 8-10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables????????? More than I can imagine! GO GREEN!!

Are you on Facebook??

2009-06-16T12:39:00.003-05:00

If so, sign up to be a fan of our office page at http://tiny.cc/WrnLj

I have daily short blurbs about health and happenings at our clinic!!

If you'd like to receive a monthly newsletter via email, email me at dr.bruce@embarqmail.com and we'll get you on the program!

Eating A Healthy Breakfast: How Hard Is It?

2009-06-05T10:19:00.002-05:00

I've had a few instances recently whereby I've had people trying to find out how to eat healthy to start their day. We know breakfast is very important, but unfortunately, many of our western breakfast regulars are not healthy. There is hardly a cereal out there that I would consider healthy. Most of them are quite processed and have the evil High Fructose Corn Syrup(HFCS) or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Even some juices touted as healthy such as V8 Splash have as their first listed ingredient HFCS. That is an ingredient that is particularly unhealthy and found to be a source of many different health problems. Do a google search on HFCS and it's harmful effects, I guarantee you will start looking for it in your food products.

Sorry, I digressed a bit there. Now, onto healthy breakfasts. I'll start with more complicated ones first, then to the easier ones. Try making a healthy Omelet with eggs and cheese of course, but add in some green pepper, mushrooms, spinach or other vegetable to go along with it. If you're like me and can't really make an official omelet, just scramble some eggs with that mixture in it. Get creative and try different things in your eggs. I sometimes just add in a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles in it for a bit of spice.

I would always suggest a serving of fruit in the mornings. We need fiber in all of our meals, and not from a fiber supplement. If you only add a supplement, then you are missing out on anti-oxidants that come with the fiber of fruits and vegetables. Try some oatmeal with some fresh (organic if possible) strawberries/blackberries/blueberries in them. whole grain cereals like shredded wheat with berries is a good choice too. You can also add in some ground flax seed into oatmeal and cereals for fiber and healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.

Fruit smoothies are a great way to start the day as well. Don't go buy them, most of the ones you buy use syrupy fruit concoctions that are not healthy. Instead, buy froze fruits (organic is best). You can get all kinds of berries, berry medleys etc in any grocery store. Put in a cup to 2 cups of frozen fruit. Add in some lowfat plain yogurt (about a cup worth). Then use a fruit juice like orange juice, pineapple etc along with some low fat milk (almond milk would be a great choice). You'll need to play with the exact amounts to make the smoothie to the consistency you like. You can also add in the ground flax seed to your smoothies, as well as a whey protein mix for added benefits.

Juicing is also good on occasion. 3 good sized apples, along with three carrots and a small piece of ginger root makes a tasty, tangy juice. It's not enough for a full breakfast by any means, but it's a good "side" dish. If you can get the Vita-mixer, it even pulverizes the fiber and has it in the juice too. For an added benefit, a bit of greens like kale or mustard greens can be added in too, but don't go overboard with that as it will make the juice too bitter.

With all juicing and smoothies, if you're diabetic, please consult your doctor and watch your blood sugar levels. Some may have a bit of a blood sugar spike, if so, use the smoothies as a side dish instead of a main meal.

4 Keys to Being Well

2009-05-28T12:42:00.002-05:00

So you want to BE WELL? It's simple: Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well and Rest Well!

It's as simple as that!

Schedule Keeping You From Your Exercise Plan?

2009-05-18T15:57:00.002-05:00

Boy do I understand that! From the time we started getting ready to move, to now 3 months after the move, I've had issues with my schedule. Lately it seems I could only get in about 2 days/week, or 3 if I was lucky.

I was faithful to do at least that much though. I find that totally giving up on the plan is much worse than just toning it down temporarily. Doing SOMETHING is better than doing NOTHING!

Finally, I figured out a way to get more exercise in, walking particularly. So today, I got up early, took my dog outside on a gorgeous spring day, and voila, I had a 30 minute brisk walk, good for the dog and good for me.

My point is, if we just at least keep doing something, even in a reduced amount, when our schedule clears up, or becomes more regular, then we can jump back in and not have lost as much ground.

So keep grinding it out, it will happen!

The Coffee Jitters

2009-05-13T13:41:00.001-05:00

Ok, so today I was taking care of my first few patients, and noticed I was nervous, anxious and my heart seemed to be beating harder than normal. I couldn't figure it out. Then I recalled the fact that I had been drinking more coffee than usual. I usually have only about 2-4 cups/week, but it had slowly crept up to daily and sometimes 2x a day. It all made sense to me. 3 hours later I was feeling fine again.

Back to moderation in my coffee intake!!

Staying Well

2009-05-06T17:14:00.004-05:00

Just a quick note. I've been teaching to Eat Well Move Well and Think Well for optimum health. I still believe that to be very important. However, I am adding in one new habit: Rest well.

If you've read my stuff, you know how I preach the importance of proper rest, so much so that I feel its value is missed by using only the 3 other "wells" (eat, move, think).

So, remember:

To BE Well, We Must EAT Well, MOVE Well, THINK Well and REST Well!!

Pregnancy Can Be A Pain In The ……Back!

2009-05-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

For just a second or two I will take a break from talking about wellness, and move into dealing with a specific health issue. Recently I’ve run across several women that were pregnant and having to deal with lower back pain. It’s not surprising by any means, especially since 80% of the general population has back pain at some point in their lives. And considering that a large portion in our community is of child bearing age, I thought this might be a good topic to touch on this month.

Back pain or discomfort is common during pregnancy and should be expected to some degree by most women. Back pain may be experienced during any point of your pregnancy; however, it most commonly occurs later in the pregnancy as the weight of the baby increases. Back pain can disrupt your daily routine or interfere with a good night of sleep. The good news is there are steps you can take to manage the back pain that you experience.

There are a number of causes of back pain related to pregnancy. On top of all the wonderful changes your body goes through, hormones are released that allow the ligaments in the body to loosen, so that the pelvis can spread wider for the passage of the baby. That’s bad news on two fronts: 1. Your hips get bigger, and 2. Joints get stressed more (particularly the joints where the pelvis joins the triangular shaped bone called the sacrum). Another reason is your center of gravity changes as the baby grows. This causes more and more stress on your back muscles since they have to work harder to keep you upright and not falling over face first into the ground. Additionally, the challenge of finding comfortable positions to sit or stand in may cause you to assume poor posture at times, thus stressing your back further.

So, how can you prevent the back pain? Listed below are suggestions from the American Pregnancy Association:

1. Use exercises approved by your health care provider that support and help strengthen the back and abdomen
2. Squat to pick up something versus bending over
3. Avoid high heels and other shoes that do not provide adequate support
4. Avoid sleeping on your back
5. Wear a support belt under your lower abdomen
6. Make sure your back is aligned using a chiropractor
7. Get plenty of rest. Elevating your feet is also good for your back

But what if you are already suffering from back pain? Again, from the American Pregnancy Association website:

1. Use ice or heat
2. Braces or support devices
3. Sleep on your left side and use a support pillow under your knees
4. Medications used to treat inflammation
5. Use a licensed health care professional such as a chiropractor or massage therapist (our therapists are trained in pregnancy massage).

I hope this has been helpful for those in our community that are expecting, and wondering about or already suffering from back pain. We’d love to help you have a more enjoyable pregnancy if we can!

Swine Flu Precautions

2009-04-27T11:05:00.002-05:00

Here's a good sane bit of info on the swine flu and precautions.

http://stress.about.com/od/otherconditions/a/swine_flu.htm?nl=1

An Apple A Day?? You need MORE!

2009-04-20T09:47:00.003-05:00

Are you stuck in an apple-a-day rut? Here’s a good reason to chop up that apple with some strawberries, apples, grapes, and oranges.

It’s called synergy. You don’t just get a wider variety of nutrients by eating more fruits. Those nutrients actually work together to produce even more powerful health benefits than any single fruit could alone. Think of it like compounding interest -- but with fruit!

One Fruit, Two Fruit, Three Fruit, Four

We all know that the antioxidants in fruits and veggies work hard to protect your body from aging and disease. But what you may not know is that those antioxidants work even harder when they have the company of other antioxidants. That’s why researchers recommend people eat 5 to 10 servings of a wide variety of different fruits and veggies every day.

The Goal: Whole

If you tend to eat the same fruit over and over, consider breaking the mold next time you’re at the grocery store or farmers market, and pick up something you’ve never tried before. And choose whole organic fruit if possible, so you get the most antioxidant bang for your buck. Try a fruit smoothie with mixed berries, plain low fat yogurt (organic if possible), some pineapple juice and organic milk. It’s a great snack, or even a meal depending on how much of it you eat! You can buy frozen mixed berries and defrost a small amount at a time to put in a whole grain cereal, or oatmeal, even with just some plain yogurt. Load up on your berries every chance you get for some of the best antioxidant, cancer fighting, cardiovascular disease fighting doses around!

Massage: An Integral Part Of A Wellness Plan

2009-04-06T11:40:00.001-05:00

If you’ve ever had someone walk up from behind you when you are tense, and massage your shoulders, you know how great it can be, that is, if you have someone who knows what they are doing. I was at a seminar once, and the doctor teaching it had us stand up, turn to one side and massage the shoulders of the person in front of you for a minute or so. I did this and received a nice massage from the person that had been on my left side. Then, we had to turn the other way and do the same thing again. Suddenly, I was attacked by what felt like crap pinchers squeezing my shoulders. I felt as though it was the longest minute of my life and it was all I could do to not ask the person to stop. When it was over, my desire was to turn back around like the first time, and give that person a taste of what she had just done to me!! I resisted, and am better for the experience! So, the lesson learned is: Kids, don’t try this at home, get your massage from trained professionals!

However, there is NOTHING like a timely massage. The benefits of massage are well documented and go further than what most people know about. Let’s take a look at them here, and let me encourage you to consider using massage as part of your plan for optimum health and wellness.

First of all, as I said in a previous article, 90% of visits to a doctor’s office are said to be stress related in some fashion. That being said, reducing the effects of stress could ostensibly have positive effects on 90% of illnesses. There is no doubt about the positive effects of massage on stressed out people. Massage releases endorphins, the body’s natural anesthetic, countering the higher levels of cortisol and adrenaline that run rampant in stressed out people. So, for people under stress (like most of us), massage can be a tool to fight off its deleterious effects.

Massage can help or even prevent injuries too. By stretching connective tissue, massage improves circulation to help prevent or break down adhesions or scar tissue that builds up from normal day to day living and exercise. Massage also influences the excretion of certain fluids (nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur) necessary for tissue repair.

Massage helps the movement of lymph in our body. The lymphatic system helps with our overall filtering of toxins. It is a set of channels like our blood vessels, but it doesn’t have a heart muscle to pump fluid through it. Muscular movement and contractions of muscle helps move it around and flush it out of our system. Massage helps aid the movement of lymph, and is especially good for those that are less physical and don’t get regular exercise. Thus, massage can help you stay healthy in this manner as well.

Pregnant women who receive massage often have their lower back pain alleviated significantly. It requires someone trained in prenatal massage, but it can be so beneficial to the mother. One study also noted that premature infants that received massage tended to gain more weight and fare better than those who weren’t.

The list goes on to fill more space than we have here for this article. Suffice it to say, if you’re looking to move yourself toward wellness, massage can and should be an important tool in your journey.

How's Your Attitude??

2009-03-27T16:24:00.002-05:00

Here's a great little post on how our attitude affects our health and our ability to achieve our health goals. It also covers how to make our attitude improve so our chances of hitting those goals improve.

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/weightloss/276/making-a-change-attitude-is-everything/

just copy and paste that link to your browser's address space.

Be Well!!

Dr. Bruce

Are Your Fruits/Veggies Plastic?

2009-03-24T13:02:00.003-05:00

An interesting blog about the quality of our plant based foods. I know we are considering how to organically grow some things at our household.

http://blog.friendseat.com/supermarkets-vegetables-plastic/

Setting Yourself Up For Success In Your Health

2009-03-23T11:34:00.002-05:00

So many times we decide to change our health status so drastically at one time that we set ourselves up for failure. Instead we need to learn to take small steps at a time to increase our chances of success. For instance, we can't go from be Cody the Couch Potato to Mike the Marathoner overnight. If we try, we set ourselves up for failure: overexertion soreness, serious injuries, discouragement etc. Instead, try the concept of "a little bit more"! Click on the link below to see how to go about setting goals for yourself in life and with regards to health and wellness.

http://longevity.about.com/od/makeachange/p/smartgoal.htm

Sleep Hygiene, An Important Part Of Wellness

2009-02-28T08:57:00.002-06:00

The article below was published in Dock Line magazine in February of 2009 and I have added in a few things that I couldn't fit in to the article.

Ok, raise your hand if you’re glad to know that laying a foundation for wellness includes anything to do with sleep! You’ll be glad to know it is an integral part of being well. To be more specific, REST is an integral part of being well, and lack of it leads to breakdowns in the body. It’s also important to become familiar with a new term called “sleep hygiene”. We’ll touch on these things in the rest of this article, and hopefully I can fit it all into one issue, if not, rest assured (no pun intended), we’ll cover the rest (another unintended pun) next time.

First, why do we get sleepy? Did you ever wonder that? What is it that makes us feel ready to go to bed? Without going into the physiology of it all, let’s just say that the Guy who did the wiring on us knew what He was doing. Getting sleepy is the body’s way of telling us “ok, you’ve had a long day, it’s time to power down so we can repair any damage that has gone on”. Repair to the damages that are inflicted by daily living occurs when we rest. That is why when we don’t get enough rest, we can’t function, and can fall ill. That is also why we want to sleep more when we are ill. Our body’s innate intelligence is telling us to slow it down. So now you know there is a real reason for rest.

Remember I differentiated between sleep and rest. One can sleep without getting enough rest. The real resting occurs when we get into Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM). That is the deep, repair time sleep. We’ve all had nights where we were in the bed for 8 hours, maybe even sleeping most of that time, yet we still feel tired and un-rested. So, what things keep us from deep rest, and what can we do to get better at it? Read on!

There are several things that can keep us from resting well. Some things are well within our control, some we have less control over. For now, we’ll just focus on developing a good sleep hygiene plan. Sleep hygiene has to do with the habits you can learn to improve your resting. They are multi-faceted, and when working together will help you improve the chances of getting proper rest.

Pre-sleep routine: You must develop a routine to follow for proper rest. An example would be as follows: Shower at 9:30, read from 10:00 to 10:30, followed by bedtime. The more of a routine you develop and follow, the more you body will be ready for rest.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine: I have some people tell me that they have no trouble sleeping after caffeine at night. I can understand that, but what I tell them is, while you may be able to fall asleep, studies show that you will not enter the deeper levels of sleep required for rest and repair. The same is true of alcohol. If you’ve ever had too much to drink, you know you can fall asleep easier, and sleep for a very long time. However, I am sure you felt very tired and worn out afterward, the effect of the alcohol having kept you from deep rest.
Try a cup of chamomile tea before bedtime to relax you, especially if you've had a stressful day.
As you get closer to your bedtime, start turning down the lights in the house. The darkness makes your body start preparing for sleep.
Don’t watch stimulating TV shows right before bedtime (ie 24). It keeps your mind too active. No exercise for at least 2 hours before bedtime. Also don't use the TV in the bedroom to fall asleep.
Use the bedroom only for rest and sex. Using it for work will create a neuroassociation in your mind of work/bedroom.
Keep your bedroom temperature cooler vs. warmer
If you can’t fall asleep, or you wake and can’t fall back asleep, don’t stay in the bed tossing and turning. Again, a negative neuroassociation will be linked to the bedroom and NOT being able to sleep. Instead, get up, read something non-stimulating (a maintenance guide) and keep the lights down low. Turning the lights up bright tells your body it’s time to wake.
If you have trouble falling asleep, or falling back asleep, use the breathing technique we taught last month for reducing stress. In through your nose, out through your mouth, with exhalations much longer than inhalations. The way to slow down your exhalations is to breath out thru your mouth with your lips pursed as if you are going to whistle. Doing a session like this shortly before bedtime for 15 minutes will help prepare you for rest. Focus on relaxing every muscle in your body bit by bit until you finally doze off.
Finally, get up and go to bed at the same time every day, or as close to it as possible. Developing that routine helps our bodies fall into a pattern. This is especially important as we age and sleep disorders become more common.
Keep your room as dark as possible.

Be Well!!!

Stress

2009-02-09T20:52:00.002-06:00

Ok, who ISN'T stressed these days? We just came out of the holiday season, the economy is on everyone's mind, people in my practice are worried about jobs etc. This goes to show that life IS stressful a good portion of the time. So what do we do about that? Well it goes back to an age old saying: What happens to us is not as important as how we react to what happens to us. Why is that important? It's important because 90% of visits to doctor's offices are stress related. It's important because almost every common disease process has a stress factor in it. So how do we change our reaction to stressful events? Simply by changing our focus. Read on to see what I mean by that.

Take this test for me: Look around the room you're in now. Look around and notice everything in the room that is brown........go ahead and spend the next 15 seconds doing that........NOW!

scroll down to continue

Now............close your eyes. yes, I mean it.........close your eyes..........ok you can't close your eyes and read this at the same time, I know. So, ok read this: Close your eyes as soon as you finish reading this sentence: think of everything in the room that is green........for 15 seconds with your eyes closed.

Now, did you do it? If you did it right, you probably were surprised at all the green in the room. The point is, we see in our lives, what we choose to focus on. Sounds simplistic? I know. But it's real. If we spend our time focusing on the brown in life, we'll only notice the brown. If we spend time focusing on the green and growing stuff, we'll notice that more. Read the previous blog about being grateful to learn how to change your focus and feel better and less anxious or stressed.

Hey, what have you got to lose? Nothing!! What have you got to gain? EVERYTHING! Get serious, try this for 30 days faithfully and see if you don't feel much better and less stressed (or anxious, or depressed etc)

Be Well!

On Being Grateful.......

2009-01-16T17:39:00.002-06:00

I have to admit to having felt sorry for myself a few times recently. Doesn't matter what I was feeling sorry about......just felt sorry for me. Things had happened in my life, as they do in everyone's life, that had created some stress and anxiety. At times I dealt with it well, at times I failed royally, causing me more pain, causing pain in my family etc. I wish I could say I passed this test with flying colors, but in truth, I scored a C-.

One of the things that has become clear to me is the importance of being grateful and developing a grateful mindset. Besides being THE way to live, it really helps change ones focus off of the crud that may be affecting us, and onto how fortunate we truly are. To do that, let me suggest a gratefulness journal. What is that you say? Sounds trite you say? Sounds goofy you say? I know, I know. I understand you feeling that way, and I'd have to say I felt the same way at one point, until I actually TRIED it! ;-)

So........what does a gratefulness journal look like??? Well, it's NOT just a list of words like this:

family
friends
job
home
health
favorite sports team
etc.

A gratitude journal needs to help you evoke the emotion of what it is you are grateful for. You need to ask yourself "why am I grateful for _______?" You need to feel grateful. So, to that end, here's my gratefulness journal for today, 1-16-09.

1. I am grateful that my son opened up to me about how he was feeling this morning. It made me feel like he can trust me and that's important to our relationship as he enters his teen years.
2. I am grateful for the time I spent with my wife at lunch today at a chamber event. It's fun to be involved in the community with her.
3. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to write in a magazine and share great information on health and wellness. I feel like I am getting to leave a mark on my community.
4. I am grateful for the loving heart that my daughter has. It blow me away and makes me realize how much more loving I could/should be.
5. I am grateful for having a successful business and the chance to serve in my home town area. I love the fact that I am able to be part of this great area.
6. I am grateful for the vision that I have for what I want to accomplish in life. I like the energy it gives me when I focus on it.
7. I am grateful for an awesome staff that I get to work with. I have the ability to let things go into their hands and not worry about things as much.
8. I am grateful for the cool weather outside this past week. I love the feeling of cool crisp mornings, though I am also grateful when it warms up a bit.
9. I am grateful for the passion I have inside of me for disseminating good wellness oriented information. I know I am working in my "sweet spot" when I do that.
10. I am grateful for my church family and our small group we met with last night. It was a great experience to hear other men discussing challenges in their lives and knowing that I am not alone in that.

Now, that was simple, took me about 5 minutes, but I gotta say, that after typing it and reading it, I feel great! I recommend everyone do that EVERY day.....10 things that you have to be grateful for, write 'em down and FEEL it! It will help reduce stress levels in your life!

Join us for one of our Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well seminars soon!

How Are You Doing?

2009-01-06T07:17:00.005-06:00

It's January 6........how are your New Year goals going? Dropped the ball yet on any of them? Honestly, I have. I am in the midst of a 30 day program, and I let my emotions get the best of me over the weekend and I missed a day. The good news is I recognized it and am back on track!

That's what life is about sometimes it seems......trying to stay on track, falling down a bit.......getting back up.......pushing on. That's what it's like when we try to make changes in our health habits. Realizing this ahead of time is important. No one ever stays on track 100% of the time physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. I find the important part is to realize when I've fallen into a rut, and get out of it as soon as possible instead of wallowing in it, feeling down about it, or whining about it.

Remember, if you get off track, it's not the end of the world. We can get back on the train at the next meal, the next time we connect with the person we messed up with, the next time we have the chance to respond to a situation, the next time our time for exercise comes back up.

I find the more I realize this, the more consistent I become with my plans for wellness.

DON'T FORGET: "EAT WELL, MOVE WELL, THINK WELL" STARTS JANUARY 27, 2009 AT OUR OFFICE. SPACE IS LIMITED SO CALL US AT 281-852-5600 TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!!

Be well!

Dr. Bruce

Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well

2009-01-02T21:32:00.002-06:00

Join us for this exciting, cutting edge seminar series designed to help you attain maximum levels of wellness. Whether you suffer from cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, or some other disease, or if you are just looking to improve your health, THIS IS the place for you.

The seminar series will start on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 7:00 pm in our office in Atascocita. Seating is limited, so get your deposit in to reserve your spot asap. It will continue for 3 consecutive Tuesdays. Each individual seminar is $25.00 or you can purchase all 3 for $60.00.

After completing the series, you can sign up for monthly mentoring as we support, encourage and help you go after your health goals.

Contact us at 281-852-5600 for details.

Be well!

Dr. Bruce

Happy New Year Atascocita!!

2009-01-01T08:40:00.002-06:00

Well it's here; 2009. What will you do with it? I sat and reviewed my goals this morning, and one of them is to communicate via this blog weekly, even if it is very short. I hope you have your goals set, but if you haven't, it's not too late! Write 'em down, review them with regularity, figure out what steps you can take to move you closer to your goals today! If there were not limits, where would you be by December 31, 2009? What's stopping you? Usually it's only ourselves stopping us. I hope we can all move closer to being the person we innately know we were made to be this year. That's my wish for our community. We'd all be better off if we took steps toward that vision wouldn't we?

Be well!

Dr. B

New Year, New Hope, New Plans

2008-12-28T15:23:00.003-06:00

Well it's the new year in just a few days, and how many of us are blown away by the fact that another year has slid by? If that doesn't blow you away, thinking about this: Next year is 2009 and it marks one whole decade since we started worrying about Y2K. When I realize that, I realize how fast time goes by.

What are your hopes and plans for the new year? I hope you have some for your sake. If we have no plans or goals, we tend to not go anywhere, and spend too much time wandering aimlessly. When I realize how fast the year has gone by, and how fast the past 10 years have gone by, it motivates me to not waste any more time. Today isn't a dress rehearsal, it's the real deal!

So, what are you planning on accomplishing for your life in the next year? I would encourage you to not only think about it, but write it down, and read it every week, if not every day. In that way you and I can be reminded of what it is we want to accomplish, and that will help us in our day to day decisions of what to do, or what NOT to do! Remember to set plans for your social life, your health, your finances, your personal development, and of course, spiritual development!

Join us for one of our "Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well" seminars in our office to help with some of your plans! Contact us at 281-852-5600 to register!

HAPPY 2009!!

NEXT PITCH!!

2008-01-02T10:19:00.000-06:00

I am breaking my normal routine of blogs to bring you a New Year's Message. I hope you find it beneficial!

NEXT PITCH!!

Welcome to the year 2008! I hope 2007 was great for you and your family. Some of you may be thinking it could have been better for you in some way. Maybe you just weren’t the best “you” you could be last year. Maybe you gave up some good habits that were beneficial to you. Maybe you started some bad habits that you know are not in your best interest. Maybe you’ve let a relationship slide into oblivion. Are you where you want to be physically? Are you where you want to be spiritually? Or, maybe you’ve been living on the cutting edge, but you know you need to “step it up” a notch? You may have done well, but you know the only way to coast is downhill, and that’s not what you want.

Whatever your life has been like for the last 365 days, the truth is, the past is the past. It’s like a baseball pitcher who lets a fastball rip. Once it leaves his fingertips, whether it ends up for strike 3, or over the left field fence for a home run, he can’t do anything about it. All he can focus on is the next pitch. No matter what our highs or lows were last year, all we can focus on is the next “pitch” or next step in life. The New Year always brings about a great opportunity to re-focus on that next pitch.

Sometimes though, we get overwhelmed thinking about what we might want to accomplish in the next 12 months. A pitcher could get overwhelmed too if he looked at the entire batting order and thought “I have to get this entire lineup out 3 times to win the game”. He may forget to focus on one pitch at a time. It’s like the old adage, “you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time”. Break your goals down into chunks of short term goals for better results. “I’ll eat one more piece of fruit every day this week than I used to eat” for instance. “I’ll walk 3x a week for 2 weeks, and then try for 4x a week”. Wherever you start doesn’t really matter, just start. Just take that first bite of that elephant, just throw that first pitch, and no matter what happens after you throw it…..focus on the “next pitch”!! 365 days from now, you may just be looking at a “new YOU”!

Resting To Live

2007-12-03T10:06:00.001-06:00

Aren't you glad to know that rest/sleep is highly recommended for health? I know I am! But why? Why is it important that we get enough rest? What good does it do for us to sleep, besides feel good? How much rest do we need? What things should we do to ensure proper rest? What if I have sleep problems? I hope to address most of these issues in this edition of our wellness blog.

The Purpose Of Rest
First, why do we even feel sleepy? What purpose does that serve? Well if you are in tune with your body, you'll note that your body often gives you signs that it is needing something. Sleepiness is your body telling you that it is time to "power down" so that needed repairs can be made to damage done by daily living. It is your body's innate intelligence speaking to you saying it's time to rest and recuperate. And, as we age, that desire may sometimes take the form of more of a need for naps since our bodyies won't recuperate quite as well as they did when we were 18 years old. So you have my permission for a health related nap!

Restful Habits
To achieve optimal rest, there are habits that one should form. Please note that optimal rest doesn't mean only quantity, it also means quality. To achieve quality rest one should have a good sleep hygiene, meaning good habits prior to sleep. Here are some sleep hygiene tips:

Avoid caffeine. I know many say "I can still go to sleep without trouble after caffeine", and this may be true that you can fall asleep fairly easily. But studies show that with excess caffeine in the body, you won't achieve Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM sleep) which is where healing and repair occur. So while your quantity of sleep may be ok, your quality will suffer. Leave the caffeine to the morning only if possible.
Avoid excess alcohol in the evening. Yes I know once again that you can fall asleep easily with alcohol, but again the quality of sleep is deterred.
Avoid exercise too late in the evening. Many professionals recommend no heavy exercise within 1.5 hours of bedtime.
Leave the bedroom for sleep only. Working from the bed on paperwork, computer work etc, will create a neuro-association in your mind of work with regards to the bedroom. The only activity other than sleep that should occur in the bedroom is of course sex! Leave your work outside of the bedroom door.
Avoid the TV in the bedroom. Again it has been proven to disturb sleep patterns
Make the bedroom slightly cool when it's time to sleep. Hot rooms disturb your sleep.
Take a shower or bath about an hour or so before bedtime.
Create a regular pattern that you do every night prior to bed. This will help prepare your mind for sleep.
If you find you are having trouble going to sleep, don't toss and turn all night long in the bed. This will create negative neuro-associations such as "I can't sleep" to the bedroom. Get up, and go read something until you feel sleepy. Just get out of the bed when insomnia strikes.
Dim your houselights as the bedtime hour approaches. This also will prepare your mind for sleep.
Try a cup of decaf tea or tea that contains relaxants such as valerian, chamomile, or passion flower to help you unwind and relax. Supplements containing those ingredients exist as well. Check your local health food store for these. ("A Gift Of Health" health food store is a good place in Atascocita to check out).
Take slow, deep abdominal breaths, and count them up to 10, then start over. This will definitely relax your mind and body and prep it for rest.

Sleep Postures
You want to avoid certain positions for sleeping, as they are unhealthy for your neck and back. Avoid sleeping on your stomach (no one likes to hear that one). It is bad for your neck and your lower back. Sleeping on your side with your knees bent up (possibly a pillow between your knees) is usually good. Sleeping on your back with your knees bent (again using a pillow, possibly underneath your knees) is helpful for taking stress off of your lower back.

Quantity Of Rest
Finally we get to talk about how much sleep you need! Then answer is.......I don't know! Well, not exactly. Most people need somewhere between 7 and 9 hours of rest. I do best with about 7 hours personally. Try it out (and don't just try one night, give yourself a few nights of testing since some nights your sleep quality may be different) and see what works best for you personally. Most growing children need a bit more sleep as their bodies are going through major changes and using energy for growth.

Wrap Up
Just remember that quantity AND quality of sleep are important. Create good sleep hygiene by creating good habits and a good atmosphere for rest. Give yourself some time to adjust to new habits. Proper rest will help you age better, feel better and have more energy and less chances for illness.

Exercising To Live

2007-11-10T06:15:00.000-06:00

Exercise should be a 4 letter word, right? Along with diet, it conjures up plenty of not so great neuroassociations. There are times when even I feel like it's a bad word. But when I think of the benefits of exercising, as well as the consequences of NOT exercising, and I recall how good I feel after exercising, it gives me a new perspective. I hope to be able to help you gain a new perspective on exercise as well.

Benefits of Exercise

Right about now you might be saying...."blah blah blah". I realize that. We all know the benefits of exercise right? Maybe so. But, do we focus on them? Or do we focus on the "pain" of exercise? I'd suggest that if you are not exercising regularly, you are focusing on the pain. Tony Robbins says we do things for only 2 reasons; 1. To avoid pain, or 2. To gain pleasure. And he says that most of us will do more to avoid pain than gain pleasure. Unfortunately, I have found this to be true for many people, your humble blogger included. So, this truth is neither good nor bad necessarily. It is what it is (to use a much overused phrase). The key is, harnessing this truth to work for us, and specifically in the area of exercise. The more we know the benefits of exercise, and the pain of not exercising, the more likely we are TO exercise. Many people don't start watching their cholesterol or blood pressure until it becomes something that is severe enough to get one thinking about their mortality. In other words, the pain of not taking care of themselves gets bigger than the pleasure of not taking care of themselves. What we have to do, if we are to create a lifestyle that includes regular exercise, is to focus on the pain of NOT exercising, and the pleasure of the results of exercising. That's our best bet for making it part of our lifestyle.

Here are some of the benefits (to get back to our topic at hand, guess my ADHD is acting up)

1. Burn Fat (duh).

We ALL know this benefit. Consistent cardio work (walking, biking, or any activity that elevates your heart rate for 30 minutes or more) will help you burn fat.

2. Build lean muscle mass:

So what? Why would you want lean muscle mass? Besides helping you look better physically, having more lean muscle mass will boost your metabolism, making it easier for you to lose weight or maintain your current weight. It will boost your energy levels, and of course make you stronger. Resistance training will help you build lean muscle. This could include weight lifting on machines or free weights, or just doing exercises like push ups, situps, dips, lunges etc. This type of exercising will also build stronger bones, reducing the chances of osteoporosis as you age.

3. Lower Blood Pressure/Heart Rate:

The Mayo Clinic website states that cardio exercise can lower your blood pressure by 10 mm/Hg. That's as much as one could expect with one blood pressure medication! It takes consistency in cardio exercise to get the stabilizing effects though. You need to keep up the exercise for abut 3 months or so to get the benefits. You want to aim for 30 minutes most days of the week. If you think that's too much for you, just start with a little more than you currently do. Get used to that, then increase by a little more. I had the same issue with time constraints, but I slowly increased my time on the treadmill and now shoot for three 1-hour walks/week, along with 3-4 half hour walks/week. It can be done (particularly if the pain/pleasure principle detailed above is used!)

4. Improve Your Mood:

Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.

Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. You will always feel better about yourself mentally since you know you are doing good things for yourself. Don't think so? Do the opposite. See how you feel about yourself when you eat poorly and don't exercise. My bet is you'll soon see the difference, and fall in love with feeling good about yourself by taking better care of your physical health.

There are many more benefits to exercise, this is only a short sample list.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT START AN EXERCISE PROGRAM WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR OWN PERSONAL CHIROPRACTOR OR OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE OVER 40 AND HAVEN'T EXERCISED, OR HAVE HAD HEALTH ISSUES THAT COULD BE AGGRAVATED BY EXERCISE. IF IN DOUBT, CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

Eating To Live

2007-10-11T15:30:00.001-05:00

Ok, this is a biggie!! Is it low fat? Low carb? High fat? High carb? Portion control? Point systems? Some magical supplement?

Well truthfully, if THAT'S the questions you're asking, I think you're barking up the wrong tree. It's about NUTRITION. It's not even about your waist size (though that can be a diagnostic indicator). It's about what we are doing to our bodies on a daily basis, 3 or more times a day. Everything we eat has a consequence on our health. Every time we eat, we have the chance to make ourself again, in a good or bad way depending on our choices. It's about giving your body what it needs to function at peak levels, or it's about slowly killing your body, robbing your life of years, and robbing your years of life.

Every time we eat, we have an opportunity to plant seeds. Seeds of health or seeds of sickness. And rest assured, the seeds we plant DO affect us, particularly if we plant the same seeds over extended periods of time. Every day, cells in our body die off. Red blood cells (RBC's) have a life span of about 100 days or so. Then they are killed off and must be replenished. Where does the body get the raw materials for re-making these cells? Right-from the nutrients we put in our body. So, literally, you are re-making your body each time you put food in your mouth! That's a good thing, because many of us really need to be re-made in a major way.

I don't have time here to go thru a list of what to eat and what not to eat in great detail. Instead I'll give a few basics. One rule of thumb is, if it doesn't grow, and it doesn't hunt, or you can't hunt it, it probably shouldn't be considered a food source!! Processed foods are never good for you (but hey, we all enjoy a good dessert sometimes I know, just not a HUGE serving, every night!). The other rule of thumb is, if it wasn't a food source a century or more ago, it's probably not a food source (meaning processed again).

Three things to avoid would include what I call the 3 whites: white rice, white flour, salt. I'll tell you another thing you should avoid at all costs: Soft Drinks. Even the diet ones have chemicals in them that do nasty things to your body like leaching calcium from your bones etc. And the artificial sweeteners in my opinion are as dangerous long term as sugar is.

Things to put more of in your body are simple: Vegetables, fruits, water, lean meats. Remember, eat real, whole food. Eat it raw when you can (well, not your meats). Eat often, with smaller portions and several healthy snacks during the day. Don't add the snacks without decreasing your intake at breakfast lunch and dinner though (too many calories will expand your waist!). And what Mom said is true: Breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day! It sets the tone for your day. Drink water all day long, drink more the bigger you are. Divide your weight in 1/2 and that's how many ounces of water would be a good goal for you to get to. Yes you'll urinate more, but you'll be flushing toxins out of your body regularly.

Remember, what you eat becomes you!

Where Does Health Come From?

2007-09-26T14:14:00.000-05:00

If you ask enough people what exactly health is, if you ask how does one obtain optimum health, or what is the secret to good health, you'll get many different answers. Some will be correct, some will be off the mark a little, and some will be so far fetched that you'll have a hard time thinking they really believe what they just said. Beyond that, if you look at the health status of the average person in America, you'll be surprised at how poor it is. We have an epidemic of obesity (over 1/3 of Americans are overweight, and 25% are obese), epidemic of cardiovascular disease, epidemic of diabetes, and more. It's sad when you consider how wealthy our country is, and how educated we are, and how available health care is to us.

So where does health come from? Does it come from being properly medicated (better living through chemistry)? Does it come from a pill (natural or otherwise)? Does it come from our parents (genetics)? Some of each of these come into play with regards to ones health, but it certainly isn't the be all/end all to health. I find people swearing up and down that one certain thing (pill, potion, medication) is the answer to health. I think our society is always looking for the easy way to attain health, to shortcut the pathway. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. But the good news is, the answer(s) to finding health are rather simple, tried and true, and will work for almost everyone. I'll hit on a few of them here.

In our office we speak of the facets of health. I liken the facets to spokes in a wheel. If all the facets (spokes) are working well, the wheel turns smoothly and effortlessly. If some of the spokes are missing, or weak, it affects the quality of spin in the wheel. Similarly, if we are hitting on all cylinders in the facets of health, our "wellness wheel" turns easily and efficiently. If some of the spokes aren't there, or weak, then we are more susceptible to ill health. In my opinion there are about 6 significant facets of health:

1. Proper diet
2. Proper exercise
3. Proper spinal health
4. Proper attitude
5. Proper Rest
6. Proper stress management

I'll hit on these in the coming days. I look forward to your comments and suggestions!

Welcome!

2007-09-18T22:31:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the brand new Humble and Atascocita Wellness Blog. I am Dr. Bruce Guillory and am a practicing Chiropractor in the Humble/Atascocita area. I've been in practice since 1992 as a solo practitioner and currently own Chiropractic, Massage & Rehab Center, located on W. Lake Houston Pkwy in the Colonnade Center. Our vision statement says we are about the business of "Helping Families Gain and Maintain Optimum Health Naturally". Our website is located at www.guillorychiropractic.com. Feel free to visit there and be sure to sign up for our free newsletter called "To Your Health".

I want this blog to contain information about true health and wellness. I hope to provide good information that you can use to influence the quality of you and your family's health on a regular basis. I'll give you studies, personal experiences, tips and more. I plan on at least getting out a wellness tip of the week for you all. Your comments will be welcomed, but will of course be evaluated for content before they are allowed to be on, so be patient with me.

I am looking forward to this high tech way of "Helping Families Gain and Maintain Optimum Health, Naturally"