Goal Setting: If I Could Do Anything… Well, I Would JUST DO IT!

Goal Setting: If I Could Do Anything… Well, I Would JUST DO IT!

We live in such a fast paced society today and so few of us actually take the time to think about our goals, let alone write them down. Studies show that you are far more likely to actually accomplish your goals if you write them down. The goals you set should be obtainable and something you actually want to accomplish. If you set a goal that is too far fetched, you may not accomplish it and will not feel the gratification of having made a plan and followed through. Another key element to setting goals is finding someone or a group that you can share these goals with. When you write your goals down you only are accountable to yourself; however, when you share your goals with others you now are accountable to them. This is because you have told others what you plan to accomplish and now they are part of helping you reach your target.

1. The first step is finding a goal that you want to accomplish whether it is fitness related, nutritional, personal, or service oriented. You can set multiple ones at once, but as long as they are reasonable enough to accomplish in your time frame.

2. This leads to the next key element, a time frame. It can be that week, three months, by the New Year, or even five years from now, but you need to set a time frame. This will help you focus to complete your goal in a realistic amount of time.

3. Next, you need to write these goals down and place them somewhere that you can see every day. This provides you with a constant reminder of where you want to be and what you want to accomplish.

4. Finally, find someone to share your goals with. You can tell your friends or you can actually sit down in a small group and share ideas. This step is not necessary, but does help you brainstorm and provides you with support.

I encourage any of those reading to write down your goals and check in on them a couple of times a month to see where you are at in your plan. The goals you set can be eating one extra fruit or veggie a day, sending letters to family, working out five times a week, to even spending each evening in meditation or prayer. The options are endless and should be personalized for you and what you want from yourself!

Everyone enjoys finishing something they set out to accomplish! Find a notebook and write those goals down. It doesn't take long to do and is so valuable to you and your future plans.

How do you like your veggies? Raw, Baked, Steamed, Fried?

How do you like your veggies? Raw, Baked, Steamed, Fried?

Does it really matter how we prepare our vegetables? Do we get the same nutritional value from pan fried vegetables, steamed vegetables, and raw vegetables?

The answer is no we do not get the same nutritional value from our vegetables through these different cooking modalities. This information almost seems hidden from us as a society. Almost all vegetables with a few exceptions have the most nutritional value if we eat them raw. For most Americans eating every vegetable we consume raw would be quite boring and for some unappealing. There are fortunately other ways in which we can eat vegetables and still get nutritional value out of them. The second best way to prepare those veggies is through steaming, next baking/roasting, and finally through sautéing/frying them. The key for all of these cooking methods is to not overcook them. The more you cook the vegetables the more nutrition that is cooked out of the

The unfortunate fact is that many vegetables have lost many of their nutrients by the time they reach our kitchen counter for a meal. Due to our mass production of foods in America the time between picking the produce and getting it to the consumer has increased significantly. Many nutrients are lost from our vegetables from being exposed to air and light during this time. The longer distance the vegetable travel means the longer they have been exposed to light and the longer they have been exposed to air. The best advice is to eat as fresh of food as possible from places like farmers markets or even your own personal garden. This eliminates the long distance that your produce has to travel to reach your plate.

Another tip is to wash your veggies, but not soak them because many of the water-soluble vitamins can have a tendency to leach out. This is true for any liquid you place your veggies in from steaming them in water to sautéing them in oil. The vitamins often leach into the liquid and are discarded. For soups where that liquid is often used, not much of the nutrition is lost because they are then included back into the meal.

Set a goal! What will you change to get the most nutrition out of your meal? How will you eat your next meal of veggies to benefit you the most? Perhaps raw or slightly steamed? Maybe you will even use your weekend to visit a nearby farmers market and get fresh veggies!

http://www.myoptumhealth.com

Diet Soda is Worse than Just Regular Soda

Diet Soda is Worse than Just Regular Soda!

I feel bad for those who have been sitting around for years drinking diet soda and thinking they are doing their bodies greater justice than those “regular” soda drinkers. In fact as recent long term studies have been coming out is has been studied that those who drink diet soda regularly not only gain inches on their waist, but also have a greater chance of developing diabetes. The problem results in the fake sugar (ex: aspartame) that we put in our bodies. While this fake sugar may not have any actual calories it has been shown to be 180 times sweeter than actual sugar. There are many theories still buzzing in the air about what the problem is with diet drinks. It can be linked to other unhealthy choices, the lack of calories makes people more prone to eat more unhealthy calories, or maybe it does have a direct link and fake sugars actual mess with our system.

I encourage all readers to not trust just one or two studies because that can make one deeply misinformed and easy persuaded. But instead keep the information I provide as plausible evidence as you continue to educate yourself about what you are consuming. With that said look at the information below and consider that many things we consume have no place in our nutritional diet and could in fact be doing us more harm than good. On that note look up genetically modified foods and see how those are causing more problems then we can even identify.

The eight year study done by the University of Texas Health Science Center showed some surprising stats that suggest, but not prove the link of diet soda consumers with greater risks than regular soda consumers. This really does come as a surprise and some refuse to believe this as they have sat for years saving calories in their comforting beverage. Here are the stats:

1 can of regular soda a day showed a 32.1% increase in risk of obesity

1 can of DIET soda a day showed 54.5% increase in risk of obesity

At the end of the day we as a society need to choose healthier choices. None of us NEED soda. We consume so much as a society that we can’t escape it any where we go from the checkout at the grocery store to the airplane to even at modern day “lemonade stands” that I have seen in the neighborhood selling a can of pop for a buck. We must seek healthier choices in the drinks we consume. I am not innocent from any of the above that I have written about. In fact as a high schooler I drank a soda a day, as I entered college I thought that I would save some calories and drink diet sodas, but as I reached graduate school I had a good friend suggest that maybe I just am craving the carbonation, such that is in club soda (or rather water with carbonation). Not wanting to fall victim to the cravings of soda I eagerly tried just drinking “water with bubbles”. Much to my surprise, I no longer craved soda and now actually do not enjoy regular or diet soda (thankfully!). Drinking just carbonated water was enough to end this decade long relationship with a sugary drink that provided me with NO benefits. In fact soda has been shown to decrease bone density. Many of our children and many adults today have been showing to have significant decrease in bone density thats hasn't been seen for decades. There is some association with caffeine blocking the ability of calcium to absorb.

I urge those of you who are reading this to not feel guilty about the soda that you may drink, but instead to consider other options that are out there that can satisfy your craving. For some it may be club soda with a splash of juice and others may want to just consider beginning with limiting the amount of soda they drink in a day. As a final note I would like to mention that many people who are overweight in our country could lose easy pounds by eliminating all drinks other than water. The fancy drinks at coffee shops, sodas, energy drinks, and juice. I could write a whole blog on each one of these beverage choices that most Americans have at least one of in a day. If we limited ourselves to just water we would see a huge change in most people with energy level, health, and for some our bank account.

It is these small modifications in our life that can lead us to our optimnum health. Everyone of us can make changes to enhance our living from chnaging our food consumption, chnaging our activity level, and for some ven changing our lifestyle. Hopefully this blog brings up the issue of modification of what we consume so carelssly and help you think about starting a change.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41479869/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/daily-diet-soda-tied-higher-risk-stroke-heart-attack/#.TrcVe83NnCo

The Kidnetics Project

THE KIDNETICS PROJECT

The past six months at school there has been a group called Healthy Kids Club that has been developing. The main purpose is to bring education of exercise and nutrition to the bay area specifically to the elementary aged children. The goal is to get kids moving and thinking about healthy choices. They are given hands-on fun activities to learn about different exercise movements, along with basic nutrition. We just did our first event last night with ages from kindergarden to 3rd grade at a supportive housing organization. It was a great first event to understand how we will run the future events. The kids seemed to really enjoy having us there and hopefully will have learn a few things as well! :)

The website is below to check out The Healthy Kids Club blog!

http://kidnetics.blogspot.com/

Familial Ligament Laxity

Familial Ligament Laxity

Information collected from a CCA meeting with Dr. Fysh as the presenter

Beginning Signs:

*adjust their neck

*twist torso while seated

*crack their knuckles

The elastic fibers are so loose that minimum movements provide an audible. However, for Chiropractors these patients with FLL are difficult to adjust due to their excessive range of motion. Often times these patients are tight and sore because the flexibility of their joints allow too much opening and closing. The muscles then have to take the role of stability that the loose ligaments were suppose to provide. Due to this compensation the muscles of a person with FLL can often be very tight.

To help identify FLL the Beighton Criteria has been used to see the level of ligament laxity that an individual may have. The higher the score the higher the laxity.

Beighton Criteria (http://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk/article.asp?article=645)

1. fingers extended back to 90 degrees (2 pt)

2. bend thumb to forearm (2 pt)

3.hyperextend elbows (2 pt)

4. hyperextend knees (2 pt)

5. bend forward and touch the floor (1 pt)

The not so good effect of FLL

Finally, the GOOD out of all the negatives:

1. No stretch marks

2. Often look 10 years younger in age

3. Less wrinkles

Best activities:

1.Yoga

2.Pilates

3.Swimming

Sports that people with FLL have shown to excel with:

Examples:

1. Gymnastics (increase number of FLL cases found in this sport)

2. Swimming (butterfly has increase ROM due to ability to hyperextend elbows)

3. Golf (back swing increased due to the increase in ROM)

4. Yoga

Barefoot Running: The Good, the Bad, and the Not so Ugly Lessons Learned

Barefoot Running: The Good, the Bad, and the Not so Ugly Lessons Learned

Our Feet

These babies are essential to everything we do from sitting to standing to running to jumping to just about anything we do, you name it. Leonardo di Vinci himself called the foot," a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art." Hence why we need to get full function from our feet, but take care of them all at the same time.

So, what do our feet consist of? 28 bones (25% of the bones in our body), 33 joints, 100+ ligaments, and 20 muscles. Not sure what you may be thinking, but thats a whole lot of elements that show why foot dynamics are the talk of the town.

History

Humans were not meant to wear shoes

-Without shoes our toes were splayed out with a straight line running from our big toe to the middle of our heel. Now the line tends to go from the big toe and into thin air look at right foot in picture A.

-The picture A below demonstrates a native foot, along with a foot that has worn shoes showing the conformity of our feet. In picture B the feet demonstrate the wide base that the foot was intended to have.

-Look at ancient statues and the feet will look different than your own with greater adduction, straighter toes, and greater separation of toes.

Pic A Pic B

But now...

-The anterior portion of the foot is narrowed due to the feet confining in shoes

-The range of motion due to wearing shoes decreased in the phalangeal, tarsal, and ankle joints

How did this big change happen?

Over the years we became more and more concerned with protecting our feet. When we once placed soles on our feet to protect ourselves from heat and rocks we had no idea it would turn into shoes with shock absorbers and so much more. Shoes have added extra cushion on the heels, increased arch support, enhanced protections from pronation, and modified our motion control.

What have these modifications to the original shoe actually done? The changes in shoes have all been done with the best of intentions, but have only promoted laziness by allowing our feet to have all these "aids". Instead of having to strengthen our arches we now have an easy fix that is only masking the problem. However, with that said it is not to say that all running shoes and all shoes are bad. They have their purpose, but should not allow for our feet to be lazy.

Correct Running Posture First! Why?

It is absolutely essential to look at the posture of the patient while running. If the form is poor during running then barefoot running is not for them until their form improves! The picture below shows two different incorrect techniques that often occur during running.

Incorrect:

1. heel strike while running

2. Foot landing in front of the body

It is important especially as a clinician who may speak to their patient about barefoot running to then look at their running stride. If they pass with good form you can start on the slow progression into the five finger shoes.

Progression

One who is use to regular running shoes, SHOULD NOT go out and switch to the newest trend of barefoot running in those five toed shoes. This will result in injuries such as stress fractures, knee problems, and numerous other problems. One should go from their typical running shoes and gradually go down to shoes with less support like the nike frees. As one progresses down they should mix in their traditional shoes with their new training shoes. Then again progress down to the barefoot shoes mixing the two throughout training. FAILURE TO STEP DOWN GRADUALLY IS WHEN INJURIES OCCUR. Barefoot running does not have to have as many injuries as it currently as reported, but people are not training properly.

Typical Running Shoe

Nike Free Shoe

Barefoot Shoe

Body Signals

You know your body best! If you experience soreness after running with barefoot shoes this can be normal because you are doing a new activity and activating different muscles. If their is pain, then stop because something could be wrong and you don't want to exacerbate the problem.

When you are progressing into the barefoot shoes the process is gradual. Listen to your body and if its not time to step down then don't. If you feel like you can move on and have been training in both shoes, then try to step down.

If you or someone you know has sensory problems in their feet like neuropathy or have a foot deformity do not do barefoot running.

Strength Exercises "Prehab Exercises"

Complete each exercise 5-10 times, multiple times a day. These are easy to do while standing or sitting.

1. Spread out toes

2. Toe Curls

-scrunch up towel

-pick up a towel with toes

3. Lift up arches

-lift arch up with relaxed toes

-pull ball of foot and heel towards each other

4. Point and Flex foot

5. Roll our feet on a tennis ball every morning and night

My thoughts:

After hearing several different opinions on this "barefoot" running trend I think this is something that will be around for a while. The concept of strengthening our feet and the increased proprioception that is allowed with this new training is nothing but great. I am convinced to go out try this newest trend and see how it actually affects my running. My biggest opinion about this is that it is NOT FOR EVERYONE. I don' think a lot of people should go without the support and I also don't think a lot of people are patient enough to do a gradual step down. As I have stated above without the gradual step down there are more injuries that occur. If you have a huge interest then research it more, have someone look at your running gait, then make a plan of how you will progress down gradually. Finally, don't forget the strength exercises because these will make the step down easier, while also increasing your foot stability, providing greater form, and enhancing your performance.

To Sum it Up:

1. Get fit to run, don't run to get fit

2. Make sure you have proper posture while running

3.Work on prehab exercises for your feet

4.Step down gradually into the "barefoot" shoes

5.Listen to your body

*Much of the information in my blog was from the Perform Better Seminar presented by Mark Verstegen

The Perform Better Seminar: Awesome Experience

The Perform Better Seminar: Awesome Experience

I just got back from Long Beach, CA where I attended the Perform Better Seminar. It is predominately attended by personal trainers, but I wanted to go to learn the information on corrective exercise, stability, core work, and things of that sort. The seminar also helped me meet people that are personal trainers and helped me decide which certification I should get to help with my Chiropractic career. I am currently working towards my Certification of Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and think this will be a good starting point to understanding how to enhance performance.

However, the reason I attended the seminar was to look more at the ways I can help my future patients. I gained a better understanding the musculoskeletal system, the functional movements, and how to optimize health and performance through certain exercises. The main points I took away from the speakers was to make sure there is mobility, then into work into static and dynamic stability, then work on the core, then move onto strength and resistance. I learned so much this weekend that that last statement is only the tip of the iceberg of what I learned.

The hands on are done in a big convention center room.

My next few blogs will be divided into different topics of important and interesting topics that i learned that I want to share with those in a condensed manner who were unable to attend. I heard some incredibly new researched data, listened to incredibly motivating trainers, had some work outs that made me use muscles I've never used, did some circuits that pushed me so hard I almost vomited, and heard some fun exciting things in the fitness world. More blogs to come!