Category — Wellness Stories

Our family is giving another go at gardening this year.  We are hooked on the square foot gardening (SFG) method.  Last weekend we took advantage of the few hours of sun we had on Saturday and I was able to build the boxes and, with the help of Laura and the kids, set them into our garden.  The boxes are made from four 2×6’s nailed together.

We dug out approximately 6 inches deep (putting the soil on a tarp) and leveled the beds.  We then laid down a weed block cloth and positioned the boxes on top.  We prepped the soil on the tarp by mixing it with compost, humus, and vermiculite.  Check out my home made composter made from standard Rubbermaid trashcan!

This weekend I spent a few hours to build a chicken wire cover for one of the boxes.  It should repel any of the bunny invaders that seemed to plague us last season.

Our indoor plants are growing slowly, and we are going to get them outdoor and into their new SFG home soon.  Can’t wait to see and taste fresh home-grown and sun-warmed produce!

We ended up with 3 boxes in our SFG, which should produce a sizable yield of fresh food for our family.  Working in the garden has also given Laura and I many opportunities to educate our kids.  Give it a try!

Glucosamine (glucosamine sulfate), chondroitin (chondroitin sulfate), and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) are widely used natural supplements used in the treatment of osteoarthritis (bone and joint).  They have been shown to be most helpful for knee pain, but reports have shown that they can help with all types of osteoarthritis. They are commonly used, especially in veterinary medicine, but their overall acceptance varies.

When patients ask me if they think a supplement can help them get rid of some pain, I tell them that for the best long-term outcomes, embracing a lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise is the most critical. Healthy living is the key.  Let me tell you my story…

Starting in the year 1999, I personally had serious back and neck problems that stemmed from past injuries and degenerative spinal conditions. I had serious pain, loss of motion, and muscular weakness.  It became so bad, I could barely exercise or practice chiropractic.  As the pain became chronic, I had mild depression and discovered that life became very hard.  I didn’t want to just cover up the pain, so I refused to take medications.

I received good care that included various natural therapies and chiropractic care.  Both helped, but my problems really became minimal only when I adopted a lifestyle of healthy eating and regular exercise. I started focusing on core strengthening exercises and I began to eat a whole-food plant-based diet.  Within 30 days, my pain diminished.  Through my lifestyle changes, I was finally able to gain control over my back/neck pains.  I thank God that he has designed our bodies with the ability to heal… from the inside.  This is much better than just pain relief through medications.

I don’t believe there are any real shortcuts to true health… such as glucosamine, chondroitin, or MSM supplements.   Today in my practice, in addition to chiropractic care, I offer patients coaching on exercise, nutrition, and healthy living.  Spectrum Wellness is a holistic and integrative approach to wellness.

In short… I do recommend a superfood supplement, called Intramax, that does contain glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM.  Although supplementation can be of some help, any supplement should only be an addition to a foundation of healthy living.

Don’t believe what they tell you.  There is no pill that can replace a lifestyle of healthy living.  True health can’t be found in a bottle.  Here’s the truth… you can achieve superior health through a commitment to healthy living!

Superior health depends on our environment too. We may not have that much control over the global environment, but what about locally? Have you done anything to help the environment of your township? What about your neighborhood? What about your home?

Have you ever thought about poisons found in your own home? Some very toxic ingredients are found in everyday products. Things like sprays, fingernail solutions, hair care products, mouthwash, perfumes, cosmetics, powders, medicines, polishes, drain cleaners, insecticides, antifreeze, and other household and garage products can be very dangerous.

One change our family made was to commit to using natural cleaning supplies in our home. We did this for several reasons:

1. We wanted to help reduce the risk of our own children accidentally becoming poisoned
2. To allow our children to participate in household cleaning chores without fear of poisoning
3. To reduce introducing more toxins to our environment
4. To keep our home clean, fresh, natural and non-toxic

We use natural dish cleaning products by a company called Seventh Generation. We purchase these at Wholefoods. But for everyday cleaning, we primarily use two different homemade products…

Natural All-Purpose Spray Cleaner

• 50% water
• 50% distilled white vinegar
• 15-20 drops of 100% pure essential oil

Just put in a spray bottle and use. The essential oils we usually use are lemon or peppermint.

Natural Scrub

• 1 2/3 C baking soda
• 1/2 C natural liquid soap
• 1/2 C water
• 15-20 drops of 100% pure essential oil
• 2 T distilled white vinegar

Mix in a large bowl. Add the vinegar last and then stir to eliminate the lumps. This is similar to “Soft-Scrub”, and can be used for tile, tubs, toilets and sinks. We re-use empty shampoo bottles and use a funnel to fill them up with this natural scrub. Our kids actually love to scrub away when we use peppermint oil because they think it’s like using toothpaste!

I hope you really give it a go and make these natural cleaning product recipes. I think you’ll really enjoy them. They’re simple to make, work well, and they can help keep your environment clean, fresh, natural and non-toxic.

This past weekend my family and I travelled to a little-known park called Ricketts Glen. It’s a Pennsylvania state park located in the Endless Mountain Region, which is in the Northeast part of the state just west of the Poconos. It’s well worth the three-hour drive from the Philadelphia area. We consider it to be one of the hidden treasures in Pennsylvania.

The park is located on Red Rock Mountain. The region is covered by a majestic forrest that conceals the Glens Natural Area and twenty-three beautiful waterfalls. They range in height from 11′ to 94′ high and are absolutely breathtaking. And to see them all, you’ll definitely get quite a workout. A difficult hiking trail called the “Falls Trail” calls out to you as it offers a close up view of all but one of the falls.

It was our fourth time visiting the park and we decided to “push it” a little this time since our kids were a bit older and stronger. We took the shortest route looping through the Falls Trail, which was approximately 4 miles long. We started at around 10:00 AM, and finished four and one-half hours later! Joshua, our three-year-old toughed it out until the last mile at which point he was hoisted up on to my shoulders for an easy ride home.

It’s great when exercise fits right into enjoyable activities, like hiking. While we were enjoying the wonderful surroundings, we didn’t even realize we were burning up between 300-500 calories per hour! Of course, everyone felt it the next day or two.

Later we had to prepare for our campfire by gathering and chopping wood. More exercise camouflaged as fun! After dinner, we got together with another family and organized an exciting game of “capture the flag”. We set up the field in and around the woods surrounding the cabins and used brooms as flags. More exercise in the form of running, chasing, and sneaking through the woods. Laura had even got into the fray and secretly snuck all the way into “enemy” territory unnoticed.

Rest came later as everyone sat around the campfire and shared stories of the days events. We were blessed with beautiful weather and a clear sky that gave way to a host of twinkling stars. It was our kids’ first realization that our sky is literally filled with stars from horizon to horizon. They were amazed.

The next day we “relaxed” more at the lake. Our family spent the day wrestling on the beach, playing football, and running in and out of the cold water. The day finished again with preparations for dinner and the campfire and another round of “capture the flag”.

Overall we had a full weekend. Our trip to Ricketts Glen State Park was filled with wonder, laughter, togetherness and lots of physical activity. Overall, it wasn’t the most relaxing trip… but it was good.

Yesterday at the office we received a circular advertisement for a local pizza restaurant. It was jammed into our storm door handle. The ad caught my eye, as it was an attractively designed menu with lots of full color pictures. It proudly displayed the restaurant’s wide variety of selections, ranging from “Gourmet White Pizza” to “Bacon Cheese Steaks”, and from “Cheese Fries” to “Double Cheese Burgers”.

The other thing that caught my eye was something different on the back cover. It was actually another ad placed on the back of the menu. The ad was for a medical team consisting of internists, cardiovascular specialists and cosmetic surgeons!

Right on the back of the pizza menu!

Now that’s what I call targeted marketing! I guess these doctors have it really figured out. After all, who’s going to need their services more than a bunch of pizza gluttons!

From now on you don’t need to worry about overindulging on high fat, low calorie, and disease-causing foods!

Clogged coronary arteries?… Not a problem. Unsightly riccotta-cheese thighs?… Not a problem. Stomach ulcer?… Not a problem. Just call the doctors on the back of the menu. They’ve got you covered.

Returning to the office on Monday, I was asked by my staff how my weekend was. I responded, “It stunk”. I’m usually pretty active, especially with my kids on the weekends. But not this weekend.

It began last Friday, with tiredness, fever, periodic hacking cough, and chills. It continued and worsened a little throughout the weekend, although It never got as bad as I thought. When I arrived Monday morning at the office I still wasn’t 100%, but felt well enough to manage okay.

I was asked if I took any medication to help. Did I consult a medical doctor? Did I take my temperature? Was it the flu?… A cold?… A virus?

I didn’t take any medicine, I didn’t visit a doctor, and I didn’t take my temperature. I don’t even know what I had! So how did I recover?… My body healed, naturally.

No medicine needed. No special chiropractic adjustments. No special nutritional supplements. Just the God-given power of natural healing working.

Let me explain a few simple strategies I use when I don’t feel my best.

#1) I remind myself that symptoms have a purpose. Things like fever, chills, coughing, lack of hunger are signs of a healthy body that’s fighting and needs to put it’s focus on a priority situation. I reasonably assess my situation. If it’s an emergency, I seek medical attention… if not, then I give my body the opportunity to heal naturally.

#2) I don’t try to suppress the symptoms with medications (i.e. Tylenol to lower fever). Studies show that suppressing natural body symptoms just prolongs the illness.

#3) I listen very carefully to my body. If I’m thirsty I drink water. If I’m hungry I eat… if not, then I fast. True hunger feelings will be in the throat, not in the belly or gut.

#4) If I’m truly hungry, I’ll eat and choose my foods carefully. I stick with steamed veggies, soups and fresh fruit mostly. It may be better to stick with all raw vegetarian foods, but I usually do better with them lightly cooked and in soups.

So to sum up my weekend: I rested, fasted, drank water, rested some more, and finally ate a little. By Monday night I felt nearly 100%. These strategies have been working for me since the 1987. And my wife and 4 children have been thriving on these strategies as well.

When your body is healthy, it’s quite capable of handling these seasonal-type illnesses without any outside interference. People are way too quick to grab a quick-fix pill. But health isn’t found in a bottle.

Why do people have such a hard time trusting the wonderful healing potential that’s already in each of us?

You’re awakened by the ear-piercing sound of your smoke detector. You jump out of bed and realize that your house is on fire! The blaze is already out of control and spreading. You don’t panic. You quickly gather your loved ones. You grab a few cherished things as you run for the door.

You make it out safely. You thank God. Just then you hear the sirens of the fire trucks. They arrive at your home. The firefighters courageously leap from their vehicles. They are directed by their chief and work furiously putting on gear, hooking up hoses, carrying tools, and keeping the growing crowd at a safe distance.

The firefighters begin to make good headway. They begin to get the fire under control. The smoke billows from broken windows and holes in the roof. You feel terrible thinking about all the damage to your precious home, but are grateful that your family is safe.

The team of firefighters are doing a great job. You look to the fire chief and notice he’s speaking on a cell phone. He puts down the phone and turns it off. Then suddenly the chief orders the team of firefighters to halt. To your shock he orders all the firefighters to reel in the hoses, pull down the ladders, gather their equipment and load up.

You look to your home and notice that their job hasn’t been finished. The fire isn’t out! You notice an orange glow begin to grow again from inside your damaged home.

In dismay you ask the chief to explain himself. He says, “We’re sorry, you’ve met your maximum number of firefighting visits per year. You have no coverage. We can’t help you.”

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If we witnessed this scene, we’d be outraged! We wouldn’t accept it… or would we?

Yet I see very similar scenarios frequently happening in health care all the time. People are “covered” by insurance companies that drastically limit care. There are deductibles, co-pays, visit limits, disallowed procedures and outright denials of care. Some people are abandoned when they are in the greatest need. What kinds of games are being played with peoples’ lives?

But it seems that people are finally waking up and seeing the harsh reality of what happens when we put our health and our lives into the hands of profit-seeking, corporate-controlled companies. Is this an April fool’s joke gone sour? Nope. We need to wake up to the fact that you and your family’s health is not a high priority to your insurance company. In fact, they would love it if they could have everyone in our country insured, but to never have to pay a single claim!

Something needs to change.

Many doctors, like myself, are sickened by what’s happening. Many people don’t even start care because they feel they can’t afford it. I’ve seen patients prematurely drop out of care because of insurance company limits. But why do we allow our insurance company to dictate our health and wellness? They don’t really cover wellness anyway. If you think about it, insurance companies really don’t offer “health” care… they offer “disease” care.

Are you waiting for insurance companies to change? I don’t see the scene improving anytime soon.

I think we’re all now realizing that if we want reasonable care, and especially wellness care, we’re going to need to budget for it. If you want to protect the health and wellness of you and your family, you’re going to have to make some changes. Lifestyle changes.

So, how much do you really value you and your family’s health and wellness?

Are you willing to invest in it?

Earlier this week, I was talking with Christine and Linda about our vision and our passion. After an insightful discussion we summed it up: Our passion is to help our clients get well and stay well – using natural therapeutic techniques that are safe and effective. We love the idea of promoting superior health in our community through natural therapies. We discussed just how different our approach to wellness is than the typical “Western” medical approach. To clarify our thoughts, I’d like to share the following story of a patient who visited us this month. Her story isn’t that unusual…

(I have changed the patient name to protect her privacy)

Debbie was referred in to our office by a caring family member. After she was warmly greeted by Christine and Linda, she was introduced to me. She was pleasant enough and seemed to carry herself well, but I could tell something was bothering her. After Debbie completed some health history forms I brought her into my exam room and began the interview. I looked over her forms with her and when I got to the pain/body diagram, my heart broke for her.

She literally had nearly every symptom checked and every body part circled – indicating she had pains everywhere. She indicated that her pain was a 9 out of 10 and was fairly constant. I discovered that she had been suffering from debilitating pains for over 14 years and had not been getting any better despite the numerous medications and injections she was given. She was at her wit’s end.

I began asking some hard questions. Did any of her doctors recommend chiropractic, massage or any other natural healing art?… “No.” Did any of her prior doctors advise her to a try healthier way of eating?… “No.” How was her diet? “Poor.”

Then I started the exam. Debbie was able to move fairly well during the exam and nothing really struck me as that extraordinary until I had her lie down on my exam table. I performed a detailed exam of her spine and the muscles of her back, thighs, legs, shoulders and arms. I discovered multiple areas of spinal subluxation (”stuck” spinal joints that cause nerve interference). I also found that she had multiple areas of extreme muscular tension and active trigger points (muscular “knots”) throughout her body. Some of her trigger points that were so “fired up” that when pressed they shot pain to across to other areas of her body.

I then asked her if any of her prior doctors examined her like this?… “No.” She told me she her doctors interviewed her and then she had x-rays, MRIs, and lab work. All tests revealed nothing wrong. It didn’t surprise me.  I see this type of case frequently.  I knew that all those expensive diagnostic tests don’t reveal the types of problems I found in her joints and muscles. And I found her problems (and the cause of her pains) by just using my hands. (Side note: chiropractic means “With Hands” or “Hand Practice”)

So what does traditional medicine do when they can’t find any causes?  She was prescribed medication to ease her pain. Over the years that changed to injections, and then more and more drugs. And she just didn’t think anything else could be done.

After finishing the exam, I clearly explained to Debbie what was wrong, and that I could definitely help. I provided hope. Her face lit up.

I let her know that I would accept her as a patient, and there was good hope that she would recover, but she would have to make a commitment to better health. She would have to start a program consisting of regular visits for chiropractic and massage therapy. It was also vital that she change her way of eating. She joyfully agreed. Her journey to superior health was just beginning.

This true story helped me clarify my passion as a chiropractic doctor and a natural healer. And in regards to wellness, it also revealed a very distinct difference between our approach and the typical “Western” medical approach…

We know that true health comes from within… not in a bottle.

And we don’t just cover up the symptoms with drugs… we uncover the true cause of the problem and provide natural and corrective care. How refreshing!

And in Debbie’s case… life-changing.