How hard is it to win an Olympic Medal? 

Most athletes will tell you it takes years of dedication and commitment. I am inspired by the story of Noelle Pikus-Pace as an example of what it takes. Her story is a prime example of how difficult it really is to become an Olympic medalist. Her story is also an example of how to win an Olympic Medal. Although she didn't win gold it is inspiring regardless. Here's some key points. 

1. Pick a Weird Sport - Personally, I think Skeleton is one of the most awesome Olympic sports.Riding a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which the rider experiences forces up to 5 g and reaches speeds over 80 mph sounds like a thrill to me! BUT it's not mainstream. How do you even get involved in skeleton? Probably not going to be able to sign up at your YMCA which eliminates much of the other athletic competition. 


2. Train hard - Okay, this is obvious. This must be extra difficult being a full time mom. Inspirational. Even if it is an AT&T commercial. 


3. Take care of your body - This is what gets someone to the Olympics, treating your body like the perfect machine it is. Noelle's facebook fan page has several comments alluding to chiropractic care and making sure she uses the team chiropractor's while she is in Russia. She also had to recover from a broken leg from a bobsled incident and a miscarriage to get to the podium. 


Chiropractic has been called the "drug-less, unfair advantage." It is a proven method to decrease healing times, reduce injuries, and optimize performance. That's why there are 6 chiropractors on the USA Olympic team. 


Happy Olympic watching! 

Buddy the Elf once wisely said, "The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear."

While we may not be singing loud for all to hear, Coastal Chiropractic has big plans to spread Christmas Cheer in Edgewater and New Smyrna Beach this year.

So, how can you spread Christmas Cheer and feel great in less than 1 hour?

1. Come to our Holiday Party December 19th (that's a Thursday) from 9 am to 1 pm

2. Get a FREE chair massage by our awesome massage therapist Rene

3. Drink Hot Cocoa and eat warm, fresh out of the oven cookies

4. Let us write out your Christmas cards for you with FREE postage

5. Win a Kindle Fire in our raffle (Ask any Team Member for details. It's easy!)

Wouldn't it be nice if you had a personal assistant to do all your Christmas shopping, decorating, and cooking this holiday season?

I've got an idea! We can help with that. This year we are doing our annual Christmas/Holiday Card station to help out our patients this busy time of year. We will provide the cards, postage, and even help you address the envelopes if you'd like!

We will be happy to answer any questions you have and help you out! Hurry up fast because the cute dog cards always go first!

Like us on Facebook for more updates and pictures!

Last week Coastal Chiropractic Clinic in Edgewater, FL finished up its annual food drive by donating over 100 pounds of non perishable food to the local food pantry.

"We are grateful for the generosity of our patients and the community to allow us to help others this holiday season," said Dr. Timothy Steflik, clinic director.

Every year in the month of November the chiropractic clinic reaches out to its patients in an effort to help the needy. They work with the United Methodist Church in Edgewater.

According to the website feedingamerica.org, 1 in 6 Americans face hunger.

• In 2012, 49.0 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 33.1 million adults and 15.9 million children. 
• In 2012, 14.5 percent of households (17.6 million households) were food insecure. 
  

Next year the Chiropractic office hopes to donate over twice that amount by getting the word out early and to as many people as possible.

"I'm too stressed!"

If you have ever felt this way, here are three scientifically proven ways to decrease stress before the holidays.





1. Eat Right
Stress levels and a proper diet are related closer than you might think. Unfortunately, it’s when we have the most work that we forget to eat well and resort to eating sugary, fatty snack foods as a pick-me-up especially when they are readily available during the holidays. Try to avoid the easy cookie on the tray and plan ahead. I like to carry a container of almonds in my car. Fruits and vegetables are always good, and fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress. A tuna sandwich anyone?

2. Exercise (Even for 60 seconds!)
Exercise doesn't necessarily mean power lifting at the gym or training for a marathon. A short walk around the office or simply standing up to stretch during a break at work can offer immediate relief in a stressful situation. Physical activity pumps up your feel-good endorphins and other natural neural chemicals that enhance your sense of well-being. Exercise also refocuses your mind on your body's movements, improving your mood and helping the day's irritations fade away. Consider walking, jogging, gardening, housecleaning, biking, swimming, weightlifting or anything else that gets you active. My 60 second exercise is sometimes a quick set of pushups or wrestling with my boys on the floor after work.

3. Count Your Blessings
There are many studies showing the benefits gratitude and happiness. They are definitely correlated. Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to count your blessings. In our house this year we made a "Thankful Tree." Instead of the leaves falling off the tree we are putting them up. Every day we add a leaf with something we are grateful for.

Some thankful leaves that made the tree this year include: Squirrels, trees, chiropractic, my bed, family, cars, mail, pjs, music, church, Jesus, toilet paper, computers, yummy food, eggs, BYU football/rugby, hugs, shoes, Christmas trees, water, trains, bikes, flowers, exercise, snakes, and sunshine.

One more thing I'm thankful for is our PATIENTS!

We have the BEST patients. They voted us best chiropractic practice in the New Smyrna/Edgewater area so I guess the feeling is mutual. They are always willing to share their positive experiences and share chiropractic with their friends.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Coastal Chiropractic Clinic was awarded the Readers choice award from the Hometown News for being the Best Doctor-Chiropractic Practice in New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater for 2013. The Hometown News polls it readers to see who is the readers top choice in multiple categories. Coastal Chiropratic Clinic was selected as the Best Chiropractic Practice in New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater. Thank you to our patients for their support and confidence. We will continue to provide top notch quality service and care to everyone that walks through our doors. Show your support by clicking on the picture above and liking us on facebook!

Like our mission statement says: Coastal Chiropractic Clinic we strive to provide
members of our community of Edgewater and Oak Hill with quality care at affordable rates. We care for every patient like they are family. We believe everyone deserves to receive specific and customized treatment that is designed for them and their case.

Our goal is to alleviate pain by correcting the cause of the problem. We want our patients to enjoy life to the fullest. To do this, we empower patients with knowledge to become active participants in their health care.

When was the last time you were in a car accident?

Answers I hear range from "never" (consider yourself very lucky) to "Big one or small one?"

According to the car insurance industry Americans on average will be involved in 3-4 accidents in their lifetime. There are 10 million car accidents of all kinds every YEAR.

Most people feel they know what do when involved in an accident, but do you know what NOT to do?

1. Call 911.
We've had patients show up directly in our office after a car accident due to the pain they are experiencing. We are glad they did,

and our doctors ALWAYS make sure to send you to the place to get the care and treatment you need. If you have been involved in an accident the first thing you should do is make sure everyone is okay AND call 911. Besides making sure you get the care you need it helps with documentation of the accident for the insurance company. As many as one in seven drivers has no car insurance. Many are skirting the system by carrying a fake or expired insurance card.

If you don't get a police report documenting your wreck, what proof do you have that it even happened? You always will have the opportunity to get an accident report. Sometimes, this helps speed up the claims process as well. Do yourself a favor and make sure you do this.

2. Don't Forget Proper Documentation
You'll need to have a consistent and accurate account of the wreck to give to law enforcement and insurance providers. You may even find yourself telling this story several times including to your doctor (if you need one).

Generally, you'll need to get the other driver's name, address, insurance company name and policy number. Make note of the make, model and color of vehicle they were driving as well. Don't forget to write down the other vehicle's license plate number, too. Were there any witnesses? If so, get their names and phone numbers. If you have a camera, take some pictures of the crash site. Those may come in handy during the claims process later on.

3. Do NOT Neglect the Aftermath

While the car wreck was probably traumatic and difficult enough, the hardest part often comes after. That's why it's important to follow up on everything that needs to be taken care of. This can sometimes include getting legal and medical advice.

First of all, were you injured in the wreck? Have you had pain or persistent health problems since it happened? If so, you need to see a doctor right away. You may also want to get in touch with a lawyer if you think you're facing big medical bills. And if another driver is threatening legal action against you, you'll probably need to get a lawyer of your own.

We are here to help. If you have been involved in an accident you need to be checked to make sure it is nothing more serious. Fortunately at Coastal Chiropractic Clinic we are specially trained to handle cases like this and  have a state of the art Digital Motion X-ray designed to detect whiplash injuries from auto accidents.

386-427-8403

You were stopped at a red light when another car hit you going 25 mph from behind. It was so sudden. Your neck whipped backward and forward violently. And now you have headaches, neck pain and stiffness that won't go away. Your doctor ordered the usual tests — X-rays CT scan, MRI— which he said came back "normal." So you went home with a prescription for muscle relaxant and pain medicine for your undiagnosed whiplash injury AND you still have no idea why you’re hurting. Weeks after your car accident, you’re still in pain.

Why your Doctor Ordered the Wrong Tests
Regular x-rays are an effective test for detecting fractures, dislocations and tumors, but they often don't pick up the soft-tissue injuries that car accidents often cause to the ligaments in the neck and shoulder areas.

If your doctor ordered an MRI and it came back negative, that doesn’t prove anything either. The MRI was negative because it primarily looks at the discs in your spinal column, not the ligaments.

Fact: Whiplash injuries that often affect the ligaments and soft tissue of the neck can’t be detected by standard x-rays or MRI scans. But they can be detected with Digital Motion X-ray (DMX) technology. The problem is, most medical doctors don’t know about this remarkable diagnostic tool. And even if they do, they probably don’t know who has the equipment.

How Digital Motion X-Ray (DMX) Uncovers Hidden Injuries
This advanced technology detects ligament injuries by taking a video of your neck in motion rather than a single picture. That’s how DMX can detect injuries that only reveal themselves when you move. Since pain increases when you move your neck, it’s only logical that your injuries should be examined “in motion.”

Get the Best Treatment for your Car Accident Whiplash Injury
Coastal Chiropractic Clinic in Edgewater, FL is the premier facility in Volusia County to provide this breakthrough technology to detect patients’ whiplash injuries from car accidents. You’ll enjoy these benefits:

• You’ll know the real reason you’re still in pain.
• Your insurance company will have documented proof of your injury to substantiate payment for the treatment you need.
• The best treatment plan for healing your injury can be determined.
• The right test, an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment plan will help you heal faster and get back to the pain-free life you had before your whiplash accident.

What does it look like? Here's a good example and a bad example.

Need Relief from a Car Accident Whiplash Injury?

386-427-8403

We are excited to announce Dr. Tiffany Kelly joined our team at Coastal Chiropractic recently. She brings excellent chiropractic skills and knowledge to the office.

So you can get to know her a little better we had her write a little about herself and how she got involved we chiropractic.

I'm a "mover and a shaker".  Yes, I've always been fascinated by movement. Growing up as a dancer and gymnast, I was constantly intrigued by human movement and function. My inquisitive mind wouldn't let me sit still. I was the tactile one who always needed to find out how things worked. I grew up as the second of four kids in a family where service came first. My parents were big believers that the best way to show gratitude for what we had was to share our generosity and our talents. At 17 years old I experienced the benefits of chiropractic care while interning for a chiropractor in MA.  I wasn't in pain, but after receiving care I began experiencing greater forms of health I didn't even know I had.  I was convinced that I would serve others by helping them unlock this unused potential through chiropractic care.  That internship lead into my freshman year of college where I found myself starting my degree as a Kinesiology Major and Neurology Minor at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. Throughout school, I wanted to take blend my academic and philanthropic passions. I created a Physical Coordination Program for post stroke victims, Parkinson’s patients and other patients with motor deficits at the Center for Balance Wellness and Mobility,and worked in the Parkinson's Rehabilitation Program. Upon graduating I immediately started my doctor of chiropractic degree at Palmer College of Chiropractic, as school I had admired since I was 18.  Palmer College of Chiropractic in Florida was a change from growing up in New England my entire life, but I immediately fell in love with the school and the community and am proud to call Florida my new home. While at Palmer I learned the most important philosophies behind how and why I practice. I learned the importance of letting the body heal itself and understanding the patient as a whole. I have modeled my methods of care on that philosophy. I want to help patients realize their physical health, emotional , mental and spiritual health. After holding several leadership positions and being a Teaching Assistant for a 6 courses, I found my passion in the clinic where I devoted countless hours.  Patient care, combined my academic mind and my passion for service.  I had spent two school breaks serving as chiropractor for underprivileged communities in the Dominican Republic with Chiromission.  Upon graduating from Palmer, I was awarded the Clinical Excellence Award.  After leaving Palmer, I felt called to continue serving the people of the Dominican Republic. I just completed an 8 month mission trip through Chiromission and now serve as a board member. I strive to meet patients where they are in their journey to wellness.  I consider it a true honor to work with people from all walks of life and encourage them along their road to healing.

I am so blessed and so excited to be part of this practice and this community, that's working towards a world of wellness.

Come get to know Dr. Kelly and schedule an appointment so we can go over your case with her together.

It's Back to School Time Again! There is excitement in the air as students head back to the classrooms.

We are getting involved as well with our annual school supplies drive. We have had AWESOME participation so far from the community and already had to drop off supplies at area schools because we don't have enough space to store it in the office!

Ask Amy or Ashley how you can get involved and help out our local schools today. In the meantime here are a couple of important reminders for all parents this school year.

1. Get your kids checked for scoliosis! Scoliosis checks are always FREE for children at Coastal Chiropractic. The sooner a potential problem is discovered the better chance you give your child.

2. Go easy on the backpacks. Some kids out there are little squirts and it's not good for their backs to carry so much weight. The American Chiropractic Association recommends  no more than 10% of the child's weight.

3. Help your child focus. How? Well, there is growing research showing the effectiveness of ADHD and chiropractic care. In our office recently we have seen similar results with patients of all ages, not just children.

Welcome back to school and give you children the best start to the new year!