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! 

"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!

What do you plan to accomplish in 2013?
So, it's been a month in the new year and what have you done so far? You only have 11 more months to reach your goals for the year!

I spent the good part of the first month of the year asking our patients what they would like to achieve in the upcoming year. From my unofficial results of my poll I found that either: 1) many people have no plan or

I have a terrible weakness. I love chocolate. I have a hard time saying no to chocolate. I try to justify my guilt by finding research about the health benefits of chocolate. click here  

I know I shouldn't eat the amount of chocolate I do. Fortunately I've found a substitute that will change me forever. Raw brownies! I have to give credit to my friend Aaron who introduced me a couple weeks ago. I've been hooked ever since. If you google "raw brownie recipes" there are a bunch and I'm still experimenting with which I like best.

The best way to improve our health is through small changes that will last. Starting a diet does no good if you don't stick with it. Make lasting changes by changing small habits. I eat healthier brownies now. Small change, but it will have a lasting impact on me and my family. Drinking more water is another simple change we can all apply to our lives. Drinking more water has incredible health benefits. Click here to see some.  How do you make those changes?

One step at a time. Here are some more tips to help with your healthy habit changes. What will you change to improve your health? Exercise? Diet? Mental stress? You decide!

__
ob·sta·cle/ˈäbstəkəl/Noun:A thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.

    Saturday was a day of overcoming obstacles. I participated in a "mud run" with my brother and a friend currently in chiropractic school. This mud run was about 4 miles and filled with obstacles like climbing over an 8 foot wall, 20 foot drops into a lake, monkey bars over mud pits, crawling through mud under barb wire, and lots of other creative fun ideas the race directors came up with. Each obstacle was a challenge to overcome. At the finish line I was tired, but the feeling of accomplishment was great. Why would running through cow pastures and overcoming obstacles (the race is called FL Running Obstacle Course) feel so great?

    It feels great because it was difficult. Most things in life are difficult. It feels so GOOD when we accomplish them!

Every calamity is to be overcome by endurance.
- Virgil

    This quote refers to the patience often necessary to reach those goals. With most patients in the office we start out with goals to decrease pain, improve function, and achieve optimum wellness. It doesn't happen overnight. When it does happen, we celebrate.

    We are here to help you overcome your obstacles andachieve your goals, whatever they are. Here is a link to a great article on how chiropractic can help with weight loss goals.

p.s. On a side note I did pretty good finishing 5th overall in the race and first in my age group!