It's another year! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011! Woo Hoo, I say - it's that collective consciouness time about regrouping, renewing and moving forward in happier, healthier ways. I hope you had a good start to the New Year. I spent 1-1-11 by the beach and intercoastal waterway 2 hours east of here, and it was a gorgeous day.

The past year has had it's share of the good, the bad, and the ugly for so many - yet from what I can tell, there's still a lot of resilience out there and folks seem to want to hold on to hope and good attitude. That said, it's taken effort for many, and there's been a lot of stress floating about. And we all know that stress has been considered a major factor in the quality of our health and wellness. And stress comes in many forms. Of course, whatever we can do to relieve it's damaging effects is well worth it.

So... a few helpful reminders today. Breathing is always at the top of the list! Of course we breathe automatically, but take some full breaths, focus on the simple healing power that breath can provide. Ancient and modern alike can agree on this one. Think Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Yoga... helping to balance your chi energy... and think breathing provides more oxygen to the cells and is brain food! Simple fix - breathe a bit more intentionally and fully during the day.

Speaking of brain food... there's a perfect segue into another stress reducer - food choices! Syndrome X is the name given to that pre-diabetic state that most Americans think 'not me!' but consider this - high sugar, high fat, soda, processed food, fast food... the list goes on... nutrient deficient and actually stealing nutrients and putting us at a nutrient deficit. Why care? Your body renews itself and without the building blocks the foundations are weak, the systems don't function well, we eventually have 'dis - ease', and then can develop disease....  An ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure...  And, obesity is a national problem for young and old alike. The choices made in our too-busy, too-tired lives stress our systems, wreak havoc with our organs and our hormones, age us prematurely, affect our stamina, our immune system, our sleep... and ultimately our attitude and happiness. Yikes. Simple fix - change one or two things a week. Drink more water and less soda. Eat your fresh fruits and vegetables (your mother was right! *smile*). Less fried, sauteed and more broiled and baked... Baby steps. Simple fix - change a few food choices.

And then there's exercise. Exercise is considered a major factor in staying young - which means in so many words functional and structural  abillities are humming, and we can feel good doing so much more... so... Get Up and Move! Simple fix. Need I say more on moving? Well, yes...

Moving with good posture and fluidity is more effective and helps your internal self in a multitude of subtle and not so subtle ways, and it looks better for those of you who want to look more beautiful/handsome and more positive/confident... so stand tall, sit tall (and breathe well doing it! *smile*). Simple fix - good posture...

Except... sorry to say, but we all know... it's harder to have good posture and move fluidly when your joints hurt or you are subluxated or you are arthritic or have old injuries from years ago that decide to say "Hey, remember me?" one day when you least expect it. So... Get Adjusted! Come in for a that overdue tune up. Your body deserves it. And, you can't replace parts like in your car, so preserve and protect! Another Simple fix... see us for a Chiropractic Adjustment!

We can help at Chiropractic Plus. We can help you find home care strategies and suggest other places and services and classes that can assist you in creating a happier, healthier 2011! We enjoy seeing the positive results from our care... and you will, too!! 

Wishing you and yours a Fantastic Year!

All my best,

Dr. Diane