Creating Radiant Vitality

Will We Ever Cure Cancer?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:21:00 +0000

My heart goes out to all of those who have struggled with reclaiming their body from cancer. I have seen the stress, anxiety and heart ache within my own family. It is perhaps one of the scariest diagonises that a person could ever hear. Because of this, it is with great hope that Americans raise millions of dollars each year through walks, fundraisers and donation campaigns. We feel good about ourselves as we willingly spend a few extra dollars on every day products like pink postage stamps, pink egg slicers and pink scotch tape dispensers. But where does the money go? How is it spent?

I smile each October as I sponsor a friend for her yearly breast cancer walk, but on the inside I'm burning up. I want to be supportive of her cause, sympathetic to all she has been through. However, I find irony in the fact that Americans are donating money to find chemical cures for cancer that pharma will later patent and sell back to us to make billions.

Click this link to watch a movie trailer for a new realease which is sure to uncover the business of cancer. With such a money making machine, I have to wonder if we will ever find the cure for cancer. Perhaps the real cure isn't in powerful chemicals, radiation or surgery. Just maybe prevention is where it is at. So please multi-national corporations, don't sell me your products containing cancer causing chemicals marked with a pink ribbon, telling me that a percentage of my purchase is given to cancer research. Instead, make me a skin cream or dish cleaning detergent that won't cause me to get cancer too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QPZfcYTUaA&feature=youtu.be

Side Effects

noreply@blogger.com (Crossroads Chiropractic ~) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:51:00 +0000

Love this spoof on drug ads. Always to better to trust your innate!! Happy, healthy weekend!

The Power of Thoughts....

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jen) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:44:00 +0000

I want to share with you a story about the amazing power that thoughts and beliefs can have on health. It amazes even me when I truly think of the power in this story. This is about a man named Reggie Gold, who is in his 80's. Reggie is one of the icons within chiropractic. What I mean by this is, he is pretty much a legend in the chiropractic world, much the same as Bobby Orr is a legend in hockey. Reggie Gold is one of the "old timer" chiropractors who helped to shape the profession as the largest drugless, non surgical health care profession in the world. He not only had his own practice, adjusting thousands of families, but he also taught chiropractic philosophy at one of the chiropractic colleges and has lectured around the world for decades about the amazing healing power of our innate intelligence. He embodies everything that chiropractic stands for, constantly doing his best to help more people become healthier by staying well adjusted. He is a man that stands by his convictions; he is a man that "walks his talk".

At the beginning of January the word was put out to the chiropractic world that Reggie wasn't doing well. The message that spread via social media like wild-fire was that he wouldn't make it through the night. Reggie was in the hospital, with a possible heart and breathing problem. He had an oxygen mask on, wasn't very 'with it' and the doctor's told his wife to start making arrangements because they didn't think he'd last through the hour let alone through the night. As the word of Reggie possibly leaving us spread through the social media world, people started writing messages via email and on Facebook. They were posting that they were sending healing thoughts and prayers his way. They were sharing how he had been an inspiration to them; how much he had touched their lives. As his wife started receiving emails with all these messages of positive thoughts and prayers, she started reading them out loud to Reggie while he lay there in the hospital bed with the oxygen on. The more messages that were read to him, the stronger he became. He woke up and took the oxygen mask off himself. He told the doctors he didn't need it anymore, and that he didn't want any medical intervention at all. He had full belief that he was getting stronger and better, and that his body knew how to heal itself.

As news of his amazing recovery began to spread, more and more positive messages were emailed to Reggie. As he read each and every one of them, he became even stronger. When he was asked if he wanted anything, he requested a pastrami sandwich since he hadn't eaten in a few days! Though he wasn't given this, he did eat his first meal in two days. Of course the medical doctors were absolutely amazed that this 80-something year old was recovering so quickly. Just a few nights before they didn't think he would make it through the night. Reggie was also being adjusted, even while in the hospital. He and his wife knew that if he kept his nerve system clear of interference, his innate intelligence would do it's job at 100%. When the doctors kept wanting him to have some medical intervention, he refused, telling them he was doing this on his terms, and if it was his time to go, his innate would know it.

A few days after he was admitted to the hospital to die, Reggie was released to go home. The emails and messages were still flooding his inbox, and he was growing stronger with each one read to him. Now, about 3 weeks later, he is doing quite well and still getting stronger by the day.

I share this story with you because I want everyone to know that what you say, what you think, and what you believe truly can effect your health, and the health of others. So the next time you say something like 'my head is killing me' or 'she makes me sick', really stop to think about the power behind those words. People use them as descriptions of how bad something is, but at the same time there could be a negative effect on your health, without you even realizing it. The biggest lesson in this story to us all though is this: when you allow your innate intelligence to flow through your nerve system with no interference, there is no limit to the healing that can occur, or to the amount of health you can have. Reggie is still teaching us all about the amazing power within our own bodies; and he is showing us how to fully trust in it.

Stay well-adjusted,

Dr Jen

Who Do You Trust?

noreply@blogger.com (grahamdc) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

I want to ask you a very serious question....when it comes to your health and the health of your loved ones, who do you trust? What I mean is this: what information, input, and actions do you allow to affect you health? Where does this information come from? Why do we do certain things? If you stop and think about, for the majority of Americans the choices we make about our health are primarily cultural. They are so ingrained us that we don't think about them anymore. They are so ingrained in the collective psyche that we don't even question them. The issue is we have allowed this zeitgeist to deaden our true instincts and as a culture have marched our way to one of THE MOST UNHEALTHY SOCIETIES IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. We spend twice money on our health as much as any other nation, we take the vast majority of drugs in the world, yet according to the World Health Organization we are ranked 37th in the world in health. Start thinking cost to benefit ratio and its pretty horrifying. We are overfed, yet undernourished. We are more hygienic with all of our antibacterial junk, yet taking more antibiotics. We are toxic from chemicals, food, and stress. We over medicate and under meditate. Perhaps, our biggest transgression is that we have allowed the hum of the information age to drown out the voice within that teaches us better. Our own inborn wisdom, our inborn healer, our Innate Intelligence. We live in a media saturated culture. The noise around us is so thick and constant that the streamline of info and junk that is flowing around us seems almost infinite. The problem is almost all of this information is useless, wrong, or a lie. Start checking the sources, follow the money trail. We have let the culture dictate our lives enough and it is time to step away from that and choose a better future for ourselves and our families.

What this ultimately means is that we have to start trusting ourselves instead of our culture. We have to learn to trust our God given Innate Intelligence. Chiropractic uses the term Innate Intelligence as a proper name to describe that auto-pilot system in you that runs and organizes everything within you. The example we always use: you don't tell your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe, or your ears to hear. What does that for you? This organization that happens perfectly and effortlessly by our own bodies is your Innate. Go further, you don't tell a cut to heal or a broken bone to heal....and no doctor or medicine can do that for you either....it is only by your own internal healing mechanism.....your Innate.

So why are we so sick? I'm glad you asked. In my humble opinion it is because our cultural health process works against Innate, damages Innate, or simply doesn't trust Innate. Listen, we work against and damage Innate by pouring in crap food and toxic medicines. Make no mistake medicines are: all toxic, all of the time. All processed food is toxic. It is a testament to Innate that we are still standing after years of fast food and ibuprofen. We don't trust Innate by overlooking the protective mechanisms of the body. We kill a fever with meds, versus understanding it is brought on INTENTIONALLY by the body to kill a foreign invader. Thus, we've turned off our natural defenses and now allow the foreign invader to freelance in and damage us. Another example: we get a muscle spasm in our low back and take a pain killer and a muscle relaxer. The pain was there to warn you like a check engine light and the spasm was there to stabilize the damaged area. Artificially, take away these "symptoms" and then head out to your day....now feeling no pain and being spasm free we think we are "fixed", in reality we have killed our information system that was limiting us and the area is still broken, just forced into a drugged silence. Without these limits we do too much and then inflict REAL, ACTUAL DAMAGE to the area. The "symptoms" weren't symptoms but safety measures. What about immunity? We kill our immune system by never allowing it to work. We wipe ourselves in antibacterial goo (that puts on and leaves chloroform, a carcinogen by the way) and wipe out all the germs on our hands. In the long run, this prevents the body from ever forming immunity to bacterias and we actually weaken ourselves long term, effectively making us MORE susceptible to illness. So many new modern conveniences....so easy and available. Unfortunately, like most instances in life, the quick , cheap, and easy is usually not quick, cheap, or easy in the long run.

So now what? What do we do? Being one of the most fat, sick, and unhealthy nations in the world is clearly not working for us. It's time to step away from the "easy" and to start making real decisions. We have to eat for fuel. We have to move and exercise. We have to cultivate joy. Stress less, meditate more. We have to trust the process of Innate in our body: pain and other "symptoms" aren't to be turned off, but taken as wisdom. We have to maintain the function of Innate in our bodies. We have to step away from the TV and start looking for real answers. The beautiful thing is this: you can do this. You can create real change in your life and by doing this your family's life. You can be the positive, the different, the bold, the better, you can be all you were meant to be. It's simply a matter of trusting the inborn wisdom which God put in you instead of the wisdom of man and the Today Show.

When we adjust you, please know it is not to remove pain, but help the flow of Innate Intelligence that is housed in your nervous system. We listen to pain complaints, because they are information. They are not the primary goal, though. The primary goal is to allow the Innate to work perfectly in you. When the spine is subluxated to puts pressure on nerves and blocks the movement of Innate. We adjust a subluxation to remove this interference and allow the Innate to work fully and accomplish whatever it needs to within you. You are the healer and the the doctor. We simply try to help your body get out of its own way. Your body is the best doctor ever, in command of countless processes and a huge pharmacy of chemicals and hormones that run the body. Allow Innate to work within you fully and correctly and your processes normalize and problems heal as well as possible. It's amazing what happens when you trust your body and are patient with your body. The time is now. I encourage all of you to make the leap and trust your Innate, try it....all you have to lose is illness, unhappiness, and poor health.

Wishing you true health, Dr. Graham, chiropractor

Our Declaration

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:08:00 +0000

As the New Year descends upon us once again, the Crossroads Team and I are making a declaration. (DRUM ROLL PLEASE...) After much thought and consideration, we have named 2012 "The Year of Innate."

The word "innate" means inborn or natural. The term "innate intelligence" is a chiropractic term coined by the father of chiropractic, D.D. Palmer. It is such a profound concept, that we want each practice member and every reader, listener and facebook friend to appreciate their own God-given innate intelligence this year. This inborn wisdom truly is a gift.

One way to look at Innate Intelligence is as if it were our AUTOPILOT. Can you imagine what would happen if we were left to consciously co-ordinate the trillions of cellular functions happening on a day to day basis? I would surely fail. (Or as my twelve year would say, that would be an “epic fail.”) Within the first minute of being consciously responsible for my entire body, I’m sure I would forget to either blink, have my heart beat, digest my food or worse yet, breathe. Without my inner autopilot, I would also be responsible for consciously directing all of the healing in my body. My first paper cut would be disastrous! I might bleed to death. It takes twelve steps just to clot blood, and although I learned the “clotting cascade” in biochemistry class a decade ago, I know it would escape me in such an emergency circumstance as a bleeding paper cut. Whew, I’m stressed just THINKING about the responsibility innate intelligence has!

Lucky for me (and you), INNATE is on the job. For every living moment we spend here on earth, our own innate intelligence is organizing, maintaining and healing our body. Innate always acts to preserve our body, and never causes things to go wrong in our body. To me, it is like a piece of the divine spirit inside us.
One fact remains though, and that is that innate intelligence is at our mercy. We have free will to make choices that are either working to make innate’s job easier or more difficult. For example, our inner healer has to play clean up when we pollute our body with crappy food, cigarettes or drugs (prescription or non-prescription). Innate must deal with the impact the stress of our day has on our physical and emotional states. It also has to repair damage to our spine for all of the years we have spent subluxated and out of alignment. (In another blog you will surely learn about how being subluxated actually interferes with your innate intelligence… but I’ll save that for a different day.)

So, with New Year’s Day already gone, don’t waste another minute. Examine your lifestyle choices and pick one or two to clean up this year. Your innate will thank you for it. Of course, if you need some guidance on those lifestyle changes, we are here for you! The 21 day whole body food cleanse will be starting in 2 weeks. We have great workshops coming on nourishing your body, exercising and stretching and how to live right for your genes. Check our website for dates and details.

In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to take a moment and give thanks for your innate intelligence, the beautiful wisdom that lies within. It makes it all happen, perfectly, every day you are on the planet. Yay to that.

A Season of Miracles

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jen) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:34:00 +0000

Have you ever stopped to realize how many wonderful things truly do happen during the Christmas Holiday Season? I remember during my childhood while watching different holiday movies, the themes of the movies always referenced "Christmas Miracles". As a small child, I just thought this was something that happened only in the movies I saw. As I grew older, I came to realize that these miracles of the holiday season didn't just occur on film, but they happened in real everyday life.

I learned that a "miracle" could be anything from a loved being home for Christmas unexpectedly, to a food bank bursting at the seams from all the wonderful donations, to a small child waking up to gifts to unwrap after thinking they would have nothing. This year it's been absolutely amazing and heartwarming to me to read and hear of all the wonderful miracles happening around us. I've read about countless stories where anonymous people have paid off other families layaway bills so they could have gifts to put under the tree. I've seen first hand in our office how wonderful people are with donating food to those who are struggling to put a meal on the table. I've been watching some wonderful tear-jerking videos of families re-united when Moms and Dads are returning from serving our country. I've also heard first-hand from Veterans about anonymous people paying for their meal or just simply shaking their hand, thanking them for their service. All these acts of kindness and gratitude are really what miracles are about, at least in my mind.

Ever since I've come to know chiropractic and understand that it's about removing interference to our nerve system so our innate life-force can flow freely, I've realized that we are all capable of miracles ourselves. Some of you may be asking right now, What do you mean? How are we all capable of miracles? It's simple really; by staying well adjusted, and making sure your nerve system is free of interference, your body can heal itself. I absolutely love how simple and powerful chiropractic really is!

Let me share a few of the miracles that I've seen happen in our practice over the past few months. We've seen a gentleman in his older years, who first came to us using a cane to walk, now no longer needs the cane AND has also been told he doesn't need his cholesterol medication anymore. How awesome is that?!?! Recently we've seen a little boy, who has been adjusted since birth, suddenly have a bout with torticollis; (which is the twisting of the neck to one side from muscle spasms, resulting in a tilted head). After three adjustments his head straightened out and he said it was so nice to see everything straight again. Isn't it amazing how fast the body heals when we let it?! Another awesome story to share is a woman who has told us a few months ago that she has been able to come off of two of her four medications she had been taking for rheumatoid arthritis. She has been getting adjusted for a few years, and knew that every adjustment helps her nerve system function better therefore helping her whole body function better. We've also see quite a few practice members with scoliosis see improvements in the curvatures in their spine. One woman who is in her early 50's, saw a 6 degree improvement in the curves of her spine. This is amazing because if you ask a lot of other doctors if someone in their 50's would see improvement, most of the time the answer would be no. Chiropractic never ceases to amaze me!!

As you celebrate the holidays, and marvel at the miracles you see and hear happening around you, do not forget that you are a miracle yourself. You possess within you an innate inborn power that controls your entire being, and when this power is un-obstructed and flowing freely, you are capable of anything!

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, Holiday Season!

Dr. Jen

Breathe Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:30:00 +0000

After more than eleven years in practice, I have noticed a trend. I can't explain it, but it happens. It seems that multiple practice members will present on the same day or in the same week with similar problems. For example, one week it may be the "hot-low-back week," a few unrelated grown men near tears after lifting or twisting. Another week it is stressed-out women with migraines, the next, babies with constipation. Chiropractic of course helps everyone, all conditions and ages. Adjustments allow the innate intelligence within the body to flow freely, and then it seems healing just happens.

Recently, I have been keeping an eye on two precious little girls with similar health issues. You may recognize Savannah and her sweet smile from our office. She has been a practice member for a couple months now. Savannah was diagnosed with asthma at about 9 months old and was later told she has allergies too. Savannah's mom came to us for help because she wanted a better way to help her now four year old daughter...without medication. I checked her spine and we began giving Savannah gentle adjustments with our specialized Thompson tables. Then her body did what it was supposed to. The nerve flow was restored to her lungs, and healing happened. Can you believe that just two months into chiropractic care, Mom reported that Savannah was off two of her medications! She wrote us: "For the first time in a long time she can breathe. She got a cold and it only lasted a day instead of 2-3 weeks like before. She's off two of her medications and she seems happier!" Did I mention how much I love chiropractic?

The other little girl is Biyonca, a beautiful little blonde girl with captivating eyes. She came to us because the doctors didn't know what else to do for her. They were out of medications. The truth? They had tried all they drugs they could, well at least until she turned four. (Once she is four, they have a whole bunch more they can legally prescribe.) So needless to day, Biyonca's mom came to Crossroads for a different approach. I am hoping her mother writes us a testimonial soon. After beginning chiropractic care, Biyonca didn't have any asthma attacks. The real test came last week when Biyonca came down with a cold and a cough. This was the kind of cold that would usually land her in the hospital. On Tuesday we had a call from Biyonca's mom that the cough and wheezing were flaring up. Mom and Dad were both sure that the night would be another spent in the ER. But our Sharyn told them to come in for "an extra adjustment" to give Biyonca's little body a boost. Biyonca got adjusted faithfully on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that week... and never went to the hospital! In fact, she only used her rescue inhaler on two days that week. If you knew the full history of this little girl, you would know that this was small miracle for Biyonca. Did I mention yet that I love chiropractic?

Well, I am looking forward to see what this week holds, who knows what healing trends will take place! In my unpredictable world, one thing remains constant. Chiropractic adjustments remove subluxations and allow the body to heal itself. A simple, beautiful truth.

Wishing you a holiday season of joy, happiness and subluxation-free health,

Dr. Stephanie

Your Holiday Survival Guide

noreply@blogger.com (grahamdc) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Ah the holidays.....the happiest time of year. The most joyful time of year. Everything is wonderful and full of excitement....presents, lights, trees, cookies, etc. Everything is amazing.....except when it isn't. You know what I mean, right? On paper the season looks good, but most of us go through in a stupor of anxiety, pressure, stress, debt, and junk food. Add up those factors with the frustration of feeling those factors and you have yourself in line to be a first class mess. Have you ever found yourself there? The only thing being stretched tighter than your belt line during the holidays is your budget of both time and money. Doing too much with too little will always lead to your breakdown.

Now have I painted a wonderful picture of the season for you? Are you feeling even more down now? I'm sorry for that, but have no fear. My purpose today is not to stress you further, but to tell you it is not too late to make this season different. Your chiropractic fairy godmother....er, godfather (now channeling Marlon Brando) is here to give you a holiday survival guide based on one very powerful gift: the word "no".

Now you may know this word, but do you really know it. Are you using it? If not, prepare to be empowered. During the holidays you will be asked to eat too much, spend too much, and do too much. Now I know you will want to do all of these or more truthfully feel obligated to do all of these but you don't have too. Asked to be involved in planning a party that you don't want to be involved in? Try it....."no". Feels good, right? Want thirds on dessert? "No". But Mommy I want more presents! "No". See feels really good!

The point is this: the holidays are about friends, family, and faith. Keep it this way. We let all the external junk overwhelm us and we lose our way. The instead of enjoying the family and having a great holiday, we hit January 1 just trying to breathe and maybe even happy the holidays are done. I don't want this for you. Instead try this: choose the few key event/activities that are important to you and the rest get a "no" or set a budget for your spending and after that "no". It really is easy but you have to be focused on it. When you begin to choose the things that are important to you and saying "no" to the extra heightened demands of the season you are left with the time and sanity to truly enjoy the holiday.

The last thing I will say to you in terms of holiday survival is to not let your health slip. If you want to enjoy your season you have to feel well and be well. Now, saying "no" to the extra stuff will help this because you will be less stressed overall. Still, remember to budget time to stay healthy. Time to sleep, time to exercise and rest. Time to keep you adjustment schedule. Nerve flow and the the intelligence of the body functioning well are even more important when you are trying to fit a lot in to your life and schedule. As for the holiday weight gain that seems to come and hamper health, I think it is crazy to think that you won't eat any treats at all, but the key it to not be crazy. I say eat what you want ON Thanksgiving and Christmas, not FROM Thanksgiving to Christmas. Make sense? Two bad days won't destroy you, but a bad month will.

So there it is. It is a little counter intuitive, but in the season of giving I'm asking you to think of you. This isn't a matter of selfishness, but of reality. A overstretched, stressed out you doesn't help you or your loved ones, but a focused, healthy, rested you can truly love and enjoy those around you! Wishing you and yours a blessed holiday!

Health to you from above-down, inside-out, Dr. Graham, chiropractor

Gratitude in our High Tech World

noreply@blogger.com (Crossroads Chiropractic ~) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:16:00 +0000

When Dr. Stephanie asked me to write about gratitude over the Thanksgiving weekend it was an obvious choice of topic. Which is why it is puzzling to me that I've sat here staring at a blinking cursor for a ridiculous amount of time.

Maybe it's the post turkey haze...

Maybe it's the fact that I've had the first relaxing weekend that I can remember in at least 2 months and I'm not quite ready to start with the higher brain function yet...

But I think part of it is that I don't want to write the same thoughts on gratitude that we've all heard.

A study from the University of California has shown that people who practice grateful thinking reap emotional, physical and interpersonal benefits. People who regularly keep a gratitude journal report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future. They have concluded that gratitude is a choice.

It's easy to be thankful on Thanksgiving. We are lucky to have a day set aside to give thanks, to spend time with our loved ones, and to express gratitude for all that we have.

So how can we make this choice part of our every day lives? Especially as the busy holiday season descends on us, how can we keep a grateful heart?

Why not embrace the technology that has permeated our lives? I found an article on Yahoo listing the top gratitude apps. I'd never thought of that before but now, after reading about these I can't decide which one I want to download first!! These three are for iPhone but I'm sure there are some available for android too. The point is that they're out there so go find them!!

Gratitude Journal

Exactly as the name implies, you can make your daily entry and rate your day, list the things you're grateful for and even attach a picture. When you've posted your entry, you get rewarded with an inspirational quote.

Live Happy

from the official site:

Live Happy is a positive psychology iPhone app developed by Signal Patterns' SP Labs research team together with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of the book The How of Happiness and professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside

If you want your gratitude to be more social this is the app for you, it allows you to share your grateful thoughts and positive feelings with the rest of the world. I don't know about you but there are times when the negativity of facebook is more than I can take. This sounds like a welcome change. You can even follow the worldwide stream of thankful thoughts either via the mobile app or online by searching Twitter for the #LiveHappy hashtag.

Gratitude Stream

also from the Live Happy folks, here's the scoop from the official site:

Gratitude Stream is a global "stream" of good thoughts and thanks. Expressing gratitude is a scientifically-proven method of boosting your short and long term happiness. (Even Oprah promotes keeping a gratitude journal!)

You can join the Gratitude Stream through our free Gratitude Stream iPhone app or via the Online Gratitude Stream right here. Join in and spread the cheer or simply enjoy and let the 'stream' wash over you.

Whether you decide to use one of these apps or good ole' pen and paper, choose gratitude. Choose it today and every day. You'll be glad you did.

"In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy." —Albert Clarke

Wishing you a grateful and happy heart,
Kathleen :)

Being a Girl Isn't Simple

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:30:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who attended our first Women's Workshop last night. I have to admit, it was an eye opener doing my research for this one. You see, I've always turned a blind eye to the ingredient label on my cosmetics. For years I have spent on organic food, whole food vitamins and non-toxic house cleaning agents. But truth be told, I had chosen to put the white light around what I have been using on my skin, until now.

You might be surprised, but being a "girlie girl" is at times a genetic need for me. (Really.) I love clothes, things that sparkle and shoes that aren't chiropractic endorsed. With girl status also comes hair products, make-up and smelly lotions made from I-don't-want-to-know-what. The scent, the colors, the cute packaging... I might be compared to a kid in a candy store at the cosmetics counter. But at age 34, my innate, the little voice inside my head, was telling me that I couldn't ignore the facts any longer.

According to the Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/) a woman uses an average of 12 personal care products per day. Shampoo, toothpaste, shaving cream, cosmetics, deodorant, lip balm, sunscreen... the list goes on. The frightening part, the FDA does not require health studies or pre-market studies. The EWG states that "Nearly 90 percent of the 10,500 ingredients FDA has determined are used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR, the FDA, or any other publicly accountable institution."

The concern for what we put on our skin should not be minimized. Our skin is our largest organ and does absorb to varying degrees what we put on it. Toxins that are absorbed can accumulate in the body and pose real health threats.

As a chiropractor, I am concerned about our toxic exposure because it stresses our spine and nervous system. TOXINS, along with STRESS and TRAUMAS, can create SUBLUXATIONS (vertebral misalignments) in our spines. Subluxations are a silent stressor on our bodies, often causing no outward symptoms. These misaligned vertebrae compromise our nervous system and the function of our internal organs. Subluxations interefere with our immune systems, and cause a state of dis-ease within our bodies.

As a Mom, I am concerned that my daughters will accumulate even more toxic crap in their bodies than I have. The EWG published that many children's products were among the 22% of all personal care products may be contaminated with the cancer-causing impurity 1,4-dioxane.

Still not convinced?

61% of tested lipstick brands contain residues of lead (CSC 2007).

"Studies find health problems in people exposed to common fragrance and sunscreen ingredients, including elevated risk for sperm damage, feminization of the male reproductive system, and low birth weight in girls" (Duty et al. 2003, Hauser et al. 2007, Swan et al. 2005, Wolff et al. 2008).

"Biomonitoring studies have found cosmetics ingredients – like phthalate plasticizers, paraben preservatives, the pesticide triclosan, synthetic musks, and sunscreens – as common pollutants in men, women and children. Many of these chemicals are potential hormone disruptors" (Gray et al. 1986, Schreurs et al. 2004, Gomez et al. 2005, Veldhoen et al. 2006).

"More than 500 products sold in the U.S. contain ingredients banned in cosmetics in Japan, Canada or the European Union" (EWG 2007b).

At our Women's Workshop, Erika (Norwex) and Trieste (Ava Anderson) shared their product lines with us. I'm excited for my new finds to come in the mail next week. My favorite? The non-toxic lip gloss for my twelve year old. Not only do I keep her spine well-adjusted, but I now am making sure she isn't licking lead off her pretty lips!

Until next time, be beautiful the non-toxic way,
Dr. Stephanie :)

Innate Can't Wait

noreply@blogger.com (grahamdc) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:33:00 +0000

Why do you get adjusted? What made you decide to make chiropractic a part of your lifestyle? Most people have some misconceptions regarding chiropractic. Culture as a whole sees chiropractors as "back doctors". I hope you understand this to be false. If you don't allow me to explain. You see we are only tied to the back inasmuch as it is the medium we work with to cause change within the nervous system (ie: brain and spinal column).

Most chiropractic offices are symptomatic in nature, this makes sense in that our culture as a whole is symptom based in health care (more like sick care). These offices function much like a medical office, but with a natural twist. They want to adjust you to cover pain symptoms and that's it. Now, trust me there is great value in symptoms going away. I want that for everyone. However, that was never the original intention of chiropractic and it is not the intention of our offices. Why is that? Because if we only adjust to help you "feel better" we rob you of what you could truly get from chiropractic: full fledged optimal health and fullness of vitality.

See symptom relief is just that. It goes no deeper, concerns itself with nothing else. If you feel well, then heck you must be well. This is a falsehood. This is garbage. Feeling well is great, but it is not an indication of health. For example, you don't typically feel heart disease until you have a heart attack. Symptom managements goal is to live well enough to just not hurt. Believe me you are better then that and you deserve more then that. You deserve more than to be pain free, you deserve to have all that your potential has locked in you. You deserve to have that released!

So then what is the real big picture of chiropractic? It is this: in everything in the world there is Universal Intelligence (now to me this is God, but some people call it mother nature, or the universe, etc. This is your call.) . Universal Intelligence is that invisible, unknowable thing that gives our world order and organization. Universal Intelligence when expressed in humans is called Innate Intelligence. Innate is the auto pilot system that runs every function of our body (ie: you are not telling your heart to beat, it happens for you). Innate is present at conception and leaves at death. Innate is housed in you master system: the nervous system. It orchestrates all actions and functions of the body. We adjust the spine because subluxations (misalignment) of the spine can alter negatively how the nerves and spinal column function and thus limit Innate. Meaning that when you have a subluxation, your body no longer functions correctly. Now can getting adjusted make symptoms or problems go away? Sort of. What I mean is that when Innate works there is no limits to the healing you can have! We adjust you to remove subluxations, let Innate do its work and then your body takes care of the rest. Can you see why we don't adjust you for symptoms? If we did that we would be robbing you of the possibilities within your Innate healing! Innate in you is bigger than a backache; lack of Innate flow in the body affects you physically, emotionally, spiritually. Innate functions A.D.I.O.....above-down, inside-out. Meaning from God/Universal Intelligence (above), to man (down), from within the spine (inside), out to the rest of your body and the world (out). Now you are certainly welcome to get adjusted for you headache to go away, but always remember the bigger truth that in doing so you are missing out on the potential of that adjustment: the unimpeded flow of Innate Intelligence perfectly organizing everything within you.

As I sit and prattle on, it occurs to me the best thing I could do is let someone more eloquent tell you what Innate is. B.J. Palmer was the developer of chiropractic and a philosopher. I had a colleague tell me some of his writings were on Harvard's philosophy curriculum....and he only wrote about chiropractic. Cool, right? So here is what he said:

"The master maker of the human body did not create you and then run off and leave you masterless. He stayed on the job as Innate, as the Fellow Within, as nerve transmission controlling every function of life, as Spirit from Above-Down, Inside-Out, expressing, creating, exploring, directing you in every field and phase of experience so that your home is truly the world and the world is your home."

Wishing you life from above-down, inside-out, Dr. Graham, chiropractor

Confessions from a Cleanse...

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jen) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:09:00 +0000

Majority of people these days have at least heard of someone doing a cleanse diet. Typically this is changing what one eats from anywhere between 7 days to at times 21 days, depending on which particular cleanse one is doing. The basic idea behind doing a cleanse is to give your body and digestive system a rest from the heavier foods we tend to eat and to help your body detoxify from some bad things we tend to put in it, such as sugars, caffeine, processed wheats, grains, flours, and hydrogenated oils just to name a few. I have done quite a few different cleanses over the past few years, from drinking a certain concoction for 3 days while not eating anything to eating fruits, veggies, and lean proteins as well as supplementing for a 21 day period. Now anyone who knows me, knows full well that I like my chocolate and my morning cup of coffee (and at times my mid-day cup). I also really really like bread and pasta. So for me, any type of cleanse can be quite challenging to say the least.

Over the past 6 months or so, I have changed my diet pretty drastically. In a search for what works best for me (and I'll confess, to try and lose a little weight and try to cleanse my body out without committing to full cleanse), I have gone from eating a regular diet of meats, veggies, fruits, grains and some dairy to being completely vegan; which means absolutely no meat, dairy or anything made from animal products (like no use of butter, cream, etc). To say this switch was a challenge is a little of an understatement. I will say that I did learn of vast amounts of wonderful dishes that I had no idea existed. Being vegan definitely broadened my idea of good food, as well as broadening my taste buds. In the beginning I noticed changes in how I felt; I didn't feel as sluggish, or bloated, and I had more energy. However, after about 2-3 months, I felt I was just 'missing something' from my diet, I felt like I needed more of a boost to keep my energy levels up (which I know sounds weird since in the beginning I felt I had more). So, I confess, I went back to eating meat. And using some dairy. And searching for my next answer. That's when I decided to do a 21 Day Cleanse. I've done it before, and been successful, so it should be easy, right?? Ha!

For those that don't know, this particular cleanse has you eat only veggies and fruits for the first 7 days, and you take quite a few supplements, including a shake at least 3 times a day. That's it. No morning coffee, no sugary anything, no meat, no bread or bagel or muffin. I was doing okay, until about day 3. My energy level was crashing, and crashing. My coworkers were saying I looked washed out and paler than usual. Let's face it, I felt like taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon adjusting shifts! I was determined though, to see the 21 days out, to do the cleanse the right way. Well....on day 8, after 2 people asking me if I felt okay (because I looked really, really pale and tired even though I had slept 9 hours) I decided to add the lean protein back in; I ate some chicken. I can honestly say, I have never felt my body respond to something so quickly! Within 30 minutes of eating the chicken, my energy level rose, I didn't feel in a fog anymore and some say I was less cranky (I guess I had become cranky at some point between day 2 and day 8). Yes, I realized at this point that my body needs protein. No matter what my mind wants, my body needs to have a decent amount of protein to function well.

The reason I'm sharing this story with everyone is pretty simple. In my search for 'the perfect way to eat' it became apparent to me that it's not complicated. Majority of the time now, my diet is made up of meats, vegetables and fruits. At times, I will have some bread or grains, and I do allow myself a cup of coffee a day. And yes, I will allow myself something to satisfy that sweet tooth of mine, but it's usually just a small amount. I recall one of my high school track coaches always telling us "Your body is like a temple, only put in it what is good". Since I have changed my eating style so drastically in a pretty short time period, I have come to realize how I feel after eating certain things, or too much of certain things. These days I do my best to only eat the things I know will make me feel good and most of all help my body to function its best.

Try a cleanse at some point, it will give your body a chance to heal from some poor food choices and help you to start eating healthier. And when you go grocery shopping, the biggest thing you can do for yourself is to buy most of your food from the perimeter of the store (which is where the veggies, fruits and meats are) and stay away from the processed boxed food in the aisles. Remember that saying from an old commercial on television, "You are what you eat, from your head down to your feet"--well it's true!! So eat well, my friends, it's one spoke on your wheel wellness!

In Health and Wellness,

Dr. Jen

I Think Therefore I Am

noreply@blogger.com (grahamdc) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:36:00 +0000

I think, therefore I am.....we all are familiar with that quote. It's Rene Descartes (1596-1650), the French philosopher, also known as the "Father of Modern Philosophy". Descartes was dealing with a more existential problem and literally meant that even if you were unsure of all things existing, you know you have to exist, because....well, you think, you are, you exist. While this is all well and good, Descartes' famous cogito could certainly have an entirely different meaning to a modern person that he didn't intend, but has great value. This is what I mean: the way you think and the thoughts you have determine who you are. So as you think, so you will be. So at the risk of committing philosophical sacrilege: I think this way, therefore I am this way.

This is the reason you may hear Dr. Stephanie say "no stinkn' thinkn'". Bad thoughts hurt you emotionally,physically, and spiritually. Want to be well? Then think well. The author Joyce Meyer in her 1995 bestseller "Battlefield of the Mind" borrows a phrase from the Bible on this topic: a tree is known by its fruit. She applies this to our thought lives by stating, "Thoughts bear fruit. Think good thoughts, and your the fruit of your life will be good. Think bad thoughts, and the fruit of your life will be bad."

Now, I'm not proposing that a negative person will only have negative experiences or the a positive person will only have smooth sailing. However, when the good comes a negative person rarely enjoys it and when the bad comes a positive person knows how to roll with it. We can all experience the exact same things, but our outlook shapes how they fit with our lives. Furthermore, I believe their is some truth in the idea that the inner life our mind creates for us has a tendency to become our reality. Your thoughts are quite powerful.

This of course is all easier said then done (like so much of life). Start small and things will change in time. If you only change one thing in this area here is my advice: gratitude. German theologian Meister Eckhart (1260-1327) said, "if the only prayer you ever say in your whole life was "thank you", then that would suffice". Being thankful instantly changes how you see the world. There is even research in this idea: in a 2003 breakthrough Dr. Robert Emmons and Michael E. McCullough did a study and found that there subjects that performed a gratitude exercise had better physical and emotional well being, better mood, and less illness symptoms then the control group. The exercise they performed: simply writing down things they are grateful for in there lives. With simply writing these things in your lives you have the power to dramatically effect your health. Also, don't ever say you have nothing to be thankful for, besides being damagingly negative, it's also untrue. If you woke up this morning be thankful for your breath. If you ate something or drank clean water be thankful. Even at our worse there is still much to be grateful for.

The power to get well and stay well is, like always, in the hands of the best doctor you will ever meet: you. Change the way you think and see the world and be prepared for the world itself to change around you. Be thankful in all things, at all times, no matter what and be prepared for a revolution. It all starts in your ability to simply.....think well.

-Dr. Graham, chiropractor

Move Well

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:30:00 +0000

Hello from Texas!
I have been sitting in an awesome chiropractic conference for three days. Being with like-minded chiropractors feeds my soul and mind, but ironically it hurts my spine!

Did you know that sitting causes twice as much compressive force on your spine as standing? The twelve hours each day I have spent sitting on my you-know-what has put a pain in my you-know-where! (I'm still recovering from that darn back injury last month!)

Luckliy I am surounded with great chiropractics to give my spine healing adjustments. But unfortunately, those healing adjustments don't last long when you go right back to sitting. Which brings me to my question for you... How many hours per day do you sit?

It seems more and more Americans have sedentary jobs, and the majority do not make the effort to exercise daily. It shocks me to read that 24% of Americans get NO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY at all. And what's more surprising is that a whopping 70% do not undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. Who is left? I am hoping that each one of you reading this is in the 6% that exercises daily. If not, here are some reasons to get up, get out and MOVE:)

Walking or hiking less than 20min per week was associated with twice the risk of pancreatic cancer compared with greater than 4 hours per week. (Booth et al.)

Lack of exercising increases risk of melanomas 56% in men and 72% in women as found by Shors et al.

Sedentary lifestyle is associated with lower cognitive skills and an increased risk of cognitive impairment like Alzheimer Disease (Booth et al.)

If you want to live, if you really want to live a long happy life you alsolutely HAVE TO move! Exercise not only feeds our cells on the physiological level, but also on the emotional level. If you are feeling a bit down or just feeling tired, a walk can be your best pick-me-up.

October is "Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well Month" at Crossroads Chiropractic. Join us for our Move Well Workshop, a yoga class or pilates. Grab the recipe of the week or challenge yourself to walk farther than Sharyn our front desk manager (and boy, she walks A LOT). And if you're really bold, you can try to be perkier and more optimisitic than yours truly! Participate not for us, but for yourself!

In love and health,

Dr. Stephanie

Sharing "The Truth"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jen) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:48:00 +0000

I've had a bazillion ideas flow through my head as I've been thinking of what to write for my blog post this week, so I apologize in advance if this one seems a little all over the place. (I'm not even sure if a bazillion is a real numerical factor, but you get the point!). For those of you that are practice members in our Crossroads locations, you are quite aware that we have been celebrating "I 'heart' Chiropractic" Month this September because it's the birth month of chiropractic. 116 years ago, a new idea about our health was born; chiropractic shook the very foundations of the healthcare field as it "grew up" through-out the years. Many of you may not know that early Chiropractors went to jail, being accused of practicing medicine without a license. Lawsuits were flung between the two professions along with a lot of slander and non-truths. In the end, it was found that chiropractic is separate and distinct from the medical profession; Thank Goodness!!

The idea of the two paradigms are vastly different; the medical paradigm seeks to fix the broken part or symptom while the chiropractic paradigm seeks to allow more life to flow by removing interference in the nerve system. Your nerve system is your life force; it's the very thing that keeps you alive, without nerve-flow, you can die instantly. If your nerve flow is interfered with, you could be dying a slow death and not even know it so to speak. If there is interference in your nerve system, your organs are not functioning at their best, your energy isn't at it's best and your immune system is weakened. Now I'm not saying that if you're under chiropractic care you are immune from all problems; remember are bodies are extremely complex-you need to put the right food in, get the right amount of exercise, stay as positive as possible, etc. However, what I am saying is that if you make sure your nerve system is flowing as freely as it can, then you have a greater chance of your body functioning as best it can. In this day and age, we have so much thrown at us via tv, internet, billboards, etc that give us the message our bodies are broken and need this pill or that one to fix it. Our bodies are wonderful, healing creations; we just tend to forget how absolutely amazing our own bodies can be. Chiropractic keeps you connected to your life-force; it's not about pain, so if you hear me saythings such as "Your Power is turned on", or "Now you have more Life flowing through you", that's what I'm talking about-you truly do have better nerve flow, which is your life-force flowing through you. I want to share something that B.J Palmer (the developer of chiropractic) wrote many many years ago:

The Truth

"We chiropractors work with the subtle substance of the soul. We release the prisoned impulse, the tiny rivulet of force, that emanates from the mind and flows over the nerves to the cells, and stirs them into life. We deal with the magic power that transforms a common food into living, loving, thinking clay; that robes the earth with beauty, and hues and scents the flowers with the glory of the air.

In the dim, dark, distant long ago, when the sun first bowed to the morning start, this power spoke and there was life; it quickened the slime of the sea and the dust of the earth and drove the cell to union with its fellows in countless living forms. Through aeons of time it finned the fish and winged the bird and fanged the beast. Endlessly it worked, evolving its form until it produced the crowning glory of them all. With tireless energy it blows the bubble of each individual life and then silently, relentlessly dissolves the form, and aborbs the spirit into itselft again.

And yet you ask, "Can Chiropractic cure appendicitis or the flu?" Have you more faith in a knife or a spoonful of medicine than in the power that animates the living world?"

-B.J. Palmer, D.C, Ph.C.

Remember to believe in your own wondrous power within, and to keep it connected and flowing by being under chiropractic care and getting adjusted regularly. Yes, chiropractic is different than the mainstream view on health, but it's our uniqueness that has helped many a person live a more fulfilling life. It's why I love what I do, and why my work is not a four letter word to me. I'll leave you with the quote from the top: "Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul." -Walt Whitman

In Health and Life,

Dr. Jen

Kryptonite

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:44:00 +0000

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's SUPERMAN! The super hero in the red and blue suit, squiggle of a curl on his forehead and those big muscles. He was weakened by only one thing, kryptonite. That glowing, gleaming green crystal robbed him of his strength every time. Today you may have kryptonite in your very own spine... and perhaps be totally unaware.

An epidemic of spinal kryptonite is sweeping the nation. Poor posture, texting, lack of sleep, stress and chronic illness has stricken the masses. People everywhere are turing to toxic drugs as a "quick fix", but it is to no avail. These poor victims, they don't know the facts. Kryptonite weakens your spine. It causes biomechanical stress, leading to decay and arthritis in your joints. It stresses your discs and predisposes you to disc bulges and herniations. Spinal kryptonite weakens your nerve system and prevents your brain from communiating with your body. Once kryptonite is present, organ functions like your digestive system start to faulter. Your immune system weakens and you find it hard to fight off colds. Tell your neighbors, tell your friends. Beware of spinal kryptonite! It is a silent killer. Get checked before it is too late.

Tell everyone that friendly super hero chiropractors are standing by, waiting to serve. Subluxation, your spinal kryptonite can only be removed by the trained hands of a principled chiropractor. Once you've found your super-chiro, be sure to stop in each week for your kryptonite check-up.

You never want to leave kyptonite in your spine too long... the effects are tragic.

Surviving Fall with Chiropractic

noreply@blogger.com (Crossroads Chiropractic ~) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:24:00 +0000

Fall always seems to be a busy season. Whether you have kids of the 'back to school' age or not, the transition to this time of year inevitably brings added stress. My husband's commute is shorter and traffic considerably lighter during the summer. Some how during the warm, 'lazy' days of summer, life moves at a slower pace. But summer is over. As of 5:05 this Friday morning, fall is here.

This year has brought extra chaos for me. Two kids in soccer, dance, back and forth to two different schools... I know that I am not alone in feeling that I am going in a thousand different directions at the same time. While there is something to be said for simplifying, I'll save that for a different blog on a different day! While there is beauty in the idea of simplicity there is also the necessity of managing the reality which may be anything but simple. So how do you manage? How do you keep track of 2, 3, 4 kids? How do you plan healthy meals? How do you make sure that everyone is where they need to be, when they need to be and that you don't show up in your pajamas?

Everyone has their own ways for managing their schedules. For me, I've got a secret weapon. It's a secret weapon that I want to share with you, that I want us to share with the world!!

The number one thing that I do to make fall (and the entire year, actually) easier for my family - We get adjusted. We make the time in our week to make sure that our bodies are able to keep up with our busy schedules. My kids are blessed to have been getting adjusted since they were born. Now, at 3 and 7, they know when they need to be adjusted. I can tell you from our personal experiences that regular adjustments keep us healthy and happy.

I came across a piece of research which just reinforces my belief that staying well adjusted is integral to keeping you and your family ahead of whatever a busy life may throw at you:

Research performed by Taylor and Murphy demonstrated that chiropractic adjustments enhanced sensorimotor integration, the body's ability to sense where it is in space and effectively coordinate complex movement patterns. This improves function in both the brain and the body. Improved spatial intelligence translates into better physical and mental balance, coordination, and mobility. (1),(2)

The site that I found the research on summed up the article with the following line: Chiropractic adjustments make you think and move with better speed, skill, and finesse.

I don't know about you but I could use a little finesse this fall and all year long!

Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy, and well adjusted fall!
Kathleen :)

(1)Taylor H, Murphy B. Cervical Spine Manipulation Alters Sensorimotor Integration: A Somatosensory evoked potential study. Clin Neurophysiol; 2007;118:391-402
(2)Taylor, H, Murphy B. Altered Sensorimotor Integration with Cervical Spine Manipulation. J Manipulative Physiol Ther; 2008;31:115-126

http://www.alpineclinicofchiropract...

Lakeside is 1 year old!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (grahamdc) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:35:00 +0000

Time always moves so fast....well, unless you are watching a bad movie or sitting in a long meeting.....but generally, time flies. It was this time last year that we were putting the finishing touches on our new office in Meredith: Crossroads Chiropractic Lakeside. We had a number of people commuting from the Lakes region down to our Pembroke office, so Dr. Stephanie had the inspiration and desire to bring philosophical corrective chiropractic to their location and into the lives of their friends and families. The grand opening of the Lakeside office was September 18th, 2011. The grand opening went off without a hitch and it has been a fun, fast ride ever since.

I feel like Meredith and the surrounding communities were filled with people who were interested in their health and looking for answers in a natural, non-surgical and drug less manner. The people there were very welcoming. It is a beautiful place for the second Crossroads office to call home. The phones rang immediately and we began to meet and care for many new practice members, for many this would be their first experience with chiropractic.

Many came seeking help for the classic reasons: pain. Pain in the back, headaches, leg and arm numbness, etc. There were also people seeking answers for things that many don't associate with chiropractic, but you all know can be helped by it: heart arrhythmia, ADHD, allergies, constipation, tinnitus, to name a few. We began to see great healing in our office, knowing full well it has very little to do with the chiropractor and much to do with the body's own amazing healing capacity when the innate intelligence or autopilot that is housed in your nervous system works correctly through an adjustment to a subluxated vertebrae. It never ceases to be an amazing thing to see the ability our bodies have to heal and adapt.

Overall, it has been a fun year. We grew as an office and added a new team member, named Lauren, to run our desk in Meredith. We began writing a monthly column for the Weirs Times, discussing taking back our health and really owning it as individuals. My family and I moved to Meredith to be closer to the new office and part of our new community. The most exciting and best part of the year, however, was seeing many new people experience a better quality of life, through natural chiropractic care. None of this would be possible without all of you. Our practice members in Pembroke and now in Meredith fuel us and encourage us. We are constantly thankful to be a part of your lives. Personally, I'm thankful to get to be a part of the Crossroads team and at the point of our Meredith office. Dr. Stephanie and the whole team makes it very easy to have fun and be successful at work. As do our families who love and support our offices as much as we do.

Keep up the great work, all of you. Your health is in your hands. Continue to make the best possible choices for your health and each step of the way and we will do our best to bring you the best in healthcare choice: a drug less, non-surgical, corrective option.

This Saturday, September 17th from 11am-2pm we will be having a 1 year anniversary open house at our Lakeside office with treats, games, and free chair massage. We invite all of you to come and celebrate, not just a great first year, but the healing power of each of us possess in our innate intelligence. We hope to see you all there! It's been a fun ride so far and God willing, this will be the first of many anniversary invites we give you! Thanks again we really, truly appreciate all of you!

In Health, Dr. Graham, chiropractor

In Bed

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:34:00 +0000

Ahhh, the emptiness that is the ceiling. That has been my view for five days now. Flat out on my back in bed. If I rolled over, I would scream in pain. I couldn’t even walk the ten steps to the bathroom without someone carrying me. Most people would have been moved by ambulance to the hospital for examination and treatment with steroids, pain killers and muscle relaxants. Of course the drugs would be followed by physical therapy. If lucky, that person would feel good enough in two or three months to go on with normal routines from there. (However, there are numerous people who aren’t better after that and become the recipients of steroid injections, nerve deadening procedures and/or disc surgery with or without spinal fusion with rods. Eeek…)

But I am not most people. I am a chiropractor. A principled chiropractor. I know my body is capable of self-healing. Pain is feedback from the body. I admit that relentless low back pain is unbearable. However it is NOT so unbearable that I will resort to advil, painkillers or medicine of any kind. I have been drug free (prescription and over the counter) since 1999, and this will not break my record! Call me crazy, but I am doing this differently.

So here I lie, on ice. I leave my bed for the restroom and to get adjusted each day. During first few days I thought that I wasn’t improving at all, but those around me could see the changes happening. Gradually I was bearing more weight, shuffling my feet quicker towards the toilet and rolling over with more ease. (By the way, I couldn’t even sit to pee!) Thank goodness day five is here and I can now feel the healing that my body has been so diligently performing on my behalf.

“But wait” you say, “Dr. Stephanie you are a CHIRPRACTOR! That’s ironic! How can this happen? How can such a thing happen to a back expert?”

This could be a long story, although I will do my best to keep it brief, because you see it is rarely ever just one thing that causes such a situation. It is not the box you picked up when your back went out. On the contrary, it is the weeks, months or years leading up to that event. I vacationed with my kids for nine days in August. We spent the daytime at Orlando theme parks and the evenings dressed in high heels. (The rollercoaster rides can do a number on your spine, as can heels.) The following week I was bent extra awkwardly over my adjusting tables due to a broken knob. On one of my lunch breaks that week I spent a stressful hour or so in court with my ex-husband. The next day I went on water bumper cars, waterslides, sat with my nine year old on my lap at the drive-in theatre and slept in a hotel bed. The final straw, I stood barefoot at the helm of a powerboat (without my heel lift) driving my kids on the rough waters of Lake Winnipesaukee, where they tubed for five hours. The pounding of the waves finished off my spine. While I didn’t feel it immediately, my back began stiffening and by dinner time I walked like an old lady. So that’s it. Not one thing, but many led to this episode. Although I had three or four wellness adjustment during the month of August, looking back now I realize that with all of my activities I needed a few extras!

In the words of D.D. and B.J. Palmer, the founder and developer of chiropractic, THOTS, TRAUMAS AND TOXINS are the causes of spinal misalignments called subluxations. I had the emotional stress (thots), the traumas (multiple microtraumas) and the toxins… yes I admit I was eating crappy yummy food that I would not normally partake in while vacationing. Shhh… please don’t tell anyone!

The lesson from my story? Life causes subluxations. It is the little things in our day (sitting at the computer, jumping off the swings, emotionally stressful situations) that make our wellness visits important. Have a chiropractor for your family and stay well adjusted! And when life is extra challenging, get extra adjustments. And if you do have a crisis, keep the faith. Your handy-dandy chiropractor and your amazing self-healing body will persevere. No drugs necessary.

P.S. I expect to be almost as good as new by day seven. Thanks to my chiropractor and the inborn wisdom of my body:)

Half Hour to Health - Jeff Phillips, LMT

noreply@blogger.com (Crossroads Chiropractic ~) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:56:00 +0000

Listen as Dr. Stephanie talks to Jeff Phillips, LMT

Part 1

Part 2

Let Your Light Shine

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jen) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:38:00 +0000

This past weekend my Husband and I had the chance to step away from our busy lives for a little bit and slow down a little by going on an overnight backpacking trip up in the White Mountains. I love hiking and sleeping in the woods for many reasons, some of them being it gives me a chance to truly slow down a little, appreciate all the beauty that's around us all the time, re-connect with the powers of the universe and the biggest one: to be with my own thoughts.

While hiking over an open summit above 4000 feet early in the morning, the sun shining it's soft morning glow down on us, and the only sounds being the winds gusting around as the clouds rose sleepily out of the valleys, I marveled at the amazement of life around us. In that moment, while taking in the views all around me, these teeny tiny plants in the alpine zone caught my attention; it amazed me that life could exist on this mountain-top, and not only exist, but thrive through some of the most adverse weather conditions around. These plants, thought not big by any means (they just cover the ground topping out at about 1 inch or so tall) were glowing in the sunshine exuding all the beauty they had. These small plants were not playing small by any means, they were covering this mountain-top and showing up big time.

This got me thinking (without going into detail about how my brain works) about how we as people tend to not "show-up" all the time; we tend to play small and not let our beauty shine. At times we don't even acknowledge our own beauty; it's as if we are disconnected from it. It was in that moment, on top of the mountain in the early morning light, that I remembered a quote I heard while in chiropractic school. This quote struck such a deep chord with me the first time I heard it, and still does to this day. Let me share it with you now...

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Marianne Williamson

I challenge you all to begin letting your own beauty and light shine, to not think of yourself as small or inadequate. Do whatever it is that connects you back to your light, and liberates you from your fears. Just like those tiny alpine plants, you are all amazing and beautiful; let the world see it!

Health, love and light,

-Dr. Jen

Shedding Pounds

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:11:00 +0000

I had a chance to interview our awesome Pembroke location front desk and Chiropractic Technologist, Sharyn. She has had a major change in her life. Some of you have noticed. I have even heard a few women asking what her secret is. Read on to find out.

Dr. Stephanie: Sharyn, you’re clothes are falling off of you… what’s going on?
Sharyn: I’ve lost 53 pounds!
Dr. Stephanie: What started your weight loss?
Sharyn: I had an issue with diverticulitis at the end of January. It was horrific. I made major dietary changes to help my body heal.
Dr. Stephanie: What are you eating? What are you NOT eating?
Sharyn: I eat chicken, turkey, eggs, vegetables, and wraps with nut butters (but not peanut butter). I don’t eat any sugar, bread (other than the wraps), and NO dairy (except for the butter I put on my vegetables.)
Dr. Stephanie: Was this like a typical diet for you, or did you see this as a lifestyle change?
Sharyn: Since the diverticulitis, I see it as a lifestyle change. I’m never going back to that again.
Dr. Stephanie: Did you “cheat” at all on unapproved, unhealthy foods?
Sharyn: Only once in a while I had a few non-dairy chocolate chips. Thanks to Dr. Graham… I didn’t know non-diary chocolate chips even existed!
Dr. Stephanie: How do you FEEL?
Sharyn: A lot better! More energy! I exercise more and I’m not out of breath.
Dr. Stephanie: What changes have you seen in your health?
Sharyn: I had my cholesterol checked recently and my triglycerides used to be in the 300’s and now they are down to 99!
Dr. Stephanie: Do you miss anything? Do you feel deprived? What is your mind set now?
Sharyn: No, I don’t. I want to continue to eat this way. And I don’t have any intestinal issues anymore, so I’m NOT going to go back to dairy!
Dr. Stephanie: Are you happy? What’s your next goal?
Sharyn: I am happy! My goal is to lose ten more pounds.
Dr. Stephanie: What is your advice to our blog readers?
Sharyn: If I can do it, anyone can! Pick one thing and cut it out. Don’t try to change everything at once. Or another good idea is to start with the cleanse. On the cleanse, once you get past the first few days you don’t crave anything anymore.
Dr. Stephanie: My last question… the team and I have noticed your clothed getting crazy big on you. Soon your belts won’t even hold up your pants… when do you plan to buy new pants?
Sharyn: I actually ordered some the other day!

Congratulations Sharyn on your positive eating changes! Over 70% of American deaths are from chronic disease. These are LIFESTYLE DISEASES. Heart disease, diabetes, even cancers are caused by poor eating choices and lack of exercise. Make a change for the better in your life, and start today. Go for a daily walk or jog, stop eating refined sugars and carbohydrates, give up dairy or quit smoking. You choose. It's your life, it's your choice. Wishing you health, happiness and abundant love.

- Dr. Stephanie

Acquiring Vitamin D through your...eyes?

noreply@blogger.com (Denise Ingrando, DC) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:57:00 +0000

During the few short months of summer we experience here in New England we all do our best to get outside, enjoy the beautiful weather and “obtain our vitamin D”. With all the research out there showing the benefits of vitamin D on bone health, enhancing mood, preventing sickness, preventing tooth decay, optimizing hormone levels, and preventing cancer we could all benefit from getting a little sun on our bodies. However did you know that getting a little sun in your eyes can actually be just as beneficial?

After recently reading an article in an older edition of the popular family wellness magazine “Pathways”, I came across a write-up that addressed the importance of light, specifically full spectrum light, on the eyes. Full spectrum light is defined as light that includes a balance of wavelengths from all colors of the visible spectrum including ultraviolet and infrared. Although this form of light (aka “natural light”) is most commonly recognized as benefiting health when it strikes the skin, the same is also true when it strikes the eyes and plays a vital role in body chemistry. According to two researchers, German Ophthalmologist Fritz Hollwich, MD as well as John Ott, Hon. D. Sci, the array of bodily organs and systems that depend on full spectrum light is astounding. “When the eyes are exposed to natural light the pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, pancreas, liver, and kidneys all function better.” In fact, when studies were performed using full spectrum florescent lights vs. cool-white light bulbs (which allows strong yellow light but is deficient in most other wavelengths and contains no ultraviolet or infrared light) it was shown that “the development of the male sex organs was only one-fifth as great in hamsters under the cool-white light as compared to hamsters under full spectrum light”. This is primarily due to the lack of vitamin D (which is naturally made in the body when exposed to sunlight) necessary to synthesize Testosterone, a steroid hormone. Also interesting was another hamster study in which those hamsters without enough direct sunlight through the eyes, more particularly through the retina of the eye, had sleep disorders. Since the hypothalamus was not stimulated due to lack of light, the pituitary and pineal glands could not be influenced to make proper body chemicals and this caused a disruption in the animal’s diurnal rhythms affecting proper sleep. These same effects can be seen in people who are always indoors. A third and final study the “Pathways” article touched upon was one involving children. It mentioned that children under full spectrum lights in school had fewer cavities in their newly formed permanent teeth, whereas ten times as many children under cool-white bulbs had new cavities. This study was also confirmed using hamsters and showed that hamsters placed under cool-white bulbs 12 hours per day for 15 weeks had 5 times more cavities and 10 times greater tooth loss than hamsters placed under a more natural full spectrum light. This again demonstrates the importance of vitamin D on bone health.

What all this great research seems to suggest is that natural aka full spectrum light (which contains ultraviolet and infrared light) is necessary for increasing and maintaining health despite the popular belief that these particular light rays are damaging. In fact, in our society today, especially during the heat of summer, we do everything possible to avoid these rays- whether it is slathering toxic sunscreen on the largest organ of our body (our skin) or blocking our eyes with the newest and most effective UV light blocking sunglasses- all in an attempt to avoid what we have been brought up to fear- poor eye site and blistering sunburns leading to cancer. Unfortunately, by doing these things we are actually being counter-productive to our bodies and purposely avoiding a means to good health because of the bad name UV rays have been given. In fact, the article mentions that there has never been any research showing the health benefits of blocking UV light to the eyes yet it is impossible to find sunglasses that don’t block this type of ray. In conclusion, the article recommends either getting outside for 20-60 minutes without wearing glasses, or functioning under full spectrum lighting indoors rather then cool-white lighting. Also if you are unable to do either, the article further recommends that Vitamin D can be acquired through supplementation of distilled Cod Liver Oil which is high in vitamins A and D but has all the heavy metals removed or to check with your naturopathic physician. Of course, getting adjusted regularly can help your body function better and allow all your hormones and body systems to work at 100% to make its own vitamin D when you are exposed to the ideal environment/light. I thought this was an interesting article to share especially during these beautiful sun-lit days of summer and figured it may cause you to re-evaluate and perhaps question some of your everyday practices. Wishing you a wonderful remainder of this awesome season and better health every day.
Dr. Denise Ingrando :)

Blog based on interpretation of the article "Why Light Matters" by Colleen Huber, NMD. Published in the December 2008 issue #20 of Pathways Magazine

Time to be a Hero

noreply@blogger.com (grahamdc) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:10:00 +0000

If we take a look at the world around us, it is quite easy to become overwhelmed by the problems and issues taking place: poverty, joblessness, the environment, crime, health, etc. In fact, I think we often become so bogged down by the vastness of our world's plight that the protective mechanism of our souls conclude there is only one answer: inactivity. Ostrich syndrome....you know, head in the sand type of reaction. I get this. I mean I do the exact same thing. We do this, because it is simple and easy and frankly, we are most comfortable being a little selfish. No judgement....I'm pointing the finger at myself too.

The problem of this reaction is two-fold: 1) the world gets worse because nothing changes and 2) we get worse because we knowingly forfeit our soul for convenience and faux ignorance. Both consequences are grave....one melts us down from the outside, the other from the inside. So what are we to do? All the problems are big, so the answers must be big too....right? Well, I'm not so sure. I believe the real healing can be found in this concept: simplicity.

I mean it really is this simple. We can change our lives and the world around us for the better by focusing on simplicity. I mean it may not be the cure all or the perfect answer....but it is an answer and a positive one at that. So I'd say versus being ostriches, that's pretty good.

So how do we apply this: at every turn, at every choice ask ourselves how can I make this more minimal, more simple and thus strike a blow at all that is evil and making the world a better place to in. Okay, so that may be over the top, but you get it.

Let's try it: Do you have more than a few coats, sweaters, pairs of shoes, etc?.....Minimize and donate them to others less blessed.

Do you have a pantry of non-perishables that you will never touch?.....Clear space because the food pantry will take them.

Worried about personal finance?.....Cut cable and get a library card; free some cash and your mind.

Health concerns?.....follow the brilliant Michael Pollan's (The Omnivore's Dilemma is a fantastic book) advice: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Furthermore, go for a walk. Get adjusted!

Is the environment on your mind?....Sourced from bikesmakelifebetter.com: "if everyone who lives within five miles of their workplace left their car at home just one day a week and cycled to work, nearly five million tons of global warming pollution would be saved every year - like taking about a million cars off the road." Environmental Defense Fund.

That fact is, these are just starter ideas and you can probably think of a ton more. But by simply doing the above ideas, you would save money, be healthier, improve the environment, provide food and clothing for others....so would improve your life and the lives of those around you. You would be a hero, so what are we waiting for? Let's get simple and get creating the world that we want and need.

Wishing you health above-down, inside-out, Graham

Healing Update

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Stephanie) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 01:17:00 +0000

If you're reading this, you likely have an appreciation for the beautiful healing of which our bodies are capable. There is an intelligence, a piece of the divine, that animates each of us. It is that spirit, that breath of life which animates us, that we call "innate". Innate Intelligence coordinates and runs our body, and expresses itself through the nervous system. Your nerve system is AMAZING... it conducts electrical signals to all of the organs in your body. It controls EVERY function of the body.

Your skull and vertebrae were designed to protect this very delicate nerve tissue. But sometimes stress, fatigue, or injuries can cause the vertebrae to slip out of place, putting pressure on the nerves. This pressure or stress can interrupt the vital flow of electrical impulses headed for the body. The result? Lack of coordination and dysfunction of body systems.

Chiropractors don't have a button to push for migraines, nor is there a button for attention deficit disorder or digestive problems. Yet, often when people get adjusted, they report improvements in symptoms that seemingly would not be related to the spine, like neck and back pain.

I want to update you on just a few of the things we have heard and seen in last week. One mother and her young son had stopped taking their allergy medications since starting chiropractic care, and they have been feeling GREAT! In the past year, mom only had to take something for a total of three days during the worst of allergy season! Awesome, right? The icing on the cake - they save about $300 per month now!

We also had an older woman who had her one year re-xray taken last week. When analyzing it, we saw that a bone spur (osteophyte) had become smaller! While this is a rare occurrence, it is an awesome testimony to the body's ability to hear and repair once a stressor is removed.

Perhaps my favorite "win" last week... Deb checked in at the desk for her adjustment and announced that she had given up all DIET sodas! (If you don't know just how toxic diet artificial sweeteners are, check out Dr. Mercola's website for some eye opening info!) Congrats to Deb, you have made a conscious effort to not only get adjusted, but also to LIVE the chiropractic lifestyle!

I expect more healings this week, and every week after. Because that is the way it is supposed to be. God didn't create junk, he created perfection. Take good care of your body, live well, choose right and be well adjusted:)

In love and health,
Dr. Stephanie