Courtesy of akeg

Does your thumb hurt?

Then you may have a “painful thumb”.

Yes, that’s the medical diagnosis ….

Why I Hate “Arthritis”

I’m sitting at breakfast as I watch a woman grab and massage her thumb in pain.

Being always curious, I ask her what’s wrong.

“My thumb arthritis is acting up.”

I think to myself “Oh is it?”

A few treatments later, her pain is miraculously (and sarcastically) less.

If her pain were truely caused by “arthritis” which I define as “bone smashing into bone” pain, her pain would have lessened a small amount or not at all.

But in her case, there was a noticeable, 30% reduction in symptoms only after three visits.

Because my treatments don’t address the “arthritis” or shape of the bones at all, the diagnosis is mostly wrong.

The Most Common Musculoskeletal Condition in the Body

Adhesion (or “scar tissue” when caused by trauma) is rampant.

An adhesion is a think bundle of connective tissue caused by two processes:

1. trauma.
2. repetitive contraction most often caused by overuse.

In regard to #2 from above, you might imagine where all of the texting with our thumbs is going to lead the 300,000,000 people in America and the rest of those around the world.

Adhesion is problematic for a few reasons:

1. It causes tightness and restricts range of motion.
2. It causes weakness within the muscle (or other tissue) that it is present by not being able to handle the muscle’s work and thus, underworking.
3. It causes weakness in synergistic (muscles that do the same motion) muscles by overloading them and thus, overworking.

With adhesion causing much of the tightness and weakness around the world and a lack of practitioners able to diagnose and treat the problematic tissue, we all might wonder why the most common musculoskeletal condition in the body is actually the least commonly diagnosed.

The Answer To Your “Painful Thumb”

Too many people complain about their fixable medical conditions without getting results from them for me not to address these problems.  The truth is that all of these are (mostly) fixeable:

• thumb pain
• plantar fasciosis
• achilles tendonosis
• medical epicondylosis
• lateral epicondylosis
• wrist pain
• big toe pain (otherwise known as “painful big toe” or “arthritic big toe” if you must)

And there are more.

Please realize that just because your pain has not been fixed before does not mean there isn’t an answer.  Remember, you can’t hammer a nail with a screwdriver.

Dr. Christopher Stepien is a chiropractor, chronic pain specialist, and A.R.T. provider, and clinic director of the Barefoot Rehabilitation Clinic in Morristown, NJ.  He has been trained under the Integrative Diagnosis system for “clinical excellence”.  He practices out of Guerrilla Fitness:Crossfit Morristown.

Could it be easier to look yourself in the mirror having not lied?

What if lying were never invented?

You would be forced to either:

• a) tell the truth.
• b) shut up.

Then, of course, your body language might be telling your truth subconsciously if you chose “b)”.

Or even if you do lie, perhaps your body language would tell the truth anyway.

If lying were never invented:

• There would be no assumptions.  You could ask someone exactly what she’s feeling and she’d tell you the truth.
• There would be less break-ups and divorces.  You could ask your potential mate exactly what he wanted and match his desires to your’s to assess for congruency.
• There would be more free time.  You’d know exactly the type of person someone is and decide whether she deserves your friendship or not.
• A lot more would get done.  Movers could assemble together for similar goals and actually take action and change the world.  No alterior motives could be a great thing.
• You would enjoy every meal.  Have you ever been in a restaurant, been torn between several meal items, only to order one item and to immediately regret that decision, wishing you had ordered another?  If you couldn’t lie to yourself, you would pick the perfect option every time.
• There would be trust everywhere.  Your “word” would match its weight in gold.  No broken promises.  Plenty more pick-me-ups and love to be shared.  People could ask for help, get it, and would never have to suffer alone again.
• You would sleep better at night.  Knowing you acted exactly as you were meant to act, based on who you are, in congruence with your own personal values, allows you to lie in bed and not worry about “if” you will wake up tomorrow morning.  Because you were exactly who you were supposed to be today.

The romantic comedy, The Invention of Lying, shed light on what this world would look like.  (I highly recommend watching it).

How great would it be if people actually acted as if lying were never invented?  As if integrity mattered?

What if we could un-invent lying (abolish the concept of “lying” altogether) in this world, today?

I imagine that the world would be a much better place.

What are your thoughts on un-inventing lying?

Dr. Christopher Stepien is a chiropractor, chronic pain specialist, and A.R.T. provider, and clinic director of the Barefoot Rehabilitation Clinic in Morristown, NJ.  He practices out of Guerrilla Fitness:Crossfit Morristown.

Self-Reflection

I’ve included my own self-reflection here as an example and for the sake of transparency.  My hope is that it inspires you to reflect, to understand where you’ve been, and to envision where you are going.

What didn’t go well in 2010?

• Loving to treat people in pain but not understanding anything about running a business caused me to suffer some unnecessary stress and has delayed the financial income I imagine.

            Lesson learned: Everything happens for a reason.  My sufferring is allowing me to learn and grow from the experience.  I now understand the value in delegating, out-sourcing, and only spending my time on what I can be the best at.  

• My behavior didn’t reflect who I want to be.  I haven’t been remembering names as well as I usually do.  I haven’t lived up to every promise I make.  I haven’t been able to give more of myself to people who need me.  All of this is a result of stress.

Lesson learned: You can only eat one meal at a time.  Can’t put the whole world on your plate and expect to eat it.

• I did not pay off my loans like I had planned in 2011.  I also do not have health insurance, disability insurance, or a home of my own, yet.

Lesson learned: Patience is a virtue.

What did go well in 2010?

• My personal life may not be where I want it to be, but my business is helping people.  While 95% of small businesses fail, Barefoot Rehabilitation Clinic has not.  And I’m seeing twice as many patients on a weekly basis as I did at the end of 2010 (25 patient visits a week to 50 patient visits a week) and 33 people have been helped enough to let me know about it.
• I’m addicted.  The creative aspect behind being an entrepreneur and envisioning a better world is like honey to a bee, sugar to a kid with ADHD, and bacon to me on a food binge.
• I have no regrets and feel like I’m on the right path, exactly where I’m supposed to be in my life.
• I’m alive another year!

What were your goals in 2011?

• Writing – write 52 blog posts by the end of the year and finish an e-book.

This is my 61st post for 2011.  I wrote an e-book, but nobody ever heard about it because I didn’t share it.  However, after recently sharing it with a few friends who told me to share it, I will rekindle this desire and finish it this year. 

• Business – treat 50 patients per week.

Awesome, achieved.

• Travel – travel to 2 new places by the end of the year.  (Going to Hawaii at the end of January!  Let me know if anyone there would like to meet for a hike!).

Went to Hawaii twice.  I guess that is only one new place.

• Financial – pay off student loans.

Not even close.

• Relationships – when push come to shove, love comes first with all people I meet.  To meet more spiritual, health-oriented, fun-loving people in North Jersey despite the reputation that Jersey Shore has given us.

I have met more of the type of people who understand me, but I crave more.  Unconventional living seems to carry lots of judgemental eyes.  WHERE ARE ALL OF MY PEOPLE?

• Health – get back to eating paleo 6 days a week, reduce some of my nagging injuries, and visually gain more lean muscle mass.

I’m back to my football weight from my college days, seem to be avoiding my injuries by not Crossfitting as much, and still need to get back to eating Paleo. 

• Learning – continue to practice guitar and get more efficient at fixing chronic pain.

Very happy to realize that I’ve made consistent effort to play guitar more than I have in the previous years.  Love this hobby!

• Lifestyle – take days off whenever I feel like it and to hike more.

Days off?  Wow.  I don’t know what days off are.

• Legacy – to live up to the “best chronic pain doctor” in the tri-state area by getting more and more patients out of pain.  Also, to create a health center like never experienced before.  More on that in ten years or so.

Getting there!

What are your goals in 2012?

• Writing – Continue the one-post-a-week routine and finish the e-book.
• Business – Treat 75 patients per week.
• Travel – Travel to 3 new places by the end of the year.  (Going to St. Louis and Cancun in January and would like to make it to Portland, Oregon this summer).
• Financial – Pay off student loans!!!!  Have enough income to have health insurance, disability insurance, and my own house.  I also want to be able to tithe (give to charity) 10% of my net income.  Have picked a couple organizations.  More on that later.
• Relationships – Nurture the fruitful ones, prune the harmful ones.
• Health – I want to play rugby again, badly.  Get my body treated so I can run without falling apart.
• Learning – Be the businessman I need to become so I don’t die trying to live.
• Lifestyle – When I want to do something, I want to be able to just do it.  After all, isn’t America supposed to be about freedom?
• Legacy – Same as 2011.  And in case I die this year, I want people (you) to be able to say I made their lives (and your life) better.

What is your theme for 2012, driving your choices and actions?

My theme for 2010 was “Taking Root.”

My theme for 2011 was “Bigger.”

This year was “bigger” for me.  My practice has doubled.  My dreams have come closer, and have only gotten bigger.  When it comes to manifesting my desires, I feel like I have a power than can bring it on.

My theme for 2012 is: “Bearing Fruit.”  Loans, enjoy your time in existence.  You’re out of here!

Your Turn (better later than never)

Get your paper out!  Look back at what you’re already created.  Look forward into your crystal ball to see what your future holds.

Make sure you write it down.  Writing your words out makes it real.

What didn’t go well in 2010?

What did go well in 2010?

What are your goals “Looking Forward”?

What is your theme for 2012, driving your choices and actions?

Dr. Christopher Stepien is a chiropractor, chronic pain specialist, and A.R.T. provider, and clinic director of the Barefoot Rehabilitation Clinic in Morristown, NJ.  He practices out of Guerrilla Fitness:Crossfit Morristown.

17 minutes.

That’s how long it will take to watch the video below and to change both you and your loved ones’ lives.

Thank you to Dr. Terry Wahls, who cured her multiple sclerosis with the Paleo Diet way of eating, for telling all of us the truth.

Please share this with people you care about.  They deserve to know the truth.

Some resources for learning about the Paleo Diet:

• The Humble Observer’s Beginner Guide to the Paleo Diet
• The Only Diet You’ll Ever Need – doesn’t it just make sense?
• Paleo Diet Testimonials (straight from Guerrilla Fitness: Crossfit Morristown)
• Manliest Salad Ever - how to get at least three cups in a meal!

As always, if I can help you in any way, don’t hesitate to ask.

How many cups of vegetables are you eating daily?

Dr. Christopher Stepien is a chiropractor, chronic pain specialist, and A.R.T. provider, and clinic director of the Barefoot Rehabilitation Clinic in Morristown, NJ.  He practices out of Guerrilla Fitness:Crossfit Morristown.

Although the world is full of suffering,
it is full also of the overcoming of it.
My optimism, then, does not rest on the absence of evil,
but on a glad belief in the preponderance of good
and a willing effort always to cooperate with the good,
that it may prevail.
~ Helen Keller

What are your dragons, monsters, ghouls, goblins, and scars?

Whatever they are, you are not alone.

Everyone has fears, aches, past traumas, and unrelenting issues.  Everyone has their demons.

Some of the most successful, seemingly happiest people you might observe have abused drugs, women, or themselves out of an innate need or desire to achieve happiness through self-depracating means.

Suffering, failures, fears, the “lows” … are built into our lives.

They’re concrete, normal, and unavoidable.

Why do many of us avoid them then?

Maybe embracing them without identifying with why we suffer so much, learning from our failures, feeling our fears and jumping anyway, dwelling peacefully in the “low” as we envision the “high” to come … maybe confronting the obstacles to our happiness can allow our true strength or happiness to shine through.

The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.  ~Robert G. Ingersoll

Enjoy the courage of Jonah Mowry (and the wonderful song “Breathe” by Sia).  Let him remind each of us:

You’re not alone.  And how you show up today … is a choice.

Dr. Christopher Stepien is a chiropractor, chronic pain specialist, and A.R.T. provider, and clinic director of the Barefoot Rehabilitation Clinic in Morristown, NJ.  He practices out of Guerrilla Fitness:Crossfit Morristown.

Writer’s note: An analogy on perspective.  I see you.  You’re beautiful.  You can’t see it from your perspective.  I want you to come see what I see from my perspective.  (As I shove you in front of a mirror to see things in a different life) See?!  Now do you see reality?  My hope is that understanding how some gamble with their health gives you the perspective to take care of your’s.

Do you like to gamble?

Have you ever wondered why people don’t like, but love, to gamble?

In the book Flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes how people love to gamble because it gives them the illusion that they control reality.

Which numbers to play, how you hold the dice when you throw them, and which cards you are dealt seem under your control based on superstitious thoughts and actions.  The odds of the ball landing on your best friend’s lucky number have nothing to do with your best friend and everything to do with chance.

The casino is one thing.

Your health and fitness is another.

“Why did he die?  He was perfectly healthy!”

The above was a statement I heard several time by friends and family of a recent loved one’s death.

Was he?!

The man was noticeably overweight, had a previous heart attack, had diabetes, and was taking numerous medical drugs for his many conditions.

Yet, as probably told to him by his family physician, this man and his family and friends thought that he was “healthy” because the medications were controlling his medical conditions.

As evidenced by his surprise death, I pose the question to those under the illusion.

Are you sure he was healthy?

The House Always Wins

Gambling with money is fun.  It will be gone when you die anyway.

Gambling with your health can be deadly.

The casinos and pharmaceutical companies are banking on your love of gambling.  Who’s winning?

Your body can handle some stress, some sweets, some alcohol, some period of no exercise, and some unhappiness.

Too much for too long, the house always wins.

And guess what?  Hopefully you have some of this for your family, because they lose even more than you do.

Courtesy of fitfinity

Are you squeezing your butt right now?  Is your butt turned on?

If not, it could be helpful to start thinking a whole lot more about your butt and its size.

Your Butt Is Always On My Mind

I must feel people’s behinds and talk about butts … I don’t know … 20 times a day.

When I was in chiropractic school, I remember becoming more conscious about my posture. 

Double chin … check.

Wing blades tucked into my back pockets … check.

Weight on my heels … check.

Squeezing my butt cheeks as if I’m tucking my tail between my legs (yes, just like a dog!) … check.

Now, this conscious control of my posture has become largely subconscious so I don’t think about it anymore.

Why is a turned on butt so important?

Pay Attention To The Giants

The movers of the world say that we stand on the shoulders of giants.

How true is that statement!!

I remember speaking with Brian McKenzie of Crossfit Endurance fame about his infinitely long conversations with Kelly Starrett of Mobilitywod.com, two giants in the health and fitness field today.

Apparently, they talk about butts all the time too.  Brian was telling me how Kelly was asking him what percentage of the day he contracts his posterior side (butt).  Kelly answered his own question, “Mine is on all day.”  The two continued to speak about how important it is to turn on your butt and keep your tail bone (sacrum) tucked underneath you when standing.

Couresty of tiawellness

Because of our sedentary lifestyles, our psoases and iliaci (the plural forms of psoas and iliacus that I made up) tend to get very tight.  With tight psoases and iliaci (hip flexors) in the front, our butt (hip extensors) has to work just as hard to keep a balanced, healthy position of the hip and spine. 

What happens with tight hip flexors is that most women who think they have a big butt actually just have a hyperlordotic spine (see the above image “lordosis of the spine”).  This overloads the posterior (the back portions) of the spine.  Low back pain, anyone?

It’s like two kids on a teeter totter.  If the kids are of equal weight (similar to a neutral spine and a healthy back), the loads (or amount of work) can be balanced and go back and forth over the whole apparatus. 

But if one of the kids is overweight, the load tends to stay mainly on the overweight kid’s side.  He stays on the ground more and doesn’t get to experience the joys of flight as much as the lighter child, and the facets of the low back in this metaphor take a beating.

OK so … tight hip flexors in the front.  Turned off butt in the back.  Who cares?

Your butt (multiple hip external rotators, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, gluteus maximus and hammies (semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris) are arguably the most important muscles in your body for musculoskeletal health.

Bold claim Chris.

If your butt and hamstrings are strong and turned ON, then you have a lot of things going well for you.  You probably don’t have low back pain, hip pain, or knee pain.  Sciatica, IT Band Syndrome, meniscus or ACL replacement operations, and year-long pain from a disc herniation is likely far out of your consciousness.  If you can maintain the integrity of those two groups of muscles, you’ll probably age well and be able to stand up from the toilet when you’re 90 years old.

In other words, a strong butt and hamstring group will prevent you from needing your grandson to lift you off of the toilet after you do your business.  (Yes, I had to help my stubborn, way too proud Babci off the toilet.  She didn’t own this concept and her pride suffered greatly.  Luckily, it taught me a lesson to forward on to you.)

My Challenge To You

Be more conscious of your butt. 

Squeeze it, especially when you’re standing and walking.  (Remember: Think scared dog.  Tuck your tailbone underneath you).

Grow it.  If you’re not squatting and lunging on a daily basis and deadlifting at least once a week, there’s no better time to start than today.

Observe it on others.  (Not that you needed to be told that.)

A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin;  what else does a man need to be happy? ~ Albert Einstein

I get it.

I might change it to: The sun, a tree, a glass of wine and roasted butternut squash, and a guitar (and a friend or two).

What does it for you?

Have you seen the Seinfeld episode where Cosmo Kramer tests drive a car, and he convinces the salesman to see how far they can go on one tank of gas, even past the “E”, Thelma-and-Louise style?

Well, I recently decided to see how far past the “E” I can go.

Last week, I was 45 miles post-”E” light, thinking to myself “I can’t believe how well The Green Hornet (my car) is doing on fumes.”

With my foot on the gas, I feel the car begin to decelerate.  “Oh F***!”

As I’m sitting in my car with the hazard lights waiting for AAA, a couple miles away from work, I begin to curse myself.  “Chris, you F***ing idiot!”

What did I expect?

The Seinfeld episode ends as Kramer and “that other guy” finally lost all gas as they passed the turn in to the car dealership.

The Green Hornet can’t run on guspa (is that a word?) and heart alone.

The embarassing part comes when you have to call your patients at 7:15 in the morning to tell them why I have to cancel their appointments.

“I’m sorry.  I have to cancel our appointment because your doctor was trying to break a record for going past ‘empty’.'”

As I do the next stupid thing in my life, I remember to love myself anyway.

I remember that for the past month, I’ve been having these cramps.  I had a prostate infection five years ago.  For a few hours at a time every few days, I’d get these cramps where it would feel like my testicles weighed fifty pounds.  Horrible.  Sorry for that image.

So the urologist gave me a prostate exam and put me on antibiotics.

I immediately decided I’d never get another prostate exam again.  There is a cost-benefit ratio to everything; the prostate exam is not worth it to me.

Recently, the prostate cramps are back.  And my dreams of living to 100, having kids that become the next President of the U.S., Oprah Winfrey, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Gandhi seem to be vanishing.

My thoughts go like this …

Why do I have another prostate infection?  I’m only 27.  Is my prostate my weak link?  Will this prostate vulnerability turn into cancer?  Do I have cancer now?  Will I be dead soon?  If I do have cancer, should I go to see a doctor? What should I do this week if I’m going to die next week?  I’d better cook that ground beef in the fridge!

The spiritual Chris then kicked in and decided, if the world doesn’t want me here, I wouldn’t fight it.  Natural selection weeds out the weak, and if I’m one of them, so be it.

I doubt I could make this decision to not choose medical intervention if it were one of my children, but I can choose it for myself.

I digress.

With heavy testicles and possible prostate cancer on my mind, sitting on the side of the road because of an idiotic choice to not fill up the gas tank is small marbles.  I can live with it and still be happy today.

And when a loved one kills himself to leave the sufferring in this world behind, you learn that the stuff we stress and worry about, really doesn’t matter.  Not even your heavy testicles.  (Sorry again).

Perspective can be refreshing.  It’s all relative.

Once again, I’m going to ask you, if you are suffering in anyway, whether from physical pain, or spiritual torment, please, please, please don’t be alone.  Ask someone for help.  Or ask me.  Please, please, please. 

I feel your pain and I don’t like it.  Let me help.

Writer’s note: I know I’m supposed to be writing about health.  Exercise more, eat clean, deal with stress.  I’ll get to that.  Whenever I sit down to create, I ask myself what people need to be happier.  And stuff like this comes out.  I hope that you enjoy it, perhaps makes you smile, laugh, or cry, and that you live a happier life because of it.

The world is a mirror of yourself.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh …

You want to know a secret?

I want to share something with you.

It’s the secret to being single and alone, yet happy.

It’s also the secret to having a long, rare, and almost unimaginable love affair with another person.

It’s the only way to grasp that your dreams are calling out to you to make them real.

And that you can make them real.

It will help you trust your heart, even when everyone else, including your own mind, says “you’re an idiot.”

Are you ready for it?

Come here so I can whisper it in your ear…

Love yourself.

I don’t like myself, I’m crazy about myself. ~ Mae West

As I write this, I imagine myself sitting right in front of you, looking into your eyes, having a real, deep conversation … I imagine thinking in my own head, “Wow.  I love this person.” 

And somehow, I imagine, you don’t see it.  You don’t see what I love.

You don’t see how amazing you are.  How lovable.  How strong.  How special.  How unique.  How giving.  How much you have to offer the world.  And I wonder, “How could this person not love herself as much as I love her?”  “Not love himself as much as I love him?”

Then I remember, I didn’t love myself for a long time.

Now, I do.

Love yourself, for if you don’t, how can you expect anybody else to love you? ~Unknown

When I wake up with afrohead and eye boogers, I look in the mirror, laugh out loud and say, “I love you Chris.” (Laughing alone, out loud, at yourself, has this power to bring you peace that I don’t completely understand why.)

Or when I think of something dumb to say that is corny like my olive joke (that I’ll tell you someday) that isn’t funny to anyone besides myself, I say it, then think in my head “I love you Chris.”

Or when I let myself down, failing to achieve a desire, or I act in a way that is incongruent with my vision of myself, I’ll say, “I still love you Chris,” and add an extra three “I love you’s” so my deep self gets the point!

Try it.

I celebrate myself, and sing myself. ~Walt Whitman

Look in the mirror.  Smile.  Maybe even laugh at yourself.  Then say it, “I love you ___________.”  Make sure you put your name in there.  So your ego, your soul, your mind, and any other alternative you knows that you are happy with who you are.

Watch yourself start to own your weaknesses and insecurities.

You’ll begin to do things that only build you up, not tear you down.

And you’ll be able to create in your life whatever unicorns, rainbows, and fairy tale thoughts that you want.

To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance. ~Oscar Wilde

I love you!  So love yourself dammit!  (If you need to hear it, leave me your phone number or come to Morristown, NJ, and I’ll say it to your face.  Whatever works, I’ll get it done.)