Inside out is better than outside in

Inside out is better than outside in

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Wellness is...

Wellness is...

"Wellness isn't about deprivation and it's not about perfection. It is about pointing yourself in the direction of growth, training yourself to get comfortable with your highest potential, and then taking small steps to support that shift.  It's about showing up for yourself, day by day, and then one day finding that you've undergone a  transformation."   - Kathy Freston

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Let's Start Over

​How about trying something else? For instance, treating the cause and not just the symptoms.

Let's Start Over

How about trying something else? For instance, treating the cause and not just the symptoms.

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Edison Got It Right When It Comes To Health

Chiropractors help and educate their patients about wellness.

Edison Got It Right When It Comes To Health

Chiropractors help and educate their patients about wellness.

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Water is essential.

Your body needs water to perform all of your daily functions.

Water is essential.

Your body needs water to perform all of your daily functions.

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Chiropractic Helps ALL of your body Function...

Chiropractic Helps ALL of your body Function...

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Upper Cervical Chiropractic on "The Doctors"

Upper Cervical Chiropractic on "The Doctors"

On November 25th the tv show "The Doctors" showcased upper cervical care.

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Chiropractic Helps with Ear Infections

A chiropractic adjustment releases the pressure on the tubes allowing normal drainage to occur.

Chiropractic Helps with Ear Infections

When the spine is misaligned it affects the normal draining of the Eustachian tubes. Stagnate water left in the ears provides a breeding ground for bacterial growth. A chiropractic adjustment releases the pressure on the tubes allowing normal drainage to occur and reduces the incidence of ear infections. 45 children with ear infections were treated with chiropractic care. 93% of the cases resolved under care. 75% within 10 days or less. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1996 Mar-Apr;19(3):169-77.

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Happy Veterans Day!

We salute our veterans! We are the home of the brave because of you...thanks!

Happy Veterans Day!

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Benefits of Baby Wearing

The temperature is rising and the sun is shining, warranting a winning combination for time with the family outdoors!  If you have a little one, it is a perfect opportunity to soak up the benefits of the sun while also enjoying bonding time by wearing your baby in a wrap.  Below are just five of the many benefits to wearing your baby:

1.       Babies get used to moving with the mother during pregnancy.  Therefore, moving around with the mom or dad in a wrap is calming and can have a soothing effect.   

2.      The stimulation received while in a wrap helps babies breathe and grow more efficiently.  This connection can be attributed to the fact that more contact between mother and baby can help establish and maintain a good breastfeeding relationship. 

3.      Being worn in a wrap enhances brain development as babies are exposed to a myriad of sounds and experiences.  Since the baby is positioned closer to eye level, he/she will feel included in conversations and interactions, which can boost speech development. 

4.      Baby wearing frees mom or dad’s hands to get other things accomplished.  Perhaps you need to push a stroller with your other child, wash dishes or prepare veggies for dinner…You can!  It’s that simple. 

5.      Baby wearing puts your heart near the babies heart.  This is very calming for the baby who heard mommies heart beat for 9 months before meeting her.  

   

Learn more about baby wearing here: 

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/fussy-baby/baby-wearing/benefits-babywearing

http://www.lalecheleague.org/nb/nbnovdec04p204.html

http://www.attachmentparenting.org/parentingtopics/babywearing.php

Five Ways to Combat Allergies This Season

Spring has sprung, bringing with it allergy season!  It's as if the pollen fairy arrived overnight leaving her yellowy dust on everything…and I mean everything.  Since it is only the beginning, we must make sure our bodies are armed and ready to defend against the allergens in our midst. 

Are you ready?  Here are seven ways to help you combat allergies this season:

1.     1.  Get checked by your Chiropractor!  Did you know that getting adjusted helps to boost your immune system?  Your nervous system and immune system work very closely together to create optimal responses and adaptations.  By getting your spine checked and adjusted, you will ensure that your body will be better prepared for the allergens you face.  Check out more on chiropractic and your immune system here:  http://www.naturalnews.com/031206_chiropractic_immunity.html    

    

2.    2.   Eat local honey.  Did you know that local honey may contain pollen specific to your region?  By consuming as small as a spoonful a day you can help build your immunity against local allergen irritants. (Caution: some people have severe allergies to honey, so be careful. Also do not give honey to children under the age of 2).  Read more on local honey and allergies here:  http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/allergies/allergy-treatments/local-honey-for-allergies2.htm  

    

3.      3. Eat more garlic.  Did you know that garlic has a natural antihistamine effect on the body?  It helps to reduce watery eyes and runny noses associated with allergies.  Plus, it tastes great, too!  Learn more on garlic and seasonal allergies here:  http://www.healingwell.com/allergies/..%5Clibrary%5Callergies%5Csiegelmaier1.asp

4.      4. Use cold chamomile tea bags on your eyes.  Did you know that chamomile tea is not only a tasty drink, but can also help relieve itchy dry eyes?  Try placing a cold tea bag on your eyes for five minutes.  Enjoy the relief!  Read more on chamomile tea here:  http://www.naturalnews.com/039791_seasonal_allergies_natural_remedies_relief.html

5.     5.  Season your food with thyme.  Did you know that thyme can actually reduce the amount of phlegm produced?  Next time you are cooking your organic fish and are looking for a new way to add flavor, dash some thyme on top before baking.  Don’t want to season with it?  Then, try drinking thyme tea (with your local honey, of course) each morning to get your day started.  Learn more about Thyme and seasonal allergies here:  http://www.naturalnews.com/039791_seasonal_allergies_natural_remedies_relief.html

6.     6.  Try a neti pot/sinus wash.  Yes they are a bit unusual but wow are they effective. Dr Rubin has been using neti pots for years with great success.  He also does not use the salt water version and prefers just plain room temperature water to cleanse the sinuses.  Check out the article about neti pots here:   http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/products-publications/neti-pot-products/

7.      7. Get rid of dairy.  Dairy products produce tons of phlegm and that's the last thing you need when you are prone to allergies.  Sometimes you can just seasonally eliminate or greatly reduce your dairy intake and get fantastic results.   Especially beware of the cow's milk allergy triad: problems with your (or your kids) stomach, respiratory issues (like allergies and asthma) and skin challenges.  See the website that follows for more details: http://www.notmilk.com/http://www.notmilk.com/  

The amazing 1 minute veggie smoothie!

A lot of patients have asked me for our veggie smoothie recipe, so here it is.  Enjoy!

The amazing 1 minute veggie smoothie recipe:

2 carrots

2 celery

1 handful spinach

1 handful parsley

2 small or 1 large apple

1/2 avocado

1 & 3/4 cup water

Agave nectar for sweetness (we use 4 tbps).

Blend all ingredients for 1 minute until creamy.

Drink immediately.

Yum!  All the vitamins and minerals you can imagine, plus good fats too.

You can add protein powder if desired for an extra boost.

Enjoy!

This is my life.

An amazing production team called "Between the Pixels", in association with Life University, came to my office on Saturday, 2/2/13, to film footage about Pediatric Chiropractic.  This video is the result. Enjoy and pass it on...
http://youtu.be/A4UPr4_XSXY

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 10: Show Gratitude

 

Congratulations! You've made it to the end of the first ever Rubin Family Chiropractic Ten Weeks of Wellness Challenge!  We hope you've seen how easy it is to make simple changes in your life in order to promote global wellness - and today we thank you for letting us join you on the journey.

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

 Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

 Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

How often do we really take the time to say 'thank you' for the gifts - big or small - that we are given.  This week we encourage you to send an email, make a phone call, or pay a visit in order to thank those people who play a role in making your life unique and wonderful.  We at Rubin Family Chiropractic are so thankful to have you in our office week in and week out! You share your lives and stories, triumphs and successes with us and we are honored to be welcomed into your families.  Thank you for trusting us to adjust your parents, siblings and children.  It is our privilege to serve you.

We look forward to hearing form you on facebook, in the comments or via email at rubinchiropractic[at]gmail[dot]com.

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 9: Ditch the Dairy!

Hope everyone finds themselves with a...sunny...disposition following last weeks challenge!  As we near the end of our Ten Weeks of Wellness, we think you're ready for the toughest challenge yet: giving up dairy!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

 Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

 Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

Dairy has mistakenly become a major focus of the American diet.  Many are under the false impression that dairy is the only dietary source of calcium available to them.  But dark leafy greens are just as, if not more, effective at supplying the body with calcium than milk or cheese is.  The problem with dairy is that it's proteins are highly inflammatory and stimulate the production of mucous.  Casein, a milk protein, has been implicated in diabetes and heart disease, and acts on the brain as an opioid -  effectively drugging the consumer, much like morphine!  No wonder kids that switch to dairy when coming off of breast milk find themselves with more ear infections - and then still want milk while they're sick! 

There are plenty of milk and dairy substitutes!  Almond, soy, coconut, and rice milk are becoming increasingly common in grocery stores.  There are also yogurts and cheeses made with these products, too, which should make exchanging most of the obvious dairy items fairly easy.  What you need to be a little more careful about are dairy products within other foods.  So much like you did with gluten, read your labels carefully.  You can do it!

Stop by our facebook, leave a comment, or send an email to rubinchiropractic[at]gmail[com] and let us know how it's going!

Sources:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1061

http://www.naturalnews.com/002695_Robert_Cohen_cows_milk.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/488110-foods-containing-opioids/

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 8: Get Some Sun!

Welcome to Week 8 of our Ten Weeks of Wellness! We hope your feeling more energized since cutting out some gluten from your diet and that your are starting to see that making diet changes, while difficult, is not impossible.  This week, with spring time on the horizon, we'd like you to get a little extra sun!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

 Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

 Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

Sunshine is a vital part of leading a healthy lifestyle.  Many of you have heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - a condition marked by increased feelings of depression in the darker months of winter.  This is theorized to be the result of decreased vitamin D production, which typically occurs when sun shines on the skin causing a complex reaction to occur through out the body.  Vitamin D levels can be managed with diet as well, but getting a little mid-day sun is always best.  Go out, sans sunscreen, for just enough time to turn your skin a little pink.  For some that might be just a couple of minutes, for others it can be a little longer.  Just this much time in the sun is enough to start the chemical cascade to boost your mood!

In the winter and on rainy days there are other ways to boost your mood (while making sure to consume vitamin D in your diet or with supplements)  Just take a couple of moments (5-10 to start) to sit in a quiet room and focus on your breathing.  Taking deep, steady breaths is a good way to reduce stress and anxiety.  Pick a word that is positive and embodies a state you're looking to achieve, and focus on it.  Whenever your mind starts to wander, just return your focus to this word. Or ask Dr Rubin about the Heart Math program he has been studying.  It's a little device the size of a cell phone that measures your heart rate and can tell when you are 'in tune' or 'out of touch' by the pace of your heart.

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002499/
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/heart/articles/2008/06/23/time-in-the-sun-how-much-is-needed-for-vitamin-d
http://www.project-meditation.org/a_wim1/effects_of_meditation.html

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 7: Go Gluten Free!

Hopefully you've been finding fun and creative ways to pay it forward this past week!  The positive energy will hopefully be enough to power you through this week's challenge...going Gluten-free!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

 Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

 Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

We know this is a huge change for a lot of people, but it's one we at Rubin Family Chiropractic really find makes a HUGE difference in our patient's lives.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.  It is important for binding molecules together, giving breads and baked goods their doughy texture, as opposed to just crumbling.  The problem is gluten is a highly inflammatory agent.  As it works it's way through the digestive tract it causes it to swell, which allows more of the gluten (and other potentially harmful particles) to get into the blood stream and wreak havoc else when in the body.  Even though few people have a severe allergy to gluten (known as Celiac's disease), many more have some level of sensitivity to gluten, which may not be detected by a traditional allergy test.  The best way to determine if you have sensitivity is to go gluten free for a couple of weeks and see home much better you feel!

For the purpose of our 10 Weeks of Wellness challenge, however, we're just asking you to go a day without gluten. If you make it 1 day, then try another, and so on.  Since the media has picked up on gluten sensitivity recently, it is becoming much easier to find gluten-free alternatives to everyday foods in your local grocery store.  Dr. Rubin has been gluten free for years and is happy to point you in the direction of his favorite products!

What about you?  What are some of your favorite gluten-free snacks and meals?  Let us know here or on our Facebook page!

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 6: Random Acts of Kindness

 

Welcome back, walkers!  Hopefully you've been up and moving over the last week - so much so that you didn't even realize we're past the halfway point of our challenge!.  That should have gotten your endorphins going for this week's challenge:  performing some Random Acts of Kindness!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

 Week 4 (Jan 28):  Caffeine

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free 

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

There is no faster way to turn your day around than to have a complete stranger do something nice for you.  Think about the last time someone you didn't know said they liked your scarf or shoes - you walked a little taller, didn't you?  Intern Pam was on a Midnight Train to Georgia (yes, really)  a couple of weeks ago and she overheard the woman in front of her saying that a stranger whose table she was sat in the dining car had a nice conversation with her and then insisted on buying her dinner!  Moments like this are inspiring to the recipient of the act, but also to those within ear shot, too.  Many of you have likely seen the movie Pay It Forward, or perhaps the commercials for one insurance company that depict strangers observing kind acts and then performing their own.  This is not an unrealistic concept at all - and it can start with you!  Buy the person behind you in line their herbal tea, or hold the door open for the person behind you.  Carry someone's extra bag when their hands are full or cover the next person's toll payment on the 400.  There are so many simple ways to put a little bit of positive energy out there, and bring a smile to someone's face.

We can't wait to hear what you come up with!  Comment, email, or visit our Facebook to let us know!

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 5: Get Walking!

 

Welcome back, decaffeinated readers!  We hope you're doing well and noticing positive changes having cut out caffeine.  This week we're continuing with another little change that can make a big difference - just walk!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine Free

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

The health benefits of walking are astronomical.  Many people advocate that walking is even better than running in some cases. According to the Mayo clinic, these are some of the things you can look forward to when you incorporate running into your weekly routine:

• Lower cholesterol
• Losing weight
• Improved heart health
• Better mood
• Decreased risk of Type II diabetes

And those are just the well-researched benefits - studies are constantly linking walking to the reduction in risk of developing other diseases such as Alzheimer's, eye degeneration, and cancer. It's low impact, but still weight bearing so this builds up bone strength, which is great for people with osteoporosis.  As you can see, there are so many good things about walking there real is no reason not to get to it!  All it takes is about 30 minutes a day, most days of the week.  In the grand scheme of things, that really not that much time - one TV show!  You can use a treadmill or, even better, to go outside and get some vitamin D! 

Here's how to earn your weekly tickets:

• Walking for 30 minutes - 1 ticket per day (max. 5)
• Post a picture of you (and your family1) walking on our Facebook - 2 tickets
• Comment on this blog post or our Facebook page - 1 tickets

Good luck and get walking!

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 4: Lose the Caffeine!

Is everyone feeling affirmed!  Keep on reciting those affirmations and let us know how a positive attitude is changing your life.  And remember to keep that positive outlook as we move into this weeks challenge...going caffeine free!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine Free

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

It's not an easy task, but we think you're up for the challenge.  The benefits to giving up caffeine are numerous. Caffeine is a stimulant, meaning it speeds up the way your body works.  This puts stress on your nervous system. And consider the fact that most of us lead incredibly stressful lives already so you're getting double the dose of stress hormones coursing through your blood, causing your heart to beat faster, your adrenals to work harder and your muscles to tense.  These are all 'fight or flight' responses of the sympathetic division of your nervous system.  To complicate matters further, when your sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive, it's counterpart - the parasympathetic nervous system - is shut down.  This can affect your ability to 'rest and digest'.  Stop and think about some of the ways you feel when you are really worked up about something - now realize that this is what you're doing when you drink a cup of coffee!

Make sure when you do come off your caffeine to do it slowly!  We often forget that caffeine is a drug so we need to treat it like one! Caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches as blood vessels to the brain spasm (another effect of messing with the sympathetic/parasympathetic balance), so if you drink 3 cups a day, try going down to two, then one, then zero.  Drink plenty of water to aid in the process - and to rehydrate!

You deserve a reward for all of this, so here's how you can earn your tickets this week:

• Cutting caffeine for the week - 1 ticket
  A great place to start would be to 1/2 your intake (4 cups to 2, 2 cups to 1, 1 to 1/2)
  
  

  ·         Try coffee substitutes-

  Aside from caffeine-free tea, there are lots of great coffee substitutes. Cafix, Teeccino, and Pero are all brands we have tried. 

  ·         Use non-dairy creamers like Silk brand for an even healthier treat!

  
  
  
• Commenting on the blog or our Facebook page - 1 ticket

Good luck and we can't wait to hear how much better you feel!

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 3: Positive Affirmations!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Ten Weeks of Wellness program! We hope you are well-rested after last week's sleep challenge.  Keep right on sleeping and posture-podding away as we introduce our next challenge, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: writing and reciting a positive affirmation!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine Free

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

Positive affirmations are incredibly beneficial if you write them and say them properly.  The goal is to remove any question or doubt from the language you use to write them and from your intonation when you say them aloud (yes, out loud).  The affirmation can be as long or as short as you would like - as long as it's for you!

• Be specific!:  Decide what you will be affirming and then use as many descriptors as you can to paint a clear picture of the person you want to be come. 
• Think positive:  Don't use any negative words in your affirmation.  Your brain does not respond to negativity, so a poorly worded affirmation can back fire (Like saying "Don't forget the bag" often still results in forgetting the bag!)  For example, instead of saying "I am not depressed" try "I am an energetic and happy individual".
• Fake it 'til you make it!:  The key to a good affirmation is to use language that assumes you already have achieved your goals.  Instead of saying "I want to be confident"  say "I am confident."  
• Once you are satisfied with your affirmation, post it where you will see it often:  Places like your bathroom mirror or wallet/purse work well.  Read it out loud when ever you see it.
• Yes, saying it is important!:  By saying the affirmation out loud, you are activating more senses and areas of your brain.  This increases the ability of the brain to manifest the changes you seek in your day-to-day life.  

Here are examples of Dr. Rubin's favorite affirmations:  "I can, I will, I must."  "I feel healthy, I feel happy. I feel terrific." (Both inspired by the late Dr Sid Williams).  His father used to say during stressful situations: "Everything's going to be fine." If you have a goal with a date in mind, here is how it should be written: "By March 31st I have completed the Couch to 5K challenge."  Remember affirmations are future paced statements of "I am" or "I have" and are not "I will" or "I'll try."

So give it a shot!  If you need any help, we are more than happy to review your affirmation here at the office, or you can check out this website if you need a little more guidance in the writing process.  And here's how you earn your tickets this week:

• Writing your affirmation and saying it at least once a day: 1 ticket
• Commenting on this blog or on a Facebook post: 1 ticket
• Posting your affirmation to our Facebook page: 2 tickets

Ten Weeks of Wellness - Week 2: Get More Sleep!

 

Hopefully you've made some posture progress in your first week in the 10 Weeks of Wellness program.  Feel free to keep up those exercises that have become part of your routine as you move forward in 2013!  In the meantime we move on to our next goal - getting more sleep!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises

Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep

Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation

Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine Free

Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking

Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness

Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free

Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation

Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free

Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

 We all lead busy lives between work, family, and friends - but it is vitally important to make time for sleep in our hectic schedules.  A lack of sleep is linked to a variety of conditions such as depression, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.  Additionally, it can make your brain foggier and lead to an increased incidence of accidents.  With all of these things linked to reduced sleep, why is it often the first thing that we sacrifice in order to make more time? We need to start looking at proper sleep as a priority as opposed to a luxury.

So what are some changes you can make to improve your quality and quantity of sleep?  Here are some of our favorites - you can find more here:

• Try to get 6-8 hours of sleep/night- research shows it takes that amount of sleep for release of growth hormone, your body's natural healing chemical.
• Don't drink caffeine after 4:00 PM - there are plenty of no-caffeine options available such as some herbal teas, or just good ol' water in the evenings.
• Avoid heavy meals after 6:00 PM - our culture tends to emphasize a hearty meal in the evenings, but in reality, it's best to fuel up at breakfast and lunch and eat a lighter dinner.
• Create a nighttime 'ritual' - try to go to bed at around the same time every night, and have a 'ritual' in which you do the same things in the same order so that your body knows its time to shut down.
• Do not watch TV or play video/ cell phone games for an hour before you plan on sleeping - this sort of brain activity is the exact opposite to the brain waves needed for rest.
• Eliminate all light sources from the room - consider your cell phone, computer, and even the glow of your digital alarm clock.  

And how will you be getting your tickets this week?

• For each night that you manage to get 6-8 hours of sleep - 1 ticket per night up to 5 tickets
• Commenting on this blog post or the Rubin Family Chiropractic Facebook page - 1 ticket per site

Good luck and sweet dreams!

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss
http://greenfield.patch.com/blog_posts/30-more-sleep-ideas-to-help-you-get-some-zs

10 Weeks of Wellness - Week 1: Posture!

 

Welcome to the first week of Rubin Family Chiropractic’s 10 Weeks of Wellness Challenge!  As you may have read in this post, the goal of the project is to get you on your way to leading an all-around healthier lifestyle.  Every week we’ll be introducing a new goal.  By completing it, you will earn a ticket towards a drawing for prizes!  You can also earn tickets by completing additional tasks, which we’ll explain each week on this blog!  Here are the 10 weekly goals we have established for the program!

Week 1 (Jan. 7): Posture Pod Exercises
Week 2 (Jan. 14): Sleep
Week 3 (Jan. 21): Affirmation
Week 4 (Jan. 28): Caffeine Free
Week 5 (Feb. 4): Walking
Week 6 (Feb. 11): Random Acts of Kindness
Week 7 (Feb. 18): Gluten Free
Week 8 (Feb. 25): Sunshine and Meditation
Week 9 (Mar. 4): Dairy Free
Week 10 (Mar. 11): Gratitude

This week’s goal is to improve your posture! For those of you that have been in the office already this week, you received a sticker with posture pod exercises.  For everyone who wants to get a jump start before their adjustments, the exercises can be found here.  You can earn tickets for this week’s goal in these ways:

Completing your exercises every day – 1 ticket (for the whole week)

Commenting on this blog post about how your posture affects your wellness – 1 ticket

Commenting on our Facebook page (facebook.com/rubinfamilychiropractic) – 1 ticket

Posting a picture or video of you and your family doing the posture pod to Facebook – 2 tickets

Posture is a very important part of leading a healthy lifestyle.  Most obvious to chiropractors is the face that poor posture alters the relationship between the bones of the spine which can inhibit the function of the nerves that pass between those bones.  However, there are many other reasons (as if you still needed them!) to improve posture.  Standing up straight increases lung capacity, which improves blood oxygenation.  This will allow you to think more clearly and have more energy throughout the day.  Posture also  affects confidence!  Think of those people in your life you view as powerful and positive – you won’t see them slouching over giving speeches or otherwise changing the world.  Other people will treat you with more respect if you carry yourself in such a way that commands that respect.  So pay a little extra attention to your posture this week – let us know how it makes you feel!