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BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO FOCUSING

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As Labor Day marks the “unofficial” end of summer, the kids get ready for another week of school.  Some parents struggle to let go, while others can’t wait to get their kids back into a routine.  It’s early in the school year so if your child is already struggling to focus, concentrate, or behave, take action now.

In our office, we help many children balance their energy levels.  Some children crave constant input and when they don’t receive it, they create it.  When their bodies have subluxations, or misaligned vertebra, their nervous system can go into overdrive.  Their gas pedal (or sympathetic nervous system) is stuck on and they can’t get themselves out of “flight or fight.”  They can’t sit still, they can’t focus, they can’t thrive and learn.  Chiropractors help by activating the brake pedal (or the parasympathetic nervous system) and allow their body to slow down and regulate itself.  Adjustments and also proprioceptive activities can help these kiddos throughout the school year.

Impact Chiropractic specializes in pediatric chiropractic in Fort Collins.  We know how important it is for your child to learn and get the most out of school.  Bring them in to get adjusted, but also incorporate some of the following proprioceptive activities during their school day.

  1. Ask the teacher to give them classroom chores.  This will get them up and moving, and give them an important task to complete.
  2. Tie a Theraband around the front of their desk for them to kick.
  3. Buy them pencil grips
  4. Allow them to have a balloon filled with flour or sillyputty, to keep their hands busy.
  5. Give them gum to chew, if allowed by the school and/or the teacher
  6. Active recess games such as jump rope, football, playing catch with heavy balls/bean bags

For more ideas about how to get your child to focus during class, ask one of our doctors!  Back to school should be fun and exciting for your kiddos, and not be stressful and difficult.  Keep the kids well adjusted so they can get the most out of their school day!

Check in with our Facebook page for updates, educational articles, and cute pictures of our wonderful patients.

BEST BABY CARRIER FOR BABY

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Let’s face it, moms can only do so much.  They multitask every single day, all day long, usually with babies in there arms and picking up after toddlers/adolescents/husbands.  If you’re one of these moms, baby wearing may be a great option for you.  You can be close to your little one and still be able to use both of your hands.

There are many baby carriers on the market, so lets talk about the best options for you and baby.  We want to avoid any developmental problems with their hips, and keep their bodies properly positioned.  The risk of hip dysplasia (abnormal growth of the hip joint) is a frequent concern when talking about carriers.  Hip dysplasia can be present at birth or can develop throughout the first year of a child’s life.  Infants have softer tissue and bone than adults do, so the hip can slip out of place and become subluxated (misaligned) and become problematic.  Parents can reduce the risk of hip dysplasia by encouraging hips to be spread apart, without being in an extended position.

When choosing a carrier, avoid the narrow-based options.  Look for options that support the baby’s hips/thighs.  When placing the child in the carrier, tilt their pelvis inward and have their feet below their knees.  Don’t force your baby into any position that doesn’t seem easy or comfortable.  Below is a diagram taken from carrymeaway.com

safe babywearing

The first image shows a narrow based carrier with legs hanging down with no support.  When using these types of carriers, the hip takes the full weight of the legs.

The second image shows a medium based carrier.  The legs are still not well supported, but this is a better option than the first.  These carriers will still not properly support the weight of the leg.

The third image is the wide based option.  The knees are above the hips, with no weight being placed onto the hip joints.

The fourth image shows a side view of the wide based carrier.  Again, you can note the position of the knees.

Here is a short list of a few of the best wide based carriers:  Boba 4G, Ergo, Beco Gemini/Soleil, Tula.

WHAT ABOUT SLINGS/WRAPS?
Slings are a great option for moms who want to be close to their little ones.  Remember that slings should also support the baby’s legs and spinal alignment.  Use a soft fabric that will conform to the baby’s spine, and encourage proper cervical spine development.  Again, a short list of the best slings/wraps:  Moby Wrap, Wrapsody Stretch-Hybrid, Hana baby wrap, Boba stretchy wrap, Girasol woven wrap, Didymos woven, and ring slings.

Let us know if you would like any help using your wraps, and let us know what works best for you and your precious babe.  If you have any concerns about your baby’s hips bring them in for a chiropractic evaluation and examination.  Chiropractic is safe and gentle on kiddos, plus both of our Fort Collins doctors are pediatric certified!

For more great information on carriers visit https://www.carrymeaway.com/learncenter/baby-carriers-and-healthy-hips-busting-some-myths/

DR. LARA’S #SUMMEROFSURPRISES

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The Impact team has chosen Dr. Lara as our team member of the month! Dr. Lara is from Petersburg Iowa and moved to Colorado two years ago to join Impact Chiropractic. Dr. Lara is a significant part of Impact for both her work ethic and her love for others. When we asked the other doctors their favorite things about working with Lara; Dr. Elise stated “Her kind heart and her ability to love anyone and everyone she meets” whereas Dr. Kendra said that she appreciates Dr. Lara’s easy laugh and her ability to make each person feel comfortable and understood.  We asked Dr. Lara to answer some fun questions about herself. Her answers might surprise you 🙂

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Season: Summer

Favorite Dessert: Anything Chocolate

Favorite Animal: “All of the puppies”

Favorite thing about being a chiropractor: Getting to know her patients and watching them grow through each stage of their lives.

What are you most excited about this year? Adding a new team member to our Impact team in November!!!

—Dr. Lara and Shawn are so excited to become parents in November and promise to keep us all updated on their growing family! Congratulations Dr. Lara and Shawn, Our Impact team is SO EXCITED to add a little nugget to our team in the fall 🙂

4 HEALTH & WELLNESS TIPS FROM A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

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Impact Chiropractic sponsors MMA fighter, Jesse O’Rullian. Jesse took some time to write a guest blog post about his top “Health and Wellness” tips from an athlete’s perspective.  He is a coach at Trials Martial Arts & Fitness and is also starting a blog of his own.  He has been a patient of ours since March and has already seen great

Tips from pro athletes results in his training and performance, not to mention his overall health and well-being.  He has wonderful insight on how to get the most out of your workouts and keep your body healthy while you’re doing it. Enjoy!

We have all found ourselves at some point in our lives on an elliptical at the gym telling ourselves “This is good, I’m exercising, I’m being healthy.” The reality is we would rather be in our underwear eating cheetos. It’s easier and more comfortable to live a sedentary lifestyle. However, we need discomfort in order to grow and live a healthy lifestyle.

1. WHERE IS THE LOVE?

The first thing I would tell someone trying to improve their health and wellness is to find something that they love to do. When you really love what you are doing it becomes less of a task and more of a joy. By enjoying what you are participating in it becomes easier to turn that activity into a habit. Yeah, I could give you a miserable diet and exercises, but those aren’t sustainable. True, lasting health and wellness can only be achieved through a lifestyle change. “But Jesse, there is nothing I have really found yet that I really love to do.” That’s okay! I am a firm believer in trying new things. You’ll never know unless you try and allow yourself to change.

Trying new things can be overwhelming. It feels like puberty all over again whenever I try new activities. I feel awkward and think everyone is watching. “What if I’m terrible? I might fart. I have no idea what I’m doing.” Maybe you’ve fared better than I have in which case I congratulate you and secretly resent you.

I’ve found that the best success has come from setting daily micro goals for each session. Maybe it’s to focus on my breathing or to keep my chin down. If I got my butt kicked but worked on my daily goal then the day was a success.  Some of the best advice I have been given by a coach is to ensure I am having fun. Whenever I am able to do this time flies by and I rarely realize how hard I am working.

Getting burned out? Get outside! Another way to love your training is to shake up the routine with some cross training, Athletes frequently cross train to get out of the gym, break a sweat, and clear the mind. If you’re feeling burnt out, try dedicating just one day a week to train both your body and mind while outside.

2. STABILIZERS, SYMMETRY, AND BALANCE

Strength training is imperative to health and wellness. However, few people focus on symmetry. Whether you are starting a new training regime or maintaining one, it is imperative that you start with a good foundation. Structurally, we must be sound and one of the easiest ways to ensure this is to get some x-rays done. Know what is going on with your spine and your overall alignment. This will help mitigate injuries and give you an initial blueprint of how to structure your training. A few snap, crackle and pops later and you will be amazed by the results.

I have seen a lot of injuries happen on the mats. I have also seen a lot of people re-injure themselves (myself included). The more I train the more I have learned that we are only as strong as our weakest links. Having symmetrical movement in our shoulders, knees, hips, ankles, and spine is paramount. If one area of our body becomes out of alignment over time it can offset the entire body. All of these joints have so many accessory muscles, tendons, and ligaments. By having an unsymmetrical body it places the burden on the other areas of the body. Over time this can really progress the unsymmetrical alignment and lead to injury. What does that mean for your training? Lose the ego and lose the weight. Try using lower weight and work on more on balance and stability. Foam rollers are your friend and post-training stretching should be mandatory but I’m not your real dad, so do what you want.

Tim Grover, coach of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Dwayne Wade has worked with professional athletes for well over a decade. Over the years he and his team have found that one of the most common injuries for professional athletes is a rolled ankle. Due to this fact, his training sessions regularly included band work with an emphasis on their feet and ankles. So much of our power and balance starts and ends with our feet. There are a lot of exercises and habits you can do to invest in yourself. Something as simple as drawing the alphabet with your big toes while you watch T.V. can really pay long-term dividends.

3. PERFORMANCE GOALS OVER BODY IMAGE GOALS

Making healthy lifestyle choices is a lot easier when you have a goal that isn’t just to look good. Train for performance rather than appearance. As a professional athlete, I have seen fighters with different body types. I have also seen people walk into the gym who at first glance appear to be absolute monsters but once tested they are unable to bridge the gap between fitness and athleticism. Looking good in the mirror and being able to fight are two different things. We’ve all heard the timeless adage of how we should never judge a book by its cover.

The Boxer Butter Bean was a great example of this.

 

I know that it is easy to get caught up with body image goals. Don’t get me wrong–it’s important to feel good about yourself and like who you see in the mirror. Deep down however, I think we all know there is more to it than that. What we seek is a moment. A moment to be truly present. A moment where it is just you and nothing else. A moment where you aren’t thinking about bills, people, or any other of things. You are just there being the best you can be. It is this moment that causes us to train for these performances. Whether you fight, run, do yoga, or whatever it is you need to do and use it as a means to be present. Life gets messy and so do we. We will have our share of both victories and defeats. What we can control is to be present and to do our very best.

4. BE A DOER

“ A non-doer is very often a critic-that is, someone who sits back and watches doers, and then waxes philosophically about how the doers are doing. It’s easy to be a critic, but being a doer requires effort, risk, and change.”–Wayne Dyer

One thing that will help you become a doer is to keep a journal and write down your goals.

Keeping a training journal of your diet, training, thoughts, and goals is one of the easiest ways to help quantify your results. Go to the gym with your workout planned and written out. Then write down your results and how you felt. Collecting data is one of the best ways to ensure that your regiment is efficient. Each individual’s journey for health and wellness is unique to them. What works for me may not work for you. While there may be some universal maxims with health and wellness, don’t be afraid to try something new. In essence, fake it till you make it.

“I’ve never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks.”, Daniel Boone.

Another reason keeping a journal is beneficial is that it will help you create a routine and accountability. It has been said that creating a habit takes 21 days. Having goals written down has really helped me stick to my guns and hold myself accountable.

 In summation, Abraham Maslow the father of self-actualization noted that our suffering often reveals our “greater strengths”. Everyone has unique capabilities and potential. Each person’s journey towards health and wellness will be unique to them alone.

Without the love of what you are doing, fitness and wellness will be a task rather than a joy. By loving what you do, having strong stabilizers, symmetry, and balance it will be easier to map a training regime and prevent injury. Lastly, by focusing on functionality over aesthetics it will allow for individuals to experience more serenity.

“Necessity of discipline, deprivation, frustration, pain, and tragedy. To the extent that these experiences reveal and foster and fulfill our inner nature, to that extent they are desirable experiences…The person who hasn’t conquered, withstood and overcome continues to feel doubtful tha he could.” (p.4)

PATIENT SPOTLIGHT: SUSTAINED WELLNESS AFTER AUTO ACCIDENT

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Amber Ellinger has been a patient of Impact Chiropractic since August of 2012.  She intially came for pain after being in a motor vehicle accident, but since then has continued care for prevention and wellness.  The Ellinger family lives in Red Feather Lakes, but travel down to Fort Collins for regular chiropractic care.

car accident chiropractor Amber has had over 200 adjustments in the last 5 years, talk about dedication to your health! She is a strong proponent for natural health care and letting the body heal itself.  She is a wellness consultant and advocate for doTerra essential oils, and uses them for all aspects of health.  If you have any questions about how or what to use essential oils for, Amber is your gal.  We love seeing her family and it is an honor to take care of such a health conscious woman.

How long have you been a patient at Impact Chiropractic? 
I have been a patient at Impact Chiropractic since I believe August of 2012.  My whole family initially became patients because we had been in a car accident on I-25. However, we quickly realized how important chiropractic care had become to our well-beings and decided to be longtime patients!

What has changed since you started chiropractic care? 
Since starting care at Impact I have noticed a great improvement in my overall health.  I used to suffer from frequent headaches and sinus issues. Since starting at Impact, and taking a more proactive role in my own preventative health care routine (seeing the team at Impact regularly, eating a more healthy diet and using essential oils), I feel amazing.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have issues, but the frequency and duration of illnesses, the stiffness in my body, and my mood have all greatly improved. I don’t have to see other doctors but maybe 1-2 times per year mostly for routine screenings and exams. It’s nice to have a caring and capable chiropractic team to help support me in a holistic and proactive way.

chiropractic care after a car accident What do you like about your chiropractic care? 
My favorite thing about Impact is, of course, the amazing way I feel after being adjusted. Equally though, I love the friendly and caring staff. I truly know that Dr. Elise and Dr. Lara, as well as the staff, care about me personally. I consider them my friends and not just my chiropractors. The level of high-quality care, as well as their personal relationship with me makes me so grateful to have run across Dr. Elise at a vendor show all those years ago.

Do you have any advice for a new patient, or someone thinking about chiropractic care? 
My advice for a new patient would be to come in and meet the Dr.’s and experience all of the amazing things this clinic has to offer. Super friendly staff, kid friendly office, affordable top notch care from well trained and continuously improving chiropractors make this the place to go!

OUR 30 DAY CHALLENGE STORY, THE HALF WAY POINT

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Hello Everyone! As some of you may know, Impact Chiropractic is halfway through the 30 Day Challenge.  If you are joining us, we hope it is going well and would love to hear your half way results.  Dr. Elise and Dr. Lara are loving it so far, both having lost over 5 pounds already and their energy levels are sky rocketing.  We know that these positive lifestyle changes are vital to our health and well-being.

For those of you who don’t know what our 30 Day Challenge is, let’s dive in to all it’s greatness.

The Basics:

We are aiming to take control of our health and our lives.  We will continue to prevent and reverse sickness and disease through healthy lifestyle choices.  We are learning a food plan that works, not a diet.  We will listen to our bodies and exercise appropriately.  We will eliminate toxic exposures which can lead to dis-ease.

Essentials for Succeeding our Challenge:

Mindset: What we needed to do first before starting any diet/lifestyle change is get our minds right.  With self-doubt or negative thoughts, nothing will change for the better.  Your biggest limitation is yourself, so we need to set goals and empowering beliefs.

Nerve Supply:  To simply state it, the health of your nervous system is a reflection on the health of your entire body.  If your nervous system is lacking or working improperly, there is no way you can ever reach your full potential.  Always get your nervous system checked and tuned up by a chiropractor.

Nutrition:  This is a big one during our 30 Day Challenge.  The “common” American diet is leading us to more sickness and disease now that ever before.  Our “food” is filled with junk (pesticides, chemicals, SUGARS) and is not nourishing our bodies.  We’re cutting our process sugars, grains/wheat, alcohol, processed crud and we have been focusing on organic produce, grass-fed meats, and healthy fats.  If you can’t read something on the food label, don’t eat it… Better yet, your food shouldn’t have a food label.

Incorporate Exercise:  Motion is an essential part to life.  For our challenge, we are encouraging High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).  We’re doing them in the office on Monday and Wednesday nights, and man they are intense… but fun!  We’re elevating our workouts by using our “Vibe Plate,” which is used for neuromuscular re-education.  These workouts are quick and effective, so there is no excuse to skip them.

Eliminating Toxins: Going back to chemicals, they are found everywhere in our lives.  Whether its in our cleaning products, shampoos, makeup, water, food… it’s nearly impossible to avoid them all.  But what we are doing is paying attention to the things we can control: making our own cleaners, going organic, using glassware instead of plastic containers.  The less chemicals in your life, the better it will be.

This 30 Day Challenge is a great way to kick of 2017 by losing weight, but it’s so much more than weight loss.  If you are already at a healthy weight, but still unsatisfied with something in your life, here are some “non-scale goals” to achieve on the 30 Day Challenge:

  • Get rid of headaches
  • Improved digestion
  • Beat your addiction to sugar
  • Balance your hormones
  • Improved sleep/less fatigue
  • No more brain fog
  • Improved mood
  • No more anxiety
  • Skin improvements
  • SO MUCH MORE

As you can see, this challenge can be about much more than weight loss.  It’s important to keep your body as healthy as possible, it’s the only one you get.