Category: Chiropractor Fenton MI

WHERE IS THE KALE?!?!?!


I walked into a local grocery establishment last night in search of two things…kale and organic lemons.  I have been disappointed in this grocery establishment for quite a while now but every time I really need something, I think to myself “well maybe it has changed and it is better now”.  No such luck.

I walked in the front door and right into their shrinking produce section.  It is pretty much the only section I go to in a grocery store since I do my best to eat as much live food as possible, mainly consisting of fruits and vegetables, and when

I say vegetables, I mean HEAVY, DARK GREEN vegetables.  It sounds absolutely silly, I know, but it seems they have shrunk down the produce section to make more room for the “Value” section which includes loads of canned and boxed junk that you can get for a really cheap price and take home to feed to your family.  There is something seriously wrong with this equation.

In a country plagued with illness, sickness and disease, there should be a expanding produce section, not a shrinking produce section.  The subset of the produce section “the organic produce” section is also shrinking in proportion to the overall diminish-ment of the section.  It is sad and it upsets me.  As I wander though this section, and the entire store for that matter, I find myself shaking my head in disappointment.  It is unbelievable that a community like Fenton, that seems to be growing and prospering, cannot get better food than this.

Have you ever heard that “you should only shop the perimeter of the grocery store”?  Do you know why?  The perimeter is the area where fresh food is located…hence the need for refrigeration and such.  Check in with yourself and see how many aisles you go down on a regular basis?  Pasta, rice and beans are located in the aisles that make up the middle of the store however not much else going on in that area that has much nutritional value, but it all has one INCREDIBLE shelf-life and much larger profit margins for the stores.  You can be sure that this area is filled with artificial colors, artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and some of the “food” stuff isn’t even food at all!!!

It is really scary…it scares the crap out of me!

So my original reason for entering the grocery was in search of kale since it is one of the most nutrient-dense greens and I really wanted a green smoothie for dinner.  I would prefer organic but I would have gone with any kale that was fresh, because I have accepted the fact that living in Fenton is a limitation at times and organic is unfortunately luck of the draw.  I walk up to the shelf where it is supposed to be and it is empty.  I can feel my physiology shift to massive disappointment instantaneously.  Then I had a thought, “Maybe, just maybe, earlier in the day this shelf was overstocked with so much beautiful kale that everyone that walked by just had to stop and grab some to take it home with them to make green smoothies for dinner for their families.  I just got there too late in the day to get some”.

Yeah, that’s it.

CONSCIOUS FOOTING

Five days from now I will be running the Detroit Half Marathon for the fourth time.  I like to set my summer running schedule/goals to include a half marathon in the fall.  It seems to be a really good way to keep things going and keep my body moving.  My summer also included, completely unplanned, dropping a full jar of almond butter on my foot (that put a huge knot in the tendon to my big toe) and a cold yoga class that my foot moved too far, too fast.

If you would have asked me just 2 days ago whether I would be running next weekend, it was still up in the air.  I have been dealing with strained foot joints and discomfort.  The pain came to a head this past week and even walking has been a challenge, but for some reason, running still felt good.  I think it has to do with the foot moving differently, seems easier.

I took the past week off of running and have been biking and swimming a lot and trying to put as little stress on my feet as possible.  It is amazing how much we take our feet for granted until one isn’t living up to its full potential.  This morning was the determining factor for whether it was going to be possible to complete the race on Sunday.

I showed up to the gym a little earlier than I usually do because I wanted to have a little extra time to evaluate the situation with my bum foot.  I was a little nervous because my half marathon was in jeopardy…it was not a cheap race to register for and I really, really want the participation medal.  So I tied up my shoes and took off on the indoor track…and it felt good.  I was actually surprised how good it felt to move it like that and it wasn’t putting much stress on it at all.

During the 3 miles that I ran, I was hyper-aware of what was happening with my foot and very conscious of my footing.  I realize the importance of watching my every step and making sure it is the best way I can put my foot down before doing so.  It was meditative to be that present but it felt good and still feels good.  I spend my days at Cafe of LIFE educating people on how important it is to listen to their bodies and I choose to walk my talk and do the same.  If my foot started screaming during my run this morning, I was going to throw in the towel.  More than that, I am watching out for my snowboarding season ahead of me and having a bum foot is not going to work out in snowboard boots out on the slopes!

So I ran, it felt really good, my foot will continue to heal, I will run this weekend and then I will give it a long, much needed rest.  I spent the entire workout time being really conscious and I was reminded when I returned to the locker room how important it is to be conscious in all of our actions during the day.  I walked in and there was a group of women and a staff member huddled together because one of them cannot find their locker.  The gym I go to has a HUGE locker room and you pick whatever locker you want to use that day and throw your stuff in…and you do it the next day and the next day and it has potentially of all looking the same and runnin together.  I hope she was able to eventually find where she had her stuff, that could really throw a wrench in your day.

Conscious footing, conscious thoughts, conscious actions, conscious choices…we really need to stay on top of it all because our subconscious may want to run a totally different program and will step up and do so without our even realizing it.  I challenge you to take a few extra seconds during your day to be a little more conscious and aware of what you are doing…I guarantee it will save time in the long run!

CATCHING THE SUNRISE

7am my alarm goes off.  I hit snooze and and take 1 minute to check my email while my brain wakes up.  I have laid my workout clothes out so I can literally just step into them when I stand up.  The night before, I have packed my bag with work clothes for the day.  I attempt to wrangle my hair into some sort of presentable fashion, throw on my shoes and a warmer layer and head downstairs.  I steer clear of caffeine as I get tons of energy from eating real food (fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc).  I usually cut up an apple, throw some raw almonds and a Lara bar in a container, grab my water and put it all in my Jeep.  I run back inside to make sure the dog gets a chance to do his business, get him some food and water and head out the door.  I jump into my car, put it in reverse and back out of my garage, closing the garage door behind me.  This entire process takes roughly 8 minutes…and I have become very aware that if it happens any other way, it’s not happening at all.  It sounds strict and regimented but how many excuses do you have for not going to the gym in the morning?  I have them too.

So I usually have Sirius XM Coffee House on the radio that slowly eases me into the day.  I drive down my road, head on US-23 north and I am off.  On the highway, the speed of my Jeep picks up as well as the pace of life.  I get off just a few exits from where I got on, take a right and it is the most magnificent part of the morning…the SUNRISE!!!  I am new to this working-out-in-the-morning thing (I don’t go into work until 10am so it just makes good sense, however it took me 7 solid years to figure it out)…so I am new to meeting the sunrise on a regular basis.  I began my working-out-in-the-morning adventure at the end of spring and its as already light by my 7am alarm.  Because I would prefer to be outside for workouts (when it is warm enough outside that is where you will find me) it has only been about 3 weeks since I started back at the gym and hence driving this route.

After that right turn, my path to the gym takes me directly towards the sunrise for half a mile, a jaunt north for 1 mile and then about 5 miles into the sunrise…it has become a really special part of the day.  It seems as though I have only gone to the gym on mornings without rain.  There has always been a few clouds in the sky, but I am grateful for those clouds because it gives shape, texture and dimension to this beautiful canvas spread out in front of me.  I love the first sun rays for their reddish-pinkish tones.  It illuminates the sky in a very soft and friendly way.  In the past few weeks the trees that line my route are also beautiful as they approach peak color season.  And as you can see from the picture, whatever is happening in the sky, is also reflected off the hood of my Jeep.

The other beautiful part of this time of the morning is knowing that there is an entire day ahead and though I have to fit within parameters with time, scheduling and obligations (like work), I get to choose what kind of day I want to have.  I get to pick the message I want to send to the world that day.  I get to choose who I am going to hang out with, what I am going to eat, how I am going to approach people and what kind of attitude I am going to meet the day with.  Imagine being greeted by a beautiful sunrise that seems to be inviting me to have a great day, then going to move my body (which includes swimming and you all know how I feel about swimming I LOVE SWIMMING ) getting ready for work interacting with other people and heading in to serve “The Exceptional Chiropractic Experience” at the Cafe of LIFE.  I will argue with you until I am blue in the face…life doesn’t get better than that.

I am blessed beyond measure and if you are reading this, I count you as one of my blessings.  I am grateful for everything that is this life and it brings me so much joy to share with people.  I hear from so many of my readers in private messages over email, Facebook, text message and in person…however I want to encourage you to take one simple action step here…I want to know how you start your days?  How do you ensure you are off on the best foot to maximize the potential of your day?  How do you begin?  Share in the comments below…you never know how far reaching your words will travel.  Maybe you will inspire others with your morning ritual.  Or maybe you are like me and really enjoy catching the sunrise.

I TRUST

I TRUST that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

I TRUST that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing.

The Universe has a really big plan for me and I will ride the waves, anything other than going with that flow could potentially inhibit the BIGNESS of that plan.

I watch as the plan unfolds in front of me and though I may have an opinion about how it is happening, I TRUST that it is perfect for the time.

From an outside view life may seem chaotic, however, all processes and events are in perfect order.

Although difficult to see the end result, it is good to have direction and know that life may shift along the way…and I TRUST that shift.

I am guided by the little voice inside, usually a whisper but sometime much louder.

I TRUST that I meet people along the way that facilitate my journey.

People stick around for a reason, a season or a lifetime…I can have my own opinion about which one they fit into, but ultimately I TRUST the bigger plan.

Life is amazing and needs to be lived as such…there is some real juice to be squeezed from the mundane-ness and routine of the day to day.

I have a strong conviction about the perfection of the profession that has chosen me as I find so much joy in my day to day…serving others.

I TRUST my family and friends have my best interest in mind.

I TRUST my body and Innate Intelligence to do the perfect thing according to the environment I create within.

I feel safe, protected and supported.

I live in gratitude.

I TRUST LIFE!!

 

WHY I AM A DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC

Because I honor the inborn potential of everyone to be truly healthy.

Because I desire to help the newborn, the aged, and those without hope.

Because I choose to care for the patient with the dis-ease, not the disease.

Because I know doctors do not heal, only the body can heal itself.

Because I wish to assist rather than intrude; to free rather than control.

Because I seek to correct the cause, not its effect.

Because I have been called to serve others.

Because I want to make a difference.

Because everyday I get to witness miracles……….

 

Because I know it is right!!

 

 

“OK”, “EH”, “NOT BAD”

I get to serve a lot of people at my chiropractic office and many of them I have seen for many, many years.  This is not everyone, but this is a taste of how some of the conversations begin…

Me:  “How are you?”    Them:  “Eh…”

or

Me:  “How has your week started?”      Them:  “It’s ok.”

or

Me:  “Has you had a good day?”     Them:  “Eh…”

or

Me:  “Has your week started well?”      Them:  “Not bad.”

or

Me:  “What are your plans for this beautiful evening?”    Them:  “Not sure.”

 

I am by no means saying that these are not perfectly acceptable answers to my rather regular questions, it is absolutely ok to say whatever you feel like.  The reason I am bringing this up is because some of these people say the same things over and over for YEARS!  When I say that, I really mean they have been un-excited about life for as many years as I have known them.  It almost

 seems like they live Monday through Friday just to get to the weekend.  Then when I ask them how their weekend went, they say “Eh, it was ok.”  REALLY?!?!?!?!  WHAT GIVES???

    LIFE IS LIFE.  Sometimes there isn’t anything real “exciting” going on, no cool vacation to look forward to, didn’t win the lottery recently, no brand new home to move into, still driving the same old car, no crazy shopping spree to go on…nothing exciting at all.  Ever thought for a moment that what happens on a regular daily basis is ENOUGH to get excited about?

Life is absolutely filled to the brim with mundane, routine stuff.  As human beings we have to get up in the morning, it is probably a really good idea to eat breakfast and take a shower and most will be get ready for work (either inside the home or outside the home) or school.  We will then put ourselves in a vehicle of some sort and transport ourselves somewhere where we will spend the next 8-12 hours (1/3-1/2) of our days doing something to earn a living.  During that time we will probably take a break for lunch, maybe find a lunch buddy to chat with and then go back to work or school (even if you are at home raising a family, there is probably a routine you fall into).  We will more than likely jump back in a vehicle of some sort and drive ourselves back to the place where we started our day, find a little more food, maybe get some sort of exercise in, brush our teeth and lay down for the night to rest only to get up and do the same thing all over again the next day…and the next day…and the next day.  Ugh, just writing that sounds like a drag.

But...LIFE IS LIFE!!  What if you started your day with the idea that “gosh it is really good to wake up on the top side of the grass!“?  What if that is the attitude you began the day with…an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE for even getting another day to live?  What happens if you sat a few extra seconds and decided to actually TASTE and EXPERIENCE your breakfast?  What textures are there?  What tastes are happening in my mouth?  It is so neat that I can eat a bowl of cereal and it becomes muscles, tissues, organs and glands!  Then when you are in the shower…how about really feeling and experiencing what it takes to clean your body.  How does the water feel?  What smells are present?  Or just be grateful to have clean, fresh, warm water to bathe in everyday!  

If you let it, the drive to work will take on a life of its own…so many things to look at inside and outside of the vehicle.  This time of year the leaves are changing and it is beautiful!  And suddenly we are grateful for the stop lights and stop signs because they make us pause and have a moment before moving forward and that can become a moment to give thanks for the good ‘ol car that you get to drive everyday.  Once at work, instead of dreading all the filing you have to do, the emails you have to return or the annoying people you have to deal with…take a glance out to what is the big picture of what you are doing on a daly basis.  Can you count the number of lives you have effected just because you do the work you do?  How are you serving others?

The drive home, exercise, stopping in for your chiropractic adjustment, getting dinner, spending some time with your family and then hitting the sack for another night of rest to be able to recharge to do it all again tomorrow…they all take on a new meaning if we become a little more present and show just a smidgen more enthusiasm while doing them.  When you are asked “how was your day?” after you spent a day like that, you will actually want to say “IT WAS GREAT!  For what it was, it really was great!”  Now that doesn’t mean that other people’s day wasn’t 100 times more fun than yours, according to your perception…but in the grand scheme of things, their day doesn’t matter and there is absolutely no reason to try to compare your day to someone else’s day.  It is YOUR LIFE and this LIFE full of mundane-ness is going REALLY FREAKIN’ QUICKLY!!!  We are here to do this one time and I cannot figure out one good reason to not get excited about the mundane-ness and routine-full-ness…because 90% of what we do on a daily basis is exactly that.

So think about the concept of SUPER EXCITING, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, REALLY FUN, AWESOME, BREATH-TAKING, PULSE INCREASING, HAIR RAISING, TERRIFICALLY FANTASTIC mundane-ness.  It exists.  Trust me, I know.  The key to it, its a conscious choice you get to make  Enjoy yourself, every day of your life…and consider this a triple-dog dare to you to have some fun going through your routine tomorrow…and then let me know how it goes.  If you are able to make a small shift, you will notice something about life…that it is REALLY, REALLY GOOD.  I would love to hear your stories.  🙂

 

FAMILY WEEKEND

     On a daily basis I feel blessed to be born into this family. I have 3 brothers that weren’t always my favorite people, but over the years have evolved to be some of the coolest cats around. They are great friends to me and 2 of them have married some pretty amazing a wonderful women that I get to call sister-in-laws. Between the two that are married, there are 3 children…and I may be a biased “Aunt E” but I have to say they are some of the brightest, most wonderful children I know. It is awesome to watch them learn about the world and fun to see them put pieces of the puzzle together.  My third brother is dating one of the sweetest girls I have ever met and I look forward to seeing what their future holds.
My mom is one of the greatest gals on the planet and has married one of the most amazing men that anyone could ever know. My 3 brothers and I are so grateful to have someone like him in our lives. He comes with 2 boys that are older than us and a daughter that is younger.  All of them are such a blast to hang out with. The guys are feisty, the most obnoxious U of Michigan fans but so much fun. They are both married and have 3 children between them. I feel like I have gotten to know the 7 year old son of the oldest one the best. This kid happens to be one of the coolest 7 year olds you could ever meet. He loves being around kids and equally enjoys spending time with adults…and the greatest part is he adds so much to either scenario.  It absolutely amazes me. My step sister lives a bit of a distance from Michigan and we enjoy time spent with her and her husband though it seems far between visits due to location.
Now imagine this group of super cool people all hanging out in “up north” Michigan at an awesome house on the river, camping in the back yard, bonfires, walks, long runs, bike rides, college football, meals, music, dancing, duck races, reading, exploring, fishing, laughing, and telling stories. That is how my last weekend was spent.
See why I feel blessed?  Have you counted your blessings lately?

I BROKE DOWN…TRIATHLON TRAINING IN TEARS

I broke down this morning…on my run.  I broke down and found myself in tears.  Some of you know that I have been training really hard for a sprint distance triathlon that is coming up this weekend.  My mornings are spent swimming or running or both.  I have been working super hard on the swimming part of it because that is my biggest challenge of the triathlon sport.  The distances for the race are 750 meter swim, 12 mile bike, and 5K run. 

This morning I got up and put on all my gear to jump in the lake and swim.  It really wasn’t what I wanted to do but I knew I had no choice.  I found myself standing in waist high water not wanting to take the plunge…literally.  I learned to swim just last year and I am still learning the technicalities of the stroke and breathing and rhythm.  I really wish I would have learned how to put all that together many years ago.  It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks…though it is possible.  I hired a swim instructor over the past couple weeks and have learned so much from her. 

Back in 2006 I was diagnosed with a hole in my heart.  It is a hole that is there while in utero but is supposed to close shortly after birth.  There is a small percentage of the population that has this challenge.  I constantly push my body to it’s limits.  Because of the hole, some of my blood skips the lungs and the oxygenation process and so my body ends up with a lower oxygen carrying capacity.  I have a challenge improving my running times and biking times because I can only breathe so hard.  Then I add the variable of the breathing process while swimming and only being able to take in so much air per stroke.  I end up running out of oxygen quickly.

This morning my swim felt awful.  It was hard, I had to stop a lot and I got really frusturated when I am found myself gasping for air…yet again.  I got back to my dock, switched to my running gear and took off with the dog for a little over 2 miles.  It was a simple run and a beautiful morning however I was so stuck in frustration about my swim that I had the thought “I am not going to be able to finish that swim on Sunday.”  Admitting to a limitation is a very difficult thing because there isn’t much more that I want but to be able to swim with ease, especially with how hard I have been working on it lately.  It is frustrating and I allowed myself to go to tears for a few moments. Then I realized that I cannot run and cry at the same time so I better pull it back together…which I did and finished my run easily. 

I came across a quote last night that I will keep close to my heart this week.  It goes something like “Strength isn’t doing something that you know you can do, it is doing something that you once thought you couldn’t.”  I will keep practicing and on Sunday, August 19th, ready or not, at 8:00AM I will be heading into the Traverse City Bay and swimming 750 meters, followed by a bike and a run.  I will be in a shorty wetsuit because it will allow me to, at the very least, stay buoyant and warm.  I will put one arm in front of the other, and be grateful for my two arms, and kick, and be grateful for my two legs, to propel myself forward for those 750 meters.  If you are reading this right now and you think of it when you wake up that morning, send me a little prayer of strength and endurance. 

I have completed a full marathon (ran 26.2 miles) however this is a pretty close second when it comes to anxiety before a race.  I do a lot of races and push my limits on a regular basis just to see where those limits are.  I am motivated by the feeling of completing them and being awarded a medal, to look back on, for participating, although some races do not hand out medals.  I never expect to win and I look at completion of the race as the win.  All I have to say is there better be a medal at the finish line of this particular race.  I broke down this morning, but I will keep my chin up!

LIFE IS A ROLLER COASTER

It’s been quite a few years since I rode a roller coaster.  I had dinner with a friend the other night and they had mentioned that Cedar Point http://www.cedarpoint.com has a new “fast pass” that makes the day so much more enjoyable with faster lines.  There is a behind the scenes entrance to all the major rides and when people are waiting 1-2 hours for a ride, this “fast pass” line takes about 20 minutes.  It is over double the price of a normal ticket but worth every penny!

From the Front Seat
Front Seat of Maverick

Once I decided to go and roped a friend to go with me, my goal was to ride a couple of my favorite roller coasters, the Maverick and the Millennium Force, all day long…and that is exactly what we did.  I love both of these roller coasters for different reasons.  Millennium Force is just plain HUGE and really fast, rising to 310 feet, 80 degree drop, and traveling at 93 miles per hour.  The Maverick is a totally different beast and travels a mere 70mph but is full of twists and turns and tunnels and is meant to mimic a rodeo. 

The lines moved so quickly it was actually worth waiting a couple extra minutes to ride in the front seat of the Maverick.  It is a game changer to experience that ride from the front seat.  You get to see everything first hand and shooting up and over a hill with a 95 degree drop (more than vertical) really gets the butterflies and adrenaline moving!  From there it is up and over another hill, twist one way, twist the other, over, under and around for about 2 min 30 sec.  In the middle there is a pitch black tunnel that you come to a complete stop in.  Anxiety builds while sitting in the dark waiting for the next phase. You are then blasted through and out of the tunnel and twist one way, then then other, over under and around again until you come to a complete stop at the end.  Go try it sometime…it is a wild rush!

Of course as I am riding this ride over and over, I am thinking about how it relates to life.  Life has its ups and downs.  As soon as we are up, we are down, and when we reach the bottom, we are already heading back up.  Life twists one way, we make a correction and it twists the other way.  We get over things, we feel pinned down under things.  Just when we have given up and stop to close our eyes and reflect, it is time to open them back up as we are slingshot out of a dark tunnel and more ups and downs and twists and turns.  WOW!!!

So what are we supposed to do?  How can we gracefully maneuver this ride called LIFE?  When I get in line for these roller coasters, I am nervous every single time.  I don’t care if I rode that ride 3 times already that day, I am still nervous when I strap myself in.  I bank on the fact that there are loads of people, on a daily basis, making it to the end alive and well.  I realize if I am strapped into the seat correctly, I have a really good chance of making it safely.

This idea doesn’t work quite so easily and readily for real life because there are no seats, harnesses or seat belts.  I relate the harness and seat belt to our ideas and concepts about the world and the seat is the solid foundation we build on.  If we figure out what our core values are, keep a positive attitude, and keep laying down a good, solid foundation, we will make it through the ups and downs and twists and turns quite gracefully.

When you get a chance to take a wild ride on a roller coaster, DO IT!  When you realize your own life is the roller coaster, EMBRACE IT!  Have some fun with it and know that if you have employed the proper harness and seat belt, though its not possible to come out of life alive (that is just against the rules), we can have an enjoyable ride!

Can you relate?  Have you been on a wild ride, either literally or figuratively?  I would love to hear your stories!

LIFE MOVES ON

This past weekend I felt very blessed to reconnect with some good friends of mine after years of being apart.  As many of you know, I got married when I was 19 years old.  I know, I know…what on Earth was I thinking, right?   I sometimes laugh when people tell me they get the impression that I have my life together.  All I have to say to that is you should have seen me when I was 19!!!  The difference between then and now is that at 19 I didn’t have anything figured out and I thought I did, and now I still don’t have anything figured out and I know and have accepted that its possible I never will.  Life is an amazing teacher and the more we live, the more we learn, or at least I can only speak for myself.

On Saturday I got to spend some time with my ex-husband’s family.  He, and they, were part of my life for 10 years.  He was not there this weekend but his sister, whom I was pretty close with, was home visiting family.  She called ahead of time to let me know her, her husband and their NEW BABY were going to be in the area and that it would be great to share a meal.  It worked out that we met at my ex-in-law’s (I really do not like that phrase) home and sat around the table with her parents and ate lunch. 

It was a wonderful couple of hours as there was so much to catch up on.  Being in someone’s life for that long, really gets one intertwined in all of the family’s life happenings.  We caught up about family, extended family, life events, work, dreams for the future, and of course I got to meet her new baby.  The time spent was wonderful, priceless and I feel so blessed.  These people were a very big part of my life from the time I was 17 to the end of my 20s.  Those are some impressionable years and in each their own way, they helped shape me to be the person I am today.  I am forever grateful for their love, support, genrosity, compassion, reliability, entertainment, fun, teaching and connection.  They are all near and dear friends of mine though our lives don’t allow for the “near” part of that equation much anymore.   

My divorce was very amicable and after being best friends for almost 10 years, we had promised to keep in touch as LIFE MOVES ON.  That has gone to the wayside as he is busy with work, a new family and a new baby of his own and my life is busy as well.  I am forever grateful for all the adventures we had and all that we taught each other and learned together.  I am forever grateful to his family and feel blessed to reconnect from time to time.  

LIFE DOES MOVE ON.  I still do not have anything figured out though I feel blessed to have these and other angels come and guide me though parts of my own personal journey.  My heart overflows with gratitude.  Thank you…you all know who you are.