Bracing yourself for fall and winter and all of the sniffles, ear infections, colds and flus?  What if you didn't have to spend winter laid out, or worried if your children will have to take yet another round of antibiotics, or miss another day of work or school?

As we mentioned several weeks ago, adjustments, Vitamin D, and a healthy gut are our biggest weapons against staying healthy every winter.  But for when we feel something coming on, why not have these powerful herbal remedies on hand to stop it in its tracks?

In this class, the Herbal Remedies that you will make and take home include:

Fire Cider
Echinacea Tincture (non-alcoholic version available)
Elderberry Tincture (non-alcoholic version available)
Elderberry Syrup

Cost $30 || Limit 10 people

The cost simply covers the supplies.  You will walk away with the remedies listed above and the jars/droppers needed to use them as well as instruction on how to use them, and resources to be able to make more of these remedies!

Taught by Megan Rodriguez

To sign up, just follow this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/herbal-remedies-to-fight-off-colds-and-flus-tickets-38014193476

The week has finally come to say goodbye to our beloved Liz!  Don't forget about our week-long Patient Appreciation party celebrating the 122nd birthday of chiropractic, and you!  Please come whether or not you have an appointment to celebrate! Snacks, awesome prizes, Coffee Cart on Monday the 18th, and the hard part... sending off Liz!

For over 5 years, Liz has truly been the heart of the business :)  She has been a literal answer to prayer for me (Dr. Erin), and to all of you she has been so much more than a receptionist and scheduler.  Liz is a beacon of hope, a friend, a listening ear, someone fun to tease, and a fellow sports fanatic.  Her exceptional service has been something that has received more accolades than any other part of my business.  The traits that made her good at her job are endless: organized, smart, creative, warm, great with kids, fabulous memory, fun, kind.  Behind the scenes, we have seen her growing desire to share more of her gifts and abilities... those that will make her a fantastic chiropractor: her deep love of people, a passion for understanding the human body, an amazing understanding of x-rays and posture, stupendous communication skills, and her deep-rooted belief about the mind-blowing healing powers within each person's brain and spinal cord.

Liz, on behalf of our team, we believe in you. We know you will succeed because of who you are, and Whose you are.  We have been blessed by you, and we know that chiropractic school will be a vessel for you to bless people to a new depth. How deeply I will miss you can only be paralleled by how thankful I am for you.  

This fall, let’s tune up our immune systems before we get hit with this year’s round of illnesses!  Whether you’re prone to fall allergies, or colds or flus, here are four predictable and reliable ways to improve our immune function so you can get out and enjoy this beautiful season!

1. Vitamin D.  Here in MN, with our northern latitude and cool fall and winter temps, we need to start to add a Vit D3 supplement in September!  2,000 IUs/day for children, and 4,000-5,000 IUs/day for adults are great daily maintenance doses. If you have been tested to be deficient, you can take even more.  Vitamin D is affordable and easy to take in a liquid form – we love Innate Choice’s product, set in organic olive oil!

2. Healthy/healing diet.  It’s no wonder that colds and flus are on the rise between Halloween and Christmas or Hanukkah with all of the holiday sweets and unhealthy eating!  We recommend focusing on vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy fats such as avocado and coconut oil, and protein.  Sweets, dairy, and refined carbohydrates inflame your body and create extra mucus, so avoid these!

3. Chiropractic care – keeping your nervous system, which controls your immune system, healthy with chiropractic has been researched heavily – results show chiropractic can improve your immune system by increasing macrophage and white blood cells.  Immune function has shown improvement for frequent colds, viruses, even cancer.  Another study has shown a decrease ear infections by up to 93%.

4. Come to our herbal remedy workshop on Saturday, October 7 at 12N, where you will learn how to make safe and effective remedies made from nature to keep your immune function in tip top shape!

Ladies - this one's for you!  We couldn't be any more thankful for you and the opportunity to serve you. So come enjoy a fun night out on the town on the house- September 15th from 5-8 at Intelligent Nutrients!   We will have nearly a dozen complimentary activities and services, a free kombucha mimosa or wine, and we are all ready to party with you!  Bring your favorite ladies and treat yo self!

RSVP to:  https://inladiesnight.eventbrite.com

Hello everyone! Change is in the air.  As many of you have noticed, our team is expanding.  Liz and I (Dr. Erin) have been working hard for months to bring you the perfect team to elevate the level of service and care in the office.  Please read on to learn more about all of our coming changes!

From Liz:

I have some bittersweet news for you all. Exciting things first: I have decided to go to chiropractic school! The program is 3.5 years and starts on September 26th! I've been thinking about this opportunity for a while, and only recently felt like it was the right time. After looking into my options, I have chosen to go to Life University, which is located in Marietta, GA (just outside of Atlanta). I do know a couple of people in Marietta but this is going to be a huge transition! I am excited, nervous, freaked out, and grateful. My last day at the office will be on September 21st- so please come in and say goodbye! Dr. Erin and I have a plan A, which is for me to come back after school and work together forever. : ) Obviously, there are a couple of years between now and then so things may change, but I would love to come back and rejoin my favorite place to work and play! You all are one of the biggest reasons I want to go back to school full time- so thanks for being amazing patients and friends!

We absolutely can’t wait to see what an amazing chiropractor Liz will be!!! Join us in keeping fingers crossed that a southern boy does not steal her heart so she can come back! And in the years while she is away, we have found the perfect team.  

What’s staying the same:

Tom will continue to work part time in the afternoons and on Saturday, but for a month or so he will be focusing on starting out his school year right.  He got a new teaching job at Webster Elementary teaching special ed!  

Dr. Amy will continue to work Tuesday afternoons.  Dr. Erin will stay at Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturday mornings.

New Team!:

Taking over as office manager is the lovely Rachel Carlson, who many of you have met:

Rachel graduated from Bethel University in 2015 with a degree in Elementary Education. Her long term goal is to become either a Nurse or a Child Life Specialist. Last summer, Rachel left on an 11 month missions trip to 11 different countries including Africa, SE Asia, Central America, the Caribbean and one of her favorite countries was Jamaica. Rachel returned home at the end of June this year, so feel free to ask her more about it, she loves talking about her experience! Besides traveling, Rachel loves baking,reading and pretty much anything on the water! She is so excited to be joining the Lifelong Family!

Also joining our team is an amazing intern - the first in over 4 years.  We have been waiting for the right fit: high energy, big heart, great adjusting.  And soon-to-be Dr. Kyle LeDuc is worth the wait!

Kyle is currently in his last trimester of chiropractic school at Northwestern Health Sciences University and will graduate in December.  Kyle's chiropractic journey started at a young age when he became interested in health and the human body.  After graduating high school, Kyle did an internship at a hospital where he was exposed to dozens of people who were sick with chronic and debilitating diseases, many of which were preventable.  This experience inspired him to pursue a career that took a proactive approach by preventing these common diseases.  Having benefited from chiropractic his whole life, along with having a brother and uncle who are practicing chiropractors, the decision to pursue a career in chiropractic was obvious.  It is now Kyle's mission to help lead people to a higher level of health through preventative chiropractic, nutrition, and lifestyle advice.

Kyle grew up in northern Minnesota in the town of Thief River Falls.  After graduating high school, he attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.  There he graduated from the biology honors program as magna cum laude and also participated in both the pre-health professionals club as well as the wrestling team.  Next, Kyle started in the Doctor of Chiropractic program at Northwestern, where he  studied a variety of techniques that work with the body, in order to help the patient achieve optimal health.  He is excited to bring his knowledge and passion for chiropractic to the Northeast community! In Kyle's free time, he enjoys staying active with sand volleyball, golf, traveling, being outdoors, reading, and exploring the Twin Cities.

Attention, pregnant mamas. No, I’m NOT calling out an abbreviation for a naughty word.  MTHFR is a genetic mutation that is affecting kids at an unprecedented rate. It stands for methyltetrahydrofolate.  Yup, that’s why there’s the acronym!

So why should you care?  Well, the folate part of that large word written above is sure to ring a bell.  As we know, making sure we have enough folic acid/folate is crucial to ensuring the health of our unborn children in many ways – preventing spina bifida and other neural tube problems.  A lack of folate also can cause brain fog, miscarriage, and even preeclampsia.  Lastly, the new epidemic of lip and tongue tie in infants is caused mainly by MTHFR.   For those unaffected by lip &/or tongue tie, it can create many feeding problems including trouble with latch or transferring milk, painful nursing, blocked ducts, reflux, speech issues, dental issues, increased sensory disorders, and more.

WHY??  With the MTHFR defect, which some say affects up to 50-60% of the population, it is difficult for your body to convert folic acid (and even folate) into a usable form (called methylation). The two gene mutations most studied and connected with this defect are found at the C677T and A1298C positions on the MTHFR gene.  It’s possible to have one or both mutations.

Simply put, having MTHFR makes it hard for your body to detox. Folic acid can block the usable form of folate from being absorbed. Because folic acid is such a common additive in processed food, and is even in most prenatal vitamins, pregnancy is the most crucial time to address your intake of methyltetrahydrofolate vs. folic acid.

As a carrier of the MTHFR gene mutation (5 of 5 of my siblings and I had a lip tie!), I personally took the correct form of folate but still had a daughter with a severe lip tie, and another with a moderate tongue tie.  As toddlers, I notice a huge improvement in their behavior when they take methyltetrahydrofolate regularly.

Should you be tested?  If you are concerned about lip or tongue tie in previous children, have a history of infertility, or have a child with any neural tube defects, I absolutely recommend being tested.  For myself, my family history was enough to know I needed to switch to the usable form.

Brands of prenatal vitamins that contain the correct form include: Seeking Health, Thorne Research, and Zahler prenatal + DHA.  Dr. Ron’s is another safe form of a vitamin, though lacking Vit A and iron and not specifically a prenatal.

As always, we recommend a food-based source of vitamins.  Dark leafy greens are a great natural source of the usable form of folate.  For those with MTHFR defect, we recommend other natural ways to detox, such as sauna, Epsom salts baths, drinking lots of water, dry brushing, and sweating (exercise).

Resources from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11683544
http://primarypsychiatry.com/the-role-of-l-methylfolate-in-depressive-disorders-commentary/
http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7455/1535
http://primarypsychiatry.com/l-methylfolate-methylcobalamin-and-n-acetylcysteine-in-the-treatment-of-alzheimeras-diseasearelated-cognitive-decline/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22492374                   https://wellnessmama.com/27148/mthfr-mutation/                         https://www.mamanatural.com/best-prenatal-vitamins/

Are you a new mom or mom-to-be who deeply values breastfeeding?  I was sure when becoming a mom that the answer to any health problem is breastmilk (or coconut oil!  Don’t get me started on coconut oil!).  Infection? Pink eye? Brain development, healthy body composition, awesome immune system. Preparing motherhood, my top priority was to breastfeed my baby for as long as both of us were willing and able. 

On the day Cora was born, I was exhausted from a long and arduous labor.  Awake for over 40 hours straight by the time of her delivery, I was too delirious to insist that my baby latch right away.  Within several hours, she successfully began to breastfeed and get some awesome colostrum.  Nurses were amazed at how strong her latch was.  I was equally amazed – at how much it hurt. Without a frame of reference, I thought she was nursing frequently, but though she would often attempt to latch, her sessions were short and very painful for me. Within a few days, my midwife began to worry at how much weight she had dropped.  And my milk that should have come in on the third day… didn’t.  I started pumping often to try to bring in my milk.  I was raw, cracked and bleeding. Cora looked emaciated and didn’t have enough wet diapers.  My mama red flags were flying high!  I knew something wasn’t right.

Luckily, I had recently learned about tongue and lip tie and its genetic link (A post on MTHFR will be coming soon!).  I realized just weeks before her birth that the gap teeth my dad, all four of my siblings and I sported were likely due to a severe lip tie.

My milk came in hard and fast on day 4. That’s when I came to grips that Cora had a problem.  My breasts were not being fully emptied. In the first few days, I developed 3 blocked ducts and a couple near cases of mastitis (thank you, chiropractic and garlic!).  I began to notice that she just couldn’t get her lip around my nipple.  Then I finally remembered to look in her mouth.  There it was, a severe lip tie.  Thank goodness I knew what to look for.  I will stop to mention that though she had been checked by several nurses, two midwives, and we had even seen a lactation consultant, this was not caught. 

Cora began to put on weight and have enough output, but my sore nipples and blocked ducts just did not improve.  After lots of research, the option we decided was right for us was a laser revision of both her lip and tongue tie. This is done at a pediatric dentist’s office.  We preferred this option to the surgical revision because it was less traumatic and didn’t require anesthesia.  At 12 days old, they put Cora in ridiculous goggles and took her into a private room for the brief procedure.  As a new mom, being away from her for these few moments was the hardest part of the whole thing.  We were given exercises to help improve her suck and keep her new range of motion. She was clearly in pain for a day or two, and completely needed to retrain her sucking biomechanics, but the relief for me was instantaneous. Then it was time for me to take off my mama hat and put on my pediatric chiropractic hat. Working on her upper spine and cranials frequently in the first week improved her latch exponentially.  We had moved from a scary place – no milk, and extraordinary pain, to become a successful breastfeeding pair in a matter of a few days.  She went on to nurse until she was 20 months and my pregnancy with Eva dried up my supply.

**I am neither a pediatric dentist, a lactation consultant, nor a pediatric ENT who performs these procedures or does evaluations.   This is just the story of one super stubborn mama who persisted through a tough situation to be able to breastfeed.  If you intend to breastfeed, know that it is almost never easy! Getting the support you need is necessary and worth it if it is a priority.

Tongue and lip tie have been growing at an alarming rate in the last few decades.  Some unknown factors remain, but genetic influence is highly involved (Again, I will post on MTHFR next).  I have since caught dozens of lip and tongue ties in my littlest and sweetest patients.  Other providers have also begun to see more and refer these post-revision cuties to our office. Gentle adjustments of their upper spine, cranial work, and suck retraining exercises have helped many other mamas and babies go on to meet their breastfeeding goals.

Have you had an experience with lip or tongue tie?  Do you have persistent breastfeeding issues?  Please share your experience here!  If you would like your child to be checked for lip and tongue tie, we recommend Dr. Darcy Rindelaub of St. Croix Kidds Pediatric Dentistry or Riverdale Pediatric Dentistry in Coon Rapids.  Once the revision is complete, we are honored to check the biomechanics of the cranials and upper spine to improve the latch even more.   Feel free to email me at drerin@lifelonghealthchiropractic.com if you have any questions.

My favorite breastfeeding resources for tongue/lip tie  as well as all else nursing are from KellyMom. http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/bfhelp-tonguetie/

For the first time ever, we at Lifelong Health Chiropractic are expanding our scope to strive more deeply to reach our mission - to lead as many families as possible to live their healthiest so they can enjoy the things they love with the people they love… for all of life! Please join us at BLOSSOM – a support and connection group for mamas and families at a pivotal time when their families are just beginning or expanding. 

Motherhood is a journey full of unexpected twists and turns. Before my eldest daughter, Cora, was born, I thought I had every tool and experience possible to ensure having the healthiest, happiest baby in the world.  I had a natural birth plan, a parenting plan, 7 years experience as a pediatric chiropractor, 4 younger siblings and 50 younger cousins, and connections to all the leading natural healthcare providers in Minneapolis. My birth plan went out the window after being stuck at 10 cm dilated for over 12 hours with no pushing urges due to severe misalignment of her head in my pelvis. We landed at Plan C – a vaginal birth by the skin of my teeth.  I felt defeated and had a slow recovery, but the birth trauma led to a colicky, reflux-y baby who took all my energy.  She was helped by chiropractic, acupuncture, craniosacral, and dietary changes, but would still wail constantly unless being worn or held by me.  For clients who have been around for a while, you will remember seeing me adjust with a cute little buddy in an Ergo until she was over 6 months old.  My days were exhausting and I questioned my calling to my vocation, my paradigm of natural health and healing, and my own mothering skills. It took the wisdom and perspective of other mothers for me to let go of the guilt, the ideals and to just mother according to my instincts.  And just like everything in life, that stage passed. We now have an amazingly smart, happy, healthy, and talented 3 ½ year old.

Are you a mama like me who has found yourself in uncharted territory? We have created Blossom just for you as a haven to draw strength from other women.  It is a complimentary group open to any and all mamas with a baby.  We intend to meet together regularly to form community while we sip on tea or coffee in a safe space to feed or comfort baby.  Showers and make-up are optional! This is a place to be real - no question is too small, and no idea or method will be judged. Each gathering, we will meet with an expert to help you to own the changes in your body and your life. Our infant scale will also always be out and available for anyone wanting to check in with growth!  We can’t wait to see all of your families bloom!

Register by calling, or emailing drerin@lifelonghealthchiropractic.com

Like Blossom on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blossom-570742166443208/

Chiropractic is based on the approach of aiding your body to heal naturally through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that encourage wellness. For Dr. Erin Anderson, this means working hard to restore your body's natural functioning to avoid the need for drugs or surgery. We see that most of our Minneapolis patients are pleased to find a natural answer for their health problems.

One benefit of chiropractic care is that it helps people decrease or eliminate the use of drug treatments. Prescriptions are oftentimes issued to individuals who have back pain. This is such a serious concern that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a report stating that opioid (painkiller) dangers outweigh the benefits when administered for back pain.

Some of the most well-known opiates, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Figures presented by the AAN cite the fact that roughly half of the people taking these drugs for a period of three months are still taking them five years later. This can further complicate the problem of back pain and recovery, especially if an opiate addiction occurs.

Compare that to chiropractic which incorporates natural healing and the advantages are evident. While a drug might be useful at briefly relieving the symptoms of a health condition, it's not a real solution to the problem. Drugs can't fix your damaged spine; it will only cover up the pain.

Dr. Erin Anderson will first examine you to get to the root of your back problems and then work with you to address the problem -- without risky drugs.

If you're ready for pain relief, naturally, give our Minneapolis office a call at (612) 354-2231 to make an appointment with Dr. Erin Anderson.

References

• Risk of opioids outweigh benefits for headache, low back pain, other conditions. American Academy of Neurology;September 29, 2014.
• What are opioids? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids

Asthma is a significant worry for many people in Minneapolis and for society as a whole, truly, since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that this condition currently affects almost 19 million adults and 7 million children in the United States. A full-blown asthma attack likely means a emergency room visit. Fortunately, Dr. Erin Anderson has helped many folks in Minneapolis get relief from asthma symptoms.

The medical literature confirms what we see in our office. For instance, a paper published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy assessed 31 adult asthma patients after getting four weeks of chiropractic treatments. The researchers found that the participants who received chiropractic adjustments had a 34% decrease in asthma symptoms.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics printed another asthma-based study, except this one involved kids. In this paper, the 36 participants ranged from 6 to 17 years in age and their asthma was considered either mild or moderate in severity.

After 12 weeks of chiropractic care, as a whole, the patients reported a higher quality of life and a decreased level of severity. As a bonus, they also reported that they relied less on their bronchodilator and these positive effects were still being demonstrated one year after chiropractic care was complete.

So, whether you're 8 or 80, if you have asthma attacks, be sure to contact Dr. Erin Anderson in Minneapolis and schedule an appointment today. We'll do what we can to help you breathe easier!

Studies

• Asthma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Bronfort G et al. (2001, July-August). Chronic pediatric asthma and spinal manipulation: a prospective clinical series and randomized clinical pilot study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;24(6):369-77
• Nielsen N et al. (1995, January). Chronic asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: a randomized clinical trial. Clinical and Experimental Allergy;25(1):80-8