It's late February - we are now seven weeks in to the new year and over 50% of people who made a resolution have already given up.  Why is it that setting a goal and sticking to it seems nearly impossible?  Whether you are one of the majority who has already given up or one of the few who is still holding strong, we want to provide you some strategies for how to set goals properly and stick to them.

Set SMART Goals

One system that is very effective for setting goals is called the SMART goals system.  SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time limited.  Your goals must first be specific so you know exactly where to aim.  Your goals should also be measurable so you can quantify with numbers if you have reached your goal.  You must next make sure that your goals are achievable.  It is important to set high goals to keep pushing yourself, but setting goals that are too high may be unrealistic.  The next key is to make sure you goals are relevant.  Your goals should always be set with your long term dreams in mind and should always be in alignment with your life’s purpose.  The final parameter your goals should follow is being time related.  Putting a timeline such as 1 month, 1 year, or 5 years  on your goals gives you a deadline to achieve your goal.  Overall using smart goals is an easy and effective strategy to set the right goals.

Staying Committed to Goals

One of the easiest ways to stay committed to goals is to write them down and make sure they are hung up somewhere easy to see.  This will keep both your conscious and subconscious mind constantly working towards your goals.  Writing down why you set these goals in the first place is also a good strategy to keep you motivated.

We hope you keep moving toward your dreams, whether they are health, family, financial, spiritual, or recreational!

Last week, our office turned 8!  We couldn't be more thankful to get to do what we do, and hope to be around for many years to come! 

Top 8 changes for the past 8 years of Lifelong Health Family Chiropractic: 
1. You, our beloved clients!  We get so excited to see your stories improve and watch you be able to do all the things you love, whether that's to run a half marathon, picking up your grandbabies, or more travel.  

2. Getting to watch your families grow.  We have seen SO many families start and get bigger (and bigger, and bigger)!  With many three-generation families and after checking hundreds of newborn babies, we have so much gratitude for your trust and the special role you let us have in your family.

3.  Our staff!  We have had 3 fabulous associates (Dr. Amy Orth, Dr. Amy Hippard, and now Dr. Kyle), and so many great CA's... I just reminisced with someone yesterday who could remember all the way back to Avivah in 2011! (Since then, Erin J, Liz, Laura, Tom, and Rachel have helped us lots!).  We are so thankful for all of them and wish them well on their paths.

4. Our techniques!  We have studied CBP (Chiropractic BioPhysics), TRT (Torque Release technique), AMP (Advanced Muscle Palpation), Talsky tonal techniques, SOT Cranials, and now Network Spinal Analysis to bring you the best results in your chiropractic care!

5. Our physical office.  We started with beige carpet and green walls in Feb 2010.  The office had one table and a completely open adjusting area, followed by a second table, a partition, followed by a huge remodel in 2015 with floors, skylight, a custom front desk,  and paint. Most recently, we've added Dr. Kyle's new adjusting area to accommodate more people comfortably.

6. We've loved having chiropractic interns!  Starting back in 2010 with Mandy, we had a steady stream of interns for 4 years with Sarah, John, Patience, Jenna, Landyn, Alayna, and Ashley.  After a 4-year break so Dr. Erin could focus on her children, we have been happy to have Dr. Kyle and now Kim join us as well! It's been so fun to have the energy and excitement to learn of all of our great interns.

7. It's been so exciting to partner with and see the growth of so many fantastic local businesses.  Shoutouts to some of our faves: Eastside Coop, Salon Stella, Intelligent Nutrients, Brow Chic, Everyday Miracles, Yoga Mama, Brasa, Coffee Cart Minneapolis, Blue Branches Acupuncture, and Muse Flora.

8. What a fun explosion of new business we've seen in NE Minneapolis!  We are so excited for all the new breweries, coffee shops, yoga studios, and other fun places within just a few blocks of our office.

In addition, with fewer physical cravings, I have really been able to isolate my emotional cravings for unhealthy foods and build new and better ways to address them. 

But let it be known - finding food with no added sugar, unhealthy oils, etc. can be tricky!  Here are some tips that I have found helpful:

Meal prepping:

• When cooking, make food in triplicate so you have lots of leftovers
• Snack/quick protein foods: eggs (HB or deviled), celery with almond butter, fruit (sparingly unless a child/pregnant/nursing), raw nuts, RX bars, beef sticks.
• Investing in a Whole 30 cookbook was worth it for me.  The recipes were delicious and made for good variety
• Sauces – Recommended sauces made with healthy oils include: Tessemae's and Primal Kitchen. I made my own BBQ using apple juice and dates for sweetener and used it for ketchup
• Drinks – Kombucha is compliant (yay!)- in a wine glass it feels even fancier.  I also enjoyed LaCroix frequently.  I drank my coffee with nutpod or blended with coconut oil and collagen.

Going out to eat in the Twin Cities:

• Chipotle carnitas salads are compliant!  No rice or beans or dairy, but as much veggies, salsas, guac, etc. as you would like!
• Foxy Falafel near the St. Paul campus of the U of MN has an AIP special that usually is compliant!  They also have a delicious bone broth.
• At a lovely new restaurant in SW Mpls, Book Club, my server was aware of the Whole 30 and pointed me toward a delicious meal - a turkey leg confit that was fried in its own oil as well as olive oil.  Baby potatoes were also prepared on the oil.  Kombucha was also on tap, which was a big treat!

Traveling:

I was away for 2 ½ days at a seminar in Atlanta, which was the most difficult part of doing the Whole 30 well.  Here are my major travel tips:

• Carry RX or Lara bars, avocado or fruit, raw nuts, beef sticks in case of plane delays or no options
• At a healthy restaurant, I felt free to order a salad that I know had healthy oil with lots of toppings.  If I wasn’t sure about the ingredients, I would simply order a meat with no sauce, and a salad with olive oil and vinegar.

As I round out my Whole 30, I’ve decided to maintain a modified version long term. I will slowly introduce foods (chocolate will definitely be first!).  Grains, dairy and legumes may always stay off limits for me because I’ve been feeling so good!  I can’t recommend the Whole 30 highly enough – whether to lose a few pounds, support an underlying autoimmune disorder, or to break a craving (slay the sugar dragon in Whole 30 terminology!).

Migraine headaches are a mysterious condition that leave people debilitated and in shambles. People who suffer from migraines are often left searching for solutions to the underlying cause of their headaches. In this fourth and final blog of our migraine series, we will explain how chiropractic can be a solution to the underlying problem in the vast majority of migraine cases.

The Anatomy 

Before you can understand how chiropractic can help with migraines, you first need to understand the anatomy of the upper neck. The upper neck is formed by three bones. These include the base of your skull, called the occipital bone, the C1 vertebra, which is the first bone in your neck, and the C2 vertebra, which is the second bone in your neck. These bones surround and protect the lower portion of the brainstem. In addition, a major source of blood supply to the brain, called the vertebral artery, also passes through this area.

Subluxation

When the bones in our upper neck become misaligned, it is very deleterious for our bodies. A misalignment in the spine, also known as a subluxation, can occur when our bodies are unable to handle environmental stressors. These stressors can be physical, chemical, or emotional traumas that our body experiences. Migraines, among a host of other issues, often occur with a serious subluxation in our upper neck because the nerve fibers and vasculature that runs through this area are very delicate.

How Chiropractic Helps

Chiropractors work to remove subluxations by restoring natural alignment in the spine. The first step for your chiropractor is to assess this area in detail by obtaining X-rays of your spine.  This allows a chiropractor to understand if it is possible to make corrections to the area and take pressure off of the brain stem, spinal cord, and delicate nerves.  If subluxation in the upper neck is present, the next step is for your chiropractor to make very specific adjustments to the top bones in your neck. These adjustments are very gentle and can be done by hand or with instrument. There is now proven research that migraine sufferers who get adjusted regularly report having a decrease in both frequency and severity of their migraines 1,2 . How long it may take before you start to see results is dependent on how long your subluxations have been developing. Chiropractic, in combination with the advice given in the previous blogs in this series, offers a comprehensive and natural approach to ending your migraine headaches once and for all.

1. Tuchin PJ, Pollard H, Bonello R. A randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000;23(2):91-95. 2. Bronfort G, Assendelft WJ, Evans R, Haas M, Bouter L. Efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic headache: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2001;24(7):457-466.

In this blog we will identify ways to stop a migraine once it has started.  Even though migraines can be very unpredictable, there are still some strategies you can implement to help mitigate the symptoms and even stop them in their tracks.  We will look at strategies you can implement once you have first started experiencing an aura all the way up to when a migraine has fully set in.

As mentioned in part one of this blog series, migraines often have warning signs leading up to the actual migraine called an aura.  Auras vary from person to person but usually include sensitivity to light, nausea, or confusion.  Once you notice an aura, the first step is to stop whatever you are doing and remove any stressor or trigger that could be potentially causing the aura.  If sensitivity to light is part of your aura, it is best to lay down in a quiet and dark room.

Once the migraine has set in, it can be unpredictable as to how long the headache will last. However, incorporating these 6 strategies below may help reduce both the length and the intensity of your migraine.

Take 5-Hydroxytryptophan

5-Hydroxytryptophan, also known as 5-HTP, is the active form of the amino acid tryptophan.  5-HTP gets converted into the neurotransmitter serotonin in our body.  As mentioned in part two of this blog series, low serotonin may play a role in migraine headaches.

Caffeine

Although caffeine can be a trigger for some people, for others, consuming a small amount of caffeine may actually help stop a migraine in its tracks.  The vasoconstrictive properties of caffeine is thought to be one of the reasons why it helps some people with migraines.  Be careful about how much caffeine you consume.  If your body becomes dependent on caffeine, a lack of it can become a trigger for migraines.  

Essential Oils

Diffusing or rubbing essential oils directly on the skin can be a good treatment for migraines.  One of the best essential oils for migraines is lavender oil.  There are a growing number of studies proving that lavender oil can prevent and even stop migraines once they have started.  One study found 71% of migraine attacks to be resolved or partially resolved after the inhalation of lavender1.  Another essential oil that has been shown to help with migraines is peppermint oil.  

Stay hydrated

Hydration can be an overlooked factor in migraines.  When experiencing a migraine, having a glass of room temperature water is a good start.  If you feel that hydration is an underlying factor in your migraines, it is best to get a urinalysis to measure hydration and also have an electrolyte panel done.  

Temperature therapy

Although both hot and cold therapy have been documented to help people with migraines, most people respond better to cold therapy.  Start by applying a cold pack wrapped in a towel directly to your forehead.  Alternating between hot and cold has been shown to work in some cases as well.

Get adjusted

Getting adjusted can not only help stop a migraine once it has started, but it can also prevent them from occurring in the first place.  In our fourth and final blog in this series, we will look at how chiropractic can help you with your migraines.  

Sources

https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/335249

In part two of this four part blog series we will identify the most common stressors that can trigger migraines and provide strategies on how to avoid them.  Even though migraine triggers are different from person to person and can be triggered by almost anything, this blog will identify the most likely triggers of migraines.  If you suffer from migraine headaches, the best strategy is to create a migraine headache log so you can track which stressors may be triggers for you.  Start by tracking the 10 most common triggers of migraines, which we have listed below.  Any day you have a migraine, read through this list to see if you have encountered any of these stressors within the last 24 hours.  If so, implement a strategy to remove the stressor and then track the frequency of migraines once you have removed the stressor.

Top 10 Migraine Triggers:

1. Phenylethylamine and Tyramine

These two amino acids are most commonly found in chocolate, cheese, wine, vinegar, nuts, and soy.  They also occur in any foods that are fermented or aged.  These two amino acids are thought to trigger migraines by increasing your body’s blood pressure which in turn increases the pressure inside your head.

2. Tannins

Tannins are naturally occurring polyphenols that are found in plants.  Although scientists aren't entirely sure why tannins trigger migraines, it is thought to be linked to the fact that they inhibit protein absorption, which could play a role in serotonin regulation.  The most common way we encounter tannins is through our diet by eating and drinking things like tea, red wine, apples, grapes, dark chocolate, and vanilla. 

3.  Nitrites

Nitrites are preservatives and flavor additives used in processed meats.  Nitrites cause vasodilation of our blood vessels which can trigger migraines in sensitive individuals.  They are most commonly added to sausage, jerky, pepperoni, and other deli meats.  Look for nitrite free meat next time you're shopping for any of these meats at the grocery store. 

4.  Sulfites

Sulfites are used as a preservative in dried fruits, fruits juices, wine, and other processed foods.  They trigger migraines in some people due to their ability to trigger a release of histamine and homocysteine.  High levels of histamine and homocysteine trigger an immune response and result in inflammation, which is a cause of miragine.

5.  Caffeine

People who are caffeine sensitive may develop migraines after drinking tea, coffee, soda, or eating chocolate.  However, in some individuals, low doses of caffeine can actually helps get rid of a migraine once it has started.  Test this one out for yourself to see how your body reacts.

6.  Alcohol

The link between alcohol and migraines isn't entirely understood. Some believe alcohol triggers migraines due to the increase of histamine production. Others suggest it is due to alcohol's diuretic effects on the body, causing dehydration.  In any case, keep track of whether alcohol is a trigger of your migraines.

7.  Emotional Stressors

Emotional stressors are often overlooked when searching for migraine triggers.  Emotional stressors impact our body’s autonomic nervous system.  The autonomic nervous system is responsible for controlling the body’s sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) and parasympathetic nervous system (rest, digest, and heal response).  When you experience emotional stressors, your body activates your sympathetic nervous system.  Although the sympathetic nervous system is good in life threatening scenarios, it is not good when it is activated for prolonged periods of time.  This can results in a host of health problems, one of them being migraines.

8.  Lack of Sleep

Lack of sleep will alter your brain chemistry and can be a trigger of migraines for a lot of people.  Make sure you are getting 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.  Use a sleep log to keep track of the number of hours of sleep you get and how rested you feel upon awakening.

9.  Overuse of Technology

Staring at a bright screen for several hours during the day can trigger migraines for many reasons.  First our eyes get exhausted easier when staring at bright screens and can result in an eye strain migraine.  This is especially common for people who have light sensitivity once their migraine has set in.  Another reason is due to the strain that overuse of electronics puts on the head and neck.  The muscles, bones, and nerves in our neck play a direct role in the triggering of migraines.  We will explore this relationship in greater depth in a later blog when talking about how chiropractic can help with your migraines. 

10.  Physical Stressors

            As mentioned above, physical stressors can be be a trigger of migraine headaches. This can include poor posture, misaligned vertebrae and cranial bones, overexertion during exercise, and head traumas.

Migraine headaches are a common condition that millions of Americans struggle with each day.  Migraines come in many different forms but are generally described as a disabling headache accompanied by sensitivity to light with associated nausea. These painful and often times debilitating headaches are a problem that leave people mystified and searching for answers.  In this 3 part blog series we will aim to answer the questions that many people have a about their migraines. 

In this first blog, we will describe the different types of migraines and how to distinguish what type of migraine you may be suffering from.

Migraine with aura

The two broad categories of migraine fall into migraine with aura and migraine without aura.  Migraines with aura usually has a warning sign or an "aura" indicating the person is about to experience a migraine.  The aura is usually some type of neurological symptom; numbness, tingling, visual disturbances, or confusion and occurs 5-60 minutes before the actual headache onset.  These types of migraines are more severe but shorter in duration.  They are more likely to be associated with some type of trigger that classically causes the headache.

Migraine without aura
Unlike the migraine with aura, the migraine without aura comes on with no real warning signs.  These have been described as a moderate to severe pulsating headache that may occur on one or both sides of the head.  They may be accompanied by light sensitivity, confusion, nausea, dizziness, and vision loss.  They typically last longer than migraine with aura, lasting anywhere from 4 hours to several days. 

Less common types of migraines:

Basilar migraine (AKA brainstem migraine)

This type of migraine more commonly affects children and adolescent females and my be associated with menstrual cycles. Symptoms include dizziness, loss of balance, confusion, weakness, and nausea.  They are called basilar migraines because the region of involvement is thought to be at the base of the skull where the brainstem originates. 

Migraine without headache

This strange type of migraine contains all of the symptoms of a migraine just without the headache. People who suffer from these may experience an aura, nausea, light sensitivity, dizziness, and pain in other regions of the body.  

Hemiplegic migraine

This type of migraine is typically more rare than other types of migraines. In addition to having a severe headache, they also result in partial or complete paralysis of one half of the body.  Hemiplegic migraines are thought to have a genetic component and is termed Familial Hemipelegic Migraine (FHM) when more than one family member suffers from this type of migraine. 

Retinal migraine

Also known as an ocular migraine, this type of migraine is characterized as having visual disturbances in one or both eyes.  The visual disturbances experienced may be either blind spots, flashes of light, or loss of color vision.  The good news is that this type of migraine is usually painless and the vision loss is temporary.

Chronic migraine

Chronic migraines are described as migraines that occur for at least 15 days out of the month for three consecutive months.  These types of migraines may or may not have an aura and can vary in their intensity and symptomatology. 

As you have read above, the signs and symptoms of migraines, along with the causes of migraines, can be very different from person to person.  In our next blog, we will look at what some of the most common stressors are that can cause migraines and how to eliminate or reduce them substantially. 

We hope you will join us on Tuesday, Jan 9 at 6:30 PM as we learn more about the Whole 30 and taste some of the most delicious recipes!  To register, please follow this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/13948619606 

Now here are the Top 5 Benefits you will receive by following the Whole 30 Program

1. Improved Digestive Health

Having a healthy digestive system almost always correlates to having a healthy body.  Improving the health of your digestive tract can do wonders for preventing and cure systemic diseases.  One reason the Whole30 will help improve your digestion is because it eliminates all grains.  Grains contain complex proteins that are hard for our gut to breakdown and digest.  The most notorious of these is gluten.  Everyone is gluten intolerant to some extent, even if they don't think they are.  When our gut is exposed to gluten our intestinal cells signal the release of a protein called zonulin.  Zonulin opens up the spaces between the cells of the intestinal lining and result in leaky gut. 

2.  Increased Energy

The Whole30 diet focuses on eliminating simple and refined sugars.  By doing this you will have a stable blood sugar throughout the day.  This means no insulin spikes, no cortisol spikes, and no sugar crashes.  When doing the Whole30 you can expect a steady stream of energy throughout the day.

3.  A Clear Mind

The Whole30 will eliminate brain fog and make you sharp as a tack for a few reasons.  First, by eliminating grains, you will reduce the likelihood of having leaky gut.  Leaky gut results in food proteins slipping through intestinal cells and into the bloodstream.  Over time, this can cause a host of problems, one of which is brain fog.  Another reason the Whole30 will give you a clear mind is due to a stable blood sugar.  Stable blood sugar means a steady stream of glucose for your brain to use for energy.

4.  You will Discover New Foods

By eliminating certain foods that you may typically eat every day, you will be forced to discover new and exciting foods that you may have not cooked with.  In addition to expanding your cooking portfolio and learning new recipes, you will also be consuming dozens of different phytonutrients that you may have not been eating on a regular basis.  Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds found in plants.  It is thought that the greater diversity of phytonutrients you consume, the healthier you will be. 

5.  You Will Lose Weight

Even though the Whole30 isn't intended to be a weight loss program, the side effects of eliminating processed foods, grains, sugars, and alcohol is weight loss.  Consuming excessive carbohydrates is one of the most common ways people gain extra weight.  By eliminating grains and processed foods your carbohydrate intake will naturally be lower.  

So many of our patients have been sick with colds or flus this week! As our schedules become jam-packed and our nutrition is less focused on light, fresh foods, our immune systems become much more susceptible to infections.  Here are our top recommendations for a bullet-proof immune system this December.

1. As mentioned last week, stay on track with your weekly adjustments!

2. Make a plan - To avoid the inevitable holiday weight gain from rich foods, decadent sweets, and extra alcohol, create your holiday nutrition plan.  Eat your veggies or healthy meal prior to attending parties rather than showing up hungry.

3. Intermittent fasting - The latest research in health is showing that skipping a meal here and there is not only good for your waistline, it is vastly beneficial in fighting against cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other health disorders.  To fast most effectively, go 12-16 hours without food, and eat in an 8-hour window for that day. Most people find it easiest to skip breakfast or eat a light breakfast later in the morning. Aim for 1-3 days/week on non-consecutive days.

4. Write your exercise plan in your calendar. If you prioritize your movement, you won’t skip! High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a very efficient way to get in your workout in just 10-30 minutes each day.

5. Just say no!  Prioritizing sleep and your self-care routine becomes difficult in December.  Focus on the activities that are most aligned with your values, and pass on the ones that cause the most stress or are less important to you.

6. Supplements - Immune boosting supplements can help fend off not only colds and flus, but in the case of the superstar Vitamin D, also the winter doldrums. Vitamin D is also a hormone precursor involved in many parts of your body. Supplementation is necessary in Minnesota in October-April due to lack of sun. Adequate levels can be achieved by supplementing 5,000-10,000 IU’s/day in adults. Make sure that you choose Vitamin D3!  Other supplements that peer-reviewed research has been shown to improve immune function include: elderberry syrup, Vitamin C, zinc, and echinacea.

This great blog comes to us from Dr. Kyle.  Though getting adjusted this season seems like an additional stress, the benefits your adjustment will bring greatly outweigh the trouble of coming to the office.

1. Getting adjusted boosts your immune system.           

The winter months are a common time for people to get sick.  With people spending more time indoors and in closer quarters, germs get passed on more easily  In addition, we tend to eat more unhealthy foods and have higher stress, both of which will decrease immune function, making us more likely to get sick.  However, getting adjusted on a regular basis will help to boost your immune system, helping prevent any holiday sickness from occurring.  A literature review done in 2016 in The Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found chiropractic adjustments to increase the activity of T-cells, which are the immune system cells responsible for fighting off pathogens1.  Next time you feel a sickness coming on, be sure to get adjusted to help boost your first line of defense!

2. Getting adjusted regulates metabolism

Making adjustments to the spine helps to balance your autonomic nervous system, which is the system responsible for regulating all of your involuntary organ functions in your body.  Chiropractors focus on balancing this nervous system by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for resting and digesting food.  Next time you overeat during the holidays, remember that chiropractic may help to speed up digestion!

3. Getting adjusted decreases stress hormones

When stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine get overproduced in our body, they can wreak havoc on our health.  The long term effect of chronic exposure to these hormones include weight gain, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and heart disease.  The best way to reduce these is by making lifestyle modifications to avoid stressful situations.  However life often presents situations with unavoidable stressors.  In this case it is best to help manage the overproduction for stress hormones by getting adjusted.  A study published in the Journal of Australian Chiropractic found patients who got adjusted for 5 weeks had lower cortisol levels than the control group2.  Help to offset the stress of holiday shopping and travel by getting adjusted!

4. Getting adjusted helps lower blood pressure.

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can add stress and make your body respond in ways other than producing stress hormones. High blood pressure is another side effect of extra stress.  Making adjustments to the top bone in your neck, called the atlas, can help regulate the signal your brain sends to the body, resulting in lower systemic blood pressure3.

5. Getting adjusted increases mobility           

Travel in long car rides and flying in cramped airplanes are common stressors that our bodies experience this time of year.  Prolonged sitting can cause postural alterations, resulting in stiff muscles and joints.  Maintaining your spine with regular adjustments will help improve posture and free up restricted joints.  Make sure to get adjusted before and after your long holiday travels!

Sources

1. http://www.journalchiromed.com/article/S1556-3707(16)30028-1/fulltext

2. Tuchin PJ. The effect of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy on salivary cortisol levels. Journal of Australasian Chiropractic and Osteopathy, July 1998;7(2), pp86-92.

3. https://vertebralsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages 2017_1471_vansen_hypertension.aspx