Innate Wellness

Have you escaped the cycle?

2011-10-29T17:45:00.001-06:00

Many of you cycle between no symptoms and symptoms and some of you pursue Chiropractic only until it takes your pain away and come back when the pain comes back. I wonder if you ever thought about what great health can do for you.

Great Health gives you options...

This is one of the reasons why people with great health:

- enjoy more money
- better family life
- more satisfying relations
- travel more
- have a calmer mind
- reach their dreams

A lack of great health makes the person weak in other arenas...I have seen it personally.

As you all know I am an avid student of power. I meet people from many walks of life and I learn from all of you.

One of the big life lessons you have taught me is that short-term thinking about health can uncover desperation and time wastage.

People who wait for symptoms and do not get adjusted regularly (regardless of how they feel) are the same people that suffer big time when the pain and symptoms arise.

Are you a short-term thinker who waits for symptoms to "do" something about health or do you have habits such as regular adjustments that keep you away from desperate measures such as medications.

Money and health are very similar, people who think short term about either tend to suffer.

Sedentary Trauma

2011-03-20T18:59:00.000-06:00

How is too much sitting bad for your health? I suggest we use the words “Sedentary Trauma” to describe people getting hurt because of sitting too long.

Sitting a few hours “facebooking” and “googling” and then a few hours in front of the TV and next thing thing you know that your posture and spine are degenerating. It is too bad you cannot see them like your teeth.

If you are someone that has to lift something after sitting for too long, you have a higher chance of injury than someone who has been staying active and keeping mobile.

When we sit for too long, Our joints remodel and our bones change the shape and density to meet our needs. According to Wolff’s Law, when we sit for prolonged periods our bodies innate intelligence starts to shape us for sitting. Sitting for too long also starts Foward head syndrome which is highly dangerous.

Sedentary Trauma is like repetitive stress injury, it is a dangerous habit that does not hurt us right away but regular prolonged sitting is getting us sicker.

According to Dr. Roger Sperry, (Nobel Prize Recipient for Brain Research), 90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine. I see many kids with learning disorders that have sedentary lifestyles and bad posture. I would not be surprised to see research that will show that learning and memory in older adults start to fade as they become sedentary.

Staying sedentary everyday is no different than eating at fast-food restaurants everyday - it will cause serious disease. The biggest challenge I have in practice is explaining that your spine is related to your overall health and function - even your organs depend on a healthy structure. Spinal hygiene for most is ignored until it is too serious.

People only pay attention to their body when it hurts. That is no different than looking to get an oil change after you see the smoke coming out of the engine. Instead, we have to cultivate healthy habits.

Basic lifestyle changes I suggest:

Jump up and down for a 1 min. (If you can do Jumping Jacks) every hour
Limit your screen time
Ball chair
Monitor in front of the eyes, use a desktop versus a laptop

Feng Shui

2011-03-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

A house or building is judged by its design and architecture. It is a physical structure but the elements of layout are interwoven with function, appearance, and in the age-old study of Feng Shui even spirituality and fortune.

Why is the design and the layout of our body not considered with such detail and inspection?

The spine is base of your body's architecture and yet I see billions un-aware of their posture. The alignment of your spine is also linked to function, appearance, spirituality and fortune. Many theologians have linked the human spine to all disease (Hippocrates) and the practice of achieving well-being (not preventing or treating disease) is linked to the practice of alignment (Taoism, Yoga, and Tai Chi).

I have never heard it being said that a misalignment of a spinal joint (Chiropractic Subluxation) can bring bad luck but if you asked me, lowered mind-body function and impending dis-ease is bad luck.

Prevention and Exercise

2011-02-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Majority of the population has not gone through a Spine and Nervous System check up including your family. I know they or you are waiting until they have a symptom. This is to confirm what we already know...we only seek help when it hurts. If health and symptoms were related, a heart disease patient would not “feel” better than a person experiencing the stomach flu.

Another myth is that we have preventative care. Western medicine doesn't believe in disease prevention. Rather, the industry believes in screening while calling it prevention. But screening isn't prevention by even the wildest stretch of the imagination. In fact, virtually all the popular screening methodologies actually promote diseases.

Prevention is rooted in Education not fancy tests to see if you already got something. Finding things wrong with you and ignoring your lifestyle (Emotional Stress, Toxicity, Nutrition) is sad and dangerous.

I get asked about exercises to help the spine thousands of time, but I am never approached with the questions about Emotional Stress. If I asked your best friend if you are stressed majority of the time...What would he or she say? Will that create a Subluxation in your spine? If you do not know the answer to that question, you have not been to my workshop.

Brain Decay?

2011-01-23T15:42:00.002-07:00

Can Spinal Subluxations lead to early brain decay? Let’s look at what Subluxations are and what they represent in your mind-body. They are interferences in communication between your brain and your body. I have often had conversations with many of you where we have discussed how a particular spinal nerve can impact function of the organ it innervates. What about the other way? All nerves lead to the brain so what if parts of your brain do not hear back or have diminished feedback from the environment? Dr. Dainel Amen, Psychiatrist, has unequivocally demonstrated that unused connections in your brain are constantly being pruned. You already know that your muscles atrophy if they are not exercised, so do the parts of your brain.

When I moved from California in 2000, my conversations with my California friends decreased dramatically and eventually even with tools like Facebook, our relationship decayed. I am sure you had friendships like this.

This is exactly what happens if communication in our body starts to degenerate because of Subluxations. There is no drug that can bring it back. There is no massage, no exercise, no supplement, no pill that can restore that connection. Only Chiropractic care that dedicates itself to the correction of Subluxation can re-connect those relationships and bring life back.

Degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s and Dementia have all touched us and once they take hold, the fight is costly and tough. Please do not wait for symptoms to get checked for Subluxations. Too many of us seek health-care only when we “feel” something is wrong. That approach is misguided and is hurting us.

I am love the principles on which Chiropractic is founded on and my motivation is to teach a better approach. I do not need your money or your praise, only to have an impact on your health.

Goodbye 2010

2010-12-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

We are into the last weeks of 2010 and the year has zoomed by for all of us I am sure. I hope that 2010 has brought more vitality in all areas of life. The health of Canadians is increasingly at risk as we dive more into artificial ways of correcting our health and our life rather than working from the inside-out.

"A hospital is like a war. You should try your best to stay out of it. And if you get into it you should take along as many allies as possible and get out as soon as you can. For the amount of money the average hospital stay costs, you could spend an equal length of time at just about any resort in the world, transportation included. And unless your condition required emergency treatment, your health might be better off if you spent the time and money at the resort, too. For the hospital is the Temple of the Church of Modern Medicine, and thus one of the most dangerous places on earth."

- Robert Mendelsohn, M.D.

Well the simple truth is that many of you think Chiropractic is for your back rather than for the improvement of your nervous system. There is also this prevailing idea that an adjustment should be delivered to improve symptoms. Symptom improvement is a medical game not a Chiropractic purpose. The purpose of Chiropractic is to improve health function not symptoms. Yes, you may feel worse, indifferent, or better after an adjustment but your function and life expression will always improve with long-term Chiropractic care. Please do not treat Chiropractic as the symptom relief medication but a life enhancing strategy.

For 2011, my vision for Divine Spine clients is to be the wellness leaders and advocates. This means ensuring that our community and family do not fall into a health-crisis. We will monitor our thoughts daily, be disciplined about our nutrition, and of course remain active.

I wish all of you the best in 2011.

Please also note that this is our last week and the last day for a Chiropractic adjustment is Thursday, December 23, 2010. We will re-open in 2011 on Monday, January 3, 2011.

If you have not done so already, Please note that we are on facebook.com/divinespine and we will look forward to having you as a part of our community.

The Iphone craze

2010-09-21T16:01:00.000-06:00

Line ups for Iphone 4 bring the attention to smartphones and their impact on posture. As people use their smartphones I am of the opinion that we are going to see more postural dysfunction and associated health issues in Society. In my opinion, as a Chiropractor, forward head posture (FHP) is becoming increasingly more common and should be considered a public health issue.

The smartphones are only going to increase this problem.

According to the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, older men and women with hyperkyphotic posture (rounded hump) have higher mortality rates. That means they are more likely to die early. A recent study found this hyperkyphotic posture was associated with a 1.44 greater rate of mortality.

Even your lung capacity and blood pressure are impacted with forward head posture (American Journal of Pain Management). According to Kapandji (Physiology of the Joints, Volume III), for every inch your head moves forwards, it gains 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned, because they have to work that much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping onto your chest.

Posture also has a negative impact on lung function. It is estimated that there is a loss of 30% of vital lung capacity according to Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California.

So what is good posture? When your head is positioned correctly, the opening to your ear is centered over your shoulder. If your ear opening is off center and it's located to the front of the shoulder, then you have forward head posture.

Unfortunately, for every inch that your head is off center, an average of 10 -20 additional pounds is exerted on the muscles in your neck and upper back, making them work harder just to keep your head up!

I have noticed that today's lifestyle contributes to this condition. Getting regular check ups from your Chiropractor, living an active lifestyle, and managing your time well can be great tools in achieving better health.

So the question is how is your posture?

Chiropractic and Edmonton weather

2010-09-13T15:31:00.000-06:00

Recently at a Chiropractic Convention this discussion turned to Chiropractic care in Edmonton. I was asked if I enjoy practicing in Edmonton and what specific issues do Edmonton residents face that are relatively unique to our geography.

Good question.

Before I leap to my thoughts it would be good to understand what Chiropractors look for. We look for Subluxations in the nervous system related to Emotional, Chemical and Physical Stress. So the underlying question is, what stress is unique to Edmonton or any other geographic in general?

In terms of weather, Edmonton can experience quick weather changes with Challenging winters so our nervous system has to consistently adapt to new weather patterns. We definitely adjust more people in the spring, fall and winter seasons than the summers.

According to the weather network, your body will need to adapt to "Active Weather Triggers". The network defines a trigger to be as follows:

Temperature – a decrease of 5 degrees Celsius or more.
Humidity – an increase of 20%.
Pressure – a decrease of 0.7 kPa (kilopascal) or more.
Dewpoint – an increase of 5 degrees Celsius or more.

Visit us on our website at www.drgauba.com to take our stress quiz and think about what other stressors could be unique to Edmonton. The stress quiz can be found at:

http://www.drgauba.com/doctor/chiropractor/57L/edmonton-chiropractor/divine-spine.htm.

Thanks.

Jerry Rice Shares Personal Successes With Chiropractic Care

2010-08-29T16:01:00.000-06:00

Purpose

2010-08-06T08:29:00.000-06:00

I was watching a video on motivation, money and the workplace. The video was highlighting that the latest research from MIT, top-notch psychology, and sociology schools is arguing that money is not the most powerful motivator. It is purpose.

I have always heard that the 'why' is more important than the 'how' but I believe that a more congruent statement may be that the 'why' is the only important element.

If we cannot answer the "why" in our lives about health, career, and relationships they will inevitably leave.

Our "Why" is the root of all we create and destroy.

I wonder if each of us take the time to write down the "why"s of what we have achieved and want to achieve. If we do not write it down, chances are that we want to avoid looking at ourselves in that mirror and ignore what self-reflection can bring - clarity, life, and even death.

Pain Relief From Swearing?

2010-06-21T10:11:00.000-06:00

Owww! Crap! Swearing is a common response to pain, and a recent British study was the first to investigate the effects of swearing on pain tolerance. The 64 participants were asked to immerse one hand in icy water until they could no longer stand the pain. The procedure was then repeated, with participants either swearing out loud or saying "neutral" words. Pain intensity was assessed, along with the length of time required for the pain to become unbearable. The findings indicate that swearing actually does increase pain tolerance and decrease perceived pain. The pain-reducing effect was more pronounced in women than in men.

When we consider the role of emotional stress as a cause of Subluxations causing interference in the Nervous System does it not make perfect sense?

Reference: NeuroReport. 2009;20(12): 1056-1060.

Muscle Tight?

2010-06-09T18:06:00.000-06:00

I often hear comments in the practice..."My muscles are so tight!"

Do we remember what gets our muscles tight in the first place? Like everything else...our nervous system!

If we are accumulating stress (physical, mental or emotional) we develop Subluxations leading to tight muscles and more importantly a lowered performance.

If we perceive our world to be stressful place - our body will reflect our thoughts and tighten our muscles.

One of the coolest thing about our existence is our ability to change our perceptions and thoughts about the world. Do you exercise that freedom regularly?

Stress and Chiropractic

2010-05-17T10:54:00.000-06:00

Does stress influence your central nervous system? Absolutely. The obvious get over-looked. We tend to think that our muscles get tighter, blood pressure rises, headaches happen, hormones get imbalanced and immunity gets compromised as a cause of increased stress in our lives. Are we missing a step in this cycle? I think so.

The first impact of stress is on our central nervous system, the master system in our bodies. Stress creates a situation called Subluxation. Subluxation changes the function of our bodies and leads to dysfunction. Would it be wise to address the Subluxation before we try to treat the symptoms associated with Subluxation? I think so.

An irritated nervous system can have dangerous consequences...what do you think? I suggest regular Chiropractic adjustments to address Subluxations for you and your family so that we save time and money on healthcare.

Fixing Up and Tearing Down

2010-05-03T16:01:00.000-06:00

As you and I have a physical body, we’re subjected to various laws of the physical universe. Among them, the second Law of Thermodynamics states that things go from order to disorder.

You may have noticed this with objects. Over time your closet gets cluttered, your lawn becomes infested with weeds and car parts wear out. With neglect, this happens to our bodies as well.

Various forces such as gravity, poor diet, lack of rest and exercise, negative attitudes and countless other stresses, cause our bodies to break down. Fortunately, we have an internal force that constantly works to counteract these external forces.

(Our ability to heal is related to this internal force.)

Turns out, this inborn intelligence of our body is the nervous system—the focus of chiropractic care.

Subluxation

2010-02-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

The above image conveys a feeling of hopelessness and Subluxation to me. When our body cannot have a dialogue with itself, the environment and the Universal intelligence at large, our potential is minimized. Does your body have the opportunity to have these dialogues? How do you know?

How long?

2010-02-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Last night at the Oilers hockey game, me and one of my best friends, Ernest, who is also a Chiropractor were talking about the philosophy of Chiropractic. For those of you who know me well, this is the most inspiring topic for me to talk about and gets me fully involved. The conversation was about a legendary Chiropractor, Dr. Reggie Gold and how he interacted and engaged his clients. Ernest mentioned that Dr. Gold would not adjust or examine anyone until they he first consulted with the family and a mutual agreement was reached about how Dr. Gold would be able to serve the entire family; the Chiropractic paradigm; and a commitment to have an optimally functioning nervous system for the rest of their lives.

Interesting and humbling. We all agree that each and every one of us has gifts that we would love to share with the world and for me one of those things is to practice Chiropractic with the idea that we all deserve to live our lives without interference in our nervous system and with an uninterrupted connection with our innate intelligence (spirit).

Now as the title of this blog wonders...How long should we be connected to our spirit and have an interference-free nervous system? One day? week? until we feel great? or for the rest of our lives?

Also, who deserves to have their nervous system function perfectly? Only the adults of the family? Only one of the spouses? or everyone including the kids? I really believe that Chiropractic can help the Africans, the Asians, and any other citizen of the world...if only they choose to embrace their full potential. How can we connect with the world if we are not connect within ourselves to the spirit that animates us?

So there I sit at Divine Spine Chiropractic wondering when should I have this conversation with you...our present and future clients? I do not know. I am 100% sure, however, that this conversation is the most important discussion in our practice and I would rather have it than not.

The Chiropractic Concept of Retracing

2010-02-03T10:46:00.002-07:00

What is Chiropractic Retracing?

Chiropractic patients occasionally experience the phenomenon of retracing. Retracing is the re-experiencing or re-awakening of pain or other symptoms, including memories or even emotions that seem suddenly to erupt to the surface. It appears to be a part of the healing process. Some examples may make this more understandable:

1) A person is pleased with his/her chiropractic care but suddenly finds the original symptoms returning. These symptoms clear up within a short time.

2) A person receives an adjustment and, while resting afterwards, suddenly experiences such intense feelings of lightness and happiness that he/she begins to laugh. Or, the reverse occurs and the person begins to cry. Again, retracing.

3) Someone receives an adjustment and shortly thereafter re-experiences the accident in which he/she was injured, being suddenly filled with fear and confusion. The feelings soon pass.

4) A patient begins to recover his/her health after a few adjustments, but one day feels pain. This might be in any part of the body; in the following (true) case it was the wrist: "Did you ever have any problems with your wrist before?" asked the doctor. "Yes, I broke it a few years ago in the very spot I now feel pain." "You're probably retracing," said the doctor. "The area never healed completely and is now completing the healing process. The symptoms will not last for long."

5) A person receives an adjustment and becomes consumed with memories of childhood. Once again, retracing.

Why Does Retracing Occur?

It appears that the body tissues and the nervous system have a "memory" which records the traumas, accidents and injuries it has experienced. Since feelings of panic, shock, anger and/or hysteria often accompany injuries; the retracing patient may feel these emotions "leaving" as the physical injury begins to heal.

Retracing is not always dramatic. Sometimes it may manifest itself as simply the urge to take deep, satisfying breaths while undergoing care. There may be a release of psychophysical energy going on at this moment, though it may not be accompanied by any conscious memories. Yet retracing may be occurring in such instances.

Retracing is Real

Don't think of retracing as being imaginary or unreal. Retracing experiences are very real and can be both physically and emotionally quite intense. In such instances it's often difficult to see the experience as part of the healing process. Patients going though a particularly intense retracing pattern may feel as if they've had a serious relapse or are perhaps even getting worse.

Although retracing experiences usually last a short time and often pass relatively quickly, patients have been known to terminate their care as a result of them. During this period it is especially important that the patient tell the doctor what is going on. Patients who terminate their care as a result of retracing symptoms will be cheating themselves of a healing experience.

Master Planning for Life

2010-01-22T09:26:00.005-07:00

Some of you are aware that I have recently had the privilege of participating in Dr. John DeMartini's Master Planning Workshop. My prior experiences with Dr. DeMartini have included his powerful lectures at Parker Seminars, Personal consulting, and his amazing Breakthrough Experience Seminar featuring the DeMartini Method.

The Master Planning Seminar is the best seminar I have ever attended. I have attended over 100 seminars on health, healing, and personal development but I never had the opportunity to come back from a Seminar with an actual product that I had co-created with someone who is a master of universal laws.

The workshop provided an opportunity to write about (in-depth) my perceptions on all seven areas of life (Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Family, Financial, Social, and Career). The key word being, my perceptions. The participants had to answer detailed questions formulated by Dr. DeMartini about each of these seven areas. Each one of these questions made you take a stance about the reality you want.

I would say that I have tried to live a relatively conscious life but the level Dr. DeMartini revealed to me was humbling.

The hardest part for me was to write about my spirituality. I had always believed certain things about the Universe, God, and myself but now I had to document them and be co-creative in the process.

How many times in your life, have you asked the question...what are the spiritual rules for me? Well, I decided mine in written form in January 2010. No one else, just me. No priest, No temple, just a series of thoughts that I felt connected to and found to be congruent with my soul.

I clearly remember the day I received my driver's license when I was 16. I drove home from the westend of town, with my driving instructor, declared my freedom the moment I entered the house. The friday night that came after, as I drove my friends around, was the liberating. This seminar was like getting my license to be conscious.

Working through every section was not smooth. It was not exciting or glamorous. It was not an orgasm of epiphanies. It was rewarding. At the end of the seminar, I had the most honest document I had ever created about my life, which, I intend on reviewing and revising every week.

The Art of Chiropractic

2009-12-01T11:16:00.004-07:00

I'm often asked how we create a care plan - how many visits and how frequent should they be. This is where experience and the "art" of chiropractic come into play.

During the exam, your condition, your age, lifestyle, attitude and dozens of other factors are evaluated, recorded and compared with similar cases. Each plays a role in the recommendations I make for the first phase of your care.

A plane needs enough speed to take off. So too with our initial recommendations: If the visits are too far apart, we won't create enough momentum to reverse the downward trend. If the visits are too frequent, the body doesn't have enough time to put the adjustments to use. There's a real skill in picking the right balance between too frequent and not frequent enough.

Sometimes I misjudge. But most of the time there are other factors - we've identified up to a dozen issues that can be involved. If you're not progressing as quickly as you'd hoped, talk to me.

New Book!

2009-11-05T16:57:00.002-07:00

For those of you who have been requesting my ebook based on our health seminar...it is ready. You can download it at www.lulu.com at the following link:

http://www.lulu.com/product/e-book/innate-wellness-101/5933782

Alternatively, you can search for my name or the title (Innate Wellness) at lulu.com.

Thank you for your support.

DeMartini Master Planning Seminar

2009-10-21T09:47:00.004-06:00

Hello all,

I have mentioned to a few members about Dr. John DeMartini's seminar on life planning. I truly believe that this seminar is important for anyone who is looking for more clarity in their life. For those of you who are interested, I promised I would provide some information so here it is:

http://www.boomboxradio.com/demartini/general/ViewDetails.aspx?EventID=561

The seminar is in Houston and you can call Dr. DeMartini's office at 1-888-336-2784. You can also mention that you are registering from Dr. Manjit Gauba's clinic and may be eligible for a discount if there are enough registrations.

Thanks.

Exercises

2009-10-14T12:55:00.003-06:00

Nervous System Exercises

These exercises are not designed to increase strength but to engage the part of the nervous system and brain that will help retain your alignment and prevent subluxations.

Please alternate upper body and lower body daily.

Standing Shoulder External Rotation with resistance band.

3 Sets. 15-25 repetitions in each set.

Online Reference:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/strengthening/resistance_bands/external_rotation.php

Standing Shoulder Lateral Raise with resistance band

3 Sets. 15-25 repetitions in each set.

Online Reference:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/strengthening/resistance_bands/lateral_raise.php

Standing Hip Abduction with resistance band

3 Sets. 15-25 repetitions in each set.

Online Reference:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/strengthening/resistance_bands/standing_abduction.php

Standing Quadriceps extension with resistance band

3 Sets. 15-25 repetitions in each set.

Online Reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QME_MnmLHoA

Treadmill or Elliptical trainer at low setting for 10-15 minutes everyday

Online Reference: None

Like to read?

2009-10-02T14:51:00.002-06:00

Alright Divine Spiners!

Some of you asked me for a reading list so here are some books that I think will be entertaining and educational:

The Breakthrough Experience by Dr. John DeMartini
Outliers By Malcolm Gladwell
Discover Wellness by Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Deitch
Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Go Giver by Bob Burg

Enjoy!

Subluxations...Why?

2009-09-14T11:10:00.003-06:00

I wonder why people think that when they have spinal subluxations, it is always related to something they did physically?

This is one of the biggest challenges I face in practice today. Communicating the concept of Subluxations.

When I see a client mentioning his or her impression of their spine and stating that "something is out" - they automatically gauge what they did or did not do physically.

"Oh I was lifting something heavy!"

"Oh I was sitting for too long!"

"Oh I did not work out!"

What about the rest of your self? Your chemical and emotional self?

Were you stressed about your career? Your family?

Did you forget to meditate or attend a spiritual gathering?

Did you eat too much? too little?

Was it the anti-histamines?

Our bodies are not divided. The nerves carry all types of information. Your lifting techniques to your accomplishments at work. When your body hears your mind and incorporates what you put in your mouth it will reflect on your spine.

There is even a chance that if the inner wisdom (Innate Intelligence) of the body disagrees, it might create a subluxation. Possible?

Headaches

2009-08-23T15:25:00.004-06:00

I have often ran into people who consider a headache as a natural and daily party of their life. Getting a headache is not normal. It is a symptom of dysfunction within the body. There are many types of headaches and in the medical literature there are over 100 classifications of headaches so it can be quite confusing for health providers and genaral public alike.

To help, I am now offering a workshop aimed primarily at headaches. The workshop will be held at Divine Spine and the first one is on Friday, September 11 at 5 pm.

Please call or email us to register.

Attached is the brochure so that you may inform others.

ProAdjuster

2009-02-28T09:01:00.002-07:00

A new technique - evolution of Chiropractic into the 21st century. I have been researching and attending seminars relating to Chiropractic technique for years and I have just introduced the ProAdjuster technique into our clinic.

It is a computersized, comfortable and standardized way to check for and treat nerve problems. We are the only clinic in Edmonton to offer this unique technique and I am definitely excited.

It is worth checking out!

Adjustment anyone?

2009-01-29T10:12:00.003-07:00

I often get asked - "What is an adjustment?" At our clinic the term "Subluxation" is described with great detail (I hope) but we often overlook at how we treat the Subluxation - through an adjustment!

The word adjustment in its Chiropractic roots means to add a force to restore the mental impulse (nervous system).

The Webster definition states that it is a correction or modification to reflect actual conditions. This relates to the Chiropractic concept that an adjustment helps your body regain balance with the internal and the external environment. An adjustment helps you adapt.

In our practice, an adjustment is our primary service delivered to improve your nervous system and maximize your life expression. Do you think that you want that?

Our full potential

2008-10-07T19:01:00.002-06:00

I wonder how many times do we feel truly alive? In my opinion, it is when we listen to our soul and live life without any fear or guilt.

Here is a poem that I believe is a tribute to that idealogy:

Our Greatest Fear —Marianne Williamson

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,talented and fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.We were born to make manifest the glory ofGod that is within us.It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,we unconsciously give other peoplepermission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,Our presence automatically liberates others.

—Marianne Williamson

Cheers.

Fight?

2008-10-01T09:20:00.002-06:00

Fight Disease!

Is that what we want to do? Or do we want to overcome the body's need for disease?

Chiropractic is about re-connecting the body and spirit not about creating a war inside your body.

BJ Palmer

2008-09-22T12:12:00.003-06:00

Today I am quoting BJ Palmer who was the son of D D Palmer, the founder of modern Chiropractic. He was a scholar, a visionary and a leader for the Chiropractic profession.

This is one of my favorite quotes about Chiropractic at a time when the majority thought that Medicine was the only way...

The Truth by BJ Palmer, Developer of Chiropractic

We chiropractors work with the subtle substance of the soul. We release the imprisoned impulse, the tiny rivulet of force, that emanates from the mind and flows over the nerves to the cells, and stirs them into life. We deal with the magic power that transforms common food into living, loving, thinking clay; that robes the earth with beauty, and hues and scents the flowers with the glory of the air.

In the dim, dark, distant long ago, when the sun first bowed to the morning star, this power spoke and there was life; it quickened the slime of the sea and the dust of the earth and drove the cell to union with its fellows in countless living forms. Through eons of time it finned the fish and winged the bird and fanged the beast. Endlessly it worked, evolving its form until it produced the crowning glory of them all. With tireless energy it blows the bubble of each individual life and then silently, relentlessly dissolves the form, and absorbs the spirit into itself again.

And yet you ask, ? Can Chiropractic cure appendicitis or the flu?? Have you more faith in a knife or a spoonful of medicine than in the power that animates the living world?

-By B. J. Palmer, D.C., Ph. C

I wonder if things are different now and then I realize that it is irrelevant. Chiropractic is a unique science that looks at the body differently than all other sciences, that is important. It offers an individual choice to pick how they want to live their life...reacting to your symptoms and thinking that your body is powerless or letting your body heal itself by removing subluxations.

ADIO

2008-09-12T09:48:00.003-06:00

ADIO is a Chiropractic word. It stands for Above-Down-Inside-Out. This is word that has been part of the profession and summarizes its vitalistic backbone. ADIO succintly expresses the fundamental Chiropractic premise that the body has the ability to heal itself from any disease or illness.

Do you believe so? or do you believe that disease is an indication that our body is running low on a prescription drug?

Decompress

2008-08-06T11:36:00.004-06:00

One of our practice members asked me why we ask him to lay down on the treatment table and "decompress" before his Chiropractic adjustment. It is a great question and I thought that we had explained this to our valuable practice member but obviously there was more clarity needed. So here are the reason why we ask you to relax, decompress and enjoy the silence before your adjustment:

1. It calms your mind and body.
2. It increases the doctor's intention and creates better attention on the practice member's actual needs.
3. It removes distractions from the environment.
4. It takes a physical connection and raises it to a metaphysical connection.
5. It creates timelessness for the practice member.
6. It increases the healing energy in the environment between the practice member and the doctor.
7. It increases the purpose and focus for the doctor.
8. It increases the healing power of the adjustment.
9. It saves valuable time for the client and the doctor.
10. It keeps the atmosphere positive, undiluted by signs and symptoms.
11. It allows you to actually hear and feel your body.
12. It increases present time consciousness.
13. It changes the physical stress on the spine.
14. It interrupts our daily pattern which are often filled with physical, chemical and emotional stresses.

It is not easy to create an environment where true healing can take place, but we truly believe that a few precious moments of silent decompression before your Chiropractic adjustment is powerful. On the whole, it is congruent with our mission to improve to your health potential.

Money talks

2008-07-25T09:35:00.003-06:00

The Canadian Institue for Health Information (cihi.ca) reports that healthcare spending in 2007 to be around 160 Billion. I wonder how much is spent on fixing and treating rather than preventing? All healthcare professionals agree that preventitive healthcare is crucial but do we put money where our mouth is? Have you ever walked into a Chiropractor's or Medical Doctor's office and said "I want to prevent a certain disease, can you help me?"

How do you think your healthcare provider reacts when he has nothing to fix?

No Viagra, No Lipitor, No pain to relieve?

From my own experience, it is hard to make the transition into a wellness and preventive approach. It has been a challenging journey and change has been constant. So how do we express our interest in your wellness and preventing disease?

1. Let's start with the vocabulary. No more calling people "patients". Individuals who choose to be a part of our practice are Practice Members (PMs). Patient suggests that there is something wrong with them and they need fixing. Practice Member is an empowering term, giving the individual some of the responsibility back.

2. Having a method that checks for Subluxations not diseases. I utilize Activator Methods Technique, along with a computerized nerve analysis, and strength tests to look for function rather than pain.

3. Understanding the person. We have every new practice member fill out a wellness wheel so that we can see their self-assessment rating on each of the 7 key areas of life.

4. Doing consistent re-evaluations. Every 15 visits.

5. Having Healthtalks (Seminars) for our PMs and their guests at no-charge. Educating and inspiring them has to be standard that our practice must live upto.

6. Trying to leave our ego out of the equation. This is one of the most challenging of all affairs.

7. Attending regular seminars to refresh and improve our clinic and the care we provide.

and more...

I really believe that doing the little things right is the key to expression. I am sure that this expression will continue to evolve and citizens of Edmonton will continue to support us as they have in the past.

Communication failure

2008-07-07T09:12:00.002-06:00

I was reading a report today about how the miscommunication or lack of communication has perpetuated and even initiated disastrous consequences. From 9/11 to Katrina to Chernobyl; all have an element of sub-par communication. Even looking at large organizations, their success or lack thereof is dependent on how well the company's vision translates through from executives to the mail room.

From a health care prospective, I wonder if we truly look at our body's communication system when we diagnose or treat health problems? When our child has a chronic infection, do we question why the body could not respond? Does the body not know how to treat this infection or is it possible that the body is simply not aware that a certain area is infected?

Last time I went to my traditional doctor, I wanted to let him know that Chiropractic is keenly aware of the role that our body's communication system (nerves, spinal cord and brain) and acutely looks for interferences within that system. He thought that I only dealt with back pain! When he asked me how, it was simple to explain that we check for spinal joints that interfere with messages in the adjoining nerves. I even went on to describe the computerized nerve analysis that checks each level of your spine. We were both surprised that the concept of Chiropractic was not communicated well in the medical system.

I guess that is a miscommunication or subluxation on our part!

Natural Supplements

2008-06-09T11:28:00.003-06:00

There is a great debate in the health professions about the use of prescription drugs versus the natural supplements and it makes me wonder why are natural supplements so sought after? They are a billion and potentially trillion dollar industry and and prescription drugs are now a lifestyle for some.

Natural supplements offer the health consumer control to treat their own body and offer a "preventitive approach" or are touted as "safer" with "less side effects" but are we really sure about that? What does the person want to achieve by taking the supplement that the drug pill does not offer? The prescription drug is usually seen as something that can only be taken when you have disease with a label whereas you can take a supplement without having a labelled disease. There is a supplement for memory; for weight loss; and on; and on.

Our search for wellness has really made us realize that there can be something wrong with our body that the current medical system cannot find. For instance, I cannot predict how much my arteries are clogged right now (25-45%?) and the medical profession will not test that unless I have symptoms. We take vitamins and supplements to detoxify, to enhance or even to fix without a proper agenda. Are we doing the right thing by treating natural supplements as harmless and self-medicating for preventative reasons?

I am really starting to understand the importance of Chiropractic in this whole affair. Chiropractic's philosophy is that a fully functional nervous system is really the key to preventative health. It is wise to check our nervous system before we start messing around with toxifying or detoxifying our flesh and blood. We should really look at why our mind-body led us there in the first place. For instance, instead of taking joint supplements to rebuild cartilage why not take the excessive pressure off the cartilage by having fewer subluxations and better posture? Instead of taking memory boosters, why not reduce the clutter in your life that distracts and makes you forget?

Respecting and caring for your body also means that you must trust the intelligence that runs it and co-ordinates the expression of disease and ease in the system. Prevention starts with information and Chiropractic is the an amazing way to improve the flow of information, prevent illness and reach for higher function.

So before you start peeing some really expensive urine (filled with natural supplements) try an approach that adds nothing and takes away nothing from an already wonderful system.

Disease as a model for learning...

2008-05-27T11:09:00.003-06:00

Not a day goes by when a member of the practice does not mention how something "hurts" or is "not right" or "this part has been bothering me". It seems so convenient to disassociate oneself from their body. It is so easy to say that problem is the "neck" or "low back" rather than to wonder if it reflects our life in other areas? Is there an emotional prospective producing this physical condition? Separating the mind from body can make us the victims of our condition. I just finished a wonderful seminar by a very famous Chiropractor, Dr. Donald Epstein and his concept of healing definitely includes a point of merging with our feelings and our suffering (from any disease). Integrating our disowned parts can lead us to a journey towards wholeness and aid in healing. As a Chiropractor, I always enjoy awakening the nervous system so that the body and the mind can be better connected to improve prospective.

The 7 Keys

2008-05-20T22:15:00.000-06:00

One of the most amazing teachers alive on this planet is Dr. John F. DeMartini and I encourage everyone to pay attention to this man's writings and seminars. One of the greatest gifts that his seminars has taught me is the seven key areas of life. He highlighted balance and I learnt that all areas of life should be attended to. If it was not for him, I would not have attempted to explore the "infinity in divinity" and constantly assessed my viosion for my life and the seven areas: Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Vocational, Familial, Financial, and Social. It also does not surprise me that Dr. DeMartini was a Chiropractor because Chiropractic philosophy focuses on our inner healing power and releasing any interference that are stifling our greatness (divinity). Chiropractic looks for these interefernces in our spinal column and beyond and they are called subluxations.

Its happening!

2008-05-20T13:25:00.000-06:00

I knew this would happen sometime but it does feel surreal. This is my first time writing so publicly. Everything should have a purpose and this blog will outline my opinions on health, wellness and the divine perfection that flows within us. By profession I am a Chiropractor, by education I am student of of the sciences but by philosophy I am definitely inspired by the concept of perfect divine order. I have been in practice for 6 years and been to countless seminars and have enough degrees to understand how little we all understand of our body, health and healing. This blog will outline my journey in helping others gain a better understanding of the synchronicity that runs our bodies, mind and this universe.

As an introductory blog, I would like simply welcome you to my journey of self exporation and understanding the healing power that resides in our being.