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 Let’s start with one possible definition of    fitness: (The state or condition of being fit; suitability or appropriateness) and work out from there; no pun intended!  Whether we look at suitability or appropriateness in the realm of financial fitness we need to have a long term vision for our lives, a lifestyle that fulfills our needs and a plan that will allow our health and money to last as long as we do.

When I discuss health matters with my practice members I often get a sense that most people, myself included not many years ago, tend to ignore their physical health until they are at or approaching a crisis that requires intervention. Sometimes that crisis point requires limited intervention that can repair subtle damage and return the person to wholeness and health, and other times the intervention is necessarily critical and ongoing for life and can only achieve a lesser degree of perpetual state of sickness for life.

What I wish for all the people that I know, take care of, and meet in my community is simple; don’t find yourself with a broken body, unfulfilled dreams, unmet needs and an empty bank account. Many of today’s seniors and even some middle ager’s find themselves outliving their health and/or their means   

financially. I often use the quote (author unknown): ‘Most people spend the first half of their lives building wealth while their health crumbles and the second half of their lives trying to regain their health while their wealth     crumbles and when the dust settles, they are left with little of either’.

 The key to financial fitness is focus and unrelenting consistent action in two planes of life.

 Earn more than you spend and save at least 10-15% of your income in a place where you do not have easy access to it.  This can seem difficult or impossible at first, just start slow and take a piece of your   income every week and put it away and at the same time get a crystal clear picture of how and on what you spend your money.  If you need to, talk to a financial advisor and maximize any benefits you may have through your employer.

Get and stay physically healthy, and start today.  The number one cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. is illness and disease.  The most important tool you have to generate wealth is YOU. Don‘t live like there is no tomorrow and don’t think those aches, pains, and low energy are normal; IT’S NOT!

You can be as healthy and vitally fit physically and    financially as anyone else, you may just need people that will support and nurture new attitudes and actions that will get you there!

So, how can chiropractic serve someone battling cancer?  First you need to understand that chiropractic care   involves gentle adjustments to the spine that restore normal range of  motion to spinal segments and remove stress from the spine and nerve      system.  Not only does this often   result in relief from aches and pains but by removing tension and stress from the nerve system your whole body is allowed to function more   optimally.  Studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments directly    affect the central nervous system,   creating a more relaxed state or parasympathetic state.  In a parasympathetic state anxiety is less and        digestion and immune function are both improved, all essential to healing.  In my own practice I have seen the profoundly positive effect chiropractic care can have on someone  battling cancer. 

 If you or someone you know is faced with cancer, please consider an  integrative approach utilizing  vitalistic principles and chiropractic to enhance quality of life and support the body’s innate ability to heal and be well.

Posture is more than a tag phrase thrown around by well-intentioned authority figures.  It is an essential part of living a fully functional and well life. Ever seen a house with a saggy foundation on one corner, or a badly rotted sill? Doesn’t look good or age well, does it?  In fact when you look inside, you see windows that don’t open and close, doors that stick, and floors that are un-level, and eventually the   exterior begins to deteriorate as well.

 The same goes for the body; however, in the body there are more important considerations than the structure to be concerned with. For instance, when your spine is out of “alignment” or balance, the nervous system immediately tries to correct it through muscle contraction, joint fixation and/or hyper mobility, circulatory changes, and eventually chronic scar tissue development. This is just the effect on the bones and muscles. What about the organs and glands?

 Question: Can a lack of proper posture affect your heart, your digestion, your thyroid gland, or any and all other tissues in the body?     Answer: ABSOLUTELY!

 Question: Would you know if you had “bad” posture that was affecting your health?                                                                                                   Answer: NO, at least for the majority of    people I have cared for in my career.

Question: How would I know if I had “Bad” posture?                                                                                                                                                                    Answer: Seek the advice of an expert in the proper balance and structure of the spinal column and nervous system.

As a chiropractor, the most common postural issues we see are the following: forward head posture, hyper kyphosis, and hip/shoulder/ear height imbalances. All of these issues stem from the body’s natural and proper attempts to adapt to gravity, and all can be corrected if detected before      permanent structural damage is done (usually in the form of degenerative arthritis or, better put, wear-and-tear arthritis).

The best advice I can give you as a responsible and      compassionate care provider is this; get checked as soon as possible by a chiropractor for spinal and nervous system imbalance and then follow the appropriate corrective  measures to get your spine, nervous system, and muscular system to a place of balance and integrity.

Once you have done this, it will be easy to maintain and your health and future wellbeing will be a blank canvas for you to paint a masterpiece on!

 Dr. Brent Reiche

 According to the CDC, the percentage of Americans that took at least one prescription drug in the last month        increased by 10% over the last decade. Multiple  prescription drug use increased by 20% and the use of five or more drugs increased by 70%. As of 2007-2008 half of all Americans used at least one prescription drug. What I find especially alarming is that 1 in 5 children and 9 out of 10 adults over 60 are on one or more prescription drugs. The cost of all this medicine is astounding. In 2008 $234.1 billion dollars was spent for prescription drugs in the U.S. According to the study that is more than double what was spent in 1999.

 Although the study was simply to report the trends of     prescription use in the U.S., the authors seemed to find it necessary to put in a plug for the drug companies when they stated,” As new drugs are introduced and new uses for old drugs are found, more patients can have improved health and quality of life with the appropriate use of       prescription drugs.” Sadly, there is no comment about teaching and encouraging people to live healthy lifestyles so that they don’t need to take these drugs.

If you spend some time searching the CDC website you can also find lots of other interesting facts. For example, the World Health Organization rates the health of the      average American 72^nd in the world and rates our health care system 37^th in the world. At the same time our population is getting more obese every year. Finally, we are second in the world in how much we spend on health care measured as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product.

 When you put all this together it seems too absurd to be true, but I encourage you to look into the facts yourself. We spend billions of dollars on health care and       medication while as a nation we are getting heavier and sicker every year. Everywhere you turn there is an     advertisement telling you to take the next great       medication that will help you live a healthy productive life. Unfortunately, the evidence tells another story. I encourage you, if you haven’t already done so, to take control of your health and start making those changes that will enhance your lifestyle in a way that will help you achieve true health and wellness.

 Dr. Brent Reiche

As we go through our lives we are constantly bombarded by physical, mental, and environmental stressors that challenge our body’s ability to adapt to its surroundings.  It’s our nerve system’s job to control and regulate this adaptation.      However, our nerve system can    become overwhelmed with stress and result in what we call a subluxation.  Subluxation is simply an area in your spine that loses its normal function due to stress. It is an area that is   restricted in its normal range of  motion or is misaligned, causing stress on the nerve system.  Since our nerve system controls and regulates all function, stress on nerves can  drastically affect your overall health. 

Everything we experience is  processed through our nervous  system. When our perception of the world is distorted by subluxation, it compromises our ability to respond appropriately.  Chiropractic adjustments work to reduce stress on the nerve system and can improve the function of all systems, including your mental health.  A study  published in The Chiropractic Journal introduced evidence that chiropractic adjustments have the ability to increase Alpha brainwave patterns, which are “classically associated with a greater degree of relaxation and health”.    In fact, for a period of forty years from the 1920s to the 1960s there were a handful of mental health facilities that utilized chiropractic care as principle service and achieved greater than    average results.  However, due to    insurance reimbursement problems the service was suspended or the facilities closed.  Recently published case    studies also support the effectiveness of chiropractic care in people with  depression and anxiety problems.

 You don’t have to be suffering with a clinically diagnosed mental health problem to benefit from chiropractic care.  I hear from clients all the time who report that getting their spine adjusted helps them handle the day to day stresses of their lives, and let’s face it, if you are in discomfort and not feeling well having a great       attitude is difficult. 

Schedule your appointment today to see if chiropractic care is right for you!

Dr. Brent Reiche

 According to a survey conducted by the     Conference Board research group, only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their work.  Their first survey was conducted in 1987 when 67 percent of those surveyed were satisfied.

There are many factors that influence people’s job satisfaction, such as economic recession, high unemployment rates, poor management, and undesirable coworkers.  However, the most important factor, and the factor that we have the most control over, is our attitude. 

 Have you ever noticed how things change when you change the way you look at things?  I know all of us would love to have our job feel like a vacation in paradise, but let’s face it, you may be in a job right now that you don’t love. Every day in every moment we have choices.  It’s the choices we make each day that have brought us to our current place in life.  So the first thing you do is CHOOSE to be HAPPY! 

 I can hear the rebuttals coming in already, but it’s true, you can choose to be happy at work.  You must think positive and not focus on all the negative aspects of your job.  Focus on the things that you enjoy, and if it makes sense, try to change or improve the things you don’t enjoy.  Be creative and engaged!  Work on personal and professional development so that you can move up or at least have more options within your workplace.  Create balance in your life by doing something every day that you do love!  I love my work as a Chiropractor but I also make it a point to run and sing several times per week because it gives me joy and makes me happy!

 Make friends at work, it’s so much easier to be happy when you are working with friends and people you enjoy being around.  If there are people you work with that you don’t enjoy so much, at least be tolerant and seek to understand and accept differences.  Be flexible and open minded! 

 Lastly, if you just aren’t satisfied with your job, search for something new or go back to school!  Be willing to take risks.  Very rarely is someone successful and happy without taking risks.  You must be willing to get out of your     comfort zone if you are going to turn your vocation into your vacation in paradise!

As we approach fall apple orchards across the country are preparing for the fall harvest. Most people have a      favorite apple variety and with 100 commercially grown varieties in the U.S. there is no shortage of options. Apples are a diverse fruit found around the world and are packed with nutrients and fiber.

 Nutritionally, apples are an all star. Vitamins A, C, E, K and B are all found in apples. Minerals, electrolytes, and phytonutrients are also abundant in apples. Apples contain no sodium, fat, or cholesterol and for a medium-sized apple you are looking at about 80 calories. So as you can see it really is a great choice for anyone that is conscientious about what they eat.

 For the maximum benefit eat your apples raw with the skin. The skin of the apple is where you will find your highest concentration of fiber and  nutrients. I recommend that you eat organically grown fruit whenever  possible, but if that is not an option apples are a fruit that can be easily washed. You don’t want to offset the benefits of the apple with the harmful effects of chemicals that may have been sprayed on the fruit.

Finally, if where you live allows it, take advantage of the fall weather and the apple harvest, pile into the car and go apple picking. Many orchards   allow you to pick your own apples and often have special events throughout the fall to draw people in. Make an afternoon of it. Enjoying the     sunshine with loved ones, walking around the orchard in the fresh fall air, and of course eating the fruits of your labor makes for a well rounded day of health and wellness. If you don’t live in a region where you can pick apples, still make a day of it.  Pack a picnic with your favorite food, including apples, and take a trip that includes a nice outdoor hike and    picnic!  How do you like them apples?

 This month I will shed a little light on this “condition” called Sciatica. I have actually had practice members ask me if I can adjust their sciatica bone or other variations of inquiries regarding pain they have in their back and/or down their legs.

 Sciatica as an entity is a very specific issue caused by an irritation, inflammation, or tension on a specific individual nerve root (between the 4^th lumbar and 1^st sacral segments) or the accumulation of these nerve fibers called the sciatic nerve after they have exited the spinal column.

 First of all, sciatica can and often does exist with little to no back pain and can vary symptomatically from a generalized ache to severe pain anywhere from the buttock to the foot. It can have multiple causes including chemical irritation to sensitive neural tissue, chronic mechanical stress on spinal joints that lead to arthritis, disc swelling and/or herniation, and tension in the piriformis muscle (a muscle in the      buttocks) to name a few.

 The most important considerations to be made if you or someone you know suffers with sciatica are:

*What is causing the symptoms of sciatica?         *What needs to be done to correct the cause?

 You will notice that I have highlighted the word cause   because the cause is the culprit that is affecting your health and wellbeing and if that is not addressed properly, the symptoms will only get worse as the condition continues to manifest in future damage to the bones, ligaments, and nerve tissue in the spinal regions effected.

The first line of evaluation and care for Sciatica should be a comprehensive health history followed by a neurological and physical exam and in most cases a spinal      x-ray to determine the cause and to develop an effective and safe program of care to correct it. In my opinion this should be done by a chiropractor, as we are best equipped to provide these conservative and effective services. The first line of care or evaluation should not be expensive and in most cases unnecessary diagnostic procedures, steroid injections, physical therapy, or spinal surgery because these are primarily aimed at treating the symptoms of sciatica as opposed to detecting and correcting the cause.

 With 14 years of experience, I truly believe that you are better off making a healthy choice for a lifetime than you are spending a single minute in a medicine cabinet or on an operating table.

As a chiropractor I talk to patients on a daily basis about living a healthy lifestyle. One of the keys to a healthy lifestyle is regular exercise.  I have heard all the excuses and even used them myself at times. I know you are busy and there are a lot of demands on your time. However, I know it makes life even harder if you are   trying to get everything done that needs to be done but are not functioning at your optimum potential because of an unhealthy lifestyle.

 One way to improve your fitness at work is to take advantage of the        opportunities that are available to you on a daily basis. Opt for those activities that demand more effort over those that are more convenient. For example, use the stairs whenever possible. If it is an option, use your own horsepower to get to work via running, walking, or biking. Keep it as a part of your    consciousness to move as much as possible. Not only will it help you burn calories it will help you stay more alert and focused.

Another benefit to healthy living is that many insurance companies and businesses offer incentives for       individuals who demonstrate that they are living a healthy lifestyle. Find out if that applies to you and take  advantage of those opportunities. Lunch time walking clubs, company sports teams, and interoffice  competitions are great ways to get more people on board and create a built-in support system.

Finally, put some thought and effort into how you are eating while at work. If you don’t plan ahead it is easy to run to the vending machine or order take out to fill the void that is causing your hunger. Unfortunately, your healthy options in those  circumstances are severely limited. By packing a lunch you can plan ahead, create a  balanced nutritious lunch and save some money. There is no downside and it only takes a bit of planning and a little effort.

 These are just a few ideas to get your wheels turning. I encourage you to start coming up with some of your own ideas of how you can become more active in your work environment. This will be a great start       towards a healthy lifestyle that will help you get more years out of your life and more life out of your years.

All of us are getting older every second, but are you passively letting time tick by and simply accepting the outcome or are you actively    engaged so that you have a greater say as to how you age? A few months ago we lost a   pioneer in health and fitness, Jack LaLanne. Jack, known as the Godfather of Fitness, lived a long and    fulfilling life until his passing at the age of 96. He is a great example of a human being that lived life on his terms in a healthy manner. “The only way you can hurt the body is not use it,” LaLanne said. 

“Inactivity is the killer, and remember, it’s never too late.” 

We can see all around us how the health of the average American is getting worse   because of chronic disease primarily due to unhealthy lifestyle. Jack’s example stands in stark contrast to how most Americans live. The question we all have to deal with is which path are we going to follow?

Often, when the subject of longevity and lifestyle come up there is always someone who knows someone that smoked, drank, and ate fast food their whole life and lived to 100. That does happen sometimes and if you want to take your chances with that model I wish you all the best. However, we all know that those examples are rare and your chances of attaining the same result are extremely slim.

On the other hand, by living a healthy lifestyle there are no guarantees, but you do greatly increase the odds that you can avoid many of the health challenges that are plaguing   millions of Americans.

So what is your plan? If you want to make changes toward a healthier lifestyle and don’t know where to start, talk to your chiropractor. As chiropractors we understand the   connection between lifestyle and health. We want to help you on your journey towards a long and fulfilling life.

 By the way, Jack LaLanne was a chiropractor. Not a bad example to follow!