Easy Peasy Parmesan Baked Sweet Potato

Yum yum yummy! This baked parmesan sweet potato is a great option for an easy baked and addicting side.

Super easy to make and ready in 20 minutes!!

Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt (I use pink Himalayan)
4 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 minced garlic

Toss it together and then bake at 400 degrees for 29 minutes and voila!!!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Pancakes

So my husband requested to take the allergy test and it came back with a dairy and yeast allergy so we are now going to be testing new recipes and products to see what he likes as alternatives. (Picky eater alert!!)

Since I'm gluten free these recipes will use gluten free flour (I'm trying Cup4cup flour for the first time) and almond milk or olive oil as dairy alternatives.

Recipe:
1 3/4 cup Cup4cup gluten free flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup almond milk
2 eggs ( you can use 1/2 cup applesauce)
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vanilla

Note: Dough gets pretty sticky so when you flip your pancakes you'll need to flatten them with your flipper. I think next time I'll use 1 3/4 cup milk to help them be a little more runny and fluffy.

No One Noticed the Gravy was Gluten Free: Biscuits and Gravy

Who doesn't love biscuits and gravy? Well I do and I miss it terribly so I decided to embark upon a journey to find the perfect gluten free biscuits (still searching in fact) and gravy (DISCOVERED!). I don't have all the gluten free staples in my house but typically can use alternatives to find a way to make recipes work. The recipe for the gravy called for xantham gum which I didn't have so I experimented (Yes I am a culinary scientist when I need to be) with a combination of coconut flour and arrowroot powder to thicken the gravy. It worked so well in fact that no one noticed the gravy was gluten free and I was asked to make this again when we go camping. SCORE one for Momma!

As I mentioned I am still looking for the perfect recipe for gluten free biscuits to pair with this lovely gravy however the recipe I used left much to be desired. I found a recipe for gluten free coconut flour cheddar biscuits but they were gritty and mealy and tasted like more like egg than cheddar. Not impressed but if you are a culinary scientist I'll include the recipe below for future experiments. I will note these could probably be turned into the Red Lobster style biscuits with garlic and butter and improvements on the bread-like consistency.

Gluten Free Cheddar Biscuits
1/4 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together and drop spoonfuls on baking sheet. Bake 14 minutes in oven preheated to 400 degrees fahrenheit.

And now for the piece-de-resistance. the gluten free gravy! I will note that I used homemade chicken broth which is impossibly simple if you make a whole chicken in the insta-pot the night before like I did. I put the bones with any leftover meat and skin into a stockpot and cover with water and boiled for about an hour. Voila broth and if you're really adventurous keep boiling for 4-24 hours to make bone broth (you will have to add more water to cover the bones multiple times).

Gluten Free Sausage Gravy
1 lb ground sausage
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
3 tsp arrowroot powder
3 tsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder (or 1/4 chopped onion)
salt and pepper to taste

Brown sausage with thyme, onion powder (or onion), and salt and pepper over medium high heat. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl or cup mix the heavy cream, 1 tsp arrowroot powder, and 1 tsp coconut flour and whisk until thick. Add the cream mixture slowly into the sausage broth and stir. Wait until it begins bubbling and then add an additional 1 tsp arrowroot and 1 tsp coconut flour. Stir and make sure it keeps bubbling and then add the last 1 tsp arrowroot and 1 tsp coconut flour and continue to boil until it thickens. If you are having a hard time getting it to thicken you can add an additional tsp of the arrowroot and coconut flour but I found the 3 tsp of each worked very well for me.

Now the rest of my family is not gluten free so I made regular biscuits for them because I haven't found a recipe that is delicious and because you really can't fool people with gluten free biscuits (at least I haven't been able to yet since I am still searching for the gluten free biscuits of my dreams). So serve the gravy over the biscuits of your choice (I have been told Aldi's carries a gluten free baking mix that can be used exactly like a Bisquick mix but I have not experimented with this yet).

Exercise Can Improve Your Mood and Trim Your Waist

Did you know that your muscles can effect your hormones? When your muscle move they can cause a change in your hormones that help with weight loss and new research is also showing they can change your mood too.

Regular exercise can increase fat loss and increase your metabolism for more efficient weight loss. However the type of exercise you perform can have a big effect on your hormones to assist in the weight loss process.

According to a 2005 study in the Journal of Sports Medicine, hormones that assist in the growth of muscle mass are elevated for 15-30 minutes after adequate resistance exercise. This adequate resistance exercise entails using a large amount of muscle mass with moderate to high intensity and short rest periods tend to stimulate the highest hormone levels.

A recent study published in the Journal of Endocrine Regulations found that regular exercise can also improve insulin sensitivity (lowering your risk of diabetes and lowering rates of fat building), balance cholesterol levels, improve your mood, improve memory and brain function, and assist with sleep hormones. They also found improved nutrition quality and less sedentary behavior can also assist with these hormones even WITHOUT weight loss.

This means if you are regularly exercising, blending moderate resistance exercise with cardio, and focusing on higher nutrition quality you can change your hormones, improve fat loss, and increase your metabolism. Don't get discouraged if you're not seeing weight changes right away because you are setting up your hormones and metabolism for more efficient weight loss long term. Always be concerned for long term benefits when it comes to weight loss, because if you focus on short term only you're weight will yo-yo up and down and you'll get discouraged!

So keep your chin up and stay consistent!


Resources:

1) Kraemer et al. "Hormone responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training". Journal of Sports Medicine. 2005;35(4):339-61

2) Bajer et al. "Exercise associated hormonal signals as powerful determinants of effective fat mass loss". Journal of Endocrine Regulations. 2015; 49(3):151-63

An Autism Treatment You Haven't Tried

Autism is plaguing the children of our society today and interfering with school work, social relationships, family relationships, health, and even our children's self confidence. Traditional medical doctors may hold off on making a diagnosis of autism or even a mild autism spectrum disorder until a certain age has been reached even if your child is showing the signs of delayed development or processing disorders! This can be tragic because during development your child's brain can make 250,000 new nerve cells every minute which means that EACH MINUTE of delayed treatment can cost nerve cells and connections that can help to improve the children's symptoms and their entire development.

Autism and autism spectrum disorder are a group of complex brain development disorders are characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. Children suffering with these disorders may have an intellectual disability, motor coordination difficulty, attention difficulties, and even physical health issues such as sleeping disorders or gastrointestinal disturbances. Many of these children may excel in visual skills, music, math or art despite exhibiting signs of autism disorders. Autism appears to have roots in early brain development however the most obvious signs and symptoms of autism emerge between the ages of 2-3 years old.

Typical medical treatment for autism can involve behavioral treatments, medications, dietary restrictions, or both. It is not unusual to find autistic children today that are on multiple medication for several physical health issues as well as autism medication. A single medication can have serious side effects for our children, but in combination can cause other serious life threatening combinations and parental concerns for a "normal childhood". I have also seen highly restrictive diets in young children which is a huge concern for myself as a parent as well as a doctor who sees these children in my office because these diets can literally starve our children's bodies of essential nutrients during the time of highest need.

In my experience, I have found that with a combination of brain development assessment, home brain development exercises, nutritional guidance, and chiropractic care can yield great results for autistic children. If I am able to perform a consultation about your child's specific needs and developmental delays we can uncover multiple factors such as brain crossover communication issues, delayed synapse formation in specific brain regions, dietary and hormonal factors, and even birth trauma that may precede and contribute to their autistic symptoms. Brain development is a delicate process that begins to form based on sensory input from our environment, optimum nerve function, and proper nutrition to allow our brain and nerves to flourish. If any one of these factors is disturbed, we can begin to see symptoms of autism and developmental delays at ANY AGE. Finding the TRUE CAUSE of autism rather than just masking symptoms is way to truly manage and gain footholds in improving your child's overall health.

A recent study published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research found that chiropractic care can help to reverse autism symptoms and other issues related to the autism spectrum. In this study a 3 year old girl with abnormal behavior and multiple autism diagnoses underwent chiropractic care for one month and experienced a complete resolution of headaches, acid reflux, vomiting, and sleep issues and significant improvements with calm and happier behavior, improved attitude, increased eye contact, increased focus and attention, and speech initiation. Her mother also reports that her daughter was also able to get off all of her medications and see improvements in occupational and speech therapy, academics, and communication. Here's the link to learn more.

If your child is suffering from autism, autism spectrum disorder, or other developmental delays I would advise you to visit a chiropractic office for a full examination and consultation to determine if there could be a neurologic factor contributing to their disorder. If you are close to an AlignLife office, a full integrated and comprehensive natural health center, I would strongly suggest you bring your child in for a free consultation to discuss how we might be able to help your child with their development and their overall health. Click on "Find a Clinic" to find a clinic near you.

Whiplash Can Cause Permanent Damage

Have you been involved in a car accident or sports injury? Have you had any stiffness or pain in your neck, upper back, or shoulders? Then you may be suffering from whiplash. Each year 1.99 million Americans are injured in whiplash accidents, so you are not alone.

Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a rapid movement of the head forward, backward, or side to side. This motion can cause brain injury, muscle spasms or tearing, ligament stretching and instability, and even fractures to the spine that can cause permanent disability. Car accidents that occur at 5mph or more can cause soft tissue damage and injury to the soft tissue even if the vehicles involved don't show any damage. The damage to your vehicle can be very misleading since most vehicles don't show damage until 10mph or more. In a recent report, most whiplash injuries occur at speeds below 12mph and symptom onset is usually delayed by a day or two. Many people incorrectly believe that if they don't have pain directly after the accident they weren't injured and may not seek treatment until serious symptoms develop which can result in permanent damage if delayed too long.

A whiplash injury can affect the structure and stability of the neck and can cause permanent and lasting damage if not healed correctly. The ligaments that run along the front and back of your spine that lend stability and support to your neck can be stretched out in a whiplash injury. In a 2012 study released by the Journal of Biomechanics, these ligaments can stretch three to five times their normal length after a whiplash injury. The stability of the neck at this point is completely compromised and comparable to a neck with ligaments that are completely torn. If you were involved in an accident and haven't been evaluated by your doctor or chiropractor you should make an appointment today.  The sooner you seek treatment for whiplash, the better your outcomes will be.

Here's a short animation video of what is going on not only in your spine, but also your brain in a rear ended car accident.

As you can see from the above video there is first a rear extension motion of the neck against the headrest causing ligament and soft tissue stretching and tearing as well as brain injury as the brain moves backward against the skull. This first phase is followed by a forward acceleration of the head which can cause further brain injury, shear forces on the spinal cord, ligament damage, and even spinal fractures. The third phase of whiplash continues with a hyper-extension motion of the head backward into the head rest which can further injure the delicate brain with concussion and possible bleeding, stretch the damaged soft tissues of the ligaments and muscles in the neck, and put the occupant at risk for spinal fracture that can lead to instant death or paralysis.

Common Symptoms of Whiplash
Below find a list of the most common whiplash symptoms as well as their rates of occurrence. If you're experiencing any of the below symptoms please call (309) 689-6200 to schedule a consultation in our office today.

Neck pain and/or stiffness 92%
Headache 57%
Fatigue 56%
Shoulder pain 49%
Anxiety 44%
Pain between the shoulder blades 42%
Low back pain 39%
Sleep disturbance 39%
Upper limb numbness/tingling 30%
Sensitivity to noise 29%
Difficulty concentrating 26%
Blurred vision 21%
Irritability 21%
Difficulty swallowing 16%
Dizziness 15%
Forgetfulness 15%
Upper limb pain 12%
Upper limb weakness 6%
Ringing in the ears 4%
Pain in the jaw or face 4%

If you or someone you know has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, I highly recommend you see a physician to assess for damage to the brain, nervous system, muscles, ligaments, and possible fracture.

Thimerosal Containing Vaccines Increase Risk for Developmental Disorders

Long has been the debate on autism being linked with vaccination, however many parents, researchers, scientists, and doctors are questioning the safety of vaccination in the high dosages recommended by the CDC due to research publications on the additives and preservatives in these vaccinations that have been linked with brain abnormalities, motor neuron death, and neuron toxic effects. Even our government is claiming that research shows that vaccines are still effective, however after looking into their published studies we see evidence of adverse reactions in high numbers that are, and I quote, "favoring rejection" of a vaccination but yet ignored in the conclusions of the literature review.

Dr. Christopher Shaw, a neuroscientist that is an authority when it comes to designing models for Alzheimers, Parkinson, and ALS-parkinsonism dementia complex research, published a study in 2009 on the effects of the injectable aluminum ingredient found in vaccinations given to children. He found specifically that this injectable aluminum had not only negative behavioral effects and motor deficits, but upon dissection found that it also caused motor neuron death that could predispose our children to Alzheimers and Parkinson later in life. After publishing his study in the medical community, there was a resounding silence and no refutable evidence or conflicting studies were presented to the public in the two years following his publication. Since this additive in vaccines is given to our children you'd think that research showing the efficacy and safety of this chemical additive would be presented, but the truth is the research just isn't out there!

In numerous analyses of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) by Drs. Mark & David Geier, they have found a causal link between thimerosal containing vaccines and increased rates of autism, mental retardation, speech and personality disorders, and even abnormal thought processes. In 2001 they published the first ever epidemiological study that associated thimerosal from early childhood vaccination with neurodevelopmental disorders, and they received a serious backlash from their findings. In fact, their research has been criticised by the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, his research has been retracted by Autoimmunity Reviews, and his findings are now being discredited by the Special Masters of the US Court of Federal Claims. Here is a list of their published studies with the National Library of Medicine, notice most if not all have to do with vaccination additives and associations with negative outcomes.

In August of 2011, the CDC's literature review conclusions stated that the evidence was inadequate to favor or reject a causal relationship. However if you look at the actual adverse events reported in their study and their conclusions based on those events it does not add up! Even when there is a moderate to high epidemiological assessment of an adverse event they rule it as inadequate, support of vaccination, and only in two cases did they conclude that the adverse events reported favor rejection of the vaccine. Want to read that yourself?

So what can you do to decrease your child's risk?

1) Research the literature and publications available on the side effects of vaccination and the risk factors for your children.

2) Determine if you or your child has any risk factors for developing a reaction after vaccination.
3) Talk to friends and family members about their positive and negative experiences.
4) Make an informed decision on whether to vaccinate, use a alternative or delayed vaccination schedule, or not vaccinate at all.
5) If you decide not to vaccinate, make sure you fill out an exemption form that complies with your state law's requirements and submit it to your child's daycare or school.
6) Talk to your doctor or pediatrician about your choice. If you find they are not supportive of your decision or question your decision repeatedly, some parents may prefer to find a doctor that is more open minded or supportive of their choice to be an informed parent.

Changing your Shoes Decreases Knee Pain

If you're suffering from knee pain or osteoarthritis then you need to rethink your wardrobe and how it is affecting your foot health. If you haven't been paying attention to how your choice in shoe can affect how much torsion and pressure is put on your knees, then you are doing your body a severe injustice.

When you wear shoes with a "positive" heel you are doing the equivalent of wearing a heel. (Yes, that is correct. Even if you are a man you could be wearing a heel!) Positive heeled shoes have a large wedge underneath the heel and cause our weight to be shifted forward over the pads of the foot and the toes which aren't meant to be the load bearing structures in the feet. This can lead to foot pain, plantar fasciitis, bunions, and some pretty gnarly looking feet! (Yes, I said gnarly and no I don't want to show you pictures of some of the feet I've seen walking into my office.) In addition, the weight shifting on the front of the foot can cause excessive loading over the arch in the foot and lead to fallen arches due to weaken muscles that have spent their lifetime encased in restrictive footwear with no where to stretch and no use for them to move. But the real reason you stopped in today was to learn about how shoes can affect your knees, so I'll get back on track.

When you wear these positive heeled shoes they can also increase the amount of pressure put on the joints in your knees and lead to premature degeneration, pain, muscle imbalances, and even osteoarthritis. All of which are not fun by the way. So you need to lay off the positive heeled shoes and switch to either negative heeled shoes or flats. I personally love and highly recommend Earth Shoes because they have incorporated this negative heel technology of 3.7 degrees of a heel in the front of the shoe to keep your weight back on your heel. I have four different pair in different colors and styles to compliment my wardrobe and go with almost any outfit. I also find them very comfortable because not only do they put my weight over the load bearing ankle (where it should be) but they also have a large toe box (the width of the shoe where your toes go) to minimize pressure and rubbing that can also disfigure your feet. I've also had much experience with the fact that wearing these shoes all day long does NOT cause foot pain or knee pain while the gazillion other shoes I have in my closet do. There's also a few other more sporty brands that I'd recommend including Vibrams, Zemgear, Sockwa, and I've even seen that Nike and New Balance have come out with some as well.

Recent research from the University of Sao Paulo has found that wearing minimalist shoes which are shoes that lack supportive structure, arches, and thick heel padding can also decrease the loads on the knee in patients with osteoarthritis. In addition, their newest research has shown that these minimalist shoes also decreased the load on the knee even when climbing up and down stairs, which is usually the worst issue for osteoarthritis patients. Want more info on the study? 

So what can you do to decrease your knee pain?

1) Switch to a negative heeled shoe or a flat shoe.
2) Let your tootsies out of their shoe cages at least 2 hours or more a day. Make sure that you spend this time walking so you can move those joints and stretch out the muscles associated for happier feet.
3) Strengthen the supportive muscles of the knee joint to make sure that you lessen the load on the joint. If you're not sure what kind of exercises to do or not sure which muscles are weak, please make appointment with your biomechanically inclined doctor to get some advice and guidance. If you need a hint on this one think chiropractor, physical therapist, or orthopedist.
4) Get your feet adjusted by a chiropractor! I've had quite a few patients come into my office with knee pain and are amazed by the fact that an adjustment can correct the mechanics of the foot and leg and even decrease low back pain. If you need a chiropractor, I just happen to know a local one that fills the qualifications for #3 and #4 on this list. 

Paleo Cookie Fail

So I've embarked on 2 days of Paleo so far and my week has been full of laughs. For day one, I had a co-worker bring in very delicious looking cookies that were "yummied" by fellow co-workers in front of me. This was interesting since I had work to do in the break room table. I can definitely say the cookies got a few dirty looks from myself and while tempting, I did resist!

Unfortunately this got my baking itch moving for the day. (For those of you that don't know me, I loveeeee to bake and frequently go on baking sprees that I share with neighbors, friends, family, and coworkers when I go overboard with treats.) This means I was in full baking frenzy mode by the time I got home that night. I searched for the paleo dark chocolate chip recipe in hopes that it would quell my need to bake and satisfy my sweet tooth while I was at it. I came across quite a few different recipes, but unfortunately none of them quite fit the bill for my yet fully stocked Paleo kitchen. (A Paleo kitchen looks similar to a regular kitchen albeit a bit less in the pantry and a much more colorful assortment of fruits and vegetables in the fridge.) I had only coconut flour and it seemed that most of the cookie recipes called for almond flour or an almond flour/coconut flour mix. So embarked on a Paleo baking spree to try out the first recipe while substituting coconut flour for almond flour.

For those of you that haven't tried this, I assure you it does not work nor resemble a cookie after baking. Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid than almond flour and thus I ended up having to triple up on wet ingredients to make it anywhere near moist enough to stick together. After pouring it on a baking sheet (alas no parchment paper or silicone mat) coated in coconut oil and baking.... It resembled a very sad looking pancake with dark specs. It was done all the way through however and being the adventurous gal I am I tried it. It reminded me of a gooey pancake that someone might make as a joke because you can't really bite into it. Not too bad but not too good either.

Back to the mixing bowl.... Recipe #2 called for a little more zest and ingredients such as baking soda and vanilla for flavoring so I decided that I might be able to make due with this one and just doubling up on moist ingredients. Matter of fact, a light bulb in fact went off over my head when I thought that instead of dark chocolate chips I could try adding all natural peanut butter for that extra moisture. After mixing the batter and having it resemble actual cookie batter I thought I might have come across a winner. So I baked them for 6 minutes as the slightly modified and substituted recipe called for. They looked pretty good coming out of the oven if I do say so myself, however the taste was not anywhere near anything I have ever tasted in my life. It had almost no taste (other than that of a somewhat chalky after taste) and you could barely taste the peanut butter. Cookie attempt #2 was also a fail.

I gave up on my baking frenzy and decided it would be best to focus on ideas for breakfast, so I hard boiled some eggs instead. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that haven't changed in years and the ones that are most flexible in meal time. I definitely didn't discover anything out of this Paleo world good, but I think I found that eggs can be incorporated for breakfast, as a side at lunch, or to top a salad at dinner. Just make sure to indicate that they are hard boiled on the shell so you don't try to crack one for breakfast. I found a great trick is to use a crayon (I have plenty of these around the house compliments of Camryn) or a black sharpie to mark an X on the top of the shell.

Well so long for now and hopefully next time I will bring you some more palate friendly recipes that are Paleo and tummy friendly. PS If you find any other dessert recipes that are Paleo to die for, please let me know!! :)

5 Things You Need to Know Before You Go Barefoot

People are joining the barefoot movement everyday in an effort to end chronic pain and injuries sustained while active doing everything from running to hiking up a mountain. So why is this movement so popular? Is it because a Harvard Professor says "Barefoot is Best"? For some, yes. However I think this trend is beginning to truly grow due to the fact that people that have gone barefoot are beginning to learn the biomechanics behind how their bodies were designed to move and embracing it. Many barefoot researchers only look to the foot mechanics in an effort to tote that one type of foot strike is better than the other, however they are again ignoring the mechanics of how our bodies were designed to move together from the head to the feet. As a result their study findings have NOT been incredibly earth shattering because they are ignoring the rest of the leg and pelvis!

So let's take a quick tour of your pelvis and lower leg to see those biomechanics in action. While your leg bone is in fact connected to your hip bone, the biggest key to this articulation working how it was designed has to do with making sure that your hip and your pelvic floor muscles aren't too tight. When your hip flexors are too tight they tend to rotate the femur outward in that joint and can cause strain on the hip as well as causing rotation and buckling at the knee and ankle that can make you prone to injury in the hip, knee, and ankles. On the flip side of that coin when the pelvic floor muscles are too tight they tend to tilt the pelvis forward which will put excessive stress on the low back to cause injury, pain, and even degenerative conditions that can lead to vertebral fractures. Scary right? Guess what, your solution to this is in #3 so keep reading!

In order to have a neutral position while walking or running, the knee joint should be facing forward with no rotation of the femur. How do you check this? Well by having someone help you find your knee pits! (Yes, its true you have a second set of pits that you haven't been paying attention to.) I'll refer to my best friend Katy Bowman for a quick video on how to find your knee pit and fix the rotation. Check out the video in #4.

I'm going to talk about foot strike pattern now to introduce the concept of how your foot should be striking depending on what activity you are doing. For example, I've heard many runners say that you should land on your heel while running and other say that's all wrong and you should land on your forefoot. So who is correct? Well is depends on what activity you are doing and there are also variables from person to person when it comes to running as well. So before we run, let's walk a bit while I show you the normal foot strike pattern for walking. Check out the picture below for the three phases of gait. Contact is the heel strike, midstance is the flattening of the foot, and propulsive is the toe push off to get you moving again. This is all find and dandy, but what's the issue for most people? Due to restrictive footware, heels, and slip on clogs or flip flops most people don't get the full motion in the joints of the foot and they usually stop at midstance before picking up their foot to begin the gait cycle again. This can lead to pain in the bottom of the foot and toes, degeneration in the joints, weak intrinsic muscles of the foot, and even knee pain. Check out tip #3 below for some tips on fixing your walking gait.

So what about running you say? There is an ongoing argument between biomechanists, running enthusiasts, and scientists that gait pattern shouldn't change with running. Some recent studies have looked at shock and forces of impact on joints with heel landing and forefoot landing during the contact phase. They found that more force is transferred into the foot, ankle, and even up to the knee with heel strike during running than with forefoot landing. Their argument stands that "proper" running technique should begin with minimalist shoes so runners land on their forefoot for more cushion and less shock transfer into the foot and knee. Read more on Harvard's Daniel Lieberman's foot strike study here. Another study conducted by Dr. Lieberman looked at running injuries and how they compared between heel strike and forefoot strike gait patterns during running. Over the course of a few years he looked at injury patterns of 52 NCAA cross country runners and found that those with a heel strike running pattern were injured at twice the rate of the those with the forefoot strike running pattern. This statistic may lean people to view heel strike as a downfall in runners, however the study completely avoided analysis of anything from the ankle up in the comparison in these athletes. 

I think that further study and comparisons are needed in injury rates and alignment between ankle, knee, and hips due to the fact that rotation at any of these levels can put unnecessary torsion not only on the joints of the pelvis and lower leg but also lead to chronic re-injury rates in this same population. I think the debate will go on, but I think those that have jumped into the barefoot phenomenon need to look at bone structure and basic biomechanics of the body before touting that one strike pattern is better for the next. Check out #5 for more info.

If you are still confused what I am talking about, don't worry I'll still give you some info on what to know before jumping on the barefoot bandwagon. Check out the rest below.

**Do not begin an exercise program before consulting your doctor. If any of the exercises or tips in the numbers below cause pain, discontinue them immediately and consult with your doctor.**


1) You need to condition your body for barefoot. Yes that is correct. You can't just wake up one morning after wearing hard soled shoes for 20 years that allow for no foot flexibility or movement and just strap on a pair of minimalist shoes with no support and total flexibility. You will need to do some stretches to prepare the feet and joints for flexibility and some strengthening for your muscles of the foot and ankle to be able to support your weight while walking. Need some tips? Check out vibram's website for the foot training program. Check out some of the other stretches and tips below for more ways to prepare your body for barefoot.

2) Don't be surprised if your legs, knees, ankles, or feet are a bit sore after a long walk. These muscles aren't used to being relied on while walking and you just gave them the workout of a lifetime. I recommend beginning your barefoot walking regime on softer surfaces like grass or dirt rather than cement. Many runners have been getting shin splits and stress fractures due to minimalist shoes due to the fact that the shock is transferring up their shins from the cement and the muscles are causing excessive strain and pressure on their insertion points on the bones. This is due to the fact that they aren't starting slow and conditioning their body for barefoot.

3) Stretching the muscles of the hip and pelvis are essential. There are three main stretches that can be done daily to help stretch these muscles out in order to support a more biomechanically "correct" posture. These stretches are designed to target the problem areas for most, however if you're experiencing pain or tightness in other areas please consult with your doctor. The first is the butterfly that will open up your pelvis and give a little stretch to the inside leg and pelvic floor. The second is the pelvic tilt which will help train your body to knowing where correct pelvic posture is and also strengthen the abdominal core. Obviously you'll have a bit more tissue that Mr. Skeleton in the pelvic tilt picture, but you'll need to tense your abs to tilt that pelvis backward and you may notice the arch in your low back will disappear when you tilt the pelvis. The third is the forward lunge which will stretch the front of the hip and thigh. Notice that his body is upright and his knee doesn't extend forward over his foot.

4) Find your knee pits and get them aligned! Correctly aligned knee pits will allow for your knees to bend correctly and lead to less knee injury and degenerative joint disease Watch the short video below to learn how to be a pro.

5) Adjust your foot strike pattern while walking. Based on the paragraph above I introduced the concept of three steps in the gait cycle. Most Americans and even Europeans don't use the joints under the ball of their foot and as a result get a lot of pain. So what I recommend is to practicing walking barefoot through the three steps of gait a minimum of 2 hours everyday and 4 hours if you walk in heels. This means that you are going to have to bend your foot while walking to push off with your toes.

Neck Wrenching Pain and Stiffness

How many times have you woken up in the morning with "a crick in your neck" or pain so bad that you just want to roll back over and go to sleep? You are not alone, it's estimated that 70% of people will have neck pain at some point in their lives. Neck pain is not only a literal pain in our necks but it can also effect productivity and our quality of life too. Many of those people will ignore their neck pain but some will get treatment from a doctor or other health care practitioner. But how do you know what treatment is right for you?

In a recent study published by the annals of Internal Medicine in January of 2012, researchers looked at treatments such as medication, home exercise, and spinal manipulative therapy (chiropractic adjustments) to find out what is most effective in the treatment of acute and subacute neck pain. 272 participants with neck pain for 2-12 weeks were assigned to treatment group for 12 weeks and then results were measured for short and long term effectiveness over 52 weeks. Read the full study.

So what did those results show? After 12 weeks of treatment, the spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) group had a greater reduction in pain that the medication group. In addition, the SMT treatment group showed greater reduction in pain than both the home exercise and medication groups at 52 weeks. The SMT group also reported higher global improvement, patient satisfaction with care, and assessed physical function than the medication group. The home exercise group also showed a greater reduction in pain than medication and after 12 weeks a higher percentage of participants reported pain reduction of at least 75% over medication.

So this tells us that in cases of acute or sub-acute neck pain, spinal manipulative therapy is superior to medication in short and long term situations for pain reduction, global improvement, patient satisfaction with care, and physical function. Home exercise is also a valuable tool and faired better than medication in pain reduction in short and long term use as well as having a higher patient satisfaction rating.

So if you do have neck pain, talk to your doctor about referring you to a chiropractor or to another specialist for some home exercises! Your local chiropractor would be more than happy to talk to your medical doctor if there are any concerns with treatment.