Healthy Habits Recipe: Wilted Spinach

Here's another great recipe I just had to share! We've been getting quite a bit of greens with our vegetable CSA so we've been trying to find easy recipes that taste good for the whole family. You can only eat so much spinach salad so this is a cooked version that brings out even more vitamin content and helps your body to absorb the nutrients better too. This takes less than 10 minutes to make and you will almost always have the ingredients on hand so it comes together quick.

Ingredients:
1 tsp minced garlic (I usually keep a small jar with my spices so this is always on hand)
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 bunches of spinach
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1) Heat minced garlic and olive oil over medium high heat until it starts to sizzle.
2) Add rinsed spinach to pan.
3) Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice over top.
4) Stir until spinach turns a bright green and wilts completely.
5) Drain lemon juice off or remove spinach from pan.

Enjoy! My girls love the garlic and lemon flavor of this spinach and even asked for seconds.

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!!!

Love Love Love this Lavender Lemonade

That's right I'm on a lavender roll.... Again this rogue bag of dried lavender in my baking cupboard is inspiring me. So this is a refreshing twist on a classic for some interesting flavor notes and relaxation. I did not choose to add any special colors or fresh flowers so no pretty purple color but AMAZING flavor.



Ingredients:

Simple Lavender Syrup
1 tsp dried lavender buds
1 cup sugar
2 cups boiling water to infuse

Lemonade
1 1/8 cup lemon juice (I only had 1 lemon so I used bottled lemon juice and 1 lemon)
3 cups cold water (you can add more if you like it more watered down or just serve over ice)

Directions:
1. Assemble the simple syrup and stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Let infuse for at least 30 minutes.
3. Mix it all together and then enjoy over ice!

My New Favorite Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Lavender Glazed Baked Chicken

What?!? You didn't know you could cook with lavender? ME EITHER! I bought a package of lavender awhile back aspiring to make lavender ice cream but just never seemed to have the time to make the recipe so it went to the back of my baking cupboard. I discovered this package yesterday while I was reorganizing and became inspired. We had a huge storm on the way and are likely to be staying home the whole weekend so I got to searching for ideas to make and inspiring and relaxing meal. VOILA!


Enter Bacon Wrapped Lavender Glazed Baked Chicken. This recipe took under 10 minutes of prep and was pretty much HANDS OFF the whole 40 minutes it baked.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast ( I sliced them in half so I had 4 thinner pieces to wrap in bacon)
3-4 slices of center cut bacon (just don't use thick cut since it won't be all the way done)

Glaze: (I just spooned it over top before wrapping in bacon but you could marinade the chicken in it for 20 minutes or even boil it down to a thicker glaze if you wanted)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt ( I used pink himalayan)
2 tsp dried lavender buds (best to use food grade)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon (optional)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp honey

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Trim chicken breast and then slice in half so it's thinner
3. Grease baking sheet (otherwise cleaning will be a PAIN)
4. Lay out 3-4 slices of bacon in a row and set your chicken on top
5. Mix together the glaze. Spoon a few spoonfuls of the glaze on top and then wrap the bacon over top
6. Bake 30-40 minutes
7. Switch oven to broil and broil 3 - 4 inches on High for an additional 2-5 minutes (depends on how crispy you want your bacon)
8. Let cool. It will be HOT HOT HOT.
9. You can serve with the crispy bacon or take it off for a more traditional looking chicken breast meal. I chose to take it off because there was still some fatty spots left in places and my dog appreciates scraps in her food bowl that involve bacon.

Happy Mother's Day: Apple Rose Tart

Happy Mother's Day! We had an absolutely amazing day spent with the family after my baking spree this weekend. This dessert was SO easy to make and looked GORGEOUS.

Ingredients
1 pkg of cinnamon rolls (or use your own homemade recipe)
2 apples slices in half and then in 1/8-1/4 inch pieces
3 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon (optional but I thought it needed a bit more)
icing for topping (optional: we topped half of this with icing and left the rest alone and it was great either way)
muffin tin or round baking pan

1. Unroll cinnamon rolls into a loose spiral. Note: I did this in a round baking pan but it was hard to cut and stay in one piece so it might work better in a muffin tin
2. Place apples, butter, brown sugar, and optional cinnamon in microwave safe dish and heat for 3 minutes OR heat on stovetop until apple slices are pliable enough to roll together.
3. Make the center of your "rose" by rolling 4 slices of apples together and place in center of cinnamon roll. Slide remaining apple slices between the layers and tighten as you work from the center outward.
4. Pour or brush the remaining butter/brown sugar/cinnamon mix on top 
5. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes and after cooling top with icing if you'd like

Chiropractic Care Lowers Doctor Visits

According to the American Board of the Journal of Medicine, chiropractic care is estimated to reduce the number of primary care physician (PCP) visits by 370,000 which is a savings of approximately $83.5 million!

In a cross sectional study published in July 2015 looking at 17.7 million Medicare patients from 2010-2011,

when chiropractic care was utilized the number of PCP visits for back and neck pain lowered by 8%. This means that chiropractic care utilization could help to lower the cost of your healthcare, lower the number of visits to your doctor for neck and back pain, and lower the workload on PCPs who are getting overwhelmed more and more everyday with the magnitude of patients they are treating.

Chiropractic care is safe, effective and non invasive and it is touted as one of the safest forms of health care in the world. In fact, every year 140,000 US patients are injured from drug related reactions (2) and another estimated 210,000-440,000 die from hospital medical errors (3). Medical errors deaths are an all time high and account as the 3rd largest cause of death in the US behind heart disease and cancer.

Isn't it time to look at PREVENTING sickness and disease? Don't take your body to the doctor like its a repair shop! Get educated on your health problems including how to prevent them from getting worse and what you can do at home to slow the progression or change the direction of your condition. Want personalized help? Call my office at 309-689-6200 to setup a free consultation.

Resources:
1.    Davis et al. "Regional Supply of Chiropractic Care and Visits to Primary Care Physicians for Back and Neck Pain". J Am Board Fam Med. 2015 Jul-Aug;28(4):481-90. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.04.150005. Click Here to Read More

2.  "To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System". National Institute of Medicine November 1999 Click here to read more

3. James PhD, John "A New Evidence Based Estimate of Patient Harms Associated with Hospital Care" Journal of Patient Safety September 2013 - Volume 9 - Issue 3 - p 122–128

Is the Government Taking Away Your Right to Informed Consent?

With all of the new bills regarding vaccine exemptions, mandated vaccine programs for child care workers, and threats of bioterrorism there is a lot of unrest and confussion for Americans that are concerned for their rights being violated. The SB 277 bill that is in process right now would take away your religious and philosophical right to exempt your child from vaccination. This bill would make it nearly impossible for your child to be exempt from a vaccine without a medical exemption from a medical doctor (MD) or osteopath (DO). These medical exemptions are granted based on a strict set of guidelines published by the CDC.  In addition, another bill proposed in California CA SB 792 will require all child care providers in public and private employment get vaccinated or they will deny employment.

I am a huge proponent of making an educated decision when it comes to your child and your families healthcare. You as a parent need to understand the benefits of the vaccine, the risks of the vaccine and vaccine injury, and you need to understand what the disease is and your families likelihood of contracting the disease. Once you understand these things you may find that vaccinating, not vaccinating, or delaying vaccination is the right choice for your family. The key is that is is the RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOUR FAMILY.

Your right to informed consent was established by the US Court Laws in 1957 and as a part of this right you Applebaum's book with a collaboration from a physician, lawyer, and social scientist, informed consent is obtained when the "treating healthcare provider discloses appropriate information to a competent patient so that the patient may make a voluntary choice whether to accept or refuse treatment".

have a legal and ethical right as a patient to direct what is happening to you or your family's body and your doctor has a ethical right to involve you in your healthcare. According to

Informed consent includes these things:

• The nature of the decision/procedure
• Reasonable alternatives to the procedure/intervention
• Relevant risks, benefits, and uncertainties related to each alternative
• Assessment of patient understanding
• Acceptance of the intervention by the patient

If you or your child haven't received informed consent from your doctor before being given a medical procedure or vaccination, your rights have been violated. Your right includes reading the vaccine insert BEFORE you or your child is given a vaccine. If you haven't read a vaccine insert before or haven't received one after your child has been vaccinated, I highly recommend you do. Many vaccine inserts now include autism, seizures, paralysis, and death as a side effect of the vaccine. 

Want more information or how to obtain a medical exemption? Call my office to setup a free consultation 309-689-6200.

Are Your Feet the SOURCE of Your Pain?

Your feet are the foundation of your body, your spine, and your gait. They act as shock absorbers and

levers to propel you forward while walking, running, and jumping. However when there is a breakdown in structure of your foot, like flat feet or ankle collapse, it can contribute to a number of different issues including arthritis, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, knee pain, hip or groin pain, and even low back pain.

Check out the picture to the right, this shows the left ankle and foot collapsing inward, this motion is known as pronation or hyperpronatin in this case. This pronation of the foot and ankle can cause twisting of the bones that make up the knee to lead to arthritis, cartilage wearing, and increased stress on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in the knee. Repetitive pronation especially when under high forces of running or sudden movements while playing sports can actually weaken those ligaments until they tear completely which is an immediate need for surgery!

In addition, the loss of shock absorbing power in the foot due to this pronation can also increase the shock that the knee, hip, and spine have to absorb which can lead to degeneration in the spine and lower extremity.

How do you know if you have an issue?

1) You may have an issue if you have a history of health conditions such as plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, shin splints, bunions, hammer toes, knee or ankle pain or injury, degeneration or arthritis in the spine or legs, or a history of disc herniation or degenerative disc disease.

2) Stand on your feet and have someone look at your feet and ankles. Do they bow inward or does the achilles tendon bow rather than staying straight up and down? (Reference the picture above for what bowing looks like.)

3) Perform a navicular drop test at home. To do this you'll need an index card and a pen. Sit down and use the pen to draw a dot on the hard bone on the middle of your foot. Place the index card on the inside of your foot and draw a line on the card next to the dot you made on the foot. Stand up and then draw another line where the dot has dropped. If the lines are more than 8mm apart, you have an issue. (check the picture below for what this should look like.)

If you do have an issue, there are a number of great options to help correct pronation and help to reduce your risk of injury or arthritis. In many cases a home exercise and stretching program can strengthen and balance muscles to get rid of pronation all together, however some folks will need additional help with an orthotic to support their arch. Depending on your daily activities and how your body responds to the exercise program, you may need additional support from a custom fitted orthotic that is designed specifically for you. In my office, we have many styles available including orthotics that can be worn in high heels or dress shoes and heavy duty orthotics for those that are on their feet or support additional weight from work equipment (such as firemen or police officers) or from lifting.

If you'd like more information or would like to setup a free consultation, please call my office at 309-689-6200 today.

Roundup Pesticide Causing Harm to Cows and Our Health

Monsanto's Roundup pesticide, or glyphosate, has been known to cause harm to the environment, to our family's health, and now to dairy cows!

A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology studied 30 dairy cows in Denmark and found that 100% of all cow urine samples showed cell toxicity, organ damage, and mineral depletion. They found that every cow involved in the study had some level of Roundup in their system and determined that Roundup consumption for these cows is toxic to their health.

So how did these cows get Roundup in their system? Roundup that is sprayed on crops will seep into the ground and bind to important minerals like cobalamin (B12) and manganese as well as being taken up into the plants roots. This means that the mineral content of our soil and crops will be depleted and the pesticide residing in the plant can be fed to humans and other animals that may act as a food source for people around the world. Typically dairy cows in the US get exposed to this from breathing air that is active with pesticide overspray, eating contaminated grass when out to pasture, and from their feed which is typically made from pesticide laden GMO crops. The Danish cows involved in the study however were fed with imported GMO crops from the US since Denmark does not allow farmers to grow GMO crops from Monsanto.

What does this mean for your family's health? Well let's look at the cycle.... Pesticides are being sprayed, soil quality declines, crops grown in this soil are deficient in essential nutrients, cows are getting chronic disease from pesticide exposure and mineral deficiency, and your family is consuming the tainted milk, mineral deficient crops, and eating beef from cow's ridden with chronic diseases.

Can you see where you can run into a problem here?? Well I've got some suggestions for you and your family to help avoid pesticides and improve your health.

1) Buy organic fruits and vegetables when possible or grow your own from organic seeds. Buying organic is a more expensive but the more you can decrease your family's exposure to toxic pesticides, the better able your body will be to detoxify and remove those chemicals from your body. Growing your own is definitely no walk in the park and it does take work to plant, tend, and harvest but the payoff is great because you'll know exactly what goes in to growing them and cooking them too! A great tip would be to team up with local family, friends, and neighbors to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables and trading or to join a local co-op to team up and grow fresh goodies at a discount price.

2) Find a local farm that upholds high standards in the treatment and food of their livestock. Check out Local Harvest to find a farm near you. I'd recommend finding an organic farm (that doesn't use pesticides on their crops/grass) that allows their livestock room to graze on grass and possibly even allow you to buy a bulk package of some type that includes cuts of chickens, beef, pork, etc. Some may even have fruits and vegetables shares for purchase too so you can get organic meats and greens!

3) Cleanse your body at least once a year. This can help your body get rid of the toxins and pesticides that have been stored in your body over the past year and allow your energy production, hormones, and metabolism to get back on track! I personally recommend the 10 day AlignLife Ultimate Body Cleanse. There is only one fasting day but the included supplements can get your insulin and blood sugar stable while correcting your gut and getting rid of cravings.

If you've never done a cleanse before I'd highly recommend attending an Ultimate Body Cleanse Workshop in our office which takes place on the second Monday of every month. We will discuss why you'd want to do a cleanse, what the benefits are, and what the Ultimate Body Cleanse entails!

Get Rid of Your Child's Ear Infection Without Antibiotics

Is your child pulling on their ears or complaining of ear pain, running a fever, or irritable? Then you are one of 10 million parents whose children are affected by ear infections every year. Middle ear infections also known as otitis media account for more than 35% of all pediatric visits, as a result parents want answers and solutions to cutting down the length of ear infections and the cost of treatment. As a Peoria chiropractor, I am very concerned for every child that comes into my office complaining of chronic ear infections because this can put children at risk of permanent hearing damage as well as speech and developmental difficulties.

Young children are more at risk for developing ear infections because their eustachian tube (where the ear drains) is still developing and is oriented horizontally which doesn't facilitate drainage like in the adult ear where it angles downward to allow fluid to drain more easily. By the age of 2, this tube is usually oriented in a better position to reduce the risk of ear infection however some children may have spinal misalignments in the upper neck that contribute to a buildup of fluid in the ear and cause chronic ear infections.

Ear infections can result from either a bacterial or viral infection due tofluid that has built up in the ear.  For many children, these ear infections can become a chronic problem that requires multiple antibiotic treatments and possibly even a recommendation for serious surgery to place tubes in the ear to facilitate drainage. In fact, frequent ear infections are the second most common reason for surgery in children under 2.

What are my child's treatment options?

Traditional medical treatment focuses on antibiotics which may only be effective if the infection is caused by a bacterial. Repeated dosage of antibiotics have shown to be less effective than the child's own immune system and may actually create antibiotic resistant bacteria that can cause more serious health conditions.

Another option is a myringotomy or tympanostomy surgery, which consists of  placing a small opening in the eardrum for a tube to be inserted. This tube helps to relieve pressure in the ear and vents fresh air to prevent further infection, but in most cases the tube is pushed out after a couple of months. 20-30% of these surgeries will need to be repeated and in some cases will need to be followed with a more serious surgery to remove the adenoids, called an adenoidectomy.

More parents than ever are now considering chiropractic care as an option for their children because it is a safe, non invasive option that focuses on realigning the spinal bones in the neck to allow for better ear drainage and allows for the child's immune system to fight off the infection. The nerves in the upper neck direct drainage from the ear and also encourage the child's immune system to build up resistance that can prevent future ear infections. Chiropractic care for children suffering from ear infections focuses primarily on gentle chiropractic adjustments to the upper neck and entails approximately 6-8 treatments for the average child. Other factors that may effect length or frequency of treatment include the severity of the infection, how long it has been going on, and if they have previously taken antibiotics. At AlignLife, I perform a thorough examination of the child and ask about other factors that may be contributing to your child's condition such as diet or exposure to second hand smoke. In many cases, parents are surprised how quickly their child improves and embrace the effectiveness of chiropractic care in maintaining a wellness lifestyle for the whole family.

Research

Dr. Joan Fallon, a New York chiropractor, has published research showing that after receiving chiropractic care, nearly 80% of children were free of ear infections for at least 6 months following their initial visit.

A 1996 study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, found a 93% rate of improvement for children that underwent chiropractic care for their ear pain/infection. This study also found that children that had not previously undergone antibiotic treatment required fewer treatments to relieve their symptoms.

For more information about chiropractic care for children suffering from ear infections, please feel free to give my office a call 309-689-6200 to setup a free ear infection consultation during the month of August.

Chiropractic Adjustments Superior to Medication for Low Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the most common conditions that affects Americans today and it affects approximately 31 million every year. It is the most common cause of missing work and 20% of workers that take leave for low back pain become disabled.

Many traditional medical treatments used for low back pain are costly and inefficient which leads to the further budget and health care cost constraints for the US. The cost of low back pain is astounding and is a severe detriment to our health care system and our national budget. In 1998, the direct costs associated with low back pain were estimated at $26.3 billion.  This cost does not include indirect costs such as lost income from work, decreased productivity, or costs associated with care of daily activities that cannot be performed.

Traditional medical treatments rely on medication to cover up the pain, physical therapy to strengthen muscles but ignore the underlying joint issue, or surgery to cut out painful tissues without prevention for future injury. This treatment model can lead to recurrent injuries or medication addiction that can cause further health issues but a feeling of helplessness for the patient.

A recent double blind study looked at effectiveness of current treatment options including the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, spinal adjustments, and placebo in three separate groups. Participants reported  physical disability, function, off work time, adn rescue medication usage. The results revealed the chiropractic adjustments were superior to diclofenac and placebo with faster pain relief and better function and quality of life improvements. In addition, the spinal adjustment group used 3 times less rescue medication than the diclofenac group with the number of days of usage of that rescue medication being half that of the diclofenac group.1

This study is revolutionary in the fact that the author demands the replacement of ineffective treatments with better alternatives such as chiropractic adjustments in an effort to provide better patient care and outcomes as well as reduce the costs associated with low back pain.

As a Peoria chiropractor, I have helped many patients who've failed to respond to traditional medical treatment or have had their back pain return after treatment. Here at AlignLife, I focus on finding the root cause of the problem and correcting that first, followed by recommended the proper nutrition required for optimal healing and the preventative exercises necessary to prevent the injury from recurring. I want to make sure that patients have the tools they need to get better, stay better, and live better.

If you've been dealing with back pain and haven't been seen by a chiropractor, then you need to try it now. Call 309-689-6200 to schedule a free low back pain consultation at AlignLife today.

References
1 von Heymann et al. Spinal high-velocity low amplitude manipulation in acute nonspecific low back pain: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial in comparison with diclofenac and placebo. Spine 2013 April 1; 38(7):540-8