I'm Doing Things Different This Time...

Since I have done this Cleanse several times before, I decided I need to challenge myself this time around.  I get bored easily if I keep doing the same things over and over again, I like to spice things up a bit!  If you've been to our office you know I'm always looking to change paint colors, re-decorate, see what can be improved upon, etc.  I am always looking for change.  So for this cleanse I decided to not only incorporate a physical body cleanse, but also a mental/emotional/spiritual cleanse as well for the 21 day period.

I was listening to K-Love this morning on my way to the office and this woman Lysa TerKeurst was guest hosting and talking about her new book Made To Crave: Satisfy Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food.  I thought...how fitting!  The whole point of “Made to Crave” is to help people find their ‘want to’- the spiritual and emotional motivation to make lasting changes.  God made us to crave more of Him, not food.  This is just what I need to move forward on my walk with God and to help me cleanse my life!  So I went online to Amazon to see about purchasing this book, and I found Craving God by Lysa TerKeurst which is a 21- day devotional challenge to accompany Made To Crave.  What is it about the number 21 that I love?!?  I am super excited to embark on this changed journey to greater health for myself.

If you feel you need to push yourself a little further on the cleanse, go ahead and make it what you want!  This is the direction I'm feeling the need to follow. 

Wishing you much success! =)

New Year, New You 2011!

I can't believe 2010 is coming to an end! It doesn't feel like that long ago 2010 started! And if you remember, we kicked it off with our Standard Process Purification Program. Well, this year we are doing the same thing. On Monday January 10th we are starting our 2nd Annual Standard Process Group Cleanse. I look so forward to this time a year! I am so good throughout the year, eating well and exercising, but for some reason when Thanksgiving and cold weather comes along...it just ruins all the hard work I have done for the entire year! I guess I just can't resist the many many many kinds of cookies my mom makes. They are just too yummy for words!

So, just like last year I will be blogging almost daily as we chug along on our journey towards greater health! And for some reason I just know 2011 is going to be an amazing year!

I wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, Blessed New Year!

Dr. Vanessa

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”
                                                                                                                 - Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Reminder...

Just a quick reminder that the month of October is National Chiropractic Month!  And to celebrate GFC Wellness is offering several specials here at the office!  Even though the month is almost half over...don't worry there is still time!

Special #1: October 20th between 2pm and 5pm Words and Bodyworks is offering free 10 minutes chair massages.  Please call the office to set up your time! 412-367-1313

Special #2: Unlimited Infrared Sauna Sessions during the month of October for only $115.00.  You can come as much as one time per day!  This is a great way to jump start your detox process, lose weight, or just pamper yourself!

Special #3: I'm offering Bloodwork Analysis for $110.00.  This is a $42 savings! Bloodwork Analysis is a great way to see how your body is actually functioning.  Once I get your results I can provide you with a supplement regime to help you achieve total wellness!

As you can see I am super excited for National Chiropractic Month!  Feel free to take advantage of all our offers! I hope to see you at some point this month!

Would you like water? or Coke?

WATER

#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)

#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as 3%.

#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

#5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint  
       pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and
      difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of
       breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

COKE

#1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the 'real thing' sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

#5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble
      away the corrosion.

#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil,  
      and bake. Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil.

#8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and
       run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze
       from your windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

• The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.
• To carry Coca-Cola syrup! (the concentrate) the commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
• The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean engines of the trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a glass of water? or Coke?

Grr...Off the Wagon Again!

I'm not sure why, but it has been very hard for me to blog since summer began.  So, again I'm sorry for being away for so long!  But now I am back...I think. 

Well this certainly has been one hot & humid summer! Are you drinking enough water?  And when I say water...I mean good, clean, spring water.  Not Vitamin Water, soda, tea, coffee, etc.  I mean crisp clean H2O!  Most of us are not drinking nearly enough these days.  Our minds are filled with advertisements for everything and anything but the very substance that our bodies thrive on...which is water!  Here are a few tidbits on water and the human body:

Water is of major importance to all living things! Up to 60% of the human body is water, the brain is composed of 70% water, and the lungs are nearly 90% water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight, as is the brain; body fat contains 10% water and bone has 22% water. About 83% of our blood is water, which helps digest our food, transport waste, and control body temperature.

A  2% drop in our body's water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a computer screen. Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. An estimated seventy-five percent of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration.

Water is important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work without it, just as a car cannot run without gas and oil. In fact, all the cell and organ functions made up in our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water for their functioning.

• Water serves as a lubricant
• Water forms the base for saliva
• Water forms the fluids that surround the joints.
• Water regulates the body temperature, as the cooling and heating is distributed through perspiration.
• Water helps to alleviate constipation by moving food through the intestinal tract and thereby eliminating waste- the best detox agent.
• Regulates metabolism

In addition to the daily maintenance of our bodies, water also plays a key role in the prevention of disease. Drinking eight glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer. And those are just a few examples!

If you are confused on exactly how much water to drink per day go by this equation: 1/2 your body weight in ounces.  Example: A 150lb. woman should be drinking 75oz. of water per day.  It's that easy!

Now go get a glass of water...and I'll keep blogging!

What I'm Eating...

I just wanted to write a quick post on an easy, yummy, healthy snack idea that you should consider.  I call it my Nut Mix.  It's nothing fancy or creative.  I have been telling most of my patients about it and they kept saying "I never thought of that", so I figured you might have never thought of it either.  And I am here to enlighten you! 

Nut Mix

• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries    

          Mix all ingredients together.  Serving size: 1/4 cup per day.

Keep in mind that all of these nuts should be raw: no salt, no sugar, no nothing!  You can add whatever dried fruit you would like, I happen to like dried cranberries or dried cherries.  Remember, only put a small portion of the dried fruit in the mix.  If you don't like dried fruit, feel free to substitute dark chocolate chips instead. Again, this is my "special" mix, these are the nuts I am into at this time, but feel free to vary my recipe to whatever you like!  KEY POINT:  Once you make a batch of the Nut Mix, scoop out 1/4 cup only as a portion size! 

Benefits:

     Almonds: Research has shown that the nuts actually lower blood cholesterol levels. 90% of the fats in almonds are unsaturated, and the nuts are high in protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and other antioxidants. Almonds help prevent osteoporosis and they regulate blood pressure.

    Walnuts: One of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants such as Vitamin E. They also have significantly higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids as compared to other nuts.

    Sunflower Seeds: The various health benefits of sunflower seeds can be attributed to the high levels of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, selenium, protein, copper, folate, iron, zinc and B vitamins that it contains.

    Dried Cranberries: Cranberries contain powerful antioxidants, which can cut bad cholesterol, and help fight infection. 

I hope you enjoy this tasty snack as much as I do.  Lately, I have been sprinkling a little of the mix over my salad greens...which I am eating tonight...again!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Green Fruity Smoothie...YUM

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.  We were able to get a lot of things done around here, even though the weatherman said it was supposed to "rain" all weekend...not a drop. Go figure.  Anyway, here is a yummy recipe by Standard Process for a Green Fruity Smoothie and in perfect time for this hot and humid weather we're having!  This will be helpful to all you guys on the cleanse too.

Green Fruity Smoothie!

• 1 packet of SP Complete and/or Whey Pro Complete
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and diced, chilled
• 2 bananas, peeled, chilled
• 1 apple, cored and unpeeled, chilled
• 1 pear, cored and unpeeled, chilled
• 1 navel orange, peeled, chilled
• 2 handfuls kale, stems removed, chilled
• 2 handfuls baby spinach, chilled
• 1 or 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, chilled

Wash and prepare the fruits, leaves, and ginger root.  Blend ginger root, bananas, apple, pear and orange until smooth.  Add 1 cup orange juice and SP Complete and/or Whey Pro Complete packets (or scoops if you don't have the packets), blend until smooth.  Add spinach and kale leaves.  Blend for a minute or two.  Smoothie should be thick; if it is too thick, add more orange juice. Enjoy!