Mick’s up With Germs

Have you noticed lots of people out sick at work and school, during this past couple of months?  I have.  In fact, at our office, we've all noticed.  I overheard one of my coworkers ask, “Why is everyone sick right now?”  So, I decided this would be a good topic for a Mick’s up Life.

Let’s think about it for a minute. 

With all the many different celebrations going on over a 2 month period, candy and desserts are everywhere!  Not many of us can say we didn't sneak a candy or two from the Halloween bowl.  At Thanksgiving time, so many wonderful homemade desserts surround us (not to mention the carbs ingested before we even reach dessert), and then during Christmastime, we are bombarded from both sides, with candy in the stockings and punch and pastries on the table.

My neighbor friend and I were just talking about this.  Sugar is the main ingredient of those beloved confections, and as we know, sugar is an inflammatory, dragging down our immune systems.

Next, let’s step outside to take a look at the temperature.  With the chill in the air, some of us get scared inside to snuggle up (with a sugar-laden hot chocolate and/or latte, perhaps?), cozily soaking in the glow of the lights of the season… when we’re not scrambling for time to run the kidderz to their new school-year events, shopping for all those aforementioned celebrations, and running to parties, plays, and just plain busy-ness of the holiday season.  With all that happening, how many of us are keeping up with our exercise routines?  Plus, we are trying to cram so many activities into a day, we might not even be getting the amount of sleep (or at least not good sleep!) that we need.  Again, our immune systems are jeopardized.

Oh, can you step outside with me one more time?  When you feel that chill, what do you notice yourself doing?  Do your shoulders tense up?  Are you rubbing your arms to keep warm?  I am!  (In fact, I was doing that at my desk at work for a while, until the temperature got regulated.)  You know what else?  The season, along with my job, keep me at the computer longer.  Do I have perfect posture at the computer?  No!  Do you?  Maybe for a short period of time, but if you’re there, or in any position, for an extended length of time, you just might find your upper back and neck getting tight, stiff, and uncomfortable.

When we are tense in our upper backs and necks, do you know what might be going on inside?  There is more opportunity for our vertebrae to shift out of place.  Do you know where the nerves serving your sinuses and face and throat are directed from?  That’s right!  Those vertebrae that are being affected by the tight muscles have a very close relationship to those nerves.  Hmmmm… yes, you probably guessed it.  If there is pressure on the nerves in that region, you could be finding yourself having sinus issues, headaches, throat problems, etc.  For that reason alone, a visit to your chiropractor would be a wonderful gift to yourself, not to mention a boost to your immune system.

Yes, those things did happened to me this season, too.  I fought off a nasty cold and fever, but it was a quick, easy fight.  I got myself back on track (and drank lots of extra water!), keeping the immune system enemies at bay, especially sugar.  It’s really amazing how much quicker the healing process is, when sugar is taken out of the equation.

So, let’s try to be sure this is a jolly season. 

• Let's reduce stress during these months, no matter how crazy things get, and that includes minimizing physical stress (you know, the posture thing we were just looking at)… and remember to sleep… sleep well.
• Say “Merry Christmas” to you our chiropractors more often at this time of year.  (In other words, schedule more visits.  This can help with the sleeping, too!) 
• Make better choices of what snacks we enjoy, foods we prepare, and drinks we consume, in order to eliminate (or at least minimize) sugar (look for alternatives, and be sure to read all ingredients!).
• Enjoy our coffees (again, look for alternatives for flavorings)  healthier hot chocolate (make your own mix), but in moderation, because as we know, nasty things thrive in an acidic environment, which these yummy concoctions do, unfortunately, promote. 
• Finally, let’s remember to take time to do some quick interval exercising (only 15 or fewer minutes of your day!), and be sure to fit in stretches.  (The stretches can help with that upper back/neck tension thing we previously touched on.)

As it is said, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

"When it snows, 

she has no fear for her household."

Proverbs 31:21 (NIV)

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Mick's up with Horses

You can lead a horse to water...

I am enjoying time with my parents, away from the every-day chores and monotony.

The expectations I had of these couple of weeks included journaling, catching up on reading, relaxing, exercising, and starting back up on blogging.

Well, what I did not expect was to have so many horses around to love.

My parents are boarding horses for the summer, in order to have animals around for the grandchildren during their visit.  Along with these horses came a pony and her 3-month-old baby.  Who can ignore a baby?!  We have been working at teaching this baby to enjoy being around humans and to trust them to handle her.  We've made progress!  I'm going to hate to leave her.

During this wonderful time in horse heaven, I was reminded of a popular cliche.  Because of the hot temperatures we've experienced, several times I witnessed someone leading a horse to water, thinking they're being helpful.  You know the rest, "but you can't make it drink."  It's true!  Those horses won't drink just because you take them to water!

It's the same with health and lifestyle information.

I can take people to the information, but I can't make them live it.

It's that way for all of us.  We have a wealth of information we want to share with others, but it's up to others to do something with it.

Those of you who have information to share, hang in there!  Be faithful.  Keep up the good work.  I know you're out there!  I've had several heartfelt conversations this summer with people wanting this healthy lifestyle stuff to "click" for their loved ones.  I also know of hearts heavy with the burden of bringing friends and loved ones into the Kingdom of God.  It hurts to know they don't want to be saved from an eternity of torture.  It would be so easy for them to escape that.  We can't make them accept that gift that is at their fingertips.  It has to be their choice.

To those of you at the other end of the information (the lead rope, so to speak), nobody can make you (drink) understand or want to do something with that "water."  Please know it's all in love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, 

  that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him.  

Whoever believes in him is not condemned,  

but whoever does not believe stands condemned already

because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."

John 3:16-18 (NIV)

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Mick’s up with the Psychology

I attended a Health Presentation last night, and I got some really great information!  I also experienced a light bulb turning on in my head.  Do you love moments like that as much as I do?  Who doesn’t?  Right?

I love writing this blog, because there is such great information to get out to people to empower them to make their own healthy choices for their family.  However, the light bulb for me is that I get so passionate about the subject, I forget that people already know what they’re supposed to be doing to be healthy.  It’s not shocking news that we need a good attitude, good nutrition, and exercise.  In other words, I can offer the information, but it’s up to you to take action.  No matter how passionately I offer this information, I can’t make it stick.  So, I’ll go a little easier on you from now on.

We all do things for one of two reasons:  Either we go toward pleasure or we go away from pain.  I view exercise as pleasurable, because I see the benefits associated with it, and go to it.  However, others view exercise as painful and “run away” from it.  Do you see exercise as pleasure or pain?  (Can I tell you how thankful I am that my husband’s chronic pain decreased enough that he could get past the idea that exercise equals “pain” and actually consider the benefits?  I love it when we take time to workout and improve our health together!)

It’s all in how you perceive it. 

“Not until the pain of the same is greater than the pain of change will you embrace change.” (Dave Ramsey)

Surprisingly, 80% of us don’t think about our health until it’s gone.  I beg you:  Don’t be a statistic.  What exercise choice will you make today for your health?  Are you running toward exercise or running away from it?

Many thanks to Dr. Frank Lombardozzi for the inspiration!

“Since ancient times

no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen

any God besides you,

who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.”

Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

 

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