Does Flu Season Really Exist?

 

Soon it will be that time of year again. You'll see it and hear it everywhere you go. Maybe you are thinking this message is early as we haven't even made it through the holidays yet.  You say you still don't know what I am talking about. Well, think about it. After all the shopping and worrying-- about what to get who, will it fit, do they have one already, can we afford it, and all the visiting--your friends, your family, your in-laws, your kids, all the partying--cookies and milk, nuts and beer, chips and pretzels, dips, vegetables, wine, cheese and crackers (all, of course, before you sit down to a big meal). And after all the last minute rushing around, lost sleep, and "I've got a million things to do"...  What on earth could possibly (and only naturally) follow all this? That’s right--the fever, chills, ache-all-over feeling, coughing, sneezing and complaining of the flu season!

Maybe you have never put these two together before but it seems to me to be more than just coincidence that “flu season” happens to occur  after we’ve basically stuffed ourselves for weeks, stressed ourselves out, probably destroyed any semblance of what might have been regular sleeping and exercise routines and, in general, completely abused our bodies. After all, we are too busy seeing people, going places (mostly Christmas parties... more eat, drink and be merry) and getting things done to consider our health!

Now we are not suggesting that we all forgo the preparation, partying or even the panic of the holiday season, but don't let the world con us into thinking that a flu season really exists. They say it just makes sense that at this time of year with the cold weather, and what is in nature a time of lean nutrition, that an overabundance of germs would exist and cause many people to become ill. In fact, the opposite is true. The cold weather kills many germs.  The flu season is more a function of a society that has let its resistance be significantly lowered and consequently become weakened and vulnerable to everything and anything.  Why do you think more heart attacks occur during Christmas Holidays than any other time of the year?  Bad luck or unhealthy body?

If you want to be well, you simply must make your health a priority. Do as many of the things that contribute to attaining and maintaining your health as you can.  The simple solution is keep living "By Design".

Happy Holidays!

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

Eat By Design Choices Now Available At Kelsey's

We are excited to announce that 3 Kelsey’s locations in London, Ontario now have a Life By Design Approved Menu.  This is only the beginning…we hope to bring the Life By Design Approved menu to restaurants in Ottawa in the new year..we’ll keep you posted!

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

30-Day Eat By Design Challenge

The Eat By Design 30-Day Challenge was created to help you take all of the knowledge you've gained about Eating By Design and put it into action.  Over the next 30 days, each and every day, we will be posting to The Wellness Group's Facebook Fanpage recipes, tips, resources, articles, as well as what we ate that day to help you implement all that you've learned.  Be sure to click on the "Like" button so that you can see our feed.

 

Here's how to get involved...

1. Write "I'm in!" on The Wellness Group's Facebook Fanpage.

2. Let everyone you know you are challenging yourself for 30 days to live as close to "By Design" as possible - accountability is powerful!

3. Follow the steps: Brain Body Connection - Eat By Design - Move By Design- Rest, Play, Love - Clearly Deine Your Purpose -The more you follow the bigger the impact.

4. This is not simply about "losing weight", there is enough of that mentality to go around, it is about being well, fulfilling the requirements for a full expression of life and watching what happens, not just to your physique but your well-being.

5. Participate - share your goals, recipes, your meals, pics (take pre/post for yourself and even post them if you're courageous!), take a few measurements ( waist, thighs, arms, chest - there will be millions of physiological changes but it's nice to measure a few) ask questions, encourage others.

6. Join us at the end for a celebration, The EBD Christmas Potluck on Saturday, December 10th, 12-2pm - Sign up at The Wellness Group or via email and let us know what EBD potluck dish you'll be bringing along.

Looking forward to hearing of your successes!

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

The True Meaning of Life

 

We’ve been lied to.  We’ve been taught to believe that the absence of symptoms means health and the presence of symptoms means sickness.   While it is true symptoms can sometimes tell us how sick we are, the lack of them can never give us information about how healthy we are.  

Judging your health by your symptoms is not only unreliable; it is also dangerous.  The first sign of heart disease is often a fatal heart attack, the first sign of cancer sudden weight loss or a palpable lump. The result is the vast proportion of our population living symptom-free, yet very sick and unwell.

Are we to believe that disease is an entity that waits around for a healthy person to walk by and somehow invades their body, or that disease manifests as proper cellular function (health) disappears?  No different than darkness manifesting as light disappears.  Darkness is the absence of light.  Disease is the absence of health.

Health is a state in which all the cells of the body, all 50 trillion, are working in harmony.  The cells are interacting with each other, carrying out the processes for life, communicating under the control of the brain and nerve system.  Even outside the body we discuss the principles of health in the same way.  “Our relationship is healthy, we communicate and work for the betterment of ourselves and each other.” Or “The office environment is healthy, everyone strives to excel and appreciates each other’s role”.

Your cells have a drive towards health and life.  The only time they move away is if we force them to adapt to a pathological environment, one that is not By Design.

Do not fall prey to the false notion that no symptoms means healthy.  Symptoms, for the most part, are the final stages of malfunction, not the first.   Using the lack of symptoms as criteria for judging your family’s health is like using the lack of debt as evidence for wealth or the lack of poor grades for the presence of brilliance. 

The true meaning of health is that it’s already yours. Simply fulfill the design, remove the interference and live the life you deserve.

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

 

The True Meaning of Life

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

 

 

We’ve been lied to.  We’ve been taught to believe that the absence of symptoms means health and the presence of symptoms means sickness.   While it is true symptoms can sometimes tell us how sick we are, the lack of them can never give us information about how healthy we are.  

Judging your health by your symptoms is not only unreliable; it is also dangerous.  The first sign of heart disease is often a fatal heart attack, the first sign of cancer sudden weight loss or a palpable lump. The result is the vast proportion of our population living symptom-free, yet very sick and unwell.

Are we to believe that disease is an entity that waits around for a healthy person to walk by and somehow invades their body, or that disease manifests as proper cellular function (health) disappears?  No different than darkness manifesting as light disappears.  Darkness is the absence of light.  Disease is the absence of health.

Health is a state in which all the cells of the body, all 50 trillion, are working in harmony.  The cells are interacting with each other, carrying out the processes for life, communicating under the control of the brain and nerve system.  Even outside the body we discuss the principles of health in the same way.  “Our relationship is healthy, we communicate and work for the betterment of ourselves and each other.” Or “The office environment is healthy, everyone strives to excel and appreciates each other’s role”.

Your cells have a drive towards health and life.  The only time they move away is if we force them to adapt to a pathological environment, one that is not By Design.

Do not fall prey to the false notion that no symptoms means healthy.  Symptoms, for the most part, are the final stages of malfunction, not the first.   Using the lack of symptoms as criteria for judging your family’s health is like using the lack of debt as evidence for wealth or the lack of poor grades for the presence of brilliance. 

The true meaning of health is that it’s already yours. Simply fulfill the design, remove the interference and live the life you deserve.

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

 

 

The True Meaning of Life

 

We’ve been lied to.  We’ve been taught to believe that the absence of symptoms means health and the presence of symptoms means sickness.   While it is true symptoms can sometimes tell us how sick we are, the lack of them can never give us information about how healthy we are.  

Judging your health by your symptoms is not only unreliable; it is also dangerous.  The first sign of heart disease is often a fatal heart attack, the first sign of cancer sudden weight loss or a palpable lump. The result is the vast proportion of our population living symptom-free, yet very sick and unwell.

Are we to believe that disease is an entity that waits around for a healthy person to walk by and somehow invades their body, or that disease manifests as proper cellular function (health) disappears?  No different than darkness manifesting as light disappears.  Darkness is the absence of light.  Disease is the absence of health.

Health is a state in which all the cells of the body, all 50 trillion, are working in harmony.  The cells are interacting with each other, carrying out the processes for life, communicating under the control of the brain and nerve system.  Even outside the body we discuss the principles of health in the same way.  “Our relationship is healthy, we communicate and work for the betterment of ourselves and each other.” Or “The office environment is healthy, everyone strives to excel and appreciates each other’s role”.

Your cells have a drive towards health and life.  The only time they move away is if we force them to adapt to a pathological environment, one that is not By Design.

Do not fall prey to the false notion that no symptoms means healthy.  Symptoms, for the most part, are the final stages of malfunction, not the first.   Using the lack of symptoms as criteria for judging your family’s health is like using the lack of debt as evidence for wealth or the lack of poor grades for the presence of brilliance. 

The true meaning of health is that it’s already yours. Simply fulfill the design, remove the interference and live the life you deserve.

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

 

Attention All Practice Members!

 

 

With the holiday season upon us we are getting into the giving spirit early and are giving thousands in care to your family and friends.

We are giving your friends and family:

• First Visit (including a health consultation, nerve function assessment  & spinal function assessment)
• PLUS any necessary x-rays.
• PLUS a complete explanation of our findings.
• PLUS their first chiropractic adjustment.
• A value of $170

There is NO COST to you or them.  This is our gift.

 

Make sure to pick up your order form for your complimentary Gift of Health Certificates and return it completed before Friday,November 18^th.  Don't miss this great opportunity to introduce Chiropractic & Life By Design to the ones you love!

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

 

Living Well In A Stressful World

 

The boss is on your case, kids are busy with school, there are bills to pay, mom is sick and you’ve got stress!

Never before have we lived in a world where we are inundated with non-stop stress from all corners of our lives.  It’s nearly impossible to escape; it’s the number one contributor to illness, days off work and could be considered the plague of the twentieth century.  We’re told we need to “manage” it, reduce it and even avoid it.  But is stress really the problem? Or is it our relationship to stress that is the real culprit?

Despite conventional wisdom that says stress is bad for us, at its most basic level, stress is neutral. A stress is simply any stimulus that requires your body to respond or adapt: exercise, eating, heat, noise, poison, and sleep, essentially anything can be considered a stress.

The classification as good or bad is dependent on how well your body handles it.   Exercise can be a wonderful thing if the body can recover and rebuild, but it can also lead to debilitation or, even worse, death.  Food can turn on health or it can severely compromise function.   The same experience can be a “eustress” or a “distress”; it depends on you.

Today we are succumbing to stress at an accelerated rate, not just because we have more of it, but also because we can handle so much less.  We have weakened our bodies by living in ways that oppose our innate design: poor food, minimal movement, chronic sitting, less sleep, and all the effects of these in combination accumulating over time.

This understanding is empowering and makes living well in a stressful world much more achievable. Instead of hiding from life, we need to enhance the body’s ability to adapt to life.   For centuries it was our only option…adapt or die. 

Stop focusing on what’s wrong and start focusing on what’s strong.  The solution, as always, is Living By Design.

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

 

The Carp Fair

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE

The 148^th version of the Carp Fair started this past Friday, and instead of being there enjoying all that it has to offer, seeing the animals, the entertainment, and riding the Ferris Wheel with our families, this year, Dr. Pope and I chose to take in the fair from a different vantage point.

This year we decided to get a vendor’s booth and use the opportunity to share chiropractic with as many people as possible.  So rather than enjoying ourselves, and spending time with our families, we felt it was really important that we be there to chip away at the significant misconception that presently exists within the public’s mind about Chiropractic.

The positive symptomatic results experienced by millions has made Chiropractic the largest drugless health profession in the world, but it has also positioned Chiropractic as a just another “treatment” for aches, pains, symptoms and conditions.

Could we be shortchanging ourselves by using Chiropractic in such a limited way?

This is why we made the decision to be there this weekend, to help reframe Chiropractic in the public’s mind. To bring a vitalistic philosophy and a contemporary chiropractic practice into every household’s lifestyle. To fulfill the vision that Chiropractic began with and the one that lives in most Chiropractors’ hearts.

Our approach to Chiropractic is unique and may very well be one of the least understood philosophies of life and health. It is based on a few logical ideas...

The body is designed with an inborn ability to maintain itself in a state of proper function. A newborn baby may seem fragile and helpless, but within that body is the ability to make food into living tissue, to fight off invading organisms, to adapt to changes in the environment, to live as much as 100 or more years, in short, to lead a healthy and productive life.

The brain and nerve system are the primary tools by which the body attains proper function, what we commonly call health. The brain is the control center that distributes information throughout the body to coordinate its trillions of cells, facilitating continuous adaptation to changes in the internal and external environment. The brain must receive and send the right information at the right time in the right amounts to all cells, organs and systems of the body.

Interference in the nerve system reduces the body’s ability to function in a coordinated manner. While a corpse does have a brain and nerve system, it does not have life. There is no encoded information in the form of energy transferred across the nerve system. In a living body even slight damage to the delicate and vital nerve system will lessen its health, its performance levels and its full potential.

We address one form of interference to the nerve system called a Vertebral Subluxation. Our single objective is to aid in the restoration of the integrity of the nerve system in EVERYONE from infants, children, adults, pregnant moms, athletes and seniors, so that entire communities are able to express life at a higher level.

Our hope is that we connected with many of those that we spoke with over the weekend and that our conversation will inspire them to take the first step and get their nervous system checked so that they too can begin living the lives they deserve.

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

There Is No Process That Does Not Require Time

Life By Design is first and foremost a philosophy, one that comes from the roots of the philosophy of chiropractic.  Of the 33 beautiful and profound principles that define it, none is more powerful than the principle that states, “There is no process that does not require time.”

This may seem like common sense but, as you well know, common sense is not common practice.  

The power of this principle is that it applies EVERYWHERE -- in health, nature, relationships, finance, etc.  For example, if you want to be musician, it takes time. If you want to read a book, it takes time. If you want to have a baby, it takes nine months time.  There simply is no process that does not require time. 

When it comes to health, losing it takes time! It’s because the effects are not immediately seen that people think they can abuse their bodies with no consequences. Wouldn’t it be great if we dropped dead for 10 minutes every time we smoked, every time we missed a workout, every hour we spent subluxated. That way we could gain an appreciation for the choice we made and its effects. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.   Each of these actions or inactions takes life from the end.

Bottom line is the choices we make result in a gain or loss of health that inevitably leads to dis-ease, sickness, and death.  Said another way: “We are the exact expression of our lifestyle choices accumulated over time.”

It’s always amazing to me when someone has done nothing beneficial to their body for decades and wants to recover their health from years of physical, chemical, and emotional abuse in just three adjustments or with five tablespoons of fish oil.

Just as losing your health does not happen instantly, regaining your health is also a process.  The fact is, I’m amazed at the innate intelligence of the body every single day.  I’m amazed that we have an incredible capacity to recover, even if we have completely ignored our health for a long time.  I’m amazed the body can survive given the circumstances most people put it in. 

It is remarkable, when the body’s requirements are met through the Life By Design steps, how quickly healing and a greater expression of life can begin.

Wherever you are in your journey, and whatever it is that you want out of life, please remember that everything takes time. You could be doing everything correctly; the only problem is you haven’t done things correctly for enough time.

Step one is to make sure that you are on the correct path.  Step two is TIME.

 

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

Step Away From The Treadmill

 

Each Life By Design step bucks the trend of conventional wisdom, but none more so than our disapproval of "chronic cardio".  “That's blasphemy!” you say.  Everyone knows that in order to lose body fat and get lean you need to do spend a lot of time walking the infinite steps to nowhere on the climber.  Still not buying in?  Go to the gym, take a look at everyone running, walking, cycling and rowing.  Head back a year later and voila, no change.  

How can that be? How can someone spend hours sweating it out in the cardio section and not lose body fat?  

As discussed before, our body's genetics have adapted to our lifestyle over the past 40,000 years.  Our hunter-gatherer ancestors didn't spend an hour a day significantly elevating their heart rates, but they did spend many hours walking at a slow pace using fat as the primary energy source.  As such, our current physiology is set up to handle those demands.  When you begin elevating your heart rate for extended time periods you start to depend on stored glycogen as an energy source and eating excessive amounts of carbohydrates to refuel that lost energy - completely backfiring your goal of decreasing body fat.  Total up the lack of results, the inflammatory effects, the boredom and it equals a no-brainer - run if you love to, but don't fool yourself that it'll be your best fat loss vehicle.

Since the anti-cardio stance will be a difficult one for people to accept, here's the proverbial nail in the coffin:  some good research suggests that not only is extended cardio not the best bet for fat loss but it may also be damaging to the heart, cause inflammation and heart disease!  Now that should have you thinking twice before joining that running group.

The answer, again, is quite simple.  By understanding the body's design, we can live congruently with it and reap the benefits of naturally and simply expressing our full potential.  Remember: "You're human, not hamster".

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

Dr. Gibson is Being Interviewed!

 

Check out Dr. Gibson being interviewed on Life By Design Radio with Drs. Jamie & Joel Richards this Sunday July 31st @ 5 pm ET by clicking AM980 News Talk Sports.

You can listen to the interview afterwards by either clicking on the link and listening online or downloading the Life By Design podcast on iTunes!

Saving Lives Everyday

This is a bold statement to make, especially when the vast majority of the public recognizes chiropractic as something that is “good for” different conditions like back pain, headaches or at best asthma, allergies and ear infections.  Yes, receiving chiropractic care may very well allow a resolution of those conditions, but it is far from the chiropractic we know, love and profess.

If your newborn child were in distress, would you think about a nerve system checkup by a chiropractor?  Would you think about this checkup even if your newborn child were NOT in distress?

A few weeks ago, Dr. Joel Richards saved the life of his newborn Cohen with a chiropractic adjustment. You heard that correctly:  “Saved the life of his newborn.” (To hear Dr. Joel tell his story visit our Facebook Fanpage)

You’re likely asking, “How can an adjustment save someone’s life?” (Of course had I said a drug saved his life, there would be no confusion.) You’re likely thinking, “I’ve been getting checked for 5 years, and I’m still waiting for that miracle adjustment.”

The miracle is not the adjustment; it is that our bodies are innately intelligent.  This means they continuously and purposefully strive towards health and the fullest expression of life.  A subluxation is an INTERFERENCE in that process.  It interferes with the nerve system, the primary system used to run, organize and power our body.   An adjustment helps to restore that connection.

When the body is working closer to full potential, it can mean anything.  For Cohen, it meant being able to stabilize his entire physiology.  And that was the difference between life, debilitation and possibly death.  For some, it has meant being able to digest food better, for others it has allowed their immune system to function better, and help them begin healing cancer.  The point is that a clear brain – body connection is GOOD for everyone, every single time, with no exceptions.

Every adjustment is moving you closer to 100% function.  Every interference is moving you away.   When we understand that life and death exist on a spectrum, we begin to truly “get” the power of the adjustment to save a live --in most cases, a little bit at a time, but in Cohen’s, in an instant.

This week, please take the time to really think about how your life and your family’s life has been enhanced through the power of the chiropractic adjustment.  Then step up and start telling others.  Their fullest life depends on it.

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanatafull time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

Birth By Design

The power for an amazing birth is already in you.

More than any other process in the body, pregnancy highlights the extraordinary wisdom that governs the full expression of health and life.  We witness drastic external changes, feel internal transitions, but what we cannot see are the millions of different hormonal changes and chemical reactions occurring both in the mother and the developing baby. What we cannot fully comprehend is the level of intelligence required to orchestrate this beautiful perfection.

Evidenced by our own existence, we are designed to build and birth babies!  Sadly, most of our society has been taught to live in ways that are incompatible with the expression of normal, healthy function.

The results are catastrophic:

• More sickness than ever before (heart disease, cancer & diabetes)
• Poorer quality of life
• More drugs and surgery than ever before
• Higher caesarean section rates than ever before

Life By Design is a path back towards fulfilling your potential for an incredible life.  This includes an exceptional pregnancy.

The Principles

The nerve system is the master control system which coordinates and controls every process from creating new cells, to running the immune system, to properly adapting you to your changing environment.

1. Specific Chiropractic Adjustments help restore and maintain a CLEAR NEUROLOGICAL CONNECTION. Every living thing requires food that is congruent with their design to optimize normal, healthy function.
2. EAT BY DESIGN addresses the requirements for you and your developing baby to grow and unfold at full potential.
3. Movement is life and pregnancy is no time to decrease movement and therefore health. The effects of movement are required for proper development and normal birthing of your child.  MOVE BY DESIGN addresses the most efficient movement and exercise patterns for your optimal function.

Benefits for Expecting Moms:

• Less medical interventions (including c-section, pitocin, etc.)
• Stronger body for a By Design delivery
• Decreased damage to structure due to pregnancy-related changes
• Help you remain active throughout your pregnancy
• Release in-utero constraint, facilitating the timely turning of baby
• Shorten labour time by as much as 60%
• Reduce the amount of pain medication during labour, optimizing recovery time for both you and your baby

Life By Design means a Birth By Design.

To fully express your potential for this wonderous experience, you must fulfill the requirements for your body to work at 100%. Without taking those steps, your chances of building and birthing the best part of you is greatly reduced.

Start the process and enjoy the benefits of your birthright – a healthy, vital and fulfilling birth experience for both you and that special new addition to your family.

 

Are You Eating By Design?

Nutrition is a field littered with so many experts and opinions that it becomes difficult and ultimately frustrating for people to "figure out" how they should be eating for optimal health.  How do you choose between Atkins, South Beach, Eat Right for Your Blood Type, Low Carb, High Carb, Low Fat, High Fat, Vegetarianism, Veganism, and hundreds of other approaches?

I think the answer may be much more simple.  If we wade through all the hyperbole, the mass marketing done by organizations with billion dollar budgets and the gurus, we find some universal principles  governing the nature of food, its purpose and how to best integrate these healthy practices into our families’ lives.  In those who have been able to do so, the results have been nothing short of miraculous.  But the miracle is not in the food itself; instead it is the amazing potential it unlocks in our incredibly designed bodies. 

Multiple authors have suggested and published supporting evidence that our paleolithic ancestors and surviving “uncivilized” tribes were and are incredibly healthy.  Heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, degenerative diseases, depression, decreased fertility, acne, and obesity were almost non-existent in their cultures (even in those who lived past 60).  By comparison, we are sick and progressively getting sicker.  It is no coincidence we move less, drink polluted water, breath polluted air, eat less fruit and vegetables from soil with less nutrients, eat less protein (most of the protein we do consume comes from sick animals or dairy from sick animals), consume more total carbohydrate and a higher percentage from grains and highly processed food sources.

Simply, our sickness crisis can be highlighted by one irrefutable fact: "Our genes have barely changed and we live a lifestyle that is now almost unrecognizable.  Living incongruently with our design has pushed us away from our natural state of health.”

The solution is matching up what we eat with what our genetics have developed on, and it's actually quite straightforward.  Each species has an optimal diet that does not differ between the species.  The same is true for humans.  What is optimal for one is optimal for all.  Of course, there may be subtle variations in amounts and sources, but the basic foundations are straightforward: Vegetables, meat from healthy animals, eggs, minimal to moderate seasonal fruits, minimal nuts and their fats, and minimal seeds.  Missing are grains, whole or otherwise, most dairy, legumes, seed and vegetable oils, and obviously processed foods.

Can you survive eating foods most people do?  Sure. Can you thrive?  Absolutely not.  If you're searching for a solution to a health crisis or just want to live optimally, you need to begin the process of Eating By Design.  You'll never look back.

To learn more about the principles of Eat By Design or to attend and Eat By Design Seminar call (613) 271.8555 or visit www.mykanatachiropractor.com.  

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanatafull time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

Kanata Chiropractor Explains The Importance Of Lifting Heavy

 

We are Designed to be active, really active.  In fact, we have clear indicators that our body requires different types of movements and at a higher frequency than is currently "normal" for the average Kanata resident.

For most of human history we had to work for our survival—literally working with our hands, arms, legs, and feet using all of our muscles and energy systems to obtain food, shelter, and security. Physical “fitness” was an absolute necessity for survival. If you couldn’t sprint or climb it often meant going hungry or even early death and the end of the line for your genes. Walking, foraging, crawling, twisting, climbing, squatting, pushing, pressing, lunging, jumping, throwing and carrying were the basic movements that helped shape human evolution for over two million years.

Today, we can have food, shelter, find a mate and secure our safety with minimal physical effort. This is fantastic in many ways but being sedentary can just as easily kill us as can a wild beast.

Our hunter gatherer ancestors were strong, fast, lean, and powerful, with significant aerobic capacity and low body fat. Their genes are almost exactly the same genes as we carry inside each of us today.  Our challenge is to determine what activities will result in the optimum expression of those genes and the lean, strong, healthy, productive body we all seek and deserve.

Move By Design was created with our genetic requirements in mind and is based on  four parameters:  Be Mobile, Lift Heavy, Go Fast, Move Slow.  Depending on goals and objectives, each one of these areas can be tailored individually, but they form the basic foundations for optimal human movement, health and longevity. The purpose of this article is to discuss the principle of Lifting Heavy.

In the past, Lifting Heavy (strength training) was primarily used by athletes to enhance performance and/or increase muscle size. However, strength training is now recognized as a critical factor in the health and fitness of all genders, ages, and abilities.

Why is Lifting Heavy so important?

Strength training has been shown to:

• Preserve and enhance muscle mass
• Preserve and enhance metabolic rate
• Improve bone mineral density
• Improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
• Lower the risk of injury
• Improve the ability to engage in daily activities
• Improve balance
• Improve self-esteem
• Enhance strength and endurance
• Enhance speed, power, and agility
• Improve overall body composition
• Decrease bad cholesterol levels
• Decrease blood pressure
• Improve aerobic capacity

By including strength training in your routine you are giving yourself the best chance of living long, living strong and having a By Design body.

Conventional wisdom says that to be strong, one must lift heavy barbells and toss around big weights.  Strength training is using muscular force against resistance. This type of training can build the strength and size of skeletal muscles.

The essence of Lifting Heavy Things is to complete high intensity repetitions with good form using a weight that only allows you to complete a lower number of repetitions (usually 1-6).  It is very important to master the basics before attempting the technical lifts to avoid injury.

Different forms of resistance can be used when training for strength. This includes bands, body weight, and specially designed weights or machines.

Since you are not introducing any outside resistance that could overwhelm you, bodyweight is a great place to start because it is the safest way to train, easy on the sensitive joints and soft tissue that is often injured in the gym, even under expert supervision.

The Move By Design protocol is simple, focusing on several core essential movements for which our bodies are designed to execute on a daily basis. These movements were essential to our survival for two million years. Our ancestors couldn’t go about securing food, defending themselves, foraging, carrying heavy loads, or building shelter without also performing these six key movements:

1. Push-up
2. Pull-up
3. Squat
4. Deadlift
5. Overhead Press
6. Plank

Start Moving By Design and stop spending time and money on activities that don’t work.  Your "By Design" body is not simply a treadmill away.  Get lean, strong and fit, in less time while having a lot more fun!

Contact The Wellness Group at (613) 271-8555 for information about our next Move By Design Seminar.

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

How Do You Know If You Are Healthy?

How do you know if you're healthy?  Most people answer this question, “I feel good.” Although we all want to feel good, there is so much more to being healthy than how you feel! The World Health Organization defines health as: “a state of optimal physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Webster’s defines health as: “a state of wholeness in which all organs are functioning 100%, 100% of the time.”

Health is not only how you feel; it’s how you are functioning. Thousands of Canadians die of heart attacks each and every year, unfortunately, the heart attack is often the first sign of heart disease that may have been developing for up to fifteen years before the first symptom, the heart attack, occurs.  So you can’t wait until symptoms show up before you decide to act.  Symptoms are a poor barometer of health and usually show up late in the disease process.

Think about it… Have you ever had a friend who was feeling great, had a PAP smear, a mammogram or a chest x-ray and was given bad news several days later? Cancer doesn’t develop in just a few days and yet they were feeling good. 

Do you know someone who has diabetes? You know that as long as they are taking a proper quantity of insulin they have no symptoms and feel great. Meanwhile the disease continues to ravage their body over time producing circulatory problems, nerve system disorders, kidney damage, and eventually blindness.

The choice is yours; would you rather live By Design so your body functions at an optimal level or live the typical North American lifestyle and unknowingly allow various diseases progress to a level of crisis before you seek action?

You can’t wait until symptoms develop before you decide to maintain or regain health… it might be too late!

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life. 

Eat By Design Seminar

 

This FREE seminar hosted by Dr. Michael Gibson and The Wellness Group will help you to learn the principles of Eat By Design. 

Eat By Design works in harmony with our body's genetic make-up and design. It is not a diet, but instead an approach to fulfilling the nutritional requirements of the body for optimal function. Based on the ground-breaking work of Loren Cordain, Ph.D, Eat By Design teaches people how to eat to create health, instead of eating to alleviate a symptom or to treat a disease. Eat By Design is a sustainable, enjoyable and incredibly healthy approach to eating for life.

All attendees will receive the Eat By Design Manual.

Space is limited. Please call, (613) 271-8555, to book your spot today.

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life. 

Kanata Chiropractic Office Become Certified Life By Design Center

 

The Wellness Group is proud to announce that we have become a certified Life By design center.  

Life By Design is an essential part of transforming the world's health crisis.  It is based on powerful principles that are scientific, logical and easy to follow.  Health is your birthright.  It is the natural, normal expression of living your Life By Design.

Brain - Body Connection

A good nerve supply is essential to health and life.  At the core of all cellular function, from glands producing hormones and stress chemicals, to muscles contracting for optimal performance to the immune system defending against foreign invaders to tissues and organs undergoing healing and repair, is the nervous system.  Wellness Chiropractic focuses on correcting interference to this delicate and important system, establishing a base of quality communication upon which integration of the other Life By Design steps can be maximized.

Eat By Design

Eat By Design works in harmony with our body's genetic make-up and design.  It is not a diet, but instead an approach to fulfilling the nutritional requirements of the body for optimal function.  Based on the ground-breaking work of Loren Cordain, Ph.D, Eat By Design teaches people how to eat to create health, instead of eating to alleviate a symptom or to treat a disease.  Eat By Design is a sustainable, enjoyable and incredibly healthy approach to eating for life.

Move By Design

We have clear indicators that our body requires much more and different types of movement than are currently "normal" for the average person.  Move By Design is based on 4 parameters:  Be Mobile, Lift Heavy, Go Fast, Move Slow, .  Depending on goals and objectives, each one of these areas can be tailored individually, but they form the basic foundations for optimal human movement, health and longevity.  

LBD Essentials

Our current lifestyle and environment makes being fully sufficient in all required nutrients challenging and in some cases, nearly impossible.  We recommend some basic supplementation to fulfill what is missing for the majority of people.  Keep it simple: an animal source of omega 3 fats, vitamin D, a probiotic, digestive enzymes, and a multiple mineral supplement.  Eat By Design is the primary approach to fulfilling your nutritional requirements, the LBD Essentials simply fill in the gaps.

Rest, Play, Love

Do you take time for yourself?  Do you experience quality, restful sleep? Do you enjoy what you do? Is your life fun? Are you able to give and receive love?  Each of these components has an enormous physiologic effect on the function of our bodies.  Each enhances our stress chemistry, immunology, healing, energy levels, moods, digestion, happiness and our overall quality of life. 

Purpose

Are you wandering aimlessly or are you anchored like a rock?  A purpose is your compass, your map and your horizon.  It can focus you, drive you and reward you. Whether it be raising a healthy, happy family, traveling the world giving to others or creating a successful business, the secret to happiness is having a clearly defined purpose.  

To learn more about this revolutionary program and how you can start living the life you deserve please contact The Wellness Group at (613) 271-8555.

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life. 

Kanata Chiropractor: Your Body Is A Self-Healing Organism

Your Body is a Self-Healing Organism The body is a self-healing organism; it has the ability to heal itself without drugs and surgery. For instance, if you cut your arm, the body can heal the cut without Band-aids or antibiotics. Your body has within it an inborn ability to heal itself; in fact all living things have the ability to heal themselves naturally.

So, if your body has the ability to heal itself, why doesn’t it? The answer is that sometimes we don’t give our body enough time to heal on its own or the actual cause of the problem is still present interfering with the healing process. Most patients who develop health challenges search for a pill or a potion to relieve their discomfort instead of locating the cause of the problem and removing the cause. By removing the actual cause it allows our body an opportunity to heal naturally.

For example, infections are not a lack of antibiotics in our blood steam; they are caused by a suppressed immune system. Why is your immune system suppressed? Poor diet, no exercise, stress, or maybe nerve interference.

If the body is a self-healing organism, why take medicine? Why not find out why the body isn’t healing itself like it should and remove the interference?

Kanata Chiropractor Introduces Life By Design: The Path Back Towards Living The Life You Deserve

 

Introducing Life By Design...

Life By Design is an essential part of transforming the world's health crisis.  It is based on powerful principles that are scientific, logical and easy to follow.  Health is your birthright.  It is the natural, normal expression of living your Life By Design.

Brain - Body Connection
Eat By Design
Move By Design
Rest, Play, Love
Clearly Defined Purpose

Join the drive to ONE MILLION Families Worldwide Living Life By Design.

More details to come...

Breakthrough Thinking About Children’s Mental Development: A Look Into a Kanata Chiropractor’s Experiences

 

Just the other day I had the luxury to speak to a group of parents about the health and development of our children, which proved to be an extremely beneficial experience for both myself and the party in which I was addressing.  As a Kanata Chiropractor it has been a long time philosophy of mine to grow healthy children, rather than wait and try to repair damaged adults.  With that being said, I have come to realize that the best way to make an impact on our community starts with addressing those individuals that control the fate of the future, our children.  

As a parent, I also realize that we are most responsible for being a positive role model in our children’s upbringing.  Many factors come into play when promoting children’s health including, but not limited to:  proper nutrition, adequate sleep, the understanding that the body was born to be healthy rather than needing medication to stay afloat, daily exercise, and last, but definitely not least, establishing a healthy self esteem.  

Studies show that our emotions and self perceptions create the environment which we live in.  In other words, emotional stressors can be equated to a large majority of health related illness’s today. We truly are what we think. In fact, it is my opinion that self esteem should be practiced from the very day that a child is able to roll over.  Children develop thoughts and establish feelings about themselves at a very early age.  Filling our children’s mind with positive affirmations at a young age can help enforce healthy perceptions of themselves as they mature.  It also creates a support system of reassurance for them to fall back on when things don’t quite go according to plan.  One thing is for certain; our children are a direct reflection of us.  

As parents, we are solely responsible for creating an environment where these types of positive behaviours can develop.  Unfortunately, this takes a little more than a pat on the back and the good ol’ “we’ll get’em next time champ”.  Our words are much more powerful than we think.  The old saying “watch what you say because there is always someone listening” rings true in this particular situation.  Our children are listening and they are mimicking our every move and adapting to our every behaviour.

I will leave it to the experts to further elaborate on this matter. Follow this link to read a very well written article on building our children’s self esteem.  I encourage you to take this article literally and practice it in its entirety.  Remember that you are the educators of our future society!  I will leave you with a quote from Ghandi: “Be the change you want to see in your children."

 

Dr. Ryan Pope is a Kanata chiropractor at The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility in Ontario, Canada. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to harness the innate intelligence of the body to heal itself through the chiropractic lifestyle.

Kanata Chiropractor Recommends "Food Rules"

 

I recently finished reading Michael Pollan's Food Rules and although it took me all of 30 minutes to read, it is packed with a lot of very valuable, common sense recommendations when it comes to food and eating.  

I think it says it best in the description on the back of the book: "Eating doesn't have to be so complicated.  In this age of ever-more elaborate diets and conflicting health advice, Food Rules brings a welcome simplicity to our daily decisions about food."

Pollan provides a very, very easy to read compilation of Food Rules, that are short and simple enough that you don't require a degree in human anatomy or physiology to understand.  Although I don't agree with all 64 of his rules (I don't agree with parts of Rules 22, 23, 24, 37 & 38, 40 ) I think there is a lot of good information that makes this book worth a read.

Some of my favourites include Rule 21: It's not food if it's called by the same name in every language (Think Big Mac, Cheetos or Pringles) and Rule 19: If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't and Rule 20: It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car.

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life. 

Kanata Chiropractor Recommends Probiotics

You have all heard of ANTI-biotics, but how about PRO-biotics?  The term “probiotic” stems from Greek, and it means “for-life”.   Studies show that these friendly creatures are indeed essential contributors to everyday well-being.

These microrganisms not only aid in the digestion process, but they have been found to affect numerous gene activities, assisting them in expressing health and fighting disease.  Interestingly enough, it has also been illustrated that probiotics boost your immune system and assist in lowering blood pressure.  

Several studies have highlighted the fact that probiotics stimulated changes similar to those desired by the pharmaceutical industry, but naturally and therefore without negative side –effects. In fact, probiotics offer NO negative side effects at all!  Researchers also revealed that drinking a probiotic rich drink influenced the activity of hundreds of genes in a favourable manner.

Probitics are readily available and quite easy to find, and choosing a high quality version will help rebalance your intestinal tract with good, healthy bacteria.  There are probiotics available for all ages!

This beneficial bacteria has a long lasting, and potent effect on your gut’s immune system, as well as your overall immune system.  

These micro-organisms play a vital part in the mucosal immune system in the digestive tract aiding in antibody production to unwanted invading bacteria, in other words: the one’s that “make you sick”.

These friendly little guys actually train your immune system to distinguish friend from foe, and help in the delivery of an appropriate immune response.  This is so important since an over-reaction to non harmful antigens is what gives rise to allergies and most frequent colds and flu’s.

As if this weren’t enough, probiotics can also help stabilize and normalize your weight.  In fact, studies have linked a 5% reduction in abdominal fat, and 3% reduction in subcutaneaous fat, simply by drinking a quality probiotic fermented milk beverage for approx. 12 weeks!

It is quite apparent that probiotics perform a wide variety of useful and beneficial functions, and some of which have yet to be discovered.  It is such an easy addition to one’s lifestyle, that it should be strongly encouraged to all ages.

It is also note worthy to suggest the use of probiotics following the use of antibiotics for any illness’s that one may incur.  

Antibiotics are designed to kill all the bacteria within the gut flora, including the gram positive bacteria (good bacteria), to eliminate all the toxic bacteria that causes use to suffer.  It is a must that the gram positive bacteria be replenished because it is this that allows us to absorb and digest all the nutrients that our body needs from the foods that we eat.  Unfortunately, this is likely not something that you are going to hear about from your family physician.

 

Dr. Ryan Pope is a Kanata chiropractor at The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility in Ontario, Canada. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to harness the innate intelligence of the body to heal itself through the chiropractic lifestyle.

 

Caution! Put down that bottle of Tylenol!

 

One of the hardest things to face for a parent is dealing with a sick child.  Many make the assumption that our children are more vulnerable than the average adult, and unfortunately this means many tend to turn to potentially dangerous medications to suppress their symptoms.  

What if there was a reason for these symptoms?  Let’s look a bit deeper and explore the natural ability of the body to heal itself.  

First and foremost, our body has an innate intelligence that is designed to not only control every single cell, organ, and tissue of the body, but it also has the amazing ability to heal itself.  In an optimal environment the body will always tend toward health!  In fact, the fear that most parents have on the vulnerability of their child is often unfounded because children have the ability to heal quicker than we do as adults.  Think about this for a minute: our children have not been exposed to all the garbage that we have, not to mention the amount of physical, chemical, and emotional stress; therefore they have higher thresholds for dealing with simple pathogens that may entertain their host.  

Secondly, the intention of a symptom is to let the body know that something is wrong.  It tells the body that it can no longer adapt to its internal or its external environment. In the case of a fever, it is a way of telling the body that it is currently adapting.  Fevers are actually designed to raise the body temperature to designated levels in order to kill the viral and/or bacterial pathogen, thus; eliminate it from our system.  

Click here to read a great article, written by Susan Markel, MD discussing fevers in adolescents in more detail.  It is definitely worth the read for any parent.  

Enjoy!

 

Dr. Ryan Pope is a Kanata chiropractor at The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility in Ontario, Canada. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to harness the innate intelligence of the body to heal itself through the chiropractic lifestyle.

Are You Neglecting Your Master Control System?

 

Most adults have had the following examination procedures at least one time in their lives:

1. Weight
2. Height
3. Blood pressure
4. Blood chemistry
5. Blood sugar
6. Urinalysis
7. Eyes
8. Ears
9. Nose
10. Throat
11. Abdomen
12. Pelvic
13. Skin
14. Heart
15. Lungs
16. Feet
17. Intestines
18. Dental
19. Vision
20. Hearing

Which body parts and systems are conspicuous in their absence from this list?

1. Nervous system (Your master control system!)
2. Spine
3. Muscles

Is it any wonder we feel that the majority of problems new Practice Members present to their Kanata Chiropractor are a result of neglect?  And, why wait until adulthood to look at this?  Shouldn’t our children have these vital body systems evaluated early?

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life. 

Have You Already Given Up On Your New Year's Resolutions...Again?

 

Happy New Year!

If you're like most of us, you'll be using this special time of the year to reflect and renew. Many of us decide to break old, unhealthy habits. Others resolve to take better care of themselves, improve their diets, lose some weight, begin a regular exercise program or generally just get back on the path to Lifetime Wellness.

But, many people have already given up on their New Year's resolutions...again. Why do so many people fail at making the positive changes they promise themselves?

What I've found is that, more often than not, there is no crystal clear goal or objective and/or the necessary skills may be missing and/or there is insufficient motivation to do what needs to be done and/or the resources needed to get the job done are missing or simply, there is no plan.

It's common to make resolutions and it is equally common to forget them. Follow this simple 5-step formula to make this year different and change your resolutions into reality.

1. Be crystal clear about what you want to accomplish health-wise in 2011. Avoid overly broad and non-meaningful language, such as "eat healthier," "lose weight," "work out," or "get in shape." Instead use exact language like "only eat meat twice a week," "lose 15 pounds in 2011," or "reduce my resting heart rate to 60."
2. What will you need to learn how to do to accomplish your new goals? Will you need to learn how to combine foods or exercise properly?
3. What would motivate you to not only get you started but also keep you in the game? Normally, the "right" motivation is in taking a "long" view. Is your health important because you want to fit into a bathing suit or to be able to play with your great-grandchildren?
4. What resources will you need to turn your resolutions into realities? How will you measure your progress? Who will keep you motivated and become your accountability partner?
5. Do you have a specific plan that you will follow that you are certain will help you get where you want to go?

Another exercise that will help you keep your commitment to consciously growing your health in 2011 is to identify what you could stop doing that is negatively impacting your health. Then, what could you do that would positively contribute to your health development? Put on your thinking caps and decide how you can best help yourself.

As a child, you went out to play after school. Do your children actually go out and play anymore? How much exercise do your children get? How much time do they have for exercise after computers, texting, cell phones, video games and TV?

And, what about you? How much exercise does the average office worker get after spending 8 hours every day tied to their office computer? How are your eating habits? Are you getting 6-8 hours of sleep each night?

All of these factors and more contribute to the fattening of Canadians resulting in an increasing range of illnesses all leading to a greater and greater reliance (addiction) to prescription drugs.

How can we reverse this growing health problem? If you are affected, and aren't we all affected one way or another? How can we help ourselves and the people we love the most? What if we each took control and stopped taking it anymore? What if we actually and consciously exercised, ate properly, set good examples for our children, stopped eating fast food, received regular chiropractic care, drank plenty of water and had a home cooked meal every now and then?

Small, easy to accomplish and sustainable changes can often be your best bet when it comes to changing to a healthier lifestyle. Change one thing...make it part of your healthier lifestyle so that you no longer view it as a change (typically after 30 days) and then move on to another change. Become successful at making changes and you will benefit!

While this is, by no means, a complete list; it could represent a great place for you to start 2011 in as healthy a way as possible:

1. Exercise-create a regular exercise program that you can and will commit to doing...the operative word is regular.
2. Nutrition-become more knowledgeable about what you eat and more mindful as you eat it so you nourish your body rather than just fill your stomach.
3. Lose fat.
4. Drink plenty of pure water. Practice the art of self-relaxation.
5. Detoxify your system.
6. Make time for YOU.
7. Get regular chiropractic check-ups and adjustments to keep your nervous system working optimally.
8. Make any other lifestyle changes that you think will contribute to your health.

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life. 

Does a Diet High in Animal Protein Cause Cancer?

 

Absolutely not!

But what about all of that research they did in China, didn't it show without a doubt that those who consumed animal protein had the highest incidence of heart disease, cancer, and strokes?  Didn't it show that vegetarians gave themselves the best opportunity for Lifetime Wellness?

Yes, the author of The China Study, Dr. Colin Campbell claimed that this was true, however, a more in depth analysis of his data tells a different story...

To learn more read this extremely well written critique by Denise Minger.

 

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life. 

Foods that Wreak Havoc on Your Health

 

In my years as a health care practitioner there is one thing that I can say is for certain, Garbage in  = Garbage out.  The translation of course is relating to what we put into our mouths on a daily basis.  The foods that we eat can either be the simple building blocks of our health, or they can be the subtle disaster that ruins it.  Unfortunately, we are ingrained as a society to shop based upon supply and demand rather than informed decisions.  It is my intent in this short blog to educate the reader on the potential harm these foods can pose on one’s health.

Faulty nutritional advertisements seem to be at an all time high now more than ever.  Corn and soy, to name a few, are at the top of this list.  I encourage you to step beyond the glitz and glimmer of these marketed products and do a bit of research on the health benefits associated with them.  You may find this to be a difficult task in your attempt due to the lack of information that is provided.  One thing that you may notice is the mass quantities of these products that are produced and distributed daily, not to mention annually.  Due to the fact that they are genetically modified, the cost for mass production is relatively low.  This of course means that the return of investment on these products comes in huge margins.  Despite the lack of nutritional value, supply and demand for these products are steadily increasing.  That’s right, you are getting pumped full of garbage because someone is making money!  Challenge yourself to read each label of the products in your home and see for yourself the different variations of corn and soy that may be present in them.  I have the suspicion that most of you will be amazed.  We are constantly eating genetically modified foods because they serve as great fillers.  By the way, genetically modified can also be coined as “chemically engineered”, therefore, we are not only digesting garbage but we are also in taking large quantities of the chemicals used to produce them.  It is almost like taking a handful of fertilizers and eating them for your afternoon snack. 

All in all, there is absolutely no substitute for wholesome organic foods, free of pesticides and antibiotics.  Unfortunately, these foods may become more scarce as government promotes loose regulation of the above mentioned.   If you would like to explore this topic in more depth here is a great article by Dr. Mercola, who is a world leader in health and nutrition.  

 

Dr. Ryan Pope is a Kanata chiropractor at The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility in Ontario, Canada. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to harness the innate intelligence of the body to heal itself through the chiropractic lifestyle.

The Side Benefits of Chiropractic Care

 

 

Everyone understands that drugs have side effects. What many people do not realize is that these side effects are often undesirable and sometimes lethal.  Drugs all have effects, some predictable and some not...some wanted and some not. Side effects are not really side effects but rather effects of the chemicals in the drugs that are considered to be what must be risked or tolerated for the desired effect of the drug.

What are the side effects of chiropractic? What we have heard from many patients is that there are unexpected benefits of chiropractic so we will call them side benefits instead of side effects. During the course of a person’s initial care in the office, many if not all receive relief from the concern or condition that caused them to seek our help in the first place. Once the initial healing phase of care is complete, almost all patients make the decision to take a few additional steps to strengthen and stabilize their system so that the health concern that they originally consulted us for is far less likely to repeat.

During this phase of stabilization is when we most often hear of the side benefits of chiropractic care. Here is a partial list of side benefits:

1. Sleep better
2. More energy
3. Relief from other aches and pains
4. Improved digestion and elimination
5. Greater clarity of thought
6. Improved outlook and attitude
7. Fewer colds and improved immune function
8. Greater stamina
9. Decreased need for some medications
10. Better overall health

Anyone interested?

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility and the creator of Lifetime Wellness. He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to achieve abundant health and maximum quality of life.