Spinal Health; Motivation; Quinoa Spirals with Roasted Tomatoes, Orange and Olives
Health Tip:
Having trouble with motivation? Motivation is just a feeling, so instead of waiting for it to show up, find out a deeper “why” for what you are wanting. WHY do you want to get healthier? Is it just to get out of pain? I’m sorry to say that pain relief is not enough motivation to keep you going! It can start with pain though… “I want to get out of pain so that I can enjoy my family and get out there with my kids while they are still young.” “I want to be able to be there for my grandkids and play with them on the floor and get back up!” Dr. Smith’s Why? She wants to take care of her body so that she can be a good example for her family, friends and patients; to show by example that it can be done and it IS worth it!
Monthly Article:
Why Support Your Backbone?
I know…I’m a chiropractor. Of course I’m going to tell you that you should be adjusted. Have you ever heard why though? Just in case you’ve never heard why you should have your spine checked, or it’s been a while and it may have slipped your mind, here is the “why.”
Your brain is where all the nerve impulses start from and they go out from the brain, down the spinal cord, and out to every organ and cell of your body. This means that the nervous system can be interfered with if those bones in your spine are out of alignment and putting pressure on your nerves. It only takes the weight of a dime to start decreasing the information going through a nerve. If that pressure continues, it can cause issues right at the spine where the issue is resulting in pain and loss of motion, OR it can cause issues on the other end of that nerve. Remember, at the end of the nerves going through your spine are the stomach, thyroid, bladder, intestines, liver, heart….I’m sure you get the idea now.
This is why it is so important to get the spine checked regularly. Not simply to get you out of back or neck pain. Chiropractic care can certainly do that though, and does a great job! It is important to make sure the pathways going to all those organs and cells are open and moving freely. Pain is actually the LAST thing to show up and the FIRST thing to go away. That’s why I continue to check both the spine and organs long after your issue has gone until I no longer find an issue. I want to make sure, as far as we can tell, that the issue has been taken care of completely. This is also why I encourage chiropractic care for ALL ages.
Because symptoms like pain are the last thing to show up, it is a good idea to plan on regular maintenance. Anything worth having is worth maintaining. Hopefully you are maintaining your vehicle, your home, your relationships, and your overall health. Even dentists say that if you have teeth, you need to do regular maintenance on them (daily brushing/flossing and 6 month check-ups). I often recommend a minimum of monthly chiropractic check-ups. This is just frequent enough for most people to catch problems before they get too big. Me, personally (Dr. Smith), I get checked every week. This way I can minimize any issues and I get to schedule when I get checked instead of a problem dictating my schedule for me. I have too many people relying on me to not take my health seriously.
If you want to start taking better care of your body, including regular spinal health in your routine is a great way to support your overall health and wellbeing. If you have a backbone, you should be getting it checked and adjusted regularly.
Recipe of the Month:
Quinoa Spirals with Roasted Tomatoes, Orange and Olives
Serves 6
A blend of roasted vegetables coupled with orange zest makes this a refreshing and hearty dish. Quinoa pasta adds flavor and protein.
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) box quinoa rotelle pasta
6 large plum tomatoes, each cut into 6-8 wedges
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, cut into thin wedges
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 orange, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, cut into thin strips (about ¼ cup)
½ cup halved, pitted Kalamata olives
½ cup fresh feta cheese crumbles or dairy-free cheese shreds
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water 6-7 minutes or until tender but still firm to bite. Rinse in cool water and drain well. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 450 F. Oil 2 rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray.
Spread tomato wedges on one sheet and onion wedges on the second sheet.
Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic and juice and rind of one orange. Drizzle half over vegetables on each sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven until vegetables are very tender and brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes for onions and 45 minutes for tomatoes. Cool slightly. Set aside.
Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl. Add roasted tomato and onion mixtures, basil and olives to pasta. Stir gently. Add cheese, 2 tablespoons orange juice and olive oil. Toss. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
From Living Without magazine June/July 2012, pg 52
Upcoming Activities and Announcements:
Roots to Health talk Tuesday June 14 at 6:15. Please sign up at the front desk. Bring a friend and write a question! This is a casual time to learn about the real Roots to Health!
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