Tis The Season

For celebrations, for giving thanks, for family, for fun, for food............and weight gain......ugh.

Yep, it IS my favorite time of year.  I love the holidays.  Right now we've already got Christmas lights on the house (no, not lit up yet, we have an official lighting of the house on Thanksgiving night).  My kids are out of school, as is my High School Teacher wife, we are planning foods for Thanksgiving in 2 days.  We've already bought some Christmas gifts.  The turkey is defrosting in our fridge.  I am ready for Christmas music (though I am ritually avoiding it until Thanksgiving).  I love this time of year!!

But yes, even as thin as I am normally, I struggle with watching my weight during the holiday season (for my Christian friends, don't be offended by my term of "holiday season" please, I use it to describe the entire season, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years).  There have been seasons where I've put on 8-10 pounds.  Yep, that's the truth.  But in more recent years, I've been able to stay within 1-3 pounds of my weight as the season starts, but it takes a plan.

That's the key.  If you have read much of my FB or Twitter or blogs before, you know a saying I have is "People don't mean to plan to fail, but they fail to plan, which IS, of course, planning to fail".  So as I sit here 2 days before Thanksgiving, and knowing I already had a chaotic day yesterday that included eating.....ready for this.......FAST FOOD last night, I am seriously contemplating my plan and focusing on making sure I hit it hard going into this season.  Later this morning a trip to the gym is on the agenda, a healthy breakfast is on the agenda, and maybe some juicing for this afternoon.  But what can YOU do to offset the temptations that you'll most likely fall prey to this year?  What kind of planning will it take?

How about let's start with shopping.  Make sure, that as you are shopping for some of the sugar/calorie filled goodies, you also make a concerted effort to keep healthy snacks on hand for you and your family.  Stop in at the produce section of your store every time you go to buy food. Buy a variety of fruits.  Buy some nuts and seeds.  Keep these on hand all the time and encourage your kids if you have them, to partake of them when they're reaching for that candy that seems to always be available right now.

Which brings up another point.  I think we should indulge in some tasty sinful decadence from time to time this season.  But why not put a cap on what you consume?  Don't purchase all that you normally purchase.  Don't keep it available all over the house, or better yet, don't put it out in easy reach.  Keep your selection of fruits and nuts in easy reach instead.  If your kids want to have some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, limit their intake, and make sure that they get to eat an orange or banana, or seasonal pomegranate too.  Have fun shelling pecans or walnuts together, and of course eating them afterward!

Also take the time to plan healthy meals for yourself with some meat, some good fresh roasted or grilled veggies.  Planning this out makes it more likely to happen.  And while you're cooking it, why not cook extra so that two days later you can have leftovers without having to cook again?  This way you only cook once, but you get to eat two healthy meals.  Simple idea that is very effective!

Alright, speaking of planning, don't let the busy holiday schedule cut out your gym time.  Get your calender out on Sundays, look at your schedule.  Yes it may get tough to get your gym time in, but learn to be efficient once you get to the gym.  Or just decide to work out at home to save time.  A round of pushups, crunches, lunges, dips,  and jumping jacks can get you a decent workout in, especially if you decide to combine two of the exercises together and do 3 sets of each without stopping (ie 10 pushups, 10 lunges, 3x, with no rest between each set).  That will get your heart rate up AND give you resistance training.

Friends, enjoy this season, but honor your God given body too.  Plan things out so that you CAN indulge and enjoy, but still manage to keep things under control and not be regretting what you did or didn't do on January 2, 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time... Be Well!!
Dr. Bruce

Beating The Holiday 5......Or 10

A timely reprint....

Yes the holidays are upon us. In just about a week, turkey with stuffing, apple pie, pumpkin pie, candied yams and more will be available to us, along with many alcoholic libations. Tasty and enjoyable stuff for sure. I look forward to my first taste of pumpkin pie in almost a year.

However, when left unchecked, the holiday celebrations lead to the dreaded "Holiday 5", or in some cases the "Holiday 10". We are talking about the extra pounds put on because of the excess calories, and the poor quality of foods that we have available to us more commonly.

Over the last 2 years, I've worked hard on limiting the holiday poundage with some quality wins. Here's what I do now and recommend.

1. Understand that plenty of opportunities to splurge will occur. Accept that fact and be prepared for it.

2. Before going to a situation where you know you'll have sweet foods, alcohol, or high quantities of calories, have a snack. Yes, eat a snack. But, make it a healthy snack. Some pumpkin seed and a piece of fruit for example. Eat this about 30 minutes before the party so you don't arrive famished and ready to consume the first pretty looking food that appears (and most food looks much prettier when we're starving). Have your snack and 8oz of water.

3. Indulge in your favorite recipe. Don't completely ignore the pie or candy you love so much. You'll not enjoy yourself. But, limit the quantity. Eat it slowly and enjoy it. Plan ahead to only have "x" amount.

4. Don't fill your plate. This is a good rule all the time, but especially at holiday time. There's so much to choose from as you go down the line at Thanksgiving or Christmas. So put food on your plate, eat it and enjoy it, and then see how you feel. Again, take your time so you stomach starts to feel full.

5. If you know you want to taste everything, just take smaller quantities as you go through the line. Often we fill our plates with large servings and feel bad that we don't have room for something else we like, so we go back and get round two of the rest of everything.

6. Keep up with your exercise. Plan it out weekly so that you're getting the calorie burn you need. It's more vital than ever to do this now, especially since you know things will come up to get in the way of your exercise plan.

7. Finally, EVERY chance you get to eat healthy, DO IT! The next opportunity to indulge in sweets is just around the corner for you, so behave every second that you can!

Mainly, it's important to be prepared and to think about what you're doing. I want you to enjoy the holidays and the tasty foods, but not to the point of regretting it on January 2nd. I enjoy the challenge though. I weigh myself on Thanksgiving morning and monitor it all throughout the holidays, then have a final check on January 2. Last year it was only 1.5 pounds heavier, and I did enjoy my holiday. I hope you can find a way to enjoy and not regret it as well. Have a great holiday season!

Until next time...BE WELL!!
Dr. Bruce

So You're Sick.......What Now??

I have had two incidents recently where a sick friend has come to mind.  One is very sick with cancer, the other was sick with a typical infection.  While there are obvious differences between the two, the commonality is that their immune systems are in a battle, albeit one much more serious than the other.  It made me think of what I'd do in similar situations, and what I've done when I have gotten sick with some kind of infection (no I've never had cancer, praise God).  In both situations, the immune system needs to be boosted, because in both situations the immune system has been overcome by the illness and has, hopefully only temporarily, lost the battle with the disease.

The first thing I'd do is to make sure I am not doing anything that further compromises my immunity.  I'd remove all toxins from my body, and this includes toxic thoughts and relationships.  Sugar is a major culprit that lowers the immune response and must be removed in totality (shouldn't be there anyway).  Sugar creates inflammation in the body and that is the breeding ground for infections and other diseases, including cancers.  A study I read recently showed that one sugary drink has measurable negative influence on the immune response.  So I'd totally cut out sugar and processed foods (which break down into sugars).  Stress also influences immunity and slows down it's response, so I'd be sure to remove myself from as many stressful situations as possible.

Why do we feel so sleepy when we have the flu?  Have you ever thought of that?  It's our body's innate intelligence telling us to slow down, power down so that the body can focus on repair and restoration.  So it becomes more important to get appropriate rest when we are ill, whether with a simple infection or cancer.

Finally, I'd fill my body with as much good stuff as I possibly can with regards to food.  I personally would no longer eat fake foods.  I'd focus on living food, preferably organic, as well as good grass fed, free range meat/chicken and wild caught fish.  So my diet would include unlimited veggies and fruit (juicing would be an even bigger part of my life than it is), and good healthy meats.  I'd consume only water and tea, unsweetened of course.

These are the same procedures I use with my kids when they are under the weather, they know to eat more fresh food and get rest and increase their water intake.  They know to avoid any junk food that they have access to throughout the day.  In reality, this is how we should live anyway to promote optimum wellness.  If we did, the chances of us contracting infections, or worse yet, cancers, would be significantly decreased.  And, in the off chance we did fall ill, our immune systems would be built up as strong as possible and thus give us a head start on beating our illness.

Until next time....Be Well!!
Dr. Bruce

Juicing For Life!!

Ummm no, I am not doing only juice for every day for every meal.  I am not ready to make that kind of life change and don’t see the need for it currently in my life.  However, I am a fan of juicing and will be a fan, for life.  And, I think it’s vital to eat live food like fruits and veggies as they GIVE life to our body (a double entendre for “juicing for life).  I’ve had plenty of conversations with people about juicing, read a lot of articles about the pros and cons, and I am asked a lot of questions about it by my patients, friends, and people that follow my wellness information on Facebook, Twitter or the blog.  So because of that I am dedicating this article to the topic of juicing, and maybe next post too, depending on how much info I come up with to share!

Why juice?   Have you gotten your 8-10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet today?  No?  When is the last time you did?  Never?  If you’re like most people, probably never is the correct answer.  While juicing isn’t a replacement for eating your fruits and veggies daily, it helps to get you closer to the optimum levels.  Let me reiterate that NOTHING takes the place of eating the real deal, however with some forms of juicing (or types of juicers) you still are getting the real deal.  Let me explain.

One type of juicer extracts juice.  The result is you are left with the pulp or fiber NOT in the juice.  The other type of juicer pulverizes the veggie or fruit so that you get the entire food in the mixture.  I’d prefer people do it that way, but certainly the extractors (which are cheaper) aren’t totally bad for you.  The challenge with the extractors is that by removing the pulp or fiber, you remove a “control rod” if you will, that slows down the rise in blood sugar that occurs naturally by eating even complex carbhohydrates like a fruit or vegetable.  So there is a MAJOR caution here for those with blood sugar issues or full blown diabetes.  Consult your dietician or doctor if you have those conditions and use caution when juicing.

So how do you get started with juicing?  First one needs to figure out what they’d like to juice.  Then there’s the little matter of having a juicer!  Let’s tend to the latter first.  You can get entry level juicers for about 100.00.  Some of these have good reputations for reliability like the Jack Lalanne juicer.  It is an extractor type and you can pick it up in many different stores or online.  The price range goes up from there to the 500.00 range approximately for the strongest of the “pulverizing” juicers.  It depends on what you want to do, and what you are willing to pay for it.

Getting started picking your items to juice can be interesting.  I’d recommend a simple start if you’re not sure about it by trying a combination of apples and carrots, and if you’re a little adventurous, some ginger (a very small piece, it’s strong in flavor).  If you like that, don’t stop there, as that is not the healthiest of juices around as it is very high in sugar content, but a good way to break yourself in.  As soon as possible start adding in greens such as celery, kale, mustard greens, spinach etc.  Now you’re getting to the good stuff that makes it much healthier:  GREENS!  Experiment with a little at first then more as you go along.  There are unlimited recipes and Facebook pages to find new recipes and new ideas on how to juice.  Check out the documentary “Fat Sick And Nearly Dead” online, you can view it for free on www.hulu.com.  Also, find my clinic name “Chiropractic Massage & Wellness Center” on facebook or follow me on twitter with @docbruce65.  You’ll get plenty of good wellness information from me on those sites I promise, you won’t regret it!

That’s about all I have space for now, tune in next time for more info on juicing and several recipes for your juicing adventures!

Until next time…Be Well!!

Dr. Bruce 

10 EASY Tips for Health and Wellness!

Brief Succinct Tips


1. Have a big glass of water before each meal.

2. Eat slowly.

3. Have fun in what you do.

4. Leave the table feeling you can eat more.

5. Park your car in the furthest spot at the shopping centre and use the stairs.

6. Tend to your relationships.

7. Do slow deep breathing each day.

8. Eliminate soft drinks and fruit juices from your diet and replace them with water.

9. Get adequate sleep.

10. Minimize foods, which come from a manufacturing “plant” and maximize food, which come from plants that grow in the ground.

There Ain't No Shortcut

Yes, I said Ain't.  My elementary school English teacher, Mrs. Sims would have a fit if she saw that in my title.  But it just seemed to be the right choice.  I promise I ain't going to use that word in this post though, so I hope you ain't deterred from reading further. Onward we go.

It happens monthly, maybe even weekly.  I see/hear of another shortcut for weight loss.  Sometimes it's a supplement.  Sometimes it's a weird diet.  Sometimes it's a weird activity of some sort. And yes, sometimes it's even surgical intervention (which while I don't like at all, may be necessary in extreme morbid obesity cases I think).

Well guess what?  I heard of a new one recently.  What it is doesn't matter, it just goes to show that our Western culture's infatuation with the shortcut to health still exists.  The magic pill, the long sought for panacea, the fountain of youth, the.......the.....well you get the point. 

And guess what?  It probably works to reduce fat and make one look better.  Yep that's right, they look better.  The key word here is LOOK.  Notice I did NOT say be healthier. 

In 1984, I owned a 1973 VW Beetle.  It was a sight to behold.  It was mostly blue.  It had a yellow door.  It had 2 gray fenders.  It had rust.  I spent about 400 dollars to have it reworked and painted, (yes all one color).  It looked much much better, just like new.  However, if I didn't change the oil from time to time, clean the carburetor (remember those?), change the spark plugs out when needed etc. then the car would die.  It would still LOOK good on the outside, but would be ill on the inside. And no one would notice as I drove it that the engine was about to blow.

Yep, our bodies are the same. In our culture we want to look good on the outside (botox anyone?).  We want the appearance of health so badly, that we focus on the outside instead of on what makes us truly healthy (or for that matter, what makes us truly sick).  So billion dollar industries are created on this farce of health and wellness.  Yes it's a farce.  And it's a suicidal farce at that.

The reality of it is, while we slowly commit suicide by lifestyle in our culture by running to the next magic cure, the answer is really oh so simple.  Simple?  Yes, simple.  And if you read any of my stuff you should know the answer by now.  Eat well, Move well, Think well and Rest well.  That's it.  There is no other answer.  Oh sure, surgery for some of our self inflicted illnesses is necessary at times when things are too out of control.  But that only puts out a fire, it doesn't rebuild the structure.  My formula listed above does rebuild the structure.  It's the only way.

Ok, one more time, repeat after me:  There ain't no shortcut (my apologies to Mrs. Sims).

Until next time... Be Well!
Dr. Bruce

Staying Hydrated, Staying Well

It’s mid-May as I am writing this and for the first time in a long time, I looked at the 10 day forecast and saw 90’s as the predicted high temperature.  That can only mean one thing: Summer is right around the corner and the long timeframe of 90+ degree days week after week after week looms ahead.  Summer is a time where we spend a lot of time outdoors, and great memories will be made this summer for many, but it’s important that we also keep a very important thought in mind:  Hydration.

Intake of fluids is vital for our daily health, even in the winter, though it certainly increases in the summer months as we work outside in our yards and schedule outdoor events/play time.  On the hottest of days, when it’s impossible to avoid being outdoors (while working for instance) it even becomes vital to our safety and our lives.  60% of our body weight is made from water, and when it gets out of balance, significant alterations in important physiological reactions in the body occur than can be life threatening. 

So we obviously know staying hydrated is important, but how do we do it?  The best way of course is water, plain pure water. I recommend filtered water. Bottled water is acceptable as well.  Drink it often, drink it regularly and make it a habit.  Don’t like water?  Try adding some lemon or lime squeezed into it for flavor.  Yes you can get water from other drinks, but most come with added ingredients that are deleterious to your health.  You can try juicing for instance.  I am a fan of tea (unsweetened, with lemon or lime again) but it shouldn’t be something you drink all day long.  There really is no true replacement for plain good old fashioned water.

How much should we drink?  Different authors vary, some sticking with the eight 8-ounce glasses/day, but I don’t believe that one size fits all.  If you’re 6’5” and weigh 250 pounds, you probably have a different water intake requirement than a 5’0 110 pound person.  One formula says to divide your weight in half, and drink that number of ounces/day.  Let me say that is a lot of water and you’ll surely stay hydrated at that rate (and you’ll surely stay in the bathroom a lot).  It’s a great goal to shoot for though, and I have managed to hit that level with some frequency.  

However the best thing is to constantly be sipping on water throughout your day.  Keep a large bottle with you in your office, keep one at home too and drink and refill throughout the day.  I keep a 32 ounce bottle at my office and I try to go through 2 of them/day.  If you wait until you feel thirsty, you are most likely under-hydrated already so don’t wait that long.  A great way to tell if you are hydrated or not is (seriously) the color of your urine.  It should be a pale straw color at most (remember this saying “Pee Pale”).  If it is dark colored or bright colored, you are certainly under hydrated (unless you are taking vitamins, or have had beets or beet juice recently).  It’s a simple way to assess where you are.  And, in the summer, if you’re sweating a lot, or exercising a lot, of course you’ll need more water.

Caution signs for dehydration include dry mouth and swollen tongue, weakness, dizziness, confusion, sluggishness or fainting, inability to sweat and decreased urine output.  More significant dehydration that requires calling for emergency services include fever higher than 103, headaches, seizures, no urine output for 12 hours, fainting or difficulty breathing.

Water is vital to our health. Remember “The solution to pollution is dilution”, so keep yourself well hydrated for optimum health too!