The term congruent is defined as “agreeing or corresponding with in a strict, technical sense.” Dictonary.com’s thesaurus uses the following synonyms to describe congruent: “coinciding, compatible, concurring, conforming, consistent, corresponding, identical, in agreement.” It is my sincerest belief that our health desires are never manifested or delayed because of our incongruence. What we do and say must be “in agreement” with what we truly desire, if not you may spend a great amount of time and energy pursuing something that never produces the results you want. Have you ever wondered why some lose a ton of weight and eventually gain back more weight than they lost? Well more likely than not, their issue is not that eating properly and exercising regularly does not work for them, there problem is their incongruence. Most of these individuals probably made resolutions to “loose weight,” where in reality they really had a desire to be more fit, happy, and healthy. Making affirmations and producing actions that are incongruent with what you truly desire prolongs the outcomes you long for. I have been guilty of this in my own life. For a long time I wanted to have a “six pack” but what I desired and what I did were totally different. I ate processed and “fast-food” most days of the week, I worked out when it was convenient for me (when I felt like it), I drank a minimum amount, excessively consumed juices and commercialized sports drinks, and I hardly took out time for relaxing. The natural consequence of those actions was not health and happiness, but rather unwanted fat, and stressfulness.
I became overweight and out of shape because my actions were not “in agreement” with my ultimate desires; they were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Me affirming I wanted to “loose weight” placed me in a mindset of moving away from something rather than pursuing the desires I dreamed of. When I fully understood that wellness is not simply the absence of sickness, disease, and infirmities, but is complete social, mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing; I then pursued health. I did the things that fit, happy, healthy people did. I set goals, I made action steps for achieving those goals, I exercised regularly (even when it was inconvenient), I ate more fruits and vegetables drank more water, and I relaxed. After a lot of hard work and dedication I possessed what I desired, a “six pack.” My desires became reality because I modeled fit healthy people, in a nutshell I congruently did what they did. In order to be successful in any area of your life YOU have to congruently do what successful people do. “TO BE, YOU HAVE TO DO!”
w/♥ Dr. Byron G. Jackson, The Good Doctor™
THANKSGIVING memo: Thank you all for reading. If you are a patient, thank you for taking your health seriously and allowing us to care for you!
FFC will be CLOSED 11/26 & 11/27 to give thanks and be with our loved ones, please be sure to schedule a make up if you are seen on Thurs or Fri.
FOOD DRIVE & SLEEP WELL CONTEST – through December 18th:
Earn raffle tickets by referring a friend, family member or co-worker to our office for a New Patient Consulation = 10 tickets
***(New Patient exam from referral only $37, and all proceeds during contest will be donated in the form of fresh vegetables to local soup kitchen for holidays!)
Bring a friend to a workshop = 5 tickets
Bring a friend to observe an adjustment, or join (or help a friend join) Bonfirehealth.com Facebook Fan Page = 1 ticket
GRAND PRIZE: Collect raffle tickets between Nov. 1st – Dec. 18th, and the Raffle winner will take home an ALL-ORGANIC SLEEP WELL MATTRESS designed by Dr. Stephen Franson and Gardner Sisk of Gardner Mattress (TWIN, FULL OR QUEEN). The more raffle tickets you earn, the better your chances - and if that isn’t enough, the person with the most raffle tickets will receive a $100 gift certificate to Bed, Bath & Beyond.
** Advanced Notice: Well People Think – Advanced Workshop with Dr. Stephen Franson – Wed December 9th @6:45pm Sign ups at the Front!
Grass Fed Beef CSA- Order Forms at the Front! It’s finally going to happen. Must have orders in by 12/4. Drop off on the 12th. Hooray for healthy meat!
Wednesday 11/25, 4:45-7 p.m. @ the Atlantis Gym @ the Ferncroft – Health Screening
Every day this week – check out the amazing new health site created by our own Dr. Stephen Franson: www.Bonfirehealth.com, and ignite your health today!
Food Drive - See ***ABOVE
Any questions, please call 978-927-8466, or check out our website @ www.fransonchiropractic.com.
And now, to say thank you to all of our loyal blog readers and their loved ones:
- Schedule YOUR New Patient Experience TODAY.
Recommendations updated due to concerns about safety, overall health benefits.
Aspirin for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events: An Update of the Evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Tracy Wolff, MD, MPH; Therese Miller, DrPH; and Stephen Ko, MD, MPH. Ann Intern Med. 2009;150:405-410.
Background: Coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease are leading causes of death in the United States. In 2002, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) strongly recommended that clinicians discuss aspirin with adults who are at increased risk for coronary heart disease.
Purpose: To determine the benefits and harms of taking aspirin for the primary prevention of myocardial infarctions, strokes, and death.
Limitations: New evidence on aspirin for the primary prevention of CVD is limited. The dose of aspirin used in the RCTs varied, which prevented the estimation of the most appropriate dose for primary prevention. Several of the RCTs were conducted within populations of health professionals, which potentially limits generalizability.
Conclusion: Aspirin reduces the risk for myocardial infarction in men and strokes in women. Aspirin use increases the risk for serious bleeding events.
What does this article say? The excerpts above are from the abstract from a 2009 article from the Annals of Internal Medicine. It describes the research that has been done to determine the health outcomes of ingesting ‘baby,’ or low-dose aspirin on a regular basis. From the article’s conclusion: “Aspirin does not seem to affect CVD (cardiovascular) mortality or all-cause mortality in either men or women.”
So what does this mean? There is a big difference in examining whether a treatment decreases a disease rate, changes overall lifespan, or increases your health. Aspirin has been shown to decrease the incidence of certain cardiovascular complications in certain groups. But as it says above, it did not actually lead to any increase in lifespan in the groups that were studied. The official recommendations thus suggest discussing whether trading one type of complication, like cardiovascular disease, for another, such as gastrointestinal problems, is worth it.
What are the experts saying about this? Here is an excerpt of an article from cnn.com’s health section: “Risks of daily aspirin may outweigh the benefits,” By Denise Mann, Health.com. November 4, 2009.
“This article synthesizes what many people in the field are beginning to feel: The risks of daily aspirin therapy exceeds the benefits in people who have not had a heart attack,” says Dr. Steven E. Nissen, the chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio.
“Currently, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends low-dose aspirin for primary prevention in people with diabetes who are at risk for cardiovascular disease–but this will be changing.
“Because of some recent studies suggesting that the benefit is not very large, and because aspirin can also have risks (intestinal bleeding or hemorrhagic stroke), the January 2010 recommendations will recommend it mostly for higher-risk people than was the case in the past, when it was recommended for people with more moderate levels of risk and above,” says Dr. M. Sue Kirkman, the vice president of clinical affairs for the ADA.
“The authors of the new analysis say there’s not enough evidence to justify the routine use of low-dose aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy people, including those with elevated blood pressure or diabetes.”
What does this mean? The research showed that there is no certain benefit for increasing lifespan. In other words, you need to minimize your chances of cardiovascular disease by minimizing your so-called risk factors: High blood pressure, excess weight, diabetes, high cholesterol. To do this, we recommend you start implementing proper eating, moving and thinking wellness lifestyle strategies today.
Who do I pass this on to? Pass this on to a friend, family member or co-worker that wants to learn how to protect their health. If they have concerns about their and health and wish to prevent serious disease, they need to start pro-actively working to get as healthy as possible today. As this new research shows, relying solely on testing and treatment is not a reliable strategy. Refer them to our office or another wellness chiropractor to help them get started today.
Sam and Emma’s breakfast snack. Avocado blended with organic apple sauce, with ½ banana. Emma likes hers with slivered almonds and cinnamon. Sam prefers shredded coconut. They enjoyed this treat with a scrambled egg, a smoothie and (2 grams of) lemon flavored fish oil capsules – which they chew like candy. Lots of healthy fats here. See more delicious, nutritious recipes at bonfirehealth.com
Every time that I prepare food I ask three simple questions:
1. Where are the PLANTS?
2. Where is the PROTEIN?
3. Where is the FAT?
It is not correct to say that FAT is the most important element in every meal – the RIGHT fat is. We have become accustomed to fats being referred to as “Good Fats” and “Bad Fats,” but more accurately, fats should be referred to as Great Fats and Terrible Fats.
If you want to achieve your health goals – even if that means trying to lose weight (there I said it) – you must add one more question to the list above:
4. What effect will this food have on my HORMONES?
Every time that you eat, you stimulate a cascade of hormone release that will direct your physiology and determine your energy level, emotions and appearance. Hormones are powerful chemicals generated by our bodies that are hundreds of times more potent than drugs. Hormones dictate every aspect of our cellular function and have a dominant influence on our health outcomes – and we get to decide which hormones are produced.
Our lifestyle choices in how we eat, move and think largely determine which hormones course through our veins.
Insulin and Glucagon are primary hormones that have profound effects on how we look, feel and function. Insulin is the “Fat Storage Hormone.” It is triggered by elevated blood sugar levels, usually from carbohydrates or excess calories. If Insulin is present – you are storing fat. Glucagon is the “Energy Mobilizing Hormone.” Stimulated by the presence of protein in your diet, Glucagon releases energy (calories) to be burned for fuel. Fats in your diet are “hormone neutral” – although they do mitigate (slow down/reduce) the insulin response (this is a good thing).
Fats have gotten a bad rap for years. It’s time to sing their praises. Enjoy this excerpt from the Week 5 Fuel Insight from The Bonfire Program (see what you’ve been missing at bonfirehealth.com):
What if a critical secret to improving your health was to increase your intake of FAT? For years, fats have been at the center of nutrition confusion. You’ve been told that all fats are bad, that they increase your chances of heart disease, that they cause cancer and promote weight gain and obesity. This is simply not true. In fact, eating the right fats has been proven to reduce the inflammation associated with artery disease, normalize blood lipids and cholesterol, reduce multiple forms of cancer, and actually combat obesity.
Although it may seem terribly counterintuitive, the intake of the right fats can actually be one of the best health strategies you could ever adopt.
Saturated fats, trans-fats and hydrogenated oils are considered “terrible fats” (coconut oil is an exception). These fats have been shown to increase blood serum cholesterol, alter blood lipid profiles, and promote the inflammation associated with heart disease, as well as many types of cancers.
“Great fats” like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are Essential Nutrients that reverse the damage created by these “terrible fats,” as well as perform a critical role in countless physiological functions. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are widely considered to be one of the most vital nutrients in regards to healthy cell function. They are instrumental in almost every organ and tissue, including the heart, skin, eyes and brain.
EPA and DHA Omega-3 Fatty Acids are considered Essential Fatty Acids. Nutrients are considered Essential if 1) They are required by the body for health, 2) The body cannot make them, and therefore they must be consumed in the diet. These essential fats are critical in the war against the chronic low-grade inflammation that cause heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and a host of other chronic diseases.
Eating mid-sized, cold water, wild fish is a Best Practice that will provide a great source of Omega 3’s. Avoid farm-raised fish - they have inferior fatty acid profiles and impact the environment negatively. Also, eat grass-fed beef, wild game and range-fed chickens and eggs. These are the foods that your ancestors ate. In fact, they considered the brain and organ meats a priority – due to their high essential fat content, no doubt. Nuts, seeds and avocados are also excellent sources of healthy fats.
Deficiencies in Omega-3’s have been linked to breast, colon and prostate cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and strokes, diabetes, arthritis, digestive disorders, vision problems, dementia, hormonal and reproductive problems, as well as osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and depression.
DHA and EPA deficiencies have been shown to be a causal factor in development and behavioral issues with children – even ADD and ADHD. DHA is one of the most critical elements in human breast milk.
Unfortunately, Omega-3 FA deficiency is extremely common. Our diets are terribly low in this vital nutrient. To make matters worse, we over-consume Omega-6 Fatty Acids, upsetting the delicate balance in the very important Omega-6 FA: Omega-3 FA ratio. This imbalance creates silent inflammation in the body, which leads to a litany of chronic disease issues.
Processed grains and cereal grains are high in Omega 6 Fatty Acids, which contributes to this imbalance. A diet high in grains (breads, pastas, baked goods and cereals) is considered highly pro-inflammatory. In other words, grains promote inflammation in your body and should be reduced or avoided. Unfortunately, the food pyramid has promoted a diet-style that has lead to the greatest heart disease, diabetes and obesity epidemic that the world has ever seen.
It is difficult to consume sufficient amounts of Omega 3’s to re-balance and maintain a healthy fatty acid ratio. Additionally, the oceans have been polluted so dramatically that many fish are too toxic to safely consume. A Vital Behavior to ensure fatty acid sufficiency is to supplement with a high quality fish oil source. The oil should be pharmaceutical grade, pure, and in natural EPA/DHA forms and ratios.
If the thought of consuming fish oil every day causes you to wrinkle your nose, just think of the sweeping health benefits you’ll receive. If that doesn’t work, you can always go back to eating the brains, organ meats and bone marrow that your ancestors enjoyed.
If you liked this, you’ll love bonfirehealth.com.
Now go eat something healthy,
Dr. Stephen Franson
FOOD DRIVE & SLEEP WELL CONTEST – through December 18th:
Earn raffle tickets by referring a friend, family member or co-worker to our office for a New Patient Consulation = 10 tickets
***(New Patient exam from referral only $37, and all proceeds during contest will be donated in the form of fresh vegetables to local soup kitchen for holidays!)
Bring a friend to a workshop = 5 tickets
Bring a friend to observe an adjustment, or join (or help a friend join) Bonfirehealth.com Facebook Fan Page = 1 ticket
GRAND PRIZE: Collect raffle tickets between Nov. 1st – Dec. 18th, and the Raffle winner will take home an ALL-ORGANIC SLEEP WELL MATTRESS designed by Dr. Stephen Franson and Gardner Sisk of Gardner Mattress (TWIN, FULL OR QUEEN). The more raffle tickets you earn, the better your chances - and if that isn’t enough, the person with the most raffle tickets will receive a $100 gift certificate to Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Tuesday 11/17 @ 6:30 p.m. @ the office -Advanced Workshop with Dr. Ryan Hewitt – “Get A Grip on Your Hormones this Holiday Season.” Sign ups at the front desk or call in.
Tuesday 11/17 @ 6:45 p.m. @ the office – Screen Team Training – For all of our beloved Screen Team Members, come to the back entrance.
Wednesday 11/18, 6:30 p.m. @ the office - Foundations Workshop taught by our clinic director, Dr. Stephen Franson. Free workshop open to all, designed to help you understand health vs. health care, and our cornerstone: chiropractic and the wellness lifestyle. Crucial in maximizing understanding and your results.
Thursday 11/19, 4:45-7 p.m. @ the Atlantis Gym @ the Ferncroft – Health Screening
Every day this week – check out the amazing new health site created by our own Dr. Stephen Franson: www.Bonfirehealth.com, and ignite your health today!
Food Drive - See ***ABOVE
Any questions, please call 978-927-8466, or check out our website @ www.fransonchiropractic.com.
And now, to say thank you to all of our loyal blog readers and their loved ones:
- Schedule YOUR New Patient Experience TODAY.
A Miracle
Are all not nearly as brilliant as YOUR body….
However,
Sometimes we forget.
Sometimes we are misled.
Sometimes we think that our body is not brilliant, magnificent or miraculous.
We can all easily get caught up in pain/discomfort and forget or even question this.
But if your really stop and think how truly amazing YOUR BODY is, you will be amazed at how everything works so well. I mean, think about it - you pump 2,000 gallons of blood through your body every single day and don’t think about a drop. You breath 20,000 times every day and do not think about it once. We all go through amazing changes in our bodies from birth to adult, everyone goes through puberty at roughly the same time, and all of this happens with out any oversight, no meds, nothing - it just happens. And we don’t question it. Our bodies are so smart that even slightly before we start exercising, our blood pressure goes up; and if we get a cut on our finger, it heals. HOW AMAZING IS THAT?! On a normal day, you don’t think about even 1 of the trillions of chemical reactions that take place in your body every single second of every single minute of every single hour of every single day of every single year of every single life time… Just stop and think about that and how incredible your body and this life is.
You see, you are intelligent, you are amazing, you carry inside of you an intelligence that runs your body and all of those trillions of reactions discussed above. Chiropractors call this intelligence “Innate Intelligence.” It is Innate because it is inborn - you don’t have to learn how to use it, it was there from the second the sperm and egg met that miraculously created you, and actually even before that (somehow, the sperm knew to go toward the egg). That intelligence is carried through your nervous system, which in coordination with your endocrine system is the master regulator/communicator in your body. Your brain, spinal cord, nerve roots and peripheral nerves make up your nervous system, and that is the big cheese, the CEO, the General, el Jefe. All information about what is happening in the body is sent to the brain through the spinal cord, and that information is used to properly run your body.
The spine and skull are designed to support and protect your nervous system, while giving shape to your body. A solid tube of bone would have been the safest way to protect our nerve system, but that wouldn’t have been conducive to movement or life, so we have joints. Made of much softer tissue, these joints are the inherently the weak spots in the skeletal system. So, if a spinal bone gets jarred from its healthy position (through acute or sustained postural trauma), it causes damage to the joints of the spine. Damage to these joints irritates the nerve system, decreasing your body’s ability to communicate within or to itself, which blocks or disrupts Innate Intelligence. Chiropractic is so simple, it is brilliant. Chiropractic understands that the body is brilliant, and works with it through specific chiropractic adjustments on specifically damaged joints to return proper function to the spine, as well as to remove the irritation to the nervous system, unblocking your body’s life force.
This is why chiropractors do not claim to treat any specific disease, but get tremendously amazing results with many. We restore proper communication to the body, making it healthier, and HEALTHY BODIES DO NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS. Symptoms are signals telling us that there is something wrong that needs our attention. Not alarms to be turned off with medications that dampen alarms. You get hungry and thirsty because you are getting low on fuel and water that is essential to run your body. What if there was a medication you could take when you felt hungry or thirsty, so you wouldn’t have to be bothered with eating or drinking? How long do you think that would work for? It is the same thing with other symptoms! A headache, sciatic pain, breathing problems, poor digestion,etc., are not just bothersome symptoms that need to be quieted with medication - they are telling you that something is wrong and needs to be dealt with by finding the cause, not just eliminating the symptom.
The body is amazing and I have always been fascinated with it, which is why I began studying it 12 years ago. I have been led down a path to chiropractic by asking this question: “How can I make my body as healthy as possible?” I was open-minded the whole time, and have found out a few times that what I had learned was wrong. As of now, through much trial and error, I understand that everyone must have a chiropractor on their health team, just as I understand everyone requires good, natural, from-the-earth foods, plenty of exercise and positive self talk and gratitude with a support group or tribe. This is what I do for myself, and it is what I recommend to my family, friends and patients - because this is what all of the research points to when I ask “How to be the healthiest person?” This may change, but for now this is my best recommendation as a health coach.
I hope you get your spine checked soon.
Love,
Dr. Nicholas Araza DC CCWP
Fight 4 Health
Have you have ever found yourself saying something resembling the following: “Doc, I just don’t have any time to work out anymore. I’m just way too busy.” Well, I have some incredible news for you! All you need is just 4 minutes per day to satisfy your body’s essential requirement for exercise! Yes, I’m serious, and this flips the excuse of not having enough time right on its head. This type of intensified training I’m talking about is called Tabata interval training.
Quite simple and effective, a Tabata session consists of twenty seconds of maximum output, followed by ten seconds of rest, repeated eight times consecutively for a total of four minutes. And, you can use any exercise (running, rowing, cycling, burpees, jump rope, squats, etc.)! Doing Tabata sprints is perhaps the most rewarding – and physically taxing – way to spend those four minutes. (Refer to my previous post on sprinting)
The credit for this simple and powerful training method belongs to its namesake, Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. Their groundbreaking 1996 study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, provided documented evidence concerning the dramatic physiological benefits of high-intensity, intermittent training. After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted that just four minutes of Tabata interval training could do more to boost aerobic and anaerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise.
Translation: You don’t need to drudge out 45 minutes of chronic cardio training to burn calories and gain fitness. In fact, this research tells us that you will benefit far more from short, intense bouts of exercise, such as a tabata session than any long slow painful cardio session. Say WOW!
Two of the best parts of this training are that there is no equipment necessary and you can do this anywhere at anytime. All you might need is a GymBoss interval timer so you can keep true to the clock while you add up your repetitions. You can get pretty creative with this training, since you can use almost any exercise you can think of such as pushups, pullups, squats, lunges etc. If you’re feeling extra frisky, you can even do more than one tabata session in your workout. Go crazy!
So guess what? No excuses. Go get some!
Your health coach,
Dr. Ryan Hewitt
Check out Funk Roberts doing some Tabata (His pushups are a little short on the range of motion but not bad)
Breast, prostate cancer screenings: Once touted as life savers, now have usefulness questioned by researchers
Rethinking Screening for Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer. Laura Esserman, MD, MBA; Shieh Y, and Thompson I. JAMA. 2009;302(15):1685-1692
Abstract: After 20 years of screening for breast and prostate cancer, several observations can be made. First, the incidence of these cancers increased after the introduction of screening but has never returned to prescreening levels. Second, the increase in the relative fraction of early stage cancers has increased. Third, the incidence of regional cancers has not decreased at a commensurate rate.
One possible explanation is that screening may be increasing the burden of low-risk cancers without significantly reducing the burden of more aggressively growing cancers and therefore not resulting in the anticipated reduction in cancer mortality. To reduce morbidity and mortality from prostate cancer and breast cancer, new approaches for screening, early detection, and prevention for both diseases should be considered.
What does this article say? “About $20 billion is spent to screen for breast cancer and prostate cancer in the United States.” However, it sheds new light on the effectiveness of these screenings to improve healthy outcomes. After reviewing the research on the effects of these screenings, these authors report that the screening programs in place have not been beneficial for the majority of groups of people.
Here is a quotation from the article’s conclusion: “Screening’s Limited Effect on Mortality: After 2½ decades of screening for breast and prostate cancer, conclusions are troubling: Overall cancer rates are higher, many more patients are being treated, and the absolute incidence of aggressive or later-stage disease has not been significantly decreased.”
The New York Times reports on an interview with the American Cancer Society chief describing the findings. Parts of the interview were published on Oct. 20, 2009 in an article in The New York Times, “Cancer Society, in Shift, Has Concerns on Screenings.”
“’We don’t want people to panic,’ said Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of The American Cancer Society. ‘But I’m admitting that American medicine has overpromised when it comes to screening. The advantages to screening have been exaggerated.’
The American Cancer Society, which has long been a staunch defender of most cancer screening, is now saying that the benefits of detecting many cancers, especially breast and prostate, have been overstated. It is quietly working on a message to put on its Web site early next year, to emphasize that screening for breast and prostate cancer and certain other cancers can come with a real risk of overtreating many small cancers while missing cancers that are deadly.”
A second New York Times article appeared shortly after with more after the study on the previous page was released. This article was published Nov. 2, 2009, titled “Quandary With Mammograms: Get a Screening, or Just Skip It?”
“Here we go again. Another study raises questions about the benefits of mammograms, and another set of confusing statements issue forth from experts.
“Last month, Dr. Otis Brawley, the American Cancer Society’s chief medical officer, told The New York Times that the medical profession had exaggerated the benefits of cancer screening, and that if a woman refused mammography, ‘I would not think badly of her, but I would like her to get it.’”
What does this mean? The research shows that there is no certain benefit from screening. In other words, screening comes with risk of harm that tends to cancel out any benefits of treatment that comes as a result of screening.
Who do I pass this on to? Pass this on to a friend, family member or co-worker who wants to learn how to protect their health. If they have concerns about their and health and wish to prevent serious disease, they need to start pro-actively working to get as healthy as possible today. As this new research shows, relying on testing and treatment is not a reliable strategy. Refer them to our office or another wellness chiropractor to help them get started today.
Dr. Stephen Franson has teamed up with local mattress icon Gardner Mattress to create a line of perfect sleep surfaces…and we’re giving one away.
A year ago, Gardner approached me and asked if I would be interested in designing a line of mattresses. I leapt at the chance and accepted under three conditions: 1) the mattress would have to be the highest quality, offering chiropractically correct spinal support, 2) they would have to be all-natural and all-organic, with no toxic chemical emissions, and 3) they would be produced observing Green Environmental Production Standards. Gardner agreed, and the Franson Sleep Well Mattress Line was born.
They are incredibly comfortable and designed to promote extraordinarily restful sleep. A sample mattress is available in the front office at Franson Family Chiropractic and the full line is available for the “lay-down” test at the Gardner Showroom floor. They are offered in three firmness levels: Very Firm, Ultra-Firm and Wicked Firm (“firm” does not imply hard, as can be attested by the many patients that have had to be woken up for their adjustments after dozing off on the office model. Firmness is the key quality for the consumer who is prone to morning stiffness and joint achiness. There is much market confusion here).
As is our practice tradition, we will be hosting our Christmas/Holiday Give-away Contest. This year the Grand Prize is a Franson Sleep Well Mattress (the size of your choice). http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=170987337854&index=1
The easiest way to rack up points towards winning the mattress is to join the Bonfire Health Facebook Fan Page. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/BonfireHealth?ref=ts You can refer others to join as well – just tell them to note that they were referred by you. They get healthier, and you get points towards the contest.
Sleep is an incredibly important part of health and wellness. In fact, experts say that sleep actually rivals nutrition and exercise for promoting health. More good news!
Included in this post is a sample of one of the Bonfire Program Insights. The Insights are weekly modules that act as lesson plans for the program. This module focuses on the health benefits of sleep. Here is a sample of what you’ve been missing:
For thousands of generations, the cycles of the sun and daylight dictated the rhythm of our lives. When the sun went down – so did you. The world was a dangerous place in the dark, so our ancestors would grab their mate, head back to the cave, and call it a day early. There was no modern appliance or electronic technology to keep them up – so nightfall signaled the end of the day. Very often in the modern world, sunset simply marks the beginning of the second half of the day.
Late night television, all-night computer gaming, 24 hour drive-thru’s and 80 hour work weeks have created a cultural norm of nocturnal living that is unrecognizable to our ancient hard-wiring. If you are like most people, your body expects and requires more sleep than it gets.
In fact, Dr. John Madeira, author of Brain Rules, says that 90% of Americans are chronically over-tired. Although this has noticeable implications in our day-to-day lives, like mid-day head bobbing and black circles under your eyes, the silent damage you’ll experience with sleep deprivation is a real killer – literally (brainrules.net).
Our body uses sleep to rest and repair our tissues. Our brain requires sleep to process the information from the day. Critical sleep cycles involve hormone balancing that affects everything from your energy and moods to your metabolism and ability to regulate your body weight. Sleep deprivation is actually a predictor of obesity.
Healthy sleep patterns promote complete sleep cycles. Your brain goes through different sleep phases when you rest. REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) involves dreaming; non-REM sleep is the deepest and most critical phase of sleep. This is the time that your most vital repair and recharge takes place. The more complete sleep cycles you experience, the better. For most of us, that means getting back to the cave – earlier (marksdailyapple.com).
In order to ensure maximal complete sleep cycles, humans thrive best when we follow the Circadian Rhythm that is coiled deep inside your DNA. Dictated by the light of the sun, this rhythm is a physiological set point that has promoted early to bed, early to rise for millennia. Getting to bed before 11 p.m. is a Best Practice followed by the healthiest, most energized people in the world. Tallying seven hours or more of quality sleep has been shown to increase longevity. And, low and behold, the afternoon nap turns out to be one of the most effective and productive methods for increasing energy, improving cognitive skills and focus, while mitigating the adverse effects of chronic stress by lowering circulating stress hormones like Cortisol.
Try going to bed fifteen minutes earlier for 21 days. Studies show that a new habit can be formed within 21 consecutive days. Repeat this every 21 days until your target “bedtime” is reached. This Vital Behavior is effective in conquering the late night habit that leaves you nodding off at the wheel.
Help Nudge yourself into bed on time by creating a sleep sanctuary. Invest in a quality sleep surface, a high quality pillow and comfortable clothes. Practice an eFast (no electronics) 30 minutes before bed – in fact, keep the TV, Blackberry and computer out of the bedroom all together.
Avoid foods or drink, like caffeine or alcohol that disturb healthy sleep patterns. Keep conversations relaxed and loving - discuss or focus on the things that went well that day; never argue before bed – emotional upset is the most common cause of “social insomnia.” Journal, pray or visualize a better tomorrow, and be grateful for today.
Bonfire Sleep Challenge
- Lights out 15 minutes earlier for 21 Days until you reach your “bedtime” goal
- Go to bed at the same time every day/get up at the same time every day
- eFast 30 minutes before sleeping
If you loved this information and want more…go to bonfirehealth.com. Start today and join a community of people who have decided to take back their health destiny. Create a better life through better living.
Now go live like you mean it.
Dr. Stephen Franson
FOOD DRIVE & SLEEP WELL CONTEST – through December 18th:
Earn raffle tickets by referring a friend, family member or co-worker to our office for a New Patient Consulation = 10 tickets
***(New Patient exam from referral only $37 and all proceeds during contest will be donated in the form of fresh vegetables to local soup kitchen for holidays!)
Bring a friend to a workshop = 5 tickets
Bring a friend to observe an adjustment, or join (or help a friend join) Bonfirehealth.com Facebook Fan Page = 1 ticket
GRAND PRIZE: Collect raffle tickets between Nov. 1st – Dec. 18th, and the Raffle winner will take home an ALL-ORGANIC SLEEP WELL MATTRESS designed by Dr. Stephen Franson and Gardner Sisk of Gardner Mattress (TWIN, FULL OR QUEEN). The more raffle tickets you earn, the better your chances - and if that isn’t enough, the person with the most raffle tickets will receive a $100 gift certificate to Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Friday 11/13, 11 a.m. @ the office - Foundations Workshop taught by Dr. Nicholas Araza. Free workshop open to all, designed to help you understand health vs. health care, and our cornerstone: chiropractic and the wellness lifestyle.
Every day this week – check out the amazing new health site created by our own Dr. Stephen Franson: www.Bonfirehealth.com, and ignite your health today!
Food Drive - See ***ABOVE
Any questions, please call 978-927-8466, or check out our website @ www.fransonchiropractic.com.
And now, to say thank you to all of our loyal blog readers and their loved ones:
- Schedule YOUR New Patient Experience TODAY.
