Why Are These Ladies Wearing Garbage Bags? by Dr. Jesse Davis

That’s easy.  Because we are not afraid to look different.

In fact, we actively strive to be different.  It’s okay -  Call us weirdos.  We take that as a compliment.

Because we know that is what it will take to make a difference.  If the herd was happier and healthier, we would follow them.  Unfortunately, doing things that fit in has become increasingly dangerous.

Today there are 133 million Americans struggling with at least one chronic disease – heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.  Diseases that are now being called “The Diseases of Lifestyle,” as it is now agreed upon that these diseases are the result of how we live.  That is, they are the result of – not bad luck or bad genes – but the lifestyle choices that we make.

So we choose to make different choices.  Better choices.  We don’t suggest that you should start doing things differently than others – we suggest that it is essential.  Being ill has now become so common that it has taken on the look of being normal.

The current practice of health care that fails in acknowledging the cause of these problems – our lifestyle choices – is not what we strive to look like.  So if you walk into our office and see someone wearing a garbage bag, don’t be alarmed.  Be alarmed if you walk into a health care facility and you don’t see something unusual.

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This week is the first of three weeks of focused and targeted lifestyle improvements – a Spring Cleaning.  You will see a handout from our office that all of our patients received with instructions about what to remove from their cupboards, cabinets and refrigerators – along with a garbage bag to fill up and leave by the curb.  You will also see suggestions in green to replace the tossed items with now that you have so much extra room in your pantry.

You are invited to participate with us.  Start this week – read the flyer below, get your garbage bag, and start dumping the junk.  You will be glad you did when next week – Move Week – rolls around.

And when you are done, get some photos of the carnage and post it here, to our Franson Family Chiropractic Facebook Page.

Spring Cleaning Week 1: Eat Week

To successfully improve the quality of what you put into your body, remember the Law of Propinquity:  Your surroundings have a tremendous influence on you by presenting specific choices and making them either easier or harder to do.  In other words, if you buy it and keep it in the house, you’ll eat it.

So we are going to help you with what you should buy to ensure that you are putting the best foods into your home and into your body to express your health potential.  The war is won or lost at the checkout counter.  The first step is to actively remove all of the unhealthy food choices in your house so you have room to fit all of the good things you are going to be stocking your shelves with – and to make sure all that bad stuff doesn’t end up inside of you.

Some ground rules to follow:  Eliminate processed foods, foods with added sugar, salt and oils, and things that are sold as food that have no nutritional value whatsoever.  Buy animal products from sources that allow the animals to live in as close to their natural state as possible (free-range, cage-free, grass-fed, etc.).   Buy things that are as close to their natural state as you possibly can.  Choose organic when possible. Strive to consume whole plant foods as the basis of your diet.  And consume your meals in a relaxed setting, eating no more than you need to maintain your ideal weight and activity level.  Remember, food is for sustenance, not for entertainment purposes.  However, the best food choices do both perfectly.

Breakfast

Stopping List/ Shopping List

Packaged Breakfast Cereal

Berries, fresh and frozen (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, etc.)

Pancake / Waffle Mix

Nuts, raw and unsalted (almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower and flaxseeds, etc.)

Conventional Eggs

Cage-free eggs (local, farm-fresh eggs are unbelievable)

Bacon, Sausage, Ham

Organic, free-range chicken or grass-fed meats

Pop-Tarts and pastries

Sorry, these have got to go.

Milk and Cheese

Almond milk, organic unsweetened soy milk, oat milk

Orange Juice

Fresh-squeezed orange juice, or fresh fruit and vegetable juice blends from a juicer

Processed Food Energy Bars

Whole food bars such as Larabars or Organic Cliff Bars

Bagels and breads

Whole grain, sprouted wheat bread

Lunches and Dinner

Stopping List / Shopping List

Frozen, fried foods

Leafy Vegetables: lettuce, spinach, cabbage, kale, bok choy, sprouts

Packaged meals (ie:  lasagna)

Other Salad Vegetables: carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers,

bell peppers, celery, avocados, etc.

Frozen Pizza

Solid vegetables such as broccoli, zucchinis, eggplants, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, artichokes, peas, onions

Boxed Macaroni and Cheese

Organic, Free-Range Chicken and Turkey

Cheese

Canned tomatoes

White Rice

Whole grains such as Quinoa, Brown Rice

Factory-farm raised meats

Grass-fed Meats (Beef, Lamb, etc.)

Pastas (Particularly white flour)

Squashes, Sweet Pototoes

Farm-Raised Fish

Wild-Caught Fish (low-mercury containing)

Snacks

Stopping List / Shopping List

Potato Chips

Pre-chopped veggies

Cookies

Oranges, apples, bananas

Yogurts and snack packs

Home-made Trail Mixes

Dry Cereals

Dates and raisins

Crackers (processed flours, hydrogenated oils)

Raw and unsalted nuts

Dessert

Stopping List / Shopping List

Anything from the store.    : )

Check out our recipe section on the blog!

- And chime in below with your own suggestions in the comment section!

Dr. Jesse Davis