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Why "Weight" 'till Swimsuit Season?

I’m a big fan of healthy habits. I even created a FREE facebook group to help manage stress & wrap up the year on a high note - simply by instilling a few healthy habits. If you’ve found yourself doing these things and still struggling to lose weight the answer may be in your gut! Did you know your gut bacteria impacts what you crave, how hungry you are and how well you absorb the nutrition from the foods you consume? It may be the key to your weight loss struggles!

 

It’s been a stressful few months for a lot of us and if you’re holding onto a few extra pounds that you’d like to lose the answer may be below.  I’ve done them all and find them easy to implement and notice great results when I follow my plan.

  • Intermittent Fasting - there are many ways to integrate fasting. I like the 16 off and 8 on plan. For instance, I eat dinner about 6:30pm and do not consume any food after 8:00pm until I eat lunch the next day after...
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Understanding Burnout and Mental Health

Uncategorized Apr 18, 2023

Have you ever been tired, irritable, restless and have a hard time sleeping?? These can be possible signs that you are burned out!!! People are busier than ever with work, children and everyday life. Sometimes we forget when to take breaks and just relax and take one thing at a time.

Here are some signs and symptoms that you may be burning out:

  • Problems with concentration, memory or the ability to think clearly
  • Changes in eating habits (overeating or loss of appetite)
  • Unable to complete tasks
  • Feeling sad, overly worried, worthless
  • Irritability and restlessness
  • Loss of interest in activities that you have enjoyed in the past
  • Withdrawn or disconnected from others
  • Changes in energy or sleep patterns

Well what can you do about it?

  • Talk to your chiropractor, doctor, friends and family
  • Local mental health centers
  • Employee assistance programs
  • Churches or worship centers
  • If you or someone needs immediate crisis intervention then call 1-800-273- TALK (8255)

Signs that require immediate...

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Functional Medicine, Restaurants and COVID - 19

Author: Jorell Ellazar

Like any other person during the quarantine, I have found ample time to sit on my couch and watch some Netflix. Of these shows, my favorite is Ugly Delicious with chef Dave Chang where he spends each episode delving into a particular dish and explores its cultural, and social impact on a national and international level. For example, in the episode Fried Rice, they discuss the humble nature of the said dish and uses this as a platform to discuss the complex nature of authentic Chinese cuisine as he also compares this against our Westernized knowledge of Chinese American food. But in each episode Dave Chang goes into the reason why the discussion of each titular dish is important. Of course, the research and exploration into all of these foodways and dishes are done with conversing with multiple people in different restaurants and different countries which is something not possible during the age of social distancing.

People who adhere to...

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Natural Outdoor Bug Relief

As the weather is changing and you are spending more time outdoors, you’ll be noticing those pesky critters biting your exposed skin. Especially after a nice rain, mosquitos are everywhere and it’s hard to find a good repellent that keeps them away!

If you are tired of putting chemicals all over day after day, you are in luck! There are some natural remedies out there that actually work!

If you are an essential oil pro, or novice, there are some great ways to use them to avoid bug bites. The first way to keep the mosquitos at bay is to create your own bug spray. Grab or buy any glass spray bottle, add witch hazel, water, and a tbsp of vodka as your base. Then you can add a combination of oils that not only smells great but that bugs hate! A good combination is Rosemary, Peppermint, Citronella, Lemongrass, and Cedarwood. 

If you currently use or have thought of using an essential oil diffuser at home, they are fantastic to take outside! You can diffuse the same oils...

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Paleo Meatloaf Recipe

For those of you that live near our brick and mortar office, you’re spoiled and you have access to incredible pre-made paleo meals by Real Clean Paleo.  This recipe is for the rest of you. Or for those of you that LOVE what RCP does and want a chance to expand the offerings for dinner at home.

What is Paleo? Essentially the “Paleo Diet” is one of the easiest to follow. If you picture what a hunter/gatherer population would eat - those are the foods allowed on a Paleo Diet.

Paleo is what existed before the agricultural way of eating came about. Prior to mass farming and the development of more processed foods, we ate very simply. Think fruits, vegetables, and meats/fish. 

I made this recipe this week and everyone LOVED it!  #MrParker was a huge fan and felt it paired well with corn on the cob and peas. (his personal favorite).  I hope that my take on Paleo Italian Meatloaf is a win at hour house as well.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 lbs 85% lean...
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How to Prevent the Spread of a Virus

Data based on the National Health Interview Survey of the National Center for Health Statistics show that the common cold annually causes 35.6 acute illnesses per 100 people. Many viral infections we fight off everyday without evening knowing it! Very few viral infections cause a significant number of deaths, most commonly in people who have underlying health conditions or are immune-compromised.

There are a few steps you can take to ward off viruses starting today!

  1. Manage your stress – Get 20-30 minutes of daily exercise.  Keep a gratitude journal.  Practice abdominal breathing.
  2. Increase Your Vitamins – D3/K2, Zinc, Vitamin C, Probiotics and Elderberry should be taken prophylactically to help boost your immune system.
  3. Improve Diet & Reduce Sugar – Eating clean by decreasing sugar, alcohol, gluten and dairy may be one of the easiest things to increase immunity.
  4. Get a Chiropractic Adjustment – Your nervous system modulates...
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Brush Your Skin

Now that summer is wrapping up, lets talk exfoliation.  Skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays an important role in elimination.  Fall is a great time to set the refresh button and remove that dead skin, unblock pores due to sweating and sunscreen, and get in a little bit of self care. 

The best way to start is with a good dry brushing session. The mechanical action of dry brushing is wonderful for exfoliating dry winter skin. It also helps detoxify by increasing blood circulation and promoting lymph flow/drainage. Dry brushing unclogs pores in the exfoliation process. It also stimulates your nervous system, which can make you feel invigorated afterward. 

The best way to dry brush is to always move upwards and in towards your heart. This shouldn’t take long, a few minutes max. That’s when we get to move on to the fun part.  I love mixing up my own sugar/salt scrubs with some essential oils...

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Muscle of the Month: Pec Major & Minor

When people want to start exercising more, one of the first muscles they want to work on is their chest. Most people have heard of large muscle pectoralis major but seem to forget about pectoralis minor. Both need to work together in order to function at their highest capacity.

The pectoralis major muscle is a large muscle in the upper chest, fanning across the chest from the shoulder to the breastbone. The two pectoralis major muscles, commonly referred to as the “pecs,” are the muscles that create the bulk of the chest. The pectorals are predominantly used to control the movement of the arm and also play a part in deep inhalation, pulling the ribcage to create room for the lungs to expand. Six separate sets of muscle fibers are identified within the pectoralis major muscle. This enables each portion of the pectoralis major muscle to be moved separately by the nervous system.

The pectoralis minor is a thin, flat muscle found...

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Did You Know...

By: Leah Quinn

Massage therapy is one of the oldest health care practices known. References to massage are found in Chinese medical texts dating back more than 4,000 years. Massage therapy has a number of documented clinical benefits such as reducing symptoms associated with

  • allergies
  • anxiety, depression and stress
  • arthritis
  • asthma and bronchitis
  • carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries
  • chronic and temporary pain
  • circulatory problems
  • digestive disorders
  • tension headaches
  • insomnia
  • temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)

No pain, No gain….a vicious rumor!

While problem areas can be tender during a massage the discomfort should not be unbearable. Using too much pressure may cause the body to tense up, while using too little may not have enough effect.  Varying levels of pressure allow the massage therapist to receive useful information via his or her hands, such as locating areas of muscle tension and other soft tissue problems. In practice, many...

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Vitamin D: Hormone Extraordinaire

Pop music is aspirin and the blues are vitamins. -Peter Tork


Vitamin D deficiency, hypovitaminosis D, is a very common disorder. Especially here in the Chicagoland area with our long winters spent indoors. We are meant to absorb Vitamin D from the sun but complications arise - either we don’t get to see the sun, we cover up when we’re in the sun or we use sunscreen to block the vitamin D from getting to our skin. 10-15 minutes/day in “bathing suit” attire will provide approximately 10,000IU of Vitamin D. If that’s not part of your regular routine read on to find out how and why to supplement!


Although usually found through a blood test, some symptoms of the deficiency include everything from aches and pains to depression and bone demineralization problems. Vitamin D is fundamentally important for the regulation of how your body functions. Over 200 genes in your body are controlled by Vitamin D. At least 35 different tissues in the body have Vitamin...

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