Shoulder/Back Pain & Massage

A lot of times times the area in which you feel the pain is not the area that needs to be addressed. For example, 90% of my clients have pain between their shoulder blades and that is what they want me to massage. 


The fact of the matter is that I could massage that area all day long and the client will only have temporary relief. If they want a permanant solution they will also need to have all the opposing muscles that attach to the shoulder blade relaxed as well. This includes the Terres, levetor scap, latissimus dorsi, and the pecs. Unless these muscles are properly relaxed they will continue to pull the shoulder blades out of their proper place on the body, and the rhomboids will continue to strain to keep the shoulder blades in place.  This is why you feel pain between the shoulder blades. 


--Sylvia

Stretching

I hear all the time from my clients that they don't have time to stretch. But I think we can all agree that stretching is VERY important! 


What I choose to do is sit and stretch while talking to my husband or doing something else. I'm not a TV watcher, but if you are, consider sitting on the floor for a full 30 or 60-minute show and stretch. At first it may not be comfortable, but after a few consistent days you will find yourself to be more flexible and maybe even increased energy levels. Dr. Wes always tells me that one huge reason for low back pain is tight hamstrings. I can also tell you that your workouts will significantly improve when your muscles are stretched out. 

Here are my suggestions for stretches to do while watching TV, talking with your spouse or kids, or even make a fun family event out of it!


--Emily

Tilapia

Anyone else a fish-hater?! I dislike any seafood and really even hate the smell of it. 

However, we are needing to add some in our diet, so the hubby and I decided to try out some tilapia. My sister showed me how to get some frozen stuff and make it in the oven. I tried it and suprisingly both of us liked it! 

All I did was take the thawed out fish, wrap it in foil with some olive oil and seasonings and throw in the oven for I think 11 minutes (it says on the bag). Super simple and pretty good. I made it with a ton of sauteed veggies (Austen and my favorite) just in case we needed to 'hide' the fish taste. But we ended up really likeing the meal! 

Give it a whirl!


--Emily

My Little Slice of Heaven

I'm guessing I'm not the only one amongst us all who loves to enjoy this nice weather we get to have everyday. And I'm guessing I'm not the only one who is constantly looking for a new way to enjoy it. My husband and I enjoy playing sports against each other, golfing, or just joining some friends and family at Cascade Falls in Ankeny.


I also love to go on runs by myself-both for my physical wellness and also to 'clear my head'-which brings me to the reason of this post. I'd like to think this trail I run on is my own little secret, but since it is one of the most well-known trails in Des Moines I guess we know that isn't true. It's called the Greenbelt Trail. If you have never been on this trail, I encourage you to check it out tonight or this weekend!!! It is absolutely gorgeous scenery, and when I run on it I forget everything else and just enjoy nature. My favorite spot to get on is just South of Hickman on 100th street by the Caseys across from Willis Auto. There is a parking lot right there, but if you take the road that winds between the trees you can find another parking lot a little bigger. Park your car and hit that trail! I love the fact that it follows a creek (I always have loved to be around water), is surrounded by trees to the point of you being in a tunnel of green leaves, and has pretty flowers along the way to make it smell even better. Like a little slice of Heaven :-)

Men---you could even make a date night out of it for your lady-take her on a walk and then out to dinner. You'll be feeling great and win points at the same time (you can send your thank yous to the office!).

What Can Chiropractic Do For YOU?

Today I had a patient ask if chiropractic could help with eczema and it reminded me that not everyone is as blessed as me to work around Dr. Wes all the time! I can truly say I have learned so much working here for just over two years now!! 

I had gone to a chiropractor since I was in middle school pretty consistently because of the example of my mom and older sister. My chiropractor back home is an awesome guy and we always had very lengthy conversations while I was in college-discussing the nervous system and how much it does, nutrition or just life. 

However, I have learned so much more because I'm around it all the time here at the office. Did you know that chiropratic can improve your workouts? Or your attitude? And of course get rid of pain. Dr. Wes has helped me with so much-inlcuding regular adjustments to my knee (sore since I was little kid) and my shoulder (hurt playing basketball 2 years ago). My family has some digestion issues running through it and I have battled them since middle school. However, now with a weekly adjustment he can keep my systems running with no pain or stress. And just yesterday Dr. Wes adjusted me and relieved what felt like 800 pounds of stress off of me. I could tell an instant improvement in my attitude and felt like I was able to face the rest of the day. 

Have you told Dr. Wes EVERYTHING at each of your appointments??? I would encourage you to try out an adjustment on your foot or elbow, or whatever it may be for you. Those adjustments help more than you can imagine....and why live in pain when you can stop by our awesome office and feel so much better!!!

 

And....at your next adjustment-ask Dr. Wes his testimony with chiropractic! You might even find out why he became a chiropractor :-)

--Emily 

End of Day Inventory

Now that we are all working on our 'Power Hour' I have to encourage you to add one more thing that I have found to be very helpful. 

Take an inventory at the end of your day to keep track of the things you get accomplished. This is good to stay accountable to the things you think about doing during your Power Hour. It is also a good reminder of what you get done that day-sometimes I tend to get so focused on what doesn't get done that I forget about all the tasks I did get checked off my list. 

I found when I started to recall those completed tasks, I was more pleased with each day. I know Dr. Wes likes to write down 1-5 good things that happened to him that day. He told me he enjoys going back and looking at his happy moments from months and even years ago when he's having a rough day. 

So get yourself a journal and start with your nightly inventory entries.

Ben's Chicken & Brocolli (Garlic Orange Curry Chicken)

I invented my own recipe AND we all love it!!! Ben asks for this dinner at least once a week and it is so easy. 

Ingredients

2-3tbs oil: Coconut, Olive, Sesame, or my favorite--garlic infused olive oil from All Spice in the East Village

fresh squeezed orange juice & orange pieces

coconut oils/tamari/wheat free soy sauce

green onions, diced

minced garlic

1/2-1Tbsp curry powder

chicken tenderloins, breasts, or thighs (we tried the organic chicken thighs from Costco--good!)

broccoli

optional: raw coconut and raw sunflower seeds for toppings

Directions

Heat up the oil over medium-high heat until hot; add orange juice, tamari, green onions, curry, and garlic.  Add chicken cut up into pieces (I use my scissors to cut the chicken while it's in the skillet.) When chicken is cooked through, add broccoli. Sometimes I need to add a little bit of water or chicken stock if the pan is starting to dry out. Be sure to have enough liquid so that the ingredients don't stick or burn to the bottom of the skillet. 

When broccoli is just cooked through, remove from heat and serve right away. Add fresh, raw coconut and/or raw sunflower seeds for variety. 

Let me know what you think or if you made any modifications. Enjoy!

--Katie