Positivity Playlist: Song 9

These lyrics never fail to give me chills... "Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Ghandi

Courageous Congruence...

In the past six months or so, I have become reacquainted with the idea of owning my own behavior in a whole new way.  This new approach requires me to courageously step forward and behave in a way I feel is congruent with who I am on a whole new level.  Let me elaborate:

There have been a number misunderstandings in the past six months (probably longer for some) between friends and family... conflicts that seemed at an impasse despite my explanations and apologies... and yet, I still continued to find myself in situations where I still had to interact with and see these people.  For one who likes everyone to get along and be happy (like most of us, I suspect), this added a lot of stress to these social gatherings.

I've heard it said many times that others' opinions of someone can shape that person's behavior.  We begin to behave in the manner that is expected. Things become so convoluted that no one can see each other for the true, bright souls that they are because they get so blinded by their own Neuroemotional Complexes (NEC's).  But the miracle that lies within this scenario is extracted and put on display when one person (or more) chooses to rise above this and end the illusion.  This can happen in many ways, but in my personal experience as of late, I have taken on the challenge to really think of how I would behave if I did NOT assume this person or people have a negative opinion of me. What if everything were warm and loving and everything I wanted it to be? How would I behave then?

This was (and is) scary for me.  It puts me in a position to get rejected, humiliated, and/or hurt.  Repeatedly.  But in these situations, the only thing I can control is me. And with a deeper understanding of that concept than ever before, I decided that I was going to be the person I wanted to be, regardless of others' behavior or assumptions.  I chose to hold my head high, and love them the way I would otherwise, and make the conscious decision not to take their rejection personally.  After all, if I could learn to love them (not to be confused with allowing them to treat me poorly) ... well... isn't that what truly loving others is all about?  Letting them be miserable if they want to be miserable?  Accepting how they choose to react to a situation? Respecting their decisions? Letting them be who they want to be? 

Finally, I realized that they didn't have to behave to my expectations and standards for me to love them.  And through loving them fully, I could be at peace with the decisions that they made, even if they were out of anger and designed to be vengeful or manipulative... even if they were decisions I wouldn't make myself.  When their behavior could turn hurtful to me, I chose to love them from a distance. 

And you know what happened? 

A miracle.

With no fuel added to the fire, the conflict resolved itself!

The emotions that were fueling the conflict burned themselves out, and we were able to move on.

I think of the ways these situations could've played out differently. What if I had desperately tried to fix what couldn't be fixed?  What if I had gotten angry with them? What if I had let it lure me into a depression?  But I didn't.  I didn't have to fix it. I didn't have to play into it. I just had to be me, express the goodness within, and trust in my higher power that it would untangle itself. And it did! 

I challenge you to try this experiment for yourself and let me know how it turns out... you might be pleasantly surprised what happens when you release your expectations and trust everything will work out for the best...

Continuing to stumble blindly while secretly trusting that I am being conscientiously lead...

Dr. Redmond

My Fitbit Experiment: Part 2

I love dancing anyway, but it's so much fun to see the proof of how good it is for me!  Can you guess when some of my favorite dances came on? And I have to admit... knowing that my fitbit  was counting every step actually did get me to stay a little longer and do a few more dances...

Line dancing from 8 til 11:30pm

Banya!

Talk about a little taste of heaven!

Banya (Russian: баня [ˈbanjə]) in Russian can refer to any kind of steam bath, but usually to the Russian type of sauna.

Saunas are great for your body.  They help you sweat out toxins as well as relax your muscles, and when a friend told me about a sauna spa that was only $30 for the whole day, I had to check it out!

What a great experience!  There were multiple types of saunas, both wet and dry.  The wet saunas are somewhat humid whereas the dry saunas, as you've probably guessed, are dry heat and have no moisture.  I loved the Russian Wet sauna... you take a bucket of cold water and splash it over you to cool off while inside the sauna.  There was another version where you take a cold shower or jump into a cold pool after coming out of the sauna.  In that one, people would bring large branches in and waft the hot, humid air down to their body to intensify the effect.  There's also a great woodsy, herbal smell from the branches and cedar benches.

The spa that I went to also had a steam room, jacuzzi, lap pool, meditation room, and juice bar. I really look forward to going back. At the end of just a few hours spent there, my mind and body felt relaxed, and my skin looked fantastic!

A couple words of advice before you go:

1) Bring water and drink lots while you're there! Getting dehydrated is not good for anyone! You might also want to bring some salty snacks to keep your electrolytes balanced.

2) If you start to feel like you're going to fall asleep, it's time to leave the sauna and take a break.

3) Keep your hair covered while in the sauna. Some people use small hats like this:

Otherwise, your hair can become very brittle.

Feel free to cycle in and out of the saunas as long as you'd like, but be sure to listen to your body.

What a great (and affordable!) way to treat yourself during the holidays!

http://www.brc-spa.com/

The Positivity Playlist

I love music.  It lifts me up when I'm feeling down, helps me celebrate when I'm up, motivates me when I'm working, and acts as inspiration when I just want to sit and contemplate life for a little while.

Because of the emotion that often accompanies a melody, music can also be a powerful affirmation.

I encourage you to pay attention to what you're listening to, in the wake of our week of mindfulness.

I noticed a few years ago that a lot of my favorite songs included some very negative lyrics. The songs sounded happy, but they truly were not.  I also noticed many instances where these lyrics had actually manifested in my life.  It's amazing how our unconscious mind will absorb the stories we present to it and make them our own.

Now I must admit that I haven't completely given up all songs with stories I wouldn't like to have, but since our state of health is really about what we do 80% of the time, I decided to make a Positivity Playlist that I can listen to when I need a boost.  And I have decided to share some of those songs with you!  If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments below.  There will be a song posted every Monday to keep you going all week long.

And now, the song that inspired this post!

Years of Knee Pain are Over...

Recently, a patient came in with knee pain so severe she could barely walk.  She had injured it about 20 years prior and it had never been "right" since.  She had been to multiple orthopedists, naturopaths, chiropractors, physical therapists, etc, but nothing seemed to help.

I examined it and found a number of things; muscle memories, trigger points, a fibular head subluxation, etc.

So what did I do?  What I always do!  My job!  I fixed what I found, helped the nervous system get balanced, and allowed her body to heal as it was designed.

And whaddaya know...  It doesn't hurt anymore. She can actually go for walks again!  (Not to mention the happy little "side effects" of better energy, less anxiety, and being able to live her life again.)

Just another day saving lives.

I love my job.

Why can't I get pregnant?? from guest blogger Dr. Martha Nessler

I met Martha at a Chiropractic function not too long ago. She's an amazingly passionate Chiropractor and person, and she speaks the truth from the heart. Here's her blog for those struggling trying to conceive.  She said it even better than I could...

Why can't I get pregnant??

Swimming for the first time without fear? Priceless.

I'm always so excited to share my patient's successes and this is no different.

I met Michelle at a triathlon where she was volunteering and I was competing.  Somehow, we got onto the topic of her fear of the water.  I was amazed that with such a severe phobia, she was even capable of being a triathlete, which really says a lot for her strength of will and determination.  She didn't even learn to swim until three years prior.  Now in her early 50's, this incredible woman had completed multiple triathlons but still had to fight back the panic every time she got in the water.  I told her about NET and how it had helped me complete my first Olympic tri, and she took my number and said she would check it out.

A week later, she went to compete in her first Olympic tri, and sadly, couldn't finish. She had a panic attack in the water.  How scary is that?!  Shortly thereafter, I saw her at my office.  I examined her, and believed I could help (she seemed like a GREAT candidate for NET!), so we got to work.  We had one week before her next tri, and honestly, I didn't know if she'd be ready... one week isn't much time and we found a lot that needed to be addressed.  With her first adjustment we cleared her Allergy point, which we found out of balance due to accumulated emotional stress.  This was simply to set the stage for the work we needed to do, and start to bring some semblance of balance to her nervous system.

You won't believe what happened next.

On her next appointment, after only one session, she came in and reported that she had done an open water swim in the ocean that morning, and she was fine!!  Even I didn't expect results that fast!  It truly is a testament to her strong constitution!  I can't wait to see what happens when her nervous system is actually functioning at it's MAX!

GREAT JOB, MICHELLE! I'm so proud of you!!

Cyclist Gets Great Results with Chiropractic Care!

Troy*, came to me as a relatively healthy guy in his early 50's.  As an avid cyclist and smartphone enthusiast, his only complaint was the annoying numbness and tingling he was experiencing in his arms and hands, at seemingly random moments, but especially after cycling or when using his phone.  After a thorough examination, we determined that Troy's body, as a result of accumulated stress, was not adapting and healing properly and his body had built up scar tissue around his nerves traveling from his neck to his hands.

Since Troy's case was not severe and other health issues and degeneration were not present, we started him on a conservative schedule of once visit per week.  We adjusted his wrists and elbows and did Active Release Technique (ART) on his forearms, and the numbness in his hands and wrists cleared up quickly.  But the sensation in his arms was persistent.  After about 4 visits, we had seen 100% improvement in his hands, but only 40% in his arms, so I decided it was time to dig deep.  The small muscles in his neck were pinching down on the nerves going to his arms.  After some more ART, we hit 70% improvement, and though Troy was happy, I knew we could do better.  We found some accumulated toxicity keeping his body from healing, so I prescribed a homeopathic remedy to help bring his body back into balance.  Finally, we released some accumulated emotional stress with Neuroemotional Technique (NET) and a little more ART, and Troy hit 100% improvement!!  Another success story for the books! :)

*Name changed.

Need some encouragement?

For a bit on inspiration, click here and listen.

Enjoy!

Love, health, and happiness,

Dr. Redmond

Feeling better and better... Where does it stop?

A patient said to me this morning, "I haven't been in pain for months, and yet every week I come to get adjusted, I just feel better and better!"

This made me think.  If we have never experienced a fully-functioning nervous system, how can we ever know what it's like to have one?  So many people think they don't need a chiropractor, but they don't even know how much better their body could be functioning!  If you were born blind, would you never want to see?  If you were born deaf, would you never want to hear?  Imagine all the untapped potential out there... all the people who, if adjusted, would begin to shine in ways they never imagined were possible...

Taking time...

I'm pretty much all of us at some point have said that we don't have time to do what's good for us.

We don't have time to exercise, to get enough sleep, to cook healthy meals...  The list could go on and on.  For me, I had convinced myself I didn't have time for a vacation. 

But this past weekend, I MADE time.  I TOOK time.  I stole time from all the other things that were pulling at me, and made my rest, relaxation, and renewal a priority. 

And it paid off in spades, as these things have a tendency to do. 

I kayaked, I biked, I ran, I stretched, I laughed, I danced, I napped, I read, I ate delicious and healthy foods (and some not so healthy foods, too)... And last night, as I was preparing my salad for my last dinner at the shore, my friend and colleague looked at me and said, "You look so relaxed," in a way that made me realize just how long it had been. I smiled and contentedly responded, "I am," and went back to preparing my beautiful salad (overflowing with fresh cucumber, avocado, romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, endive, peppers, and my favorite new salad dressing.). 

Crabbing on the dock, watching the sunset...

Today, I feel so relaxed and energized with a renewed sense of patience and tolerance.  All it took was a couple of days away.  Incredible. 

"Parents give us something to rise above..."

I often feel the need to remind my patients when we are releasing past hurts and patterns with Neuroemotional Technique that no parent is perfect.  Even "bad" parents are doing the best they can for themselves and their children.  They may be caught in their own illusions that convince them they are incapable of doing things differently, but they are still doing their best.  Don Miguel Ruiz, one of my favorite authors states,

"Your best is going to change from moment to moment. 

It will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick."

It's important to remember that no parent, or human being, for that matter, is perfect. And those imperfections effect us as we grow and learn and emulate those imperfect humans that raised us.  The important thing to remember is that we have a choice whether we are going to use that as an excuse to stay stuck in our childhood programming and ride along the path we feel has been created for ourselves, or to rise above our parents' humanity and be a better person for what they have taught us.

I challenge you to think of your parents' inevitable mistakes as something to rise above instead of fall victim to... after all, how boring would life be if everything was perfect?

I did it!

Wow.  It's so surreal. I don't even know if I can formulate my thoughts enough to share the experience. But so many of you have been so supportive that I feel as though I'd be cheating you if I didn't share.

I completed my Olympic Distance Triathlon yesterday.  For those of you who don't know, that was a 1500 meter lake swim, 25.5 mile bike ride, and a 6.2 mile run on a 96 degree day.

This is one of those things that ten years ago, I thought only crazy people did. Crazy, athletic people.  Even two years ago, you couldn't have convinced me that I'd do this some day soon.  I was never athletic. And I wasn't that crazy.  I remember when friends in school signed up for a sprint triathlon and invited me to join.  I laughed.  They were obviously delusional if they thought I could EVER do something like that.

But now, I've done it. And I've done more!  And there were a lot of people who helped make that happen.  What amazes me most is that it felt... dare I say... easy?  Just another day. Another workout.  And completely pain-free.  And I'm sitting here dumbfounded wondering how that can be... What did I do to make this such an enjoyable experience?

First of all, I made sure I got adjusted. Running a race without tuning up my nervous system is like riding a bike with flat tires.  You can do it, but it's not going to be fun. 

Second, I got a massage a week before to work out all the kinks that might keep my muscles from functioning properly.  Three weeks before, I also got my troublesome IT band worked on with SASTM, a Graston-like technique that hurts more than you can imagine but was amazingly effective.

I also used Neuroemotional Technique to address the anxieties that I had about the event as well as the emotional components of some of the injuries I developed during training.

But I think the biggest help was hypnosis and visualization!  I was hypnotized the Thursday before the race by Corene Noack, practiced self-hypnosis (a form of meditation) every day from then until the race, and then was hypnotized by her again on race day, and I have never had a smoother, more focused race, or a stronger finish. I sprinted over the finish line and felt like I could keep going. I was so impressed!  I suggest everyone give it a shot!  So thank you to Corene, and all those other fabulous practitioners, friends, and family who made this such an enjoyable event for me. I see more Olympic tris in my future!

What to do when you've let your body get run down... (How to fight a cold)

Sometimes, we overbook our schedules, run ourselves ragged, and end up depleting our resources that help fend off microscopic invaders.  That's when we end up expressing outwardly the symptoms of an infection, such as a flu or cold.  Our bodies keep these microbes in check every day, so these symptoms are simply the demonstration of our unbalanced lifestyle.  Getting "sick" is the nervous system's way of regaining homeostasis... since we aren't giving ourselves the rest we need, it puts us into a depleted state, forcing us to slow down and rejuvenate.  I could happily ramble about the mechanisms involved in this process... the sympathetic nervous system in overdrive with it's "fight or flight" response and the counteracting parasympathetic nervous system that we experience while sleeping, meditation, and prayer...  the neural link to why we create mucus and run fevers and ache and experience all the other unsightly symptoms of colds and flus but I doubt you want that much detail (and if you do, be sure to mention it in the comment section!). 

The reason I bring this up is because I have been guilty of not giving my body the recovery time that it needs lately, and as a result, I am fighting something.  And since I'm currently experiencing the first day of knowing something is "off,"  I figured it was the perfect time to share what I do to help my body recover as quickly as possible, drug-free.  It really is possible!

First, HYDRATE! Flush your system with as much water as possible.  Sometimes, I will drink close to a gallon within 24 hours.  Sometimes, doing ONLY this enough to stop whatever bug is trying to get me. 

Second, SLEEP!  Your body is trying to achieve balance again after going into overdrive, so resting quietly, in a dimly lit or dark room will help this happen faster.  Resist the urge to turn on the TV since it is highly stimulative to the nervous system.

Third, SUPPLEMENT!  Taking large doses of Vitamin D- around 4000IU/day should do it- has been shown to stop respiratory infections in their tracks.  I also like to mega-dose Vitamin C, but I wouldn't recommend doing this for more than a week and if you experience burning during urination, stop taking it.  It's very hard to overdose on Vitamin C since it is water soluble, but over-saturation can cause it to crystallize in your urine which can be awfully uncomfortable.  Echinacea is a great herb to take at the first sign of symptoms and has been shown to shorten the duration of a cold by a few days if taken early on.

Fourth, ELIMINATE DAIRY!  Dairy products increase mucus production due to the low level of inflammation they cause in the body.  If you are prone to colds and sinus issues, I would encourage you to eliminate dairy from your diet entirely, but that's another blog.  For now, let's just focus on eliminating dairy until you're feeling better. 

Fifth, HOMEOPATHY! There's a number of homeopathic remedies that can be used to help eliminate your symptoms altogether.  I like using the Earth, Flu/Immune, and ER911 remedies that I use in my office.  Sometimes, I don't catch the symptoms in time and will call up my homeopath for something more specific.  Homeopathy has allowed me to completely eliminate pharmaceuticals from my lifestyle so I am a huge fan. But please be aware: It is a tricky science and requires extensive knowledge of the remedies to find the right one so PLEASE! make sure you seek out a qualified practitioner.  The great thing about it is that there are no side effects so you can't hurt yourself if you take the wrong thing, but I've heard so many people say that homeopathy doesn't work, simply because they had the wrong remedy.


I've listed all the things I would definitely do... there's others but this should get you through.  Other helpful things are to avoid sugar, wheat (if sensitive to it), add some mild exercise like some gentle yoga or walking, meditate... and keep a positive attitude! Beware stating affirmations like, "I'm sick." Stay strong! You're FIGHTING it! :.)

Excuses...

This song popped onto my iPod the other day, and I couldn't help but think of it in the context of the work I do.  We all have excuses regarding why we can't acheive greatness...  What excuses are holding YOU back?

Neuroemotional Technique for Postpartum Depression

I'm so excited to share this success story, as it is one of the worst cases of Postpartum Depression I've ever seen in my office.  This particular mom has four children, and experienced PD with ALL of them.  She was anxious, depressed, and couldn't connect with her babies.  What a heart-breaking and anticlimactic experience for any mom. 
I started working with her when she was about 5 months pregnant with number four.  She was very nervous about getting depressed and anxious again.  She was also concerned about her other three children and whether she could provide what they needed while caring for her newborn.  I saw her about 5 times before her new baby boy arrived... and what do you know!  It's about a month after her delivery and she feels great!  Sure, there's still the fatigue and stress that comes with a new baby, but she's not incapacitated or disconnected, and taking everything in stride.  Congrats, mom!  You're an example of what is possible for so many others who suffer in silence!

Why taking Ibuprofen could be the worst thing you could do for yourself...

I am by no means against taking medication, but we often forget, even when taking over-the-counter drugs, the reason these things change our present situation.  It's not simply that we are experiencing something undesirable, take a magic pill, and turn off the annoyance, though it may often seem that way.  What we are actually doing is turning off mechanisms and biochemical pathways that result in the "symptom" we are experiencing.  By turning off or altering these mechanisms, we also create a domino effect, turning off systems that are in place further down the line.  The processes that get interrupted are usually referred to as the "side effects," unless, of course, those effects are the desired outcome.

The reason I bring this up is because often, people will experience something in their body that they consider undesirable, like pain, and will instantly reach for Advil/ibuprofen to make it go away.  Since most folks are not biochemists, and are trained that ibuprofen and other "NSAIDs" are often the answer by medical doctors and pharmaceutical ads, they don't stop to think why it makes the pain go away or what other processes may be affected, so I'm going to teach you!

Advil and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce inflammation by interfering with an enzyme in the pathway that creates prostagladins called cyclo-oxygenase.  But prostaglandins are used for a lot more than just to create pain to indicate we've damaged something.  They also help our blood clot when we get injured, promote the production of mucus to protect our stomach lining from our digestive juices, and promote inflammation. 

Why in the world would we WANT to promote inflammation? 

Because that same inflammation is what tells our body where we need to heal!  It's a message that new tissue needs to be laid down.  By taking Advil, you are turning off the distress signal, letting your body know it has work to do!  Seems a little counterintuitive, doesn't it?  So if you need to cut the cycle off temporarily just to get through a rough patch, that's up to you, but taking these medications when your body is trying to recover from exercise, injury, or overuse will simply slow down the healing process... which I'm sure was never your intention.  Instead, get checked out by a good chiropractor, learn to use ice, heat, nutrition, rest, and even Epsom salts accordingly.  You'll bounce back faster than ever!

A smoking baby??

Watching this from an educated perspective, it may seem completely preposterous that someone would allow a 2 year old to smoke.  I mean, a child doesn't just pop by the store and whip out some of their hard-earned cash to purchase a pack of cigarettes.  They don't even have the hand-eye coordination to *light* a cigarette!  It's easy to look at this and wonder what is WRONG with those parents for doing that to their child.  Some would even claim it's child abuse!

But is it really so different from what we are doing to children in this country?  We raise them on diets loaded with saturated and trans fats, refined sugars, preservatives, unpronounceable chemicals, and dyes.  Our most consumed "vegetable" in this country is french fries.  We serve kids food that don't even resemble anything coming from nature.  Children can't even recognize common fruits and vegetables.  Toddlers are developing plaque in their arteries and early-onset diabetes.  Roughly one in four children in our country are actually obese!  This generation is expected to be the sickest ever.  And yet, parents continue to feed their children unhealthy foods that they refuse to eat themselves.

When we were children, there were no options at meal times... we ate what was given to us, or we didn't eat at all.  Have human beings changed that much?  I assure you, kids WILL eat.  And I know they'll throw a tantrum.  Or two. Or ten.  But who has allowed them to develop these bad habits?  And do you really want to be responsible for your own child's future health issues?

Remember when doing your best to lovingly stand your ground that you're doing it for THEM.  It may be hard to swallow, but they have developed these unhealthy habits because you have allowed it.  They were entrusted into your care for you to show them the way.  Please don't let them down.

Allergies eliminated overnight???

Back when I was a fledgling Neuroemotional Technique practitioner, not really sure if the technique itself could live up to it's claims, I had a patient show up late to her appointment. 

This was unusual since she was always on time.  She ran into my office, apologizing for her tardiness, explaining that she had to wait for the swelling in her eyes to go down so she could see to drive. "The what?!" I exclaimed.  This patient was young, vibrant, and healthy, and had never mentioned any such reaction before.  "The swelling," she stated matter-of-factly.  When I asked her to tell me more, she nonchalantly expressed how every morning, for years I might add, she would wake up with her eyes swollen shut.  "It's no big deal." 

"Are you kidding me?  No big deal?" I laughed incredulously.  If I woke up like that every morning, it would be a big deal to me!  In an effort to improve her quality of life any way I could, I tossed the option of NET out there... I had just taken my first seminar the previous weekend.  I told her I didn't know if it would work, but it was worth a shot.  She said she was game.

I checked her allergy point and found accumulated toxic stress.  Her body tested as needing the allergy remedy which I happened to pick up when I was at the seminar.  I gave her the bottle, adjusted her, and sent her on her way, not expecting much in the way of results.

I will never forget because the next morning was a Saturday... at 7am, my phone rang. "Is it supposed to work this fast?!?!?!"  For the first time in years, she woke up without swelling.  I was officially a believer.

We had one relapse a few months later, this time with accumulated emotional stress.  After a brief adjustment to reset her circuits, she was on her way.  That was 6 years ago, and she hasn't had allergies since.