Grand Strand Health and Wellness - February 2020

February 2020

843-357-9355 | GrandStrandChiropractic.com

How I Met (and Married) My Wife I met my wife, Shelby, when she helped me come back from a losing streak in a game of spades. We were both in college at the time, and we were both hanging out at a mutual friend’s house. A friend of mine and I were on a team together, and try as we might, we just couldn’t catch a break. Another one of my friends who was there jokingly motioned toward Shelby and said I should have her as my partner instead, since she was the only we might have had a small argument, one of our first. ONCE A TEAM, ALWAYS A TEAM

pocket while we were still

in the air. I don’t know what I would have done if I had dropped it. Luckily, I didn’t drop

Shelby turned to walk away, but I grabbed her, spun her around and pulled her in close to me. I wish I could remember exactly what I said, but I think it was in that

the ring. Even more luckily, Shelby said yes.

other person who could be on my team. We decided to go for it, and we ended up winning my money back and then some. I guess you can say we’ve remained a team ever since. I didn’t see Shelby for a while after that night. A few months later, though, I got an invite from a mutual friend to come and hang out again. Shelby was there as well. After that night, we just kind of hit it off. I was drawn to her bubbly personality and kind nature. She always tried to make the people around her feel good about themselves. In the first few months we were dating, the hours slipped by unnoticed when we would talk on the phone. It was as if the world just passed us by. I knew Shelby was the girl I wanted to marry about a month or two into our relationship. We were outside and it was drizzling. I think

moment of trying to reconcile with her that I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Fast forward another two years to November 2003. Shelby and I were on vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Everyone from my dad’s side of the family was there, so there were probably around 30–40 people. In Gatlinburg, there’s a sky lift that takes you up over the city and gives you a gorgeous view of the surrounding hills and trees. What better place to ask Shelby to marry me? The plan was to pull the ring out about 50 feet from the bottom of the lift, far enough away to give my cousin room to get some good photos of her reaction. In hindsight, I was setting myself up for a potential catastrophe by taking that ring out of my

We’ve been married for 16 years now. Even after all that time, I still think about a couple bits of advice that our pastor said when he married us. One was to never go to bed angry at each other. The other was that marriage is not a 50/50 partnership — it’s a partnership in which each person gives the other every part of themselves. Remembering those things has helped me be a better husband, and I pray that wisdom continues to help me for years to come.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

–Dr. Chris Garner

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PURSUING HOLISTIC HEALTH BEYOND OUR WALLS

Our Patient of the Month, Jeff Hefner

At Grand Strand Health and Wellness, the most successful patients are the ones who take our philosophy on holistic health home with them instead of just checking it at the door. Perhaps no patient better exemplifies that than Jeff Hefner. In the two years Jeff has been a patient at Grand Strand, his health, as well as the health of his wife, Kimberly, and two adult children, Samantha and Derek, has completely transformed. Jeff’s changes to his nutrition and overall health have been so radical and life changing that he decided he wanted to share his experience with others. He decided to go back to school and earn his certifications as a massage therapist, a reiki practitioner, and a life coach. All of us at Grand Strand feel extremely lucky to have had Jeff as a patient — especially since many of us got to receive some of his amazing massages while he was earning his hours for his massage therapy certification. Outside of our offices and his coursework, Jeff finds plenty of ways to keep himself busy. On a sunny day, you might find him reading on the beach. On days when the weather isn’t cooperating, he loves going to Getting back into dating can be hard when you’ve been out of the game for a few decades. In fact, some would-be romantics are so self-conscious about their age that they never even try! In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’ve rounded up some expert advice on dating at any age. DON’T FEAR ONLINE DATING. Online dating is a great way to meet people outside of your social circle, and there are many dating sites and apps specifically for singles over 50 who are ready to mingle. Julie Spira, a relationship expert with senior dating app OurTime, says that “Authentic dating profiles get the best results.” Basically, don’t lie on your profile. Use a picture of you from this year and be proud of your age. That’s the best way to find people who will love the real you. GO TO 26 DIFFERENT PLACES. Prefer to meet people in person? Lisa Copeland, a dating coach who works exclusively with women over 50, recommends creating a list of 26 different places in your area, one for each letter of the alphabet, then going to those places. While you’re out, Copeland says, “You Time to Get Back Out There!

the movies with his family. Jeff is a big fan of alternative rock, and frequently attends concerts in the area. Tool is his favorite band.

Jeff has also traveled around the country,

going to baseball games at dozens

of different fields. While he does not have a favorite team or player, Jeff loves the game of baseball. He always remembers to take some incredible pictures of each unique stadium he visits. We’re lucky to have a patient like Jeff Hefner. We hope his passion for holistic health will inspire others and spur him on in his further education.

EXPERT ADVICE TO BEAT THE STIGMA OF SENIOR DATING

want to smile. Make eye contact. Ask a question. Give a compliment and put a question behind it.”

BE PRESENT WHEN MEETING NEW PEOPLE. Dating as a senior means coming to the table with a lot of baggage. Dating is when people get acquainted, so be careful about sharing that baggage right out of the gate. This doesn’t mean you should never talk about heavy topics, but remember this advice from the popular dating site, eHarmony: “Early on, focus on enjoying each other’s company here and now.” It doesn’t matter if you’re 26 or 62; dating is always hard. You have to step outside your comfort zone and trudge through a series of terrible first dates. But in the end, it’s all worth it when you find that special someone with whom you can spend your golden years. Just remember, you’ll never meet that person if you don’t make the leap.

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Appreciating Dr. Ade Salami A Wearer of Many Hats

Even if you just spend a few minutes with Dr. Ade Salami, you will feel the compassion he has for our patients. He truly wants them to live the happiest and healthiest lives they can, and that’s evident while he’s treating patients and while he’s speaking at an event. We can’t think of anyone we’d rather celebrate this month than Dr. Salami. Dr. Salami has always succeeded at wearing many hats at any point in his life. While he was a high school student in Rock Hill, South Carolina, he was a state champion on the track and field team, a state champion for the Northwestern Troubadours, and the founder of the PROGENY. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences with a concentration in pre-professional health, Dr. Salami attended the Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida. While earning his Doctorate of Chiropractic there,

he was an active member of the Business Club, the World Chiropractic Congress, the Activator Club, and the Pi Alpha Alumni Council. Even after he has completed his education, Dr. Salami continues to be actively involved in many different organizations, and to update his skillset. He recently completed an extensive postgraduate study that emphasized the use of low- level laser therapy and the treatment of headaches, neuropathy, and nutritional supplementation. He is also a member of the North Carolina National Guard. During Dr. Salami’s limited free time, you can find him running on the beach, out on the water engaged in some kind of ocean sport, or watching his Clemson Tigers play on TV. You might also see him out and

about eating sushi or at Bonefish eating some Bang Bang Shrimp.

We’re happy that in the midst of everything he does, we can count on Dr. Salami to give our patients the care they need to change their lives for the better.

Client Success “Before starting chiropractic care, I was experiencing lower back pain going down my legs. Since starting regular chiropractic care, I’m experiencing the following positive changes: My pain in the lower body has become almost nonexistent. I can see chiropractic care helping maintain much better overall health in the future. I would recommend anyone who has some pains they shouldn’t have to try chiropractic care.” –Jane Hallos

Sudoku

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Inside This Issue How I Met (and Married) My Wife

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Our Patient of the Month, Jeff Hefner Too Old for Love? No Such Thing!

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Appreciating Dr. Ade Salami Client Success

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Should You Be Worried About Digital Dementia?

What It Is, Where It Came From, and What It Could Mean for Our Screen Time SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED ABOUT DIGITAL DEMENTIA?

Everyone forgets things. It’s not unusual to have trouble remembering the name of someone you’ve just met or recalling the face of a classmate you haven’t seen in 20 years. But it’s less normal — and a lot more inconvenient — to become chronically absent-minded. If you find yourself struggling to remember the minutiae of daily life, which page of a book you left off on, or when it’s time to pick your kids up from soccer practice, digital dementia could be to blame. The term “digital dementia” was coined in 2012 by German neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer, who studies how our addiction to technology is impacting our brains. According to Alzheimers.net, Spitzer found that “overuse of digital technology is resulting in the breakdown of cognitive abilities in a way that is more commonly seen in people who have suffered a head injury or psychiatric illness.” Because of the shared symptoms, Spitzer called the affliction digital dementia. In the years since, speculation has abounded about the causes of digital dementia and how people can fight it. A 2017 Forbes article theorized that the problem isn’t just time spent with screens but how much we rely on our smartphones to feed us once-memorized information.

like that frees you up to focus on bigger and theoretically more important things,” Tony Bradley wrote in Forbes. “If you just use your device as a memory crutch, though, and you don’t take advantage of the opportunity to put your brain to work on other things, you aren’t exercising your brain, and it will atrophy.”

Psychology Today blamed digital dementia in part on the mental strategies encouraged by video games. According to one study, gaming encourages the “response” strategy of following the same rote movements, while nongamers tend to use the “spatial” strategy of relying on landmarks when they navigate, which is better for mental sharpness. Whatever the root cause, we can take steps to fight digital dementia. As Dr. Carolyn Brockington told Alzheimers.net, the best strategies involve stepping away from screens and relying on brainpower. The next time you’re considering picking up your smartphone, try reading a book, playing a musical instrument, hitting the gym, or learning a new language instead.

“In theory, having a device to store phone numbers, dates, maps and directions, and other information

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