Ventura Spine & Nerve Center - January/February 2021

Ventura Spine & Nerve Center - January/February 2021

BE HARD TO KILL (805) 648-7987 | www.VenturaSpineAndNerve.com The Vertebral Column Health Transformations so you THRIVE without dependence on medications

JAN/FEB 2021

In case you didn’t know, in June 2020, I fractured my hip after a confrontation with some loose neighborhood dogs. They attacked my beloved dog, Pippi, and I wasn’t going to let them hurt her! But they sure did hurt me! I fell and broke my hip, and I now have three titanium screws holding it all together. My orthopedic surgeon estimated that my recovery would take 6–12 months before I could return to performing my work. I told her I would be returning full time much quicker than that! I explained that I have lived a healthy lifestyle my entire life and my body would heal quickly. And it did! She was amazed how quickly my body healed. So now, it has been nearly a year since the COVID-19 catastrophe began, and despite the countless hours of communications, warnings, statistics, and expert advice, no

one is saying a word about HEALTH. There is plenty of talk about sickness, disease, and death but zero discussion around strategies, tactics, and methods to build your immunity, strengthen your body, and mitigate your risk. I’ve spent 38-plus years teaching people how to optimize their health and reduce their chances of sickness. During my almost four decades of delivering health care, my message to my patients has been simple:

Instead, you need to understand and celebrate the innate intelligence of your body. By removing the interference of spinal subluxation (with regular chiropractic adjustments), toxic foods, and unhealthy lifestyles, you allow your body to do what it does naturally: HEAL itself! Shift your conversation and actions from the strength of the virus to the strength of the HOST (your immune system). You need to be doing everything you can to boost your immune system. So if you have an accident or illness, your body can do what it knows how to do — heal! I am no longer the lone voice in the wilderness about this, as I am pleased to report that I now have the most purpose- driven and dynamic team this center has ever had! We are gearing up for 2021 by sharing with our practice members the proven, evidence-based, and widely accepted behaviors you can adopt to strengthen your body and optimize your health! As we enter this year filled with equal parts promise and mystery, it is time to take a new stance. Let’s shift the conversation away from the strength of the virus and get focused on the strength of the host. Control the variables you have influence over. Don’t DO SICK! Adopt a healthy lifestyle strategy. Our motto for 2021: Be Hard to Kill!

You Don’t GET SICK — You DO SICK.

I have always been certain that if my patients did not heed my message right then, their health issues would derail their lives and the lives of their loved ones in the future! Now the message is more important than ever! But please , do not look to any vaccine full of toxins as a cure-all. It is not.

Yours for health,

–Dr. Steven Alff, D.C. 1 (805) 648-7987

ESSENTIAL STRETCHES EVERYONE MUST DO!

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS I NO LONGER NEED ANY NARCOTIC PAIN MEDICATIONS! Exercise and diet are the foundation of any healthy routine, but there’s often a vital component to wellness many of us forget: stretching! Start your day off right with these essential stretches. Neck Stretches Neck pain or tightness can lead to chronic headaches and even difficulty concentrating, but in just two moves, you can loosen the muscles in your neck. • Neck Pull: Start by raising your right hand above your head. While looking forward, bend your arm down toward your head and place it near your left ear. Then pull your head toward your right shoulder, placing minimal force on your head. Repeat as needed on both sides. • Neck Push: Sit cross-legged on the floor. Place one hand flat on the ground, as if you were pushing the ground away. While looking forward, tilt your head in the opposite direction of that arm. Hold the position for 20 seconds and switch sides, repeating as needed. Leg and Hip Stretches A tight torso can be painful, no matter what your daily activities are. Taking a few moments each morning to loosen your muscles after waking up can combat chronic pain and stiffness.

• Hamstring Hang to Downward Dog: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend forward until you’re folded in half. Grab your elbows and lightly swing side to side. After a few moments, lay your hands on the floor and walk your hands forward until your body is in a triangular shape. Stay there for a few seconds and pedal your feet for a deeper stretch. To end, either lower your knees down or walk your hands back to your feet and stand up. Back Stretches Your spine carries you all day long. Give it the proper foundation to avoid pain throughout the day. Here are two exercises to get you started. • Cat/Cow: Start on your hands and knees. Inhale and arch your back upward (cat) and as you exhale, lower your spine below neutral and look upward (cow). Repeat as necessary. • Child’s Pose: After cat/cow, lower down onto your forearms and keep your neck neutral, staring down at the floor. Sit your butt down onto your ankles and breathe deeply for a few moments. As with any form of exercise or stretching, always consult with a professional before you begin. In fact, we would love to help you develop a routine that targets your troublesome areas. Give us a call, and we can schedule a free stretching/exercise consultation.

“I was in chronic pain after two back surgeries (with a three-vertebra fusion) and was having to take narcotic drugs daily for the pain for 11 years! The neurosurgeons also gave me a spinal nerve implant and 12 spinal epidurals. I was then told by two neurology doctors that I needed more back surgery, but because of my age, they wouldn’t do it. I also tried acupuncture and physical therapy, but nothing worked. “I was suffering with low back pain, sciatic nerve pain, and pain and numbness in my feet (diagnosed as peripheral neuropathy). I was desperate for help!

to take, I contacted the Ventura Spine and Nerve Center for help.

“After treatment at the Ventura Spine and Nerve Center, along with treatment they prescribed for me to do at home, I am so pleased with the results! The pain is almost gone, I am off all narcotic meds (after 11 years!), I am walking better, and I am back to activities I had to quit before treatment started! Now, I am enjoying life again! “I rate the whole center (doctors, staff, and equipment) a 10 out of 10! Thank you everyone at the Ventura Spine and Nerve Center!” –Jocelyn R.

It all begins with you — if you do not care for yourself, you will not be strong enough to take care of anything else in life. If you want help restoring your health and quality of life, we are here for you! Call us at (805) 648-7987 for a no-obligation, free consultation and let’s talk!

“Instead of taking more and stronger Norco medications that the doctors wanted me

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EAT LESS CRAP AND STRENGTHEN THE HOST

With stressful jobs, political shenanigans, and 700-calorie sugar-laced Frappuccinos, it’s a wonder anybody lives to see 50.

We bio-accumulate toxins over time. The choices we make regarding our food intake every day are as important as the ideas and beliefs with which we choose to fill our hearts and minds. Our bodies will collect many of the impurities that are found in industrialized foods and store them in our cells. This bio- accumulation of toxins results in neurological disorders like autism, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s, not to mention liver damage, arterial plaquing, and cancer. At a minimum, toxins are an added stress on the body and promote inflammation; at their worst, toxins cause cellular dysfunction, leading to disease. Healthy people choose to maintain as pure of a diet as possible. A vital behavior is to consume organic foods whenever feasible. Establishing a reliable source for locally grown, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds makes life easier. Seek out a local source for organic, range-fed poultry, grass-fed beef and buffalo, as well as wild caught fish and/or game. Fill your home with the foods you wish to eat. If you were building a house, you would only buy the supplies with which you wished to create your home. The same is true of your body. The war against toxic, deficient choices is won or lost at the register. If you don’t buy it, you won’t eat it. We have significant influence on our toxic burden by the way that we choose to eat, move, and think. You either build health or build sickness with every choice. Be hard to kill.

Life is an extreme sport. The fact that some people are still upright and walking is akin to Keith Richard’s ability to still tour with the Rolling Stones at age 77. (The man loves his work — another key to wellness.) The toxicity we withstand from the external environment of the industrialized world is an absolute testament to the tenacity of the human body. Compounding that burden, toxic behaviors will create additional stress and sickness. Some foods are inherently toxic to the body. They are especially harmful because they are consumed instead of the nutritious foods that our cells require. This “double whammy” sets the stage for accelerated aging and promotes both acute and chronic disease.

The modern marketplace is filled with selections that exploit your weaknesses. Advertisers know that you are instinctively driven to sugar-filled, fat-laden, and salty foods. Plus, modern foods have been laced with excitotoxins , substances that super- stimulate your taste buds. These chemicals will actually change your taste threshold for flavors by altering your neurology.

LOW CARB PALEO ALMOND FLOUR CRACKERS WITH SESAME SEEDS (GLUTEN-FREE)

DIRECTIONS

Made with all natural ingredients, these paleo almond sesame crackers are a nice addition to a low carb, ketogenic diet. They are gluten-free, too.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and move the rack to the middle position.

2. In a medium bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Add the egg and work it into the ingredients to form a dough. Divide the dough in half. 3. Place a piece of parchment on the counter and spray with baking spray. Lay one half of the dough in the center of the parchment. Spray another piece of parchment and lay it spray-side-down onto the dough. 4. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/8–1/16-inch thick. Remove the top piece of parchment and cut the dough into 20 pieces with a large knife or a pizza cutter. Leave the cut dough in place. Salt and pepper the crackers and slide the parchment onto a cookie sheet. 5. Bake the almond sesame crackers until slightly browned, 15–20 minutes. Let them cool for a minute before putting them on a cooling rack to cool completely. Break apart when cool. (NOTE: Some ovens are hotter and crackers may take less time. 6. Repeat the procedure with the other half of the dough. 7. Store in an airtight container. Makes approximately 40 crackers. Serving size is 10 crackers each, or a quarter of the recipe.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Servings: 4 Calories: 197kcal/serving From: LowCarbMaven.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup almond flour • 3 tbsp sesame seeds • 1/4 tsp baking soda • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/8 tsp pepper • 1 large egg, beaten • Salt and pepper, for topping

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inside this issue

1

Be Hard to Kill

2

Essential Stretches to Start Your Day

Client Testimonials

3

Eat Less Crap and Strengthen the Host

Paleo Almond Flour Crackers With Sesame Seeds

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How Habit Tracking and Daily Resolutions Could Transform Your Life

How Habit Tracking and Daily Resolutions Could Transform Your Life

Yearly resolutions are so last year … if they’re your only resolutions, that is.

taking a short daily walk could lead to an exercise habit, or keeping an apple in your bag every day could encourage healthier snacking. It’s important that you stick with it because habits take a long time to create. One study published by the European Journal of Social Psychology asked people about a simple habit they wanted to form, like drinking water at lunch or taking a walk before dinner. They found that the average amount of time it took before the action became automatic was 66 days! Don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a day, but know that sticking to a new habit is serious work, so starting small might help you out. Another important aspect of forming new daily habits is rewarding yourself. Bad habits, like smoking, have an inherent reward. However, healthy habits can have rewards too! Try consuming a bit of dark chocolate

Having long-term goals isn’t a bad thing, but do you have a daily plan to reach them? The huge boost of motivation in January isn’t always enough to sustain you all year long. That’s why there are major benefits to starting new healthy habits, whether you increase your weekly exercise time, eat healthier foods, or work on getting better or more sleep. Luckily, sticking with these habits might be as easy as making daily resolutions to complement your yearly goals. BJ Fogg, a Stanford University professor and author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything,” notes that tiny habits can make a new habit easy to implement into your daily ritual. For example,

after a workout or treating yourself to a fresh beverage or relaxing to a podcast after tackling an important task. Find ways to reward yourself, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your new habit. Certain daily resolutions don’t have to be related to exercise or diet to majorly improve your life. For example, having a gratitude journal might boost your long-term happiness by 10% and improve your blood pressure. Don’t hesitate to improve your quality of life! Just start small, and you’ll be amazed by how far you’ll go.

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