South Windsor Neck & Back - June 2018

South Windsor Neck & Back - June 2018

Spinal The

COLUMN JUNE 2018

860.644.2437 WWW.FUNCTIONFORLIFE.COM

The Best Coach I Ever Had

F ather’s Day is fast approaching, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my old man and everything he’s done for me over the years. Though there have been a couple of hiccups in our relationship, today we’re back on track, Thinking of My Old Man This Father’s Day

to a close, he’d try to put in a weaker player and they’d shake their head.“No, no,”they’d say.“Send in Chris instead! We gotta win!”He’d sigh and say,“You sure?” Then he’d tap me on the shoulder, and I’d head off.

and even in those difficult moments, I never forgot his outsized contribution to my life and how influential he’s been at every turn. There’s little doubt in my mind that he’s a big reason I pursued the chiropractic profession in the first place. Growing up, my dad was my baseball coach in addition to the coach of not one but two hockey teams. On weekends, he’d guide my team to victory (usually), then speed off to coachmy younger brother’s game to do the same. Both my brother and I were pretty passionate about hockey, and we were invited to play with the A-level teams in our age group, but we opted to play in the B-level so we could have

He always gave me my space as a kid, supporting whatever I decided to pursue. I always say that it was my mom’s nursing career coupled withmy dad’s nitty-gritty mechanical engineering work that combined to create the chiropractor I am today. After all, a chiropractor is just an electrical engineer for the human body!

But even though he was supportive, he never let us get away with anything. Though there were a fewmoments where he chalked up some mistake I’dmade as“boys being boys,”if he knew he needed to draw a hard line, he’d do it. I may not have appreciated that as a kid, but looking back as a dadmyself, it’s clear that he always hadmy best interests inmind. All in all, he was a great guiding force for my life. Unfortunately, we lost touch for a while there, but lately, we’ve been reconnecting, a fact I’m really grateful for. Now he’s a 90-year-old guy living out in Florida, and I give him a call sometimes when he pops intomy head and we catch up a bit. For Father’s Day, I’ll make sure to dial himup and let him know just how important he’s been tome over all these years, through thick and thin. –Dr. Chris Colby

our dad as a coach without dealing with a logistical nightmare. We were never forced to, though. My dad always said,“If you want to go that more advanced route, I won’t be offended,”but it was a lot more fun working with him and tearing it up in the slightly lower tier. Even as the coach’s son, I didn’t get preferential treatment. Though he put me in the front, he always made sure that I developed humility, and he kept me fromgetting a big head. He was adamant that everybody should have equal time out on the ice. Sometimes, funnily enough, if we were down a few points and the game was coming

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Fabulous

Forageable

Fungi

The Secret Superpowers of Mushrooms

T hey’re the architects of the underground freeways that allow trees to communicate. A few have psychedelic properties. Some varieties contain enough toxins to kill you if consumed. Depending on the type, mushrooms can be amazing, trippy, dangerous, and delicious. But most importantly, the ones that are safe to eat have a lot of nutritional value. An ancient organism, fungi are closely related to animals. In fact, even though they’re often called vegetables, they share some characteristics with humans. Like people, a mushroom’s vitamin D content increases when exposed to light. Fungi also contain chitin, a carbohydrate that’s found in shrimp and crab shells. Mushrooms pack a nutritious punch. They boast several vitamins and minerals, including vitamins D and B, and they contain no fat or cholesterol. They even have 2 grams of protein per cup, which is more than most vegetables. Studies also reveal that mushrooms might be the best dietary source of an amino acid called ergothioneine. When tested during one study, ergothioneine was shown to serve as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage. Ergothioneine is not produced by the human body, so the only way to get it is through your diet. BACK ON TRACK Chiropractic adjustments have been great for our family. We use them for not only preventive care, but also when we get a cold. Our chiropractic care started when my husband was having numbness in his legs and left side of the body, which eventually caused walking problems. He talked to a few doctors, but didn’t get any answers until a co-worker recommended his chiropractor, Dr. Colby. My husband made an appointment, got X-rays and four adjustments, and a week later, he had no more numbness and could walk without pain! Around this time, I was having back issues. There were times I would be mid- step and suddenly my other leg wouldn’t move forward! I just stood there for a moment or two until the pain passed and my leg could move again. I decided to make an appointment, and after a couple adjustments, my sciatica pain was gone. I’ve had no problems with my stride in the last nine years. Health for the Whole Family

If you’re ready to make a meal of it, the porous structure of mushrooms makes them ideal ingredients to marinate, sauté, or throw on the grill. While they have a faint earthy taste when left unseasoned, they take on a lot of flavor when combined with savory ingredients like garlic, butter, and salt. Shiitake, oyster, and portobello are a few varieties to try for a nutritious and tasty addition to stir-fries, scrambles, pizzas, and fajitas. Did you know you can also forage for mushrooms? They grow in many parts of the U.S. and can be found in forested areas. Use a guide, like the “National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms,” to help you identify which mushrooms are okay to eat and which are harmful. Some cities even have mushroom-foraging groups you can join. Happy hunting!

was four months old when Dr. Colby started working on him and I know our regular visits helped to keep my son pretty

healthy. He hardly ever got sick and

when he did, we’d get adjusted and he would get over that cold quickly. A quick adjustment to the atlas even helped with his sinus infections!

Dr. Colby watched my son grow up, and he and his wife feel like family to us. I believe everyone would benefit from adjustments. I’ve seen our family heal from some serious issues and I really believe these problems would have continued, if not worsened, had we never been introduced to chiropractic care.

We make it a point to go as often as we can because it’s the best way we have found to stay healthy.

Dr. Colby has been so great when it comes to explaining about the body and teaching us how adjustments are so beneficial for babies and kids. My son

Thanks for everything!

–The O’Callaghans

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Safe,

Powerful Way

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for Kids CHIROPRACTIC

to Facilitate ong-Term Health L

W e’d be willing to bet that nearly all of our patients understand the importance of regular chiropractic adjustments to maintain overall health and keep vital electrical signals flowing throughout the body. But did you know that chiropractic is just as important, if not more so, for kids? Your child’s first few years are crucial to their development. If a spinal issue arises in these formative moments, it can quickly worsen and become a chronic problem that will follow them for the rest of their lives. Bad habits, traumatic injuries, and anatomical deficiencies can result in painful, damaging misalignments that can contribute to a whole host of health problems, including scoliosis, learning disorders, earaches, neck pain, headaches, allergies, asthma, bedwetting, and chronic spinal discomfort.

Luckily, with early chiropractic intervention, we can safely prevent spinal misalignment from ever becoming an issue. After a careful and thorough examination of your child’s spine, we can recommend a set of treatments and adjustments that will optimize spinal support and alleviate any stresses on the crucial structure. These adjustments are gentle and noninvasive, usually quite light, and low-intervention. They can restore and facilitate spinal mobility without any risk of damage. It rarely hurts at all, and the benefits can last years with only a few sessions. With an experienced chiropractor at the helm of your child’s treatment, you can create positive changes in their well-being that will promote a healthy spine for the rest of their lives. If you’re interested in seeking chiropractic for your child, give the experts at South Windsor Neck & Back a call at 860.644.2437 today and put your child on the path to long-term health and happiness. TAKE A Break

Sumptuous Summer emon Cake L Colby’s Kitchen

“This ismy husband’s favorite summer cake I make for himduring thewarmer months,” says Angie Colby. “The original recipe includes confectioner’s sugar, but it’s too sweet for Chris, and anyway, we try to keep healthy and not consume too much sugar.” Either way, we can confirm it’s delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• • • • •

1 teaspoon kosher salt

• • • • • • •

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

3/4 cup buttermilk

4 extra-large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6–8 large lemons)

3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (for the glaze)

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

batter evenly between each of the pans, smooth off the tops, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice in a saucepan and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Remove cakes frompans, set themon a rack over a sheet pan, and spoon the lemon juice over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely. Then, serve and enjoy one of the most refreshing baked goodies you could ever imagine!

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Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Creambutter in electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Cream in 2 cups of sugar. Slow mixer tomedium speed and carefully add eggs, one at a time, along with lemon zest. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Then in a second bowl, combine lemon juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Alternate adding bits of flour and buttermilk mixtures to batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide

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CAMPING FLIPFLOPS HAMBURGER JUNE

LEMONADE PICNIC POOL SMORES

SUNSCREEN SUNSHINE SWIMMING VACATION

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Inside This Issue

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Dr. Colby Celebrates His Dad

The Superfood You Need to Add to Your Diet Back on Track With the O’Callaghans

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Why Kids Need Chiropractic Too

Colby’s Kitchen: Sumptuous Summer Lemon Cake

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3 Fathers Who Risked It All for Their Kids

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Awesome Dads

Fathers Who Put Their Lives on the Line for Their Kids

This Father’s Day, thousands of dads will receive a “No. 1 Dad”mug to sip coffee out of at the office. But the following dads took that “No. 1” to a new level.

work, he leapt onto its back and started punching it in the face. When the bear finally released Gabriel, Greg threw rocks until it fled. His son was hurt but made a full recovery in the hospital over the coming weeks. Artur Magomedov saved his daughters from ISIS. Artur Magomedov was devastated to discover that his wife had taken his 3- and 10-year-old daughters from their home in Dagestan under the cover of night, flown to Turkey, and crossed into Syria to join ISIS. But he resolved to get his kids back. After a long, hazardous journey, he arrived in Tabqa to embrace his two daughters. To leave the caliphate — under penalty of death — they hitched a ride to the border one night and crawled along a railway line until they were within 70 meters of the border. Then they ran under fire from Turkish border guards until they could scramble into tall grasses. After some help from the Russian consulate in Istanbul, they made it back home, together again and safe.

Brian Munn gave his son a liver transplant. When doctors discovered that baby Caleb Munn had a rare disease called biliary atresia, they told his parents that he was unlikely to survive past age 2 without a liver transplant. Luckily, his father was a perfect match, and he eagerly donated part of his liver in March of 2015 to save his son’s life. Greg Alexander battled a bear for his son’s life. While camping in the backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Greg Alexander was startled awake at dawn by the screams of his 16-year-old son, Gabriel. He rushed out of his hammock to see a black bear dragging his son away by the head. Without hesitation, he kicked the beast in the side, and when that didn’t

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“Relief today ... function for life!”