West Coast Chiropractic Experts - June 2021

West Coast Chiropractic Experts - June 2021

June 2021

SUMMERS AT THE POOL WHEN COWORKERS TURN INTO LIFELONG FRIENDS

Recently, our family moved into a new house, and by far everyone’s favorite feature has been the pool. I already can’t wait to spend summer evenings lounging by the pool, sipping on a margarita, playing with the kids, and diving in when the Las Vegas summer gets too hot. Some of my greatest summer memories were at the pool. I spent about five or six years in college and after college as a lifeguard, and it’s still one of my favorite jobs. We were paid to work out and swim (I guess that makes me an athlete), and most of us took pride in the work we did. To this day, I attribute that to the great leadership we had at the pool. The pool was nothing more than a city structure with a concrete deck, cinder walls, and dingy locker rooms, but our leaders pushed us to make that pool the cleanest, best pool in town. I would say about 90% of us showed up to work ready to give it all we had and to request regular feedback on how we could improve. Of course, like every job, we had coworkers who didn’t seem to care or who argued when feedback was given. But for those of us who were dedicated, we formed a tight bond. It was at this very job that I met one of my greatest friends still to this day. Mark Thibault — or Bolt and T-Bo, as we knew him — had worked at the pool before I was hired but was fired before I started. If this doesn’t speak to the kind of person he is, then you should know that Mark was hired back a few years later, and that’s how we met. From the moment I met Mark, he didn’t hold back. He was constantly bugging our city managers for feedback and advice, and I’m sure they thought he was an a**hole. But Mark was dedicated to the work he did. He was always looking for ways to improve, and he would push hard to share and receive feedback.

The thing about Mark is that he’s authentic. What you see on the outside is who he is on the inside, and I appreciate that about him. I’m drawn to genuine people, and Mark sets a great example. One moment, Mark could be sipping drinks poolside, cracking it up with some friends, and the next moment, he’s quoting Steinbeck from memory. (He’s a lover of English and American literature, too.) Today, Mark is a teacher at a high school for children who are on probation. It’s the perfect spot for him. He has that hard edge that these kids need, but he’s kind and considerate as well. Mark doesn’t hide who he is, and I think his students appreciate that honesty and respect. I really enjoyed my summers spent lifeguarding at the pool, but I think what made it so great was the people I worked with. I had great leaders, and I made lasting friendships that I still value to this day. Mark is one of them. (And he reads this newsletter. Hi, Mark!) I’m thankful for those hot summers at the pool. The friendships I earned because of that place were well worth the work.

–Dr. Josh Satterlee 1 www.westcoastchiroexperts.com

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EXPLORE A NATIONAL FOREST FOR FREE ON NATIONAL GET OUTDOORS DAY

Many people in the U.S. and across the world have a national park trip on their travel bucket list. While Zion, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains are all awesome locales, outdoor enthusiasts often overlook a resource that is less busy, less expensive, and usually right in their backyard: national forests. All but 10 states have a national forest (or more than one!), so if your home state doesn’t have one, it’s very likely a neighboring state does! And there’s no better time to hike, bike, forage for mushrooms or berries, or camp at a nearby national forest than this month. The tree-filled landscape will provide shade and help you beat the summer heat, and to further incentivize visitors, the U.S. Forest Service (the organization that oversees the national forests) is offering a fee-free day on Saturday, June 12, in honor of National Get Outdoors Day! While parking and day-use fees to access national forests tend to be relatively modest, fee-free days open up the opportunity to all visitors. The U.S. Forest Service has a great interactive map tool that prospective park-goers can use to learn more about the forests in their area, amenities and activities, and accessibility. Visit FS.fed.us/ivm to access the map and see what’s near your hometown!

If you’re dreaming up travel plans beyond your state’s border, consider visiting these notable U.S. national forests. • El Yunque National Forest: Located in Puerto Rico, El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the United States. • Tongass National Forest: Spanning 16.7 acres and several islands across Southeast Alaska, the Tongass is the country’s largest national forest. • Salmon-Challis National Forest : This Idaho forest is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 and contains the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. • Cibola National Forest and Grassland: Spread across north-central New Mexico, west Texas, and Oklahoma, this forest and grassland area is notable for its diverse ecosystems and wildlife. The Sky Islands portion of the park is also home to over 200 rare plant and animal species.

A FRESH CUP OF … WATER IN THE MORNING?

TIPS FOR DRINKING YOUR DAILY LIMIT

The human body needs water. We are , in fact, 60% water, so we require replenishment on a daily basis! And first thing in the morning, when you haven’t had any water for at least eight hours, it’s important to start rehydrating as effectively as possible. So, before you go for that cup of joe, go for a glass of water. You might even end up skipping the coffee. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, dehydration may be a part of why we feel groggy and disoriented in the morning in the first place. Mild dehydration has been linked to lower brain function in general, with a wide range of effects on our cognition and performance.

Can all that really happen overnight? Yes and no. By itself, an eight-hour period isn’t usually enough to cause mild dehydration. But coupled with the fact that most Americans aren’t drinking enough water to begin with, odds are good that when you go to bed, you haven’t had your daily intake. In general, you should be drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Morning is the perfect time to start that process. One trick is to fill a water bottle each night (bonus points for ice!) and leave it by your bed. That way, when you wake up thirsty at night, you don’t have to go anywhere — and your first few glasses of the day are right there as well. You may be tempted to reach for other beverages throughout the day to keep hydration up. But the reality is that most of your water intake should just be water. If you really need some extra kick to stay hydrated, you can try club soda or sparkling water, which can be purchased cheaply at any grocery store. It’s also important to remember not all water is created equally. Packaged water is an option for people who don’t have access to good drinking water at home, as are in-fridge filters, on-sink filters, or jug filters. You want the water to taste as good as possible to increase your odds of drinking enough. So, what are you waiting for? Fill a glass today and change tomorrow for the better.

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KALE, SEAWEED, AND OTHER NOT-SO-NEW SUPERFOODS There’s nothing so trendy as a new superfood or diet, and the “in vogue” ones change constantly. Older readers may remember the Atkins diets and other fads of the early 2000s, but younger ones may not even remember a time before the paleo diet was a thing — and it’s already almost a thing of the past. Many things we associate with these trends, though, are anything but new. We see this most clearly with the grains we turn to in the name of health. Westerners generally wouldn’t be familiar with quinoa, amaranth, teff, or kamut if it weren’t for their presence in the hippest healthy-eating Instagram feeds. Many of these foods hail from

Africa or the Far East, so it’s understandable we don’t know them all — but there’s nothing really new about them. People in the Americas and the Old World have eaten quinoa for 3,000–5,000 years. Teff, which is technically a grass seed, was one of the first domesticated plants, emerging thousands of years ago in what is now Ethiopia. Alternate sources of protein and fiber show a similar trend. Seaweed — the perennial favorite of Twitter dieters everywhere — has been consumed in China, Korea, and Japan since before recorded history. If you know anything about recorded history in those regions, then you know that’s a long time! And kale, whose reputation precedes itself, has been cultivated since at least 2,000 B.C. in Greece, Asia Minor, and other parts of the Mediterranean. So, the next time you dig into your favorite health food, take a moment to Google what you are eating. You might be part of a long line of human beings who have turned to that food for sustenance over the millennia!

GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA Inspired by FeastingAtHome.com

TAKE A BREAK!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp ground cumin • 2 tbsp ground coriander • 2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • 2 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground black pepper • 2 tsp allspice • 8 garlic cloves, minced • 6 tbsp olive oil • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS

1. To create marinade, whisk all spices with the garlic and olive oil in a medium bowl. 2. Add chicken to the bowl, coat well with marinade, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes — or up to 48 hours. Strain off excess marinade before cooking.

3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill thighs for 10–12 minutes on each side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F. 4. Serve with rice, vegetables, or pita bread with tzatziki.

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1. THE JOB THAT GAVE ME SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS 2. HAVE YOU EXPLORED A NATIONAL FOREST? A NICE CUP OF WATER IN THE MORNING? 3. SUPERFOODS ARE NOT SO NEW ... GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA 4. ‘TOO OLD’ FOR MARTIAL ARTS? INSIDE THIS ISSUE

‘TOO OLD’ FOR MARTIAL ARTS? TELL IT TO MR. MIYAGI — and also beat down bad guy John Kreese in the process, despite Kreese being a much younger man. Mr. Miyagi is based on a “stock” character, or archetype, from traditional Asian martial arts culture. But there’s a grain of truth to it, whether you’re looking at real-life martial artists (Henry Plée comes to mind, who practiced well into his 80s) or fighting school founders in medieval Japan — who often viewed karate as integral to their understanding of Zen and other spiritual matters, and thus essential as they got older. Netflix’s “Cobra Kai” carries on the tradition, showing us a much-older LaRusso who takes on the Miyagi role, opposite his longtime “frenemy” Johnny Lawrence. LaRusso and Lawrence have both returned to karate in middle age, and even Kreese reappears, now in his 70s and as formidable as ever. Is that realistic? You bet! According to one study, the average karate practitioner is 55 years old, and the average martial artist is 46. Many in both groups report regular sparring and contact practice. If you’re a martial artist, you may have to make some adjustments as you get older, but you’ll never have to give up your discipline entirely. And if you’re new to the world of martial arts, it’s never too late to start — as long as you find the right teacher and school!

Martial arts get added to the list of activities we can’t do as we age, right? Unless you’re doing tai chi or aikido, most people think there’s no place in contact sports for aging folks.

Except, as it turns out, there is.

From hip shows like “Cobra Kai” (and its basis, “The Karate Kid”) to centuries of tradition, older people and martial arts actually mix quite well — and they can be a great throughline for an active life. Martial arts took off in the United States back in the 1980s with the “Karate Kid” franchise, which continues today. The original movies showed us Pat Morita, an Okinawan expatriate and karate master who trains Ralph Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso. Morita’s Mr. Miyagi is no spring chicken, but he’s able to take LaRusso to new levels of karate expertise

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