From the Doctor’s Desk

There was an abundance of timely news this month, so I’ll keep this short. Whether you were rooting on Sunday for the Saints or the Colts, I hope you’ll enjoy reading what Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith have to say about chiropractic care.

So many books…so little time! The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout is just out, In Defense of Food is the 2010 choice of Silicon Valley Reads and Food Rules is just plain fun. So start reading and start getting healthy!

And if you’re tired of ads for all the things you need to buy to tell your Valentine how you feel, you’ll find what kids have to say on the subject surprisingly refreshing. Enjoy!

Dr. Pamela Wells

Core Classes Continue
Join us for a free Introductory Core Exercise Class in our office during the second week of each month from 7 to 8 pm. This is a great introduction for people who are new to core exercise but we can also challenge those who are ready for more.

Our next class will be Thursday, February 11th. Guests are invited, but space is limited so please sign up with Marcia.

Next month our class will be on Tuesday, March 9th.

Rice and Smith on Chiropractic
Last Saturday, the NFL announced the newest incoming class of the pro football hall of fame. Among the 7 inductees are two huge chiropractic advocates; Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.

Emmitt Smith is the leading rusher in NFL history. A perennial Pro Bowler and three time Super Bowl Champion, when he retired with over 18,000 yards, Smith said, “I thank God, my family and my chiropractor.” Chiropractic care not only helped him heal quickly from injuries but he also used chiropractic care as a part of his lifestyle and training regime to keep functioning at the top of his game.

Jerry Rice is the game’s most prolific receiver and also a three time Super Bowl Champion. He played in the NFL for 20 years, quite an accomplishment considering the average NFL career spans only 3.5 years. Despite all his records and accomplishments, Jerry Rice is perhaps best known for his desire to succeed and his willingness to do whatever it takes to be the best.

Jerry Rice initially sought chiropractic care because of a crisis after being injured on the field. After learning about the benefits of chiropractic care from his teammates, he made it a regular part of his training routine. Jerry Rice currently serves as official spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the value of chiropractic care to the public. Says Rice, “I’ve enjoyed considerable longevity as a professional athlete. I am now working on longevity in life. Chiropractic care has been and continues to be a key element of my game plan.”

100 Year Lifestyle Workout
The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout, by Eric Plasker, D.C. is now available in bookstores. This lifestyle, nutrition, and fitness program is designed to get you in the best shape of your life regardless of your age, and keep you that way for a lifetime. The book is full of practical advice, menus and exercises to take you from where you are now to where you want to be. It is rounded out by stories from health and fitness experts, as well as professional and Olympic athletes.

Get your ESS in Shape: Endurance, Strength and Structure. The ESS concept is the framework for The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout. It involves the three elements that must be in shape to ensure quality of life as people age. Endurance relates to good cardiovascular exercise, important for a healthy heart. Strength covers strength training, a component of being able to stay healthy, active independent and mobile, especially as you age. Structure deals with posture, flexibility, a healthy muscular system and a healthy spine and nervous system. The balance between the three, the ESS, ensures good health, mobility, and activity as you age. Learn more at www.100yearlifestyle.com.

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Eating doesn’t have to be so complicated. In his newest book, Food Rules, An Eater’s Manual, Michael Pollan tells you how to eat, with the clarity and wit that have become his trademark. With advice like, “Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce,” “Eat your colors,” and “Treat treats as treats,” he offers simple, rules or “personal policies” designed to simplify your eating life.

For the science behind the rules, you’ll want to read Pollan’s previous book, In Defense of Food, An Eater’s Manifesto, in which he investigates what we should eat in order to be maximally healthy. And although the answer, “eat food,” sounds simple, in a time where there are thousands of “edible foodlike substances” in the supermarket, each with elaborate health claims, the answer is not as simple as it seems.

For a calendar of events and activities for all ages centered on the themes of In Defense of Food, go to www.siliconvalleyreads.org.

Kid’s on Love
When a group of professional people asked a group of 4 to 8 year olds, “What does love mean?” the answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

* “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4
* “Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4
* Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” Bobby – age 6
* “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend whom you hate.” Nikka – age 6
* “There are two kinds of love. Our love. God’s love. But God makes both kinds of them.” Jenny – age 4
* Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” Mary Ann – age 4
* You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” Jessica – age 8