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Blueberry Gelato

Recipe and photo by Bulletproof

I love desserts and Ice cream! Try this blueberry gelato for an antioxidant packed ice cream!

  • 10 oz. organic blueberries
  • 5 oz. (1 can) coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp. Brain Octane oil or Coconut oil
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Pinch of powdered vanilla (I like to use my vanilla bone broth powder)
  • 3 tbsp. xylitol
  • 2 grams (2000 mg) ascorbic acid, for tartness (ascorbic acid is vitamin C; if you take it as a supplement you can just break open a couple capsules)

Directions

  • Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour the blended mix into an ice cube tray (silicone is best) and stick in the freezer for 3 hours, stirring every hour (or use an ice cream maker, if you have one).
  • Once frozen, put the cubes back in the blender and blend briefly, just until smooth.
  • Enjoy!
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Can Chiropractic Help The Opioid Crisis?

An estimated 25 million Americans live with chronic pain. In the U.S. millions of Americans rely on pain medication. Hundreds of thousands of opioid prescriptions are dispensed everyday in the U.S..

Many states have started recommending patients seek out a drug free pain relief option, one of those being chiropractic. There have been many studies showing the benefits of chiropractic as a cost-effective approach to musculoskeletal pain. In 2016 the Lancet published a paper that showed chiropractic care has been proven in scientific literature to be effective treatment for neck and low back pain.

In another 2016 study, Association between Utilization of Chiropractic Services and Use of Prescription Opioids Among Patients with Low Back Pain, found a 55 percent reduction in the likelihood of people filling prescriptions for opioids in those who received chiropractic care as compared to those who did not. 1

This year Medscape Medical News has reported on research out of the Yale School of Medicine revealing that “patients who visited a chiropractor for a musculoskeletal pain condition were 49 percent less likely to receive an opioid prescription than their counterparts who went to other healthcare providers.”2

“Preventing opioid addiction and overdose continues to be a significant public health priority; and as part of a strategy to lessen opioid use, clinical guidelines now recommend many non-pharmacological options to be considered as front-line treatment ahead of any medication,” lead author Kelsey L. Corcoran, DC, VA Connecticut Health Care System and Yale Center for Medical Informatics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, told Medscape Medical News. “Chiropractors provide many of the treatments included in the clinical guidelines for the initial treatment of low back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, and hand.”

In January, The Trump administration released a policy to encourage private Medicare Advantage plans to cover non-opioid pain treatment recommended by a doctor. Congress also passed opioid legislation directing the Department of Health and Human Services to review its payment policies so that doctors are not encouraged to prescribe opioids over a conservative option.

One study also found that chiropractic care was associated with a reduction in just over a quarter million visits to a primary care doctor nationally, at a cost of $83.5 million. They found that chiropractic care reduced the number of visits to a primary care doctor for back and neck pain among adults. 3

In a recent study published by Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research Investigators found that patients who received chiropractic care integrated with usual medical care had:

  • better short-term improvements in low-back pain intensity and pain-related disability compared to patients who received usual medical care along.
  • decreased low-back pain intensity compared to patients who received usual medical care along.
  • decreased their use of pain medication compared to patients who received usual medical care along.
  • had greater perceived improvement for low back pain than UMC alone.

The study was released in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s online JAMA Network Open. The study was the largest randomized clinical trial in chiropractic research in the U.S. to date. It involved 750 active-duty U.S. military personnel at three sites across the country. 4

I know first hand chiropractic can be the drug free alternative for pain relief. It saved me when I was 10 years old and the only option given was pain medication anytime I was active. Chiropractic gave me an alternative to live a pain free life without the use of medication and I know it can do the same for others.

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Should You Complete A Detox Program?

We are bombarded with toxins in our everyday life. In the US there are 80,000 chemicals that are registered for use. 800,000,000 pounds of herbicides are used per year. 167 industrial chemicals are found in adults with no employment related to exposure. Even our skin care regimen includes toxins. We can do our best to minimize our exposure by eating whole foods, organic foods, using organic skincare. However we are still exposed to toxins throughout our day. If we have an excess buildup of toxins it can inhibit our bodies natural ability to detoxify these toxins. So should you complete a detox program? The answer is probably yes!

A build up of toxins in your body can lead to symptoms of

  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Heartburn
  • Abdominal pain
  • Food cravings and weight gain
  • Brain fog
  • Skin issues
  • Joint discomfort

There are many different ways to detox. I will sometimes complete an extended water fast. One detox that I like to do one to two times a year is Standard Process Detox Balance Program. Their detox is a whole food-base nutrition that helps support toxin removal through a 28 day or 10 day detox.

It is a three phase process that unlocks fat soluble toxins and makes them water soluble so that it is easier for your body to remove. The shakes are made from whole food-based nutrition and supply your body with key nutrients and phytonutrients that support each phase of the detox

During phase 1 you will unlock the fat soluble toxins and transform them into a water-soluble form.

Phase 2 will be to neutralize the highly toxic substances that are produced during phase 1. They’ll be converted into non-toxic molecules and become even more water-soluble

Phase 3 will eliminate the water-soluble toxins out of the cells and the body will eliminate them.

With this program you will drink one, two or three Standard Process Detox Balance Shakes per day. You’ll get a list of meals with easy recipes and tips to follow throughout the program.

During the detox you’ll eat healthy vegetables, fruits, And lean meats in addition to your daily shakes. You will get a shopping list of approved vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and fats that you can use throughout the detox.

The best part is you’ll get to complete the detox with me! I’ll create a private Facebook group that everyone that is completing the detox will be a part of. You will get daily accountability, you can reach out with any questions during the detox phase, and we’ll go through recipes and different delicious easy meal options.

We will start in February so I’ll be ordering the kits at the end of the week. Reach out today to join in and order your kit! Getting healthy is better together!

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How Much Should You Exercise?

So last week I asked how much you should workout per week. Now this is a wide topic and varies greatly. But what is the minimum amount of exercise per week needed to receive health benefits?

There is data that shows if you exceed 60 minutes of intense exercise a day you actually increase your risk of mortality. Strenuous exercise over a prolonged time can actually causes inflammation in the body. So what is the sweet spot? Where we can receive the benefits from exercise and movement but not crossover into too much exercise that may be damaging.

The recommendation for exercising has been 150 minutes per week or 75 minutes of very intense, rigorous exercise per week. To some this sounds great but to others it sounds like another stressors to try to find time to fit this into their busy schedule.

Do you have to actually set aside a time to exercise every day? Or is there certain movements we can do throughout the day that counts as exercise? We were not made to be sedentary which unfortunately is what a lot of jobs are now. Sitting can actually calls low back pain. So by sitting all day your glutes become inactivated. Your psoas muscle (hip flexors) become short and tight. This can pull on your low back and cause lower back pain.


For individuals who are not competitive athletes there is actually good news. Brief high intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions with some combined strength training spread throughout the day can actually give you major health benefits. Research shows that HIIT done for just four minutes a day can actually increase your mitochondrial cells. All you would have to do is 20 seconds full out, all you got, and 10 seconds off. You repeat this for four minutes. Of course you add a warm-up and a cool down so in total we’re talking less than 10 minutes.

So for those of you that don’t like the whole formal exercise thing this is a great option. Another great option would be get outside and play some kind of sport such as soccer, tennis, or ride your bike. Then just throw a couple weight training sessions into the mix a couple of times a week. Cross training your body is the best form of exercise. I know as a female you get hit with a lot of cardio which is great for your heart health but then you miss out on all the benefits of strength training your muscles. So add some variety into your workout.

The best option would be to work out throughout today. Get some weights or kettlebells at your job and every 30 minutes take a break and do a couple squats, kettlebell swings, climb the stairs, or go walk outside in the sunshine during your break. The point is to try to move throughout your day instead of just sitting. Then you don’t have to worry at the beginning or end of the day and stress yourself out about getting up earlier or staying up late to work out.

Happy Exercising!

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Why Hydration Is Important

I’m sure some of my practice members think I’m obsessed with their hydration status but there is a reason why! About two-thirds of your body is water! According to the Journal of Biological Chemistry the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, lungs 83%, skin 64%, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and bones come in at 31% water! Think it’s important yet?

Here’s some essential functions of water in your body:

  • Water is the building material of your cells.
  • Regulates body temperature by sweating and respiration
  • Assists in elimination of toxins and waste products through urination and bowel movements
  • Acts as a shock absorber
  • Forms saliva and digestive enzymes
  • Helps muscles contract
  • Makes up part of our blood that carries oxygen throughout our body
  • Lubricates joints

One study conducted by Harvard found that more than half of American children are dehydrated. One quarter of children in the US do not drink water on a daily basis.

When you have lost between one to two percent of your total water content your body will signal and you will feel thirsty. By this time it is likely that you are already in the early stages of dehydration.

Common symptoms are dehydration include:

  • Headache
  • Foggy brain
  • Muscle cramps
  • Back and joint ache
  • Dry skin
  • Constipation
  • Sugar cravings

A good goal is to drink half your body weight in ounces per day. So if you weigh 150lbs you should aim to drink approximately 75oz of water. This will vary based on activity level, heat, perspiration. So drink up!

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Essential Oils Of The Bible Class

Join us next Monday, January 28th at 6:30pm for Essential Oils Of The Bible class! We will cover different essential oils that were used in the Bible and how you can apply them to your life today!

One oil we will cover is Hyssop. Hyssop is mentioned in Psalms 51, “Thou shall purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean.” Hyssop is known as the purifier and cleanser. The Romans believed it helped protect them again plagues.

Join us and learn how Hyssop can help you!

Monday, January 28th at 6:30pm
721 Long Point Rd, Ste 403
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464


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Reaching For Your Goals!

The New Year tends to bring out the best hopes in us. Many of us make Resolutions to become healthy, exercise more, eat right, reduce sugar intake, quit smoking, meditate more, reduce stress, enjoy life more, etc! We start out strong but may fall off or fall short. Forbes published only 8% of individuals typically keep their New Year’s resolutions. Here are some tips to help you stick to those goals and have an AWESOME 2019!

Dream BIG! write down your goals and do not limit yourself! Do not feel overwhelmed by how big your goals are, just WRITE. Research shows if you tell someone your goals or write them down, you are more likely to achieve it. Find a friend who will be your accountability partner and help you stay on track to achieve your goals!

Even though your goals are MASSIVE just breath and remember you have to start somewhere. Imagine what your life will be like at the end of the year if you stick to these goals! Small steps lead to achieving those MASSIVE goals!

Use positive reinforcement. Love yourself and know that you are trying to do better for yourself. Let those self-sabotaging thoughts go! Replace them with positive, intentional reinforcing thoughts. You ARE good enough. You CAN do it! If those negative thoughts creep in, it is okay, just let them go and say a positive mantra instead.

Research shows we are less likely to stick to our goals when we are stressed or overwhelmed. There’s a great breathing exercise I’ll have to post about that calms the nervous system down, do some yoga, or go for a walk on the beach. I love John 14:27 “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” So give it to GOD and rest in his peace!

Whatever your New Year’s Resolution is just know you are already AMAZING. God made you after his own image, so you have to be amazing right?!?! If I can help in anyway with your health, wellness, and fitness goals this year please let me know!