Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays I like to share some of the experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant in some way. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
A workout I liked (that also helped me). I’ve been reading the book “The Man in The Arena” by former Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher who was falsely accused of war crimes and then found innocent. He mentioned a workout he did while being held in the brig (military prison) that I tried out. I used a barbell with a moderate weight and did 8 deadlifts, 8 rows, 8 power cleans, 8 military shoulder presses and then 8 back squats. This was done without putting the weight down and this was one set. I did 8 total sets, and it was a solid challenge.
More important than just the single workout was that it broke me out of a rut. When you do anything long enough you go through periods where it can get repetitive, boring, etc. This workout inspired me to come up with some similar ones of my own and it’s been more fun and challenging working out over the last week. Change up your exercise in some form or fashion all the time and it will help greatly!
Why don’t you fast? How come you don’t do yoga? I used these two random examples because I’m asked all the time why I do or do not do certain things for my health. Patients often wonder why I don’t follow a certain type of nutrition or exercise plan that they are fond of. People get excited about what they like so they tend to think that by not doing what they do, you don’t believe in it. This is not usually the case, it’s just that we simply can’t do everything.
I’ve been into fitness and nutrition for decades, so I try different things and keep what works best for me. Does that mean other things are wrong or that there aren’t other things that would work? Of course not. I just simply cannot do everything so through trial and error I’ve had to prioritize what I think helps me most. I recommend doing the same for yourself. Experiment and then stick with what gets the best results.
A postural change to start making now. With as much technology as we use these days, it’s easy for us to spend too much time staring down at devices or lurching our heads closer toward our computer screens. Over time this decreases the natural curvature of the spine and begins putting pressure into the spinal cord. This can also lead to stiffness, pain, muscle fatigue, cervicogenic headaches, numbness/tingling and more. To prevent this, concentrate on creating better neck positions for yourself. When you’re on a computer, keep your breastbone up and keep the neck neutral. Avoid looking up or down into the screen and make ergonomic changes to facilitate this, as necessary. With your phone, do not stare down at it. Instead, raise the phone up closer to you. By making these changes, you will feel better in the short term and avoid issues in the long run as well.
A tip for low energy. There are many causes for low energy but a common one is adrenal fatigue. This occurs when your adrenal glands become over-worked causing a hormonal disruption in sleep and energy level (among other things). Two things that will nutritionally wear on the adrenals are over-consumption of sugar and/or caffeine. Once this happens the body needs to use more B-vitamins causing a deficiency that results in even less energy (and often more pain).
To address this, decrease (or eliminate) simple sugars you eat/drink and try to decrease caffeine consumption. In addition, take a B-Complex supplement to build back up your levels. I recommend doubling your B-complex for 1 week and then taking it daily thereafter. If you follow these steps, you will notice an increase in energy!
Some quotes I love.
“When it’s your time, is the goal to leave a well-preserved body? Or do you really want to use it? A body with stories that says you’ve pushed it and at times suffered, and you sought its potential.” – Billy Yang
“Don’t ‘fake it til you make it.’ That’s garbage advice. Face it til you make it. Get up. Work hard. Fail. Stand back up. Face it again. Do a little better. Fail again. Get back up. Repeat.”
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss
“Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” – Wayne Dyer
Want more?
- Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
- To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com and go to “blog”
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