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.
Why is posture so important? I get many questions and comments about posture daily but twice this week I have been asked this specific question. To me, the answer is twofold. First, poor posture is to your spine what poor dental habits are to your teeth – a recipe for decay and problems to come. Your spine supports your entire body including your spinal cord so as your spine misaligns and degenerates it will absolutely lead to problems down the line involving pain, decreased mobility, etc. Second, remember that your posture is how you present yourself to the world. If you’re crooked or hunched over you’re not going to convey to the world around you a strong, confident presence.
If you get adjusted once will you have to get adjusted forever? I’ve covered this before, but I get asked this so often I’m addressing it again. Adjustments can obviously be beneficial to your overall health, well being and ability to move and feel how you’d like. For a good majority of my patients, this is something they willingly choose to continue. For those that do not choose that path, there is nothing about receiving a single adjustment that would set in motion any sort of negative reaction to your body or mandate requiring you to keep getting adjusted. You can stop dental care anytime you like though it’s not likely to help your teeth. No one goes to the gym worried that if they start working out, they’ll have to do it forever. Chiropractic adjustments will help your spine and nervous system but you’re in charge of whether that’s something you’d like to pursue and if so, how often.
A piece of nutrition advice I gave recently? I was speaking with a patient and he has been doing well over the past few weeks with eating better. Last weekend he ate a bunch of stuff he wished he hadn’t, and it snowballed for him over the rest of that day. His question to me was essentially how he could punish himself so that he wouldn’t do this again and I told him this was the wrong approach. My first piece of advice was that there is nothing wrong with treating yourself to some food that isn’t great for you – we all do that. The key is for this to be a 5% of the time type of deal as opposed to the norm. If you do it like this it will both motivate you and boost your metabolism believe it or not. Second, if you regret what you ate last, do not punish yourself or make the next series of meals bad and start feeling even worse. Simply eat better, healthier food at your next meal and get back on track.
Two general pieces of exercise advice? I often speak to patients and friends who are just starting/getting back into exercise and they ask for all sorts of tips. As far as maintaining regular exercise, there are two things I have found incredibly beneficial. First, try to find a partner. Having someone to hold accountable and be accountable to is proven to lead to greater success. Plus, it’s a lot more fun embarking on a journey with a friend and helping each other out. Second, schedule some type of event that you need to train for. In times of COVID there may not be as many events out there but find something where you have a date in the future you need to get prepared for. In my experience, someone that signs up even for a simple 5K race is far more likely to start getting in shape than someone who just makes a New Year’s resolution. Find a friend and find an event and you’ll be off to a good start!
Some quotes I love?
“Hate is the only emotion that kills the vessel it travels in.” – Joe Rogan
“Do it now. Sometimes ‘later’ becomes ‘never’.” – Ray “cash” Care
“you can waste time wishing a situation was easier or you can step up and face the challenge.” – JJ Virgin
“Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on discipline.” – Jocko Willink
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”
- Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic