All posts tagged: back pain

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share 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 lesson I’ve taken from my races.  I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and she asked me a lot of “what if?” questions.  What would my family do if I died, what would happen to them, who would take over my practice, etc.  What I told her is that I treat life as I do my 100-mile races.

When I prepare for a long, grueling race I control as many variables as I can.  First, I make sure that my training allows me to go into the race as ready as possible.  From there, I try to factor in things like weather, nutrition needs, logistics and more so that I can have a workable plan to meet these needs.  From there, everything will go perfectly, right?  Never.

The lesson I’ve learned, even after you work hard, prepare and plan; things will inevitably not go as planned.  When things go wrong (and they will), be prepared to make an adjustment.  It does no good to think about what could have or should have been, you just simply play the cards you have and keep moving forward.  Control what you can, then expect that at some point you will have to deal with something you didn’t plan to happen. When it does, do not quit or feel sorry for yourself, just find a way to overcome.

A saying I use often.  “They don’t give you points for complaining” is a phrase I use to remind myself never to whine or complain.  I might say this in the middle of a race or when I encounter something difficult in my business or personal life. 

Complaint is one of the worst uses of our energy.  Rather than wasting that energy, we are far better off assessing the problem and taking action steps to correct it.  Ultimately, no one want to hear anyone complain, while it can feel good in the moment, it gets us nowhere and should be avoided. 

Something I love.  Most mornings I get up with my 16-month-old daughter about 4:30 am. It’s a quiet time of day and I enjoy sitting and cuddling with her, playing with her, and enjoying her company.  What I really enjoy however, is that every morning after she has had her fill of relaxing and playing, she goes to the garage door, points to it, and says “dada” or “daddy.”  This is where my home gym is and that is her way of telling me to get going.

After she prompts me to the door, I put on her coat and shoes, and she comes into the garage with me while I work out.  She plays with toys, walks around me, laughs, smiles and it’s fun for both of us.  My wife and I joke that of everyone in our house, the littlest person is the one that likes to keep me accountable and make sure I’m staying in shape.  I like to believe that even at the age of one, she understands the importance of keeping a good routine and staying active!

An important concept.  Have you ever been around someone that tells you what they’re going to do or plan to do?  Do you notice that in most cases these people don’t ever follow through?  Too often people spend inordinate amounts of time telling others their plans and don’t follow it up with action.  This can be something major like a new career or a move to a new state.  It may also be something smaller such as making a phone call you’ve dreaded or getting in a workout. 

So how can you solve this?  Very simply, just go! Don’t think about the call, pick up the phone.  If you’re dreading the workout, just begin it.  Don’t allow yourself to talk yourself out of anything you know you should be doing.  Likewise, never waste valuable time talking a big game only to do nothing.  Don’t allow excuses or procrastination to become a factor, just get going!

Some quotes I love.

“Everyone wants to ride the train.  But few are willing to lay down the tracks.” – Bedros Keuilian

“You’ve only got three choices in life:  give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got.”

“No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training.    What a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” – Socrates

“Motivation gets you going, and habit gets you there.” – Zig Ziglar

“The merit of a man is not in the knowledge he possesses, but in the effort he made to achieve it.” – Gotthold Ephrain Lessing

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share 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.   

Three interesting statistics I saw.  In our country, heart disease kills 17.9 million, obesity kills 2.8 million and diabetes kills 1.5 million people annually.  These conditions are all linked to poor diet and exercise and are preventable.  As a chiropractor, I will also tell you that as a person’s weight goes up, the health of their spine declines, and the symptoms associated with that increase.

The important thing to remember is that if you or someone you care for are obese, it is not a question of whether it will affect your health.  The question is how soon and how badly?  So, what can you do?  Get started!  You do not need a personal chef or perfect home gym.  Start moving more right away.  Be honest with yourself about what you’re putting into your body and find a few healthier solutions for some of your habits.  Better nutrition and regular exercise benefit every human being and will help avoid some of the long-term consequences I mentioned above.

Something I’ve learned in my races.  The races I run are usually held on a weekend and offer several distances.  For example, there might be a 100-mile race as well as a 50-miler and a 50k (31 miles).  Runners are sometimes given the option ahead of time to drop down during the race if they feel they want to run less than planned.  In other words, someone that signed up to run 50 miles can decide to end at 31 instead.  What I have found fascinating is that when this is given as an option, people often take it.  When it’s not, they just keep going and complete what they set out to do.

Our minds are an amazing thing.  They make us capable of far more than we can imagine but also work hard to always protect us.  Often, these two aspects are at war with one another, and your mind usually defaults to try and get you to take the easiest, safest options.  The problem is, this limits your growth in business, athletics, personally, health-wise, and more. 

What I have found effective, is not giving myself a choice.  For example, I work out every morning regardless of how I feel or if I’m motivated.  I write this 5 Spot every week whether it comes easily or it doesn’t because I’m committed to having them published.  In other words, it’s best to make things non-negotiable for yourself.  When you eliminate options that allow you to seek comfort over results, your productivity and success will be far greater.

Something I teach my children.  A lesson I drill into my children is that being obedient is not noble.  Some of the greatest atrocities and poorest decisions the world has ever seen have occurred when people just went along.  Conversely, some of the most amazing accomplishments have come by people that refused to go along and did or created something different instead. 

I like to teach my kids that everything can and should be questioned.  There are no sacred cows and, it’s up to them to become informed and then make decisions based upon their morals, principles, and research.  Being accepted for following the crowd is not something I want them to covet or value, I want them to be free thinkers and have the guts to do what they feel is right whether it’s commonplace or not.

A saying I do not like.  “Must be nice” is a phrase often muttered about people that have become successful in something.  The implication being that they’ve somehow been blessed in a way that you haven’t or are luckier than everyone else.  This might be said when someone pulls up in a nice car, has a magnificent home, high paying job, whatever.  I always hate hearing this.

The reason is for every success is a ton of challenging work and sacrifice.  They don’t give out wonderful things and situations to people that do nothing.  Most of the things we aspire to, must be earned and do not come easily.  Waving it away with “must be nice” is a jealous response that demeans that kind of effort required to achieve remarkable things.  When I see someone with nice things and/or succeeding, I am happy for them.  I’m certain it took a lot to get there and it’s a nice reminder to myself to keep working as hard as I can, so that I can maximize my potential as well. 

Some quotes I love.

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

“It is better to know a little of what is really good and worthwhile than a lot of what is mediocre and unnecessary.” – Leo Tolstoy

“Everything you learned late in life, teach your kids early.”

“Building muscle is hard, so most are physically weak.  Starting a business is hard, so most work jobs they hate.  Saving money is hard, so most are always broke.  Being hungry is hard, so most are overweight.  Reading books is hard, so most are glued to screens.  Do the hard things.”

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share 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.   

Something I hear often from patients.  “I don’t know why I’m in pain, I haven’t done anything.”  This statement is one I hear dozens of times each week and I bring it up because it’s significant.  Though it may seem counterintuitive, doing nothing for your body is in most cases far worse for you than being active.

For example, I see more symptoms associated with prolonged sitting and/or lying around watching TV than I ever do from people that exercise regularly.  Your body is meant to be in motion and when it is, it alleviates pressure and tension. When it does not move enough, it tightens up and makes it tougher to move the next time.  Even for those already in pain, beginning to move/exercise more will improve the way they feel rather than cause regression. 

A mental technique I rely upon.  I’m a huge believer that the right mindset can change anything into something far better.  Over the years I’ve learned ways to strengthen my mind and outlook because of how crucial it is to succeed in various endeavors.  One way I do this is by changing my mindset from “I have to” to “I get to.”

For example, as a chiropractor I have days that can be hectic.  A schedule full of patients to begin the day, and dozens of others calling and needing to get in as soon as possible.  I often used to see my busiest days as a burden because of the energy they’d require helping so many people, trying to fit everyone onto the schedule, and dealing with different personalities.   Now, I only see these days as a blessing.  I remind myself that I’ve built a practice that people are eager to come to, I’m able to help many people, and I’m able to earn a good living for my family.  The exact same situation can feel completely different depending on the mindset you bring toward it, so make sure it’s a good one!

Something I teach my family that you may like to try.  Being decisive is something I believe is of crucial importance.  It allows us to process information, deal with stressful or complicated situations, and have the confidence to decide quickly.  Like everything, it’s a skill that can enhanced.

One of the simplest ways I work on this is through what I call the “menu test.”  Anytime I go to a restaurant, I will decide what to order within 1-minute tops.  If I can’t decide within that amount of time what I’d like to eat, how can I expect to make more important decisions in a much more serious situation?  I have done this test for years and have taught this to my children as well.  I always enjoy watching them try to make up their minds quickly when we go out to eat.  I have other ways of building decisiveness as well, but this is the most fun to try!

An interesting comparison and lesson.  I have two patients that are both associated with the same multi-level marketing company.  To my knowledge, neither knows the other but at their appointments they will often tell me about their business.  One of them always has complaints about not making enough money, why the people below them aren’t doing enough to generate business, what they aren’t doing that they should be, and on and on.  They also always have a mild complaint about the fact that they must pay for their treatment as though for some reason I should be working for free.

The other person is a completely different story.  When they refer to their business, they’ll mention things that have been working for them, things they need to change, things they’re excited about and more.  What strikes me about this person is that they are undeterred and optimistic.  They’re simply determined to succeed and do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

These two people both reminded me of a saying that I love, “no one cares, work harder.”  Complaining and blaming others is a waste of energy.  Rather than fall into that trap, produce solutions, try different things, learn from mistakes, and keep moving forward.  No one is going to feel sorry for you so you’re always better off giving the best effort you can.

Some quotes I love.

“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” – Epictetus

“When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.” – Viktor Frankl

“Do not get addicted to escaping.  Face your sh**, handle your business, and triumph.  No battle was ever won by people who run.”

“Strangely, life gets harder when you try to make it easy.  Exercising might be hard, but never moving makes life harder.  Uncomfortable conversations are hard, but avoiding every conflict is harder.  Mastering your craft is hard, but having no skills is harder.  Easy has a cost.” 

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share 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 beautiful lesson.  My wife is a nutrition and fitness coach and earlier in the week I overheard her speaking on a Zoom call.  She talked about wanting to surround herself with people that value themselves.  One example she used was that of a friend whom she noticed would never partake in any form of gossip. My wife explained that when she observed this, she knew her friend valued her friendships.  The friend never told her this directly but based upon her actions, it became obvious.

Another point she made was that when you are around people that value themselves, they never need to convince you of how they feel, you already know.  For example, when you see someone that is upbeat and positive, eats well, exercises, and is in great shape, they don’t need to tell you how much they value health.  You see how their actions and behavior and know immediately they value their own health.  People that have value for themselves pass that on to others and for that reason, you can never have enough of those people in your life!

An interesting interaction.  I had a conversation with someone the other day who was asking me a lot about the way I work out, the races I continue to run and about my training in general.   Each time I answered one of their questions, they would give me advice on why I should stop doing something and what I should do instead.  Was this person an elite athlete with years of experience?  No.  They were overweight, sedentary and had exactly zero expertise in athletics and/or training.

I mention this because I have encountered this many times.  Often the people that will give you the most advice are the least qualified to do so.  When we get advice from someone our instinct is to respect it and try and take it seriously, but many times we shouldn’t.  Everyone has an opinion and there is nothing wrong with listening.  However, when it comes to the most important things in your life, be careful who you listen to because not everyone knows what they’re talking about, and you want to avoid becoming sidetracked heeding advice from people that claim to have expertise but don’t. 

Something I believe.  Earlier this week I had an interaction with someone to whom I used to be very close.  Without fail I am always kind, respectful and tolerant of this person but unfortunately, I am often a target of their anger and this week that was the case once again.  I didn’t say or do anything to incite them but found myself on the receiving end of some serious vitriol.  Though this wasn’t pleasant, it did remind me of a couple lessons.

First, the way people talk to you is how they feel about themselves.  Kind and confident people never say horrible things to friends, family or even strangers online.  They understand that making someone else feel bad will never make them feel better.  However, people that are unhappy with themselves will do this.  They don’t feel good about who they are and therefore don’t mind trying to make others feel bad as well. 

Second, sometimes the best gift you can give yourself in a situation where someone is attacking your character, insulting you, etc. is to simply ignore them.  I am from Boston and have been a fighter since the time I was young, so I am no stranger to conflict.  However, when I find myself being attacked by someone over text or email like I was earlier in the week, I just ignore them.  I cannot control their behavior but can certainly control my own.  Engaging people like that is fruitless and only leaves most of us feeling horrible about ourselves.  In cases like this, I say nothing and give myself the gift of being able to walk away knowing that I kept it classy and didn’t stoop to a level I’d later regret.  I’m not suggesting you must allow yourself to be someone’s punching bag, but sometimes it’s better for you to just simply ignore someone rather than engage with them.

Something I teach when I’m coaching.  I was reading an article the other day about a pro athlete making suggestions about ways to make practices more “fun.”  The head coach did not seem thrilled and suggested the player worry more about playing well and less about how to make practices more fun.  This reminded me of something that one of my coaches and I have always preached which is that success is the most fun. 

When we coach our young men, we teach them the goal is to improve each day and as that happens individually, it will strengthen us cumulatively.  We want them to have fun (and they do), but we don’t structure things so that the goal is to entertain them.  Rather, our goal is to work with them and improve on their skills and awareness at each practice and game.  As this occurs, they grow more confident which makes things fun for them.  Whether in sports or life, becoming successful can be the most fun you have. 

Some quotes I love.

“Not everyone who openly criticizes you is your enemy.  Not everyone who openly praises you is your friend.” – Ryan Michler

“You can come back from anything no matter how bad you think the situation is.  It’s all about your mindset.”

” There is no being generous to a fault.  Because there is no fault in being generous.” – Marcus Lemonis

“99% of the harm is caused in your head, by you and your thoughts.  1% of the harm is caused by reality, what actually happens and the outcome.  Most of the time, the problem isn’t the problem.  The way you think about the problem is.” 

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.  The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela

“When you’re confident in what you bring to the table, you don’t have to chase and beg anyone to sit down and eat.”

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share 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.   

Something I encounter often in practice.  As a chiropractor, I often encounter people that have had ongoing issues – pain syndromes, recurring symptoms, etc.  Understandably, this can be frustrating for anyone to deal with.  When I ask what they’re doing (or have done) to deal with it, they often say they’ve “tried everything.”

In my experience, this rarely actually means they’ve tried everything.  More often, this usually means they’ve tried a few things in a half-hearted manner.  As an example, I listened to a frustrated patient the other day talk about how nothing had helped an issue she had, when I asked follow up questions it came out that over multiple years, she’d tried stretching a couple of times, does no exercise, has not changed any habits, and had sought no treatment.  If you are really going to try everything, make sure you give whatever you’re doing a full effort and chance.  Not everything will work for you but doing something with a weak effort just to say you’ve done it, will never provide worthy results.

A cool interaction I had.  I went to get takeout food last week for my wife and I.  When I went to get my wife’s usual order, the young employee told me they’d had a problem with a piece of their equipment and could not make it.  He was apologetic but then answered questions I had about other items and made great recommendations.

As I checked out, I gave him a large tip and he asked me if I’d done that by mistake as they didn’t have what I originally ordered.  I explained to him that in business, things will always go wrong from time to time.  What impressed me and earned him the tip, however, was he tried to fix the problem by providing suggestions and attempting to improve the situation for me.   He didn’t make excuses, didn’t get flustered, and did everything he could to help in an upbeat manner.  I always like people that make the best of situations.

A piece of holiday advice that works year-round.  I eat clean throughout the year…but not on Thanksgiving.  On Thanksgiving I indulge in all the comfort foods I eat only once per year, and I never feel badly about it.  One thing I do though is begin that day with strenuous exercise.

My oldest son and I will usually do a hard workout and end it with a moderate length run.  Doing this gets my body moving so that I feel like I’ve earned some delicious calories while also setting me up to not feel lethargic throughout the day.  I use this same principle anytime I know I’ll be sitting around more than usual, eating more than normal, etc.  If you have a day of heavy calories and low activity coming up, get up and get your body moving, it’ll make for an even better time!

An interesting observation.  I encounter patients that are different in every way you can imagine.  A common theme that stood out to me this past week, however, was that while some are always determined to be positive others are not.

I have patients that complain about the same things each time I see them.  In fact, I know what they’ll say before they say it.  Usually, these issues are not major, but they play them up.  There are other patients I encounter that have endured (or are enduring) so much that it’s staggering and yet they refuse to be negative.  These people inspire me because though they have every reason to complain, they don’t.  Instead, they take the situation they have and make the best of it.  I have found these types of people always heal faster and commonly find them to be successful in many areas of life.  We cannot fully prepare for every situation we encounter but we can control the attitude we bring toward it.

Some quotes I love.

“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” 

“If everything is under control, you are going too slow.” – Mario Andretti

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis

“Start where you are.  Use what you have.  Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

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.   

An important question.  Whether for my businesses, upcoming races, fatherhood, or life in general, a question I find valuable is “How do I not want to lose?”  There is no way to control every variable in anything, so this question helps me control what I can.

For example, when it comes to an upcoming race, the way I never want to lose, is to show up out of shape wishing I’d put more time and effort into my training.  Therefore, I make sure to train hard and consistently.  As a chiropractor, the way I don’t want to lose is through poor business practices and/or not giving my patients my full energy and focus on every visit.  To avoid these, I run the business of my office well, while being present and focusing on each individual patient and giving them my full attention. Decide how you don’t want to lose, and it’ll help you make the right decisions.

A valuable lesson I’ve learned.  When I’ve run many of my tougher races, I am often exerting myself for over 24 hours straight.  As you can imagine, this means that my body takes a pounding and as the race progresses, my body regresses.  Over time, this has taught me a great deal of critical thinking skills.

What I have learned, is to assess where I’m at, and make plans accordingly.  As an example, if I’m running a 100-mile race and can no longer run straight through without stopping I might opt to power hike hills, run downhills, and do a mixture of walk/run on flat ground.  Rather than feel sorry for myself and start generating excuses, I ask myself what is still working for me and accentuate that positive.  I know this is an effective strategy because it has gotten me through many tough spots.  In addition, there are often instances where I adopt a strategy like this and rally and get stronger later.  Whatever goal you’re after, assessing what things are still producing satisfactory results and relying upon them is helpful.

A thought on principles.  I’ve had several recent conversations with people about principles.  The common theme among these conversations was that each person explained to me one principle they had.  After discussing the principle, they explained how had to change their principle based on a current situation. This was interesting to me.

I believe principles should be followed regardless of a current situation.  Feelings are variable and can change by the minute, but a principle is meant to be set in stone.  A principle is a guiding light to guide your behavior in the toughest of times.  It is a map of where you will or will not allow yourself to go.  If it changes based on circumstances, I will argue it is not actually a principle.  I have heard it said that behind your feelings is nothing, but behind every principle is a promise.   

Something I believe.  We all have different strengths and weaknesses.  Therefore, we will not all get the same outcomes in a certain endeavor.  What we can control is our effort.

I believe strongly that a lack of effort is an insult.  This pertains to business practices, sports teams, marriages, personal goals, or any number of things.  Lack of effort is a signal that you do not care.  It is also dangerous because it can become a habit and permeate into other areas.  Always seek to put forth as much as you can.  This is how you honor yourself and those around you. 

Some quotes I love.

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” – Frederick M. Alexander

“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” – George Washington

“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” – Confucius

“God doesn’t call us to be successful; he calls us to be significant.” – Tom Ziglar

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

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.   

Something I believe.  I graduated in the top five of my chiropractic class.  Among my classmates I was one of the best adjusters and most clinically proficient.  When I left school, I did so with the highest level of skill I could have attained.  I mention this because when I think back to my earliest years in practice, I realize I knew nothing compared to what I know today.

This is an example of something I believe strongly in, that you can only truly learn and grow by doing.  When you are new at something, you will make mistakes but through them you will learn.  You can only understand how to run a business when you have one, you won’t know much about caring for a child until you have one of your own, and so on.  Do not be afraid to begin because once you are underway, you will begin acquiring experience through which you will acquire the most significant knowledge of all.

Something I try to do during each workout.  I believe that constantly challenging your limits is crucial to growth.  That includes physical, mental, performance, and more.  To help facilitate this, I make it a point during every workout I do to push my limit at least once. 

For example, when I run, I will often sprint up the hills.  This gets me breathing heavy and gets me accustomed to continuing after being tired.  Other times I will add on an extra mile or two, to prove to myself that I always have more in the tank.  When I do weight workouts, I’ll add in something extremely challenging at the end of the workout to get me used to pushing when I’m fatigued.  The next time you work out, find a way to challenge yourself in a significant way even for just a moment; over time it will produce amazing growth and progress!

A concept I love.  I have a series of important things that I feel must be prioritized each day.  For me, these include quality time with family, exercise, productive contributions to my businesses, prayer, planning, time with my own thoughts, and more.  Cumulatively, I consider this my “rent.”

I consider this “rent” due each day and I must do the things I mentioned to pay the rent.  If I fail to pay the rent each day, I will fall behind – physically, mentally, with my family, etcetera.  Therefore, I do not allow that to happen.  This week, give thought to what you would consider to be your “rent” and then decide whether you’re paid up or behind.

A supplement you should be taking.  Exposure to sunlight is the easiest way for our bodies to produce vitamin D.  As the weather turns colder and the sun sets earlier in the fall and winter months, we get less of it.  This may not seem significant until you consider what a lack of Vitamin D can lead to – decreased immune function, osteoporosis, certain cancers, heart disease, depression, brain issues, diabetes, and more. 

I recommend taking a vitamin D3 supplement at least during the fall and winter so that you avoid having low levels.  D3 supplements are not expensive and can be taken via capsules or drops (I use drops and usually use the Sprouts brand).  I promise you, if you do a quick search of the problems linked to Vitamin D deficiency, you will want to start supplementing immediately.

Some quotes I love.

“People won’t bat an eye at buying a $1,000 phone but will think twice before investing $100 into themselves.” – Joe De Sena

“A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.” – Confucius

“Be afraid of the calmest person in the room.” – Bruce Lee

“If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission.” – Zig Ziglar

“All the knowledge in the world is useless without action.”

“Finish each day and be done with it.  You have done what you could.  Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can.  Tomorrow is a new day.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you don’t fight for what you want, don’t cry for what you’ve lost.”

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

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 concept I believe in.  One of my best friends from Boston and I used to go to a lot of restaurants and large family events together.  Something he would often tell me, was the person preparing the food either preparing it either did or did not put love into the food.  For example, we’d go to his grandmother’s house, and he’d tell me “You’re going to love this, she puts a lot a lot of love in her food.”  Other times we’d be going or have left a place and he’d say, “there’s no love in that food.” 

What he meant by this, the best food comes from the best effort.  When you care, you do all you can to make something great.  When you don’t, you cut corners and say, “well that’s good enough.”  This premise applies not only to food but to anything and everything you can imagine.  When I adjust a patient, I make sure to clearly focus on the outcome both the patient and I desire while giving the best adjustment and care possible.  This is how I put love into what I do.  Whatever you’re doing, if it is something you want to turn out great, put love into it!

An excellent life lesson I’ve learned through my races.  Competing in the long, grueling events that I do; it can often get lonely and painful.  One of the things I have trained myself to do when things are going south is to smile and look around at the scenery.  As simple as this is, it gets me out of my own head and reminds me that there is more going on than just my footsteps and mileage.

I use this same premise in my personal life.  For example, if something has stressed me out or I have a lot on my mind, I focus on being present with my family.  I try to make them laugh, enjoy watching how they interact with one another, etc.  Just like in the races, this takes me out of my own head and reminds me of the bigger picture. 

An example of something I often teach my patients.  Last Thursday, I went for a run in the morning and felt great doing so.  A few hours later, I could barely put any pressure onto the inside portion of my foot.  I tried working on the muscles and did a session of cryotherapy which helped but it hurt to walk.  Based on where the pain was and how it came about, I thought there might be a structural issue causing it.  I had my 15-year-old son (who is strong) pull my big toe in a few different directions and eventually it went back into place.  Instantly, I felt 100% better and could put full pressure on the foot without pain.

Patients often come to me with severe pain expecting something severe to be going on with their body.  It feels horrible so they assume the worst. However, many times it is a simple thing causing the symptoms and it can be resolved quickly with the right care.  In terms of the spine, a misalignment may dramatically irritate a nerve and cause severe pain but can be easy to correct with an adjustment.  In my case, my big toe was jammed causing my foot muscles to contract and over-compensate to the point I could barely stand on it.  Putting the toe back allowed everything to function normally again and I went from barely walking to 100% improvement instantly.  The take home point is that the severity of what you’re feeling does not always indicate the complexity of the actual problem.

Something I heard that resonated with me.  I came across a random video clip on either Instagram or YouTube last week about self-talk.  The person in the video said that for years he would talk to himself in a very negative way.  He’d call himself stupid, weak, dumb, whatever.  Then one day, he had the thought if he talked to his friends in that fashion, he’d have no friends.  From that point forward, he started talking to himself as he would his friends.

I thought this was a valuable lesson.  If we can’t learn to talk positively to ourselves, how can we expect that from those around us?  For much of my life, I talked to myself far worse than anyone else did.  If your best friend struggled in something you wouldn’t tell them “You failed because you always fail and you’re a loser,” you’d be constructive and help them through it.  Take that same principle and apply it to your own self-talk and you will surprised how much better things start to go.

Some quotes I love.

“You can beat 50 percent of your competition by consistently showing up and working hard.  You can beat the next 40 percent by doing things with urgency and detail.  The last 10 percent…is simply a dogfight.”

“The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the Axe, for the Axe was clever and convinced the Trees that because his handle was made of wood, he was one of them.” – Turkish proverb

“Always take sides.  Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.  Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” – Elie Wiesel

“Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” – Robert E. Howard

“You are always one decision away from a totally different life.”

“The one who plants trees knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.” – Rabindranath

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

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 common nutritional mistake.  I got into a conversation with a patient who began working out a month ago and is frustrated that she hasn’t lost a pound.  She has been eating better and when I asked about her nutrition it didn’t sound bad.  However, when I asked about what she’d been drinking she told me she just drinks sweet tea all day.

Liquid calories are a common pitfall for many in the quest to become healthier/lose weight/etc.  Soda, juices, alcohol and more have considerable amounts of calories from sugar do little help to your body.  They can do quite a bit of damage such as weight gain and insulin sensitivity.  It is also extremely easy to consume many calories that you may not want or are not aware of in a brief period.  Drink water as much as possible and consume the sugary beverages occasionally.

Something I believe.  Though we often say we often say we want things to be easy, things are not always going to be easy.  If something that is too easy or handed to us, we have no appreciation for it.  In sports for example, beating a great opponent is much more gratifying than destroying an inferior one. 

When things are not easy, the great ones among us will raise our game.  We will problem solve better, become more creative, work harder, work smarter, and try and find better ways of doing things.  Success may not come instantly but succeeding when things are hard will create immense pride, satisfaction, and fulfillment; all of which will make us better people.    We don’t need to wish hardships onto ourselves but should accept the fact most things in life worth attaining will never be easy, are not meant to be easy, and should never be easy.

A workout I loved.  The other day my 12-year-old son and I did a “hill repeat” workout.  We went to a hill that was about fifty feet up and steep and we would sprint up, walk down, then sprint up again.  We did this fifteen times, and it was an intense workout.  I enjoyed the workout itself but particularly enjoyed it because of what I saw in my son.

First, it made me incredibly happy to be reminded that he is someone that can get through challenges without complaining or giving up.  Next, once we finished the workout, he was extremely energetic and obviously proud of himself, which was an additional reminder that he values working hard and the feeling that it gives him.  Finally, as hard as the workout was, he didn’t see it as anything unexpected.  This tells me that he expects challenge and welcomes it.  These are all traits I have come to find vital in my own life and I’m thrilled when I see them in young people (especially my own!), because it took me many years and mistakes to learn them myself!

Reminder of an important lesson.  For about 6 years I’d been using a company for fax services.  It’s not a huge need for my business so I’d pay a small monthly fee to meet my needs in this area and it went fine for 6 years.  Recently however, I began to see over-charges, additional fees, and other changes that I’d never seen previously.  I called to inquire about this and with no warning to their customers, they drastically changed their pricing structure.  My cost was 5 times what it had been though nothing on my end had changed.  I called and canceled and refused their offers to “improve my service” with reduced pricing.

The reason I did not want to stay with them wasn’t about the money.  Trust is a sacred thing, whether it’s in a business or personal relationship.  Trust built over years can disappear in seconds.  In this instance, I had built a trust of the company over 6 years and once that was broken I would never feel comfortable dealing with them again.  No one is perfect, but we should always strive to behave in a way that builds rather than shatters trust. 

Some quotes I love.

“A mistake that makes you humble is better than an achievement that makes you arrogant.”

“The twin killers of success are impatience and greed.” – Jim Rohn

“Doubting yourself is normal.  Letting it stop you is a choice.”

“A hard beginning maketh a good ending.” – John Heywood

“Our country was founded by rebels who risked their livelihoods in pursuit of freedom.” – CJ Pearson

Want more?

• Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
• To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
• Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic