All posts tagged: Colorado

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 27th

December 26, 2019 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s 5 Spot

I interact with hundreds of patients each week and get asked a lot of questions. On Fridays I like to share some of the answers I give and hope it has value for you.

Do you eat strictly over the holidays? The way I approach eating at holiday events is that I indulge in things that I am excited about but avoid just stuffing my face with things I don’t. For example, my grandmother used to bring over apples that are essentially baked using red hot candies and water. She created this recipe during The Depression, and I’ve had it every year of my life going back to childhood. It’s as much Christmas to me as the tree. Is it good for me? No. Am I skipping it? Heck no. On the other hand, cookies are not my thing so when those are everywhere at parties, I leave them be. I don’t restrict myself, but I don’t go too crazy just because it’s a holiday.

A piece of nutrition advice you like to give? Following along with the above, I believe that there is nothing wrong with eating whatever you want from time to time. Scientifically when this is a deviation from your norm, it accelerates metabolism. My advice is to not let a “cheat day” become multiple days, a cheat week or more. So, what I recommend is the day after you indulge, get right back into healthy eating and get some form of exercise in. On Christmas I ate a lot of food I would not eat on a regular day. On the 26^th I got up, did 100 burpees (while my 17-month-old clapped for me, bonus!), drank a lot of water and had a healthy breakfast of eggs and an avocado. Before my body could even begin to crave sugar or want more of the bad stuff, I had it back on the right track. Treating yourself is fine, just have the discipline to get it back under control.

A gift I’m excited about? I got a training mask from my kids for Christmas. For those not familiar, this is a mask you wear that restricts breathing and simulates altitude training. It can be set for anywhere from 3,000 feet to 18,000 feet. I’ve done a run and a couple workouts with it thus far and it’s challenging but I think it will help me as I continue training for my upcoming 100-mile race in March.

A book I love? Living with a SEAL by Jesse Itzler. This is the true story of a wealthy man, stuck in his routines that brings a very intense Navy SEAL to live with him and his family and follow him around for 30 days. The story itself is worth it but there are many lessons to be learned about breaking out of comfort zones and challenging ourselves daily to become better people.

A quote I love? “Deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live and a beauty to rescue.” – John Eldredge

Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 13th

December 12, 2019 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s 5 Spot

I interact with hundreds of patients each week and get asked a lot of questions. On Fridays I like to share some of the answers I give and hope it has value for you.

Are there ingredients in food you won’t eat? Yes. For space reasons I won’t go into the specifics of why today, but I will not eat any artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame-K, saccharine), hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils (these are trans fats) or any artificial colors. These are all extremely toxic to the nervous system and body so they’re not worth it for me.

A piece of advice I give to my patients? Most people understand the importance of regular dental checkups. Checkups detect problems before they begin or get too far, and the regular cleanings help maintain the teeth to remain healthy and strong for longer. I recommend people follow the same principle with their spine and chiropractic care. You certainly don’t need to be adjusted every single week if you don’t wish but even somewhat regular “tune-ups” will go a long way. 90% of the worst conditions I see could have been prevented with basic preventative care.

Something I admire? Have you ever watched someone that’s excellent at what they do? I’m talking about someone that takes time to put all they have into what they do and how they do it. I call that being a “craftsman” and it’s something I really admire. Some recent examples of this that come to mind are a gentleman that selects and fits people for hats, a football coach, a waiter and a lawyer. I love to observe people like this and learn from them.

A lesson I believe in? As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I coach two football teams. One of the things I try to do with all my players is find something they do well. Some kids are very gifted and it’s easy. But others may not be and so with these kids I really search to find their “thing.” Once I find it, I over-emphasize it in practice, get them to take great pride in it and then allow them to utilize it in our games. What I’ve found is that once they can contribute what they do well, their confidence grows and I’m able to expand their roles and teach them more. There is a player I’ve had for 2 seasons. In his first, he struggled with everything but eventually I detected a strength. This season I got him in a position to utilize that strength and he blossomed. By season’s end he was one of our defensive MVP’s and went from a quiet kid to a vocal leader and great teammate. I believe that this lesson is true in life and sports: double down on your strengths and as your productivity and confidence grows, you can then begin to produce even more strengths.

A quote I love: “It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate.” – Jocko Willink

7 Myths about pain I hear daily

December 5, 2014 Matt Kenney Blog

As a chiropractor I deal with pain on a daily basis. Today I’d like to dispel some of the most common myths I hear from patients regarding pain.

Myth #1: Pain happens because of age. While we certainly heal faster and recover quicker at a younger age, your body does not produce pain in response to your latest birthday milestone.

Myth #2: Pain can has to be either nerve, muscular OR bone related (structural). Your spine protects the nerves that power all of your muscles. In other words, these 3 components are all in such close proximity that what affects one will usually affect the others.

Myth #3: Soreness is the same as pain. Soreness is a sign you’ve placed new or greater stresses upon your body and the effects are usually short lived (1-2 days). For example, returning to physical activity after a long layoff often produces soreness. Pain on the other hand could be something such as a muscle spasm that takes your breath away or a shooting pain down your arm or leg. Unlike soreness, pain will usually cause problems with your activities of daily life and will not usually go away quickly.

Myth #4: If you’re pain-free, you’re healthy. Pain is a symptom, and symptoms are messages from your body that something is amiss. The problem is that symptoms often take months or years to finally present themselves. For example, the first outward symptom of heart disease is often an actual heart attack. Therefore, the absence of pain unfortunately is not a reliable indicator of your overall health.

Myth #5: Only “serious” injuries cause pain. Injuries such as broken bones or diseases like cancer can obviously cause pain, however the amount of pain felt is not proportional to the severity of your condition. In fact, the patients I often encounter in the most severe pain are usually suffering from basic musculoskeletal issues.

Myth #6: You just have to live with pain. In nearly every case, (with proper treatment) there is something that can be done to at least minimize the amount of pain a person is in. Over the years I’ve had many patients that believed they’d have to suffer for life become pain-free, sometimes even after a single visit!

Myth #7: Only wimps go to a doctor for pain. It’s not necessary to get in a car and drive to a medical facility anytime you don’t feel completely 100%. However, there’s no shame in enlisting the help of a specialist to help you correct an issue. I regularly encounter patients that “sucked it up”, continued living in pain and avoided seeing a doctor for years (probably all while driving their friends and family crazy). Without exception, once these people start receiving the appropriate care they all tell me “I wish I’d just come in sooner.”

Dr. Kenney has won multiple awards for “Best Chiropractor” and specializes in helping patients achieve their goals of better health and pain relief. For more information please browse our website, find us on Facebook (New Body Chiropractic & Wellness Center) or call (303) 347-9906.

6 Tips for a stronger mind and more productive life

September 17, 2014 Matt Kenney Blog

I’m a big believer that one of the most valuable tools a person can possess is a strong mindset. This enables a person to plan effectively, deal with crisis and move forward productively. Like anything else, thinking in a constructive way takes practice. Here are 6 tips I recommend for strengthening your mind.

1. Keep the past behind you. Far too many people spend crucial energy focused on what has already happened instead of what could be happening. Instead of dwelling on what used to be, start focusing on how you want things to be.

2. Take “smaller bites”. Many of us have so many things that need to be done that it can become overwhelming. Rather than allowing the stress this causes to set us back, the key is to take “smaller bites.” Focus on and complete 1 task at a time before moving on to the next. This will allow you to simultaneously focus on the task at hand, accomplish things, feel better and still progress toward your ultimate goal(s).

3. Trust yourself. When things get challenging many people have a tendency to question how (or if) they’ll ever be able to find a solution. Rather than adopting that negative mindset, have faith that one way or another you will succeed. Many of the most admirable people I’ve encountered were just normal people that refused to give up on finding solutions to their problems.

4. Don’t compare yourself. With things like Facebook, there is a greater tendency than ever for people to compare themselves to their friends and acquaintances. Ultimately this is damaging, exhausting and unproductive. Rather than worrying about how you stack up versus others, focus on whether you’re growing into a better version of yourself.

5. Put others first. As human beings we often have a tendency to spend so much time in our own heads that we don’t focus enough on those around us. Placing energy into helping others (even in small ways) without worrying about what we’ll receive in return has the tendency to produce profound results. I’ve personally experienced time and again in my personal and business life that those I help often end up returning the favor to me in amazing and unexpected ways.

6. Use the ” 1 hour rule”. This is a trick that I adopted many years ago and often tell my patients about. When you’re faced with an obstacle in life there is nothing wrong with admitting you’re upset. Take an hour to feel the emotions – cry, scream, punch (preferably pillows not people) or do whatever necessary to allow some of that emotion to be released…but only for 1 hour. After that hour you need to come out prepared to create solutions to whatever issues you may be facing.

All posts tagged: Colorado

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 27th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 13th

7 Myths about pain I hear daily

6 Tips for a stronger mind and more productive life

Check us out on Facebook!

Recent Posts

We would love to hear what you think - Review us!

Search

Archives