All posts tagged: Littleton

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – January 22nd

January 22, 2021 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

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 cool lesson. I enjoy cooking so I like checking out cooking shows and videos. I especially enjoy watching anything with Gordon Ramsey. On an episode of Master Chef, a while back he showed the contestants how he makes scrambled eggs. What made this fascinating to me is that this is something we’ve all cooked hundreds of times, yet he had a whole different way of doing it than I’d ever seen (the contestants too). His method was simple but utilized patience and attention to detail.

To me this drove home some important lessons. First, when we take the time to focus on the little things and to master them, the results can be amazing. It also reinforced to me that masters of anything never skip the process of conquering the basics. Once you have full command of the basics, you will have the foundation to create incredible results in anything you pursue.

What is your view on alcohol? I got this question from a patient and he asked me to include it this week. I’m from Boston where alcohol is basically a sport and in my younger days, I played that sport a lot so I’m not your priest here. I no longer drink due to my training schedule and as an example to my children. What I can tell you is that over the years I’ve seen many patients drastically improve their health and lifestyle by giving up alcohol. These are not even necessarily people that had a problem with alcohol, just people that have become better without it in terms of energy, anxiety level, sleep patterns, relationships, fitness and more. We’re all adults and can choose what is best for ourselves but I don’t believe anyone can say they are truly better off with alcohol than they are without.

A recent event I think is relevant. My wife, my older son and I were in the kitchen about a week ago and a discussion began about a video that showed a person being shot and killed. My wife mentioned that if my son searched for it, he’d see it online. I said, “don’t watch it, it’ll hurt your heart.” My wife told me that she loved that I said that and asked me exactly what I meant. I believe everything we put into our minds and bodies is fuel and therefore we must be careful. These days it is very easy to fill it accidentally and quickly with negativity. This does not mean we need to be naïve or blind to the world around us, merely that when possible; we should prevent some of those horrible images from going in. I’ve witnessed some extreme things in my personal life over the years and that is why I always advise people to protect themselves in this fashion. You cannot ever overdo the good stuff, but the bad stuff can build up in your mind too quickly unless you’re careful.

Something I want you to know. What I’ve learned from the races I compete in, the training I do and the obstacles I’ve faced in my life is this – the toughest stuff always ends and gets better. This may not happen on our schedule or as we’d envisioned it, but it does happen. Wherever you’re at or whatever you’re stressing over, keep going and keep fighting and you’ll get there.

Some quotes I love.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty.” – Thomas Jefferson

“Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount.” – Clare Boothe Luce

“Aye. Fight and you may die. Run and you’ll live, at least awhile. But lying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom?” – William Wallace, Braveheart

“The loudest boos will always come from the cheapest seats…People who invest the least in you will have the most to say about you. Trust your work, your process and keep that circle tight.” – Tupac Shakur

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 25th

December 25, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

This week as a change I am sharing some of my favorite quotes. Some I’ve mentioned previously, some are new, but all are great! Enjoy and Merry Christmas everyone!

Some quotes I love.

“A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Any right that can be taken away depending on the situation is not a right, it’s a permission.”

“Learn to be thankful for what you already have, while you pursue all that you want.” —Jim Rohn

“Do what is easy, and your life will be hard. Do what is hard and your life will become easy.” – Les Brown

“It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate.” – Jocko Willink

“I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done.” – David Goggins

“Make friends with pain, and you will never be alone.” – Ken Chlouber, founder of the Leadville 100

“Anyone who doesn’t pay your mortgage, buy your groceries, or cover your expenses, doesn’t get to determine if your job is essential or not.” – Ryan Michler

“Some people are so far behind in the race that they actually believe that they’re leading.” – Uncle Junior, The Sopranos “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne

“If you wanna take the f’g island burn your fucking boats; and you will take the island ’cause people when they’re gonna either die or succeed, tend to succeed.” – Tony Robbins

“The only easy day was yesterday.” – Navy SEAL mantra

“You live for the fight when it’s all that you’ve got.” – Bon Jovi, Living on a Prayer

“So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key.” – The Eagles, Already Gone

“They tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds.” – Mexican Proverb

“Don’t mistake activity with achievement.” – John Wooden

“The world belongs to the energetic.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill

“Going in one more round when you don’t think you can. That’s what makes all the difference in your life.” – Rocky Balboa

“We gonna weed through the quitters, we gonna find us a damn warrior or two today!” – from the movie American Sniper

“Simple doesn’t mean easy.”

“School is never out for the pro.” – Dan Kennedy

“The Advanced Level is Mastery of the Basics” – Ray Mancini

“You’ve got to feed the beast.” – probably a lot of people but I say this all the time

“I don’t know how I’m going to win, I just know I’m not going to lose.”

“If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much room.” – Macho Man Randy Savage

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” -Nelson Mandela

“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” -Dennis P. Kimbro

“There’s no cure for being cheap.” – Mike Lombardi

“Learn to get comfortable while being uncomfortable.”

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 18th

December 18, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

A great story I was told. When my 2-year-old son was born my wife (who worked with me here) and I had no childcare on Thursdays, so we’d bring our little guy to work with us. It never went well and was stressful. My wife would answer phones, schedule patients, and put people into our cryotherapy machine while I saw patients so between that, the baby and being postpartum she was not in a good spot.

She told me this week that at an extremely low point she carried our son with her as she put one of our patients/clients into the cryotherapy machine. This woman who was in her late 50’s told my wife after seeing her with the baby how lucky she was and a couple other simple things. My wife explained to me that those words completely changed her as a mother. She no longer saw the stresses of motherhood but focused on the gift she’d been given. 2 years later, my wife reached out to this patient on social media and shared this with her – how her words helped shape her into a better mother and gave her a stronger sense of gratitude. The patient was completely moved by this and told her that she’d always dated or been around doctors or people that helped others and so she herself had felt like a failure that she’d never helped anyone. She told my wife that hearing she’d helped her gave her the best feeling imaginable – that she had made a difference. The point of this story to me is that sometimes taking the time to share some kind words with someone can make all the difference. This woman helped my wife and that led to my wife helping her. I thought this was beautiful and worth sharing.

Do you count calories? I am passionate about healthy eating, so I get this one regularly. I do not count calories. My focus is on eating healthy foods and then listen to my body by eating more when I feel hungry and less when I’m not. I’ll usually eat about 5-6 times per day and 2-3 are actual meals while 2-3 are more quicker meals like a protein bar or shake and a piece of fruit. It is worth noting though that when I was young I did count calories when I was bodybuilding so I do have a very good idea as to how many calories are in what I eat so I’m not thinking I’m eating 2,000 calories when I’m really eating dramatically more or less than that. That knowledge probably helps me not to worry about counting them.

A concept I want you to understand. Discouragement is a dangerous thing. We compare ourselves to others, to where we once were, get depressed about our body, our finances, or any number of a million things. So, what should we do? My advice is to start with whatever you can do RIGHT NOW. If you walk for exercise go another block. Do 1 more pushup, try to have a great day at work today even if it won’t solve your finances instantly. Accept where you are, take responsibility and try to do a good job with whatever you have this second. Stay super short term and do something good right now. This will begin leading you where you need to go.

Workouts I’ve been enjoying. I ran across a guy on YouTube that has some excellent dumbbell workouts that can be used to train different areas of the body. I’ve done several of these workouts this week and it’s been fun learning some new exercises and remembering a few forgotten ones as well. If you ever feel like you’re in a rut with your workouts, places like YouTube can be a great source of inspiration and learning. Try changing up your workouts in some way – the variety will help you physiologically, physically, and mentally. These videos were a welcome change for me and I’m not ashamed to admit they were done by a dude that was probably in diapers when I started working out!

Some quotes I love.

“It’s impossible”, said pride. “It’s risky,” said experience. “It’s pointless,” said reason. “Give it a try,” whispered HEART. – Inky Johnson

“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

“Nothing’s more unattractive than a muzzled up obedient ‘man’.” – Erin Marie

“Work hard, do good, and keep your mouth shut.” – JP Dinnell

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 11th

December 11, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

A health risk factor I wish more people knew about. Visceral fat is a very serious indicator of poor health. This type of fat is found in the area commonly referred to as the “spare tire.” Because this fat is stored in the abdominal cavity close to vital organs it puts a person at a very high risk for serious health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and more. A significant amount of visceral fat comes from poor nutrition and exercise habits. If this applies to you, please consider getting moving more with exercise and trying to eat better. Visceral fat is like a “check engine” light in your car – you can ignore it only so long before it will break down in a serious way.

A great experience I had this week. Last week I went to get a haircut at a new place. The barber was an interesting guy and really impressed me. He took extra time to fix some “mistakes” he’d seen from my last haircut (probably many), told me about his scissors that he’d gotten from Japan and why it was an investment not a cost, told me about his father being a barber and how close they were, and shared some of his personal feelings about life and business that I found very relevant. The reason that I was so impressed was that he is what I call a “craftsman” – someone so experienced, passionate, and proud of what they do that it comes across instantly. When I meet people like this, I love to ask them questions because I want to figure out their “secret sauce.” Anytime I encounter someone like this I try to come away with something I can implement in my own businesses or life. I left this gentleman a big tip, brought my kids back the following day and will be going there exclusively from now on.

A recent observation. My wife works part time in a nutritional counseling business. The program is expensive, and monitors everything eaten and done each day. Hearing portions of calls with clients and listening to my wife discuss clients with the owner of the business I have noticed a common theme. People that want to succeed always find a way and those that are failing are their own worst enemy. Both groups make mistakes but the ones with a good attitude and true desire to change are very open to feedback. They correct mistakes and forge a better path forward and take pride in each small victory. This creates momentum and soon small changes turn to larger ones.

Conversely, those with the negative mindset behave as you might expect. They argue with the people trying to help them, make ridiculous excuses (trust me on this) and outright lie to themselves and those trying to assist them. Essentially, they self-sabotage themselves. This observation was a great reminder to me that to change you must first have a desire to do so. I heard someone say it perfectly the other day – “your attitude will either open doors or close them.”

A piece of exercise advice I often give. Many of us have types of exercise that appeal more to us than others. For example, some like weights, some running and some Pilates or yoga. Ideally though, we want to be somewhat well rounded. The three aspects I recommend having at least some aspect of in your regular routine are cardiovascular, weight training and some type of stretching. They do not need to be done equally but having some portion of all 3 in your weekly routine will help greatly.

Some quotes I love.

“A lion never has to tell you he’s a lion.”

“Freedom terrifies people who want to be led and empowers people who want to be represented.” – Colin Noir

“I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite!” – Buddy the Elf

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 4th

December 4, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

Something I’m looking forward to? Normally I like to have some type of race or event on my calendar to train for. It keeps me focused, gives the training itself more purpose and helps me unload any mental baggage I may be carrying. Quite simply, training for and then running races makes me better in the other aspects of my life. Unfortunately, with COVID there aren’t as many races to sign up for or the restrictions make it not worth participating in. The other day I came up with the idea that I would run my own ultramarathon on my late brother in law’s birthday in February. I am still working on some details but plan to run a minimum of 34 miles up to a maximum of 100. My older sons are excited to join me at some point during the “race” as well.

Having something to train for instantly got me excited again and I always enjoy the process of preparing for something like this. More importantly, on the actual day of the race it will serve an important purpose for me – helping me to deal with the loss of a best friend. When I run such long distances, my body breaks down, but my mind sharpens, and I can think more clearly than at any other time. I am excited to have that time lost in thought and know it will help me let go of certain things and cling tighter to others. In the words of Forest Gump about his running, “My mama always said you got to put the past behind you before you can move on. And I think that’s what my running was all about.”

I hear popping when I move my neck/back but it doesn’t hurt, is that bad? If you experience superficial popping in your spine that is not painful it is often a sign of spinal misalignment. When your spine is misaligned, instinctively your body knows this is the case and tries to put things back in proper alignment. That is why you may notice these pops when turning, bending, etc. You’ll likely notice that after an adjustment that some or most of this will go away. If you experience a grinding sensation in your neck or back that is different and can be indicative of advance arthritis though I usually only see that in elderly patients.

Any advice for leg cramps? I am often asked about leg cramps and a big part of my advice depends on when the cramps tend to occur. If the legs are cramping frequently during the day, it is likely a nerve issue. Cases such as these usually react well to chiropractic adjustments because they are often indicative that a lower back nerve (that feeds into the sciatic nerve) is aggravated, often even by a simple spinal misalignment. Re-aligning the lower back decreases nerve pressure and thus the leg cramps.

If the issue is more common at night (especially late at night when sleeping or attempting to sleep), this tends to be more of a nutritional issue. In these instances, sodium, potassium and/or water balances are often off balance and causing involuntary cramping. For this I recommend increasing water intake by a couple glasses per day, eating a banana/avocado or something with potassium in it, and sprinkling a good salt (sea salt, not table salt) on your food once a day or so. I’ve had hundreds of patients over the years with this issue that get relief with these simple changes.

An inexpensive supplement I often recommend? Vitamin B is like fuel to your nerves just as gas is to your vehicle. A lot of the nutritional habits common within the standard American diet tend to decrease vitamin B within our bodies. This can cause symptoms such as fatigue, numbness/tingling and more. As a chiropractor I often see this contributing to or worsening pain syndromes, sciatica, radicular pains, fibromyalgia and more. To help prevent this, I recommend simply taking a quality Vitamin B complex supplement. B-complex will provide all the b-vitamins your body requires and will make a major difference in your nerves and energy level for less than $10 a bottle. To begin with, double your dosage for 7 days to try and build up a surplus of B and then take as directed thereafter. Avoid taking near bedtime as the b-vitamins increase ATP production and thus increase energy.

Some quotes I love?

“The lowest valley leads to the highest peak.” – Marcus Luttrell

“Comfort is a slow death.”

“If winning or losing is going to define your life, you’re on a rough road.” – Bud Grant

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – November 27

November 27, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

Something I’m thankful for? As most of you know, my brother in law died suddenly at the end of August in his early 30’s. While that was a tragedy I wouldn’t wish on anyone, I have great memories of him. Something I am thankful for (and realize more each day just how thankful) is the time he and I shared together coaching football together. When I became a coach, I immediately asked him to be my assistant and we learned the ropes together. He and I became extremely close during those times and that relationship led us to start our cryotherapy business together.

On Thursdays we would get to the practice fields early and it would mark the beginning of a football weekend – practice Thursday and Friday, games on Saturday and then NFL football on Sunday. He would greet me each week, hug me and say, “This is the best part, it’s all in front of us!” When I get sad and miss him, I remember him saying that to me and like to think that someday he’ll greet me and say it again.

An important concept. I was in a conversation earlier this week and we got onto the topic of respecting something versus fearing it. My thoughts are that when you fear something it has the potential to paralyze you. You hide from it, stress about it and it prevents you from taking positive action. When you have a healthy respect for something however, you can still take it seriously while making smart, forward thinking decisions regarding whatever it may be.

As an example, COVID has many scared now. However, being scared will only take a person so far, is not an effective long-term strategy and can lead to additional problems. Respect an enemy but do not allow yourself to become so frightened that you cannot act or act in a meaningful way.

Do you ever just relax? I got asked this question by a woman this week who said she felt like I must always be exercising based on my social media posts and what I write in these 5 spots. The reality is that while I love exercise, it does not take up too much of my time at all. I stay active walking my dog, playing with my kids, doing things around the house, or working in my office but I usually only exercise up to an hour a day. As a busy dad and business owner I stick to brief but intense bouts of exercise and throw in a few runs each week as well. This type of program gives me plenty of time to enjoy other things in my life other than exercise. Even when I am training for a long race, I tend to get up at 3:30-4am to train so I can be back to enjoy time with my family.

Something I admire? All of us are human and we like to be right. None of us ever want to look back and think we were wrong, misled, or uninformed. There are times when we jump to conclusions, act on incomplete information or simply don’t have all the facts. For this reason, I think it is crucial and admirable to always be evaluating our actions and beliefs. Some of the people I admire most have shown me that it’s ok to evolve your thinking based on experience, additional information/research, etc. even though it may mean admitting that at some point in the past you were wrong.

Some quotes I love?

“Do the right thing even if it means dying like a dog when no one’s there to see you do it.” – James Stockdale

“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.” – Marv Levy

“But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty once lost is lost forever.” John Adams

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – November 20

November 20, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

Why do you write these? I get great feedback on my 5 Spots and patients will often ask me about certain things I’ve written or tell me what something meant to them. This week, I had a woman ask me why I write them because she was curious to understand my motivation. My answer is that ultimately, I am writing these to my children. Life goes by so fast and we often forget a lot of experiences we have during the different seasons of our life. I write these because I enjoy recording my thoughts on different things in hopes that at some point (if they want to), my kids can go back and read what their old man had to say. My short-term goal is to provide content that can hopefully be of value to my patients and my long-term goal is that at some point my children will as well.

A lesson I rely upon often? One of the transformative aspects of my life has been when I began competing in ultra-marathons. People often think I compete in them because of how much I love to run but this is not the case. Honestly, an enjoyable run for me is probably 4-5 miles, running 50-100 miles is far from enjoyable. Why I continue to come back to these races is for the lessons they can teach. Though I’ve learned so much, my favorite lesson that I rely on is to always keep moving forward.

That statement is vague, but it carries great meaning. When you are in pain, keep moving forward. When it looks bleak, keep moving forward. When things are at their worst, keep moving forward. When what you envisioned falls apart, keep moving forward. When you have doubts, keep moving forward. When you are looking for excuses to quit, keep moving forward. These races have allowed me to train my mind through physical exertion to always keep moving forward through stress, tough times, the loss of loved ones and anything else that life may throw at me.

A common condition I see frequently in practice? Your thoracic spine is comprised of 12 vertebrae that begin at the base of your neck and go to the top of your lower back. In this part of your spine, the side portion of these vertebrae (called transverse processes) articulate with your ribs. Just like your spine can become misaligned, so too can these joints. When ribs become misaligned, they can often be extremely painful (most patients describe it as “burning” or “stabbing”) and can even affect your ability to take a full deep breath in without pain. These rib misalignments are usually caused by rotational issues such as from an awkward sleeping position or a repetitive activity such as golf, painting, etc. Because these rib misalignments can cause muscle spasms, intense pain and difficulty breathing; patients are often misdiagnosed prior to coming to my office and often have dealt with this for months or even years. Though the symptoms can be very strong, usually correcting the issue is simple and unlike other conditions of the spine, improvement is usually instant.

Something I’ve been really enjoying? My oldest son is now 14 years old. He’s very athletic and has a work ethic like mine. Since his football season ended, he has been doing weight workouts with me and it’s been fun bonding with him and teaching him something I’ve been so involved in since I was his age. He’s getting stronger daily and loves to ask me questions and for tips. It reminds me of when I was around his age and just getting started with exercise. It is uch a blessing to have these times together!

Some quotes I love?

“Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life.” – Bob Marley

“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves” – Abraham Lincoln

“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” – Gladiator

Bonus quote I hate: “Are we allowed to?”

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – September 25

September 25, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

As a chiropractor, are you for or against physical therapy? I get this often and the answer is that I’m very much for it. For whatever reason, people often think this must be a one or the other type thing, but it does not need to be. As a chiropractor, I focus on correcting underlying structural issues with the spine to impact the nervous system in a positive way. Physical therapy will focus more on stretching, strengthening, and rehabbing the musculature around it. Adjustments will help PT because you’ll be able to get stronger around better spinal alignment thus enhancing the results. Likewise, PT will help you hold your adjustments better as you address the musculature around the spine and maximize its ability to maintain proper position. Both chiropractic and physical therapy are extremely valuable, and I’ve seen excellent results over the years separately and especially when combined.

A lesson from an unlikely source? My 2-year-old son is a unique boy. One of his trademarks when he doesn’t want your help or does not want to do something is to wave at you very pleasantly and say, “bye bye.” He rarely can keep his pants or a diaper on so I’m not suggesting you follow all his advice but this one I like. Too often in life we say yes to things we know won’t help us or serve us in the long run. When we do this, it can add unnecessary stress and chaos to our lives. We get overbooked, over-worked, and have less time to focus on our true priorities. Rather than doing this time and again, we’d all be better off saying “bye bye” to some of these things. As adults we often make things very complicated but sometimes going back to the simplicity of our childhood ways is just what we need.

Any advice on eating better? One general thing I often recommend is to learn to cook about 6-10 relatively simple but healthy meals for yourself. These need not be Gordon Ramsey level dishes, just things with healthy ingredients that you’ll enjoy eating. In my experience, when people have access to healthy food, they’re more likely to eat it. When healthy food is not readily available, this is often when people turn to fast food or less nutritious choices. If cooking is not your thing, try to find takeout places that offer healthy options that you can take advantage of. Examples of dishes I like to cook are chili, steaks, acai bowls, various chicken dishes, etc. and take out options I use regularly are Chipotle and Mod Market.

A great lesson from a patient? A patient of mine has gotten involved in Jiu-jitsu for the first time and has been at it for two months. She has been working hard but has taken her lumps as well. Recently, she was unexpectedly awarded her first stripe. She was thrilled to receive it and it was like fuel to her self-confidence, drive, and commitment.

To me this reinforced 3 important lessons. First, hard work always pays off and is always noticed eventually. Second, you gain far more self-respect when you must struggle to earn something as opposed to when it’s just given to you. Finally, we should all challenge ourselves more often to try something new that we’re not instantly or naturally good at. Having the courage to try our hand at a new skill or new project is good for us – it keeps us humble, improves our focus and keeps us driven.

Some quotes I love?

“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”

“We’re born with a killer instinct that you can’t just turn off and on like some radio. We have to be in the middle of the action because we’re the warriors. And without some challenge, some damn war to fight then the warrior may as well be dead.” – Apollo Creed

“In the beginning of change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.” – Mark Twain

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – August 21

August 21, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

Something I’ve been seeing great value in? Over the past month or so I’ve tried to give just a little bit more of myself in different aspects of my life. I might tip more at a restaurant, take the time to leave a nice review for someone’s business, give a compliment more often, etc. What I have found interesting is how when we do things like this it always seems to come back to us in some way. As an example, with my patients I began to try and ask a few more questions, check a few different areas or spend a couple extra minutes with someone I thought might need it. I did not do this for any reason other than I cared but almost instantly our office began expanding. I strongly believe that whatever energy and effort you put out will in some way return to you.

Are you a multi-tasker? As someone with a very high energy level I am often asked if I am a big multi-tasker because people assume I must be doing a lot all at one. The answer is actually “no” however. My personal feeling and experience are that when we are doing many things at once, none get done to a high standard and things often fail to get completed. Therefore, I try to finish something before moving on to the next thing. This is my form of quality control and as a result I rarely find myself feeling frazzled or like I have too much on my plate. I don’t sit still well, and I have a ton to do each day but proceeding in this manner helps me get it all done relatively easily and without stress.

An interesting observation? While Mary and I were in the hospital last week we were told by several of the nurses that everyone loved helping us out because we were so nice. We were just being ourselves but I’m sure they deal with all sorts of interesting characters there. I found this interesting because in my office it’s the same. Most of the people who come here are very kind and friendly and it makes us all want to help them and accommodate them even more. In the instances where we get people that are unkind and rude, we still help them but honestly, we’d prefer to simply not have their business. Years ago, I worked as an annuity specialist for John Hancock and dealt with many people via phone each day. When people were nice, I instinctively wanted to get them a great outcome and when they were mean I honestly didn’t care how it turned out for them. I have always remembered this, and our recent hospital trip was a great reminder of how being nice is always the best place to start.

What is it like having a baby girl after 3 boys? I’ve been raising boys for 14 years so it’s very new and exciting to have a little lady in the house now. I feel like a part of me that wasn’t alive before has now been activated. I find myself being more patient with her than I’ve ever been with my other children as infants (even in the middle of the night!) and she loves when I hold her, so we get a lot of time together. In addition, it’s amazing to see my 3 sons loving on her and caring for her!

Some quotes I love?

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” -Nelson Mandela

“Engage in combat fully determined to die and you will be alive; wish to survive in the battle and you will surely meet death.” – Uesugi Kenshin, Samurai Commander “God of War”

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

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – July 3

July 3, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 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.

How are you handling social media in these negative times? Honestly, I continue to be on social media less because of how angry and divisive it can be. My consumption of social media has always been about the positive and fun stuff and never really about the negativity or preaching to others. Therefore, if I get on there now and notice that I’m starting to feel bummed out or angry, I just get right off. If I see something cool, nice, funny, or uplifting then I am more than happy to engage. When I see things that I personally don’t agree with or care for, I simply let it be. A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of my oldest son and I at the shooting range and mentioned what a nice afternoon we had. A woman attacked me over it citing our political climate and other things. I just deleted her and moved on rather than worrying about defending myself. Life is too short to spend it arguing online with people you don’t even care about in the first place.

A recent inspiration? I have a patient that read my 5 Spot a couple months ago when I discussed the importance in our current times of focusing not just on defensive measures but on being proactive with your health first and foremost. He explained to me that he’d never really considered until he read that how much control he had over his own health. Prior to that time, he saw it mostly as just genetics and luck and he explained to me all the excuses he’d make when he wasn’t feeling like he thought he should. In the past 2 months he has lost over 20 pounds and continues to transform old unhealthy habits into healthier, lifestyle changes. In just 8 weeks, he is honestly already a different dude and it makes me so proud. He took responsibility for his health, changed his mindset, and then changed his habits and it’s making such a tremendous difference.

Something I’ve been enjoying? My youngest son is almost 2 now and he has a mutant form of my energy. As a result, he rarely slows down and wants to constantly be in motion. Both of his older brothers play football, so he seems drawn to the sport himself. Each morning before work and at night after work, he and walk to the football field by my house and he runs around with his ball yelling “set hike” again and again, jumping and diving. Watching him get so excited and sharing that time with him gives me a ton of joy and has been an amazing way to start and end my days. There’s a lot going on these days but during that time with him I don ‘t worry about anything except enjoying our time together.

What will you do for the 4^th of July? Anyone that knows me or has followed me on social media knows that I am extremely patriotic. For years now, on Memorial Day and 4^th of July (and often a couple other days throughout the year) I will do a long run carrying the American flag. Part of my runswill take me through trails where there are often runners and cyclists that get excited to see the flag and then as I run next to the main roads, many cars will honk and yell encouragement. It fills me with pride when people get excited over the flag, so I always enjoy doing it!

Some quotes I love?

“Stay away from negative people, they have a problem for every solution.” – Albert Einstein

“If you don’t program yourself, life will program you.” – Les Brown

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

All posts tagged: Littleton

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – January 22nd

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 25th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 18th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 11th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 4th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – November 27

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – November 20

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – September 25

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – August 21

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – July 3

Check us out on Facebook!

Recent Posts

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

Search

Archives