All posts tagged: pain relief

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

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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
Matt KenneyDr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – January 22nd
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Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 11th

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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 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
Matt KenneyDr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 11th
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Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – November 13

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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 type of workout I’ve been enjoying?  Over the past week I have gotten back into some boxing workouts.  I have a heavy bag at my house and after I lift weights, I’ll often do 10-15 minutes worth of boxing drills.  I enjoy it as a great stress reliever and because it works many muscles that I don’t often engage with running or weightlifting.  If you don’t have a heavy bag, you can do all sorts of shadow boxing workouts (there are many available online if you’re looking for ideas).

What is my view on mandates?  I was asked this question in several different forms this week, so I figured I’d address it.  Chiropractic is statistically the safest (by far) of any aspect of medicine and obviously I make my living by providing this service to patients each day.  If tomorrow a mandate came down that every single person had to get adjusted by a chiropractor, I would fight against it.  Though chiropractic care has been documented to save on health expenses and improve quality of life (not to mention it would help my business interests), I still could not support it.  I believe people have a right to choose what they do or do not do to their own bodies and though mandates may have noble intentions, there is always downside that must be considered.  Personally, I trust those around me to make the best decisions they can for themselves and trust only myself to choose what is best for me.

Something I recommend?  Recently I’ve started going back and looking at photo albums I’d made previously on my phone.  These are albums of special occasions, football seasons, births, races, everyday times, etc.  Time flies by so quickly that we often forget how many great memories we’ve experienced.  Going back through so many photos recently I have relived some amazing times and it’s been a wonderful boost for me.  Even photos that remind of tough times or people I’ve lost still benefit me greatly as well.  Check out some of your old photos and relive some good stuff for yourself!

Can anything be done for feeling dizzy?  Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of vertigo — that feeling you get that you’re spinning or feeling dizzy.  This is something I’ve treated for years.  What I’ve found is that the upper neck is usually misaligned causing a displacement of tiny crystals within the ears causing an altered flow of fluid in the inner ear.  At that point, the message that goes to your brain becomes distorted and your body becomes confused as to whether you’re standing, lying down, etc. and you get a sudden dizzy feeling.  It’s usually triggered by a turning motion to one side or moving the head up or down.  As terrible and unnerving as these symptoms can be, usually 1-3 adjustments to the upper neck area fully resolve the vertigo.  I’ve received many referrals from ENT’s over the years to help patients that came to them with this problem. 

Some quotes I love? 

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg.  It’s about what you’re made of, not the circumstance.” – Inky Johnson

“I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” – Thomas Jefferson

“The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare.” – Zig Ziglar

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
Matt KenneyDr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – November 13
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8 Most common reasons patients need my help

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As a chiropractor, I’m often asked by friends and acquaintances what initially prompts patients to come see me. Today I’ll share some of the most common.

· Pain and symptom relief. This is generally the most common reason patients initially come to see me. A thorough evaluation helps to identify problems caused by the spine which then can be fixed by a good chiropractor.

· Reducing reliance on pain medication. There is no doubt that medication has an important place in our medical system. However, many people come to me frustrated at their reliance upon over the counter or prescription medications to feel better throughout the day. Many of my patients are people seeking out a natural way eliminate or reduce their use of pain medications.

· Improving motion. When I meet with a patient for the first time they often tell me they feel older than they are or that they move like the tin man. In many cases the causes of this are spinal issues that I can correct.

· Preventing arthritis or slowing the progression of arthritis. Just like your teeth can get decay, so too can your spine. Spinal decay is known as arthritis and is caused by lack of joint motion and incorrect positioning of your spine. Regular checkups can help prevent arthritis (if not yet present) or prevent it from getting worse (if already present).

· Pregnancy. As the body changes during pregnancy it places great stress on the spine. By re-aligning the spine I’m able to help alleviate a great deal of pregnancy-related discomfort. Trust me when I tell you, no group of my patients are happier with the relief chiropractic provides more than pregnant women!

· Healthier children. Some are surprised to know that pediatrics is a large part of my patient base. Parents trust me to care for their children for reasons ranging from ear infections and colic to general wellness. Having cared for so many children over the years (including my own) I can say first hand that regular chiropractic checkups for children make an enormous, positive impact upon health and development.

· Improved athletic performance. Nearly every professional team has a chiropractor on staff. The reason is that with a properly functioning musculoskeletal system athletes are able to perform better, recover quicker and more effectively prevent injuries. I continue to help athletes across a variety of sports by addressing sport-specific issues of their spines and extremities.

· Better overall health. Your nervous system controls your entire body and a large portion of that nerve system is protected by your spine. Therefore, you may be surprised to learn that keeping your spine healthy actually helps improve overall health. I cannot tell you how many thousands of times I have helped a patient with their spine that has in turn produced an immediate and dramatic improvement in some aspect of health they were not expecting.

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

Matt Kenney8 Most common reasons patients need my help
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