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.
On social media I see you exercising with your boys, any advice for getting your kids to workout with you? I’ve been asked this many times and I believe there are a couple things that have worked so far for my boys and I. First, I try to make it fun. This can be accomplished through variety of exercise, types of workouts, where we do the workouts and so much more. I’ve had them outside on a football field at 5am, flipping tires, running, hiking 14ers and anything else you can imagine. Keeping it fresh and less formal makes it fun for them to participate without feeling like we HAVE to do it. Second, I am a fan of setting up challenges. I name our workouts or set some type of goal and reward for our workouts. This gives the kids something to shoot for but accomplishing the goal gives them another notch of success on their belt. The more of these they accomplish the more their confidence grows, and I think that is a huge part of what we’re trying to accomplish. Finally, I think participating in the workouts with my boys creates a team dynamic that we all enjoy. Keep it fun, set up challenges and participate with your kids as they do it!
Are most spinal issues just due to genetics? I’m asked this every day and you may be surprised to find out that most are not. Things such as rheumatoid arthritis that have an autoimmune component definitely are, and there are other exceptions as well. However, osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint or disc disease) is not genetic. If you have parents that have suffered from severe arthritis in their spines (knees, hips, etc. as well) but you do a good job of stretching, exercising, getting adjusted, etc. then there is no reason that you would have to suffer as well. When it comes to your spine, most of what you experience will be a reflection of your habits rather than your genetics.
What does your cryotherapy machine do? As most of you know I own another business within my building that specializes in whole body cryotherapy. As a result, I’m asked about it constantly. Quite simply, it involves a brief but comfortable exposure to extreme cold (-260 F) for 3 minutes. This amount of time is long enough to stimulate a specific physiological reaction but not long enough so that you’d freeze or feel super cold. Exposing your body to this cold stimulates the release of anti-inflammatory proteins, endorphins, immunity boosters, hormones and more. As a result, people use it for pain relief, reducing inflammation (often in lieu of anti-inflammatory medications), improving athletic recovery, recovery from injuries, sleep issues and much more. Anything that uses cold to help the body is technically cryotherapy but our unit uses liquid nitrogen to cool the air around you so that you can get far more benefit throughout your entire body (not just 1 area) in just 3 minutes. It may sound extreme, but it really is not and don’t worry, 99% of the people that love it don’t even like cold to begin with.
A book I love? One of my all-time favorites is “The Boys in the Boat: An Epic Journey to the Heart of Hitler’s Berlin” by Daniel James Brown. This is the true story of a man with a tough upbringing joining 8 other men in their quest to get to the Berlin Olympics and hopefully win gold. To me, it is an epic story of overcoming odds and finding trust and strength in those around us. This book motivates and inspires me, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Some quotes I love? (I went with a Father’s Day theme this week – these quotes reflect lessons and beliefs I follow as a father myself)
“The best way of training the young is to train yourself at the same time; not to admonish them, but to be seen never doing that of which you would admonish them.” –Plato
“One of the greatest things a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” –Howard W. Hunter
“Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” –Charles Kettering
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”
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