All posts tagged: Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – April 9th

April 9, 2021 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

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 analogy I think works. As parents we teach our children to respect their things. Treat your things with care so they don’t break or get lost. It’s simple but important – if you take care of it, it’ll remain in good condition and last a long time. As simple as this lesson is, as a doctor I see people each day that don’t follow this principle with their own bodies or health. We should put far more emphasis on caring for ourselves than we do on protecting inanimate objects. Not caring for our possessions can cost us money and aggravation but ignoring our bodies and health will cost far more in the long term. Ultimately, the best advice is to treat your own body like you care about it!

An exercise mistake I see often. As someone that has been working out since my teens, a former trainer and now a chiropractor; I see horrible form on leg exercises all the time. Most commonly, I see people overloading their knees on squats and/or lunges very often.

The way to tell if you’re doing this is to glance down at your knees – if they are forward of your toes on a squat or lunge then your form is not good. The reason this usually happens is that people tend to put too much pressure into their toes and front part of their feet which brings the knees forward. Instead, keep the weight toward the mid and back portion of the feet which will take pressure off and make it less likely you’ll start leaning forward and loading pressure onto the knees. I had a patient a couple months ago that mentioned knee pain during a couple of visits and then mentioned that he squatted every day. I asked him to demonstrate his form and it was a mess. I corrected that form with him, and the knee pain quickly went away.

A concept I believe in. A couple nights ago I was reading a book and relaxing on the couch as my son played with his superheroes. After a bit he came over and wanted me to play with him. I was tired and it was getting late (for me anyway!) and I almost told him to just go ahead and keep playing on his own. Instead, I put down the book and we played for about 30 minutes with his toys. He was extremely happy, and it was a simple yet great time for me as well.

This is an example of something I like to call an “effort moment.” These are times when we have plenty of justification for just being done but decide to go a little further. I’ve found this effective with my care of patients, during exercise, while running races and in personal life in situations like I just described. You just give a little bit more at the times when you feel least like doing so. The best part is that those few extra minutes of effort and dedication almost always produce some of the best moments and memories.

Question of the week. I’m not sure where I stumbled across this, but I saw somewhere recently the question of “what is your brand?” Meaning, if you were to ask all the people you interact with most, what would they say you are known for? Your personal brand will encompass how you treat others, the things people know are important to you, your values, habits and more. As a personal exercise, ask yourself what you think your brand is. If you’re happy with the answer, keep going. If not, start making a few changes. No brand will be (or should be) universally loved but you want to be proud of the one you’re putting forth!

Some quotes I love.

“Be careful in assuming anyone who praises you is your friend and anyone who criticizes you is your enemy.” – Ryan Michler

“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.” – John Dryden

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein

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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Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – March 12th

March 12, 2021 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

Something I’ve learned from coaching I think applies to life. In a couple of weeks, I’ll get to start coaching football again. It’s one of my favorite things to do and it provides many lessons time and again. One of the best lessons that it has taught me is to coach the player and the action differently. My assistant and I always ask for a maximum effort on each play because we know that aspect can be controlled. What is variable though is the outcome. Things often don’t go to plan and thus what we want to have happen, sometimes does not. When this occurs, we want to help the player by giving feedback to help them the next time. We do NOT want them to feel like they’re being personally attacked or a failure. Therefore, we coach the action of tackling, throwing, etc. and do not yell and scream at them (which breaks their spirit). In addition, we provide positive reinforcement to the player when they do well. This always gives us a team of young men that work extremely hard and are not afraid to make mistakes and learn.

I think this applies in life because sometimes when we try something and don’t succeed, we feel like a failure. There is a difference between failing at something and being a failure ourselves. Failing at something is an event, not a personality trait. Focusing on the actions we took/are taking instead of beating ourselves up personally over the outcome can then turn those failures into future successes. This leads to personal confidence and a willingness to try different things/ways of doing things.

An observation I continue to find interesting. Over the years I’ve cared for thousands of parents and their children. What always fascinates me is how children so often mirror the behavior of their mom and dad. For example, when I have parents that are chill and relaxed, their kids will jump right up on my table, ask great questions, and get adjusted like it’s no big deal. The uptight parents tend to have kids that are stressed out to even walk into my office. I could go on and on with examples, but the point is that the habits and behaviors of the parents are usually easily seen in their kids. None of us are perfect but focusing on what our actions say about us is far more constructive (and important) than just what we say.

When is a good time to start kids on exercise? A parent asked me some questions this week about when a good time is to get kids working out and my answer was as soon as possible. Exercise is like investing, the earlier you start the greater the long-term rewards and the easier it is.

For my kids I initially just let them try physical activities they seemed curious about or interested in. They might want to “run” with me, and they’d go a block or two or would do burpees with me, things like that. As they get older, I make exercise more of a regular event for them but still try to keep it fun. We’d do relay races, competitions, and things where they’d stay active but still enjoy it. As we tried different things, they’d begin to have favorites and we’d make those our staples. The goal is not to make it overly intense or boring, just to give them an appreciation of how much better they feel when they are in motion and planting the seed of why that should be a lifelong habit.

What is your favorite part of the day? I was interviewed by a businesswoman earlier this week and one of the questions she asked was what my favorite part of the day was. My answer was that I didn’t have a specific time but rather it was my routine that I liked most. I explained to her that by having my routine, I can remain in the moment with whatever I’m doing and thus enjoy it more. This structure allows me to have time to enjoy my kids and wife, exercise, work and “me time.” This also prevents me from becoming stressed or frazzled, helps me stay focused and I don’t feel as though one thing is taking time from another.

Some quotes I love.

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good for the great.” – Steve Prefontaine

“The truest measure of a man is what he can do without.” – Dean Karnazes

“You never, on your deathbed, are thrilled that you listened to everybody else.” – Gary Vaynerchuck

“The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” – William Pollard

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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Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – March 5th

March 5, 2021 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

Something I believe is important when dealing with people. We are living in an age now where people can and will freak out over even the slightest thing. I find myself less interested in having certain conversations but in those that do matter to me, I like to use the concept of “converse not confront.”

When you “converse” with someone you are trying to calmly listen to them, ask questions and respond with words that you choose carefully (and not in a way that insults them). This is meant to make both parties feel comfortable and is often a great way to proceed toward common ground. “Confronting” is when you let your emotions go, don’t choose words carefully and often ignore who is/is not around to hear it. This has its place but is something to be reserved for rare occasions. When someone is being unkind, malicious or is out of control, that’s when I am personally willing to switch into that mode. Of the two forms of communicating, confrontation can sometimes make you feel better in the moment, but conversing will usually get you a whole lot further.

An important observation. As most of you know, I have 4 children and the first 3 are boys. We are an extremely active family but, on days where we are less active (due to weather for example) I notice that their behavior becomes different. The older boys will get “chippy” with each other and the youngest will get upset over things that usually wouldn’t bother him. When this happens, either my wife or I will immediately get them doing something physical and without fail, they instantly feel better and act like themselves again. I bring this up because this same thing happens to adults as well. If we don’t burn off a certain amount of energy each day physically, that energy can turn to aggravation, annoyance, anxiety, stress and/or any number of other negative things. If this is you, try getting more physically active and watch how quickly you begin feeling better, handling stress more easily and becoming more productive. Make your energy work for you, not against you!

Do you like inversion tables? I am asked this almost daily and the answer is yes, in fact I have one of my own. Due to all the sitting most of us do, we are constantly compressing our spines. An inversion table is a simple way of using gravity to our advantage to alleviate pressure on our spines. As the spine is gently stretched it allows for pressure to be removed from the discs, vertebrae, nerves, and muscles which accelerates the healing process and helps with mobility and pain relief/maintenance. Some are wary of inversion tables because of too much blood rushing to the head while fully inverted however to get the benefits of an inversion table you do not need to fully invert (there are settings for less than 180 degrees). Even 2-3 minutes per day of inversion can make a tremendous difference to your spine and overall health.

A common nutrition mistake I often see after exercise. After a workout, your body needs the right nutrition to start rebuilding and repairing itself so that you can maximize the benefits of the activity. Ideally, you want to have protein within 45-60 minutes after exercise and carbs and fats as well, though they are not quite as important. When I used to train clients many years ago, I would often see this mistake being made and once we corrected it the results were always significant. As far as the type of protein you consume, that could come from eggs, meat, shakes, yogurt, nuts, peanut butter, beans, or various other sources. Make sure you’re getting enough protein after a workout and you’ll notice how much it helps.

Some quotes I love.

“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

“Comfort is where your growth goes to die.” – Eric Basek

“You will lose a lot of friends when you get serious about your goals. That’s why a Lamborghini has 2 seats, and a bus has 30.”

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Zig Ziglar

“The world is not full of a-holes, but they are strategically placed so that you’ll come across one every day.” – James Yeager

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 – January 8th

January 8, 2021 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

An important concept I follow. I was talking to a patient the other day and they were telling me how tough it was for them to run 3 miles and asked if I had any advice on how to make it easier. My response was “go out and run 5 miles.” They laughed but I was serious. Our bodies and minds are often bound by what we see as our normal or what is within our abilities. In this instance, 3 miles feels long to this person because the mind and body see it as the top end of potential. But if the person goes out and runs 5 miles then the “normal” is reset. Suddenly 3 miles is not daunting and seems a whole lot easier. This concept can apply to anything in your life. If you want to get to a higher level, I recommend that you always be looking to reset your normal – go a little further, harder, faster, etc. You will achieve far more than you dreamed you could, and it will make your everyday life far different over time!

A show I really enjoyed. I have not watched much TV over the last few months but stumbled onto a show recently that I love. On Apple TV there is a show called “Ted Lasso” about a football coach that goes to England to coach a pro soccer team. It’s fictional and lighthearted but I really enjoy certain aspects of it. What speaks to me most is the main character’s overwhelming positivity and desire to motivate people by forming connections and trying to help them discover their own greatness and unique gifts. As someone that is very positive and loves to celebrate the success of others this show really speaks to me. Also, before he died my brother-in-law kept telling me how great the show was. He was also a super positive person that motivated those he interacted with, so somehow it makes the show even better for me by seeing things in the show that I know would’ve really spoken to his personality.

What is my chiropractic specialty? I’m often asked what my specialty is and though I don’t technically have any additional fancy letters after my name, I would consider myself a general practitioner with lots of experience in many patient types. I see a lot of athletes, families, pregnant women, provide care for ongoing wellness and those seeking pain relief. I think this has come about naturally for me because I have always been an athlete myself, have 4 children of my own and have utilized chiropractic to both maintain my health and bail me out of some bad jams when I’m in pain. There are other case types that I can assist with, but these are my favorites because I have so much firsthand experience with them both in my personal life and throughout my years of practice.

An important health concept. When it comes to your health, you likely have things you swear by – certain supplements, treatments, forms of exercise, etc. That is a great thing but something to keep in mind is that your health will never be made by only one thing, habit, or treatment. Obviously, I love chiropractic but even the best adjustment will not solve all your health problems.

Ultimately your health is made up of how you care for your body physically (exercise, stretching, treatments like chiropractic or massage, etc.), what you put into it (food, drinks, alcohol, medications, etc.) and how you think (frame of mind, positive or negative self-talk, etc.). Stick with what works for you but try not to neglect any of the three major areas. If you try in all three aspects, you will find that the things you rely on will work even better for you. As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I can tell you that patients that are physically active, positive and eat even somewhat decently get better faster and stay healthier than those that do not.

(I got the following question about 2 minutes before submitting this) “With so much bad stuff going around us, when do you just kind of give up?” Never.

Some quotes I love.

“There is no weapon more deadly than the Will.” – Bruce Lee

“Professionals stick to the schedule, amateurs let life get in the way.” – James Clear

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

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

December 18, 2020 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

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

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

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

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

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

All posts tagged: Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – April 9th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – March 12th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – March 5th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – January 8th

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

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