February 2024
A Letter from Dr. Phillips
A belated Happy New Year, and an early Happy Valentine’s Day!
Maybe you have resolved to get healthy this year, or you want to show yourself some love by getting a chiropractic adjustment. What does it look like to become a patient of Sequoia Chiropractic?
First, you reach out: leave a voicemail, text, or email and I’ll get back to you ASAP. We’ll have a conversation, discuss how chiropractic can help you, and figure out when to schedule a visit.
Next, you’ll get an email. It will include all the information you need about the first visit, and it will allow you to confirm the date, time, and your address. In addition, the email will include a PDF of the new patient paperwork. If you can, print and fill it out before I arrive. (I’ll bring a blank copy to the appointment just in case.)
When it’s time for our visit, I’ll bring myself and my table to your front door; it takes less than 2 minutes to set it up. Then we’ll talk through your health concerns and goals, you’ll receive an exam of your spine, and we’ll get to the adjustment. Finally, we’ll come up with a plan to figure out when and how often I will return in order to reach your goals.
Here’s the best part–you’ll stand up from the chiropractic table and be amazed that it’s even possible to feel as good as you do. At least, that’s how I always feel after an adjustment!
Yours in health,
Announcements
Sequoia Chiropractic’s clinical care hours are MTWF 9am-2pm. If you have a new injury that needs urgent care outside of these hours, call or text 626-346-0977. Feel free to leave a voicemail or text ANY TIME and Dr. Phillips will return contact as soon as possible.
Check out Sequoia Chiropractic on social media!
Need a health and wellness speaker for your local event? How about a guest article or blog post? You can email Dr. Phillips at drphillips@sequoiachiro.com.
Book Recommendations
I love to read, and in each newsletter I recommend a book or two pertaining to health. You can find them at your local library, or to purchase a copy, head to Sequoia Chiropractic’s bookshop.org storefront.
Taking Charge of Your Fertility
Toni Weschler, MPH
Okay, this recommendation may be a bit on the nose for Valentine’s Day, but I stand by it. (Family planning is for lovers, amiright?!) Whether you want to get pregnant or avoid getting pregnant, Toni Weschler’s fertility awareness method allows a woman to know when she is fertile and when she isn’t. She can understand when she is ovulating just by tracking basal body temperature and cervical fluid characteristics. Seems simple, but if it were, this book wouldn’t be 400 pages long! Weschler discusses the nuances and interpretation of these two signs in combination, and also describes what patterns might arise in conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis. If someone were asking for my professional advice on cycles and fertility, this is the one book I would point them toward.
All the Young Men
Ruth Coker Burks
This is a memoir from a woman who shouldered the burden of caring for men with AIDS before HIV and AIDS were understood. Scrappy, principled, and compassionate, she defied the prevailing attitudes of fear and disgust toward the gay community and instead saw their humanity first and foremost. She cared for them when so few would, and here she tells their stories. But it’s also her story–about how one caring impulse took her on an unexpected journey.
Interested in exploring past book recommendations? Head to Sequoia Chiropractic’s bookshop.org storefront to view all of Dr. Phillips’ past picks.
Health Affirmation
Think about all the things your hands do in a day. They wash and dress you, they prepare your food and bring it to your mouth. They type on the computer and tap on your phone. They steer your car, tidy your home. They gesture and convey and hug and carry. Now, imagine that your heart were to extend through your hands, and imbue every action with love and care. How would that change yourself and the way you impact others?
This affirmation was inspired by a saying by Aja Monet:
Nutrition Spotlight
Have you ever eaten a hearty meal only to feel a pang on the right side of your torso below the ribcage? Maybe you find yourself avoiding richer foods because you can imagine the heavy feeling in your gut that you’ll get thereafter? Sounds like your gallbladder could use a little TLC!
The gallbladder is nestled on the right side of your abdomen by your liver. (In the diagram above it appears on the left because it’s on the body’s right.) The liver’s bile is concentrated in the gallbladder and then enters the small intestine so that you can digest and absorb the fat and oil in the food you eat. Even eating 5-10 grams of fat will cause your gallbladder to pump out bile.
However, the gallbladder can get stressed and lose efficiency at times, making it harder to break down fats in our food. That’s when I suggest A-F Betafood, a supplement for gallbladder support. It’s produced by Standard Process, a whole-foods supplement company that sources specific nutrients from whole food sources, rather than isolating nutrients in a lab. I take A-F Betafood myself at times and find it to be a sure-fire way to get my digestion back on track.
What if you don’t have your gallbladder? Plenty of people don’t! You can support your ability to digest especially rich meals with a supplement of bile salts. I suggest Standard Process Cholacol. You can take it occasionally or daily with meals depending on your needs.
At every chiropractic visit you have the opportunity to bring up nutrition concerns and receive my advice and recommendations. You can also schedule a nutrition consultation with me over Zoom, after which you will receive a personalized nutrition plan. Supplements can be purchased for home delivery using Fullscript, where my patients receive 10% off every order.
To receive Dr. Phillips’ expert nutritional guidance, call or text 626-346-0977.
Interested in exploring nutritional supplements recommended by Dr. Phillips? Check out Sequoia Chiropractic’s Fullscript catalog of favorites by tapping the button below. Creating a patient account is free.
One More Thing
My new obsession is flax seed pudding. Flax seeds are a great source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are essential nutrients. Fiber is great for your colon, and omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart and brain health along with being anti-inflammatory.
The best way to consume flax seeds is ground rather than whole. Eaten whole, they have a tendency to pass right through you, and there’s not much nutritional benefit to that.
Also, note that flax seeds of any kind need to be refrigerated once a package is opened. They go rancid quite quickly at room temperature.
Here’s how to make flax seed pudding:
Grind ¼ cup flax seeds (or you can buy flax seed meal–done!)
Combine with ½ cup almond milk (any plant-based milk will do).
Add a pinch of salt and a *little* maple syrup if you want.
Stir it up and let it sit in the fridge overnight. (It needs an hour at minimum.)
The next day, mix in whatever toppings you’d like. I’ve been doing almond butter and strawberry jelly. Other ideas: banana slices and peanut butter, blueberries and pecans. Can you tell I’m partial to nut-fruit combos?
You can also make a large batch and refrigerate it in single-serve containers to have ready to go any time you need a quick snack. Bon appetit!
Convenient and tasty, but not the most photogenic snack on-the-go 😆
See you in March!
If you have a friend who would enjoy the newsletter, please share it with them. They can sign up here.
Do you have thoughts or questions you’d like to share? Email drphillips@sequoiachiro.com.
The next issue will come out in March. Until then, my friends!
