March 2024 Newsletter
Have you ever noticed that Sequoia Chiropractic’s clinical care hours coincide with school hours? That’s because being a chiropractor isn’t my only job. When school’s out for the day, I tutor students from 4th to 11th grade in math, science, AP psychology, and English enrichment.
I love my students. I perpetually find satisfaction in learning about who they are and how they learn so that I can help them reach their potential. I pride myself on being compassionate (Learning is hard! It changes the brain!) and giving students room to fail (it’s part of the process) while still believing fully in their capability for success.
This month I’ve been embarking on a new adventure that combines my love of teaching with my love of chiropractic: creating continuing education coursework to be hosted online through my alma mater, Palmer College of Chiropractic.
While continuing education courses are geared toward my fellow chiropractors, it got me thinking about what topics YOU might be curious to learn from me. I came up with a few ideas:
This or That: How to prioritize foods that fight inflammation
The best back-saving core exercises to do every day
How to read a nutrition label to select foods for optimal health
How chiropractic works to get your body healing better (and when to call one)
What patients need to know about different chiropractic techniques
Demystifying evidence-based care and what to look for in a doctor
Any of those sound interesting to you, or does something else come to mind? You can share your input by replying to this email. I’ll use your input to shape future newsletters.
Just like with the students I tutor, I love my patients and find joy in sharing the knowledge I have to allow them (you!) the opportunity to reach their full potential in health and in life. I would love to hear from you about the best ways my knowledge can serve you.
Yours in health,
Just a few days ago I marked the eighth anniversary since graduating with my doctorate of chiropractic. Time flies!
Announcements
Sequoia Chiropractic will be closed on Friday, March 29th and Monday, April 1st.
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.
If your business or organization would like to arrange a guest talk or article, email drphillips@sequoiachiro.com.
Check out Sequoia Chiropractic on social media!
Book Recommendations
Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore
Patric Richardson with Karin B. Miller
Along the lines of learning, allow me to recommend Laundry Love. Before reading this book, I thought I knew how to do laundry, but Patric Richardson led me to overhaul my entire process. Because of what I learned, I almost never hand-wash items, nor do I take clothes to the dry cleaners, and I have succumbed to the habit of making my own laundry detergent (it’s totally worth it). Using the methods here, I save water, energy, and treat the environment and my clothes with love, just as the author instructs. And my towels never stink like they used to! Laundry Love includes a supply list to stock your laundry room and a detailed list of what to use for all kinds of stains, too.
The Whale and the Cupcake: Stories of Subsistence, Longing, and Community in Alaska
Julia O’Malley
I once heard author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) give the advice to follow your curiosity. That’s exactly how I ended up reading The Whale and the Cupcake. I was curious about Alaska! I had just finished reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, set in Alaska, and I had to know more about life there. The Whale and the Cupcake takes readers on a culinary adventure through native traditions and current trends of Alaska’s food culture. From the unique features of Costco in Anchorage to the use of whale blubber in a frozen dessert, you’ll be delighted by the ingenuity and the beauty of all kinds of food in the far-flung state.
Health Affirmation
You feel stuck in a rut. What’s your next move? How do you decide? Instead of getting hung up on what you think you ought to do, consider what entices you.
In the realm of health, what could it look like to follow your curiosity? Try a new food or take a walk around your neighborhood. Throw on a youtube video to learn a new way to get moving, like zumba or HIIT. Find a recipe to change up your routine.
The key is to take the first step before you shoot yourself down. And if you don’t really like what you found with that first step, you can always course-correct by following your curiosity to the next place it takes you.
Nutrition Spotlight: New Probiotic!
I am excited to be recommending a new probiotic this month from Integrative Therapeutics called Pro-Biome.
Why take a probiotic? As I explain in a youtube video, probiotics have three main purposes.
Normalize the gut, meaning you move your bowels every day, and your stool is not too hard, not too loose.
Manage stress via the gut-brain axis, in which your brain and digestive system’s neural network are closely connected and affect each other.
Support the immune system by maintaining the level of good bacteria in your colon which makes your body less habitable to other microbes that might attempt to make your body their home.
In a daily probiotic, look for a variety of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. These are the bacteria native to the human gut that will survive well and support you best once they end up in your colon.
In the past I have recommended probiotics from a different brand that required refrigeration. I prefer Pro-Biome probiotics because they DO NOT require refrigeration. You don’t have to pay extra for fast shipment with an ice pack like other brands require, and you can leave the bottle wherever you’ll see it and remember to take it.
Furthermore, I appreciate Integrative Therapeutic’s dedication to truth in labeling: they’ve done the testing to show that the 50 billion CFUs they promise in each capsule of Pro-Biome are still living even months past the expiration date.
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. To receive Dr. Phillips’ expert nutritional guidance, call 626-346-0977.
One More Thing
When I began tutoring five years ago, I was reminded of how hard it is on the spine to sit for hours at a time. Unwilling to spend a lot of my money, I gave the low-tech inflatable balance disc a try. Problem solved. The balance disc is my super-cheap back saver for seated work. Without this my low back would be screaming at me day in and day out. Instead, I feel almost no effect from sitting in one spot for half a day or more.
There’s no particular brand that’s cornered the market on this type of product–feel free to search for an inflatable balance disc wherever you like to shop and pick your favorite color!
See you in April!
May you enjoy your spring break (if you get one), follow your curiosity into fun times, and take care of yourself. 🌼
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