November 2024 Newsletter
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What’s the difference between pain and suffering? The first is neurological, the second emotional. Pain is sensed in specialized nerve endings which send a message to the brain that tissue damage is occurring at that particular place in the body. Suffering is the interpretation of that pain, the distress it causes you, the fear it instills, the loss of joy in one’s body.
When you’re in a state of pain and subsequent suffering, you don’t really care about the difference between the two. You’re hurting! You just want it to stop! That’s how my patients feel when they first come to me. They come in pain. They are suffering.
Chiropractic can help. Chiropractic is aimed at the pain loop: it creates better communication between the brain and body by way of the spine. Adjusting the spine at any given level will not only affect the vertebra but the nerves going in and out of the spine at that level, the messages they send to the brain, and the instructions the brain sends back out to the body.
With chiropractic, the brain can guide healing based on accurate information, and pain diminishes. But that’s just the beginning. Some of the suffering may still be ingrained. You may be afraid to do things that caused the pain to flare before. You may feel angry of all that the pain has robbed you. You may not feel ready to try new things. But with chiropractic, there’s the possibility of suffering less and doing more.
Yours in health,
Announcements
Sequoia Chiropractic will be closed to home visits from Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29.
Looking even further ahead, Sequoia Chiropractic will also be closed to home visits from Tuesday, December 24 through Thursday, December 26.
NEW HOURS Sequoia Chiropractic is now open for home visits on Tuesday and Thursday 7pm-8:30pm (established patients only). The rest of Sequoia Chiropractic’s clinical care hours will remain the same as before, MTWF 9am-3pm. 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.
Care to share a few words about your experience with Sequoia Chiropractic? Leave a review by searching for “Sequoia Chiropractic Pasadena” on Google or Yelp. Even a sentence or two helps others feel confident choosing Dr. Phillips as their chiropractor.
Did you know Sequoia Chiropractic has special rates for families and groups? Leave a voicemail or text at 626-346-0977 to get started.
Sequoia Chiropractic is offering a new service free to newsletter subscribers. Receive a focused nutrition consultation with Dr. Phillips via phone or video call. To get started, fill out this form. You’ll receive personalized advice on foods and/or supplements for a healthy foundation based on your unique needs and goals.
Book Recommendations
To find the list of current and previous books featured in the newsletter, head to Sequoia Chiropractic’s bookshop.org storefront.
Cat People: A Comic Collection
Hannah Hillam
This month’s books are not under the usual umbrella of health, science and culture. (Sorry!)
Last week I had the joy of meeting in person one of my absolute favorite web comics, Hannah Hillam. She and Sarah Andersen (Sarah’s Scribbles) were guests for an event at Vroman’s in Pasadena, a local bookstore with tons of books and bookish gifts (ahem, Christmas is coming).
Hannah just speaks to me with her very weird, surrealist take on life as expressed in classic 4-panel comics. Cat People is her first book starring herself and a cat in a role reversal: the cat adopts and takes care of her, his new pet. Hilarious as expected, the book also led Hannah to get more vulnerable in her comics than she has done in the past, and in her own words, she is “glad with how it turned out,” as am I!
Joni Mitchell: In Her Own Words
Conversations with Malka Marom
In celebration of Joni Mitchell’s concert at the Hollywood Bowl last month, I want to recommend a piece of Joni second to her music: her words. (While I couldn’t attend the concert, I did enjoy her surprise appearance last fall at a concert held in memory of Wayne Shorter, with whom she collaborated.) She is just so full of wisdom and I loved every bit of this book. I was surprised by details of her childhood and how she came to be who she is. Some souls just shine on the world, and I think Joni is one of them.
Health Affirmation
When in doubt, choose the most loving thing.
I encountered this statement on the license plate frame of a driver in front of me, and I think it’s a useful reminder in all kinds of settings.
It’s not always clear what exactly is the loving thing to do. Is it an act of love to give yourself grace to indulge in a sweet treat? Is it an act of love to push yourself to exercise? I think it comes down to being in tune with your body, noticing the sensations you experience and what they might mean. When you listen to your body, paying attention to its strengths as well as its needs, you’ll know in the moment what would feel most loving.
Nutrition Spotlight
When I think of fall I think of big bowls of chili, pumpkin spice, and chai tea, all of which contain cinnamon. Cinnamon is a warming spice that improves circulation and digestion, perfect for cooler weather and shorter days.
There are two types of cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon, the one usually found on grocery store shelves, is more pungent and works well in savory dishes, whereas ceylon cinnamon is a bit sweeter and brighter (think of Red Hots candy).
Ever wonder why so many fall and winter desserts have cinnamon in them? I wonder if way back in the times of traditional herbalism it was known, as it is today, that cinnamon can reduce blood sugar and help your body manage sugar when it’s eaten. Adding cinnamon to a sweet treat would improve digestion and optimize metabolism of the sugar. It’s too clever not to have been intentional, don’t you think?
So when you reach for a slice of pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving, enjoy knowing that the cinnamon will warm you from the inside and help you digest the meal you just ate, and then keep your blood sugar in check after dessert.
If you want to be more intentional about using cinnamon to regulate your blood sugar, stick to about ½ tsp per day. You can add it to a variety of breakfast foods including fruit smoothies. I also recommend ceylon cinnamon over cassia cinnamon, not for flavor, but because it’s better for the liver. One warning: daily cinnamon supplementation is a no-no for anyone on blood thinners. If you want to learn more about cinnamon and health, check out Learning Herbs’ cinnamon summary.
To receive Dr. Phillips’ expert nutritional guidance and personalized recommendations, sign up for a free focused nutrition consultation by tapping the button below.
One More Thing
Last month I had the opportunity to lead a workshop at Aion Training, Pasadena’s premier personal training studio for people 40+. We covered shoulder stretches, exercises, and natural remedies for dealing with shoulder pain. It was great to see so many people eager to overcome the obstacle of pain and get their bodies in motion.
If you’re 40 years of age or more and ready to get in shape, Aion is the place to start. The trainers are so positive and uplifting, and they don’t expect every joint in your body to work perfectly. It’s a judgment-free zone to empower you and help you do more than you ever thought possible!
See you in December!
Thank you for reading the newsletter. If you have a friend who would enjoy it, please invite them to subscribe. If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, subscribe here.
