October ‘23 Newsletter
A Letter from Dr. Phillips
Last week I visited my hometown and encountered not one, not two, but three people experiencing neck pain who asked for adjustments.
The first had significant tension in the muscles around her neck. I did soft tissue work (similar to massage) and a low-force adjustment applying gentle, prolonged pressure to specific areas of her neck with her seated in a chair. No twist, no pop, but still hands-on healing.
The second was delighted to see I had traveled with my activator. A hand-held adjusting instrument, the activator provides a precise adjustment that puts an impulse into the spine very quickly. She also received her adjustment seated.
This is a photo from a clinic service trip to Manaus, Brazil in 2015. I’m using the activator to adjust the patient’s ribs here.
For the third I had to improvise. Without my adjusting table I had her lie on the floor. I kneeled beside her head and shoulders to adjust her neck using the typical turn, twist, and light thrust that produces a little pop sound, followed by soft tissue work by hand on her shoulders with her seated.
Despite what textbooks indicate about the uniformity of the human form, neck anatomy is unique to the person and calls for different approaches depending on their history and their symptoms. I tailor the care I provide to each individual so that they feel better, move better, and can do more of what they love to do.
If your neck is giving you trouble, there’s no need to put up with it and muddle through. Give me a call to get back on track so that you can live a life without limits. If the idea of having your neck adjusted seems scary (‘tis spooky season, after all!) rest assured that we can find the right approach to put you at ease and provide you relief.
Yours in health,
Announcements
Sequoia Chiropractic’s home visit hours are MTWF 9am-2pm. If you need to get ahold of Dr. Phillips outside of these hours, feel free to leave a voicemail or text message any time and Dr. Phillips will get back to you within a business day. If you have a new injury that needs urgent care outside of these hours, call or text 626-346-0977 and Dr. Phillips will respond ASAP.
Heads up: Sequoia Chiropractic will be closed Wednesday, November 22 through Friday, November 24 for Thanksgiving.
Did you know Sequoia Chiropractic has a youtube channel? Check out the latest videos on Vitamin D and how Sequoia Chiropractic puts patients first. Be sure to subscribe while you’re there.
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Need a health and wellness speaker for your local event? How about a guest article written by a health expert? You can email Dr. Phillips at drphillips@sequoiachiro.com.
Book Recommendation
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, tap the link to Sequoia Chiropractic’s bookshop.org storefront.
Eat Up!
Ruby Tandoh
I love the warm tone of the essays in this collection. Tandoh wants her readers to fall back in love with food, shedding the layers of diet culture inculcation regarding what’s good and bad to eat, what a body should look like, and treating food as a discipline. Instead she talks about food’s role in culture and community, how to find pleasure in food, and celebrating the creativity and joy of preparing and eating food. Scattered throughout the book are simple recipes (no ingredient lists or measurements, just basic steps to follow) to try out and share with the people you love. It’s a delightful read to set yourself up for the upcoming holidays that can be fraught concerning food, but as Tandoh shows us, don’t have to be.
Health Affirmation
When it comes to your size, your health, and what you choose to put in and on your body, the only input you need is yours. Your size does not indicate your morals or character. The foods you eat are for your own nourishment and pleasure. The ingredients you say yes or no to are yours to approve or disapprove.
So when you’re deciding whether to have that scoop of ice cream or what deodorant to use, remember your opinion is the one that matters.
Maybe this affirmation has you squirming–what about vaccines and the greater good? What about those who are pregnant or breastfeeding? Let’s not get into the weeds–no affirmation resounds across all situations. This affirmation reminds you to reclaim power in decisions that affect you and your body alone.
Your body is your existence, and only you get to make decisions about it. Bodily autonomy is yours to assert.
Nutrition Spotlight
My nana once told me she eats an apple a day because it keeps her “regular”. With what I know about nutrition, her statement makes perfect sense. An apple keeps your gastro-intestinal tract moving because it has fiber.
Dietary fiber includes carbohydrates that, unlike sugar, are not absorbed into the body for energy but travel the full length of the GI tract. Fiber helps move material through the intestines by adding bulk, balancing water content in the intestines, and feeding good bacteria in the colon.
How much fiber do you need every day? Check the table above to find the federal guideline that applies to you.
Here are sources of fiber to make sure you get plenty every day:
Prunes are a classic example of high-fiber food. Other fruits high in fiber are raspberries, pears, and apples.
Brussels sprouts, kale, and sweet potatoes are high-fiber veggies.
Beans are an excellent fiber source, particularly split peas, lentils, and black beans.
Whole grains will also provide fiber with barley being the standout.
This month I don’t have a supplement to recommend— just the suggestion to get your fiber the old-fashioned way, through the foods you eat.
One More Thing
If you have never experienced hemorrhoids, consider yourself #blessed. For the rest of us, I have a little something special to recommend that provides sweet relief from all the discomfort hemorrhoids can cause: Forces of Nature homeopathic remedies for hemorrhoids and fissures.
First, these products are a godsend for symptom relief. Second, they are free from red-flag ingredients like parabens.
There are two versions: one for hemorrhoids (agh), one for fissures (oof). If you can’t find one, then use the other; they are practically interchangeable in my experience. However, if you read the box print, the hemorrhoid one heals the problem and relieves symptoms, whereas the fissure version is primarily aimed at relief. The big-name retailers and pharmacies should have at least one type in stock.
Thank you for reading the newsletter! If you have a friend who would enjoy it, please share it with them. See you in November, and Happy Halloween!
