Sharp Curve Ahead

By Dr. Nikki

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This afternoon, my co-pilot pup, Rocky, and I went out for a walk along the Trinity Trail. As we strolled along, we came across a sign that said “Sharp Curve Ahead”. I found myself thinking ”Wouldn’t it be nice if we had signs like that for life??” You know, signs that said “job loss ahead” or “cross-country move ahead” or even “illness ahead”. One of the biggest unexpected “sharp curves” that come up in life are health issues. I wonder if we knew ahead of time that a specific disease was headed our way, would we live our lives a little differently? Oftentimes, we spend the first half of our lives chasing wealth to then spend the second half of our lives chasing health.

The good news is that while we may not have a sign telling us what lies ahead in regards to our health, we can make decisions on a daily basis to prolong our years with a healthier life! Here are five basics that we can all implement right away. While they may seem simple, I find myself needing reminders on all of these at some point throughout a given day, week or month.

1. Get sleep! Sleep is imperative for our brain and body to heal. It also greatly impacts our immune function and cognitive ability. 7 - 8 hours of sleep per night is a great goal!

2. Hydrate! Our bodies are over 55% water and we use it in every single cell, organ and tissue. It is essential for the regulation of all bodily functions. Aim for 50% of your body weight in ounces of water per day!

3. Taste the Rainbow! Getting a variety of fruits and veggies in our diet is essential. By including a “rainbow” of colors in produce on our plate, we are increasing the amount and variety of vitamins and minerals that we are consuming.

4. Stay Active! Maybe crushing a workout at the gym isn’t your thing, that’s ok!  Whether it’s going for a 20 minute walk, going for a bike ride, taking the stairs, trying a pilates or barre class or simply letting loose and dancing, movement is the key!

5. Find Your Tribe! As humans, we were created to be social. I know some of the introverts may be cringing right now, but it’s true! Make sure you have one or two people who you can bounce things off of and just do life with! It doesn’t need to be a quest for popularity, just a few people to hold one another accountable and lift each other up in times of need.

While I didn’t include chiropractic care in the 5 basic tips, regular chiropractic adjustments are extremely beneficial in maintaining proper function of the spine and nervous system. Since this is what allows our brain to talk to our body and our body to talk to our brain, it’s kind of important! To schedule your next appointment with Dr. Nikki, click here and if you have any questions about any of the other tips for staying healthy, we would love to hear from you!

Powerful Produce

By Dr. Nikki

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Throughout any given day we are exposed to a plethora of toxins which result in oxidative stress within the body and cause bad molecules, known as free radicals, to form. These free radicals go around attacking and attaching to healthy atoms, causing damage to cells, proteins, and DNA! While you probably aren't looking for a chemistry lesson, I want to paint a picture of why it’s important that we do what we can to prevent and get rid of free radicals! This is where antioxidants enter the scene, preventing the free radicals from causing damage throughout the body.

So how do we get antioxidants? Antioxidants are not something that our bodies can make, but are found in a variety of foods!

A food that is seriously jam-packed with antioxidant power is turmeric! Widely known as an ingredient in Indian foods, turmeric is a root that looks similar to ginger but has a rich orange/yellow coloring to it. You can find turmeric in powder form in the spice aisle of your local grocery store or in whole-root form in the produce section of stores such as Whole Foods and Central Market.

The active compound found in turmeric is called curcumin. Curcumin is a very potent antioxidant that is extremely beneficial in preventing cellular damage as well as helping our bodies to detoxify. The only problem is that our bodies aren’t very good at absorbing curcumin by itself. Fortunately, adding a few ingredients to some turmeric and we’re able to enjoy ALL of the benefits of this antioxidant-rich root!

What are these three necessary ingredients? Great question! One of the elements necessary for us to absorb curcumin is called quercetin. Quercetin is a plant pigment found in red onions, capers, cranberries, kale, blueberries, romaine lettuce and apples (to list a few). Another element which increases the bioavailability of curcumin for our bodies is called piperine. Found in black pepper, piperine increases the bioavailability of curcumin (turmeric) by 2000%!! No, that is not a typo, two thousand percent!! The final ingredient that is extremely helpful in our absorbing curcumin is a healthy fat. By consuming turmeric with a healthy fat we are able to absorb curcumin directly into the bloodstream through the lymphatic system, rather than having it filtered through the liver first!

These may sound like some random ingredients to throw together in order to have  better health, but a little concoction called a Turmeric Tonic (see recipe) does just the trick! In the video below, I show you how to make a turmeric tonic and the benefits of each ingredient that goes into it!

Turmeric Tonic Recipe:

• 2 cups of coconut water

• 2 inches of turmeric root

• 1 drop of food quality black pepper essential oil

• 1 inch of ginger root

• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon of local honey

• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until the consistency of a juice. Pour and enjoy! Makes 2 servings.

Making a recipe that calls for turmeric? Throw in a dash of black pepper and you’re automatically making your meal a natural detoxifier! What are your favorite ways to cook with turmeric? We would love to hear how you integrate this power-house antioxidant into your daily routine!