Green Pastures & Grounding

As I sat sipping on some tea this afternoon, my thoughts began to wander back to Ireland, where I just got back from visiting a few weeks ago. Part of my time in that beautiful country was spent in Northern Ireland. Afternoon tea is extremely common in Northern Ireland, as it's part of the UK, and I had the pleasure of sharing it with some lovely new-found friends and their adorable baby. It was a rainy afternoon, the company was life-giving, the tea (with milk) was delightful, and the scone... the scone was out of this world!! And what does one spread on a scone in Ireland? Grass-fed butter of course. I'm pretty sure no other type of butter exists there! I'm not typically one to consume dairy or gluten, but when in Rome... or Ireland.

Outskirts of Galway City, ireland

Since my return to the States, I've been very curious as to why my body was so much more tolerant of the dairy in Ireland, and even Rome for that matter. The most obvious reason that came to mind was the fact that it all comes from grass-fed animals. By now, most people have heard that grass-fed meat and dairy products are healthier, but I think for a lot of people it may seem trendy. My hope is to provide further explanation on why they are so much better and give you a small taste of how amazing Ireland and its people were to me. 

The first intriguing piece of information I found is that all Omega-3's originate in the green leaves of plants and algae. Fish contain a great deal of Omega-3's because they eat small fish, which eat smaller fish, which eat algae and phytoplankton. Grazing animals contain a great deal of Omega-3's because they consume grass directly. 

Omega-3 and Omega-6 are two of the most common essential fatty acids. They are essential because our bodies are not able to make them on our own. We absolutely need both of these fats, but we need the right balance of Omega-3s and Omega-6's. Most of us consume too many Omega-6's (grain and corn-based oils and food) and it can actually have a negative impact on our bodies. Excessive levels of Omega-6's have been linked to problems such as inflammation and increased risk of cancer. On the other hand, high levels of Omega-3s have numerous benefits because they are good for the heart, improve brain function and emotional well-being, as well as decrease cancer risk. 

Why am I going on about Omega-3's? Because grass-fed animal products were found to have two to six times more Omega-3s than grain-fed animal products!! 85-95% of cows in American dairies are raised in confinement, which means they are only consuming grains, corn, and other filler, not grass.

ballymena, ireland

I'm also fairly convinced that the stress-level of these grass-fed animals plays a role in their nutritional value. The cows pictured above were chillin and grubbin in a field situated right next to an old castle where we had dinner our first evening in Galway City. As I walked along the road where these cows were grazing, I was in awe of the silence and stillness around me. I think this is the closest I've come to physically experiencing Psalm 23 where David says "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quite waters, he refreshes my soul." The silence was truly deafening and the level of peace there was unlike anything I've ever experienced. I know these cows and sheep have got to feel it too.

Research has shown that the stress levels of animals directly increases the levels of certain hormones present in the products being consumed from them. So I don't know about you, but if I'm going to consume some cheese or butter, I would much rather get it from a cow who has been roaming in green pastures!

Cloonacauneen castle, galway ireland

So what are your options if you live in the US? While we may not have a lot of grass-fed livestock here in the states, more and more ranchers and farmers are starting to jump on the band-wagon. Check to see if there is a local co-op in your area, they often times offer grass-fed and free-range meats and dairy products, plus you're supporting your local farmers and ranchers! If you don't have a co-op in your area, stores such as Whole Foods and Central Market will typically carry a pretty good selection of grass-fed products. And if you don't have any of those stores nearby, or you just don't like going grocery shopping, you can purchase some products like Kerrygold Butter on Amazon.

No matter your method of acquiring healthier food choices, I hope that you are feeling inspired to make yourself a cup of tea, be present in this very moment, and find gratitude in the silence and stillness, even if it's short-lived. Cheers. 

Growth in Surrender

** As you read this blog post, and probably the next few to come, you may be asking yourself "What does this have to do with chiropractic?". Full disclosure, it has absolutely nothing to do with chiropractic, but it has everything to do with life and taking every opportunity we can to grow and make the most of this time we have on earth! My hope is that Renew & Restore Wellness will be seen as more than just a business. My hope is that I create a personal connection with each person who comes in contact with me and my company and that through these interactions people would experience hope and encouragement! I just got back from one of the greatest adventures of my life (to date) and wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences and reflections. **

7/25/2018

As I sit on a plane headed to Rome, reviewing basic Italian words (I speak absolutely no Italian), I start thinking about my 4-year-old self on the first day (or week) of Kindergarten. I was sobbing on my teacher's lap because I didn't want to be left by myself with an entire room of strangers. I think about my 12 year-old self panicking and on the verge of puking at the mere thought of staying overnight at a camp. Here I am, 20 years later headed to a foreign country for 3 days and 4 nights, completely by myself!! Am I nervous? Absolutely! But I'm not sobbing and I'm not nauseous... so I'll chalk that up to progress! 

A question I’ve asked myself a great deal recently is what was I so scared of in the past? Why was I so terrified to step into an unknown situation without the comfort of control and familiarity? As I sit looking out the window I make a decision, I could spend the entire plane ride (and trip for that matter) trying to figure out why this has been my past experience or I can choose grace.

These fears have controlled me for as long as I can remember. And as I reflect, I realize how absolutely exhausting it has been to live in fear and continual hunger for control over my situation. Author Erin Loechner, describes it as a lion within us, always hungry for its next meal. So with that, I choose grace. I am making the decision to show up and experience life for what it is and for who I am, right now! I’m done living a fear-based life. I choose to be present, I choose to trust, I choose to seek joy, I choose to surrender to the only one Who is truly in control. My God is a loving Father Who is the only constant source of comfort I will have in my life. I think if my younger self had understood that, my experiences with unfamiliar situations may have been different. 

Through God's grace I’ve been given an incredible opportunity to step out on this adventure with Him. God has a funny way of redeeming everything in life and I pray that I would walk into this trip with wide-eyes and a child-like faith to wander in wonder as He redeems those parts of my life where I let fear steal my experience and my joy. 

If you feel like you are making decisions out of fear or struggle with the need for control, know that you aren't alone! Keep pressing in and little by little you will find the strength to surrender just a bit more. I've by no means got it perfected, but I can tell you that the more I loosen my grip, the more I've been able to experience the amazing gifts that God has in store for me. 

 I would love to hear your experiences of growth through surrender!

Time... What Are You Doing With Yours?

Time… it seems to be a topic that comes up often these days! “Busy” or “slammed” or “swamped” are words that I hear and read repeatedly, and I know they come out of my mouth too! What is common knowledge, yet so intriguing to me, is that we’ve all got the same 24 hours in a day! And what’s even more interesting to me is that each individual person has different things demanding those 24 hours, depending on the season of life that they’re in. A newly wed couple is learning to shift the focus of their time to each other and figuring out what married life looks like for them. New parents are learning to shift the focus of their time to take care of a baby and all of the changes that come with no longer being just husband and wife. A new business owner is learning to shift the focus of their time to the growth and development of their business and not just everyday tasks of a job. These are all perfect examples of different people with the same amount of time, but completely different demands on it! 

It is easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the different elements being thrown at us throughout a given day or week. Our plates become so full that eventually something has to give… and in my experience/observation, self-care and wellness are the first to go! If we take the three examples mentioned above and compare how those individuals would function with and without good self-care and wellness, who do you think would be able to make the best use of their time? Take the newlywed, the new mom, and the entrepreneur and they are ALL going to be more efficient and more effective at whatever their role is when they are taking care of their mind and body! That bride will be able to be more in-tune with her husband and communicate more effectively. That new dad will be able to enjoy his child and care for his wife on a level he would have never imagined. That entrepreneur will be able to show up to her business full of energy, creativity and drive in order to grow.

This may look different for each individual, but some factors that I would say are essential for every single human being are physical exercise, proper nutrition, healthy thought-life, and a well-functioning nervous system. This list may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! In the video below, I talk about how little time it takes to ensure that your nervous system is functioning well with chiropractic care, there are effective workouts that can be done in under 30 minutes, a number of resources exist for meal-planning and meal prep to make healthy eating a breeze, a healthy-thought life can come from a variety of practices, habits, and choices. 

In addition to these essentials, we each have certain habits that ground us and just help us to feel at peace. For me this would be a warm bath, time in the sauna, buying myself fresh flowers, taking my pup for a walk, cooking a gourmet meal, having a stimulating conversation with friends or reading a great book. My encouragement to you would be to truly think about what is most important to you, not what’s “calling your name”, but what fills your bucket, makes you a better version of yourself, and allows you to show up in whatever season of life God has you in! Once you’ve determined those things… make time for them! I promise, it’ll make a positive impact in your life and the lives around you. 

And if you’re unsure where to start, ask me… it would bring me great joy to help in this journey of you becoming the best version of yourself!!

Healthy Sitting Habits

Recent studies are revealing that the average person sits at least 10 hours a day! While there are great options such as standing desks to help break up the sitting, there are still some important practices to implement when we are sitting on our behinds!

The biggest issue I see with men are wallets! As the video below explains, no matter how thin a wallet may be, if it's in a back pocket it will shift more weight to one side of the body. This shift results in improper posture, muscle tightness, and can cause symptoms such as back pain and sciatica. 

While wallets may not be a major issue with women, the things we do with our legs are! Whether it's crossing the legs or sitting on one leg, all of these positions shift our weight and body-position to a state of imbalance, which results in our incredibly intelligent bodies working to restore balance however possible. This results in muscles on one side of the body being tighter than the other, which in turn affects nerve function and blood flow. With a decrease in blood flow and nerve function we are once again, prone to pain, numbness, tingling, etc. 

As simple, as these issues sound, improving them will result in MASSIVE changes with posture and the health of your back. For further explanation on why these changes are so important, please check out my brief video below. 

Why Does a Kid Need a Chiropractor?

“You do that to babies???” Is a common response I get when telling people that I adjust little ones. The look of horror on the person’s face typically fades away quickly as I explain that an adjustment on a baby or small child is completely different than that of an adult. It’s extremely gentle, requiring a light pressure with the tips of my fingers. The next question that I’m usually asked is “Why would a baby need an adjustment?” 

According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association over 68 million pediatric chiropractic visits took place in 2013. Typically, people think that one only sees a chiropractor after an auto accident or injury. In all actuality, individuals of any age can have spinal misalignments which result in nerve interference.

If you think about all of the falls and tumbles that children take throughout the different stages of development, it's easy to understand how they might have spinal misalignments. In fact, many parents have their newborns checked by a Doctor of Chiropractic because even the most "natural" birth is straining to a baby's spine. The resulting nerve interference from spinal and cranial misalignments can be related to common symptoms such as colic, reflux, nursing problems, and chronic ear infections. With age, those undetected spinal misalignments can turn into chronic back and neck pain as an adult. Many parents report improved digestion, immune function, breathing and sleeping behaviors once their children start receiving regular chiropractic adjustments.

When visiting a primary care physician, they will typically recommend a medication to treat whatever pain or symptom you or your child may be experiencing. The concern with this is that it merely covers up the symptom rather than addressing the root cause. in addition to masking symptoms, those medications almost always come with side-effects. Chiropractic is a completely safe and natural alternative for addressing a multitude of issues at any age.

For more information about the research and benefits of children under chiropractic care visit icpa4kids.org. 

My name is Dr. Nikki Porteus, CACCP, founder of Renew & Restore Wellness, in Southlake TX. I am trained, certified and passionate about prenatal and pediatric chiropractic techniques. To learn more about how your child would benefit from chiropractic care and how I can help, schedule an appointment here.

Are Your Glutes Sleeping on the Job?

Because a majority of us sit behind a desk all day, our glutes are asleep. Much like the phrase "use it or lose it", our brain forgets that our booty muscles are there. When we perform movements or exercises that would normally utilize our glutes, other muscles have to step in and compensate for the sleeping giant. What does this mean for overall function of our body? It means that smaller muscles are placed under a great deal of stress in order to keep our body performing as optimally as possible. At some point, those accessory muscles can't keep up and we start to experience a variety of symptoms.

Some of the most common symptoms associated with weak glutes include:

- Low back pain and instability

- Hamstring strains

- Knee Pain

- Hip Pain

- Chronic ankle instability

So what can you do to wake your booty up? There are a variety of exercises that target the glutes and help to re-establish the connection between your brain and your behind. Examples of these exercises include single-leg squats and single-leg Romanian deadlifts. It is important to make sure your form is correct when performing these exercise, so it is best to utilize the guidance of a trained professional when first starting out. 

Another important step to turning on your glutes is to visit your family wellness chiropractor. Chiropractors directly influence the function of nerves by ensuring that the spine and pelvis are moving properly. When a nerve is functioning optimally, the brain is better able to communicate to muscles and every other part of the body.

To find out whether your symptoms are related to weak glute muscles, schedule an appointment with Dr. Nikki at Renew & Restore Wellness today!