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Complete Care Chiropractic Clinic

30061 Schoenherr Rd.,

Suite B

Warren, MI 48088 US

586-576-0701

February is Heart Month! See Dr. Rose's Tips for a Healthy Heart

I really love seeing how many people are kick starting their health in 2017. I know so many people who have started eating right and exercising and I think it is great! There is nothing better than feeling really good about your body. There is no better time than now to say “out with the old and in with the new.” If you haven’t jumped on the health train yet, but have been wanting to do it, now is the time. Our clinic successfully launched a 45 day Flab to Fab Weight Loss Challenge and we have close to 30 participants who decided to change their lifestyle. 

The participants range from in their 20's to late 70's and EVERYONE is seeing results. Based on the success of this challenge, and the motivation it has given my staff and our patients, we look forward to continuing this challenge in the near future. 

As many of you know I have had my share of heart related issues and battled weight problems. However, not a day goes by that I don't remind myself that TODAY IS THE DAY to be better! Since the New Year and our challenge at the office, I find myself committed to my health and find the accountability I have with my staff and group very comforting. In three weeks I have worked out at least 3x a week and have set healthy attainable goals for my own lifestyle change. 

Do you take care of your family? Of course, it goes without saying. Do you take care of your home? Of course. We take care of our cars, our nails, and our hair but do you take care of your heart? Probably not.

It may not be at the top of most people's to-do lists, but caring for your heart through a healthy diet and regular physical activity is the secret weapon to preventing heart disease and many other lifestyle diseases. While many may assume that popping a few pills that your healthcare provider prescribed is enough to quell symptoms or prevent a heart attack, the real preventative power lies with real changes to your lifestyle – which can reduce the risk for heart disease by as much as 80 percent. 

Let's start with the easiest steps

1. Eat healthy, Eat Clean and Cut out the C.R.A.P

C.R.A.P is an acronym to help us eliminate all of the bad food choices we all have a tendency to ingest daily.  In order to get to where we want to be health and weight wise, we have to eliminate these from our eating lists.

C.  Canola Oil.  Canola oil is one of the biggest culprits in the downfall of our health today.  Be very ware and use extreme caution because it is everywhere.

R.  Refined.  Refined sugar, refined flour, refined wheat, anything that says refined on it, you do not need to put in your mouth

A.  Alcohol.  Alcohol is a big one to eliminate for most of us out there.  We feel the need to drink to relax, to be social or to get away and drown out the pain.  Whatever the reason may be, alcohol is just empty calories adding to your waist line.  Most alcoholic drinks are loaded with sugar and does a lot of damage to your kidneys and liver and, not to mention how we all feel when we have had one too many.

P. Processed.  Processed anything is pretty much just bad news all the way around.  If it comes from a can, a box, or out of the freezer and gets thrown in the microwave, then it more than likely is no good for you at all.  Foods that have an exceptionally long shelf life and that can sit in your pantry, cupboard or freezer for a really long time without ever going bad should make you think twice about what it will do to your body.  Processed foods include, and are not limited to: cakes, candies, soda, bread, instant oatmeal, Twinkies, top ramen, mac n cheese, cereal, chips, crackers, anything fast food, etc.

Now that we have eliminated the foods we should avoid, let’s talk about the foods we should enjoy.  I truly believe if you want to be healthy, happy, energetic and feeling good, eating naturally is the way to go.  If you want to feel that way, then let’s start eating C.L.E.A.N.

C.  Complex Carbohydrates.  Complex carbs are pretty much all of your vegetables.  The more you can eat of all the different colors, the better off you will be.  “Taste the rainbow” is how I like to look at it.  Make sure you eat your red, blue, green, purple, yellow and white vegetables as much as you can.  Try to incorporate them with every meal and you are on your way to a healthy body.

L.  Lean Meats.  All meats are great for you but if it is weight loss or body fat you are after then the leaner the meat the better.  Fish, chicken and turkey are your best options.  Try not to completely eliminate the red meat all together because you would be missing out on a lot of great vitamins and iron if you did.  Maybe try limiting the red meats to when you go out to a restaurant or a burger once in a while. That would be ok. 

E.  Eggs.  The whole egg.  I think they are the perfect food because they are the perfect blend of fat, protein and vitamins.  One egg contains about 60-70 calories and about 7 grams of protein.  

A.  All fruit.  All fruits are fair game to eat.  Sure, some may be higher in sugar than others but all fruits are natural and should be enjoyed.  The fruits that are your power players are most of your berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.  These fruits have the most antioxidants in them are just tasty to eat.  Be a little cautious with your fruit consumption if it is weight loss you are after and maybe only limit your fruit intake to once or twice a day.  If you are like me and crave something sweet after dinner, one of my favorite go to snack is a banana with some almond butter and honey.  Yum yum!

N.  Nuts (and seeds).  Nuts are again one of the foods that get a bad rap.  Just like with eggs, just because nuts are high in fat and you eat a lot of them, they will not make you fat. I cannot stand this misconception.  You do not get fat from eating fat, you get fat from eating too much and from eating too much sugar, not from fat.  Almost all nuts are great for you except for peanuts.  Peanuts are considered a legume and should be avoided including peanut butter.  The best nut to eat would be almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts and macadamia nuts.  Please do not be afraid of the calorie content either.  A handful or two will be just fine.

If you want to make a change and get your body headed in the right direction. then it all starts with you.  You have to be willing to want to make the change, be disciplined, and be 100% committed.  Stop eating C.R.A.P and start eating C.L.E.A.N and you will be on your way to being a lean, mean, fighting machine.

2. Exercise - 30 minutes a day can significantly help your heart. You can chose to walk outside, find a youtube/workout video, join a gym, or buy equipment for your home. Basically, what I have found is the more I do, the better I feel! There are many times that my chronic pain makes me want to NOT GO but once I do, I feel amazing! Don't overdo it. Do what makes you feel comfortable. Doing something is better than NOTHING! 

3. Nutrition- I am not a nutritionist but as a chiropractic physician I have always advised my patients that a multi-vitamin, pro-biotic and fish oil/omega are the best place to start. I won't go into detail on the benefits of each, but Dr. Samm Pryce is our Naturopathic Physician who specializes in nutrition and wellness. She is in our office on Wednesdays and offers free 20 minute consults to all our patients. Just call the office at 586. 576.0701. She is the expert in nutrition and has years of expertise

February is appropriately associated with matters of the heart, mainly due to Valentine’s Day, but it’s also the month that is widely recognized for causes related to heart disease and other heart related ailments. While you celebrate next week with your significant other (or even if you love to loathe that day) we are here to support you! 

Until next month, stay healthy and happy.

Dr. Rosemary Batanjski

Attached is my favorite smoothie recipe

This simple Green Smoothie is a great way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet. I promise it is delicious and nutritious! yield: 2 SERVINGS  prep time: 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

1 large orange, peeled and segmented

1/2 of a large banana, cut into chunks

6 large strawberries

2 cups spinach

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 cup ice

Directions: Put all ingredients in blender and mix until smooth and Pour!

 

Dr. Rosemary Batanjski D.C

Complete Care Chiropractic & Wellness Center

Clinic Director & Practice Consultant