Dr. David Jowdy - Hansa Center

The Importance of a Great Support System

2011-03-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

By Dr. David Jowdy of Hansa Center for Optimum Health

I was reminded recently of how important it is to have a positive network of support in our lives. We recently had a husband and wife visit our clinic that really put this into perspective for me. The wife, who is battling a devastating condition was here for treatment and the husband was along for support. I’ve been in practice for 11 years and I’ve never seen any man care for and treat his wife the way this man did. The amount of patience and kindness, his willingness to do anything and everything for his wife, his ability to stay calm, cool, collected in the midst all the pain and debility that she was going through is just truly courageous in my mind.

Beyond this, I truly believe that the love and support that this man shows his wife keeps her pushing forward and in a state of perpetual hope that her condition will improve. I’ve seen, way too many times than I’d like to admit, that those of us with challenges in life are not empowered with the love and support of those around us and thus fail to live up to those challenges. In health, the repercussions of that can be devastating.

Take a look around you and make an inventory of those people that you spend the most time with. Are they supportive of your endeavors? Do they provide you with the love and support necessary to achieve your goals? Do you feel that you are a better person because they are a part of your life? This is the type of support system that we all need.

If the answer to these questions is YES, you’re path to health and happiness is grounded and solid. If the answer is NO, it’s time to re-evaluate and communicate with others to let them your needs. Others may be doing their best to help and guide you, but don’t really know how. Let them know what they can do for you. Spend more time with those who empower you and make you a better person. Educate those around you so they understand the path you are taking and can provide better support.

No one can do it alone. Build a team of individuals that are there for you and share your goals and aspirations.

Perspective

2011-02-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

By Dr. David Jowdy

There’s always been this great debate: Is the glass half-full or is it half-empty?

It’s easy to get caught in a negative cycle and see the glass half-empty. I was taught long ago that the human body will gravitate toward the path of least resistance, which in most instances has a negative impact. You have to work hard and exert energy to build and grow. Think about weight lifters. The path of least resistance at your local gym is to lie on the bench press and not lift any weight. It takes force, energy and strength to lift the bar. You do that enough times and your muscles begin to grow, you increase strength and generally feel better.

Let’s apply this principle to our thought patterns. It takes effort, but let’s do an exercise in positive thinking:

Consider a person with an injury, such as a sprained ankle. It would be really easy to wake up in the morning, put your feet on the ground and say, “Ouch, my ankle really hurts!!” It’s reality, there is pain there, but we can counteract that negative thought with something positive. Something like this, “Ouch, my ankle really hurts, but it’s a lot better than it was yesterday!” Or maybe this, “Ouch, my ankle really hurts this morning, but I’m confident it will get better as the day goes on.” These additional statements help turn a negative into a positive. People will ask me this at times, “What if I can’t find anything positive with my situation?” I will tell them that it’s impossible to not find something positive going on at that moment. Even if it sounds silly or isn’t associated with the current problem, you can always find something positive to say. For instance, “Ouch, my ankle really hurts, but my left pinky finger nail feels GREAT!” See, sounds a little silly, but it places a positive spin on a negative situation (and instills a little humor into it as well).

A positive thought, image or action is 100x more powerful than a negative one. It only takes initiative and action to turn something negative into something more positive. The glass may look half-empty, but it’s always half-full.

Practice this often enough and it will become second-nature to you and your perspective will change dramatically!

Sick-or-Treat?

2010-10-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

Most kids love Halloween.

You get to dress up in costume, pretend to be someone/something fictional like a dragon or a fairy (guess what my kids are dressing as this year!).

And best of all, it’s trick-or-treat time.

We all walk the streets, going door to door to fill our bags with yummy candy and treats.

I remember doing this as a kid and couldn’t wait to get home and raid the stash. See how much I could eat before my parents took the bag away. Then the next morning it hits you like a ton of bricks. Upset stomach, nausea, maybe even a little vomiting.

What kind of treat is that?
As a parent, I don’t think it’s much of a treat to keep my kids out all night, then let them stuff themselves full of sugary candy.

I realize many families refrain from celebrating this holiday for religious and philosophical reasons, but there’s a growing number of families (like mine) that have figured out how to enjoy the “Trick” but keep the “Treat” to a minimum. Here’s my recipe for fun if you choose to participate in the Halloween experience this year...

1.) Seek out malls and community centers that offer Halloween Parties, Parades and Games. There are typically less “treats” for the kids and many times there will be home-made treats that are a healthier alternative to store bought candy.

2.) If you Trick-or-Treat, limit the number of homes you visit. Your kids don’t need to knock on every door in the zip code. Skip a house here and there. Put a time limit on how long you’ll be out.

3.) Ration your treats. This is my favorite part of the night. My kids and I sit down of the floor and go through everything they got in their bag. Believe it or not, some families give out organic or very low sugar treats these days. (THANK YOU SO MUCH!) So these are the things the kids can have first. After that, they can get a select number of treats per day (usually one, but use your own judgement here) and after about a week or so, they’ve begun to forget about the giant bag in the pantry. When they stop asking, I stop offering.

It is really no coincidence that this time of year is the unofficial start to the so-called “cold and flu season.” It all starts with “sick-or-treat” time and continues on through to the end of the year.
More to come on that, so stay posted……

We Can Learn A Lot From Kids

2010-06-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

If you’ve ever spent some time with young children - whether they are your own, your friends, nieces, nephews, grandkids – you know that there are a few key concepts that you can pick up from them right away.

First and foremost is that they are brutally honest!

This can be good or bad, depending on the social situation.

I remember the first time my daughter looked me right in the eye and said....

“Daddy, what are you wearing? You look disgusting.”

She was right, but she didn’t need to say so!!!

Now, I’m not suggesting we all walk around telling people they look disgusting, but what we can learn from this is that we shouldn’t hide who we truly are and what we truly feel just to please others.

I’m proud of my daughter for sharing her true feelings and I also would have seen right through her if she had lied and told me that I looked good. I run across this a lot, both professionally and socially, where people are more inclined to tell you what you want to hear, rather than tell you the truth.

We believe that if we can say or do things to make others happy, it will satisfy our need to feel accepted. The truth is, if we aren’t happy with ourselves and truthful with ourselves, we can never truly feel accepted. Deep down we will always feel as if we are putting on an act, attempting to be something that we are not.

We must strive to feel comfortable enough within ourselves to speak the truth and project our true feelings. Only then can others accept us for who we truly are. Now, you need to know that you may ruffle a few feathers initially, but the long term benefit of being truthful with yourself and others far outweighs the risk of losing your identity.

Something else I’ve learned from children is their absolute joy over the “little things” in life.

If you don’t believe me or have never experienced this before, find a little boy, say 3 or 4 years old and ask them if they like trucks. They’ll usually say yes.

Then point one out that’s driving down the street and watch their eyes grow as big as watermelons. It’s like they’ve never seen it before. The excitement is infectious, it makes you want to be a kid again.

We get so caught up in the day to day grind that we lose track of the little things that happen around us and the joy that they bring. I challenge you to spend the next 10 minutes and just think about every experience you have had over the last 24 hours.

How many of these things truly brought joy to your heart? What excited you today?

Who said something to you or acted in a way that made you truly happy?

If you’re having a problem coming up with any answers to this question, then you’re not paying enough attention to what’s going on around you.

It’s time to slow life down, “smell the roses,” remember what it was like to be a kid again.

Retrain your mind, body and spirit to fell the joy in life.

General Rules For Eating Healthy

2010-05-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Every day, you should be eating 3 Well Balanced Meals and have at least 2 Well Balanced Snacks (one between Breakfast and Lunch and another between Lunch and Dinner).

Well Balanced means, the meal/snack should include nutritious food from each of the following four categories:

Protein
Fats
Non-Starchy Vegetables
Carbohydrates

Good Proteins include:

• Eggs
• Meat and Poultry
• Additive-Free and Nitrate-Free Sausages
• Cheese
• Fish and Shellfish
• Nuts and Seeds and Nut Butters

Good Fats Include:

• Saturated Fats (good for cooking at low heat)

o REAL Butter
o Cheese
o Chicken Fat
o Coconut Oils
o Cream, dairy only
o Eggs
o Sour Cream
o Turkey Fat

• Monounsaturated Fats (good for cooking at low heat)

o Almond oil
o Avocado oil
o Canola oil
o Olive oil
o Peanut oil
o Rice oil

• Polyunsaturated Fats (do not use for cooking)

o Corn oil
o Essential fatty acids
o Salmon oil
o Sardine oil
o Sesame seed oil
o Wheat germ oil

Non-Starchy Vegetables

• These vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. They also help to lower the glycemic index of your ENTIRE MEAL. It is extremely important to include these vegetables at EVERY meal you eat. See the following list under Carbohydrates to see which vegetables contain starch and are considered to be carbohydrates. These veggies are good for you, but should not be classified under this category. If you eat them at a meal, you still need to include other non-starchy vegetables.

Carbohydrates

• Never eat carbohydrates alone, they must always be in combination with Proteins, Fats and Non-Starchy

Vegetables

• Carbohydrates are used for energy, so if you need a lot of energy, you can eat more. If you are not very active, you need to eat less. Excess carbohydrate intake leads to storage of sugars in your fat cells, which will cause you to gain weight.
• Your body needs between 15-75 grams of carbohydrates per meal. If you are very active you need 75. If you are sedentary and not very active, you only need 15. If you are in the middle, try about 30-45 grams per meal.
• If you feel depressed and are getting more depressed, increase your carbohydrate intake by 7-10 grams per meal. Carbohydrates are “brain fuel” and depression can be a symptom of your brain running low on fuel.
• If you are losing weight too quickly, feel sluggish or suffer from insomnia, increase your carbohydrate consumption.
• Eat whole grains, legumes, starchy vegetables and fruits. Avoid man-made carbohydrates.
The following list of vegetables contains starch and should be classified as carbohydrates:

o Squash
o Carrots
o Corn
o Green Peas
o Artichokes
o Lima beans
o Lotus root
o Okra
o Parsnip
o Potato
o Pumpkin
o Sweet Potato
o Turnip
o Yam

Information taken from “The Schwarzbein Principle” by Dr. Diana Schwarzbein

The Personal Aspect of Personality Profiles

2010-04-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

At our recent weekly lecture at the Hansa Center for Optimum Health, Dr. Jennifer Allen spoke briefly about the advantages of personality profiles such as the DISC Test, Meyers-Briggs analysis, etc.

These profiles are very commonly used by employers to screen job applicants and determine if they are well suited for the position available. Beyond that, they can also help us as individuals to get a better feel for “who we really are” and the characteristics and traits that we exhibit.

I’m going to share with you my experience with these tests and the professional and personal benefits I’ve gained from it.

After owning and operating a private practice for 7 years, I can tell you that there are many challenges to overcome. None more trying than staff development, specifically the hiring process. I went through this many times in attempts to find the perfect staff. I will say this, I had some really great people work for me, unfortunately, they weren’t always great employees.

You see, if I liked their personality in their interview and they were enthusiastic, they were hired. Sounds logical, right?

Well, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why they wouldn’t pan out. The problem was, I was hiring people that were just like me, when I should have been bringing in employees that were more adept and better suited to do tasks that I wasn’t cut out for. It wasn’t until a practice consultant suggested I use personality profiles during the hiring process that I was able to recognize what I had been doing wrong.

First thing I did was to get my own profile and see what it was that I was bringing to the table. Next, I screened my two employees, one of which happened to be my wife. Low and behold, all three of our profiles matched.

No wonder our business was at a standstill!!!

So we decided it was time for my wife to step aside and we would hire a new employee to take her place. I kept my other employee, because her profile actually matched her job description perfectly.

During the hiring process, I immediately eliminated applicants who matched my profile and looked for someone who had a profile that was high in the areas that I was low. Sure enough, when I found the right match, she immediately became a huge asset to our practice.

We got busier, things were more efficient around the office and everything flowed better. The best part, she willingly took on the tasks that the rest of us would dread.

Why?

Because she was hard-wired to handle those tasks. Her personality profile gave me a clear outline of what she would excel at and what she would struggle with. Thus, I filled her job with tasks she could handle without trouble and stayed away from tasks that she would struggle with and that would frustrate her. That led to a happy, productive employee.

Now, occasionally there would be tasks that she would have to do that didn’t fit her profile. I knew this going in, so if it wasn’t done perfectly, I didn’t get upset, because I knew it would be a struggle for her. This is great information for an employer to know. Don’t get upset with an employee for not getting something done that they’re not suited to handle.

This leads to the personal aspect of personality profiles.

Once I learned what my profile was, I realized WHY there were tasks in my personal and professional life that were difficult for me to accomplish. Other doctor friends of mine would do an event and meet 30 new people, I would only meet 1 or 2.

It got really frustrating.

Once I knew my profile, I finally stopped beating myself up for not being successful at these events. It also helped me focus my attention and efforts on events that better suited my ability. Again, things started to pick up and I no longer would get frustrated at not accomplishing what I had set out to do.

This opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me and my confidence soared!!

Apply this to relationships as well.

Knowing how your spouse, child or friend is “hard-wired” can make a world of difference. You no longer would have to wonder why people act a certain way and you’ll know exactly what kind of things motivate them and keep them going. Then you can decide if they are traits and characteristics you can deal with and act on them appropriately.

Many of these tests are available online and you can get results fairly quickly. They really help to shed new light on the way we think and act.

6 Steps To A Healthier, Happier Life!

2010-04-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

The world we live in today is vastly different from the world our grandparents grew up in.

We have more toxins in our environment, more pesticides on our genetically modified foods, and hybridizing has depleted enzymes that are essential for our food to be broken down and assimilated properly.

We also have electromagnetic stresses now, more than ever, with the increasing use of computers and electronic equipment. In addition, many of us have to relate to toxic people in some of our close or extended circles, and we can unknowingly take on their negative energies.

We abuse our bodies with overwork and wonder why we aren’t up to par. We can identify 6 major interferences to optimum health

1. Structural:

In anything, structure comes before function. If a spine is misaligned or segments don’t move properly, the function of everything served by that area (where the nerves come off the spinal cord) will be less than fully functional. BE AWARE, Pain is not always present when dysfunction begins to quietly set in.

2. Nutritional / Biochemical:

Everything affects your chemistry. That includes the foods you eat, the vitamins or supplements you take, your hormonal system, your mineral balance, your hydration level and the quality of the liquids you consume.

3. Emotional / Mental / Spiritual:

Our thoughts are things. They can take us to a place of calm centered joyful expression of our talents and dreams … or they can take us down a very dark, ugly, fearful path … and anywhere in-between! When we become aware of our results and accept responsibility for where we are today, only then can we begin to rewrite our script, reframe our drama and create an epic of our choosing.

4. Allergies and Sensitivities:

More and more people are becoming at odds with nature and substances that exist on planet earth at this point in time. Our immune systems become over-reactive, but they can be re-set to be in proper harmony.

5. Electromagnetics:

In this day and age electromagnetic stressors are everywhere such as power lines, electric blankets, household appliances, computers, hair dryers, TV’s, geopathic stressors etc. We recommend using cell phone protectors and radiation protectors in our homes and offices to help deal with these stressors.

6. Toxins:

This is an important buzz word. Heavy metals, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, industrial pollution, auto exhaust (look at the skyline sometime), downwinders, etc. are serious problems and are shortening our life span and causing dis-ease daily.

THE GOOD NEWS!!

We have procedures to address all of these Interferences to Health mentioned above.

Our goal is to help you achieve OPTIMUM HEALTH, naturally, by facilitating the bodies inherent healing mechanisms.

When all the bodies circuits are “online,” you are better able to handle and cope with the countless stressors we encounter on a daily basis.

No Thanks, I'm Allergic To That

2010-02-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is our turn to bring the snack for my daughter’s preschool class.

Before we get it ready, we read through the list of requirements: must have a fruit, a dairy product or meat product and a grain product.

Not too difficult to put together a healthy snack for a bunch of 4 year olds with that, right?

What catches my eye is the DONT’S. No nuts. Seems like a simple request, but when I dig back into my memory bank, I don’t remember ever being told as a kid that I couldn’t bring nuts to school. In fact, I probably had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at least 3 days a week for lunch through most of my childhood.

So, what happened over the last 30 years that has made peanuts and other “allergic” foods become banned substances.

Well, here are some statistics I came across recently:

· Food allergy related hospital admissions increased from 2,600 per year (1998-2000) to 9,500 per year (2004-2006), according to a study from Branum and colleagues.
· The prevalence of food allergy among children under the age of 18 increased 18% percent from 1997 to 2007.
· Peanut allergies doubled in children from 1997-2002.

There are many theories running around as to why food allergies have become so prevalent in recent years. Some say formula fed infants don’t have as well developed immune systems as breast-fed infants and this can lead to food allergies. Another theory is that the introduction of Genetically-Modified Foods (labeled GMO) into the American diet have created digestive problems that can lead to food allergies. Personally, I believe that both of these theories, and many others, have merit, but there’s more to it than that.

Our modern society has afforded us some wonderful luxuries, but in the process we have taken on this “fear mentality” towards what we eat. We read diet and nutrition books that say “you can’t eat this because of your blood type” or “your metabolic type can’t digest that.” And we buy into it and start over-analyzing our plates at every meal. We’ve become afraid to eat.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying allergies don’t exist. I’ve seen young kids as well as adults go through terrible, terrible allergic reactions to foods and environmental allergens. It’s a very real thing and it requires treatment on multiple levels – chemical, nutritional, energetic and emotional.

I can relate to this, because not too long ago, I was the one reading all the books and buying into the hype. I had severe skin problems that were caused by some issues in my digestive tract. I worked hard to correct it and with the help of some great doctors and treatments (all natural and holistic of course) my skin was completely clear. Unfortunately, it came back from time to time and that was really irritating to me. It was found that I was allergic to tomatoes and I was treated energetically and chemically to relieve the allergy, but they still made me break out when I ate them. So, I resigned myself to the fact that I just wouldn’t eat them anymore and everything would be fine. Until a friend would invite me over to their house to have pizza or I’d order a sandwich or salad and forget to have the tomatoes taken off. Of course, if I ate them, my skin broke out. Why? Because my thoughts were controlling my physiology.

I was so fearful, I had my entire family following strict diets based on their blood type. Unfortunately we didn’t all have the same blood type and it made meal planning a huge chore. This went on a for a few years and finally one night at the dinner table I said out loud “FORGET IT. I don’t care if we’re allergic to these foods or not, I’m tired of these restrictive diets, from now on we eat what we want and we don’t feel guilty about it.” Now, I know what you’re thinking, what about chemicals and additives and preservatives and MSG and High-Fructose Corn Syrup? I do recommend avoiding these things, but remember, they are not food, they are chemical additives. I’m talking about things like tomatoes and peanuts and strawberries. Naturally grown foods that have wonderful nutritional value and that the vast majority of people can eat with NO problems.

At that moment, my entire mentality towards food did a complete 180. I’m not afraid to eat tomatoes or anything else for that matter and I haven’t had foods trigger a skin reaction since. My thoughts still control my physiology, except now I have control over my thoughts.

The point I want to get across is that living in fear of what might harm us is no way to approach the problem. To truly make a change will allergies, it is important to re-program the body’s energetic and chemical reactions to the substance, improve and support the digestive and immune systems and most importantly re-write the emotional script that is perpetuating the fear that foods are bad for us.

In order to truly turn the tide on food allergies, we must correct the problem at the earliest stage. Healthy, allergy free children that are well educated and “fear-less” will lead the way to the next generation of healthy, allergy free children.

We Are Living In The Era of Toxicity

2010-02-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

Is it really possible that a child could be born into this world already fighting the effects of toxic chemicals?

I didn’t truly believe it until I experienced it for myself.

As it stands, both of my children were born carrying a toxic burden (albeit a very small one in their cases). It wasn’t evident to me by the outward appearance of symptoms or any “diagnosable” condition.

I had to search for it.

In fact, both of my children were born VERY healthy and continue to express a high level of health to this day. They were both born naturally, my wife took no medications of any kind during pregnancy, childbirth or while she was nursing. In fact, she had rarely taken any medications for the 8 years we had been together before we had kids. Yet, both children carried levels of toxicity that were detectable by energetic testing – using Applied Kinesiology and BioResonance Scanning. As a Physician in the Natural Health arena I was shocked
and couldn’t help but wonder how I could have let this happen. I mean, my wife and I are two healthy adults, we eat well and buy mostly organic foods, stay away from additives and preservatives, use natural toothpastes and deodorants and drink filtered water. Isn’t that enough?

Well, unfortunately, that’s not even close to being enough.

What a rude awakening!

You see, there are a multitude of ways that we are exposed to toxins EVERY SINGLE DAY of our lives.

The glass cleaner you keep under your kitchen sink – Toxic. The beautiful new carpet you just installed in your bedroom – Toxic. And that ever-so-fragrant air freshener you just plugged into your bathroom electrical socket – Toxic.

The list goes on and on.

In her book “Detoxify or Die” author Sherry Rogers states that there is no human being on the planet that is 100% free of toxicity. There is just too much exposure for our bodies to be able to process it all. Beyond that, many of the toxins we are exposed to on daily basis, including heavy metals, pthalates from plastics, PCB’s, pesticides, molds, chlorine, dioxins from chemical burnoff and VOC’s from paints, carpets and cleaning supplies are all capable of entering the blood stream of a pregnant woman and reaching the fetus through the umbilical cord.

Frightening thought isn’t it?

After making this realization, we made wholesale changes around the house, replacing cleaning supplies, cookware, plastics and personal care products. We also went started the necessary treatments and remedies to lessen our own personal toxic accumulation. Even though we felt good to begin with, the results were dramatic. My wife and I were more energized, could think more clearly, were less irritable and best of all, just felt happier! The kids weren’t as cranky, were easier to calm down, co-operated more and just seemed to be more chilled-out (as chilled out as little kids can be).

Research is now being conducted to address the connection between fetal toxin exposure and conditions such as Autism and ADHD. It is also believed that toxins could be a factor with the increasing trend of childhood asthma and allergies. Many of these compounds are neurotoxins and have been linked to other conditions in adults such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Depression.

It could be decades, if not longer, until we see any significant change in environmental pollution, but there is already been a great deal of improvement in the quality of retail products available to consumers. It’s important to remember that everything we put in or on our bodies (including clothing, soaps, hair coloring) could be adversely affecting normal cellular function and expression.

So, here are the action steps you can follow to address the growing concern of toxicity:

Step 1 – Limit your exposure.

The demand for more environmentally friendly and chemical free products has dramatically increased over the last 5 years.

It is much easier to find household cleaning products, personal care products, low VOC paints and carpets, preservative and additive free foods and plastic products that are much safer for you and your children. Search out these products and replace what you are currently using with these safer alternatives.

Many times, the newer, safer products actually perform better than what you were using before. The best place to find household products is at your local Health Food Store (ex. Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Green Acres here in Wichita). Most retail stores and grocery stores are even starting to carry their own brand of natural products. You can also find many outstanding products at our Hansa Health Store from companies such as Young Living, Melaleuca and Weleda.

The rule of thumb is this: Don’t put anything on your body that you wouldn’t be willing to eat.

Step 2 – Evaluate your risk and current toxic level.

Visit us at the Hansa Center for Optimum Health where we can determine the type and level of toxicity you may be encountering. We use the CRT Test (Computerized Regulation Thermography) as well as BioResonance Scanning to determine the cause of your health complaints and to determine what therapies and interventions would be best suited for you.

Alternatively, you could seek the help of a natural health physician that can use similar forms of testing and evaluation to address your bodies toxicity levels.

Step 3 – Devise an action plan to eliminate toxins and a maintenance plan to keep them gone.

There are many therapies that are useful in detoxifying the body, such as:

• The IonCleanse Cellular Detox Footbath
• Infrared Sauna, by HiTech Health
• Amethyst Crystal BioMat by Richway
• Colon Hydrotherapy
• Exercise
• Customized nutritional protocols
• Homeopathic remedies (Uriel Phamacy)
• Nutritive Cleanses, such as the Master Longevity Cleanse (from Dr. David Jernigan’s book “Beating Lyme Disease”)

It’s unlikely that toxins are going to completely disappear anytime soon (if ever), which is why it’s extremely important to be proactive and take responsibility for your health and the health of your loved ones.

Make the necessary changes in your lifestyle and seek the proper treatments to ensure the safety and well-being of your family.

The Power of Universal Thought

2010-01-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I spoke about coincidence and that according to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, coincidence is defined as: A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.

Now that I’ve left you hanging over the holidays to think about who/what is planning or arranging the events of your life, it’s time for me to come clean.

YOU are in total control.

There isn’t anyone out there writing a script and waiting for you to follow it.

You are consciously and subconsciously shaping your world with your thoughts and actions. The pen is in your hand and you are writing the script.

This concept of what I call Universal Thought brings to mind a quote from the documentary The Secret:

“What you focus on with your thoughts and feelings is what you attract into your experience.”

Every thought, feeling and action we have is broadcast out into the universe. Somewhere along the way, that signal is picked up by someone or something and a message is sent back to us.

It’s like dialing your cell phone with a seemingly random number and not really knowing who’s going to pick up on the other end. You do however know that somebody will indeed take the call and that they will give you EXACTLY what you asked for.

Pretty cool concept isn’t it!! The only drawback to this is when our thoughts, feelings and actions are contrary to what we really want or need. In that case, even though we get what we asked for, it probably won’t be what we really want. Ouch!

So use this concept to reshape your thoughts and you’ll be amazed how previously unchangeable patterns in your life will do a complete 180. Here is a good example that I’ve seen with many of my patients:

Let’s say you have an injured back, because you were in an automobile accident 5 years ago. The pain is always there, sometimes a little better, sometimes a little worse. You begin treatments and within a few days the pain is 50% better!!

WOW.

Five years of pain is half gone within a few days, that’s miraculous. But you might be surprised to hear that more often than not, that’s not the reaction I get.

It usually goes something like this, “Well, it’s better, but IT’S STILL THERE.” This is the old glass half empty mentality.

If you continue to only see the problem and focus on the problem, what do you get? More of the problem. It is highly unlikely that this person will ever be completely pain free. Now, change that thought to this, “I’m so happy, my pain is 50% relieved. I slept so much better last night.” What a powerful statement. This person has embraced their improvement and will likely continue to see consistent, long lasting relief.

It’s all dependent on how they view the situation.

It can be difficult at times, especially if the condition or events you are experiencing are severe. But always know that a positive thought is 100 times more powerful than a negative one.

Even when you feel you are at the lowest point, you can and will come back stronger by holding yourself in a positive mental state.

You are in the driver’s seat so take hold of the wheel and hit the gas pedal.

Just remember, wherever you end up is a direct result of your current thoughts and feelings.

Coincidence, I think not…

2009-12-09T07:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been walking through the grocery store or waiting in line at the bank and you see somebody that just has a familiar face? You feel like you might know them, but your not sure how or why. Being unsure of yourself, you probably just ignore the feeling and go about your business.

Then, a few days later you see that same person again and as you walk by them, you make eye contact and nod and just say a friendly “Hello.”

Fast forward a few more days and, you guessed it, you run into them AGAIN. Now you’re thinking to yourself “What a coincidence. I keep running into that person. I wonder why?”

Well, STOP WONDERING, and go find out.

That person crossed your path for a reason. They have some knowledge or gift to share with you and you have the same for them. Remember, you keep running into them, but they keep running into you too!!

This has happened to me so many times. Having lived in four different states and a foreign country, I know what it feels like be the new guy in town. Making friends and meeting new people isn’t always easy, but if you open yourself up, believe it or not, they’ll come to you.

I remember one instance specifically, where I had met a guy at a Business Networking lunch. It was just a simple hello and introduction, nothing fancy. About a week or so later, I ran into him at a Health Fair given by a totally different group. We both kind of looked at each other and said “Hey, I know you right?”

Well, we talked for a while, just casually and eventually shook hands, exchanged business cards and parted ways. I was curious about his business and was interested in finding out if his training courses could help me in my business, so I called him.

Interestingly enough, he had been looking for a Chiropractor for the last year or so and hadn’t found anybody that he felt really comfortable with. Next thing you know, we were both clients of each other and our families also became friendly socially.

Beyond that, I was able to help his family with a number of health issues and they became a great source of referrals for my clinic and my wife’s business as well. If I wasn’t paying attention, a great friendship would have walked right by me.

Every experience we have in life and everyone that we meet or come in contact with provides us with a lesson that will assist us along life’s journey. So many times, we are so busy with our daily routine that we neglect to pay attention to everything going on around us. We surround ourselves with our “comfort bubble” where we only let in the people and beliefs we already know and feel good about and shut out anything new that might change our perception or direction in life.

According to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, coincidence is defined as: A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.

Now that’s pretty cool!

So who could have planned or arranged all this stuff? Guess you’ll have to come back and read my next post to find out……

Thought = Creation

2009-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

I can remember back in Little League Baseball, when I was the smallest kid on the team, and certainly the least athletic.

When the coach told me to go play right field, I knew I was the proverbial “last kid picked” on the team, which didn’t exactly instill a great deal of confidence in my abilities.

Suddenly, after 5 and 2/3 innings of picking flowers and staring off into space, it’s down to the last batter and if they get a hit, the game’s over and we lose. For the first time in a few hours, I’m suddenly terrified and can’t stop thinking to myself, “please don’t hit it to me, please don’t hit it to me, please don’t hit it to me.”

What happened next was incredibly predictable: here’s the pitch, and a swing….CRACK, a hit to……where else, right field!

I SAID DON’T HIT IT TO ME!

Well, I didn’t have time to debate it with the universe, I had to catch the ball and save the game. So, my mindset had to change and it had to change in a hurry.

I kept my eye on the ball and thought to myself, “you can catch it, you can catch it, you can catch it.” As the ball came closer, my fear turned to excitement (with the help of a little adrenaline).

Moments later, the ball was in my glove, disaster was averted and a dozen little boys were running around like, well, little boys.

Moral of the story: if you think it, it can (and most likely will) happen.

This story had a happy ending, but they don’t always end this way.

What would have happened if my mindset hadn’t changed so quickly, if I had stayed in panic mode and let fear rule the situation?

Probably would have dropped the ball or maybe even something worse, like the ball hitting me in the head. There wouldn’t have been any celebration, I can be certain of that.

This principle of “Thought = Creation” applies whether you are a little leaguer or you’ve been suffering from any sort of ailment.

A positive thought is 100x more powerful than a negative one, so even when it feels like the game of life is too much for you to handle, if you change your mindset and take control of your fears, you can and will accomplish anything you set your mind to.

My Journey To The Hansa Center

2009-10-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

I have always been a firm believer in the idea that all your life experiences shape who you are today and lead you in the path of where you NEED to be in the future. We all have goals and aspirations and ideas of what we want to do and what we think is best for ourselves. But even the best laid plans don’t always end up the way we draw them up.

For instance, when I was 12 months away from graduating from Life University School of Chiropractic in Atlanta, GA, I met a girl one night, exchanged phone numbers, and we went out on a few dates. (Little did I know at the time, but 3 years later we’d be married.) I wasn’t even looking for a relationship that night, let alone a wife. I had major plans of moving to Colorado right after graduation and starting my career.

Instead, I graduated and started looking at jobs in Atlanta because my girlfriend wasn’t interested in living in Colorado. Wait a minute, I had big plans here!! But something bigger and better had stepped into my path and I decided that cultivating a personal relationship became more of a priority to me than where I WANTED to live. And it proved to be the best decision I’ve ever made.

So, how does this story relate to me joining the staff at the Hansa Center for Optimum Health?

That’s easy.

After 7 years of owning and operating a private practice I realized that I NEEDED to make a change, shift in a different direction. I wasn’t satisfied with what I was doing and who I was. So, I sat down and started writing down everything I was looking for, everything that I WANTED.

Before I even started searching for a new position, I came across a position that was EXACTLY what I WANTED. The position fit my skills and abilities to a “T.” So, I packed up my family and we moved to St. Kitts, in the Caribbean West Indies (I know, real tough decision to move to a tropical island.) It was an absolutely wonderful experience for me and my family, but just like the grand plans I laid out for graduation, it didn’t go as planned.

I was totally bummed.

I had uprooted my family, moved to another country and in short order, we were moving back. I couldn’t help but think “what a huge mistake this was.” Luckily, my wife (and many other great friends) reminded me that this was all part of the “master plan” that was written up for us and that everything would work out in our favor, that we would end up right where we NEED to be.

You see, I got so wrapped up in looking for what I wanted to do, that I was overlooking what I needed to do. Not long after I made that realization, I came in contact with the staff at the Hansa Center and once again, it was a perfect match for me. Sounds like the same old story over again, right?

But this time, it felt different. It felt like a challenge. Like nothing I had done or experienced before. This was a place where I would put my skills and knowledge to the test and really grow and blossom as a practitioner. I didn’t just WANT to be a part of it, I NEEDED to be a part of it. I was being called to this place, and it felt great! So we jumped in the car and 2600 miles later, here we are at the Hansa Center. And, as I knew I would, I love it here.

Stay posted for more stories about my awesome journey……