Don't Cover the Symptoms!s

A “band-aid” is never a good solution!

When we first moved into the new house the washing machine flooded the entire kitchen on the first run. It turned out the pressure hose was cut in two and there was no negative feedback loop to stop the barrel from filling with water. (Okay, so these were not the repair man’s exact words, but I had to have it make sense in my brain so putting into more physiological terms helped!) Instead of ordering the correct length, special order, hose he put two hoses together and wrapped them with some sort of insulation. Well… a month and a half in and the flooding started again! As I was scooping out the water cup by cup from the barrel and dumping it down the bathroom sink, as to stop the flooding, I realized this is crazy! The cause of the issue was never really addressed and the machine was going to return to its broken state.

This is just like the body! You cannot  cover up the symptoms and expect health. The dis-ease and disease will manifest and these are warning signs that must be recognized and addressed.  We do not settle for our appliances or cars to be half fixed, right? Well our bodies are much more important than a washing machine so sitting around waiting for health will not work! You must take action, feed your body, move, and breathe! Things like pain killers are temporarily and will never get the cause of the problem.

Your nervous system controls every cell, tissue, organ , and other system of the body! Spinal adjustments remove pressure and stress to this nervous system so that you can live an optimal life! This is truly addressing the root cause of dis-ease and will allow for the fullest expression of life.  You would not tolerate a repair person covering the symptoms, would you? Then taken care of your body, get adjusted regularly, and live the 100 year lifestyle!

When the Universe Calls...Answer!

Often times the universe provides gentle reminders, suggestions, and paths but  it is up to us to take action. Other times, the universe pushes a bit more aggressively and we are forced to participate in its plans!

Yesterday, I felt like I was shoved back into my authentic purpose. I was super tired, low energy, frustrated with my lack of vision , and just getting irritated! As I was exploring these feelings through words and emotional expression I received a phone call from a chiropractic college (not the one I attended). It was a follow-up from an e-mail I received after having an articled called “Sight v. Vision” published in ‘Spizz Magazine’ a chiropractic periodical, several weeks ago.  I agreed to be a mentor to two students one with low vision and one with no vision starting at this college in the next six months. It was literally a wake-up call that helped me realign my emotions, attitude, and energy back into a place of loving gratitude and service. It reminded me that my words, whether spoken or written, can make a difference for the better in another person’s life. Since part of my personal purpose statement is “To tell my own story as a source of inspiration  throughout t the world” I knew that I must respond to the universe!

I believe that it is healthy to always express emotions as long as they do not have any malevolent intent behind them! Cry if you need to cry and definitely laugh whenever you have the chance. One of things I love about my practice, less than a month into practice, is all the laughter taking place. When we are adjusting we are very focused with clear intentions and energy. Our patients interact with one another in the waiting area and have formed their own relationships  outside of our office already. It is beautiful to be creating an atmosphere that fosters community, collaboration, and positive energy! Although we have worked very hard to open this practice, build a corporation, and create a brand when we are in the office it is the best feeling and does not seem fair that being at work is so fun and rewarding.

Life is always experienced through the nervous system and guided by innate as well as universal intelligence. It is a pleasure removing the interference, by adjusting the subluxations, and allowing the body to heal from the inside-out. It is only when this interference has been removed that true inborn potential can be expressed and new human potential will be achieved.  Allow the universe to guide you down your path, pay attention when it calls, and breathe through the difficult times. They will pass and then you can continue on your  journey to living the life you have imagined. As a chiropractor I am role modeling this life expression for my patients all of the time. I get adjusted regularly, sometimes several times a week depending on what I am doing that particular week. I exercise daily , switching between biking, walking, dancing and yoga. I buy most of my food at the farmer’s market and always eat organic . Yesterday, we had local, organic, raw goat milk, cheese, and yogurt delivered right to our office. It is so good and super healthy.  Through public speaking engagements, workshops, and writing I am role modeling how to constantly reach toward your genetic potential. It is frustrating, I get frustrated with my low vision , but I know that I must keep educating and moving down my path in order to make an impact on this world.  Please take this journey with me, get your spine and nervous system checked by a chiropractor, and reach for the stars!

With Gratitude,

Dr. Elizabeth

Independence Day!!!

In two days we celebrate our country’s independence. It is a huge celebration with fireworks, family, and friends. Although this is important, have you considered how critical it is to have health freedom and independence? This means getting healthy and remaining in that state free from disease as well as dis-ease. Freedom means choosing health care instead of symptom based sick care which is our current model in the United States. Independence means you can live to 100 years and beyond without fear of being dependent on your family for help or on medications to cover symptoms.

Each day should be a celebration of life and light. It is a beautiful thing to celebrate through loving gratitude with your family and friends. Do not wait for the new year or your birthday to make a change, start today. Remember one of the 100 Year Lifestyle principles is: “Change is easy, thinking about change is difficult.”Everyone at GCI is dedicated to serving you and guiding you through a process of positive transformation through the lens of chiropractic. An optimized nervous system allows for the fullest of life expression so that you may make the best choices possible to live a healthy and independent life.

Have a fun and safe Fourth of July!

In Love and Light,

Dr. Elizabeth

Breathe Through the Wave

If you want to be great at anything… it takes practice! There is the well known “10,000 hour rule “that says in order to become an expert you must practice that thing for 10,000 hours! Earlier this week I was thinking about my writing and realized that if I want to be a writer I have to publish more than one article and blog per month! My new goal is to write five blogs per week and have several articles published per month! This is the only way that I can not only become a better writer but truly explore that creativity! IT is easy to write when you have something to say, it is much more difficult to work through writer’s block and create  something powerful!

One of my favorite sayings, that came out of the Transcendentalist movement, is “Live the life you have imagined”(HDT).  I often wear this quote on a pendent around my neck to remind myself of the importance of this quote. In its spirit and honor I am doing just that! Yesterday, I woke up early and biked, then started my cundelini meditation practice which I have not done in about nine months, followed by an amazing yoga session / private instruction on the beach! The ocean was beautiful with dolphins playing in the surf and fairly large waves crashing into the beach. We discussed breathing technique and related it to the waves. I felt connected with the earth, safe in her warmth, and felt my soul open to the possibilities of the day. Later I went into the office to take care of patients, which is my favorite thing to do! Following a wonderful afternoon at the practice, I went to Santa Barbara Dance Tribe for the first time. It was a special event that was led by an international speaker on dance movement, breathing, and life! She discussed the five rhythms of dance and how it is like a wave and how we must breathe through the entire wave and let our body keep moving. It was amazing having my day bookended by this concept of not only waves but the importance of breath.

Often we are in such a sympathetic state, fight or flight, that our breathing is fast and shallow. I regularly  see this with my patients, when I tell them to take a deep breath and it is like nothing is happening! Likewise, with my patients who practice yoga, they take the most beautiful deep breaths that are controlled and prolonged. There is a clear difference and I believe teaching breath work can have profound differences on one’s health and wellness. A shorter breath in is controlled by the sympathetic, but the exhale being longer is controlled by the parasympathetic’s bringing us to a state of rest and digest. Yes breath is automatic but the lesson of yesterday , that I will continue to work on, is to learn how to control this breathing and bring it back into balance. Look to mother nature for important cues on balance and vitality and you will live a healthier life.

Listen to your Body

Pain may hurt, but stress can kill you! Our society enjoys and relies on instant gratification.  If you want to know the latest news you can click a few buttons on your  smart phone. If you want “food” you can pop it in the microwave. If you are in pain, you can take a pill. This is all symptom control and never addresses the root of the issue It limits us from experiencing other cultures for ourselves, eating real food, and from listening to the intuition that the body is constantly offering but we more frequently ignore.

Similar to taking pain killers, just receiving chiropractic adjustments when you are experiencing pain is not an equation for lifelong health. Yes, you will most likely feel better and have little to no pain however, if you do not address your lifestyle, you will continue along the path of crisis intervention instead of achieving health independence. Regular chiropractic care is part of the path to independence, because health is a process not an event!

It is time to look at pain and other symptoms as warning signals from the body, not something to be covered up. These signals should be listened to, they begin in whispers but if ignored long enough the body will scream at you by manifesting disease states. Since we cannot selectively numb feelings, emotions, or symptoms when we take pills we are turning down that important inner voice. This is dangerous because we need to listen to the body and make changes, get adjusted, in order to truly heal.

I encourage you to think of symptoms in a new way, not as something negative, but as your body having an important conversation with you regarding your own state of health. The body is very intelligent and it is time we quiet the mind, and spend time thinking about what our body is communicating. Chiropractic adjustments allow for proper nervous system communication because the brain and body which allows us to really listen in on the conversation our body is constantly trying to communicate. Get your  spine checked regularly and listen when the body whispers to you!

ADIO Love,

Dr. Elizabeth