This is a Straight 60 Approved Graphic, thanks to Dr. Mercola at Mercola.com.
read it through, should you eat food banned in Russia… or even CHINA??? NO! Be well and Be blessed, and do so by being informed! – Dr. E
There is a great article that cannot be printed due to the size of the picture, please go to the following links to see the information. It is worth your time!
http://www.mercola.com/infographics/10-banned-foods.htm
If you are patient here at Healthsprout you are well aware that our goal is correction of the spine. You should also know the main reason for this is to allow the brain to communicate with the rest of the body with as little interference as possible. Quick refresher: the brain (most amazing thing in your body by far) controls all function in your body. The brain communicates with the body through the spinal cord and nerves exiting the cord between each vertebrae. Perfectly aligned spine allows for optimal communication between brain and body which equals optimal function. Misalignment, or SUBLUXATION, interferes with that communication which equals less than optimal function which leads to disease. Its important to remember this throughout your care.
Besides improving function, a properly aligned spine is less likely to be injured. The Chiropractic Biophysics Group put out an article about this, specifically looking at the cervical spine (neck). The data they compiled showed that someone with a straight neck that sustains a whiplash type injury is much more prone to severe injury with long term affects when compared to someone with the proper cervical curve. They also go on to say that on average people involved in a car accident with whiplash type injury will lose 10 degrees from their cervical curve.
I view this as more reason to be proactive at correcting your cervical curve before symptoms arise. Adjustments, traction, the wobble chair, and the home care kits are all designed to correct and maintain proper alignment of your spine. Stay committed and working towards the goal.
-Dr. Mark
I recently did some testing on a young child; just like we do on an adult, we can send hair samples off and have them tested for toxic metals. The primary toxins that we are addressing are Aluminum, Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Uranium and Arsenic. The test results came back positive for all elements.
This is a rare situation. It is rare that I find an adult with all of these, much less a four year old with all. I asked my wife about it (names kept private of course), “can you think of where these toxins might come from?” She was quick to identify all the primary sources. I stopped and asked, “how many people on the planet do you tihnk would come up with those sources just as quick? I better write a Sprout”.
As with any toxin, these metals interrupt normal body process. Which leads to disease, and that can lead to all sorts of sad outcomes. So. The question for us, is simply how do we avoid this? This toxic exposure? Well, it starts with the knowledge of where it comes from, as my wife so quickly addressed.
Toys. Toys would have to be the source of the lead. Yes, indeed. We purchased a lead test kit years ago. We removed many toys from our kids path, as you will find almost every toy from China (which is every toy), has the chance of lead in the material. Disney toys are very notorious. And it would be wise to either test, or remove them. A lead test kit can be a pain in the butt to use, but worthwhile.
Google Search for Lead Test Kits.
She implicated the vaccines for the aluminum and the mercury. Which is likely for the aluminum, but at this age, I doubt there has been much mercury exposure from vaccines… unless a multi-use flu shot has been given. But she was quick to question drinking water. Which is a possibility. According to Rodale News, coal burning releases 50 TONS of mercury into our environment every year. Which would be a significant amount if you live anywhere near one of these plants.
Personal care products are also a concern. And we don’t even know where that can end up. When Minnesota governor, Jesse Ventura signed the ban on mercury in cosmetics for his state, it made national news… but then it was gone. You should ask yourself, “Why was it necessary to pass a law banning mercury in cosmetics?” Yep, it was in there. And in other personal care products today. So there are lots of options for mercury. What to do? Research. Jump into the 60 Day to learn how to check products, read labels, understand organic versus natural. January 19th we will be back at it.
Other sources of aluminum are primarily food cooking products, and anti perspirants. Unlikely that the latter has been a problem at age four.
Uranium… hmmmm? No, I don’t think the parents are terrorists. So where in the world? Well, you’d be shocked, but Radon Gas is a problem because of Uranium… not to mention it is a by-product of phosphate fertilizers. So you could easily become exposed to uranium through farming… or eating from farming. Now, admittedly, the levels in this child were apparently very low, but the presence alone is odd, so I would have to assume it is either because of high levels of consumption of toxic foods (which I don’t think so in this case). Or, it is simply that the detoxifying processes of the body are taxed with these other exposures, so the evidence of the uranium showed up.
The last one, cadmium, is pretty serious as well, even though we don’t hear about it like the others. As you might be able to imagine, most exposure to cadmium has come from batteries in the last decade plus. Lithium Ion have replaced these for the most part, but Nickel Cadmium, or “Ni-Cad” batteries as they were called, were pretty popular as a rechargeable battery back in the earlier cell phone days. This alone was enough to create low level toxicities in some people.
Which now brings us to the final point. Who cares? Well, as mentioned earlier, disease can come from this type of living. So don’t live this way. Seriously. You should consider that every level of exposure could be the straw that broke the camels back… or in this case, the straw that brings the cancer.
If you want to get tested, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We can test anyone from anywhere around the world, and it only costs $75. Be wise and be on top of your game.
Be well and Be blessed! – Dr. E
Many times I am asked, “What do you eat on this diet?” My response is usually, “The simplest thing I can.” You see, I don’t cook… Much. I mean, we can conjure up some serious meals, but be aware, this list of daily diet closely mirrors my kids diet too, so simple is in. They eat grains still when the family is ON the diet, I am Biblical in my approach, so we don’t avoid them completely with the kids, and only for corrective periods with ourselves.
But if the whole house eats simple, then life is… simple! I have told groups how easy it is for us to stop at a grocery store and buy lunch from the produce section. It just requires a new perspective. For those of you who have never done a Straight 60 who are asking “Why? Why would you fo through all of this, you don’t look like you need to lose weight… and your kids, are they overweight?” Of course, no, that is not the reason. The reason is because science validates the belief that cancer risk is under your control. Therefore we choose to take control, before the urgency to do so is upon us. Make sense?
Here is a sampling of seven days from my fall 2014, 60 Day Diet. Use it as a tool to help you, and also as a means of self discovery. We will be back hosting another at the end of January. Don’t miss it.
Day 1
Three scrambled eggs cooked under medium high heat in coconut oil
Morning snack – pecans lightly toasted in pasture butter and salted
Lunch – mixed bed of spinach and kale with almonds and raw grass fed cheese, no dressing
Dinner – mixed bed of greens with a medium rare grass fed strip steak, one whole avocado (sliced), and homemade red wine vinaigrette.
Dessert – handful berries with home whipped cream
Day 2
Breakfast Smoothie – coconut milk unsweetened, almond butter raw, maximized living protein powder, amasai – 4 oz (or form of probiotics), handful of berries, two handfuls of kale, 1/4 cup Mila chia seeds.
Morning snack – quest protein bar (no artificial sweeteners)
Lunch – bed of greens (spinach and kale), with pecans, feta, olives, and olive oil with vinegar
Afternoon snack – amasai
Dinner – grilled chicken, roasted/grilled peppers, raw broccoli with Greek yogurt dip
Dessert – organic whole milk protein shake (chocolate maximized living whey protein)
Day 3
Breakfast – 2 fried eggs in coconut oil and pasture butter
Snack – buttered pecans (roasted at 200 degrees for 20 minutes and salted – low temp roasting preserves fats better than high temp)
Lunch – Smoothie: unsweetened coconut milk, max living vanilla protein, coconut oil, raw almond butter, chia seed blend, plain amasai, tablespoon of cacao
Dinner – massive salad of mixed greens, pecans, raw cheese, blueberries, sliced sirloin steak, re wine vinegar and olive oil.
Day 4
Breakfast – organic water processed decaf coffee with organic half and half
Afternoon snack – buttered pecans
Dinner – salad with chicken salad (mixed with safflower oil mayonnaise), grilled squash and zucchini chilled added for taste and texture. No dressing, feta cheese for flavor.
Day 5
Breakfast – grain less granola, sweetened with stevia (nut mix with cinnamon and stevia, chopped) in unsweetened almond milk
Snack – quest coconut protein bar
Lunch – 10 oz. coffee smoothie, with coconut milk, whole milk, vanilla max living protein powder, two tablespoons cacao
Snack – buttered pecans
Dinner – grass fed beef seasoned with taco seasoning over a bed of spinach and salsa (unsweetened, organic)
Day 6
Fasting Day
4pm – raw cheese and almond butter with Greek yogurt
Dinner – guacamole solo, two grass fed beef hamburgers wrapped in romaine, tomato, Swiss cheese (not raw)
Day 7
Breakfast – organic water processed decaf coffee with organic half and half
Lunch – grilled veggies with organic grilled chicken thighs
Dinner – grass fed beef shoulder roast with leftover grilled veggies
Snack – almond butter and Greek yogurt in excess 🙂
Be well and Be blessed! – Dr. E
As you head into this fantastic Holiday week of Thanksgiving, you might just find yourself with more time to sleep in than your usual. I already have, and in doing so, re-visited that soreness that I am not so familiar with.
Many of you know what I am talking about, some of you have yet to experience this (under 35 you probably haven’t had much of this yet). I am referring to that soreness that accompanies a long night of sleep. You wake up, realize almost immediately that you slept too long, and everything is sore because of it.
First off, why? Second… what to change?
Well, it happens to many people who have never had an injury before. Actually, from my estimation based solely on the conversations over 250,000 adjustments in the last decade, more shoulder injuries happen in my “Masters” population, FROM sleep than any other cause. See, the “why” is really based on the long term damage that comes from sleeping in the same position. Why damage? Because as we age, we become more prone to inflammation, and our tissues become more prone to degradation.
Impingement and micro tears can happen from these positions. When the spine is put in a place of impingement, then the tissues beyond the nerves under duress will become more likely to injure. This combined situation makes it easy for damage to set in. If you have already suffered injuries in your shoulders, neck, scapula areas, or lumbar spine, you are that much more apt to hurt worse after a long night in bed.
The big problem of course, is that a good nights sleep is good for you. So what to do?
Well, there are a few things that you can do to assist. First, bring pillows to bed. Multiple pillows stacked up around you can allow you to become better at sub-consciously supporting yourself by using pillows to support your shoulders, upper back and neck appropriately. Which basically means keep the shoulders rounded as you “hug” the pillow, and be sure the spine is neutral, or in a straight line.
Next, having pillows provides something to spur you into action. Meaning, you shouldn’t just sit still the entire time. But this should give you the just enough of a kick to move around some and re-position. Getting up to use the bathroom, though bad in a short night, can actually be good for your inflammation in a longer night of sleep. But disturbing too much sleep is of course, no good.
Lastly, if you tend to wake up sore, going to bed on an ice pack, or with a good anti-inflammatory supplement like juice plus, or Go Yin. For now, identify if you normally get sore, and work towards stopping it. Enjoy this week, no matter what.
Be well and Be Blessed. Dr. E
I looked back to see what I wrote last year for Thanksgiving, and I decided to simply re-share this. But I wanted to add one thing. I have been more thankful this year for God’s commitment to validate my work. I sometimes share the story of 2008, when we had 300 lifetime prescriptions stopped in our patient base in that one year. Many times when I share it, I find myself missing the days of a busy HealthSprout. I know many of you think it is busy today. But the top days lately, have been 150 adjustments, as compared to 290 back then.
And the reality is, God used us in a big way then, and would today if we were diligent in His service. But that is another topic for another day. The thing that is really awesome, is that He senses those moments of need, and just like that, an amazing story happens. A woman gets pregnant who should not be able to get pregnant supposedly. Seizures stop. A cancer patient gets an all clear, and a lyme patient crosses over to healed. My year has been amazing with stories of healing. I can only be thankful that I am here in the middle of it all. And I am thankful for all of you who read. Thanks, be blessed this Thanksgiving season! – Dr. E
My annual tradition is BACK! Writing about Thanksgiving, the best holiday of the year. Why? Because what is better than stopping everything, and realizing you are blessed? Blessed beyond belief. Every single one of us, regardless of situation, are blessed beyond belief!
So, Thanksgiving. What does it mean to be thankful? We all fall short of reaching our “thank” potential on a daily basis. But when we reach for it, we can really hit a pretty strong level of “thanks”! Its how I start my days, been doing it ever since I went to Camp Transformation about five years ago. I came away with a plan to be at peace every morning, and so almost every morning since; I wake up and I start saying “thanks” in my head. Over and over, listing off whatever comes to my mind.
Thank you God for my wife, thank you for my daughter Brooke, for Ansley, thank you for the dog staring at me hoping I’ll let him out, thank you for this house that protects us, and for providing the comfort it brings, thank you for HealthSprout and for chiropractic, thank you for the opportunity to change lives through my career, and for the stories of health that we have seen, thank you for my health, and for the lessons I have learned through challenge…
It goes on and on. Some mornings, I wrap up in a minute or two, others it lasts for five to ten. This one habit has been the single most important part of my life for the last five years in finding joy in any situation. So whenever Thanksgiving comes along, I cannot help but feel an overwhelming thanks for all that is in my life. Even the part where I lost my left eye sight.
So lets turn this towards your life. How easy is it to be thankful for everything? For the great things, the awful things, and everything in between? I know Thanksgiving sure makes it easier, but there is a warmth wrapped up in this week that will make all things just a bit easier. But what about every other day? Can you stop and see the beauty in your pain?
My wife is better. We don’t know if she is better, but the Lyme disease that began about 5 months ago or so, seems to have drifted off… or at least gone dark for a bit (this is actually relatively common, where the bacteria takes a cyst form that isn’t killed by the antibiotic that is used). Right now, we are very thankful for what we are seeing. Very thankful and hopeful that this is it. But, though it isn’t as easy, I can find thanks in the effort to get here. The pain she has gone through leading to this point, because it strengthens our desire to know more, more about health, and about this disease. It gives us a desire to reach out and be helpful to others if we can, and to fixate on assisting those in places that are dark and desperate.
It is hard for many of us to find the joy in the fight. To see how difficulty shapes us into a better version of us. It is hard to see how every difficult situation is another way to grow. We are all guilty of being overwhelmed. But there is no advantage in being overwhelmed, the advantage is in being able to let the stress slip from us, and to focus on growth.
I think it is awesome that as I look at my life right now at 41 years old, I can see countless goals that I had set that never came to fruition. I have reached for the stars along the way, and in so many ways I have fallen short. But it is the mission that is worth it all. The desire to fight on and to grow. Thanksgiving as an historical moment, is all about this. How many of those early settlers died? Most of them. 45 of 102 who made the journey on the Mayflower were dead after their first winter. 57 carried on.
It wasn’t until Abraham Lincoln saw a need to unite the country in 1863 that America began to celebrate Thanksgiving. And in those early days, it was an inspired holiday, where thanks for life was plenty. Why? Because they were dead in the idle of the civil war, which ended up taking 750,000 lives.
750,000
I am not sure that I could ever have a thought again that wasn’t thankful when I consider that number. We all have an awesome responsibility to lead each other in joy. To be thankful for each other, and to share that thanks with everyone. To appreciate others and show them how important they are to you, regardless of what is in your heart or mind in the moment, to reach out of our situations and to be an inspiration of love.
I am thankful for all of you, and pray that you have an awesome week that leaves an imprint forever.
Looking for a way to help out around town this Holiday season? A way to give and show thanks? Check out our two options on this page, and the link to a whole bunch more! Be Rich HealthSprout Style
Be well and Be blessed! – Dr. E
Well I have been looking forward to this for a long time now, the end of this diet that is. Its a much different feeling than the first time through, even though this time wasn’t nearly as successful with staying strict, as I’ve mentioned before It has shown me that I can “cheat” and stay on this path. Which if you remember from before, was a big fear of mine coming off the diet the first time. I was very anxious about eating pizza again, and then just falling back into a downward spiral, completely out of control. Last time I had a week off, and then this straight 60 started up again, so I knew I’d be fine. This time, no straight 60 (that I’m aware of) in the near future. But I’m not scared or anxious this time. I know that I can keep myself in control with my food, while having a treat now and then. I can even lose weight eating this way (granted its much slower than if I were being strict). So I am looking forward to not having strict rules that I am suppose to be following.
Instead, I will now be able to choose to eat healthy and avoid certain foods on my own. Don’t get me wrong, I loved doing this with the group and having that support and sense of accountability. Its like breaking an addiction, accountability and help from others are pretty much necessities. Now, having the confidence and the knowledge to go out on my own is a good feeling. I didn’t get that from the first straight 60, so if you are doing it with us and don’t feel that way yet, don’t be discouraged. You may need to stay strict longer, or be sure to follow the graduation plan carefully.
This experience has really been great. Getting healthy, losing weight, and building strength are obviously great outcomes. Its been more than that though. I’ve gained a lot of confidence in myself. Being able to conquer this food/sugar addiction makes you feel extremely empowered to accomplish so much more.
I didn’t reach my goal of under 200 lbs. for this straight 60, that’s somewhat disappointing but like I said in my last post, there’s too much to be happy about to let that get to me. I know I’ll be there soon. Maybe tomorrow. This morning I was 202 lbs. again. So that’s a total lost of about 35 lbs (still kicking myself for not getting my starting weight, I did it after the 2nd day in, so I’m guessing it was 237). Anyway, what’s my plan from hear on? I like the idea of the graduation plan Dr. Eric has made. Not a whole lot will change for me, I’ve found a lot of good foods that I enjoy eating for my breakfasts and lunches that fit the diet. Dinner is really the meal where I may have something not approved but that would only be a few days out of the week. I’ve realized my meals don’t all need to be a huge production, a salad will do most nights. I am looking forward to fruit again. I am really looking forward to making some homemade pizza, and experimenting with new crust recipes that are part wheat/almond/coconut flour. My goal, for now is still to drop below 200 lbs. Then, during the holiday season ahead of us, stay below 200 lbs. Then once January hits I plan to get back to dropping weight. How strict I plan on going with avoiding sugars then, I haven’t decided yet. Make sure you have a plan for coming off this diet.
Thanks for reading.
-Dr. Mark
This is a traditional cheesecake recipe that I have altered to fit this diet, the actual ingredients are in ( ).
Ingredients:
Crumb Crust -I used the chocolate peanut butter cookie dough as my crust
5 – 8oz packs of cream cheese, softened
1 and 3/4 xylitol (sugar)
3 tbsp coconut flout (all purpose flour)
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
Beat together cream cheese, sugar, flour, and zests.
Add eggs and yolks 1 at a time, then vanilla while beating at a low speed.
Put springform pan in shallow cookie sheet.
Spread crust evenly into springform pan, slightly raised around edges.
Pour filling into crust.
Bake on middle rack for 12 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 200 degrees F for about 1 hour (until cake is mostly firm).
Cool on rack.
Chill for at least 6 hours.
Enjoy!
Many of you have read the RULES for the Straight 60. And many of you have done it for 60 days, and many of you have wondered… what next?
Well here are your rules for the “Straight 60 For Life”. Use these guidelines once you have healed your body, to maintain that healing for life!
The Simple Steps Once you have reviewed the first 60 Days –
60 Days For Life
PHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3 – For Life
FIXING A BAD DAY
You’ll find that carbohydrate demands carbohydrate. You’ll want more and more. If you have a BAD DAY, you are best trying to stuff yourself with the appropriate foods the following day. This is because the hunger from eating too many carbs will often make you falter. Remember that you can stay the path by eating the right foods. The following day, you should consider eating very little.
Intermittent Fasting
Try fasting once a week. Last food at 9pm the night before, then eat again at 4pm that day. It will assist you in controlling food desires.
Supplementation
Appropriate Ongoing Supplementation:
Max Living Protein Daily
Omega 3 – If I eat 15 Grams of ALA (nut and seed and grass fed dairy source), then no supplementation. Below that, simply take between 2-5 grams a day.
13 Servings of fruit and vegetables per day – take one juice plus capsule per serving shy. I average 4 supplemented servings a day, up to 10, as low as zero.
Vitamin D3 – 30 minutes of sun on the arms and head in the summer, up to 90 minutes in the winter. 3-10,000 units to make up the difference.
Daily Cleanse regardless of the day (something to support your detoxification – Genesis Pure)
Suero Viv Cleanse one time a month or as little as two times a year.
Genesis Pure 7 Day Cleanse 1-12 times a year.
Daily Detox one time a year for three months straight (Maximized Living).
Enjoy the life change, and Be Blessed and Be Well! – Dr. E