I know many people read this blog from other parts of the country or world, so I apologize if this won’t seem relevant. But for those who are here in the Atlanta area, this is for you. Even though the EPA has called Atlanta one of the top 15 most toxic cities in the country… and Forbes listed it as number one, in one of their articles. You should still be glad you live here.
The why, is because there is an incredible access to health pursuit here. And I surely hope you don’t take it for granted. First, the glaring reason for this sprout, the food! Between Trader Joes, Harry’s (Whole Foods), Life Grocery, the Natural Food Market in Alpharetta (brand new one in Crabapple), and other local health food stores such as Good Nutrition and Harvest Moon, and others in different suburbs, we have an incredible access to healthy foods.
In addition, living in the Northern suburbs, we have direct access to farm fresh eggs, organic field grown chickens (literally pecking whatever they can find for their food), raw dairy, grass fed beef… its amazing! My parents have all the farm access that we have, but without Trader Joes, Harry’s, etc. They are missing out on other items. It is hard to hunt down a package of xylitol in the Buffalo area, and I couldn’t find a jar of raw almond butter anywhere, not to mention crunchy vs creamy.
Organic vegetables are difficult at best, with the most critical organic vegetable being celery (ewg.org – dirty dozen list), you have to hope your timing is just right, or add an extra 20 minutes one way to your drive to a different grocery store. We get to find organic celery at every grocery store. There are vegetable stands along many road sides, but when you ask, you will find they all use chemical pesticides, so there is no happiness in that.
Beyond food choices, we have access to great chiropractic. And I am not just referring to our office, there are four Maximized Living Offices in the area, with one in Kennesaw, West Cobb, and Crabapple now. There is great opportunity for corrective chiropractic care, but also outstanding health leadership. I have never met a chiropractor outside of Maximized Living, willing to go the extra mile to educate their patients. It is simply th culture of our community.
In my hometown of Lockport, there are no Maximized Living chiropractors, and there are none in Buffalo at all. My family get adjusted regularly, but when I prod about educational efforts in the offices that they visit, I am always saddened by what I hear. Good chiropractors for sure, but not leading the charge to change every aspect of someone’s life towards greter health.
And of course, we are loaded with CrossFit gyms. Atlanta is the second hottest city in the country for CrossFit, with the LA metropolis being the leading one (this is where it started). This gives so much potential for fitness, and fitness goal setting, that we really have an awesome opportunity in front of us. Couple that with some of the greatest trails for mountain biking, hiking and trail running, all within such a short distance. We are blessed!
So, forget about the SMOG, or the water pollution for a bit, and be happy that you have such an opportunity to choose wisely, and to have those wise choices actually be easy! Be well, Be happy – Dr. E