DECEMBER 31ST ... What Does It Mean To You

WHAT DOES DECEMBER 31ST MEAN TO YOU?

Call me old fashioned, but I still like to take the time on December 31st to reflect, refine & recommit. It seems that people tend not to make New Year's Resolutions because they see it as cliche and quite possibly the biggest set up for failure.

My take? Who needs to know? A resolution is 'your' vision - a clarifying of your focus on what you have decided will become a part of who you are, what you practice, how you think, or simply your habits and actions. It's also an opportunity. An opportunity to ask yourself the most basic philosophical questions about your existence:

Who am I?
Why am I here?

What fundamental questions have you failed to ask yourself which could clarify your life's greatest purpose? Is that too much to think about on December 31st? That's fine. It's a whole bunch of really big questions that require some thought and likely some time to sort through. It may take you a few days to figure it out , but the process starts with a single question and the desire to know your truths.

WHY? Every year I start it off by peeling back the plastic on my new journal and cracking open the binding. I have a special kind of ball point marker I like to write with. I splurge. I only write on ONE side of the paper and I give myself all the freedom in the world to doodle, sketch, & draw flow charts. In the end I have pages filled with goals/dreams/visions of where the year is going to take me in all the most important areas of my life like SELF, FAMILY, SPIRIT, CAREER, FINANCES, HEALTH, and RELATIONSHIPS. You can make it about whatever you'd like.

I visit these concepts often throughout the year and I LOVE looking back over the shelf of journals from year's past. I can see how my dreams have shifted over the years, but more importantly how my life has evolved.

Just a thought.

All the best to you & your loved ones for a happy & healthy new year.

Dr. F

Spicy Rainbow Rice and Bean Salad

Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum Cookbook.
Yield: 6 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 tbsp oil of your choice (I used EVOO)
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green onion, chopped (optional)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp Tamari (organic soy sauce)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1 tsp Earth Balance, to stir in

Directions: Cook the basmati rice on the stove top according to the package directions. Chop all vegetables and get all of your ingredients ready before beginning this recipe.
In a large skillet, add the tablespoon of oil over low-medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté on low-medium heat until golden. Add spices, garlic, and optional green onion and sauté on low for a few minutes until the spices begin to bubble slightly. Be careful not to burn.
Add in the Tamari sauce and the drained and rinsed black beans and stir well. Heat for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Add the frozen peas, grated carrots, and frozen corn and stir well. Heat on low for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the cooked and drained rice and a teaspoon of Earth Balance (or butter).

Chiropractic Miracle

Why do A Lot Of Smart Women See Chiropractic Doctors

There looks to be a lack of understanding on just how chiropractic care could be of benefit to people. For those people who want to become enlightened about what chiropractic care could do for you here are the five most important benefits women could get from a chiropractic care practioner.
Probably the largest benefit that a Chicago chiropractor or chiropractic doctor in your town can offer is that it can hugely improve your immune system. We all know a healthy immune system is vital to keeping up your optimal health. Bettering the function of the immune system is a great benefit to your optimal health. Research has found that patients who see a chiropractor regularly have less colds and if they do get a cold, their symptoms are less harsh.
Chiropractic therapy helps to manage pain. Chiropractic adjustment could also help you to control your pain by helping to find & fix big time nervous system stress, increase the strength of muscles surrounding your nerves and advising you on the correct care of your body.
Chiropractic treatment can increase your range Of motion. By helping you to manage and control your pain and increase muscle strength, chiropractic therapy can often make it possible to increase your range of movements after an injury or accident. Chicago chiropractors or your city chiropractor will work with you to discover exercises that will continue to aid you in reclaiming all or most of the range of movements you had prior to the accident or injury.
Chiropractic care will allow you to avoid the dangerous side effects of many drugs. Since chiropractic treatment is based on natural care, chiropractic MD’s can help you avoid the use or abuse of pain drugs and other drugs that often come with dangerous side effects & could add to your health issues. The less drugs you ingest, the less problems await you later on in life.
Lastly, chiropractic treatment will get you the right medical attention you need. Since chiropractic treatment deals with your overall well being & health, a chiropractor usually finds health problems or afflictions that are past his area of training. If this happens your Chicago chiropractor will refer you to a doctor who could help you tackle these needs, helping to be certain of your continued good health.
Share and Enjoy:

How do you plan to stick to your health and diet goals during party season?

The holidays are here and with them come a multitude of parties—some that we're psyched about, some that we're obligated to attend. All of them, no doubt, will have a buffet table packed with delicious holiday treats: mini quiches, Swedish meatballs, the dozens of clever ways people devise to stuff cream cheese into pastry puffs, elaborate chocolate confections and spiced buttery baked goods.
Related:Discover dozens of delicious holiday recipes that won't pack on the pounds here.Irresistible 100-Calorie Holiday Cookies
Your tactic for avoiding temptation may be to steer clear of all the special treats and divert yourself with only healthy foods. Great in theory, but not so perfect in practice. Lots of foods that are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are also full of calories. And when you're mindlessly munching as you're mingling, those calories can add up fast.
In short, knowledge is power. Don't assume that just because something is healthy it is also low-cal. If you like the healthy treats that sometimes show up at holiday parties, that's great! Have them—in moderation. If you'd rather sample some of the special seasonal treats, just put two or three of the most delicious-looking hors d'oeuvres on your plate and enjoy.
So before you head out to party, check out these surprisingly unhealthy holiday calorie bombs and better bets to choose instead.
Surprising Calorie Bomb: Mixed nuts. Yes, nuts of all kinds are full of heart-healthy fats and the various types provide good amounts of other nutrients too (e.g., calcium, folate, selenium, vitamin E). But grab a couple of small handfuls and you're easily getting a half cup—nearly 450 calories and 40 grams of fat!Better bet: Go ahead and have one small serving of a spiced-nut mix that feels more like a treat.
Find our super-easy recipe for Spiced Spanish Almonds and more delicious spiced-nut recipes here.
Surprising Calorie Bomb: Veggies with ranch dressing.Hanging near the crudité tray is a great way to keep calories in check—so long as you stay away from the ranch (or blue cheese) dressing, which delivers a devastating 150 calories and 16 grams of fat per two tablespoons. Yes, I said two tablespoons.Better bet: If you're just eating to eat (not that I advocate that... but it happens), go for the vegetables, unadorned. Or put a small scoop of hummus on your plate. It has a more reasonable 50 calories and 3 grams of fat.
Related: Party-Perfect 100-Calorie Appetizer Recipes
Surprising Calorie Bomb: Cheese and crackers. On any ordinary day, you'd know that cheese is a high-fat, high-cal choice—but when those simple little cubes are sitting there amid all the holiday treats, they start to look like a good choice. Beware: If you grab five of those little 1-inch cubes, you've just housed 345 calories. Add a small handful of crackers to that and you're easily at 500 calories.Better bet: If you truly want cheese and crackers, limit yourself to a few—say five crackers (about 80 calories) and top each with a very thin layer of a cheese spread (think: goat cheese or even cheese ball).
Surprising Calorie Bomb: Spiced cider. It's an office party and you're staying away from the spiked punch for various reasons. But if you're trying to be festive with a couple cups of spiced cider (240 calories), you're doing just as much damage as you would if you were having a glass of wine—from a calorie perspective anyway.Better bet: Stick to 1 cup of cider, then switch to seltzer with lime.
Related: Looking to serve something special at your party? Try one of these healthy, warm winter drinks!
How do you plan to stick to your health and diet goals during party season?

How to Reduce your Stress!

Meditation is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
It has been celebrated by an overwhelmingly wide spectrum of people, from western doctors to the humblest of practitioners. Meditative practices are perhaps the most universal of techniques used in the pursuit of happiness and health, spirituality and success.
Remarkably, it doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is in order to reap the benefits. One of the biggest obstacles people have as resistance to starting is something like this:
“I can’t meditate, there’s no way my mind would slow down enough for that.”
Here’s the good news – you don’t have to make your mind slow down. It may do so on its own, but don’t get caught up worrying about the idea of trying to sit still for a length of time with no thoughts at all in your mind. That isn’t realistic, and doesn’t really happen for most people.
Instead, try approaching the idea of meditation as a momentary retreat; a way of reconnecting to who you truly are so that you can enjoy life What are some of the benefits of meditation for you?
It is, hands down, one of the best ways to de-stress, bringing many physical benefits such as lowering blood pressure.
In addition to the physical blessings of being less stressed out, you also receive more balance and serenity mentally and emotionally.
It helps you focus and creates clarity of mind, thus allowing you to be more productive and successful.
It creates a state of calm and feeling of well-being.
Meditation can be a significant and transformational healing tool.
It helps you connect with the bigger energy that you know in your heart (whatever your belief is – God, the Divine, Creator, Universe, Source), and experience yourself as a direct expression of that supreme energy.
Because you feel happier and more centered, you become even more of a blessing to those you are in relationship with; people enjoy being with you and your brighter energy.
These are only a few of they myriad benefits.
By practicing meditation every single day, you keep returning to a place of peace and harmony, health and happiness. As such, you are far less likely to lose these centered feelings in day to day life, and when you do it is much easier to get back to balance.
You may have known this, or perhaps learned a few things here, but now is a good time to ask yourself this:
Do you meditate every day?
If so, fantastic! You know meditation makes you feel good and helps you navigate the layers of life in a more skillful and enjoyable way. That’s wonderful.
If not, no worries. You can start small. 5 minutes a day is a good, non-intimidating goal. You might find yourself naturally wanting to stay longer, and you will, at some point, want to increase your daily meditation to 15 minutes.
It is important to remember not to be rigid with your practice. Stay devoted, yes, meditate every day, but if some days are longer and some shorter, it’s okay.
The important thing is that you connect with your breath and your higher self every single day. Even if just for a few moments.

Outdoor skating

Looking for something to do this Christmas Season with the family and or friends and enjoy the fresh air and exercise?

Aurora town park will be transformed into an outdoor skating rink to enjoy, free of charge.

The park will feature more than a dozen lit Christmas trees as well as more than 200 strands of LED lights. The park will be illuminated every evening until family day Feb 21st from 5 - 9 p.m.

For more information, visit e-aurora.ca

HEALTHY TREATS!

Almond Bites

2 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
½ cup raisins
2 tbsp. raw sunflower seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup almond butter
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. barley malt syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Grind ½ cup oats and ¼ cup pumpkin seeds in food processor until powdery. Transfer to a medium bowl, set aside.
2. Combine remaining 2 cups oats, remaining ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in almond butter, honey, barley malt syrup and vanilla until soft dough forms.
3. Moisten hands, and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Coat balls in oat-pumpkin seed powder. Place in freezer 20 minutes to set, then serve or store in the fridge.

Per Ball: 148 cal, 5g protein, 6g fat
Vegetarian Times Magazine

&

Jenn Pike, RHN

CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO GIVE THANKS

I came across a great quote yesterday that I really liked. I hope you like it too!

"Feeling graditude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it" --William Arthur Ward

I was at a Christmas Liturgy that was being held at my daughter Charlotte's school the other day and the priest called her up to the stage to ask her what meal her mommy was going to make on Christmas day. Looking at her beautiful face filled with what I can only imagine was sheer terror as she tried to not burst into tears, the priest promptly asked me to join Charlotte on stage. Together, we were given the opportunity to tell a room full of people that were were very grateful that daddy would be cooking a delicious turkey on Christmas day. It was a wonderful moment and I would recommend to anyone feeling overwhelmed at this time of year to sit back and tell those you love how much you appreciate them.


Have a very Merry Christmas everyone (I know I will!)

Danielle

CHIROPRACTIC CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY HOURS

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU DURING THE HOLIDAYS!
FFC chiropractic is open during most of the holidays.

We are open during the majority of our hours in the week leading up to Christmas. Full hours for Dr. Foster. Dr. Warner closes early on Dec 24th. The clinic is closed:

Saturday, Dec 25th
Monday, Dec 27th
Tuesday, Dec 28th: Dr. Warner OPEN; Dr. Foster CLOSED
Monday, Jan 3rd.

Stay healthy by keeping most of your healthy routines intact. Get adjusted, do a little exercise, eat 'mostly' well, and keep up your sleep routines! Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends. Stay safe.

Power Smoothie

I've had a few people ask me how I make my power shakes and smoothies. It varies, but I have a few staples I always put in there. I use these drinks to increase my overall protein intake as I've found I am often not getting enough protein in my diet. Keeping my protein levels higher tends to curb those midday blood sugar dips which usually encourages the bad snacks ... especially at this time of year!

MY TRIED AND TRUE SMOOTHIE:
2 scoops protein powder (typically use natural vanilla, Genuine Health whey protein powder - Nature's Emporium or Superstore)
1-2 scoops Nanogreens (the BEST green supplement, in my opinion. Available at FFC)
1 TB flax seed oil (omega 3 essential fatty acid. Superstore is the cheapest)
1 cup almond or rice milk (or water if I'm wanting to decrease the calorie content)
1 probiotic supplement (I supplement with probiotics ALL winter. I add this in after I've blended the shake. I use Genestra brand HMF Forte probiotics. I open the capsule and pour the powder in). Available at FFC or Nature's Emporium.

Fruit:
1/2 banana (the wonder food - thickens the shake and hides the taste of anything!)
1/2 cup frozen berries (usually blueberries)
Any other fruit (I'll often put in the fruit that is overripening, like pears)

I blend in my magic bullet (comes with that fancy cup attached and the lid that allows you to put it in your lunch bag and in the fridge until 2 pm!). If I'm making a big batch of smoothies for my family I'll make it in my vitamix and put it in glasses or glass jars.

Variations:
- Fresh vegetable juice
- Different types of protein powder: hemp or rice protein.
- Flax seeds
- I'll make a choc/banana smoothie for the kids that involves substituting berries for a banana and 1 TB of raw cacao powder.

FFC members are the best!!

Just a little note to say thank you to all who gave so generously to either the Food Bank or the family that we sponsored. Because of your big hearts, we were able to drop off a large amount of food and cash to the Newmarket Food Bank, and we took bags and bags of gifts to the York Women's Centre so that a single mom and her 4 children will have plenty of needed items under their tree this year! You have put smiles on a lot of peoples' faces and we are very thankful for that!

We hope each and every one of you have a very Merry Christmas and all the best for a happy, healthy, well-adjusted 2011!!

2010 Readers Choice Awards

It's that time again to vote for your favorite Chiropractor and Massage therapist.
Follow the link below and place your votes and you will be entered into a draw to win a $250 gift certificate.
Voting ends Dec. 21st 2010

http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/903775

Massage Therapy for Performance

How Massages Will Boost Your Performance
By Marisa Walker

You might think of a massage as a spa indulgence, but as a runner, it can also be a natural performance enhancer.

Sports massage stimulates muscles for physical activity and helps them recover post-run. "For runners, a regular massage is important to stimulate blood and lymph and to keep the leg muscles, joints and tendons in optimum shape," says Joan Ishibashi, a licensed massage therapist (LMT) at the Cleveland Clinic. "Sports massage is similar to Swedish massage, but is designed to optimize an athlete's performance, help an athlete recover post-event and address injuries."


Lowdown on Sports Massage
Sports massage is a blend of several techniques that can be tailored to suit your activity and the muscles used for it. "While Swedish and therapeutic are more full-body relaxing and a form of deep-tissue massage, respectively, sports massage is more spot-specific," says Robert Vance, spa director at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Ariz.

"Sports massage is a broad modality that can help a runner flush out the lactic acid from his or her quads and hamstrings." While your legs do the heavy lifting during a run, sports massage also targets your upper body. "An area that is sometimes neglected is the pectoral and shoulder area," Ishibashi says. "It's important for runners to be strong and flexible in these areas."


According to CG Funk, RMT and vice president of Massage Envy, sports massage techniques can be light or deep, depending on the timing of the service. For example, if a runner is racing close to the appointment date, the massage therapist will usually apply lighter, more invigorating massages. If the runner is in between events and has specific issues, such as chronic pain or an injury, the session will usually focus on those areas and deeper massages.

"For runners, there are a couple of options," Vance says. "Massage therapists can do a sport 'spot-specific' flush of the leg muscles or an assisted stretch, in which they use techniques like Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (a push-resistance technique to stimulate the tendon therefore relaxing the muscle).

Another great option is Thai massage in which a therapist uses everything from their hands, feet, knees and back to stretch the body. With a Thai massage, the focus is on the lower back and extremities. "This is an ancient modality that has been used for centuries, and we recommend it to many of our athletes," he says.

Pre-Run and Post-Run Massage
Consult with a therapist to determine whether your body craves a post- or pre-run massage. "Both are beneficial, but the pre-run massage should be one to stimulate, not relax, the runner," Ishibashi says. "Post-run massage is a great way to help with the cool-down period and muscle recovery."

If you're training for a race, RMTs recommend getting a sports massage at least once a month, ideally once a week. Before booking, make sure the therapist is licensed with the American Massage Therapy Association. "Ask the therapist what type of massage they specialize in, and if they can give a runner's massage," Ishibashi says.

Also, make sure to ask about the massage venue to see if it is one you are comfortable with." Funk emphasizes the importance of choosing a massage therapist who understands your type of athletic endeavor. "There are so many different types of massage that could be beneficial depending on the client's needs, requests and experience with receiving massage," she explains.

MASSAGE101
Women runners can benefit from any one of these myriad massage techniques.
•Swedish Massage: A system of four long strokes and kneading techniques focused on the superficial layers of muscles. Swedish massage focuses on improving blood flow to the skin and muscles and removing tension.
•Deep Tissue: This technique focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and releasing tension with slow, deep and concentrated strokes and finger pressure. This type of massage is especially beneficial for chronically tense muscles, such as the shoulders, neck and back.
•Myofascial Release: This type of massage uses long stretching strokes to fully elongate fascia, the thin layer of connective tissue covering muscles that helps maintain body posture and provide support. The result is improved posture, reduced pain, muscle-tension relief and increased joint mobility.
•Shiatsu: Also called acupressure, this technique is performed with the thumbs and fingers along pressure points or meridians in the body to relieve and prevent ailments.
Reprinted from www.active.com

The Essence of Life

In Support of Spinal Cord Recovery ... Newmarket needs your support!

Vote for Walk It Off Walk it Off Spinal Cord Wellness Centre Inc. (WALK IT OFF) is a non-profit business that will be located in York Region. Walk It Off will provide exercise-based recovery, education and support to those living with a Spinal Cord Injury throughout the GTA and beyond. Their aim is to improve quality of life and increase independence by maximizing recovery for clients who have sustained a Spinal Cord Injury.

Aviva is dividing and giving away 1 million dollars to community ideas. With funds from Aviva, Walk It Off will be able to attain a facility and train their specialists to begin their specialized Spinal Cord Recovery Program.

If you choose to support and vote for their idea simply go to http://www.avivacommunityfund.org to register.
Click the register button on the right.
Enter your email address
Choose a password
Go to your email inbox and confirm that you wanted to register

You can vote for Walk It Off once a day for a total of 10 votes. Voting ends on December 15th. To go directly to their idea the ULR is http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf9211
Or you can go to the main site page and enter our title “A New Hope For Spinal Cord Recovery” or our idea number (9211) in the search engine.

Please help us make WALK IT OFF possible.
Thanking you in advance for your support, on behalf of
Heather and Kevin Mills, FFC Practice Members

Reader's Choice Awards are back!

Hello FFC Practice Members,

The annual York Region survey for the READER'S CHOICE AWARDS is here. If you are interested in voting for your favorite health care practitioners please follow the attached link. You are required to vote for a minimum of 25 categories to make your vote count. Survey ends December 21st.

If you decide to vote, THANKS SO MUCH! OK< enough of the encouragement, hinting, and handholding ...

http://surveys.insidetoronto.com/TakeSurvey.aspx?PageNumber=1&SurveyID=123

If link doesn't work: www.yorkregion.com Scroll down to the banner that reads READER'S CHOICE AWARDS.
Merry Christmas
FOSTER FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC 905-898-8098