You are What you Eat!

A recent study found that 52% of Americans believed that doing their taxes was easier than figuring out how to eat healthy.

When Dr. Redenius and I read that statistic awhile ago, we were shocked. At first, it was hard to wrap our minds around the fact that Americans don't realize that eating healthy is pretty simple. Not only is it easy to eat healthy, it is critical to our well-being. For example, did you know that an NIH study found that obesity may lower your life expectancy by14 years? Or, did you know that simply incorporating fish into your diet one time a week can increase your life expectancy 14 years? As we began to think more about why people find it hard to eat healthy, we realized that this is most likely due to two things:

1) Many people don't know how to define the term "healthy"

2) The dominate culture we live in does not promote healthy eating

Let's address number one first. Many people just do not know how to define "healthy." In our culture, what is visually "appealing" is highly dependent on cultural norms. Without going too far into cultural-examination, I am sure we can all agree that males and females (especially the younger generation) look to magazines, television, etc. to see what "healthy" is. If you take a look back in history, what was deemed "attractive" is highly dependent on the pop culture of the decade you are examining. On top of that, what foods are considered "healthy" is also dependent on culture. Diet trends and "healthy" eating options come and go as quickly as our perception of the term "attractive."

The phrase "healthy" has so many different components to it: sleep, exercise, nutrition, cellular health, etc. Since we are focusing this post on eating healthy, we will just focus on the nutritional component of what it means to eat "healthy."

And this is where we transition to number two: our culture does not promote healthy eating.

Wanting to meet up with friends? You probably plan your meeting around grabbing lunch or dinner.
A sports banquet at school? Not complete without food!
Someone moves in next door? The neighborly act is to bring them a plate of cookies.

Our culture loves food (myself included).

However, there is a fundamental flaw in the way our culture approaches the act of eating. In no way am I professing to know everything about diet and nutrition, but while Dr. Redenius was in graduate school receiving hours and hours of instruction on nutrition, I learned a little bit with him along the way. Here are just a few of the "flaws" that I discovered:

• In our culture, a mixture of Snickers candy, grapes, whip cream, etc. is considered a "salad."

• In our culture, meals generally revolve around a red meat and a starch.
• In our culture, we tend to drink flavored beverages more than we drink water.
• In our culture, when we exercise for 20-30 minutes, we often times think we deserve a brownie because we "burned off all those calories."
• In our culture, we tend to think that all calories are treated the same, and something with "no calories" in it or something that is "fat free" is better for you.

My list of general "flaws" could go on and on.

Up until a few years ago, I fell into the category of people who tended to think that all calories were treated the same and that as long as it fit in a bowl, it could be considered a salad.

And then I realized how wrong I was.

Here are just a few key points I learned that may help some individuals find it easier to eat healthy:

1) No matter how hard you try, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

This a concept that many of us do not understand. No, running (even running a marathon) will not undo a bad diet. You are what you eat. Many people have heard the phrase, "ab muscles are made in the kitchen," and this is true. While genetics, exercise, etc. do have a very small impact on your appearance, food plays the largest role. Portion control and eating the right foods is just as important for someone who exercises.

2) As Bill Phillips once said, "Food is the most abused anxiety drug and exercise is the most underutilized antidepressant."

What do we do when we are stressed, tired, worried, or sad? Many of us eat.
Got a breakup? Bring over the Ben and Jerry's!
Bored? Let's grab some chips while we watch Netflix!

It becomes difficult to eat healthy when we feed ourselves based off emotion and not off physical necessity.  As a culture, we have got to re-wire our brains to not turn to food every time we feel an emotion, and in addition to this, we have to learn how much exercise improves mental health. I can go on and on about the benefits of exercise on mental health, but I will save that for another day. Yes sometimes comfort food is necessary--sometimes you do just need one of Mom's cookies. However, next time you are feeling sad or stressed and you reach for the bag of chips, ask yourself if you are eating because you feel sad or bored or because you want to fuel your body.

3) Vegetables, Vegetables, Vegetables (and fruits)!

A few years ago, I discovered the wonderful world of the Farmer's Market. Oh my, what a wonderful discovery that was! There were so many new, fresh fruits and vegetables I had not experienced before. So few American's actually eat the amount of fruits and vegetables they need in order to give their bodies the nutrients they need. Many people think they get enough, but very few actually do. This section on the need to eat a whole-food, plant-based diet that includes LOTS of fruits and vegetables could go on and on and on, so I will leave it at this: eat more fruits and vegetables! If you are a person who does not like vegetables or does not know how to cook them, send Dr. Redenius an e-mail asking about Juice Plus. This AWESOME product he is incorporating into his practice is researched-based and is an all natural, whole-food approach to incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet. With Juice Plus, you get nutrients from over 30 fruits/veggies in the form of a capsule or chewy. In addition to this, Juice Plus has a T-120 program that includes all natural protien-rich nutritional shakes. The research behind Juice Plus is amazing, and even better--if an adult goes on the T-120 program; their kids get the fruit/veggie capsules for FREE! If you'd like more information on Juice Plus, send an e-mail to lakecity24hourfitness@gmail.com.

4) I need to plan ahead in order to eat the right foods at the right time!

What do we do when we don't have time to make a healthy meal? We go to a fast food window, grab a "healthy' granola bar, or eat whatever we see first. And what happens when we don't plan a meal ahead, thus are left without food and come home starving? We grab whatever is in front of us and eat and eat and eat. This is a problem. So many eating issues would be resolved if we all just planned ahead. It is easier to eat the right foods at the right time if they are readily available. Challenge yourself to plan just one week of healthy meals and snacks in advance and just see how much easier it is to maintain a healthy diet when healthy options are at your fingertips.

5) It's okay to have a cookie.

I also realized that it is not practical to have a lifestyle where you have to eat healthy 100% of the time. Certain social situations may require you to  enjoy a cookie or an unhealthy meal. Sometimes, you do just need to treat yourself. Whether you want to follow the 80/20 or 90/10 rule, the principle is the same: treating yourself is okay. Just do it in moderation. And do not let one bad meal ruin your whole day. Don't be the person that says, "Well I ate a cookie, so now my eating healthy is shot, so I might as well eat this taco salad and this bag of chips." Learn to treat yourself in the right way!

These are just a few nutritional tips that Dr. Redenius and I feel strongly about. For those of you who seek more information on nutrition, Dr. Redenius will be offering 30 minute long nutritional education nights starting in a few weeks! Even better, it is FREE to come hear what he has to say! So much of eating "healthy" is getting past cultural norms and knowing what to eat and when to eat it. Eating healthy is easy if you take some time to learn how.

Consider joining him to learn more specifics about what to eat; when to eat; how food changes your body and mood; etc. Once Dr. Redenius opens his clinic,  he will also be able to sit down with you one-on-one to help explain nutrition to you in more detail if you are looking for some help. Remember, you are what you eat!

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, June 2 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. 

This week, we will be giving away a Drink This, Not That book that is filled with information on healthier eating options for you!

Also--here are some sneak peek pictures of what is happening inside the walls of Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness! Within the next three weeks we will be getting new flooring in the fitness center, SEMI loads of fitness equipment in the fitness center, and the rooms will be finished at Redenius Chiropractic! 

Check out the bright new paint color  and trim in the fitness center! Also- those three brown (matching chairs) were a great find for the clinic waiting room. Does anyone have a fourth matching one we can buy!? :-) 

The ceiling has been lowered, walls have been built, and dry wall is almost all installed in Redenius Chiropractic!

Here is a shot of the new wall that divides the lifting area from the fitness class area of the fitness center. The cardio room will be in the back section of the building. The fitness class area will be able to fit at least 15 participants with plenty of room.

Have a great week! 

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Dr. Redenius had to laugh one day when a visitor asked him, "Who is the carpenter?" Jeff answered, "Me." The visitor then asked, "Well who is the chiropractor?" After laughing, Jeff replied with, "You are looking at him!" This is Jeff working on the entry way of the building. He just finished installing a speaker system and our 24 hour security camera system.

The Watering Can

You may have read the title of this post and questioned how a watering can could possibly relate at all to health and wellness. Well, read on. I promise that the connection will be made.

When Dr. Redenius and I first began to think about where he should practice upon graduation from Palmer, we threw around all kinds of ideas. The one place we kept going back to, though, was Lake City, his hometown. Not being from this area, I was hesitant to agree to making the move back to Lake City. It was not that I did not like Lake City; I always loved visiting the area. A move to Lake City, though, would mean considerably downsizing the size of town I would be living in, and on top of that, I would be two hours away from my own family and all of my friends. He promised me, though, that once I got here, I would be glad we made the move.

As one might expect, once our decision was made vocal, everyone had an opinion on our decision to open a 24 hour fitness center and Redenius Chiropractic back in Lake City. Many people questioned why we didn't take the chance to go "explore new lands" while we were young and unattached to anywhere. A handful of my friends and acquaintances thought I was nuts (for lack of a better term). They commonly asked questions like: Is there anything to do there?! Or, Are you sure this is what you want? My personal favorite was, How could you submit yourself to living that far from Starbucks?! They, as one would assume, were just concerned about our overall happiness.

At first, I was unsure how to really respond to all of these questions. I was constantly finding myself comparing our situation to that of my peers, and as a result, I didn't really know the right answer to their questions. Normally, I'd smile and laugh it off with them, saying things like, Oh, I will survive. However, now I realize, how wrong I was to answer their questions in that way. 

......And this is where the watering can comes in!

If I have learned anything throughout the process of putting Dr. Redenius through graduate school, moving to many different teaching positions, and finally ending up in Lake City, I have learned that (as one of my favorite authors, Jane Green, once said):

"The grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it."

Perhaps a better way for me to have responded to people who question why we chose Lake City and why we are happy and excited about being in here would be that we are happy because we want  to be. Dr. Redenius and I have a vested interest in making this place even greater than it already is. We are happy because we spend hours and hours each week "watering our grass."

I have come to find that when we constantly compare ourselves to those around us, we lose sight of the opportunities and positive aspects of our lives that are right in front of us. When you take the time to water your own lawn; the grass on the other side becomes less appealing. When you stop wishing for what you are "missing out on," you begin to realize how much you really have.

So, I challenge everyone this week to improve their mental health by reflecting on how green their own grass is. My Aunt Jackie once told me that, "A flower doesn't compare itself to other flowers; it just blooms." Consider that thought, and think about how much effort you put into making your own day-to-day life the best that it can be, and I assure you that you will realize that your grass, too, is a vibrant shade of green. And, what better way to reflect on our own lives than while taking a nice walk (another shameless advertisement for the summer walking program :-))?

Dr. Redenius and I are looking forward to making Lake City a place where younger families like our own want to move back to. We want to help everyone, new community members and lifelong residents, realize how much is already in this community and how much potential our community has to grow and thrive. This is why are are so excited to open up Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness Center this summer. 

Our hope is to encourage community members to realize how green their own grass is, and the first step to doing that is taking control of ones physical and mental well-being. 

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, May 26 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. 

This week, we will be giving away a beautiful outdoor plant. Why? To remind you that the grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you take the time to water it.

Have a great week! 

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

One Simple Change.

This week, we'd like to pose a simple challenge for you.

Try to make one change.

After reading multiple different research studies, I have found that in general, it takes an individual anywhere from 20-120 days to break a habit or form a new one.

Keeping this in mind, Dr. Redenius and I would like to challenge you all to make just one change in your life, and for the next 20 days, promise yourself that you will stick to it (if you feel ambitious, go for the full 120)!

What changes are we talking about?

We want you to focus on just one change that will improve your mental, physical, or spiritual health. For example, you might want to try to rid your diet of soda for 20 days. Perhaps you want to try giving up smoking. You could try to incorporate 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine (shout out for the summer walking program!). Maybe you want to take 20 minutes each day for the next 20 days to focus on improving your spiritual health by reading a devotional or writing in a journal.

The choice is yours, but make sure you choose something you can stick with for 20 days. Can you try to make more than one habitual change in the next 20 days? Sure, but research (and me personally) have found that focusing on just one change at a time brings much more positive results. Do not try to totally change diet, exercise, and spiritual life, all while giving up smoking, all in the same 20 days. Instead, focus your mental strength on overcoming just one or two bad habits.

You can do anything for 20 days, right?

What Dr. Redenius and I hope to inspire community members to embrace are lifestyle changes. We will not and do not promote "quick fixes" for habitual problems. Do "jump starts" work, and are they effective? Of course! They are definitely worthwhile for individuals who need a sort of jump start or a cleanse to get going. We want to encourage community members, though, to make a shift in mindset-- make a lifestyle change -- that continues on past a jump start. Lifestyle changes require baby steps, mental strength, and an overall shift thinking.  By encouraging you to take a baby step to make one, smaller change, we hope to inspire community members to continually strive to improve other areas of their life as well.

If I learned anything throughout my experiences of running marathons, it is that a mental strength has much more power than physical strength. You arm does not raise unless your mind wills it. You do not eat unless your mind wills you to pick up the fork and put it in your mouth. You give up on something when your mind wills you to do so. For the next 20 days, focus on improving your mental will-power. You can do anything you want when you focus your mind right.

It is simple: just do not give yourself the option to give up for the next 20 days.

Make a promise to yourself that you will try to make one, simple change for the next 20 days. Just do it. And if you need some positive reinforcement, call Dr. Redenius or me, and we will encourage you! Accountability is key, so do not be afraid to reach out to us or share out what your personal change is. Getting encouragement from others will help you along the way.

So, what is your one change?

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, May 19 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. This week, the FREE prize will be a cookbook that is filled with healthier eating options! Good luck!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Taking Time to be Less Busy.

Good news! More remodeling to Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness is well underway! The fitness center is painted; drywall has been put up; showers have been installed; and many other exciting things are coming together. Dr. Redenius and I are so excited to get both businesses up and running this summer! All of this progress, though, had me reflecting on how busy both of our schedules have been lately.


Without making too many generalizations here, I am willing to bet that most of us consider ourselves to be fairly busy.

Is being busy a bad thing?

No, it is not.

The word busy itself originates from the Dutch word bezig. When the word "busy" is used as an adjective, it technically means "having a great deal to do." Common synonyms for this word are: engaged, involved, hard at work, etc. When considering these adjectives, who wouldn't want to be busy? I mean, really, I sure do not want to be described using the antonyms (idle, un-engaged, etc.).

It is good to be busy. Most people who know Dr. Redenius and I would describe both of us as very busy people; we are never sitting down. While this is a good thing that we try to be active, engaged, and hungry to experience life, I have also come to the realization that there is a certain "tipping point" to how busy one can allow their life to get.

I recently read a piece by one of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis, entitled The Screwtape Letters. It was while I was reading this piece, that I made a sudden discovery about my own life and overall wellness that I feel compelled to share with others.

In this piece of writing, C.S. Lewis entertains readers with a satirical portrayal of the human experience from the viewpoint of Screwtape and his nephew. The text explains the role of temptation (and how to overcome it) in the human life. What struck me most about this text was the letter in which Screwtape comes up with the idea that in order to get the human to give into evil and negativity, he and his nephew must make the human so busy and distracted that he loses sight of what is really important, the more positive parts of life, thus giving into negativity and evil.


Wow.

Well, that puts a different perspective on the word busy, doesn't it?

Regardless of your faith or beliefs, I think the concept C.S. Lewis is trying to portray here is that when we get too busy with or distracted by things that may not be worth our thought and energy, we lose sight of what is really important in our lives. We become busy with and distracted by work, social media, television, etc., and as a result, what is really important in our lives does not take priority.

How many of you do not exercise or take care of yourself because you are too busy? Shouldn't our own health and well being be one of our top priorities? Shouldn't adjectives like engaged and involved describe the way we approach taking care of our own mental, physical, and spiritual well-being? Because, at the end of the day, we can't take care of anyone else until we take care of ourselves, right?

That is why Dr. Redenius and I are opening Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness. Dr. Redenius wants to help you become the best version of yourself by improving your overall health and wellness. We want to provide our community members with a place that allows them invest time in themselves (and their families).

Maybe this week we can all reevaluate what we are investing our energies into and try to remember that negativity comes in when we become too busy with the wrong things.

And what a better way to start taking care of yourself than by signing up for the Lake City Summer Walking Program!? Find out more information about the program on this website. 

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, May 12 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only.

This week, we will be giving away a free entry into our Lake City Summer Walking program! This offer includes the entrance fee and all materials that come with joining the program.  In addition to the, we will also be giving away a GIFT CARD to Sweet Things in Lake City! Make sure to “Like” and “Share” before Thursday to be entered in the contest for this week.

Have a great week! 

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius