A Growth Mindset

As a teacher, I believe that creating relationships and having a good rapport with students is essential to effectively teaching them. One of the things I always do to get to know my students is to ask them to give me a few adjectives to describe themselves. They use words like, kind, hardworking, athletic, etc. What is really interesting is when I get to see the same students year after year. Most of the time, their chosen adjectives stay the same. If they consider themselves an artist in first grade, chances are they will still hold that personal belief when I see them in 7^th grade, 10^th grade, etc.

The same is true for adjectives they probably are not as proud of. For example, many students will describe themselves as a procrastinator. They may say they are slow, messy, etc. These beliefs tend to stay with them.

This is also probably true for all of us. If you were told when you were little that you were not very creative, or not a very good speller, or not very clean, or not athletic, there is a good chance you still hold that belief.

You have what is called a fixed mindset. If you are always told you are not athletic, you begin to believe it, and that tends to become a fixed attribute you give yourself.

My goal as a teacher, and as an owner of a fitness center, is to get people to abandon these fixed mindsets and instead embrace a growth mindset. As a teacher, I ask students to add the word “yet” to the end of phrases. For example, if an elementary student says they are not a good artist, I ask them to add the word “yet” to the end of that phrase. While they may not see themselves as a stellar artist right now, with enough practice, they can improve and get better.

I see this fixed mindset most often times when it comes to health and healthcare. I hear phrases like, I’m not a runner, or I’m not a health nut, or This is just the way I am. Even people many consider to be “healthy” can have fixed mindsets. I’ll hear someone who really likes weightlifting say I’m not a runner or I’m not flexible enough to do yoga! I hear these things every day.

It is hard to embrace a growth mindset because it means that we need to be open to working at something. If you are not a runner yet, you may need to put in the time to try. If you are overweight because that’s just the way you are, you may need to put work into changing your eating habits. Adding the word yet to these commonly used phrases challenges people to work on areas that may need improvement. It isn’t always easy, and that is why these negative mindsets tend to stay fixed.

As summer approaches, we’d like to challenge you to take one or two areas of your life that need some improvement, and add the word yet to it this summer. If you don’t consider yourself an athlete, TRY. If you don’t eat healthy, TRY!

For some of you, you will need to “rip the band aid off”. If you want to become a healthy eater, that may mean you need to go buy all new groceries and literally throw away all the crap in your fridge.  If you are not a runner, you may need to find a friend to hold yourself accountable, put down some money on some good running shoes, sign up for a race, and start training. You may run 16 minute miles, but at least you are out there running! For others, it may work better to jump in gradually. Whatever the case, we encourage you to add the word yet, adopt a growth mindset, and start trying.

Below, I’ll list some awesome resources if you are looking for some resources to help you become a healthier, better version of yourself. Also, stay tuned for more information on a brand new weight loss program we are bringing to Redenius Chiropractic! We will bring you more information on that later!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Resources for you:

Juice Plus provides 30 fruits and vegetables daily in the capsule or gummy format. This is a great way to get the fruits and veggies your body craves. They also make shakes and protein bars: http://jr95695.juiceplus.com

Thrive Market is a great place to get organic food, household supplies, etc. at a discounted price: http://thrv.me/JuuQtY

Here is a list of local running races in Iowa you can sign up for: http://www.runningintheusa.com/race/list/ia

If you are looking for a personal trainer to hold yourself accountable this summer, contact Redenius Chiropractic at 712-464-3301 to get set up with our trainer, Melissa Schleisman.

The Ultimate Health Podcast has great weekly guests that discuss holistic ways to improve your overall health and wellness. They discuss everything from eating to exercise to mental health: http://ultimatehealthpodcast.com/

You can also always call the clinic at 712-464-3301 and talk to Dr. Redenius about how he can help you achieve your goals!

These are just a few of the resources we recommend! Comment below if you have any more resources to share!

Our First Video Blog--Welcome to the Clinic!

Happy Sunday!

We hope you are all enjoying this beautiful fall weather and are having a relaxing weekend. This week, we decided to channel our inner Mike Baxter (for all of your "Last Man Standing" viewers) and make a video blog!

This week, Dr. Redenius gives a brief walk-through of the clinic. Even if you've had the opportunity to see the clinic, you may find out some new information by watching the video. In future video blogs, we will be touring the fitness center, touring each room in the clinic more closely, and explaining modalities such as decompression therapy.

Because it is fall, and because we like giving free things away, if you SHARE this blog post on your Facebook page, you will be entered to win a PRIZE this week! This week, we will be giving away a shaker bottle and some free samples of our Juice Plus complete shakes. This competition is open to USA residents only. Please Like our Facebook Page  and SHARE this post by Thursday, October 13th for your chance to win!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Why we give up on resolutions.

Have you ever made a commitment to do something but then not followed through?

I'm sure we all have at some point.

When I go back on a commitment, I tend to get that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. My conscious kicks in and regret comes into play. 

We've probably all experienced that feeling before. One of the most common commitments most of us tend to go back on is the commitment we make once the clock turns midnight on New Years Eve.

Very few people actually stick with their resolutions well beyond the month of January. I'm sure some of us couldn't even list what our past New Year's resolutions even were.

So, why do we do this? Why do we give up on resolutions and commitments that we set for ourselves?

For many of us, we fail to follow through because the resolution or goal we set is far too broad. We set goals like: workout more, get healthy, spend less money, or be happier, etc. Goals that are this broad, though, leave so much room for failure because we do not lay out a specific action plan to achieve the goal. For example, what would you even define as "healthy" if your goal is to get healthy? What do you define as "more" if your goal is to do something more in your life?

Another reason our resolutions tend to get pushed aside is that they are often times unrealistic. We set goals of getting to the gym six times each week when we currently do not go at all. We set a goal of going cold-turkey on a bad habit. These unrealistic expectations most often lead to quitting.

We also give up on our resolutions because they are based off willpower, not a sequenced plan of attack. We make a goal to get healthy, assuming that we will be able to resist the chocolate brownie when it is placed in front of us. Instead of actually writing down an action plan, we are quick to assume mental will power will be enough. 

So, why are we writing about this in the middle of September--many months past the new year?

With it being roughly the third week into September, we'd like you to reflect on how you are doing with your resolution. Did you fall into the trap of setting a goal that was too broad; too unrealistic; or based too much off willpower alone? 

If you have strayed away from your goal, the good news is that IT IS NOT TOO LATE! It is not too late go back and work on your goal--even if you have strayed away from it for awhile. 

Now is the time to re-evaluate where you are at with your goals you set back in January, and if you have abandoned them, see what you can still accomplish in the next few months. It is never to late to start, and (as celebrity trainer Autumn says) if you are tired of starting over, then stop quitting!

Now that the school year is back in full swing, and we are all back into our normal routines and schedules, think of all you can still accomplish and achieve--it's never too late to start up again! We hope you make the necessary steps to do so.

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

"...yet the auto has replaceable parts!"

A very small history lesson for you on this holiday weekend (and if history isn't your thing, read on...we build off of it :-)):

David (D.D) Palmer

One of the main reasons students from all over the world to receive their education at Palmer College in Davenport is that it is the technical “birth place” of chiropractic. The Palmer campus located on Brady Street in Davenport is where David (D.D) Palmer first opened the college back in the 19^th century. D.D performed his first adjustment in 1895—curing a patient of deafness that was being caused by a misalignment. After that, Palmer College opened in 1897, and since then Palmer has been educating Doctor’s of Chiropractic from all over the world.

B.J. Palmer

While D.D. was the “founder” of chiropractic, his son, B.J. is just as well-known. B.J. is known for his eclectic character and words of wisdom he often shared with his patients. His words decorate the halls of Palmer College, and personally, Dr. Redenius and I believe that everyone can relate to and learn from some of B.J’s most famous quotations.

One quote of his in particular sticks out in my mind. This is the quote that made the figurative “light bulb” turn on for me.

The quote reads: “Many of us take better care of our automobiles than we do our own bodies…yet the auto has replaceable parts.”

How true is this for so many of us?

Most people do not know that up until a few years ago, I was one of those people B.J was referring to. I took far better care of my little silver Pontiac Sunfire than I did myself. I always made sure that the little “silver bullet” was well fueled, oiled, and maintained. Myself, on the other-hand, not so much.

I was quick to spend money to maintain my car, but was hesitant to spend a little more money on healthy foods. I did not EVER see a chiropractor for preventative health care because I believed it was pointless unless I was sick or experiencing pain.

It wasn’t until I read this quote while on Palmer’s campus one day that it clicked for me. Not only was I willing to invest money into my car, but I was willing to spend money and time and energy into other areas of my life as well. I was (and still am) willing to spend $5.00 on a Pumpkin Spice Latte (who doesn’t love those!?), but I was hesitant at first to try out Juice Plus solely because I was too frugal with money. I was willing to spend $20.00 on a movie night out with Jeff, but I was not willing to pay a co-pay to get regularly adjusted and checked up at a chiropractor. I was willing to devote my time to frivolous Facebook browsing, but I was not willing to devote 20 minutes a day to improving my own mental and spiritual health.

Reading that quote forced me to re-evaluate my priorities. I am definitely not arguing that I should give up Pumpkin Spiced Lattes and date nights with Jeff; rather, I’m arguing that I need to place my own health and well-being at an equal, or dare I say higher, place value.

So, we’d like to challenge you to re-evaluate how high your own health is placed in your list of priorities. Are you willing to spend $40.00/month on cable TV, but are not willing to invest in something like Juice Plus…something that has been proven by research to do incredible things for your overall health? Are you willing to spend money on something like a car—something with replaceable parts—but are not willing to invest in preventative care for your health?

Maybe a good goal for all of us is to consciously reflect on where our priorities are as well as reflect on what we can do to improve our own health and well-being. 

A final "B.J. Palmer-ism" that we'd like to share with you is, “Chiropractic is health insurance. Premiums small. Dividends large!”

Call 712-464-3301 today to find out how we can help you invest more energy into your own health and well-being!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

And for even more information, and to stick with the car analogy, check out this short video  in which Olympic Athlete Jeff Olsen explains how taking care of your body is analogous to taking care of your car.

So, what is this cupping therapy thing?

You may have heard the "buzz" on the news in regards to cupping therapy--a type of therapy that many Olympic athletes have been using.

So, what is this cupping therapy?

Cupping therapy is an alternative therapeutic method that has been popular in China since around 1000 B.C. Some records have even shown that variations of this therapy may date as far back as 3000 B.C.  A great reason for getting the cupping therapy is that it has many health benefits, and the only side effect are small marks that may or may not be left on your skin depending on the extent to which you utilize cupping therapy (the purple dots on Michael Phelps are a bit extreme).

One of the most common reasons people use this method of therapy is to naturally reduce muscle and joint pain. A report published by Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that cupping therapy reduced pain in people with low back issues significantly. Cupping therapy is also used to treat muscle soreness from exercise or over-use.

When Dr. Redenius does cupping therapy, he targets soft tissue by applying local pressure to points of pain and areas of swelling. As blood flow then increases within the vessels and capillaries, the body tissue receives much-needed oxygen. The muscle relief that is felt after this technique is used is almost immediate.

Many people do not realize that Dr. Redenius offers cupping therapy at Redenius Chiropractic! If you are experiencing muscle soreness or discomfort, this technique may be right for you. Call us today at 712-464-3301 to set up an appointment to try it out!

As always, we will be giving a prize away again with this blog post. All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, August 18, 2016 The giveaway is open to USA residents only.  This week we will be giving away a gift card to the Wagon Wheel in Lake City!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

"If you are tired of starting over, then stop quitting!"

When I tell people that I like to run marathons, I get usually get a variety of entertaining responses.

One of my favorite responses, though, came from one of my old students. I got back from running a marathon and was wheeling myself around my classroom the following Monday in my chair (my legs hurt too badly to stand). My student came up and asked what I had done that weekend, and I responded by saying I had run a marathon. She asked how long of a distance that was as well as how long a race like that takes, and I told her it was 26.2 miles and it took me 3 hours and 30 minutes. My student paused to contemplate my response before asking me if I ran the whole thing without stopping. I nodded yes, and she immediately looked at me like I was nuts and yelled out, WHY!?!

Her response is one of my favorites because it is the response I get most often when talking to someone about marathon running. They want to know WHY someone would run that long without stopping. 

My response to the question of why I run is pretty simple.
I run because I really, really like it.

My response to why I run the entire thing without stopping, though, has a bit more depth behind it.
I run without stopping for a few reasons.

The first reason has something to do with the fact that my parents raised me to never "quit" anything I willingly started. Whether it be my plate of food at dinner or a high school sport--they did not let me quit something I started. Even today, my conscious kicks in if I quit at 6.9 miles when I had set out to run 7.

The second reason comes from something I learned from my cross country coach years ago (thanks, Sherri). My coach taught me that when you run, you will want to quit. Your mind will tell you all sorts of things like you are tired and you should quit and you should give up. She taught me that the strength of a runner does not come from physical ability; it comes from their ability to tell their own mind to shut up. She once told me that if I quit and start walking in a race once, it will become easier and easier to quit and walk from that point on.

I tested her theory once a few years later in a long run. I was tired, so I stopped a few miles in a started walking. Once I walked that first time, it became easier and easier throughout the course of the run to give in to my excuses and walk again. I lost momentum as a result. Because I had stopped once, it was easier to stop a second, third, and fourth time. I decided I'd never stop to walk again (unless my body physically demanded it, of course).

So, why am I telling this story?

Well, I think the lesson I learned from my coach can be applied to all of us--whether it be with our own workout routine or some other goal in life we set out to accomplish. When we give in to our excuses once, it becomes easier and easier to repeatedly do it.

Celebrity fitness trainer, Autumn Calabrese, is known for saying the phrase, "If you are tired of starting over, then stop quitting."

We could not agree with her more.

We'd like to inspire you this week to stop making excuses for not going after a goal of yours. Your goal may be to simply start exercising again. Your goal may be to start eating better foods for you. Your goal may be related to work or your personal life. Whatever the goal may be, we'd like to challenge you to stop making an excuse to "walk in the middle of a long run."

You see, running the marathon itself is not the hard part. The hard part is getting the courage to sign up. And then the even more difficult part is preparing for the race. I've learned that sometimes the scariest part of something is just getting started. And once you do get started, it is difficult to stick with it unless you have the mental will-power to keep going. 

And the easiest way to stick with something once you get started?

Tell your mind to, shut up when you start making excuses as to why you should skip a day or quit.

Ahhh, the finish line. 

The best part of running marathons is the feeling you get when you cross the finish line (and no, it is not because you are done running). I very vividly remember crossing the finish line of my first marathon. Jeff was screaming on the sidelines. I believe my mom was in tears yelling, "My baby!" And my running buddy, Emily, and I burst into tears upon crossing that finish line. The tears. yelling, and excitement were not sad tears. All of those emotions were because we were finally experiencing the reward of our hard efforts.

You, too, can experience this same feeling. To do so, though, you have got to stop quitting on your own goals. Force yourself into a routine practice that will allow you to accomplish your goals. Once you get yourself into the routine you've established to accomplish your goal, don't give in to skipping a day or "walking" half-way through it. When you give in and stop once, it becomes a slippery slope, and making excuses becomes easier and easier. We promise the feeling you get when you begin to make progress as a result of your efforts will be worth it.

So, step one is to simply pick a goal. If you have not recently experienced the sheer joy of seeing your hard work pay off, then it is beyond time to start working towards a goal. Step two is to commit to putting the effort in to achieve your goal. Step three is to find a good support system who encourages you. And the final step? Tell your mind to SHUT UP when excuses start reeling in. Keep your momentum going. The end result will be worth it.

The end result is ALWAYS worth it!

As always, we will be giving a prize away again with this blog post. All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, August 11, 2016 The giveaway is open to USA residents only.  This week we will be giving away a few movie tickets to the Lake City Capri Theatre AND a free Redenius Chiropractic t-shirt!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius