Recent studies have lifted the stigma of the risk of stroke previously and erroneously associated with chiropractic cervical adjustments. For a list of references and a good synopsis of these studies and what they indicate, take a look at Dr. Anthony Rosner’s article in Dynamic Chiropractic. In his words, “the issue of stroke now needs to be retired as a specific reason to avoid chiropractic care.”
Jaw Pain
Please explain why you came to our office.
“Chronic lower back pain and jaw pain.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“With the in-office adjustments along with the “homework” required of me, I have seen great improvement and strength.”
~35 year-old female
GF Flax Biscuits
You can have your biscuits and eat them too if they are made of quality ingredients such as what we have in this recipe. These gluten-free biscuits won’t push your blood sugar level out of balance, won’t stress your anti-oxidant system with damaged oils, and won’t cause constipation from refined white wheat flour. They are nutrient-dense and good for the gut, the brain and energy production. I think they taste good too–let me know what you think.
12 small biscuits
1 cup organic dry shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, I use soaked dried sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, I use soaked dried pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup whole flax seed
1 large egg
1 heaping Tbsp. arrowroot powder
1 Tbsp. ghee or clarified butter, melted
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Use a blender to pulverize the shredded coconut into a fine powder–it will be a bit oily but that’s ok. If your food processor can do this step, use it. My Tribest blender makes better “flour” than my processor–it has a cup-size blender container that is very easy to use. Place the ground coconut into the processor. Now repeat with the flax seeds to finely grind them up too, and add them to the processor. Next, add the sunflower and pumpkin seeds to the processor and pulse until all ingredients are well mixed. Add the rest of the ingredients and process again until dough forms a ball in the processor. Use a tablespoon to spoon dough onto a baking pan (you should get about 12 round biscuits) and bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until just golden brown. Don’t overbake or they will be dry. Serve with butter if desired.
Chicken Salad w/ Zucchini Noodles
Here’s a light summer salad that can serve as a meal. This recipe packs in a lot of health-promoting ingredients–coconut oil, cultured veggies (sauerkraut), avocado, pasture-raised chicken–and leaves out the stuff that weighs us down–pasta and mayo made with refined oils. And did I mention it’s fast to prepare?
You will need a vegetable spiralizer ( I have a Paderno) to make the zucchini noodles. I’m hearing that children love making and eating these noodles so this is a very worthwhile investment if you don’t yet have one.
Serves 2
2 1/2 Tbsp. organic coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce or 1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/4 to 1/2 cup sauerkraut (I used homemade spicy sauerkraut or you can buy it in the refrigerated section in a health food store preferably made with organic veggies. )
1 zucchini (about 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long), spiralized
1 cup chopped, cooked chicken (I used leftover Roasted Chicken)
1 avocado pitted, skinned and cut into cubes
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
For the dressing, mix the first 6 ingredients very well in a medium-sized bowl. Add the sauerkraut and stir. Spiralize the zucchini (be sure to slit it half way thru lengthwise before you spiralize so your “noodles” are not too long) and stir the “noodles” into the mixture until well-coated with the dressing. Next add the chicken and avocado. Place 2 cups of chopped romaine in each salad bowl. Spoon 1/2 the “noodle” mixture on top of the lettuce in each bowl. Serve immediately as the noodles do not remain crisp for long.
Unresponsive Back Problems
Please explain why you came to our office.
“I had back problems that were not responsive to my general practitioner physician’s treatment.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“Since coming here, my back has gotten progressively better with each visit. I am now almost pain free.”
~63 year-old male
Crispy Chickpeas
This recipe is my version of “Crispy Spiced Chickpeas” from “The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook” from America’s Test Kitchen. They use vegetable oil in many of their recipes (which is the main complaint I have about the book) so I replace it with the healthy, non-inflammatory oils–coconut oil or olive oil. I rarely fry foods but on occasion when I do, I use coconut oil as it is not damaged by high heat–if you want less of a coconut flavor use a more refined coconut oil. These chickpeas are a great snack food or crouton replacement on a salad. We made a simple, light summer meal last night by serving a large salad with eggplant pate and these chickpeas. They are particularly good warm so enjoy them as you make them!
2 cups cooked, drained chickpeas dried off on paper towels
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional if you don’t tolerate)
1 tsp. organic sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Mix all the ingredients except the chickpeas and coconut oil in a medium-sized glass or metal bowl. Set aside.
Heat coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet (use one that has a lid) until oil is hot but not smoking–drop one chickpea in and if it sizzles the oil is hot enough. As soon as the oil is hot enough add the chickpeas (be sure they are dried off well on paper towels so you don’t get splattering when you add the chickpeas to the hot oil). Keep a lid on the skillet but keep it cracked when you are not stirring . Turn the heat down to medium and give the chickpeas an occasional stir as you fry them until crispy for about 12-15 minutes. All of the oil will be absorbed by the chickpeas as they fry. As soon as they are lightly browned remove them from the heat and spoon them into the bowl containing the spices. Stir well. Taste and add more salt or one of the spices if desired. Best served warm but will keep in refrigerator and can be heated up again in a toaster oven.
News Flash on Broccoli with Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe
I posted this recipe in early May and just now saw an interesting article about the best cooking method for broccoli–thought I should add that information to this intro. Dr. Elizabeth Jeffrey is a nutrition researcher at U of Illinois where she studies cancer preventive compounds in broccoli. She says that to optimize the concentration of these compounds in broccoli it needs to be bought fresh (NOT FROZEN) and lightly steamed (NOT RAW, NOT MICROWAVED, AND NOT BOILED). Boy, was I glad to read that; now I know that the way I’m inclined to prepare it is the best method for maximizing its detoxifying power.
Original post: Learning how to prepare vegetables so that they are appetizing and retain nutrients is a must if you want to improve your health with a good diet. Broccoli is easily overcooked into a drab green, limp mess. Give this simple recipe a try if you need to prove to yourself just how tasty broccoli can be. Avoid frozen–fresh organic broccoli is widely available year round. I always have some in my refrigerator. I try to keep shiitake mushrooms on hand too as they are the perfect addition when you want to add some heft to a vegetable dish or soup. It’s a bonus that both broccoli and shiitakes are full of powerful immune system-enhancing phytonutrients.
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp ghee or olive oil
6 medium-sized shiitake mushrooms
salt and pepper
Wash and cut broccoli into florets. Peel the tough outer skin of the broccoli “trunk” and discard the peels, and then slice the core you have left into 1/4 inch slices. Place broccoli in a vegetable steamer with about an inch of water in the bottom of the pan and set aside waiting to steam until right before serving. Remove mushroom stems and keep for vegetable or meat stocks (they are too woody to eat but will add flavor to soups or stocks–just remove and discard the stems after the stock is cooked) Clean the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel and then chop them into 1/2 inch pieces. Melt ghee in a medium sized skillet over medium heat and using a garlic press, crush garlic into the skillet. Stir until just starting to sizzle (don’t allow to brown and be sure to continue to stir until you add the mushrooms). Add chopped mushroom caps to the skillet and stir over medium heat. Turn off the heat after 2 minutes of stirring. Add salt and pepper, stir. Now it’s time to cook the broccoli. Bring broccoli to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer. Steam and keep the lid on until just tender when pierced with a fork—do not leave your broccoli now or it may overcook. As soon as broccoli is tender add it to the skillet and stir well (discard the water in the bottom of your vegetable steamer or you can save it in the refrigerator for vegetable stock for soups). Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
Came in to Improve Body
Please explain why you came to our office.
“I came in to improve my body by addressing some areas of pain and limited flexibility. I had never experienced chiropractic before.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“I have found that my initial treatment over the first few weeks has accomplished significant improvement in my problem areas.”
~32 year-old male
Cashew Fudge
Here’s a filling fudge that’s not too sweet. It’s mostly raw, involves no real cooking, and provides a delicious way to eat coconut oil and raw cacao powder. Be sure to find cashews that are not oiled and salted–you may need to go to the c0-0p or health food store. The egg yolk acts as an emulsifier and is not detectable in the final product, so I don’t recommend leaving it out. Besides, it boosts the nutritional value of the fudge. You could substitute coconut oil for the ghee but then you would miss the buttery flavor.
Fudge base:
2 cups roasted cashews (unsalted and without oil)
2 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Fudge icing:
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, warm enough to melt
2 Tbsp. ghee, melted
1 egg yolk (only use the best quality egg from a pasture-raised chicken)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
Make the fudge base first. Blend the coconut in a blender or food processor until finely ground. Process the cashews separately until finely ground. Mix the two in the food processor and process until well mixed together. Add the cocoa powder, salt, and honey. Process until well mixed and forms a ball. Press evenly (easiest with your hands) into a pyrex baking dish that is lined with waxed paper (8 inch square works well). Cover and refrigerate while you make the icing.
In the food processor (don’t bother washing it after making the base), process the honey, cocao powder, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla. Pour in the melted ghee and coconut oil while processing. Once mixed well pour over the fudge base and spread evenly with a spatula. Refrigerate until icing is set and firm. Cut with a knife or pizza cutter. Lift out squares and keep refrigerated.
Chronic back/neck pain
Please explain why you came to our office.
“I came to the office with chronic back and neck pain from car accidents 20 years ago. I also experience shoulder pain from a separated shoulder and thumb joint pain and swelling.”
Please describe your response to treatment.
“Wow! What an improvement. This will take time, but I am very pleased.”
