“Severe back pain associated with pregnancy and transverse/breech baby. Had a very hard time walking, exercising, small tasks. Sleeping was very tough and in constant pain. In addition, had lingering issues from car wreck in shoulder and back–seeing results from treatment. After treatments in first week saw a major relief! In the 2nd/3rd week happy to tell the baby flipped and is in correct position at 31 weeks--huge relief mentally and physically. Now able to have relief while walking and can slowly return to exercising. So happy with the treatments and team @ Towers Chiropractic. Truly helped me during my pregnancy!!”~34 year-old female
High Blood Pressure and Back Pain
“I had high blood pressure, headaches and dizziness from the medication, plus loss of flexibility involving my entire spine, and neck, and back pain. I had blood work and based on that Monica put me on a variety of supplements and Dr. Burgoon adjusted my spine and extremities. I no longer need my medication, have much greater flexibility and rarely have any symptoms.”~71 year-old male
Chronic Headaches
“I was having chronic headaches for years. Dr. Burgoon diagnosed me with chronic neck arthritis from an injury 20-years ago. No doctor had diagnosed this. Within 2 months of treatment, my headaches improved dramatically and I have felt better than I have in years.”~ 48 year-old male
Holy Basil or Tulsi Tea For Sore Throats
According to a native of India whom we happened to meet here in Roanoke, people in India chew the leaves of holy basil to get rid of sore throats. Apparently, holy basil grows like a weed in parts of India so it is readily available. Here in Roanoke, we may not have access to live plants most of the year but we can drink the tea made from dried leaves all year long.
For most Americans, the herb can be grown during the summer months, harvested in the Fall, and dried for use during the winter months. It is an attractive, aromatic annual with leaves that are pleasant to chew raw but also make a delicious tea once dried. The tea is available in stores as “Tulsi tea”. Holy basil also is known to bolster the immune system, improve digestion, provide a calming effect, and balance blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It is a real plus that it tastes good too.
Next time you get a tickle in your throat or you are exposed to a cold, don’t forget to make some holy basil tea.
Ankle/knee pain
“I came to Towers Family Chiropractic because of ankle and knee pain which made walking difficult and uncomfortable. After only a few weeks of treatment, the ankle and knee pain has been so much improved as to be practically non-existent. Treatment has also addressed other sources of discomfort which I had come to assume were unable to be helped. I am very pleased and appreciative for the care I have received at Towers Family Chiropractic.”~65 year-old female
Sweet Potato Soup
If you have leftover sweet potatoes, try this easy, dairy-free recipe. Next time you prepare sweet potatoes, bake a couple extra and use them for this soup the following day.
1 1/2 cups mashed, baked sweet potato
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups of turkey or chicken broth or water
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cayenne, optional
2-4 Tbsp. canned coconut milk
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Saute onions in olive oil in a medium-sized soup pot until soft. Stir in spices. Add broth. Stir over medium heat until it simmers. Add sweet potatoes and more water if necessary to reach desired consistency. Add coconut milk and stir well. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer before serving.
Serves 2-4
Foot Pain and Headaches
“I initially came to the office for chronic back & foot pain and headaches. After the first treatment, I felt much better. I’ve continued to improve steadily ever since. I feel better overall, and now very rarely have a headache.”~22 year-old female
Pesticide Guide
We recommend organically grown foods but it pays to know which fruits and vegetables are safer to eat if they are not organically grown. This information is from the Environmental Working Group. For more,visit their website.
The fruits and vegetables that are not recommended because of higher levels of pesticides used to grow them, the “dirty dozen”, are: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale/collards, potatoes, imported grapes.
The “clean 15” are safer if not organic and include: onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mangos, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potato, honeydew melon.
Keep in mind that most papaya, soy, and corn is GM (genetically modified). We recommend avoiding all GM foods. Therefore, it’s best to consume these foods only when they are organically grown because the organic standard currently excludes GM foods. Since some form of soy is used in many processed foods, great vigilance in label reading is required to avoid non-organic soy.
Salad with Marinated Beets
Here’s to beets making a comeback…they are so easy to grow and very nutritious. In this recipe the beets are crisp because they are raw, and flavorful from the marination.
Marinated thinly-sliced beets–made with the slicing side of a grater–are a colorful addition to a green salad. Endive instead of spinach is just as good in this recipe. Garnish with mild soft goat cheese for contrast. The beets don’t need to be cooked; they are marinated in balsamic vinegar and herbs for at least a day and can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. Once the salad is made, strain some of the marinade and use with olive oil for dressing.
2 medium-sized peeled red beets, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped chives, or 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
balsamic vinegar
4 cups of baby spinach leaves or young endive leaves, washed well and drained
1/2 cup chevre or other mild, soft cheese, broken in pieces
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place the beet slices in a quart-sized glass bowl that has a lid. Add the herbs, garlic, salt, pepper and mix well. Stir in the honey. Compress the beets into the bottom of the bowl with a spoon. Pour enough balsamic vinegar into the bowl to just cover the beets. Cover with the lid. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Stir the beets up a few times if possible during the marination.
Place spinach or endive leaves in a mixing bowl. Add equal parts olive oil and marinade liquid (1/3 cup of each) and toss well. Place in individual bowls. Garnish with plenty of beets and cheese.
Serves 4
Watch the Carbs
We had the good fortune to hear a lecture by Dr. Mercola (of Mercola.com fame) at a recent International Chiropractic Pediatric Association seminar. A little fact from Dr. Mercola to keep in mind regarding health is that in about a gallon of blood in the average-sized healthy person there is only 1 teaspoon of glucose (sugar). That’s not much! It is not hard to understand why insulin resistance and diabetes continue to be on the rise–sugar continues to provide about 25 % of calories for many Americans. Add refined starches that readily convert to sugar in the gut to the average person’s diet and the picture of the blood being deluged with sugar comes to mind.
If you are interested in helping yourself to better health by getting blood sugar and weight under control, call us today. Consider doing our comprehensive nutritional assessment.
