Alignment Is Life Thoughts

Thyroid, Oh Thyroid...

2012-02-06T14:33:00.000-06:00

Thyroid problems are devastating! Here are a few of the numbers associated with hypothyroidism:

Over 30,000 preventable deaths occur each year from heart attacks. Women with untreated hypothyroidism are more than twice as likely to have a heart attack.
Over 4,600 miscarriages occur each year after 15 weeks of pregnancy — countless more before. Six percent of miscarriages are associated with hypothyroidism. And in moderate to severely hypothyroid mothers, babies are over six times as likely to die soon after being born.
Children born to hypothyroid mothers have a lower IQ (by an average of seven points). They are almost 4 times as likely to have an IQ under 85 and over twice as likely to have learning difficulties.
Hypothyroidism contributes to millions being unnecessarily disabled. Over 6 million Americans have fibromyalgia and tens of millions more have chronic muscle pain. Undiagnosed or inadequately treated thyroid disorders contribute to these unnecessarily disabling conditions.
Hypothyroidism is a major cause of gaining and being unable to lose weight. It causes fatigue, dry hair, coarse skin, depression, and "brain fog" as well. Americans are currently treating hypothyroidism, which is often confused as being depression, with Prozac! This is an even bigger problem in the elderly who are being misdiagnosed with depression or Alzheimer's Disease when what they have is hypothyroidism.

(Taken from the article at this address: http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/jacob-teitelbaum-md/cost-missing-underactive-thyroid)

If you have, or think you have a thyroid-related problem, you are certainly not alone! To make matters worse you are probably very frustated by a lack of consistent information regarding natural treaments or a lack of results from medical interventions.

Even Dr. Oz can't decide exactly what to recommend! Here he recommends a kale salad then on another list he puts kale on the "do not eat list". If you're frustrated in your confusion, please keep reading.

Why does the thyroid start to malfunction? For three reasons:

1. Toxicity. We live in a world in which creates plentiful opportunities for certain compounds to bind to our thyroids that can complete with other nutrients.

For example, there are compounds from the Halogens family of chemicals (Like Iodine) that can bind to the thyroids iodine receptors but not react the same as iodine. These chemicals can include bromine, commonly found in flour and bakery products, and chlorine, found in drinking water (also found bound chemically within a well known, "healthy" sugar alternative), and fluoride (while there is a lot of controversy over fluoride, please educate yourself HERE.).

Other toxins include gluten, the molecule found in wheat products and flour (along with bromine). Even if you don't have Celiac's (a complete intolerance to gluten), you may have a certain level of insensitivity to it. Many people feel much better overall by eliminating gluten from their diets.

What to do about this? This solution is closely related to #3 and to a proper detoxification program. You first need to fill the body with nutrients the thyroid needs to function well (see #3) and to go through a structured program of detoxification which will help your body to better bind and remove compounds from your body that are promoting dysfunction (especially within the thyroid and that are promoting weight gain that is difficult or seemingly impossible to lose). You also need to eliminate certain foods from your diet, such as gluten-containing products, or use filters for your water that eliminate fluoride and chlorine.

2. Inflammation. This one gets a lot of attention in the media, and for good reason.

Inflammation is healthy when the body uses it as the initial phases of healing an injury. When your diet isn't properly balanced, your body produces inflammation as a kind of smoldering fire that continually irritates the cells of your body. This has been linked to a major contributor to heart disease, type II diabetes, and brain disorders like dementia as well as many other diseases.

Well, guess what? The thyroid isn't a big fan of the smoldering flames of inflammation either, which can disrupt nutrient uptake and the ability of the cells of the body to take and use thyroid hormone once it is released into the bloodstream.

What to do about this? For a start, eliminate:
Gluten/Wheat Products
Sugar
Inflammatory oils such as soybean, vegetable, margarine, canola, and other "unnatural" oils and replace with "natural" oils and fats like butter, olive oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, heavy cream, and non-hydrogenated lard.

3. Lack of Nutrition

This is a BIG one that compounds the other two problems. Nutrients critical for thyroid function include:

Iodine
Selenium
Tyrosine
Magnesium
Manganese
Vitamin A & D (their metabolism is negatively affected by poor thyroid function)

What to do about this? Start eating different foods! Add in a ton of leafy greens like kale, spinach, and carrots. Also, eat pork a couple times a week along with eggs with the yolks.

The ultimate solution to thyroid issues is NOT a new drug or pharmaceutical, it is living a lifestyle consistent with creating the optimal environment for a healthy thyroid gland for life.

That is why Dr. Schultz created the Natural Thyroid Health Restoration Program, to get people the opportunity to provide a comprehensive, natural program for people to follow that will provide the needed ingredients for a healthy thyroid and a much happier and healthier YOU.

Click to link above to get in touch with Dr. Schultz TODAY. Thyroid problems are destroying your quality of life and ability to be happy. Why not get on a program to get your thyroid much healthier and get your life back on track?

Stop delaying and get started today!

What is your source of supplements?

2012-01-18T14:40:00.000-06:00

Supplements. They are a big part of our lives. We see them in pharmacies, health food stores, the gym, almost everywhere!

As Dr. Oz points out in the links below, you need to be careful:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/whos-spiking-your-supplements-pt-1
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/whos-spiking-your-supplements-pt-2
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/whos-spiking-your-supplements-pt-3

So, after all the "scare" of those episodes, here is what Dr. Oz recommends on how to pick supplements wisely:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/purchasing-supplements-safety-guidelines

What supplements do I use as a Doctor and recommend to patients in my office and to people on my blogs?

The first type of product I use are professional-only supplements. The products these companies make, package, or sell are of the absolute highest quality. You must have a post-graduate degree or a professional license to purchase and sell these products. The primary company like this I work with is Moss Nutrition, but I also work with others as well. These products typically cost a little more than the bargain-brand types, but have the benefits of be highly standardized and consistent with production and labelling accuracy.

The second type of products I take and trust are ones that go WAY above and beyond normal testing to prove, time and again, accurate dosing, labelling and safety. The primary company of these that I work with is Advocare.

In fact, Dr. Oz and a representative from ConsumerLabs (an independant supplement quality testing lab) specifically mention Advocare's OmegaPlex as one of the highest quality fish oil products tests, going above and beyond in quality, purity, and a lack of rancidity.

What it here:

Take what you will from this blog. But, I do highly recommend if you're already investing in supplements to take the next step and purchase the highest quality products available. Not only for safety, but oftentimes I hear patients and clients state how they DO notice a positive difference in their functioning or performance, as before they kind of "dreamed up" a difference.

If you are a healthcare provider, an allied health professional, a fitness professional, or are just totally confused about supplements and want to know what to take or make priority decisions about what is most important to take or how to recommend products to patients, clients, or family and friends, comment below and we can start a conversation about how I use products with myself, my patients and clients, and when family asks me questions or for my advice.

To you optimal health and performance,
Brandon Schultz, D.C.

Gravity, low back pain, and a simple solution.

2012-01-17T15:02:00.001-06:00

Low back pain. Millions of Americans and millions more around the world suffer with this debilitating condition. This type of pain is affects every part of your life:

You may sleep poorly or only with extensive medication.
You avoid social or family activities.
You fear pain pill addiction.
You avoid activities you used enjoy and do well.
You are sick and tired of repeated manipulations or adjustments that just don't "hold".
You are tired of repeated physical therapy appointments with no lasting relief.
Your life seems consumed and run by your low back pain.

There is a new weapon in your war against low back pain.

And this one product deals with the two main causes of back pain:

1. The compressing effects of gravity on the spine and spinal disks.
2. The inflammation cascade caused by the continual compression of the spine.

Click the link below to watch Dr. Oz describe and demonstrate the effects of gravity and compression on the spine (start at 2:10). He takes a different approach (knocking out inflammation with white willow bark), but the product I will tell you about below is deals with the CAUSE of the inflammation, not just masking it with supplements.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/7-day-solutions-pain-pt-2

One of the best things about this solution - AFFORDABLE.

That's right! With consistent use you will not only see great results, you will also avoid putting a huge dent in your wallet.

What is this fantastic product I speak of? Vacupractor

While a seemingly simple device, the Vacupractor helps decompress the spine. Most decompression units having you hang upside-down or paying enormous sums of money to an MD, DC, or physical therapist for decompression on their tables in the office.

Remember the jelly donuts on the Dr. Oz episode? Compression is what caused the donuts to compress and spill their contents into the tube. By compressing the spine, the disks become irritated which causes inflammation of the disks and surrounding tissues. Reverse the compression and not only does the spinal inflammation decrease, but the disks become healthier as well!

By attacking the cause of the inflammation, Vacupractor reverses the inflammation, but attacks it at the cause of the problem, not merely a supeficial patch.

To learn more about the Vacupractor, click on the link below:

VacuPractor Relieves Pain and Stops the Inflammation Cascade!

Another benefit of using the Vacupractor is ease of use. In four simple steps, you are on your way to a healthier low back that is pain free!

The steps really are this easy:

Stop suffering needlessly. Start on your path to a pain free existence today! Click on the link below to get started:

VacuPractor - Finally, a simple and inexpensive approach to lower back pain relief!

To your lasting pain relief,

Brandon Schultz, D.C., President
Alignment Is Life Health Center, Inc.

**This is not a promise of cure nor a diagnosis or treatment of your condition. Please consult with your physician before implementing anything to address your low back pain.**

B12 - A Key Nutrient

2012-01-14T10:51:00.001-06:00

Again, I watched a very good episode of Dr. Oz that helped raise awareness of B12 deficiency. Click below to view the summary of this part of the article:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/vitamin-b12-most-important-nutrient-you-arent-thinking-about

B12 is critical for:
Production of red blood cells - the cells which carry oxygen to your tissues
Production of myelin - helps maintain proper brain and nerve function
Replication of DNA - keep creating healthy tissues over time (slows "aging")

Another role, not mentioned on the show, is energy production. B12 is critical for turning carbs and fats into fuel. This. along with red blood cell production, is why B12 is so important to keep your energy levels up.

Food sources:

Beef, Lamb, Pork, Seafood, Eggs, Chicken, Fish, Organ Meats (ie liver)

Processing:

A healthy level stomach acid is critical for cleaving B12 from it's animal protein carrier. The show does a FANTASTIC job of demonstrating this!

Problems and Solutions:

Problem 1: Inadequate intake is a problem for some, especially those who avoid meat and animal foods or eat very little of them.

Solution 1: Eat more animal foods or supplement. The first one is easy, eat more meat! The second gives room for a couple of solutions:

Supplement: Methyl Protect 2oz.*

Why this one and not a cheaper tablet?

For one, this is a combination of B12 called methylcobalamin, a newer form that some say works better than cyanocobalamin.

This is a "B Family" product. I prefer to give nutrients in syngergistic formulas, not in isolation. The other nutrients promote other health benefits (like lowering homocysteine) as well and work as a team!

Sublingual delivery. You hold this product under your tongue for three minutes before swallowing. This helps with problem two, which is digesting and assimilating B12 from the stomach.

Problem 2: Inadequate Digestive Ability

I was excited (I'm a nerd, I know) by the fact the strength of digestive juices was mentioned in relation to binding factors for optimal aborption from the intestines. Why? This problem isn't mentioned very often and is VERY important!

Solution 2: Support stomach acid production two ways.

Support mechanism one is to provide support for hydrochloric acid production. Immediately before a meal, I recommend one of these:

Betaine HCl*

Why this product?

It promotes increased strength of your stomach acid when you need it the most; when you're eating food, especially meat!

If meat gives you an upset stomach or "sits heavy" in your stomach, this may be a great addition to your supplement regimen.

Ultra Greens pH*

Support solution 2: Iodine (or Iodide, more specifically).

As you can see by the list of ingredients on the list, this is a serious multi-tasker of a supplement.

For this blog, I'm focused on getting a natural source of iodine into your diet. This comes from the Kelp and other sea-based vegetables in this product.

Why iodine? I thought that was just for your thyroid.

It IS critical for your thyroid to function properly, along with the selenium found in this product as well. But...

Iodine isn't just used by the thyroid! Read this page on Wikipedia on the extrathyroidal utilization of iodine and you will find the stomach benefits from an adequate intake of iodine as well!

This may also work well synergistically with B12 supplementation by providing optimal nourishment to your thyroid so your energy levels improve through two mechanisms!

*To order products from Moss Nutrition, call them at (800) 851-5444 and tell them Dr. Schultz sent you. Why? You can only get these high-quality products through a physician, so tell them Dr. Brandon Schultz sent you!

I hope this blog was helpful with providing not only good information but convenient links to products to overcome your B12 issues. Feel free to comment or ask questions!

To your health,

Brandon Schultz, D.C.

**This is not intended as a diagnosis or treatment of disease. Please see your physician before implementing any dietary changes.**

The 7-day Pain Prescription

2012-01-13T13:54:00.001-06:00

On Monday, January 9th, Dr. Oz aired a segment on natural pain relief. Here is the link:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/7-day-pain-prescription

He has some GREAT recommendations that I concur with 100%. Below are high quality products that will help you integrate these products and recommendations into your lifestyle to find relief.

Minerals:
While Dr. Oz recommends a mix of Calcium, Magesium, and Potassium isolates, I recommend this product: Balanced Minerals through Innate Choice

Why this versus Dr. Oz's recommendation?

First and foremost, Balanced Minerals is a food-based product. These minerals are found in a state identical to when you eat foods rich in these nutrients.

Secondly, you can spread these doses out into three one-tablet servings (breakfast, lunch, dinner), which allows the body to absord minerals better than in one large dose.

Muscle Pain Relief:

Muscle Balance Therapy is critical to rebalance the muscles on opposing sides of your neck and shoulder (for neck pain) and the hips, back, and core (low back pain). To learn more about this done-at-home program, click below:

Neck Muscle Balance Therapy

Low Back Muscle Balance Therapy

Balancing out the muscle strength in your neck, shoulders, hips, core, and low back will do a world of good for your chronic pain!

Pillow Options:

Herniated Disks:

Dr. Oz does a phenomenal job demonstrating the effects of having gravity and daily wear and tear compress the disks of your spine, causing pain. I love the jelly donut demo!

He recommends white willow bark. Here is a high quality product containing white willow bark along with a host of other beneficial products such as ginger, bromelain, tumeric, and more.
Pain-X from Biogenesis Nutraceuticals

Taking three of these per day on an empty stomach with have powerful anti-inflammatory effects and will likely help ease the pain.

A structural strategy:

As Dr. Oz demonstrated on his show, the force of gravity had a huge role in compressing the disks of the spine. Did you know gravity can also be used to lessen the compressive loads on the spine?

It is called decompression therapy. Click on the link below to get more information:

Decompression Therapy - Always make sure you're healthy enough to perform inversion therapy! Always follow the guidelines.

Joint Pain:

Here is a convenient link to the Anaflora Arnica gel:

To order the Balanced Mineral and Pain-X products, call Moss Nutrition at (800)851-5444 and let them know that Dr. Brandon Schultz sent you. Why? These products are of the highest quality and only available through a physician, so let Dr. Schultz help you get the highest quality products in your body to help you find relief!

I hope you enjoyed this blog, please feel free to comment, ask questions, or enjoy the ease of ordering the products from one source!

In health,
Brandon Schultz, D.C.

Eliminate Back and Neck Pain in 2012

2012-01-07T12:07:00.000-06:00

Back and neck pain affect EVERY aspect of your life. Chronic pain alters how you live, work, interact with family and friends, and the quality of your sleep. In short, chronic pain can ruin your life.

Instead of being a victim of chronic pain, take steps to overcome pain at the foundation:

Structural

Chemical

The structural causes of pain are related to how your body, especially the bones and muscles, are aligned and balanced.

Balancing this aspect allows the body to return to a more natural, upright position effortlessly and move more efficiently.

Muscle Balance Therapy is a fantastic home-based program to re-establish proper muscle strength and balance to your body, especially the spine.

This comprehensive program allows you to be proactive while not having to endure countless hours in physical therapy, repeated trips to the Chiropractor's office (seeing one IS beneficial through!), and all the bills that go with them AND all without lasting relief.

Muscle Balance Therapy helps to realign your structure as the muscle strength balances out in your hips, low back, shoulders, and neck.

The chemical side of the equation is VERY important as well. Inflammation is a very common in the news today, and for good reason. Inflammation is a KEY component of chronic pain, among MANY other conditions common in society today.

Here are two strategies to decrease your inflammation quickly:

1. Diet. You MUST STOP eating foods that promote inflammtion. Click HERE to see a list of foods that are inflammatory and ones that are much better for you. While you are still in pain, I highly recommend taking the Heal-n-Soothe capsules as well, as they will support the healing process from within.

2. Fish Oil. Fish oil has been shown over and over to help decrease inflammation in the body as well as a host of other health benefits. The fish oil I recommend and take personally is OmegaPlex by Advocare*. This fish oil comes with seal of approval from Dr. Oz for the highest purity and potency standards in the industry, as well as a clinically significant amount of omega-3s in only 2 capsules a day.

Remember, fish oil is most effective when combined with an anti-inflammatory diet! So make sure to eat healthy while taking OmegaPlex as well!

**2 Bonus Recommendations**

1. Comprehensive nutrient coverage. Even with a healthy diet and omega-3s, filling in the gaps left by today's foods is important. Getting enough magnesium, selenium, zinc, and vitamin D 3 are ALL critical components of a healthy diet, especially when your goal is eliminating pain. The BEST multivitamin/mineral I know if is CorePlex from Advocare*. This 3-capsule-per-day multi is very high quality AND affordable.

2. Astaxanthin. This incredibly potent antioxidant found in red algae is just that, incredible. If your joint health is a concern, then make sure to add Amplify A.T. from Advocare*, a potent source of Astaxanthin, to your daily regimen. You will be amazed at how great you feel!

To summarize:

Your first step is to be proactive and not be a victim of chronic pain.

Your second step is to rebalance the muscles and structure of your body with Muscle Balance Therary.

The second step is to eliminate inflammatory foods in your diet and replace them with healthier choices.

The third step is to add 2 OmegaPlex to your daily anti-inflammatory diet. And, if you choose to maximize the potency of your nutritional strategy for long term pain relief, add CorePlex (3/day) and Amplify A.T. (1/day) to your pain-fighting nutrition lifestyle as well.

Start taking the steps necessary to become pain free in 2012. Your whole life will improve when the dark clouds of chronic pain lift and the light of a pain free existance is yours to enjoy.

To your health and happiness,

Brandon Schultz, D.C.

* - Advocare provides a unique opportunity to save 20% on all your products on every order. It you utilize all the Advocare products listed above you could save apporoximately $13 per month on your products! To take advantage of this unique opportunity, become an Advocare Distributor HERE. There is NO pressure to sell products, just sign up and enjoy 20% off! If you choose to sign up, send me, Dr. Schultz an email HERE with Advocare in the subject line and any questions you may have about products, I will respond shortly.

**This blog is for informational purposes ONLY. This is not a diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition. Before adapting any of the information presented above into your lifestyle, seek the council of your physician for safety purposes.**

A new approach to your thyroid problems

2011-12-22T15:15:00.000-06:00

Total Lifestyle Coaching - Why you NEED it for lasting success!

2011-12-17T13:45:00.000-06:00

Dr. Schultz describing how Total Lifestyle Coaching will get you to permanently lose weight and look and feel years younger to enjoy a life of increased productivity, energy, happiness, and overall health.

Stop struggling with your weight, your appearance, and your energy levels and get the RIGHT help and support!

Weight loss advice from an expert!

2011-11-25T13:15:00.001-06:00

What it takes to lose weight successfully.

2011-11-22T16:43:00.002-06:00

Weight loss isn't that hard. Extreme diets, "magic" supplements, food out of a cardboard box, "coaching" from someone who is NOT a professional, or other ways to temporarily make the scale measure you as "lighter" is, technically, successful weight loss. Unfortunately, these are the only strategies people know to lose weight.

Do YOU want to lose weight AND keep it off? I have bad news...

Losing weight AND keeping it off is NOT so easy! Luckily for you, the following is HOW to lose weight AND keep it off.

Here are the 5 key things YOU need to know:

1. Acknowledge things need to change. FOR GOOD.

Many people struggle with this. They lose weight without acknowledging their previous eating and exercise habits made them gain weight. These people use weight loss shortcuts (many listed above) and then when the weight is lost the old lifestyle starts creeping back into their life until all of a sudden the weight is back on!

Why does it come back on?

The lifestyle that keeps you lean, fit, and healthy needs to be followed. Short cut weight loss strategies don't teach a lasting weight loss lifestyle.

The SOLUTION: Get help from a professional that will teach you the lifestyle that will get you lighter, leaner, and healthier and how to stay there! I offer a program that teaches EVERY aspect of successful at http://alignmentislife.com/id80.html. If you are not local to Kansas City but still want my professional help, drop me an email HERE. I would love to talk with you about how we can work together to help you lose weight successfully!

2. Control your insulin.

Insulin is the number one hormone that drives fat storage. The typical American eating plan is far too rich in nutrient-light and fiber-light carbohydrates. People eat too many of the carbs that creates a high level of insulin too often and stays high for too long. Couple this with little to no proper exercise and guess what you get... weight gain!

The SOLUTION: Eat a balance of proteins, healthy fats, and veggies that is not only delicious and keeps you full and full of energy, but keeps your insulin within non-fat storing levels. Learn to time "fun" meals to minimize their impact on insulin and on your waistline!

3. Change one thing at a time.

This one is closely linked to #1. Most people who want to lose weight acknowledge they need to change BUT they try to change EVERYTHING at one time. Big mistake!

Most people do better by changing ONE thing at a time. In my programs I coach people to change ONE thing at a time and stick with that one change for a month. For the next month I then build on the previous lifestyle improvement because that one is now a new habit and part of the lifestyle so we build and build until the lifestyle is now COMPLETELY compatible with the body you want.

The SOLUTION: Take an accurate three day diet log. Be HONEST with yourself please! Write everything down. Then make a list of things you need to improve to lose weight (if you don't know what you need to change, seeking professional support is a great investment!). Then do the same with your current activity and exercise habits.

4. Measurements ARE your friends!

You HATE weighing yourself, I know. Most people do. Along with weighing yourself, taking measurements and pinching your own fat are also hated with a passion.

Measurement CAN and SHOULD be your friends. While it might sting a bit to acknowledge how much weight you have gained in the past few months of years, determining where you are now is critical to measuring the success of lifestyle changes that you will be making.

The SOLUTION: Get on a consistent measurement routine. I recommend weekly, same day and time, preferably in the morning after taking care of your morning business.
I recommend tracking the following:
Weight
Waist and Hip measurements
Body fat percentage
Use the same scale for the weighing to make sure of consistent readings. For the other two I highly recommend these tools:

They are inexpensive and perfect for simple, quick, and accurate readings at home!

5. Proper exercise is a HUGE help.

Proper exercise is incredibly beneficial to a successful weight loss plan. Proper exercise stimulates: Insulin sensitivity (see #2), strengthening of your muscles (which in turn burn more calories and LOOK fantastic as the weight comes off), strengthening of your bones, increased numbers of mitochondria (calls that create ATP - the "high octane fuel" of your body) that promotes more energy and mental clarity, and stress management (stress leads to poor behavior choices like chocolate cake over turkey and veggies).

Unfortunately people DON'T perform proper exercise. They walk on treadmills or bikes for an hour, do hundreds of crunches, or lift weights for more hours than they should. Then when they realize they can't spend hours and hours every week or become excessively exhausted, they quit. There is a better way!

The SOLUTION: Lifting weights is your priority! BUT, this is done to get all the benefits listed earlier WITHOUT spending hours a week in a gym or working out at home. Keep your workouts brief and focus on three key movements: Upper body pushing, upper body pulling and lower body (leg/hip) work with a small amount of work for your abs and trunk muscles. If you are unfamiliar with these terms or ideas, comment below and I will explain!

These keep the large muscles of the body strong and healthy while promoting improved bone density and help you look and feel fantastic! If you want some inspiration for 5 minute workouts visit www.5minutefitnesslifestyle.com for comprehensive help with brief, effective workouts.

In the end, don't be afraid to ask for help! Spending countless hours and dollars on canned and ineffective programs and pills is a losing battle and a self esteem destroyer as well. For $99 a month, let myself (Dr. Schultz) help you to weight loss success through eWeightLossCoach! Always remember, AARP members receive 20% off!

Email me HERE so we can get the process started. Send me your name, age, weight loss goals, and where you have struggled with weight loss before. I will return your email within 48 hours and from there we can decide if my eWeightLossCoaching is right for you!

Hope to hear from you soon!

In health,
Brandon Schultz, D.C.
www.alignemntislife.com
www.5minutefitnesslifestyle.com

The Bridal Experience

2011-11-18T15:40:00.001-06:00

So, all you brides-to-be out there, would you enjoy a program that gets you in fantastic shape, creates radiantly smooth skin, improves muscle tone (especially in your arms, shoulders and butt), and increases your resistance to stress and anxiety?

Your solution is here!

Check out the site here: http://alignmentislife.com/id81.html

Or watch the video introduction here:

Weight Loss Programs Available - AARP members pay attention!!

2011-11-14T18:57:00.001-06:00

Dr. Schultz describes (video below) the three programs available through Alignment Is Life to help you lose weight and keep it off for good!

Always remember, he offers 20% off to all AARP members, so tell everyone you know who is 50 and older and a part of the AARP to get on board with the only program available to TRULY change their lives so they look and feel years younger!

Chiropractic Adjustments: What, Why, and How

2011-11-12T10:21:00.001-06:00

Watch this first:

then watch Dr. Schultz explain this video and what it means to YOU and your HEALTH and how delivery at Alignment Is Life is different than anywhere else.

Causes of and Moving Beyond Chronic Low Back Pain

2011-11-10T14:24:00.001-06:00

There are MANY people like this man out there frustrated by a lack of "causal thinking" by many healthcare providers. As a Chiropractor I LOVE these concepts and ideas for reasons I will discuss in a second. Enjoy the video first and ask how we you or someone you know can relate to this man:

If you have sought relief for a low back pain condition before and received a generic set of stretches and exercises to do, you are NOT alone. This is a common practice because MANY trained professionals struggle with managing low back pain. The problem is NOT difficult to manage IF you take the correct steps to do so.

When individuals come to me and have acute (recent) or struggle with long term low back issues I tell the to first order and begin performing their customized exercises HERE. These are unique in that you customize the exercises to your needs and situation. You get PERSONALIZED service with an easy to follow video and booklets.

Why do I recommend this first? I am, after all, a Chiropractor and should be "popping away" on that person, right? WRONG. Not here! Alignment Is Life is different...

At Alignment Is Life I see that certain priorities come FIRST. Adjustments, delivered at the right time and in the right environment, create AMAZING changes in people's lives, including ongoing pain relief. BUT, if I adjust spinal segment or region that has strong muscular imbalances present my work is fleeting and temporary at best.

IF, on the other hand, I adjust a spinal segment that has the proper muscle balance and tone to support it, my adjustment can be VERY gentle and is resisted very little by the body. The brain can then fully process my adjustments and start creating lasting and profound change in your health and performance. If I do the opposite, the body resists my adjustments and the brain never really gets the message to make those profound and lasting changes, it just perceives that that adjustment "hurt" or was interpreted as an insult, not a gentle signal to start making positive changes.

If you or someone you know suffers from low back pain, please send this to them. If you are in the Kansas City area, I would love to see you at Alignment Is Life Health Center so you can experience the difference that the Chiropractic care delivered here can deliver.

In health,
Brandon Schultz, D.C.
www.alignmentislife.com

Detoxification, Proper Function, and a New Lifestyle

2011-11-08T18:43:00.000-06:00

See video from blog above:

Article A: You mean I have to KEEP eating this way?!

Article B: Now a pacemaker for hunger? WHAT?!?!

Exercise and Back Pain Relief

2011-11-08T17:42:00.003-06:00

Do you suffer with back pain? If so, or if you know someone who does, please keep reading.

Back pain has many causes and few solutions that last. When I read articles such as this one, it frustrates me.

Why?

Because telling someone that "exercise helps back pain", even demonstrating the forms of exercise is NOT enough. The CORRECT form of exercise can certainly help back pain.

How do you determine what is the CORRECT form of exercise to help your back pain?

Have an expert help you, of course! You may be thinking, "Oh no, another lengthy blog by Dr. Schultz ranting about natural vs. medical pain management!" Not so! I have found a fantastic resource, created by experts, to help determine your own unique back exercise program!

The best part? You can do these at home! No excessive driving time to go to a professional's office or potentially EXPENSIVE out-of-pocket costs if your insurance doesn't cover the care.

What am I talking about? These videos. These are incredible! They are easy to follow and they help you determine what YOUR back needs to start feeling better!

I love their solutions presented in this article on "Mixed Pain Syndrome". This covers the many causes of pain and the multi-level approach to getting rid of pain AND keeping it away.

Pain Treatment:

Structural Care for Ongoing Relief:

I LOVE this approach in my office because that frees me to optimize brain function even more efficiently when you're out of pain and pro-active on eliminating the causes of pain. My role then becomes one of making your brain and body the BEST they can be!

Imagine enjoying Chiropractic care that improves athletic performance, enhances motor skills by 10%, maximizes your creativity, balances your immune system, helps you sleep better, and improves your focus and learning?

If this sounds good to you then follow the above recommendations and enjoy unlimited adjustments for one affordable monthly fee at Alignment Is Life!

In health,
Brandon Schultz, D.C.
www.alignmentislife.com

Lose up to 20 pounds in 21 days! REALLY!

2011-11-07T15:06:00.000-06:00

Chiropractic Explained!

2011-10-27T18:01:00.000-05:00

I will let Dr. Gentempo explain the role of Chiropractic, the brain and nervous system, and how that impacts your overall health and performance.

Enjoy this clip, feel free to comment!

Brandon Schultz, D.C.
www.alignmentislife.com

All Natural Detoxification for Lasting Weight Loss

2011-10-26T14:38:00.001-05:00

Detoxification programs get a bad rap. They are always associated with multi-level marketing companies, stimulant-based drugs or supplements, or the huge tubs of cheap fiber in the supplement stores as "colon cleanses".

What do these accomplish?

Make you jittery and restless.
Have potency and effectiveness that wear off over time creating the need for more and more and more...
Have only online "experts" or some excited and well-meaning person who is selling the products of that online "expert", but who has NO real clinical experience with weight loss or detoxification programs.
Cleanse your colon only and keep you chained to the bathroom all day, for numerous days.

What does a professional weight loss detoxification program accomplish?

Clinically monitored measurements and vital signs to carefully monitor success and safety.
Comprehensive program design, advice, and support from an actual expert.
Creation of customized eating and exercise plans that are right for your unique needs.
Initial and ongoing support, especially through the natural "ups" and "downs" of the weight loss process.

The program at Alignment Is Life Health Center is unique in that it addresses all of them!

Imagine one expert following you through every step of the process. One expert that finds what is right for you regarding diet, exercise, supplementation, and keeps you motivated to pursue those aspects of your lifestyle. One expert that keeps you track and helps you get back on when you stumble.

Stay tuned for more information about this incredible program offered at Alignment Is Life Health Center. More to come soon!

In health,
Brandon Schultz, D.C.
www.alignmentislife.com

Why unlimited adjustments?

2011-10-17T15:00:00.001-05:00

Alignment Is Life Presents: The Fibromyalgia Solution

2011-10-03T16:30:00.001-05:00

Fibromyalgia is a condition that can eat away at someone's life. You live in fear of a "fibro attack"; a debilitating combination of headaches, severe muscular pain, crippling depression, and possibly even more.

Stop living with the hope of a prescription "cure"! Make the symptoms and expression of Fibromyalgia unnecessary! The comprehensive care at Alignment Is Life delivered by Dr. Schultz is unique in the entire country! The combination of structural care, nutrition, and restorative exercise can make a profound difference in your quality of life.

Stop suffering with Fibromyalgia. Get your life back at Alignment Is Life Health Center TODAY. Learn more at www.AlignmentIsLife.com . Please call today to start on the road to more energy, less pain, and a MUCH higher quality of life.

Migraine Headaches

2011-09-28T14:51:00.001-05:00

Seasonal Allergies

2011-09-27T14:53:00.001-05:00

Chronic Pain, Insulin, and Inflammation

2011-09-22T17:09:00.003-05:00

Pain. We have all experienced it. But pain, like visiting in-laws, should be a transient event, NOT chronic!

Why does pain stick around? The most common cause of this nagging problem: Inflammation. Inflammation is the predisposition of your body chemistry to take an insignificant irritant and completely blow it out of proportion (did I mention in-laws...?).

Here is the scenario: You have an accident/fall/injury months or even years ago and that area STILL hurts! Why?

Here is one (this is a complex issue with no "single magic bullet", many of which I will comment on further, so please stay tuned!) cause: Insulin.

To back up, what is insulin?

Insulin is a hormone secreted by your pancreas in response to a raise in blood sugar (blood glucose). This a normal and healthy response to what should be the temporary event of elevated blood glucose.

Unfortunately, for many people, this is NOT a temporary event. Especially after an accident or injury pain can cause us to alter our food to more "feel good" food, which is typically rich in sugar. This bad habit can last far beyond the initial injury and immediate pain of the incident.

Insulin is designed to perform a quick and dirty job: Get blood sugar levels under control and put the sugar in the blood where it should be, in active cells like the brain and muscles or stored in small amounts in the liver and muscles. Note I said quick and dirty. This hormone's actions are NOT designed to be released repeatedly over many hours.

When you abuse the insulin/blood sugar response with excessively frequent and large doses of ingested sugar (starchy carbohydrates, juices, low-fat milk products, soda, table sugar, sugar-laden drinks), you create the need for the pancreas to continually keep insulin levels elevated. This is a strong irritant to the tissues of the body, causing higher than normal and sustained inflammation.

So, the injury you sustained months ago starts hurting again or has never stopped hurting. In fact, your sustained elevated levels of insulin can become a major problem called Insulin Resistance.

Signs insulin and, by default, inflammation is a major aspect of your pain:

You feel better temporarily when taking anti-inflammatories. BUT, the pain comes back when they "wear off".
You feel better after a meal with sugar or find yourself craving sweets.
You have gained weight and find it difficult to lose.
You feel better when you get some sun (strong role of vitamin D in decreasing chronic pain, will be discussed in a future blog).
The pain never really goes away, but fluctuates throughout the day.

If getting out of chronic pain is a priority for you, here are major steps to take:

Step 1: Go Primal! Restore natural nutritional balance to your body by following Mark Sisson's excellent book:

By adapting this lifestyle over time you not only improve insulin sensitivity, you nourish your body the way it is supposed to be nutured. Pick one aspect of this book to adapt every two weeks and start taking action in the right direction!

Step 2: Restore balance to your body. A body out of balance is like a car of alignment. Is the uneven wearing tires the problem (pain) or the bent frame (The "frame" of your body is the spine which plays a HUGE role in pain creation and perpetuation without being brought back into proper balance.)
Chiropractic at Alignment Is Life centers on restoring balance and providing incredibly affordable methods to maintain that balance and alignment throughout life's stresses!

Step 3: Restore insulin sensitivity and balance the old fashioned way: Exercise! Proper resistance training combined with small increases in walking and gentle sustained activity (walking after a meal) can greatly improve insulin sensitivity. Think you have no time to resistance train? WRONG! Try the "Fit in 5" exercise model, you will be amazed at how productive a workout can be in only 5 minutes a day!

Step 4: Restore insulin sensitivity nutritionally. Get Healthy Greens taken with a drop of Vitamin D combine to help balance blood sugar levels AND decrease inflammation! This is a poweful addition to Primal Blueprint eating and only costs $1.30 per serving!
I recommend taking this combination first thing upon waking. It gets you body nourished, alkalized, and a host of other things. No better way to begin the day!
To order these products call Moss Nutrition at (800) 851-5444 and when promoted by the nutrition expert, use the code S 545. This is the code to be able to order through a physician, like me, Dr. Schultz.

Your unique situation is just that, unique to you. So please consider the advice of your physician before utilizing any of these recommendations.

But, these are a great foundation for most people to enjoy less pain, improved weight loss, more energy, and a host of other health benefits.

Being overweight is not ok...

2011-09-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

Being overweight is NOT ok. With those extra pounds, especially fat around the organs (visceral fat), comes many serious health risks. Don't believe me? Read the article below from WebMD:

"The Truth About Belly Fat"

This article does a great job explaining what the negative effects of visceral fat are, including excessive inflammation, organ dysfunction and fatty liver among others.

The section about how to lose the weight was anemic at best, as most articles on weight and fat loss are from mainstream sources. Mild exercise (an slight increase in physical activity) and eating more fiber is about the best of it. This is so sad.

Millions of people are slightly overweight, even obese. These people do not want to stay that way and perpetuating weak and insignificant ways to battle the obesity epidemic adds to the problem. Here are my complaints and solutions:

Exercise

Complaint: The idea that "exercise" can be lumped in with raking the yard or walking a little further is stupid, it really is. Do these activities have some peripheral benefits? Yes. But if people stop there, they will be sorely disappointed in their results. It's like my "favorite" phrase on gastric bypass/hypertension/cholesteraol lowering drug commercials when they say, "When diet and exercise aren't enough...", (when a poor diet and a weak excuse for exercise fail, is what they really should be saying) comes the allure of superficial "cures" for these problems. Crap, all of it.

Exercise, in its truest form IS HARD. It makes your muscles burn and become sore, your bones become stronger, makes your breathing increase in frequency and depth, and, yes, can be a bit uncomfortable. Actual exercise must be stressful to the body though. If there isn't sufficient stress, the body won't get the signal to create adaptations to that bout of exercise! Here are some powerful adaptations that occur with REAL exercise:

Increased muscular strength, endurance and resting tone
Improved bone density
Improved joint range of motion (less joint stiffness)
Lower resting heart rate
Less stress on the heart and lungs
Improved posture
Improved brain functioning
Improved blood glucose levels
Deeper, more restful sleep
Improved immune system function

As you can see there are MANY benefits to regular REAL exercise.

Supplementary Complaint: The "expert" recommendations for exercise (resistance training 2-3 times a week and preferably 1 hour of steady state activity 5 days a week...?!). For most people the current recommendations are far too time consuming. There are methods of exercise to get the above results in 30 minutes a week or less. The science behind brief but productive workouts is covered extensively in this fantastic book:

Exercise doesn't have to be lengthy to get results! You can benefit tremendously from less than 15 minutes of exercise per week involved while totally transforming your body into a lean, energetic and sexy machine!

Another potent option in the brief-yet-productive exercise model is the Fit in 5 Fitness Movement. This is a 5 minute daily workout that strengthens the major muscles of the body and creates literally limitless combinations of exercise types and equipment.

In my next blog I will discuss the MANY common misconceptions of what constitutes healthy eating and what you can do about it!

Pain CAN ruin your life. Don't settle for less than comprehensive RELIEF.

2011-09-13T15:46:00.001-05:00

Pain. It comes in many forms. For some, they suffer with headaches or migraines. Others have neck or back pain. The list is lengthy, but the underlying problem is that pain alters your life for the worse.

Causes and "Cures"

Pain, while decreasing quality of life, can be useful. When pain is present there is usually a situation that needs to be remedied. If you break your arm, it hurts. This is good because if it didn't you would continue to use a broken arm. Pain draws your attention to that area and makes you become very aware that that area needs you attention.

Pain's most common cause is trauma to tissues. When injured, these tissues react by sending pain signals to your brain telling you those tissues were damaged. Some of the most important of these tissues lie within and around your spine and back. This area accumulates a lot of wear and tear thoughout life! What is unfortunate is that most people go through life accumulating these small yet significant traumas and ignoring the growing frequency and intensity of symptoms like aches, stiffness, muscle tension, and even more.

The medical approach to these problems, or "cures", is to attack the symptom: Tight muscles get a muscle relaxer. Sore or inflammed muscles get powerful anti-inflammatories. Headaches/migraines get drugs to decrease pain and dilate blood vessels. Seasonal allergies? Take an anti-histamine and decongestant.

While these address the symptoms, they ignore the cause of the problem. Plus, these "solutions" can come with potent and nasty side effects which may be worse than the actual original symptom!

Natural Solutions = Safe AND Effective

At Alignment Is Life Health Center, Dr. Schultz will look for a natural solution by finding the cause of the problem, not covering up a symptom:

Chronic headaches? Analyze and adjust the neck and upper back spinal misalignments, recommend specific muscle work to perform at home, recommend supplements to eliminate unhealthy inflammation naturally, and possibly decompression to allow the neck and upper back to release tension better.
Low back pain or neck pain? Look to adjust spinal misalignments causing structural imbalances and muscular tension in the area, correct long-standing muscular imbalances with home care, reduce inappropriate inflammation naturally with the proper supplements, and correct your foot balance to get your body balanced chemically and structurally.
Seasonal allergies? Find and adjust spinal misalignments causing sinuses to drain inappropriately and an immune system to over-react to pollen or your "choice" of allergens, reduce inflammation of the sinuses and balance the immune system naturally with the appropriate supplements and let you enjoy every season without suffering!

Lasting Relief is a TEAM effort!

This is just a sampling of the relief that can be enjoyed at Alignment Is Life Health Center. Many other conditions include: Extremely painful and debilitating PMS, pain in the hips/knees/shoulders/elbows/wrists, carpal tunnel syndrome, neuropathy, asthma, and more.

Dr. Schultz wants you to engage in your care as well. By closely following his prescribed home care, your results should last a lifetime. This is NOT a "pop - n - go" office. After your initial visit you will be adjusted at Dr. Schultz's recommended frequency, but he will be closely following up consistently to make sure you are following through with your home care. Why? This office focuses on finding solutions that last. Your relief if Dr. Schultz's TOP PRIORITY.

You will be prescribed an adjustment frequency, a specific home-care regimen to follow, nutrition recommendations to follow, and supplements to take, ALL carefully designed to get you lasting RELIEF.

Once complete relief has been acheived you are free to choose an incredibly affordable maintenance program with the office or you can go on your way, knowing how to take care of yourself in order to stay feeling good.

If you are tired of suffering pain in it's many forms look no further. Alignment Is Life Health Center and Dr. Schultz provide holistic, comprehensive care for your relief. The best part is, it is more affordable than you may think! Visit by clicking HERE to learn more about his unique and powerful practice in beautiful Briarcliff Village in Kansas City, Missouri.

Introduction to Alignment Is Life

2011-08-26T11:51:00.002-05:00

Video Summary of Unlimited Chiropractic Care at Alignment Is Life

2011-08-26T11:49:00.002-05:00

Health for Boomers

2011-07-27T16:42:00.000-05:00

The "Boomers" are increasing seeking retirement more and more. But, what will their retirement look like?

Nightmare scenario: Crippled with arthritis, pain, and dysfunction? A posture stooped forward? Suffering with the beginnings of a neurocognitive disorder such as dementia or Parkinson's? Will obesity (your rate is higher boomers!) create a breeding ground for Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes or other terrible degenerative disorders?

Will the medical costs take it's toll on your savings or that of your family?

With the proper set of proactive strategies, the above is not a certainty for anyone.

Dream Scenario: Retirement with a lean, healthy and fit body and mind. How about a healthy sex life? Having abundant energy, stamina and a positive outlook on travel, quality family time, seeing the next generations born and grow up is a reality for you!

Are you willing to invest in this or not?

Again, all this IS possible. You can stack the aging deck in your favor!

The Schultz Natural Health Program is the answer.

Imaging ONE professional providing expert fitness guidance and in a one-on-one training environment. Stay strong, mobile and enjoy abundant stamina from youthfully strong muscles.

ONE set of healthy eating and supplement recommendations to get your nutrition optimized for you. Eat to nourish your body back to health and add key supplements to give you the edge you need to thrive, not merely survive increasing age.

ONE person performing quarterly assessments to see if you're on track or need extra help. Watch your body become leaner, stronger and more resilient. The transformation is incredible to watch!

One of the best things? If you're an AARP member, you receive 20% off the cost of the program! Image the mere investment of as little as $40 a week to get the above and more from ONE professional. ONE expert able to create a stronger more youthful and healthy YOU to attack retirement with passion and vision, not with pain and dysfunction.

Visit www.AlignmentIsLife.com today to learn more. You can learn more about the program under the "15 Minute Fat Loss Program" information. After reading, call me, Dr. Schultz, immediately to schedule your no-cost consultation. Make a healthier body and mind a priority for your retirement.

Dr. Schultz

Sustainable Results vs. Reality TV "Results"

2011-07-20T16:09:00.002-05:00

Do you get a little choked up watching those people lose all that weight on the various "reality tv" weight loss shows? If you said "yes!", you're not alone.

Many people watch these shows. Millions, actually. But, here is the kicker... the people typically don't keep the weight off.

Just like millions of other people (you?), they gain weight back after: Yo-yo dieting, "hours upon hours of exercise plans", food-in-a-box programs, when the stimulant-based supplements loses it's effectiveness (or your heart explodes), HcG/hormone-based plans, gastric bypass and other surgeries and more.

Why do people keep flocking to these programs if there are a large percentage that FAIL? I don't have an answer for that, but I do have one statement to make that ends the debate:

A CORRECTLY BALANCED DIET AND PROPER EXERCISE DO NOT FAIL.

EVER.

The commercials on TV that start by saying, "When diet and exercise aren't enough...", I go CRAZY(ask my wife...). Why do I go a little nuts (ok, a LOT)?

The vast majority of people (99% +) have the ability to lose weight and reach levels of health and well-being WAY BEYOND what they currently imagine. I will stand behind the above statement until my last breath. There is only ONE comprehensive solution available...

There is a simple yet profound solution delivered ONLY at Alignment Is Life Health Center:

The 15 Minute Fat Loss Program

This program combines ALL the necessary tools to get you in the best shape of your life and to keep you there. Incredibly, all this occurs in 15 minutes a week!

Yes, one 15 minute workout per week delivers all the stimulus your muscles need to become stronger and improve the metabolic environment of the body. Want to see and read more about this unique method?

Visit www.bodybyscience.net . This site is dedicated to this fantastic book (Body by Science), co-written by Dr. Doug McGuff and John Little. I follow these protocols in the office for many reasons, the top being time efficiency for my clients and most importantly, they work.

Customized eating programs play a huge role in weight loss and longevity. Like it or not, you have to adapt habits for the long haul if you want those skinny jeans to stay skinny.

This plan not only designs a "living" nutrition plan for you, but has a built in and ongoing support mechanism - email. You have unlimited access to email me, Dr. Schultz, when dietary or lifestyle questions/issues/trouble arises. I call this a "living" plan because change needs to occur naturally, not be forced and may change in various situations that come up in your life. We work as a team to evolve your eating plan over time.

Supplements that work are a cornerstone of change. And, like it or not, change needs to occur on many levels to reach and sustain your ideal weight. I utilize only the highest quality supplements available and incorporate only what you need for optimal results.

There is a necessity to help your body "move along" as you start exercising properly and eating differently, so we support ongoing change by reinforcing your body's built-in mechanisms to ensure your best results. Rest assured, you can only get the supplements I recommend through physicians (like me!) or other qualified healthcare professionals. No "over the counter" crap sold here.

Making your body more balanced and resilient brings a different flavor to the weight loss world. This is a seemingly simple yet incredibly powerful part of the program. By gently adjusting the upper neck area (no worries, this is with a instrument called the ArthroStim, no "cracking"!), I will be sending powerful signals to your brain to rebalance and "upgrade" your whole body!

This occurs through a high frequency of Alpha Brain Waves (yes, adjustments deliver this and much, much more!). What are these and why are they critical for weight loss to occur naturally and for new habits to be adapted permanently? Read THIS blog post. This is the first time that naturally improved brain function becomes a critical part of the weight loss process!

Stop wasting time and resources on superficial "fixes". Invest in a lifetime of living at and loving your ideal weight. There is no solution on the market that is more comprehensive or thorough. None. Stop living in "reality TV" land and get some real world results.

Click here to learn more details about the program and to get started. Stop stalling and get signed up today.

Dr. Schultz

15 Minutes a Week

2011-07-05T16:57:00.001-05:00

What does 15 minutes a week mean to you? Does it sound like a huge commitment? Do you instantly dismiss the possibility of being able to commit to that amount of time? I sure hope not, because at Alignment Is Life, 15 minutes a week is all you need to...

Get a workout that will:

Build muscular strength and endurance
Stimulate the production of more energy
Improve cardiovascular health and efficiency
Strengthen bones
Improve joint mobility and muscular flexibility
Decrease pain and stiffness in your neck, back, hips, knees and shoulders
Accelerate the fat burning process
Improve insulin sensitivity (regulate blood sugar better)
Create a more upright and confident posture

I'm sure you can find 15 minutes once a week to get all these amazing benefits!

The Schultz Natural Health Program focuses on two categorier to help people. This includes weight loss and improving before or during retirement.

Have you struggled with weight loss?
Your struggle is over!

If you have struggled with weight loss before and want a permanent solution, the 15 Minute Fat Loss Program is for you. You will get comprehensive dietary coaching, a customized weight loss supplement plan, one 15 minutes session a week with Dr. Schultz in which you will get a fantastic workout and adjustment to restore balance to body and mind. This program is 50 weeks in length to guarantee lasting results.

The other program is similar but is customized to maximize energy levels, brain function and strength so you can be as active as you want well into your "golden years".

Don't let age walk all over you.
Take your life back!

Don't settle for less than amazing results. You invest your hard-earned money on plenty of "quick-fixes" for these problems. Invest in a professional who's unique set of skills and expertise will get you in the best shape of your life so you can live at your ideal weight or to fully enjoy your retirement years.

If you have questions or want to reserve your spot today, call Dr. Schultz at (816) 830-3759. If you don't live in the Kansas City area but still want to have Dr. Schultz coach you to your weight loss goals or success, call him to discuss the email coaching option as well.

Don't wait, enjoy these benefits and more today! Limited space available, call now!

The Schultz Natural Health Method

2011-06-08T16:39:00.001-05:00

New and exclusive to Alignment Is Life Health Center, Inc. comes The Schultz Natural Health Programs.

These programs are for the achievement of the following:

Anti-aging. Look and feel younger and more energetic. All radiating from a more balanced, fit and healthy body and mind. Firm skin, toned muscles and a radiance that only comes from a truly healthy and balanced body.
Improved athletic performance. Recover from years of accumulated trauma and injuries and find new speed, endurance and excitement for your sport again with a rejuvinated body and mind.
Relief of chronic symptoms and medical problems. The list is extensive, but very few conditions are not included that could show dramatic improvement with this program.

All programs are fully customized to get the best results for each individual. The program is unique for a number of reasons:

Holistic. Combining mind-body synchronization and balancing, comprehensive nutrition and supplementation, specific body restructuring and body strengthening. All in one place from one uniquely trained expert. No more "shopping around" for experts from separate fields who promote directly conflicting information.
Results-centered. Too many times vague and generic holistic programs are designed to help people "feel better". This program shoots far beyond that. Specific markers of structural, chemical and physiological markers are measured before, during and after the program to SHOW YOU results, not just asking if you "feel better".
Respectful of your time. How often have you tried to embrace a program that sounded good and even worked for many, but demanded hours every week (or day!)? While these well-meaning program designers do provide good advice and programs, time commitments to family, friends and work all tend to outweight hours of a holistic "guru's" program. Enjoy 1 30 minute session a week for 12 to 20 weeks. The only things that may be asked of you outside of this 30 minute session are brief visualizations with gentle body movements that can be done for 5-10 minutes first thing in the morning upon waking and just before you drift off to sleep. That is it!

Stop making excuses for poor health, signs of "aging" and decreased performance. Come to the source for comprehensive and scientific holistic healthcare that shows measureable changes and life-changing results.

Visit www.AlignmentIsLife.com to learn about this phenomenal program.

Migraines?

2011-05-02T17:40:00.000-05:00

If you suffer from migraine headaches, you don't need to be reminded how awful they can be. From the intensity of the pain to possible nausea, sensitivity to light, and visible auras, they are an overall miserable experience.

While their are medications to help ease the pain, did the migraine start because of a medication deficiency? I don't think so!

So, what is a reliable, safe method of making your migraines a thing of the past? The first and foremost would be Chiropractic adjustments. If you have never heard of this, please look at these:

Chiropractic Adjustments vs. Medication Study - Chiropractic 75% more effective.

Your Neck, Headaches and Chiropractic Adjustments - Neck function is critical to becoming Migraine-free!

Migraines During Pregnancy - Yes, we see pregnant women too!

After reading these studies, open your mind and consider visiting a Chiropractor to get your spine adjusted. Stop suffering needlessly and take action to balance your body naturally with Chiropractic adjustments to enjoy a pain free life!

If you live in Kansas City, I would love to adjust you in my office. Alignment Is Life is a unique office providing Chiropractic care at incredibly affordable rates. Also unique at Alignment Is Life is the application of The Schultz Natural Health System, which helps you create a lifestyle that not only keeps the pain of headaches away but provides natural solutions for many common health problems.

Dedicated to your health,

Dr. Brandon

http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Stroke Rehabilitation and Chiropractic Adjustments

2011-04-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

For many years, a tragic campaign was waged against the Chiropractic profession. The people behind it claimed we caused strokes in our patients. Well, this was proved definitively wrong.

Why was this so tragic? Because what science actually has shown us is that Chiropractic adjustments actually help rehabilitate people who have suffered from stroke! The people who needed us the most were scared away by lies!

What scientists have found is that when the stroke rehabilitation patient receives a Chiropractic adjustment before their rehab exercises, the brain processes the new input better! This is huge because successful rehabilitation depends upon the brain adapting to the new movements and creating new pathways to use the upper extremities and the whole body for that matter!

If you know of anyone who has suffered with a stroke or are currently under post-stroke rehabilitation, please give that article to their Doctor and rehab therapist. If you are in the Kansas City area and want to start Chiropractic care for stroke rehabilitation or just to improve your overall health, visit http://www.alignmentislife.com/. The practice is a membership-based practice where whole families can enjoy care for $60 a month!

Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Ear problems and Chiropractic adjustments

2011-04-14T17:16:00.000-05:00

Sinus probems giving you a hard time? Read more to learn about a natural solution that provides relief!

Stop feeling like this...

Start feeling like this!

Click HERE to see the anatomy of the inner ear. See the "Eaustacian Tube"? That is the center of this article, among other structures, like the sinuses in the head.

The Eustacian Tubes and the tubes that drain the sinuses are unique. They are muscular tubes that are surrounded by bone. Being surrounded by bone these tubes do not have much "wiggle room", so when inflammation sets in, problems begin.

What is inflammation? Watch this video.

But, is inflammation the cause or a mere side effect? You guessed it, a side effect! Side effect of what? No it is NOT a deficiency of anti-inflammatories (promoted in the commercial). The primary cause is actually nerve irritation, which causes two problems. This chart shows that irritation in the upper neck (alleviated with regular Chiropractic adjustments) can cause these sinus and ear drainage problems.

Problem 1: Muscle tension.

People usually associate muscle tension with muscles in their shoulders and low back. Imagine the small muscles that line the tubes that drain your ears and sinuses becoming tense. There is no room for expansion and inflammation! So, as the articles explained, the mucous produced constantly by the ears and sinuses cannot drain easily into the back of your throat. This causes pressure buildup and can even lead to ear and sinus infection or frequent headaches, even in kids!

This research points out that kids respond very well to Chiropractic adjustments too!

Problem 2: Immune System Weakening

The second problem also stems from spine irritation. Only this time, the problem lies in constant stress. When the spine isn't working properly (which can be alleviated with regular Chiropractic adjustments), it triggers your "fight or flight" response (by stimulating the sympthetic nervous system). This constant stimulation causes your immune system to wear down over time, making you more prone to illness, sensitive to allergens (allergy symptoms!), cause restless sleep and more frequent infections.

If you suffer from ear or sinus problems or chronic headaches, take action to find a solution by visiting a Chiropractor. We can help you find relief without drugs or surgery. With a few lifestyle improvements, you will be amazed at how great you can really feel!

If you're in Kansas City, I would love to see you at Alignment Is Life. I provide unlimited Chiropractic adjustments at one monthly fee for the whole family. Whether you need frequent care or are enjoying "maintenance care" to stay feeling great, it's all one affordable fee.

Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Schultz
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Spinal Adjustments and Food Addiction?!

2011-04-11T18:20:00.000-05:00

When we eat food we get a "reward" by our brain that makes us feel good. In an ideal world, we would eat healthy foods until full and "rewarded" and then stop eating. This is not the case for many, many people. According to this article, many people suffer from a "food addiction".

As the article states, some people are not "rewarded" with a splash of brain chemicals like they should be. What happens? They keep eating! This, unfortunately, leads to obesity, insulin resistance, depression and more. People can feel hopeless as only food can give them a "fix" and their size shows it!

What the heck do Chiroprctic adjustments have to do with brain function and food addictions? A lot, actually. Click here to read how Chiropractic adjustments promote healthy brain wave activity. As the spine starts functioning better with Chiropractic adjustments, the brain actually starts working in a more balanced, positive way!

Dr. Holder (a Chiropractor) has done significant work in the area of addiction and "Reward Deficiency Syndrome". Read this fascinating article. This is a fascinating look into how people can be predisposed to not being rewarded by actions (food,drugs, etc.) and form "addictions".

Chiropractic adjustments are a critical part of his treatment center in Florida. Why include Chiropractic? Regular adjustments help his patients stay consistent with their addiction treatment. The result? Better retention and response to addiction therapy!

What does this have to do with you? Whether you are battling a weight issue/unhealthy relationship with food or just wanting a more balanced and harmonious life, regular Chiropractic care is for you!

I deliver Chiropractic adjustments in a very unique way: unlimited adjustments for one monthly fee. That's right! All the adjustments you need and want for $75 a month for you and your family. To learn more visit http://www.alignmentislife.com/.

Dedicated to your health,

Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC

http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Brain Function Improved with Chiropractic Adjustments

2011-03-30T16:21:00.001-05:00

This one really takes people. Chiropractors have known for over 100 years we positively influence brain function from the results in our offices. Now, we KNOW we do scientifically!

A healthy spine keeps the brain healthy!

Read the STUDY.

The reseach basically states that those getting Chiropractic adjustments increased their "Alpha" brain waves. What are "Alpha" waves? Why are they beneficial? Read this BLOG POST for some amazing information about Alpha waves!

So, only receive regular Chiropractic adjustments if you want:

More relaxed body and mind
Improved creativity
Enhanced Problem Solving
Calm, Centered Emotions
Optimal Athletic Performance
Less Fear, Nervousness, Tension, Stress
To Get to A "Flow" State
Improved ability to learn
Improved Immune System Function
More Positive Thinking Naturally
Less Depression
Improved Internal Awareness

All this with no dangerous drugs! This is just your inborn capacity being expressed! At Alignment Is Life you pay one affordable monthly fee and receive unlimited adjustments! Imagine how healthy your family could become! Imagine the dramatic improvements in your workforce creativity, health and performance! Imagine how high your athletic potential really is?

Embrace your expression of perfection.

Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Feeling Dizzy?

2011-03-22T16:53:00.001-05:00

If you or anyone you know has experienced dizziness at one time or, even worse, has chronic dizziness? If so, read the article below.

Dizziness Article

Dizziness can be truly disabling. It can cause nausea, creates dangerous driving situations, and most of all annoying.

Did you know Chiropractic adjustments lead to partial or complete resolution in over 80% of the time? As outlined in the article above, adjustments have a fantastic track record in helping people suffering with it.

How does this occur? There are many hyptheses, but the main idea is two-fold. On one hand the nerves that help the ears drain (eaustacian tubes) are able to remain open, preventing liquid backing up and altering ear drainage. The other is the blood vessels going to the inner ear. In the upper back there are nerves that actually supply the blood vessels that go to the inner ear. If these nerves are compromised, they can constrict those blood vessels, which can compromise proper functioning of the inner ear.

If you know anyone who suffers occasionally or chronically with dizziness, please have them consult a Chiropractor. If they are in Kansas City I would love to see them at Alignment Is Life Health Center. If they are not KC, please visit www.uschirodirectory.com to find a Chiropractor near you and to read even more great research about how we help people naturally!

Chiropractic adjustments are unique. They are not designed as a treatment of symptoms, as are medical interventions. The blueprint for proper function is already established in the brain. What a Chiropractic adjustment accomplishes is a restoration of the communication of the original blueprint to the organ, muscle or gland. See a good example of how important is to overall health HERE.

Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Noctural Enuresis - Bedwetting

2011-02-26T12:19:00.000-06:00

Do you have a child who wets the bed frequently or know of a child who does? This can be incredibly demoralizing for a child for many reasons. Their self-confidence is precarious at best. Their socialization is limited due to not wanting to have "over-nighters" because they are afraid of others knowing of their problem.

How can Chiropractic adjustments help? Well, look at THIS PAGE. See the Sacrum at the bottom of the spine? Look at the symptoms associated when the sacrum isn't working properly. The nerves from the brain through the spinal cord in that area lose clear reception and can't communicate the right messages to the bladder. In certain kids, this creates a timing problem with their brain waking them up so they use the restroom. Instead, they just urinate while they are sleeping. Chiropractic adjustments can help restore clear communication by adjusting the sacrum and other areas. This tends to help these kids restore normal bladder function.

You may be thinking that your Doctor/Pediatrician said they will outgrow this problem. This is true. BUT, just like colic, chronic ear infections and other "diseases of childhood", why let you child continue to suffer?! If there is a way to help them NOW, why wait for them to "grow out of it"? Save them the humiliation by being proactive TODAY.

If you're in Kansas City, I would love to be your family Chiropractor. One affordable monthly membership you get all the adjustments you want and need. If you're not in KC, find a Chiropractor near you by searching for one at www.uschirodirectory.com. This is a great resource not only for finding a local Chiropractor, but make sure to check out all the research on there for a considerable number of health problems.

Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Do you "need" maintenance care? - YES

2011-02-17T18:32:00.000-06:00

Should you continue getting adjusted after your symptoms have decreased? There is a common complaint among many people, that once you go you need to keep going back.

Read this article, showing the positives of having a lasting relationship with your Chiropractor.

Stopping care after getting out of pain is like stopping eating healthy food and exercising after you reach your ideal weight or stopping brushing and flossing if you don't have any cavities.

Getting adjusted regularly keeps the body in balance, the brain clearly communicating with your whole body, your immune system healthier, keeps you pain and symptoms at bay and more.

If you are interested in getting into see a Chiropractor, visit www.uschirodirectory.com to find one in your area. If you're in KC, consider getting under care at Alignment Is Life Health Center. I deliver Chiropractic adjustments in a membership fashion. One monthly membership fee. All the adjustments your body needs and wants, all for one affordable monthly fee. If you're interested visit www.alignmentislife.com to learn more.

Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Asthma Symptoms

2011-02-16T16:52:00.000-06:00

Asthma plagues many, many children and adults. At times it only comes with exertion. Sometimes with emotional upset. Many times you feel the tightness in your chest without provocation. You have an inhaler handy at all times, not willing to go anywhere without it, needing a "puff" when you feel that dreaded constriction in your chest. For many, the inhaler and other prescription drugs are a necessity to survive. Did you know that Chiropractic adjustments have helped many people leave the inhaler behind and stop taking prescriptions?

Here is a case study.

Here is a famous MMA star's testimonial. (I use this technique and health system in my office.)

So, you may be curious how Chiropractic adjustments of the spine can alleviate problems with the lungs. Look HERE to see how the nerves from the spine, especially from T1-T3 (click on them to see where the nerves in these areas go) go directly to the lungs. When these nerves are irritated because the spine in out of balance they can cause abnormal constriction of the lungs.The lungs aren't allowed to function properly because they aren't receiving proper signals from the brain because the spine is in the way.

This is NOT a "treatment" of asthma, but a restoration of the brain being able to restore proper function. A "treatment" would be like the drugs listed above. They deal with symptoms and are needed at times, but if the spine is out of balance, the real CAUSE is the fact the brain isn't clearly telling the lungs what to do, leading to symptoms of asthma.

Another way to assist with the decreasing or elimination of asthma symptoms is proper diet. A diet heavy in dairy, unhealthy oils, excessive sugar and wheat/grain products can lead to the body being too inflammed. If the body has excessive inflammation occuring it can cause the lungs to be improperly constricted as well. The best healthy eating plan I know is The Diet Solution Program (click to learn more). Isabel De Los Rios has put together an eating plan that is comprehensive, adaptable and a tremendous lifelong resource for healthy eating. No more trendy "fad" diets! Get this and enjoy a lifetime of healthy eating.

At the end of the day only you can make the decision to look for a lasting FIX to the asthma problem with you or your kids. Chiropractic adjustments are great for the whole family, and healthy eating is critical for everyone to enjoy more energy, less pain and easy weight loss. Only you can decide if you will give Chiropractic a try to see if the symptoms you're suffering with are related to a spine out of balance or not.

If you're in Kansas City, I would love to talk with you more about how Chiropractic can positively influence your health and wellbeing. Plus, you really can't beat one affordable monthly fee for you or your whole family to enjoy a balanced mind and body. If you're not in KC, visit http://www.uschirodirectory.com/ to find a good Chiropractor near you.

Dedicated to your health,

Dr. Schultz, DC

http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infections - Is your child suffering needlessly with this?

2011-02-03T17:43:00.001-06:00

Ear infections. A terrible thing for a child to have and a terrible thing a parent has to watch their child suffer with. Red, swollen ear drums. Crying. Sleepless nights for child and parents.

You have probably been told your child will "grow out of" this problem, as for many it recurrs over and over at young ages. That is partially true, your child will likely grow and leave the problem in their youth. BUT, how many sleepless nights and weeks of a suffering child will you tolerate and wait for them to "grow out of it"?

What can Chiropractic and lifestyle do about it? I will tell you!

First, let's address the anatomy of a child's ear. Just like the sinuses, the ears have muscular tubes that drain the inner and middle ears to the back of the throat. If you have read the previous blogs you will remember, where there are muscles (muscular tubes) there is a nerve attached to it. If that nerve is not working properly from a small problem in the neck bones, that nerve can cause that muscular tube to constrict (close).

To add to this problem and why it tends to go away is changing angles of the tube in your ears. From birth to around 6 or so, the tube draining your inner and middle ears is flat. So along with being closed due to an irritated nerve, the tube is flat, making it harder for fluid to drain anyway! Around age 6 (I believe) the tubes start slanting downward and tend to drain easier even with some nerve irritation due to gravitational help. BUT, if the neck-based nerve irritation remains, many people will move to strong seasonal allergies, frequent colds or other sinus-related problems.

Just like in your sinuses, the inner and middle ear become havens for bacteria and viruses to flourish. The environment is warm, moist (with poorly draining fluid) and dark. A great place for invaders to camp out and multiply. This is what happens when your child keeps getting ear infections.

The solution that for many work like magic? Chiropractic adjustments, especially of the upper neck and upper back areas. These also help with colds that move into the chest and other breathing problems as well that can occur with this problem. Want to see? Click HERE to see a diagram.

Chiropractors have been helping these kids for over 100 years, but here is a case study showing the results. Need more? Watch this video:

Artificial tubes can be inserted with a surgical procedure, but why not try a non-invasive procedure first?! Plus, if that first round of "antibiotics" didn't help, why are you trying them time after time?!

Where does lifestyle fit into this? Well, a well-nourished baby is a healthier baby because of a strong and robust immune system. Plus, Mom can have a healthier baby when she eats well before, during and after pregnancy.

What are my nutrition recommendations? Simple! Follow "The Diet Solution Program" by Isabel De Los Rios! As a fit and healthy nutritionist herself, she walks the walk! Learn more about her system HERE.

Yes, she has had TWO children! WOW!

Between getting your kids checked and adjusted by a Chiropractor and feeding them and yourself nutritious and delicious food you will be amazed at how much healthier your family can be!

If you're in KC, I would love to be your family's Chiropractor! With an afforable monthy rate for a membership and unlimited access to adjustments, why not invest in your family's optimal health?! If you're not in KC, consider seeking Chiropractic care for the whole family, including the kids! Visi www.uschirodirectory.com to find one in your area.

More to come in the family health series!

Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Sinusitis - Why let allergies and sinus problems keep bothering you?

2011-01-28T17:47:00.001-06:00

Sinus problems. Seasonal allergies. Seasonal allergic rhinitis. A child with a constantly runny nose or recurrent colds an sinus infections. All describing very similar problems, namely the inability of the sinuses to drain excess fluid from the sinuses of the head. Painful? Yes!

This problem can be found in any age, from young children to older individuals. Parents, stop watching your child suffer, havng sleepless nights and stop suffering yourself with the pain of sinus-related problems and having sleepless nights because of your kids illnesses!

HERE is one of many case studies showing the benefits to kids!

Do you look like this during various seasons?
There is a natural solution!

As you know by now, I will show you that Chiropractic adjustments along with a proper diet is an enormous help if not outright solution to sinus problems.

First, the Chiropractic adjustments. What does your spine have to do with your sinuses? Well, nothing with the bony part. But EVERYTHING to do with the muscular tubes that drain the sinuses. As you may remember from my last blog, the brain controls and balances all actions in the body. The brain runs the show by telling everything (muscles, organs and glands) by connecting to them with nerves. These nerves leave the brain and go to every part of the body carrying the commands from the brain. The nerves are protected by your back, the spine. Click HERE for a great example of how neck is so closely related to the nerves that control the muscular tubes that drain the sinuses.

The sinuses naturally create a watery mucus all the time and when the muscles are draining right, you never notice it draining throughout the day. BUT, when the tubes that drain the sinuses are tense and irritated by the nerves, they don't drain well. So, you have a stagnant liquid accumulating in a dark, warm, moist environment. What happens? Bacteria or viruses flourish and you have a full blown sinus infection because you likely have an immune system that isn't full strength either. How?

The second part of the problem is that when the spine isn't working right (technically called a vertebral subluxation by Chiropractors), you also have a compromise of a healthy immune system. The spine problem stimulates a part of your nerves that literally "wears out" your immune system by not letting that part of your nerves turn off (sympathetic nerve system). This constant barrage from the sympathetic nerves stimulates your body in a "fight or flight" message. This wears down your immune system, so the bacteria or viruses in the flooded sinuses are allowed to become a full blown infection or at the very least a very nasty case of allergies or a cold. None of which are pleasant!

Isabel's Diet Solution Program is an incredibly valuable tool to not only
lose weight but to decrease the suffering of allergies as well!

What does your diet have to do with this? A lot! Not only should a diet provide nutrients to fuel the body to keep it healthy and moving, but it should also promote a healthy and proper inflammatory state. Good inflammation occurs when an injury happens and is part of the healing process. Chronic, bad inflammation irritates tissues, including tubes that are trying to drain sinuses! Not only are these muscles tense, but also inflammed! This creates even worse drainage because it may get a little better with an anti-inflammatory, but comes back when that wears off.

The other part of a healthy diet is that the body has a stronger immune system when you are consuming the right balance of nutrients and foods.

I can't more highly recommend a product than The Diet Solution Program, by Isabel De Los Rios. She has put together an incredible collection of plans to help match you with the proper eating plan. Plus, this is a reference and tool you can use the rest of your life!

If you want not only less allergies but less pain and easy weight loss, order your copy HERE. Don't wait, start eating right for YOU today!

If you're in Kansas City, take full advantage of Alignment Is Life's unique membership fee system where you can come in until you're feeling good and stay under care to STAY feeling amazing, all for one constant monthly fee.

If you aren't in KC, find a great Chiropractor at http://www.uschirodirectory.com/. Stop suffering and get under care!!

Dedicated to your health and wellbeing,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Infertility - A Cause of Marriage and Family Distress

2011-01-25T18:36:00.000-06:00

Infertility. A problem that strikes over 2 million women a year, just in the United States alone. This is also a large problem for men as well, whose numbers climb into the millions as well.

What does this have to do with Chiropractic adjustments? What about diet proper diet? In short, everything.

Infertility can be an emotionally devasting situation. Many people take this diagnosis very hard. It seems to tug at primal heartstrings when you are told you cannot naturally procreate.

Unless there is physical damage to reproductive organs or severe hormonal imbalances, there is a potential for you to conceive (or successfully fertilize the egg) naturally.

First off, what about Chiropractic adjustments? Adjustments allow the highways of information from your brain to your organs to be crystal clear by keeping the spine out of the way. See a great example HERE. If you look at the lower parts of the spine they are related to the organs of the pelvis. The very area where the organs of fertility are! So, the first part of the equation is restoring clear communication between the brain and the organs that are related to fertility. HERE is a whole list of scientific abstracts of case studies involving Chiropractic adjustments and fertility.

How does it work? Well, it isn't completely understood, but organs like the uterus are muscular organs. The nerves tell it to contract (just like your biceps), but in a rhythmic manner. This is critical when the egg leaves the ovaries and is traveling along the fallopian tubes to actually get the egg closer to the uterus and to draw sperm closer so they contact the egg. If these muscular contractions are well coordinated, this draws and egg closer more efficiently, thus increasing odds of conception. Cool stuff, no?

Nutrition is next. This is also HUGE. Vegans and vegatarians may not like what I have to say, but here it is: Eating animal products provides the highest nutrient concentration related to fertility. Period. Here is a fantastic interview with Tim Ferriss about his latest book, "The 4 Hour Body".

INTERVIEW

So, get the junk out of your diet. Start eating quality meat, eggs, organ meats (see option below) and home-made bone broths. Don't know how to start eating healthy? Start with Isabel De Los Rios' "The Diet Solution Program". This is a fantastic guide to eating well.

To get Tim's book:

The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Supplements. There are two inexpensive and nutrient-rich supplements that are great for providing the right nutrients for optimizing fertility.

Number 1: Carlson Cod Liver Oil. Take one with a meal or 2-4 per day. Great source of vitamins A and D and a good serving of Uber-healthy omega-3 fats.

Number 2: Liver. Yes, liver! I know many of you won't start eating it, but this incredibly nutrient-rich supplement is awesome! Take 2-4 with each meal.

Leave your doubts behind. Focus on the wonderful creationary powers that love-making can bring into the world. Get adjusted regularly by a Chiropractor before, throughout and after your pregnancy. Nourish your body properly to maximize your health, your bady's health and your whole family's health.

Wanting to find a Chiropractor? http://www.uschirodirectory.com/ is a great site. If you're in Kansas City, I would love to get you moving toward conceiving a beautiful child naturally, without horrifically expensive medical procedures.

Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

New series on child and family health

2011-01-18T17:40:00.000-06:00

Making regular Chiropractic adjustments a family event is incredibly important for the whole family to enjoy higher levels of health, less sickness and enjoy life to its fullest.

The problem? VERY few people know this! There ARE other options other than:

Frequent Antibiotic Use
Sleepless Nights from: Colds, Colic, Croup, Ear Infections and other illnesses
Powerful Class II Narcotics for ADD/ADHD
Shame from Tourette's and other Tic-based problems
Drugging fevers and pain and headaches with tylenol

Now, in some cases kids need Medical intervention. BUT, did you know the vast majority of these problems have been documented to be helped by all natural CHIROPRACTIC adjustments?

Yes, your kids are young and may not have chronic back pain, YET. But, did you know Chiropractic isn't always about aches and pains? It's about nerves which are protected by a healthy spine and compromised by a not-so-healthy spine. Visit HERE to see the whole story about why adjusting the spine has far-reaching consequences for your family's health.

This series will be discussing published case studies, papers and placebo studies showing incredibly positive effects upon children's and family's most common health concerns.

Educate yourself. Stop waiting for your children to "grow out of" their problems. Stay tuned for a series of articles that will really open your eyes to care that promotes family health, not covering up family symptoms.

Dedicated to your family's health,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Got pain and want a solution? Part III - Beating Back Inflammation

2011-01-14T17:54:00.001-06:00

In the last article we spoke about structural misalignments causing all kinds of problems and being actually CORRECTED by a combination of proper exercise, Chiropractic adjustments, mobility movements and Posture Pump technology.

NOW, we're dealing with a different animal. Inflammation is a state of the chemistry of the body that causes a ton of problems. Anything from promoting heart disease (atherosclerosis) to causing pain in the muscles, joints and many more.

What is inflammation? If you think of cells and tissues and organs normally, they are smooth and calm. Inflammation creates a state of irritation. The normally smooth and calm cells are now looking like skin that was chafed with sand paper or burnt by the sun. Not changing size, but irritated and not working properly and promoting improper adaptation and unnecessary stress to the body.

How does the body chemistry get this way? The diet and what is in and what is not in it can cause a lot of issues. First we'll deal with what is IN the diet causing inflammation:

Wheat/Grains
Sugar (Insulin spiking and dropping wreaks havoc on the inflammation levels)
The wrong fats: Vegetable oil, canola oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, partially hydrogenated oils and margarine

All these foods promote inflammation in the cells, tissues and organs of the body. The grains we eat today are highly processed and contain compounds that negatively affect our gut function and a whole host of other problems. Sugar drives insulin levels up. The oils are high in Omega-6 fatty acids and promote an excessive inflammatory response by the cells of the body. The good news, this can be fixed!

Here is the correction for this:
Avoid or minimize grain/wheat intake.
Decrease your refined sugar intake and satisfy your sweet tooth with healthier options like fruit with cheese or other healthy fats. This keeps insulin levels down.
Cook/consume healthy fats. Stick with olive oil, butter, coconut oil, cream, lard, macadamian nut oil and avocado oil.

What is typically missing from your diet that promotes imflammation?

Magnesium
Vitamin D
Trace Minerals

How should I eat to promote pain relief, weight loss and improved energy levels? Visit HERE to see how I recommend all this and more!

Dedicated to helping you find relief,
Dr. Schultz, DC

Got pain and want a solution? Part II - Structural Alignment

2011-01-13T17:50:00.000-06:00

In the first blog in this series, the article published by WebMD told a story of suprising causes of pain. Please review that posting to read the full story.

Structural misalignment. The most misunderstood entity in all of medicine, chiropractic, massage and physical therapy. Here are some facts about structural misalignment.

Fact 1: It is not the muscle's fault.
Many people blame muscles, and they are not completely wrong. Unfortunately, they are also not completely right. Muscles respond to the central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord), they don't act alone unless highly imbalanced chemically (like a runner's cramp). The muscles develop problems like trigger points, achiness and soreness because they are working too hard. Just like if you carried a 5 pound weight around with your arm bent at 90 degrees all day while you observed how sore and tired your bicep got, so it is with the muscles of your neck, shoulders, low back and at the base of your skull. These and other muscles work over time and get tired, sore and achy.
Massages, muscle work and other methods feel good and address an important part of the problem, but have you ever noticed how the same areas keep getting sore? That is because the CAUSE hasn't been addressed - the structural misalignment.

Fact 2: A "pop" won't fix the whole problem either!
Chiropractors provide adjustments to the spine (which may or may not cause a "pop" sound), which help correct vertebral subluxations. This in and of itself is incredibly powerful and will provide amazing results. BUT, there is also a reason why the same areas of the spine seem to need to be "popped" or adjusted on a regular basis.
While the adjustment allows better communication from the brain to the tissues, organs and muscles of the body (see the incredible importance of spinal alignment HERE), there is more that can be done!

Fact 3: Your Spinal Disks are an often ignored part of the healing and maintenance process.
As you can see here, the nerves coming from the brain reach literally the whole body. As you look at the spine from the side you will see little blue pads between the white vertebra. The blue pads are the disks. They stay healthy when the spine keeps those curves you see in it from the side. The disks are a very commonly ignored and shouldn't be! They keep the proper spacing between the vertebra of the which keeps the wear and tear of aging of the spine a minimal over our lifetimes. This, in turn, allows the nerves coming from the brain to stay healthy and maintain clear communication over your lifetime as well.
How do you keep your disks healthy? PosturePump!

I recommend these to all my patients and use them extensively in my office. They actually help keep the natural curves of the spine which is critical for pain prevention and keeping your spine healthy for your entire life.

Fact 4: You need to keep the right muscles strong to keep your back healthy, your abs NOT being one of them.
The muscles that need to keep their strength the most run right along the spine and that support healthy posture, not "core" muscles. This is a myth and if you need reinforcement of the, google "The Myth of Core Strength" or go HERE to read it.
In a future article, I will show my "SPaM" model of keeping graceful posture and a healthy spine over your lifetime with a simple yet effective routine.

I hope this helps to clarify why your structural alignment is so critical for getting to the CAUSE of pain, dysfunction and discomfort.

As always, comments and questions are welcome!

Dedicated to finding you lasting relief,
Dr. Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Got pain and want a solution? Part I

2011-01-13T15:21:00.001-06:00

Pain. This is by far the most common reason why people come to my office.Many people experience it at some point in their lives. I've read estimates of up to 80% of the population will have an episode of back pain at least once a year. That's 240 million people with back pain!

Here is the problem: The pain tends to occur over and over again. Many times in the same spot? Unfortunately, many people see the pain as the problem. While the pain is the symptom and the least pleasant part of the problem, the problem has 2 real sources.

The 2 real sources are:

1) Structural Imbalances (bony misalignments)
2) Inflammation-promoting body chemistry

The article from WebMD "Surprising Reasons You're In Pain" clearly show that this is correct. Almost every reason listed has one or both of the above problems as a source of the pain.

The real tragedy: Many people and physicians accept any solution that gets the pain decreased or gone. Remember, the pain was a symptom, NOT THE CAUSE! Getting the pain gone, either by pill, ointment, massage, adjustment, or physical therapy is typically not fixing the cause(s)!

Over the next few blogs I will cover how to actually be proactive in getting at the CAUSE of your pain and enjoying a pain free existence.

Dedicated to helping you find sweet relief,
Dr. Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Why keep getting antibiotics for Respiratory Tract Infections?!

2010-12-27T18:09:00.000-06:00

As this article points out, the use of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections should be almost 0. Why are they still given out like candy?

Antibiotics for Treatment of Acute Respiratory Tract Infections

Decreasing Benefit, Increasing Risk, and the Irrelevance of Antimicrobial

Resistance

Clinical Infectious Diseases

September 15, 2008;Volume 47: pp. 744–746

There is a very distinct trend going on in the US and globally and that is one of wanting an "outside-in cure" for a problem. Every symptom (including the "chest cold" symptom above) is seen as something to be immediately gotten rid of instead of seeing it as a sign that your body is in a weakened state.

How should this be dealth with since the antibiotics are not even necessary in the vast majority of the cases? How about paying attention to your body! Getting and staying in alignment with regular Chiropractic care helps improve immune system function, eating healthy foods keeps the cells and organs of the body nourished, regular exercise keeps the body strong and consistent sleep keeps the body well rested.

When happens then? The body has more than enough resources to be healthy and not get sick and display annoying symptoms like those listed above!

And a new health care model is born... Get adjusted regularly and get useful and positive lifestyle advice (1 2 3) to make the body strong and resilient. How does this sound to you? Pursue robust health or run away from diseases? Your choice...

Dedicated to making you resilient and strong,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC

Tennis Elbow and Chiropractic Adjustments?!

2010-12-22T18:22:00.001-06:00

You heard it right! Adjustments to the neck actually help reduce tennis elbow!

How does that work? Well, the nerves that go to your elbow area actually leave your spine at the lower neck area. Check out the C5-T1 area HERE to see exactly how the spine is related to the elbow.

When the neck bones aren't moving right they create tension in the nerves that go to the elbow. So, when you're golfing or playing tennis, your elbow starts hurting. In many cases this is actually caused not because of the elbow directly, but the neck causing pain that just so happens to be at the elbow.

If you or anyone you know has problems with their elbow, please have them checked by a Chiropractor. The cause could actually be at the neck! And of course the Chiropractor will check the elbow for problems as well.

Need a place to look for a Chiropractor? Look HERE for one so you can find relief naturally without drugs or surgery!!

Dedicated to helping you find lasting relief,
Dr. Schultz, DC
http://www.alignmentislife.com/

Your heating pad isn't fixing the problem!

2010-12-17T16:04:00.001-06:00

People ask me all the time whether cold or heat are best. For pain relief, it depends upon the injury and how old that injury is. But, is the ice or cold actually healing anything?

Applying heat to an injury has the effect of drawing blood and fluids to the area and stimulating various types of nerves to make you feel more relaxed and helps dull the pain. These are both important, but remember, many times chronic (ongoing) pain is caused by the body being out of alignment.

Just like tires that wear unevenly and make strange noises, the problem is likely with the frame or other parts of the car being out of alignment, not a tire problem. This is just like your pain. You may point to a certain spot, but the problem is many times you being out of alignment and not being able to heal properly!

BUT, what if you need heat daily just to feel like you're "loosening up"? You are certainly NOT suffering from a "heat deficiency"! Your body is complaining, probably due to being slightly out of alignment for a long period and eating a diet that promotes more of the pain that your best friend the heating pad helps you with every day.

Even THIS RESEARCH helps point out that, while heat does feel good and is an important part in helping injuries heal, realigning the body with Chiropractic adjustments actually helps fix the problem at the cause! Look at THIS to see how the low back can be affected by the spine.

If you are reading this and are suffering from chronic back pain or know someone who does, please have them consult with a Doctor of Chiropractic. The adjustments actually stimulate the natural healing process and will eliminate or greatly reduce the need for a heating pad by addressing the cause of the discomfort.

If your diet is less than perfect (everyone's is!), try using these simple yet effective eating tips by eating according to your unique nutritional type and adding supplements to fill common and important nutrient gaps in your diet as well. This way your body chemistry won't constantly tell your joints, muscles and nerves to hurt (called inflammation)!

When those two are combined, you will be amazed at how strong, mobile and pain free your back can be.

If you're in Kansas City, consider this unique program that Alignment Is Life has to help people get out of pain and stay that way. If not, look here.

Dedicated to finding you natural pain solutions,
Dr. Schultz, DC

MD's are frustrated by not being able to help kids!

2010-12-16T17:43:00.001-06:00

Yes, you did read the title correctly. MD Pediatricians are becoming more open to recommending kids to go to get natural effective care, especially Chiropractic care. Why? Their toolbox is designed to fix emergencies NOT allow for promoting better health!

This research is really startling, at least to me. It is an open acknowledgement that MDs are not really well equipped to deal with HEALTH related problems. Yes, they are great with emergencies and when people need drastic interventions, but NOT IN PROMOTING HEALTH.

Where does this leave Chiropractors? In the perfect spot to be the first people you want to create a lasting healthcare relationship with. Our approach is founded upon promoting radiant health, naturally. We adjust the spines (yes, children included!!) to promote balance in their bodies and brains. Don't believe me? Check this out! This, along with a healthy diet, exercise, rest and positive thinking actually promotes HEALTH!

Kids and families that are HEALTHY are less likely to become sick, suffer with pain, sleep poorly and live a lower quality of life.

A healthy body resists disease. A healthy body is well balanced and resists or recovers from painful situations quicker. A healthy body sleeps soundly. A healthy body allows the brain the work in a balanced and focused manner and not all over the place. A healthy baby is less likely to have colic or other "typical" childhood illnesses.

Chiropractors offer a different model of care. We shouldn't be the Doctors you resist seeing because you don't want to admit you're sick. We should be the Doctors you see not only to help you feel better but to STAY FEELING great. No other healthcare profession has what we offer.

Alignment Is Life is one of many who are leading this charge to become leaders in promoting HEALTH for families, businesses and individuals seeking better health naturally. With an affordable monthly membership, you get adjusted according to your needs and wants, not according to an insurance company's numbers and "allowances".

Embrace the role of Chiropractic as a source of promoting health in your family. Your investment will be greatly rewarded with a life of radiant health, more energy, better sleep and most of all, piece of mind that you are being proactive in seeking as high a quality of life as possible for you AND your kids.

Dedicated to your health and happiness,
Dr. Schultz, DC

Do you have increased heart rate or a heart condition?

2010-12-15T17:30:00.000-06:00

I bet you thought that Chiropractic had nothing to do with your heart. Bubkis. Nada. Well, you are wrong. Current research points to a connection between the heart, the nervous system and the spine.
Want to see the connection? Look here for a clearer picture of how the spine, which protects the nerve system, can help keep the nerves and sympathetic nerve system in balance to allow the heart rate to normalize.

If you or anyone you know suffer from heart conditions or want to make sure your heart has less stress on it or just want optimal heart function for performance purposes, consider getting regular Chiropractic adjustments! They are effective, safe and incredibly afforable!

What adjustments do is help restore proper nerve system function and balance, allowing all organs (not just the heart!) to work better.

Make regular Chiropractic care part of your lifestyle in promoting better health!

Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Brandon Schultz, DC

Stop letting your pain "resolve itself"!

2010-12-09T17:15:00.001-06:00

Please read this study about how it is a complete myth that pain from an injury or incident, typically DOES NOT go away in many cases! 75% of people in this study had pain that remained and 44% of people stayed the same or GOT WORSE! That is almost half of the participants actually GOT WORSE.

This study is based on injuries at work, but how many times in your life have your hurt yourself doing little everyday activities? How many times have your slipped, fell, twisted your neck or back or bumped your head? I don't know about you, but I can't afford to spend days, weeks or months suffering with neck pain, back pain or headaches. To be most effective in life, everyone should be pain free as much of the time as possible!

How many times have you had lasting discomfort in that area or in a local or even a distant area? This is because the body has tried to heal the area, but there is lasting damage. There is pain because full and complete healing never occured and the pain is at the site of injury or somewhere else because the body shifted ever so slightly to keep pressure off the injured area.

The care at Alignment Is Life is designed to get your spine and body balanced and keep you that way, even through life's accidents, injuries and missteps. Not sold on why spine care is so important? Read more here. Get yourself and your whole family pain free and have a friendly Chiropractor that you can see regularly, even if life isn't always a smooth road for you. Remember, it's not only the adults that have falls, bumps and bruises!

Dedicated to changing the "primary care" model,
Dr. Schultz, DC

Natural Dizziness Solution

2010-12-06T15:08:00.000-06:00

NEW RESEARCH

Dizziness in Older Adults and Chiropractic Care

83% of Dizziness sufferes showed improvement or eradication of under chiropractic care

Recent randomized clinical trials have certified that a chiropractic spinal adjustment has significant positive results with dizziness in older adults. This has far reaching implications in the lives' of so many.

I welcome inquiries from you, your family or friends have about this. To learn more, click on the link below or copy and paste to your Web browser.

Click below or copy and paste:

http://uschirodirectory.com/index.php/patient-information/item/273-dizziness-in-older-adults-and-chiropractic-care

This research is offered as a community service from Alignment Is Life Health Center. Please tell everyone you know who suffers with dizziness that it is NOT normal and can likely be made unneccessary through safe and effective Chiropractic adjustments.

Mother Nature.

2010-11-23T16:12:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone!

After a long hiatus from writing on the blog and reorganizing my website, I am back to stimulate your brain with some great information!

Today is a talk about Mother Nature. This is a concept that is thrown around a lot. Here is what Wikipedia says about "Mother Nature". When I refer to "Mother Nature" on my website I'm referring to a larger concept that is more powerful than the above definitions.

When I'm refering to Mother Nature I am referring to an abstract concept of the body to be healthy and enjoy a higher level of wellbeing without artificial help. There are times when these measures are needed and appropriate, but not when pursuing health.

Your body has the inherent capacity to express intelligent adaptation. As a Chiropractor, I call this intelligence Innate Intelligence. This the the greater intelligence that organizes and adapts our bodies to the everyday stresses of our lives. This intelligence is expressed through our nerve systems - from the brain down the nerves (along the highway of the spine) and then out to the cells, tissues and organs of your body. Misalignments of your spine cause poor reception of Innate Intelligence in the body (like bad cell phone reception), setting up less than optimal health and improper functioning. That is why Chiropractic adjustments are critical for creating a solid foundation to better health.

Innate intelligence needs help with the adaptation process, though. While the information from Innate are perfect, the body isn't always that way. There needs to be proper nourishment to give the body building blocks to build healthy tissues and organs, nutritional cleansing to help get rid of the toxins in our environment, exercise to strengthen the body, rest to allow adaptation to occur and proper thinking to get you out of your own way.

When I'm referring to "Mother Nature", I'm referring to attempting to allow perfect expression of a perfect Intelligence through your body by creating congruence between the Intelligence and your body.

Why? This is to help you find solutions to your problems: Pain, Weight Gain and Aging.

My programs are desiged to create congruence between your lifestyle and your goals in life. If you're seeking the above goals, why not consider taking a new and powerful approach?

Try approximating yourself to your full potential to live younger, enjoy a leaner physique or just feel great all the time.

All this not through pharmaceutical manipulation or surgical intervention, all by merely allowing what was always possible to shine forth.

What is included in the new HEALTH care?

2010-09-19T16:24:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone,

If you read my previous articles you quickly see I am dissatisfied with the current model of "primary care" in this country. It provides little substance and superficial and at times dangerous "solutions" for a person presenting with less than life threatening conditions.

So, what is my solution? Simple put, a Chiropractor who can help you structure your life in a way to enjoy the following potential "side-effects" of care here:

Less Headaches      Less Muscle Tension     Less Aches and Pains     More Mobility in Your Body

Better Sleep Quality     Improved Children's Health     Better Reaction Times   Better Digestion and Elimination

AND Many More...

All of this and more just from helping your body work better by letting the brain communicated better with your body. A summnary of how powerful regular Chiropractic adjustments can be for health visit the large picture on http://www.alignmentislife.com/ to see how important a spine maintained in alignment really is. Did I mention you get unlimited access to Chiropractic adjustments to get and keep yourself in alignment?

Plus you have affordable access to 30 min personal consultations for the following concerns:

Healthy Fat Loss     Fitness Planning     Anti-Aging     Natural Type II Diabetes Symptom Management

Natural Fibromyalgia Symptom Management     Personal Growth   And Customized Ones for Your Needs

As you can see you not only get access to tremendous amounts of information at no cost on this blog and in the office, you can schedule time to get one-on-one time with your Doctor to get valuable information to live a better life, whatever many be troubling you.

This is what primary HEALTH care is all about, helping you become healthier and happier. What could be better for you and your family?

Until next time...

In health,
Dr. Schultz

Is your "primary care" falling short of expectations?

2010-09-17T12:57:00.000-05:00

The primary "healthcare" system in this country is creating discontent among the nation's population. People used to look at their family doctor as someone who had solutions for the family and could be trusted not only to help when someone was sick but to keep the family healthy as well. The family doctor could provide advice, be a source of wise counsel and just keep a family confident they had someone looking out for them.

Today, the picture is a little different. Today the scene is one of rushed office visits, little personal attention due to not even being able to pick your own trusted family primary care provider (thank you HMO's and PPO's...), impersonal assistants or other professionals doing the brunt of the work (PA's, Nurse Practitioners, etc.) and Primary Care Physicians pushing people along with little attention to details and rarely paying attention to each person's needs much less that of the entire family. And do I need to mention the injuries or deaths from even properly prescribed drugs or mishaps in surgery?!

So, why change this situation? Because families still want a trusted family advisor. They want a person with a good background in HEALTH to help the family either recover or maintain their health. They want someone who can help them in their time of need and to also keep them feeling great when they aren't sick. Families love having their trusted family Doctor, but what can be done?

The solution is simple and also surprising. At Alignment Is Life, your HEALTH is my primary concern. So, why not choose a Doctor of a different cloth to be the primary access to HEALTHcare. Not just a bunch of waiting room time wasted. Not an impersonal nurse or assistant taking important information. Not a rushed and hurried Medical Doctor who is really doesn't have time to ask about your kids, your elderly parents or your stress at work. Nor is he available to schedule a time to sit and talk about how to lose weight properly or how to implement an exercise routine to gain those benefits. Where is the HEALTH?

True HEALTHcare is here! No amount of health will come from pills or ointments or injections or vaccinations. Drugs and surgery have their places, but not in HEALTH. They are needed to remove something, poison or stimulate the body to get back to balance as an emergency resort. That is not the approach here! True HEALTH is allowing your inborn potential to be healthier and happier and making that the primary focus of your care.

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."

Thomas Edison (1847 - 1931)

What does true HEALTHcare look like? This is very different than those stuffy hospitals or Doctor's offices. This looks like a place you instantly feel relaxed in. You feel at home. The Doctor treats you as a close friend or family member, not a statistic or just another person to see that day. You go not only when feeling ill but when you're feeling great. The primary purpose is to allow your full potential for health and wellbeing to come out, not artificially suppress symptoms. You come in to get your spine adjusted and your body kept in balance as the foundation of care. Why? See the chart on http://www.alignmentislife.com/ to see how powerful having a spine in alignment is for overall health and wellbeing. The spine protects the highway of information to and from your brain, which delivers messages constantly telling the body what to do all the time. Why let it get in the way of your optimal health?

HEALTHcare is proactive. "Healthcare" in this country has become totally ridiculous. Everyone touts the "miracles" of medicine and ignores how amazing their own bodies are. How strong they can be. How resilient to disease and injury they can become. How well they can function when treated properly. People as a society have lost sense of how incredible their own bodies are. What has this led to? A false sense of security in artificial "treatments" or "cures". All of which come with side-effects. Some minor, some lethal. So, where to we need to be proactive in HEALTHcare?

1. Healthy eating. This is a topic that sells a lot of books and courses every year, but has become riddled with people who do not have your best interest at heart, but their own propoganda or special interest. Healthy eating is simple. wholesome and provides a ton of good fuel for the body to run properly. A supplement plan to fill the gaps even in good eating will be designed for you as well.
2. Exercise. Imaging having a Doctor who found you the right type of exercise for you, the right equipment and continually positively encouraged your efforts?
3. Thought patterns. How you see the world absolutely affects your health. Having a professional steer you toward healthy thinking like goal setting, continual learning and finding gratitude in life is critical!

The new HEALTH care is all about expressing better health naturally and affordably. The above is the first in a series of articles that will outline this new model and why it is so important, especially in these days of higher co-pays, incredibly high deductibles or incredibly low coverage of health-promoting services.

Until next time, to your HEALTH!

Dr. Brandon Schultz

Primary HEALTHcare of the Future

2010-09-11T11:39:00.001-05:00

Let's face it, the future role of primary care providers needs to change. An article in SmartMoney Magazine titled "10 Things Primary-Care Physicians Won't Say" clearly points to chinks in the armor of this model of healthcare. Now, please don't take this blog out of context and see me as "anti-medicine". I am not, BUT I see there is a need in this country and all over the world for a new model of what people know now as "primary care". Here is my solution in as succinctly stated a way as I can.

First, promote better health as the primary goal. This is indeed simple, but the current model does not do this! Fancy diagnostics have their place in medicine, but for the primary care model it just doesn't make sense. Here are some of the most common reasons for visiting primary care physicians in 2008, these visits total almost 1 MILLION:

*Routine Child of Infact Health Check
*Essential Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
*Acute Upper Respiratory Infections (Cold)
*Arthropathies (Arthritis)
*Diabetes Mellitus (Type I or II unknown)
*Spinal Disorders (Back pain)
Specific Procedures and Aftercare
*Malignant Neoplasms (Cancer)
*Rheumatism
Gynecological Exam
*Otitis Media/Eustacian Tube Disorders (Childhood Ear Infections)
Followup Exams
*General Medical Exam
*Heart Disease
*Chronic Sinusitis (Sinus Infections/Problems)
*Allergic Rhinits (Cold-like symptoms related to allergies)
Ischemic Heart Disease
*Asthma
Cataract
All other diagnoses

The problem with the current model is not one of lack of care, but one of limited tools, namely drugs or surgery. Many of these problems are not a deficiency of a drug, but of a LACK OF HEALTH. This is a system of masking symptoms, not promoting health.

Many of the problems I have put a "*" by are problems that are commonly related to lifestyle and commonly respond to improving one's lifestyle and improving the alignment of the framework of the body.

The days of naming problems (diagnostics) and treating those named problems (treatment), are being challenged daily for a number of reasons. First off, the problems tend to come back. The cause was never addresssed! Secondly, the side effects can range anywhere from irritating to deadly. More people want other options, and I am presenting one in this article.

A new underlying philosophy of HEALTHcare is needed, but is not a new idea. Here is the new model presented at Alignment Is Life Health Center, Inc.:

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." - Thomas A. Edison

I know people (especially Chiropractors!) throw this quote around a lot, but until now nobody has fully grasped how profound the idea behind these words is.

This new model of care, named HEALTHcare focuses on just that, expressing HEALTH. There are times and places for the other model, but not for 1 million visits a year! The new model is based on the following core ideas:

1. When the body has a framework (skeleton/spine) in proper alignment, the brain can fully communicate to the body creating a foundation for better overall function and health. See http://www.alignmentislife/ for a demonstration of this. The potential for better health is already there, it just needs to be allowed to show itself!

2. When the body's framework is kept in alignment, the cells of the body need proper nourishment. This comes from a healthy diet and supplements that provide important nutrients not found in the diet commonly today.

3. The body needs to be kept active and strong. Regular, productive exercise promotes muscular strength and endurance, better heart health and function, creates more energy and has numerous other benefits.

4. The mind needs to used properly. This means being optimistic, positive, setting goals and striving to love and learn throughout your life.

What does this mean for you? This means having affordable access to everything listed above. This means having a health professional who actually promotes better HEALTH. If you need the other model, I can refer you into that model.

Imaging having affordable access to care that promotes balance of your framework and having abundant resources for you and your family that help you express better health instead of constantly running away from and fearing symptoms?! This model promotes optimal living and health, not being afraid of disease and promoting the actions to get you there!

This is the model that Alignment Is Life Health Center, Inc. promotes and delivers. You pay a monthly retainer fee to get your framework balanced and checked regularly and have access to resources to improve your eating habits, help you get and stay in shape and help you think constructively and optimistically. What a concept! Primary HEALTHcare promoting health? WOW!

Is this a panacea? No. Is this the only form of healthcare you will ever need? Probably not. BUT, this is for those who are tired of paying a ton for "health" insurance that has your covering up symptoms and paying for drugs and surgery and not ever promoting better health! Insurance is good to have because of the astronomical costs of emergency and end-of-life care. Life throws you health and injury curveballs, it happens. I have broken bones and had emergency illnesses. BUT, that doesn't mean you should put your head in the sand when it comes to investing in better health for you and your family!!

Is this a form of insurance? No. This type of care is an investment in being proactive to become and maintain your health as high as possible for you. This may mean this is the only form of HEALTHcare you need, and others may need the other model. It is impossible to predict. Both have their place, but people are wanting and needing a new model.

Now, the ball is in your court. The message of HEALTHcare is out of the bag. Are you willing to invest an affordable amount every month to live a healthier life full of amazing experiences with less symptoms to hold you back? Or, are you still going to stick with the model of identify symptom - cover up symptom - fear reoccurence of symptom?

I will wrap up (paraphrasing) with one of the best analogies I have ever heard of regarding health, by the late Dr. Fred Barge:

You have a private garbage dump which is infested with rats. You naturally want the rats gone, so you poison them. They return. With increased frustration at the poison people, you shoot the rats. They return. While furious at the weapons people, you get dogs to track and kill them. They return. The true solution to no rats, you haven't seen or heard of? GETTING RID OF THE GARBAGE DUMP.

Solutions to Your Problems Part IV: Fat Loss

2010-09-08T16:58:00.001-05:00

A system for losing fat and maintaing that slimmer, healthier figure is not impossible and is very within reach. The question is, are you willing to start taking the steps to accomplish healthy fat loss?

There are an enormous number of benefits to losing unhealthy weight as fat. Anywhere from less chance of having heart disease and strokes to less pain in the knees to less heartburn to many, many more. Why wait for the benefits.

Where do you start? My question to you is where you are ready to start changing? Here are the main areas we need to start addressing:

1. Body Chemistry and Balance

2. Exercise

3. Diet

4. Your Thinking

All four of these areas are very important for losing fat from your body. The great thing is, we don't have to start at any one in particular, just know that eventually, all four will get you the greatest return for your efforts!

1. Body Chemistry and Balance. Having your body in balance is critical to health. Since we are on a mission to help you become healthier, this becomes important!

How can you take steps to balance you body and it's chemistry? The first approach I take is to have my patients start chiropractic care. Why is this so very important?

Your body chemistry is coordinated by your brain. Chiropractic care actually helps remove interference to the signal going from your brain to coordinate body chemistry. Sort of like improving cell phone reception. The better the reception, the better the ability to proper coordinate body chemistry.

Having proper body chemistry is important at any time, but especially when you are trying to lose weight! Your body is already changing to get used to getting rid of your extra fat and keep in balance, so keeping your body balanced allows the body to continually adapt to the stress of losing weight better and creates a healthier body to lose weight from!

2. Exercise. This is one that can create a huge amount of confusion AND frustration.There are literally limitless ways to exercise. What you need to do is be very realistic with yourself and figure out the following questions:

How often am I willing to exercise?
How am I willing to exercise? (weights, gym, other activities, etc.)
Where am I willing to exercise? (home or gym/public setting)
Will I commit at least 1-2 days of deliberate exercise? (3-5 is ok, but at least 1-2!)

When you have answered these, peruse the links to the right of this blog and in the amazon.com fitness link and see which modes of exercise interest you. Go with the one you will enjoy the most!

Find something you are willing to do and stick with it!!!

3. Diet. This one always gets people flustered and rightly so. There are litterally hundreds of opinions floating around about what people should eat to be healthy and to lose weight.

Solutions to Your Problems Part III: Anti-Aging

2010-09-03T12:12:00.001-05:00

Anti-aging is really becoming popular for a number of reasons, including:

The population is becoming older, on average.
People 40 and over are seeking solutions to age gracefully.
As people age they want to look and feel younger and healthier.
Aging populations want to be able to retain their independence.

The recent 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology went to researchers studying telomeres. What are telomeres? They are critical parts of our DNA that when long, protect the DNA from the ravages of aging. As they shorten, so does your expectant life span and quality of life. So, how do you keep you telomeres long for the longest time possible?

Read this article.

Let's dive into what you can do for each one of these solutions to keep those telomeres long and healthy:

1. Don't ever smoke. This is common sense. If you do, find a way to stop. If you don't, why start?

2. De-stress your life. Everyone says this, but this isn't as easy as it sounds. This takes a comprehensive approach.
a. Chiropractic care. This is a surprise for many! When bones in your spine are not lined up properly, especially at the base of your skull, they send signals to your brain to stay in "fight or flight" or stressed, ALL THE TIME. This is unseen stress and typically manifests in tense shoulder and neck muscles, poor sleep quality, unexplainable irritability and overall tension.

Getting routine Chiropractic care, such as offered at Alignment Is Life Health Center, Inc., is a great option for those looking for an affordable way to create less stress for themselves and their families! Get checked even if you aren't feeling bad so you can be assured you're not shortening your telomeres without even knowing it!

b. Think constructively. As stressful situations come up, you have to have a basic approach to create solutions, such as my "Acknowledging - Learning - Solution-Seeking". This is a method I use when coaching people to find solutions to their health concerns and will cover it more in the future. Also, look at the "Personal Coaching" book by Lou Tice in my amazon.com widgets on the blog to learn tremendous strategies to learning about proper, constructive thinking.

c. Exercise. This will show up in a number of sections here, but regular healthy exercise is a great way to unwind tension from the body.

d. Ionix Supreme. This a formula from Isagenix and is phenomenal for stress regulation. I take 1-2 ounces a day and feel more energy and less perceived stress. It also contains "adaptogens", which are plant compounds that keep your stress "in neutral". Great stuff!

3. Exercise Regularly. This is known by many, practiced by few. A great way to get started is to hire a professional to get you comfortable with regular exercise. I know and respect the fitness specialists at http://www.elitesptraining.com/, Ryan and Kristin. They have a great system set up and get great results. I also do personal training for a limited number of people as well.

Exercise is great for the body and mind, it just has to be done! So get moving! There are great resources in my Amazon widgets for home, gym and bodyweight exercise as well. No excuses! Start today!

4. Get Antioxidants Daily. There are two ways you should be getting these, because they help protect your cells and your own DNA from damage!

a. Your food. Eating a diet consisting mainly of a multitude of colorful fruits and veggies and healthy, unprocessed meats is a great foundation for a healthy antioxidant intake.

b. Supplements. Due to the low nutrient density of even the best foods, adding Ageless Essentials to your daily healthy diet is a tremendous way to increase your antioxidant intake. Even your kids can benefit tremendously from IsaKids Essentials!

5. Never Go Without Fish Oil. This critical type of healthy oil helps not only protect your telomeres, it helps build healthy brain tissue in kids and helps promote decreased inflammation in older people (shows up as chronic aches, pains, digestive disorders, neurological problems, ADD/ADHD in kids, etc.). This is a critical part of the Ageless Essentials listed above and can be found separately here as Isaomega.

6. Get enough of the "sunshine vitamin" (Vitamin D3). This is a greatly under-appreciated vitamin. Recent research shows huge benefits to taking extra Vitamin D such as improved immune system health. Getting healthy amounts of sunshine is also key, but just having small amounts of sun usually isn't enough. So adding a good source from supplements is a fantastic way to make sure you are getting enough for your body to get the full benefits. A good source is in the Ageless Essentials and the IsaKids Essentials.

7. Practice Safe Weight Loss. The safe part of this is the key. Do not compromise your health to get a lower reading on the scale! A healthy way to lose weight is to combine stress management, a healthy diet, proper exercise and clear weight and body composition goals. A great way to create lasting positive changes in your diet is to do a 30 Day Cleanse. This is NOT a fiber-based cleanse, this helps detoxify your cells by giving them the nutrients they need to clean themselvs and release fat naturally from the body. This is an incredibly effective system. To learn more about it, click here.

As Anthony Colpo points out in his article, there is nothing any one of us can to to guarantee a long life, but some the simple and effective methods above can certainly help you achieve a higher quality of life and enjoy the benefits of health and wellbeing for longer.

These are a great way to create a higher quality of life for your, your family and to help you achieve better health and improve your ability to stay younger longer.

Comments and questions are always welcome!

In life and health,
Brandon Schultz, D.C.

Comprehensive Health Consultations

2010-09-01T17:22:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I have decided to slightly alter my "Comprehensive Life-Changing Program" to one of "Comprehensive Health Consultations". Why am I doing this?

The reason I have altered the original program is primarily due to a change in how I want to deliver solutions to people so they live happier, healthier lives. I want you to get the best care and information possible to get the best results possible.

As your health consultant, I will create solutions for you that fit your needs and wants. The solutions I will create will focus on many health and life concerns, including:

*Headaches   *Sinus Problems/ Allergies
*Neck Pain   *Back Pain   *Fibromyalgia
*Fat Loss *Exercise Programs
*Anti-Aging Solutions
*High Blood Pressure   *Type II Diabetes
*Goal Setting to Create Clarity and Passion in Your Life
*Children's Health Issues   *Asthma
*Athletic Injuries and Perfomance

If you are seeking help with one or more of these, please consider how useful another view on your problem is and having an expert working for you, helping you mold a solution that will create lasting results.

Why have I shifted to consulting versus just my program? Primarily so you get the best possible care available. I will create comprehensive programs based on my extensive background and that will probably involve many other professionals as well, depending upon your situation, as well as my own skills as a Chiropractor.

What can you expect from a Comprehensive Health Consultation? First, I will want to know everything about your current situation. I want to know about who you are what the problem is, how it affects you, what you have done in the past to fix the problem and the results, what you are looking for in regards to a solution, and gather important information regarding your health history and important measurements specific to your case.

With all this information gathered at the initial meeting, I will then coordinate your program. This will be created and coordinated according to your needs to reach your desired goal. This may include the Chiropractic services I provide, a nutrition program, a nutritional cleansing and nourishing program, exercise with myself or highly qualified personal trainers, therapists, various products or services, personal recommendations, affirmations and visualizations for more clarity and whatever else you may need to help you achieve the health status you desire.

Who am I to do this? My unique and varied background included: Doctor of Chiropractic, a Bachelor's in Exercise Science, certified ACE personal trainer, educator and personal growth facilitator and years of personal study in regards to fitness, exercise, personal growth and much more. I also know an extensive network of personal trainers, physicians, therapists and others who are great at what they do: Helping people get well and stay that way.

Consider getting a fresh perspective on a nagging problem or getting out of a "rut" you have found yourself in. This is a very indepth and powerful process that can help you find relief or a new passion for your life. It's all up to you and what you want. If you want a better life tomorrow, schedule your Comprehensive Health Consultation now.

Click the "booknow" button at the right and top of the page and we can get everything set up for you to start living a better life. Why wait?

HEALTHcare Revolution Begins... Are You In?

2010-08-30T18:13:00.001-05:00

Here it is folks, the HEALTHcare Revolution has started. What has brought this on? People tired of:

1. Being told they are "fine" even if they feel like crap
2. Being told they need medication for every problem they encounter
3. Spending a fortune on insurance that is increasingly more expensive with smaller coverage and not encouraging healthy behaviors!
4. Gaining weight while following a "healthy" diet
5. Never being given a roadmap and a plan to healthier
6. Being taught to fear disease and infirmity instead of how to be healthier
7. Having vaccines for absolutely ridiculous reasons while never being given full disclosure or a personal choice
8. Being told they need countless hours of exercise to be healthy
9. Having no energy and the only solution presented is "Must be your thyroid..."
10. Having continual aches and pains and given nothing but pain pills and muscle relaxants
11. Having adverse reactions to drugs in the last problem like ulcers, internal bleeding, liver and kidney failure...
12. Tired of a lack of solutions and having only superficial patches to a larger problem.

If you reconate with one or more of the above problems, then please read on!

The HEALTHcare revolution is based on an entirely new concept in your health. You see, at Alignment Is Life Health Center, Inc., our most basic tenent is that your capacity for better health, less pain and a better life is already residing inside you. Everything done here promotes your true potential to be healthier and happier. Why is this different?

The other way focuses on identifying a problem (diagnosis) and getting rid of it (treatments). While on the surface this sounds simple and logical, it is very superficial. There are millions of reasons why something may hurt, you have a headache, etc. BUT, just because the symptom, so astutely identified, is the underlying problem.

A great analogy I heard that perfectly addresses this is:

Visualize yourself sitting at a city dump. The dump is full of rats. The city wants to get rid of the rats. So, the city shoots the rats. They leave, temporarily. Upon their return, the city decides to poison the rats. Again, they are gone temporarily. Why is the solution only temporary? THE DUMP IS STILL THERE! You must get rid of the dump so rats are less likely to return!

This is the perfect analogy for our current state of "health"care, thank you to the deceased but never forgotten Dr. Fred Barge.

The approach taken at Alignment Is Life Health Center is much like removing your personal "dump". Everyone has a different sized "dump", so feeling better takes different amounts of time (I know you're giggling, so get it out of your system...). So to get rid of your "rats", our approach focuses on expressing better health, not pointing at obvious problems and trying to cover them up (shoot them, poison them, etc.).

Why is this new approach so great? Primarily and most importantly, this approach honors your inherent and inborn ability to be healthy, productive and happy. The whole blueprint for your optimal body function is in your brain. The full communication of this message to your body is the foundation to everything done here. If the message is not clear, your health is not as good as it could be!

So, how to we honor this inborn potential? Chiropractic care allows clearer communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Adjustments are delivered to the spine to allow the brain to send clear signals along the nerves going from the brain to the rest of the body. At Alignment Is Life this is done not to "treat" a symptom, but to create a solid foundation to better health and wellbeing. Doesn't it make sense that the body already knows how it should be working? It does! There is just interference between the blueprint and the cells. There can be bad cell phone reception between the architect and the contractor, the the house (your body) will not be "to specifications" without regular Chiropractic care.

The next phase of care is giving the body proper building blocks for proper functioning. This is where a very healthy diet comes into play. All the cells of your body and the metabolism (energy creation from food) is run by the food you eat! Eating well is critical to expressing higher levels of health and wellbeing. Also, due to our current state of agriculture, many people can benefit form nutritional supplements. I always recommend and use the Isagenix line of supplemental "superfoods" as they are of amazing quality. I love how the fill in the gaps and allow my body to create lots of energy and build healthy tissues.

The next step in creating health is a constructive mindset. Your mind is expressed by your brain, but the cool thing is you are able to control how you see and respond to your world! Use your brain contructively by learning from your past, focusing what you want in all aspects of your life and setting goals to achieve them. Use your mind for good!

The last part of this equation is strength. Your muscles need to be properly conditioned, which positively effects the heart, lungs and many, many other functions in the body. A proper exercise session does not have to take hours a week. In fact, if there is a good environment to exercise, I help people get the full benefits of exercise in less than 20 minutes a week! Strong and enduring muscles keep your joints healthy, your body limber and helps you propel yourself toward your goals!

All in all, these are the four compenents of the HEALTHcare revolution: Chiropractic to optimize the brain's ability to communicate the blueprint, good nutrition to give the body clean burning fuel, constructive thinking to keep you focused on learning, personal growth and to strengthen your body to keep you moving through life with grace and power.

This revolution is very dramatic because this puts the responsibility of the pursuit of health onto you, the patient. Let's stop running away from disease and infirmity. Let's take control of your health and that of your family. Let's start pursuing higher levels of health and wellbeing. Invest an affordable amount of your money every month to have access to the pursuit of HEALTH, not a mere covering up of symptoms.

Are you in?

Solutions to Your Problems, Part II: Neck Pain

2010-08-25T17:58:00.000-05:00

Neck pain can be debilitating. I have experienced severe cases before and I know from first-hand experience, neck pain is terrible!

By neck pain I am referring to any tension, aches, limited motion, or acute, sharp and stabbing pain from the base of your skull to the tops of your shoulders. Anywhere in there is considered "neck pain". Things that can commonly occur with neck pain are headaches (see Part 1 of series), tingling in fingers, hands, arms and shoulders, chronic tension and soreness in your shoulders and base of neck, digestive issues, heart irregularities and many other problems.

Here are some possible solutions:

1. Chiropractic care. I know, I am biased for this as number one. But, just look at http://www.alignmentislife.com/ to see how important adjustments are in assisting in the correction of many problems.

The neck, especially the upper neck, is a very important structure to maintain in alignment. Along with many of the muscles of the neck and upper back, the nerves leaving the upper neck connect to many organs, and controls the fight/flight balance of your overall stress response. Very important! A neck that is regularly adjusted usually moves better and prevents the neck pain from coming back when it finally goes away!

Find a Chiropractor that addresses Vertebral Subluxations (bones in the spine out of place slightly). If you're in KC, I'm in Briarcliff Village in the Northland. If not, I will happily direct you to a Chiropractor in your area if I can.

2. Proper posture. Again, this one rears its head. Your posture is critical in creating balance to your bones and muscles of your neck and upper shoulder area. What is healthy posture?

Your head should be over your shoulders when looking at you from the side. Having your head too far forward (anterior head syndrome), creates a ton of strain on your neck bones, muscles and nerves. The wreaks havoc on this area creating, among other problems, neck pain.

If you happen to sit for long periods, try to keep your screen level with your vision. This keeps your head upright and over your shoulders, which takes strain off all those areas in your neck.

Avoid looking down or slouching for extended periods. This is now called "text neck syndrome" by some because of excessive neck flexion (looking down) at phones or computers. Bring them up to eye level or site where you can avoid looking straight down at them for long periods. This is becoming more of a problem, so watch your habits!

Avoid watching TV or reading with a pillow or couch cushion under your head. You know what I mean! When you are laying long-ways on the couch after a hard day at work or with kids and you want to relax. Instead of doing this, either sit up or find a piece of furniture to recline in that doesn't force your chin into your chest. This is also true of sleeping at night. Allow your head to stay in alignment throughout the night by selecting the proper pillow to use.

3. Move your neck. This may seem strange, but move your neck as much as possible, especially in the morning. Now, use common sense please! Don't move through excruciating pain!

When you get up, gently move your neck in three ways. One, look up and down a few times. Then look over one shoulder, then the other, back and forth. Then lean your head to one side, then the other. Start by doing 10 of each of these and increase the number over time. This creates healthier neck joints over time and helps your neck stay flexible and strong.

4. Strengthen your neck. Now, this doesn't mean you will get a thick "wrestler's neck", especially you ladies out there! Having strong neck muscles creates stability in the neck and increases resistance to injury.

After you do you neck movements in the mornings, place your hands on the back of your head and gently push for about 20-30 seconds. Then place your palms on your forehead and push forward gently for 20-30 seconds. Then your right palm on the right side of your head and push to the right for 20-30 seconds and then the same to the left.

Over time press a little harder in each direction, but don't ever over do it!

5. Improve your diet. Pain, especially chronic pain, can be perpetuated by a poor diet. A good rule of thumb is to get rid of the following products:

Most grains

Vegetable, soy, canola and "partially hydrogenated" oils

Sugars

These seem to create excessive inflammation in the cells of your body. This means your tissues are irritated all the time, not just when injury occurs. This makes them hurt all the time, not just occasionally. Get rid of all of these and load up on:

Lots of veggies and some fruit, the more colorful the better

Meat

Healthy Fats: Butter, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil and Heavy Cream

These are more natural for your body to process and do not promote inflammation. I also recommend a daily Isalean Shake and Ionix Supreme from Isagenix. These provide your body the right building blocks to decrease inflammation and build healthy cells for a healthier body.

These are some general guidelines to free yourself from the shackles of neck pain. I know it is terribly uncomfortable, but you can start being proactive today and start feeling better tomorrow!

Be well,

Dr. Brandon Schultz

Solutions to Your Problems Part 1: Headaches

2010-08-24T18:05:00.002-05:00

The next series of blogs will be all about your common problems and will be far-reaching. Included topics will be Headaches, Neck Pain, Back Pain/Sciatica, Acid Reflux, Asthma, Poor Regularity, Female Infertility, and many more. Please write in with requests and I will do my best to include that in future articles!

Headaches. These come in a variety of forms including Migraine, Tension, Cluster, Seasonal Allergy-Related, Drug Withdrawal, and many others.These are all miserable!

Here are some solutions that are easy to integrate and typically can provide some relief if not total resolution in many people.

1. Get under Chiropractic care. Find a local Chiropractor and receive routine adjustments. We all do things a little differently, so find a Doctor of Chiropractic that you are comfortable with and will address Vertebral Subluxations.

Why see a Chiropractor? If you look toward the bottom of the page at http://www.alignmentislife.com/, you will see an interactive chart. See the neck area? If there are Vertebral Subluxations found there, they can cause headaches due to many reasons: Altered blood vessel diameter control, increased blood pressure, poor sinus drainage, hypersensitive immune system and many more. Get checked and adjusted regularly!

This is a great way to create a foundation for better health naturally!

2. Watch your posture. If your head routinely sits in front of your body (anterior head carriage), this puts a tremendous amount of stress on the muscles of your neck and shoulders.

Avoid "text neck" by keeping your phone or anything else you're visually engaged in at eye level, not down in front of you continually.

If you sit for long periods, keep your hips higher than your knees as this assists the body in staying upright. Keep your desk close and any screens at eye level to avoid slouching and projecting your head forward to see clearly.

Sleep with appropriate pillows. If you sleep on your back, sleep on a thinner pillow so your head isn't pushed out too far over your shoulders. If you are a side-sleeper, have a pillow that keeps your head in neutral position to avoid your neck being uncomfortably crooked.

3. Eat healthy and maintain an appropriate weight. Many people have headaches due to being overweight. As the body adjusts to the extra weight, the head again travels forward over the shoulders, creating the problems listed in #2.

Nourishing your body properly keeps the cells functioning to their full capacity and things like your blood pressure normal. A well nourished body has a healthy immune system, which decreases or eliminates seasonal allergy symptoms and also resists the effects of stress more effectively, keeping you from getting "wound up" all the time.

4. Watch for food sensitivities. Some headaches, especially migraines, can be triggered by various foods or additives. These include wine (red especially), cheeses, MSG (a food additive) and others. Watch out for what you eat within minutes or hours of a headache, especially a migraine, and experiment by taking that food out of your diet.

I hope these are helpful to you, please provide your feedback or things that have worked for you in the past for relief from these awful symptoms. Until next time... Be well!

Dr. Brandon Schultz

Comprehensive Life-Changing Program Uniqueness

2010-08-23T18:16:00.001-05:00

Let's cut to the chase. There are literally hundreds of weight loss and anti-aging programs out there, I know. Why choose this one?

A new approach.

Weight gain and premature aging occur because of lifestyle patterns. Increased stress also becomes a part of your daily pattern. These patterns become locked into your very brain and become "normal".

You keep eating the same, but start gaining weight as fat. Your energy levels drop. You eat because your weight gain is upsetting you. You try "fad" diets, exercising like a maniac and take stimulant-supplements to "burn fat". You may have dropped some inches, but have since gained it back.

This does not work! You have to change everything to make your healthiest weight a reality. The Comprehensive Life-Changing Program takes into account all aspects of healthy weight loss and, by default, anti-aging, and is the ONLY program of its kind.

Multi-tiered Approach for Total Success.

First, the patterns and stress must be dealt with. This is where Chiropractic care comes in. As you get adjusted routinely, you free patterns that your body is "stuck" in. Another benefit is that you body can reach deeper levels of relaxation because when your spine is wound up tight, your body is constantly getting stress signals from the brain, without you knowing it! This is a critical part of the program, relieving spinal tension to create a relaxed and balanced body and mind. This also helps with improved posture and a more elegant, graceful and confident carriage of your body.

Secondly is nutrition. There is two aspects of healthy nutrition, one being eating healthy foods and the other is nutritional cleansing. This is NOT a typical fiber/colon cleanse, this cleans your body as it nourishes the cells and tissues, removing accumulated toxic materials that build up and overwhelm the body over time. This is an incredibly important aspect of successful fat loss because your fat holds onto the toxic materials and your body resists fat loss due to the release of these materials into the circulation. You must assist the body in getting rid of these products!

Thirdly is exercise. This is not your typical "3 times a week for one hour each" workouts. These are precise, exacting workouts that take only 20 minutes or less, once a week. Yes, once a week. These are designed to create muscles with more strength and endurance and a body that is graceful, athletic and toned. These workouts are intense, but then you have the rest of the week to enjoy time with family, friends and pleasurable activities, not in the gym!

Lastly is monthly measurements and motivation. These 15 minute sessions are designed to keep track of your fat loss progress and keep you focused on your goals of fat loss, a younger appearance and a healthier body. This is a brief coaching session to keep you focused on your goals and providing daily affirmations to help your reach and maintain your goal of a better body.

Affordable as well.

Since you have me, Dr. Brandon Schultz, designing all aspects of your workout, you also get to save money!

Here is a breakdown of why this investment makes sense.
Typically you would be paying:        The Program:
Gym Membership - $40/Month                      $249/Month
Personal Trainer - $480/Month
(12 sessions/month @ $40 each)
Chiropractic Care - $160/Month
(4 Adjustments/month @ $40 each)
Monthly Assessments - $50
Monthly Nutritional Counseling - $70
TOTALS:                 $800/Month      vs.         $249/Month

This is simple common sense! Save money and enjoy your ideal figure and a coach to keep you on the right path, all for one monthly rate!

Why wait?

Due to the comprehensive nature of this program, only 12 people will be in the initial group of people who start. Make the 2010 the year you succeeded in losing weight and keeping it off.

I look foward to helping you reach your healthy weight goals!

Dr. Schultz

Exercise Demystified

2010-08-19T17:07:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone!

Today the topic will be all about exercise. Why? Because there are far too many misconceptions about the topic and I want to clear them up.

First I will define exercise. Exercise is an activity that is strenuous enough to stimulate changes in the body including improving muscle strength and endurance, improving insulin sensitivity, improves blood chemistry and many others. Unfortunately, many people do not engage in "activity" that is intense enough to stimulate these changes in the body.

I point out the above because too many people claim they "exercise" enough. What they should say is they are active and enjoying recreational activities, but not actually exercising. Regular activity has its own set of benefits, but you should be adding in at least one actual exercise session a week if not 2-3.

You may use the excuse that exercise takes too long or requires a gym membership or extensive personal training. Not true! The search for your perfect exercise starts with what your goals are and then developing a routine to stick with for the long haul.

What are your options? There are many! Do you want to lift weights or not? If not, a great way to exercise with minimal equipment is the TRX Unit. This awesome creation allows for a tremendous versatility and variety without expensive or space-consuming equipment. Lots of great videos here to see if this is right for you.

There are more options to the right of my blog with a company called "Dragon Door". Lots of cool stuff here including kettlebells, bodyweight conditioning (again, no weights), and lots of other neat ways to train. Take some time and look through the site to see if anything jumps out at you. Great stuff for men, women, fat loss and strength and conditioning.

Further down on the right are fitness links from amazon.com. These are books I think are great if you do choose to have weights in a home gym or pay and have a gym membership. I also have great tools for a home gym listed in there as well. It is very important to lift effectively and efficiently to get your best results!

Why do I project such variety? Because your interests are varied! I have my preferred way to train, but also love all forms of exercise. Just remember the definition above, it must be intense enough to stimulate change in your body safely and effectively. Change is what we desire. We want stronger muscles. We want muscles that have more energy and stamina. We want a body that is resilient. We want a body that looks good. We want the benefits of exercise, you just need to do it and do it regularly!

Go and explore the world of exercise! Find your unique niche and embrace it. The biggest things to look for are what you can do safely, what you will do on a regular basis and what will get you your desired results.

Remember, you can eat your way out of a great workout any day, so be mindful of what you're eating.when you begin your journey into fitness. I recommend the super-trio from Isagenix as a meal replacement system and nutritional cleansing along with 2 healthy meals a day to maximize results. If you take a small daily or larger once-weekly cleanse (not your average fiber cleanse, this is an amazing cellular cleanse!) and a daily Isalean shake and 1oz. of Ionix, you will feel and look incredible. I use it and love it!!

I also will do personal consultations regarding exercise and as part of my "Comprehensive Life-Changing Program" I train people individually or in very small groups, so keep that in mind as well.

Make the decision to start a regular exercise routine today. It will keep your body young and strong for decades. Good luck!

Life Allows No Excuses

2010-08-14T11:41:00.001-05:00

"While there's life, there's hope." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

Many people allow excuses to ruin their lives. They focus on aches, pains, diseases, headaches, the weather, the heat, the cold, the humidity, what their neighbor is doing, who said this or that about them, on and on...

The one thing that people ignore is the fact they are alive. Life allows no excuses. Your life is a miracle, accept that! Death is your only physical excuse. Watch the Special Olympics, wheel chair basketball and anyone who has made the choice to be successful. The choose to live their lives minus the excuses. They embrace LIFE.

This concept is why people occasionally have a difficult time understanding the care I deliver at my office. They are used to having a person to tell their excuses to. To have appointments lasting 15, 20 30 even 60 minutes, 99% of which is voicing excuses. My office is not like that.I help you embrace and express more LIFE.

My office is all about embracing life. While I love helping people feel better and functioning at higher levels, my focus is on their life being expressed at higher levels. As tension leaves the body over time with regular adjustments, I want you to do something for yourself. I want you to evolve your thinking and your lifestyle. I have monthly coaching for those in The Comprehensive Life-Changing Program, but if you're a part of the Basic Health-Building Program, the same ideas apply. How do you need to evolve?

For one, life gives you a series of choices. Since you're alive, you always have choices. So, when life hands you difficulties, do you evolve and grow with new experiences or whither under the pressure? The first choice is about growth. As you experience more life (age), you get the opportunity to grow. Are you?

The second choice is goals. What are you striving for? What are your passions in life? What makes you tick? The first project is writing these down and figuring them out. What do you love in life? Remember, you're alive so you have these choices. Create goals which touch you in every aspect of your life and you'll notice you have more energy, more enthusiasm, and get out of bed in the morning on a mission, no dragging your ass. You go to bed looking forward to tomorrow and reflecting on the lessons of the day just experienced, not dreading tomorrow. LIVE.

Your last choice is belief. Specifically, belief in yourself. Be determined to continually stretch your capacities throughout your life. Reach for the next rung. Love deeper. Become stronger. Create meaningful relationships. Be more productive. LIVE.

LIVING is all about creating a wonderful life for yourself and watching others grown and flourish from your example. Since you're reading this, you qualify. You're alive. I hope you embrace that gift to its full potential. No matter your situation, there are no excuses any more. Start getting regular care to remove excuses and forge your mindset of personal growth. GO LIVE and bring HOPE to those around you!

Journey vs. Destination

2010-08-09T18:12:00.000-05:00

This may seem like an odd title for a blog, but I think it is appropriate for describing my outlook on the Chiropractic care delivered here at Alignment Is Life Health Center, Inc.

Destinations in healthcare are common. This model is centered on getting somewhere, usually within a respective time frame. The destination is the goal, which is perfectly fine in many cases. Cavity? Arrive at a filling and you're gone. Infection? Take all these drugs to be infection free. Fracture? Cast it and let the bones heal and strengthen. Headaches? Take a drug until it's gone. Bad posture? We'll take an xray, provide adjustments and exercises until it is "fixed". Temperature/Muscle scans off balance? We'll adjust you until they are balanced.

These are all destinations and are great, as everyone is used to them, but what I provide is more about personal, physical and mental growth. That, my friends, is a journey.

I provide adjustments not to provide temporary relief, albeit natural, safe and effective for that. When I adjust the spine, I am releasing life. Your life, to be exact. I'm allowing a flow of information from your brain to whatever organ or tissue it is connected to be fully and clearly connected, many times for the first time in your lifetime. I continue, preferably weekly and sometimes more, to keep this channel open as long as possible. Why is this important?

As your brain extends the time of open communication between it and your body, you evolve as a person. Your cells are now fully communicating with your brain, the can refine how your cells are dealing with stress and better adapting them to the needs of your every situation. This is truly amazing because your brain changes over time to find the best ways to keep you not only alive, but thriving. When this connection is in place you are truly ALIVE. Your senses are clearer. You handle stress better. Your body feels lighter and moves more effortlessly. This is how I want you to go through your life, with clear and open communications and a body growing, not aging. Learning, not dying. Evolving, not dysfunctioning.

That is the difference. Growth, development and evolution of you as a person is possible. The channels just have to open and flowing over the course of your lifetime.

To embrace this model of healthcare is to proclaim your responsibility for your own person. You are accountable for your lifestyle choices and strive to learn new ways to be healthier and move toward your goals in life. This is very different from the norm, but that shouldn't stop you!

Life and Worry

2010-08-05T17:40:00.000-05:00

There are two ways to approach being alive. Living 100% engaged in life or in fear and worry.

Unfortunately, many people choose to live a life of worry. Think about it. Many people are focused on the news and "current events". Think about it. Current events are all about things occuring that are bad. Bad economy. Bad weather. Bad local violence or fires or floods or price increases. Bad, bad, bad!

All this of course leads to worry. These people dwell on what is wrong with the world. They worry about the economy even though they have probably never taken an economics class or understand what is encompassed by a country's economy. They worry about the next plague that will kill thousands or millions. Remember SARS or the "bird flu" or what ever great hoax of a disease is made up? They worry about gas prices. They worry about everything!

What does this lead to? This leads to a state of chronic allergic response to life. You become scared of living! You begin a downward spiral away from the things you're passionate about. You stop thinking about your dreams and aspirations. You dwell on what is wrong the world, with everyone else, with your job, your spouse, everything!

People who live this way find ways to hurt, be miserable and find negatives in everything. The beauty of all of this is, you can choose to live life any time you want!

Individuals who choose to live life are those who fully acknowledge the past and present, but strive to carve a future of their choosing. They live and love fully with presence and passion. They choose to focus on their dreams in life and take action. They take setbacks as a learning experience and grow from there as a better person who now knows what not to do.

Living life is extraordinary! You wake up excited and ready to go. You choose to pursue a career of your choosing, hobbies you love and surround yourself with people of the same mindset. Life is good for you!

I love taking care of individuals who live life. I see them regularly not to patch "boo-boos" but to keep them in optimal working order. They happily invest the time and money to keep their body working at full capacity because they use it all the time! They love getting checked and regularly to see if they need a tuneup and get right back into living life. If they get a little dinged in the process of living life fully, they get tuned back up and are back at it again!

That is why I have the practice and fee structure I do. I want people to acknowledge that life is not a burden but a gift. You choose to live life or worry about everything imagineable. I take care of everybody but notice the biggest changes in the people who choose to start living life. They no longer dwell on pain and discomfort, they start planning and dreaming. They wake up excited not exhausted from the burdens they place on themselves. They see their live as a potential for new experiences not a stack of bills and debt and bad news.

My adjustments don't patch spinal problems. That is for specialists in manipulation such as physiatrists, osteopaths and some physical therapists. They "treat" problems and are good at it. I do not.

I make adjustments to your spine to allow life to enter the tissues of your body. They become more alive. They create energy more efficiently. They start working to their full potential. All your glands, organs and muscles are now more connected to life. Your life. There are only three things that can keep you from living more of your life.

The first of these is thinking. Your thoughts are of the worrier. Your whole body stays in a "worried" and "fearful" state. You are anxious. You can't sleep. You are dreading what the next day will bring. This cuts off any ability to engage in life, grow and enjoy life. Stop it!

Your diet is next. Even in a body getting adjustments regularly, life needs building blocks. You are constantly making new cells and tissues. Your body has millions of chemical reactions going on every day. You are making energy and those new tissues out of the food you're eating. The higher quality the better the ability of life to fully express itself. What are you putting into your body?!

Along with a healthy diet, I recommend products from Isagenix. Amazing, high quality stuff that really nourishes and cleanses you from the inside out. Cleans out the carbon, if you will. I take it and love it!Consider this an incredibly important addition to living fully!

The last part is strength. If you want to be active, and engaging in life your body needs to able to keep up. Along with regular adjustments, thinking positively and eating well you should keep your muscles strong. Your muscles are what propel you through life! To keep these strong and supple, exercise is needed. I have abundant resources available on this blog. What you need to do is look through them pick the style of exercise you would enjoy doing regularly and start! Make this a very important part of your routine.

If you are interested I also provide one-to-one personal training for those seeking my unique style of training.

To sum up, how you choose to engage in life is up to you. Living life brings with it ups and downs, but one amazing ride. Worrying about life brings stress, tension and anxiety and paralyzes growth and passion. Live how you choose to, but always remember, it's your choice!

Live Strong

2010-07-31T11:43:00.001-05:00

Today's post is not about lifting weights and walking around "ripped". Living strong is multi-dimensional and has characteristics in the physical, mental and spiritual realms.

If you live strong physically you see your body as the chariot that allows you to take action, move toward your dreams and stand proudly. Living strong means maximizing your physical talents and gifts and using them in your life daily.

Living strong physically means you take care of the physical body. You get adjusted regularly to allow the body to be fully connected to your brain for a strong foundation. You eat well to nourish your body, allowing maximal health, vitality and energy. You exercise to strengthen and reinforce your body to withstand the rigors of life, creating physical resilience. Your body is well conditioned and able to carry you through long days and physically demanding work.

If you live strong mentally you direct your thoughts in a positive direction. You have high self esteem and worth. You have goals you strive to achieve. You live with a purpose. Luckily, you have a strong, resilient body that acts as the infantry and your mind the general. Whatever your minds sets it's sights on, your body can achieve it. You are a person of action and determination. You maximize your unique mental strengths and methods of processing information. You create beauty in the world through your mental talents and visions of new ideas and concepts. You constantly express actions through a physically sound body. You are fully accountable for your choices and accept the burdens and rewards of your thoughts and actions.

If you live strong spiritually you see yourself as an individual. You and you alone have the physical and mental traits you express. You are a unique and special expression of a higher intelligence. You do not accept the role of a part of a mindless mob. You choose to connect to your potential mentally and physically because limitless intelligence formed your unique attributes. You not only have respect for and maximize your own gifts you encourage others in their lifelong pursuit of maximizing their individual gifts. You strive for higher spiritual insight and growth throughout your life, not retreating from fears of doom and shame and remorse.

The beauty of life is one thing: Reversibility. If you are not living strong you have the choice embrace this lifestyle. If you are a person living strong and choose another road, the benefits will slowly disappear. Your choices made every day determine this.

Live like the few who actually enjoy life. Live strong.

Living Young

2010-07-27T16:32:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone!

I know this is an odd title, but it is the core of my Anti-Aging Experience. We all age chronologically. That is a given. We can all count how many birthdays we have had. But that doesn't dictate how "old" we are or how we choose to approach life.

When you "Live Young" you choose to follow some of the following strategies.

1. Strive to optimize the health of your body. This can be done with the following:
    a. Get adjusted regularly over your lifetime. Why? One of the consequences of having vertebral subluxation is that your body stays in a "stressed" state neurologically and hormonally. This ages you prematurely! Fight stress at the foundation, not superficially!
    b. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise has numerous benefits, but why not have a strong body to propel you through life instead of getting pushed around by life?
    c. Eat well. This fuels and nourishes your body for maximal health expression and enjoyment. Eat tasty, fresh and wholesome food. We all have weaknesses, but don't let them control the majority of your eating plans. Your body is constantly regenerating, why give it poor quality materials?
    d. Supplement eating well by adding more of what is lacking even in the best of diets. There are two compenents to this: Essential nutrients and detoxification. Essential nutrients are vitamins, minerals and other compounds that help create energy from the foods you eat and give your body quality building blocks to build healthy cells and tissues. Click here for my recommendations for a great start to super supplementation.
    e. Get enough rest for you. Everyone needs more rest and sleep, so find out what your amount is a stick to it. Find a comfortable bed and pillow. Take short naps if needed. Make waking hours full of energy and resting hours for resting, not tossing and turning.

2. Use your mind to get the most out of life. Here's how:
     a. Think constructively. Life will always throw curveballs at us. Learn as much as you can from them and move forward with your new knowledge!
     b. Set goals. Very few people do this. Many, however, accept a day to day existence. Merely surviving not thriving and enjoying life. Set goals in every part of your life: Work, spiritual, relationships, family, friendships, recreations and many more. Write down what you want out of life clearly and with conviction!
     c. Learn from the past. Whatever got you where you are now is valuable information. Choose to learn from it. Learn what you want to strive for or maybe avoid, but learn! Don't let the past control you.
     d. Enjoy the present moment. Too often we go through life as a whirlwind of fleeting moments and "to-do" lists. Take a few moments every day to enjoy the present moment. Whether along with yourself or enjoying time with another, take time to savor precious moments. After all, they will quickly be a memory.
     e. Be on a mission. Don't wait to retire at 65 (or 70, or whatever age it is today!), have a mission to pursue throughout your life. Don't let a certain age control your destiny. Have something that gets you out of bed for the rest of your life!

Maximize your time here on Earth by using your physical and mental potential to make a life for yourself that is the envy of the masses! Helpful materials are located in the boxes to the right to help you get started on your journey to Living Young. Welcome to your life!

Why Alignment Is Life?

2010-07-19T17:55:00.001-05:00

"Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside."

- Dr. Albert Schweitzer

This quote sums up why I do what I do. I believe we all have massive potential within us, always there, wanting to be expressed and realized. This basic philosophy shapes everything I do. Here is what that looks like to you:

1. Clear communications first. Like your conversations on your cell phone, reception and clarity of signal are paramount. This is also true of your body. The brain must stay in clear communication with your body to reach your full potential. Your spine protects the carriers of the signal to and from your body. Vertebral subluxations create static in the communication system. The unique delivery of Chiropractic care here is delivered on a weekly basis to keep the reception clear.

The old way is waiting for you to hurt and only "treat" the hurt with expensive, short-term interventions. The best way is to maintain the clear communication. Do you wait for cavities or do you maintain your teeth with regular brushing and flossing? Do you wait for your car to break down or do you get regular oil changes, tires, rotations and keep it clean?

2. I create a customized plan for you to reach your goals. When you come in I first get to know you and inquire about your goals, desires, things you want in life. With my unique education and experience, I will craft a plan to help you reach your goals. I will help you see what you can become!

But, this is all built on clear communications! I want your body communicating at 100% clarity and keep it that way to ensure positive changes.

All plans involve maximizing your potential to be more. This is why knowing what you want is so important! I can help clarify your goals and make them a reality with proper planning and implementation. Why continue to struggle with the hurdles in your path? Let's work together to get them out of the way and clear your path to your dreams!

No matter your if you desire relief from a health concern, higher athletic performance, to feel and look younger or have your company perform better, this is the place for you. It it my job to help you first see and then realize there is more potential in you. Let's work to let it out! The difference is in the approach!

Chronic Conditions - Pain, Headaches, Etc.

2010-07-02T15:06:00.002-05:00

Any chronic conditions are usually have multiple dimensions, but a definiency of pain killers, anti-depressants and other pharmaceuticals they are not. Now, I am not recommending you stop medications, please don't misunderstand me. The unique approach here is from the inside-out! But, what could be some factors causing or at least irritating the problems?

Communication issues are the first place we would look. Remember, everything starts with your nervous system! A pattern of dis-ease (a lack of ease and proper function) is present before disease shows up. This usually shows up in a pattern of vertebral subluxations, which alters proper communication throughout the body. That is the reason why care ALWAYS starts with regular adjustments at Alignment Is Life Health Center, the communication must be cleared and stay static free!

Inappropriate adaptations are next. These are related to your lifestyle. The biggest one in regards to you lifestyle is your diet, what you choose to eat. Your diet can promote robust energy, proper weigth management and an expression of robust and vibrant health. It can also promote inflammation of the many tissues of the body (skin, digestive, muscles, organs, etc), pain in the muscles and joints, sluggish digestion, low energy levels and more prone to illness and disease. Your choice! Here are some general guidelines for good diet habits:

Eat way more veggies and fruits (the more colors the better!), more unprocessed meats (no breading or coatings), healthy fats (olive oil, butter, coconut oil, heavy cream) and drink more clean water, unsweetened coffee and teas.

Get a solid base of supplements in your diet. The most important are a source of "multivitamin/mineral", extra Vitamin D, extra Magnesium. I personally recommend a daily IsaLean with Calcium!, Ionix, 1-3 Mens/Womens/Kids Multi's and two IsaOmega as a general platform to built from. Even a healthy diet needs help to fulfill the demands of our busy, stressful lives. Detoxification is also very important to help the body cleanse the environmental impurities we overwhelm it with.

Eat way less sugars (sodas, juices, table sugar), grains (breads, pastas, and all wheat/grain products), soy products, unhealthy oils (canola, vegetable, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, soy, and any oil that say "hydrogenated" or "partially-hydrogenated").

The first two groups promote health, vitality and nourishment. It provides the building blocks your body needs to produce "Positive Survival Values". In general more vitality, energy and resistance to disease.

The second group creates inflammation (tissues are irritated and inflamed = not healthy), low nutrient content, low energy production and less resistance to disease.

Even with regular Chiropractic adjustments keeping communication lines open they won't help you reach 100% of your potential. They will likely help you feel better, but not to the level you should! Clear communications allows the brain to clearly tell the body what to do. BUT, these commands will only be as good and the materials given to fuel the body and directly dictate the quality of the building blocks used to create new cells, organs and ultimately a new you!

Proper exercise is important but not always indicated initially. If your body is way out of balance and alignment, has excessive inflammation throughout and is not fed nourishing foods, exercise is not an option. Until the first three things are restored or improved, exercise should not be performed. Always check or ask when exercise should be initiated. I can do more harm than good if started at the wrong time or performed incorrectly!

Now, you may have a condition that is genetically determined, which cannot be helped. But why not take care of yourself and build the healthiest body possible in spite of your condition instead of allowing it to control your life?

To sum up, we must focus on clearing communication, getting your lifestyle in order and getting you on track to your highest level of health possible. Why wait? Schedule a consultation today and get on the path to a better life!

Fitness

2010-07-02T11:05:00.000-05:00

Fitness is a huge part of a healthy lifestyle. The main goals of a fitness routine is to maintain or gain bone density, keep the body processing sugar efficiently and to maintain or gain muscle tissue. So, which fitness routine is right for you?

Remember, the training system that is the best one for you has two criteria: You can perform it safely over time and you enjoy doing it. If that system achieves the above goals and these two criteria, rock on!

I will be doing lots and lots of blogs on fitness and the many, many types of exercises: Weight machines, home machines, body weight training, free weights, TRX home and travel units, kettlebells, and many others. This is one of my hobbies I am very passionate about and will be blogging extensively about this.

I will, on a very limited basis, make 1-on-1 or small group personal training available. The workouts I do and recommend are brief, infrequent and very effective. Perfect for a busy professional, parent or anyone looking to squeeze in a good workout, but who only have 1-2 times available every week. I train at a local facility I have access to here in the KC Northland. I do not train in people's homes or in their gyms right now.

This training will be highly customized to your goals. I can also help corporations develop incredibly efficient programs to promote Corporate Wellness that is easy for employees to utilize. I will help develop programs around your unique equipment at your company.

Please enjoy the many segments to follow regarding fitness, and if you're interested in incorporating my personal training services that will be discussed during the no-cost consultation to get you started at Alignment Is Life.

Call (816) 830-3759 today or visit http://alignment-is-life.genbook.com/ to get started on your journey to better health from the inside-out at Alignment Is Life!

Chiropractic Care

2010-07-01T16:28:00.002-05:00

Unlike many places, Chiropractic care here is THE foundation to all else. If your brain is not clearly communicating clearly with the rest of your body no amount of any special supplements, diets, magical rehabilitation or countless other superficial methods will not get you to your full potential. Maybe feeling better, but not FUNCTIONING better!

Here is the Alignment Is Life Health Center Pyramid of TRUE HEALTH

Health

Exercise

Nourishment

Proper Thinking

Chiropractic Care

Now, adding proper thinking, a nutritious diet and regular exercise to a nervous system free to run the body is a powerful combination indeed!
This is the way I approach the journey to better health and a better life. All of these are available, but the foundation is Chiropractic care. Clearing the communication pathways in the body gives you a tremendous potential to create lasting, positive change in yourself. Keeping the lifeline between your brain and the rest of your body is critical for operating at your best.

My care is much like care maintenance. I get you back into good alignment and keep you there, all through life's dings, bumps and scratches. A spine and nervous system will take care of you for life just like the investments in your car!

Unlike many offices, my Chiropractic services are made incredibly affordable. Rates vary depending upon number of people or corporation, but I charge much less for two reasons.

First, I believe many people should have access to this basic yet powerful service. I provide a lot of free information about your lifestyle which you can use at whatever level you wish, but I cannot provide adjustments over the internet!

Secondly, if you want the extra services, they are will be based on time and expertise. If you choose personal or nutritional coaching, personal training or the "big kahuna" 12 Week Transformation, you are getting my time and expertise, one on one. Chiropractic care is available to the masses, personalized services and plans are not.

How I Work

2010-07-01T15:53:00.004-05:00

The underlying, driving passion at Alignment Is Life is that there is enormous potential in all of us. Just like the quote from Dr. Schweitzer that we all carry our own Doctor within, the care at Alignment Is Life focuses on that premise with an intense focus. This is not your typical overpriced "fix 'er up no-pain-and-gone" clinic...

The main premise here is that everything starts in your nervous system, your lifeline! This is where the source of your health potential lies, in a nervous system that has the full capacity to run the body. The nervous system runs literally every part of you!

This simple fact is why the care here is different. The absolute foundation to care here is getting your nervous system checked regularly to make sure you're running at 100%. How? By getting your spine adjusted regularly! I make payment options incredibly affordable for individuals, families, sports teams or even whole corporations to have access to this tremendous service. Like in business and in life, clear communication is critical to being the most productive. You are no different.

If a true catalyst for change is desired, look to the "12 Week Transformation". This comprenhensive "Anti-Aging" program takes into account every aspect of your life and improves it. With Chiropractic care as the foundation, you don't "diet" you nourish your body for maximal health and energy. You don't work out to "look good naked", you strengthen your body to maximize your ability to do and experience more. You don't "want a better future", you set definite goals to become a passionate, focused and determined individual on a mission! While this is an investment, what better investment is there than in you living a better life?

If you're wanting new results in your life, whether they be health-related, weight issues or just wanting to grow and develop as a person, Alignment Is Life is the place for you.

Start at the foundation of a better you by acknowledging there is an amazing potential there, it just needs to be fully expressed. Are you ready to let it out?

Seminar on Inflammation!

2010-06-29T17:25:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

There will be a blog on "Weight Loss" soon, but I wanted to let you all know of an amazing seminar I just attended. The speaker presented on the role of Inflammation in many chronic diseases and how that can promote anything from joint pain to Alzheimer's to Parkinson's!

Inflammation is not a tissue swelling or being abnormally large. It is a state of constant irritation. The tissues are aggravated for a number of reasons and they stay that way. The problem is that our whole body can be this way, all due to some critical factors.

1: Too many grains in the diet. Sorry to completely contradict the government recommendations, but NOBODY should eat 6-11 servings of grains a day. In fact everyone could completely go without grains and we would all be better off. The breads, cereals and pastas are not doing you any good, at least not in the portions we eat them here in the US.

2. Too many unhealthy fats and oils. Again, this will go completely against what you were taught, but the healthy oils and fats include: Butter, olive oil, coconut oil and heavy cream.

This may be too much for some, but adding these in place of the following can dramatically reduce inflammation in your body: Soybean oil, vegetable oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, peanut oil and any "hydrogenated" oils (commonly found in packaged and processed foods).

3. Not enough veggies and fruits! These contain critical vitamins and minerals and antioxidants not found anywhere else. Start eating these regularly!

4. Eat more protein. Leans meats and eggs are great sources.

5. May people could highly benefit from: A quality multivitamin, Vit. D, Omega - 3 (fish oil EPA/DHA), Magnesium and Probiotic supplements. A deficiency in these can mimis the above conditions and more.

People over 40 could benefit from the following: Antioxidants, Heart Support and Fiber.

Why should you start making the shift? For a number of reasons, but some of the most important ones include:

Less chronic pain, less headaches, easier weight management, improved blood levels of C-Reactive Protein (if higher, increases risk of heart disease), and many others.

Why everyone could benefit from this is the simple fact that excessive, prolonged inflammation decreases our quality of life. Why let poor choices in your eating and lifestyle decrease your ability to enjoy life?

Headaches. All the information making your head hurt?

2010-06-23T17:46:00.000-05:00

Headaches are very common today. Many, many people suffer from the pains of tension to migraine headaches. This blog will hopefully shed some light on the subject and I will demonstrate the Alignment Is Life approach to a life minus the headaches.

There are many types of headaches, as evidenced here and many different types of symptoms that go along with them. Migraines even have phases that go along with them, clearly explained here. Sinus headaches are usually associated with seasonal allergies or the common cold, so they will be covered in another blog.

What continues to remain clear-as-mud are the causes of headaches. There are plenty of associations with different types of headaches, including shifts in hormones during the menstrual cycle, tension or stress, over-use of pain medication (the irony should be apparent), various foods and drinks, sinus problems, jaw joint problems (TMJ issues), poor posture and many others. There are other theories related to blood flow changes causing changes in blood vessel size (dilation or constriction) and muscle referred pain syndromes. Not very clear and concise is it?

What is clear is that in some people, certain foods to seem to trigger migraines. I can't explain it and unfortunately, nobody else can seem to either. A sensitivity to tyramine seems to be a common factor, but things like caffeine or MSG (monosodium glutamate). For now, my best advice is to keep avoiding foods that are obvious triggers.

Now, being deficient in pain medication (a trigger for some if used extensively over time...) is not a cause of migraines, sinus, TMJ or tension headaches!! So why, for so many people, is that the first step taken to alleviate the pain?! Stop covering up a symptom with something that can create dependency over time and actually cause more pain and damage your kidneys, stomach and liver! I know temporary relief is needed and that is understood, but finding a solution should be very high on your priority list after addressing a symptom! The worst part of the iceburg is unseen beneath the water (cause of problems) and sinks many ships, not the tip sticking above (symptoms) as a warning of what may lurk below...

What to do? Great question! There is a unique, multi-step approach I take at Alignment Is Life Health Center which checks the following: Your Structure, Communications and Adaptation.

Your structure will be checked, especially checking where your head is in relationship to your body. A very common presentation is Anterior Head Syndrome. This when the head has moved in front of (anterior) to the body and is causing problems in two ways. This presentation is incredibly common and wreaks havoc on the bones, muscles and nerves in the area and in other places as well! So the first approach is to see if your structure may be an issue and develop a plan to fix your unique presentation if it is the problem. Why keep replacing unevenly wearing tires if the frame of the car is bent?

Secondly, your communication system will be checked. The involves checking to see if vertebral subluxations are present. These are individual spinal bones (vertebra) which are interfering with the communications between the brain and the rest of the body, including the muscles of the neck, upper back, sinuses, eyes, inner ears and many other important structures. If vertebral subluxations are present, a plan will be developed for your unique presentation and case and include any structural plans as well.

Lastly, your lifestyle will be analyzed to ensure optimal body adaptation. Once a plan for improved structure and clear communications is under way, the body needs proper nourishment, exercise and constructive thinking patterns to optimize your results. Why sabotage all your hard work with your lifestyle?

Along with the unique, comprehensive plan designed for you there also includes my personal coaching. That means that along with improving structure, clearing communication and optimizing your lifestyle to match your goals I will keep you on track during each visit. I do this because I truly want the best for you! I want to see you enjoy life with no fear and anxiety about the next "killer" headache. The headache that takes you away from your work, your family, your hobbies and every other part of your life. In order to get lasting change I am there to ensure your success by keeping you on track with every aspect of your care. I will help you focus on a vision of life without headaches!

This process is unique and powerful. But care will only commence if I think the above categories need improvement and could be of benefit to you and you're willing to follow the plan. A plan left unexecuted doesn't do much good!

If you or anybody you know suffers from headaches and is tired of the symptom-masking game, let's talk today. I offer a no-obligation consultation so we can be clear about my approach to your headaches, what the costs may be and how my plan will be formulated. Schedule today at http://alignment-is-life.genbook.com/ and let's get the process started for you to enjoy life, headache free.