When we go through difficult seasons of life, we often wonder, “why me? why is life being unfair?” But what if it isn’t being unfair? What if the challenge you are going through is actually preparing you for something far greater? And you need to become a more resilient person to experience that greatness?

I hear people adopt the victim mentality of “poor me, this is hard” (Note: some people absolutely have extremely difficult situations and I do not want to make light of those. This is for the ones who aren’t getting what they want). Thinking “poor me” keeps you stuck in a cycle of victimhood and you never take ownership of where your life is going.

I had an acquaintance once tell me that she was no longer an active participant in her life and when things happen she just went along for the ride. That didn’t sit well with me. Who wants to live their life passively? Not to sound like a Pinterest board but you only get one life, why would you waste it like that? There are things out of our control but your attitude is absolutely in your control. Instead of being frustrated and thinking you’ve been dealt a poor hand, look for the lessons and the silver linings. You can have gratitude during tough times. And honestly, gratitude for what I have is what keeps me going when I am experiencing a valley in my life. 
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Keep sight of what matters. Take note of the silver linings. Hold on to gratitude. And know that Life is preparing you for greater things!

In health and wellness,
Dr. Morgan

As people start to get healthier, naturally their diet improves. They choose more nutrient dense options and fill up on local, in season produce. As this progression continues to take place and people feel better and better, they may realize that their body doesn't actually tolerate certain foods. Things such as dairy, wheat and nightshades may turn their stomach or trigger a headache or migraine. This can be frustrating! It may feel like there is one more thing that has to be eliminated from your diet. But, in the end it's a great thing, because it means how your body is actually functioning is present to your conscious mind. This is much better than the alternative of being in such a fog surrounding what is happening to the physical self.

So, what can you eat? We are so lucky right now to have many options at our fingertips when it comes to making food substitutes. Instead of having to feel deprived during special occasions, with a little bit of effort, we can stick with all the foods that make us feel great. Before I get into the list, I do want to share that unless you have a full blown allergy, I don't believe it's imperative to never eat an amazing gluten filled, dairy laden cupcake again. But, to truly feel and function at your best, it is necessary to eat in a way that supports your body for the majority.

**I'm not being paid or endorsed to write about any of these products. They are just ones that I love and use on a regular basis.

Wheat/Gluten Substitutes

• Nut or Oat flour - there is almond, hazelnut, coconut, buckwheat, cashew, and gluten free oats that you can blend into a flour yourself
• Premixed Gluten Free Flour - this is super nice to have on hand for baking because it substitutes for regular flour 1-1.
• Cauliflower is also a great substitute if you want to make bread or pizza dough. 

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Dairy including butter substitutes

• Coconut oil is my go to for cooking. I love butter but have recently had to remove it for a dairy intolerance test. Instead of using butter to cook :( coconut oil is a great sub. 
• Avocado oil is always a great cooking oil with a high smoke point.
• Ripple Creamer - made with pea protein and super low allergen
• So Delicious yogurt/icecream - I love this for yogurt because the unsweetened vanilla that has no added sugar. 
• Califia Farms - also has a great range of creamer, yogurt and plant milks. There are unsweetened and low allergen options if coconut or almond is a problem for you.

Eggs

• Applesauce
• Mashed banana
• Ground flaxseed or chia
• If you're looking for breakfast ideas that don't include eggs - search for AIP breakfast. This will lead you to grain free, nut free, dairy free, egg free and gluten free recipes. Like this one!

This list is pretty basic. I'm so thankful that I don't deal with any severe restrictions in my diet, so if you need something that goes a little deeper then utilize websites that have recipes following the AIP or autoimmune protocol. These will have great options for recipes that don't include the most common inflammatory foods. 

Peace, Love, and Wellness,
​Dr. Liz

The old theory of immunity was that germs - bacteria, viruses, fungi - made you sick. This is outdated though, because we come into contact with millions of microbes daily, and if germs make you sick, we should be sick constantly. The updated theory is terrain theory. This theory says that your internal environment provides the terrain for a germ to thrive. If you are taking care of your body, moving and eating well, positive mindset, sleeping, and getting adjusted, your immune system will be robust and resilient. You will either adequately fend off an illness or if you do get sick, the duration will be short. 

However, if your diet is poor, you don’t move your body, your sleep habits aren’t great, you aren’t getting adjusted, your body is lacking in essential nutrients, and you have a negative mindset, you are creating a more optimal environment for that bacteria or virus to thrive and make you sick. 

Germs don’t make you sick. Your internal environment is what determines if you get sick or not. Someone else cannot “make” you be sick. Your health is your personal responsibility. Create a robust and resilient internal environment. 

Note: there are immunocompromised individuals who are more vulnerable to becoming sick, and so all the more reason to take responsibility for your health if you are not one of those individuals. Your ability to fend off an illness decreases the likelihood that you will pass it on to a vulnerable person. 

We are here to assist you on your health journey of being a resilient, healthier, happier human!

In health and wellness,
Dr. Morgan

I was having a conversation with a client about meditation earlier this week. She had recently meditated for 7 days straight and was really enjoying it. When I asked what she liked about it and what benefits she had seen, she couldn't tell me. This isn't uncommon with meditation.

I have been meditating pretty regularly for at least 3 years now, so I shared a secret with her. 

The benefits I see from meditation are only apparent when I stop. During the times that I am super consistent, it's hard to put my finger on why I keep going back to it. But, when I stop, the clutter in my brain becomes overwhelming, I have a much faster fuse especially towards Coen, less tolerance in general, apathy to doing the things that have me sleeping soundly at night and feeling successful, and in general poorer choices when it comes to my health.

It got me thinking about how we approach our health in general. Often we don't notice how good we feel, until we don't anymore. Our consistent habits that have us firing on all cylinders go by the wayside for many reasons, but our body is able to adapt and allows us to still feel good. Until we don't. This is when you hear of the 'healthy' guy who died out of the blue from a heart attack or a virus that has a 99% survival rate. Or less severe, you throw your back out bending over, or 'sleep wrong' waking up to a neck that won't turn.

So when is the answer to stop our healthy behaviors? When should we stop exercising, stop eating well, stop nourishing our mind, stop chiropractic care? Should this be when we are feeling good? Our health is not a destination to be reached. Behaviors that have us feeling, and most importantly, functioning at our optimum potential should be ongoing for our lifetime.

I'm not talking about perfection, or even striving for perfection in taking care of ourselves. This in and of itself is unhealthy in my view. If, for the majority of the time, we are able to give our body what it needs to flourish, then we will thrive. For some people this will be easier, for others much harder. We are all starting from different expressions of health. But, each day we have the opportunity to make healthy choices for ourselves, regardless of our circumstances.

What are you going to choose today?

Peace, Love and Wellness
Dr. Liz