Welcome to 2021!!
Let's talk about new year's resolutions real quick. Typically set to start on Jan 1st, beginning of the new year, we have high hopes that between 11:59 pm and 12:00 am we become a new person who has more motivation to exercise, lose weight, hit our goals.
Here's the debbie downer moment though: If you wouldn't have done it on a random Tuesday in December, you won't magically be motivated to keep up with your resolution now. You aren't a new person. You are still you. But remember that what most matters is to get back on the bandwagon after you fall off, because you will inevitably fall off. You are human. 
Goals keep us moving and growing. The key with goals though is that your WHY has to be strong enough to keep you going when life gets tough. Take some time to dig into why you are setting a particular goal and you will be on your way to crushing your goals!
And as always, we are here to support you on your health journey!

In health and wellness,
Dr. Morgan

Wishing all of you a happy holiday season from all of us here at Primal Practice! 
2020 has had quite the highs and lows and it is our hope that you are able to shed whatever is holding you back and bring your good into the new year. Your health is one of your greatest gifts. We want to celebrate YOU for being committed to your health and wellbeing.
Thank you for continuing to choosing us to be on your health team! We are so grateful for each and every one of our clients!
Cheers to 2021!

Peace, Love, and Wellness,
Dr. Liz, Dr. Morgan, and Aimee

Physical stressors - let’s talk about exercise. Caveat here, I am NOT an expert on exercise science. I am sharing my opinions on what I have learned. Why is it so important to make sure we are moving our bodies? We all know that we should do some form of exercise. But why? 
When we exercise we are actually putting stress - good stress - on our bodies. This is what causes our bones to grow and remain strong, as your body lays down bony tissue in response to the pull of gravity and stress. This is why muscles improve in strength and tone, because your body is increasing the size of the fibers in your muscle to better resist the stress. Increasing your heart rate improves your cardiovascular health as your heart improves its ability to pump blood with more efficiency. Increased white blood cell count has been found after exercise, which improves your immune response. 
Here’s where my opinion comes in. I recently heard from a medical doctor, Dr. Ben Lynch, on true cellular physical fitness. He gave the example of a young well-muscled biker versus a 70 year old who walks their dog daily. The point he made was aesthetically we think the biker is more fit than the walker. However, if you were to take an inflammatory profile of each person, the hardcore athlete will have higher levels of inflammation than the walker. Exercise is stressful on the body. Like I said it’s a good stress, but if we don’t allow our body to have recuperation from stress, this leads to inflammation in the body as the state of the body stays in a fight-or-flight response.
Think about it - our ancestors generations ago didn’t run for fun. They ran because they were in danger. So if we constantly run, our primitive mind thinks we are in a stressful situation. The point here is that moving your body should be the end goal. The physical aesthetics are not a true measure of fitness.
Movement keeps life in your body. Have a daily movement practice. And make sure you are honoring where your body is at.

In health and wellness,
​Dr. Morgan

Most of us have some sort of day job, where we spend a number of hours each week working. How we treat our bodies while at work contributes to the physical stressors we experience.
Are you sitting? Are you standing? What is your chair like? How is your desk arranged? Do you talk on the phone? Are you typing a lot? Is your computer screen at face height? Do you sit most of your day? Are you staring at a blue computer screen most of your day? Are you lifting items? Do you do repetitive motions?  
Take an assessment of your workspace. It is worth your while to ensure that your work area is setting you up for success. You likely spend enough hours there during the week that the microtraumas are adding up. Low back issues are the number one reason people call in sick to work. Think of the wear and tear on your spine from sitting, standing, or lifting in poor posture. 
These things may seem small or insignificant but that is why they are called microtraumas. They are little things that add up over time. But these are the important things that matter!

In health and wellness,
​Dr. Morgan

It's December!
We are now focusing on our physical stressors, more simply known as traumas. In October we focused on chemical stressors, aka toxins. In November we focused on mental stressors, aka thoughts. For the last month of the year we are focusing on the third and final T!
Macro and microtraumas are the physical stressors we experience. This ranges from car accidents, sports injuries, hard falls, and surgery to postural habits, exercise and movement routines, and workplace ergonomics. This is the stressor most of us have a grasp on, because these are the things that will cause us to feel the most discomfort and tension in our body. 
So, what can a person do to minimize their physical stress? Well, we can't predict when major trauma like a car accident is going to occur, but we do have control over our microtraumas. Case in point: what is your posture like right now as you're reading this? 
Text neck is a real syndrome we see! Take a look around you when you're out in public and observe the people you see looking at their phones. How far forward is their head? Now imagine doing that multiple times a day, every day, for your entire life?! That's microtrauma, repetition of a small stressor that adds up over time.
Body awareness of your microtraumas is the first step towards reducing this stress on your body. So, as you're reading this, straight up your spine, pull your head back over your shoulders, plant your feet flat on the floor, and take in a nice big belly breath. There! You're already on your way to reducing your physical stress!

In health and wellness,
Dr. Morgan

P.S. Due to text neck, chiropractors are actually starting to find people are growing what looks like a tiny little horn on the base of their skull, due to their bodies trying to stabilizing the forward head posture. How crazy is that?! Your body is so intelligent! But also, don't let it grow a horn either!