Dr. Steen's August 2016 Newsletter
“Bring a friend” special… for the entire month of August, when you bring a new patient with you on your next visit, you get both visits for a combined cost of only $80.00! We can easily coordinate your appointments if you give us a call and schedule ahead. We look forward to seeing you, and making some new friends.
How to avoid slips, trips and falls... by doing some simple foot exercises and movements. “Dorsi-flex” might be a new term for you. It refers to flexing the muscles that draw the toes upward toward the knee. There are many causes for slips and falls but one of the least discussed is when you trip going up the stairs because you didn’t bring your foot up high enough. Feet have two extreme positions to go into. One is called plantar flexion, which is what gymnasts frequently do. While sitting down, the calf muscles are pulled tight and the toes go down towards the floor until the heel lifts off the floor and the weight of the leg is entirely on the big toe. That is a fully pointed toe. Dorsi-flexion is just the opposite. The muscles on the front of the lower leg are tightened and the toes lift off the floor until only the heel is bearing any weight.
After I broke my left leg I had to retrain my nerves and muscles to lift and dorsi-flex more. The reflexes were slower, the muscles had atrophied, and there was less cooperation from the knee to bend and respond. This also happens with sprained ankles. As time went on, I came to appreciate dorsi-flexion more and more, realizing how much I had previously taken it for granted. Here are a few things you can do to help your feet and legs work better for you.
Practice dorsi-flexion sitting down (see drawings). To start with, just flex (bend) the foot, leaving the heel on the floor. Work up to 40-50 reps. The next level is to flex the foot and lift it up off the floor, which will entail tightening your thigh muscles. When that becomes too easy, stand up and march. March like the band director, knees high, foot dorsi-flexed as high up as you can get it. March in place or around the room, or even around the whole house.
If you have steps in your home, at least once a day consciously exaggerate the movement you must do to go up steps. This is especially helpful if you do it at the end of the day when you are tired. Really lift that knee up and dorsi-flex that foot way more than you need to before placing it on the step. Another, but more challenging idea is to hop backwards, switching between your right and left feet. Pull the leg behind you to hop on it but hold the other leg up a bit to strengthen those muscles.
Quick, low fuss, healthy meals… make it easy to eat well and maintain a good diet. I’m often asked for advice on nutrition and eating healthy. Choosing and preparing the right foods are very important elements of good nutrition. The feedback I often get is they don’t eat many fruits or vegetables because those require more time and preparation in the kitchen. Well, how’s ten minutes for you?
That’s really about all it takes to prepare a good protein and some delicious vegetables if you do a little planning ahead. Here’s how I do it, I ‘cheat’. To clarify, I avoid carbohydrates to keep my weight down, so the meals I put together usually consist of a little meat and two different vegetables. Also, I save time on cooking because one of the vegetables is eaten raw. I consider white potatoes as a starch, rather than a vegetable and avoid them as a carbohydrate.
The first thing to do is to ‘shop smart’. Also buy smart. Pay a little more and buy vegetables that are ready to eat. The produce department has a large selection of packaged, pre-washed, already prepared items, including broccoli florets, snap peas you eat with the shell, baby carrots (washed and peeled), sliced and shredded carrots, chopped onions, and sliced mushrooms. These can be tossed into a pot with a ½ inch of water on the bottom and boiled to steam lightly or stir fried with a bit of oil for five minutes. Only cook them long enough to change the color (keep in mind, carrots take longer than other veggies, put them in first). You can also buy greens that are already washed and ready to put on a plate.
Next, cook enough meat or other protein to equal six to eight portions that can then be used later in other meals. Refrigerate or freeze, depending on how soon you plan to eat them, using individual containers that are conveniently portion ready. If frozen, all you’ll have to do is remember to take them out to thaw ahead of time. Another option is to buy the fully cooked chicken that is sold in many grocery stores, typically located by the deli. I pay a little more and get the low-sodium, natural chicken.
The third thing to do is to prepare food ahead of time if you can’t, or don’t want to purchase it already prepared. Fruit that needs to be peeled or sliced can be stored in containers, ready to eat. Wash, peel, slice, & cut up a bunch at a time. Meal preparation will be easier and faster because the ingredients are already there, ready to add to the recipe or simply eat. Sometimes I bring a cutting board to the table with a knife and cut a raw vegetable or piece of fruit right there, sitting comfortably at the table.
Finally, place the food onto plates, adding things like condiments and dressing right there at the kitchen counter. Take to the table and enjoy. Clean-up is easy, since typically only one pot is needed. It is simple, healthy, and inexpensive when compared with ordering take out or going out to dine. Following are a couple of my recipes to share.
Slow Cook Tender Pot Roast
In a big pot, brown the sides of a large roast using a little oil in the bottom of the pot. Add about ½ inch of water, then sprinkle a packet of onion soup mix on the top. Add chopped onions if you like. Tightly cover the pot with aluminum foil and put it in the oven at 300° F for 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the roast. Check once in a while to make sure it still has a little water on the bottom (some cuts release more water than others). Carrots can be added an hour or two before the roast is done, as they don’t need as much time in the crockpot to cook.
Slow Cook Chicken & Rice
Place pieces of chicken with the skin side up into a baking dish, season to taste. Spread uncooked brown rice around the pieces of chicken, 1 cup needs 2 cups water. Pour the water around the edges. Add some chopped or sliced carrots if you like. Cover the pan, sealing tightly to keep the moisture in.
Bake for either 1 hour @ 350°, 2 hours @ 325°, or 3 hours at 300°.
August fundraiser… will be on Saturday, the 27th, from 9 to 1. Come in for either a chiropractic adjustment or meridian balancing treatment in exchange for a donation of your choice. Proceeds from this month’s fundraiser will go to TCRAS.
How to avoid slips, trips and falls... by doing some simple foot exercises and movements. “Dorsi-flex” might be a new term for you. It refers to flexing the muscles that draw the toes upward toward the knee. There are many causes for slips and falls but one of the least discussed is when you trip going up the stairs because you didn’t bring your foot up high enough. Feet have two extreme positions to go into. One is called plantar flexion, which is what gymnasts frequently do. While sitting down, the calf muscles are pulled tight and the toes go down towards the floor until the heel lifts off the floor and the weight of the leg is entirely on the big toe. That is a fully pointed toe. Dorsi-flexion is just the opposite. The muscles on the front of the lower leg are tightened and the toes lift off the floor until only the heel is bearing any weight.
After I broke my left leg I had to retrain my nerves and muscles to lift and dorsi-flex more. The reflexes were slower, the muscles had atrophied, and there was less cooperation from the knee to bend and respond. This also happens with sprained ankles. As time went on, I came to appreciate dorsi-flexion more and more, realizing how much I had previously taken it for granted. Here are a few things you can do to help your feet and legs work better for you.
Practice dorsi-flexion sitting down (see drawings). To start with, just flex (bend) the foot, leaving the heel on the floor. Work up to 40-50 reps. The next level is to flex the foot and lift it up off the floor, which will entail tightening your thigh muscles. When that becomes too easy, stand up and march. March like the band director, knees high, foot dorsi-flexed as high up as you can get it. March in place or around the room, or even around the whole house.
If you have steps in your home, at least once a day consciously exaggerate the movement you must do to go up steps. This is especially helpful if you do it at the end of the day when you are tired. Really lift that knee up and dorsi-flex that foot way more than you need to before placing it on the step. Another, but more challenging idea is to hop backwards, switching between your right and left feet. Pull the leg behind you to hop on it but hold the other leg up a bit to strengthen those muscles.
Quick, low fuss, healthy meals… make it easy to eat well and maintain a good diet. I’m often asked for advice on nutrition and eating healthy. Choosing and preparing the right foods are very important elements of good nutrition. The feedback I often get is they don’t eat many fruits or vegetables because those require more time and preparation in the kitchen. Well, how’s ten minutes for you?
That’s really about all it takes to prepare a good protein and some delicious vegetables if you do a little planning ahead. Here’s how I do it, I ‘cheat’. To clarify, I avoid carbohydrates to keep my weight down, so the meals I put together usually consist of a little meat and two different vegetables. Also, I save time on cooking because one of the vegetables is eaten raw. I consider white potatoes as a starch, rather than a vegetable and avoid them as a carbohydrate.
The first thing to do is to ‘shop smart’. Also buy smart. Pay a little more and buy vegetables that are ready to eat. The produce department has a large selection of packaged, pre-washed, already prepared items, including broccoli florets, snap peas you eat with the shell, baby carrots (washed and peeled), sliced and shredded carrots, chopped onions, and sliced mushrooms. These can be tossed into a pot with a ½ inch of water on the bottom and boiled to steam lightly or stir fried with a bit of oil for five minutes. Only cook them long enough to change the color (keep in mind, carrots take longer than other veggies, put them in first). You can also buy greens that are already washed and ready to put on a plate.
Next, cook enough meat or other protein to equal six to eight portions that can then be used later in other meals. Refrigerate or freeze, depending on how soon you plan to eat them, using individual containers that are conveniently portion ready. If frozen, all you’ll have to do is remember to take them out to thaw ahead of time. Another option is to buy the fully cooked chicken that is sold in many grocery stores, typically located by the deli. I pay a little more and get the low-sodium, natural chicken.
The third thing to do is to prepare food ahead of time if you can’t, or don’t want to purchase it already prepared. Fruit that needs to be peeled or sliced can be stored in containers, ready to eat. Wash, peel, slice, & cut up a bunch at a time. Meal preparation will be easier and faster because the ingredients are already there, ready to add to the recipe or simply eat. Sometimes I bring a cutting board to the table with a knife and cut a raw vegetable or piece of fruit right there, sitting comfortably at the table.
Finally, place the food onto plates, adding things like condiments and dressing right there at the kitchen counter. Take to the table and enjoy. Clean-up is easy, since typically only one pot is needed. It is simple, healthy, and inexpensive when compared with ordering take out or going out to dine. Following are a couple of my recipes to share.
Slow Cook Tender Pot Roast
In a big pot, brown the sides of a large roast using a little oil in the bottom of the pot. Add about ½ inch of water, then sprinkle a packet of onion soup mix on the top. Add chopped onions if you like. Tightly cover the pot with aluminum foil and put it in the oven at 300° F for 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the roast. Check once in a while to make sure it still has a little water on the bottom (some cuts release more water than others). Carrots can be added an hour or two before the roast is done, as they don’t need as much time in the crockpot to cook.
Slow Cook Chicken & Rice
Place pieces of chicken with the skin side up into a baking dish, season to taste. Spread uncooked brown rice around the pieces of chicken, 1 cup needs 2 cups water. Pour the water around the edges. Add some chopped or sliced carrots if you like. Cover the pan, sealing tightly to keep the moisture in.
Bake for either 1 hour @ 350°, 2 hours @ 325°, or 3 hours at 300°.
August fundraiser… will be on Saturday, the 27th, from 9 to 1. Come in for either a chiropractic adjustment or meridian balancing treatment in exchange for a donation of your choice. Proceeds from this month’s fundraiser will go to TCRAS.
