Remember

​Remember and give thanks to the heroes who protected our liberties.

Remember

​Remember and give thanks to the heroes who protected our liberties.

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Amplifeied

Joyful Life

​Find the joy in the journey.

Joyful Life

Find the joy in the journey.

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Amplifeied

Refocus On Wellness

Maintaining health is a life long pursuit, not an end result.

Refocus On Wellness

Maintaining health is a life long pursuit, not an end result.

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Amplifeied

Don't Mask The Symptoms

Don't mask the symptoms, be truly well.

Don't Mask The Symptoms

Don't mask the symptoms, be truly well.

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Amplifeied

How to Finally Complete Your New Year’s Resolutions

2015 is just around the corner and you know what that means...time to pull out your New Year’s resolutions lists from the last five years, and write them all down for your 2015 list. If you’re one of the many who are gathering forgotten lists from New Year’s Eve’s past, don’t be discouraged, you are not alone and 2015 can finally be the year that everything changes.

How to Finally Complete Your New Year’s Resolutions

Step 1
Set realistic goals. We would all love to stop world hunger, and end war in the Middle East, but as good as our intentions are, we have to be at least a little bit realistic. If one of your goals was to work out every day, 6 days a week for one hour, and you haven’t stepped foot in a gym for almost a year, you most likely will be setting yourself up for failure, potentially losing motivation all together.

Try starting off with something a little less drastic like, “I want to work out at least twice a week for a minimum of 20 minutes.” This will allow you time to adjust and develop a comfortable pattern, and keep you motivated as it is a more attainable goal. Dream big, but remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Step 2
Take baby steps and build. Following the realistic goal setting step, to guarantee a higher success rate in accomplishing your goals, for every big goal, make small milestone goals. For example, if your goal is to save up $5000 by the end of the year, make a baby step goal of putting away $208 per bi-weekly paycheck, for three months. By being specific and making your goals in small baby steps, you can feel a sense of accomplishment each time you reach a milestone and have motivation to continue on.

So remember, for every big goal, make 1-3 small milestone goals to help you stay on track to complete your goals by the end of the year.

Step 3 
Set Deadlines. Sometimes with the start of a new year, that can make us think that we have ALL year to complete our resolutions. Put yourself on a time clock that way you don’t become lazy by thinking, “oh, I have all year.” Whether it’s a birthday, graduation or anniversary, set dates to complete your goals by, and follow the “milestone method” to help you stay on track.

Step 4
Get an accountability partner. Use the buddy system! By telling a friend, or even your Facebook or YouTube fans about your New Year’s resolution goals, this can help you feel more accountability and pressure to keep your word. Even blogging your progress throughout the year can help you stay focused and motivated to complete your tasks.

Whatever your method, spread the word about the goals you are trying to accomplish, so you can not only feel accountability to complete them, but your family, friends and fans alike can help support you on your journey. Who knows, they may even want to join you!

Step 5
Don’t be so hard on yourself. The great thing about following the baby step/milestone method is that if you don’t reach your first milestone, it’s only been a few weeks or months, and you still have time to reach your goals. Don’t beat yourself up! Instead, simply readjust your goals. If your goal was to lose 50 pounds by June, and you only lost 5 pounds in January, either plan to try and lose 15 pounds in February, or change your main goal from 50 pounds to 35 pounds. It’s okay to change your plans! It’s better to continue to try and lose the weight, instead of becoming discouraged and giving up all together.

Step 6
Reward yourself. Besides not beating yourself up when you don’t reach a milestone, remember to reward yourself when you do! For every small milestone you complete, be sure to do something special for yourself. If you reach your first milestone weight loss goal, reward yourself with new gym shoes, or if your goal was to read five books in one month, reward yourself with a shopping spree at Barnes & Noble.

Whatever it is that makes you happy, treat yourself and besides your sense of accomplishment, you’ll feel even more motivated to continue so you can get your next reward!

Step 7
Enjoy the ride! Finally, fulfilling your New Year’s resolution goals does not have to be some stressful event causing you sleepless nights all year. Make it fun! It is always exciting to try something new, or change something in your life. Get caught up in the excitement, workout with a friend, start a blog to record your journey, or share funny videos of your progress on YouTube. Whichever you choose, enjoy the ride to self-improvement and to finally reaching your goals.

Staying Healthy During Flu Season

Winter is in full swing and many have fallen prey to some of the nasty viruses that have been going around. But just because it seems like everyone around you is getting sick, does not automatically mean YOU will get sick.

Even if you already have encountered some type of winter cold, it is entirely likely that your immune system has become stronger by being confronted with it. 

Have you been taking care of yourself?
 

Here at Bothell Chiropractic & Wellness, we don’t get sick very often due to our commitment to making healthy lifestyle choices and our dedication to our immune system boosting, chiropractic care plans. But sometimes, even we can get distracted and caught up in the stresses of life and forget to take care of ourselves. When a few of our very own employees got sick, we had to take a step back and ask ourselves, have we been taking care of ourselves lately? Have we been getting enough rest? Drinking enough water? Getting adjusted regularly? Where was this illness coming from?

Why are we getting sick?

Germs are not the primary source for illnesses as many of us know. Plenty of people deal with sick children, spouses and co-workers on a regular basis, and they, themselves do not become ill, so what is it then? Sicknesses can come in many different shapes and forms, and from many different sources, and if your immune system isn’t working at 100% due to the fact that you are not taking care of yourself, it can be vulnerable to any one of these potential illnesses. But one of the worst things for your immune system is STRESS.

According to WebMD, “Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress -- a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.” (WebMD, The Effects of Stress on Your Body)

All these symptoms of stress can cause your immune system to go down and therefore lead to illness. So if you feel yourself starting to come down with a cold, stop and take a minute to review your daily habits and make sure you’re making your health a priority and are taking time to relax and de-stress.

A few tips for staying healthy

1. Get plenty of rest. Your body needs to recharge to stay healthy, so try to get a good 7-8 hours of sleep. 
2.  Drink plenty of water. To keep your body free of nasty toxins that could potentially bring down your immune system, try to drink at least 60 ounces of water a day. 
3. Get adjusted! Regular adjustments can boost your immune system and help prevent illness.
4. Eat real food! Your diet can affect so many things, and your nutrition gives your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and fight off illnesses. 
5. Take time to relax! Whether it’s a massage or taking a nap, don’t let stress get the best of you. Make sure you take time out for you.
6. Get the “flu-shot.” Try our all natural version of the “flu-shot” which includes vitamin D drops, fish oil and probiotics. (Ask our Result Coordinators how you can get the “flu-shot”trio package at your next visit).

Don’t think that illness is inevitable. There is a lot you can do to stay healthy. Trust your immune system and give it the boost that it needs to fight off the bugs. 

Sources:
1. http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/effects-of-stress-on-your-body

Six Tips to Surviving the Holiday’s on Ideal Protein + Holiday Recipe Guide

It's the Holiday's and for anybody currently on the Ideal Protein program or attempting to make healthier nutrition choices in general, this can be one of the most difficult times of the year.

Instead of looking forward to the Holiday celebrations and festivities, you're dreading the many temptations, confused looks and underhanded comments as you politely try to pass on all the delicious Holiday treats.

But don't be discouraged! You can still get through the Holidays while staying true to your nutritional goals and enjoying some delicious Holiday meals.

Six Tips to Get Through the Holiday’s on IP

Tip #1: Feeling the pressure to not offend friends when you go to a holiday function as a guest? Instead of sacrificing your diet to be polite, be open with your friends and family and explain your goals and what you are trying to do. Remember your family loves you, they will get over you not eating “their food” when you remind them you are trying to be healthier so you can be around for more family celebrations.

Tip #2: Tons of food is being gifted and shared at work, and they are all foods you are trying to avoid, what should you do? Make sure you do not skip meals, and if you can, eat at your desk, then that will save you from going to the room where all of the goodies are. Bring goodies you can eat and make enough to share.

Tip #3: When family traditions revolve around food. “It’s just not Christmas unless we eat…” Remember there is always next year, and that Christmas is not about the food it’s about family and giving.

Tip #4:  It is possible that the food you are regretting not eating today is the food that got you where you are now. Focus on a specific goal, “I want to be at 140 pounds by December 31^st, and I need to lose 2 pounds a week to do that, I can only reach that if I give my diet 100%." Sometimes, the more specific the goal, the more likely you are to stick with it.

Tip #5: Prepare your meals ahead of time! If you know you're going to a party or family celebration, be sure to pack your own food so you won't be tempted to "make an exception" while trying to stick to your protocol.

Tip #6:  Surround yourself with supportive people! Let those close to you know that you are trying to take care of your health. Most of the time, the more people that know what you are trying to do, the more they can support and accommodate you.

Need some Ideal Protein Holiday recipe alternative ideas? Click the link to download our customized recipe guide.

Ideal Protein Holiday Recipe Guide