The last couple of days have been stressful to say the least. I talk and blog a lot on stress. It’s actually my favorite topic. Why? Because everyone can relate to it. Everyone has experienced it in some capacity. Some worse than others. I have said before that you can not avoid stress, it’s impossible. But it is how you are going to respond or react to it that makes all the difference. This week I have been thinking that I need to respond with a vacation. And it reminded me of a funny little story that Im going to tell you in a little bit. My wife and I have made vacationing a priority. You wouldn’t believe the number of people I meet that have all of these vacation stored up from work that they have not used. Vacations are essential for eliminating stress, avoiding burnout, and in maintaining healthy relationships. I often think what are you storing them up for? It doesn’t make sense to go years without a vacation. Now a vacation doesn’t have to be extravagant, it can just be a staycation. But take them! No job is as important as your family life and health.
   Now on to the story and then I will tie it all back in, or at least try. My wife and I were on a vacation a few years ago staying at a timeshare that my parents own. And like every timeshare they had a presentation that if you went to it you would get a gift for sitting through it. Now most people loathe these timeshare presentations, but I thought I had the perfect excuse on why I wasn’t buying, my parents already owned there. It didn’t go quite as smooth as I thought it would.
   I should have headed the warning that the inedible powdered eggs gave me when we first got there. But I didn’t. And once we got face to face with the closer. I went straight to my plan, my parents already own here, I can go here any time I want, yada yada… She did not like my answer though, so we went back and forth. Crossing out price after price after price. Explaining once again, it didn’t matter what price she put on the paper. Finally she went to the big guns, she went and got her manager. And I told her the same story that I had told her coworker for the last two hours. She also did not like my answer and looked over at her co worker and said “I guess the Sanford’s just aren’t committed to vacationing.” My first thought was did she really just say that? What nerve? She DON’T KNOW ME! And actually that was my thought for the rest of the trip. But we got our gift, which was a good one that we could use on the current vacation and went on our way. It took me a while, cooling off period, to think more about her rude little remark. But then I asked myself am I committed to vacationing? When my office gets busy, life gets busy, am I committed? From that point on my wife and I made a commitment to vacationing. And there have been times where we have taken vacations that were not the most “practical” time to take a vacation. But again we are committed. I know being committed to vacationing sounds funny. But you know what sounds even funnier? Having stored up vacation days from not taking a vacation for years.      

   What is your first thought when your alarm clock goes off in the morning? Is it, you got to be kidding me? Or please just 10 more minutes right before you hit the snooze button. I often hear people say that they just aren't a morning person, or they are more of a night owl. I don't really think there is such a thing as a "morning person" but I do believe there is a "I don't go to sleep early enough person". It is no secret that most of us do not get enough sleep, whether it is from staying up too late, or interrupted sleep from adrenal fatigue or stress. But what does that really mean? Lately there has been a lot of studies surfacing showing exactly how detrimental lack of sleep is to the human body. Specifically with depression, high blood pressure, high risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and premature death. Pretty bad right? 
   So we have already covered the health consequences associated with lack or loss of sleep but today I want to talk mow about mindset. I have read a lot of books, a lot of them with common themes, self improvement, succeeding in life, or articles on successful or important people, and the central figures in every single story has one thing in common. A morning routine. I'm serious I do not think I have ever read something about a successful person that didn't start with going over their morning routine. Or even them contributing a lot of their success to it. And by morning routine i am not talking about brushing your teeth and grabbing a bagel as you run out the door late to work. Most all of these people practiced a similar routine, it usually involved exercise, reading something, meditation or prayer, self talk or affirmations, and expressing gratitude. I know some of you can't imagine getting a routine like this in first thing in the morning. But maybe that's why most of these people contribute it to their success, because it's so uncommon, too difficult for the average person to do. Think about the mindset you would start your day with after a routine like this. Now think about the mindset you have when you are running late, rushed, panicked, and stressed. Very different. I challenge you to go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, and establish a morning routine that prepares you for success. Watch the difference it has on your life. 

   It's that time of year again, summer is coming to a close. Cooler temperatures are headed our way, especially noticeable this weekend. This time of year is also special for something else, the media made mass hysteria of Flu Season! Oh no it's coming again! Like I say every year, they say the same thing every single year. And they have already started saying it again this year. "It's going to be the worse flu season we have ever seen!" 
   If you don't already know by now, your news and media is heavily influenced by corporations, sponsorship's, and advertising dollars. And one large agenda that is pushed every year is to make sure as many American's get the Flu shot. If you pay attention to what they say you will notice their pattern, "worse flu ever", "there is going to be a shortage of flu shots this year". This is actually excellent marketing and basic supply and demand. They create a hysteria with scare tactics, so it makes the consumer demand the product (the flu shot), then they create a false scare of there being a shortage of the product, creating even more hysteria. You are going to tell me there is a shortage of flu shots when I can't go to any grocery store or pass any corner with out a sign to get one? And if you know it was going to be the worse flu season ever don't you think you make enough to go around? Please.
   Start looking for and noticing the language they use, "predicted" as “high morbidity and mortality” and “high hospitalization rates”, "severe illness", and “deadly and unpredictable”. It's the FLU, you would think we were in the movie "Outbreak".
   So what's wrong with getting the Flu Shot? Where do I begin? It's filled with toxic crap. For two radio shows I did on the topic you can listen to them here. http://www.adjustdallas.com/media.html Not to mention it flat out doesn't work, every year it's a guessing game where they try to guess the strands that are going to hit. And every year, they're wrong, and almost everyone that I talk to that got a flu shot ended up getting the flu. I honestly can go on forever about the harmful effects of the toxic ingredients used in the flu shot, but this then wouldn't be a blog, it would be a novel. But just know this, by this year more than 2.5 Billion (with a B) has been awarded for vaccine injuries through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. So you might want to think twice before getting a vaccine for the Flu.   
   So what can we do to avoid getting the flu? Glad you asked, you can start by getting on a Vitamin D supplement, more specifically Vitamin D3. We carry a great one in the office. But be careful where you are getting your supplements, in more plain English I WOULD'NT TAKE A SUPPLEMENT FROM WALMART. In fact any other grocery store or chain vitamin store. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA to begin with (EVEN though the Fraudulent Drug Administration is bought out everyday and does a piss poor job of regulating anything) and supplements are a dirty business. We only carry the highest quality supplements at Adjust with the purest ingredients possible. So stop in and stock up. If your are not in Dallas/ Ft. Worth area we can also ship these to you.

  I posted an article yesterday on social media that was titled "Scientists Disagree With Published Clinical Trial Results One-Third Of The Time". I will put the link at the bottom of this blog. Does that shock you? That these doctors and scientists dont even agree with each other. It doesn't shock me at all. Because I have said numerous times you can find a study to support any claim. The pharmaceutical companies are a prime example. We are now finally admitting that we have been wrong the last 30 years when it comes to nutrition, to avoid saturated fats like butter. So basically everything that you have been told your entire life, unless you have been in one of my talks, has been wrong. That's nice. That is why you don't need a study to tell you what decision to make when it comes to your health. Sure they are nice to reference from time to time, but you have to be so picky on who to trust. And take everything with a grain of salt, cross compare data, other studies, it can be exhausting. So what do you do? It is so much easier, use common sense! Which is obviously not that common anymore. Is putting this drug in my body for the next 10 years going to turn out good? Probably not, probably going to come with some side effects seen or unseen. Poisoning yourself with chemo and radiation once you have cancer but not making any lifestyle changes, common sense? And we wonder why it comes back. Sitting at a desk for 10 hours a day and not doing anything to counteract the literal decay your body is going through. Common sense? Thinking a magic diet or pill will solve your weight problems. Or thinking you need a prescription for fish oil. Look, I could go on forever. The point is use common sense, critical thinking, investigate. I believe in a universal health principle. I call it God made vs Man made. I believe if you eat or use more God made food and products vs Man made you will be better off. Simple right? Don't need a study to tell me if it is God made.  

http://www.medicaldaily.com/would-data-sharing-end-crisis-confidence-science-third-clinical-trial-conclusions-may-be-302162

   I recently had a patient come in to me who had been on cholesterol lowering medication for years. After working on their diet and exercising more regularly the patient went back in to their primary physician and had a follow up blood test. Their blood work came back great! Cholesterol was normal! Actually even low. So what was her doctor's response? Stay on the meds. What? Stay on the meds?
   What is this doctor thinking? So I asked my patient what she did, she said she told her she wasn't going to take them anymore. I wondered if maybe the doctor thought that her cholesterol was that low just because of the drug, but my patient assured me she told her about her lifestyle changes. So what could it be then? Like I said before this patient's cholesterol was actually pretty low on the follow up, in the low 120's. I wondered if the doctor knew about the potential side effects associated with long term statin use. I wondered if she knew they were never designed to be on for longer than 6 months to begin with while the patient makes lifestyle changes. I wondered if she knew that there has been no long term testing of statin drugs. I wondered if she knew the risk associated with low cholesterol and frontal lobe disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's. I wondered if she knew just how much your brain needed cholesterol to thrive. I also wondered if she had ever had any patients in her office in liver failure from statins like I have. This patient was a female but I wondered if she was a male would she know about the link between stains and low testosterone, or would she put him on androgel if he had low T? So what did I say to my patient when she asked what I thought this doctor was thinking? I simply said she has nothing else for you. 

   I think most people have a general misconception on how the business of medicine works. I think the first and biggest misconception is that it is a business to begin with. I think most people have this idea that pharmaceutical companies or industry are some how teamed up with the government (which they actually are just not to the point I'm making) and they have all our best interests in mind. Like there is some kind of treaty or agreement that because they deal in medicine that they would never do any harm. Or that they would never lie or try to deceive us. Or maybe people visualize that there are just doctors and scientists in labs making drugs and trying to save the world. How can I put it simple, medicine is a business PERIOD. 
   Pharmaceutical companies are for profit corporations that make a killing if you haven't noticed. I think we some how give them a pass to do whatever they want because occasionally they turn out some drugs that save lives. But these companies are there to make money, now I'm not against making money, but I am against manipulating and falsifying studies, buying off politicians, and lying about potential side effects to do so.
   I think decisions can be made easier if you look at drug companies like any other business. Meaning they produce and sell a product for profit. Just like with any other product on the market it is your job as the consumer to decide if you want or need the product. You wouldn't let someone else decide for you if you should buy a new car would you? And when you are car shopping you probably do some research, visit dealerships, read reviews, read third party test comparisons in order to make that decision. Am I correct? So why do we make decisions to take drugs or which drugs to take so blindly? We go in to the process so ignorant, without educating ourselves before. Your health is much more important than a new car purchase, so it would probably be a good idea to know a little bit about drugs you are prescribed. You wouldn't believe the amount of patients I meet that don't know the name of a drug they're on or what it's for. Scary right? 

   Today at lunch while I was checking out at Whole Foods, I paused for second as I saw my total ring up. Sixteen Bucks! I don't know why this made me think today, I looked down at my items, did I get other things? Nope, just my lunch. A high PH alkalizing water and a plate full of their healthy items from their self serve area. Pretty hefty little price tag for a quick grab lunch isn't it? I don't know why some times it shocks me when I check out, and sometimes it doesn't phase me at all. I guess sticker shock can even affect a seasoned health vet like myself sometimes. 
   I have said many times that most people would be shocked if they knew how much my family spent on groceries, supplements, and health items. I also joke that the vitamins and supplements that I sell in my office is just to subsidize my own habit. And I have preached long and hard on the worth and rewards of buying organic and higher quality. But today I want to ask you what would be my alternative? So say I didn't want to spend $16 anymore for my lunch what could I do. Eat less? I think Whole Food's self serve area runs around $8/lb, so that could cut some cost. But then my patients wouldn't like me anymore, I can get pretty hangry. So then the only alternative would be to lessen my standards. Shop somewhere else. So how low would I be willing to set my new standards? Break my core values and beliefs, to what? Save a buck? If I went to McDonald's or Taco Bell what would my total be? Maybe 7 or 8 bucks probably with tax. Is it really that much more to shop at Whole Foods? I'm not even going to touch on that the quality of food earns and deserves that price when compared to the alternative. But what is an extra 8 bucks going to do for me long term? Probably not much. Now I know some of my patients who are accountants right now are going to read this and say well if you saved $8 a day 5 days a week, that's $40 a week, $160 month, and just under $2000 a year! First, I don't eat at Whole Foods everyday. But second what is that extra 2k per year materialize as? Not much. I just had a plumbing bill that cost more than that at home and an AC repair bill at the office that cost more than that. My point is it doesn't go that far. Especially when you compare it to the unmeasurable. The unmeasurable being the impact on your health. The future healthcare costs, the likely shortened lifespan from the possible death from cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. The years that you will miss with your kids or grandkids. The poor quality of life you have before you die. The lost income you will miss from poor performance or shortened work span. These things are unmeasurable but have a huge ripple effect. So back to my $16 lunch. What's it worth? Every single penny. And even I have to remind myself sometimes at the checkout counter.