Wellness Warriors Walking Club

Taking Steps Towards Wellness: Wellness Warriors Walking Club, founded by the wellness team at Southern Illinois Chiropractic Center in Maryville, Illinois, offers our patients and community a structured way to get moving, an extremely important aspect to any health and wellness routine. Walks are available Monday-Thursday in the morning and in the evening from May 5, 2011-September 29, 2011 (see schedule below). Walk all four days or pick the days that are most convenient for you. For best results, we recommend walking a minimum of two days per week. Walks will start at 30-minutes in length for the first two weeks and then increase to 60-minutes in length. Please know we will have walkers of all levels participating in the club. Strollers are welcome!

Wellness Warriors Health Screenings with Dr. Barry: We have set aside multiple 15-minute sessions with Dr. Barry DeLassus forcomplimentary health screenings. To prepare for walking, all club members will receive a complimentary computerized spinal stress scan and blood pressure screening to determine their ability to participate in the club. When you register we will schedule your appointment, or we will contact you if we receive your registration via mail. Club members will also receive all club materials at thisappointment.

Wellness Warriors Walking Club Info:
Schedule: Monday & Wednesday 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Where: We will meet at the CMT YMCA in Maryville and walk the Madison County Trails. The CMT YMCA is located at 1 Town Center Drive in Maryville. In case of inclement weather, walking for the day will be canceled and rescheduled for a different day and time.

Fees: 12 and under: Free
13 and above: $30 for an individual participant fee
$55 for two members of the same household
$75 for three members of the same household
$95 for four members of the same household
$115 for five members of the same household
*All participants 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult at every walking club session.

All paid participants will receive a pedometer, water bottle, drawstring bag, t-shirt, a Wellness Warriors Walking Club discount card good for 10% off all services and products at Southern Illinois Chiropractic Center and a discounted registration for the Healthy Hustle 5K sponsored by Southern Illinois Chiropractic Center in September 2011. Cash, check and charge are accepted at time of registration. All fees are non-refundable.

We will be keeping track of steps each session and will award prizes from local health and wellness professionals for walking milestones!

Need more information? Please contact Melissa DeLassus at (618) 288-7991 or via email at melissa@SpineSmart.com

Wellness Warriors Walking Club Partners: CMT YMCA & Greenstar Eco-Enterprises

Stretching Your Way to Better Health

Taking time out of your day to stretch can improve posture, increase flexibility, relieve stress, improve circulation and prevent injury. Always make certain that the following muscles are stretched: hamstrings (back of thigh), quadriceps (front of thigh), calf, hip, neck, shoulders and back. I have many stretches specific to your health and wellness routine in the office. Please be sure to ask me for them at your next appointment.


The “Do’s and Do Not’s” of Stretching

1. Do hold each stretch for at least 15 seconds and perform each stretch twice.
2. Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to flow to your muscles.
3. Do not stretch cold muscles. Walk for just a few minutes to get your muscles warmed up before you start stretching them.
4. Do not bounce. Hold your stretches to prevent muscles tears and injury.
5. Do not push past your resistance point. If it hurts, stop.
6. Do stretch between chiropractic adjustments and massages. Well stretched muscles make for a better functioning nervous system.

Making Exercise Fun!

No one said that quality exercise can only take place in a gym. Below are some fun and easy ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, and the routine of your family.

1. Designate one day during the weekend as a "no media day". Turn off the televisions, computers, game systems and cell phones and go outside. Take a walk in the park, kick around a soccer ball, play catch or shoot some hoops. You are staying active and spending time with those you care about!

2. Have a dance party! Either by yourself or with your family and friends. Crank up your favorite tunes and let loose in the comfort of your own home.

3. Do you subscribe to Netflix? They have many "Watch Instantly" exercise videos to choose from that you can do any time of day. Melissa enjoys the 10-Minute Solution videos. They are quick and fit into a busy schedule.

4. On your next trip to Wal-Mart, Schnucks or the mall, park far away from the entrance and take some extra steps. Make this a habit everywhere you park. This is a small step for the greater good of your health.

5. When you go golfing, walk the course and carry your clubs instead of taking a cart.

6. Join the Southern Illinois Chiropractic Center Walking Club to launch in April!

Eat Well: Choosing Organic for a Healthier You

The saying is true, we are what we eat. Now more than ever we need to be aware of not only what we are eat, but how it is made and ultimately how it effects our health and well-being. Instead of your cup of coffee (or whatever beverage you partake in when you wake up), would you be willing to drink a cup of fertilizer or growth hormones? I bet you say no, but we ingest them everyday in the foods we eat. Most crops in the United States today are grown with any combination of chemicals including pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and fungicides. The residue from these chemicals are found on the fruits and vegetables we eat. In conventional raising of farm animals hormones are used to promote faster growth and antibiotics are used to ward of infections due to the conditions they are raised in. Americans are feeding themselves harmful toxins everyday which is increasing their chances of cancer, diabetes and compromised immune system.

The only way to ensure what we eat is not contributing to ill health, is by switching to items grown organically. Organic farmers ban the use of chemicals, antibiotics and hormones in the growth of their fruits and vegetables, and in the raising of their farm animals.

To switch everything you eat to organic is one of the best ways to ensure what you are eating is the best for you. However, it can be a very expensive venture. An easier and cost effective way to add organic is over time. Replace 1-2 items per month on your grocery list to organic. Shop-n-Save, Schnucks and Dierbergs all offer a selection of organic foods. The Land of Goshen Farmers Market in Edwardsville, which opens May 7th, features many local farmers who sell organic meats, eggs, fruits and vegetables at a very reasonable price. Better yet, grow your own garden!

Some items that are easy to replace and are available at local grocery stores and farms include:
Fruits: Apples, Bananas, Oranges and Grapes
Vegetables: Cucumbers, Celery, Carrots and Green Peppers

Lettuce (Earth Bound Organic Hearts of Romaine)
Eggs

When it comes to meat and chicken, look for items that say range free or grass fed. Animals

raised in these environments are free to be in the fresh air and find natural sources for their
food, like grass for cows, instead of corn. Also, the animal could not be given any antibiotics,
bovine human growth hormones or drugs.

Please let us know how you eat healthier with organic. The more we know, the more we can educate our patients for a healthier life!

Massage for the Mom to Be

Taking time for yourself during pregnancy is essential. Massage allows pregnant moms to unwind and feel serene, healthy, and comforted during a period of added physical and emotional stress. Benefits of massage for the mom to be include, but are not limited to:

• Eases backaches, headaches, shoulder and neck aches that may be caused by muscle tension and shifts in posture to accommodate increasing weight
• Decreases pain in the pelvic/hip area
• Increases circulation
• Improves digestion
• Reduces fatigue
• Improves skin elasticity that can help reduce stretch marks
• Helps reduce swelling in such places as hands and lower legs
• Can alleviate the stress on weight-bearing joints, like the knees, which are impacted by the extra weight of a growing baby
• Promotes relaxation and deep breathing
• Helps stabilize hormone levels by lessening anxiety

If you, or someone you know, is pregnant and in the 2nd or 3rd trimester, schedule a massage with Tina and Ashley, who both regularly perform prenatal massage. They will be able to help the mom to be meet her health and wellness goals.

Should Kids Get Adjusted? YES!

Who really needs chiropractic care anyway? Is chiropractic just for the aches and pains that we seem to think creep up on us as we age? Or is there a way to prevent these symptoms from even occurring by introducing a whole new generation to the benefits of chiropractic care?

Currently, there is a major shift in the way health care professionals are beginning to look at health and wellness. Chiropractors are leading the way in this revolution to educate and empower the public to make more informed and natural health care choices. Fully informed and empowered families are future of health care. You owe it to your family to be a part of the wellness revolution.

The most current research is showing that chiropractic adjustments are extremely effective in caring for many child and teen conditions. Numerous articles and case studies have been published recently documenting the efficacy of chiropractic in treating chronic ear infections, asthma, colic, sports injuries and even irritable bowel syndrome. These and other conditions are all able to be treated with safe, non-invasive chiropractic care because they are all related to the nervous system, the master system which controls and regulates every other cell, tissue, and organ in the body.

What would it mean to a family if a child didn’t need to have tubes placed in his or her ears in an attempt to reduce the frequency of chronically occurring ear infections? Would it make a difference if a child could be less dependent on an inhaler medication to ease their breathing? Wouldn’t it be great if a little leaguer or high school athlete could perform at the best level possible without aches and pains? What if there was another way to look at health that was natural, safe, and less dependent upon drugs and surgery? Wouldn’t that be the logical place to start when seeking health care for a child?

Especially in the case of children, when a chiropractor adjusts the spine, their developing nervous system is free of interference and allows the body to function, grow, and mature at an optimum level. It should come as no surprise that when the nervous system is functioning properly every other system in the body will begin functioning better as well. The long-term benefit to maintaining spinal health over a lifetime is seen when issues such as aches, pains, arthritis, and disc degeneration which were once thought to be a normal process of aging are now being shown to occur much less frequently in chiropractic patients who have been getting adjusted from a very young age. Consult a chiropractor and give your child the gift of life-long health today!

This article is brought to you by Dr. Barry DeLassus of Southern Illinois Chiropractic Center. www.SpineSmart.com

Welcome to Wellness Rewards

At Southern Illinois Chiropractic Center we are rewarding you for making your health a priority with chiropractic wellness care and massage therapy!

Receive your Wellness Rewards card at your progress exam or your first wellness visit of the year. Fill up your rewards card and receive a complimentary adjustment or a $40 60-minute massage with Tina or Ashley!

Here is how it works:

1. One box will be checked for each paid chiropractic adjustment or massage service you receive. Two boxes will be checked when you receive an adjustment and massage together. (Complimentary adjustments and complimentary massages are excluded from the rewards program.)

2. Your rewards card is valid for 5 months after the first date of service in order to receive your complimentary adjustment or discounted massage. Multiple cards can be utilized throughout the year.

3. Once your card had been filled, you will receive a choice between a complimentary adjustment or a $40 one hour massage at our office. A new card will be given to you at that time.

4. Please show your rewards card at time of service. Boxes will not be filled for visits where the card was not presented. Patients 18 and older are eligible for this program.

5. If you misplace your card, we will be happy to give you a new one and that card will start on the first day of service. The misplaced card will be null and void.

For any Wellness Reward Program questions, please contact Melissa DeLassus at (618) 288-7991.