Obama Health Care Plan - Good or Bad?

October 1st, 2009
Quite a few people have been asking me what I think about the new proposed “health care” plan from the Obama administration.  Some people think it’s the best thing since sliced bread and others are scared almost to death by it.  Here’s my take on it.
It’s not a health care plan at all!  What do I mean by that?   I mean it’s not about health. It’s concerned with medical insurance.  Medical insurance is typically used to “fix a problem,” not proactively increase health.  Think about it.  It’s how we were raised.  It’s how we were “trained” to think about health as a society.  If I’m moving around and not in pain, or even if I’m in pain or feeling sluggish, but I can still drive myself to work - I don’t need a doctor.  Right?  WRONG!
You see, with few exceptions, my experience of medical doctors is that their training is absolutely top-notch.  They are SUPER skilled at what they do.  BUT… they are almost exclusively trained to look for and treat disease, trauma, or  some other problem.  They aren’t trained in health care.  They are trained and concerned with pathology management.   I have to insert a comment hear, because I want to be uber clear.  I am SO thankful for modern pathology management!  If I’m in a bicycle race, fall and tear my bicep tendon in half or shatter my pelvis as I’m going down - I’ll be the first one to jump into an ambulance to see what the docs at the ER can do for me!  If you put your foot under a lawn mower, don’t call my clinic.  Call 9-1-1!  But can you see how this isn’t health care?  It’s taking care of an issue after it has occurred.
Health care {!firstname_fix}, in my eyes, is proactive.  It’s staying properly hydrated so your cells can efficiently perform their functions.  It’s consistently challenging your body with exercise so it can become stronger.  It’s resting and sleeping properly to encourage healing.  It’s getting energy work like acupuncture or  qigong to ensure your energy is flowing properly. And it’s getting body work like massage and chiropractic done regularly to promote healthy circulation of blood and lymph and a balanced nervous system.
It’s a simple paradigm shift.  Don’t wait for the Obama administration to fix your health. That’s your job!  Do what you can today to ensure that you don’t need to use your modern pathology management doctor.  They will be there with skilled hands if something out of your control happens but their office is usually the last place you want to be.
As a chiropractor, applied kinesiologist, and health coach I can help you identify simple changes you can make  in your life to truly increase your health and minimize your need for disease management.
To design your own personal Health Care Plan call me at 952-224-2909 or email me at DrChris@VibrantPotential.com to set up a time that we can talk.
Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,
Dr. Chris Frykman

Posted in Healthy Living | No Comments »

5 fats that will make you lean

September 30th, 2009

Let’s talk fat.

People are getting more sophisticated about weight loss all the time but a lot of people still think that to lose weight you should to cut fat out of your meals.  If you want to lose fat and be a lean mean healthy machine, you need to understand a couple things about fat.

Research shows that there are a lot of advantages to eating “good fats.”  A moderate amount of fat in your diet will help you lose weight, feel full longer, and avoid bingeing.  The trick of course is to eat healthy fats.  So here are five of the best fats you should be eating on a regular basis.

1. Fish

Fish like salmon, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines contain beneficial amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.  Most experts agree that eating two servings of fatty fish per week is safe for people worried about mercury or other toxins in the fish.  To glean even more benefits from this SUPER FAT - get on a good, clean fish oil supplement. Call me at 952-224-2909 or email me at DrChris@VibrantPotential.com if you’d like me to give you information on a great fish oil supplement.  There are several options.

2. Olive oil

Oils that are heart healthy include olive, grapeseed, and coconut, and are excellent sources of fat.  Tip:  Often times you need to be careful with cooking because many of the healthier fats have a low burn point.  They have also been shown to lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.  Moderate is important: you only need about a teaspoon of oil to get all of its benefits.

3. Avocados

Avocados are a great source of fat.  Another benefit of they have is when you eat avocados with other foods, like in a salad for example, you absorb more antioxidants and phytonutrients.  Avocado slices are great on salads, tacos, and even a burger!  For breakfast sometimes, I’ll even just mash up an avacado on my favorite toasting bread and sprinkle with pepper.  It’s a great way to have sustained energy for the morning.

4. Nuts

Almonds, pecans, and walnuts offer great nutrition - full of antioxidants, minerals, and monounsaturated fat.  Eating nuts on a regular basis also helps you weight less, partly because they’re high in fiber.  Another benefit of eating nuts is they’re rich and satisfying so it doesn’t feel like you’re eating “diet food!”

5. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds contain fat, protein, and fiber, and are a great addition to your diet.  You can grind them up and add them to salads, vegetables, oatmeal, or any other food where you want a nutty flavor added.  Flaxseeds are a plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, which make them a great choice for vegetarians or people who don’t like fish.  Because of the fiber content, eating flaxseeds will also help slow your digestion and keep your blood sugar stable.

Go ahead and try adding these fats to your meals on a regular basis.  Not all fats are bad, and these will be a great addition to your diet.

Email me with any comments or questions at DrChris@VibrantPotential.com.  Have a great day!

Helping you reach YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

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New Study Reveals Great News About Chiropractic!

September 22nd, 2009

I just came across some really cool news about chiropractic care that I wanted to share with you.

The health insurance company Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield did a one year pilot study in 2008 to measure patient quality of care, and the results of this study were just released.  What they found out about chiropractic care is very remarkable. They found that there are significant clinical outcomes and health care cost reductions directly attributable to the use of chiropractic care.
What this means is that chiropractic care did a very good job of getting results for patients, and those who used chiropractic care had lower total health care costs.
People using chiropractic care were also less likely to have surgery than similar people in the pilot study who did not receive chiropractic care.
While this is not the first study of its kind, this is the most recent proof that chiropractic care has a profound positive effect on your health and quality of life.  And for those people who choose to receive chiropractic care on a regular basis, they will not only be healthier, but their health care costs will be lower.
This study was done on chiropractic, which is powerful by itself, but think of how much more benefit you receive at Vibrant Potential when you add in nutritional counseling, energy work, kinesio taping, health coaching, applied kinesiology and all the rest.
If you know somebody who’s been struggling with their health, pass this information on to them and let them know that chiropractic care can help them out.
I was recently talking with one of my practice members and he mentioned how easy it is to simply hand his friends and co-workers my card if he hears them complaining about low energy or pain.  He just tells them to give me a call for a free phone consultation.  Doesn’t cost them a penny, they don’t have to take the time to drive in, and often times I can give useful self-help tips right over the phone.
If you have any questions or comments, just email me.  Otherwise, I’ll see you at your next appointment!

Helping you reach YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

P.S.  Remember, if you know someone that can benefit from my services but you don’t know how to tell them, it’s SUPER easy to hand them my card and let them know they can call for a free phone consult with your doc at 952-224-2909.

Posted in Chiropractic, Healthy Living | No Comments »

5 Red Flags In The Freezer Aisle

August 24th, 2009

Do you ever buy frozen foods at the grocery store? I’m sure you have. The main benefit of frozen foods is their convenience. Just pop them in the oven and it’s ready in no time at all – with no cooking required.

However, the frozen foods section is packed with dietary land mines that can sabotage your weight and health. So today I wanted to point out a few things to look for…and avoid…when buying frozen foods.

1. High Glycemic Load

Wheat flour, high fructose corn syrup, and other starchy ingredients are at the top of the ingredient list on most frozen foods. You’ll find that many have as many as 40 grams of carbohydrate per serving, with only a few grams of fiber. When you see that, this is your clue that you’re looking at a high-glycemic food that will spike your blood sugar, promote fat storage, and contribute to chronic disease.

2. Empty Calories

At first glance, it may seem that a packaged food provides decent nutrition (i.e. 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 5 grams of fiber per serving). But look closer at where those calories are coming from. Clean organic sources of protein? Healthy fats? Nutrient-rich veggies? Probably not. The bulk of ingredients in frozen foods are low quality and devoid of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc).

3. Filler Proteins

There is a filler called “soy protein isolate” that is found in many frozen foods. The reason it’s in the food is because it’s inexpensive. Don’t be duped into thinking soy protein isolate is a health food. It’s definitely not. And it is in almost every packaged frozen food, including organic ones like Amy’s and Kashi.

4. Unhealthy Fats

The label tells you that your ready-meal contains polyunsaturated fat - but it doesn’t tell you whether it is omega-6 fat or omega-3 fat. Omega-3 fats are critical to our health but severely lacking in the typical American diet. Omega-6 fats, on the other hand, are overly abundant and are one of the primary dietary causes of inflammation…the cornerstone of disease.

5. Sodium

In order to get bland-tasting wheat flour, beans, and rice to taste good, manufacturers rely on salt. Too much sodium, coupled with not enough potassium in the diet, is a recipe for high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

To make smart food choices, all it takes is an understanding of the factors that go into making food healthy (or unhealthy) and a little time spent on planning ahead. One food that I include in my diet is the Isagenix Isalean Shake. It’s super fast to make, packed with tons of good nutrients and enzymes, is low-glycemic, tastes great and is less expensive then just about any healthy meal you’ll find out there.
So look out for these ingredients when buying frozen foods, and try to avoid them if you can.

Helping you reach YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

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Too Much Cola Can Cause Muscle Problems

August 17th, 2009

I’m sure you’re well aware that drinking sodas aren’t the best thing for you, but check this out…

On May 27, Health Day reported that drinking too much cola can increase the risk of a muscle problem called hypokalemia.

What is hypokalemia?  In people with hypokalemia, a drop in blood potassium levels results in problems with vital muscle functions. Symptoms can range from mild weakness to serious paralysis.

Did you know that there are people out there drinking between 2 and 9 LITERS of cola PER DAY?  Isn’t that crazy?

“We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before, and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralization and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes,” and there’s increasing evidence that excessive cola consumption leads to hypokalemia, Dr. Moses Elisaf, of the University of Ioannina, said in the news release.

Elisaf said the three most common ingredients in cola — glucose, fructose and caffeine — can contribute to hypokalemia.

“The individual role of each of these ingredients in the pathophysiology of cola-induced hypokalemia has not been determined and may vary in different patients,” Elisaf said. “However, in most of the cases we looked at for our review, caffeine intoxication was thought to play the most important role. This has been borne out by case studies that focus on other products that contain high levels of caffeine but no glucose or fructose.”

However, “caffeine-free cola products can also cause hypokalemia because the fructose they contain can cause diarrhea,” Elisaf said.

So if you know anyone who drinks an abnormal amount of Coca-Cola or Pepsi, let them know that it could be very harmful to their muscles and their overall health.

Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

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Running May Protect Your Knees

August 12th, 2009
There was recently an interesting article published in the New York Times (read the whole article here) about long time runners actually having healthier knees than other similarly aged people that were non-runners.
The article discussed a couple of studies that point to the possibility that long term endurance running can actually protect your knees from degeneration (osteoarthritis) as you age. This is in direct conflict with conventional wisdom that says that running is terrible for your knees.
It’s a very interesting article and I recommend you check it out. I have two points to add.
The first point I’d like to make is one that was glossed over in the article. The studies mentioned seem to follow long-term runners that were CONSISTENT with their running. Exercise and training of all kinds tends to be more beneficial if it’s consistent. If there is a large fluctuation in the amount and intensity of exercise (think weekend warrior), then you’re less likely to get the benefits discussed in the article.
The second point is also one that was briefly mentioned but I’d like to briefly expand on. It was mentioned that if a muscle isn’t firing appropriately, say from an injury, then another muscle or other structure (ligament, cartilage, etc.) will have to compensate and try to pick up the slack, as it were. This is precisely the way that I often help athletes perform. Through something called applied kinesiology (AK) I can locate a muscle weakness and
better still, I can locate the source of the weakness and fix the problem, often times in just a visit or two to my office.
You see, often times, the body breaks down from the inside out. In other words, if you have a digestive system, immune system, nervous system or another part of the body that is stressed and not sending ideal messages to the rest of the body that will often times set you up for an injury.
Here’s a quick story of a person that I helped the morning of his race with just such an issue.
“I came to Dr. Frykman because I hurt my knee training for a race. I had a shooting pain every time I stood and I could hardly walk up stairs. I tried everything I could think of to relieve the pain but I was having no luck.

The day of the race it was worse than ever and I was ready to throw in the towel. In desperation I decided to talk to Dr. Frykman and he agreed to see me to try to fix the problem.

He was very professional and explained everything to me in a way that I could understand. After the session I couldn’t believe it when 95% of the pain was gone! I was so ecstatic! I was able to run the race with little problem.

I have to admit that at first I was skeptical but Dr. Frykman made me a believer. He has a customer for life. I would definitely recommend him to others.”

Tim Osterlund
Business Banking
So the moral of the story is make sure you’re getting consistent exercise and to really optimize your health, set up an appointment with an applied kinesiologist who can locate the source of any potential muscle weaknesses.
Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,
Dr. Chris Frykman

Posted in Exercise, Goal setting | No Comments »

Consumer Reports Rates Chiropractors Higher Than MDs…

August 10th, 2009

You’ve heard of Consumer Reports Magazine (and website), right? Well check this out…

In May 2009, Consumer Reports published the results of a survey involving over 14,000 of their subscribers.

The results showed that “hands on” treatments, led by chiropractic care, were the “top-rated” treatments for people suffering from back pain. The massage survey also found that chiropractors were given the highest “satisfaction with care” ratings, well above those given to medical doctors who administered various forms of care to back pain sufferers.

The survey found that more than half of the respondents had pain that severely limited their daily routine for a week or longer, and 88% said it recurred throughout the year. The report stated that while many go to a primary care physician for diagnosis and treatment, the majority were disappointed with the results.

On the other hand, the majority reported that they were “highly satisfied” with the care they received from chiropractors.

Respondents were also asked to rate the types of treatments they received. Again, chiropractic/spinal manipulation got the top honors.

Also in the results was Dr. Orly Avitzur, a medical neurologist saying, “The survey showed “hands-on” therapies, which include chiropractic care, are “very successful” and I almost always recommend them.”

This is exciting news because Consumer Reports has a great reputation. What’s also nice is that the positive comments are coming from people just like you and I, so no one’s trying to scam or manipulate what’s being reported.

I often tell my patients that chiropractic care is the best kept health care secret in America. And there continues to be more and more proof to back up my claim!!!

So if you know someone who could benefit from chiropractic care but is skeptical or unsure of whether or not chiropractic care could work for them, please pass this email on to them and share this information with them.

I’m sure you are like me and hate to see your friends and family suffer with pain, so let them know that chiropractic care is a proven option to restore their health and relieve their pain.

Have a great day and I’ll talk to you soon!

Dr. Chris Frykman

Posted in Chiropractic | No Comments »

The Health Benefits Of This Popular Activity…

August 6th, 2009

I know no one talks about sex a lot because most people find it a little embarrassing, but I came across an article that talked about the health benefits of sex and it’s pretty interesting.

It turns out, having a good sex life helps you stay happy, healthy, and fit…and it has numerous health benefits that even I didn’t know about.

For example, did you know that sex can actually cause you to get fewer colds? It’s true! Research has shown that couples who have sex weekly have a 30% increase in immunoglobulin A, which is an antibody that fights infections.

Sex also has the following positive health benefits:

* It helps women have a more predictable period cycle.

* It helps reduce stress levels – for physiological as well as emotional reasons. Sex activates a nerve that has a calming effect.

* It lowers blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart disease.

* It can reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol!

* It helps you tone your abs, gluts, and pretty much any muscle in your body.

* It increases estrogen levels, which improves the look of your hair, skin, and nails

* You get increased feelings of motivation from the release of endorphins

* Improved memory because of increased blood flow to the brain

* Boosts intimacy and self esteem from the increased levels of oxytocin (the love hormone)

So there you have it – a bunch of reasons why sex is beneficial to your overall health.

Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

Source: ABC News, June 16, 2009

Posted in Exercise | No Comments »

Are 20 Minute Workouts Any Good?

July 30th, 2009

We all know that exercise is very beneficial to a person’s health. So why don’t more people exercise on a regular basis? Is it lack of money? Or lack of motivation? Or the lack of equipment?

No. The #1 reason people don’t exercise is lack of time.

Martin Gibala, a kinesiology professor and exercise researcher at McMaster University says, “We know that 50% of the population doesn’t exercise and the most commonly cited barrier to exercise is the lack of time.”

Professor Gibala put his theory to the test in a study published in the Journal of Physiology. He compared a group of people that exercised a “traditional” 90 to 120 minutes a day to a group that only exercised 20 minutes a day, and only 3 days a week.

After only two weeks, BOTH groups showed improvement in exercise performance and oxygen uptake. What was interesting is that the improvement was almost identical in both groups. How can that be, you might be asking?

They found the group that only exercised for 20 minutes trained with greater focus and intensity. So IT IS possible to get a lot out of short focused workouts instead of longer one hour workouts.

In fact, this is just one of dozens of studies that confirm the benefits of shorter but more intense workouts. Just remember that HOW you exercise in those 20 minutes is the important thing. Intensity is the key, not duration.

So keep that in mind as you try to get everything into your busy schedule. And if you already exercise regularly, then try mixing things up and do a shorter and more intense workout. You’ll get a lot out of it and you will save yourself a lot of time.

If you want to talk about what’s most effective and/or safe for you, please feel free to shoot me an email at DrChris@VibrantPotential.com or call me at 952-224-2909.
Have a great day and I’ll talk to you soon!

Helping you live YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman
P.S. If you want to blast through a quick intense workout I know some AWESOME trainers that you can work with. It’s great to have someone knowledgeable walk you through a workout designed for YOU. Check out one of these great trainers near you.
Morgan Luzier
www.seek-balance.com
Danielle Pellicano
www.daniellepellicano.com
Angel Obert
http://www.angels-acme-bodyshop.com/Angels/Angel_Obert.html

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Information You Should Know About The Swine Flu

July 23rd, 2009

I’m not sure if you know this, but the swine flu is continuing to be in the news.  And now there’s talk about a “swine flu vaccine” that the drug company is rushing to manufacture.

There are a lot of red flags and questions being raised about the swine flu and this new vaccine, and I want you and your family to understand everything going on with this.

I’ve found some great information that just came out a few days ago that I want you to read so you have a better understanding of what is going on.  Take a moment and click the link below and read the article, as well as Dr. Mercola’s comments after the article.  It won’t take you long, but trust me, you WILL learn a lot and it is information you SHOULD know.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/07/04/Warning-Swine-Flu-Vaccine-Coming-Soon.aspx

Let me know if you have any questions.

Helping you reach YOUR Vibrant Potential,

Dr. Chris Frykman

Posted in Exercise | No Comments »

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