South Windsor Neck & Back - August 2018

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COLUMN AUG 2018

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Everything I Know The Man Who Taught Me

Celebrating My Mentor, Dr. George Curry

Whether they’re willing to admit it or not, every person who’s happy with their lives has a long list of people to thank for their success. Though we sometimes don’t even realize it, these mentors give us the guidance that steers us along the right path and offer encouragement when times get tough. Others just show us the ropes when we have no idea what we’re doing. I can say without a doubt that without Dr. George Curry, a chiropractor here inWindsor who was a tremendous influence on my practice, it’s difficult to imagine where I’d be today.

own. Of course, when guidance was needed, he was there, but he trusted me enough to allow me to learn by doing, for which I’ll forever be grateful.

He was a lot like a coach in many ways. For instance, he would often avoid speaking to any of his associates unless he absolutely needed to. I’d learn about his storied life

and background later on, but I definitely didn’t get any fascinating personal details from him directly. But when he had advice for you, he was completely open, and would help you figure out whatever you needed to know. It was an invaluable 3 1/2 years of learning from one of the best in the business.

... Dr. Curry would tend to leave me to my own devices, forcing me to figure it out on my own.”

When I first graduated from chiropractic school, I had a dream of starting my own practice but wasn’t sure just what to do right away. But my aunt had been seeing a chiropractor here inWindsor for years and noticed he was frequently taking associates under his wing and giving them a crash course in applied chiropractic care. So, I applied for a job at his practice, and I was hired and thrown right into the deep end of the career I would make my life’s work. Dr. Curry is an interesting guy, with a huge amount of experience in the field. Every day working with himwas an eye-opening experience. I constantly faced new challenges, requiring new thinking and a fresh approach to treatment. But instead of spelling every little step out for me and doing the work for me, Dr. Curry tended to leave me to my own devices, forcing me to figure it out on my

To this day, we still keep in touch. Once or twice a year, we’ll cover one another’s offices when the other is on vacation. I remember once, almost 13 years after I’d struck out on my own, I went back to work in his office for a day while he was gone. The phone was ringing off the hook with patients who had remembered me from before! “You made it busier!” he told me gruffly. It’s a good feeling to know that I made an impact on my patients’ lives, but honestly, I know that I have Dr. Curry to thank for teaching me when I was new to the profession. I may have been a little slower than most back then, and I definitely tested his patience every now and then, but I’m incredibly grateful that he kept me on and taught me nearly everything I know. –Dr. Chris Colby

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“Relief today ... function for life!”

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860.644.2437

Don’t Put Up

With a

Beauty products canmake us feel just that —beautiful. A swipe of mascara, a touch of blush, and a dab of lipstick are all you need to accentuate your favorite features. But if you’re not looking carefully at what’s in those products, youmay want to look again. Your skin is your biggest organ— it’s vulnerable to whatever you put on it, but many people don’t pay enough attention to what they expose their skin to. In a recent interview, the“Today”show unveiled that beauty and skincare products do not have to be approved by the FDA. In fact, only 11 ingredients are banned from cosmetics in the U.S. Across the ocean, the list grows exponentially—Europe has 1,328 ingredients banned from theirs. In thisWildWest state of beauty products, the responsibility for finding out what’s in your makeup is up to one person: you. Before you trash your makeup bag or move to Great Britain, check out the list below to learn what ingredients to look out for and how to avoid them. Know which ingredients are cause for alarm. While the health effects of many ingredients remainmysterious, a few commonly used ones have shown links to serious diseases. Parabens and phthalates, for example, are found in a wide array of products, from foundation to hair spray, but are now considered“endocrine disrupting chemicals”by researchers and show links to diabetes 3 Ways to Break Up With Harmful Beauty Products Toxic Relationship

and hormone-related cancers. While the FDA hasn’t taken action because of a lack of information, doctors and researchers are concerned, which is reason enough to avoid products containing these chemicals. Look to transparent research organizations for guidance. When you’re trying to educate yourself about clean beauty products, don’t trust everything you read on the internet. Instead, look to reputable organizations that prioritize research-based information. For example, the nonprofit, nonpartisan group called the EnvironmentalWorking Group (EWG) is a great resource for cosmetic product knowledge. The EWG even has a subsite called the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database dedicated to providing research and data on almost any beauty product you can buy. Type in your brand of hand lotion, for example, and you’ll get an overall hazard score with a breakdown of each ingredient’s potential health risks. Beware of buzzwords. A shampoomight claim to be“all-natural”with botanical ingredients, and the bottle’s green, leaf-wrapped design seems to agree. But buzzwords like“natural”and“plant- based”can be misleading. Poison ivy is natural, but you don’t want it in a shampoo. Don’t fall for these gimmicks. The next time you go to the store to choose a“cleaner” shampoo, come equipped with a list of ingredients that you want to avoid. Your health and your hair will thank you for it.

BACK ON TRACK

“Dr. Colby is absolutely the best. I have visited himmultiple times — before foot surgeries, after waking up with severe neck pain, and to help my lower back. He thoroughly explains everything he does, makes sure the patient is comfortable with his recommendations, and goes to work. His adjustments ALWAYS make me feel 100 percent better — after all, your spine controls everything in your body, and when it’s aligned the way it should be, you just feel amazing. He has been an IMMENSE Hear from our happy clients!

“As a former football player, I started to feel the effects of all the years of doing damage to my body. I went to see Dr. Colby to try chiropractic care and start feeling better. From the first visit, I knew I had made the right choice in chiropractors; he went over in great detail what he saw in my X-ray and then composed a strategy to get me healed. I really appreciated how Dr. Colby told

me the ‘why’ of ‘what’ he was doing; he explained to me the reasoning and methodology behind his care. I would highly recommend Dr. Colby to anyone looking to feel like a brand-new person.”

help after my foot surgeries and is extremely personable. I highly recommend anyone see Dr. Colby (especially when you’re feeling good) to prevent problems before they start!” –Erin Blackburn

–Patrick Greene

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860.644.2437

“Relief today ... function for life!”

www.functionforlife.com

A Safe, Noninvasive Solution CHRONIC EAR INFECTIONS?

Try Chiropractic

Ear infections can be excruciating. Any parent whose child has suffered from the nasty ailment has known the hours of screeching, crying pain it can bring. And, unfortunately, it’s one of the most common childhood illnesses in the world. Most of the time, ear infections show up briefly and go away without issue. But in more serious cases, if left untreated, they can become lasting issues that do a lot of damage to the ear over time. If your child is suffering from frequent ear infections, something may be wrong, warranting a visit to a trusted medical provider. Most traditional doctors will prescribe your child antibiotics to treat an ear infection, but this may only provide temporary relief until the next infection affects your child’s ear. What’s more, antibiotics will kill the good bacteria in your child’s body as well, predisposing them to further infection and illness. In more serious

cases, doctors may even suggest invasive surgery to fix the issue. Instead, consider going to the chiropractor, who is equipped with all kinds of tools to eliminate your child’s persistent ear discomfort in a natural, noninvasive way. By adjusting your child’s spine and removing any subluxations, we can boost the immune system and keep the body’s natural pathways flowing smoothly, allowing your child’s body to heal itself over time. While chiropractic isn’t a miracle cure for ear infections, it’s a powerful tool for fostering healing mechanisms with the body, thus eliminating infection and preventing it from returning again. Don’t let your child suffer with chronic ear infections. Call Dr. Chris Colby at 860.644.2437 today and activate your child’s body’s healing potential!

TAKE a Break

Angie Colby’s Watermelon Salsa

What better way to close out the summer thanwith the fruity zest of some goodwatermelon salsa? It’s easy tomake and the perfect kind of refreshing dish for a late-summer cookout.

Ingredients

• • • • • • •

1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest (about 1 lime’s worth) 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes’ worth)

• • • • •

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sugar Freshly ground pepper

Fresh basil, to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

3 cups seeded and finely chopped watermelon

Tortilla or pita chips, for serving

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 mango, peeled and diced

Directions

Add the lime juice into a bowl, and stir in lime zest, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the watermelon, cucumber, mango, jalapeno, onion, and basil, tossing gently with each addition. Chill the salsa in the fridge until it’s ready to serve. Just before you dip in that first chip, add the garlic salt, then dig in!

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“Relief today ... function for life!”

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Inside This Issue

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Dr. Colby on a Key Chiropractic Mentor

Is It Time to Detoxify Your Makeup? Hear From Our Clients

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How Chiropractic Can Eliminate Ear Infections

Angie’s Watermelon Salsa

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How to Prepare Your Kids for School

It may not feel like it yet, but summer is coming to a close, and summer break is ending along with it. Soon, the kids will be back to early-morning breakfasts before the school bus arrives and late-night study sessions. Thankfully, there are some steps your family can take during these closing weeks of summer to ensure your kids hit the ground running this school year. SET AN EARLY BEDTIME For many kids, summer schedules are flexible. They may have become accustomed to sleeping in and staying up late without any obligations. Getting back into the rhythm of the school year can take some getting used to. In fact, according to psychologist Cherie Valeithian, it can take upward of two weeks to properly adjust to a new sleep-wake cycle. So why not give your kids a head start and ensure they begin the school year bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? OUTLINE A HOMEWORK SCHEDULE Resuming a homework regimen can be a difficult transition for some kids. Late summer, when they don’t have assignments to worry about yet, can be a great opportunity to help them prepare for the School Year Your Kids 3 Ways to Mentally Prepare

a study schedule. Ask the following questions to help them get started:“Do you want to dive right into homework when you get home? Do you need to accommodate for a sport or extracurricular activity? Do you work best when doing your assignments in one large chunk, or would you prefer taking breaks in between assignments?” Your kids may find that last year’s schedule doesn’t work for them this year. Emphasize that this is okay; part of growing up is learning how and when you work most effectively. Don’t be afraid to help them switch things up as the school year progresses. ASK YOUR KIDS HOW THEY FEEL Maybe your kids are excited about the school year. Maybe they are anxious, or perhaps they’re just disappointed to see summer vacation come to an end. Starting a dialogue about the aspects of school your kids are looking forward to and those they’re dreading can help you dispel myths and identify problem areas. More than anything else, this can help your kids feel at ease about the coming year.

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860.644.2437

“Relief today ... function for life!”

www.functionforlife.com

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