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(805) 648-7987 | www.venturaspineandnerve.com The Vertebral Column Health Transformations Without Toxic Medications
JULY 2018
A NEW HOME AND AN OLD METHOD Current Trends Inspired by Prehistoric Lifestyles
stations where people could learn through hands-on experiences. What I found the most intriguing was the large exhibit about dinosaurs. It was fascinating to see the fossilized bones that were 165 million years old. As a chiropractor, I couldn’t help but find the bones interesting and spent most of my time there examining the fossils
It’s one of the many natural phenomena that make our bodies amazing. During my examination of the fossilized bones, I thought about the connections that bring the past and present together. Many health experts are returning to the paleolithic days when people sustained themselves on a simple diet. During that time, people lived off meats, vegetables, and fruits — there were no processed foods, carbohydrates, or
In my previous newsletter, I mentioned that I would be visiting my daughter, Marissa, over Memorial Day weekend. The trip went just as we planned — we traveled to Denver to visit Marissa and her fiancé’s new home. Buying a home was a tremendous step in their lives, and I was grateful to see all their hard work pay off. Marissa is an interior designer and has always wanted a place of her own to decorate however she wants. The two of them had been looking for a place for a long time, and to finally buy such a beautiful home meant the world to them. She wanted what she called a “beautiful sanctuary” that she created herself. It was such a pleasure seeing Marissa achieve one of her lifelong dreams. When we weren’t admiring Marissa’s beautiful home, we were exploring around the Denver and Boulder area. At one point, we took a day trip to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which was a fascinating museum. It was one of the best I’ve seen. The museum was very educational, and there were interactive
of each dinosaur. I even pretended to give a spinal adjustment to a small
dinosaur — one of the vertebrae was out of alignment, a condition known
sugars. It was a more healthy lifestyle with
respect to their diet. I’m excited that this month we debuted our new Keto Lifestyle
as vertebral subluxation.
Transformation Program. In the program, we help our
From my perspective, I found all the spinal columns of each display enthralling. The spinal
practice members adopt a more natural, healthy lifestyle similar to that of our prehistoric ancestors by encouraging members to cut out the processed, carbohydrate-heavy, and sugar-filled food from their diets.
column protects the nervous system, and we humans have the same thing — we each have our own suit of armor protecting our nervous systems. Science recognizes that the first recognizable part of the body that forms is the brain and spinal cord. Nerves then grow out from the spinal cord and brain, and then internal organs form like fruit at the end of a vine. What’s really amazing is that after the brain, nervous system, and organs develop, the suit of armor forms. The spine appears to protect the central nervous system, but why? The quick answer is that the nervous system is the most important part of our anatomy — it controls everything else within the body.
Next time I go back to Colorado, it will be in September to see my daughter get married on a 100-year-old horse ranch in Glenwood Springs. Stay tuned for pictures!
–Dr. Steven Alff, D.C.
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How Meditation Helps You Maintain Brain Health IMPROVE COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN MINUTES
correlation between meditation and a higher concentration of gray matter in the left hippocampus. The Amygdala Often called the fear center of the brain, the amygdala is triggered by stressful situations. But unlike the hippocampus, which shrinks in response to stress, the amygdala has been shown to become denser. In one study, people who attended mindfulness meditation classes showed a smaller stress response in brain scans compared to those who did not attend the classes. Meditation may help to decrease the density of the amygdala and therefore increase your ability to handle stress. Of course, in addition to these benefits, there’s a good chance that five minutes of meditation each day will simply make you feel better. People who meditate report an increase in overall well-being. Why not give it a try?
especially relevant. The studies point to evidence that meditation can strengthen certain areas of the brain — the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala — that weaken as we age. The Prefrontal Cortex Your prefrontal cortex thins with age, which is associated with decreased cognitive function in your later years. However, meditation may reduce this age-related thinning. Dr. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist specializing in the effects of yoga and meditation on cognitive and behavioral function, reports that long- time meditators don’t show a decline in the thickness of the prefrontal cortex. The Hippocampus Your hippocampus helps you process and form new memories, and it’s very sensitive to stress. In fact, research shows that your hippocampus will shrink in response to stressful situations and chronic stress. The remedy? Meditation. Dr. Lazar’s study showed a positive
Meditation has often been touted by New Age
gurus as a way to find inner peace and stillness. But what if meditating could reduce the effects of aging on your brain? According to research, taking a few minutes out of your day to meditate may improve cognitive function. As meditation’s popularity has spread, so have studies of the practice. The results of 100 studies examining the cognitive effects of meditation all show evidence of improvements in psychological and cognitive functions. Some of the results are intuitive, such as how meditation helps us deal with stress. But other results are incontrovertible, such as scans showing that meditation causes structural changes in the brain. For people facing age-related changes like memory loss, the results of these tests are
MY HEALTH HAS IMPROVED GREATLY IN MANY WAYS! IT’S WONDERFUL! What Our Patients Say
I first came to see Dr. Alff at the Ventura Spine and Nerve Center because I was having neuropathy pain in my legs and pain in my hip. I was really having trouble sleeping at night. I had some headaches, lots of allergies, sinus problems, and asthma. What has happened since embarking on Dr. Alff’s Health Transformation Program that he designed for me is that my neuropathy pain has gone! I am making such great progress with lessening the numbness that I am excited about it! My hip is doing much better too!
It’s not why I came here, but the other thing is that the asthma that I have had since I was 15 months old has amazingly decreased to the point where it’s not affecting my daily life. That’s wonderful! I also have gotten off corticosteroid drugs, and my face is no longer puffy. That’s great too! He has worked with me to make important lifestyle changes, and that, along with his anti-inflammatory diet, has helped me lose weight. I have lost
30 pounds since I started care in his office. It is all great! I am going to continue seeing Dr. Alff to keep my health getting better and better!
– Anna Byrne Thousand Oaks
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Who Else Wants To Discover The Greatest Health And Wellness Secrets From The Top Experts And Greatest Healers Of Our Time? Best Part: As one of our current or past patients in our office, you’ve automatically been enrolled in our Optimal Health and Wellness University. 2018 is our “Body Signals” curriculum. You will discover information that can catapult you to higher levels of vitality, energy, and health. We’re about to pull back the iron curtain and reveal every secret, strategy, and tool to become healthier than you’ve ever been before!
Dear Patient and Friend,
Imagine ... having incredible flexibility and balance, without stiffness and pain. Imagine ... knowing exactly what to eat to melt unwanted fat right off your body, while giving you abundant levels of energy and vitality. Imagine ... being immune to the harmful effects of stress that wreak havoc on your health. Imagine ... having true insider information on how to be pain-free quickly and easily for virtually every painful condition that you may be experiencing today. Imagine ... building an arsenal of the best health and wellness strategies that exist today for virtually every area of your health.
Is it possible to have all this and experience all these incredible health benefits? It is IF you have the right tools and strategies and a simple plan to follow through on what you’ve learned. Here’s the whole story: I’m a wellness doctor who’s never satisfied with achieving just “good” results with my patients. Why would I be, when I can help you and every one of my patients achieve outstanding levels of health and vitality? That’s why my mission has been to relentlessly study and learn the best, most up-to-date optimal health and wellness secrets of our times ... from the best healers of our time. That’s also exactly why I’ve decided to catalogue all of this incredible information in a university-style curriculum and condense that information into easy-to-follow, easy-to- implement modules so you can come to as many as possible, as often as possible. The best part is that they are all completely free, and your enrollment includes every resource and tool that each monthly module has to offer. These incredible “Body Signals” Health and Wellness Workshops are chock-full of the best health and wellness strategies of our day. Each monthly workshop is jam-packed with information to help you master that specific area of your health. Believe it or not, in as little as 90 minutes in each workshop, you will discover a step-by-step road map that will quickly and easily guide you toward better health and vitality.
Here’s just a sample of the powerful information you’ll discover in these monthly workshops:
up sheet at our check-out desk. It’s as simple as that! I’m expecting this month’s workshop to have standing room only, so you’ll want to get signed up right away to avoid being placed on a waiting list. Just call Summer at 805-648-7987 and reserve your space for the July workshop. We will have up to 4 admission tickets reserved for you when you sign up . See you there! –Dr. Steven Alff, D.C. neck, shoulders, feet, and any place in your body due to almost any painful condition that you may suffer from. You’ll be amazed by how a handful of simple strategies can help you heal faster and even more permanently. • Yes, you’ll learn one of these topics each month and much, much more. that each of these types of stress can have on your body! • How to relieve pain in your back,
If I am guessing right, you won’t want to miss out on even one of these “Body Signals” Health and Wellness Workshops. Below you will find a list of each month’s workshop subject. Write them now on your calendar so you don’t miss any of them. Each one (except the one on July 10th) starts at 6:30 p.m. Make sure you get registered for the workshop by calling us at 805-648-7987 or signing up on our sign- • Lose weight and unwanted fat quickly and easily. For the first time ever, you’ll discover exactly how to enjoy energy- enhancing foods while burning fat from your body. It’s easier than you think! • The truth behind “stress management” approaches — and why most so- called “experts” have NO idea how to effectively manage stress. Discover the three types of stress (physical, chemical, and emotional) and how to “immunize” yourself naturally from the harmful effects
P.P.S. Here’s the schedule for the rest of 2018. Sign up to be on our Early Registration Priority List so you’ll never risk being shut out of a workshop again. Call 805-648-7987 . P.S. Each month we will be raffling a prize for the person who brings the most guests and a surprise raffle gift just for attending. So don’t forget to sign up one, two, or three guests to come with you to any of these workshops!
JULY 10 Defeat Neuropathy Now — Without Drugs JULY 24 Low Back, Hip, Knee, Ankle, and Feet Problems
AUGUST 28 Neck Pain SEPTEMBER 25 The Healthy, Ketogenic
NOVEMBER 14 Digestive Problems DECEMBER 11 Holiday Stress Management
Way of Eating OCTOBER 23 Sleep Issues
Are You as Healthy as You Want to Be? Introducing Our Bonfire Wellness Club !
practice members discounts on their treatments in our office, nutritional supplementation discounts, and emailed health tips that include recipes, workouts, journaling tips, and all kinds of advice on health matters. We have just introduced individualized Food Management Health Coaching, and the members of our club get discounts on that too! Whether your concerns include weight loss, stress management, diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, energy, attitude, fitness, or optimal function, the Bonfire Wellness Club utilizes the most current, evidence- based strategies to help you create the body, health, and life that you want and deserve. Call us at 805-648-7987 if you would like to know how to become a member of our Bonfire Wellness Club.
FIRE , and if any of these three are missing, there is no fire. This concept speaks to the comprehensiveness of our overriding narrative: All three areas must be addressed on your quest for optimal health! The truth is that it can be hard to live healthy. It’s hard to make healthy choices. It’s hard to live naturally in an unnatural world. In fact, it’s too easy to live unnaturally . You are surrounded by unhealthy temptations. Your life is incredibly busy, and it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed. Let’s face it; healthy choices are usually more expensive and less convenient than unhealthy choices. However, the result is that people have never been sicker! That is why we are proud that we have 65 Charter members of our Bonfire Wellness Club right now! The Bonfire Wellness Club membership gives our
The premise of our Bonfire Wellness Club is that your health is your bonfire. It is the source of your light, your heat, and your energy — and everyone wants a bigger bonfire! The way that you choose to EAT = your FUEL The way that you choose to MOVE = your AIR The way that you choose to THINK = your SPARK When these three elements come together, the natural consequence is
TAKE A BREAK
BALSAMIC CHICKEN, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CRANBERRIES, AND PUMPKIN SEEDS
INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 15–20 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise • 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces • 1 large shallot, peeled and diced • Salt and pepper, to taste
balsamic vinegar • 2 tablespoons honey • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not oil-packed) • 1/2 cup dried cranberries • 1/2 cup candied or roasted pumpkin seeds
DIRECTIONS
1. To a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and Brussels sprouts with the cut side down, and cook over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes or until lightly golden brown. 2. Turn Brussels sprouts over and move them to one side of the pan. 3. Add remaining olive oil on bare side of the pan and add chicken and shallot. Season everything with salt and pepper and cook for 4–5 minutes. 4. Evenly drizzle the balsamic vinegar and honey. Stir to combine. 5. Reduce heat and simmer for 2–3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and Brussels sprouts are crisp and tender. 6. Evenly sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds, and stir to combine. Serve immediately.
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The Dinosaurs’ Suit of Armor How Meditation Can Help the Aging Brain Testimonial Introducing Our Bonfire Wellness Club! Balsamic Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, Cranberries, and Pumpkin Seeds Where Do Essential Oils Come From?
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Sourcing the Sweet - Smelling Stuff WHERE ESSENTIAL OILS COME FROM
so easy to do, most essential oils you see on the shelf will have gone through this process. Lavender essential oil is harvested from sheaves of lavandula angustifolia , that purple herb you see all over gardens across the United States. There are lavender farms all over the world, from California to Japan to Brazil, but the biggest world producer of lavender is, interestingly, Bulgaria. Tea Tree oil comes from the leaves of melaleuca alternifolia , commonly known as narrow-leaved paperbark, a short, bushy tree that produces white, fluffy flowers in the spring. The trees are endemic to Australia, but today are usually farmed in New South Wales or Queensland. Bergamot is distilled from the peels of lime- green bergamot oranges, or citrus bergamia . Most of it comes from coastal areas around the Ionian Sea. Whatever you do with it, use it sparingly on your skin — it can amplify skin damage from the sun!
industry in 2016 and are expected to reach $12.85 billion by 2023. Whether you’re an essential oil acolyte or fly into a rage at the faintest hint of bergamot, your mind is probably already made up about aromatherapy. The question remains, though: Where does all this delicious-smelling stuff come from? Most essential oils are derived from a process called steam distillation . Soon after harvest, the plants are placed on a mesh inside a sealed still, into which steam is injected. As the steam rises and envelops the plant, it breaks it down and lifts its constituent components up through a tube and into a condenser. The condenser cools the resulting vapor and collects it in liquid form at the bottom. Since essential oils do not mix with water, they float on the surface, where they’re siphoned off, bottled, and shipped off to a distributor. There are other methods, such as expression (aka cold pressing), but because steam distillation is
Call it a pseudoscientific fad or a medical revolution; either way, essential oils are more popular today than they have ever been. Though research on the efficacy of lavender, ginger, and the dozens of other sweet-smelling oils is conflicting at best, people are using them at an astonishing rate. In fact, according to Stratistics MRC, essential oils were a $5.91 billion www.venturaspineandnerve.com 4
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