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CEDAR CREST CHIROPRACTIC
May/June 2024
Dr. Paul Braadt
1028 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., Allentown, PA 18103 • 610-776-2005 • CedarCrestChiropractic.com
Getting Out of Pain
and Staying Well!
What brings people into chiropractic is relief from PAIN.
causes persistent pain that does not go away or heal as you would expect. When these spinal nerves are damaged, it produces pain in the head and tingling or numbness in the arms and legs, which can make you feel old and restrict your normal daily activities. People are often told that their condition is “just arthritis” and that they’re just getting older as opposed to identifying the source of their pain, treating it through chiropractic adjustments , and giving the person a chance to heal and return to normal. What keeps people in chiropractic is STAYING WELL! After pain relief, the next step is to focus on staying well . I’ve observed from years of working with many of you that what keeps you in chiropractic is staying well. You’ve noticed improvements such as improved posture, plus you walk easier, sleep better, have more energy, feel less stressed, and take fewer drugs. Spinal adjustments release feel-good chemicals called endorphins . I think we can agree that in these challenging times, we can all benefit from these natural feel-good chemicals! Once we identify the source of your pain and treat it, you can heal naturally and feel good in the future. Our purpose is to get you out of pain so you can chase your dreams, big and small!
I’ll be entering my 45th year in practice in June. I’ve observed an increase in the number of new patients seeking chiropractic care as their first option for pain relief instead of ordinary treatments like drug dependence, injections, pain management, and surgery. We still see a significant percentage of our new patients after they have tried and failed using these ordinary treatments. People in pain have options in the health care marketplace. There is considerable confusion on which option, ordinary medical treatment or chiropractic treatment , is the safest, most affordable, and most effective treatment for pain relief relating to their spine, hip, knees, legs, shoulders, wrist, feet, etc. In our local medical system, most people in pain start with their PCP/ primary care doctor, where they will often see a physician assistant or nurse practitioner instead of the doctor. Or they go to a hospital emergency room. Ordinary medical treatment begins with muscle relaxers, oral anti-inflammatories including steroids, and then nerve- numbing drugs like gabapentin. The most common referral from a PCP is to a medical spine doctor; think orthopedists or physiatrists. Treatment usually includes stronger drugs, epidural injections to the spine, ablation (burning the nerves) that destroys nerves in the area of pain, and then physical therapy. If all else fails, surgery is the next step. What’s missing from this ordinary medical treatment is identifying the source of a patient’s spine and joint pain. Instead, these treatments are directed at the reactions to the source of a person’s pain. Chiropractors are spine specialists. We focus on identifying the source of a person’s pain called a subluxation, a bone out of place pinching on a nerve causing pain. The mechanics of the spine (the way the joints fit together) or any joint is the source of most people’s symptoms. For example, a sprained ankle, a knee injury, an irritated hip, or a misaligned spinal bone will “wear and tear,” producing arthritis. In the spine, this wear and tear can damage the nerves . This
In knowledge and health,
–Dr. Paul Braadt
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Major Health Problems and Solutions! DR. BRAADT’S WELLNESS COLUMN
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Move your body throughout the day. It’s vital. Daily movement, including exercise, is being directly linked to the quality of your immune response . This means that the better shape your body is in, the better your defense response is to all disease processes. It’s not just about looking good! Get a good night’s sleep. I know you’re busy, but quality sleep is really important in minimizing future health problems. It’s much easier to handle the challenges that life can throw your way when you’re well-rested. Minimize both physical and emotional stress. Less stress can boost your immune system response. Of course, moving your body and eating healthy can help to minimize both of these stressors. Emotional stress raises cortisol and adrenal levels associated with a prolonged fight-or-flight response. This is now being directly linked to an increase in disease and lack of immunity. Turn off the news, phone, and computer screens — talk with or visit family and friends, work on a hobby, help another person, read a good book, watch a fun movie, laugh at least once a day, listen to music, and find meaningful work. I’m sure you have other ideas that can help.
My purpose in writing this article is to point out health problems that are prevalent in America and to provide you with workable solutions. These solutions can minimize your risk for health problems and maximize your ability to create the life of your dreams. Let’s talk money. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care costs for the average American exceed $10,000 each year. This expense is 16.9% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP — the total amount of all goods and services produced). This is the highest amount in the world. Up to 33% of these funds are spent on inefficiency, administration, and middlemen within the field of health care. This inefficiency costs all of us; it’s more like “sickness care” versus “health care.” There are better ways to address our health. The Problems Major health problems affecting Americans, according to research, are heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gall bladder disease, sleep apnea, and arthritis. The common denominator in all these problems is the risk factor of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Most health problems begin in childhood. As a kid I ate very well because my mom prepared healthy meals. An exception to this was Friday night watching “Star Trek” in my room — I'd eat an entire box of blueberry Pop-Tarts with a quart of milk. This was short-lived. Unfortunately, for others, their habits are long-lasting. In fact, childhood obesity is exploding, affecting upward of 20% of children and adolescents. This doesn't just refer to being overweight, but being obese (BMI-body mass index over 30). In adulthood , this
obesity problem leads to the major health problems mentioned already. The Solutions I know I’ve said it before, but taking time to create healthy lifestyle habits is vital! It takes discipline and a purpose. Why is it important for you and your family to stay healthy? Since we’re at the beginning of the year, I suggest we all start with “How am I doing?” Let’s be honest. What’s the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to our lifestyle habits? Creating healthy lifestyle habits include these basics: • Never diet again — just eat correctly. My recommendation is always the eating style called Healthy Keto with intermittent fasting (IF) . It includes minimizing bread, cereal, pasta, and SUGAR and maximizing nutrient-dense foods including healthy fats, vegetables and deep greens, medium amounts of protein, and organic dairy products like milk, eggs, and cheese. Limit fruits to berries like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries due to lower sugar content. As I’ve mentioned before, my major education resource of this eating style is Dr. Eric Berg
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(DrBerg.com) who I’ve trained with in the past. He has thousands of helpful YouTube videos. I align with his main emphasis of getting healthy and, in the process, losing weight, having more energy, and feeling great. You can pick up his booklet “Healthy Keto & Intermittent Fasting” at the office or on Amazon. If you have children, teach them, by example , to make healthy food choices in order to prevent adult health care problems and to move their bodies.
Take baby steps if needed, but take action now to create healthy lifestyle habits for yourself while helping those dear to you. Oh, and remember to create pleasure moments along the way. As always, I’m here to help as needed!
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–Dr. Paul Braadt
CedarCrestChiropractic.com
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610-776-2005
Inspired by DiabetesStrong.com
Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breast
This succulent chicken stuffed with cheese, artichokes, and sun- dried tomatoes is impressive on the plate but easy in the kitchen! Our recipe makes 2 servings.
In 1931, the Great Depression — the worst economic crisis in American history — had thoroughly dampened the country’s spirit. Amidst the crisis, Alfred M. Butts, an out-of-work New York architect, decided to create a game to take his mind off the economy. Aspiring to develop a classic to join the ranks of other timeless card and board games, Butts came up with the idea for a board-and-tile game he non-committedly named “Criss Cross,” which we now know as Scrabble. The Architect’s Plan At its core, Scrabble was inspired by crossword puzzles and always featured the iconic lettered tiles, each with separate quantities and point values. Butts determined the point values by surfing through his collection of local newspapers and counting how often each letter appeared. To prevent players from creating too many cheap plurals, he included only four “S” tiles in each box and assigned the letter a measly 1 point. Butts was eager to share his idea with the world, but the world was not as eager to receive it. He pitched the game to several publishers and retailers, but all rejected it. Butts had to retail it on a small scale, and the game did not become the surefire hit he expected it to be. It wasn’t until fellow New Yorker James Brunot discovered the game that things changed for the better. Brunot offered to mass-produce the game and, in exchange, would provide Butts with a portion of the profits, which Butts happily agreed to. Brunot’s Bargain As soon as Brunot secured the rights to the game, he began making significant changes to it. These included redesigning the board, its color, players’ starting position, and the location of various score multiplier tiles. But his most important contribution was changing its name to Scrabble! The owner of Macy’s then discovered the game and offered to carry it in his stores. Brunot went from creating 12 copies of the game an hour when he first acquired the rights to 2,000 sets per week by 1952. By 1954, millions of copies were sold. Today, the game has been translated into over 20 languages and has sold over 100 million copies. People play the game worldwide, in tournaments and living rooms alike, and it has allowed millions to share in the joy initially envisioned by a down-on-his-luck architect in a time when hope was a distant prospect. EXPLORING THE RICH HISTORY OF SCRABBLE
INGREDIENTS
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2 chicken breasts
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10 large basil leaves, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 tsp curry powder
2 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
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2 canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
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4 tsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 365 F. 2. Cut a slit lengthwise to create a pocket in the middle of each chicken breast. Place the breasts on a baking sheet. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, basil, and garlic. 4. Divide the mixture in half and stuff each chicken breast pocket. Using toothpicks, seal the edges of the pockets. 5. Season the chicken with curry, paprika, salt, and pepper, then bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 F. 6. Remove the toothpicks and serve with rice, potatoes, salad, or roasted vegetables! SUDOKU
Safe, Effective Health Care Without Drugs & Surgery
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LOGO CEDAR CREST CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Paul Braadt
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1028 S. Cedar Crest Blvd. Allentown, PA 18103
Hours of Operation: Mon: 3–6:30 p.m. Tue–Thu: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Fri: Closed
Give Us A Call! 610-776-2005
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
PAGE 1 Getting Out of Pain and Staying Well!
PAGE 2 Major Health Problems and Solutions
PAGE 3 The Appeal and Evolution of Scrabble
Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breast
Take a Break
PAGE 4 Steiner’s Emotional Road to Olympic Glory
OLYMPIAN STEINER OVERCAME ADVERSITY TO WIN GOLD From Tragedy to Triumph
teenager, and though he had won medals and championships before, he had never claimed the ultimate prize: an Olympic medal. Matthias also had to compete in the super heavyweight category against the strongest weightlifters in the world. Among his competitors were the formidable Russian Evgeny Chigishev, an Olympic veteran and champion, and the Latvian Viktors Scerbaiths, who won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. “Weightlifting is a sport without mercy [and] it is very tough to make progress,” Matthias said in an interview with the Olympic Channel. “Every time you touch the bar, you realize that you are always alone in weightlifting, the weights are getting heavier and heavier, everything hurts.”
But Matthias was not alone. His memory and dedication to Susann inspired him to attain strength he never imagined possible. As it turned out, he needed every ounce of his strength to claim victory. The competition was incredibly close. Matthias’ victory was not secure until the last lift; he needed to clean and jerk an astounding 569 pounds — more than he had ever lifted before — to fulfill his promise. Incredibly, he succeeded. He edged out Chigishev by 1 kilogram, winning the gold medal with a score of 461 against Chigishev’s 460. After he had completed his lift, he fell to his knees in tears. At the podium, he held his gold medal and a bouquet of roses in his right hand and clutched a picture of Susann in his left. Matthias honored Susann’s memory with his gold medal victory, exactly as he promised.
In June 2007, just one year before the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, an SUV traveling on the wrong side of the road hit 22-year-old Susann Steiner — wife of German Olympic weightlifter Matthias Steiner — while she was driving. She was rushed to the hospital, and it was there that Matthias promised her he would win a gold medal in her honor. Tragically, Susann died as a result of her injuries, but Matthias’ promise to his late love lived on. Wanting to make his wife proud, Matthias trained harder than ever before. He had been lifting weights since he was just a
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610-776-2005
CedarCrestChiropractic.com
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