TEXAS/COWBOY CAVIAR 

15 Minute  serves 6

  • 1 can (15 oz) each) black beans, black-eyed peas, drained and rinsedUntitled design - 2021-07-29T164942.086
  • 1 can (12 oz) (341 ml) corn, , (don’t drain)
  • 1 can (10 oz) (284 ml) mild chopped tomatoes with green chilies, ( I like Rotel Brand)
  • 1/2  each red yellow and orange pepper, diced
  • 1/3-1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/3-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped and loosely packed

Southwestern Vinaigrette Dressing ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon oil  
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice ( approximately 1 lime)
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons pickled jalapeño juice
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (not powder)
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1. First, whisk together the ingredients for the Southwestern Vinaigrette in a small bowl and set aside
  2. Now add the drained and rinsed beans and black-eyed peas to a large salad bowl along with the corn, tomatoes, and the chopped onions, veggies, and cilantro. Pour the vinaigrette dressing over the top.
  3. Mix well and serve right away or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes and give it a mix before serving.

Easy Peasy! Enjoy!

SUPER QUICK SUMMER MEAL FOR THE FAMILY

One-Pot Farmer’s Market Pasta in less than 25 minutes   Prep Time10 minutes Cook Time15 minutes Serves 4-6

IngredientsUntitled design - 2021-07-29T164542.607

  • 12 oz spaghetti 
  • 1 medium red onion peeled, halved, and sliced
  • 1 small summer squash halved lengthwise and sliced
  • several stalks asparagus cut in 2-inch pieces
  • a handful of broccoli florets cut in half
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved             
  • 1 colorful bell pepper chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 2 handfuls of baby greens 
  •  1 tsp salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional          
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup dry white wine (optional..replace with water)
  • 3 1/2 cups water/stock
  • 1 Tbsp white wine or sherry vinegar (a must!)
  • 1 cup shredded hard Italian cheese (optional for vegans)

Garnish

  • halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cups finely shredded basil leaves

Directions

  1. Put everything except the cheese, into a large pot. Add the wine and water (measure exactly since you will not drain the pasta) to the pot and bring up to a boil. If your pasta doesn’t fit completely into the pot, nudge it down into the water as it softens. Cover the pot while it comes to a boil then uncover and boil for about 7-9 minutes, until the pasta is just al dente. Babysit the pan a little bit to ensure that the pasta doesn’t stick. Don’t overcook the pasta, there will still be some water left in the pan.
  2. Toss the pasta with the cheese, and serve with the extra tomatoes and lots of fresh basil.

notes and variations

  • Don’t skip the tomatoes.  The rest of the veggies remain intact, but the tomatoes break down and help to form a sauce with the starchy pasta water and the cheese. You can use lots of different veggies for this dish, whatever looks good. Mushrooms would work well, also summer squash, cauliflower. Tomatoes are a must, though.
  • Don’t skimp on the cheese, for the reason just mentioned. 
  • Pay attention to flavoring the pot.  In addition to salt, I like lots of black pepper, red pepper flakes, and my secret flavor weapon, a dash of sherry vinegar. 
  • Don’t forget the fresh garnishes.  Reserve some little tomatoes and a big handful of fresh basil for topping the cooked pasta.

BASED ON A MARTHA STEWART RECIPE THAT IS A ADAPTATION OF AN ITALIAN FAMILY RECIPE

Researching Chiropractic: More Case Studies

Chiropractic clinical case histories have been a regular feature of our patient newsletter since its inception. There seems to be no limit to the health problems that respond to chiropractic care.

Chiropractors release serious stress (subluxations) from your body. This releases energy for healing, regeneration, and growth.

All people (especially children) need a body free of blockages and stress so they’ll have strong, happy, and healthy lives.

How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care?

Probably most of them.

Below are some clinical cases illustrating the potential of chiropractic adjustment to correct subluxations. 

Breech baby turns after chiropractic care. Untitled design - 2021-07-29T163256.628

A 26-year-old female in her 27th week of pregnancy with her second child presented for a chiropractic visit after experiencing low back pain. One week later an ultrasound determined the baby was in a breech position. She had a previous natural birth with no complications and was beginning chiropractic care with hopes of avoiding a cesarean section. 

After a series of chiropractic adjustments, the baby moved from a breech position to a normal vertex (or head down) position confirmed through ultrasound. (1) 

 

Glaucoma, carpal tunnel, hand numbness, and chiropractic care. Untitled design - 2021-07-29T163323.582

A 40-year-old woman suffering from numbness in her arms and hands, and other problems such as neck and shoulder pain, dizziness, headaches, migraines, vertigo, anxiety, low back pain, right hip pain and clicking, numbness in the bottom of her feet, chronic fatigue, and cervical and lumbar intervertebral disc “problems” began chiropractic care. 

Subluxations were located in her sphenoid (cranial bone), occiput (base of the skull), neck (C1, C2, C5, C7), sacrum, and coccyx (tailbone). The patient reported moderate improvement in low back pain and headaches, much improvement in neck pain, shoulder pain, hip pain and clicking, and dizziness, and resolved numbness in both her hands and feet. By the 15th visit, she reported a 90% overall improvement and decided to cancel scheduled carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) surgery.

She had also been diagnosed with borderline glaucoma that was steadily worsening. Glaucoma is increased pressure inside the eyeball (intraocular) and is the second leading cause of blindness. By her 15th visit, her intraocular pressure had dropped and her ophthalmologist felt that medical intervention was no longer necessary. (2) 


Arnold-Chiari malformation, headaches, motion sickness, and hearing deterioration. Untitled design - 2021-07-29T163453.580

A six-year-old male diagnosed with vertebral subluxation and Arnold-Chiari malformation suffered from headache, motion sickness, and progressive hearing deterioration. 

The boy’s chiropractic examination consisted of spinal heat reading and X-rays. A subluxation was detected at C1 – the top cervical or neck vertebrae – and the patient was adjusted there. A post adjustment X-ray analysis determined that more care was needed at C2 after which the child received a C2 adjustment. After the first adjustment, the patient reported that his headaches had been eliminated. (3)

Do you know anyone suffering from these things?

Please share this article with them and gently suggest they make an appointment to see us.  517.627.4547

  1. Falk DA, Stinson RA. Resolution of breech presentation confirmed by ultrasound following Webster Technique: a case study. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – Chiropractic. 2017;2:74-77.
  2. McClimon ME, McClimon DG, Krotee MW. Improved intraocular pressure in a 40-year-old female following chiropractic care to reduce subluxation. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. June 1, 2017:101-112.
  3. Drury R, O’Keefe C. Resolution of symptoms from Arnold-Chiari malformation in a 6-year-old male following reduction of vertebral subluxation with knee-chest upper cervical care: case report & selective review of the literature. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research. May 1, 2017:12-21.

A Poison Ivy Parody + Good Advice

Poison Ivy, Poison Ivy

The song Poison Ivy is catchy, with exceptional lyrics and the best-sung version by the Coasters

Measles make you bumpy and mumps’ll make you lumpy Poison Ivy

And chicken pox’ll make you jump and twitch

A common cold’ll cool you and whooping cough’ll fool you

But poison ivy’s gonna make you itch

You’re gonna need an ocean

Of calamine lotion

You’ll be scratching like a hound

The minute you start to mess around

Poison ivy, poison ivy

Well late at night when you’re sleeping

Poison ivy comes a creeping around

How to get rid of Poison Ivy

But if the plant’s oils touch your skin while you are gardening, walking in the field, even petting your dog or cat who rolled in it – you better wash with some good poison ivy soap ASAP to wash off the oil causing irritations (urushiol). The oil can last for years, so wash any utensils, gloves, and tools you used too. 

If it got into your skin you may suffer from intense burning and itching with ugly-looking pustules and red raw skin. Scratching makes it worse and if you start you may do it until you bleed. What to do?

There are some natural, safe, effective, and inexpensive ways of getting rid of poison ivy symptoms. Save this information for future use.

Use essential oils.

Use a blend of lavender, melaleuca (tea tree oil), and peppermint oils. Even one oil by itself will work but the blend is best.

Use homeopathy.

An excellent homeopathic remedy for poison ivy is Rhus Toxicodendron. Fortunately, most health food stores are carrying homeopathic remedies. A strength of 12C or 30C is recommended.

The above work very well. People have reported using others remedies such as topically applying witch hazel, cold coffee, oatmeal paste, baking soda bath or paste, alcohol, and apple cider vinegar to the affected areas. 

The next time you find yourself in a potentially dangerous garden, do yourself a favor and wear gloves, long pants, long sleeves, or even better, pay an expert to remove it all.

Chiropractic care is not a treatment for poison ivy but it does reduce stress on your nervous and immune systems and can help your body work more effectively to rid it of toxins. We recommend coming in for an adjustment. Don’t worry, the rash is not contagious (even if it looks yucky).

The Latest From Charmaine August 2021

Greetings all,photo3-300x198

Trust you are enjoying summer and perhaps starting to see the fruits of your labors in the gardens.

As I write this Mid-July, I am, like many, cursing the damn mosquitoes that are trying their hardest to carry us away/bite us till we look like we got measles!.  I seem to be a target for the pesky things and have no love of this time of the year.  May they be gone ASAP!

We are currently in a holding pattern regarding traveling to see the kids in Norway.  As soon as we get the go-ahead, we plan to make a speedy exit before governments change their minds, and dash over for a 2-week family immersion!… if all goes to plan it looks like we will be gone sometime in early September…so watch this space!

Meanwhile, I quilt and yoga on with a dash or two of powerlifting thrown in and have recently had a breakthrough with my bench press, and have now got PB’s in both bench and overhead press!!  The squat is under reconstruction as I have been dealing with a shoulder problem and the deadlift and I are having serious chats as I slowly ramp up for the “winter” “Senior” Olympics scheduled for November.

So, I trust you are all keeping moving, and hydrating, and eating well from all the fresh garden bounty.  (I have included a couple of quickie recipes this month, oldies but goodies with a nice twist for a fast meal in all the heat).

STAY WELL AND GET YOUR SPINE CHECKED REGULARLY!

Call us to make an appointment today! (517) 627-4547

Latest News from Charmaine – July 2021

photo3-300x198This is a combo of “latest news” from June and July since July is almost here.

Summer seems to have just leapfrogged over Spring…I am not such a fan of hellish hot days…I worry what the heck we might experience in August?

Our local Farmer’s Market is open and we will continue to enjoy a  bounty of yumminess. Check out our article on the importance of eating the rainbow and what better time to explore with all the wonderful veggies available right now.

Check out our recipes section on our blog for new recipes, including two salads that are a variation on the classics and will keep well in the fridge too. So, when it’s too hot to cook, a nice salad goes a long way. (And, as I read recently, salads, provided they are not dripping in oily dressings, are great brain food! Double bonus for the win!)

Summertime is a chance to perhaps sneak in some R&R and we love to throw the bikes in the back of my van, pack a picnic full of farmer’s market goodness, and head for a nearby trail… a triple win- fresh air, good food, and exercise.

We had great pleasure in celebrating the 41st anniversary since we graduated and by some strange coincidence, we arrived in Grand Ledge  32 years to the same day 6/14!  (Cosmic message?  Also, we joke that we were meant to be here…Ray’s family is from Sparta, Greece…we went to Chiropractic College in Spartanburg SC, and arrived here in the land of the Spartans!)

My powerlifting meet has been postponed till November..out of the extremes of heat in a sweaty gym like we had to endure last time!

STAY HYDRATED, SEE YOU IN THE OFFICE, ON THE MAT, OR UNDER THE BARBELLS!

Why Is Eating The Rainbow So Important?

Each color comes with a set of its own nutritional profiles; these attribute to an all-around healthier lifestyle. Just like with processed foods – everything should be eating in moderation, and even the healthiest of foods is no exception. We need variety in our life to be reaping the benefits in the entire spectrum. Here Amanda lays down the nutritional benefits for each color and some fun and delicious ways you can enjoy them with a few special Rebel Recipe recipes to really fuel your appetite. 

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Red Food – Heart Healthy 

Our heart is so important, for emotional and mental health, but also for our physical health. Foods like tomatoes, apples and red onions are well known for their heart health properties. So, ‘an apple a day’ really can keep the doctor away! Braeburn apples are top of the list; are not only a healthier sweet treat but they can pack a dose of energy when that 3 pm slump hits. 

A heart-healthy Bolognese packed with tomatoes and red onions is also a fantastic way to up your reds; a fun way to get kids even more excited is to use that Bolognese on top of a pizza base! Delicious and family-friendly.

Orange & Yellow Foods – Eye See You

If you look right in the center of your retina you will see that there is a yellow spot filled with orange pigments. These pigments are called carotenes, which help to protect our vision. And what does carotene sound like? Yep, you got it – CARROTS. Carrots, sweet potatoes and mango are extremely rich sources of carotenoids. 

In fact, the carotenes in mangos are twenty times more absorbable in the body than those of carrots, so don’t just limit your choice of orange foods to just carrots. Get a little more tropical and experiment with new flavors and textures. Think papaya and Sweet Melons and of course mangos 

Fun fact: peeling carrots can reduce their health properties by more than half. Simply wash and eat..

Want to really boost the rainbow and your carotene? Try roasting your carrots for a healthy boost of carotene

Green Foods – Brilliant Bones 

When we think of foods to build strong bones and teeth, it’s usually dairy products that pop to mind. But guess what – green foods are actually better for your bones than milk!

Cabbage, kale, and broccoli are some of the top products that help boost your bones. Look for lots of different ways to add these veggies into your diet by roasting them and serving with a bright chimichurri sauce for example, or check out a recipe for bubble and squeak.

Did you know: It takes up to ten times trying a new food for your taste buds to become acquainted with the flavor? So, set yourself a goal and choose a portion of food to try 10x and see what happens. Remember, the overboiled Brussel sprouts (ughhhhh) of childhood can be replaced by an awesome great shredded, oven-roasted sheet pan dish that could include but not limited to at least one veggie from each of the colors of the rainbow.

I love a dish that includes carrots, baby tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, diced sweet potatoes, mushrooms, corn, and even purple baby potatoes all roasted in the oven at a fair heat and served with a sauce of choice!.

 Blue and Purple Foods – Brain Fuel

Not only are blue and purple-colored foods great for our mental health, but foods like blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, and grapes can also give you a brain boost.

One of the quirky things about these berries is that they are actually able to find their way into the areas of our brain that are essential for intelligence; they are also good for slowing the rate of mental decline.

With Summer here, platters of chopped raw veggies with a dip or two/ hummus is a great way of covering the whole range of veggies colors.

 Reprinted from Rebel Recipes blog.

Tips to incorporate more veggies. From Dr.C.

Buy a rainbow selection of veggies ( a lot of veggies like carrots and celery can be precut and stored in baggies/containers….once a week prep time saves lots of frustration) Make platters with a variety of veg and cheese chunks and a dip in place of a salad….

I like to place a variety of bowls with things like veggies, spring onions, olives, shredded lettuce, and microgreens out on a counter, along with diced feta and cheddar cheese of choice and perhaps 2 or 3 dressings (my new fave is Panera’s Fuji apple…OOOH) and let everybody make their own selection. Toasted nuts such as pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and croutons (homemade is best) finish off the presentation.

Everything can basically be pre-prepped and stored in containers for easy grabbing and in summer supper is on the table double-quick time

With mac and cheese dishes, I have been known to roast/steam broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and shredded spinach and stir that into the mix.  If you have fussy eaters make side dishes of the veggies and offer them as add-ons to suit.

One-pot casserole dishes are also a great place to hide veggies….grated zucchini, shredded spinach, steamed and mashed cauliflower are just some ingredients that can hide in a dish

GOLDEN RULE: NEVER TELL ANYONE WHAT YOU ARE DOING IF YOU HAVE PICKY EATERS!!!

CHIROPRACTORS HELP THE WHOLE BODY FUNCTION BETTER

A common misconception is that since chiropractors work on the spine and structural system they are thought of as doctors who “treat” musculoskeletal problems. (Musculoskeletal or neuromusculoskeletal refers to nerves, muscles, and bones).  Well, yes, we chiropractors do work on your bones or structural system but that’s our “portal of entry” – the starting point from which our care affects the entire body. 

 Think of it this way. MDs prescribe drugs you take by mouth or give injections into the skin. But does that mean MDs are mouth and skin doctors? We never hear medical patients asking, “How can taking something in my mouth that goes to my stomach affect my asthma? Aren’t they different parts of my body?” 

Of course, we know that drugs, even if taken by mouth, are the “portal of entry” to affect the entire body. Drugs enter your blood after you (usually) swallow them to change your entire body chemistry. 

So in the same way the spine and structural system is your chiropractor’s “portal of entry” or starting point. Why? 

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Your Spine Connects to Everything

Because it’s a very powerful area – it connects you to your everything. All your body organs – lungs, bronchi, digestive system, heart, immune system organs, brain, eyes, ears, nose, throat; all your muscles, bones, discs, joints, ligaments – your entire you – are affected by the nerves coming out of your spine and structural system. For you to be healthy all of your body parts must work together in a coordinated manner. Your nerves carry messages from your brain to all your body parts so you function at 100%. Your nervous system helps organize your body so can live at your fullest potential.

 Whether you’re regulating your blood pressure, catching a baseball, fighting a cold or the flu (experiencing a cleansing), patrolling your every nook and cranny for germs and cancer cells, keeping your blood chemistry in balance, thinking, reading a wonderful patient newsletter, or doing so many other things you need your nerves to be healthy. 

Energy flows over your nerves. You need an uninterrupted nerve flow to function at 100%. And if you aren’t at 100% anything less is less than optimum is lack of health or dis-ease. 

Chiropractors have discovered a serious distortion in your spine and structural system that partially blocks or alters the nerve flow through your body. This distortion is called a subluxation. No matter where they are we’ll seek them out and fix them. And no matter what condition you are suffering from you will function better without nerve pressure. 

If you have subluxations in your body problems can arise anywhere. Why? Because your nerves interconnect in many complex ways. Therefore a pain or problem here may be related to a subluxation there. 

Life is complicated

Life is complicated and things aren’t always what they seem. The goal of healing is to get to the cause of a person’s problems and correct it, rather than just treat symptoms. That is our goal in this office. No matter what health problems you or your children are suffering from our goal is to locate and correct their subluxations – no matter where they are. 

Call us to make an appointment today! (517) 627-4547

Being Healthy Is a Revolutionary Act

By Pilar Gerasimo / Experience Life Magazine (this is an extract)

You Want to Be Healthy?Untitled design (83)

Well, hey, that’s wonderful!

This article is designed to help you succeed. It will equip you with a clarifying sense of what you are up against and prepare you for the journey ahead.

And if you’re feeling a little ambivalent about getting started, it will also give you a friendly kick in the pants. That’s important because getting and staying healthy in the current culture isn’t easy. In fact, it’s a big challenge.

But who, you ask, has the time and energy for another big challenge?

Exactly. Most of us are running around on fumes.

We complain that we don’t have time to eat right or exercise or get enough sleep. We don’t have time to cook or relax or goof around. We don’t have time to get outdoors or connect with the people we love. Most of all, we don’t have time to learn how our bodies work and what it takes to keep them healthy.

And that’s a big part of why so many of us are getting sick. And fat. And depressed. And why we see so many friends and loved ones being diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Understandably, faced with the daunting prospect of changing our lives, most of us would just as soon put it off until tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next.

And that’s precisely what about 80 percent of the U.S. population is doing right now. You can join them, watching as the pounds pile on, worrying as the blood pressure climbs, struggling as the energy flags, and fretting as the prescriptions and side effects and medical bills add up. And when things get bad enough, then you can think about changing.

Or, you can spare yourself years of downward spiraling misery and do something about it now.

If you’ve already set out on the path to health, or if you’re already as vital and fit as you want to be, rock on! You deserve a lot of credit — probably far more than you’ve been giving yourself.

And if you’ve been struggling in your attempts to get healthier, don’t beat yourself up about it. Let go of the self-recrimination for a minute. Prepare, instead, to take a clear-eyed look at the uphill battle you’ve been waging, and at why your successes may seem so hard-won.

French Potato Salad

 serves 6-8

IngredientsUntitled design (82)

  • 2 pounds fresh potatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick (little, thin-skinned potatoes work best here)…use as many colors of potato as you can get it adds to the visual appeal
  • 1 tablespoon of sea salt                       
  • 2 large garlic cloves

Dijon Vinaigrette:   

  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil                             
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Fresh Herbs

  • ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped (or sub 1/4 cup dill or basil ribbons) (you can find tarragon at Horrocks Dr. C)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives (or sub green onions), minced

Directions

Boil the Potatoes: Place the sliced potatoes in a large saucepan cover completely with cold water.  Sprinkle in salt and bring to a boil.  Add the 2 cloves of garlic, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until potatoes are just tender.

Make the Vinaigrette: While potatoes are simmering, make the vinaigrette by whisking together dijon, oil, vinegar, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Assemble: Drain potatoes and garlic.  Place potatoes mostly a single layer on a baking sheet to cool.  Mince the cooked garlic and add to the vinaigrette.  Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the warm potatoes.  Let sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes. 

Serve: Add to a serving bowl gently tossing with the chopped fresh herbs. Serve at room temp or refrigerate and chill