What Chiropractic is NOT

Do you ever have days when your mind is racing faster than a greyhound? Late nights lying awake for hours in bed, trying to catch the ever elusive "z", because the next day will be even more adventurous than yesturday? When was the last time you truly listened to a neighbor's pain? Does that pain keep you awake at night? Or is it the fact that maybe their pain is a reflection of where you are currently living your life and a "slap in the face" reminder of where you will surly end up if a change in course is not taken. I experienced all these emotions in the rollercoaster ride of September 10, 2011. And now sitting here at 2 AM the following morning, I realize that today marks the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The only way I can see personaly honor the men and women who were lost their lives is to continue sharing my passion with the world. Each one of us has a passion in life that calls others to live their passion as a lighthouse calls a boat to its destination. The spirit of the 9/11 vicitims lives on in vein if we do not ask ourselves the question of "WHY?" every day of our life. Why am I here? For what purpose do I serve humanity? And once the answer is crystal clear, the more we strive to fulfill our purpose, the greater we honor all humanity, both the present, and the Eternal.

Yesturday, my wife and I attended our local Community Day as a vendor sharing our new chiropractic practice. It was a typical outreach event, one that I have participated in many times while assisting other chiropractors in growing their practices while I was in school. Some people were very intrigued, some people were appalled and will only see a "real" doctor, but the majority actually had no concept for what the chiropractic profession truly is and how it benefits the lives of millions of families across the world. I think this article is mostly for those individuals, because I heard a whole lot of what chiropractic is not about.

Chiropractic is NOT: 

• Getting your back "cracked." Yes, in some chiropractic techniques, the spine can make a noise called a "cavitation" when a specific and corrective force is used. The important thing to remember is why that force is being used. The alignment and motion of your spine is directly related to you overall health. People who maintain their spinal health throughout a lifetime are some of the healthiest people on the planet. So then next time you approach your chiropractor, instead of asking for your "weekly crack" you should say "Please align my spine, it helps me to shine."  

•  About how you "FEEL." A common answer to the question of "Who is your family chiropractor?" is "I don't need a chiropractor." When I ask why they don't need one, the reply is usually "I feel fine" or "I am healthy." Let me put this understanding of health into perspective. If you were a high profile attorney and you ask your prospective client 10 questions on the initial consultation to gather as much information about his case as possible before you make a decision to represent him, what would you you say to him if he could give you the answer to only one of the 10 questions (10%)? You would politely shake his hand, show him the door, and ask your assistant for the next case. Basing decisions in life with only 10% of the information seems rediculous, but that is exactly what people do when they base health decisions off of how they "feel." Less than 10% of your nerve system registers sensory (touch, tempurature, texture, pain) information, and the other 90% coordinates all other functions in your body including blood circulation, breathing, digestion, and muscle movement. Would it make more sense to make a decision based off 10% of information or 100% of information? If you had cancer, you would want to know about it so you and your health care team could form an effective care plan to restore your health. Spinal subluxations (misalignments) are a serious a health concern. Please do yourself a favor, the next time you are offered an affordable way to get your spinal health checked, take advantage!

• Passive or Reactive. Just like the reflex hammer hitting your tendon and causing your leg to extend, in a reactive world, we wait until some event occurs and then respond. This is not the way to stay healthy. However, most people wait until they get "sick" with a cold, flu, or headache before they ever see a doctor. Unfortunately, sickness takes time to build and just because you have an absence of symptoms does not mean you are well. Why not take control of your health with a little proactive effort? Exercise, eating organic vegetables and meats, sleeping 7-8 hours a night, prayer/meditation, and receiving regular chiropractic adjustments are all ways to be proactice with your health. Then you may never experience the cold, flu, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more. Always remember that early detection of a disease is NOT the same as preventing a disease.

Abundant Blessings,

Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Find more information at his website. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

Sweat 16

You've heard of a Sweet 16 - Why not a Sweat 16?!

The guidelines for the importance and amount of physical activity we should strive for in a day have changed drastically since I was earning my Kinesiology degree at Penn State. The current guidelines from the CDC are for adults to participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise (i.e. brisk walking) per week and use resistance exercises at least 2 days per week that focuses on all major muscle groups (i.e. chest, back, arms, shoulders, abs, buttocks, and thighs).

These guidelines are much improved from where they started, but I believe that focusing on an amount of time per week can lead to problems. I can go to the gym and work out for 75 minutes 2 days per week. That gives me the minimum exercise requirement for the CDC, but do you think that is healthy? The answer is no. 

Throughout my undergraduate career, I would work out 3-4 days per week in the gym for 60-90 minutes. The problem was, my exercises were completely inefficient. I would rest and talk a lot between sets, but rationalize to myself that since I was in the gym for over an hour, that I must have put in a good workout. I wasn't working out efficiently and I wasn't getting the most out of my time.

This led me to the principle of the Sweat 16. In our world today, where schedules are packed more than ever, efficiency is key in achieving the amount of activity that our bodies crave. The bottom line is that our bodies were created to move and yet we have created a society in which the majority of us sit at a desk in front of a computer for more than half our waking hours. I am going to introduce a little radical thought here: sitting is to the spine what smoking to the lungs. How about that to encourage us to get off our butts?

So what is Sweat 16? It is simply participating in some activity that allows you to continuously sweat for 16 minutes a day during EVERY day of the week. Now of course that is a minimum to get you started, but if you set that as a goal to schedule into your day, every day, then you will be well on your way to achieving a healthy and active life. 

But Dr. Dan, only 16 minutes of sweat a day is less than the exercise requirement of the CDC... Of course it is! But here's the deal: how long does it actually take you to reach the stage where you have built up a good sweat? It takes at least five or ten minutes for the average person depending on the environmental conditions (i.e. air condition vs. humidity). Adding in the "warm up to sweat time" makes puts your weekly minutes at about 175!

The CDC has laid down an excellent baseline, but the intensity levels are not clearly defined and can differ greatly from person to person. A "brisk walk" for a pregnant or an elderly individual may be a moderate to high activity, but that same brisk walk for the average healthy person would hardly get their heart rate up. The advantage of the Sweat 16 principle is that you are basing your exercise levels completely upon your individual ability. And, once your strength and endurance begin to improve (and of course they will because you are designed to adapt!), you will have to increase your activity intensity to reach that same level of sweating.

Six Ways to Ensure your Sweat 16:

1.       Add a hill, incline, or steps.

2.       Add weights or resistance bands.

3.       Increase repetitions.

4.       Increase your speed.

5.       Change the plane of your body (low to high and high to low).

6.       Decrease rest time between sets. Ideally you should choose a series of movements that do not require a rest for the duration of the activity.

It is important to remember that if you have not engaged in any physical activity and you wish to begin an exercise program, you should consult a health care professional.

Always empowering,

Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Find more information at his website. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

From Pyramid to Plate

Last night, as my wife and I were celebrating our 3rd anniversary at a wonderful local Italian restaurant, she reminded me how truly different our food choices are compared to the average family, even with the latest change to the food pyramid. Now we are some of the healthiest people I know (that is not to sound conceited in any way), but it took years of personal research and studying to adapt a nutritional regimen that would meet our needs and every family's needs, provided they have a little discipline.

The new governmental nutritional recommendations can be found here and I strongly encourage you to browse through the website as I explain my two cents throughout the remainder of this post.

Veggies: Finally, someone had some decency to increase the amount of vegetable servings we get in a day. Personally, I still think it is too low. Our diet should be closer to 50% vegetable consumption. I always try to alternate the way I prepare my vegies as well. Eat them fresh, steam them, grill them, or bake them, but just don't avoid them. Veggies are some of the greatest sources of vitamins and trace minerals that are essential for proper body function. They also have a ton of fiber, which is great for cleansing the digestive track and letting your brain know that your stomach is "full" and it is time to stop eating. Surprise! If you eat more vegies, you will lose that weight you have been trying to lose for years.

Fruits: I am so glad the USDA decided to separate fruit from vegetables. I love fruit, but in the old pyramid recommendations, it was lumped together with veggies and most people avoided the vegetables and turned to the fruit. Fruit is loaded with natural sugar, which is much better than refined sugar, but can still cause weight struggles if you eat too much. I try to limit my fruit intake to 1-2 servings per day and I focus on fruits that have a lower glycemic index (i.e. red apples) or are higher in antioxidants (i.e. berries). Always remember to eat your fruits with a protein, because it will help to prevent your blood sugar from spiking too high, which is how Type II diabetes is developed.

Protein: Oh my favorite food group! There is nothing better then a properly seasoned chicken thigh that is grilled to perfection. Sorry to those vegetarians and vegans, but the fact of the matter is that we are genetically designed to eat meat. This is how we obtain the majority of our B-vitamins, which are essential for nerve and blood cell function, and cholesterol, which is essential for the formation of many hormones throughout the body. I have seen many patients who do not consume adequate amounts of meat in their diet and suffer from chronic fatigue, dizziness, arrhythmias, or heart palpitations. I strongly encourage all vegans and vegetarians to supplement B-vitamins.  A serving of meat is 3-4 oz, which is the size of a standard kitchen sponge. Nuts are also a great way to fulfill the requirements of this group. Almonds are the gold standard in my book. I try to avoid peanuts and peanut butter like the plague, due to all the allergens.

Grains: Something else to avoid like the plague is ALL refined grains, including white bread, white flour, and white rice. These products are stripped of all nutrients to prolong shelf life. Think of it this way, if it prolongs shelf life outside your body, it will inside your gut. Processed grains are very difficult to digest and can cause a lot of undue stress on the stomach and intestines, which leads to excessive bloating, gas, and even allergies. If you have any sort or allergies or auto immune disorder, try eliminating wheat products from your diet for 30 days and see what happens. I personally try not to eat more than a couple wheat products in an entire week. I used to have horrible digestive distress until I stopped eating wheat products. There are some amazing grains other than wheat that can fulfil this category. Quinoa is one of my favorites. This is known as a "super grain" due to its high protein content. It has a very low glycemic index and will provide you energy for hours after you eat it, without all the digestive distress like wheat can cause.

Dairy: This is probably one of the most controversial categories. The bottom line is, we are the only mammals that continue to drink milk after we are weaned from our mother's breast milk.The problem with milk and all dairy products is that the pasteurization process kills all the necessary enzymes that we need to digest lactose and can lead to the same digestive distress and allergies that wheat products can cause. If you insist on drinking milk, the best way to do it would be to purchase a goat or cow, milk it, and drink it that same day. Personally, I quit drinking milk along time ago and it has done wonders on my overall health. How do I get my calcium you ask? Almonds (I do recommend almond milk) and green leafy vegies (i.e. spinach and kale). I do enjoy a sprinkle of cheese now and again, especially on my omelets or salads, but it is less than a serving.

I know this post was much longer than normal, but I hope it gives you some good insight into the differences of the nationally recommended food categories and my own food choices. I try to eat as close to our genetic design as possible, and that is a hunter/gatherer diet of nuts, vegies, fruits, and lean meats. I believe that if today the world stopped eating processed grains, refined sugar, and pasteurized dairy products, in less than one years time we would see chronic illness nearly disappear. The bottom line is "you are what you eat!" Eat healthy and your family will be healthy. Now it is time for lunch =)

Abundant blessings,

Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Find more information at his website. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

Summer Lovin'

Looking back at my naive life guarding days, I shiver to think about all the unnecessary damage I placed on my body due to the poor sunshine safety habits that I practiced. Understanding the chemistry of the body has given me a much greater insight into practices that are congruent with my health. Summer is headed into full swing and it seems as though everyone has now jumped on the Vitamin D and sunshine bandwagon, so I decided that I would join too.

I think it would be very beneficial to start with the basic question: How is vitamin D made and why is it needed in the body?

When ultraviolet light from our sun hits the cells in our skin, it activates a biochemical pathway that creates vitamin D3. [As a side note, it has been estimated that each individual cell completes over one million reactions every second and there are over 70 trillion cells that make up a human body.] Next, vitamin D3 must go through a few more reactions in the liver and kidney to reach its hormonally activated form. [Another side note - this form  of vitamin D3 is produced directly by the placenta during pregnancy.  Pretty neat how mother nature knows how to supply the growing baby with all it needs.] Vitamin D is ESSENTIAL in calcium absorption, bone growth and repair, immune system activation, and programmed cell death (apoptosis), which is a process that prevents cancerous growth of cells.

Now we ask, how much vitamin D do I need?

Instead of focusing on how much vitamin D we need to prevent cancer or the common cold, let's think about how much vitamin D we need to achieve an optimal level of health. It has been recommended that a MINIMUM of 15 minutes of sunshine exposure per day on the arms and legs WITHOUT sunscreen is essential to obtain proper vitamin D levels. Sunscreen can decrease vitamin D production by over 95%!

But Dr. Dan, can't sun exposure without sunscreen cause cancer?

Sure it can. Too much water can also cause drowning, but that doesn't mean water isn't good for you. Here is a shocker though: many of the toxins that are in sunscreen have also been linked to cancer and/or hormonal imbalances.

For your sunscreen shopping convenience, I have listed some of the more common toxins in sunscreen:

• Octinoxate 
• Oxybenzone  
• Octisalate
• Avobenzone 
• Octocrylene
• Homosalate 

The bottom line is that anything you put on your skin is going to be absorbed into your blood stream. If there is a foreign and toxic substance in the blood stream, it must be processed and filtered out by the liver. Too many toxins can stress the liver and lead to a multitude of other hormonal and health challenges.

3 Keys for Sufficient Sun Shine and Skin Safety:

1. Lotions - use an organic sunscreen with only one active ingredient (i.e. titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) and use an organic moisturizer 
2. Clothing - stay in the shade when possible, wear a hat that protects the face and neck, and wear a t-shirt intermittently to reduce sun exposure
3. Nutrition - drink plenty of water, eat your omega 3 fats (i.e. flax seed or fish oil), and get plenty of calcium (great sources are almonds and green leafy veggies)

With these practices, you have the ability to increase vitamin D levels and all the amazing health benefits associated with it; protect yourself from harmful toxins in sunscreen; and still obtain that awesome summer tan that everyone loves.

Always empowering,

Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Find more information at his website. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

Go Where You Have Never Gone Before

While I was running my first ever marathon last Sunday, I saw several signs that the volunteers and family members were holding up, which stated, "Less than 1% of the population will run a marathon this year." Though this statement did not truly sink in while I was running the race, I started to dwell on it a bit more in the days afterwards. If this number were true, that means roughly 3.6 million Americans ran a marathon and 60 million people world wide, which is a very large number. However, when I began to think about the percentages of chronic disease (i.e. heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer) in our country, it all fell into perspective.

In a recent seminar that I attended, one of my mentors explained that 80% of Americans have a diagnosed chronic illness, which amounts to over 288 million people in the United States alone. Now that number is a bit larger than the 3.6 million that may have run a marathon. Those chronic illnesses cost our country over $12 billion per DAY. Every one of us knows at least one person who is taking a drug for one of these chronic conditions and the effects are to taking a giant toll on our lives and economy. The issue that drives me crazy is that these conditions are completely 100% preventable!

Now let us take a step back and consider what it took to run these 26.2 miles of the marathon? I did not just wake up the morning of the race and decide to run. It took nearly 6 months of preparation. I made up my mind back in October (the race was May 15) that I was going to train for the marathon. I placed the marathon date on my calendar and then began to research training programs. I spoke with other people who had completed marathons and they shared their experiences and training methods. Even through the bitter northeastern winter, I had to discipline myself to get out and run, sometimes early in the morning or late into the evening.

As a side note here, it makes me cringe when people state, "I am not a runner" or "I could never run a marathon." Well, with that mindset you are absolutely correct. Let me explain that I would not have considered myself a runner either. I have always been the type of person who loves to work out at the gym and lift a lot of weights. If I did add running to my workout regimens, it would never be more than 6 miles in an entire week. However, I made the decision that I wanted to run a marathon and to do so; I was going to have to follow a training program that I have never completed before, running close to 30 or 35 miles in a week.

How does this have any relation to the 80% of people with a chronic illness? Well you did not wake up one morning and just have diabetes or high cholesterol. It took years of over eating the wrong foods, not participating in daily physical activities, or taking advice from ignorant health professionals. The bottom line is that if you wish to GO where you have never been before (a state of health), then you will have to DO what you have never done before (healthy actions)!

As a disclaimer, I understand my tone may have been a little direct in this post. However, I want the absolute best life possible for you and your family, and I know what it takes to get there. Change takes discipline, responsibility, accountability, and time. Not only are we all blessed with the ability to change our life and circumstances, but I believe we have the responsibility for our future generations. With my first child on the way, this really hits home. I think it would be wonderful if we could show our children a world of prosperity that humanity has yet to see. But, in order to GO where we have not gone, we need to DO what we have not done!

Please continue to follow my blog to find out what you can DO to lead a healthier life for you and your family.

Always empowering,

Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Find more information at his website. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

Awareness 101

As I was preparing to run my first marathon ever (26.2 miles!), I was finishing up my training with a 13 mile run two weekends ago.  I started off great, making it up a huge hill within the first 2 miles and got into my groove through mile 3.  But as I ascended the second major hill in my run, I felt that nagging emotion and crushing sensation that it was time to walk. My breaths increased frequency, my steps became shorter, and my leg muscles burned until I had to give into the feeling and slow my pace to a walk. Breaking pace has got to be once of the most frustrating events as a runner, especially when I knew exactly why it was occurring. In fact, if I had to predict that day how my run would go, I could have easily told you that it would be a struggle. 

Why did I know this? Because the weekend just prior, I was visiting some family members out of town and I drastically deviated from my typical eating habits. I had a few deserts and two alcoholic beverages that I had not been accustomed to up to that point in my training.  That meant I was going to have a tough run. Why is that so important? My point is that I was aware of my poor dietary input, so much so in fact, that I could predict my future output.

Let's use a computer as another example. If a virus is downloaded onto a computer, what will be the result? Obviously we know that the computer will slow down and wreak havoc on our production. But if instead of a virus, an upgraded software version is downloaded, then our efficiency increases by leaps and bounds. This is the universal law of action and reaction or input and output. And guess what - Your health is to subject this same law!

It amazes me the number of people that I speak to who struggle with a number of health challenges; obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, asthma, allergies, muscle cramping and pain, fatigue, insomnia, depression, arthritis (believe me, the list goes on). Most people blame these health problems on bad luck or bad genes and worse yet, they believe there is nothing they can do except to manage their conditions with medication.  Fortunately, this is just not the case.

Allow me to take the first step in increasing your awareness. Your health (output) is the product of your life experiences and choices (input) up to this point. But even more exciting is that we have the ability to change our health by simply becoming more aware and changing our input! That's fantastic news!

In my experience, the best healers are the ones who facilitate increased awareness in all people they encounter.  That is why I have a personal mission to elevate the awareness of every person I meet. Just like I immediately knew I was going to have a tough run, you can get to the root of any or all of your health challenges and start to predict your future as a result of increasing your awareness. The substances we choose to consume or not consume, the TV shows we watch, the publications we read, the thoughts we think, and the relationships we share all have a monumental effect on our health.

Five Beginning Steps for Increasing Awareness: 

1. Find a coach/partner. We gain more insight from those who hold us accountable.
2. Collect and read the labels of everything you consume in one week. If you cannot understand (or even pronounce!) the ingredients, chances are, it is not the best option for consumption.
3. Write down everything you watch and read in one week. Does it create a positive or negative emotional state? It has to be one or the other, there is no neutral. 
4. Evaluate the relationships of the 5 people you hang out with most. When you are with them, do you find yourself more joyful, relaxed, and peaceful OR fearful, anxious, and fatigued?
5. Interview and choose a chiropractor. We experience life through our nerve system.  A chiropractor's responsibility is to make sure that system is as clear as possible, so that you may experience health and life to the fullest.  Trying to increase your awareness without one would be like watching satellite TV in the middle of a storm. Can you make out the plot? Sure, but the fuzziness will leave you frustrated and keep you from gaining an appreciation of the whole story.

When we start to become more aware of what we put in, the output begins to make a lot more sense. Will it be easy? Of course not.  But what in life is worth pursuing if it is easily attained?

Always empowering,

Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Find more information at his website. Follow him on facebook and twitter. 

The "Nervous" Doctor

In the past 4 months, I graduated with my chiropractic degree, obtained my state license, started my own practice and found out I am going to be father. Sounds like I have a little bit to be "nervous" about - of course it does!  But, that is the exciting part of life. One of my favorite sayings is "if you are not growing, you are dying" and that can be applied to all areas of life. The easiest way to think about it is in terms of weight lifting.  When I go to the gym to weight lift, what happens to my muscles? They get bigger and stronger. What allows them to do that? The RESISTANCE of gravity! If you were to map out your life, I could guarantee that immediately following your most difficult struggles comes growth and prosperity.  So remember that the next time you are "nervous" or fearful of a major project, activity, or conversation with a loved one.  However, the "nervous" feeling is not what I wanted to discuss. Rather, I wish to discuss your nervous system.

As a chiropractor, given the choice between two sections of the phone book - "bone" doctor OR "nerve" doctor - which do you think I would pick to be listed under? Be careful on this one… I choose "nerve" doctor!

Have you ever wondered why chiropractors get such a "back" rap (pun intended)? Yes, they do deal with your spine, but it is so much more than just a back! The alignment and motion of your spine is intimately related to the function of your nervous system. That is an extremely important statement, so allow me to reiterate. The structure and function of your spine is directly related to your overall health. WOW, that is powerful! So why is that? Well your nervous system, which is made up of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves, is the master coordinator/conductor of your body. There is not a single activity that goes on in your body that your nerve system does not know about. Your spine protects and feeds the nervous system based on its alignment and motion. Starting to see the big picture?

Your chiropractor addresses your spinal challenges, known as subluxations, because he knows it will lead to a better functioning nervous system. If you get a better conductor, with time, does an orchestra not improve? Of course, and the same occurs with the health of your body. If your nervous system was located in your knee, then chiropractors would be known as "knee" doctors instead of "back" doctors. So the next time you meet a chiropractor, instead of grabbing your neck or your low back and saying "gee doc, I could use a good cracking," maybe you should instead say "thanks doc for improving the nervous system function of my family and friends." Now you might be thinking, can chiropractic help with this, that, or the other condition? The only way to find out is to make an appointment with your local chiropractor and know that you have everything to be "nervous" about!

Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Find more information at his website. Follow him on facebook and twitter.