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.