Category Archives: health issues

August 2, 2012 · 6:03 pm

What’s in your soap?

What's in your soap?

What’s in your soap?

You only need three ingredients to make soap:

Water, Fat, and Lye.

This is pure soap, with the natural glycerin retained.  Glycerin is a great moisturizer that attracts moisture to the skin and is best if just left naturally in the soap.

(from NaturalNews)” The next time you walk down the soap aisle at your favorite store  enjoying the fresh, clean scents and the bright colorful packaging, pay  attention. Look at the labels. The vast majority of the products on the shelf  don’t say ‘soap’ on their labels. They might be called beauty bars, moisturizing  bars, or body bars, but not soap. That’s because these bars aren’t actually soap  and can’t legally claim to be; they’re detergents. The manufacturers have  removed most of the ‘good’ stuff that occurs in the soap making process, and  replaced it with synthetic lathering agents and harsh chemicals. These cheap,  plentiful detergent bars are not only bad for your skin, but they’re also bad  for the planet, too.”

What’s in your soap?

Cold-Process is the basic form of handmade, from scratch soap making.  The result is a luscious, gentle soap with a fine texture and lovely lather.  Hot-Process uses the same technique, however goes one step further applying heat to the soap “cooking” it.  I use both processes to make my soaps, preferring lately the rustic look of hot-process.

McGregor Chiropractic & Massage carries real natural soaps!  We know exactly what is in them because I make them!  Yep, I make my own soap, and you should try it! 

What’s in my soap?  

No Artificial Ingredients

My soaps are made of water (or beer [home-brew, of course!], or goat milk), lye, and blends of different fats-mainly olive oil and coconut oil.  I use only plant based colors and pure essential oils.  And there are no preservatives in my soaps.

If you have never used real soap before you are missing out!

It’s time to come clean!  Big name bars are not soap, but detergents, synthetic lathering agents, and harsh chemicals.  Bad for you, bad for our planet.  Do yourself and your world a favor and start using real soap!

What’s in your soap?

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Filed under health issues, healthy alternatives, support local businesses

November 2, 2011 · 9:50 am

Mayo Clinic recommends Massage for Chronic Back Pain

“A recent study indicates massage not only relieves pain over the short term, but also appears to have benefits that may last for months.” -Mayo Clinic newsletter November 2011

Yay Mayo!  The November 2011 online newsletter for the Mayo Clinic has an article about the benefits of massage for chronic low back pain.  A patient brought me a copy of the newsletter (which you can sign up for at www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com , just note this is a subscribed service) which reads:

Massage and your aching back

If you live with chronic low back pain, you may be among many who’ve sought relief with the help of massage.  But just how effective massage may be for this type of pain has been uncertain.  That’s beginning to change.  A recent study indicates massage not only relieves pain over the short term, but also appears to have benefits that may last for months.

The study, published in the July 5, 2011, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, included more than 400 people.  Pain relief results of two types of massage–relaxation and structural massage–were compared over a 10 week period.  Relaxation massage is believed to be the most common type used in the United States and is often called Swedish massage.  Structural massage involves specific techniques to find and release problems in contracted muscle and related connective tissue.  Researchers found that both types of massage were more effective for pain relief and improved function than was having usual care for chronic back pain and no massage.  In addition, the benefits from both types of massage lasted at least six months.

Mayo Clinic doctors say the study adds to the body of knowledge that massage therapy for chronic low back pain may have lasting benefits for a number of weeks or months beyond the duration of a series of treatment sessions.

Wow!  It warms my heart to hear the medical community recognize the benefits of massage.  I will try not to make a snarky comment about the fact that the Chinese have known this for thousands of years.  oops!  OK, lets try this.  The type of massage I use is what the study referred to as Structural, but what most LMTs call Therapeutic massage.  I do this in a relaxed setting, so there is relaxation involved, but I do not do Swedish massage.  In the Chiropractic office, we need therapeutic massage to deal with the musculoskeletal problems we face every day.  I do 1 hour massages (which are usually full body and somewhat relaxing) and 1/2 hour massages that are more intense spot treatment on trouble areas.  If you are in accute pain or have suffered for a long time with chronic pain I am confident that massage can help you.  And I am grateful to the Mayo Clinic for including this in their newsletter because it has exposed thousands of people to the fact that massage therapy is beneficial.

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October 26, 2011 · 12:27 pm

Eat Real Food

Dr. Daren and I are committed to helping our patients reach optimum health.  One of the best ways we know how to do that is by promoting healthy eating habits.  We encourage all of our patients to eat real food.

Did you know that we have a local CSA (community supported agricultre) that offers certified organic produce?!  Lady Moon Farms Garden in a Box is located in Punta Gorda and has pick-up points in Fort Myers.  I love their motto…Eat Fresh, Buy Local, Stay Healthy.  We can’t wait for our first box!

Real Food

It seems that eating well these days is getting more and more difficult.  It eases my mind to know that our produce is fresh, local, and organic (and for only about $17/week, a steal!)  Now, Dr. Daren and I are not vegetarians.  We try to make healthy choices in the meats and eggs we choose too.  However, the most important choice we make is to avoid processed (commercial) food stuffs.  The following quote from Dr. Royal Lee (a genius that was ahead of his time) really explains our point of view.

“We have drifted into this deplorable position of national malnutrition quite inadvertently.

…It is the result of scientific research with the objective of finding the best ways to create foods that are non-perishable, that can be made by mass production methods in central factories,

…and distributed so cheaply that they can sweep all local competition from the market.

Then, after there develops a suspicion that these “foods” are inadequate to support life, modern advertising steps in to propagandize the people into believing that there is nothing wrong with them.

That they are products of scientific research intended to afford a food that is the last word in nutritive value, and the confused public is totally unable to arrive at any conclusion of fact, and continues to blindly buy the rubbish that is killing them years ahead of their time.  The American people have been humbugged into digging their graves with their own teeth!”

-Dr. Royal Lee     

Sound familiar?  One of the topics of discussion in our office is “Cheerios are not a health food!”  Advertising on TV is meant to make you believe these products are good for you.  A reading labels post will follow this one at another time, but you need to know that the food your eating is Real Food!  Whole food, not processed is the best thing you can put in your body.  Dr. Lee knew this to be true and knew that the commercial food manufactures were producing “food” that would sit on a shelf for months without going bad (food is supposed to rot!) and people were eating it and getting sick.  This quote is right on target for these times and he said this in 1943!

Eating habits are inherited, and the easiest of bad habits to change.  Do your research, read your labels, and remember…Eat Real Food!

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Filed under health issues, nutrition

October 17, 2011 · 2:29 pm

Try chiropractic!

“chiropractic can help that!”

-Dr. Daren Fitzpatrick c. 1998 to present

This simple phrase is a running theme (and joke) in our family.  When Daren and I came back to town in the late 90’s after he graduated from Life University, our family would get together on the weekends and it always seemed like someone had an ache or pain, or maybe they had a cold or were getting headaches, you know-the things we think nothing of anymore because we can dose up on this pill or that and get on with our day.  Well, being fresh out of chiropractic school, Daren’s answer to these “complaints” was always-“chiropractic can help that!”   It doesn’t matter what ails you, it probably is true that chiropractic can help.  Chiropractic is the philosophy, art, and science of natural healing using spinal adjustments to keep your spine, nerves, and energies functioning without interference so you are at your physical and mental best (without drugs!).  All ages benefit too!  Daren’s youngest patient was just 5 weeks old when her mom brought her in with terrible torticollis and a couple of very gentle adjustments later she was better!  He has had great success with helping to reduce severity, length, and frequency of ear infections in small children as well.  Daren’s oldest patient was 96!  Chiropractic keeps older spines mobile.  As we age we tend to become more sedentary, and immobility can advance arthritic conditions.  We work on all parts of the body, not just the spine.  We have helped people with a range of musculo-skeletal problems:  bad knee, sore feet, trigger finger, headaches,  and so much more.  If you have any questions about whether or not we can help you with your problem, please contact us because-“chiropractic can help that!”

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September 22, 2011 · 7:38 pm

Alternative Medicine?

Do you consider a visit to your chiropractor or massage therapist alternative medicine…or an alternative to medicine?  We think of the two, along with the integration of proper nutrition, as Optimal Health Care.  Our goal is your better health!  That’s it.  We are a small business and we treat our patients like family, so when you call our office or come in for treatment you are dealing with Dr. Daren or me.  We not only help with the immediate problems, but strive to give you strategies that will optimize your health for years to come.  That doesn’t sound like alternative medicine to us.  Think we can’t help you?  Ask us, you might be surprised at the answer.

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