Taking the hell out of healthy and putting the well back into wealthy
I am Victoria.
I am a Woman.
I am an Attorney.
I am a Yoga Instructor.
I am a Christian.
I am a Sinner.
I am Forgiven.
When you see me as a woman you might not think I am an attorney.
When you see me as an attorney you might not think I am a yoga instructor.
When you see me as a yoga instructor you might not think I am a Christian.
When you see me as a Christian you might not think I am a sinner.
When you see me as a sinner you might not think I am forgiven.
VWK ❤
“God has called you to live in peace.” 1 Corinthians 7:15.
Sometimes when I begin my solo yoga practice, I begin with no purpose. I allow my body to simply flow. The end result is sometimes fulfilling but rarely immediate. Rather, it is when I return my thoughts and my intentions to that flow that I gain fulfillment. I learn from it. I build my uninhibited flows into my intentional flows. Before I know it, a practice that began with no purpose builds my practice of purpose.
I sat thinking today, I wish I could guide my class through one of my unintentional and purposeless flows. However, I know that my body flows quicker than my mind and my mouth can teach. A class guided with no purpose would be just that – purposeless. In fact, it wouldn’t be guided at all.
As I sat on the couch, with no intention to write, I found myself at the computer – -throwing up words on the page. The writer’s block is over (thank you Kanye).
Just like my purposeless practice – life has taught me that when I act freely – when I act quicker than my mind can process, and my words can describe I find no fulfillment. In fact, in the immediate I find regret. It is when I return, with thoughts and intentions reflecting on those actions that I release my regret and I learn.
My purposeless actions always prove to be lessons. For this, I can be grateful. Some of us act with no purpose but gain no lesson. This is a life with no fulfillment.
I think I will call this Pt. 2. Hellthy and Wellthy Part 2.
I did not guide you through some of my journey. Honestly, the past few months I needed internal inspiration. I needed divine inspiration. I needed that for myself. I needed God. I needed anointment in privacy. I needed God’s wisdom alone. I needed to understand what I was learning and who I was becoming before I could verbalize it.
My yoga journey led me somewhere I never imagined – somewhere better than I expected. Somewhere unexpected. My yoga journey led me right to the arms of God – and I can not imagine a better place to be. A life filled with purpose and guided by the Word.
How? Because there is one very clear distinction that can be made when a purposeless flow evolves into a purposeful class and purposeless life actions evolve into life lessons.
My purposeless flows help me to craft sequential, rhythmic and systematic classes. Classes that can be easily guided and taught to others. Why? Because my body naturally flows with rhythm. I find myself moving naturally from upward dog, to downward dog, to warrior 1, to warrior 2, to reverse warrior, to triangle and finally to half moon. Even when I have no purpose going into practice I sometimes found myself there. With no purpose – the natural flow of my body takes me there because the movement is natural. It flows. In turn, I take that movement – I make it repetitive and it is easy to guide people through it.
Unlike yoga, there is no fulfillment in a life that is sequential, rhythmic and systematic. Sequencing, rhythm and systems do not make life easy to guide. Life – life is not easy to guide. There are far too many choices to be made on a daily basis that cannot be made naturally – the choices need guidance. That is why I had to find guidance. I could not rely on my natural feelings and purposeless actions to fulfill me. In fact, they caused me to be so unfulfilled that I became lost. I needed a guide. I needed a compass.
The guide is God and the compass is the Word.
I am well versed enough to know I have no place to judge so I won’t. I believe that yoga asanas (poses) have proved a great tool to strengthen my body and to heal my physical wounds. I believe the asanas have taught me patience with my body.
I do not believe that yoga can ever or could ever guide me to fulfillment in my mind, my heart, and my spirit. Why? Because the philosophy of yoga requires you to accept that you are nothing. You live here as nothing – to end at nothing – so you must teach yourself to be fulfilled by nothingness. That is the most advanced philosophy of yoga. To accept nothing. Once you have you are enlightened…..
WAIT….. No.
We were put here with purpose. We live on this beautiful earth – among water, land, sky, plants and creatures. We live among God’s children. We live among intentional creation. Not among nothingness.
We live with guidance from the Father on an earth far less than the heaven we will see. We are all something – we are the sons and the daughters of a King.
We live fallen but forgiven. We live unconditionally loved and accepted.
Nothingness is not fulfilling. Achieving nothingness is worth nothing.
Trust that you’re here to fulfill something. To go somewhere. To meet someone. You are here with purpose, live that purpose out.
Xoxo,
Victoria
Oh, Avocado.
Worried about fat? I hear ya. I recently revamped my avocado smoothie to make it a more sustainable choice in my daily diet. I stopped drinking my Avocado Pudding on a daily basis a little over a month ago. What is Avocado Pudding and Why I Eat It Everyday
I was dying! I could not figure out why I was never satisfied at lunchtime anymore. Then I realized, it’s because I let go of this oh so delicious and nutritious treat. One full avocado a day might be too much so I decided I should just revamp my Avocado Pudding. An avocado is a fantastic option to include in your daily diet because it is full of fiber, vitamins, and good fats (but a lot of them)!
So here is The Phat (not the fat) version of Avocado Pudding. 🙂
“If my life is for rent, and I don’t learn to buy, well I deserve nothing more than I get because nothing I have is truly mine.” – Dido.
val·ue: consider (someone or something) to be important or beneficial; have a high opinion of
Have you ever sat down and thought about how much value you hold? Probably not. It is rare to sit down with yourself to confront these questions. I bet that on a daily basis you are subtly answering this question. Every time you judge yourself, you treat yourself with disrespect, you let others hurt you, or you ignore what your body and mind are begging you for. On a daily basis, most of us are telling our body, our soul, and everyone around us that we don’t hold much value.
Think about yourself taking care of a dog or a baby. If the dog needed to go outside on a walk, you would take the dog on a walk. This is because we place a high value on our pets. They bring us comfort, joy, and solace. In return, we want our pets to be happy and healthy.
What about a baby? If your baby needed to go to the doctor you wouldn’t even question it. You would take the baby to the doctor, even just to be safe. If a certain food was upsetting your baby’s stomach you would stop feeding your baby that food, even if you thought it was their favorite. If you were pregnant and your doctor told you that you needed to stop eating certain foods and drinking certain drinks you would stop doing it for the baby.
Finally, and worst of all … think about yourself with material items. When you are feeling down or you are feeling accomplished are you willing to invest in that $300.00 purse you have been craving? Are you willing to invest in the leather treatment spray to keep it clean? Would you be angry if someone treated that bag poorly? A lot of us believe that by investing in material things we are investing in ourselves when really we are just investing in an item. So, when was the last time you really invested $300.00 into yourself?
How many of us come home and ignore our own body when it is screaming: exercise!!!!!!?? How often do you feed yourself what is convenient, cheap, or available even though you know it is not good for you? How many us, escape doctor’s appointments because of inconvenience, investment, or because it’s “not that bad.”? I’m not just talking about your regular doctor. I mean seeking out a doctor of nutrition when your body needs help. Seeking out a specialist in grief when your mind needs help. Seeking out a specialist in life coaching when your soul needs help. Seeking out a doctor of chiropractic when your body needs to be aligned. Spotlight Series – Dr. Matthew Murrin: The Benefits of Chiropractic Care and Why You NEED It In Your Life!
Why do we do this? Why would you drop everything you are doing to take care of your dog and baby but not yourself? Why would you call out of work to take your car to the shop when it won’t start up but you wouldn’t call out of work to go to an appointment when your body isn’t starting up the way it used to. Why would you stop feeding your baby the food’s that upset their stomach but you won’t stop feeding yourself food’s that upset your stomach? Why would you stand up to someone who walks all over your brand new purse, but you wouldn’t stand up to someone who walks all over you?
The answer to this question is simple: Value.
WE DO NOT VALUE OURSELVES! We don’t value ourselves the way we value material things. We don’t value ourselves the way we value the ones we love. That has to change.
TODAY: Sit with yourself and think of how much value you hold.
If you aren’t satisfied with the answer then all you need to do is start investing in yourself! Start treating yourself with value and let others see that. I don’t mean walk around with ego, arrogance, and entitlement. I mean walk around with strength and security.
When you start investing in yourself you will develop value in yourself. You will feel better and see clearer. You will feel stronger and act on that strength. Listen to your body the way that you would listen to your baby cry. Invest in your health the way you would invest in a purse, or a shoe, or a car. Buy into your body, it is yours.
Here are a few great places to start:
Doctor’s Nutrition – if you feel like your body is not at its prime (most of us) maybe it is time to take a look. Doctor’s Nutrition is a TX nutrition based program. Dr. Stephen Lewis runs 18 panels of blood work and has a one on one conference call with you breaking that blood work down to kindergarten English for you to understand. Then he makes recommendations and offers many kinds of supplements to help your body get back to 100.
This blood work can answer so many questions. Your regular doctor’s office is rarely ever going to run 18 panels to understand your hormone levels, thyroid levels, blood sugar, iron, etc. Dr. Lewis does. And he does it for a very low cost (the same as that purse you had to have 6 months ago and never wear now).
You can get your blood work done at any Quest Diagnostics in any state. Check out Doctor’s Nutrition here: Pro Health IQ
Chiropractic USA – Spotlight Series – Dr. Matthew Murrin: The Benefits of Chiropractic Care and Why You NEED It In Your Life!
Gaia Yoga App – $9.99 a month to invest in your mind body and soul. The Gaia Yoga app has so much to offer. It is a platform of thousands of yoga videos, guided meditation, and documentaries to feed your hungry brain. Gaia Yoga Online
The Minimalists – In case you need a push to stop investing in things and start investing in life. The Minimalists Website
Yoga Talk Show: Lucas Rockwood – No this podcast is not just about yoga pants and poses. This podcast is actually where I learned about Doctor’s Nutrition and I could not be happier about that. On this podcast, Lucas brings experts in sleep, nutrition, science, meditation, essential oils, therapy….. and on and on and on. It is the only way I drive to work int he morning: Podcast
Thrive Market – for Organic options at a low price + they show up on your doorstep!
Mid-May I decided that I needed to start eating right for my body. I became aware of the things that upset my stomach, made me feel tired, and the things that I was literally addicted to eating. SUGAR!
So, I went to Costco and I bulked up on things I knew would not upset my stomach and would help me get off the sugar train. Not surprising, the list of things that left my stomach upset consisted of processed food, sodas, meat, and cheese. My stomach handles fresh, plant-based foods really well. At the time though, I was not ready to give up cheese. I loved fresh mozzarella and it wasn’t time to let it go. So I started with what I was ready for.
I have always been a huge animal advocate but at this time I wasn’t ready to face the grim reality that is the meat and dairy industry. I ignored it so that I could continue indulging in cheese and eggs…… However, I found that making a slow transition from vegetarian to vegan was really great for me. It eliminated pressure and the resentments people have with their diet. I wanted to start eating differently.
Now, I am vegan and I find myself saying to people “I can’t eat that” a lot. In truth, what I mean is “I don’t want to eat that.” It’s easy to live a healthy lifestyle and stick to the diet you are on when you want to be on it. If you are considering a transition to vegan I recommend checking out Michael Greger’s new book, listening to a few podcasts, and watching some documentaries on Netflix. Then make your own decision. This is not me advocating for you to make my choice, rather it is me advocating for you to educate yourself to make the decision that is right for you.
Below is the vegetarian diet I stuck to from May to July:
Breakfast – my breakfast smoothie every day: My Breakfast Smoothie
Coffee or Tea in the morning – for tea I did: Link to Tea
I also did a 14-day Tea Tox in July that I am subscribed to do every three months: Link to Tea tox
Lunch – a bowl of cherry tomatoes, 8-10 balls of fresh mozzarella, 1 hard-boiled egg, ¼ of a cucumber, salt, pepper, raspberry blush balsamic (a little goes a long way): Link to this
Snack – a small bowl of pretzels and at 3 PM Avocado Pudding: What is Avocado Pudding and Why I Eat It Everyday
Drink – 8-10 cups of water a day.
Dinner –I hate dinner plain and simple. It’s always so hard to decide what to eat so I tried to have a weekly routine.
I will post a snapshot into my vegan diet in a couple of weeks. Bottom line, I felt great when I transitioned to this vegetarian diet and I lost ten pounds. I still feel great on a vegan diet and I have maintained my weight. Most importantly, I feel true to myself and my beliefs as a result of adopting this vegan plant-based diet.
Choose what works for you and what makes you happy and you will see a huge change in your body and yourself.
Shanti
I’ve spent a lot of time recently reflecting on the character and the energy this society carries. I started to detach from the news cycles and the overwhelming rhetoric on Facebook. I had to do this because every story and every post carried with it a lick of hate or a bundle of anger. Everyone these days feels a need to express everything they are angry about.
This got me thinking. Why are we so angry? Why do we have so much hate? To answer these questions, I looked inside. I did no research and I found no medical links. This is all me. I simply reflected on my experiences and my connections with people.
Up front, know that these thoughts are in no form a judgment. They are not here to say people are wrong or right for their feelings of anger and hate. That one side or one view point is better or worse. Instead, these thoughts are meant to be the pool stick to get your ball rolling. To help you to understand why you harbor feelings of anger and hate and how to rid them.
Anger: Anger comes in two forms.
Why are people so angry that we can legally bear arms? Because they fear what guns can do in the hands of the wrong people. They are afraid of the next news story about a kindergarten class.
Why are you so angry at a driver on the road that cut you off? Because you were afraid and you are afraid of what that driver could do.
Why are people so angry that the environment is suffering at the hands of convenience, accessibility, and cost? Because they fear the effects a poor environment has on their bodies, their children’s bodies, and their future.
Why are you so angry that Donald Trump is President? Because you fear the impact his decisions might have on your life and on this country.
2. Anger is your guard to cover up hurt
Why are you so angry at someone who offends you? You aren’t. You are hurt and you are expressing your hurt through anger. We have been taught to stand strong and not show emotions because that is weak. For some reason though, anger is not considered a weak emotion. So when we are offended by someone’s despicable or misinformed comments we don’t express the emotions we are really feeling, we express anger. We don’t cry, we scream! We don’t say “hey that was offensive and hurt my feelings” we resent them and then start to say offensive comments to describe them.
We have made a habit in this society to not express emotion so in turn, we have confused our own feelings. This is why people sometimes call their “control issues” LOVE. They say that they are in a relationship because they are in love when really they are in a relationship because they want to have control. Either control over their own life or control over the other person. Maybe they feel in control in the bad relationship because it is comfortable to them. What would they do without it? Or maybe they don’t care so much to be with the person they are with, they just couldn’t stand to see them with someone else. This is the classic example of how we confuse our own feelings. This happens because we do not spend enough time in reflection of ourself and spend too much time trying to be what is normal or expected.
In the end, this guard is only fear. So it all circles back. Anger is simply an expression of fear. Fear of others, fear of ourselves, fear of our feelings.
Hate: Hate is twofold. Hate is a reflection of fear and self-loathing.
Why do people hate other people for being different? Because they fear the differences in other people. This is a direct reflection of that person’s own self-loathing. They fear that “minority” might take their job or their admission to that ivy league school. When in reality, they question their own ability to get that job, keep that job, or secure that spot. They are insecure in their worth.
Why do you hate your ex? Because you fear having to experience the pain they caused you ever again. Because deep inside you know that the pain they caused you was avoidable. You are mad at yourself for not leaving earlier, not stepping up for yourself, not valuing yourself, not putting your feet down and walking away when you “should have saw it coming.”
Why do people hate diets? Because they are afraid to let go of what they are already doing. They do not know how to part with the junk food that fills the cupboards and the 10-minute lunch routine to Chick Fil A that works with their schedule. Because they do not trust themselves to return results. They are reminded of all the past diets where they failed themselves.
How to get rid of Anger and Hate: Easy.
Take Control, Take Responsibility, Trust Yourself, Value Yourself
If Anger and Hate are simply reflections of fear and self-loathing this means they are merely expressions of doubt. Doubt in others and doubt in ourselves.
To rid yourself of Anger you have to lose the doubt you have in other people. Do this by taking control of your own life. We have this twisted belief that we must continue to be angry and doubt other people.
In some ways, we are fearful to stop being fearful. We feel like if we aren’t angry than the bad stuff isn’t going to stop happening. This simply isn’t true. In fact, if we were less angry and more charitable there would be a better chance that bad stuff might stop happening. No matter how angry you are at the mentally ill person who picks up a gun and shoots an innocent man, woman, or child your anger is not going to stop that event from happening. Your fear that it can happen again is not going to go away just because you stay angry and you post about your anger on Facebook.
No matter how angry you are at the mentally ill person who picks up a gun and shoots an innocent man, woman, or child your anger is not going to stop that event from happening. Your fear that it could happen again is not going to go away just because you stay angry and you post about your anger on Facebook.
We craft law after law and give speech after speech about these atrocities but it doesn’t change the fact that there are people in this world who do not abide by the laws and who do not view these events as tragedies.
That is scary. But fear of those people, those car accidents, those pesticides, those “politicians” is not going to make things better. It is going to make things ANGRIER. I mean Holy Sh*t, could we get any angrier in America right now? Good Grief!
We might all turn red! (that might fix a different problem 😉 – we’d all be the same color!)
You know what will work. Taking control of your anger. Really, taking control of your fear. What are you afraid of right now that is making you angry? Is it guns, is it driving, is it politics, is it the future. STOP! Stop being afraid. Trust yourself and take control of what you have control over. Don’t buy the gun, don’t speed, don’t drink and drive, don’t drink the kool-aid. Whatever it is, just take control of that fear.
We cannot live our lives in fear of other people. We cannot live our lives worrying about if we can trust the stranger around the corner or in the car next to us. We can trust ourselves. We can control ourselves. We can encourage others to do the same. We don’t have to yell about it, cuss about it, scream about, get red in the face about. We can simply pass on the message to let go of fear and in turn let go of anger. We can ask other people to do this and not judge them if their fear is different than ours.
For example, if the person your talk with is afraid to have guns outlawed because they are afraid they won’t be able to protect themselves without a weapon. Do not judge them, do not get angry with them. Encourage them to find a way to remove that fear. If you can do this, you have removed your own fear. You have found security in yourself and trust that you are controlling your own life, not other people.
To Rid Yourself of Hate. You must first stop hating yourself. Forgive yourself. Accept your mistakes and your past as lessons and move on from them. Get over your insecurities and start to love and trust your abilities.
No matter how different other people are they deserve respect. They deserve to be valued. They deserve to be loved. They deserve to be heard. They deserve a chance.
Do not express hatred towards someone who is different simply because you are afraid of their differences. You are afraid of what they can offer that you cannot. A common way we express hate towards people who are different than us is by boasting ourselves up.
We talk about the many things that we offer that they don’t, the can’t. We are looking for reassurance. We are seeking affirmation that we are better. We are different in the good way! Isn’t that silly? We are all different but only some of us are different in the good way? That is ridiculous.
We are all different. We are all different in good ways. Difference inherently brings with it value. The only determination that has to be made is where that difference is most valued. Some peoples different is needed in the law, some peoples different is needed in the medical field, some peoples different is needed in the arts. There is a place for everyone’s differences. There is a need for difference.
We have to respect difference, we have to learn from differences. We have to realize that the person who is different than us might really be more valuable to that job or that school but only because your different is needed or destined at another job or school. Our differences pave our paths but at the end of the path we all end up together. We all operate to create a world together. We can only live in a healthy and happy world if we respect and value one another for our similarities and our differences.
There is nothing to hate about someone else unless you are hating something inside yourself. If you love yourself totally, 100%, head to toe, failures and successes, past, present, and future there is no reason to hate. There is no fear that someone is different in the good way or someone is different in the bad way. There is only differences that you respect and you learn from. The differences that got you to where you are today. Don’t ever forget that this world is not just about you. This world is operating on the differences we all have and the value that brings.
Stop hating other people, other races, other genders, other HUMANS! Stop hating your ex, stop hating the girl he cheated on you with or the guy she left you for. Stop hating the diet you failed at or the fitness model you’ll never be. Stop hating it all by loving and accepting yourself. We only hate when we fear and when we self-loathe. We cannot hate when we trust, when we embrace and when we value.
Take control. Love and protect yourself.
Yum, yum, yum! I love a good treat for breakfast on a Friday and my new breakfast smoothie is the perfect way to treat your taste buds and your body!
This protein powder is my favorite! It is so rich and does not taste artificial! EVEN BETTER: It made all of that protein powder that you see in those two glass jars on the counter. That will last me for a couple of months at least!
To make my homemade protein powder I gathered all of these products and blended them all together:
“The yogi understands the faults of others by seeing and studying them first in himself.”
I once had a girl tell me that my thoughts came from a privileged point of view. Now, I don’t blame her for that and really I can see where she came from. Because she didn’t know me, she thought she knew me. We tend to do this right? When we don’t know people we conclude who they are by looking at a few pictures, browsing a few posts, or disagreeing with their beliefs.
When we disagree with people our tendency is not to understand why they think the way they do. This is because when we do this we are really choosing to learn more about why we believe they way we do. You can only understand your own beliefs if you can understand why someone else believes differently.
So instead, we jump to the conclusion that they think differently than us because they fail to see what we see. This is not necessarily true though. I might see exactly what you see but perceive it differently. In fact, I might come from a privileged life just like you but we still have very different beliefs. Or, I might come from privilege and you might come from poverty and we have very similar beliefs. What is most important is to understand why.
It’s very easy to judge someone by what we see on the surface. What isn’t easy is to get to know someone, to understand them, and to converse with them. Converse about your disagreements, beliefs, morals, values, and the most awful – politics. When I say converse I mean to engage with each other in a respectful manner. To listen to one another, to engage a dialogue, to learn! Not to argue, criticize, or judge. Sometimes, this is not fun or easy but it is necessary. This is what I have always done and this is why although I am “privileged” to some I do not have a privileged point of view. I have an active listening point of view. Now, what does that mean?
It means I engage, I read, I listen, I actively try to understand the people who grew up differently than me, who believe differently than me, and who faced obstacles I did not face. When I talk with them I try not to cast judgment because I won’t learn anything that way. Have I done this before? Yea! Have I gotten into heated debates with people instead of understanding why we were disagreeing? Yea! It wasn’t worth it. I didn’t feel satisfied at the end even if I felt “right.” Have you ever had this feeling?
So from now on, take the time to understand both sides of a story, a court opinion, or a news interview. I do this and I think about it. I am friends with people who are different than me because they help me. I learn from them and I respect these people, their opinions, their story, their journey. Sometimes what I learn changes my point of view and other times it simply doesn’t. But, I still walk away with a new understanding and I always learn something about myself!
The one person I really learned this from is my father. The man who raised me with a “privileged” life was never privileged. He faced the hardest of obstacles and overcame them. He taught me that nothing is ever given, it is earned. He taught me to never take my privilege and ride it as a point of view.
Instead, my Dad taught me the reasons he thinks the way he does but he gave me the opportunity to go learn otherwise. He taught me to engage others and to constantly seek out an opportunity to learn more. As a result, my Dad and I have come to disagree on a lot of things. This is important though because my Dad never forced me to believe what he believes. I think he respects that I can learn things on my own and find reasons to believe what is right for me. It reminds him of his own journey. My Dad and I engage in conversation a lot about politics, health, and life in general. We disagree a lot but after discussion, I always learn and I always question what I believe. I really think about what I believe and why. That is what I love about active listening. It encourages self-reflection and self-study.
At this point in life, my Dad is very firm in his beliefs whereas I am still in the process of learning what I truly believe. So many people are in this phase of self-reflection and growth. This process is hindered when we are fearful or ashamed to grow and to really reflect on our inner self. Society has a way of hindering this process too. When we change our mind or open our mind to something new we are often criticized for it. We are questioned.
We all want the motto “the past is the past” to apply to us but in return, we do not to apply it to others. We are hypocritical in this way all the time. We want others to afford us the benefit of the doubt but don’t give the same in return. Take some time to reflect on this and in the future allow your mind to be calmed knowing that the past IS the past. More importantly, allow others to feel that from you. If they tell you they have changed give them the benefit of believing that, accepting that, or respecting that change. Maybe you can learn from them.
We cannot move on, we cannot grow, and we cannot change if we dwell on old thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I truly feel like some people hesitate to change because they are afraid that people might not believe they have changed. That should not matter and change should be welcomed with open arms. Even if the change you desire is not welcomed you should make the change if it is right for you, right for your future, and right for your journey.
The first step to experience change and growth in yourself is to reflect on who you are and what you believe in. Continue this process of self-reflection by learning from other people and you will learn about yourself.
“Medicine is the study of disease and what causes a man to die. Chiropractic is the study of health and what causes a man to live.” B.J. Palmer
As part of this blog, I am going to make a point to seek out experts in different fields of health and wellness. I am by no means an expert no matter how much I research, read, watch, or listen to and I can not give anyone medical advice. So, take my advice at face value but know that I am going to put in the work to try to find out all of the details! This is my first Spotlight Series and I could not have chosen a better person to interview.
Who is Dr. Matthew Murrin?
Dr. Matthew Murrin is a Chiropractor in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. He is a native of Newfoundland, Canada. Dr. Murrin graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, where he also served as a professor in exercise physiology while pursuing a Master’s degree. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa. Dr. Murrin has been practicing for ten years and is the first wellness professional in Mount Pleasant certified in Active Release Technique (ART), a treatment that accelerates the patient’s recovery from a myriad of biomechanical injuries.
Dr. Murrin is very athletic and his path to becoming a Chiropractor actually began with an athletic injury he suffered. Dr. Murrin is very passionate about his work and well versed with the care of athletes. He has worked with NFL teams, UFC fighters, and Olympic gymnasts.
If I were to attempt to list all of the honors, certifications, and awards Dr. Murrin has received I think you might stop reading because the post would be too long. Trust me when I say that Dr. Murrin is simply the best!
What is Chiropractic Care?
A lot of people have a hesitation or a distrust in using chiropractic care. I honestly believe it is because Chiropractic care is so simple people don’t trust that it works.
All chiropractic care consists of is adjusting the body and the spine to the right position. This allows the nerves to get the optimal amount of blood flow and oxygen they need. When your nerves are compressed or pinched they do not function at 100% and your body shows symptoms in many different ways. We mistake these symptoms as other illnesses and sicknesses and bandage them with a pill. Instead, chiropractic care might be your best alternative. Dr. Murrin says “it is finding the root cause of your symptoms and correcting that.”
I asked Dr. Murrin some very straight forward questions to help you better understand the benefits and the process of Chiropractic Care:
What are the general benefits of Chiropractic Care?
“The most basic and general benefits of Chiropractic care are relief from back, neck, and shoulder pain. In turn, Chiropractic care aids tension headaches, migraines, allergies, and digestion as well. People often see improvement in their sleep and energy fairly quickly after beginning chiropractic treatments.”
What are some specific benefits of Chiropractic Care that people would not think of?
Anxiety and Stress – “When you have an increase in stress you also have an increase in cortisol levels. The more stressed out you are the more cortisol your body will release. Chiropractic care decreases cortisol levels and as a result, many people see a decrease in stress and anxiety.
This decrease may happen very quickly for some people but for others who continue to be exposed to stressors, the results will come with a little more time. However, with every treatment cortisol levels continue to decrease and you will feel better. Keep in mind that high cortisol levels also cause weight gain, decrease in sleep, decrease in bone density, and increase in muscle tension. With continued care, chiropractic will help with all of these symptoms.”
Weight loss – Entirely connected to stress and cortisol levels is weight gain. When you have an increase in cortisol levels your body is in a state of fight or flight. Therefore, it begins to store fat for insulation, energy, or to feed off of. I see a lot of people who tell me that they just can’t seem to lose that last 5 or 10 pounds no matter how hard they train. Almost every time, the body is hanging on to that extra fat because of stress. When you are stressed out about the weight loss and you overtrain your body cortisol continues to increase and you will continue to hold on to the fat because of stress. There has to be a balance in the body. You cannot just train you must also take care of the inner function of the body too.”
Agility, Stability, and Speed – There is a reason that Olympic and professional athletes are using chiropractic care often. When I worked with professional teams we saw improvement in the players run time, jump distance, and even their agility and stability. The reason for this is because there is an increase in nerve flow to the muscle. The nerve is the brain of the muscle and it is telling it what to do faster when the nerve flow is at an optimal level.
Breathing – The reason that Chiropractic care can help athletes or even an ordinary person with breathing is that it helps increase oxygen to the lungs. The nerve flow to the lungs is greater and as a result, your VO2 goes up. VO2 is the amount of oxygen your body can take in, store, and use. When your nerve flow is at 100% your VO2 goes up and your lungs get and use more oxygen.
Keep in mind that if there is only the weight of a dime compressing a nerve 2/3 of the signal in that nerve is decreased!
The list below is related to the compression of specific nerves and when that compression is released Chiropractic care can improve or even eliminate the symptoms related to:
Why are people afraid of Chiropractic Care?
“Well, the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Chiropractic care is cracking, popping, and twisting. They picture a 1970’s style of chiropractic care that looks rough and quite frankly scary. However, there are 22 techniques of chiropractic care and modern care is really quite gentle. More so, the popping and cracking people hear is just a release of gas and nothing to be afraid of. Unlike medicine, I am putting nothing into your body and there are no symptoms! I am simply adjusting the body to be in its optimal place. Now, you might be a little sore or tender after but that is simply the body healing and getting back to the right place. This goes away quickly!”
What is the first visit like?
“At the first visit only three things happen:
That is it! There is no adjustment done that day because I want to take the time to study the x-rays, the symptoms, and then conclude if I can help you. If I can you come in for your follow up appointment and we get you on your individualized care plan. If I think your symptoms are best treated with something else I will refer you out. Every one is different and there is no generalized care.
SOOOOOOO, there you have it! What do you have to lose? Please go sit down with Dr. Murrin and just see if he can help you. He is almost always the first person I turn to when I have an ache, a pain, or even sinuses and anxiety. He has to be the kindest and happiest person I have ever met. If nothing else that kindness and happiness rubs off on you and you will leave the office in a great mood!
Check out some more information or give the office a call:
chiropracticusasc.com
843-881-0046
Kourtney Kardashian’s Avocado Pudding recipe is AH MAZING. I have added a few little tweaks to my version but it is nearly the same.
I eat avocado pudding every day around 3 or 3:30 when I get that late afternoon hunger. It is a great and healthy alternative to grabbing a bag of chips, crackers, or even a protein bar (cough cough a snickers bar really). It is super filling and the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and healthy fat.
Avocado Pudding – My version is more like a smoothie because I prefer to drink it and I prefer that to have it very cold
1 full avocado -half it, pull out the center pit, and peel it
1 cup of organic coconut milk (you can use almond milk if you prefer but I recommend using coconut milk to make it creamy – the coconut taste is not powerful at all)
1 tbsp of honey (or agave)
Optional – 1 tbsp of MCT oil/Brain Octane Oil (Disclaimer: this can upset your stomach for a little bit when you are getting used to it- it went away after like two weeks for me)
10-12 ice cubes
BLEND and Voila! It’s just like a green milkshake
*** On days that I do not have my breakfast smoothie I add spirulina and collagen protein to mine – it does not change the taste at all
Hellthy and Wellthy 