Opening the Floodgates

         How do I begin? I love helping people. I always knew I wanted to be a physician. When I arrived at the pinnacle point in my life where I had to make the decision of what path to take, I quickly realized that I wanted to empower people from the inside, not simply make them feel better from the outside. And so, I found myself attending graduate school at Logan College of Chiropractic. That was 8 years ago.

        So why am I beginning to blog on the Creve Coeur Patch? Frankly, I have too much knowledge to keep to myself and the people who come into my practice (and I think my friends and family would like me to find another outlet!). I have decided to “Open the Floodgates” of 8 years of studying and let it pour out to my community with the hope that I might empower one person or one family to live a healthier 2013. I find myself bubbling over with excitement when I discover how to make non-toxic cleaners at home, read an article on fighting flu symptoms naturally, help an expecting mother get out of pain, or simply teach an over-stressed client how to breathe more deeply and decrease their blood pressure!

        So where do we start? Well, it is going to get cold tonight!!! With this cold weather, skin becomes extremely dry. Did you know that the lotion you are using for those dry spots could be making it worse? Often times, it’s our diet that is the root of the problem. Here are 3 tips to take the stress off your skin this winter.

• DRINK 1/2 YOUR BODY WIEGHT IN OUNCES OF WATER!!! And, no, tea and coffee do not count as water.  Because every person is built differently, this easy equation personalizes the amount of water you should be drinking daily. If you are a heavy coffee/tea/soda drinker, this amount should be increased. Otherwise, although you are ingesting liquid, you are dehydrating yourself, and thus, your skin will suffer.

• Supplement with healthy oils. Olive oil and coconut oils are great to cook and bake with, but that often time isn’t enough. Look into buying a safe tuna oil or, better yet, turn to cod liver oil. Not only does it have a daily serving of EPAs and DHAs, but it also contains Vitamin A, D and E. All of these nutrients are vital to the day to day functioning of our cells. Great resources for buying these supplements are:

                www.standardprocess.com

                www.radiantlifecatalog.com

                www.greenpasture.org

• Touch up the dry spots with simple, organic lotions and oils. Unfortunately, many of the “health” products in the market place are laden with chemicals that are not fit for human consumption; so why would we rub them into our body’s largest organ that is known for absorption? Instead, try using coconut oil or olive oil on those rough skin spots like elbows and feet. And if you are one who loves to feel pampered, check out botanical and locally owned companies that don’t put added chemicals into the products. You can search the Environmental Working Group’s website for tested products by going to http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/browse/moisturizer/.

I hope this first blog was helpful. I am looking forward to writing more. If you have any requests or questions feel free to email me at drkeen@crossroads2u.com.