Relaxation Techniques - #1 in a Series from Dr. Bierbrauer

Control Your Breathing
 
Relaxed breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, can help you relieve stress.

Have you ever noticed how you breathe when you’re stressed? Stress typically causes rapid, shallow breathing. This kind of breathing sustains other aspects of the stress response, such as rapid heart rate and perspiration. If you can get control of your breathing, the spiraling effects of acute stress will automatically become less intense. Relaxed breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, can help you relieve stress.

Practice this basic technique twice daily, and whenever you feel tense. Follow these steps:

• Inhale. With your mouth closed and your shoulders relaxed, inhale as slowly and deeply as you can to the count of six. As you do that, push your stomach out. Allow the air to fill your diaphragm.
• Hold. Keep the air in your lungs as you slowly count to four.
• Exhale. Release the air through your mouth as you slowly count to six.
• Repeat. Complete the inhale-hold-exhale cycle three to five times.

Dr. Bierbrauer is the owner of Bierbrauer Chiropractic, 221 10th Avenue South, on the ground floor of the Bridgewater Lofts.  He has been treating new born infants, children and adolescents, adults and elderly, entire families and both amateur and professional athletes since graduating magna cum laude from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1995.

Chocolate!

Submitted by Andrea Austin

Chocolate is good for us in small doses, as long it's the right kind.

First of all, chocolate is a plant based treat.  Like tofu is from soybeans, and stevia is from the stevia plant, chocolate is from the cocoa plant.  In it’s purest form, cocoa is extremely bitter and not very tasty to eat.  But, on the other hand, in its purest form, it is also the most potent in the area of antioxidant disease fighting power.  Cocoa phenols are the actual potent antioxidant that cocoa is blessed with.  They are proven to lower blood pressure, (The Journal of the American Medical Association reports).  They are also known to destroy free radicals.  Free radicals are negative molecules in the body that are responsible for many human maladies like heart disease. 

Here is a list of the amazing attributes that cocoa (dark chocolate) holds for us:

•Theobromine, which stimulates the nervous system and helps muscles to work harder.
•Caffeine, which is a stimulant and helps to burn calories and fights fatigue.
•Tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid which will trigger the production of serotonin.  This a natural anti-depressant and stress reducer.
•Phenols, which helps to lower blood pressure and fight heart disease.
•Endorphins, which are a natural opiate which will reduce pain and better mood.
•Phenylethulamine, which is a chemical released in the body that is similar to amphetamines! (This is the “love” chemical).
•Catechins, which are powerful antioxidants to fight cancer.
•Amandamide, which is a chemical that increases relaxation and positive well being.

Processing cocoa into chocolate can water down or even ruin it’s disease fighting power. The higher the cocoa content in a chocolate bar, the more powerful it is in antioxidant power.  Milk or white chocolate have the lowest cocoa content. Milk interferes with the absorption of antioxidants, so if you are eating milk or white chocolate in hopes of helping to fight disease - think again!

Three rules of thumb when purchasing chocolate bars and eating for health and antioxidant components are:

1.  Make sure the bar is 70% cocoa content or higher.  The higher the better if you can tolerate it’s strong flavor.
2.  Purchase bars made in Europe.  They tend to be higher quality and higher in cocoa phenols.
3.  When eating dark chocolate daily make sure to do so in small quantities.  Break off a small square a day (between 50 and 100 grams).

About Andrea
Andrea is an award winning master personal trainer from the Twin Cites, Minnesota. She is certified through The National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Personal Trainer and is a certified group fitness instructor teaching 3 master classes weekly.  She teaches weekly classes at 501SP1N and can found on the web at http://tweakmyworkout.com or Andrea@tweakmyworkout.com via email. 

15 Interesting Ways to Burn More Calories Without Much Thought

Submitted by Andrea Austin
 
On our quest to be fit, we often forget that daily activities can really enhance our calorie burning potential. Here are some everyday things you can be focused on to “top off” your calorie burning:

1.In the warmer weather park farther away every time you go to a store.  Simple but effective as the distance will add up to benefit you!
2.Take the stairs vs. the elevator at the airport, workplace, or any venue that you might find yourself at.
3.Play with your children in the yard!  This will burn just as many calories for an hour as walking briskly for an hour.
4.Drink less soda.  Did you know that the average American adult downs 45 gallons of soft drinks in a year?  ugh!  That equals 21 lbs. of body fat!  Makes you go hmmmm.
5.Try consuming spicy foods before you workout (2 hours pre).  It will increase your metabolism by up to 50%!
6.Make your weekly home tasks a workout day.  By cleaning, doing laundry, vacuuming, etc. you will amp up your calorie burn.
7.When you are walking, sitting, driving, etc. stand/sit up straight.  This will burn more calories and increase your core stability.
8.Make your daily pet walk a workout for you and your pet(s).  Instead of stopping and sniffing every tree, have your pet do a walk/run combo with you.  Just even doing short half block jogs with the walk will bust calories!  Plus, your pet will highly benefit too.
9.Instead of dreading mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, and general gardening, look at it as an opportunity to amp up calorie burn during the week.  By performing these outdoor yard tasks at an intentional clipped pace, you will benefit your heart, lungs, and muscles.
10.While watching t.v. perform abdominal exercises or simple cardio exercises like jumping jacks or high knee lifts during the commercials.  Benefit while waiting for your show to resume.
11.For one night out of the 7, do not eat past 6:00 pm.  You will be amazed at how this will work over time.
12.Drink more water daily.  This helps aid in weight loss and increased metabolism.
13.When you go out to eat, choose salads with protein vs. the meat, potatoes, appetizers.  Even if you did this for a month, you will increase weight loss!
14.Workout in a cooler room vs. a heated room.  Did you know that the body will work harder and burn more calories in a cooler room?
15.Enjoy the outdoors more with hiking, biking, inline skating, walking, swimming, playing at the beach, shooting hoops, and much more! 

By incorporating these into your weekly routines, you will amp up calorie burn without much thought.

About Andrea
Andrea is an award winning master personal trainer from the Twin Cites, Minnesota. She is certified through The National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Personal Trainer and is a certified group fitness instructor teaching 3 master classes weekly.  She teaches weekly classes at 501SP1N and can found on the web at http://tweakmyworkout.com or Andrea@tweakmyworkout.com via email. 

An Excerpt from Dr. Bierbrauer's Latest Newsletter

Your New Reality

Is it possible to create a new personal reality? So-called unscripted television shows say you can - "The Biggest Loser" being one of the more popular of these tell-all and show-all programs. But most of us realize that these shows don't closely represent reality as we experience it. What causes us to tune in anyway? The answer is that even though reality shows may be scripted or controlled in some ways, they do contain an element of reality regarding the actual problems of the participants/contestants. We empathize with their struggles, and hope to discern some new knowledge that may help us overcome our own hurdles. But can a real person, in real life, make long-lasting changes in lifestyle, health, and wellness?

The provisional answer is yes.1,2,3 A real person can lose significant weight and keep it off. A real person can become physically fit, even though she hasn't exercised for 20 years, or ever. A real person can create a nutritional food plan that covers all the basics and also tastes great. A real person can sleep seven or eight hours a night, most nights, and have the ongoing experience of feeling well-rested. A real person can enjoy meaningful and fulfilling relationships with family and friends. In short, a real person can design and have a real life, even though from today's perspective such a rewarding life might seem an impossibly unattainable goal.

Your new reality is possible, but it doesn't come for free. If no effort were involved, every person in the developed world would be living happy, creative, self-fulfilled lives right now. You can see that is not the case when you look around at your workplace, the local market, or the shopping mall. How many people appear to be happy and engaged? How many appear anxious or stressed? Many times, anxiety and stress far outweigh happiness and enjoyment. For many, our default way of being seems to include worry, disorganization, disorder, and breakdown. These conditions lead to anxiety, which leads to stress, which leads to more worry and anxiety. When they form, these negative habits of thinking and action are habitually ineffective; they continue to be negative influences on our lives until we abolish them. In terms of health and well-being, our negative habits lead to the opposite conditions - we aren't healthy and we don't feel good about ourselves.

The world around us works the same way. Every moment, the universe is tending to greater entropy - the breakup of organized energy patterns and greater disorder. On the other hand, life has the power to reverse the natural tendency toward entropy. Life creates structure. Life creates organization. Think of honeycombs. Think of dams. Think of skyscrapers.

Why then do human lives often seem to fall apart so easily? The missing secret ingredients include intention, planning, and effort. And not only the effort required to keep the whole thing operational. Extra effort is called for to really make a difference. Extra effort that we take on our own behalf. In order for us to create a new personal reality, extra effort will be required. Weeks, months, and years of extra effort. This sounds like a lot. It is. The good news is that the payoff can be huge. The real payoff is the person you become as part of this process of renewal. You become your authentic self.

1Totsikas C, et al: Cardiorespiratory fitness determines the reduction in blood pressure and insulin resistance during lifestyle intervention. J Hypertens 29(6):1220-1227, 2011
2Lohmann H, et al: Fitness consultations in routine care of patients with type 2 diabetes in general practice: an 18-month non-randomised intervention study. BMC Fam Pract 11:83, 2010
3Ryan AS: Exercise in aging: its important role in mortality, obesity and insulin resistance. Aging Health 6(5):551-563, 2010

120-Day Makeover
 
Your body's cells and tissues are constantly undergoing replacement, remodeling, and makeovers. For example, your red blood cells - the cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to every other part of your body - replace themselves every 120 days. Other cells with such a high rate of turnover include the cells lining your gastrointestinal tract - stomach, small intestine, and large intestine - and hair cells.

Ultimately all of your body's cells die and are replaced. What this means is that the "new you" doesn't have to be the same as the "old you". As you get healthier - eat more nutritious foods, exercise regularly, and get sufficient restful sleep - your new replacement cells also become stronger, fitter, and healthier.

For most people, chiropractic care is an essential ingredient in becoming healthier. Chiropractic care helps improve the functioning of your nerve system, which in turn helps every system of your body function more effectively and efficiently. With respect to health and well-being, chiropractic care helps your desire for a "new reality" become a reality.

Dr. Bierbrauer is the owner of Bierbrauer Chiropractic, 221 10th Avenue South, on the ground floor of the Bridgewater Lofts.  He has been treating new born infants, children and adolescents, adults and elderly, entire families and both amateur and professional athletes since graduating magna cum laude from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1995.

USDA's Updated Nutrition Guide

On June 2 the USDA unveiled their new nutrition guide, replacing the old pyramid.  The new guide is meant to be easier to understand - it simply shows how food groups should fill your plate proportionately.  Visit the USDA's Choose My Plate website for details.  

Here's a link to a video of one doctors opinion. 

An Excerpt from Dr. Bierbrauer's Latest Newsletter

Fitness: How Chiropractic Can Help

Efficiency. It is something we all look for in home appliances or cars. How much energy will this thing take to run? Does the system have any weaknesses? If it’s a used car, we want to know if the car had its oil changed regularly and if the parts have been properly cared for. We know that when one thing is imbalanced, the whole system becomes less effective. The truth is, regular maintenance (getting that tune-up, having that spine adjusted) can play a significant role in overall “fitness.” When all systems are fully supported and functioning properly, we run, work, and play better.

Though it can be difficult to define, physical fitness refers to a state of overall health that includes the ability to perform a range of activities, from a hard workout to working comfortably at a desk, with ease and efficiency. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, there are four interrelated types of fitness that contribute to complete health: muscular fitness, which includes muscle strength and endurance; flexibility, which includes muscle/tendon elasticity and range of motion; cardio-respiratory fitness, which includes the heart, lungs, and blood vessels; and body composition, or the percentage of body fat to nonfat tissues (bones, organs, etc.). Because no one system functions independently, the fitness of each affects all the others.

While it’s important to get adequate exercise, eat right, and treat our bodies kindly to maximize health in all of the above categories, regular alignment or “maintenance” through chiropractic adjustments can be a big step to improving overall fitness. Because chiropractic works toward balancing the body’s systems—bones, muscles, nerves, and organs—through proper posture and alignment, regular chiropractic care allows the whole body to perform at its best, increasing energy reserves as it decreases the stress and fatigue that can result from improper alignment.

In fact, icons of fitness such as Decathlon Gold Medalist Dan O'Brien and Superbowl MVP Joe Montana use chiropractic care to maintain peak physical performance; and the trend is catching on among a number of professional athletes and sports teams. The U.S. teams for the 2002 Winter Olympics were the first to employ an official Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Robin Hunter, and they had one of the best showings ever. Coincidence? Hunter has stated the chiropractic care is all about “correcting bio-mechanical faults and misalignments, and treating injuries with hands-on work, so that the athletes can return to play faster and better.” John Stockton, a pro basketball player that has turned to chiropractic to better his game says, “It’s not just the adjustments, it’s balancing muscles and overall health.” After a recent skiing accident, Schwarzenegger remarked, “I had one of those miracle moments when you call a chiropractor, they care for you and then days later you ski again like a champion on moguls.”

Though it may feel like a miracle, the principle of chiropractic is simple. When the body is well aligned, muscles, joints, and ligaments function together with greater ease. Internal organs aren’t hindered—the lungs and heart are better able to do their jobs. Perhaps even more importantly, chiropractic care helps prevent injuries that can result from overtaxing a particular part of the body that may be compensating for those that aren’t functioning as well. Through chiropractic the body gets a tune-up. We’re ready to roll—more efficiently and with a greater sense of well-being.

Chiropractic Can Help Your Body Run More Efficiently
 
Everyone knows that it is important to exercise regularly and eat right to take care of our bodies. But what if you are in too much pain to be able to exercise comfortably or safely? What if your range of motion is limited by stiffness?

By eliminating the headaches, muscle tightness, low back pain, and nerve interference (or subluxations) that result from misalignment, chiropractic helps the body become less limited in the types of and amount of movement it can perform well.

Dr. Bierbrauer is the owner of Bierbrauer Chiropractic, 221 10th Avenue South, on the ground floor of the Bridgewater Lofts.  He has been treating new born infants, children and adolescents, adults and elderly, entire families and both amateur and professional athletes since graduating magna cum laude from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1995.

Twin Cities Named #1 Spot in the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2011 List of America’s Fittest Cities

According to a May 24, 2011, article on WebMD.com, Minneapolis-St. Paul is the 2011 fittest metro area per the American College of Sports Medicine.

Contributing factors include bountiful parks and recreational facilities (our percentage of parkland is above average), an increasing number of farmers markets, and low smoking rates.  Also, an above-average percentage of residents exercise, and we have moderate-to-low rates of chronic health problems (such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease).

10 Important Reasons Why Sleep And Rest Are Your Best Friend!

Submitted by Andrea Austin

Have you ever wondered why your non-dominant hand/arm is sometimes stronger than your dominant? This can be an example of this blog’s topic and how rest is just as important as work. When you overwork a muscle or the body for that matter and do not give it a break, it actually is in a permanent weakened state and performance is inhibited. We all live such crazy-busy lives and put demands on our bodies to keep up with the insanity. The reality is we can function like this for so long before our bodies start to say “no!”.

Let’s discuss the all important topic of sleep and how lack of sleep will really sabotage your workout/training efforts and daily life in a major way.

Here are 10 very negative ramifications of operating on less than 7 to 8 hours a night:

 1. Impaired Immune System: So you think by saving time by sleeping less you are getting ahead? Well consider the decreased ability to fight off all the lovely sicknesses running around out there and how much time you will save if you catch one of them and have to take a lot of time away from your busy schedule.

 2. Cognitive Impairment: Your ability to connect your thoughts will become stunted and you can suffer from impaired moral judgment! Wow, that could be really bad!

 3. Increased Risk Of Heart Disease: Your heart rate variability is increased when lacking rest and sleep. Enough said on this!

 4. Decreased Reaction Time And Accuracy: I’m not sure I would want to be sharing the road with someone that is running low on sleep! I’m definitely sure I do not want to be operating heavy equipment when sleep deprived!

 5. Weight Gain: Did you know that running low on sleep and rest makes you gain weight? It messes with your hormones and since you are awake longer your appetite is increased. Ugh.

 6. Your Growth Is Suppressed And You Will Age Faster: If you have a teenage kid, this is not good! As an adult “growth” does not just mean growing taller; it means keeping your body rejuvenating itself! Also, if you are interested in aging faster then definitely keep up not getting enough sleep!

 7. Your Body Cannot Heal Itself As Well: When you are running low on rest and sleep, your body is weakened in many ways including it’s ability to heal from wounds, illnesses, etc. Expect to take much longer in healing from an injury or illness if you think sleep just is not that necessary!

 8. Your Memory Will Be Lessened: Expect daily routines to be effected negatively from making mistakes in your cooking, to missing details in conversations, and seeming like a complete idiot when you keep forgetting important conversational details with loved ones and friends! Not good.

 9. Type 2 Diabetes Can Become Closer Than You Think: When habitual lack of sleep happens your body becomes less glucose intolerant setting you up for getting Type 2 Adult Onset Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes is preventable!

10. Increased Risk Of Chronic High Blood Pressure, Increased Risk Of Stress Hormone Production, Increased Risk Of Fibromyalgia: If 1 through 9 isn’t enough to consider getting more rest and sleep these three kickers should assist you!

Remember, REST IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE. You are only your best if you take a bit longer to get your sleep and rest!

About Andrea
Andrea is an award winning master personal trainer from the Twin Cites, Minnesota. She is certified through The National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Personal Trainer and is a certified group fitness instructor teaching 3 master classes weekly.  She teaches weekly classes at 501SP1N and can found on the web at http://tweakmyworkout.com or Andrea@tweakmyworkout.com via email.