New Year's Resolutions

It's a new year and often times this means a new you! Many people around the world look to improve themselves and their lifestyles by creating attainable and reasonable goals. Here are a few suggestions when carrying out a new year's resolution. 

Write down your goal or resolution. According to recent studies, those that write down goals are ten times more likely to achieve their goals than those who did not write them down. Research after research demonstrates this phenomenon. One way to write down your goals is to put them on post-it notes and place them in areas where you go every day. An example is to write down the goal and attach the post-it note to the bathroom mirror. This way when you get up in the morning, one of the very first things you see or read is your goal. This is a great way to have a daily reminder of what you want to achieve. 

Start small. Do not create goals that seem impossible to reach or are too difficult to attain. A goal needs to be within reach otherwise it can become discouraging and even create a more unhealthy lifestyle. For example, if you have a goal to begin working out this year, do not start out by working our 6 or 7 days per week. Instead, begin by working out 2 to 3 days per week to establish a schedule a motivation. If you continue to succeed, then add a couple more days and a little more time to your workouts as you feel fit. This creates positive re-enforcement and motivation to continue your resolution. 

Create a support group. Everyone has heard the saying "two are better than one" or "there are strength in numbers". This is ever so important when setting new year's resolutions. When we begin a new routine often times we become worn out or have less energy. As this happens it makes it more difficult to continue what you started. When you have another person, or other people, that are looking to achieve similar goals it can create accountability and positive re-enforcement. 

Reward yourself as you go. If eating healthier foods is your new year's resolution, obviously focus on cutting out unhealthy foods, but also reward yourself with little "treats" as you move forward in your goal. As previously mentioned, goals need to be attainable. If you have a hard time staying away from sweets it can be very difficult to cut them out entirely. So instead, as you continue to improve your eating habits, give yourself a treat every couple of days. As time progresses your desire to eat unhealthy foods will continue to diminish and this will make it much easier to follow through with your resolution!   

To learn more ways to keep you and your family happy and healthy, visit our website at oxborochiro.com. 

By: Travis L. Klug, D.C.

Source:

 https://medium.com/@adsactly/the-importance-of-writing-down-clearly-defined-goals-21d90ca78844

Embracing the Season Festivities in Minneapolis

Minnesota around the holidays is something truly magical. The fresh white snow that blankets the streets, cold crisp air and bundling up in your coziest clothes. This holiday season join in on some of the many festivities the Minneapolis-St. Paul area has to offer. Ride on the north pole express or visit the European Christmas market at the Union Depot in St. Paul. Make a thermos of hot coco and go on a adventure to find the best holiday lights in your neighborhood. Go see the nutcracker at the Orpheum or join in on the Holidazzle activities. Either way, there is no lack of fun and festive activities for the whole family this holiday season.

The Union Depot station in St. Paul has a North Pole Express where you take a magical train ride and includes a visit from Santa! Visit Santa's Workshop at Bachman's in Minneapolis for a fun for all ages play called "Who wants to be a toymaker?". With various times on Saturday and Sundays, this will be a one of a kind holiday experience. 

Another fun holiday activity is visiting one of the many winter markets going on in the Twin Cities. Cities like Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina and Bloomington all have wonderful winter markets with a multitude of vendors and a variety of beautiful, unique handmade items. Minneapolis has the Holidazzle that goes on from Friday November 23rd to Sunday December 23rd. They have food tents, ice skating, kids activities, movies nights, kid zones, holiday markets and a fireworks display. Visit www.holidazzle.com to learn more about all the amazing activities and events going on in Minneapolis. 

If you are still looking for more holiday fun visit the MN Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. You can view the Winter Lights display that they have or finish holiday shopping at their holiday market. They also have live music, breakfast with Santa and seasonal cooking classes. You can visit their website arbwinter.umn.edu to learn more. 

For more holiday activities visit your community website or Facebook's events page to see what's going on around you. Lastly, although the holidays can be stressful don't forget what this season is truly about. Be thankful for all the positive things in your life and embrace the time you spend with loved ones. 

To learn more ways to keep you and your family happy and healthy, visit our website www.oxborochiro.com. 

By: Julia Jacobson, Office Manager

Oxboro Family Chiropractic, P.A.

Staycation

When planning a vacation very few of us ever think about staying close to home. However traveling can get expensive and cause even more stress. Between the cost of air fare, hotels and lodging, transportation and the cost of experiences once you arrive at your destination, vacation can add up quickly. Next time you are planning a vacation think about keeping it closer to home or taking a staycation. There are many pros to taking a staycation or being a tourist in your own town. It is more cost effective, you don't have to take time off work, arrange transportation or lodging or worry about being in an unfamiliar city. Here are some things to try when being a tourist in your own city.

Try things that you wouldn't normally do in your city. Take a tour of a popular landmark like the Minnesota State Capital in St. Paul, the Mill Ruins Park or Mill City Museum in Minneapolis. Visit a museum that you have never been to like the Minneapolis Institute of art, the James J. Hill House, American Swedish Institute, Science Museum of Minnesota, Walker Art Center or the Minnesota Children's Museum. Rent a Nice Ride bike and take a self guided tour around lake Bde Maka Ska, Lake of the Isles, Lake Harriet or Lake Nokomis.

Embrace the four seasons that Minnesota has to offer. In the summer rent a boat on Lake Minnetonka or visit Minnehaha falls. In the Fall go to the Minnesota Landscape arboretum in Chaska and take the 3-Mile Drive, watch the leaves transform into vibrant red, orange and yellow. Also visit an apple orchard and pick fresh apples, drink fresh pressed apple cider and take a hay ride. In the winter visit Buck Hill for snow tubing or Afton Alps for skiing and snowboarding. You could also go root for the Wild at a Minnesota Wild game at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. In the Spring check out the roaring Mississippi river at the Stone Arch Bridge over St. Anthony Falls, watch the flowers bloom at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory or visit the Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens.

Check out a local events, fairs or festivals. Go to the Minneapolis Farmers Market or go to one of Minneapolis's many music and movies in the park. Try something new at the Dakota County, Carver County or Edina Art Fair. See a concert at the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair. Attend the Pizza Luce Block Party, Twin Cities Pride Festival or the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Visit your community website to see what other events are going on around you.

When taking a staycation make sure to step outside your comfort zone and be adventurous, but also enjoy yourself. Try something new, eat a new food, visit a new place or try a new activity and along the way you might discover a new favorite restaurant, hobby or activity! Being a tourist in your own town allows you to see a city you see every day in a new light. It also gives you a well deserved break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life while staying close to home.

By: Julia Jacobson, Office Manager

Oxboro Family Chiropractic, P.A.


Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/how-to-be-a-tourist-in-your-own-town/

Living a Happy and Healthy Life

We all strive to live a happy and healthy life, yet many of us struggle to accomplish one or both of these goals. Instead of setting large, unattainable goals, try to focus on making small choices that can improve your likelihood of attaining these goals and achieving a greater overall well-being. A functional-medicine pioneer sums up six elements to a happy and healthy life!

Eat using the perfect plate method. We know this sounds simple but this is often a big struggle for many people. Using the perfect plate, as described my Frank Lipman, M.D., helps you focus more on eating healthier foods rather than counting individual calories, prompting us to focus on quality over quantity. Lipman breaks the plate into 50 to 70 percent non-starchy vegetables, 10 to 15 percent best-quality proteins and 20 to 30 percent healthy fats. Focusing on these foods will help reduce the consumption of the starchy, sugary foods that promote inflammation and weight gain. This element goes hand in hand with another suggestion made by Lipman, address your toxic burden. We are surrounded by environmental stressors that our bodies have to expel each day. These include GMOs, carcinogenic compounds, chemical additives, to foods, healthcare products or personal care items, etc. Lipman suggests to avoid GMOs, educate yourself about what is healthy versus unhealthy and dismiss the doubters of what you want to achieve. 

Become active! Our bodies were designed to move and moving helps to keep our joints well lubricated and healthy. Moving helps to produce proteins called myokines that fight disease and reduce inflammation. It also strengthens the most important muscle in our bodies, our hearts! Take a 5 minute break from work to walk around and stretch or go for walk at lunch.

Get good sleep. The glympathic system, similar to the lymphatic system, is a system within the central nervous system that helps to keep your brain clear and healthy. The glymphatic system works by removing excessive proteins, byproducts of normal neurological functions, that have been linked to the loss of neurological function. The glymphatic system works while we are sleeping, allowing our bodies to rid themselves of toxic overload. If you have an out-of-sync sleep schedule here are some suggestions to improve your sleep cycle. Dr. Lipman recommends good light exposure in the morning by walking outside as our internal clocks are sensitive to the energizing effects of light. Getting outside regularly throughout the day for a few minutes also helps to improve alertness our circadian rhythms. As the evening progresses limit your exposure to artificial light as you prepare to sleep.

"Unwind: Use your breath as a pathway to peace". Stress is a large topic of many of our lives. Unwind by taking a break from social media and get away from the internet. Take time throughout the day to take deep breaths to help clear our minds and relax. Belly breathing or the 4-7-8 breathing methods help you to relax by focusing on breathing rather than your surroundings. To use these proper techniques refer to the attached link: https://experiencelife.com/article/6-keys-to-a-happy-and-healthy-life/.

Lastly, connect and practice appreciation for your fellow beings. We all enjoy a good compliment and healthy relationships, and so do our peers. Perform random acts of kindness like giving compliments, smiling, listening closely to whomever you are talking to, help strangers, etc. These acts help us to become more connected and relaxed, creating a healthier you and environment! To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.

Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/6-keys-to-a-happy-and-healthy-life/